With a start, Josho woke up and realized he was in mid-air, almost weightless.

Before he could react to anything other than that, the roof was rapidly getting close.

Thud!

As he lay beside the main lamp, he tried to gather his thoughts about what just happened.

The whole room was in disarray with belongings and clothes everywhere.

Something had tipped the ship over, but he had no clue what could have done it. The imperial mining ships whereas sturdy as they come with a solid iron core and armored platings.

Before he could get up, he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, a gravitational pull.

He and all the luggage would soon have a hasty meeting with the floor again. But this time, he had time to prepare so it would not be his head that took the hit.

As the whole ship groaned to get back to its right barings, Josho worked with the force and landed on his two feet.

"And I'm down," He thought to himself and thud!

Even if Josho could work with the forces of gravity, his bunkmate's book could not. He cursed and rubbed his head when the door flung open.

We need everyone on deck, barked the soldier without checking if anyone was in there.

Whatever had caused the ship to get upside down must be severe. The soldiers usually took the chance to teach the slaves a lesson with there feet and fists if they found one alone.

But this soldier didn't even look at him before he left the door open. Should he try to escape now?

No, he could not escape in the air. They would just shoot him down.

But he decided that it was best to get up on deck to see what had happened.

And when he got up there, he got a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. The motors were burning, there were bodies everywhere, and it seemed like the captain had left the ship. No one was at the helm, and all the small sky-dingy's where only tiny specs against the horizon.

Bastards! How could they just leave the ship with all the slaves he taught and spat on the deck's planking?

Was this how it would end for him?

A lowly slave, just a cog in the imperial machine.