Virmire "Seven" X | 14 | Brunt-Maxis
The first sign that something was wrong was when the infinite blue sky, with the three moons that shown even during the day, flashed a bright red. The second was the shaking- like the planet was tearing itself apart at the core. The third.. were the screams. They pierced the air, shrill and full of fear. Virmire's training kicked in- as did a few others of her student counterparts, as they stood up and turned towards the noise outside of their classroom. Although it was obvious others shrank back, scanning their surrounding for a quick getaway. Her braver classmates, now standing up from behind their shining metal desks, exchanged glances. No adult was present at the room- it was a half-an-hour self-study session where they were left alone on their holograms to work on their work or whatever other endeavors they decided to partake in. Many spent the time exchanging vids off the internet, which was perfectly understandable. Even prodigies enjoyed watching cats and babies do pointless, yet strangely entertaining stuff.
A girl, Rune, stepped towards the sliding doors, which opened automatically as she neared. A teacher ran in as soon as they parted, bloody and with a lack of breath. Then there was an explosion, and the air was filled with smoke and fire. Everything from then on was a blur to her. Getting up was a haze- most of her classmates laid on the floor, whether unconscious or dead she wasn't sure. Any clear thought were wiped away, her mind primal and livid with the idea that she might not survive. That whatever was.. attacking.. might get to her. She looked around frantically, a few of the students that laid on the floor's heads parted as their insurance implants made their way out of their body. They were dead. Move. You have to get out of here. The voice that echoed wasn't hers. Masculine yet melodic.
"Ah, Vi," her voice cracked, raspy as it was. Vi was her AI, installed onto her augmented, synthetic arm to keep her company. A quirky little trait added on by your's truly. Named ironically Vi (as in Virtual Intelligent, when it was truly an Artificial Intelligent), it was "Seven"'s first fully-aware, completely unique and truly 'alive' AI. A mind of it'd own.
Somehow, she managed to obey Vi's instructions, staggering through the building. The floor still shook, and she feared another bomb. By the time she was outside, she was ready to collapse. It didn't help that the sky looked like it was dripping blood at this point. She looked at one of the planet's moons, Hectate, as a huge chunk was suddenly blown up. It split into pieces, no longer a glorious thing that decorated the planet's sky like a diamond.
There are docks nearby. The professors have ships there, perhaps-
Before Vi could finish it's thoughts, a large figure appeared in front of Virmire, gun cocked and pointed at her head. Slowly, the small girl rose her head to meet her attackers eyes only then realizing it was a teacher. "Virmire!" the adult exclaimed, relieved to see the student. Virmire would return the sentiments, had the large wound the teacher was covering startled her. "Ah, just a flesh wound." she assured, but the bleeding was bad. "Let's go. I have a ship in the docks nearby, I don't want the Ravagers getting to us before we manage to escape. Do you still have that AI of your's on you?"
The child swallowed and nodded, feeling suddenly very small. "Good. My ships' AI's memory hardware got screwed up. Probably Ravager tech. We can't fly out of here without one."
They made their way to the ships, luckily not coming face-to-face with whatever these "Ravager" monstrosities were. Virmire didn't have time to mourn or think, only act. Only rely on the urging voice of Vi in her head that echoed to keep going despite the limp in her step and the giant headache that vibrated through her skull.
The FTL drives hummed to life as Vi crossed over from Virmire's arm's hardware to the starship.
Miss Beuram, the professor, took to the galactic chart with a hurry, despite the blood that was now dripping over the Nameless Lander's floor.
And they got out of there. With the boost that the FTL drives had, worsening Virmire's headache, but at least they were out. From above, Virmire could see that the same red glow the sky had taken up now stained the once green and blue paradise of a planet's ground. It looked like Old Mars, in the Sol System. Like it had been blemished by the gored bodies of her friends, and classmates, and teachers. The thought made her want to hurl.
The Ravager ships seemed to be focused on ground attacks, but besides that, the menacing patrol ships seemed to have no interest in stopping those fleeing the disaster. Virmire didn't think much of it, but "Seven" worried. No matter.
"Full speed, Vi." Beuram said, voice bleak, before collapsing on the floor. "Nononono," the girl rushed to Beuram's side, worried, but it was obvious that no matter how much Virmire begged the universe, Beuram didn't have long to live.
There were no dramatic last words.
Just steady breathing, and gradually, acceptance.
And a limp body to burry.
---
When they docked on Brunt-Maxis, worried cops surrounded Virmire's ship, seeing that she had no license and was essentially a fourteen year old girl piloting a lander by herself (AI's don't count, apparently). She quickly explained the situation, presented Beuram's body, and that shut most of them up. They left the lander under her ownership, but without any permission to fly. She got herself some medical treatment, healed up just fine. "Sell the Lander, it'll be a good bit of money." one of the cops had suggested. The girl just shrugged, not mentioning that she still had a hefty amount from a stash she had found that had belonged to her deceased professor. For now, it was a place to rest, and that was all she could ask for.
She fell asleep to the hum of the engines, and the slight vrooming noise of the old FTL drive.