Vanity: Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1
The ringed planet of Mater shone a vibrant blue colour in the midnight winter sky, lighting up the city below. Kyle stood at the front of the balcony of his apartment, his paws dangling over the edge of the glass barrier limply, marvelling the sight. His breath like a ghostly apparition hung in the frozen air teased his nose with its warmth. His red-orange fur shone grey with the contrast on the planets colours and it made him look older. Staring up at the nitrogen-blue ball that covered more than half of the sky, he shifted his view over to the golden cloud that marked the fur province in the Milky Way - The Golden Nebula. Kyle sighed and looked down at the dead streets below.
"Kyle, it is freezing out here, come in" hushed a voice from behind. Turning around he saw his sister, Lavender, a slender and tall grey wolf with thick, neat fur hanging round the edge of the glass door. "I'll be in soon, I need some air" he replied trying not to show his uncomfort in the air's coldness. "You said that an hour ago, it's late and leave port tomorrow morning for Helianthus early". He hesitantly walked over towards Lavender and inside as she slid the door shut. Kyle slumped onto his bed where exhaled deeply. Lavender sat next to him on his bed. "Why have you so quiet lately?" she asked with a worried tone lightly escaping with the words.
"I-I don't think mum is happy that I leave tomorrow. She acted like this was the last she would see of me", he murmured. "I try not worrying myself over it, Lavender, but I sometimes wonder if I will re-"
"You will make it home!" Lavender sternly cut-in. Kyle closed his eyes with tears swelling up. Kyle thought about how his Dad never returned from his outpost on iron planet of Mars. This made him sob suddenly and his sister hugged him tightly to calm him. Shortly after, Kyle was asleep and Lavender crept out of the room silently on her hind paws as to not wake him up.
Kyle awoke with his alarm screaming beside him. "Shit, morning" he groaned, eyes refusing to open. He got into his white-plated carbon fibre armoured suit and slumped out of his room towards the kitchen, where his mum and sister were sitting at the table drinking coffee and chatting contently. "Morning guys"
"Hey Kyle, are you ready to leave?", asked his mother, a little red fox, not showing the worry from the previous night. Her amber eyes were livelier.
"Kind of. I need to be at the port in an hour", Kyle said turning his attention to kitchen clock.
Forty-five minutes later the three of them drove towards the port of Lorem where a spaceship docked. The ship, known as the Somniatis, was Kyle's destination and transport to Helianthus. The monstrous mechanic touched both horizons and hugged the clouds above them. It was easy to see the ship form its usual orbit around Luceat's ringed mother-planet Mater, its silvery-blue metal structure reflected brilliantly against the binary stars of which the planet revolved. Parking the car and walking towards the glass convex building where Kyle was to depart with his mother and sister, Kyle though again about never coming home, just like his father, but resumed a clear mind.
"State your name, rank and batalion please" asked the intimidating grizzly towering above Kyle. His accent was very hard to place, although it sounded southern and hard.
"First-class officer Kyle Mackay of 1068 Murena Corp" Kyle anxiously replied. And was he directed inside. He turned to face his near sobbing mother and felt his heart sink. His sister waved slowly and closely held their mother to her side.
Without looking back a second time, Kyle headed in holding his breath.