The work boots were more than just a part of her uniform.

Iynor's father had lived and fought and died in those boots, has risen from foot soldier—a slave rescued from the Attowan plains—to General of the rebel military.

So although the army offered, Iynor rejected the standard-issue footwear of her Malwain compatriots.

And now, in the wake of her father's assassination at the hands of their Earthen oppressors, Iynor was determined to follow in his footsteps until she had either led her planet in victory or joined him in the afterlife.

Either way: freedom would be hers. 

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This story is both a part of my #EverydayObjects series and an entry in the @ScienceFiction challenge to write a 100-word drabble about "freedom".

Thank you @NadiaTaylor for this entry's prompt: work boots.

Comment below with a RANDOM OBJECT to inspire my next tale, and thanks for reading!