After Ms. Tovia dismissed us, we were funneled into a reception room where workers stood by, maintaining order as the students formed lines. Each line led to a digital kiosk, designed to scan the ID chip now strapped to my wrist. Most students approached with their chip in a lanyard, a wallet, or like me the default academy issued bracelet.
Eventually, I made my way to one of the kiosks and scanned my bracelet. The screen flashed twice before displaying my assignment:
Room 33B
A second message appeared right after
Use your ID chip to enter the room
With that, I left the reception area and began searching for my room. The inside of the ship was impressive, large open spaces, futuristic interiors, It felt less like a ship and more like a floating city. What surprised me most, though, was the complete lack of visible staff. The entire ship seemed to operate on its own, like it didn't need people at all.
I soon found a holographic map on a nearby wall. Without it, I would've been completely lost in the ship's maze like corridors.
For a moment, I even wondered if finding my room was part of the exam Ms. Tovia mentioned.
I made it to my room after a bit of walking. Unlike the sleek, high tech halls I passed through, the room itself felt almost regal, fancy wood paneling, velvet curtains, warm lighting. It didn't mirror the rest of the ship at all instead, it felt like something made for royalty.
There was one bed and a bathroom. It looked like I had the room all to myself. The realization hit me this ship must be enormous. With the number of students I saw board, how was it possible that no one was sharing a room? Fortis must be even more well funded than I thought…
I headed into the bathroom and changed out of the clothes I'd arrived in. After a long shower, I slipped into something more comfortable and began exploring the ship's many amenities. There were stores selling foods not available in the cafeteria, fancy bookstores, upscale clothing shops, and more. Each one more expensive than the last, well out of my price range. I wandered through them anyway.
Before I realized it, it was time for dinner. A voice echoed through the hall from a speaker overhead, announcing that the cafeteria was now serving. I joined the flow of students heading in that direction, the sound of conversation growing louder with every step.
The cafeteria was packed, but even then, it only held a fraction of the student body.
I figured the rest were either still on their way or eating in their rooms.I stepped into a line leading toward another kiosk. One by one, students scanned their ID chips, then moved ahead toward the food stations lined along the back wall.
When it was my turn, I scanned my chip. The screen flashed once:
Food Credits: 0
Food Fee Waived
Enjoy your food!
The kiosk dispensed a plate. From the looks of it, the food fee had been waived for everyone.
I grabbed the plate and walked toward the food stations. Rows of trays stretched out before me, filled with dishes I'd never seen or even heard of Mixed in were the basics too: rice, vegetables, pasta, and a few things I could actually name.
I filled my plate with various things, sticking to the basics, My plate filled I looked around for a place to sit, I realized nearly every table had at least one person at it. I didn't want to intrude, and the idea of awkward small talk made my stomach turn.
So I turned to leave, figuring I'd find somewhere quieter to eat, id Probably head to my room.. My discomfort must've been obvious, because someone called out to me.
"Hey, do you have anywhere to sit?"
It was a girl's voice, unfamiliar, casual even, like we'd met before although I've never heard her voice before. I turned toward it, unsure if she was talking to me, but her eyes were already on mine. She had salmon pink hair, messy like she'd just woken up,
She stood there with a tray balanced in one hand, her posture relaxed, her oversized shirt hung past her fingertips. Despite the disheveled appearance, she carried herself with a confident demeanor.
"If you have nowhere to sit, do you wanna sit with me?"
"Ye... yeah, sure," I replied, confusion slipping into my voice.
She giggled to herself and turned, weaving through the tables toward a spot with just one other person already seated. As she reached the table, she slid into the far side, purposefully choosing the seat furthest from the other student without a glance in their direction.
I followed behind, unsure whether I was intruding or not. The person already sitting there didn't react. His eyes glued to his phone.
I sat down across from her and set my plate on the table.For a moment, I just looked at her, half expecting her to say something else but she was already focused on her food, casually eating like we'd done this a hundred times before.
With nothing better to do, I looked down and began picking at mine.
Noticing me poking around my dish she spoke
"Not hungry? I'll eat it," she said
I glanced up, caught off guard."No, I'm just... thinking," I spoke, nudging a piece of food around my plate.
She tilted her head. "About what?"
I hesitated, then asked, "Well… why did you ask me to sit with you?"
She shrugged. "Do I need a reason? I didn't have anyone to sit with, and it looked like you didn't either"
I let out an awkward laugh "Fair enough, I guess."
Without missing a beat, she dug into her food, shoveling it into her face one spoonful after another, making it seem like she hadn't eaten in days. She finished her plate before I'd even made a dent in mine.
She rested her head on her arm, pouting slightly as she eyed my plate.
"Are you gonna finish that?" she asked, lazily pointing at it.
Is she serious? I thought to myself, not daring to say it out loud. We'd only been sitting here for a few minutes, and she'd already devoured her meal.
I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose."You can have a bun," I muttered, sliding it toward her without making eye contact.
She snatched the bun from my hand without any hesitation, her eyes lighting up as if she'd won the lottery
"You knw wha'?" she said while in between bites of the bun "I think I made a goo' decision makin' you sit wif me."
I laughed, unable to help myself.
"Whas soh funny?" she said, mouth still full of bun.
"Nothing, nothing. Just... finish your food," I said, trying to stifle the smile spreading across my face
Finally finished with her bun, she flopped back down onto the table, her arm cushioning her head, and let out a satisfied sigh.
"My name's Eliza," she said, her voice muffled slightly by her sleeve.
Before I could respond, she asked, "Well? What's your name?"
I took a bite at the wrong time and choked, trying to answer midchew. "Agh.. Arthur," I coughed out.
She snorted. "Nice to meet you Arthur"
We ended up sitting at the table for about an hour longer. I shared more of my food with her, and we talked, about the ship, Fortis, dumb stuff.
Once I parted ways with her, I made my way back to my room. A voice echoed from the speakers overhead:
"It is nearing curfew. Please enter your rooms within the next hour. Anyone caught outside of their assigned rooms after curfew will be expelled."
Harsh, I thought to myself.
Arriving at my room, I scanned my ID. The door slid open. I stepped inside, changed into something more comfortable, and dropped onto the bed.
Eliza... I wonder if she's really just that nice, or if she has other motives. I don't know. Today was good. I'm too tired to think about it any further.
I awoke to a blaring alarm blasting through the speakers, followed by a voice:
"Please get dressed and exit your room. Testing will begin soon. Do not bring any items with you. You have one hour to get ready. This message will repeat."
Groggy and disoriented, I sat up, rubbing my eyes.
I got dressed and readied myself to open the door.
But when I stepped out, the wide, open halls from yesterday were gone. In their place were two smooth walls, stretching horizontally from either side of my doorway, forming a boxed in corridor. A perfect cube. The door behind me slammed shut locking me in this box
My heart pounded in my chest, each beat louder than the last as anxiety started to creep in. The speaker crackled overhead.
"Five minutes remain. Please prepare for testing."
Those five minutes dragged on, each second stretching longer than it should have. I stood there frozen, unsure of what to expect, until finally
"Test commencing. Hold tight."
The floor beneath me began to sink, descending slowly like an elevator