LOCATION: ORION LUMINARY INSTITUTE
PLANET: LAPIS DIVINUS
ARRIVAL DAY
Navinia escorted Kaela through a set of tall wooden doors. They made no sound as they swung open.
After all the high-tech sliding doors she had seen aboard the ships and on transit stations, Kaela found the old-world hinges charming.
They entered a spacious lobby.
The walls were made of the same two-toned polished stone as the outside of the building. Somehow it felt warm and welcoming, rather than the cold indifference stone might normally give off.
Plants in large vases interspersed all throughout the room emanated calming scents. Wooden desks manned with attendants of many different races and colors lined the walls, and hundreds of students stood in line for the various services the Institute provided.
In the center of the long, narrow lobby, a giant chandelier dominated Kaela’s attention. The ceiling was clear glass, and the blue-white sunlight entered the crystals of the chandelier, sending shards of light dancing across the walls and floor.
It was quite a beautiful spectacle, and Kaela took it all in for just a moment. Navinia didn’t rush her.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked. “The chandelier was brought from the previous Institute site when it was relocated to Lapis Divinus.”
Kaela turned toward her.
“Relocated?”
“Ah, yes,” Navinia said, guiding Kaela toward the far end of the lobby. “Blue supergiant stars are beautiful, and the high levels of radiation they shed works well for powering advanced technologies on a planet. If you can shield against it, capture and use it, that is. All of which we have long ago learned how to do.”
She continued down the long hall, toward a section labeled:
NEW STUDENT ENROLLMENT
Navinia continued her explanation.
“Blue supergiants burn brightly, but they only last forty or fifty million years.”
She thought for a moment.
“I wasn’t around, of course, but the Accord discovered Lapis Divinus early in Alnilam’s cycle. They engineered the protective arrays and built the infrastructure. The academy was relocated around 120 Iterations ago.”
Kaela appeared confused.
“Oh,” Navinia said. “An Iteration is ten thousand years. You’ll learn more about the cosmic calendar in some of your first orientation courses.”
“Wait,” Kaela said, stopping for a moment. “Are you saying that this school is 1.2 million years old?”
Navinia nodded.
“Yes, it is. The Orion Celestial Accord is ancient by many standards. You will learn more.”
They arrived at an open desk.
“And, here we are,” Navinia said with a flair.
She stepped forward.
“I have with me Kaela Sirova from Earth.”
She cleared her throat and spoke in a lower tone for the desk attendant.
“She was personally escorted all the way here by Ambassador Skrixx.”
The attendant’s eyes opened wider, then she looked Kaela up and down, and smiled.
“Welcome to the Orion Luminary Institute, Miss Sirova. Congratulations on your planet’s induction, and on sending the first student to the school so soon after. Quite the accomplishment.”
Kaela bowed her head and found herself suddenly stumbling over her words. Which was quite uncommon for the normally well-poised young woman.
“Thank you. It’s been a little overwhelming, but I am looking forward to the experience.”
The attendant typed a few commands on a tablet and then set it on the desk between them, pushing it across until it was in front of Kaela.
“This will be your tablet. You will find all sorts of guides on here. Everything from the history of the Institute, to how it was built, to your class curriculum will be accessible on here.”
Kaela nodded, picking up the device.
When she looked at it, a light flashed in the center of the screen, and Kaela felt it scanning her.
---
System Message
Kaela Sirova
You are being scanned by another System technology seeking to integrate with your own.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Do you approve of this probe?
[ Y / N ]
---
She paused and looked at Navinia, who simply nodded encouragingly.
Kaela shrugged and selected Yes, choosing to trust that Skrixx and her hosts wouldn’t do anything to harm her.
White-hot pain shot through her head, and Kaela raised her hands to her temples, squeezing her eyes shut against the unexpected onslaught. All she could see was white static followed by darkness. She tried to scream, but couldn’t make any sound.
Then, she felt something burning through her bloodstream. It started in her heart and rushed out to every inch of her body in agonizing pulses.
Over and over, her heart beat and pumped the fire through her veins.
She still couldn’t move or yell out as another searing sensation shot through her nervous system.
The level of pain she experienced felt nearly transcendental as the new Framework was written into every nerve, every muscle fiber, every cell of her body.
Then, it was suddenly over.
Kaela let out a grunt and exhaled a long breath.
“You could have warned—"
---
TEMPORARY OVERRIDE…
…
…
Compatibility confirmed.
Integration with [Orion Celestial Framework] is in progress.
Return to this screen for status updates.
---
When Kaela opened her eyes, Navinia and the desk attendant were chuckling lightly.
“We’re really sorry,” Navinia said through snorts. “It’s sort of an initiation ritual. Yes, we could have warned you, but where’s the fun in that?”
A flash of anger passed over Kaela’s face, but it left just as quickly. Navinia and the attendant continued laughing.
The pain had finally faded, and as Kaela’s head cleared, she felt the contagion of humor wash over her in its place.
“I guess I can see what you mean,” she said, giggling along with the others.
She looked back down at the tablet.
“It will scan your face and eyes for authentication,” Navinia said. “It also reads and analyzes your brainwaves. Nobody will be able to access your private information but you.”
“Correct,” the attendant said, nodding. “Once you complete your full Framework integration, all of the information on the tablet will be available through your interface.”
Kaela appeared puzzled.
“What’s the difference between a Framework and a System?”
Navinia perked up at the question.
“Oh, yes. The Celestine Framework is not a System. It is the architecture through which all Systems operate. The searing pain you felt? That was burning the new programming into your pathways and cells.”
The attendant nodded.
“Correct. Now, everywhere you go, your body will more easily adapt to and operate in the local System.”
She leaned forward.
“I’ve been told that it even works in worlds ruled by the Obsidian Empire.”
Kaela’s brow raised at that.
“Well,” she said, looking down at her hands and arms. “That certainly will be useful.”
The attendant leaned backward, away from the desk.
“Why would you ever—”
Something beeped on her monitor and diverted her attention.
“Wow. It seems your System has a 98.6% compatibility rating with ours. That is tremendous. Your integration should go smoothly, then.”
“Uh,” Kaela stuttered. “If I may, what happens if it’s not compatible?”
Navinia and the attendant both laughed nervously.
“The process of integration can be quite painful and prolonged,” the attendant said. “For you though, I would say two to three days of lightheadedness and you’ll be back to full strength.”
“Do I need to take extended sleep to complete the activation?” Kaela asked.
“Oh, no. Of course not,” the attendant replied. “After the initial part you just went through, the rest of the integration progress runs in the background. You will find various facets of school access coming online as it works. Let’s see here…”
She typed a few more commands on her console.
“In your case, there should be a status bar. If you select that, you can see which services are available to you, and a running list for what is next. General institute access should be first. That’s essentially your security pass, allowing you to pass through doors and into areas you can go. Maps should be next, and then soon after that, you’ll have access to the curriculum so you can begin selecting your classes.”
Kaela searched her interface as the attendant spoke.
She felt a light wave of exhaustion wash over her, but she stood firm.
“I sure hope I don’t get attacked right now,” she muttered as she looked at the status bar.
“Why would you be attacked?” Navinia asked. The attendant also had a surprised look on her face. “The academy is safe and secure, we assure you.”
Kaela chuckled.
“While I believe you, I was also attacked on the Hyades Nexus station by agents from the Obsidian Empire.”
Navinia took two large steps backward.
“That was you?” she asked, raising her hand to her mouth. “I heard it was three infiltration agents the Accord had been seeking for hundreds of years. How did you—”
Kaela blushed.
“They were attacking me. I had to defend myself. I did what anybody would do.”
The desk attendant, who had stopped her work to look on her new charge with awe, shook her head.
“No,” she said. “Not just anybody can defend themselves against those men. I heard they use poisoned weapons and some unknown means to smuggle their abductees off the transit stations. All under the vigilant and watchful eye of security.”
Navinia nodded.
“Yeah, taking all three of them down was no small feat.”
Kaela’s head was still spinning as the weakness was beginning to hit her harder. She decided to say no more. Best not to draw too much attention on her first day.
The attendant returned to her typing.
“Once your integration is complete, I will set up a personal introduction with our Master Combat Instructor.”
She looked at Kaela again and smiled.
“I have a feeling you’ll be spending a lot of time with him. He is always looking for promising new students at the start of each Institutional period.”
They spoke a bit longer.
Kaela didn’t remember much, as her head was swimming in information and exhaustion.
Finally, her dormitory was assigned, and Navinia sent a message to forward the luggage.
“Follow me,” she said. “I’ll show you to your dormitory, your new home for the next twenty years.”
Kaela thanked the desk attendant for all of her help and turned to follow her guide.
She checked the progress as Navinia led her out the other end of the Student Services building.
---
Celestine Framework integration progress: 0.09%
---
“Ugh,” Kaela muttered. “This is going to take a long time.”
It felt like a massive library was being downloaded into her head.
After they left, the attendant, who was not usually one to gossip, couldn’t help herself. She sent a message to a friend.
“Look out for the new student named Kaela Sirova. We may have a rising star in the new class.”
She smiled to herself.
It had been so long since a Champion had been named in the first year. She thought about it.
The last one had become Supreme Chancellor of the entire Orion Celestial Accord.
“I wonder how far this one will climb,” she muttered. “How exciting!”