Schooled

by Pamela Ruth Foland

  While Stone was looking through the crowd, the students around her rose to their feet and began making their way onto the field. Stone was confused, her conscious mind had missed most of the announcements and speeches. It took her a few moments to review the recording of the speeches her unconscious mind had made, at the same time she looked to her dorm mates for direction as to what was expected of her. They all seemed to be setting course for Tawny who had taken up position on the far side of the field. Stone rose and followed them. It occurred to her that her moment’s confusion must be what it was like for her friends all the time. She reached Tawny and waited for her next instruction.

  - - - - - - -

  Natto had spent months using every resource he could beg, borrow or steal to get information on the woman who took his children. He had discovered her name was Andrea D’llen. She was headmistress of some kind of school. Access to the school and town supporting it were actively restricted. He couldn’t get the coordinates out of anyone. It took a large portion of his stock of illicit substances to get the information that the school was actually located in the past of the Preserve. Natto was surprised by this. He hadn’t been aware that it was possible to travel into the past within the Preserve prior to its establishment as the active base of the factors.

  Aspirations Academy was probably some kind of indoctrination camp. For there to be so much security around it, no doubt Mae was sending children there to form an army to counter Natto’s efforts at ousting her, using the children of the dissidents. At least, that is what Natto would be doing. She must be in a much weaker position than he thought she was.

  Opening the portal to travel had released some of the tension Natto had been stirring up among the otherwise loyal factors. Another blow to Natto’s plans was Mae’s assignment of an outsider as Chief of Field Operations. That left Mae primarily responsible for domestic operations. Most of the population was satisfied with the slight increase in standard allotments that came with opening the portal. Mae had also increased the number of bonus allotments awarded each month.

  The factors were the ones that had been manipulated into rebellion the easiest. They were incredibly unsatisfied with trying to make ends meet in the more mundane professions still available when the portal had been closed. All of that didn’t matter one bit to Natto at that moment.

  Natto wanted his children, especially Goru, who so resembled him as a child. Natto waited inside a cafe which only really remained open because food processors printed out perfect copies of food that tasted wonderful. The actual live cooking taking place in the cafe turned most discriminating stomachs, but Mae’s system allowed the cafe’s proprietor live a more than comfortable life. If Natto were in charge they would be reassigned to the general labor pool and receive an allotment reflective of their rather minimal worth.

  He picked at his food. He had made the mistake of ordering the daily special cooked in the kitchen. His eyes were mainly on the entrance. It was well past time that his contact should be there. Schmidt was pathologically tardy for everything. He was another example of someone inadequate to the position they held. Finally Natto spotted Schmidt's bald head through the window over the half curtain.

  Schmidt was wearing mirrored sunglasses and a trench coat. Natto groaned under his breath. If they didn’t stand out as the only patrons of the cafe, they would because of Schmidt's ridiculous outfit. The man was clearly a fan of the spy genre, to the point of cliche. Schmidt sat at the table opposite Natto and held a folded newspaper out to him, “There is an interesting article on page fourteen.”

  Natto took the newspaper and felt the bulge of a portal key within its folds. Natto groaned he opened the newspaper the portal key fell to the table. Natto pocketed it and slipped several allotment vouchers into the newspaper. Then he folded it and slid it back across the table, “I already read it, but thanks.”

  Schmidt greedily snatched at the paper, “Oh okay.” He stood and went to leave. At the door he turned to face Natto again, “Hey, next time could we try a dead drop? You know the thing with the X on the mailbox?”

  Natto sighed and palmed his face. “Sure Schmidt, next time we’ll try it. Though, there aren’t any mailboxes here…”

  “Oh,” Schmidt said with disappointment.

  Natto grimaced, “We’ll figure something out.”

  Schmidt brightened, “I’ll message you…”

  Natto waved fingering the thumb drive which was in effect the key to set the portal for the space-time of the school. He had already packed all of his things in his travel satchel. His next goal was the portal room. Schmidt waved back and attempted a surreptitious departure from the cafe. Natto laughed softly to himself. This was almost too easy. Natto placed a voucher on the table and teleported to the portal room. He avoided the secure area next to the only portal to the outside omniverse. No need to draw undue attention. Natto lined up for the same variable use portal Andrea had stolen his children through.

  When it was his turn, he plugged the key into the slot on the stone arch for a moment and then removed it when the quicksilver like portal formed within the arch. He pocketed the key and stepped through into Sugar Town. It might be a few days before he managed to get his bearings.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The Offer

  Lyla was somewhere in the middle of the pack of students headed towards Tawny. She enthusiastically wanted to discover her course of study. She was fairly certain that recent history would be on the list. Tawny was further onto the field tan Lyla’s first estimate. She was only halfway through the group on their way to their adviser. Her mind slipped sideways and suddenly she stood inches from Tawny. Her forward momentum nearly had her tipping over into her faculty adviser. She felt faint, dizzy and more than a little disoriented.

  Thankfully Tawny had unnaturally fast reflexes as an android and she caught Lyla before she fell. “Slipped up?” Tawny asked.

  Lyla swallowed hard. It made her nauseous. She almost threw up, “I don’t know how I keep doing it.”

  “Other than effortlessly,” Tawny said retrieving a packet of concentrated fruit syrup, “Drink this. It will help.”

  Lyla took the packed and twisted off the lid. She sucked down the contents despite the overly sweet nature of it. She made a face. The first of the other students reached them and stood waiting for Tawny to proceed. The rest of Lyla’s friends arrived, and she moved through the crowd to join them. Once the majority of their dormitory section arrived Tawny cleared her throat with the squelching sound of a megaphone being turned on.

  “Individuals, we will proceed with a tour of the campus, including all the major educational departments. When we arrive at the department corresponding to your primary educational path you are free to choose to remain behind and begin your studies, or continue on with the rest of us.”

  A messenger bot hovered up to Tawny and tapped her on the thigh, Tawny stopped in her speech. She bent to consult with the bot before straightening and searching Lyla’s group out with her eyes. “Lyla Carlyle, Goru Nattan, Millie Dane, Milo Dane, Stone Jacobs, Fubar, Faith Brucan, Sport, please follow this bot to the headmistress’s office.”

  Lyla and the rest followed the cute little messenger bot as it hovered off in the direction of the administrative building. Lyla focused her attention on staying with the bot, and sipping at the packet of fruit concentrate. The bot hovered up to the administration building it flashed a light at the front door’s touch panel and it opened automatically. The bot led them in and up a flight of stairs. The stairs were located on an outside wall and one side was glass from floor to ceiling two stories above. Lyla was careful not to allow her thoughts to drift to the view, for fear of teleporting. The second floor landing, opened out into a mini solarium. There were oak doors leading off into the private offices of the faculty. The bot floated up to the most ornately carved door. It flashed a light at the door panel and the sound of knocking echoed from the door.

  The door was of the old-fashioned kind, with an act
ual knob rather than the sliding doors common to most public structures including the dormitory units. Lyla watched the knob turn and was the first in the group greeted by the headmistress’s smiling face. “Welcome, I have an offer to make you all.” She gestured for all of them to enter. Lyla followed the headmistress in. Her office was decorated like an old library. The walls were bookshelves full of real paper and leather books. Even in backwater Stratton, Lyla had never seen so many real books together. She reveled in the musty-leathery-papery smell. It smelled like knowledge.

  “Welcome to my office and my home,” the headmistress welcomed them again. There was a collection of couches and overstuffed suede chairs with a fireplace at their focus. The headmistress sat in a high-backed suede chair near the fireplace. “Please join me.”

  Goru was the first to make the move to sit. He sat near the headmistress, in another high-backed suede chair. Lyla was deciding on a chair to head towards when she found herself dizzy and standing in front of the one of her preference. It was next to the headmistress. Lyla swiveled on her heels and sat. The others settled themselves almost as quickly. The headmistress held a packet of fruit slurry to Lyla. She knew what to do with it.

  Once everyone was settled in a chair, on a couch or in Sport’s case on a comfortably placed extra-large dog bed, The head mistress clapped her hands together, “Let’s begin! I would like to discuss your options. You are the only ones in the entire school to try to help the village. I was significantly impressed. I was wondering if you all would prefer to keep your little team together in the long term.”

  Goru sat up stiffly in his chair, “Is there a reason we might not be?”

  “Well, if your course of study is significantly different than say, Lyla’s there is every chance that you would drift apart over the course of your studies,” The headmistress stated, “But if we were to approach this with the intention of you remaining a team, your curriculum could be adjusted so your studies would be supported by what the others were learning.”

  “What are you offering?” Lyla asked.

  “I would be your faculty adviser. You would study under your mentors and have challenges and lessons assigned by me to play to your skills as a group,” The headmistress stated.

  Lyla rocked back in the chair, nestling herself fully in the thickly padded suede. Her head was spinning. Ms. Everett had just finished explaining only a select few would be grouped directly under the headmistress. Lyla opened the packet of slurry and slurped loudly at it.

  “It is a lot to think about,” Milo and Millie stated together. Lyla found herself nodding. “Can we have a few days to think about it.”

  Stone raised a tentative hand, “Is it an all-or-nothing proposition?”

  “No, I would prefer the whole team signed on though. You are a good, balanced working unit. I believe you have every bit of potential to become an independent factor team. With all the proper training of course.”

  "Whoa, back up the bus, Factors? No way my mom and dad would let that happen!” Beaker practically yelped.

  “They sent you here to reach your potential, whatever we discovered it to be. If you aspire to be factors, this academy will get you there. You would graduate in five years as a prime factor team. I doubt it would take much after that to get independent status,” The headmistress stated, “I’ll give you all a few days to decide, for now how would you like a private tour of the campus?” She gestured to a large platform in the corner next to a closed four paneled door. There was a control panel marking it as a transport station.

  The headmistress rose and stepped onto the platform. Lyla and her friends joined the headmistress shortly afterward. She activated the station, and they arrived in a burgundy version of their dormitory unit. There were fewer chairs around the media screen and the dining table but otherwise color was the only difference, until they came to the hall leading to the bedrooms, instead of two doors, one on either side of the hall there were nine, four on each side and one at the end.

  “This would be your new dormitory unit,” The headmistress stated, “You would each have your own room, specifically designed for you, and your own bathroom.” She eyed Faith.

  “Our own rooms? What if two of us wanted to share a room?” Millie asked.

  "It is negotiable,” The headmistress replied, “Now to the elevator, so we can get this tour going in earnest.”

  - - - - - - -

  As the elevator rose from their prospective new living quarters Millie still felt disturbingly separate from her brother, she had since they argued on the bleachers. She thought of Beaker intervening and felt a blush color her cheeks. That made it ten times worse. Her brother had argued she had feelings for Beaker, Millie denied it then, but her blush betrayed her now. Milo glared at her. They were still connected enough for him to catch her thoughts. Millie’s blush turned to a flush of anger. She felt the impulse to tell him to stay the heck out of her head.

  Milo caught the impulse and batted back a recollection of Beaker saying much the same thing. He put up the mental version of a brick wall between them, leaving her suddenly more alone than she had ever been. Tears welled in her eyes as she tried to break through. She stepped backwards towards the elevator wall. Beaker yelped as she stepped on his toes. “Sorry,” she sniffed. No one else on the elevator paid her any mind. It wasn’t like their world just spun tipsily out of control.

  Beaker stepped around to face her, he lifted a fingertip to collect a tear, “Why are you crying?” Millie actively avoided looking at Milo. It was enough information for Beaker to seem to understand. “Has he frozen you out?”

  Millie nodded meekly.

  Beaker smoothed her hair, “I know I’m not a substitute for what you two share, but I’m here for you…”

  The elevator door opened and everyone got off. Beaker gestured for Millie to go first. She smiled at him. She glanced at her brother. Milo appeared to be fuming. Right then, Millie didn’t really care what he thought.

  - - - - - - -

  Stone was excited as they entered the academic building. To her vision, it was lit like Las Vegas with technologies only considered in the most recent portions of her father’s data files. It was fascinating. This building made her parents’ apartment seem like the 1800s. Information in dozens of languages flowed through electronic conduits in and around the wiring. She could even follow data through the dimensional wormholes connecting the central database and the terminals. Stone was ecstatic she had convinced her mother to allow her to come.

  The headmistress tapped her on the shoulder, “May we continue the tour.” Stone smiled broadly and nodded. She followed The headmistress down the hallway towards one of the classrooms. The remarkable thing about it was that it had no glow whatsoever to Stone’s extrasensory vision. Stone approached it with curiosity.

  “This is the martial arts classroom. It is lit with oil lamps and there are no computer terminals whatsoever. Mr. Jinn D’llen is adamant that technology is a crutch. According to him, one not only can but should make do without it,” the headmistress spoke directly to Stone, “As you saw in the test, there may come a point where your tech may abandon you or worse attack you. It is good to have other contingencies prepared.”

  The headmistress opened the door by turning the antiquated knob. A mechanical lock was seated in the door above the knob. There was no sign of a door panel. The interior of the room was dimly lit. The floors and walls were well padded, with beanbag chairs strewn around for seating. There were a handful of students with various levels of technological intervention seated on the beanbags At the center of the room was a briaunti man discussing eastern philosophies and combat techniques. The headmistress waved at him and he left his place and joined the tour group at the door.

  “Mr. D'llen,” the headmistress held her hand out to the man. He had the same red hair she did.

  His reaction to her gesture was to pull her into an embrace, “Mom, please! I told you I wasn’t going to be formal about this!” He released the he
admistress and turned to address primarily Stone. “Hey, you may refer to me as Sensei Jinn or just Jinn. I am so pleased to meet you Stone. I am going to be your primary mentor. I was impressed with how much you accomplished even without most of your resources. Nice job deciphering the gestural language. It was a fault in the droid’s programming not your skill that you didn’t have more luck.”

  Stone perked up at his praise, but wondered at the wisdom of assigning a cyborg an anti-technologist mentor. Perhaps if she were older and more experienced she wouldn’t have blurted, “Why?”

  “Why was there a fault in their programming?” He asked.

  Stone shook her head, “No, why would you be assigned as my primary mentor?”

  He laughed, “I totally get it. Why would I be a good mentor? Well, is there anything about technology you don’t already know or have easy access to download?”

  Stone paused, “No.”

  “Now, can you tell me what it feels like to find your center, to know how to get every fiber of your being to do what you need it to?” Jinn asked.

  “No,” Stone answered.

  “It isn’t readily downloaded either,” Jinn held his hands out in a gesture clearly meaning “There ya go.”

  Stone digested the new information. This man was the perfect mentor. She couldn’t wait to begin training.

  The headmistress bent slightly to whisper in her ear, “Then why not hang out here for a while and feel things out…”

  Stone nodded. She had already selected a beanbag chair to recline in.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The Tour Continues

  The educational facilities available in the academic building were impressively varied. But after four rooms, Faith had yet to find anything which drew more than her passing attention. She thought she might spend some time studying with Stone and her mentor. Self defense would be a good skill to have.