Tick tock tick tock. Went the astronata as they cleaned up the leftover space debris from the latest riot. The rebels were getting restless and more volatile, everyone knew it. This passed through Elena’s mind as she sat on her porch watching the astronata clean.

Elena’s family and few other of Earth’s richest family were some of the first chosen to go to Ultain as global warming began to ensure mankind’s demise. As more people began to come they began to colonize Ultain more and more until it was a bigger if slightly colder version of Earth. Which is part of the reason why the rebels were so angry, they believed that we weren’t learning from our past mistakes and that soon if we weren’t careful we would have to colonize yet another planet. The rebels were mostly the few middle class workers that had made it off of earth by stealing on ships and teleports. Unlike the majority of the population(poor) who were left on Earth to fend for themselves. While some saw what we did as cruel, we saw it as crucial. We knew our population on Earth had been to big. So what better way to cut down on the population, at least that’s what they told Elena in school.

The day had dawned the usual gray and Elena was off to school. She walked the dusty metal that was considered ground on Ultain.

The school was a squat gray building near the edge of the artificial atmosphere that had been created around the planet so they could breathe. Elena entered through the side entrance, and almost ran straight into Eli “the ogre” Johnson. Narrowly missing him, she ran into homeroom just as the bell rang to signal the beginning of class. First period was Ms.Carolson, English Literature. Elena detested this class, just as she was about to get out her drawing supplies and begin to draw her latest illustration,her ears perked up. She could’ve sworn she had just heard Ms.Carolson mention Earth. Even though there was no law against saying it, it was more of an unspoken rule to not mention the past. But for once in homeroom Elena began to listen, at first she didn’t even let herself believe it. She couldn’t believe it. They were being offered a trip to go to Earth and all they needed was for their parents to agree. The rest of the day went by in a woosh.

“No.” Elena and her mother were standing in the kitchen sending glares back and forth. Her father was in the living room watching his favorite tv show.

“But why…” Elena pleaded. She saw no reason as to why she shouldn’t be allowed to go.

“Because I say so.” her mother said firmly. Elena knew the conversation was over. She could keep fighting but it would only get her in more trouble. So instead Elena retreated to her room and sat down at her desk. She was about to start her homework, when the permission slip fell out of her backpack. Now normally Elena was pretty mild-mannered and did as she was told. However, this wasn’t most circumstances. Who knew when she would ever be able to visit Earth again. She had to see it. Checking to make sure her mother was still downstairs, she went back to her room and signed the permission slip with her mother’s signature.