Pointless Existence and the Ripple Effect
L2, general seating chart:
(Door) ___ ( ___ screen ___ ) ___(teacher’s desk)
Ahta ____ Camilla ___ Danguri ___ Emaa _____ Gustav
Kamo ___ Ketahun ___ Ketame ___ Mariko ____ Matton
Ndala ___ Olaf ______ Petri ______ Radansha ___Rita
Shannon _ Sung Lee _ Tormosina __ Tudella ____ Vlad
List of Radansha’s instructors:
1. Int. Moselli (reading, L4)
2. Int. Ewaso (art), Int. Garo (music, L2)
3. Int. Sanggau (math, L2)
4. Int. Kielce (science, L2)
5. Int. Marrion (history, L2)
Group 7 supervisor: Int. Bernardo
Radansha’s L4 reading group partners:
______ Durrin _____
Zuni __ Radansha ___ Kristoff
______ Paolo _____
Chapter One: Introductions
=========================================================================
Radansha was lost. Again.
Completely away from where she should have been. Was she in her classroom? No. Was she even at school? No. Was she even in Three Rivers territory? In the country of Klorn? Nope. Not at all.
At least, not mentally.
“Hey… Rad!” Someone jostled her elbow.
“Huh?”
Radansha looked up from her story and blinked. Apparently it was time to go in for lessons. Stuffing her Library Access Reader away in her shoulder bag with the forms she was asked to bring, she followed her roommate into the building. Looking around at the busy hallway and swelling noise from the students she blinked again. It was so different here!
Mariko, her roommate, pointed towards a set of double doors off to the left of the entrance. “Those are all the offices, so just walk in there and hand over your papers to the secretary. When they called us, Ma said we have the same schedule, at least for today. I’ll wait for you out here an’ walk to you class, ‘k?”
Radansha solemnly nodded and without further comment turned and walked through the double doors. The secretary was looking harassed flipping through a stack of multicolored and sized papers. There were students with equally anxious expressions huddled on a bench, eyes darting towards her as she walked in. Radansha calmed approached the desk and extended the papers towards the secretary. Glancing up at her, then at the papers, Ms. Filipps (as the placard proclaimed) squinted at them. Not pausing in her reading she reached with one hand to receive the forms, the other hand keeping her place in the stack she was searching through. Placing the half dozen forms on the desk she flipped through them one handed, murmuring to herself. Radansha waited and watched Ms. Filipps. She was used to office staff and paper work, and was quite comfortable waiting while the other nervous students watched her with curiosity. She could feel their stares.
With a final “hm-hm!” the school secretary leaned back in her chair to reach a box with electronic devices of some sort. Quiet beeps and pings could be heard as she turned one on and entered a code. Looking up after several minutes Ms. Fillips smiled, she handed the device to Radansha and said, “Welcome to Three Rivers Educational.”
:….::....::....::....::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….:
As soon as she walked back through the double doors, Mariko bounced over. “Got your schedule?” She chirped. Radansha held out the thin, flat screen that was currently displaying her schedule. Mariko leaned over to peer at it. “Yup! We have all but the first class together. You tested a lot higher in reading than I did. I jus’ got regular Level 2 reading.” Radansha looked at her schedule.
Level 4 reading: classics
Level 2 art/music
-break-
Level 2 math
Level 2 science
-break-
Level 2 history: Klorn’s development
Group 7 courtyard
Radansha blinked and frowned slightly. “Art and music at the same time?”
“Yeah, but jus’ for the first day. The students get ‘ta pick which one they want to do, an’ then they go to separate rooms tomorrow. This way! I’ll show you your class an’ I’ll meet you when you are done, ‘k?” Mariko then skipped down the crowded hallway towards their classroom, Radansha hot on her heels so as to not lose her in the crowd. She smiled to herself as she tried to keep up with first friend here. Mariko just about vibrated with energy. The sheer enjoyment she received from life made everyone around Mariko smile, lighten up a bit. Perhaps her roommate could help her be less introverted.
As they moved down the hall, Radansha got the usually curious and assessing looks from her fellow students. Even though this was her fifth school, it still made her tense to be stared at so much. You’d think she would have become used to it by now. It was always the worst when you first entered a classroom, as she was about to. Luckily the class had not started yet so she could just look at the seating chart on the screen and find her seat. She hated to be “introduced” to the class. Mariko gave her a jaunty wave from the doorway and then darted down another hall to her Level 2 reading class.
While the class chatted away with their neighbors and apparently long time friends, Radansha moved up to the third tier and double checked that she was four seats from the door. She was surprised how many students there were in this territory. Looking around the room, her head bobbed slightly as she mentally counted all the desks. Twenty in all, and this was just one Level! Out in Gahne Territory there were too few settlements scattered around to collect all the children to one location. The largest class she had ever had was ten (for the entire student body) in the four different schools she asttended as her parents moved around for their research.
The dark girl next on her left leaned towards her with a bright grin. “Hiya! How are you? My name is Zuni and this is my first day. Do you like this teacher?” She ended in a stage whisper.
“Oh, this is my first day to!” With a big smile she replied, “My name is Radansha. Where are you from?”
“Wahran Territory, Kita Settlement. You?”
“Gahne Territory, but we moved around a lot. The last place we stayed was Borden.”
Zuni’s mouth opened in shock. “Gahne?!” She squeaked out. “That’s totally wild! Like, no one lives there! Didja seen anything?!”
“See what?”
“Like all the weird wild men that were exiled from the First Settlement, or the carnivorous trees?”
Radansha laughed lightly, “Oh, those are all just rumors. We didn’t see anything like that out there. I have been to Kita though, when we were staying near Llolja a couple of years ago. It’s very pretty there.”
Zuni was about to respond when the instructor came in. Everyone stood at attention as he moved across the room to his desk. He waved everyone to sit back down as he skimmed his electronic roster then out into his captive “audience.”
“My name is Instructor Peter Moselli. You may have noticed you are not in alphabetical order by your given name or your family name. Nevertheless, you are in an order. By the end of this year perhaps you will discover the method of my madness for me.” There was a smattering of chuckles as he looked down at the roster again. “Alright, let’s begin…”
Radansha listen attentively as the names were called. She had been fascinated by names since she had been told that they were all words from ancient cultures on another world, long before the First Settlement had ever been established on this planet.
She stood politely when her name was called after Zuni’s. The instructor paused for a moment. Then looked up. “Ah, you are normally a Level 2 student, are you not?”
The class murmured at turned to look at her. She could see by some of the young looking faces she was not the only student taking advanced classes, but apparently skipping two Levels was unusual.
“Yes.”
Instructor Moselli graced with a beaming smile. “Welcome to out reading class and Three Rivers, Radansha.”
Muttering “thank you” under her breath she sat down blushing brightly. Darn her red hair. The rest of the attendance went without a hitch. Then the bomb fell.
“Okay, please put away all you’re A.R.s and take out something to write with.” Radansha reached into her should bag to retreeve her notebook and pen when she realized the whole class was stunned into silence. Freezing, she glanced around the room at the appalled students. Didn’t they write here? Guess not.
Int. Moselli cleared his throat significantly to animate the class. Little whirls and beeps could be heard all over the class. Radansha peered closely as Zuni pulled a palm-size cube off of her desk and pressed in several button. A whir! sound could be heard has the lights flashed brightly once and then dimmed.
“What is that?”
Startled, Zuni looked her while fumbling in her shoulder bag. “An A.R.”
“……” Radansha continued to look at her expectantly.
“An Audio Recorder. It records the audio and visual aspects of the lesson. At home you can plug them into the computer and review the notes it took from the instructor or class discussions, and look at the pictures of the diagrams on the screen.”
“Oh.”
“You’ve never seen one?! They have been around for years. Like, every student has one for school! They’re standard.” Zuni looked at her like perhaps she was one of the Lost Exiles from somewhere in Gahne!
“The schools I went to were too small or too poor to have these. We just took notes-“
“All right, enough chatting and complaining!” Int. Moselli called. Students situated themselves finally and looked resigned to this primitive way of learning. “First thing you should do it look to your right, left, in front of you and behind you. For all in-class activities you will be working one or more of these people. Please introduce yourselves and then we will begin class.”
Zuni and Radansha smiled at each other and turned away since they already knew each other. The boy to her right was already speaking to the girl below him, so she looked down as well. Eventually she spoke to Durrin in front of her and Kristoff to her right. They seemed like nice enough boys. Then she turned around to speak to the person directly behind her.
And was simply struck dumb how handsome he was. He flashed her a practiced smile that just oozed, “I’m hot and I know it. You may now kiss my foot or my ass. Whichever.” Oh ho ho ho. Radansha quickly changed her expression to one of polite disinterest.
“Hi, I am Radansha. And you are?”
Shock. “Paolo.” His expression said clearly, “You weren’t told/you didn’t find out yet?”
Flashing him a shark-like smile, “That’s nice” and turned back around. Well she can be as catty as he was arrogant. Boy was she mature. With a sigh of disgust, she propped her chin on her hands and looked around the room as people were finishing up their introductions. Int. Moselli brought the attention of the class back to him and began to explain what the goals of the year would be. Summed up, they were going to study some old Earth, Norik and Mastina classics. Radansha perked up at the mention of Earth classics. There weren’t that many in the Main Library for her to access to. They would be receiving individual chips to read at home with the stories and analysis questions on them.
As class ended, Zuni and Radansha quickly exchanged personal C.V. information (Communication Video) before scooting out of the class. Scanning for Mariko, Radansha’s shoulder was rudely bumped. Regaining her balance she looked over her shoulder to see Paola and some of their other classmates smirk at her. She glared back, determined that at this school she was not going to be a victim of bullying here. Mariko popped up between them with a blinding smile startling them both out of their glaring contest.
“Heyla! We have to get going!” Mariko grabbed her hand and twirled her into the crowd of students. Looking back Radansha couldn’t see Paolo any more and relaxed.
:….::....::....::....::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….:
The rest of the day went smoothly. Oddly enough, in her Level 2 classes she was still on the third tier, fourth from the door when she was put in alphabetical order by given names. Well, she wouldn’t worry about forgetting where her seat was at any rate. All the classrooms were identical throughout the school, except for the music and science room. They were not tiered, but were flat and without desks. Chairs and music stands were scattered all over the music room and the science room has low tables and stools for laboratory work. The art room was still tiered, but the desks were moveable rather than fixed to floor so that easels could be set up as needed. All the L2s met in the music room for the first day as the art and music instructors together went to each student and asked them what they wished to do. The art group would be picking some aspect of their personal art style/medium and improve on it while the music teacher gave an audio sampler of what they would be playing for the next few months.
This put Radansha in quite a quandary. She loved her cello, but she had already played many of the pieces the teacher had selected. Doodling was a hobby for her that she enjoyed, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to be forced into doing art everyday for a year! She spoke of these concerns to both teachers, and they reassured her that unlike other classes, you could apply to switch between the fine art classes every three months. With a relieved smile she chose the art class, and promised that she would join the music class next since she had not played any of the pieces the teacher had tentatively planned during that quarter of the year. This made the music teacher, Int. Garp, happy since she was short on bass end of the symphony. Art Int. Ewaso told the class he was giving them the evening to think about what they would like to improve on.
All her other classes went as expected. Mariko happened to be placed alphabetically right in front of her, which was a handy emotional and physical reassurance with all these new faces around her. Radansha still had to adjust to this Klorn eating style. Gahne territory was outside of Klorn influence since it was so rugged and wild. It naturally isolated all those in that territory from everything, whether it was fashion trends, new technology, or medical supplies. Like her parents, most people living in Gahne were researchers, collectors or miners. Usually a settlement or family would have two or three large meals a day that everyone ate together before delving back into the brush. In the ultra-modern cities in Klorn, including the capital Metropolis, they had plenty of time and resources to waste or play with as they wished. The newest fad was to eat five or more smaller meals throughout the day. This meant Radansha had to eat a light breakfast before leaving at 0800, and eat snacks two or three time while she was at school before returning home for dinner. She would be offered another snack before sleeping as well, which she usually turned down. Mariko had hauled her around the school while they munched on their homemade snacks. The tour was often interrupted by Mariko many friends, but they somehow managed to swing through the school in twenty-five minutes and still get back to their class. Life was definitely different on the other side of the mountains.
:….::....::....::....::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….:
Mariko was happy the first day went so well for Radansha! Well, other than Paolo glaring at her all the time. Mariko had caught Paolo glaring at her roommate several times when in halls and out in the courtyard when they were eating. When she asked her about it, Radansha had just grumped and said that he was an arrogant hingok’s ass and she hated that type of attitude. Mariko had just gaped then burst into laughter while Radansha had continued to serenely finish off her snack next her chuckling roommate. Thinking, Mariko now tipped her head in a habitual gesture. Paolo was such a pretty boy, and pretty well-to-do to boot. Athletic and handsome, he used his ample charm to smooth his away around almost everyone. He was every instructor’s best student and a friend to nine tenths of the student body. They must have just hit it off wrong.
“Hey, Rad?” Radansha was a pretty name, but too much of a mouthful for someone was, well, scatterbrained as herself. Radansha didn’t seem to mind the nickname anyway. “Wanna got out tonight?”
“I though Ma and Da had plans for us this evening?”
“Oh, yeah.” Oops. She had forgotten their plan to surprise Radansha tonight after dinner. Heh heh! Mariko liked surprises, but she loved surprising other people more!
They walked into the Ohana household within a few minutes of stepping off the Commuter Transport vehicle. Like the other dwellings in Three Rivers, it was a spacious two floor apartment. Radansha had looked almost agoraphobic when she came inside. Mariko guessed that the shift from tents and cabins in Gahne to modern Three Rivers was a bit of a shock. “Ma! Da! We’re home!” she called from the entrance where they removed their footwear.
Ma leaned around the corner from the main room into the entry way. “And how was your first day of instruction, girls?”
“Just fine!” She chirped as she clambered up the stair case to their room to toss her shoulder bag in their sleeping room.
Radansha was removing her foot wear at a more decorous pace and placing them precisely on the shelf. “It -went well…Ma.” Mariko noted she was still a little uncomfortable with called her Ma “Ma” when she had her own Ma elsewhere. But in Three Rivers all children called parents Ma and Da no matter who they biologically belonged to. With a shrug, she turned back to go down to the main room, passing her roommate on the stairs with a grin. She knew Radansha would carefully place her bag on her own bed. Mariko had a feeling Rad wasn’t normally this uptight, but that she was just too unsure about her new home to let up. Well, Mariko grinned, that would definitely change if they spent time together!
Skipping down the hall with her usually energy she popped into the main room to greet her Ma and Da. Radansha came in shyly a few minutes later. Her parents listened attentively to their teenage adventures at Three Rivers Educational before they all trooped into the dining room where their dinner had already been set out by Da earlier.
Glancing at her Ma while they ate, she caught her wink. Grinning at her plate Mariko quickly stuffed her face with food before Radansha got suspicious. She definitely got her pranking genes from her Ma. After some subtle signal (which Mariko missed some how) her Da cleared his throat significantly and looked at Radansha. Mariko’s roommate looked a little startles and put her utensil down. “Yes?”
“Radansha, we know that it has been somewhat difficult for you to adjust to living with us, and we appreciate your efforts, we really do.” Radansha began to look a little nervous. Mariko had to smother a snicker. If her Ma was a prankster, her Da was the straight man needed for the punch line. “I was glad to help out an old schoolmate out by letting you stay with for the next two years while you finish your instruction, but your parents were worried that you might become homesick for Gahne wilds.” This ended with a questioning tone.
“Well,” Rad hesitated, thinking it over. “It has been kind of an adventure these last few weeks settling in. It isn’t so different from any of our other moves between settlements, but…” She paused, then said candidly, “I have never been in such a large settlement, with so many peers-it’s very different than what I am used to. Ma, Da and I moved around so much when I was younger that I don’t think I really get culture shock or homesickness. I do miss the wilds, and it is odd to see the mountains in the northwest instead of the northeast, but I am also enjoying climate controls and not eating something I had to hunt down.” She ended ruefully.
Mariko was startled. She hadn’t realized Radansha’s family had lived that rustically. Her imagination drifted off trying to imagine how one would hunt in the wilds. Her daydream was interrupted rudely when she was kicked in the shin by her Ma. Brought back into reality, she realized her Da was going to give Rad her present. She squirmed in excitement, but stopped when she got a funny look from Radansha.
“Ah, well then,” Her Da began. “Then you wouldn’t be interested in a message-pack from your parents?”
Radansha’s head whipped around from Mariko to Da with the speed of Visla bird. “What?! Really?”
Chuckling Da handed her small box over the table. Ma discretely cleared the eating wear out of the way while Radansha looked over the box. It was the length and width of her forearm but only a few inches deep. Radansha reached into a side pocket of her vest-like garment and pulled out a small knife and set it next to the box. Mariko was puzzled since if the box was electronically coded for Rad to open it, why did she need a knife? And where had that come from? Mariko didn’t think she had any pockets on her clothes! Something to ask about later…
Placing her fingers in the appropriate places, the top of the box clicked open after her identity had been confirmed. Lifting the top Radansha pulled out a odd shaped bundle wrapped in leather and string and several message cubes. The string was quickly cut by the palm-sized knife and removed. Radansha apparently knew what it was for she was eagerly if carefully removing the leather wraps. Everyone at the table leaned in with curiosity.
“Oh! It’s my Naming Day present!” Obviously please, she held her present in display to her tablemates. It appeared to be a hatchet. Leaning in closer, Mariko suddenly noticed the blade was finely carved and etched and handle seemed to be of an unusual wood. “My seventeenth Naming Day happened after I left Ma and Da to travel here over the Pass, so I couldn’t celebrate with them. I was always complaining that I had to borrow someone else’s hatchet when I had to make stakes or cut firewood, but now I have my own! And it so very fine!” Radansha ended in a slightly awed tone.
“May I see it?” Da asked. Handing it over, Da looked at it before passing to Ma. It made its way around the table respectfully handled. Mariko was surprised how heavy it was. It wasn’t something she would ever ask for or want for her Naming Day gift, but obviously it fit her roommate to a “t”. Mariko had no idea how special the etching was or anything about the wood used for the handle, but her parents looked suitably impressed.
Ma and Da smiled indulgently when Radansha asked eagerly to go to their sleeping room to listen to her messages in private.
Hours later, after they had shared the late snack, Mariko climbed the stairs to go to bed with a yawn. Radansha was flopped catawampus across her bed with her eyes closed a uncharacteristically goofy grin on her face. At the whoosh of the sleeping room door, Mariko watched with bemusement as her roommate just continued to grin at Mariko with her head hanging off the end of the bed.
“I take it you got good messages from your parents?”
“Oh yeah! Ma said she was going to send the rest of my clothes with another mystery present! She and Da are doing great. One of our campmates broke his leg after I left, which was quite a story how he managed that! But he is well enough to already drive everyone else in camp nuts with claims that he is fit enough to go back in the wilds.” Radansha chucked. Mariko stared in shock. Hardly anyone hurt themselves in Three Rivers. Scrapes and bruises, but nothing as serious as a broken leg. Apparently it wasn’t as painful as Mariko imagined it to be since Radansha didn’t seem too worried about her friend.
“When are your clothes coming?” Mariko was intensely curious about all the weird foreign stuff Radansha had brought with her. Since she was a clothes horse herself, and she had been looking forward to occasionally raiding her roommates clothing. Alas, flamboyant and colorful Radansha’s clothing was not. And that was Mariko’s style. Radansha’s forest-toned clothing was nice enough, and very efficient if you were in the wilds, she supposed, but not very fashionable in Three Rivers. She tossed her worn clothes into the laundry bin and changed into her sleep wear.
“Hm? Oh. Da said they were camped outside of Doogan Settlement, so it will be some weeks before they will even reach the Pass from Llovlja to Kita through the mountains, and then into Three Rivers Territory to Three Rivers Settlement here.”
“Oh.” Yawn. “Well, I am mor’in ready to go ‘ta sleep. G’night.”
“Good night, Mariko.”
(Door) ___ ( ___ screen ___ ) ___(teacher’s desk)
Ahta ____ Camilla ___ Danguri ___ Emaa _____ Gustav
Kamo ___ Ketahun ___ Ketame ___ Mariko ____ Matton
Ndala ___ Olaf ______ Petri ______ Radansha ___Rita
Shannon _ Sung Lee _ Tormosina __ Tudella ____ Vlad
List of Radansha’s instructors:
1. Int. Moselli (reading, L4)
2. Int. Ewaso (art), Int. Garo (music, L2)
3. Int. Sanggau (math, L2)
4. Int. Kielce (science, L2)
5. Int. Marrion (history, L2)
Group 7 supervisor: Int. Bernardo
Radansha’s L4 reading group partners:
______ Durrin _____
Zuni __ Radansha ___ Kristoff
______ Paolo _____
Chapter One: Introductions
=========================================================================
Radansha was lost. Again.
Completely away from where she should have been. Was she in her classroom? No. Was she even at school? No. Was she even in Three Rivers territory? In the country of Klorn? Nope. Not at all.
At least, not mentally.
“Hey… Rad!” Someone jostled her elbow.
“Huh?”
Radansha looked up from her story and blinked. Apparently it was time to go in for lessons. Stuffing her Library Access Reader away in her shoulder bag with the forms she was asked to bring, she followed her roommate into the building. Looking around at the busy hallway and swelling noise from the students she blinked again. It was so different here!
Mariko, her roommate, pointed towards a set of double doors off to the left of the entrance. “Those are all the offices, so just walk in there and hand over your papers to the secretary. When they called us, Ma said we have the same schedule, at least for today. I’ll wait for you out here an’ walk to you class, ‘k?”
Radansha solemnly nodded and without further comment turned and walked through the double doors. The secretary was looking harassed flipping through a stack of multicolored and sized papers. There were students with equally anxious expressions huddled on a bench, eyes darting towards her as she walked in. Radansha calmed approached the desk and extended the papers towards the secretary. Glancing up at her, then at the papers, Ms. Filipps (as the placard proclaimed) squinted at them. Not pausing in her reading she reached with one hand to receive the forms, the other hand keeping her place in the stack she was searching through. Placing the half dozen forms on the desk she flipped through them one handed, murmuring to herself. Radansha waited and watched Ms. Filipps. She was used to office staff and paper work, and was quite comfortable waiting while the other nervous students watched her with curiosity. She could feel their stares.
With a final “hm-hm!” the school secretary leaned back in her chair to reach a box with electronic devices of some sort. Quiet beeps and pings could be heard as she turned one on and entered a code. Looking up after several minutes Ms. Fillips smiled, she handed the device to Radansha and said, “Welcome to Three Rivers Educational.”
:….::....::....::....::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….:
As soon as she walked back through the double doors, Mariko bounced over. “Got your schedule?” She chirped. Radansha held out the thin, flat screen that was currently displaying her schedule. Mariko leaned over to peer at it. “Yup! We have all but the first class together. You tested a lot higher in reading than I did. I jus’ got regular Level 2 reading.” Radansha looked at her schedule.
Level 4 reading: classics
Level 2 art/music
-break-
Level 2 math
Level 2 science
-break-
Level 2 history: Klorn’s development
Group 7 courtyard
Radansha blinked and frowned slightly. “Art and music at the same time?”
“Yeah, but jus’ for the first day. The students get ‘ta pick which one they want to do, an’ then they go to separate rooms tomorrow. This way! I’ll show you your class an’ I’ll meet you when you are done, ‘k?” Mariko then skipped down the crowded hallway towards their classroom, Radansha hot on her heels so as to not lose her in the crowd. She smiled to herself as she tried to keep up with first friend here. Mariko just about vibrated with energy. The sheer enjoyment she received from life made everyone around Mariko smile, lighten up a bit. Perhaps her roommate could help her be less introverted.
As they moved down the hall, Radansha got the usually curious and assessing looks from her fellow students. Even though this was her fifth school, it still made her tense to be stared at so much. You’d think she would have become used to it by now. It was always the worst when you first entered a classroom, as she was about to. Luckily the class had not started yet so she could just look at the seating chart on the screen and find her seat. She hated to be “introduced” to the class. Mariko gave her a jaunty wave from the doorway and then darted down another hall to her Level 2 reading class.
While the class chatted away with their neighbors and apparently long time friends, Radansha moved up to the third tier and double checked that she was four seats from the door. She was surprised how many students there were in this territory. Looking around the room, her head bobbed slightly as she mentally counted all the desks. Twenty in all, and this was just one Level! Out in Gahne Territory there were too few settlements scattered around to collect all the children to one location. The largest class she had ever had was ten (for the entire student body) in the four different schools she asttended as her parents moved around for their research.
The dark girl next on her left leaned towards her with a bright grin. “Hiya! How are you? My name is Zuni and this is my first day. Do you like this teacher?” She ended in a stage whisper.
“Oh, this is my first day to!” With a big smile she replied, “My name is Radansha. Where are you from?”
“Wahran Territory, Kita Settlement. You?”
“Gahne Territory, but we moved around a lot. The last place we stayed was Borden.”
Zuni’s mouth opened in shock. “Gahne?!” She squeaked out. “That’s totally wild! Like, no one lives there! Didja seen anything?!”
“See what?”
“Like all the weird wild men that were exiled from the First Settlement, or the carnivorous trees?”
Radansha laughed lightly, “Oh, those are all just rumors. We didn’t see anything like that out there. I have been to Kita though, when we were staying near Llolja a couple of years ago. It’s very pretty there.”
Zuni was about to respond when the instructor came in. Everyone stood at attention as he moved across the room to his desk. He waved everyone to sit back down as he skimmed his electronic roster then out into his captive “audience.”
“My name is Instructor Peter Moselli. You may have noticed you are not in alphabetical order by your given name or your family name. Nevertheless, you are in an order. By the end of this year perhaps you will discover the method of my madness for me.” There was a smattering of chuckles as he looked down at the roster again. “Alright, let’s begin…”
Radansha listen attentively as the names were called. She had been fascinated by names since she had been told that they were all words from ancient cultures on another world, long before the First Settlement had ever been established on this planet.
She stood politely when her name was called after Zuni’s. The instructor paused for a moment. Then looked up. “Ah, you are normally a Level 2 student, are you not?”
The class murmured at turned to look at her. She could see by some of the young looking faces she was not the only student taking advanced classes, but apparently skipping two Levels was unusual.
“Yes.”
Instructor Moselli graced with a beaming smile. “Welcome to out reading class and Three Rivers, Radansha.”
Muttering “thank you” under her breath she sat down blushing brightly. Darn her red hair. The rest of the attendance went without a hitch. Then the bomb fell.
“Okay, please put away all you’re A.R.s and take out something to write with.” Radansha reached into her should bag to retreeve her notebook and pen when she realized the whole class was stunned into silence. Freezing, she glanced around the room at the appalled students. Didn’t they write here? Guess not.
Int. Moselli cleared his throat significantly to animate the class. Little whirls and beeps could be heard all over the class. Radansha peered closely as Zuni pulled a palm-size cube off of her desk and pressed in several button. A whir! sound could be heard has the lights flashed brightly once and then dimmed.
“What is that?”
Startled, Zuni looked her while fumbling in her shoulder bag. “An A.R.”
“……” Radansha continued to look at her expectantly.
“An Audio Recorder. It records the audio and visual aspects of the lesson. At home you can plug them into the computer and review the notes it took from the instructor or class discussions, and look at the pictures of the diagrams on the screen.”
“Oh.”
“You’ve never seen one?! They have been around for years. Like, every student has one for school! They’re standard.” Zuni looked at her like perhaps she was one of the Lost Exiles from somewhere in Gahne!
“The schools I went to were too small or too poor to have these. We just took notes-“
“All right, enough chatting and complaining!” Int. Moselli called. Students situated themselves finally and looked resigned to this primitive way of learning. “First thing you should do it look to your right, left, in front of you and behind you. For all in-class activities you will be working one or more of these people. Please introduce yourselves and then we will begin class.”
Zuni and Radansha smiled at each other and turned away since they already knew each other. The boy to her right was already speaking to the girl below him, so she looked down as well. Eventually she spoke to Durrin in front of her and Kristoff to her right. They seemed like nice enough boys. Then she turned around to speak to the person directly behind her.
And was simply struck dumb how handsome he was. He flashed her a practiced smile that just oozed, “I’m hot and I know it. You may now kiss my foot or my ass. Whichever.” Oh ho ho ho. Radansha quickly changed her expression to one of polite disinterest.
“Hi, I am Radansha. And you are?”
Shock. “Paolo.” His expression said clearly, “You weren’t told/you didn’t find out yet?”
Flashing him a shark-like smile, “That’s nice” and turned back around. Well she can be as catty as he was arrogant. Boy was she mature. With a sigh of disgust, she propped her chin on her hands and looked around the room as people were finishing up their introductions. Int. Moselli brought the attention of the class back to him and began to explain what the goals of the year would be. Summed up, they were going to study some old Earth, Norik and Mastina classics. Radansha perked up at the mention of Earth classics. There weren’t that many in the Main Library for her to access to. They would be receiving individual chips to read at home with the stories and analysis questions on them.
As class ended, Zuni and Radansha quickly exchanged personal C.V. information (Communication Video) before scooting out of the class. Scanning for Mariko, Radansha’s shoulder was rudely bumped. Regaining her balance she looked over her shoulder to see Paola and some of their other classmates smirk at her. She glared back, determined that at this school she was not going to be a victim of bullying here. Mariko popped up between them with a blinding smile startling them both out of their glaring contest.
“Heyla! We have to get going!” Mariko grabbed her hand and twirled her into the crowd of students. Looking back Radansha couldn’t see Paolo any more and relaxed.
:….::....::....::....::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….:
The rest of the day went smoothly. Oddly enough, in her Level 2 classes she was still on the third tier, fourth from the door when she was put in alphabetical order by given names. Well, she wouldn’t worry about forgetting where her seat was at any rate. All the classrooms were identical throughout the school, except for the music and science room. They were not tiered, but were flat and without desks. Chairs and music stands were scattered all over the music room and the science room has low tables and stools for laboratory work. The art room was still tiered, but the desks were moveable rather than fixed to floor so that easels could be set up as needed. All the L2s met in the music room for the first day as the art and music instructors together went to each student and asked them what they wished to do. The art group would be picking some aspect of their personal art style/medium and improve on it while the music teacher gave an audio sampler of what they would be playing for the next few months.
This put Radansha in quite a quandary. She loved her cello, but she had already played many of the pieces the teacher had selected. Doodling was a hobby for her that she enjoyed, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to be forced into doing art everyday for a year! She spoke of these concerns to both teachers, and they reassured her that unlike other classes, you could apply to switch between the fine art classes every three months. With a relieved smile she chose the art class, and promised that she would join the music class next since she had not played any of the pieces the teacher had tentatively planned during that quarter of the year. This made the music teacher, Int. Garp, happy since she was short on bass end of the symphony. Art Int. Ewaso told the class he was giving them the evening to think about what they would like to improve on.
All her other classes went as expected. Mariko happened to be placed alphabetically right in front of her, which was a handy emotional and physical reassurance with all these new faces around her. Radansha still had to adjust to this Klorn eating style. Gahne territory was outside of Klorn influence since it was so rugged and wild. It naturally isolated all those in that territory from everything, whether it was fashion trends, new technology, or medical supplies. Like her parents, most people living in Gahne were researchers, collectors or miners. Usually a settlement or family would have two or three large meals a day that everyone ate together before delving back into the brush. In the ultra-modern cities in Klorn, including the capital Metropolis, they had plenty of time and resources to waste or play with as they wished. The newest fad was to eat five or more smaller meals throughout the day. This meant Radansha had to eat a light breakfast before leaving at 0800, and eat snacks two or three time while she was at school before returning home for dinner. She would be offered another snack before sleeping as well, which she usually turned down. Mariko had hauled her around the school while they munched on their homemade snacks. The tour was often interrupted by Mariko many friends, but they somehow managed to swing through the school in twenty-five minutes and still get back to their class. Life was definitely different on the other side of the mountains.
:….::....::....::....::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….::….:
Mariko was happy the first day went so well for Radansha! Well, other than Paolo glaring at her all the time. Mariko had caught Paolo glaring at her roommate several times when in halls and out in the courtyard when they were eating. When she asked her about it, Radansha had just grumped and said that he was an arrogant hingok’s ass and she hated that type of attitude. Mariko had just gaped then burst into laughter while Radansha had continued to serenely finish off her snack next her chuckling roommate. Thinking, Mariko now tipped her head in a habitual gesture. Paolo was such a pretty boy, and pretty well-to-do to boot. Athletic and handsome, he used his ample charm to smooth his away around almost everyone. He was every instructor’s best student and a friend to nine tenths of the student body. They must have just hit it off wrong.
“Hey, Rad?” Radansha was a pretty name, but too much of a mouthful for someone was, well, scatterbrained as herself. Radansha didn’t seem to mind the nickname anyway. “Wanna got out tonight?”
“I though Ma and Da had plans for us this evening?”
“Oh, yeah.” Oops. She had forgotten their plan to surprise Radansha tonight after dinner. Heh heh! Mariko liked surprises, but she loved surprising other people more!
They walked into the Ohana household within a few minutes of stepping off the Commuter Transport vehicle. Like the other dwellings in Three Rivers, it was a spacious two floor apartment. Radansha had looked almost agoraphobic when she came inside. Mariko guessed that the shift from tents and cabins in Gahne to modern Three Rivers was a bit of a shock. “Ma! Da! We’re home!” she called from the entrance where they removed their footwear.
Ma leaned around the corner from the main room into the entry way. “And how was your first day of instruction, girls?”
“Just fine!” She chirped as she clambered up the stair case to their room to toss her shoulder bag in their sleeping room.
Radansha was removing her foot wear at a more decorous pace and placing them precisely on the shelf. “It -went well…Ma.” Mariko noted she was still a little uncomfortable with called her Ma “Ma” when she had her own Ma elsewhere. But in Three Rivers all children called parents Ma and Da no matter who they biologically belonged to. With a shrug, she turned back to go down to the main room, passing her roommate on the stairs with a grin. She knew Radansha would carefully place her bag on her own bed. Mariko had a feeling Rad wasn’t normally this uptight, but that she was just too unsure about her new home to let up. Well, Mariko grinned, that would definitely change if they spent time together!
Skipping down the hall with her usually energy she popped into the main room to greet her Ma and Da. Radansha came in shyly a few minutes later. Her parents listened attentively to their teenage adventures at Three Rivers Educational before they all trooped into the dining room where their dinner had already been set out by Da earlier.
Glancing at her Ma while they ate, she caught her wink. Grinning at her plate Mariko quickly stuffed her face with food before Radansha got suspicious. She definitely got her pranking genes from her Ma. After some subtle signal (which Mariko missed some how) her Da cleared his throat significantly and looked at Radansha. Mariko’s roommate looked a little startles and put her utensil down. “Yes?”
“Radansha, we know that it has been somewhat difficult for you to adjust to living with us, and we appreciate your efforts, we really do.” Radansha began to look a little nervous. Mariko had to smother a snicker. If her Ma was a prankster, her Da was the straight man needed for the punch line. “I was glad to help out an old schoolmate out by letting you stay with for the next two years while you finish your instruction, but your parents were worried that you might become homesick for Gahne wilds.” This ended with a questioning tone.
“Well,” Rad hesitated, thinking it over. “It has been kind of an adventure these last few weeks settling in. It isn’t so different from any of our other moves between settlements, but…” She paused, then said candidly, “I have never been in such a large settlement, with so many peers-it’s very different than what I am used to. Ma, Da and I moved around so much when I was younger that I don’t think I really get culture shock or homesickness. I do miss the wilds, and it is odd to see the mountains in the northwest instead of the northeast, but I am also enjoying climate controls and not eating something I had to hunt down.” She ended ruefully.
Mariko was startled. She hadn’t realized Radansha’s family had lived that rustically. Her imagination drifted off trying to imagine how one would hunt in the wilds. Her daydream was interrupted rudely when she was kicked in the shin by her Ma. Brought back into reality, she realized her Da was going to give Rad her present. She squirmed in excitement, but stopped when she got a funny look from Radansha.
“Ah, well then,” Her Da began. “Then you wouldn’t be interested in a message-pack from your parents?”
Radansha’s head whipped around from Mariko to Da with the speed of Visla bird. “What?! Really?”
Chuckling Da handed her small box over the table. Ma discretely cleared the eating wear out of the way while Radansha looked over the box. It was the length and width of her forearm but only a few inches deep. Radansha reached into a side pocket of her vest-like garment and pulled out a small knife and set it next to the box. Mariko was puzzled since if the box was electronically coded for Rad to open it, why did she need a knife? And where had that come from? Mariko didn’t think she had any pockets on her clothes! Something to ask about later…
Placing her fingers in the appropriate places, the top of the box clicked open after her identity had been confirmed. Lifting the top Radansha pulled out a odd shaped bundle wrapped in leather and string and several message cubes. The string was quickly cut by the palm-sized knife and removed. Radansha apparently knew what it was for she was eagerly if carefully removing the leather wraps. Everyone at the table leaned in with curiosity.
“Oh! It’s my Naming Day present!” Obviously please, she held her present in display to her tablemates. It appeared to be a hatchet. Leaning in closer, Mariko suddenly noticed the blade was finely carved and etched and handle seemed to be of an unusual wood. “My seventeenth Naming Day happened after I left Ma and Da to travel here over the Pass, so I couldn’t celebrate with them. I was always complaining that I had to borrow someone else’s hatchet when I had to make stakes or cut firewood, but now I have my own! And it so very fine!” Radansha ended in a slightly awed tone.
“May I see it?” Da asked. Handing it over, Da looked at it before passing to Ma. It made its way around the table respectfully handled. Mariko was surprised how heavy it was. It wasn’t something she would ever ask for or want for her Naming Day gift, but obviously it fit her roommate to a “t”. Mariko had no idea how special the etching was or anything about the wood used for the handle, but her parents looked suitably impressed.
Ma and Da smiled indulgently when Radansha asked eagerly to go to their sleeping room to listen to her messages in private.
Hours later, after they had shared the late snack, Mariko climbed the stairs to go to bed with a yawn. Radansha was flopped catawampus across her bed with her eyes closed a uncharacteristically goofy grin on her face. At the whoosh of the sleeping room door, Mariko watched with bemusement as her roommate just continued to grin at Mariko with her head hanging off the end of the bed.
“I take it you got good messages from your parents?”
“Oh yeah! Ma said she was going to send the rest of my clothes with another mystery present! She and Da are doing great. One of our campmates broke his leg after I left, which was quite a story how he managed that! But he is well enough to already drive everyone else in camp nuts with claims that he is fit enough to go back in the wilds.” Radansha chucked. Mariko stared in shock. Hardly anyone hurt themselves in Three Rivers. Scrapes and bruises, but nothing as serious as a broken leg. Apparently it wasn’t as painful as Mariko imagined it to be since Radansha didn’t seem too worried about her friend.
“When are your clothes coming?” Mariko was intensely curious about all the weird foreign stuff Radansha had brought with her. Since she was a clothes horse herself, and she had been looking forward to occasionally raiding her roommates clothing. Alas, flamboyant and colorful Radansha’s clothing was not. And that was Mariko’s style. Radansha’s forest-toned clothing was nice enough, and very efficient if you were in the wilds, she supposed, but not very fashionable in Three Rivers. She tossed her worn clothes into the laundry bin and changed into her sleep wear.
“Hm? Oh. Da said they were camped outside of Doogan Settlement, so it will be some weeks before they will even reach the Pass from Llovlja to Kita through the mountains, and then into Three Rivers Territory to Three Rivers Settlement here.”
“Oh.” Yawn. “Well, I am mor’in ready to go ‘ta sleep. G’night.”
“Good night, Mariko.”