Origins of Hope

by Anastasia Drapievsky

  Passing by the other new Krians as he went to the atrium, he tried to ignore all of them wearing a stripe of color in the middle of their blue sashes, signifying a chosen specialization. Mental voices jumbled together; most thoughts went over schedules, some over minor worries, and one or two about seeing a mysterious human out of the corner of their eyes. None of them had to worry about their future profession. Xenith tried to not shift his sash; he had heard pity from the other new Krians and didn’t want to draw more attention.

  Turning to the adjacent wing once reaching the atrium, the other Krians separated into different groups and headed for their new vocations; the Caretakers, Medpsys and Engineers going for the lifts while the rest broke off for the recreational or education wings. He headed for the latter. In the large holo archway, Qianii stood off to the side with a stark white stripe in the middle of her own sash. She had chosen the teaching specialization the day after graduation, and would train with Xenith for the day.

  “Hey! You excited?” she asked as Xenith approached, bouncing off the balls of her feet and waving to the passing Melyn, who eagerly returned the gesture.

  Not if I need this much energy to teach. “Sure,” he said, hoping his wary smile would placate Qianii.

  “Good! Follow me.” She turned on her heel and led Xenith into the education wing. The wing had multiple classrooms with no doors; instead, PDTs and sound barriers covered the openings. While some classrooms had desks and holo screens, others were miniature gymnasiums, and a few were wide-open rooms with places to lay or sit while class took place. “So over here is where the Melyn learn,” she said, gesturing to a classroom stuffed with toys, “over there starts the Apprentice section, and—”

  “Unless we were in some alternate reality, I attended the same classes you did for ten years,” Xenith muttered. “We were literally here taking classes a month ago.”

  “You didn’t get here until you were around eight, so I thought you could use a refresher what these classrooms were.” Qianii looked back at him haughtily. “I would be a little careful with that tone of voice with the little ones, though the older and more moody students might induct you in their little circle.”

  “Har har.” Xenith followed Qianii into a smaller classroom, passing through the invisible PDT field and sound barrier. A group of younger kids around Zander’s age played in the corners, lifting large but soft blocks to create forts. Several kids had gotten ahold of toy shuttles and used telekinesis to race them through the air. Though several of them looked at Qianii and Xenith, the Melyn kept playing. Their thoughts were completely open to Xenith but matched what they audibly said or projected; while noisy, it didn’t have the undertones of implication that adults had. Xenith arched an eyebrow at the kids, wondering if they all just played all day in school; if they did, his younger self would have been jealous.

  Someone clapped twice behind him and Qianii, and the kids clapped twice, quieting and putting the toys away. Qianii pulled Xenith to the side, and a tall Chilao with red skin patterns named Krian Loful, entered the classroom, his blue and white sash marked with a woven insignia.

  “Okay, class,” the Chilao said, his eyes bright as the ten children ran to form two rows, “let’s wiggle it out!” He shook his limbs, and the kids, giggling and laughing, waved their arms, three of them getting on the floor and rolling around.

  Xenith stared at the strange display then looked to Qianii, who also wiggled with them, privately projecting, >>Uh, what the hell is going on?<<

  >>Did you not feel jittery when you were a kid?<< Qianii scowled, ‘accidentally’ whacking his shoulder with her waving hand. >>And the only one looking weird is you, since you’re just standing there.<<

  >>We were told to sit still when I was a kid,<< he frowned, but shook despondently. Several of the kids tittered at him, but otherwise said nothing.

  Afterwards, Krian Loful split the children into groups—making Qianii and Xenith join one group, to Qianii’s delight and Xenith’s wariness—and gave them a math problem, saying that the group had to come up with an answer and form the answer with their bodies.

  “All right, Xenith, your group needs to find out what ten plus five equals to?” Krian Loful smiled without showing teeth.

  The three kids in Xenith’s group all looked to Xenith expectantly as the other groups chattered away, trying to solve their own equation. Not sure what to do, he was about to say the answer when Krian Loful privately projected, >>Don’t tell them the answer.<<

  >>Oh, yeah, of course,<< Xenith replied, embarrassed. He did not understand why he felt nervous around a bunch of five-year-olds—or the alien equivalent, as these kids were a Rym, Chilao, and Rovanian. Perhaps pretending that they were Zander would help. “I am horrible at math,” Xenith said in a dramatic whisper, a little too dramatically since the Rym kid snickered. “Can you guys tell me the answer?”

  “This is so easy,” the Chilao kid scrunched his nose, an equivalent to rolling one’s eyes. “It’s... wait,” he looked down at his four fingered hands, counting.

  The Rym kid frowned. “It’s not that hard, right?”

  “I don’t know, you count, you have five fingers.”

  “It’s... wait, let me try again...”

  >>Fifteen,<< the Rovanian kid, who had remained silent the entire time, thought privately. Xenith still caught it. While the other two kids argued, Xenith felt the Rovanian draw further away, an image of two older Rovanians yelling flashing by in the child’s mind. Xenith tried not to pry or listen deeply.

  Mentally pulling back, Xenith said aloud in a kind voice, “Ran, right? You have any ideas?”

  The two other kids halted their argument, looking at the Rovanian kid as if they just noticed him. Ran’s skin turned from a pale blue tint to a violet shade, blushing, but said, “Ah, fifteen...?”

  Both the Rym and Chilao counted it out, having trouble, before another idea entered Xenith’s head. Clearing his throat, Xenith said, “Freka, why don’t you hold up ten fingers, and Hili, you hold up five.”

  The kids did as they were told, and they all counted it out to fifteen.

  “Whoa! Did you do it without counting?” Frecka asked Ran in amazement.

  “Uhm, yeah...” Ran said, his orange eyes looking between the two kids nervously.

  “That is awesome!” Hili said, immediately dropping on the floor. “Which part of the fifteen do you want to be?”

  Xenith smiled, watching Hili and Frecka include Ran into the group, whose fear lessened a bit. Xenith moved onto the floor where the kids told him to form the galactic standard number fifteen, and they were the second group to get the correct answer.

  “You four worked well together,” Krian Loful’s eyes narrowed in the form of a smile of pride as he motioned for the four of them to stand. “Frecka and Hili, you included Ran; very good. Ran, you spoke up with the correct answer; if you know the answer, you can tell us.”

  “Well, what about Krian Lucian?” Ran still sounded terrified of talking, his voice quivering. Frecka and Hili nodded, chiming in their agreement.

  Krian Loful chuckled. “Krian Lucian did a great job helping you to work together. Well done, Xenith.”

  “It’s nothing,” Xenith waved aside the praise, but still blushed.

  The kids continued to run around while Krian Loful snuck in math problems in their playtime, and within an hour the kids wound down enough to sit down and paint. Krian Loful pulled Xenith away from his group, since the kids had latched onto Xenith like baby animals did with their mothers.

  >>Thank you for getting Ran to speak up,<< Krian Loful said privately, watching the kids doodle, with two kids sitting against his own legs. Qianii looked at Xenith worriedly, but when he nodded, she returned her attention to the two kids in her lap showing her their artwork. >>I’ve had trouble getting him to speak up; he is the newest child to Aorírdal, and he arrived just two weeks ago. First Vafri, now Ran. It is always very hard on the kids for the first few months.<<

  Xenith knew
that Krian Loful did everything right, since he had got wiggly and giggly kids to calm down, and it was obvious the kids loved him. >>There might be something else,<< Xenith said. When Krian Loful eyes widened in worry, Xenith went on, >>I don’t think it is anything bad, but he seemed a little scared of Frecka and Hili arguing. He felt a bit better when they weren’t, but there was this... deep terror in him, and I think he thought of his home life; at least, I saw two older Rovanians for a second.<<

  Krian Loful’s face hardened, glancing to Ran with a look of pity. >>Krian Hekla had mentioned his parents fought a lot. Hm. I will bring that up with his counselors and work with the class a bit more on how to debate rather than argue. Thank you for letting me know.<<

  >>Sure, anytime,<< Xenith said, looking to Ran as well and felt better when he saw a small smile on the kid’s face as Frecka complimented his drawing of the Tyli nebula.

  In the afternoon cycle, Xenith and Qianii had to switch to a different classroom to observe the younger apprentices’ learning. The entire Melyn class did not want them to leave and threw themselves onto both Qianii and Xenith. The kids had to be pried off as they wailed for the two Krians to stay with them for the rest of the day. After promising them all profusely that they would come visit again, Qianii and Xenith parted together from the class, the kids and Krian Loful tearfully waving.

  “I’m going to miss those kids,” Qianii said, wistfully gazing behind her shoulder as they headed for their next class.

  Xenith grimaced at her. “You do know we’re on the same station, right? You can go visit anytime.”

  “I know, but...” she sighed. “I don’t know which grade I want to teach yet, and I keep going back and forth. This is the fifth Melyn class I’ve been in, and...”

  “I get it, I like the little boogers too,” he said, smiling fondly at the thought of his group working together.

  “Hm.” Qianii looked up at him, her eyes scrutinizing him. At his lifted eyebrow, she said, “I thought it was some sort of fluke around Zander, but you are actually good with kids.”

  Xenith coughed. “I think I just got a lot of practice with Zander is all,” he said, feeling disappointed that he didn’t get to see Zander’s class. “I had a great time, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think I have enough energy to keep up with a bunch of Melyns for an entire day, let alone year-around.”

  “You do look tired,” she noted, continuing to study him. She still has all of her energy, he thought sourly. “Maybe this next class won’t drain you as much.”

  They reached their new classroom, a round room with holographic walls and pillows scattered around. Ten teenagers within two or three years of graduating sat or stood about the room. Two of them messed with the holographic walls to switch the calm, gentle beach waves to scantily clad beach babes. Unbeknownst to the two, Xenith could ‘hear’ a human female, one gifted with both telekinesis and computer engineering, telekinetically switching the screen at the last second to scantily clad men. Several of the teenagers looked warily to Qianii and Xenith when they entered, and snapped to attention when Krian Evul, an Iaiedal, walked into the classroom behind them.

  >>Del, Vonp, if you mess with the screen one more time I am making you wear those ‘bikinis’ next time we have class,<< Krian Evul scowled at the two teens messing with the screen, and the other kids laughed. Del and Vonp grinned and swaggered over to their pillows as the rest of the teenagers gathered around in a circle. Xenith perked up immediately. While he never had a sarcastic teacher, he didn’t know he could be one.

  >>All right, we have two Krians here, Krian Qianii Le’an and Krian Xenith Lucian.<< Krian Evul’s eyes squinted playfully as she surveyed the room. >>Try not to set the classroom on fire while they’re here since I don’t want to have to explain to Prior Matoshkah—again—that we burnt another Krian to a crisp.<<

  The class snickered, and Xenith smiled, loving the dynamic. Qianii looked nervous. >>They’re joking,<< he privately told her.

  >>I knew that,<< she snapped, but she relaxed her shoulders.

  While Krian Evul explained that Xenith and Qianii were there to observe to see if they enjoyed teaching enough to become teachers, Xenith heard the thoughts of three kids being interested, five indifferent, and two of the kids—coincidentally the screen troublemakers—deciding to test him and Qianii. Xenith immediately relayed the information over to Qianii, who scowled at him.

  >>What? I’m trying to help,<< he privately said as Krian Evul opened the classes’ previous discussion to the floor.

  >>Thank you for telling me, but I have to learn how to do this myself,<< she replied, her eyes following the teens as they spoke. He felt her emotions of anger and embarrassment as she continued. >>I want to read kids on my own if I’m going to be a good teacher, so while thank you for helping, let me try on my own.<<

  Xenith nodded, feeling embarrassed that he didn’t think of that earlier. Qianii had wanted to be a teacher since he first met her, and he didn’t want to show off. >>You’re right, sorry,<< he relayed, then turned his attention back to the Apprentices.

  The debate centered on politics; even though Aorírdal was neutral, the friction between the three alliances still affected everyone on the station, and the teenagers comprised all three alliances. Politics in the alliances were not uniform. The human telekinetic computer engineering enthusiast, named Mariana Sato, got into an argument with an Iaiedal named Kali on the best course of action for the GA to set up peaceful trade treaties with The Ascendancy.

  “No, that concession won’t work, since the Rym in GS17E316 outlined that trade between the Alaanai sector and Hufi sector had to be monitored; the primitive civilization there was sending probes in the atmosphere. They would have to go around into The Omni Hierarchy to trade, or go into Levan territory—”

  >>Which the Levan countered since they are no longer part of the GA, and The Omni Hierarchy doesn’t permit anyone to go through that section of their territory. Do all humans barely read anything and think they are suddenly experts on the subject?<<

  “I’m sorry, if your species didn’t try to kill off the Levan then we wouldn’t be in this position!”

  >>All right, settle down you two,<< Krian Evul interrupted. Both Mariana and Kali looked as though they would telekinetically strangle each other. The rest of the teenagers either stared at them or snickered. Qianii looked on with concern, while Xenith relaxed. They hurled both insults when the teens felt cornered. Krian Evul projected a sense of contemplation, before she turned to look at Xenith. >>I will task Krian Lucian to mediate this problem. Please,<< she motioned before the two arguing teenagers.

  A good portion of the room, including Mariana and Kali, thought, ‘What? Oh, we’re so screwed’. Qianii felt surprised and doubtful, and Xenith tried not to stare at Krian Evul. Knowing the girls didn’t mean their harsh words was one thing; mediating was another.

  Xenith cleared his throat, trying to put on an air of confidence. He could read their inner feelings better than they could of him, so if he faked it well enough, they may listen to him. “Kali, Mariana, I could tell you were both hurt by what the other said.”

  >>There is no shame in that,<< Krian Evul said firmly as Mariana opened her mouth to protest and Kali projected indignation. After a pause, they both nodded, not looking at each other.

  At Krian Evul’s gesture for Xenith to continue, he thought quickly on how best to approach it and said, “I’ll ask you both some questions, and they are not accusatory. Kali, why did you insult humans? Again, not accusatory, I just want to know.”

  Kali’s body shivered, the Iaiedal motion for being unsure. >>They’re new and keep forgetting things and are preemptive with assuming knowledge.<<

  “OK. Has Mariana done any of those things regularly?” If she had, then his argument would be void.

  >>Not... usually.<< Kali had a barrier up, but Xenith still felt her shame and anger. She looked at Mariana, stating, >>I’m sorry, Mariana, but you shouldn’t have insulted me that way.<<

/>   “Yeah, that was a bit below the belt,” Xenith nodded to Mariana, who looked down in shame. “Gotta level with ya, it’s not like humans have a spotless past either.”

  “I know,” Mariana hissed, her face still read. “Kali, I’m sorry for saying that, since... yeah, humans weren’t perfect,” she muttered to the floor. “I just got caught up in arguing. I’m sorry too; I won’t bring it up to use as an insult again. I know the Iaiedal are trying to make up for what happened, and you really despise that it happened in the first place and would never support it.”

  >>Thank you. I won’t use the ‘humans are stupid’ excuse, since it is a stereotype, and you’re... one of the smartest people I know,<< Kali said, just as embarrassed, but truthful.

  >>Good,<< Krian Evul said, nodding to the both of them, sending a feeling of approval over to Xenith. After checking that both of them still felt apologetic, Xenith settled back into listening to the rest of the debate, with Kali and Mariana backing each other’s stances.

  The rest of the class went smoothly, and when another mini argument broke out Krian Evul allowed Qianii to mediate. While a little nervous, Qianii managed it sympathetically, and the other two kids conceded while looking at Qianii with new respect. Xenith found the class invigorating, and the teens got comfortable around the two of them, especially when Xenith tested the waters by being sarcastic. At the end of class, the teens waved the two of them off while Qianii and Xenith headed for the cafeteria for dinner.

  “That went by pretty well, huh?” Xenith asked, grinning ear to ear as they stood in line for the voucher kiosk. None of the other jobs made him feel this good, and he hadn’t felt this optimistic in weeks.

  “Yeah, but wow, I don’t know...” Qianii said, shaking her head. “Last class was rather... argumentative. And combative. I thought our class when we were that age was different, but I guess not...”

  “People get older and get different opinions, so they just gotta learn how to get along, that’s all,” Xenith shrugged. “I thought you did great in both classes.”