The Sky Drifter (10 page)

Heading across and down another hall, toward my Strategy class, my mind was torn. Part of me wanted to believe the students’ odd behaviour toward me was nothing more than an increase in my Sphere fan-base. The other part, however, found the succession of strange events that had occurred over the past couple of days hard to ignore. The bizarre incident on Brattea with the out-of-control Brattean monster, everyone’s behaviour toward the clearly dangerous situation, the sudden appearance of the mysterious girl, who seemed to be following me, and now this.

Not being a believer in coincidences, it was beginning to feel as though something outside my scope of understanding was happening. It was as though I stood on the palm of a vast, gigantic creature who observed me from far above, but I was simply too small to see it or understand.  Though I realized I could be looking where there was nothing to see, something still itched at the back of my mind. I decided to put those thoughts aside for the time being, however, and focus instead on the long day that still lay ahead of me.

AS I WALKED DOWN
the hall, other students ambled along, drifting in and out of rooms along the way. Perhaps shaken by the recent events, the atmosphere around me felt tense and heavy, as though a weight bore down on me. Following the stream of traffic, I glanced up at some of the passing students to see them gazing right at me, only to quickly look away when I spotted them.

What’s happening?
I asked myself. Just as I was about to reach the Strategy classroom, something hard hit the back of my head, causing me to stumble forward into a couple of Syreni girls, who awkwardly smiled at me before speeding away.

The unpleasant, sharp voice of One sliced through my ears. “Watch where you’re going,
Simian
.”

I turned sharply, instant fury boiling inside my chest, as I faced One, who stood between the two Morex goons. Despite their greater number and collective strength, the combination of tiredness and frustration bypassed any conscious logic that would otherwise have prevented me from charging at them head-on. Without knowing exactly where it would land, I raised my fist and dashed purposefully toward them. They reeled slightly back in readiness.

Enough
! The sharp, icy voice of Ms. Photuris blew in like a sweeping, glacial wind inside my mind, freezing us on the spot, and taking all traces of anger I’d felt with it.

I turned to see her standing by the door to the classroom, her slim arms folded in front of her with her face as cold and hard as stone. Ms. Photuris stood motionlessly, gazing at us through her large black eyes until the tension became too much to bear. We all simultaneously spouted the beginnings of sentences.

Get inside
, she firmly commanded in a tone that was much more frightening than if she’d shouted. Without a word, One and I marched inside the classroom as the two goons went off to whatever lessons they had.

Once inside, One and I stepped behind our respective stations as the last of the students walked in and then Ms. Photuris closed the door behind her. As she glided gracefully toward her own larger one, the yellow-green light inside her glowed. Wiggling her antennae once again, her voice echoed inside my mind.
Turn on your consoles, my children
, instructed the teacher dryly, doing so to her own.

Just as we all followed her command, the illumination from above the room gradually dimmed and went out.

Today
, continued Ms. Photuris,
we shall begin the class by examining the strategies used by the Varvarin in the battle of Montetu
. After a brief history of the inhabitants and the political unrest that led to the battle, the teacher dissected the strengths and weaknesses of both sides, and explained why the final strategy had prevailed in the end.
Now
, affirmed the teacher,
today you will face the student standing opposite you
.

Despite the fact that most opponents were usually picked at random for practice battles, One and I tended to end up facing each other, so the teacher’s announcement came as little surprise. That day, more than most, hot sparks of excitement danced in my chest, and my heart beat faster at the thought of beating him as images of the previous night’s attack raced through my mind.

Once again, Ms. Photuris’ voice sounded in my mind as she said,
Try to use the knowledge you have thus far acquired as you face each other, my children. Points will be awarded for strategy, ingenuity, and efficiency
. Her fingers rapidly clicked on the surface of her station as she continued to look at us.
Turn your attention to your screens where I have uploaded the simulation.

We all faced our screens to see the display as it zoomed in to the three-dimensional landscape until it stopped just above the two rival armies. This time, the land was flanked by a wide river to the left and a steep mountainous range on the right. Ahead, four side-by-side formations of vessels faced my equally positioned ships.

While I couldn’t see his eye, I knew One’s gaze fixed solidly on me, and I stared unblinkingly back, letting the growing rage inside me fill my very core.

You may begin
, echoed Ms. Photuris’ voice.

Propelled by anger, the only thing that existed for me in that moment was One, his army and their total annihilation.

The battle raged, my side taking as much damage as his. I quickly realized anger clouded my judgement. I closed my eyes and let my surroundings, the past, the present, everything, fade quietly away until a great, still ocean of silence filled my mind.

I took deep breaths, letting the silent waves wash over me until I felt utterly at peace. As I opened my eyes and looked at the battle unfolding on the display screen, I saw everything as slowly and clearly as a moon’s amble across a starlit sky. Not only that, but I could now see the entire battle developing instantly in my mind, predicting every move and possible outcome from the many possible strategies that could be used. As soon as I was ready, I attacked, instantly mobilizing, changing, and merging units, moments before One could react or counter-attack.

Looking up, I saw him furiously typing in commands on his panel, which suggested he felt under pressure. My imminent victory was signaled by the sound of One’s fist pounding down hard on his station. Just then, however, he furiously typed again with renewed energy as if a new strategy had occurred to him. A moment later, a message appeared on the top-left portion of my display, which read,
Remember: accidents do happen.

At the sight of these words, my face sank and my heart dropped to my stomach. I couldn’t believe One would stoop so low as to threaten me and my friends over a stupid simulation battle. I knew, however, that he could be dangerous, so I had no choice but to take him seriously. A sick feeling suddenly came over me as my heart beat faster and beads of sweat formed around my forehead and brow. A new level of hatred was born inside me as I watched him systematically destroy every single of my vessels before my eyes. Looking across at him once again, I could almost feel the glee radiating from him as he did so.

For the second time in two days, I felt as helpless as a new-born. I clenched my fists as sheer frustration and anger caused hot tears to gather around my eyes.

Moments later, Ms. Photuris’ voice sounded in my mind,
Time is up, my children
, prompting me to quickly wipe my tears away before they could be noticed.
As always
, she continued,
your results and statistics have been recorded and will be sent to you so you may analyze them. Number 7, would you care to explain your irrational decision?

I felt all the eyes in the room simultaneously turn to look at me. As yet more beads of sweat rolled down my face, I struggled to find words that would satisfy the teacher. Her large black eyes were fixed unblinkingly toward me, as if she tried to delve inside my mind to read my thoughts.

The pressure built with every passing moment I remained silent until I finally blurted, “I barely slept last night. Guess I just lost focus toward the end.” I hoped that would be a good enough explanation to appease Ms. Photuris’ curiosity.

The invertebrate teacher remained silent for a moment, then addressing the class, said,
In times of war, it is important to remember where your alliances truly lie, my children. Choose them wisely, for your decisions may affect the fates of nations. If in your minds and hearts you elect to protect the close few, you may unwittingly damn the many
. Resuming her position behind her station, she announced,
This class has now concluded, my children. You may go. Student Number 1, remain behind. I wish to speak with you
.

As the students filed out to hushed whispers, I tried to leave the classroom as slowly as possible, so as to overhear Ms. Photuris’ lecture to One. Once I reached the door, however, I could hear no voices—in my mind or behind me. I stepped through the threshold and looked quickly back just in time to see them both silently staring at me before the door swooshed shut. Walking off to my next class, I couldn’t shake the ominous feeling I’d received at seeing One and Ms. Photuris motionlessly gazing at me like that.

I supposed they’d waited for me to leave so she could speak privately and discreetly with One, but that explanation somehow didn’t sit right in my mind, even if I couldn’t think of any other reason. I spent the next two lessons trying to shake my thoughts loose of the persistent feeling that something was wrong enough to focus on what was being taught.

When lunch finally came, my nose was led along the long, white halls and into the canteen where most of the academy was steadily gathering. Everywhere I looked it was alive with the ceaseless movements of students and teachers alike as their chatter, songs, chirps, clicks, and whistles filled the entirety of the room. This was the place where virtually every species aboard the
Sky Drifter
came together under a single roof. A one meter high steel counter ran the length of the canteen, separating the dining area from the elaborate and busy cooking area, which took up around a third of the room.

There, a team of twenty chefs from various planets within the known universe were gathered to create some of the most delicious and aesthetically diverse cuisine imaginable. Each was a master of the wide complexities and intricate balances of flavours so to bring culinary harmony to each and every one of their dishes.

Despite my tastes largely being limited to those of my native planet, I couldn’t help but be tempted by the sheer array of the appealing beauty and odour of dishes being offered. Weaving through the crowds, I found my way to a table toward the back where Iris and Pi sat. In front of Pi, there stood a stack of empty plates and bowls higher than him.

“Man, hungry today much?” I asked him teasingly, still impressed he could so easily fit so much food inside his stomach.

“A little,” replied Pi coolly as he worked a toothpick around his mouth with his lips. Slowly raising part of his brow above one of his sleepy eyes, he asked, “What’s up, bro?”

“Nothing much,” I began as I sat on a chair between him and Iris. I wanted to lock away and put aside the previous night’s incident with One and his Morex goons, not only for my own sake, but because I didn’t like hiding anything from them. “Just got beaten by No Face at Strategy,” I stated casually with a slight hint of sullenness. I’d been so impressed by Pi’s tower of dishes I hadn’t noticed Iris wasn’t immersed in her Equinox, but sat up, enjoying a bowl of something that resembled green noodles with small, silver balls mixed in with them.

“I bet he loved that,” he said with an air of sarcasm. “Sorry, buddy.”

“Hey,” I said, leaning closer and lowering my voice, “what’s with Iris? Why isn’t she playing?”

“I
can
hear you, you know.”

As though suddenly hit by a burst of electricity, I jerked in my seat as my every muscle seemed to contract. I turned my head toward Iris, wearing the widest grin I could muster as beads of sweat formed around my brow. It wasn’t that I was afraid of her. It wasn’t. I was just very aware of the physical pain she could readily inflict should she feel as if she’d been offended. No metal ball had yet been invented that could hit me with such force during a game of Sphere which would compare with one of Iris’ full-out punches to the ribs.

I hadn’t been entirely certain she could hear me, used as I was to her being deaf to the world beyond the Equinox screen, but with the piercing look she gave me being sharper than any blade, any doubt I may have had about it vanished in an instant.

“Oh, hi, Iris. I didn’t think you could hear me,” I said semi-nervously, scratching the back of my head.

Iris’ eyes changed, giving me a look of concern I hadn’t expected as she pushed her bowl aside and then folded her arms on the table in front of her. She shot a look at Pi, who briefly returned it.

“What’s going on?” I tentatively asked, worried I might not like their answer.

My question was met with a long, theatrical sigh from Pi. With one eye closed, he looked at Iris again, and said, “You want to start? You’re better at these things.”

Convinced now that I wouldn’t want to hear what they had to say, I turned my head from side to side as if doing so would elicit an instant answer from their faces. Half-impatient, half-hesitant, I repeated, “What’s going on?”

My answer came from Iris, who, in a very matter-of-factly tone, began, “That’s what we’d like to know. What’s with you lately? For the last couple of days, you’ve been acting strangely, asking strange questions. First, you freak out during the trip, accusing me of being weird, then you tell Pi that everyone in your class smiled at you?”

I shot a glance at Pi, who bared his teeth in an awkward smile, before turning my head back to Iris as she continued.

“Why would they all smile at you? You’re not
that
nice,” she concluded, raising an eyebrow sardonically. I opened my mouth to answer when Iris suddenly added, “And then there was this morning.”