______An early dawn awoke over a vast, inanimate horizon, waking the atomic planet from its long slumber. Sharp, black earth blanketed the planet’s desolate landscape. All remained silent, save for the roaring sound of wind carrying harsh pebbles of sand from all directions, occasionally covering the carpet of land with a swirl of mahogany.
______Throughout the barren world, a single speckle chimed in the chaotic dark: lush groves obscured by a protective bowl of melancholy orange, made to match the drab-red hues of the sky. It stood solely as an oasis, a sanctuary from the lurking environment to its inhabitants. The orange spot known as Sactanury thrived inside its cowardly escape, from the hot, deadly land into a palm of safety.
______Night echoed unbearably dark, but day soared brighter than any beacon. Groves of trees reflected a bright-green; even the trunks maintained a healthy green tint. The technology containing the society was deemed pure by all Sactanurian inhabitants as every last wasted product was cast into the unforgivable world above the shield, allowing the air inside to meditate without pollution.
______The small planet, known as Shibbi to its inhabitants, retained a humid temperature. From the constant warmth, life flourished. With time, the sun’s rays grew less forgivable. Tension rose as quickly as the temperature to save any life of Shibbi. It was such that technology emerged, encasing them inside their orange sky, sealing their fate.
* * *
______A round airship seethed across the sky's sanguine hues. Its front consisted of a clear hemisphere while its remaining body twisted in metal sheets reflecting the land's gloomy glow. The front of the ship was exposed to sunlight and nature while the back had never experienced such luxuries. The creatures bustling inside mirrored a similar structural pattern: two arms and two legs. Those who had proven themselves to be in the top ranks were allowed to dwell in the front while all others were forced to meek out an existence in the back, where the only light available to them was the constant red blinking emitted by the machinery. Their eyes had been forever maimed by the red light that oozed before them like a monstrous fire. Moreover, their human leader had shown discrimination in choosing his ranks. Those with an appearance and skin like his were more likely to be chosen in the higher ranks while insect or animal-like creatures with shells or fur were doomed to vacate the posterior of the premises.
______Zeeko's heart hardened as he surveyed the land below through the thickness of his dark blue eyes of ice, a scowl locked on his face. On his clothing was etched a pattern that symbolized his authority. Scheming, he ran a hand through his purple hair.
______"Ethim . . . Nova, here!"
______He called to his top lackeys, as if they were dogs, in a sharp voice like banging on metal. Two figures walked quickly to his side. Each sported their own symbol, designating them only a step down from their commander. Ethim, a timid human with pale skin and dark hair walked beside Nova, who possessed dark skin and light hair. Nova appeared human in every fashion but her brilliant phoenix wings. The moment they arrived to his side, Zeeko silently gestured toward a cluster of large machines. The machines ran diagnostics, researching Shibbi's technology and life by searing into its systems, searching for the best ways to bring it to its knees. Nova paced to them without a word. Her boots thudded on the floor, creating a seemingly unbearable echo inside the still cocoon.
______Ethim stammered, "Y-yes, sir!"
______He stumbled toward a large screen to study its information. Nova faced a machine with a round screen that spewed planet analysis. She turned to face Zeeko, proclaiming curiously in a voice that rang like a flute,
______"Sir, it may be a glitch, but the computer is telling me that all life on this planet is located in a round perimeter measuring only 100 square miles."
______Zeeko's eyes roved toward her, and his scowl evaporated into a wicked grin. Nova and Ethim winced as he cackled,
______"They should have known better than to make it far too easy for me!"
