The Eden Project

1.1 : Survey

"... Come to the CIC, by request of Admiral Burke. I repeat, will Doctor Kimura please come to the CIC. This is by the request of Admiral Burke." {1}

The voice over the loudspeaker snapped Shea out of his drone, along with the giggling of the lecture hall of newly-eighteen kids in front of him. A urgent vibration then drew his attention to his watch, where a message flashed across the transparent glass screen announcing that his alarm went off twenty minutes ago and that it was appalled that it still could not get his attention.

"Alright everyone, that seems to be it for today..." a majority of the chairs squeaked as their occupants moved to stand up and leave. "AH, I didn't say you could leave yet, I'll continue. That seems to be all the time we have for today, however you will be notified soon of when you are all expected to come back for the rest of the lecture. It is mandatory for every member of the fleet who was not an adult at the time of the Event to sit through this thing once they reach eighteen, and none of you are any more special than the kids who have been hearing this story for the last twenty years, regardless of your mom telling you otherwise.

"Expect the date to be sent to each of your slates within the week. Let's all pretend that we are looking forward to seeing eachother again in two to three weeks, I promise you that wherever you try to hide, the fine boys, girls, and otherwise over at EP-SEC can certainly find you. Most of them were the first to find all the hiding spots back when they were your age!" {2}

By the time he had finished speaking, his slate was unplugged and slipped into his pocket, and he had packed away the small handful of things he had brought with him into his bag which was now slung over his shoulder.

Turning back to the kids all looking at him in the hall, he addressed those still in their seats with a slight look of confusion, and those half out of their seat, thinking they could get to the door before the rest of their peers. "Yes, you may leave now, please don't trample each other on your way out, there would be far more paperwork than I am willing to do."

-- -- --

A ways down the corridor, a slightly tinny voice chirped at him from his wrist.

//  "You know you could be a lot nicer to those kids eh? Otherwise they'll grow up to be as sour as you some day!" //

You do realize that I took out my earpiece so I didn't have to hear a lecture from anyone today right? And that includes your smart a.... OW!" a sharp jolt of electricity snapped through his left arm and spread down to his toes before dissipating into the white floor below. He looked down at the watch on his wrist. A moment later, his scowl turned into a grin, followed by a chuckle, which quickly turned into rolling laughter.

"You little... you realize I can erase you right? Why do I let you get away with stuff like this?

// "Well for one, it would kind of be ironic to kill your own child for doing what you taught them to do! I bet all the old aunties in the market would look at you weird afterwards. All their judging, and head-bobbling. Actually you totally should try and delete me, you'll probably screw it up, leaving me free to find a nice cozy spot on your home mainframe!" //

"You're a computer program, I can't kill you and you know it. Maybe I'll let my fingers slip and delete the repository while I'm at it so you've got no backups. Then I'd finally be free of the shame for having made such a poorly made pile of code."

// "You made me this way because of your ineptitude, do you really think you could succeed at actually getting rid of me now? Even if it suits your nihilistic, depressing vibe to off your oldest, and soon to be only, friend!" //

Despite the suggestion in his words, he had a smile on his face now as he walked down the idyllic promenade. She probably was his oldest friend at this point. She'd been by his side for something like four decades. And literally by his side at that.