LOCATION: ORION LUMINARY INSTITUTE
PLANET: LAPIS DIVINUS
DISTANCE FROM EARTH: 1,250 LIGHT-YEARS
The trip from Alnitak Transit Nexus to Lapis Divinus took four days.
Kaela knew she wouldn’t be seeing Skrixx for the duration of her enrollment at the academy, and she spent time talking with him about Earth, about Kroll, his own home world, and about Orion geopolitics.
Politics had become one of her favorite topics. Especially since her trip to Bastion and her encounter with Empire agents on the Hyades station.
If you can understand the motivations that drive people, you can get along with just about anyone. Kaela’s parents had drilled the idea into her and Elena growing up.
“You don’t have to like everyone,” their father would say. “But a wise person learns how to deal with people either way. It’s not just Diplomacy 101, it’s also a basic life skill.”
Skrixx, for his part, was a fountain of knowledge and a willing teacher. He also enjoyed talking to the young Kaela, who absorbed information like a dry sponge.
“Your wide-ranging curiosity will serve you well at the Institute,” Skrixx said on many occasions during the long journey from Earth.
The shuttle had entered the region of Alnilam, the central star in Orion’s Belt.
The blue-white supergiant dominated the space, its light harder and sharper than any sun she had ever seen. The shuttle’s captain had to turn up the radiation shielding on the small ship.
“We are now in the Alnilam star system,” the captain said over the loudspeaker. “We will arrive on Lapis Divinus in twelve hours.”
Kaela stood and stretched. Her back, elbows, and fingers cracked, and she turned her neck left and right.
“I think I’m ready.”
Skrixx laughed.
“I hope you are. We’ve come a long way for you to… what do you call it? Chicken off now.”
“Chicken out. But very close! And you’re right. I won’t be chickening out at this point. I’m looking forward to all of it.”
She turned toward him.
“Skrixx, I want to thank you once again. Not just for escorting me on this trip and for the introductions to the Institute. Earth is fortunate that you were assigned to watch over us during our transition to the System.”
Skrixx stood and bowed. It was an unusual gesture for the man who was usually the one being bowed to.
“The honor is all mine, Kaela Sirova. I believe you will do great things in your long life. Normally I’d counsel you to work and study hard. But that is just who you are.”
They spoke as the shuttle drew closer to Lapis Divinus.
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Skrixx said that the planet was roughly the same size as Earth. When he told her that the school took up the entire planet, save for a few administrative offices from the Orion Accord, Kaela was surprised. That scale for a university was hard for her to imagine.
The planet was surrounded by an array of satellites that were spaced evenly in a hexagonal pattern.
Kaela could see the blue-white light from Alnilam dancing in the space between the array nodes, causing an aurora effect at times.
They hovered in space for an hour while the shuttle’s captain awaited clearance.
“Alnitak Shuttle Bravo Twelve, you are cleared for entry. Use Node X4923 to your starboard. Window will be open for two minutes.”
“Acknowledged, thank you Luminary One.”
Six of the nodes flashed three times slowly, giving the captain a chance to get into position. After the third flash, the nodes shut off and a hexagonal opening appeared in the array with plenty of room for the small shuttle to fit through.
The ship entered easily within the time, and cruised slowly to the arrival port far below.
The small crew helped unload Kaela’s luggage, while attendants from the school came to begin enrollment.
“You can go with them,” Skrixx said. “I’ve got a few meetings to attend and then I’ll find you.”
“I am Navinia,” one of the attendants said. “I will walk you through the process of enrollment. Welcome to the Orion Luminary Institute. Your luggage will be forwarded to your dormitory as soon as we assign it. These two will handle it for you.”
Kaela thanked the shuttle crew, then Skrixx. Then she turned to Navinia.
“Thank you, Navinia. I’m excited to be here.”
As she followed her guide, Kaela looked around.
The sky was a deep cobalt that transitioned to a lighter sapphire near the horizon.
The temperature felt absolutely perfect. She figured it was around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Like a moderate summer day.
There was a light breeze, and as she looked up at the sky, she could see occasional shimmers of the auroras.
She exhaled.
“If I have to spend twenty years going back to school, this is not a bad place to do it,” she muttered to herself.
Navinia spoke as they walked.
“I looked up your planet of Earth before your arrival, but we have little information about your planet. Do you have oceans and plants, or is it a rocky terrain?”
“Actually we have varied climates and geologies around the planet, and yes, oceans. Earth is about 70 percent water.”
Navinia appeared impressed.
“You have that much water, but you are not an aquatic species. With you inhabiting only 30 percent of your planet, you still developed enough intelligence to deploy a System on your own. Truly amazing.”
Kaela cocked her head at the notion.
“I have never thought about it that way,” she said. “To be honest, our oceans remain mostly unexplored. It’s strange to think about from that perspective.”
“Well,” Navinia said, “here at the Institute, you can learn a skill that allows you to swim in water without the need to come up for air. My own planet has many bodies of water, and I remember how excited I was to get this skill.”
As they talked, Kaela noticed more about her surroundings.
Trees and colorful plants were abundant on the campus world, and the scents they gave off were simply wonderful. Kaela had always enjoyed walking through lush gardens back home, and this entire area of the campus felt like that.
As they spoke, they were approaching a tall building. The script on the large sign across the fa?ade translated quickly in Kaela’s mind.
STUDENT SERVICES
The architecture was interesting. The building was made of mostly white and brown stone with wood accents to provide a more warm, welcoming feeling.
“This is where we will begin your enrollment,” Navinia said. “First we will confirm your identity, then you will receive your tablet. Much of your coursework, maps, and other information about the school will be provided through your interface. The tablet is just to get you started.”
She smiled.
“Also, sometimes it’s just nice to hold something in your hand instead of seeing it in your field of vision. Right?”
Kaela had to agree with that.
Navinia continued.
“Anyway, after registering your tablet, you will begin your System integration.”
Kaela had been looking up at the building. It must have been twenty stories tall.
She turned to her guide.
“Wait. System integration? How does that work?”