Journey to the Andromeda Galaxy E-Book

Steve Kristensen

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 449

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

In the year 22 century, a young group of five from planet Earth who are friends and have an ordinary lives each. Soid Bols, Jonah berqus, I.Q. Jelena Becker and Dulmer Monrider, and much more Characters to come. those are the main characters in this book who´s life become an adventure. One day, the friends just figure it out they found a gateway to an unknown, and their long journey with many challenging obstacles, begin...

Leseprobe

Content

Chapter I: Results Unexpected

Chapter II: Baynard’s Payback

Chapter III: Uncle Martano

Chapter IV: The Authority in Black

Chapter V: Out the Other Side

Chapter VI: The Great Conversions

Chapter VII: Within the Walls of Itzamná

Chapter VIII: The Heroes of Coyopa

Chapter IX: Dire Rains

Chapter X: The Exiled

Chapter XI: Crossing the Scald

Chapter XII: Coyopa

Chapter XIII: Malevolence and Secrecy

Chapter XIV: Home

Chapter I

Results Unexpected

Soid Bols – fifteen years old for just over two weeks – ran an ion comb through the head of thick black hair inherited from his mother. After washing the high cheekbones from his father and grabbing his wristband and earpiece from the nightstand, he rushed downstairs. He wolfed down his breakfast of a protein bar and vitamin shake before waiting by the front door for his eight-year-old sister, Danni.

On any normal day, Soid didn’t mind waiting for the blond pigtails of sister to come bobbing down the hall so they could walk to her the Beta School, only two buildings away from his, the Delta School. But today was a Course Day. As such, he had quite a bit extra on his mind. Standing there, in the foyer of his home, bouncing on the balls of his feet, he thought about having to sit through an entire two-hour period before taking on the latest course. It made him anxious. Watching his sister dilly-dally with her breakfast, somehow, made it worse.

Once Danni finished the last sip of her protein shake, she gathered up her own wristband and earpiece, called a distracted yet loving goodbye to their parents, and skipped to the front door, her familiar pigtails springing about in every direction. Watching her as they exited the family domicile, Soid felt all annoyance evaporate as she hummed an unrecognizable tune on her way to the sidewalk. Oblivious to the goings on inside his head, she cared only for the shining sun and warm springtime air blowing through the trees. He could not fault her for something so trivial as being eight years old. Smiling, closing the door behind him, Soid joined his still-humming sister at the end of the walkway.

Together, he and Danni made their daily ritual of walking the five blocks from their neighborhood before meeting up with their other, regular morning traveling companion. While just the two of them, Soid and Danni would often talk about whatever she wanted. She would go on about silly, eight-year-old problems like getting stuck on an algebra equation or the boy who called her a nasty name at recess. Sometimes they would talk about what she might want to do when she grew up. The vocation would often change as often as the seasons. For the past few weeks, since the start of the spring solstice, she had been saying she wanted to be a teacher, despite what her A.T.’s designated.

Danni didn’t care one bit what her Aptitude Tests indicated she should pursue. Soid would often remind her the outcome indicated she belonged in Molecular Biology with a Secondary Protocol in Psychology. She would scoff at the results; something Soid admired but felt would be irresponsible to let her know.

It had been determined – when he was tested like every child at six-years-old – Soid had the aptitude for, and would excel most in, Interstellar Experimental Research and Development. In the end, he felt pleased with the result (even though he would much rather have been assigned to Interstellar Theory). His Secondary Protocol turned out to be inconclusive.

Though not unheard of, an inconclusive Primary or Secondary Protocol is a rare occurrence. Only one in two thousand came back with an, “INCL” on their results. When it happens, students are allowed to choose their own path, given they pass the entry exams for their chosen discipline. Secondary Protocols do not enter a child’s field of study until they enter the Gamma School. Due to his love of Physical Intensity courses in Alpha and Beta Schools, Soid surprised his family and friends by choosing it for his Secondary Protocol. As a result of the Aptitude Tests and his choice, Soid’s course curriculum had been assigned to him starting nine years ago.

If it had not been a course day, Soid and Danni’s conversation this morning would have involved more give-and-take. Soid might have asked her questions, like what kind of teacher she wanted to be. She could never decide so they would debate. Whatever subject she found most interesting at the time usually won out. One week it would be Geometry, the next it was Microbiology. Soid loved his sister’s voracious appetite for learning and knowledge; it reminded him a lot of himself. His own enthusiasm for science and math came from his favorite relative, his Uncle: celebrated scientist and Interstellar Theorist, Dr. Martano Lawgott.

Uncle Martano had been on Soid’s mind quite often the past few days. Ever since his family celebrated his birthday, almost two weeks ago. Uncle Marty came to their house as planned, gave him a very strange present, and then left almost right away. It was the first year in memory Uncle Marty had not spent the day with his favorite nephew on his birthday. Being fifteen-years-old, Soid tried not to let his true feelings be known. He could not, however, hide them from his parents; who chalked Martano’s bizarre behavior up to a brilliant man’s eccentricities.

“I know he’s been your uncle for fifteen years, son. But he’s been my brother my whole life,” his mother said in an attempt to dissuade Soid’s disappointment. “I’ve seen this kind of behavior from him before. He has a new theory or a new experiment and it’s consuming him. Give it a couple of weeks and he’ll be back here apologizing for not sticking around today.” Soid nodded, telling his mother it wasn’t a big deal. Inside, however, he couldn’t deny the disappointment.

As the next few days passed, the feelings from the odd visit changed from disappointment to worry. He had not heard from his uncle since. Soid and Martano had exchanged correspondence once every two or three days since Soid was Danni’s age. It had been this way for years. Asking for his uncle’s help on a difficult equation, trading jokes about his mom’s cooking, or swapping theories on Soid’s favorite subject – Realistic Applications for Interstellar Travel – he and Uncle Martano had never gone more than three days without sending each other some kind of message. Today marked day number fiften.

When Soid woke up this morning he reached for his wristband in hopes of seeing a message from Uncle Marty; but found nothing. It was the first time Martano failed to send his usual ‘good luck’ message the night before, or the morning of, an obstacle course.

Soid had run one obstacle course for every month in attendance at the Delta School: a total of seventeen. Today was the first time his greatest supporter had not wished him luck. These thoughts dominated Soid’s attention as he and Danni stuck to their usual route. Danni had been rambling about something one of her classmates did the day before, but he had not been listening. Approaching the end of the crossway, Soid saw his best friend, Jelena Becker, waiting for them like she did every day. Her straight, fire-red long hair tied in a long ponytail, she twirled the end of it between the fingers of her left hand as she read something intently on her right’s wristband readout.

“Hi, Jelly!” Danni called out, waving one of her tiny hands with delight. Looking up and smiling, her expression changing from deep concentration to one of happy recognition, Jelena waved back. As they walked the remaining six blocks to the Beta School, Jelena and Danni talked as a furious pace about the girl who had called her a name during recess yesterday. The conclusion found them both in agreement the girl was completely out of line.

“See you after school!” Danni yelled at the both of them, running up the stairs to her waiting friends.

“Did you get through Euler’s Formula of Complex Nebule Formation Analysis?” asked Jelena, her face going straight back to the readout on her wristband. She and Soid continued walking, past the Gamma School, on their way to Delta.

All four schools were collectively located in the Youth Education District. The first building, the Alpha School, was for all students aged three through six. Each school term started the first week of January. Birthdays falling between January 1st and June 30th of the same year all start and continued their education together. The Beta School was for ages seven through ten. Gamma housed those ten through thirteen and, the last, the Delta school, was where students finished out their preliminary education beginning at age fourteen. At the end of their seventeenth year, students could either apply for one of the many academies of study or enter the Employment Program to be assigned to a vocation best suited to their education. The most coveted academy was the A.S.E.

“I got through it, but I thought it was fundamentally identical to the Steinfreud Formula of Supernova Formation Analysis.

Once you apply the same principles of viscosity through the unpredictable nature of the formation itself, Euler’s Formula follows the same pattern of multiplicity and expansion.”

Jelena stopped walking, staring from the readout to Soid, her brow furrowing. “And you couldn’t send me a message last night telling me?” she said, looking hostile.

“The two of you are still stuck on Euler?” The snide voice came from behind them. Without turning, Soid and Jelena each groaned.

“Hello I.Q.,” they said in synchronized, unenthusiastic monotone.

I.Q. – whose real name is Ipken Qurkav – insisted everyone call him by his initials. This came as a great coincidental annoyance to the rest of their class because I.Q. was also one of the smartest people in their year. It did not improve on his ego much either; he was well aware of his intelligence and enjoyed holding it over everyone within earshot.

“What is it you don’t understand? Maybe I can dumb it down for you,” I.Q. said, either unable, or not trying, to contain his smirk. Soid and Jelena had grown used to these kinds of remarks. They were also used to ignoring them and continued walking to their first class with I.Q. speeding up to keep step next to Jelena.

I.Q. stood a little shorter and leaner in stature than Soid. His face could appear intimidating with its hard, sharp lines and his intense, blue eyes. Most of the time, though, he carried a look of mild irritation at everything and everyone around him.

“Why do you always have to be such a self-righteous jerk?” asked Jelena. The disgust in her voice pleased Soid.

“Because I’m a self-righteous jerk,” replied I.Q.

“Fair enough. If you’ll excuse us?” said Jelena, and as the three of them walked through the entrance to the Delta School, her and Soid headed to their usual table in the common area. The two friends who rounded out their little group, Dulmer and Jonah, were already sitting, talking to each other.

“Why won’t you tell me?” Dulmer had just asked in his deep, baritone voice, tinged with a little irritation.

“Because you’ll find out soon enough,” came Jonah’s reply in his normal, soft-spoken timbre, pushing his hair to the side of his sweaty, pallid forehead.

Dulmer Monrider stood more than a full head taller than any other student in the school. He even towered over every staff member at the Delta School, including the Physical Intensity instructor, Mr. Beals.

Dulmer always kept his dark blond hair in a buzz cut and began shaving on a daily basis at the ripe old age of thirteen. He did not share the same academic success as most students in his class. Unfortunately, I.Q. often pointed this fact out.

Jonah Berqus was the physical opposite of Dulmer. Born with a rare autoimmune disorder and a genetic imperfection in his heart, he appeared thin and gaunt. Most physical abnormalities could be repaired through Morphic Gene Manipulation, but his particular defect remained beyond the help of medical advancements. Jonah always looked ill. His face held an ashen hue and he sometimes looked as if he would pass out at any moment. The disorder, which restricts his blood flow, requires him to sleep with a heart monitor. “What are you trying to get out of Jonah, Dulmer?” Jelena asked, sitting down next to her friend. “Good morning, Jelena,” Dulmer said, disappointment in his deep voice. “Jonah made some comment about a surprise coming in the course today but he won’t tell me anything,” “Patience is a virtue, my friend,” Jonah said with a smirk, winking at Jelena. Dulmer grumbled.

“Did you really just growl a response, you troglodyte?” I.Q. asked in his most contemptuous voice from behind their table.

“It’s first thing in the morning, Q,” Soid said, shaking his head. “Do you really have to start the day tearing everyone down or can you at least wait until lunch?”

“Does Dullard have to be a moron first thing in the morning?” I.Q. shot back without hesitation.

“Don’t call me that!” Dulmer said in a menacing voice.

“Don’t make me,” I.Q. said, turning to leave. “Soid, Jelena, see you in class.” He walked away toward the first class of the day, which he shared with both of them.

“He’s a jerk, Dulmer. Just ignore him,” Jelena said in a comforting voice, putting a hand on his huge shoulder.

“Thanks Jelena, but it takes more than a little name calling from Icky to get under my skin.”

Jelena, smiling at the group’s secret nickname for I.Q., patted his arm once more before standing and motioning to Soid. They did need to get to their first class.

Upon entering the classroom, paper-thin sheets of moldable, polymer plastic rose from slender slots in the floor. Each taking the form of a seat and small desk as a student approached to sit. As he sat, Soid tapped his wristband twice and a digital screen glowed to life on his transparent desk, which then divided into three monitors guided by his eye focus and head direction.

At precisely 0800, the lights dimmed and the room filled with a three-dimensional model of the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster.

“Good morning, class,” a computerized, female voice said into each student’s earpiece, “Today’s focus will be on time-dilation in distances greater than the average lifespan of a human being.” The lesson was not difficult for Soid, who followed the instructions and theories with ease. The principle was simple enough; the relatively short lifespan of human beings made them unfit for interstellar, or even interplanetary travel. Soid made a quick goodbye to Jelena when the lesson ended two hours later. He headed to Physical Intensity and she went to her Light Particles lecture.

The East Wing of the Delta School housed the Physical Intensity Dome. Soid found Dulmer standing outside the main doors as he approached. The two had been friends since their fourth school year, still maintaining a solid friendship.

Dulmer’s father was a former World Military Command General; a hard man who maintained several lofty aspirations for his son’s future. Determined Dulmer would follow in his footsteps, General Monrider was very strict with his son’s diet and exercise regimen, both in school and at home.

Unfortunately for the general, it wasn’t Dulmer’s dream to follow in his father’s footsteps. But, he also knew his intellectual limitations and deduced joining the military would be the only way to visit another planet someday; a dream he and Soid shared.

As Soid made his way down the corridor he noticed how much Dulmer stood out, and not just at school. He looked intimidating but Soid and the rest of his friends knew his true nature better than anyone.

Dulmer, when with his friends, was thoughtful, kind, always willing to help where he could. However, if someone angered him or if he saw what he perceived as an injustice, he could be quite frightening in his rage. A physical confrontation had never happened. His size and obvious strength usually sent anyone unlucky enough to get on his bad side to vanish from the vicinity.

For all his size and strength, Dulmer would never stand up to his father. Soid would sometimes wonder if doing so would be a good or bad. He wasn’t sure, but he did know if he were ever in an altercation he would want Dulmer by his side. Soid wasn’t out of shape or weak, he knew the biggest and strongest usually win a fight.

His blonde, military style haircut, the only one Soid had ever known him to have, made his head shine like a beacon in the corridor. Noticing Soid, Dulmer raised his hand in greeting.

“How are you?” Soid asked. Dulmer lifted his shoulders in a non-committal shrug as answer. Such was their daily routine before Physical Intensity. Soid thought it a bit unfair for the class to be called “Physical Intensity” when Dulmer barely ever broke a sweat.

After entering the changing area, Soid and Dulmer took off their blue, class uniforms. Changing into their Physicality singlets was the first step of an Obstacle Course day. Even at just fifteen years-of-age, Dulmer already looked like a man in his early twenties. Well-defined abdominal muscle, a thick chest, and rounded biceps made every other male in the school feel – both adolescent and full-grown man – insecure. The only activities in Physical Intensity Soid ever bested Dulmer in were those relying solely on agility. No one could match Dulmer in strength and power, but few people were Soid’s equal when it came to agility, speed, and quickness. Dulmer’s physique was made for heavy lifting and power just as Soid’s was made for climbing and quick movement.

Once a month, everyone in the Physical Intensity class would run an obstacle course designed by the Engineering and Architecture classes. Today, April 27th, was the new obstacle course. Soid and Dulmer had both been in the top five times in completion since they started running them. As the two friends made their way to the entrance of the Deck, they were surprised to see Jonah there, speaking to their Physical Intensity

instructor, Mr. Beals. Drawing nearer, their instructor laughed, patting Jonah on his shoulder before heading in.

“What are you doing here?” asked Soid. The object of their query turned to them with deliberate slowness and a mischievous look on his face.

“Good morning, gentlemen” he said, folding his arms in front of his chest.

“I shouldn’t like that smile, should I?” asked Dulmer.

“What are you doing here?” Soid asked, again, this time joined by Dulmer.

“The Obstacle Course everyone is running today,” he paused for effect, his smile widening, “was designed by yours truly.” Both Dulmer and Soid looked at their friend in disbelief for a full ten seconds as the implications began rolling over them.

Jonah, exempt from having to attend Physical Intensity classes due to his medical condition, was nonetheless highly intelligent and enjoyed all subjects. He excelled in engineering. Both Dulmer and Soid knew their friend enjoyed being in the top tier engineering class responsible for designing the obstacle courses every month. They never considered the possibility he would be the one to design an entire course.

The way they understood it, the Engineering class broke off into separate groups. Each designed a section of the course. If it were true Jonah designed the whole course himself it meant two significant things.

First, it meant their friend might be the first student in living memory to design a course on his own. Jonah, in his second year of Delta School, participated in the Engineering class reserved for Final Year students. The same went for the Architecture department; he enrolled in the Senior Year classes there as well.

Second, it might mean Jonah designed the obstacle course with his two friends in mind. Soid and Dulmer were always in the top five Obstacle Course times every month. Dulmer had several fifth-place finishes through his ability to power his way through every obstacle. Those relying on agility were difficult for him. In the seventeen Obstacle Courses Soid had run he had placed first in five of them, second in two of the courses, third and fourth place finishes each had two a piece, and he notched one fifth place finish. Soid would rather his reputation around school be for academics, like his uncle when he was in school. But, his agility and the fearless way he ran the courses gained him notoriety.

Everyone develops a reputation in school. Soid was not ‘officially’ the smartest one in his year. Though a large portion of other students believed him to be the real, Top-of-the-Class, he carried a very competitive streak for his long time academic rival – Ipken Qurkav. Ever since they both entered their first year at the Alpha School all those years ago, Soid and I.Q. had competed for Top-of-the-Class every year.

Instead of his academic prowess, Soid was known for his agility on the obstacle course. Dulmer’s size and power were legendary and would be for years to come. Jonah’s status would be cemented after today’s course. Jelena’s reputation was the fact she rounded out their group of friends. All three boys were unique, and some people often wondered aloud how the four of them managed to be friends. Soid concluded Jelena was the lynch pin of their group, holding them together. Without her, all four of them would probably collapse on each other like an ancient, neutron star.

The Class

“Today’s obstacle course will be different than any you have run before. Each of you will not only have to utilize a number of offensive techniques to traverse the difficulties you will be faced with, but you will also have to depend on a number of defensive techniques taught to you since entering Delta school.” In his usual, mechanical way, Mr. Beals gave the rules to the group of nervous students all waiting to enter the Dome. In response, the Physical Intensity instructor received a murmur of confused, agitated voices rippling through the group.

In the midst of the whispering sat the quiet, unflinching bodies of Soid Bols and Dulmer Monrider. Each tried to one-up the other in their ability to not be phased. Both had been privy to what Mr. Beals was about to say so they were not taken off guard by this announcement.

“Quiet on my deck!” Mr. Beals shouted at the queue of students. Instant silence fell and all eyes not already looking at him snapped forward. It was one of the biggest rules of Course Day – absolutely no talking once you entered the queue. “Just because something is different or unexpected does not mean you are entitled to break the rules! Life in the A.S.E, ladies and gentlemen, will not be predictable. The tests and challenges you receive there, if you are accepted, will make your time here at Delta School seem like a vacation. So, I suggest you keep your mouths shut and your ears open if you hope to succeed today!”

The imposing Physical Intensity instructor glared around the room to let his words sink in before continuing. “I’m going to step out now but be warned, all censors will be on. Do not even consider making any noise louder than a silent fart! After I return, there will be a brief presentation by the one responsible for designing today’s course. You will begin shortly after.” With those final, even more shocking words, Mr. Beals exited the queue.

The air in the room hung heavy with all the words not being said. The news Mr. Beals just gave them was unprecedented. It would be impossible for one person to design an entire Obstacle Course. Wouldn’t it?

“Gentlemen, queue up,” Mr. Beals announced to the thirty, fifteen-year-old sophomores in the Dome’s entryway after returning. The Dome, as it had come to be called, has a technical name: The Fully Immersive Definition and Virtual Depth Reality Simulator. Since there was no anagram fitting it became known simply as, The Dome, because of its shape. Though each student runs the course individually, cliques are always present. Those who didn’t care about the rules often tried to devise strategies in secret. Some even went as far as trying to bribe or bully their way into finding out who designed certain aspects of the courses each month. If they could learn even one stage of the design it could prove a game-changing advantage. The Dome was the only place true competition existed for many students.

Soid cast his memory back on every course he could remember running. He tried remembering the most difficult, the most challenging. A side effect to these memories included those when he bragged to his friends, including Jonah, about previous courses. A mixed feeling of naivety and stupidity filled him. He knew Jonah was in the classes responsible for designing the obstacle courses. Yet, after each course they had run since entering the Delta School, he and Dulmer both would go on and on about which obstacles were easy, and which proved difficult. He wanted to punch himself in the face for his arrogance. Looking over at Dulmer, he apparently was going through a similar thought process because he actually did punch himself in the face.

“Some of you may know this young man,” Mr. Beals said, waving a hand in Jonah’s direction. “This is Jonah Berqus, a very promising student in both Engineering and Architecture. He designed todays course using guidelines provided by myself, and the teaching staff of both Engineering and Architecture curriculums,” Mr. Beals thumbed his wristband and a large monitor emerged next to the door. Thirty small pictures materialized on the screen.

On Course days, after all P.I. students gathered, the monitor displayed each participant running the course. Mr. Beals would push a button on his wristband and one participant would be selected at random to begin the course. When their picture appeared on the monitor, they had to take their place at the starting gate right away. If you failed a single obstacle you were removed from the course and the monitor would select the next random student. It would continue in this fashion until all thirty students attempted the course.

The first picture and name to appear listed ‘Selwyn Brenner.’ He often finished in the top ten times for the course. Making his way toward the front of the queue, the door slid open. Selwyn, his hands shaking, walked through the entrance.

As the door shut, Soid closed his eyes in an attempt to meditate while he could. It would be the only way he could slow his heart rate in order to relax. Before taking in his first, deep breath, a red light above the door flashed and a loud buzzer sounded. That could only mean Selwyn had just failed an obstacle. Everyone in the room shared looks of disbelief as Mr. Beals scanned their faces for signs of communication. Selwyn had only been inside for a few seconds.

“Gentlemen,” Beals boomed, and all faces snapped to his attention. Even wordless communication could get you in trouble with the P.I. instructor. “Two minutes will pass until the next runner is chosen. You are allowed to talk.” Beals walked to the far corner where Jonah stood, pale-faced and sweating, but smiling. The room exploded into a cacophony of rapid conversation.

“It had to be the first obstacle,” Dulmer said in stunned disbelief. Soid was about to respond when the doorway to the side of the dome opened. Selwyn came stomping out in obvious anger and frustration, heading to the viewing area. Once someone was eliminated from the course they had to go to the observation room. There, they would watch the remaining participants attempt the course on monitors. Everyone was still speaking fast when the monitor began to choose the next course runner. Returning to the front of the room, Mr. Beals called for silence as ‘Baynard Yers’ was chosen as the second student to run the course.

Baynard is a confident, athletic, strong narcissist; and a cruel bully. He often belittles everyone who does worse than him on the courses, while at least ten excuses for everyone who does better. A small group of friends followed him around like lost dogs looking for a pack leader. At least once a week, various members of his little gang would be in disciplinary meetings for something one or more of them did to another student; or because they destroyed something valuable belonging to the school. Baynard made his way to the front, making sure he rammed everyone he could with his shoulders as he did.

“I really can’t stand that guy,” Dulmer said through gritted teeth. Soid knew his large friend despised bullies, and Baynard served as one of the worst offenders. Unfortunately, Dulmer was never around when Baynard terrorized other students. Soid wondered if Baynard ever made sure to see if Dulmer was around before committing to any atrocities. No one else, other than Dulmer or Soid, would ever stand up to him and his gang.

“I know, not many people can,” Soid said to his friend.

The red light came on and the buzzer sounded three seconds after the door closed behind Baynard. Dulmer and Soid tried to repress their smiles before looking away from each other so as not to laugh out loud. If they had, Mr. Beals would be there to send them to their own disciplinary meeting. Soid looked around the room, seeing several other students also trying to hide their smiles. The only ones not happy were Baynard’s friends. If any of them heard or saw others laughing, the offenders would be the object of the gang’s wrath for at least a week.

The side door opened and Baynard burst through. Instead of making his way to the observation room, he made his way to the far corner where Jonah stood. Baynard began shouting profanities sure to land him in serious trouble with the Disciplinary Council. Through the catalogue of vulgarities being hurled, Soid could hear other words like, “unfair,” “too difficult,” and “impossible.” Two of the school’s honor guards were there to intercept Baynard before he could reach Jonah. Mr. Beals shouted orders to have him removed from The Dome.

The next fifteen minutes passed with hardly a course-runner making it more than thirty seconds. Each of them exited the dome, making their way to the observation room in a sullen pout. Soid and Dulmer would exchange looks every time the buzzer sounded. Each time, their expressions growing more dire. Finally, Dulmer’s name and picture appeared on the monitor.

“Good luck,” Soid said, as his friend made his way to the door. Dulmer didn’t say anything in reply because, Soid knew, in Dulmer’s head he was already in The Dome. Soid also knew Dulmer’s mental strength to be equal to his physical strength. He wanted Dulmer to do well but he wanted to do better. It was a strange dichotomy of thoughts.

Outside the dome, Soid sat with the seven other students who had yet to run the course. A very tense silence stretched out as they stood outside the unknown and waited for the buzzer. Soid began counting in his head the instant the door closed. Forty-five seconds passed with no light, no buzzer. Then a minute passed, then two minutes, then five minutes. After seven minutes everyone yet to run the course had a hopeful smile on their face. Instead of listening for the buzzer and the red light, they were now waiting for the chime and the green light signaling Dulmer had made it through the course.

Just after the ten-minute mark the chime sounded and a green light lit the room. They could not help it; the remaining students cheered. Not only had there never been an obstacle course hardly anyone could finish, but the longest it had ever taken anyone to run a course was five minutes and forty-seven seconds. Dulmer appeared at the back of the dome and made his way to the observation room. Soid tried to see his face but he was too far away. His body language also didn’t reveal anything. The remaining six P.I. students all went through the course. All failed, leaving Soid the last name and picture on the monitor beside the door.

The First Obstacle

Walking through the entrance, Soid found himself in a small chamber facing a solid wall. The door closed behind him leaving the room pitch black. Steeling himself for the possibilities to come, Soid closed his eyes and took in a slow, deep breath. He envisioned the air filling his lungs, flowing through his arms and legs, and allowing every muscle to relax, but remain alert, ready. Focusing all of his energy, every atom of his body concentrating on each passing moment, he extended his senses out.

Opening his eyes, Soid watched the solid wall in front of him melt away to reveal a hallway. He estimated it at forty- five meters long and three meters wide. The walls, ceiling, and floor were made up of white, illuminated tiles he placed at a square meter each. He thought of how the other runners failed within just a few seconds. Deducing it had to be something in the first few feet of the hallway…or the hallway itself.

Without taking a single step, Soid began to study every aspect of the hallway. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, no clues. The floor was three squares across for the length of the hallway. Soid crouched down to look at the floor from a different perspective. As he did, the obstacle became clear. Changing his point of view allowed him to see the hallway for what it really was: an optical illusion.

The hallway was designed to look like it was just an ordinary hallway. But viewing the room from different angles, Soid could see how most of the floor squares were not made up of flat surfaces at all. Many were angled so you would slide down into a pit if you tried stepping on them. Looking up, Soid could see the walls and ceiling were designed to manipulate the lighting on the floor. It was brilliant. No wonder so many students lasted such a short amount of time. Soid lay face down on the square he entered on. Keeping his eye level with the floor, he pulled himself along the path of the flat-surfaced squares, weaving in and around the pitfalls. He could not help but be impressed by Jonah’s first obstacle. It was so simple in its design yet deviously manipulative. He could also see the first and center most square was a straight vertical drop into failure. This must have been why the majority of the class failed within a few seconds. Making his way around the last drop in the floor, Soid raised himself up and walked through the door. A soft chime rang out to let him know the first obstacle was complete.

The Second Obstacle

After Soid walked through the exit, a door behind him slid shut to leave him in darkness again. The door he now faced opened onto a hallway almost identical to the hallway he just made it through. Still three squares, one square meter across. But it seemed to be only fifteen squares long, as opposed to the forty or so in the first obstacle.

Soid knew better than to feel or act as if he were safe. If the first obstacle didn’t look like an obstacle then he was going to assume the following challenges would be equally tricky. Again, he put his head as close the floor as he could, peering around every corner of the room. He didn’t see anything amiss.

He noticed he had to focus more on this course than any in the past. Those that came before were solely based on power and agility. The first obstacle of Jonah’s course was mental. He felt a wealth of pride in Dulmer for making it through the whole course. Even if Soid lost, he would be pleased with Dulmer being the only one to complete it.

Unable to see any misgivings in the floor, Soid raised himself to full height. Reaching out his right foot, he tapped center square. As he did, the doorway in front of him, about fifteen meters away, shot more than a hundred meters into the distance. He did not dare move.

He was about to drop down to one knee again when the center row of squares on the ceiling melted away, replaced by a series of rings, each just big enough to act as handholds. Then, every square between where he stood and the door in the distance cracked and splintered as if a great weight had just fallen on them. Instinct took over and Soid leapt up, grasping the nearest ring with his right hand. As soon as his feet left the floor all of the squares beneath him shattered, falling into a bottomless pit.

Pulling himself up by his right hand alone, Soid’s bicep and forearm screamed with tension and strain. When he was close enough he grasped the ring with his left hand and let go with his right to give it some relief. There wasn’t enough room on the rings for both hands. Knowing he needed to cross the chasm using the rings Soid looked for the next one and realized it was not within arms reach, but just beyond.

Cursing Jonah in his mind, he realized he had to cross the room like an orangutan. He could see it now; he should have leapt as soon as the rings dropped, grabbed the first one with his right hand, then use his momentum to propel himself forward to catch the next ring with his left hand. If he had done so he could have kept his impetus until he had reached the other side. Now, just dangling there, his strength quickly depleted.

Soid began to swing using only three fingers from each hand to grip the single ring he dangled from. The pain in his fingers turned them white with the strain and when he thought they would slip he launched himself forward, stretching his arm out so quick and violent he thought his shoulder came loose from the socket. His fingers reached the next ring and he used his momentum to fling himself to the next, alternating hands, just like an orangutan.

Dropping to the other side of the hallway where the exit point was located, his arms, shoulders, and fingers burned in fatigue and pain. His lungs seared and his eyes watered. The soft chime of completion sounded and the door behind him closed, plunging him into complete darkness yet again.

The Third Obstacle

An enormous room took shape in front of Soid. With exhaustion settling in he wondered how long he had been in the dome so far. He had no idea. It could have been five minutes, or it could have been an hour. He no longer concerned himself with besting Dulmer’s time. Now he just wanted to get through the course so he could rub it in Jonah’s face. Accepting he may not get first place he decided to catch his breath, shake out his arms, and get his bearings. On any normal day he would never do this on a course. But this was also the first time he’d ever had the advantage of going last, and knowing what everyone’s results were. He could take his time and get through it at his own pace.

The first task had been about perception and using your brain. Very few obstacles Soid had faced in his time running the courses were overcome by using one’s head alone. They were almost always physical in nature. The second of Jonah’s obstacles was about reaction time and strength. You needed to be fast and strong. What would the next obstacle be? What attributes would he be relying on? When he was ready, Soid reached out a foot and tapped the first square with his toe. He immediately put himself in a coiled position – prepared to jump, climb, reach, run, or evade. Nothing happened. He reached out his foot a second time, again tapping the tile with his foot, and again nothing happened. He then put his entire foot on the tile and placed weight on it. The color of the tile changed from white to green and the ceiling disappeared. Soid took another tentative step forward, and this time the square glowed purple, and then every square on the floor turned purple and began rising and falling. At all different speeds, travelling to varying heights before plunging back down, the entire room became a shifting landscape. It was as if all of the individual squares were moving like waves in an angry ocean.

Like the previous two obstacles, Soid assumed the goal was to make it across this huge field of gyrating squares to the door. He watched the room for a few long moments trying to discern any kind of pattern to their rise and fall. If there were a pattern he wasn’t skilled enough to see it. He decided to use his best skill, his agility.

Soid was about to take three steps at a run and then leap onto the first undulating platform when an instinct told him to wait. Something about this wasn’t quite right. A tickle in the back of his head told him he would be making a mistake to dive headlong into the sea of surging squares. He thought about the previous two obstacles. And, even though part of him thought it unfair, he thought about Jonah. He considered everything he knew about his friend. Then it struck him – it had to be the same as the first: one giant optical illusion.

Soid laughed a little to himself, confident he had figured out Jonah’s trick. He would lie flat on his stomach, see the new perspective of the room, and quickly make his way across the floor. If this was the last obstacle he might even have a chance at beating Dulmer’s time. Soid dropped to his knees and laid flat on his front. As soon as he did so, however, the entire room rotated 180 degrees. As it spun, the square he had been lying on shattered, and around him he could hear hundreds of squares shattering throughout the enormous room. Floundering about, becoming more and more disorientated as the room shifted, Soid panicked. His right hand touched something and he grasped it; a ring like in the second obstacle. The room finished turning.

Only seconds before, Soid had been attempting to lie on the floor. Now, he dangled from the ceiling. He regretted the bravado and confidence he exuded in thinking he had this obstacle figured out. The square he occupied took its turn to move down and up, making his arm sting with lethargy and pain. He growled in frustration and determination, scanning the room for any clue of what he should do next.

He saw them. There were rings hanging from every square on the ceiling, but the moving columns were making it almost impossible to get the timing of his jumps figured out. He would have to treat it the same as before, using his momentum to carry him through. But how was it going to be possible? His grip began to loosen and he decided to act. If he was going to fall he was going to fall trying to succeed, not dangling there until his arms gave out.

Since he couldn’t grasp the ring with both hands, he needed to figure out a way to gather momentum to swing. If he tried rocking his body back and forth his grip would surely fail. As his column began moving upward, the column to his left moved down. Waiting until the ring hanging from the square to his right was visible, he tightened his already weary grip as much as he could. Lifting his legs to the left column, he thrust himself toward the ring to the right. His left fingertips grabbed the ring, but he was unable to use his momentum to carry him through to the next. He realized then it wouldn’t have mattered; the columns weren’t lined up in the right way. If he had tried reaching out he would have been grasping at empty space.

His left arm and hand began to lose feeling with strain and he saw the column in front of him descend. He extended his legs behind him to push off and…his feet found nothing. His legs flew out behind him and gravity was too much for his grip to maintain any longer. He plummeted to the ground. When he hit a soft surface, a loud buzzer sounded and the dome filled with a red light. He failed the obstacle course.

Chapter II

Baynard’s Payback

Soid’s failure coursed through him like a virus. He had gotten so close. Being the last one to run the course, he would be walking into the rest of the class in the Observation Room. He wasn’t sure what kind of greeting he would receive. He had never failed a course. On a normal course day when he walked in the Observation Room several people would applaud, shake his hand, or pat him on the back. Baynard Yers and his lackeys would glare unpleasant intentions at him.

Soid used the walk to the Observation Room as an opportunity to calm himself down, taking control of his emotions. He would walk in, look for Dulmer, smile, and congratulate him with complete sincerity. After all, Dulmer was always the first and most enthusiastic to congratulate Soid on besting his own times. By the time he reached the door to the Observation Room he had calmed his mind enough to be around the other students.

The room buzzed electric with excitement and feverish conversation. Several people noticed Soid and he heard numerous comments, all at the same time;

“…You came so close!”

“…We were pulling for you!”

“…Nice try, Soid!”

“…Can’t believe how difficult it was!”

Shrugging his shoulders and trying to appear as if it was no big deal, Soid smiled at them. He didn’t want anyone to know how upset with himself he felt at the moment. He looked for Dulmer. He found hi friend’s head, glowing bright red, hovering in the middle of a group of at least ten other students. Mr. Beals entered the room with Jonah following behind. Everyone stopped talking and gave the teacher their full attention…or, they would have if it had been any other day. Today, however, no one else seemed to notice him enter. Soid expected their teacher to give shouts of annoyance in an effort to calm everyone down. Instead, Mr. Beals turned, saying something to Jonah with a satisfied grin on his face. Then, waving his massive arm in a gesture to the rest of the room, he laughed. The laugh commanded everyone’s attention because no one had ever heard it before.

The class came to a complete quiet and turned their attention in the direction of Mr. Beals and Jonah. Soid and Dulmer used the opportunity to find themselves a spot away from the main group. Without saying a word, Soid extended his hand for Dulmer to shake. Dulmer looked away, sheepish for a moment, before taking Soid’s hand and shaking it. Soid gave his friend a look in which he tried to convey his genuine congratulations. Dulmer looked to the floor, nodding his head in appreciation.

“Well gentlemen,” Mr. Beals began, “we’ve had several ‘firsts’ happen here today. For the first time in forty years, only one person out of thirty successfully completed an Obstacle Course at Delta School.” Almost everyone in the class turned and gave Dulmer a smile as well as a well-earned round of applause. Those who did not applaud – namely Baynard Yers and his loyal followers – folded their arms in front of their chests, talking in low voices while alternating malevolent glances in Dulmer and Jonah’s respective directions. Once the applause died down, Mr. Beals began speaking in his usual bravado again, “And, also for the first time in the history of the Obstacle Course, only one student designed the entire course.” Mr. Beals looked to his side, where Jonah’s face was as red as Dulmer’s had been moments before. Before anyone could applaud though, an arrogant and scathing voice cut through the room.

“It’s also the first time in this dump’s history one student cheated twenty-eight others!”

“Mr. Yers!” barked Mr. Beals. Everyone jumped. “I agreed to let you back in here under the condition you kept your mouth shut!” He was angry, and everyone within a five-foot radius, including Jonah, took two steps back.

“You really don’t think he told his two best buddies over there what he had planned for the Obstacle Course?!” Baynard continued, waving an arm in disgust at Soid and Dulmer while glaring daggers at Jonah. Baynard’s tone was accusatory and meant to be disrespectful. Soid saw Mr. Beals clenching and unclenching his fists in an effort to control his notorious temper.

“Mr. Yers,” his voice now eerily quiet, which proved far more intimidating than his shouts, “exit this room right now, and go to the disciplinary council’s chamber.” Soid felt sure even Baynard was smart enough to know he had better keep quiet. He was wrong.

“Should have known you would help your favorites,” Baynard said as he made his way to the door. Everyone’s head snapped around to look at Mr. Beals. It was his turn to go red in the face. Though, not out of embarrassment. Soid could not remember ever seeing Mr. Beals so angry. He felt a streak of pride for the man when he did not say a word until Baynard had been led away by two of the honor guard.

“I should not have to say this,” Mr. Beals began, his voice steady with the greatest of effort, “but I am here to state, categorically, Mr. Jonah Berqus here designed this course in front of me, as well as the Architecture and Engineering Professors.” Soid and Dulmer looked at each again in surprise. It had to have taken Jonah several days to design the course. As far as they knew he had not said a word to anyone. Soid couldn’t help but be impressed by Jonah’s humility and ability to keep a secret, especially one so big. He didn’t think he would be able to keep something so big from his friends. “We also monitor every course-runner’s vital signs and brain patterns through the nanotech in your singlets. At no time did anyone’s patterns, including Mr. Monrider and Mr. Bols, show any sign of precognitive awareness of the course as they ran it. Everything that happened here today was legitimate. If anyone says otherwise, then their contestation of the facts is ill-advised.” He said these last words while glaring at those who followed Baynard.

“Now, I was speaking of ‘firsts’ here today,” it was as if Baynard never said a word. “Mr. Monrider, and Mr. Bols, please join Mr. Berqus and myself over here.” Neither Soid nor Dulmer wanted to go to the front of the room, but they would never defy a direct request from Mr. Beals. They made their way to the front of the room as quickly as they could.

Jonah, Soid, and Dulmer all made a concerted effort not to make eye contact. They knew Baynard’s friends would be watching them. “I’m happy to announce these three students standing up here have been accepted into the A.S.E. based on today’s results.” The three friends gazed at each other with open mouths and stunned stares. Mr. Beals looked to be enjoying their reactions. The rest of the class shared the same response as the three friends – dumbfounded. “Every year at Delta School, we have various exams and exercises designed to test certain attributes. Those individuals who excel get invited into the Academy of Space Exploration, or A.S.E. as everyone calls it.”

Soid’s heart threatened to pound its way out of his chest. He saw Dulmer reach out for the nearest wall in an effort to maintain his balance. What little color Jonah had drained from his face. Soid knew the restrictions for getting into the A.S.E. were numerous. He also thought the only ones ever chosen were in their last year of Delta School, not their second. As astounded as he felt, he could not help but think of those closest to him. His first thoughts were of Jelena and how much he would miss seeing her every day. He thought of his parents and how he had not expected to be away from Danni just yet. His sister needed him. His parents needed him. Didn’t they? A part of him (a part he was not proud of) thought of I.Q., and how irate he would be at knowing his biggest competition had been accepted to the A.S.E. a full three years before normal qualifying age.

Soid, Dulmer, and Jonah were not the only ones looking confused. The entire class had their collective mouths open. When Mr. Beals said it was, “a day of firsts,” he wasn’t kidding.