Year 2019

Glenville High School, Washington

History Class

...The Event happened 10 years ago...

... a lot of governments thought the Dalsau was going to invade but they were actually just traders looking for a new market...

...we sell or trade the cores and other products to the aliens for credits or exchange them for Altech items...

... the new immigrants are mostly the family of Prospectors, Merchants, Altech engineers, Laborers.....

I thought a senior’s life was fun. I thought it was like in the movies. Parties... Drag Racing... Stink Bombs... The works... Instead, I'm here half listening to my classmate's drone on and on about the Event in history class. I sighed internally. What’s the point in studying the Event anyway when it only happened ten years ago? Like when people mentioned 9/11 you readily know or maybe had an idea of what happened. We called it The Event like it was the only world-changing phenomenon in recorded human history. Try asking the dinosaurs. Yep. There are none. Move over dinos, we’re the captain now. I was so deep in my musings that I didn’t hear Mrs. Baker calling me.

".. Helloo... Mr. Hunter... Anybody home?” Mrs. Baker tapped her stylus repeatedly on my desk. Sarah giggled on my left. She was the most obnoxious girl in the world. She's not even that pretty. I frowned at her and she raised her shapely eyebrow. I turned my head to the teacher before I might say something that I'll regret later.

“Uh. Sorry. Can repeat the question again ma’am” I inquired. I became embarrassed and my cheeks were getting hot all of a sudden.

A couple of students sniggered loudly at the back of the room. I ignored them and I made my face look eager to the teacher.

“Oh. Welcome back, Mr. Hunter! I thought I had to ask your friend Mr. Cooper to form a search party ” faking concern dripped from her voice.

“Like that’s gonna help!” his friend Frank said helpfully. The traitor.

Everyone laughed and my face felt hotter.

“Okay. Settle down people” Mrs. Baker judged I was embarrassed enough and decided to let me off the hook.

“My question was.. Why do you think the Dalsau Collective seeded our planet?” She folded her arms waiting for my answer.

Seeding. I recalled how my parents talked about The Event a number of times in the past. After the seeding, the nanites changed every human, animal and plant life form on earth. The effect was it shortened both the animals breeding period and harvest cycle of all plants. The animals themselves developed interesting and sometimes dangerous characteristics. They also increased the sizes of the animals. The wolves were twice as large and now had sharp metal-like teeth and some birds that were the size of a small plane. The larger animals were even a lot smarter than before. I read in the forums that certain parts of the dangerous rare animals sell for thousands of credits in the Collective’s markets. But the most prized item is a metallic solid “Core” that can be found in large beasts. A “Core” is inside in every human too. I shuddered at the thought of an object attached to my spine.

I gathered my thoughts and I thought of different ways to answer the question.

“Uh. Maybe because they’re just too lazy and can’t be troubled to harvest the core and other animal parts themselves,” I answered. I furrowed my brows and continued. “I mean why do you pick the cotton you planted yourself when you can get someone else to get them.” I finished with a grin.

“So were the slaves” Mrs. Baker, being a black woman narrowed her eyes. My grin immediately disappeared and my face changed into a horrified one.

“Wha. what? No. no. You misunderstood me. I think it’s cheaper for the Collective if we get the cores and parts ourselves and in return, we get paid. I’m a capitalist Y’know” I answered hurriedly not wanting to be called a racist. With all that has happened around the world judging someone's skin or carapace color is least of our worries. I heard some parts of the country are still no-go zones with all the dangerous beasts running around.

“Hmmm. Possibly. Not a bad answer. I’m surprised you listened to my class at all  Mr. Hunter. Next time pay attention” Mrs. Baker admonished walking away and asked another question to a different student. I sighed in relief and thought to myself that almost went bad.

“He shoots and he scores” My friend leaned over and whispered.

“Hmpf. you got lucky” Sarah says dismissively adjusting her glasses. I glared at her and she smirked.

“Tsundere confirmed” Frank added glancing at Sarah.

I scowled at my friend. Frank Cooper has a black cropped hair, black mischievous eyes, hooked nose and average in height. We’ve been friends for a long time. Maybe a bit flabby at the midsection. We always do a lot of things together, from shooting hoops to chasing girls. Frank is a little impulsive sometimes but a good friend nonetheless.

Before I could form a retort the bell rang and I hurriedly packed up my things and ran to the door with my friend behind me.

“Don’t forget to finish your essays and pass them next week!” Mrs. Baker hurriedly reminded the class while she almost got stampeded by the rushing students.

“That was a nice save earlier dude” Frank complimented me while we walked to the hallway lockers. “Although you sounded like you were against the Event.” I glanced at him he had a shit-eating grin plastered on his face.

“What? No man. I love it” I answered grinning as I placed my bag in my locker. “It makes the world a bit more interesting to tell you the truth. Did you see what ...” I was interrupted by a high pitch voice. I looked down at the voice.

“Scuse me. Ya mind movin?” A tiny voice piped up and a very short girl wearing jumpers and a Gap shirt was crossing her arms. A Halfling. She scowled at Frank who was blocking her locker.

“Sorry, Dila.” Frank moved to the side and we fell silent. We watched her having difficulties placing her stuff inside. With a little jump, she tossed her books on the shelf about halfway and with another jump the book finally slid in.

“Oh, such gentlemen” Her little voice full of sarcasm as she closed her locker.

“Hey. I was gonna help but..” Frank was tried to explain.

“Save it ya bum.” she retorted walking away.

“

WhadidaIdo?” Frank asked innocently and I chuckled. That's their daily ritual. Frank tried helping her once and she called him a chauvinist pig.

“

You’re welcome!” Frank shouted at her. The halfling turned and gave him the finger.

“See what I mean.” I explained laughing at him. The girl halfling glared back as she joined her friends.

“Yeah, dude I get what you're saying. C’mon, let's go and get lunch I’m starving.” Frank replied still glaring the halfling.

“You go ahead man, I gotta go take a leak” I walked briskly to the restroom thankfully it wasn’t far. After I did my business I went to the sink and washed my hands. I looked in the mirror and I saw a prince-like figure looking back at me. I stared at the image, then realized it was my face. Who am I kidding? I snorted. Short dark blonde hair, with a square face and about 6'1 in freedom units. The only thing that was unique, was my violet eyes. After washing my face I left the room and got almost got run over by two running dwarves chasing a giggling halfling.

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"Move it you Giant!" The halfling shouted at me.

“WRAH! NO RHANIN IN DA HALWEY” The orc P.E. teacher Mr. Bonzcrahzir roared and pointed at the offender's backs. I got out of there quickly.

The Collective as it’s commonly known is made up of different species. Most of the species appearance was like the denizens from fantasy books. It left most of the xenobiologist scratching their heads as to why aliens look like elves, dwarfs, orcs, and others. So humans being human, if the alien looked like an orc, we named them Orcs. No biggy. The aliens didn’t mind anyway.

All public schools were required to accept all species as part of the agreement between the government and the Dalsau Collective. Mostly the children of families from extrasolar workers are enrolled at the school. They make up around ten percent of total school population mostly teenage halflings, orcs, dwarves, elves, and beastpeople. Although beastpeople were pretty rare in our school.

Arriving at the cafeteria I took a tray and lined up. A couple of football jocks were ahead of me and the line moving a little slow.

“Foor Mak n Chiz pliz!” A tall green orc who wore football jersey ordered loudly to the server. He gestured the amount with his fingers and smacked his lips at the food. The tired looking server slopped the last of the dish on the orc’s tray forming a mountain of mac n cheese.

“Hey!” “ Leave some for us!” a trio of halflings next in line complained.

“Hohoho. Yu snoze yu loze” the orc laughed turning away from the muttering trio who were staring daggers at the orc.

Amused by the scene I got some fried chicken, some tater tots and got a glass of iced tea at the beverage station. I followed Frank to an empty table and started eating the chicken.

“mmhmm. gulp. I always thank the Event for these,” Frank holding up a rather large chicken leg. It was twice the size of an unseeded one. "My dad told me the other night that chickens were a lot smaller than before.” He stared at the leg for a few seconds then shrugged and continued devouring it.

I nodded and took a bite myself before answering. “I hear KFC has more than a hundred branches off-world now,” I said incredulously at the thought. “Those aliens sure do buy anything.” I said shaking my head. I glanced out the window saw some cheerleaders both human and elves practicing their routine. Man. Those elves can really climb. I was admiring the flexibility and dimensions of the elves when I was rudely interrupted by  Frank, who tossed a tater at my face.

“Stop leering at those innocent girls. Like you have a chance with those angels.” Frank said wistfully. He was also staring at the cheerleaders.

“I wasn’t leering, I was staring. And so were you.. you hypocrite” I said giving him a rude gesture. I looked back outside and admired the view. After a minute of silently admiring and praising the Event, Frank turned back to me.

“So. Are we on tomorrow?” Frank asked quietly changing the subject glancing left and right to see if someone was listening in.

“What’s on tomorrow?’ I asked faking confusion and continued eating. My excitement now building and cheerleaders now temporarily forgotten.

“Hunting! You idiot” Frank whispered loudly cupping the sides of his mouth with his greasy fingers. Glaring at me for forgetting hunt. As if I’d forget something like that.

“I know. Just kidding” I said placating Frank.

“Hahaha. I was just joking,” laughing at my friend’s annoyed face. “It’s not even illegal. I don’t understand why we have to keep it secret.”

“Shushh! Mark my words Brian if this ever gets out every Tom, Dick, and Mork will be looking for our spot and cleaning it out” Frank pointing his chicken bone at me. “And what will that leave us? Nada. And I can’t wait for the buggers to breed more. So no mo money for that stupid thing you keep eyeing at the traders”

“Hey! It’s not stupid. That’s some Altech piece of art” I replied sounding wounded. I’ve been saving all the profits from our hunting trips and if the catch stays good maybe in a few months I can finally afford it. “Ever since I seen one from that movie Dad keeps on watching. I gotta have one. My precious.”

“It’s a trip to the hospital if you ask me,” Frank muttered while finishing his juice. “You’re drooling by the way.” He said and pointed at my chin.

Horrified I quickly wiped my mouth but feeling nothing wet I tossed a tater at Frank.

“Asshole”

“Hahaha” Frank laughed dodging the potato bit.

After finishing our lunch we waited for the bell to ring and we separated to our different class. Math class was the same as history class. My mom’s a math professor at a nearby university so I can do the math. No pun intended. I’m a little advanced in the math department than what they’re teaching here, but looking on while my less mathematically inclined classmates trying to solve a problem gets a little boring. Thankfully my teacher knows about it and mostly ignores me.

After the bell rang, I found myself wearing my gym clothes in the locker room for our last class for the day. I’m not that athletic but I considered myself above average. I looked to my left and  Frank looked depressed.

“I hate this class” Frank muttered slowly trying his shoelaces.

“C’mon man, last class of the week.” I tried cheering him up. “Tomorrow we’re gonna make it rain baby.” I said. I mimed throwing a wad of bills.

“You’re right. Maybe It won’t be that bad today?” Frank replied finishing tying his shoelaces slowly cheering up.

“Who knows we might...”

“AW RYT YU MAGYTS!” Mr. Bonzcrahzir crashed into the boy’s locker room. He wore a bright yellow tracksuit and a clipboard in his left hand. “STARTZ RUNNIN IN DA TRAK NAW!” Then he promptly blew a golden whistle every other second “MUV whistle MUV whistle MUV whistle”. We immediately ran to the track.

“Oh, God. I spoke too soon,” Frank wailed while running. Thick bands of sweat running down his face. “Kill me now please,” he moaned. “Who’s the idiot who thought assigning an orc to a gym class was such a great idea.”

“Less talking more running!” I hissed to my friend running beside me. I’m not that winded but I kept my friend some company and emotional support. ”You could lose some weight, my friend.” I said grinning upping my pace a little bit.

“Ow... no... you.... didn't... Did...you...just... call.... me... fat?” My friend said between huffs as he tried to match my pace. Just to fair with Frank, he’s not really fat but he sure could use a little bit of trimming.

“ORGZ HERY BALLZ CALLINZ!” Mr. Bonzcrahzir shouted behind us, easily keeping pace while holding his clipboard. “IZ DAT ALL YU GUTZ?” “HAFLINS RAN FAZTER DAN YU!” he pointed his clipboard forward. I looked ahead and sure enough, a couple of halflings were faster than us. Then the gym teacher tilted his head looking at me.

“HANTER! WATZ UR EXCUZ!” He roared at me.

”Sorry Frank..You know.. what they say about...being chased..by lions..” my friend's eyes narrowed then widened in comprehension

“No...you...wouldn't.”

“Just don’t be..the last guy!” I teased and ran faster and after a few minutes I caught up with the main pack and decided to stay with them. I don’t really feel bad doing this to Frank. We’ve been doing this routine for a while now. I’m sure he understands..See you tomorrow buddy

“FAZTER CALLINZ! FAZTER!”