Sunitha - Trouble

**Trigger Warning: this post contains some extreme violence**

Despite his being half dead, Sunitha had enjoyed seeing Quinn again. He wasn't nearly was gruff or rude as he had been during their first meeting. It was kind of nice. No, it was very nice. That wasn't all, though. He had kissed her. Kissed her. And he'd meant it. It had been a wild ride, that past twelve hours or so. Quinn has swept back into her life like a hurricane, had told her so much about the trouble he was in, and he had kissed her, which she was still honestly having trouble getting over. Every time she thought about his lips against hers, she couldn't help but smile, her heart pounding happily in her chest.

Only a few minutes ago, Sunitha had been transferring every credit she had left to her name over to Quinn in hopes that it would help. He had promised to pay her back, but hadn't given her the time to retaliate. She didn't want him to pay her back. It had been a gift. Besides, as soon as she went to work for Rory, she would be perfectly financially stable-- for the most part, anyways. Already, she had told Quinn not to worry about paying her back, and yet, he had still promised to do so. She was broke now, though. It would only last a short while, though. Within a few days, she would be moving and Rory had promised her a much more stable life. It was a nice thought, and she was more than grateful for the opportunity. She would have to remember to call and check in with him soon.

Sunitha was sitting on her blood-soaked couch, looking down at her old iX, not really seeing it. Her fingertips were touched lightly to her cheek, where Quinn had kissed her before walking out her door. He had actually managed to convince her that everything would be just fine. He would come back after the two weeks were up and he wouldn't be dead. For a time, Sunitha sat there, a smile on her face.

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Had it been five days? Or six? Sunitha hadn't really been counting the nights she spent alone, but she knew it had been a while since she had last seen Quinn. However long it had been, she was really feeling it. There was a longing in her heart that she couldn't quell. Truth be told, she was a bit worried about him. She couldn't quite place a finger on why-- it was just a gut feeling she had. For the most part, she ignored it, pushed the worries aside to focus on everything else.

She was moving.

Today was the day. What little she had was all packed up into a few boxes. The furniture that she had managed to get would be left behind-- it wasn't all that great, and besides, it was stained with blood. Quinn's blood. It would be the second time she was moving within the year. It felt strange to her. When she had come to Cometra, a martyr hated by most everyone for her views on the aliens, she had never really expected to even move out of the slums. Now she was moving into her own little home. And it would be a home-- not just an unstable shelter where she hid from hateful words and attackers. Rory had given her much and more. She would never truly be able to repay his kindness.

Just an hour earlier, he had stopped by to check on her. She had greeted him with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Rory had taken two of the boxes with him when he'd left, leaving Sunitha with just the one to tote. It was her box of sentimental items-- the things she had saved from earth (which wasn't much) and the few important things she had gathered during her time in the slums. Some oddly-shaped items kept the box from being able to close entirely, but Sunitha was certain she would be able to manage it no problem.

Stepping out the door, Sunitha was prepared to never look back at the little apartment like house she'd been living in for the past few months. Setting the box down carefully on the ground, she attached a note to the outside of the door with her new address-- just in case anyone should come looking for her. Once that was done, she picked up the box and turned to continue. With the box in her face, though, she stumbled on the step that led down from the door. With a soft squeak, she caught herself, but her grip on the box began to fail. On the other side of the box, Sunitha felt it steady. She was so sure it was Rory, come to make sure she was safe and could find her way to her new home. "Oh, thank you!" When she lifted her brown eyes to the face of her savior, however, it wasn't anyone she recognized.

The man standing there, holding her box of sentimental items, was big and frightening. His face was just about emotionless, making him look almost robotic. "Um... Th-thank you, Sir. How can I...how can I repay your kindness?" She offered a delicate and warm smile as she looked up at the man towering over her. Without a word, he grabbed Sunitha as if she were a ragdoll, throwing her over his shoulder. The box hit the sidewalk with a crunch, its contents spilling out as the only sign of struggle.

Sunitha wriggled in the man's grasp for only a short time before she realized it was a fruitless effort. Finally, she gave up. There was nothing else she could do.

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Sunitha stood before a woman with a dark look in her eye. Wherever she was, the place was expensive. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she glanced around the pristine room. Finally, her eyes made it back to the woman lounging in front of her. As Sunitha gawked, the woman's lips curled into a devious smile. "Hello, Dear." The woman's voice was sickly sweet. There was something about it that made Sunitha feel sick and frightened. "You're probably wondering where you are and why I've had you brought here." Sunitha nodded slowly, afraid to speak. "You see, a certain...Mr. Quinn Dwyer owes me some money. A great deal of money. Which he has neglected to get to me for a long, long while. And well," The curl of the woman's lips deepened into a sadistic smile. "You're collateral."

Sunitha's breath caught in her chest, her eyes widened. She wanted to protest, to do something, but fear rooted her to the ground. All she managed was a tiny squeak before the gigantic man who had taken her in the first place hit her in the back of the head and everything went black.

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The room was dark save for the glow of what appeared to be a brand in the hand of the monstrous man. It was moving towards her.

Sunitha's screams ripped from her lungs, echoing around the sound-proofed room.

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When she woke, she was in pain. So much pain. Sunitha couldn't recall having ever been in so much pain before in her life. Every time she moved, it was like her body was on fire. Red flashed before her eyes before dissolving into dots of pain. Her breathing was harsh and ragged. Tears fells from her eyes over her cheeks, cutting paths through the grime that had accumulated there. 

Sunitha had no idea how long they had been torturing her, but it felt like it had already been a lifetime. Blood has dried on her back, her arms, her face...everywhere. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for something, anything, that might be of use. Nothing. These people-- whoever they were-- were not new to this game. That frightened her even more. 

Just as her breathing seemed to settle into a normal pattern, the door opened. The woman with the sinister smile waltzed into the room, that same sadistic smile playing on her lips. Something flashed in her hand and Sunitha's heart pounded harder and harder, her breathing growing ragged once more. 

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There was so much pain that Sunitha could hardly feel anything anymore. Her body was battered and broken and scarred. She felt dead-- knew this had to be the end. She would never get out of here. The door opened, spilling light into the dark and bloodied room. Sunitha didn't fight it anymore. She stayed still as a corpse, waiting for the torture that she knew was coming. Instead, she was lifted off the ground by the monster of a man who had kidnapped her in the first place. The movement made her whole body flare to life, shooting pain everywhere making her cry out.

The man brought her to the room she had first met the sinister woman in. This time, it was a bit different. There were body guards standing around the figure of another person. The monster of a man flopped Sunitha down onto the floor without care. She winced and cried out from the pain once more, before cautiously lifting her head to glance at the other person who had been recently bloodied. When her eyes landed on him, they widened with terror and worry. It was Quinn.

Sunitha's Journal: Love

Falling for someone is much different than I ever thought it would be. It always sounded like something beautiful, something to look forward to. I did not think it would be like this. Not like this at all. I remember the first time I thought I was in love. Kevin. That was his name. It was my first year at university. I didn't think he could ever like someone like me, but he did. I can remember our first date as though it were yesterday. It was the first date I had ever been on. I should like to blame my older brothers for that. But I really thought I loved Kevin. I always felt nervous around him. That was what love was supposed to be, right? Butterflies in your stomach, weak knees. Nervous. And that was exactly what he made me feel all the time. Nervous. Looking back, I can see that it wasn't love. It was anxiety. He made me feel like I was never good enough, like I might never be good enough. That is not love. That is not what love should ever be.

Love is supposed to be beautiful, that is what I have heard. Love should make you feel good. Not just about yourself, but about the person you love, about life. Love is difficult to explain and I'm butchering it here. I am certain no one will ever read this, but if someone ever does, I am sorry for my awful description of what love is, but I'm going to continue with it. Love is warm and soft and kind. It's joy and never worrying that you're making the wrong decision. It is not something you come across often. Nor is it something you come across easily. It takes time and effort.

This love, if you can call it that, that I feel is far from beautiful. It is wild, untamed, and generally speaking, ugly and brutish. Quinn Dwyer is not a man I should have ever fallen for. I never should have even looked his way. But I did. And I will not say it is a mistake because I do not feel as though I have made a mistake. If it is a mistake, it has been the best mistake of my life. Yes, helping him cost me a finger, but I still do not feel regret. Every now and then, when I look at him, I feel a strange sense of sorrow well up inside me. But then, when I really look at him, it all melts away like snow in springtime. Quinn is a man I should not love. He is a man I should not think about. There is something, though, about him that makes me unafraid. I feel warm when I am with him despite his general lack of warmth towards me.

If any of my brothers were to find out about Quinn, they would kill him. And then possibly me. Quinn is not a good man. I know this. It is difficult not to see that. But, I think, there is still something deep inside him that is good. Perhaps a shred of whoever he used to be, before he grew to be the man he is now. But I could be wrong. I  am crazy, after all. Crazy and broken. I do not want Quinn to know just how broken I am. I fear that should he find out that I am simply a shell of a woman, he will no longer wish to see me, no longer wish to be near me. I do not want to lose the one really good thing I have. Rory, if you ever see this, I am sorry. That probably sounded much like an insult, but I am incredibly grateful for the job you have given me, and it brings me great joy. That joy hardly reaches down into my broken soul, my broken mind, though, and I do wish to the Gods it reached deeper than it does.

 For now, I will hope. Hope that Quinn never learns that I am broken. I do not know if I can bear to be alone in this hateful world anymore. Not now that I feel something other than pain and sorrow. I am sorry. I don't know who I am apologizing to, but I am sorry. Sorry for sounding so much like a downer and so very emotional and unstable. I suppose this is where I put all of my instability so it does not interfere with my everyday life.

-Sunitha Singh, April 2371

Sunitha - Who Is She?

personality

gentle

From a young age, Sunitha's gentleness was obvious. While other children fought with their siblings, Sunitha never did. Instead, she would scold them, tell them that hitting and yelling would solve nothing. Her parents often had to stifle laughter as their four-year-old daughter scolded her siblings. It didn't end there, though, oh no. If one of them got hurt, she took to caring for them instantly. Unless there was blood, in which case, she usually cried out for Mother. At the age of eleven, Sunitha found a kitten, abandoned, starving, barely able to move. It hissed at her, but Sunitha was determined to help the poor tiny thing. Finally, after what felt like forever, Sunitha carried the kitten home, cradled in her arms that were now covered in scratches and blood. Sunitha nursed the kitten back to health and it grew to love her. Her parents allowed her to keep the kitten on one condition: they would not be asked to help care for it. The kitten was named Shmi. Older now, Sunitha is still the same, gentle person. She doesn't believe in killing anyone--or anything, for that matter--out of spite, hate, malice. Honestly, she would prefer if there was no killing, period. Honestly, she can't fathom killing an insect, and doesn't care much for picking flowers, either.


understanding
While some people could do without Sunitha's gentleness, nearly everyone adores how understanding she is. She always listens and never judges. As far as she's concerned, everyone deserves her respect and kindness until they show her otherwise. Even when she disagrees with someone else's views, she still tries her hardest to understand how they see things, why they have that particular view. And, in most cases, she will not force her views onto others. That's just unfair, telling others their views are wrong just because she doesn't agree with them. Of course, there are some cases, such as killing off an entire species of aliens, where she will stand rigidly against those who oppose her views. Everyone deserves life.
determined
Sunitha's gentle nature sometimes works against her, but when she really believes in something, she stands strong. Sunitha knows when she wants something, and she knows how to fight for it. Of course, fight in the figurative sense-- she doesn't really do the whole violence thing. Perhaps a more suited term would be that Sunitha goes out and gets exactly what she wants when she knows she really wants it. Most of causes she fights for are social in nature, but there are occasionally some other things. One thing she was really determined to do was go to school. It was a privilege that, as the youngest child, and a female, she almost didn't get. After sending three other children through school, her parents were unsure as to whether they would be able to help their daughter with her schooling. Luckily for her, she got into a university with a full scholarship. It was her determination as a teenager that got her the full scholarship, and it would be her determination that would help her convince others that the aliens shouldn't all be killed.

history

india
2343, May. 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Sunitha Kartar Singh was born in the blistering heat of summer. Her mother had already had three other children, all boys. Though Sunitha's birth was simple, no complications, she was still the largest baby of the four. When she was pulled from the womb, she cried for only a few minutes. Once she was washed off and in the arms of her mother, the crying stopped. With her tiny fist, she rubbed her eyes and slept against her mother's bosom.

Sunitha was privileged as a child. Despite the many, many years of social restructuring and reformation, females in India still had lower literacy rates, though by very little, than males. Sunitha's parents where fairly well-off, though, and Sunitha was able to learn to read and write and even go to school. Determined to be a strong, self-sufficient person when she grew up, Sunitha worked hard at school, always striving to do better. She graduated from high school at the top of her class. With her outstanding marks, extra-curricular, and gentle personality, she got into every university she applied to. Only one gave her a full scholarship, though. That one was her top school, her dream school. She was going to be a nurse practitioner.

university
The United States was so very different from India. In all honestly, Sunitha wasn't sure if she even really liked it there. University was amazing, though, no doubt about that. She had made so many new friends and had learned so much, and it had only been a few years. Not to mention, she'd met a boy. The first boy she'd ever been interested in. He was so handsome with his striking blue eyes and messy light brown hair. She had only seen a handful of Americans before, but none of them were like him. He was tall, very tall, and lean. Then again, just about everyone seemed tall to a girl only five foot four. The point was that she fell hard and fast for this guy. He was her first everything. She thought it would last forever. Well, until she found him with another lady, that is.

He was her first heartbreak, but it was good for her, really. Sunitha focused herself on her path, determined to be the best goddamned nurse the school had ever seen. There were other guys who tried to get her attention, but they all failed. Sunitha was much to busy with her education to get distracted like that again. Besides, she couldn't risk losing her scholarship for some guy or other. Six years passed, and at the age of twenty-four, Sunitha graduated, a nurse practitioner, at the top of her class.

kirkland
Sunitha had found a job right after graduation. She worked at a small family medical center in a town called Kirkland in the state of Washington. It was so much different than any place she had been yet. It was cold, grey, and rainy almost all the time. It was rather unpleasant, but Sunitha loved her job. She got to help people young and old. This was truly where she belonged.

A year or so went by. Sunitha was living in a one-bedroom apartment alone. She had friends, and often had them visit her, but she sometimes felt a little lonely. She had achieved her career goals and was very well off, but there was more to life than this. Sometimes her mind would wander back to that time when she thought she was in love back in university. Sometimes she wished she could see him again. Other times she was glad she was rid of him. But it wouldn't be long before her life changed forever.
the attack
It was just a few months later, Sunitha was only twenty-five years old. She had been chatting with her parents who still lived in India. That was the last time she would ever see their faces. The earth felt like it was shaking more violently than any earthquake. The call was disconnected. Sunitha was cut off from her family, from the world. The apartment building was collapsing. Screams reached her ears from everywhere, but she could barely hear them over the ringing. Panic struck her as she hurried to take cover under something--anything.

The building was in pieces around her. Sunitha thanked the gods that she was still alive. Her bed had been strong enough to keep her safe from the falling chunks of building. Cautiously, Sunitha crawled out from her safe spot and rushed away from the rubble. If she wasn't safe, she wouldn't be able to help others. That had been engrained into her memory since her first year of university. She called out, asking if anyone else had survived. A hand seemed to be reaching out to her, but when she got there, no one was attached to it. Sunitha let out a scream, dropping the arm to the ground. Around her, the world was in ruins. She didn't know what to do. How could she help anyone if she didn't know what to do.

Her head moved around, taking in the sight of the devastation. What had caused so much death, so much destruction? Then she saw it. It was like nothing she had ever seen before in her life. It wasn't human. It wasn't an animal, either. Alien. The word popped into her head. At first, she couldn't believe it was real. She didn't even know if it was looking at her, but it felt like it was watching her. There were several others off in the distance, destroying lives, homes, everything. This one, though, stood and stared at her. Or maybe it had its back to her, Sunitha really couldn't tell, but she thought it was looking at her, studying her. Without warning, it began to move. Sunitha took a step back, fear filling her heart. The alien turned and walked away. She was mostly unharmed. Or maybe it had all been a dream.

Sunitha was one of the few to get out. She remembered an Alliance ship picking her up. She didn't remember where she even was. It must have been days, maybe even weeks, that she had been out there, wandering, hiding from attacks. She was sure the only reason they actually took her with them, though, was because she told them she was trained as a nurse practitioner. She could help the injured. It wasn't long before she was taken to Wisteria Colony on Cometra.

cometra
Being a refugee was different than living. It was like there were always people who looked at her with pity in their eyes. It made her feel uncomfortable at times. Then again, there were several people who looked at her as though she were one of the aliens and others who wouldn't make eye contact. Just because she didn't believe that the aliens should be hated and slaughtered. They deserved life, just as everyone else did. Besides, if that one had let her go, maybe they weren't even "bad." Sunitha felt like an outcast in the colony, but she never let it get her too down. Her determination to make others see that not all aliens could be bad kept her strong.

The worst part, though, was Devlin. He hated the aliens almost as much as she didn't. He was a thorn in her side and they were always butting heads. Maybe, if he wasn't always around, spouting filth about extermination, she would have gotten through to some people by now. If there was anything that could weaken her resolve, it was Devlin, but she would never share that secret. She wouldn't let him win.

Sunitha - Quinn

Sunitha had barely been able to keep the smile off her face as he had left her home.  He had been stuttering and unsure and it was just so adorable. But he had left. It was almost as if he had never been kissed by a girl he wasn't related to before. Or maybe it was because she had surprised him in a way he hadn't liked. She wouldn't put it past him. Heck, just about everyone in the colony hated her, so why not Quinn, too? Besides, if he had liked her, wouldn't he have kissed her back or something? Or maybe it really was that he was just nervous. Or crazy-- he had threatened her life after all.

After he had stepped out her door, she peered after him, watching him walk away with just the slightest hint of sadness on her face. After a minute or so, she shook her head and pulled herself back inside before anyone could catch her.

Empty. The shack was so very empty. And lonely. Sunitha had almost forgotten how lonely it could be having no one. Quinn, with his awful attitude and even worse behavior, had been a gift from the Gods, really. Something to remind her that not everyone truly hated her, that she could still help some people, that she wouldn't be alone forever even if it seemed like it right then. Now, though, she was alone. The shack was silent save for the sound of her own sigh as it slipped from her lips. Every once in a while the sink would clunk, but it was little comfort.

Brown eyes scanned the shack, taking in sight. So much had happened in just a few hours. There was some blood on the floor near the makeshift couch. She imagined there was probably some in the makeshift bed as well. It all needed to be cleaned up, that was for certain. Plus it would give her something to do. She was always looking for things to do on the days she didn't need to go out and buy food or supplies. Cleaning was more than welcome.

Tying her hair back after having slept on it, she was ready to get to work. She wet a towel and started on the floor. Scrubbing was repetitive, but it was still something. Sunitha went through the motions over and over. Her mind began to wander away from the state of the shack and back to the man who had just left her company. Quinn. She was finding it difficult to get him off her mind.

In truth, she probably should have hated the man. Sunitha was certain she was nearly incapable of hate, though. She simply cared about others too much and found too many reasons why she shouldn't hate them. Quinn was different. He had given her so many reasons not to like him. His bad attitude, his lies, the death threat. By all rights, she should honestly and truly hate him. But he was the first person in months who had shown up on her doorstep without ill-intent. He had actually needed her help. Her mind wandered to that moment when she opened the door and saw him standing there. Tall, gangly, red-haired, and pale. And bleeding. Couldn't forget the bleeding. He'd gotten shot in the shoulder and she had gone almost instantly into her professional self, doing what she needed to in order to help the man she knew absolutely nothing about.

The scrubbing stopped for a moment as she looked up at the ceiling, curiosity on her face. What had he been doing that he'd gotten a bullet to the shoulder? It seemed unlikely that she would ever find out. In fact, it seemed unlikely that she would ever even see the man again. The scrubbing resumed and her mind returned to its original conflict: why did she want to see him again?

In her head, she tried listing off the things that had made her stomach turn happily when he had been around. He was handsome, that was something. She recalled blushing when she had let her gaze linger on his bare chest for just a moment too long. The memory brought a warm tint to her cheeks and she scrubbed the floor a bit harder for it. The way he had wiped the blood off her elbow-- his touch in general. Could it just have been that she had been deprived of a kind touch? The way her heart fluttered at the memory, she doubted it, but it was still a possibility. The way he had seemed to care about her blanket that morning. It had been sweet, if he was even capable of such a thing.

Looking down at the floor where she had been scrubbing, she realized the towel had turned all pink from the blood. Now instead of cleaning, it was more like she was smearing the blood around. Frowning, she pushed herself up and threw the towel in the sink before grabbing a second one and going back to work on the floor.

Quinn was back in her mind. And she felt something she had not felt in some time-- worry. She was worrying about Quinn. Of course, after having him come to her doorstep with a bullet in his shoulder, how could she not worry about what might befall him next. Then it hit her, she really cared about this man. There was no explanation behind it, but it was there nonetheless. She wondered when it had started-- had it been when he'd gone crazy and tried to shoot her? Or had it been after that when he had been trying to hide his tears from her? Perhaps it had happened when he stopped acting gruff all the time and wiped the blood from her elbow. Sunitha didn't know and figured she never would actually figure it out.

Her mind went back to the floor. It seemed to be relatively clean now. She pushed herself up, away from where the stain had been. Thoughts of cleaning the makeshift bed were abandoned as she sat down, ready to write in her old diary about the man she had just met. The man who was not going to be leaving her thoughts anytime soon. Quinn.

Sunitha - The Attack

A wide smile spread across the young woman's face as she laughed at something her parents had said. They had played a terrible joke on Samaah, telling him they had arranged his marriage years ago. As they recounted the story to Sunitha, she couldn't help but to laugh. The conversation turned to a discussion of an upcoming visit. Sunitha's parents were going to be leaving in less than a week to visit Sunitha. In the middle of the discussion, everything started going wrong. The ground started to shake. At first, it could have easily been mistaken for just a normal earthquake, but within a minute, it was more violent than any Sunitha had ever heard of before. With a terrified look on her face, she looked at her parents in the holo-chat once more. It was no longer than a second before the connection was lost. There was no time to explain to them what was happening, no time to say good bye, no time to say she loved them.

The building, her apartment building, was collapsing. Screams were coming from all directions. Some were loud and sharp, others were muffled and could barely be heard over the sounds of destruction. Panic settled in, and Sunitha looked around her small apartment with wide eyes. Her ears started to ring, blocking out all other sounds. She was terrified. With shallow breaths, she did her best to find something sturdy to hide under, to protect herself with.

Under the bed, Sunitha was breathing heavily, shallowly. She closed her eyes. It felt like she was spinning. Thoughts were racing through her mind faster than they ever had before. Her lips moved quickly as the words of an old prayer slipped out in her native tongue.

When she opened her eyes, the earth had stopped shaking so violently. But the world was in pieces around her, or so it seemed. Sunitha was lucky. She was alive. With still shallow breaths, she thanked the Gods as she struggled to free herself from her bed frame. It was a miracle that the bed frame had held up against the concrete, but it had done so nonetheless, and Sunitha was glad it had. Once she had crawled out from her hiding place, she rushed away from the rubble before turning back to look at what had once been her home. Besides, she needed to keep herself safe if she intended on helping others. There was no point in her getting herself injured because then she would not be able to do anything for anyone. It was a lesson she had learned early and heard often throughout nursing school.

"Hello?! Can anyone hear me?" Her voice was quivering, but there was a strange sort of confidence there as she yelled out towards the rubble. "Is there anyone in there?!" No one was answering. Not verbally, at least. A hand was reaching out to her. Breath stuck in her throat as she scrambled over the rubble as quickly and carefully as she could manage. It seemed like forever before she reached the hand. Someone else had survived. Sunitha pushed away her fear, her trembling. Now was not the time to be frightened. Now was the time to be brave, courageous. Someone needed her help, and help them she would. Sunitha gripped the hand as best she could, her fingers closing around it tightly. The flesh was still warm, still living. She could have sworn her had felt the fingers twitch, begin to curl around her hand. But when Sunitha began to dig the person out and pull on the hand, she found there was nothing attached. It was just a hand attached to a fair amount of forearm.

A scream tore from her body as she dropped the arm to the ground. Fear took over her again as her heart pounded wildly in her chest. Sunitha stumbled back, away from the rubble of her apartment building. She fell a few times, scraping up her legs, her arms. Her feet finally found ground. Real ground. Sunitha stood up and looked around. Ruin and devastation were all she could see. It was everything. Nothing seemed to still be intact, except her. She wondered what could have caused all of this. What would have caused so much death and destruction?

Then she saw it. It wasn't human. It wasn't an animal either. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. Alien. It was alien. An Alien.

It was all so surreal. A dream, maybe. With wide eyes full of terror, she stared at it. She couldn't be certain, but she was pretty sure it was staring back, watching her. Off in the distance, Sunitha could see more of them. Destroying things, killing people, as if it were their job. But this one, this one was standing right in front of her, looking right at her. Or maybe it had its back to her, Sunitha couldn't honestly tell. It was the first time she had ever seen anything like it before in her life.

And then it started to move, towards her at first, just a step. Sunitha stumbled backwards, tripping and catching her balance before she fell to the ground. Terror made her heart beat faster and faster. It almost hurt, her heart was beating so fast. This was it. She was going to die, she knew it. But then, it turned away. It walked away and left Sunitha standing there, unharmed. Or as unharmed as she could be.

Sunitha's heart slowed back down to a more normal pounding. Her breathing was fast, shallow, and raspy. It had to have been a dream. Maybe she had hit her head when the building had collapsed. She could not convince herself it was a dream, though. She was certain the Alien had let her live. Why her, she had no idea, but it had not killed her. It had not killed her. If this one had been willing to let her live, well, then, maybe there were others like it out there. Maybe they weren't all bad. Maybe they were being forced to attack, to kill.

Finally, she gathered her thoughts and collected herself and ran. She ran as fast as she could until she found another living person, a human. He was part of the Alliance and wanted nothing to do with her babbling about hands and aliens. He ushered her to the evac zone. There she calmed herself further and explained that she was a nurse, that she would be able to help with any injured or wounded. Sunitha was taken to Cometra, to New Earth, where she would treat the injured. She would start a new life there as a refugee. Too bad for her it started off poorly when she mentioned to someone that she didn't think all of the aliens should be killed, massacred. It all went downhill from there.

Sunitha - Fifteen

At the age of twelve, Sunitha's parents had thrown a party, a big celebration for little Sunitha becoming a woman. It was tradition. She had reached puberty and was given her first sari and presented as an adult now. It had been terribly exciting. But that was three years ago. Today, she was turning fifteen. Some hundreds of years ago, the tradition of celebrating a girl's fifteenth year had made its way to India. Sunitha's brother Samaah had insisted on throwing the biggest party for his little sister for her fifteenth, even if her parents were not so keen on the new tradition. They argued it was not necessary, she had already become a woman and did not need to have a second coming of age celebration. Samaah did not listen, to say the least.

When May 17 rolled around, Samaah burst into Sunitha's room almost as soon as the sun had risen. The sixteen-year-old all but jumped on his little sister. Suffice it to say, Sunitha had not been expecting the wake up call. She jumped, waking with a start and a scream. It only took a few moments to recognize it was her brother, though, and once she did, she grabbed her pillow and hit him playfully with the fluffy object. Samaah pulled her out of bed, explaining all the while that he was taking her out for her birthday. He didn't say where, just "out." Sunitha pulled on her favorite sari after washing up. Finally she was ready to go. She could not stop smiling as the excitement of a day out with her brother coursed through her.

It was only six hours later when he was dragging her home. Confusion barely started to cover how she was feeling. He had promised a whole day out, not less than half of a day. But she trusted her brother, following him blindly.

When they walked into the house, it was dark. Sunitha blinked against the darkness as her eyes adjusted. Turning to her brother, she had a knowing sort of look on her face. A surprise party. Or something along those lines. That was what this sort of thing always turned out to be. Samaah gave her a dorky sort of smile as he shrugged, flicking the lights on. Everyone jumped out shouting "Happy Birthday!" Some said it in English, others in Hindi. Either way, it was a wonderful sentiment. Dheeraj and Amar had even come home to visit, just for her birthday. The two of them swept up their baby sister and carried her, on their shoulders, into the next room.

Once her feet were on the floor once again, she threw her arms around each of them in turn, tears of joy running over her cheeks. Her parents, while they did not approve of the giant celebration, were glad to see their only daughter so happy.

The celebration lasted for four full hours. Dancing, games, food, it was everything she could have dreamed of and more. Her friends were all there, and some of them had brought her gifts. Some came with well wishes. Sunitha preferred the latter-- she never felt like she really deserved gifts from others, but she always appreciated them and accepted them with a grateful smile. Her mother even took part in the celebration, giving her the gift of a new sari. It was a beautiful sapphire blue, Sunitha's favorite color. The gold accents on the sari gave it an almost formal look. Sunitha loved the gift more than she could say. It was beautiful, it was perfect.

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17 May, 2358

Dear Diary,

Today was my fifteenth birthday. Samaah took me out all morning, and we had a wonderful time! He even got me an ice-cream cone! I had expected to spend the entire day out with him, but he fooled me. We came home and everyone was waiting. I knew what was going on as soon as we came in. But, oh! It was a wonderful celebration. Nina was there! I was surprised to see her since she moved away five years ago. I was so overcome with happiness that I could hardly stop myself from crying. I did cry once or twice, but it was only because I was so happy. I cannot think of a day where I have ever been as happy as I have been today. This has been the best birthday, the best day. It will be difficult for anything to be better than today. 

I was given gifts. That was something I did not expect. I received some lovely chocolates and beautiful jewelry. But the gift from Mother was the best. A sari. Sapphire blue, my favorite color. When I opened it, I was shocked. I did not think she would get me something so beautiful. I did not think she would get me anything at all. But this sari. If I could wear it every day, I think I would. It is my favorite color. I love it so much. I think I am about to cry again, I am so happy.

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That night, long after the celebration had ended and everything had been cleaned up, Sunitha had fallen asleep with a grin on her face and the new sari in her arms. It had been an absolutely perfect day. When her mother came in to check on her, she only saw the same little girl who had been falling asleep with a stuffed bear in her arms just a few years ago. To her, Sunitha would always be a child, her baby. With an almost sad smile on her face, Sunitha's mother took the sari and draped it on a chair where it would not be ruined. With a kiss on Sunitha's forehead, her mother dimmed the lights and left her youngest to dream.

Sunitha - Betrayal

It April 17, and it was warm. The sun was shining and the sky was clear. It was an absolutely beautiful spring day. In just a month, it would be Sunitha's birthday. Already, Jenna and her other friends were planning something. Jenna had accidentally spilled the beans, but had managed to keep quiet on the details. Everything was practically perfect. With the sun and the warmth, it was really the perfect day to sit out in the park. Sunitha was doing just that. Jean shorts and a thin tee-shirt, her shoes discarded off to the side. The grass beneath her bare feet was soft. Kevin was going to be meeting her here in a few minutes. So she waited, laying down in the grass, smiling up at the sun as she shielded her eyes with her forearm.

Before long, Kevin was there, waking her from the nap she had fallen into. A grin spread across her face as she threw her arms around his neck. He picked her up, spun her around once. It was the kind of scene that made single girls act disgusted while filled to the brim with envy. Sunitha felt the earth beneath her feet once more as Kevin placed her down. The grass tickled lightly as she stood there, looking up at Kevin. She was only five foot four, very short compared to his six foot five. Kevin was tall and lean, but strong. She stood on her tip toes, stretching as high as she could, her hands on his chest for balance. He leaned down and met her waiting lips with his, but it wasn't the same. Something was different.

This kiss was an apology.

"Sorry, Sue. I can't go to dinner with ya tonight. Gotta stay in and study for my exam tomorrow. Not doin' so well in that class, y'know."

A sad smile on her lips, she nodded. It wasn't the end of the world. She would just have to face dinner with Jenna and her new boy-toy alone. Not that it would honestly be that bad-- Jenna had offered to pay for the dinner for Sunitha and Kevin since it was a celebration on her finding a new boy.

"Do not worry. I will stop by with some dinner for you on the way back." The smile was no longer sad. In fact, she was looking forward to spending some time alone with him.

"Thanks, Sue, but I need ta focus. Why don'cha stop over tomorrow instead, after I ace the exam." It was happening more frequently, his refusal to hang out with her. Sunitha was getting the feeling that something just wasn't right. Then again, it was her first relationship, and she was having all too easy of a time convincing herself this was normal. On her tip toes, she stretched again, hoping for one last kiss. Kevin leaned down and placed a delicate peck on her cheek before turning his back on her and walking off into the distance.

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It was late. Much later than Sunitha had wanted to be coming home. Jenna had ditched her at the end of the night to go back to her new boy-toy's apartment. Sunitha was stuck walking back on her own. Something spurred her to stop by Kevin's on her way back. Maybe some spontaneity would do them some good. Not to mention a break would probably do him some good. Shivering against the cold night air, she pulled Kevin's sweatshirt closer around her body. It was huge on her, but she loved it. It showed the world she was his and that he liked her a lot, maybe even loved her.

Digging around in her purse she found the duplicate key Kevin had given her. Despite being a first year, he lived in apartment. It was on campus, though, so it made it easy to get to. Sunitha let herself in and walked up the steps. There were some loud noises--voices, banging-- coming from his room, and she wondered if maybe he had left the television on. It wasn't long before she was opening the door to his room, a bright smile on her face.

Her greeting died on her lips. The smile that had been there crumpled, her expression changed rapidly to one of confusion, hurt, and anger.

Kevin was with another woman.

Blonde, blue-eyed, tall. This woman was everything Sunitha wasn't. Kevin jumped from the bed, a look of surprise and horror on his face. Sunitha just stared at him, at his nakedness. He was talking, but she couldn't hear any of it. It was as if her heart had just been ripped apart. Tears welled in her eyes. She didn't understand. It wasn't like she didn't sleep with him-- she had given him her body many times. He had been her first. Now he was her first heartbreak.

Anger flared up as the tears started to fall. She tore his sweatshirt from her body and hurled it at him. The zipper hit him square in the face. Good. Maybe he would feel one millionth of the pain she was feeling. Sunitha never wanted to see him again. He had used her, used her body. The betrayal was the worst. How could he lie to her like that? Hadn't he known that he had meant everything to her? Somewhere in her rage, she had managed to yell at him that they were over.

Sunitha ran from the room, back down the steps and out the front door, leaving it wide open behind her. She didn't care. Honestly, she felt like she could die, felt like she wanted to die. Home was not going to be a comfort. It would be cold and empty. Jenna was with her boy. Sunitha ran to the bridge that crossed the river. She climbed the rail and let her feet dangle over the edge. The loss of her shoes meant nothing to her. They splashed into the river below and she realized just how easy it would be to let herself do the same.

But she wouldn't. She couldn't. Despite the pain, the heartbreak, she knew that this was good somehow. This would allow her to focus on her schooling, to keep her scholarship through outstanding grades. This would be good for her in the long run. Taking in a deep breath,  she turned as she heard someone shouting at her.

"Hey! Hey, Girl! Get down from there!" Sunitha waved the man over. Campus security. He ran to her, dropping his bike where he had been. She asked for his help, she didn't want to fall into the river. With a nod, the man helped her down from the rail, setting her bare feet on the cold, hard pavement of the sidewalk.

Thanking him with a smile, she headed home. Her broken heart was pounding in her chest. Her shoes were lost to the river. The cold bit at her skin now that she no longer had Kevin's sweatshirt to protect her from it. Half an hour later, her nose and cheeks red with cold, Sunitha curled up in her bed, hugged her pillow to her chest and cried until she fell into a dreamless sleep.

Sunitha - First Date

September 3, 2361

Dear Diary,

It is the first day of university. It is lovely here and I am so excited. There are so many new faces, so many diverse faces, and so many things to do. I do miss India terribly, though, and my family. Sam, Dheeraj, even Amar. Amar has been with the Alliance for some time now, though, and I am used to not seeing him frequently. Sam is the one I miss the most. Not because I love him more than the others, but because he was always there with me. He was, and still is, my dearest friend. He said he would visit. I am hopeful.

November 16, 2361

Dear Diary,

Everything has been great. The people are so welcoming and I have made so many new friends. More importantly, though I suppose that is debatable, I have met a boy. I have never felt this way about anyone before. This is all new. And it is a bit scary. I am certain he feels the same, though. He has asked for my company at the cinema this coming Friday. I feel giddy and I feel I am smiling when I should not. But it is a wonderful feeling. I would like to introduce him to Sam. I am curious to see what Sam would think of him.

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Sunitha had never before been on a date. She had never even been in a room alone with a boy who wasn't related to her. It had amazed her new friends when she had told them she had never been on a date, never kissed a boy. They seemed to think it had something to do with her having grown up in India. Sunitha was more or less convinced that it was because she had three older brothers who could easily have intimidated any boy who had even shown the slightest bit of interest in her.Not to mention Sunitha had never really been interested in kissing anyone she had met back in India. Not the way she wanted to kiss Kevin, anyways.

Kevin. He had caught her eye during the very first week of classes. It must have been the eyes. Everyone she had ever met in India had had brown eyes. Sunitha was so bored of blue eyes. She examined her own brown eyes in the mirror. Perhaps examined was the wrong word. Scrutinized was more like it. Kevin's eyes were strikingly blue and so beautiful. Hers were brown. Brown and dull and not pretty at all. Kevin. Kevin. Kevin. He was all she could focus on. The sound of someone calling her name drew her attention away from her thoughts of Kevin, of his beautiful blue eyes. Her name was called again, more urgently this time.

It was just Jenna, her roommate. Jenna was her closest friend at the school, and right now, she was very concerned with making Sunitha look damn sexy for her first date ever. She had even offered to let Sunitha have the room to herself for the night. At first, Sunitha hadn't understood the offer. When Jenna explained it, Sunitha turned a bright shade of red and refused.Sure, she had fallen hard and fast for the guy, but that didn't mean she wanted to bang him on the first date!

"C'mon Sue, just lemme put some blush on ya! You'll look soooo great!" Sunitha simply looked at her friend and shook her head no.

"Thanks, Jenna, but I would prefer if you stick with helping me dress." Moving over to the wardrobe, Sunitha threw open the doors. She had absolutely no idea what to wear. Was there a certain expectation? Was she supposed to dress nicely? Did she have to wear a skirt? That was where she needed Jenna. Jenna had been on tons of dates before.

"Fine. See if I ever help you with your dates again." Jenna rolled her eyes, but there was a grin on the American's face as she moved hastily over to the wardrobe. Clothes were flying all over the room. Sunitha ran around trying to save them all from the dirty floor. Soon enough, there was a large pile of clothing in her arms. She threw it over her bed as she heaved a sigh. When she turned around, Jenna was giving her that look.

"What...?" Skepticism was all over her face. Or maybe it was fear. Either way, she was preparing herself for whatever might happen next. Jenna grabbed Sunitha and all but ripped the clothing from her small frame. Sunitha let out a small shriek as she attempted to cover herself. She was unsuccessful. It was mere minutes before Sunitha was dressed in something she never would have chosen. A blue low-cut shirt that showed more than she wanted to show. Her shoulders were bare, and her shoulders were never bare. Paired with the low-cut top was a black skirt that stopped just short of her knees. As she looked at herself in the mirror, her cheeks flushed. She could not wear this out. No way. Jenna seemed to read her mind and handed her a black cropped sweater with two buttons. It didn't do much but cover her shoulders.

"Oh, Sue! You look so GREAT!" Jenna fawned over Sunitha, combing her fingers through the other girl's hair. "Please, please, pleease don't change! Kev's gonna fall so hard for ya if ya wear this!" Sunitha felt the blush on her cheeks flare up again, just when it had been dying down. Nodding silently, she smiled at Jenna before forcefully shoving her out the door. "Hey! Wait! No, I was gonna--" The words were cut off by the door slamming shut. Sunitha leaned against the door. It was nice to finally have the room to herself, even if she could still kind of hear Jenna yelling at her through the heavy door.

Scrutinizing herself in the mirror again, she pulled the top up as high as it would go without showing her stomach or feeling too uncomfortable. It wasn't very high. Frowning, she searched, digging through the mound of clothing on her bed. Jenna had sure made it difficult to find a scarf in this mess. It was hopeless. She only had ten more minutes before Kevin was going to be knocking on her door. Her stomach was doing back-flips. She moved over to the mirror, carrying a small bag of make-up with her. The eyeliner sat on top. With careful fingers, she reached down and picked it up. Placing the bag down on the nearest surface, she put on a thin black line of eyeliner. It did little for her brown eyes, but then, Sunitha never liked her eyes. They were just so dull. After the eyeliner was just right, she found the eyeshadow in her tiny make-up bag. Blue. It would match the outfit Jenna had put her in. Just a hint, though, she didn't want it to be overbearing the way Jenna liked to wear her make-up.

There. Perfect. Well, almost perfect. Everything looked great aside from her being, well, her. Sunitha frowned. Maybe Kevin was just using her, trying to get in her pants and then leave her when she wasn't good enough or willing enough. There was no reason why a handsome guy like him should even look at a plain, little Indian girl like her. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she looked down at her iX device. He would be here at any minute. Sunitha wanted to call him, call it off. She didn't want to go. She wanted to wrap herself up in her blankets and stay there for the rest of eternity.

Then there was a knock at her door. For several seconds, Sunitha just stood there, her eyes wide, her heart pounding. The sound of blood rushed in her ears and her mouth felt like it was full of cotton. No, she couldn't do this. She wasn't ready; she simply wasn't ready.

But she opened the door anyways, a nervous smile on her face. There he was, as handsome as ever in his jeans and plain old tee. She could feel his eyes on her, burning through her. His gaze, she knew, had lingered on that dip in her shirt just a little bit longer than was proper and her cheeks flared with color. Silently, he offered her his arm. With her smile growing, she looped her own arm through his. It was going to be a magical night.