Vanguard: Awakening

Prologue

"Here, you can see that Professor Rob Dorington worked with his team over the course of about eighty years. However, it was only when fellow scientist, Professor Carol Fules, acquired the first surviving data of a black hole was Professor Rob actually able to answer the equation of inverted gravity that allowed sub-light travel to be realized into possibility. Now, the possibility for commercial use of this technology is far into the future. Even though we've found a reliable way to harness gravity to create a sub-space pocket that would effortlessly carry a spaceship forward, the cost and means to actually create the technology - let alone find a reliable energy source to power it that does not involve broad-scale nuclear fission - will not be picked up by any governments or private enterprises for a very long time. It'd be a lot easier for you students to find ways to shape the future if you weren't sleeping in class..."

A giggle resounded throughout the classroom, and eyes befell a young man with tussled hair happily drooling on his desk. A middle-aged woman with brunette hair and a slim frame walked to his desk, and slapped it - awakening the man with a gasp and a look of confusion on his face. "Mister Fuller, thank you for deciding to pay attention in my class. I get paid by the hour. So I'm telling you this for your own good. You're the only one who is failing my class. I know you want to go to medical school, but stellar science is a must-pass if you want to earn your degree. So I suggest you pay attention."

"Uh, shit. Sorry Mrs. Dunham. Rough night.", "Yes I'm sure your Call of Valor or your raids are very stressful. See me after class, and pay attention." The man sighed unknowingly, "Right. Sorry."

Afterwards, he did a he was told. He met with Mrs. Dunham at the end of class in her office, which was thankfully attached to her classroom. He slowly pandered towards a rather generic door made of solid oak and a section of bulletproof glass reinforced with a metal screen - the norm for doors in general throughout the college. The familiar hardwood desk and uncomfortable plastic chair sitting across a noticeably much nicer wheeled chair with fine leather sat across from it. A transparent screen held by nothing more than a thin, metal base rested easily on the desk, no wires in sight. Wireless technology had come far, and had essentially replaced anything and everything with wires at this point. Mrs. Dunham gestured to the hard plastic chair, inviting the young man in - who was noticeably nervous.

"Mister Cedric Fuller. I assume you know why I called you in after class?"

"I can take a guess."

"I understand this isn't the first time, but I'm being serious with you. This is not good for you, you understand that right?"

He cooly sat on the chair. A chair which was much too short and small to be any degree of comfortable.

"Yes Mrs. Dunham, I know. Won't happen again."

She sighed and her fingers caught the bridge of her nose.

"This isn't the first time. But it may actually be the last time. You're failing, Cedric. And if you fail a second time, you can't retake the class. You understand that right?"

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, is that if you keep sleeping in class and failing your assignments, that's it. It's done. There's no take-backs. It'd be different if you were sleeping but passing, but you're not. I won't claim to know what goes on in your personal life, but you need to fix it. You're a smart boy, you're passing introductory medical like a champ and your literature scores are off the charts. I want you to pass, I really do, but I've tried everything I can to help you. Stellar science is one of the easier classes, so why is it you're having difficulty with this class but not others?"

Cedric's face turned red and a bead of sweat ran down his forehead.

"I guess... it's just not interesting? I try to pay attention, but sometimes I'll actually fall asleep without realizing it. It's like, my brain just finds it so disinteresting that I actually struggle to stay awake while staring at the board."