by Drew Seren
The little Solar Drake in his other hand squirmed suddenly but didn’t wake. It squeaked twice, then stilled. Skylar looked at it and couldn’t help but smile. “What are we going to call him?”
Solaria shook her head. “We probably shouldn’t name him. We’ve got to try to get him home. He doesn’t belong here. If we give him a name, giving him up will be a lot harder when the time comes.”
Looking at the small ball of yellow and orange in his hands, Skylar wasn’t sure he wanted to get rid of him, but it was the logical thing to do.
“I agree. But we’re going to have to come up with a good plan. These little guys are a restricted species and most of the information on them is classified,” Dell said, putting his hands under his legs so he was sitting on them.
“And how did you get the information?” Solaria licked her claws clean of fish guts.
“Dark web. When the normal sources didn’t come up with a whole lot, I went digging elsewhere.” Del continued to fidget. “I can’t tell where all of it’s coming from, but there’s a lot of information being dumped out there right now on Solar Drakes.”
“I wonder if the people who stole this egg in the first place are putting out the information,” Skylar pondered. He desperately wanted to pet the little drake, but resisted, thinking it was probably better to let it sleep after its first meal.
“That could be. An increased interest in them might create a black market for them.” Del pulled his hands out from under his legs and began to drum on his thigh. It was something he did when he was thinking. “One of the posts I read the other night said that when they bind with a psychic, they can take a low level psi and make them stronger. Weaker people might really be interested in them once that information gets out.”
Skylar didn’t like the fact that the information was off the dark web. He’d never had any cause to go there and get data, but he’d always heard the people who posted things there weren’t the best people in the universe. They had their own agendas for everything they did. He didn’t want unscrupulous people getting their hands on Solar Drakes, but if their egg had gotten off the planet, then others might have as well. It made him nervous, and more determined to get the little guy home safe and sound.
16
The Box
SKYLAR DRIED his hands and hurried out of the bathroom toward the cafeteria. This past week, he’d spent a lot of time washing his hands. The little Solar Drake needed raw meat, which left bloody streaks on his fingers. He was just thankful that Solaria managed to get the meat. He didn’t know how, and really didn’t care as long as she kept the supply coming. The little drake was growing and Skylar enjoyed taking care of it. It felt good having something that looked to him for comfort and care.
Del sat staring droopily at his table when Skylar set his lunch tray on the table next to him. Skylar looked at Solaria. “What’s with him?”
She shrugged as she lifted another fork of meat to her mouth. “Not sure, he’s not said anything since I sat down. He’s just engrossed in his tablet,” she replied after swallowing.
Confused by his friend's strange attitude, Skylar mixed the gravy into his mashed potatoes before trying the direct approach. “Del, what’s going on?”
“Spatial navigation,” Del muttered. “My worst class. I’m making a solid three-point-oh in it. I just don’t understand why I can’t get a better grip of the principles. Sure, it’s complex physics, but it shouldn’t be this hard.”
Skylar chewed a mouthful of fresh peas before answering. He’d known other really smart kids over the years who got upset about getting grades he’d be thrilled to have. It always made him stop and scratch his head. “So, what don’t you understand? Not that I know much about spatial navigation yet. The class here is the first time I’ve been exposed to most of it, but isn’t the hardest part making sure you don’t fly into a black hole or through the heart of a sun?”
Del rolled his eyes. “Not exactly. You’ve got to make sure everything’s in alignment. You can’t get too close to most planets or you risk having your course affected by their gravity wells. It even applies to large asteroids. There are all kinds of things that can throw a ship off course. Miss an adjustment by even a fraction of a second and you lose the ship. In my last simulation, I couldn’t get a simple shuttle run from one planet to another to work out right.”
“That’s why you hire a good pilot,” Solaria said, finished off her meat and starting on a large piece of what Skylar thought was a fruit, but couldn’t be sure. “Make sure he or she made a higher grade than you did in navigation and the problem’s solved.”
Del’s frown intensified. “But that doesn’t help me with the class. I’ve got to get great grades to get a good position after school. You’ll be hired by someone needing a marginal mover, so you’re assured of a decent job. I’m not—unless I’ve got the grades to back up my brains.” He set the tablet down and glared at his uneaten lunch like it was something horrible and he wasn’t about to touch it.
Before Del could do anything, Ms. Grissom appeared at their table carrying a small black plastic shipping box. “Skylar, this just arrived in the mail. It’s addressed to you, but there isn’t any return destination. I queried the mail bot about it, and its records are incomplete on this one parcel. Since we respect our student’s privacy, I felt it wise to bring it to you, but I would like you to open it with me here, just in case you need my professional counseling.” She handed him the box.
Hoping he wasn’t going to need any of her professional skills, Skylar looked at the box in his hands. “If you’re that worried about how I’m going to react, why not pull me into your office again?” He didn’t bother trying to hide his irritation. One of the lessons he was rapidly learning about dealing with the various psychics in the academy was that it wasn’t worth the effort trying to hide things. Even though he had his dampening bracelet on, she would still be able to pick up on the small tell-tale signs of emotions on his face.
Ms. Grissom didn’t react. “You need to learn to control yourself better in public. This is an excellent opportunity.”
He took the box from her. Using the dull plastic knife from his lunch, he managed to get the packing seal broken so he could lift the flaps and expose the contents. Inflatable cushions held two things away from the box’s sides. It took almost as much effort to break through the cushions as it had the seal.
The cushions sighed as air escaped. Once they were completely deflated, Skylar reached in and pulled out the larger of the two items. It looked much like a small tablet, but there was a small connector port on one side, right next to what Skylar hoped was the power button.
The device lit up just like a tablet would.
“Hey, that’s cool.” Del peered over Skylar’s shoulder.
“Okay, what is it? It looks like a cross between a tablet and a power com.” Skylar turned it over and couldn’t find any markings on the back side of the thing.
“That’s exactly what it is,” Del said. “The coms we use rely on a larger com system to make them work.” He held up his hand, where his white dermal com clashed with the gray skin there. Then he pointed at the device. “That’s a Power Com Thirty-Six Hundred. No matter where you are in the galaxy, it’ll be able to connect you to the Galactic Communications Network.” He held out his hand asking silently to see it. “They rely on the stargate network to transmit messages, not satellites.”
Skylar handed it over. “And what good does that thing do me? It’s not like we’re going to get off the station or out of the range of a ship where our communicators work.”
“Yeah, but these things aren’t cheap,” Del explained. “It’s last year’s model, too.”
Solaria snatched it out of Del’s hand. She stared at it for a couple of seconds before handing it back to him. “It’s also somewhat used.”
Del looked at it some more before handing it back to Skylar. “How can you tell it’s used?”
She sighed. “I’m a predator. I notice little things, like the sli
ght wear on the power button and the tiny scratch in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. Definite signs of wear. Light wear, but wear none the less.”
Skylar frowned. Someone sent him a used com and he had no idea who or why.
Del stared into the box. “What’s the other thing?”
“Don’t know.” Skylar reached into the box and pulled out a smaller silver cube. It was small enough for him to hold in his palm. There were a series of buttons on it. He touched one and a small screen appeared on the side. A slideshow flashed on the screen. They were pictures of tools.
Skylar tapped the screen when the picture of a pair of scissors appeared. The little box shook, folded in on itself several times, and then there was a small pair of scissors sitting in Skylar’s palm.
“Incredible,” Del said. “That’s a Swiss multi-tool. It can be anything you need it to be in the way of tools. Wow, someone really likes you.”
Ms. Grissom frowned. “I’m not sure I should let you have that. It could be disruptive. I could hold it for you until you graduate.”
“Oh, come on, Ms. Grissom,” Solaria said. “He hasn’t got anything for himself that isn’t school issue. Let him keep it. Besides, it’s just a little multi-tool. How much damage can he do with it? Anything he might break, the repair bots will have fixed before faculty can find out about it—that is, if the tool doesn’t help him fix it faster than the bots can.”
“You know,” Del chimed in, “I bet Grandfather will vouch for him on this. Let him keep it.”
The counselor looked at Skylar. “Do you want to keep it?”
Skylar looked down at the silver pair of scissors sitting in his hand. He tapped the black rivet that joined the two halves together. The blades shook like the box had before and after a few folds, it was back to its original shape. He had no idea who’d sent it, but it was really kinda awesome. And it would be his. The little Solar Drake wasn’t completely his. He shared the pet with Del and Solaria, and they were planning on finding a way to get it home, so it wouldn’t be theirs for long. “Yes.” He nodded. “I think I do want to keep it. It’s incredible. I wish we knew who sent it.”
The frown stayed on Ms. Grissom’s face. “Very well. But if I get any reports of you misusing either item, I will be forced to take them from you until you graduate from Stars’ End. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Skylar nodded. Even though he wanted to stay on good terms with everyone, he still wanted to keep the multi-tool. It was something he could call his own.
“Okay. Have a good day.” Ms. Grissom turned and left.
“Wow, this is great.” Del’s droopy face was gone as he picked up the com. “I wonder who sent you these things?”
“Probably the same person that paid for my tuition,” Skylar said, flipping through the images on the little screen. He’d never dreamed there were so many different tools, or that one thing could become all of them. “I’d like to know why. And if he’s going to send me this stuff, why not just come and say hello?” An idea hit him. “Del, do you think maybe you could see if you can find anything interesting on it?”
“Yeah, maybe there’s a message of some sort on the com unit,” Solaria suggested. “If there is, I’m sure Del can find it.” She stood and picked up her tray. “But right now, it’s almost time for next class. This afternoon, let’s take the little guy up to the garden. He could probably use some sunshine for a little while.”
Slipping the tool into his pocket, Skylar nodded. “Sounds like a plan. See you then.” He finally had something of his own. After he’d heard his home had been destroyed in the Boarisk attack, it was nice to have something he could hold and call his. It was yet another way to get back to feeling like normal.
17
Z-GBall
SKYLAR STROLLED down the hall, heading with Del to their last class of the day. “Have you made any headway in your navigation problem?”
Del sighed dramatically. “No. I don’t know what to do. I get the basic idea. I’ve watched every beginning and intermediate video I can find on it, but so far, I just can’t wrap my mind around the more delicate maneuvering. It’s not like I’m planning on getting my own ship some day or anything; I just don’t want the lower class score to bring down my average.”
“Look out! Coming through!” Solaria pushed between them.
“Hey, what’s happening?” Skylar rushed after her, Del’s navigation problem momentarily forgotten.
“Don’t have time right now. I’ve got less than two hours to practice.” She didn’t break stride as she maneuvered through a couple of older students who shot her harsh looks as she scooted by them.
“But aren’t you heading for art class with Del and me?” Skylar ignored the glares they received as he somehow managed to keep up with her.
Solaria shook her head. “I’ve already let Mr. Hemsbely know that I won’t be there today. This is more important.”
They headed up the ramp leading to the center of the space station. “Okay, but what is it?”
“A Z-GBall game. First one this year and I’m on the defending team.” She paused and turned to him. Skylar couldn’t remember seeing her so excited since the egg hatched. “Look, you’ve got time for art class and to feed the hatchling. Del will know where to get the best seats for the match. You guys better be there to cheer me on.” Her voice was low, barely audible.
“Oh, don’t worry, we’ll be there.” Del appeared, slightly breathless, at Skylar’s side. “I never miss a Z-GBall match.”
Solaria nodded. “Good. I’ll look for you.” Then she dashed off.
“THIS STILL sounds really complicated,” Skylar said as he and Del hurried from their room after feeding the hatchling and cleaning up.
Del shrugged. “It is and it isn’t. The point of the game is to get as many points as possible while not using jet packs to maneuver in the zero-gravity center of the station. Anyone who uses jet packs ends up having a point deducted for each use.”
“But the balls respond to… psychic energy?” As they entered the main hall that ran toward the ramp for the gardens on the inner surface of the station, Skylar realized that most of the students—and a few teachers—were also heading that way. It was the most crowded he'd ever seen the area.
“Yeah, but that’s a fairly recent addition to the games,” Del continued as they cleared the press of people and headed for a lift. “One of the professors came up with the psi-balls a few years ago. It’s made the game a lot more interesting. Some people think that some of the balls used have a kind of rudimentary intelligence that responds to the emotions of the players. They actually seem to attack the more aggressive ones. During a game last year, a mid-level feeler got super mad during the game, and the ball hit him really hard several times. He ended up in the med center for a couple of days.”
Skylar’s eyes grew wide. He wasn’t sure he liked the idea of a game where the balls could become aggressive. Sounded dangerous, but it might be a good reminder for everyone to keep their tempers while playing. “Wow, and they actually let students play this game?”
“Play?” Del chuckled. “Students invented Z-GBall. It’s how we settle conflicts. While you were feeding the little one, I did some checking. The station intranet is all abuzz. It turns out that Kril Mctunia insulted Felicianana Palas this morning over breakfast. She gave him the option of a Z-GBall game, or she could put him down in the cafeteria. Since a game involves a team, it gives him the opportunity to claim someone else is at fault if his team loses. But if you ask me, I think folks have just been looking for an excuse for a game. It’s always interesting to see who ends up on which team. The two people involved get to pick and it’s usually different each time.”
“And how long does the game go on?” Skylar asked as they waited for the lift.
“When the first team gets a hundred points, they stop the game.” The lift arrived and they got in. “If the two teams are less than twenty-five points apart, they continue until there is a de
cisive winner.”
Skylar shook his head as the lift shot off. Once it cleared the first floor up, Skylar realized that the walls were transparent, and when it passed into the garden section, the view was amazing. He’d been so busy, he hadn’t thought to explore the whole station. There were still parts he hadn’t discovered. Through the clear barrier above them, he could just barely make out the small forms of ten people maneuvering in the zero gravity area that existed in the very center of the station. “Twenty-five points isn’t decisive?”
“Nope. I don’t know who came up with the figure. I guess it might be because since the games are mostly used to settle differences, they want to make sure the losers know and really feel that they’ve lost.”
The people in the garden area all appeared to be looking either at their wrist coms or various tablets. Very few of them watched the people floating above them.
“It does sound a bit humiliating losing by more than twenty-five points.”
“Hey, there was a game last year, some of the corp-brats versus the Cryptods. The corp-brats used their jetpacks so much that when the Cryptods hit a hundred points, the corp-brats only had five. Now there was a decisive victory.” The lift slowed as it passed through the protective barrier that defined the zero-gravity area. The gravity in the lift faded. “By the way, we have to help out with the scoring, but I got us really good seats for the game.”
Skylar stared at the panorama unfolding around them as he began to float. “Help with the scoring? What do I know about scoring?” He was just learning about the game. It didn’t seem like he was going to be able to do a decent job with scoring.
Del moved closer to the lift doors, grabbing hold of a silver rail there. “It’s easy. You’ll be assigned a player, and you just keep track of how many times they use their jetpack.”
“Don’t they use the computer for this?” Skylar asked as the lift stopped. He pushed himself off the back of the lift to grab the rail alongside Del.
