17 Eject 11

Since the incident Lila has been unaware to the general opinion on the ship. Rumors had soon spread like a wild fire. With being out at space for years now. The crew has received any form of entertainment. Alongside something big like this happening, the effects were slowly showing.

A day after Lila confinement, bang sounded at her door. At first she thought it the soldiers standing guard. "Maybe they are tired." Thinking they accidentally knocked on the door. then it happen again and again. Accompanied to banging were shouts of "thief!".

Lila knew they couldn't be the soldiers standing guard because voice were different each time. It continued all throughout the day. Allowing her not to caught a wink of sleep. Never once did the guards stop them.

That was the first sign Lila knew she was in trouble. Even if the Commander was able to find her not guilty, the crew have.

________

Secretary Jun placed the last of his investigation on the General's desk.

"It's true sir. There is no such Lila Yun on the roster. There is a Lila Yun in the country census. She didn't qualify for a ticket. She had a sickly body and her skills were high enough for passing. The room that she is staying at belong to a Ms. Joy Wu. She was her's foster mother at the orphanage."

Commander pick up the sheet paper contain Lila's, Kara's and Pace's identifies. Pace's had no similarities with the other two. He put it back down. Kara's and Lila's share most of their lives together.

Seeing the Commander studying the two sheets. Secretary Jun thought he made a mistake.

"Sir, is something wrong?"

"No, all the info you shown me is on point with what we first known both these two. But for some reason it doesn't feel right. Something feels off."

Placing the two sheets down, he moved to the only window in the room. With his back towards Secretary Jun, the Commander closed his eyes thinking over the past couple of days.

"Why would she ask for Lila?" the Commander's eyes lifted open.

"She said it's because they use to be friends. You said it yourself, Kara and Lila shared a very close past."

"Yes...so Kara had to know that Lila doesn't have much to offer in assistance. Look at the paper it's only in Lila's last few years of schooling that she received above average grades."

"Maybe she realized too late how much her academic would affect her chances of getting on a ship." Secretary Jun placed Lila paper back down after confirming the Commander's analysis.

"Exactly....a people doesn't just pass every subject in school, except for physical education, after neglecting it for years. Look at the paper again. It said right after she was able to go to school, her grade all turned into passing grades. While Kara's started to slip."

Figuring out what the Commander was trying to say, Secretary Jun instantly snatch both Kara's and Lila's papers back up. With the Commander's words ring in his head, he directly saw what the problem.

"Kara's the thief."

"Yes...and she recruited Pace along to help."

"How should we handle to matter. The rumors going around have been against Lila. So much so, some have started to get malicious towards her.They are wondering way it's taking you so long to punish her. They have started to question you, sir."

"Someone is feeding the rumors and the feeling of the crew. Being on these ships for so long. Have given the crew a boring life. With this excitement comes release of pent up emotions. The perpetrators are using this time, to push our hands."

"Sir, what do we do? If you wait any longer, your control of the ship....."

The gravity of the decision hung in the air.

______

On the fifth day Lila finally got to see the Commander.

Lila walked out from the room with shaky knees, and a shattered heart. Bangs were under her eyes from all the sleepless nights the crew didn't let her have. Majority of these people didn't even know what she looked like or who she was. Yet big crowd awaited her as she stepped out.

Facing the hostile looks, Lila left her breath shorting with every step she took.

"This way the Commander is waiting." Lila was glad to be sandwiched between four soldiers. The barrier they created relieve some of Lila stress.

Following the path the soldiers were taking, Lila recognize they weren't heading towards the conference room nor towards the Commander's office. When finally reaching their destination, they were at one of these ships docking station.

The Commander General stood to one side of the station. While the crowd she thought she left behind flowed in and covered the space.

"Lila Yun...." the Commander General's voice rang out silencing the crowd.

"Here."

"You have been charged to murder, thief and act to destroy humanity. We have investigated and found these charges to be true..."

"Nooo! I didn't do anything a swear!" Lila exclaim against the Commander's statement. The Commander continued on.

"You will be sentenced to death. You will...." The last of the Commander statement, was empty to Lila ears.

Spinning around in a circle, her glaze felt on Kara and Pace's body standing amongst the crew. The triumph that shown on their faces broken Lila last shred of humanity in her. Like a deranged person, Lila threw herself at them. Punching, slapping and biting any part of their body she could get to. The soldiers swiftly pulled Lila off the two.

"ENOUGH!" This was the first time the Commander raised his voice since launching. Everyone froze under the force of his voice.

Lila looked towards the Commander with pleading eyes. But he turned away.

"Bring her sleeper cell."A group of soldier placed her cell in front of her. Opening up the lid. Lila saw her belongings inside already. Lila started to really struggle within the restraining hands of the soldiers holding her.

"Please! I'm innocent. Please! Listen to me! It's those two over there! Not me!" Lila was looking for everyone who would listen to her.

Lila fought harder as they pushed her towards the sleeper cell.

"No! I'm not going! I didn't do anything wrong! Nooo!

Wanting to end this quickly the Commandersignaled the medic on stand by. Taking out a syringe from her pocket the medic snuck beside Lila piercing her neck. Lila felt the stinging pain but it was too late to do anything about it. The injection rapidly took affect as all the strength left her body.

Laying her down into the sleeper cell. Faintly Lila protest could still be heard over the closing of her lid. Lila fought the drugs to stay awake. Look left and right the only person she could see within her radius was General Commander Thomas Sima. Her eyes kept contact with his, all the way until they loaded her into the air lock shaft.

Heart rate picking up, anderaline over riding the drugs in her system cause Lila's screams to be heard on the opposite side of the lock to all the crew members. It wasn't until then that they realize the serious of the situation. Strength flowed threw her limbs as she banged of the locked lid.

"To all of you here today let this be a lesson." That was the Commander's last words to the crew before he pushed to button.

"Aaaaahhhhh!"

The scream was the last they heard from Lila Yun.