Cahpter One, Part one:Dispair?

It was a fine day, as days go in Greenwillows. Though the sun did shine, it did through a heavy layer of clouds heavy with rain. This was a normality, as the clouds provided much of the protection from the sun's harsh rays. Especially of Saturn. Kera gazed into the thik gray of the sky. Remembering as she so often did the light blueness of Earth's sky. How the soft rays would play about the flowers, caressing the shadows and tanning the skin of her and her family. Her 'family' at the moment was down the stairs of their home. She baffled them. Kera was engaged to be married in three weeks. They thought this should bring much joy to Kera, being as she was marrying the richest man in the village. Unfortunately, Kera's mind belonged to a time where such marriges were looked down upon and were not as encouraged. Kera marveled at the differences between year 2006 of Earth, and year 2006 of Saturn. For while Earth was a mass of citys and suburbs, farms and roads. technology at it's rising peak; Saturn was so different. Saturn with a very midevil life style, even though it's technology was thousands of years ahead of Earth's. This baffled Kera as much as her inenthusiasm baffled her family. Kera could not completely understand why a civilization with the multitude of technology that is availiable to it, would live with outhouses, horse drawn carriges, and crude candles. As unsterile as everything was, Kera did note that the medicine was far superior to Earths. Here they had already cured AIDS and found a remidy for several cancers.
            "With all of this knowlege, you'd fgure they'd see how gross it is to marry a man whose in his fortys, when one is just turning sixteen! Yes, he was the richest man in the village, and not the most unfortunate looking, but Kera didn't find the fact of being the 23rd wife very appealing. Especially when most of said wifes died mysterious deaths. Of course the local term of mysterious went deep into what would be thought of on Earth as down right spooky. Kera moved from the window to the mirror. Though the time frame was close to midevil, the creatue comforts was close to Earths modern comforts. Though no indoor toilet, Kera thought sourly. Though not model worthy, Kera had some attractie points. Dirty blonde hair the fell in silky waves. The blue of her eyes sparkeled on most occations but in the funk she was in, the blue dulled a little. She was on the lanky side, but gently filled out for sixteen. Kera really didn't want to marry Lord Briane. Kera pouted at her wedding dress. Her mother had made it for her. Using the best fabric they could afford. The gleaming white of it was almost blinding. It was soft like silk but sturdier like acrylic. Kera thought back and beleived it was called poolmac. Kera still thought it was a funny name for a fabric. That it sounded more like a type of computer than anything else. Turning her thoughts away from the dress, Kera thought of Lord Briane's nefew. Now THAT was a guy she could picture herself with. If not marrying, then definately going on what Saturnians thought of as a "courting" no matter how many times Kera heard that word used in different sentences, it still got the song "Froggy went a courtin' " stuck in her head. Humming the tune, Kera turned to the book of her Earth memories. Before the Big Evacuation. Kera had been minding her own business. Watching a movie, and munching on some microwaved popcorn. Movie Theatre Butter, her favorite variation. Crap. Thinking about popcorn gave her a monster craving for it. Knowing full well that there was no possible way to get any such savory snack was inpossible to get anywhere on Saturn made the craving stronger. It was eerily quiet and the movie was just entering the big fight/drama scene and Kera was completely absorbed into the sights and sounds of the movie. Untill, of course, a loud crash sounded from upstairs. Kera waited a few moments, listening for the sounds of her Earth family moving around in reponse to whatever had fallen. instead she heard silence. A silence that shouldn't had been there. Kera sneaked up to the first landing to investigating, suspecting burgelery she listened with cat-like hearing. She heard a voice, no, two voices. The weren't familier to her. Didn't even sound human. This puzzled her. What could it be then? she listened harder. The voices were saying something to each other. Well,duh, Kera thought. Of course they would be saying something. they wouldn't be singing to each other. that would be supremily wierd! Kera consitrated on what they were saying. Mericfully they were speaking english,.heavily accented with a language she couldn't name, but English.

      "I think that's the last of them." One voice said. It sounded young, and male. Still not human, but male.

      "I think we should check around a little more. double check. Boss wouldn't be very pleased if we left a loose end to report back to Galactic. "

      "I supose you're right."

        " I always am." said the other, older voice. Slightly machenical in some way. Kera heard footsteps come her way. But no matter how many times her mind screamed "RUN!" her feet stayed where they were. She stayed where she was. Two creatures rounded the corner of the stairs. they stared almost blankly at her.

    "oh, crap." Kera whispered.



                                            End of part one, Chapter One.