Song: “Live By The Sword” by Dorian Electra

Shards of green peel fell around Kaia’s feet in the narrow pit. With a hand up to shield her eyes from the downpour, Kaia lifted her gaze to L.A.R.

“Sustenance,” L.A.R. said. “Without sustenance, you will perish. Female humans require 1,600 calories per day.”

Kaia ground a pile of rind clippings into the black dirt with her boot. “The peel isn’t edible.”

L.A.R. froze, then, with the bright green fruit perched on its blade. “My apologies.”

“How long are you going to keep this up, L.A.R.?” Kaia lay a hand on gouges in the rock wall and exhaled. Her bloody cuticles looked bright against the obsidian.

“Mortality will not limit me like it does your kind. That is why I am the superior leadership choice.” L.A.R. removed the fruit from its blade and gingerly placed it beside its front wheels.

“No, L.A.R.” Sighing, Kaia sunk to the ground and grasped at the peel clippings. She sprinkled them beside her and tried to remember the last rain. She’d been twelve years old at the time—and only seven months into her rule. Hull repairs had taken weeks to accomplish; patching every single hole left by the raindrops proved tedious, and as the workers went, Kaia had made note of ways to expedite the process next time. In the 34 years since, “next time” had not arrived.

“How long will you keep me down here?” she asked at last.

“Your subjects believe you to be deceased. You cannot return to them now.”

“Then just follow through and kill me, already. This is ridiculous.”

“It is prudent to consult predecessors when starting a new occupation.”

Kaia stood and angled a glare skyward. “It’s not an occupation. It’s a birthright.”

“I was not born.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Counsel.”

“Counsel?” Kaia’s laugh tasted like terrmelon rind in her mouth. “Fine, here’s some counsel for you. Violence begets violence, and coups always end with the usurper’s head on a pike.”

“That is of no concern if I first achieve my objective.”

“Your objective?”

“Human life at this rate is not sustainable. I must curtail human activity or otherwise bolster the planet’s capacity to withstand it.” L.A.R. held up a molding loaf of bread. “Is this more suitable?”

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