I laid in bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling of my pod. The encounter replayed in my head, broken, I couldn't switch off.
"I understand. I won't disappoint you."
I stepped to the side. Back pressed against the wall.
"I've already taken the necessary steps. The plan is on the way. But-"
He hesitated. I pressed my ears against the wall.
"Do we have to-"
At that moment a group of martians ran along the corridor. Their voices at the top of their lungs.
"Mom, I'll talk to you later."
Kwairen had stepped out of the lounge only to find me standing there. His eyes locked on mine.
"What the—!" He flinched, shoulders jerking as if he'd seen a ghost.
"Are you stalking me?!" His voice carried that sharp, suspicious edge he seemed to sharpen for my benefit alone.
"And why would I do that? I was simply heading into the lounge." I brushed past him, entering. His presence lingered a little before leaving, blocking the doorway longer than necessary, a weight that pressed against my back.
Even now, as I stared at the ceiling, his voice tangled in my thoughts. I just couldn't unravel it.
I shook my head and rolled onto my side, forcing my eyes shut. Tomorrow I'd be on Earth. I had bigger things to think about than that boy.
Somewhere between those thoughts, sleep pulled me under.
Before long, a voice crackled over the speakers, sharp and tinny against the quiet of my pod:
"Attention, passengers. We will be arriving on Earth shortly. Please ensure you have all necessities ready for landing. It has been my pleasure to serve you as captain."
I felt a knot starting to form in my stomach.
I hurriedly got ready, pulling straps over my shoulder and holding handles with a firm grip. The pod hummed and shivered beneath me as the gravity shifted to Earth's normal. My stomach tensed; every fiber of me felt the difference.
"Welcome to Earth," the speaker had said, "Please make sure to grab a mask before you leave the spacecraft.
The craft docked with a hiss. I grabbed a mask from one of the workers. The mask was quite hefty. Its weight accounted for the two vinyl tubes at the side storing a transparent liquid. I placed the mask on my face covering my nose and mouth.
I stepped into the bright chaos of the arrival terminal. Different species scurried in all directions, scanning tickets, dragging luggage, murmuring to one another in a dozen different languages and dialects. Robots moved just as fast as well, scanning, swiping, and pointing. My own processing kicked in, I took in the scene. Normally, the bags and check in would have been handled by someone else. It was fascinating but also a bit exhausting.
I lined up with the other passengers, keeping my bags close. The scanner lights glinted across my cropped jacket, and I held still as sensors traced me, asking questions I didn't fully understand.
A child ran past, tripping, and the robot stopped in its tracks. I held my breath. Its head snapped to the child's direction, eyes slightly glowing red before snapping back in my direction. I exhaled slowly.
Once cleared, I found the shuttle to the school waiting. It hovered silently, doors sliding open with a whisper. I stepped inside, my boots clacking on the metallic floor. The city stretched beneath us as we rose, streets winding in precise loops, buildings pulsing with neon life. My pulse quickened. I rubbed my hand against the metal seat that should be cold but it emitted warmth.
So this is a bus.
On Mars we had the same model. But I've never been able to board one.
The ride was quiet. Occasionally, I caught glimpses of other students, heads bent over holographic panels or conversing in languages I didn't recognize. Some laughed, others whispered in shadows. I imagined the stories behind each pair of eyes, each flicker of expression. Each seemed to have a friend to accompany them. Even if they didn't they quickly started a conversation with someone from their planet that they had met on the bus. I couldn't, however, the other Martians avoided my gaze entirely.
The shuttle slowed before an enormous gate, House Of Aegis engraved in the arch above it. As it opened, we drove into the sprawling campus beyond. A world of its own. Roads wound between clusters of buildings that looked more like a small town than a school. There were rivers with quaint bridges over them. Deers and sheep freely roaming. Students moved in coordinated chaos, some lounged around at cafes and other fun little houses, others gliding slightly above the ground on holographic boards.
My eyes followed the crowds on the streets, heart thumping with anticipation.
They drove into a parking area where several crafts rested on large rectangular launch pads. The shuttle hovered for a moment, then descended with a soft hum. As it landed, faint blue light pulsed beneath it. "Charging" a soft robotic voice filled our ears.
When we stepped out, the first thing that caught my eye was the massive archway ahead, its frame etched with glowing letters spelling out "Aegis Grand Auditorium." Groups of students were already heading inside, guided by attendants in uniforms.
We followed them in. The auditorium was huge and shaped like the coliseums I would see in earth documentaries, rows upon rows of chairs circling a wide, flat stage at the center. Voices echoed softly, bouncing off the curved walls.
I found a seat near the middle. Beside me, a guy was nervously biting his nails. He looked up when I sat down, his gaze lingering for a second too long before he quickly turned away. I blinked, slightly taken aback.
Rude.
He was short, smaller than most of the others, but definitely our age, probably eighteen, maybe a tad younger.
The lights dimmed a little, and everyone quieted. Then, a tall, slender woman stepped onto the stage, the light catching her like it was made for her. She was beautiful, graceful even before she spoke.
"Good morning, students," she began in English (it was a requirement for all students), voice calm and clear through the mic.
I leaned forward slightly. Holographic screens rose in front of us; the image being projected was a close up of the lady.
"I'm your principal, Mrs. Giana Allen." She smiled. Her glow radiated across the venue. "Welcome to House of Aegis"
The Coliseum was alive with a sound that almost hurt to hear. The roar of students celebrating. I tried to let it wash over me, let myself feel the triumph, but the scale of it was dizzying. The magnitude of their actually being so many from different planets, every corner of the galaxy hit like an asteroid. And I was here, actually here.
Confetti drones released shimmering bursts of light, drifting like tiny stars, and I blinked to clear the sparkles from my vision. The smell of ozone mixed with the faint tang of recycled air, and somewhere above, a drone whirred, scanning the crowd. My heart was hammering not from fear, but from the sure thrill.
"Did you really think this was the end of your journey?" she asked, her voice cutting through the previous celebration, silencing it."Did you truly believe you had made it?"
Huh?