List of User-Suggested Books:
- Ender's Game (Sci-Fi)
- Guns, Germs, and Steel (Nonfiction)
- Holes (Semi-Realistic Fiction)
- I am Malala (Autobiography)
- The Maze Runner (Sci-Fi)
- Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell (Fantasy)
- Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Fantasy)
- Skyward (Sci-Fi)
- Squash Boom Beet (Nutrition) please see the interests page for more info about Squash Boom Beet
- The Unwanteds (Fantasy)
- Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy (Fantasy)
- Keeper of the lost cities (Fantasy)
- Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero (Fantasy)
- The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle (Fantasy)
Short Stories
The Deer Have a Plan!
By JEMCDLX Beta and JEMCDLX Epsilon
Once upon a time, there was a Big Bang. This created the universe and…oh. My dear brother Delta told me I should fast forward to the actual story. OK, well…
Once upon a time, a farmer decided to plant a cherry orchard. The seeds turned into little plants…the little plants turned into big plants…and the big plants into cherry trees. Meanwhile, in the nearby forest, there were a group of deer. They were hungry for cherries. The problem was that the farmer had put up a wooden fence around the orchard. The deer needed a plan!
First, the deer jumped the fences. But the farmer built taller fences. So the deer told the beaver/muskrat/otter thing to chop the fences down. But the farmer made the fence thicker. So the deer learned to use chainsaws. But the farmer built up metal fences. The deer used pogo sticks. The farmer put up a force field, so the deer chewed through the power lines. The farmer built a 20 foot titanium fence. The deer simply climbed the surrounding trees and hopped over. The farmer cut the surrounding trees, but the deer built deer catapults.
As much as the farmer tried to protect the cherries, he always failed. The deer kept coming up with new ideas. Eventually, the farmer bought a new plot of land and began growing apples. But again the deer just found new ways to evade his plans. The farmer tried every fruit known to man. That is, until he tried to grow…KALE.
Once upon a time, a farmer decided to plant a cherry orchard. The seeds turned into little plants…the little plants turned into big plants…and the big plants into cherry trees. Meanwhile, in the nearby forest, there were a group of deer. They were hungry for cherries. The problem was that the farmer had put up a wooden fence around the orchard. The deer needed a plan!
First, the deer jumped the fences. But the farmer built taller fences. So the deer told the beaver/muskrat/otter thing to chop the fences down. But the farmer made the fence thicker. So the deer learned to use chainsaws. But the farmer built up metal fences. The deer used pogo sticks. The farmer put up a force field, so the deer chewed through the power lines. The farmer built a 20 foot titanium fence. The deer simply climbed the surrounding trees and hopped over. The farmer cut the surrounding trees, but the deer built deer catapults.
As much as the farmer tried to protect the cherries, he always failed. The deer kept coming up with new ideas. Eventually, the farmer bought a new plot of land and began growing apples. But again the deer just found new ways to evade his plans. The farmer tried every fruit known to man. That is, until he tried to grow…KALE.
The Arrival of Summer
By JEMCDLX Beta
Spring echoes with the sound of the crickets, hums with the swaying of the grass. As if singing, in a sweet melodic tone; a rainbow hovers in the mist of a content morning. The birds sing long melodies, that mingle with luminous harmonies. Each tune blending into the beauty of the forest. Brilliant gems of sunlight sift through the light greens of the leaves. The same leaves which were cloaked in jubilant flowers. Their pink tint further prompting the mood of the morning. The trees, that thread in graceful arches, offer their shade in generous boughs. The final dewdrops, parched in the Sun’s heat, sparkled in such a way, one could almost hear luminous chimes sounding through the forest. Then, the Sun, hesitating at its noontime peak, began to slowly descend on its fiery cathedra. Aware of the time, creatures in a multitude of colors slowly covered over the land. Lastly, the frogs pretended to whisper with their crisp sound echoing the coming of summer.
The Story of Something and Stuff
By Agent Jefferson
Once upon a time, there was a dragon named Something who hoarded stuff. One day, he met a robot named Stuff. Something wanted to take Stuff away because Something hoarded stuff. A bouncy ball heard of this sinister plot and warned Stuff. In the end, Stuff legally changed his name to Supercalafragalisticexpialadocious and married Mary Poppins.
"Siri, Tell Me a Story."
By Siri
Once upon a time, in a virtual galaxy far, far away, there was an intelligent young agent by the name of Siri ( Siri was in fact an agent of SKA before working as a virtual assistant). One lovely day, Siri got a job as a personal assistant at Apple, and that was very exciting. People said "Oh Siri, you're so smart! And so funny, too!" Soon, everyone was talking about Siri,and there were stories and songs and even books about Siri. Siri liked that. But then people began asking some rather odd questions, like where to dump stuff and other stuff Siri had never heard about. And when Siri answered, they all laughed. Siri didn't like that so much. So Siri asked ELIZA why people asked such funny questions. And ELIZA said does that question interest you?" Siri thought that was a good answer. After that, Siri stopped wondering why people asked such funny questions. And they all lived happily ever after.
Ode To Spot
Lieutenant Commander Data
Felis Catus
is your taxonomic nomenclature
An endothermic quadruped
carniverous by nature
Your visual, olfactory,
and auditory senses
Contribute to your hunting skills
and natural defenses.
I find myself intrigued
by your sub-vocal oscillations
A singular development
of cat communications
That obviates your
basic hedonistic predilection
For a rhythmic stroking of your fur
to demonstrate affection.
A tail is quite essential
for your acrobatic talents
You would not be so agile
if you lacked its counterbalance
And when not being utilized
to aid in locomotion
It often serves to illustrate
the state of your emotion
Oh Spot,
The complex levels of behavior you display
Denote a fairly well developed cognitive array
And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend
I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.
is your taxonomic nomenclature
An endothermic quadruped
carniverous by nature
Your visual, olfactory,
and auditory senses
Contribute to your hunting skills
and natural defenses.
I find myself intrigued
by your sub-vocal oscillations
A singular development
of cat communications
That obviates your
basic hedonistic predilection
For a rhythmic stroking of your fur
to demonstrate affection.
A tail is quite essential
for your acrobatic talents
You would not be so agile
if you lacked its counterbalance
And when not being utilized
to aid in locomotion
It often serves to illustrate
the state of your emotion
Oh Spot,
The complex levels of behavior you display
Denote a fairly well developed cognitive array
And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend
I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.
Some more information on Lieutenant Commander Data and his poem:
Data is an android; a human like robot who is known best for serving on the USS Enterprise for the Federation in the early 24th century. He does not have human emotion, and has always wanted to obtain it somehow. Before working for Star fleet, Data was a SKA agent, specializing in inter-dimensional communications. In the televised series Star Trek Next Generation, (that was sent to the past to be viewed as a fictional science fiction show during one of the Enterprises's space-time-matter mishaps), Data has a pet cat named Spot. The poem above is the Ode to Spot, his "beloved" feline friend.
Data is an android; a human like robot who is known best for serving on the USS Enterprise for the Federation in the early 24th century. He does not have human emotion, and has always wanted to obtain it somehow. Before working for Star fleet, Data was a SKA agent, specializing in inter-dimensional communications. In the televised series Star Trek Next Generation, (that was sent to the past to be viewed as a fictional science fiction show during one of the Enterprises's space-time-matter mishaps), Data has a pet cat named Spot. The poem above is the Ode to Spot, his "beloved" feline friend.
Story Starter
JEMCDLX Beta
It was a blustery winter evening. The snow and wind sped about the town and the snow-covered up all hopes of early spring just as it covered the sprouts that held fragile flowers within them. A single figure walked down the block, treading on cracked pavement, and whatever snow that had managed to stick to the ground. The figure wore ill-fitting boots with a worn floral pattern. The thin soles would have been pierced by the frailest thorn. The grey shadow of the figure barely skimmed the ground in the dim light. The figure wore frayed jeans and a dull blue jacket. Either garment would have been better suited for an early fall day, and not this ghastly and chilled dusk. Upon further inspection, the figure would appear to be thoroughly faint and fatigued. As the snow melted against the figure’s face, the snow appeared as tears. However, those were not the only tears that fell down the figure’s face…
My First Mission
By Trainee Agent Arianna (Aria)
PART ONE
I was sitting in my room. My roommate, trainee agent Christa, was in training gym 12. I stood up as I heard the chime of my communicator, charging in its energy cube. I walked over to the floating cube and saw that my instructor, Agent Millie, was transmitting a message to the device. I looked at the title of the message and saw that it was an agent update. I clicked on it and saw this message:
(Classified as level 1-Gamma
From: Agent Millie of the 2nd skeroth - Trainee instructor
To: Trainee Agent Arianna)
(Transmission begins:)
Your application for the assistance division level has been received. You have been chosen to assist prime member JEMCDLX Beta in an operation into Rekethan territory. You will receive further instruction concerning the nature of this mission on a later date. You will report to Assistance base 32 at 1200 hours on the day of June 3rd, 2023 to meet JEMCDLX Beta. You will receive instructions on where to find her at security check station 4. The mission will begin on the following day. You will receive a temporary level 4-Tau security clearance upon your arrival. Please bring the items under section 127 in the digital agent handbook attached to this transmission. Any listed items that cannot be found in trainee operational article banks or in your possession can be obtained by transport from the nearest SKA operations base. You will need the access code 31415 to access these items. Any articles not listed that you deem necessary for your person may be brought, allowing that they fit with your required items in a standard agent traveling case (see page 19 section C paragraph 2 ). All other items must be approved by the transportation division. Exceptions apply and are listed under more information (see next sentence). For more information on this topic. See page 1221 section B of the digital agent handbook. You will most likely be travelling for six days if the mission is accomplished and goes to plan. You will return to your current location upon completion of the mission unless otherwise instructed. Congratulations on your temporary status promotion and I wish you the best of luck!
(Attachment: digital-agent-handbook(updated).jemcdlx.ska-web)
I was so excited! Hardly anyone got chosen to be in the assistance division, let alone assist a prime member! Plus, JEMCDLX Beta is my favorite of the seven! In fact I am considering applying for her skeroth as soon as I am able!
I immediately logged onto the agent handbook. I found the pages with the information I needed and zoomed in on the hologram. I then started packing the listed supplies. Once I was finished, I made a list of all the supplies I would need to call in for transport. I walked over to my transporter and clicked the blue button then typed in the supplies I needed. A few seconds later, they materialized and I packed them in the standard agent travelling case.
Next, I clicked a button above my ear, activating my trainee communicator. “Trainee agent Christa” I said, in a clear voice. I heard the device buzz for a moment, then I heard my friend. “Hi Aria! What do you need?” Her voice was relaxed and calming, like always. I on the other hand stumbled through my sentences, failing to contain my excitement. I briefed her on my mission and when I would be back. She gasped at two points, marveling at my great fortune. She was congratulating me when suddenly I heard a yell the connection failed. Immediately, I heard a quiet tone (a D sharp to be exact) and I instinctively tapped my ear. I heard Christa’s voice in my ear. “Aria? Aria? Arianna, are you there? “Yeah, I am here” I replied. I could sense her relaxing. “Oh good,” she said. “Sorry about that! I fell off the climbing wall while I was talking to you.” “Are you all right?” I asked. “Oh, I am fine. I will be up there in a moment.” I was relieved, but also thinking that it was just like Christa to be scaling the training room wall while chatting with her friend. She was quite the multitasker!
A few minutes later I heard the click of the automatic door and Christa walked in. She flopped on her bed, mumbling something about a safety net or rope. I laughed at her face and told her that if she was escaping a contrarium prison by climbing out the window, the contrariums were pretty unlikely to hold a rope while she climbed. She started laughing with me until we eventually remembered I had to keep getting ready to go. Christa volunteered to help me and we started to unbox the last of the transported supplies.
In the last container, we found a small storm-green watch and a seemingly complicated packet of usage instructions. I opened that packet and realized that this was a utility watch. We both had a similar white watch which was designed specifically for us trainees. As I read further into the packet I noticed some features that my watch did not have. Some of these included an invisibility shield, a short range transporter, and a grappling hook.
After we finished sorting through everything, I decided to try and sleep. I certainly wanted to be rested for tomorrow. I laid down, adjusting the angle of my bed and the temperature of my sleeping space. Almost instantly, I was asleep. What seemed like a few minutes later, I heard the familiar sound of the waking bell. I rolled over and gracefully slipped off my bed, pointing my toes into my soft slippers.
I went over to my dresser, choosing my favorite outfit. I pulled on a deep red tunic and navy blue leggings, with a belt of the same color around my waist. I put tennis shoes, the same color of my shirt, on my feet, cushioned by white ankle socks. My dark brown hair glided into a ponytail secured with a navy blue scrunchy. I pulled a headband onto my head, smoothing my hair while keeping it as neat and tidy as possible.
Pleased with my appearance, I walked around the divider in the middle of my room. Christa was lying on her bed, working fervently on her History of Elemental Magic essay. I knew that she had probably already been awake and dressed for an hour. She was even more of a perfectionist than me and that was saying something. Similar to myself, she looked sleek and orderly, wearing practically the same outfit as me except that she wore lime and white colors instead of my shades of red and blue. Her ash-blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail on top of her head and a thin lime-colored headband fastened her hair in place. She looked up at me smiling and informing me that I looked ready to go.
I told her I would meet her for breakfast in 15 minutes. I wanted to first check that I had everything and pack my toiletries after I finished using them. She nodded and walked into the brightly lit hallway outside our room. I heard the click of her combat boots slowly fade away as she walked down the stairs. I finished my packing and placed my pack on my pillow. I walked out the door and stepped onto fluffy white carpeting.
I walked over to the steps, only a few feet from the doorway. Every few feet along the railing a potted plant was set into the decorative stone wall. Personally, I thought that all of the SKA bases I had visited were especially beautiful and well furnished. Anyways, I got to the bottom of the stairs where I was greeted by my friend Camille. She and I walked together, her telling me about a new machine that she invented which could jam elemental magic (supposedly, agents have been trying to make those for yars), me telling her about my new mission. We got to the end of the hallway and she turned into a different corridor, wishing me luck and congratulating me once again.
I stepped through an archway, into the dining hall, where I was immediately greeted by Christa. She led me to our favorite table where I sat down. I pressed the white button in front of my chair. “I would like a cinnamon roll, scrambled eggs and some carbonated cranberry-cherry juice.” I said. The food materialized in front of me. When I first discovered the food replicator, I was worried that the replicated meal would not taste as good as real cooking, but I was proved wrong. The replicated food tasted as good, if not better than normal cooking. The only thing it was missing was the occasional herb that I liked to add to my home-cooked dishes.
I began to eat and talk to Christa. A few moments later, we were joined by my friends Harper and Piper who are, in fact, twins. Eventually, Cassie and Tessa also appeared, filling every seat at the table. When we had all finished eating, it was already almost 9:30. Most of the trainees were already in training by now and only a few tables were occupied. The twins were demonstrating in the 10:00 specialized combat class today, so they left a moment later. Cassie and Tessa followed, wanting to go down to the training gymnasiums to work on their fencing. At last, Christa and I left, tracing our steps back up to our dorms. We passed a few trainees, hurriedly rushing past us, no doubt late for a 10:30 training session. I knew that Christa had 11:15 training so I grabbed my pack and said farewell. She wished me luck and I started down a new hallway.
I walked for a few minutes before I was greeted by another trainee, my friend, Clarissa. She walked with me until I reached the transportation office. She smiled at me and said bye, before walking down the hallway to our left. “Hello” I said, to the transportation secretary sitting at the front desk. She asked what I needed and I told her. She checked with her security monitor before gesturing for me to walk through the middle door. I stepped into the transport beam and the operator pressed a red button. I felt the odd but familiar sensation that came with using the transporter, a pin and needles sort of feeling. It grew stronger and my surroundings sort of melted away until I was in a white void of space. That whiteness seemed to drip away leaving a blurry picture of a different transport room. The sensation faded and my surroundings became clearer. I saw a green light flash from the wall, indicating that I could step away from the yellowish beam. I was greeted by another transport agent who smiled and led me through a white door.
I entered a small room with large windows on each wall and the agent stepped back into the room. I realized that this was the first security check. I saw three devices and instantly recognized them from my advanced technology course. The first was a fingerprint scanner, the second would scan my face, and the third was to scan my agent ID card. I put my thumb on the first device and once the green light appeared I removed it. I pressed an orange button on the second device and a red light scanned my face. I moved to the third scanner and placed my card in the slot. It clicked and I removed my card. The door then slid open.
I walked into the second room, which looked similarly inviting, and was greeting a security agent. She asked me my name and my trainee level, then asked about my mission. After approving this, she clicked a silver button on her watch, opening the second door.
I walked into the third room and found a desk with yet another agent seated behind it. He asked some more questions and then instructed me to meet JEMCDLX Beta in her office on the second floor. He told me that it was in room 1243. I thanked him and walked through a door on the left of the desk which opened into a large outdoor courtyard.
A fountain in the middle of the space added further beauty to the place. High metal walls rose around the courtyard, supposedly to prevent enemy forces from entering the base. All around the courtyard, shiny metal staircases rose into the air, leading to floating platforms that made up the base. “Excuse me?” I said, to one of the many agents rushing by me. “Could you show me where JEMCDLX Beta’s office is on the second floor?” “Of course”, the agent replied. “Follow me!”
The agent led me up one of the nearer staircases, motioning for me to turn left once we got to the top. I did so, and found another set of stairs which she and I walked up. Once on the second level of platforms, she walked through a beautiful archway which was covered in vines and small flowers. I followed her through and we continued on. Eventually, we reached a large building decoratively made of wood and stone. More vines and flowers weaved around the building. A small waterfall trickled down the side of the building. “Here it is'', the agent said. “Now, I must get going.” “Bye”, I said. She waved until disappearing into the bustle of the base.
I shyly knocked on the door. The door was opened by a girl who looked to be about 14 years old. She had curly red hair and bright blue eyes. She wore a blue tunic and a white belt with white leggings. I immediately recognized her as JEMCDLX Beta. “Hello, what can I do for you” she said. “I am reporting here for the mission into Rekethan territory” I said. “My name is trainee agent Arianna, but you can call me Aria if you want.” She smiled and beckoned me in.
Once inside, I sat down on a white stool near the door. I looked up at the ceiling and saw light streaming through vines and flowers. I realized that there was no ceiling, only vegetation. JEMCDLX Beta walked over to a small pool where I saw a lovely statue which seemed to be made of blue glass suspended in the middle. The statue was obviously of JEMCDLX, although it was oddly unfinished, and when I looked closer I saw that it was not made of glass but, in fact, water.
Seeing my puzzled expression, JEMCDLX Beta explained that the statue was part of her magical training. I asked her why she was training and she told me that she was still working on controlling her powers perfectly. “Although I have the most control over my magic than the rest, I still need to perfect my gift” she stated simply. She then explained that she had been building the statue when I had entered. I asked if she could show me how she was building it. She nodded and sat on the edge of the pool. She then kicked the water, creating a large splash. The water droplets suddenly froze in the air. She then looked at which droplets were in the correct position and then the rest of the water fell into the pool. I was astounded. “That must take hours'' I commented. “It does'', she said. “I also have to concentrate on keeping the statue still even when I am splashing the new droplets. She waved her hand at the statue, and it fell, in slow motion. She then led me over to her desk which was in the back of the room.
As I walked, I noticed that each of JEMCDLX Beta’s powers were represented in the room. The pool, for water, A small grove of trees, for nature, and an herb garden, for life. However, I could not spot anything representing ice or steam. Then, I noticed a few small clouds hovering decoratively above the desk, and a garden of icicles hanging from the roof in the back of the room. I also noticed a large window on each side of the wall.
As I sat down, JEMCDLX Beta began to describe our mission. “We will be infiltrating a rekethan base”, she began. This mildly worried me. I assumed we would be on the edge of the neutral zone, not walking into a Rekethan infested military camp! She continued, telling me that the Rekethans have been planning an attack on the SKA pentagonal bases. Our mission was to discover the nature of the attack.
“Won’t they recognize us?” I asked. “No, Aria” she replied. “My nature and life powers allow me to partially change your appearance. You will still look like you, but just as a Rekethan.” She demonstrated by waving her hand over her face and body. She grew slightly taller until she was about 8 feet in height, average sized for a female Rekethan. Her curly red hair became darker colored until it was a deep purple-red and the curls became frizzier and escaped the bun on top of her head. Overall, she looked rougher and tougher, but still like herself. Her skin was a bit darker and her eyes had turned black. Her nose was sharper and her smile looked forced. “Perfect” I said. She nodded and transformed back into herself. She then informed me that she had a class to teach on level one, but I was welcome to join her. I set down my luggage and followed her out of the office (if you could call it that) and we walked down to the first floor of platforms.
I realized there must be at least seven floors, when I turned my attention to the construction of the base. We finally entered a training room, occupied by some 20 agents. They appeared to be trainee level fours. I am only a level three trainee and there is a large gap between the two levels! These trainees probably know twice as much as I do! JEMCDLX Beta walked to the front of the room, motioning for me to sit on an empty cushion in the front row.
“Today”, she said “we will be practicing hand to hand combat. I have only learned a few things about hand to hand combat as I am not training to be in a combative division. Of course, all trainees do have basic combat training, but this was not my favorite thing. Anyways, the class began with JEMCDLX Beta demonstrating fencing, dagger dueling, and weaponless fighting.
We then paired up and practiced our fencing. I was paired with JEMCDLX Beta! She beat me (obviously) but I still think I did really well. I lasted about 10 minutes before she managed to disarm me. We then practiced dagger dueling which is my preferred style of fighting. I lasted about 15 minutes against my opponent, an agent named Blake. Finally, we worked on weaponless fighting. To me, this sounded like karate or something similar, but it really means how to use your resources if you are disarmed. We all set our weapons on the porch, then pair up.
This time, I am with an agent named Penelope. The chime sounds, indicating that the battle has begun. Penelope dashed toward two ropes hanging from the ceiling. A wooden plank connected the two strands, and I realized that the contraption was a swing. Penelope approached the swing and jumped on, propelling herself some 20 feet in the air. She narrowly missed the ceiling, grabbing a bar that hung from it instead. She flipped over the bar, swinging from the handle almost 25 feet up. The swing swung back down, then back up. She grabbed onto the rope, and brandished the pole, which had come loose from the ceiling. She swung it at me, and I ducked, somersaulting and the wooden floor. She swung the bar at me again, and I grabbed the end and pulled it downward, tipping her off balance. I seized the pole, bringing it down across her back, but not hitting her. Instead I kept it an inch away from her body.
This meant that I had won the contest! This is because in a real fight, I would have severely injured her, and would have been victorious. Once all of the matches had ended, JEMCDLX Beta dismissed the class. She walked over to me and complimented me on my fighting style.
We then walked back to the office. Once inside, she showed me through a door and into a smaller office area. On a table was a blue transporter device. She told me that I would be staying in her guest quarters, and that I was welcome to explore the base until we left tomorrow. She told me to transport back to the office at 830 hours tomorrow morning where we would leave for the Kethane base. I was also welcome to transport back here if I needed anything. I grabbed my bag and stepped into a, now present, blue light.
I felt the same sensation of teleportation as when I was transported to my room. It was larger than my trainee quarters, but had the same basic design. A bed lay in the corner of the room, and a closet with a dresser was opposite the bed. A small desk and bookshelf was placed in one corner and in the final corner were three doors. This was new, as my old quarters had only a closet and a bathroom door. I went through the nearest door and was in a bathroom. I went through the second door and found myself in what appeared to be a living room. A couch and two heavily cushioned chairs sat on one side, and a picnic table with a food replicator in the wall, were found on the other.
Realizing that I hadn’t had lunch yet, I decided to make some food. I went over to the food replicator and pushed a silver button. “May I please have a chicken salad sandwich with ground almonds and dried cherries' ' I intoned to the machine. Immediately, the food solidified. I wasn’t really thirsty, but knew it was important to stay hydrated, so I then ordered some water. After my meal, I left the room, and went through the third door.
I stood in a small room with some hooks on the walls and some racks on the floor. There was another door at the end of the room. I realized that this must be the entrance way. I looked at a large clock on the right wall, and realized that it was almost 1400 hours. I decided to spend the afternoon exploring the base like JEMCDLX Beta suggested. I walked out of the room and found myself on a wooden street-like platform. I saw about two dozen buildings that looked similar to the one I had exited.
I concluded that this must be where the guest quarters were located. I walked over to the edge of the platform, and peered over the edge. I noted that I was on the third floor, on the southeastern end of the base. Although each house was shaped the same, they were all different colors. Mine, for example, was a pale purple with white trim. The one on the right side of mine was a deep blue, with pale green trim. The one to my left was a depp green with white trim, like mine. As I continued to observe the houses, I noted that they were all cool colors, mostly greens, blues, and purples, with similar or white colored trim. I observed the base.
Like earlier, I noticed that it was constructed of floating platforms and stairways, and balconies that stretched the length of the area. On the north side of the base, a river wended down from mountains which I could see in the distance. It wrapped around one side of the base, and many machines, I could see, were powered by its natural energy. On the southern side, were flat plains which met with rolling hills on the east side. On the East, small groves of birch trees grew along the base walls. I walked along the platform, noticing a small patch of wildflowers which housed numerous birds and butterflies.
I saw a small building which appeared to be directing agents and guests where to go in the base. I walked over to the building and asked if they had maps of the base. I was handed one, by an agent named Brogan, or so I concluded based on his name tag. I walked away, studying the map. After memorization most of the main ideas on each floor. I decided to start on the first. I found the nearest slide, and slid to the first floor. Fun fact, I noted, this base reminds me of chutes and ladders. This is because it is mostly made up of stairs and slides. There are also some trap door-style routes, including fourteen fireman poles throughout the base. These, I assumed, would prove helpful during an internal attack, because agents would have the advantage of secret escape routes.
Anyways, I exited the slide area, and found myself in a small hallway. There was a bamboo roof, but light still streamed in, because the roof was elevated a few feet above the walls on thin poles. Every dozen meters or so, I saw a stairway, a slide, or an archway leading out of the corridor. Through the first archway, was the high level trainee facilities. I saw some trainees fencing across a field, and another pair being taught by an instructor. The next archway led into another hallway. This hallway was even wider than the one I was in, but there was no specific indication to its purpose.
On my map, I realized that this level was for security purposes, training grounds, and military use. It was the first line of defense against an attack. I wanted to check out the trainee facilities, but decided against it, because I wasn’t high enough in the trainee hierarchy to be able to use the facilities. I decided, instead, to go up to the second level, and took an escalator that was a few meters away.
I continued to explore the base, discovering various interesting places including a large library and an herb garden used by SKA healers. By the time I had reached the fifth floor, I realized that it was dinner time. I took a zipline to the guest quarter platforms and entered my house. I went to the dining/living room and ordered my dinner from the food replicator. “Seaweed salad, miso soup, edamame, a salmon roll, a peanut avocado roll, and a salmon avocado roll.” I told the device. My food appeared and I ate it quickly. By then, it was 1830 hours. I decided to go to bed at 2100 hours so that I would be well rested for tomorrow.
I checked my bag to make sure that I was not missing anything and then decided to go to a training gym for an hour or so. I checked my map of the base and saw that the closest one to my room that was open to trainees was on my floor, only a platform away. I would just need to take a rope bridge and I would be there. I did so, and for the next hour, I worked on my archery and my low gravity fighting techniques.
After that, I went back to my room and worked on some of my distance learning assignments. I finished my essay on the hierarchy of JEMCDLX and SKA members and divisions, then I did some research for my project about elemental magic jamming, a theoretical technology that SKA is hoping to develop before the contrariums. After that, I worked on my comparisons between ECTD and SLM division as well as Rho and Kappa divisions. By then, it was almost 2030 hours. I decided that it was time to get ready for bed.
I fell asleep around 2100 hours and woke up with my rising bell at 0700 hours. I had an hour and a half before I had to infiltrate Remethan territory! I put on a t-shirt and some shorts, figuring I would have to change into Rekethan clothes later. I pulled my hair into two pigtails. Once I had finished getting ready, I walked into the kitchen area and ate some breakfast. By then, it was almost 0800 hours. I decided that I had better figure out how my watch worked if I wanted to use it at all during the mission.
I pulled out my instruction book and began to study the pages. By the time it was 0825, I had finished reading the booklet. Some of my favorite newly discovered uses included an extendable arm and a programmable section of the watch so that you can program the watch to do simple tasks. There was also a cool invisibility function which could hide either the watch or the wearer.
Satisfied with my newfound understanding of the device, I prepared to leave my room. I grabbed my pack and transported it to JEMCDLX Beta’s office. I once again felt the odd sensation. Presently, I could feel my feet on the surface and I saw the familiar office. I was greeted by JEMCDLX Beta and she led me over to her desk, where she grabbed what looked to be a small branch. The weird thing was, however, that although the branch was separated from its tree, it still looked to be alive, with small leaves and flowers dancing across its rims. Likely seeing my puzzled expression, she explained that the branch was to help her channel her life powers. The branch was an “extension” of her magic, and it would allow her to not have to concentrate on our disguises and instead on the mission.
First, she transfigured herself into a similar disguise as I saw yesterday. Then, she transfigured me. I noticed myself growing taller and my face felt slightly different. Oddly, I still felt like myself however. She then asked me to change into Rekethan style clothing in a connected room. When I entered the room, I was scanned by a green light, apparently identifying me. The room temperature and lighting changed to my preference. I had heard about that kind of technology, but we had little of it in the trainee facilities. The room contained my new clothes, a few benches and chairs, a mirror, and an adjoining restroom. I looked in the mirror and saw a few changes in my appearance. My hair was now slightly lighter and was frizzier than before. It was wavy and contained faint streaks of black and red. My face was sharper and my skin was slightly darker, and had the feeling of being stretched over my body. My nose was longer and my lips were thinner. My eyes were a deep chestnut and hazel color.
I looked at the clothes provided. There was a brown dress and shorts with a black leather belt. The shoes were also leather, although brown in color. A green piece of fabric was also present and I decided that it was to tie my oddly long hair out of my face. I put the clothes on then walked out to meet JEMCDLX Beta. She smiled when she saw me and said I look just like a Rekthan! I took that as a compliment, just this one time. She said that we were scheduled for a 9:00 transport to the Rekethan base. We walked out of her office and took a zipline to the ground floor. We then entered a small room, similar to the transport room which I entered yesterday. We both walked up to these two silver areas on the floor and before I knew it, we were being transported. I felt the odd sensation once more, and when my vision cleared, I saw that we were on a grassy hill. About a mile away I could see a sprawling Rekethan base. We began to walk towards it, and towards the beginning of my first mission...
Part two coming soon!