The fifty year mark ended and I was allowed to go explore the other regions as long as I avoided trouble. I heard a commotion as I opened the ramp to enter Strata. I ignored it as a rule. I walked in and closed the door behind me. I sat in the cockpit as the gatekeeper was granted permission to open the gates. I saw the iron jaw open. The view is spectacular. It looked like it was taken out of an artist's vision. There were transparent ethereal beings floating in space in spirals. The space looked like an oil painting of a rose. The moon had changed color to indigo. The scenery was marred by the appearance of a spaceship. I am about to join them. As I pushed forward to get out of the storage unit to see the open space. I saw someone who was waving their hand relentlessly. I told her earlier that I am not taking anyone with me. I prefer going by myself. As long as I follow the rules of Arman I am free to go anywhere within reason. I don't take passengers. I like a solitary lifestyle. I made it clear to her. I thought she understood she is not coming with me. I finished my work and took a shower before going to the arbitrary hall to have my freedom reinstated. Like I said I am going solo. I had already moved my essentials to Strata and had arranged a Tutu to house sit till I got home.
The comms crackled to wish me luck as I joined the spaceships zooming right and left. After a few seconds of thinking. I made my way to uncharted territory. Specifically the outer quarters. The terrain was a mix of wild and unpredictable planets who refused to bow to the Senate. They believe the independent systems are the best. Because otherwise huge corporations will plunder their planet till it resembles death. I parked in the designated area. And got my gear and stepped out. They didn't accept Valuta or have heard of Arman. But still I wasn't here as a colonizer so they seem genuinely welcoming. So I sat down to eat when I heard an explosion. It was the damned Mangalers. They decided to shoot up the place. To my horror my lovely Strata was blown to pieces and so was Lexicon and stargazer. I checked my bag for things and discovered a medical kit, a single set of clothes, my documentation, some money, the information stick I got to record and listen to data about different things collected by the library and the rest of the precious stones that I stored for emergencies. Something glistening caught my eye above me. It was the rainbow gem that I had with me from Antar. I used metal manipulation to get it out of the melted metal and stuffed it in my bag. I found transport out of the planet and there was a call to halt all ships. The pilot refused to comply and flew towards the uncharted territory.
The first planet we stopped had refugees being transported to the central regions of the galaxy. There was a small child who was injured and I healed her using water. She gave me a smile as I walked away to get some food. There were yelling and shoving matches. The locals were tired from moving from one planet to another only to be evicted and sent to another. They wanted to live in one place under one roof. They were being sent to populate Axiom two. They wanted to be sure about the no eviction policy. They have been in fights with any indigenous people. The transporter assures them the planet has been vacant since the Karen wars. The refugees had never heard of it. So one person inquired, "What is the Karen wars?" Different people had a word to say. The only thing they understood was the experience with them was unpleasant. The most popular term was the pariahs of the galaxy. The locals were informed that they will be educated once they get to their permanent residence.
I took the transport towards the unknown and a few asked me if I had a criminal record. None believed that I would willingly go there. The concept of exploration is foreign. Some asked me if I was escaping marriage. I made it clear that I have not met anyone worth spending time with. The others asked me if I killed someone. I just ignored them as I made myself to the invisible swift. The pilot was looking for helping hands. I volunteered and he allowed me on board. The locals were apprehensive as he took off. He was heading somewhere to get some goods for transport. I found out he was a smuggler collecting a shipment of Spice and Café. He stopped by a moon orbiting a violet planet. A mechanized forklift began transporting the goods. He removed the floor panels to hide the goods. Then he proceeded to a planet on the Nexus system. I quietly slipped into the memory banks and recorded the coordinates of every planet and route this ship has ever taken. Then I copied any sort of readout done by ship has done. I then copied all the lines of communication. The pilot asked me if I had any skills. I said that I used to be a mechanic and I am also a good medic. He was pleased with my skills. I said that I don't know how to use a weapon. He said that he will happily teach me. I was given a pistol. First he taught me how to dismantle and reassemble it. Then he taught me how to switch the safety features on and off. Then he taught me how to shoot. He walked in and rubbed his hand over a hover bike. I asked him to let me take a look. He said that no one he knows how to fix this. I smiled, "I spent sometime in engineering school. This is one of the stuff I fixed." He said the parts are no longer available. I took it apart and said, "I can make a mold of this part and then melt it down and remake it so it fits this. The fuel cells need replacing. As it ages it corrodes the parts. Do you know any place with smelting tools and furnace." He took me to a planet in the lawless zone. There a smelting shop lent me their things after the pilot haggled for an hour. I fixed his bike and he was grateful. I asked him for riding lessons which he gladly did. That is after we delivered the goods.
He took me through the lawless zone. I met a worm. I asked what names these planets are called. He admired my curiosity. He asked, "Tell me a little bit about yourself." I grimaced, "My name is Alysia I am from the mid regions of the unified and democratized zone of the galaxy. I am from the militarized planet of Arcan. There was a war and my government forced us all to be child soldiers. I ran away so I won't have to kill anyone. I like being a medic or mechanic. Both help me do things that won't take a life. My people wanted maximum lethality but I wanted nothing to do with it." He asked, "So you decided to sneak away." I chuckled sarcastically, "I am a conscientious objector from a planet where everyone is obliged to serve the army the day they turn eighteen. Everyone is forced to serve at least ten years. We don't have medics or mechanics. We have soldiers and royalty. The rest are done by foreigners. Everyone from cleaners to cooks. A few are able to do other things like my other grandma owns a sweet shop. And some else owns a bed and breakfast. One person allegedly owns a farmer but no one has any concrete proof of his existence." He chuckled, "That explains everything. Don't worry you are safe with me." I continued "I need to change my name. I was thinking of naming myself. But I can't figure out a good one" he grinned, "Sparky is a good name." I recalled zapping that witch so I shook my head. He gave it a thought and said, "How about Neo? That is an unusual name and you can be anyone you want." I liked it so he tapped both my shoulders and renamed me Neo.