I sat there, curled up, naked in the cold, wet, cell with bracelets on my arms and legs. Behind me was a two inch window facing a void. An endless, cruel, yet beautiful void. I stayed quiet, listening to the low hum of the fusion core a couple decks below me. Then the sound of boots broke my thought. It was a guard, along with a creature unlike anything I've seen before. He was rocky, big, bulky, and angry. He spoke a language I've studied before. Some words I didn't recognize though.

"You murderers! Why would you do this?! I'll have your Gurado's!" The guard didn't care. He pushed the creature into the cell, and shut the bar gate, making a loud clang. The creature sighed, and put his head against the wall. "We're all doomed." He said in a low, hopeless tone. I decided to speak up in his language.

"What happened?" I asked in his language quietly, my throat dry from the lack of water. He turned around, and walked to the middle of the cell. A drop of black water dripped onto his head. He didn't care. Then he spoke English.

"Ah, finally a human who speaks my language ." He balled his hands up and punched the wall, making a loud boom. "AH!" He flung his hand soon afterwards. I should've mentioned that we were surrounded by four feet of steel. "They blew up my planet. My whole entire planet!" He began to speak quickly, without taking breaks, "I wasn't on my planet when it happened, but I heard everything. I heard what they did to my species trying to escape. They would blow them out of the sky as the planet killer charged. I was 30 light years out, just far enough to stay out of range from their scanners. I heard the radio chatter of my species, then five minutes later, I heard screams, and after that?" He looked down. "Nothing." I was heart broken. A whole planet?

"Why didn't you try to stop it?" I asked in English, clearing my throat. He walked to the barred gate, and shook it a little. Then looked back at me.

"Because I knew it was inevitable. For all I know, I'm the last of my species." Our conversation was interrupted when a guard dressed in black pants and a grey, light armored shirt opened the cell.

"You two, with me. It's lunch time." The guard pressed a button on his belt, and our bracelets lit up, sticking together. We were then escorted outside into a hallway, along with thousands of other prisoners. It was loud with chatter and cries. We were put into a long line. The rocky creature was behind me, and a tall, slimy, grey alien with 12 arms was in front of me, leaving a gross trail of bubbling slime. I tried my best to not step in it with my bare feet.

"My name is Helastos Branty." The rocky creature whispered in my ear. I looked back at him.

"Albert Kiln, space pilot." I whispered in reply. I looked around in search for my escape plan. There was a guard a couple feet away with what seemed like a taser and another guard with heavy armor and a mini gun. I looked up, and immediately noticed the air vents. They had key holes. It's like their asking for an escapee. Plus, what's with the extra security?

"I think I might have an escape plan." Helastos interrupted my train of thought.

"Shh, not now, wait until we get to the mess hall." I elbowed him gently. We stopped at a checkpoint. A guard gave me a single plastic spork to eat my food with, and a single napkin. And despite me not having any clothes on, they scanned me for any foreign objects. Another guard on the right pressed a button, and a bulkhead door opened, revealing a room with different sized clothes. On my left, they had pants, underwear, and shirts the size of my finger. On my right there were shirts the size of a giant. I found my size, but there were holes in my shirt and stains on the underwear. I decided to go without underwear for now, and put on my clothes. I walked to my right where a guard was. She had a massive scar on her cheek. Jesus, I wonder what happened to her?

"If you use your feeding tool as a weapon, you will face charges punishable by torture, do you comply?" Her voice was deep and scruffy, and her breath was worse.

"Yeah, sure lady, I just wanna eat." I shook my head as the doors opened, revealing a massive cafeteria with other prisoners. The slime alien went to go sit down with other slime like creatures. I shivered in disgust when I looked at the trail it made.

"They don't have any my size." Helastos walked beside me. I saw two empty spots for us to sit at. Since the food here is disgusting, I didn't bother eating.

"C'mon, lets talk about that escape plan of yours." I pat his arm and motioned him to follow me. We were halfway there when we were stopped by other prisoners.

"Well, if it ain't the famed Albert Kiln. You say you're an advanced space pilot, but all I see is an advanced cock sucker!" He and his gang laughed obnoxiously.

"Ugh, at least I'm the one who escaped the largest exploding star by a fraction of a second, AND caused the prison riot over at Elantra prison." I said, trying to impress everyone. Helastos gasped.

"You caused that? No wonder you're in here." As soon as he talked, the prisoners went to him.

"Who's the rocky fella? He yer body guard? He's a little cutie ain't he?" All of them laughed again, and so did Helastos. Helastos Walked over to the prisoner, picked him up, and dropped him on his knee, breaking the prisoners back. "ARGH!"

"Who's the cutie now?" Helastos spoke English and crouched near the prisoner as his gang ran away, "If you ever do recover, which will be awhile, don't come near me, or Albert. Do I make myself clear?" Helastos stood up as soon as the guards came in. One of the guards pressed a button in their belt, shocking Helastos and I with the bracelets. My body seized up in pain, dropping to the floor as my voice became gargled. Then it stopped. I couldn't move, nor talk. That's when a guard with a red barrette and a black and white trench coat stood over me.

"Advanced trouble maker." He raised his hand, and swiped down. Then nothing. I was knocked out. Great job, Al. You really just might get yourself killed.

END OF CHAPTER ONE, CROSS-SPACE