Not knowing the faith I hide
I must dream
I must put my fears aside

Golden

The city opened up before his hand as if magic. He spread his fingers, and tall golden spires cluttered his view. Clouds of smaller vessels smeared the crisp sky. Down the sleek window he looked down from, anyone could make out the masses of bodies wriggling their way to work. It was another golden day, something he loved.

"Dou you always have to stand there, Jason? It gets on my nerves,"

He turned around and looked into the small brown eyes of his boss. He never liked the man. Actually, he didn't like people at all, but Nick Kramer had a bad feel to him. Being the head of the Terran Daily, and an ex journalists, Nick always had feelings to hide, notions to cover up. He was a professional, trying to hold a political standing in the world that had bloomed out of the forty-foot window. That was all there was to it.

The room he stood in was an ordinary office. A dark black desk stood in front of the newly opened window. Two equally black seats sat in front, on top of a deep maroon rug. Light splashed repulsive yellow lamps connected to the corners of the room, hiding the bliss of the new dawn.

Nick Kramer sat at his desk. His headset was on his head and plugged into the net. Lights blurred on the edge of his white visor. Jason couldn't read anything, but he already knew what he was reading. It was his latest article.

"Please, Jason, sit down. This might take awhile," Nick said as he waved his arm around the room. Jason sat in one of the seats, and watched as the once clear visor turned black. Small white flashes of data streams whirred in a semi circle around the square visor. It was the basic editing program. Jason winced as he felt his work being torn apart. Finally, Nick took off his headset and disconnected.

"Why do you do that every time I put one in?" Jason asked through clenched teeth. He always asked the same question. The same answer would always come, "To hide the audience the gruesome mistakes." He was shocked to find it different.

"Jason, Jason. You never learn, do you," Nick looked sad. His always strait smile was replace by a strait line as the man tried to hide his feelings. A small dust of cloudy fog in his eyes revealed it all. "I don't do it to change your work. I do it to protect you."

Jason couldn't take it. "Me! What is there to protect me from? All I've been doing is silly reports of Bizon leakage at the local plants. There is nothing to hide in that."

"I know what you are feeling, Jason. I too, thought it was a normal case. It seems, your words have made it different."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, some of the higher ups might be after you. Jason, please look at me. I've known you since you were a teenager. Take my advice and accept the new assignment."

Jason knew what Nick was talking about. His last two reports on the Bizon leakage held disturbing rumors. He wanted to agree with his boss, but he didn't want the assignment. Anything was better than that.

"I told you before, Nick. I'm not taking it."

"I wouldn't do that. I hacked into the police files. You have buzzed around someone's nose long enough. There's a squad coming for you. Take the assignment."

"So that was what the black screen was."

"Hurry up Jason. Answer me. Will you take it?"

"You know my answer."

Nick shook his head. Another flash of his cloudy eyes met Jason. He watched as his boss thought over what was happening. He knew there were people after him. He had received the letters all week. They were not special threats, just the kind journalists always received. Nothing special.

A red light on Nicks desk came on. "Mary. Will you escort Jason Ripley to launch area B. His ride is waiting for him."

"What!" Jason shouted. "You are not sending me to that hell hold!"

"I'm sorry Jason. Its for your own safety. You know I wouldn't do this if I didn't have to."

A big man entered through a hidden back door. He grabbed Jason's shoulder and carried him off. Jason could still hear his assignment bounce through his head.

Twenty minutes later, Jason looked through his headset. A face appeared on his home screen. The Space Battle Cruiser Nimic III welcome him.