Launch

3 ~ The Message

The Message

You walk slowly into the federal classroom, along with the flow of other students. Some are chattering excitedly, others are going over their notes, some are just staring blankly into space as if they wished they were a world away. You're more of a mix. You don't chat, but sometimes you wish you were worlds away. This, however, does not stop you from going over your notes very carefully. Ahead, you see a friend of yours, Amanda Walker, chattering away in a gaggle of girls. How can she be so cheerful on a day like this? You shake your head vigorously to clear away the doubts and fears.

"Just stay focused," Mind says, "We'll be fine."

You walk over to the cold metal desk which has been yours for the past three months. You observe with satisfaction that the pair of goggles are in their normal place, and the electric pen is slid into the side of the desk as usual. Everything is usual, except the assignment. You and the students around you are about to test out of the last two years of Elite High School history. Or, at least you'll be trying to. Only special students with clear talent are assigned these tests, and if you pass . . .

"Let's not talk about it right now, Mind," Emotion bemoans, "If we do, I swear I'll crack up and we'll cry in the front of the whole school."

"The whole school is not here at present, Emotion," Observance answers quietly.

"Well, Amanda is here," Emotion shoots back, "And she's the only student in this dratted school that matters to us."

"Calm down, Emotion," Mind sooths, "Even though you are right, you must not get worked up about it. Now, let's make sure we have everything here."

You sit down in the cold metal seat and start unpacking what you have in your school backpack.

"All right now, let me see here," Mind drones, "Note Tablet, water bottle, lunch bag, extra power modules, and a few Granola bars in case we get nervous."

"Not much," Observance notices.

"It never is, Observance," Mind answers, "Heart, you're very quiet today - you feeling okay?"

"If I were to tell you how I feel," Heart says slowly, "we all would crack up and cry in front of the whole school."

"He's sarcastic today," Emotion growls.

"I'm not being sarcastic," Heart returns calmly, "Mind, I think we should go over our notes one more time."

"That's a good idea, Heart," Mind answers briskly, "And ideas are my field."

You activate your Note Tablet, and open your Test Notes file. You scan the list of facts, dates, and events of the Federation over the last thousand years or so.

"Boring! Boring! Boring!" Emotion hyperventilates, "That is boring to the third power!"

"Now look who being sarcastic," Observance says. Emotion is silent and you keep scanning down the list, trying to stamp every entry into your memory.

"Let's close the file and try to recall everything," Mind suggests.

"Not a bad idea," Heart observes.

Emotion gives a growling sigh.

You close the file and give it a shot. "Alright, in the Federational year of 23-98-36, George Abergor of Yemen attempted to manipulate the foreign trade stocks into forcing the Federation into an unfavorable trade agreement with the Maharctile Tribes of the ancient Triblis System. However, his friend and associate, Aaron Burfield, exposed him anonymously through the renowned Cordessian trader, Vox Mronyow, so that Arbergor was convicted of treason, swindling and . . ."

"What's that?!" Observance interrupts. A message pops up on one side of your tablet.

"Let's look at it!" Emotion says eagerly.

"No! But . . . I haven't . . ." Mind sputters.

You open the message and see, in bold title letters, the word: GOGGLES

"What?" Emotion says, bewildered, "What on earth does that mean?"

"I wonder?" Heart murmurs thoughtfully, "Mind, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" The only answer Heart gets is an angry grunt.

"What?" Emotion exclaims, "What are you thinking?"

Well now, Thalassa,
You have read your first challenge,
Now, what are you going to do about it?
Do you understand what this strange message means?
Or are you just going to ignore it?
Hurry, your tablet will soon be taken away in preparation for the test.