{Ok, ok, ok, ok. My heart rate's getting faster—shit, man. I really am nervous about this thing. It better be a casual first-time thing.}
Stanley sat still in his chair, thinking mostly about the other situations he'd got into. "Am I going to fight people?" was his main thought, circling his brain. Most of his spiralling thoughts ended up coming back to this one detail. He was in a "People for hire" team after all. What requirements do I need for it? Just investigation or planning, or combat, like some of the "other" groups.
"Do I have any qualifications at all to help out with this group?" Was another big one. Stanley himself knew that he had never studied or practised the right skills in his mind to feel confident to be more apart and social with the group he was taken to. Magnus says otherwise.
Meanwhile, when the chatter kept going on…
Chidieberre was on her phone. Mainly, Advent. One of the more popular social media apps. The only thing she could see was scroll after scroll about the most important topic since Nigel Delacroix, twenty years ago, got elected as Supreme Galactic Chancellor. The leader of GALACTICA and therefore representing the empire in a new phase. What event could be on par with such a controversial Chancellor era?
Daniel Delacroix's resignation and choice to send the Delacroix family away from GALACTICA, CELESTICA, and SOLARR.
His choice to take away the family's crumbling reputation within itself and the general trillions' perception of the mere royal family of just fifty.
Every single post…
Every video was about…
The eight.
Keth'raal Vossuun.
Representative of "Kaelor Subspace Galaxy", the empire's sector of discoveries, elements, conundrums, and exciting chaos in the most enormous galaxy of purple and red. Most of the rebellious behaviour comes from here, and the most dangerous races formed here, such as Nullari and Syntheri. Keth'raal herself was fed up with being in depression all the time from death and shady schemes, so she made her own little rebellion against the Nigel Delacroix regime and got her wish to be a voice inside of GALACTICA, two months before Nigel's passing as a High Director. Too much was lost before that could happen.
Caelum Smithie.
Representative of "Crown Galaxy", the most economic sector of the empire. Machinery, engineering, and creation were the main factors that caused this place to have the most successful people to ever exist come from here. This place had the right situation and the most "Goldilocks" zone in the solar system. Perfect for adventure. One of the smartest prodigies, Caelum Smithie has been a SOLARR member for at least a year now.
Nagito Navvarrox.
The representative of "Helios's Spiral", the most political and controversial galaxy. Nagito Navvarrox himself was a genetic freak. Albino Pale Synid. Up there with the same rarity as another Anomalyn variant being discovered. Helios's Spiral has had many internal fights, rebuilds, leaders, antagonists, heroes and villains, which caused it to go into a hold. No major developments were happening due to corrupt governments inside its own mainframe. Nagito and his team were the first change to be the difference that couldn't be bribed or killed.
Rosalind Solen.
The representative of "Deltora", the Galaxy of the new age. Deltora has the least expanded place, yet one of the most dedicated and tight-knit communities, housing at most a billion. Extremely small for its size. Rosalind Solen was born here and learned to share the middle-class life of living not with people next to each other, and how to start something new. An extremely important skill for people who are sheep to the sheepdog.
Raphael Theodorian.
The representative of "Aether Expanse ", the galaxy of minerals. A bountiful and colourful experience is what most people of the Aether Expanse say about it. Mainly filled with the colours of gems such as ruby, diamond and emerald, shining and highlighting the void of space for the wealthy people who live there. To be a part of the Aether Expanse means to have some sort of capability, title, power, wealth, mindset or voice that makes you stand out. They call themselves the people who chose to be better. Raphael Theodorian is a proud man for his abnormally smart decisions and for coming from the richer side of the galaxy.
Giovanni Lancaster.
The representative of "Milky Way", the starting point of the empire and the foundations of the world. Without the Milky Way, the empire would've never happened. Plain and simple. The Delacroix bloodline so happened to live on Earth ever since the "Dark Matter Incident" in two thousand and twenty-nine. Most of Galactica's overwhelming authority lies here, and where the main drama still occurs. Bland compared to the uniqueness of the other candidates, but Giovanni Lancaster was a food man. Donations and charity over the course of three years built up his reputation and kept him with the same personality as a homeless man, yet getting sworn in as Galactic Governor for his little branch of the Milky Way.
Victoria Vane II.
The representative of "Sapphire Reach", the place of beauty and overemotional feelings. Surrounded by blue, pure black tends to never reach here. The main group of humans who came from the Milky Way during the Golden Age of Exploration spent three months with dark matter Oxy-fuel trying to explore the world beyond the galaxy, much to the warnings of others. Over five hundred people survived the journey of two thousand and reached a hospitable planet at the furthest edge of Sapphire Reach. The Vane family was one of many that made the journey and spent most of their life living in blue and looking at the stars all day while building something worth keeping, similar to Deltora, but keeping the smugness of Aether Expanse.
Ciel Aurentine.
The representative of "Andromeda", the galaxy of trade and effort. The main things that make Andromeda special is Ciel Aurentine's focus on getting more civilians into the trade and building the workforce. Over time, this choice of hers made most of Andromeda slowly wake up to the fact that their sons and daughters have become lazier due to the amount of effort their parents put in. More people over time learned her motto and spread it in their own way, preaching about the same things while making it their own. More and more, the people of Andromeda started to change into life changers instead of bed rotters. Their own job, business, life, relationship. It all has been affected in one way by the wake-up call she kept trying to deliver.
Chidieberre knew who she wanted to vote for, but still kept high hopes for the others, except Nagito Navvarrox. He was crazed in the eyes of the people outside of Helios's. Ciel was her best option in this case.
While she was still in the back of the shuttle, she tilted her phone into landscape and started to watch the live recording of AB NEWS, publishing the electoral projection.
Chidieberre: "O-uhh." The vote expectations came in. She was surprised and baffled.
Tallurre heard her little voice cues and turned his head around with a small statement, "Something's wrong?"
She pointed at her phone, not turning it around. Her mouth was still slightly open, and her eyebrows were slightly disoriented.
He saw the opportunity and came behind the seat of his stand near Chidieberre while leaning down on the back of his back wall again.
He saw the votes appear at the end.
Tallurre: "Oh. Oh wow." He stared down the screen as hard as he could.
Then, with a quick move, he pressed the volume up on Chidieberre's phone. Blasting it to the rest of the crew to see their reaction.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap.
News reporter: "—w Sudden upset! We predicted an upset, but never expected KETH'RAAL VOSSUUN to now be projected to win the Supreme Galactic Chancellor ballot votes! What a week, everyone! As you can see on your screens, she leads first with a four per cent lead over Caelum Smithie and Nagito Navvarrox trailing at seventeen point nine! I couldn't believe my eyes, I say!" He announced grandly to the audience who were watching on this station.
As the news reporter ranted on in a frenzy, the people in the shuttle went quiet. Their focus diverted to one thing. Chidieberre and Tallurre.
GALACTICA ELECTORAL PROJECTION
Keth'raal Vossuun — 24.8%
Caelum Smithie — 20.6%
Nagito Navvarrox — 17.9%
Rosalind Solen — 12.4%
Raphael Theodorian — 9.1%
Giovanni Lancaster — 6.8%
Victoria Vane II — 5.2%
Ciel Aurentine — 3.2%
This was what was on Chidieberre's screen.
She turned it around and faced it to the rest with a dumbfounded expression.
Chidieberre: "Y-you see this? Everyone?" She exclaimed.
Stanley himself wanted someone with confidence to win, so he had put his mind on Raphael and didn't want to change it. When he faintly saw the screen, he looked rather confused. How did Keth'raal get that many supporters- over the Nagito bandwagon, the Caelum oversupport- then go above that?
The shuttle started to make noise fast.
Some yelling and some thinking silently. Most were vocal about it.
Aurora: "Bring that closer! I can't see it right…"
Chidieberre: "Yeah. Done." She walked to the middle, and people came closer. She then brought the phone back so she could see it, and people huddled around her.
Jordan was the only one not moving there, as he was busy on his phone.
Johnny: "Hah, fucking hell. It's all going to SHIT NOW, MAN!" He walked around the shuttle's one-way path after a one-second glance. He rubbed his face with his hands.
Lori: "No, no. Can't it be that bad? It's just her views are a bit w—" She got cut off by her calm, anxious boyfriend.
Johnny: "NO, IT IS! IT REALLY IS!"
Oswald: "What in the hell… Nagito. Shit. No, no. He can't come out of this one, I think." He started to lean onto Stanley's shoulder while looking worried.
Jordan: "Fuck Nagito. You're related to that pussy ass bitch. Fuck you too." He casually dropped to Oswald, interrupting him while looking down at his phone in his seat.
Tono: "…My goodness…." He seemed like he was calculating something, with desperate thoughts visible through his eyes.
Stanley: "Hey. No way Raphael is that behind, right?" Commented himself.
Jordan: "He is. Yep." He replied.
Tallurre: "It's weird. Unexpected actually. Right?" He said out loud, still staring.
Sheng-Ri: "Ciel was nice. Too bad." She said with visible disgust while looking at Nagito's name.
Oblivion: "Tallurre, It's really fascinating. I do support Keth'raal, right, but—"
Aurora: "Whaatttt." She turned to stare wide-eyed at the man behind her. Then back at the screen.
Stanley: "Dude, Keth'raal, I don't think she's that nice." He said to Oblivion.
Oblivion: "Well, you'd look tough and unbreakable if you were born there." He turned to him and replied with that.
Tallurre: "Right."
{There's no way. There's no way. There's no way. Keth'raal could win it. Her campaign speech and stunt were too out of the norm for me… I could support her; I just, just don't have the difference to do so.}
Magnus: "EVERYONE! GET BACK IN THE SEATS! ITTTTTSSSS TIME FOR THE SHUTTLE TO MOVE! I'LL BE DROPPED OFF, AND YOU ALL CAN TALK ABOUT THAT CHAOS OR WHATEVER IT IS IN OUR SEATS!"
Sheng-Ri: "Oh, come on, man!" She was visibly annoyed, looking up at the speakerphone.