The Keyblade Chronicles (Chapters 1-4)

THE KEYBLADE CHRONICLES 

CHAPTERS 1-5

Prologue 

In the future, a fascist dictatorship known as The Authority has taken over the known universe. 

The Authority has set up trade routes between neighbouring star systems using a device known as a Starpod, invented by Baxtar CEO Maurice Hepburn. 

The people of Manoor have long held a prophecy that a saviour would come with the Keyblade, and item capable of cutting through the fabric of the universe itself so they can escape into an alternate reality where The Authority never existed in the first place. 

The Authority is desperately hunting down the Keyblade, hoping to use it for themselves to dominate all realities.

Only one person has ever used the blade. 

Their whereabouts are unknown. 

Chapter 1

The room was dark. Catherine sat, head leaned back, her arms shackled to the chair. 

Suddenly, the door opened. 

“Catherine E. Ness,” said the figure standing in the doorway. “You’re a difficult person to find.”

She said nothing, only bringing her head back and staring the down the guard.

He continued: “You have something we want: a Starpod unit.”

Catherine shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh yes, I’m afraid you do.”

The guard walked into the room, tablet tucked under his arm, and turned the lights on. They were bright, fluorescent, and made Catherine squint. 

“I have it on good authority that you were at the Baxtar shipyard…”, he looked down at his tablet, “…three days ago.”

He paused.

“Care to explain?”

“I’m not saying anything without a lawyer present.”

The guard smiled.

“We don’t deal with legality in that way up here. No, we don’t do it that way at all.”

He began to pace around the room, still clutching the tablet, and continued: “The Chief Executive Officer of Baxtar Industries was actually present on the Moon of Nemoiya the day you were stealing this critical piece of technology,” he spat. “He witnessed everything.”

“That’s your ‘good authority’?” She asked.

“You’re in trouble, Catherine. You’re deep in it. And I don’t see a way out. So, instead of fighting me, why don’t you just tell me what really happened, and maybe you’ll get to keep your limbs.”

She leaned forward, and, almost in a whisper: “My lips are sealed.”

“Very well then.” 

The guard motioned with his fingers and two even larger guards came in, unshackled her from the chair, and led her out of the room. As she passed by the tablet clutching guard, he said: “I really didn’t want it to come to this. I hate dismantling people.”

She gulped. 

Chapter 2

Josiah walked down the halls of his CT-model cruiser with agency. The Starpod unit Catherine had managed to acquire was working its magic, providing the ship with the necessary faster than light travel that was required to get to Manoor. 

“Any word?” He asked Daniel as he entered the cockpit. 

“Rumour has it she’s at Tantadon.”

“Christ.”

Daniel shook his head. “I don’t see a way where we could save her, Jo.”

“So we just go to Manoor without her? What would they say?”

“They would understand.”

“We can’t just leave her.”

“And we can’t let her sacrifice be nothing.”

Josiah stared out the window into the black vortex speckled with starlight. He looked down at Daniel, and sighed. “When this is all over, we’re going to blow that place to hell.”

“I know.”

Chapter 3

The CEO of Baxtar, Maurice Hepburn, was a stoic man. Conditioned by years of military service, he was trained not just to lock onto his target, but execute with surprising brutality. 

His company was one of the first to reach a one quadrillion dollar market capitalization, and he was proud to have his hands in so many pockets. Letting a petty thief take a Starpod unit was something he simply couldn’t stomach.

He raged on the phone to Commissioner Vernon, demanding he wring the information out of the perpetrator. 

“I-I’m sorry Mr. Hepburn, we’re trying-“

“You’re not trying hard enough! I need this figured out, and I need it now. Do you know how much a Starpod unit goes for?”

There was silence on the other end. Maurice sighed. “I will not let this girl tarnish the reputation of this company. People can’t just walk into my home and shit on the carpet. Do you understand?”

“Yes. I know it’s frustrating-“

“That Starpod unit was already properly calibrated. It could give anyone access to our trade routes. Trade routes you depend on. How do you feel about terrorists flying through that?”

“Like I said, we’re trying. But she won’t budge. We’ve already taken a hand.”

“Ship it to me so I can hang it on my wall. Figure this out!” He screamed. 

Chapter 4

Catherine lay limp on the cold, hard cell floor. She looked down at her arm and the bloody stump where her left hand used to be. Next time, it would be her right.

She turned over on her back, and groaned in pain. 

“This is it for me,” she thought. “I’m not getting out of this one.”

She closed her eyes and thought about home, about Aleia 9, and how she would never see one of its magnificent waterfalls again, or sunset over the rippling ocean, or clouds drifting by its blue sky. 

She thought she might cry, but she didn’t. 

Suddenly, she heard something, like a shimmer. She opened her eyes again, and stared at the ceiling. 

“Psst…”

Catherine whipped her head around.

“Psssst!”

She looked behind her. There was an opening in the wall, except, it wasn’t really the wall. It was more like the air itself. She peered through, and saw someone within the opening.

“Catherine Ness,” the voice said. “Come with me.”

“Who are you?”

“A friend.”

The opening expanded, and Catherine could see through it now; it was a barren landscape, with two moons hanging low in the night sky.

“How are you doing this?” She asked.

“The Keyblade,” the voice replied. “I have it.” 

Catherine stepped through. And she never set foot on Tantadon again.