by P. J. Hoover
Benjamin jumped up, out of his seat, trying to swat at the thing on his shoulder.
“Oh, there’s no need to do that, now, is there?” the small kind-of human-looking thing said to Benjamin as it grabbed hold of his collar and held on for dear life.
Benjamin looked to Proteus Ajax. “What is this thing?”
“This thing?” the green thing asked. “Since when am I referred to as a thing?” The thing put its little hands on its little hips. “I happen to be a Nogical, and I have a full name, though you don’t need to know it. So, instead, you may call me Jack.”
Benjamin hesitated, but sat back down, and the little Nogical, Jack, sat upon his shoulder. Benjamin tried not to flinch.
“What exactly is a Nogical, and why is there one on my shoulder?” Benjamin asked. The Nogical rested back on his hands and crossed his legs.
“A Nogical is kind of like a really small telegen, but different,” Proteus Ajax said. “As to why this one has chosen to sit on your shoulder, you’ll have to ask him. It’s not often that a Nogical chooses to associate with telegens, so you should consider yourself fortunate. Nogicals make valuable friends.”
“Yeah, so you’ll be stuck with me for a while.” Jack smiled. “Oh, I won’t bother you much. Just pretend I’m not here if you have to.”
“Yes, but where did he come from?” Benjamin asked.
“A genetic engineering experiment, I’m afraid,” Proteus said.
“You’re afraid?” Jack said. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Proteus smirked. “Don’t play dumb. You know as well as I do that the Nogicals were created after the big genetic engineering crackdown.”
“You mean they were never supposed to have been created?” Ryan Jordan, the same boy who thought they were on Mars, asked.
“There are always exceptions to the rules,” Jack, the Nogical, said. “And Nogicals just happen to be the perfect exception.”
“Right,” Proteus agreed. “Perfect and illegal.”
Benjamin looked sideways at Jack. Perfect? He figured maybe the light green skin color of the little man served some purpose. But the blue hair and bright yellow eyes? That had to be some kind of experiment gone wrong. Maybe it took some getting used to.
“Are there other species like Jack?” Gary asked. By the way Gary’s mouth had been hanging open, Benjamin was surprised he’d actually been able to close it to form words.
“Nope,” Jack said, sitting up a little straighter.
“No is right,” Proteus said. “After the Nogical fiasco, telegnostics were put in place to make sure no more telegens were genetically engineered.”
Benjamin noticed Iva had raised her hand to ask a question when the boy sitting next to Ryan Jordan beat her to it. “What’s a telegnostic?” he asked. Iva looked over and glared at him.
“Someone who can sense thoughts and events from far away, across distance or time,” Proteus said. “When a telegnostic is honed in on one type of idea—in this case genetic engineering—they are perfect watchdogs. You’ll be learning much more about telegnosis along with other cerebral abilities in your classes,” Proteus said, trying to get the class’s attention back from Jack.
Benjamin looked at Jack. Jack smiled back at Benjamin. “You won’t even know I’m around,” Jack said. Benjamin tried to relax, but found it hard to pretend the small man wasn’t on his shoulder. Would Jack be around all the time? Would he have to shower with the Nogical on his shoulder? That didn’t sound too good. And on cue, the Nogical disappeared.
“What a treat! I haven’t seen a Nogical in years.” Proteus clapped his hands together. “Anyway, enough about that. We have some logistical issues to go over now.” He raised a gold piece of metal, about the size of his palm, into the air. He touched two fingers to the top of it, and it tripled in size. “Please pull this item out of your backpack.”
Everyone in the class reached down underneath their desks into the school-provided backpacks to retrieve the object. “This is your personal sheaf,” Proteus began. “It has been coded to match only your DNA signature.”
“What does it do?” Ryan Jordan asked, looking at the back of the piece of metal, then the front, hoping to see something. He tried prodding at it with his fingers with no success.
“Your sheaf does everything. You may think of it as your Internet connection to the world—well, not quite the world; it doesn’t connect to the human Internet, but you’ll hardly find that a limitation.”
Proteus explained how to operate the thing. With little effort, Benjamin accessed his class schedule just by thinking about it. His schedule had boring, normal subjects like science and homeroom, but telepathy, telekinesis, telegnosis, and teleportation sounded promising.
Then Proteus went over the rules. They were pretty basic. Year One Denarians couldn’t leave the city. Judging by the map, Benjamin thought this shouldn’t be a problem; there ought to be plenty to keep them busy just in the capital city of Mu.
“Are there any final questions before we break for the day?”
With the apparent information overload, no one, not even Ryan Jordan asked another question.
CHAPTER 6
Andy Wants to Visit the Ruling Hall
Benjamin, Andy, and Gary got their things settled in their dorm room and then tried to figure out what to do with the rest of the day. Here it was only lunch time, and classes didn’t start until tomorrow.
“I think we should go to the Ruling Hall,” Gary said. “I was checking my sheaf, and it’s supposed to have the biggest library in all of Lemuria.”
“I’m not wasting my first day here in some boring government building,” Andy said. “That’s like the last thing in the world I’d want to do.”
“So what do you suggest?” Gary asked in return.
“We could sneak around the city spying on people,” Andy said.
“We don’t know anyone to spy on,” Benjamin said.
“Anyway, spying on people isn’t polite,” Jack said, appearing directly in front of Benjamin’s face.
Benjamin had to admit it—it would be handy to learn to teleport like Jack.
“So why are you doing it then?” Andy asked.
“I’m not spying on you guys,” Jack said. “I just thought I’d come along to the Ruling Hall with you.”
“We’re not going to the Ruling Hall,” Benjamin replied.
“Right,” Andy added. “No libraries.”
Jack laughed a tiny little laugh. “There’s more to the Ruling Hall than just libraries.”
“Like what?” Andy asked.
“Like it’s the most important structure in all of the known, and unknown, world,” Jack replied.
“Boring,” Andy answered.
“I have an idea,” Benjamin said as his stomach growled. “Why don’t we just head out into the city and get some lunch?”
“And then go to the Ruling Hall,” Gary added.
“Lunch—fine. Ruling Hall—no way,” Andy replied.
As they left the school, the wind started blowing dark clouds into the sky; it figured that Lemuria wouldn’t be spared even a thunderstorm. They picked a restaurant on Mu Way, the main thoroughfare of the capital city, called The Deimos Diner. The three boys walked in and immediately spotted Iva and Heidi at a circular booth in the corner. When they smiled and waved, Benjamin felt his stomach clench up, though he couldn’t imagine why.
“I guess we should go join them,” Andy telepathically said, already starting over to the table.
“Yeah, probably,” Benjamin replied. “They might get their feelings hurt if we don’t.”
“You know I can hear every word you’re saying.”
Benjamin stopped walking as he heard Heidi’s voice in his head. Was she really that good at telepathy? Could she hear everything he was thinking?
“You guys are welcome to join us for lunch, but don’t feel like you have to do us any favors,” Heidi said audibly once they reached the table.
Not botheri
ng to reply, Andy slid onto the bench next to Iva. Benjamin tried not to smile and sat down.
“So what are you guys doing for the rest of the day?” Benjamin asked.
“We’re going to the Ruling Hall,” Iva replied.
“That’s where I wanted to go also,” Gary replied. “But…”
“And since Gary wanted to go there, that’s where we’re going too,” Andy quickly finished.
“We are?” Gary asked.
“Of course we are,” Andy replied. “I was just kidding before.”
Benjamin stared at his friend, then glanced at Heidi. She smiled back but didn’t say a word.
“So, what’s so special about the Ruling Hall anyway?” Benjamin asked.
“It’s supposed to have more rooms than you could explore in your life. Endless stairways, secret passages, hidden doors,” Iva said. “And the inventions housed in the Hall are more brilliant than we could ever imagine.”
“How do you know that?” Andy asked.
“Well, that’s what Kyri the Telegnosis teacher told me,” Iva replied.
“You met with a teacher already?” Andy asked.
“I was really interested in telegnosis when Proteus Ajax mentioned it, so I went and found our teacher and introduced myself,” Iva replied.
“That seems like such a…a teacher’s pet thing to do,” Andy said.
Iva ignored the remark. “She said I had the strongest telegnostic pathways she’d ever seen. And she told me some history of telegnosis on the Earth. Did you know the Oracles at Delphi were actually telegnostics?”
“What’s Delphi?” Andy asked.
Iva opened her mouth to reply but stopped when she noticed Benjamin and Andy weren’t listening anymore; they were staring at the man walking through the open door.
“Mr. Burton?” Benjamin and Andy called out in unison. The man smiled at the greeting and strode over to their booth.
“Hi, boys. It’s great to see you,” he said. “I was hoping I’d run into you.”
“But…but Mr. Burton, are you…are you a telegen?” Benjamin asked. Nothing their seventh grade science teacher from back in Virginia had ever done had even remotely suggested he had super brain powers. Nothing.
“Well, yes, come to think of it, I am.” He smiled. “I guess I’ve done a decent job of hiding it,” he said.
“So that explains how you always knew it was us,” Benjamin said.
“What was always us?” Heidi asked.
Mr. Burton smiled at the girls. “It seems that Benjamin and Andy here like to play practical jokes on some of the other students in class. If I’m not mistaken, their most recent prank involved a dead frog jumping on a young lady’s head.”
“You made a frog jump on some girl’s head?” Gary said with admiration.
“You use telekinesis in your science class back home?” Iva asked in amazement.
“They aren’t supposed to,” Mr. Burton replied, but laughed anyway. “But I can’t say that I blame them. Life among the humans does get rather tedious.”
“So I guess you knew we were telegens all along,” Benjamin said.
“Of course, but I wasn’t allowed to say anything. Not even your parents know about me.” Mr. Burton smiled at the other students. “I’m Kennias Burton by the way. I teach science at their middle school in Virginia.”
“I can’t believe you have a telegen for a science teacher,” Gary said. “Man, I’m jealous. My science teacher doesn’t even know what a meniscus is. I constantly have to bite my tongue to keep from correcting him.”
“What is a meniscus?” Heidi asked.
Gary rolled his eyes. “Doesn’t anybody read anymore?”
“A meniscus has something to do with monkeys, right?” Andy asked.
Gary shook his head and sighed. “It’s a phase boundary curved due to surface tension.”
Andy, and even Heidi, looked back at him like he was nuts. Heidi shrugged.
“So what are you kids doing today?” Mr. Burton asked.
“We’re going to the Ruling Hall,” Benjamin answered.
“Oh, wonderful. You’ll love it,” Mr. Burton replied.
Benjamin and Andy looked at each other with doubt.
“I felt the same way when I was younger, but I was wrong. If I didn’t have pressing matters to attend to, I’d join you. I don’t get many days away from Virginia, so, when I make it to Lemuria, I’m stuck with boring, administrative tasks.” He gave them a conspiratorial smile. “But do enjoy yourself. I hear there are some hidden passageways on the lower floors. There’s one I’ve heard about in particular on floor i4. They say that nobody has ever found it, and that whoever does will never return.” He winked.
“Floor i4?” Andy asked. “What’s floor i4?”
“Didn’t you check your class schedule?” Gary asked. “That’s how they label the lower levels.”
“Why?” Andy said.
“Because i2 is negative one, so the negative floors are denoted with an i,” Gary explained. “Duh. Imaginary numbers.”
“Oh, yeah,” Andy said. “Duh. I can’t believe I didn’t realize that myself.”
Benjamin couldn’t help but laugh. Andy and imaginary numbers.
“Well I’m glad somebody’s interested in learning,” Mr. Burton said. “Anyway, have fun. And try not to get in any trouble.”
CHAPTER 7
Jack Gets Them in Trouble
They walked down Mu Way toward the Ruling Hall. Even without a map, it would’ve been pretty hard to miss, what with the shining, golden onion dome on top.
Jack popped into existence. “Breathtaking, isn’t it?” he said, seeing the looks on their faces.
“That’s putting it mildly,” Iva said. Her mouth hung open as if she were trying to find just the right words to describe it. “Why does it look so Indian?”
“Oh, the architecture of Lemuria has influenced architecture all over the world, in nearly every country on the globe,” Jack answered. “Skyscrapers are even a fad in some parts of Lemuria.”
“Are they as tall as Taipei 101?” Heidi asked.
“What’s Taipei 101?” Andy asked.
“You really need to get out more, Andy,” Iva scolded. “Taipei 101 is only the tallest building in the world.” Andy turned redder than a tomato.
“Well, that’s not quite true. Taipei 101 looks like a toy model compared to some of the buildings in Wondersky City. But you won’t find any skyscrapers in Mu; they have restrictions on height here,” Jack said.
The sky let out a loud rumble of thunder. Lightning flashed, and then the rain started coming down in sheets. Heidi and Iva immediately tried to cover their heads with their hands.
“Can we go in now?” Iva asked. “I’m getting soaked out here.”
As they ran into the building, they passed through some sort of chamber, entering soaked from the rain and emerging completely dry.
“Hey, what just happened?” Heidi asked, running her hand through her now dry, but brown, hair.
“I don’t know about the color change, but we did just pass through a dehydrating chamber,” Jack said. “They’re automatically turned on when it rains or snows.”
Heidi held out a lock of her hair so she could see it.
“You don’t look bad as a brunette,” Benjamin said.
“Yes, but I’m a blond.” She sighed.
They exited the dehydrating chamber into a long wide hallway with scales as tall as the ceiling on either side. The scale on the right sat in perfect balance, the sign above it reading ‘Lemuria’. The scale on the left tilted slightly, but was still stable in its unbalanced position. The sign above it read ‘Atlantis’.
“They show the strength of the shields around the sunken continents,” Jack said.
Benjamin moved closer to get a better look. “What keeps them balanced?”
“Well the outward pressure from the barriers presses down on the left, and the inward pressure presses down on the right.” He waved his small hand at
the Atlantis scale. “Atlantis won’t last more than ten years.”
“And then what happens?” Heidi asked.
“Well, then the continent rises, and the people of Atlantis are free to roam about on Earth, where they’ll no doubt seize control and enslave the human race again,” Jack answered with a shrug.
“So, what are we doing to stop it?” Iva asked.
“Lemuria is trying everything it can, but not much seems to help,” Jack replied. “If you have any ideas, I’m sure the Deimos twins would love to hear them.”
Jack gave them a tour of everything. It was true; the Ruling Hall was endless. He obviously been here before—many times—so when they turned a corner and found nothing but a closed door, Benjamin figured maybe the Nogical was just playing a trick on them.
But Jack leaned in close. “It’s the Ruling Chamber,” he said. “You know, we can go inside as long as no one sees us.”
“Sounds great,” Andy replied, already walking toward the door. He leaned against it, waiting until no one was around, and then opened it. “Quick, hurry.” He motioned the rest of them inside.
Iva looked torn, but hurried after Heidi once she realized she was the only one still outside. Andy quickly shut the door behind her.
“The ruling chamber of Lemuria,” Jack announced, levitating over to one of the two thrones and settling upon the large velvet cushion. “Yep. Here’s where all the big decisions are made.”
“Really?” Iva asked, her large brown eyes taking in the surroundings.
“Well, probably not,” Jack admitted. “But it’s still a cool place to visit. They only open it up once a year.”
Suddenly Jack’s eyebrows creased. He sat still, as if in deep thought. Finally he spoke. “I just found out I have to leave to attend to some other stuff.”
“You’re leaving? Will you be back to finish the tour?” Iva asked.
“No, I don’t think so. But you’ll be fine,” Jack said and vanished without another word.
“I think we should go too,” Iva said.
“Iva’s right,” Gary said. “We shouldn’t be here. Let’s go.”