One man's trash is another man's treasure, as they say, and a lot of things the Celestials threw out could be put to use by enterprising paisanos. When the dump was complete, the scavengers swarmed on the site like flies.

It was messy, dangerous and often miserable work, but there were worse options out there. Some scavengers worked solo, but those with any sense worked in crews. You could get more done and there was safety in numbers if you got a big score and made a target of yourself. You always worked in earshot of each other. Eyeshot was even better, but sometimes that was difficult when sifting through the hills of trash.

"I found somethin'!"

"What is it?"

"Jus' get over here!"

A couple of the scavenger's companions obliged by coming over to where he was. And that was when they saw it. Sprawled out broken and bloody on the heap of garbage was the body of a teenage girl. Broken bits of armor still clung to the black bodysuit she wore.

"What a mess," the older of the three said. "Shame, though."

"What is she, like a soldier?"

"Can't imagine one bein' so young. They don't conscript girls an' you don't hear 'bout many volunteers."

"We can't just leave her here like this. It wouldn't be right."

"Tell Paco ta brin' the truck 'round. We'll take her ta the kirk an' have Padre say some words, give her a proper burial."

"I got her. She can't weigh too much."

As the scavenger squatted down to pick up the girl's body, a hand shot out and grabbed him by the collar. It was the girl. She wasn't so dead after all.