The Unsound Theory (STAR Academy Book 1)

by Emilia Zeeland

  “No, no, don’t laugh! She’s right.” Heidi’s eyes, still red and swollen from crying for hours, were suddenly tense. Yalena slowly picked up on the crucial point she was making.

  “That’s right!” she agreed with Heidi. “Say, we tell seven more people about this...”

  “One of them being Natalia!”

  “Right. No way we can keep it a secret from the other seven on team Artemis. The gossip would spread like wildfire when so many people know.” Heidi shook her head.

  “And if those on team Artemis found out, they’d tell on us, for sure. That would make them model STARs!” Jen looked from one face to another, in search of support.

  “Not to mention how pissed off they would be that we excluded them from this secret to begin with.” Yalena thought she deserved a face-palm for not seeing this sooner.

  “Seems like we forgot the first rule of STAR Academy,” Heidi reminisced darkly.

  “What? If in doubt, always shower?” Alec mocked.

  “No,” Heidi wasn’t laughing. Her eyes swam with tears as her thoughts drifted off. “Think of yourself first. Think of yourself only. Think of yourself always. It’s disgusting, really,” she added bitterly. “All anyone here cares about is being the shiny STAR. Overachievers ruthlessly disregarding any rule, even human decency.” Heidi sniffed, sounding as if she had a runny nose. “I think this is pointless. We can’t hide this from the others, and if we do tell them, they’ll take the opportunity to get us in trouble. Checkmate, and game over for us.”

  “I’m not so sure,” Yalena said. For the first time since last night’s announcement, she could see a light at the end of the tunnel they were hoping to escape from. “We can view this as a problem, or an opportunity.” Excitement rose up inside her as she schemed, the thoughts hastily unraveling inside her head.

  “What do you mean?” Lines wrinkled Eric’s wide forehead.

  “Think about it. All anyone here wants is to be given responsibility, to be given a chance to shine, to work on something so mind-bending and extraordinary that they would dream about it at night.” Yalena was beginning to smile. How come they hadn’t seen this earlier? “We’re surrounded by extreme overachievers, and if we were to give them a chance to help find out what happened to the Migration ships or to even save them, they would do anything to be a part of our team. And I mean anything.”

  “Of course!” Eric exclaimed. “Look at us—we’re exactly the risk-takers my dad lacks in his mission approval board.”

  “Exactly!” Yalena beamed at him. The two of them seemed to share an instant connection.

  “So...instead of excluding them, we should include them, every last one of them. And since we have two teams to work with, Apollo can go after the Farsight coordinates, while we on Artemis can collect the satellite and examine it for any malfunction.” Eric sounded enthusiastic for the first time since they’d gathered. “How should we go about it?”

  “We need to divide and conquer.” The whole strategy had unfolded inside Yalena’s head already. Her mind felt agile and sharp these days. Perhaps all the changes they had to make in their plan were keeping her at the top of her mental game.

  Heidi shrugged her shoulders. “Yes, but how?”

  “With one hell of a pep talk,” Yalena smiled. “We’d need to talk to the high-risk people first, like Natalia.”

  “I agree,” Jen hurried to say. “She would turn unpleasant if she ended up being the last to know.”

  “Why don’t we take her for some girl talk?” Heidi suggested somewhat shyly, and Yalena and Jen nodded, even though just the thought of spending any time in Natalia’s company made Yalena want to cringe.

  “And what are we going to do with the other risky person?” Heidi looked up, trying to fight the tears threatening to start rolling down her cheeks again.

  “We’ll talk to Dave and Reid. I think it’s best if all the pilots know before we tell everyone else,” Eric tried to comfort her.

  Heidi nodded, even though her vision was probably blurry because of the glossy tears in her eyes. “I’m lucky he’s your second pilot, not mine,” she whispered to Alec, who put a hand on her shoulder.

  Yalena closed her eyes as she breathed out. “Yes, it’s brilliant. I’ve got all the ones with attitude on my team.”

  “I hate to keep bringing money into this,” Nico said, “but if we’re taking two ships there, our antimatter consumption just doubled, and so did the costs.”

  “Oh, really?” Heidi mocked. “Don’t tell me they don’t run two-for-one sales on antimatter.”

  “Give me a number,” Eric said, his eyes glued to Nico and disregarding the stunned glares of the others. “Perhaps we can get there. The problem of money is essentially the same as the problem of getting support for the project,” he said. “If others won’t believe our theory, then we’ll prove it. If they won’t finance it, we’ll have to do that ourselves, too.”

  “I like how you tied a pretty little bow on that, but like Alec said, I don’t think we’d be able to come up with the money.” Yalena frowned.

  “I might.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Nico laughed out loud. “Are you seriously that loaded?”

  “I’m not loaded, exactly. I’m insured. The O’Donnells set up trust funds for each newborn, which we get full control of at our eighteenth birthday. I haven’t done much with mine since I got it. I was waiting for a passion project.”

  Yalena’s stomach felt tight, and she grimaced, despite the calm and professional way he suggested this.

  “Eric, I can’t let you do this.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it’s crazy. Even if you have the money, wouldn’t it be better spent on something else, something less...” She was searching for a better way of saying insane. “Something that’s not the unsound theory of the century.”

  “It’s a risky bet. I’m aware. I’d actually happily keep away from it and make more sound financial investments.” He paused, and Yalena got the feeling that he was playing her. “If you would only tell me that what you heard in the signal was nothing worth investigating, that you imagined it, that it wasn’t real, that you don’t feel guilty for every day we know what the signal means and don’t rush to see if some of Earth’s biggest heroes of all time need our help.”

  The fire in his words burnt her pride. Yalena looked down at the floor, deflating. “I can’t say any of that.”

  “Well, I’m glad we have that sorted.” He clasped his hands.

  “Eric, I feel weird about this,” she stammered. “It just doesn’t feel right to spend your entire trust fund on...”

  “On something I trust in? That’s why it’s called a trust fund, Yalena. And I trust you.”

  “Aren’t you the master of twisting my words!”

  “I hate to say it, but if the rest of the class is coming with us, then it’s the only way,” Alec said. Hearing his rational agreement made the solution feel final, even if Alec’s jawline twitched. If there was a way to disagree with Eric, Yalena was positive he would have exploited it.

  “It may be the only way, but it’s not our only problem,” Nico said. “That stuff is not only expensive, but closely monitored. They only produce a batch if a buyer has already been cleared. How do we buy it without drawing attention to the transaction?”

  “We’ll need a chemist, one who knows how to create it here or buy it and store it safely,” Heidi said, amused.

  “Say hi to Natalia for me.” Eric produced a polite smile, but Yalena sulked.

  “You can’t be serious!” she groaned. If that were true, then all roads really did lead to hell.

  “Hey, if we’re going to do this, I can’t be the only one who has to put their trust in others,” Eric teased. “You’ll have a part in that, too, but don’t fret. Your bank statement will end up in much better shape than mine.”

  Chapter 21. The Pep Talk

  “I KNOW IT’S UNREASONABLE, but I feel kind of terrified,” Yalena
said as she pressed the green doorbell button on Natalia’s room.

  “Oh, don’t worry—that’s not unreasonable at all,” Jen grimaced, watching the door slide open.

  “Got to love a surprise like this. Who are you three? Prya, Pam, and Peyton?” Natalia’s frog-like smile appeared to mock them instantly.

  Yalena frowned at the unfamiliar reference. “Come again?”

  “They don’t show that series on Earth, Nat,” Heidi said. “I watched it when I was on pilot training in the Moon area 5J,” she filled them in, provoking a noisy “huh” from both Jen and Yalena.

  “Lame,” Natalia said. By Yalena’s estimate, her mood was as good as ever.

  “We’ve got to borrow you for a little girl...talk,” Jen said as she marched into the room, inviting Yalena and Heidi to follow her inside.

  Natalia’s face fell visibly. She had a talent for sensing smoke before there was fire. “You all look so serious.”

  “Natalia,” Yalena started after slowly taking a very deep breath. She and Heidi sat on the desk, facing the Moonie, while Jen leaned against the wall next to them. “I’m doing something out of character here—I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt. I sincerely hope that under the inexhaustible wall of gossip and punchy comments, you’re actually a decent person and won’t make me regret this.”

  “Hmm,” Natalia sounded intrigued. “At least you’re being honest.”

  “I really am.” Yalena nodded before she continued, her eyes piercing into Natalia’s. “I need your support on something important.”

  Natalia smoothed her hair to one side. “What’s going on? If you guys are trying to spook me, it’s not going to work. I don’t get goosebumps.”

  “We’ll give you the short, shocking version, then,” Yalena said. “We’ve been sneaking around for months, stealing confidential information and deciphering a signal sent out by a satellite left from the Migration, which has led us to Farsight’s last known coordinates. But our theory is so insane that the only ones willing to test it are us—during our first-year mission. We’ve decided that Apollo will check out the coordinates, and Artemis will go pick up the satellite.” It was like ripping off a Band-Aid—she had to do it quickly and suddenly.

  Natalia arched an eyebrow up so high that her face almost seemed distorted. She moved her gaze from Yalena to Heidi to Jen, and then back to Yalena, trying to assess the gravity of the situation.

  “You know what, boss?” Natalia dragged out her reply, her wide mouth curving into a smile. “This is the first semi-interesting thing you’ve said since I’ve met you.”

  “Well, at least you’re being honest,” Yalena played on Natalia’s previous words, and the Moonie’s black eyes gleamed back at her with interest.

  “I assume you’ve come to me because your poor, unconnected butts can’t afford the extra antimatter fuel?”

  Yalena would rather have the girl pluck every hair on her scalp then let her go through the mission preparation with the load of offensive remarks Natalia seemed to have in store.

  “If you’re in this, then you’re in it with all of us,” she said. “We do need your help in getting that fuel, but I will not sit through a load of attitude. You need to meet me halfway here.”

  The Moonie chewed on the inside of her cheek, evaluating the proposal.

  “I’ll give you the whole package,” she said. “Take it or leave it. There’s no downgrade.”

  Yalena sighed, her head growing heavy. She wished so desperately for anything to argue back with, but the truth was they didn’t have much of a choice. The pause probably let Natalia know the tight spot they were in, if she hadn’t caught on to it before.

  “But, since I’m feeling generous, I’ll throw in some free advice for you, boss. You don’t need to believe each and every one of the very insightful, if occasionally spunky comments I offer. I just like things with a little bite to them.” She bared her teeth.

  Yalena almost laughed. “You’re in, then.”

  “There we go. So, what do you need?”

  “Enough antimatter fuel to get us from Jupiter’s orbit to the coordinates and back.” Heidi said.

  “Twice, since the satellite is relatively close to those coordinates.” Jen smiled, watching Natalia freeze, her wide mouth agape.

  “It has to be paid off the record via a transaction that can’t be traced. Nico will help hide it from the universal online ledger, but we’ll need you for the black-market ties.”

  Natalia shook her head, which would have scared Yalena into believing her request was impossible if a smile hadn’t bloomed on the girl’s lips, unfolding like a lotus flower.

  “You, lucky people, owe me all sorts of favors.”

  The girls watched her chew on her thumbnail, caught between amusement and diabolical planning.

  “When you’re done gloating, would you enlighten us as to how we should go about this?”

  “Oh, boss, you’re such a buzzkill. For once, would you let me do the talking?”

  Yalena rolled her eyes. “Be my guest.”

  “Watch this.”

  Natalia pulled out her Berry then pointed it at Yalena. “Has Nico secured my line?”

  Yalena nodded, a little afraid to see Natalia in action. The Moonie browsed through her contacts for a moment, then left the Berry on loudspeaker.

  “Hey, handsome.”

  “As I live and breathe,” the guy on the line said in an Indian accent. “Natalia Khanna. I thought you’d left us in the dust, swapped us for your new, squeaky-clean classmates, not a single offense on their records.”

  “Oh, you know I would never. I’ve been bored out of my mind since I got here,” she mused. Jen huffed. “Mind you, it turns out they’re not all that squeaky clean. There’s a black sheep here and there, if you know how to spot them.”

  The guy laughed, dragging out a pause before asking “Anything specific they might be after?”

  “I’ve heard rumors of deep pockets and big plans.”

  Yalena pulled Natalia by the arm, warning in her eyes. Even if she was a head shorter than Yalena, the Moonie had more strength in her than anticipated, and she wriggled her arm free, continuing.

  “You know, overachievers like to pretend the climb up is based on their skills, but to get experience, they need money.”

  “It’s those mad pilots, isn’t it? Too posh to train in a simulator like the rest of us.” He cackled.

  “It wouldn’t be proper of me to say.” Natalia giggled like she was being tickled. “But it’s something like that. People here are obsessed, and the madness is spreading. They even bullied the class hacker into securing my line, so I can score more antimatter for them.”

  That’s it, STAR Academy. Now, you have a reputation, Yalena thought as she listened to Natalia boldly starting unsubstantiated rumors.

  “More good news for me. I assume you’d want your usual cut?”

  “Don’t you worry your pretty head about me. I already told them they’d have to cough it up. For that kind of quantity.”

  “I can keep two people after hours to produce some for you, but you’ll need to come get it yourself. I don’t trust leaving the package unattended on a cargo craft.”

  “I’m overdue to visit my folks, anyway.” Natalia smiled, turning to Yalena. “I’ll send you the details of the transaction.”

  “Always a pleasure, Nat.”

  “Night, night, handsome.” Playfulness and sweetness drained out of her voice when the call hung up. “And that, amateurs, is how it’s done.”

  IT WAS LIKE A FOX HAD gotten inside the henhouse. Screams and howls exploded from all sides when Yalena and Eric laid out their case in front of the rest of the class. Yalena mentally blessed Jen for foreseeing this and suggesting that she, Heidi, Nico, and Alec should stand guard all around the empty Academy room they had chosen to do this in.

  “Ahem,” Natalia cleared her throat. “I, for one, want to say that I am outraged by this news,” she sounded well in character, b
ut she winked at Yalena as she continued, “but there is no point in arguing. When we’re given a chance to find out what happened to a long-lost Migration ship, we take it. Simple as that.”

  “Easy for you to say!” Jasper said. “You’re going to the Farsight coordinates on Apollo, while all of us on Artemis are left picking up a piece of space junk, like we’re Zanzar workers.”

  Yalena and Eric shared a look. If anything, they had underestimated people’s readiness to go on this wild trip.

  “Jasper, I hear you, but you have to understand that we need some sort of leverage here. If we all go to the coordinates, we may or may not find Farsight there. And what if we don’t? Artemis is going to pick up the satellite, so we can study it,” Eric said. “If Farsight isn’t found, that ‘old piece of space junk,’ as you called it, might hold the key to what happened to the ship. Our task is in no way less important.”

  “Besides,” Nico said, “you’ll actually get to go on a spacewalk to check the satellite for damage. Don’t tell me that isn’t cool.”

  Jasper shrugged, spotting the others in the engineering and security group. They nodded, wide-eyed. People seemed to calm down, although that may have had less to do with Eric’s arguments and more to do with the fact that he, the son of the prominent commander, was behind the idea.

  “Why didn’t you tell us earlier?” Carmen asked with a clear note of blame, and other voices joined in, louder.

  “Please,” Yalena motioned for silence. “I know you feel late to the party. We did keep this a secret; there is no denying it. But we want you to join us. The question is, now that you know, will you get mad, or will you get on board?”

  She could see the wandering looks; everyone was searching for confirmation from the classmates around them. They let her words sink in for a minute, contemplating what to do, but Yalena knew she had said the magic words. She gazed at Eric as if to say, “We did it,” but he opened his mouth to speak at the same time, to settle the case once and for all.

  “The truth is,” he said, his eyes moving from one face to the next, “if we make this work, if we can pull this off, we’ll go down in history. We’re going to be the team that solved the ultimate riddle. We have the power to change the reality of space exploration as we know it. Do you ever feel you were selected to be a part of something bigger than yourself? Did you dream there was something else out there, something more? Well, there is. And with us, you’ll get to find out exactly what that is.”