Planet Qartara
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Author's note-
This story has no exact time period; it has some futuristic technologies and science fiction, but the characters are old-fashioned, imagine Bridgerton/Pride and Prejudice.
·:*¨༺ ♱⋆༺𓆩🗡𓆪༻⋆♱ ༻¨*:·
Character introductions in this chapter:
The protagonist- Cara Astor (Car-uh as-tore) (25)
The head butler- Mr Rael (ray-all) (58 y/o)
Cara hit her head gently against the man next to her, landing gently on his shoulder. He shoves her away with an angry shrug, waking her from a half-asleep daze. Though Cara was from noble blood, her family was poor; she was beautiful but plain, with long, brown hair and gentle curls, deep brown eyes, and a light brown, tanned complexion, a result of living on the hot planet she had called home since birth.
It was a last resort sending her to find work on the nearest planet Qartara where the richest and royals lived, but it was the only option for Cara to have a good life. Her parents could no longer support her, and with no decent marriage prospects, it was the last resort.
It wasn't as though Cara couldn't find a man to marry; men came and went eagerly asking for her hand, but she declined their proposals. Each man was worse than the last, ugly, unkind or rather old, none of which Cara could stand, let alone let herself marry. Her mother had grown impatient and had almost forced her to accept the hand of a friendly-seeming man, but the moment they were alone, his hands wandered as his eyes had done an hour before over her body. Cara's skin would crawl whenever she remembered that day.
Cara looked up away from her lap, and her eyes caught the woman in front of her, in a seat just as uncomfortable as hers, facing her. Cara smiled a little in a kindly manner, but the woman just stared and blinked rather heavily.
No one wanted this. No one travelled to Qartara unless they were workers of the elite or beggars.
The shuttle was a large metal structure, like a giant pill, hot, dry and full, full of people, yet it felt empty to Cara.
Everyone on the shuttle heading to the planet Qartara looked worn out, dressed well, clean but dishevelled, some looked as though they had been crying. Feeling awkward, Cara looked away from the people and down at the paperwork she was holding, glancing again at the information for the job she was to receive. Cara's mother, Lady Astor, now alone, a widow, caring for her family alone after the death of her husband, Sir Astor, had applied for this job for her. The font was small and smudged from yesterday's tears, the words still discernible
'Position: Head maid
Requirements: The new head maid is expected to tend to the household chores and aid the inhabitants of the household Dassault, and the guests that stop to visit. The applicant is required to be able-bodied, a good worker, and enjoyable to look at, kept tidy and beautiful, so as not to embarrass the family in front of guests/nobility. Must have experience and a noble family.
Start date: August 6th.'
Running her finger on the number 6, Cara thought to herself -August 6th, that's today...I must start right away, I won't have any time to rest-
The shuttle shudders as it seemingly has reached its destination. Workers walk down the massive aisle in the middle of the seats, their ropes sliding across a bar on the top of the shuttle roof, securing them as the shuttle rumbled. They began gesturing for them all to fasten themselves in again, pulling the fastener tighter. She began to feel deep nerves in her stomach, her heart rate increasing rapidly, and she began to feel nauseated. The rattling and rumbling of the metal ship caused some passengers to gasp and a baby to begin crying, a tired woman shook the baby gently back and forth, clearly worn out but caring. The baby's cries echoed in the large ship, rattling the passengers, including Cara. She gripped her paperwork and crossed her legs, her eyes burning just a little. The sound of the baby crying reminded her of home, her baby brother and her mother. She shook her head. The memories of her family already stung; she wouldn't work here long, she believed, her family would be waiting for her return.
Stepping off the shuttle, she watched as the cases belonging to the passengers were being slowly loaded up inside the docking station, the station bustling with people coming and going, loudspeakers announcing in a monotone voice the arrival of the ship.
'The docked shuttle is for the planet Rhita. The shuttle is due to leave in one hour from now at 11:35 am, once it is fully boarded if-" Cara is snapped back to the moment, hearing a man's voice call her name.
"Cara Astor?" the man looked around at the women disembarking and glanced in Cara's direction to see her looking his way. The older gentleman makes his way towards her, taking off his driving gloves.
"Cara, I take it."
She nods nervously, clutching her papers closer.
"Ah, perfect, your case has already been loaded into the car, so we can leave at once, unless there's anything you need?"
Cara looks back over her shoulder into the shuttle and at all the sad faces, some alone picking up their cases, it seems many are not as lucky as Cara atleast the household Dassault had sent someone to collect her.
"No, we can leave, thank you," she gestures for the man to lead the way with her hand palm outstretched. He turns the way he came and walks quickly, Cara following closely, but people watching as they walk through the crowded terminal.
" I have forgotten to introduce myself, I'm sorry, miss, my name is Mr Rael." A hint of a Balkan accent when he says his name, which wasn't noticeable before; he spoke in a proper English accent, but when saying his name, it changed.
"Nice to meet you, sir," Cara said, walking briskly to keep up with the tall Mr Rael. He was handsome but aged, with thick, greying hair with black still left in some places, scattered around his moustache, dressed in a clean, pressed brown suit.
