Gibraltar's Edge in the Roxas Star Edge System

Eden

2744 AE

"Theresa! Wake up!" a distant voice called. "Jesus, how can you sleep like the dead? We're going to be late!" My overly chatty roommate cried out. Excitement laced through her tone, startling me. I frowned, wondering what she had to feel so excited about. The high pitch of her girlish voice penetrated my ears. Man, chirping birds didn't hold a candle.

She was a bundle of energy and her excitement was palpable. I opened my eyes groggily, taking in the odd sight. "I'm so nervous! I can't believe we're here!" my roommate exclaimed with the naivety of a bright-eyed child. If she was a dog, I imagined she'd piss herself right about now.

I, on the other hand, did not give a rat's ass at eight in the morning.

I lifted my head, squinting, as my roommate, with her perfectly thick, braided blonde hair, twirled in the long-length mirror attached to the wall beside her bed, as she examined herself in her all-black school uniform. She looked proud, nervous, a ball of agitated energy ready to burst. I squinted, before dropping my enormously heavy head back onto my firm pillow. "What the hell are you going on about, Remy?" I absently spoke, but it was half-muffled as I snuggled deeper into my pillow.

Remy looked at me annoyed. Her green eyes projecting her usual disapproval about my blasé attitude. She approached my bed and stood there, cocking her hips. "We need to go down for morning announcements, or else the RA's here are going to have our asses."

I lifted myself up about half an inch, pretending that I gave a crap. "You are way too cheery this morning."

"How are you not excited?" Remy asked, looking genuinely puzzled. Her admonishment about my decidedly lackluster excitement had my inner bitch wanting to smack some sense into her. The excitement was clear in her gaze and it bemused her that I wasn't feeling the same. I scowled instead.

"Because only your lame ass would be excited to go to fucking class," I spouted out.

I never claimed to be nice nor did I even entertain the idea that Remy and I would ever be anything but roommates, given that we had virtually opposite personalities. We had gotten paired together, both students at Sacred One—an elite academy dedicated to the training and education of those with special attributes, brought to you by the United Federation, the overly powerful galactic republic overlords that sought to utilize our powers and abilities for their own military use. It was about as cliché as you could get in the history of mankind because nothing established our heightened sense of superiority and might, than exploiting those around us to maintain our grip on power.

It wasn't hard to see where we became useful and any well-informed, self-aware citizen could tell you that we were pawns to be used in their quest to colonize the vast reaches of the unexplored universe. Humans, in this time, had reached a new frontier where science and technology were continuing to advance at an unparalleled rate. The things that used to be almost science fiction were now a thing of reality as galactic travel was commonplace at light speeds and people were discovering new life beings with powerful "abilities". In 2744 A.E., with the advancement of quantum and other advanced technologies pushing the forefront of dimensional possibilities, the rush to expand was in our blood.

It helped that there was some monetary and political gain to be had.

Remy held out her hand and in the next second, the massive red duvet, that insulated my cold body, immediately hovered above me. She swept it aside with a small flick of her hand until it landed on a heap on the middle of the floor all without so much as touching it physically. There was no obvious mental strain from the use of her ability, which meant, unlike some of our peers, I've come to realize quickly, meant she had excellent endurance and control already. Using one's ability was the mental equivalent of exercising a muscle. Her telekinesis made her exceptional.

My attention once more refocused on Remy. She had a smile on her face, while I pinned her with an annoyed look. The girl was determined, I would give her that. Her eagerness to include me was almost endearing, if I wasn't so annoyed by the reason I was here. "If you don't get up, I'm going to dump water on your head."

"You're lying," I accused her.

She stared me down. "Try me."

I groaned and got up, annoyed. "Why in the world do you care so much if I fucking get up to go to class?"

Remy put on a smile, "Because you were admitted for a reason and you're going to take advantage of it. I don't know what abilities you have, but it must be something if admissions hedged their bets on you."

"Why does that matter?" I asked her.

Remy didn't seem off-put by my aggression. Shrugging, she spoke again. "Maybe it doesn't, but look at this as an opportunity. I'm only highlighting the possibilities, rather than lingering on the negatives here."

"I'm not lingering on the negatives," I brought up. "Naïve optimism doesn't get you far. You'll only be left disappointed if you keep hoping for the best. For all you know, I'll probably flunk out."

Remy turned aghast as if the thought of that occurring was horrific. I gave her a pointed look. "Don't say that!" Remy cried. "Don't jinx yourself before you gave it a fair shot. While we may have a difference of opinions on our outlook, it doesn't mean that I can't rub off on you eventually."

"Or maybe I'll rub off on you," I spoke.

"Maybe that's your ability," Remy surmised. "To depress the hell out of everybody."

I laughed. "Now, who's negative?"

"I'm just saying..." Remy trailed off. "You have to have some kind of ability if Sacred One felt you belonged here."

If only she knew, I thought. It was there, on the tip of my tongue, to tell her that the last thing I wanted was to be here, forced against my will. I wanted to remind her that not everybody was as enthusiastic to be attending Sacred One and that her excitement was unwarranted.

"I don't want you to get into trouble, especially on the first day." Remy continued. "Think of it as me being a good roommate. Really, I'm doing you a favor."

"I'm fairly certain that the use of your ability in an unauthorized setting, constitutes grounds for suspension," I pointed out, my voice sounding husky from waking up, as I shoved my hair out of the way. "That is, if we can establish context for its use at the time of the alleged incident to plead it down from an expulsion charge."

Remy turned to look at me in surprise. She halted her movements as her face fell into a confused frown. I could see it in her gaze, as she attempted to figure me out. I knew that what I had said wasn't something a normal nineteen year old would say. I was already aware that if I wasn't careful, people would start to notice that I didn't belong. My upbringing considerably set me apart from the rest of the student population here, despite my age.

I suppose the last thing I needed was to make myself sound like some kind of snitch. Remy seemed to pale at the thought, but then regained her composure when she sensed that I wasn't being serious about adhering to the rules to report her for technically breaking them. "What are you now? A tribunal council member? How do you know that?"

That was the intergalactic version of a lawyer from Earth.

"No, but apparently I'm an overeager student ready to start the day!" I responded with a false cheer.

I groaned, my head beginning to clear of the morning grogginess. My body was beginning to break out into shivers and before I had chance to retort, I headed to the attached bathroom and began my daily routine.

It didn't consist of much, except peeing, brushing my teeth and combing down the massive, thick bundle of hair that cascaded down to my lower back. Thanks to my half Persian, half Mediterranean roots, my coloring was a little bit darker than my roommates. My bronze-tanned complexion contrasted greatly with my blue-gray eyes, which were currently staring back at me through the mirror. High cheekbones, straight nose and long lashes finished the rest of my face and I wondered how much of it I got from my father and how much of I got from my mother, although I would never know now. They had passed away and over the years, as I grew busy with my studies and just well...living, I was soon forgetting what they looked like.

I was sort of odd in this world. I certainly looked odd. At Sacred One, most of the individuals who were admitted looked nothing like me. I was tall, athletic in my build and I practically towered over my roommate, standing at five-feet eleven. Most of the individuals looked like some variation or flavor of Remy. Remy had that porcelain skin and those platinum blonde locks that she braided into a Dutch braid, looking like she belonged on a show about gallivanting through prairie fields in the farmlands. She was also probably the most overly chatty and friendliest person I had ever met.

As I came out of the bathroom, I spotted her sitting at her desk. She was playing with her holo-com—a sleek, handheld communication device that would project a holographic screen with whatever information you wanted, waiting expectantly for me. She watched me, as I dug through my dresser drawer and located my uniform.

The academy required us to be dressed all in the traditional carbon-black uniform. They were form-fitting with matching black boots and made out of some polymer of carbon nanotubes for greater insulation and compression. They were well-designed, with black-iridescent outlines that highlighted our torso and our legs. The only difference was some of us were granted uniform markers that marked each of our abilities. As fucked up as it was going to sound, those markers ranked us based on how powerful we were. As first years into the academy, both Remy and I didn't have a ranking as of yet, but as we continued to develop we would be given special marker colors to indicate our level of value to the United Federation.

There was just one problem.

My power wasn't...consistent.

Remy looked at me, satisfied that I was ready. She looked like an eager puppy, so filled with excitement I was half-expecting her to piss herself on the floor if we didn't leave. She peered at my hair, watching the black sheen tumble down. Sensing an opportunity to be a jolly good roommate, she asked, "Do you want me to braid it for you or something?"

I shook my head, not realizing that I had dropped my attitude and it was confusing the hell out of her. It was clear that Remy was expecting a more flippant answer from me, given the rude awakening. She probably thought I took a shit and it flushed down the toilet or something. "No, it's okay." I released the zipper at the front of my top, so I was allowed to breathe.

The uniforms were constricting, but the compression was better meant to prevent muscle injuries and allow us to aerodynamically perform better at combat. Embedded within the material of the clothing, were an unimaginable number of microscopic nanochips that could be hooked up to monitors, allowing for any physician to run through our vital signs and assess us for any injuries. It was similar to the uniforms that the military donned on when they went out into the field, except I imagined theirs were equipped with a number of other useful technologies.

"It's a lot anyway and I don't have the patience. No reason to subject you to the torture of it," I added as an afterthought to temper down my bluntness.

Instead, I grabbed a black hair tie and began to gather up the mass of hair and tied it into a sleek ponytail, which swung down to the middle of my back. "Let's just go," I said easily.

Remy didn't argue and instead we exited our dorms, watching as others did the same. We were in a coed wing of the dormitory, but the main floor primarily housed females. Exiting the dorm, we quickly made our way across the quad and took a holo-transport to the main dining hall, before we were to make our way to the amphitheater-style auditorium, where the morning announcement was to be made.

I watched as the crowd began to gather outside the dining hall and the commotion inside growing louder with hungry, eager students all experiencing some combination of being back to see their friends, being admitted or just eager to show off their abilities. The massive dining hall was equipped with high ceilings and large floor-to ceiling windows, allowing ample sunlight to filter through. It provided beautiful views of the water fountains, dotted along a long extended pool of crystal clear water, bordered by marble that led to another massive, crystal-white building in the distance, beyond. That was probably the main administration building as it stood proudly with high turrets reaching unimaginable heights into the sky—possibly a mile. Everything was just so....modern, new, and crystalline, and with people bustling about the dining hall, I found myself distracted once more, lost in the sea of people.

Circular tables dotted the massive space with students making their way to the buffet lines, before settling in with their friends to eat. The buffet tables had every type of food imaginable from an assortment of cut ripe strawberries, succulent pineapples, apples, berries and bananas to all flavors of seasoned and plain bagels, oatmeal, cereal, waffles, pancakes, muffins, doughnuts, to coffees, teas, and orange juice. There was also eggs, bacon, salmon, yogurt, and toast on another table and those were just foods familiar and easily identifiable from an Earth-born human's perspective. There were some I couldn't seem to recognize probably either native to this planet or elsewhere that all looked mouth-watering and enticing. The aroma of breakfast seem to waft towards my nose, but my mind was adjusting to the large display as I moved over there.

It still took some adjustment since my standard of living on Earth would proclaim this kind of spread a luxury. When was the last time I ever had salmon for breakfast? The plate of salmon were even sliced and rolled up to resemble delicate roses, topped off with a bit of greenery. Food had become a resource issue back on Earth. Who had time to decorate when so many were starving?

Remy had disappeared at some point, caught up with a group of girls I didn't know. I didn't mind so much and with her gone, I could take the time to observe my surroundings. A number of them seem to know each other and I was greeted by the sight of individuals hugging each other after a long break and others laughing away. Some threw glances my way, but I ignored the gathered attention.

I could see the internal cogs turning in their minds as they tried to pinpoint exactly how dangerous my ability was. It was something I was beginning to realize governed the silent threads of hierarchy at Sacred One. Power to these people meant everything and I could sense it in the dining hall. Off to the right, closest to the beautiful views, stood probably some of the most powerful ones, with the red uniform markers, marking their ability extraordinary and dangerous. Meanwhile, the ones with brown markers were one of the weakest and occupied some of the farthest seats from them. The rest of the colors remained scattered throughout. I wasn't sure about the unmarked ones and it appeared that they were given temporary respite from the judgement of their intended place in the cafeteria until the ceremony granted them the correct uniform marker.

The red-marked students were the ones that attracted the most criticism and envy. It was there I sensed the guarded mystery of the students who lingered among their section. They were different than the other students, their attitude far-removed from the jovial and amicable excitement that many of the students were experiencing with the start of the year. I couldn't help but frown at the indifference that seem to emanate from them, as if all of this excitement was beneath them. They looked jaded, like life had beaten them down in some way. Still, I couldn't help but frown at their less-than-friendly demeanor, which was ironic, considering that was exactly how I was feeling at the moment.

As I gathered my tray, piling it with food, I moved away and began to look around for a place to sit. Spotting a lone table, I made my way over there and sat down, feeling a heavy weight settle in the pit of my gut, decimating what little appetite I did have, as I took in the strange awareness of my new surroundings. I didn't care that I had no one to sit with and frankly, right now I wanted to take a moment to gather my thoughts and piece together again how my ass ended up here.

It was actually by accident. I hadn't even wanted to go, but circumstances had somehow landed in my lap that had initiated my departure from the project housing that I was living in with my uncle. Our home base was not on Eden. In fact, we lived elsewhere on another planet, called Earth in the Milky Way Galaxy about a couple hundred light years away.

The push for colonization on other planets had been something born out of desperation. Earth had become so overpopulated that the need to search for other habitable planets had started several centuries ago. Land was hard to come by and fresh water was becoming harder to source, as resources began to dwindle. War began to break out among nations and it didn't take a genius to figure out that the constant friction between nations was going to soon decimate humanity's existence in its current trajectory. We humans just couldn't seem to get it together to work together to overcome the world's problems—disease, plague, famine, war, climate change—whatever it was, the influential on Earth had a constantly differing opinion on how to handle it, to the point where we couldn't seem to agree on anything.

However, progress of this magnitude was never done without exploitation of the weak and the poor. The push for colonization on these new planets was initially handed to prisoners and the poor who had nothing else to lose in a government-sanctioned program for repopulation and rehabilitation on these planets. In return, prisoners were allowed to exchange their prison sentences for freedom and the poor would gain a second chance at a life that transcended their dismal socioeconomic condition. The ethics were argued relentlessly, but in the end, the privileged pushed for it and those that were desperate gave in for the chance at a new life.

Those first few missions bore failures, but with every incentive and push, humans advanced their exploration, until they were able to colonize the first planet, Mars. Once it was deemed safe and they were able to build the infrastructure on these planets for a more sustained civilization, the rich began to settle, leaving the poor out of the loop and escaping the cesspool that was Earth.

In return, those of the working class and poor were forced to remain on Earth, as intergalactic travel became commercialized and it became a luxury for the rich. Those who gained financial freedom had the opportunity to move on and settle on other planets. Others exchanged their servitude to the