T’WERE BETTER NOT TO SEE

By Benjamin Read

O Lovely Lie

I told a truth, a tragic truthThat tore the sullen sky;

A million shuddered at my soothAnd anarchist was I.

Red righteousness was in my wordTo winnow evil chaff;

Yet while I swung crusading swordI heard the devil laugh.

I framed a lie, a rainbow lieTo glorify a thought;

And none was so surprised as IWhen fast as fire it caught.

Like honey people lapped my lieAnd peddled it abroad,

Till in a lift of sunny skyI saw the smile of God.

If falsehood may be best, I thought,To hell with verity;

Dark truth may be a cancer spot'Twere better not to see.

Aye, let a lie be big and boldYet ripe with hope and ruth,

Beshrew me! but its heart may holdMore virtue than the truth.

Robert William Service

BOOK I: RAISE THE RED FLAG Preface

Silence reverberated off the metallic walls of the deserted hallways. The doors were shut tight, the halls vacant, and anticipation was strung like ropes and banners in the compressed air. In the central unit, Advisors prepared. Chairs were drawn, fingers danced across computer keyboards, and chaos grew as organization was pursued. A command for silence, and then the halls of all four quadrants were filled with the monotone beep that signaled the beginning of an address.

Static like crinkling paper. And then the deep and processed voice of the President Advisor filled the halls with its crisp, commanding, and calming tone.

“It has come to the attention of the heads of the advising committee that privy information of recent events has escaped our headquarters. Attempts to conceal this knowledge have been mutilated, and now gossip and speculation burn like wildfire through the ship. We fear that these misleading rumors and fearful words will bring this ship into the chaos that now reigns in our neighboring ship, I57. We can avoid a breakout such as theirs if we remain calm, and if you follow the Captains commands. I address you now myself, first and foremost to inform you that all is well. Your safety and best interest remains in the hands of our Captain, and we need you to know you can always depend on him. With our Captain as our guide, as our guardian, he and his servants will protect you and your families. The fears that now penetrate your hearts -- there is no need for them. He is the most capable and most informed pilot ever to grace the universe. With our Captain at the helm, your fears can be laid to rest.” The president was silent for a moment; the halls were sucking in the words like sand and water. Families and classes took in the familiar words as they felt a terrible burden lifted off of their shoulders. It was almost as if the hand of our Captain was reaching through to the people, comforting them.

“As most of you probably already have heard, and the basic idea of the rumors is true,” the president continued. “A ship from the fleet has disappeared from the outstanding 50 million mile reach of our radar. The fear was, and may still be for some, that something from the outer universe attacked A65, the ship that disappeared. For the past fifty years, we have had smooth sailing, and have not encountered any danger that we are incapable of dealing with. Those who were alive during the delegation crisis of 2891 will remember the horrible events that occurred during the disappearance of ship A69 from the radar nearly three decades ago.” The minds of the audience suddenly turned their pages back 30 years, and they recalled the words of the address that was delivered shortly after the genocide.

The ship returned on course in a matter of 12 hours, but before that happened, our ship was in a mild uproar, and some opposed the views and commands of our Captain and the advisors. About 100 crewmembers, fearing that a fate of destruction would overtake our ship, doubted the words of our Captain and the advisors. When they rebelled, we did the only thing we could.

“For those of you who remember learning or know well of what happened, we wish more than anything,” he paused, “to not repeat those events. You will also know, that our

Captain was correct in his observation; A69 had only taken a small detour, and that our Captain always is and always will be correct. And now in this moment that may appear a crisis, similar to that which occurred only a few short years ago, I must ask you all to trust in us, and continue with your lives as ordinarily as possible. After the captain observed for 10 days, 2 hours, and 15 minutes, the ship has not come back on course, taking it a possible 60 million mile distance from its original location. We have tried to conceal the information to avoid any disturbance in daily life on the ship, but we must address you now, because that concealment has been violated. The captain’s observations are certain and provable. He has confirmed that although ship A65 is off of our radar, it has done what we have been waiting for for 300 years. A65 has picked up a life sustaining planet reading in a galaxy several hundred billion miles away. Although there is no visible reading of any such planet on our ship, the captain has confirmed that A65 has picked up their signal.”

The ship was silent as joy flooded the hearts of the ships inhabitance. All in a moment, the whole of the ship was swallowed up in a sea of applause and mirth. Cheers and jubilance reigned as the president completed his speech.

“We will be changing our course of direction in about 2 hours, so prepare yourselves for some shifts in our gravitation. We will follow the course of A65 till its destination, and, if the estimations are correct, we will reach our new home in 11 months and 10 days.

“May our Captain protect and guide us.Thank You.”

Chapter 1

“I’m not ready,” laughed Charles Heath. “I haven’t finished the assignment!” “It’s okay… he won’t check,” promised Emery Montreal. Iam could already hear

them coquetting as he ambled down the elongated hallway, towards the corner which he knew as soon as he turned would have them flirting in the hallway. Sure enough, as soon as he turned, he could see Emery teasing at his sleeve trying to pull him up while he sat trying half-heartedly to complete the assignment he hadn’t even started. They were both laughing. Iam was extremely tired and didn’t want to listen to Charly’s rattling about his hatred of class, his daily art discoveries, or Emery. Emery was the most beautiful girl Iam or Charly knew. Her hair was a hazelnut brown and she had a bright white smile that lit up the hallway. Her movements were graceful, almost dance-like. She was quite tall, and had the most stunning eyes of anyone Iam had ever seen. He glanced at Charly, who was looking up at her in near-admiration. His sandy blonde hair, always unkempt, was distracting as he kept moving his head back and forth like a peacock to keep it out of his eyes.

“Laurie!” Emma stood up strait and turned towards Iam, her face beaming. “How late were you up last night? Your mom said you seemed really ill this morning… also, you look really tired – oh of course, the essay! Are you finished?”

“Yeah, I finished that half a week ago,” Iam replied, his voice hoarse. “I can see Charly got a good head start on it.”

“Well, you know how things go. It’s almost the end of the term and I am sick of Professor Daughton and all this,” replied Charly, beginning his usual rant. “I’m so excited for my pass. I’m thinking, Laurie, that when you and I get our passes, we can spend one week here, and then see if we can get a trip to Central, and see the mankind history museum.”

“Why would we want to do that?” asked Iam, his voice skeptical. “They only have a few things. Besides, you can always just check out a textbook and see what they have there without wasting a pass, and I have better things to do with my pass time.”

“Alright fine, then. Maybe Emma wants to go.” He turned his eyes to Emma, whose face was suddenly confused.

“Oh Charly, I want to, but I can’t,” Emma responded to the now almost puppy look that Charly had adopted. “No, I really can’t. Mom’s sick, and I have to keep Dad company over Pass. I really want to though.”

“It’s okay, don’t worry over it. I’ll either go alone or drag Laurie along.” Charles looked up at Iam and smiled jokingly.

“Charly… where is your uniform?” Iam asked, noticing that Charles was wearing a white t-shirt and informal shorts.

“Mine wasn’t there this morning. Ours got washed yesterday, and I didn’t get mine back. Anyway, I don’t suppose Mr. Daughton will be too thrilled.”

“Come on, guys, I’m pretty sure we were supposed to be in class five minutes ago.” Iam said in condemnation. “Charly, you won’t be receiving a pass if you keep showing up late or skipping class all together.”

“Damn, I guess I won’t be finishing the essay.”“Don’t worry,” Iam responded. “He never checks.”

Every footstep sounded like a hammer drop to Iam as he and his companions entered the room in awkward silence. The large, echoing walls of the room magnified every movement they made. Heads turned to the door as they filed in and walked up the steps to their seats. Professor Daughton sat at his desk with criticizing eyes. He looked up at them through his black eyeglasses, his bright blue eyes staring angrily. On the giant class monitor was a long page of unbearable notes the students were required to write. The three students took their seats quickly and the Professor looked down again to his book. Charles and Emma fought through their school bags to find their papers while Iam pulled his notebook out hurriedly. After plenty of awkward shuffling, the classroom returned to the normal procedure. After about five minutes, the Professor removed the notes from the screen and began his lecture. Still in his seat, he said,

“I already put the papers through, and it looks like six of them where written in pencil. How many times do I have to say, ‘INK INK INK!” Charles rolled his eyes and leaned over to Iam. “It looks like he wouldn’t have taken my paper anyway.” He chuckled and turned his attention back to the teacher, who continued.

“Out of the-,” he looked down at his page, “136 students in this classroom, six of you choose to ignore the instructions that I shout at least three times every day. And three of you haven’t even turned in anything.” His eyes immediately moved to Iam, Charles, and Emma.

“Professor, where can we turn it in?” Iam asked. “I have it too!” said Emma, somewhat indignant. Charles remained silent, but it

was clear the professor wanted to hear the status of his essay. “My Dad needed help with the kids. My mom is – um – sick, and- uh… and he

had to work. I didn’t have time.”“Charles, you seem to be missing something,” commented the Professor

unhappily.“For some reason the washer didn’t return it,” Charles responded, frustrated.“What?” “My uniform.”“Uh-huh,” the professor huffed. “Well that doesn’t save you from a drop in

points.”“And my essay?” Iam said, clearly impatient. “It doesn’t matter,” the professor stated nonchalantly. “The deadline for work was

at the beginning of class. I’m sorry.” There was a moment of silence. Charles could hear Iam cursing under his breath and Emma’s indignant puffs of air. He could feel their anger, but they didn’t argue.

“So,” continued the agitated professor, “Yesterday we left off in what is page 564 of my text… so probably around 350 for you. Find where we were yesterday, the chapter is entitled ‘Venturing into Human DNA’.” There was a flutter of pages and a scattered murmur around the classroom as students scuttled to their pages. Daughtons head peered around the room through his glasses, waiting for fingers to stop moving. When they did, he continued. Or, at least he tried.

“There is great--” the professor was shocked to be interrupted by a loud “ahem”, and looked towards the raised hand that belonged to Charles, who was leaning back in his chair, and his cheeks becoming a little red.

“Professor, I think you should take Emma’s and Laurie’s papers.” Emma’s and Iam’s heads both turned surprised, their cheeks turning crimson as well.

“Excuse me?”“It’s my fault. I thought we had ten minutes still when we were a couple hallways

down and made them stay and chat. They were actually running to class when I stopped them.” Daughton looked skeptical.

“Sir, trust me. If anyone in this classroom deserves a chance for their paper to be graded, it’s theirs.” There was a long, suspenseful pause. The professor looked down, then at Charles, then at Emma and Iam.

“Heath, see me after class,” said Daughton, his face flat and clearly unhappy. It was without further interruption that the class discussion commenced.

“As you may notice, this chapter is very short. It is a little under twenty pages in contrast to our usual hundred. There isn’t much to know right now when it comes to the human genome, because there is great controversy,” the Professor said, “over the topic of human genetic engineering. You all, with your advanced training in the engineering of DNA of all things biological are probably aware of some of the problems that have and may arise with altering the human DNA structure.

“Hundreds of years ago, when earth was our home, we were well beyond advanced in genetic engineering. Our whole lifestyle was dedicated to it. Customizing your own offspring was anything but unordinary. It gave people the power to alter all the traits of the human body naturally given at birth. Traits never before seen—black eyes, heights of eight feet, muscles extraordinarily large, and… uh” A pause, “red hair.” The teacher paused and looked around. The class had never been this interested. “The whole cause of our existence on this ship is because of the loss of balance when genetic engineering took over our world. The world’s stable system fell. Socially, economically, and morally, everything fell apart. As society became more and more out of balance with each other, the whole world fell into riot. The population turned on one another, and there was no such thing as order.

“The world’s great leaders, at the time, developed a plan. Gathering the world’s smartest scientists, they would create gigantic ships, over 1000 in total, designed to carry the whole world’s population. But, in an effort to preserve the pure human race, and taking any pure scientists who constructed the ships, they all took off one day, only with the perfect and untainted human genome. With only a couple hundred million people left in the world who were pure from the altered human, hardly a fraction of the ships rooms were used. With a plan to set off in search of a new world, and new life, all 1046 of the ships left, leaving planet earth behind to rot in the chaos of human technology. It has now been over 300 years since that day. The scientists, the only ones aware of how to run the ships, choose their children to take their places and learn the ways of the ship when they pass. The only people who can operate and work the ships are those who are capable and wise when it comes to the control of technology.”

Sam, a skinny blonde-haired girl that sat in the front piped up. “So, the advisors train their own kids to become advisors? That hardly seems

fair!”“Please raise your hand before you speak.” “Sir, what about the captain?”

“Ms. Guandol. Use your hand.” Another awkward pause. Sheepishly, Samei lifted her thin arm into the air.

“Yes, Samei?”“What about the Captain? When did they select him?”“Head advisor tells us that The Captain is the greatest captain in the universe. His

wisdom when it comes to space and knowledge of our ship is unsurpassable. I personally believe him to be one of the very designers of the ships. If so, why he chose to leave in this one, I do not know, but do know he will keep us safe through our course in this dangerous universe. He always has… He has never failed.” There was a pause, as the students admired the words so often heard.

“The story goes on though. I have taught you all you need to know, from the smallest bacteria, to the largest of the fish that inhabit our water simulations. Until recent years, that is all the information we have had a hold on. Four years ago, a scientist named Watson Crick made outstanding strides in the field of genetic engineering in micro Biology and plant life. Since then, his studies have bloomed. He died only a year ago, but his research has inspired us into speedy developments and we are now going through animal trials. Because of Watson Crick’s discoveries, we are learning more about actual human DNA than we have record of.

“Students, do you realize what is happening?” Professor Daughton questioned determinedly. “300 years ago, when the people of earth kept all biological scientists, pure or not, off of the ships, they did it for a reason. And now, despite our lack of biological research to begin with, we have gained so much information, striving for perfection in animal-food and reproduction that we can now alter their genetic code just like we could when we left earth. And now the controversy begins. Do we allow the many Adenefits of genetic engineering to take hold? We could have the ability to not eat or drink for months, run unbelievably fast, go for days without breathing. In so many ways we could change our species to be the unbeatable and for our own survival, out here where we may never find a hospitable planet. But think of the risk. It won’t stop there. Genetic engineering may once again destroy huge numbers. We can’t all have customized children. Only those with power can. So, the powerful will become more powerful, and more perfected, just like they did 3 centuries ago, and thus the vicious cycle will begin again. And our whole ship may fall and sink into muddy chaos. Now is time for you to decide are you among those that believe in the Adenefits of genetic engineering, or will you let history repeat itself?” Leaving the students in silence, the teacher pulled out his notebook, turned a few pages, and lifted a loose piece from the book. After straitening his glasses he began to read with vigor, growing more steadily to a point.

“‘On August 19th of 2902, Aden Russell Rose was born to a family of two parents and no other children in the Botany quadrant.’” The professor stopped and looked up. “I’m assuming you all have heard of his case?” There was a general agreement of nods and movement in the classroom. “Then I’ll skip down a column to where the stuff get’s fascinating. ‘His condition has made it clear to the people that not all members on our ship are pure, and that we are infiltrated by the genetically enhanced. It has hidden on his ancestry’s DNA until now. Because of our great fear of this impurity spreading, it is illegal for Aden or any of his close relatives to engage in any type of sexual behavior, regardless of the possibilities of offspring. They are all being closely monitored.’

“Students, think of Aden Lilly’s life. Forced out of much physical contact to those he is, or one day will be, attracted to, all because of genetic engineering. This is the consequence that one man and his older relatives must face, all because of the passing of tainted genes. This choice to move forward in genetic engineering on our ship is currently now being brought unto the captain, through his advisors. His decision will be made in a week, and then, deep study of the human genome will begin.”

The class sat in silence for a long moment, his words sinking in. Even Charles, whose attention was usually fixed on the wall, had his head directed at the professor.

“But, until then, we will work with what we have,” and the class gave a groan when the teacher placed a large sheet of human anatomy notes on the projector screen.

Students began shoving in chairs, throwing stacks of papers and binders together, and filed out of the classroom in a slow procession. Professor Daughton, sitting at his desk again in scrutiny, scanned the classroom as it shuffled out the door. As soon as his eyes caught sight of Charly, he said forcefully,

“Mr. Heath, can you stay behind and speak with me for a moment?”Iam and Emma waited for a short while in awkward silence outside the door of

the classroom, when, after about three minutes, Charles appeared in the door way, followed by professor Daughton. Charles and the teacher shook hands, and then Charles went on his way. Iam and Emma were confused, and looked at the professor for a moment, when he held out his hand and said,

“I’ll need those essays, then?”

Despite the Head Advisors address, the everyday processions of the ship went on without change; everyone arose at six A.M. and meals were served at seven. People worked as if they still did not know of any life-sustainable planet. At six P.M. all the men and women completed their jobs, and spent the evening with their families. Students continued their studies with vigor, and there was hardly any noticeable difference. The only altered part of daily life on the ship was the attitude. Everyone’s spirits were noticeably higher, and there was a great feeling of intense excitement for what was to come.

Belatha Heath, mother to Charles Heath, was one of the heads of the food preparation committee in her unit. Her job consisted of a five O’clock wake up, cafeteria call time at six, and then food was served at precisely 7 O’ clock after everyone had completed their exercise routines. Belatha took to her job quite happily and was always on time, if not early. Because her five children were all old enough to manage the mornings and school days on their own, she was able to work three shifts at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She almost enjoyed working in the glorious dining hall.

The morning after the address, Belatha awoke to the sound of her buzzing wall timer. The night before she could barely sleep, and she was not the only one. Almost every person on board was too busy that night to sleep; all were anticipating the arrival to their new home. Belatha imagined paradise – a world she had created in her head. The whole night she had mapped out her new home, and her new way of life.

“A home of at least 4 bedrooms, so that each child would only have to share with one, and Charles could finally get his own,” she thought, smiling. “Then a spacious kitchen that could support all of my personal baking desires and creations! That kitchen

would be at the end of a hallway that led to the door of my home, where all of my friends, Saphe, Rubell, and Catren, would come to sit and chat about our husbands, and our daily chores. After my friends and I talked enough, we would head outside and bask in the light of a star, maybe at the beach.” Ever since she was a child, Belatha longed for the beach. She had heard tales of it in her youth; stories of men who once sailed on the oceans of the earth, and enjoyed the starlight in their faces. She pictured sitting on the edge of the water, with her feet in the clear blue. She imagined seeing the fish that she saw once as a child in the aquariums, swimming freely in the wide open spaces of the gigantic sea. Belatha had always thought as a child that she would never live to see a planet where she could firmly plant her feet, and feel the wind in her hair. But now she knew that she would see it, she was positive that she was to bask in the water, and see the clear blue skies and know what wind felt like.

After many hours of hopeful thinking, she dozed into a restless sleep. She arose, only because she had slept thought the sound of her alarm so long that the bed began to shake. As soon as she pulled off the sheets and removed herself from the metal lined bed did it stop shaking. She peered around her room, somewhat unhappy. After thinking of a yellow home next to the sea, she was disappointed to see her regular uninteresting metallic walls. She sat back down on the bed, which immediately began to shake again. She hopped up, and realized that it was already 6:15. Her plain expression immediately turned to worry. Fifteen minutes late; had she really slept through her alarm that long? She leaped to the closet where she grabbed her recently cleaned uniform. After she had pulled it on, with her hair not even touched, she bolted out the door.

When she was finally outside, she could hear people in their own rooms shutting off alarms, taking showers, or exercising.

“Oh, I am really late,” she said quietly as she speed walked down the hall. She noted that at least the halls outside had dark wooden paneling, and weren’t just plain metal. She passed numbers on the room doors. 35….34…..32….31. She was frustrated as she realized her laces were undone. 20….19….18…. She turned the corner and saw the large door that held the large metal sign above it that said “Train.” She began running down the hall skidded to a halt in front of the door. She pressed the large gold button to the right of it, and it lit up. Finally, the doors opened, and she walked in. She had never been in the train this late in the morning, and was surprised how bright the lighting was. Light gleamed off of the rows of seats that were spread down the train section. There were only two other people in the train, probably professors on the way to class. She sat in her seat, anxious for the train to get moving. When it finally did, she laid her head on the head rest for a moment, thinking of the life she was going to be living in eleven months and ten days.

At the first stop, she was forced to grab onto her seat, for the train had come to somewhat of an abrupt stop. She was forced out of her day dream, and continued waiting for the next stop. About two minutes later the train slowed to a steadier halt, and she stood up, composed herself, and walked out the door. Still tired, she stumbled slightly on her still untied shoe laces, and pushed open the door to the dining hall. She walked into the beaming light of the six bright chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. She squinted, as she heard her co-worker call from window of the kitchen.

“Belatha, it’s good to see you finally found your way out of bed.”

After her eyes adjusted bright lights, she made her way through the sea of wooden tables to the entrance to the kitchen at the other side of the dining hall. After putting on light blue latex gloves and a hair net, her co-worker came over to where she had just entered.

“What are you wearing?” asked Catren, Belatha’s somewhat plain, olive skinned, friend. Her hair, in comparison to Belatha’s that morning was stunning, but Belatha hadn’t set the bar very high.

“My uniform…” answered Belatha, unsure of her answer. After looking down, she realized that she had accidentally pulled Charles’ uniform from the cupboard, which was not only the student color of black with yellow linings, as opposed to the culinary workers of black with blue, but it also was fit for a man and several sizes too big. Belatha, realizing this frowned unhappily, and sat down in the chair next to the door.

“It was a long night for all of us, and you’ve told me how badly you want to see the oceans,” Belatha looked up into Catrens’ smiling face. “I can take care of your shift today, if you need to go home and rest. Also, you might want to give Charles’ his uniform back.” Belatha looked around the large kitchen. The food seemed liked it was almost ready, and they had plenty of people moving about the metal food preparing surfaces and sinks.

“I think I’ll do that… thanks Catren,” Beletha returned the smile and stood up from her chair and exited the kitchen in a dazed manner.

It was six forty five by the time Belatha got back to her dorm. She opened the door to see her kids all in the small family room preparing to leave for breakfast. She counted their heads, and realized Charles was missing.

“Mom? Why aren’t you at work? Where’s my bag?” were the first words out of Belatha’s youngest boy, Nyman. He then proceeded to hug her around the waist, and then continue walking around the room in search of his school bag.

“Kids, where is Charles?” Glacia’s and Metill’s shoulders went up in a shrug, and Broxon, Belatha’s ten year old son stated calmly,

“He’s going to Iam’s, Mom.”“He said he was going to Iam’s, but I know he’s going to his ‘girlfriends’ dorm

take her to breakfast.” Belatha’s oldest girl Junael piped up, unhappily.“She’s not his girlfriend, Juna,” Belatha responded crossly. “She might as well be… they spend all day together,” said Junael as she walked

into the room that she shared with Charles. Belatha rolled her eyes.“You, young lady, are just jealous that he has a new favorite girl,” Belatha said,

smiling a little. Junael popped her head out of her door. “Hah hah,” Junael responded, smirking, and pulling her head back in. “Mom, I

can’t find my school bag,” she yelled from her room.“What are you? 8?” she replied, referencing Nyman, who was looking under his

bed cushions, in a furious search for his school bag. “I’m pretty sure it’s on the bathroom counter.” Junael then came out of her room and crossed to the bathroom, where she returned with her school bag.

“I’m going to breakfast… and I turn 17 in three days. Don’t forget.”“Do I ever?” Belatha responded, giving her daughter a hug. Junael called for

Nyman.

“Ny! I’m leaving. Come on.”“Ugh! Where is my school bag!” Nyman shouted angrily, stamping his feet on the

ground. “Ny, it’s right here by the door,” Junael pointed to the brown shoulder bag that

was propped up against the wall. “Oh, yeah!” Nyman threw up his arms in excitement. “I left it there so I wouldn’t

forget about it today!” As he followed Junael out the door he embraced his mother tightly again, and then skipped out.

Belatha shut the door behind them and threw herself down on the brown leather couch that was backed up to the wall next to the door. Her eyes lids immediately felt heavy. Forgetting all about Charles and his suit, she drifted into a light sleep with thoughts of blue skies, the wind, and the ocean.

Chapter 2

With the last day of classes around the corner and exams pounding at their doorstep, it was not uncommon for students to be nearly dead at the end of the class period. Two weeks until the end of school, and the students of sector 2B76 filed out of Mr. Daughton’s with little energy for reviewing information, much less walking home.

When the train in their sector had broken down that morning, fixing it became even more of a problem when the whole car burst into flames. Luckily the bulk of the students who had piled in at each stop were out before the train actually ignited. As the flames licked up the sides of the train car, students that had slipped through the tight metal doors quickly scattered in all directions, several to get help, and others toward the water hoses. About every 40 feet or so in every hallway was a large black water hose that could extend over 60 feet from the wall. A group of 4 students dragged the snake like hose from about 20 feet from the flailing car, and dowsed it in spraying water. Almost immediately, the fire had gone out, and the two students who had remained in the car, while soaking wet, were fine.

While there was no morbid news, the train for their sector was being fixed by maintenance, and so the students were forced to either walk home or, depending on the location of their house, sleep at the classrooms over night.

Iam realized his only option following school that day was to sleep inside one of the school classrooms. He was not excited. While Iam was somewhat social, and he did enjoy the company of other people, he was not keen with the idea of spending the evening and night with his classmates. When Iam was young, his school abilities fell short of the other students in his classes. He often told his parents that he felt inadequate, and useless. After entering schooling at the late age of ten, his teachers decided that he must have been boring with something of a mutation that made his brain slightly harder to work with, and slightly slower than everyone else’s. After Iam began to catch on, he went into a state of depression. He couldn’t help but feel that he was a hopeless and disappointing part of his parent’s life – that the only thing he was capable of being was himself, which wasn’t enough for him. After that, his nights were then spent with long hours of academic improvement. He spent more time than many of the most hardworking students in his class on his biological studies. At age eleven, he was pushed up a class, so that he was working with the 10 year olds instead of the 9 year olds. And finally, after three exhausting years of hard work, he was placed with all the fourteen year olds his age. He remained a hard worker ever since.

However, along with the diligent and hard working attitudes he built up for himself, came an attitude of elitism. His constant hard work and self improvement led him to believe that he was better than all others – that somehow his efforts had brought him above everyone else. They had – but it didn’t help him to know that. And now, believing himself to be the exception to the immaturity of the average teenager, he couldn’t stand the thought of sharing the evening with a classroom of them.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Iam couldn’t help himself – He blurted the words out almost entirely unintentionally.

“Stop. Stop. We are in public,” Charles said, laughing. Iam responded by looking around at the onlookers who saw Iam tightly embracing Charles awkwardly.

“Yeah…” Lawrence straitened himself up. “But no, seriously. Thanks. I couldn’t stand a night with these people,” he said a little bit too loudly. Professor Daughton’s students were in the classroom packing up. Professor Daughton had already informed them that the train car wouldn’t be fixed for a while. Iam had about fifteen minutes left of class, after Daughton had told them, to consider his alternatives, and then discover he might have to spend the evening with his classmates. He almost cried at the thought.

“Don’t worry about it. My parents won’t have a problem with it either. They love you,” Charles said, and Lawrence grinned. “I’ll try to not be obnoxious. I have a lot of work to finish, anyway.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m in your class.” Charles responded, swinging his school bag over his shoulder.

“Actually, it’s not school work,” he said, practically begging Charles to ask what it was.

“Pack up. We’re leaving,” Charles said, tired. Iam hadn’t even begun to put his things away.

“Aren’t you wondering what I’m working on?” Iam asked with pleading brown eyes. Charles looked down at his friend, still sitting. And not packing.

“What. What are you working on?” Charles smiled, exasperated. “I can’t tell you. It’s mine and Emma’s secret,” Iam grinned a huge smile.

“Oh my gosh,” Charles rolled his eyes and turned to walk towards the door to hide the blush on his face.

“Don’t tell me you aren’t interested to know what it is,” Iam poked obnoxiously, throwing his things hurriedly into his bag and chasing after Charles, who was climbing down the classroom steps.

“I am interested, yes,” Charles admitted, exiting the classroom, averting his eyes from Professor Daughton who was watching from his desk. “But I know that you are just going to dangle the information in front of me and never tell me.”

“Not exactly. You’ll learn eventually,” Iam finally caught up as they walked down the hallway.

“It’s a pretty lengthy walk to my house. You are going to annoy me about this the whole way, aren’t you?”

“I don’t think so. I have better things to talk about,” Iam said, returning to his normal self. “Like, what are you going to be doing in two months?”

“Iam, I only have something of an idea,” Charles responded as they turned the corner. My scores in class aren’t that high. You know me – I’ve never really been the scholastic type.” There was a pause as they continued to walk.

“Well?” Iam asked.“I’m thinking I’ll go into central control,” he said, hesitantly. Their steps echoed

loudly along the length of the corridor. “What? Central Control? Why?” “To be in control you don’t need good scores, or even a record of passes. You just

need dependability and physic,” Charles responded, almost as though he had gone over the idea several times in his head.

“And you have physic,” said Iam.

“Hey, I consider myself to be a somewhat dependable person,” Charles declared. Iam chuckled.

“If by dependable you mean late, forgetful, and pretty much every other word that is not dependable, then yes. That is what you are. But why central control?”

“Central gives you better living conditions, better hours, and better food,” Charles responded. “It’s really just taking the best with what you have.”

“Fine. Good luck convincing Emma to leave,” Iam said. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Charles questioned, argumentative. “Well, if your plans with her go through then I bet you will want her to be coming

with you.” Charles turned a bright scarlet. “Shut up.”“Well, excuse me, but it’s not like you’ve been all that discreet about it.”“Shut it, Iam.”

They still had quite a ways to walk.

Iam is at Charles home. After helping the family with dinner and everyday life processions, the family ends the evening and goes to bed. The two boys and the parents have a discussion and Charly talks about how he would hate to be Aden. Iam heads to his house, where he sees his father and they talk for a little.

Chapter 3

Charles tries to convince via phone that Iam needs to accompany him to the central quadrant because he really would like somebody to go with him. Iam denies him. Later, Emma tells him that she has something really important that she needs to talk about with him. Then she says that Charles really wanted her to go, but she couldn’t, so Iam agrees to go.

Chapter 4

It is the final day of Education and projects are due. Everyone turns theirs in, everyone receives their passes. Iam and Charles plan to leave the next day. Emma goes home to see her mom and gets a phone call from a mysterious person. She talks with him for a while, they have talked before.

Chapter 5

Iam and Charles leave for the central quadrant. They spend their day there, doing a lot of “Sight seeing”. One of their last adventures of the day is when they go to the human art history. He sees a few famous paintings and comes across Guernica. After great examination, he and Charles are heading home when they see Aden being paraded through the street.

BOOK II: PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter 1

(Takes place at election rally) The head of economics post is currently vacant, and people are running for popular vote. A man who is young, attractive, and very assertive appeals greatly to the audiences. His plan is to split the ship. Because they are almost to a planet, their plan is to break off the back quadrant, the botany quadrant, to save fuel to make it with enough fuel to begin construction. Many of the advisors conclude that his plan is sound, and that his plan would indeed save much fuel. There are only a few that believe the plan to make no sense.

Chapter 2

Upon his return home, Emma informs Iam that she has been talking and meeting with Aden, who apparently lives somewhat close to them. She has gotten very personal, but what they don’t know is that Charles has been listening in. Charles informs the police that Aden has been making sexual advances on Emma, because Charles loves Emma and doesn’t want Aden in the way. Aden is taken from his home, relocated, and Iam, whose father is in the force, learns that they are going to make Aden sterile.

Chapter 3

Emma Immediately believes that the person who told is Iam, and she becomes infuriated with him. She tells him that Iam needs to go to Aden, apologize and give him a note. Iam denies all such things, but eventually goes anyway, because Aden has always intrigued him. He finds out where Aden lives, tells him the truth, and Aden talks for a while. Iam discovers that it was Charles who claimed to see Aden sexually assaulting Emma, and that Aden is to be made sterile within a month. He has to stay near Aden’s home for a while.

Chapter 4

Meanwhile, Emma, who fears for her friend writes him a letter, and then goes on some kind of “date” with Charles. Charles then asks her if she is attracted to anybody, and she asks for a specific example. He gives the one of Iam, and then she tells him that Iam did something very horrible, and that because of him one of her best friends is gone. Charles uses this to get closer to Emma. That evening, Emma receives a note from Iam that he is extremely worried. He pretty much kidnapped Aden because he felt guilty about his predicament. But now he is stuck because the authorities are searching all over for him.

Chapter 5

Iam hides with Aden in the capitol. With the authorities on the lookout, Aden has to stay invisible at all times. They hide inside the museum of human history, Aden helps him because Aden is a genius. They pass by Guernica again. They get up into the vents, and drop into a train that is headed towards their quadrant. Iam explains to Aden that he didn’t mean any of this to happen.

Chapter 6

Iam and Aden are back at their quadrant. Iam begins to disguise Aden and basically it’s just hiding Aden. Iam invites Emma over, and she brings Charles, insisting that they can trust him. Iam is clearly upset by Charles’ presence, but doesn’t want to tell Emma that he is the one who told on Aden because she might love him less. They discuss what is going to happen with Aden.

Chapter 7

The man running for president with his ideas suddenly dies of heart attack or something like that. Although he is no longer running, the head advisor still says he needs to go forth with his plan. The Botany quadrant is unhappy.

Chapter 8

Iam, somehow, is admitted to the hospital. Aden and Emma immediately get him to the quadrants hospital, where, after all is wished well for him, he is sleeping, he wakes without opening his eyes, and hear’s Emma and Aden talking. While Iam is recovering, Aden has to stay at Charles’. Aden gets to know Charles’ mom very well, and they become good friends.

Chapter 9

Hosted by Professor Daughton, there is a class review for the job placement test. Aden really wants to go, and so Iam asks Daughton if his friend on pass can come. Daughton immediately suspects something, but agrees. As soon as they come, Daughton recognizes Aden from the papers, but doesn’t say anything. Through the course of the class, Aden constantly shows his bright, genius mind. He thrives on the learning experience. At the end of class, Daughton warns Iam that he needs to be careful, and that he is “playing with fire”.

That night, Charles acts upset that his Mom is treating Aden better than he is treated. He then talks about how quickly he has grown, and how he doesn’t want to leave behind his childhood, but he has to.

Chapter 10

There is a graduation-like party, where there is a lot going on. Aden is a social butterfly and a partier. And then, in the middle of it, Charles proposes to Emma, who happily accepts. Iam looks around for Aden, but he has disappeared. Iam runs out into the hallway, and storms after Aden. He confronts Aden about his feelings. Aden claims that he doesn’t care about Emma anymore. All he wants is to be able to have what Charles has. A family, a girl, and a life. He plans on confronting the Head Advisor himself. Iam agrees to assist him.

Chapter 11

Instructors of the Botany quadrant meet. They discuss what would really happen, and how this plan makes sense. If the planet didn’t work, they could end up dead. The members of the board don’t know what to do because of their faithful trust in the captain. They believe in his word and decide to go with the plan despite its holes. One of the board members, a teacher named Catherine Summers, is very adamant about fighting the plan, but she is shot down. When she tries to come up with a plan at home, she sees the television interviewing a member of the police force that is in charge of the search for Aden. She sees Aden and Iam shocked in the background, and immediately recognizes Aden from class. She doesn’t call authorities.

Chapter 12

While his father is away at work, Iam gets a call at the door from Catherine. He immediately falls in love with her when he answers the door. She says she needs to talk to Aden. She talks about how she wants Aden to figure out the problems presented with the issues because of his genius. He agrees. She leaves to return to her quadrant.

Chapter 13

Things have cooled down for about a week. The official release of the botany quadrant will be after the Address Conference. Catherine gets a call from Aden and he says that they need to meet. On her way, she is stopped by Emma, who demands to know what is going on. Catherine informs her that she is just a friend, but Emma follows her to Iam’s home. She demands to know what is going on, but Iam refuses her pushes. Aden is adamant about letting her in to the circle, saying she could be useful. Aden then goes on to say that the plan is not sound, it makes no sense. There needs to be a different plan at hand, and Aden is determined to figure out what it is.

Chapter 14

Catherine returns to her quadrant to rally people together with her new information. People begin to take real interest in the subject. The people of the Botany quadrant begin to make peaceful protests. The advertisements for attending the huge Advisor Conference are playing. The Botany quadrant becomes more and more popular. Emma is unhappy that Iam wouldn’t include her in the discussion. Then, Iam asks her if she is comfortable about what is going on, and under pressure, she says she wants to keep the Botany

quadrant. Then, he asks about Charles. She says he is firm in his trust in the captain, and she doesn’t know who to fight for. Iam tells her she can’t fight on their side unless she is fully on their side.

Chapter 15

Fearing people immigrating from the Botany quadrant, the ships control center shuts off the Botany quadrants entrance, so that no one can get in or out. The advisors words ring through the halls informing them that it is only to maintain calamity. Instead, the people of the Botany freak. There is rioting, and no one knows what to do. Emma confronts Charles about the issue. Charles says that he is going into the force so that he can support them, because he didn’t get a very good score on the test. He says he remains with the captain, and says that if Emma is against the Captains wishes, then they can’t be together. Without knowing what to do, she turns to Aden. Aden tells her that all she can do is go with the tide. It’s really starting to flow, and all she can do is what she knows is right.

Chapter 16

Gaurds push people into their rooms in the Botany quadrant and a lock down commences. The people are upset but can’t get out. Emma commits herself to the cause and tells Iam that she will do whatever she can to fight for what is right. Aden is getting frustrated that no one cares about his predicament, and he tells Iam that he needs to open the doors to the botany quadrant so they can escape. They decide they have to leave that day and they head to the central. Before they go, Aden gives a pendant to Charles mother, and claims that his mother gave it to him before she left when he was a baby. He says that he should return it to his “mother”. Iam remembers the painting.

Chapter 17

Catherine, while in her room, thinks about how she can stop what is coming. In the lockdown, she attempts to disable the door, and then uses her gun to shoot it down. Unsuccessfully, guards come to take her away, and as they are taking her, she attacks them both and then escapes into the ventilation system. As gaurds pass by she gets on a train, headed for the biological quadrant. She returns to find Emma, alone, and unknowing of what is going on. With both Iam and Aden gone, they decide it is best for them to somehow to open the Botany quadrant doors.

Chapter 18

The captain is writing an address that brings the truth of Aden to light, how his hair is really just a genetic mutation, and recent science has discovered that. But, after serious thinking, he erases it, and creates a comforting speech of how helpful the separation of the Botany quadrant is. Another advisor comes in and speaks to him about if they have been doing the “right thing” all along.

Chapter 19

From the eye’s of a 13 year old boy: He sees his families great dependence on the captain in the power quadrant. He watches the television as he sees people preparing for the Advisors Conference. He hear’s his family’s discussion of the issue and then goes to talk to his friend about their view of the situation.

Chapter 20

Aden and Iam, on their way to the central headquarters are interrupted by Charles. He laments their decision and what they are doing and that they should turn back now. They refuse, and he gives a hint they will release the Botany quadrant during the address, so no one will suspect or be able to do anything. Aden hits him extremely hard in the head, so that he is knocked out. Iam, fearful that he will lose Catherine, says that he has to go to her. Aden insists that he should go to her, because he knows the Botany quadrant more, and that he will surely get back to the quadrant. They make a plan to meet at the conference to interfere and make an announcement. They hug, and depart.

Chatper 21

With all the advisors but the captain in the conference center, Iam easily makes his way through the guards and up to the captains head quarters so he can speak to the captain himself. With no captain to be found, he finds the head advisor, in the captains room. The head advisor tells him that there never has been a captain, and he was simply devised to keep control over the ship. With everyone holding faith in something more powerful and untouchable, everyone held to a strict code of morals. When Aden came along, they only assumed it to be a gene from long ago, and then they learned that it wasn’t. But they couldn’t correct the captain, because the captain always has to be right. Then he tells Iam that he can’t tell anyone, in order to preserve the peace on the ship. Then the head advisor leaves.

Chapter 22

Iam, extremely confused and depressed, lumbers along the halls to meet Aden who is at the upper balcony of the hall. He finds him right before Aden is about to speak to everyone. He tells Aden that they can’t, and Aden asks why not. Iam tries explaining it, and then he breaks out into tears and can’t manage it. Then, high above, members of the Botany quadrant have broken out and break the chain on the chandelier that is the image of the ships prospering technology. The chandelier falls, and Catherine and Emma have shut off the ships door containing system, and then immediately rally the people together to fight. Aden assists Iam to safety and then tells him that now is their chance to win his freedom. Iam attempts to stop Aden, but all Aden says to him is “thank you,” and then he runs off. Iam keels over and cries.

Book III: SEEING RED

Chapter 1

Charles’ mother is at home, watching the news. She is worried for her son in the army, but also for her friends, Aden, Iam and Emma. She plans to go out there. She rallies a group of people to fight for the Botany quadrant, including Emma’s parents and their friends.

The two teenage boys from chapter 19 get all of their teenage friends to fight too, and some adults.

Chapter 2

The ship is in chaos. The Conference center is on fire, and the Botany quadrant members are fighting to get to the captains headquarters. A message goes out on the intercom, saying, “if you interrupt the captain, the ship may crash and we all might die. Those in the Botany quadrant, return to your quadrant, or you will be publicly executed for your crimes.” Some return, but many refuse and continue fighting. Aden heads toward the Central unit through the fighting to get to the captain. Iam is found by Emma, who says they need to get people out of the fire that is spreading.

Chapter 3

Iam and Emma take out the fire, while Catherine has returned to the Botany quadrant to stop the guards that fight there. While she is being attacked she thinks of Iam and how she loves him, and they might not be together. As she and her fellow fighters are being cornered, a hundred or more youths appear to fight, and attack the guards there. They clean out the Botany quadrant of the forces free all the people, and then Catherine rally’s everyone together and insists that they head to the central to take down the leaders. She then realizes the rebellion she has officially created.

Chapter 4

In the Central unit, bombs begin going off everywhere, and the center begins growing more steadily more chaotic. Emma sees Aden and his red hair and follows him to where he is headed.

Charles is sitting in a room, in front of the chambers, sitting and in tears. He cries for the love of his life and he doesn’t know where he is, or what he is doing. He begins throwing things and it is clear that he is going a little bit insane. He begins to cut his arm on a sharp object.

Chapter 5

Catherine is leading her members as quickly as possible to the gates of the Botany quadrant, where they are met by hundreds of guards. With the inability for the doors to close, there is no way for the Botany quadrant to be shut off. As they fight, she realizes that they aren’t actually trying to kill everyone. They are simply keeping all those on the

Botany quadrant on it, because they are going to release it somehow. She tells them to fight as hard as they can, because they are somehow going to split the quadrants soon.

Chapter 6

Iam is now in the midst of the battle and he realizes that for Aden’s sake, he needs to tell everyone the truth. During all of the battle, he lifts up the microphone he has, checks to see if it works, then stops the fighting to tell everyone in the room of the truth about the captain. Shock spreads and then he is shot twice by a loyalist to the captain, saying that the captain lives forever. Iam falls to the ground and is carried away to safety.

Chapter 7

Iam awakes, his chest hurting. He then tries to get out to fight, but can’t because he is too injured. As he walks from the safety of the hospital, he passes by the nearly exploded entrance to the captains doors. Charles yells out his name, and they discuss old times and the importance of there being a captain. Charles then tells Iam that he is next in line to be head advisor, and that his mother is daughter to the Head advisor, because there is no male heir older than him. They get into a fist fight, and Charles dominates. He then tells Iam to go, and that he hopes to never see him again. Iam continues walking when Charles yells that they are going to be blowing up the entrance to the botany quadrant, the quadrant the Catherine is on. Iam, although shot, tries his best to get to the entrance.

Chapter 8

Aden finds himself heading to the Captains chamber, thinking of what has happened and how infuriated he is at the captain for making his life a living hell. His anger makes it difficult to think as he keeps moving. He keeps walking, and then realizes that Emma has been following him. She tells him that she is going to help him until the end. He kisses her, and then she refuses him, saying that she loves Charles, and that he is not a bad person, even though he is loyal to the captain. She then tells Aden of all her plans for the wedding, and she breaks down into tears because she knows that Charles and she will never be together.

Chapter 9

Catherine fights valiantly as she fights to get to the other side of the line that marks the other side of the quadrant. She watches as her friends die, and she cries for Iam.

The two teenage boys together make a break in the line, and many of them are filing over. Catherine stays to create order, and when a few people are in the middle of the line, the gateway is blown up into pieces, and emergency doors shut as people are pulled into space. Catherine knows what has happened now.

Chapter 10

Aden and Emma climb hills of ruble and finally make it to the entrance to the captains head quarters where they see Charles. Aden sends Emma, knowing that she might be able to get Charles to let her through. Emma walks up out of the darkness, and tells Charles that she needs to get past, and then Aden appears. Charles, clearly insane, grabs Emma and stabs her in anger. She falls to the ground, dead, and Charles tells Aden that he is free to go up as he wishes, to meet “The Captain”. Charles then falls to the ground, unconscious. Aden runs to Emma, who is on the ground, and already dead. He apologizes for everything, to her, and then goes into the room.

Chapter 11

Iam’s feet could be heard a mile away as he trudged farther and farther down the hallway towards the fourth chamber. His whole body was sore – His legs from walking, arms from repeatedly picking himself up, and heart. His heart ached with the cruelest torture. Iam wished more than anything for things to go back to the way that they were, when he was didn’t know… He didn’t want to know. Maybe the Head advisor was right- it is better that one lives their lives peacefully than with the prospect of horror burning through their minds.

His repetitive spasms continually threw him to the ground. Every time Iam took five steps his body would shake vigorously and cause him to keel over in pain – his gunshot wound pierced his body with an immense amount of pain. However, his physical wound was far too easy to ignore. His mind swam with the reminder that everything he believed in as a child really didn’t exist. He kept shoving the thoughts out of his mind, trying to cloud them with memories of his old friends – but all that led to was The Captain, and how The Captain had always been there, taking his ship on the right course, never failing… never wrong. And now there was nothing.

Iam comes upon the destroyed wall, and knows now that it has already been blown up and that Catherine is in the Botany quadrant. He curses Charles, and is about to kill himself, when he decides that there are still things to live for. He moves to the Central conference center, where he sees that the war is ending, and that people have stopped fighting. The only hope is to regain order. He sees now why there was a captain, and how important he was to the order of a ship that could at any moment plummet into chaos. He then realizes that it been 11 months, and that they should be nearing the planet, and also that they are about to fly through an asteroid belt. He announces over the mic hopefully that they will see a planet that they can rebuild on in a few hours.

Chapter 12

Aden awoke, his mind racing in heat and sweat. He immediately got to his feet, almost with ferocity. He took a moment to recall all that had happened: in complete anger Charles had stabbed her. He didn’t want to think about the look on her face. The worst moment was the look of regret that Charles’ seemed to bear when he dropped her dead body to the ground. He cried over the woman he murdered. Aden could hardly believe it. Nothing seemed to fit. He decided in his mind that the only thing to do was to keep moving. He let his eyes adjust to the light, and then proceeded to make his way towards

the Advisors’ chamber. He stepped over Emma’s body, Charles’ body, and reached the large metal double door with a huge red sign that lit up the room. It read “The Advisors”, and underneath, it said “Only advisors and those with special permission may enter. He didn’t know what was pushing him, begging him to keep moving. He felt the hot tears still falling down his face but he couldn’t remember why. Something moved him to push the doors open; there were no guards to stop him now.

His mouth dropped at the sight that he saw: The whole room was a gigantic cylinder, extending 1,000 feet into the air. At the top a huge glowing ceiling lit up the chamber. A single stair case wrapped itself around the huge room, spiraling up farther and farther. Doors stood at different levels, each as an office to a specific advisor number on them. He walked to the base of the stairs and began his climb. His tired legs continued to move, despite his head screaming at him to stop. Door 70. Door 69. Door 68. He kept moving, tears flowing endlessly, pointlessly. Door 60. Door 59. Door 58. He stepped up, and up, and up thoughtlessly, hardly remembering why. Aden forced himself farther and farther. Door 51. Door 50. Door 49. His tears wore him down. His legs forced him to a halt; he couldn’t move anymore. At door 48, he fell to the ground, whimpering and unmoving. His face buried in his arms.

“You are so cute. I think we are really, really alike… you remind me of myself when I was your age.” He began to sob heavily.

“I love being around you. You’re so funny Aden- can we do this more often?”Somehow it didn’t seem right; that neither he nor Charles got the girl. Nothing seemed right anymore. “And even if he did get the girl, didn’t I deserve something?” He thought, with only his almost silent crying piercing the silence.

“Didn’t I deserve something?!” He shouted aloud, a fire rising in his heart. “Don’t I deserve something?!” His voice turned hoarse and cracked. His anger

turned into a spark that gave him the courage to get up. The captain had to be at the very top. There was no point in stopping now. He was so close.

Each minute felt like an hour, and every moment trudged by begging Aden to stop moving. Aden realized as he pushed farther and farther up the stairs that he hadn’t slept in two days. His eyes were begging him to close them. His heart was trying to keep up with his legs, and his legs were straining to support the weight of his body. As he pushed on and up the difficult staircase, he repeatedly shut out thoughts that would hurt him. Emma’s face continually reappeared in every corner of his mind. The tears of Charles and all that he had lost. And then Iam. Iam was Aden’s greatest friend. He had helped him through all the trials, assisted him when he felt weak. And now Aden needed Iam’s help more than ever. As he passed door 23, he looked up, noticing that the long spiraling stair case was nearing an end. He continued to climb, the light blaring in his eyes. As he walked, he remembered Iam’s words before the Chandelier crash.

“Aden,” He was sobbing at the time. “Aden it’s not… He doesn’t…” He would break down at the beginning of every sentence. “Nothing is real. Aden, it’s not real.” He couldn’t speak anymore, and that was the moment the Chandelier crashed.

Aden couldn’t realize what Iam had meant. What isn’t real? The stairs were at an end now. Aden walked up through the ceiling past door thirteen to a circular room that was lined with doors numbered from 1 to 12. Clearly, this was the 12 Captains advisors chamber, and then there was one door, across the room from Aden, between 1 and 12 that

had nothing on it. Aden whispered aloud, “The Captain,” and although he knew he needed to convince the captain he was wrong, Aden still felt tremendous respect in that moment. The captain, the greater of any one captain to ever exist, the one who had guided them all this way and protected them and helped them be safe – At this point, Aden didn’t know exactly what to do. The captain new all the answers, and yet Aden was going to prove him wrong. Aden was already halfway to the captain’s door, when he noticed that the head advisors door, room 1, was wide open. Aden took a quick moment to see the room of the man who had made his life what it was. He walked to the door frame and pressed the lights on. The room lit up revealing an arch like desk, all the way around the triangular room, that was filled with knobs and buttons of all kinds. The room was cluttered with papers and files, but there was no head advisor to be seen. What was to be seen was truly horrific. On the floor were four butchered guards, their body’s clearly stabbed and hacked with something. Blood covered their uniforms, and their faces were still remnant of shock. Aden stepped over their bodies to the front of the desk, looking out the window at the stars. A small section of the desk, labeled with the words “Disable Initiative,” had several levers all turned to the side, and a clock next to each one, counting down minutes until zero.

“Oh no.” Aden realized what was going on. In this terrible moment of desperation, the head advisor was going to destroy the ship.

Chapter 13

At some point near the end of the revolution, Aden bursts into the Head advisors chamber where he is hiding in his getaway vehicle thing, trying to escape the impending doom of the ship. Aden knows that the only way to save the ship is to get in the escape pod and remove the device that sets of the chain reaction. He pleads with the head advisor to get out. The HA tells Aden that it’s all a lie, there is no planet, and that was only said to keep everyone under control, just like the lie about the captain. The head advisor, almost insane, insists that everything is under control. Aden asks again and Head Advisor refuses. Aden, already furious at him, picks him up by the collar, beats him almost ruthlessly, and throws him to the ground. Just before Aden gets in the space ship, HA informs Aden of his true lineage and in anger of being abandoned as a child because of the HA, Aden shoots him in the chest. At that exact moment the doors open and guards file in, and see Aden standing there with the gun in his hand. Aden gets in the escape pod, leaves and saves the ship. As he is flying, through the asteroid belt, he sees beyond it a planet that has life on it, that the ship didn’t detect because it looked as though it were a part of the asteroid belt that had flown off. He then saves the ship and his pod blows up itself.

Chapter 14

Iam, while attempting to rebuild inside, notices the planet, and they all cheer. Then, while Iam is beginning to take charge of a new age, Charles is raised up, and proclaims himself the new head advisor, and claims his title. Iam is locked up for starting the war, only to

be released when they land and sent into exile. Charles then tells Iam that Emma was killed because of the war that Iam started. Iam is left in his cell.

THE END