The Fourth World Read online

  “Is she trying to teach us something?” said Nizhoni

  “Maybe, there is something worth fighting for on this planet, but, that we have to be careful in how far we would go to fight for it?” he answered.

  “Zack, that is deep. You surprise me.”

  “I’m full of surprises,” he said. “Let’s head for home.”

  Chapter 18: Show and Tell

  You’re preparing them for after, aren’t you?

  After?

  Yes, after. They’re coming aren’t they?

  We should always be prepared. Someday will be graduation day.

  It was Show and Tell day at last. Some students were dreading it, but looking forward for it to be over. Others were proud of their projects, and had circled the date on their calendar so they could show off their work and get good grades.

  Fintan was confident that his project was going to go well. He and Ayako had worked hard and were ready to ‘wow’ the audience. They had scheduled an outdoor exhibition so everyone could see not just how well they had repaired the crashed ship, but they had a few little surprises too.

  Zack had been uncharacteristically quiet. He and Nizhoni had buried themselves in the library to prepare their presentation. When asked about it, Zack said “You probably think I’m lying, but I haven’t prepared anything yet. We’ve spent the last few days chasing shadows, but, it was the journey that mattered, not the destination.”

  Fintan then pointed out that he sounded like the classic ‘red indian’ from cheap movies. “Be careful talking like that around Nizhoni,” he said “or you might need a new dentist.”

  They both laughed.

  In class Mister Singh gave them their presentation schedule. First, some indoor presentations would be given, and then around lunchtime they’d head outside to see the outdoor presentations. They’d then return to the classroom for the final presentations, including Zack and Nizhoni’s.

  Fintan was impressed by the quality of the projects. First up was Heather and Raj who, much to Raj’s delight, had been paired up, despite looking like the typical odd couple.

  They had done a good job though, explaining their desktop fusion reactor.

  “Cold fusion,” said Raj “is generally considered to be a hoax. However, it turns out that it isn’t and the original inventors of cold fusion are graduates of this school. They went out into the University system, and leaked the technology too early, so it was discredited.”

  “There are a few potential pitfalls in generating energy with cold fusion,” said Heather, “most notably contaminant radiation. When it’s easy to build a self-sustaining nuclear reaction, and thus face meltdown or worse.”

  “How can it be a meltdown if it is cold?” heckled one student, a young African boy called Titus.

  Singh shot him a dirty look, but Titus could hardly hide his grin behind his hand.

  Heather was unflapped. “Should the reaction run away with itself, it would become hot, and could potentially lead to a meltdown or explosion.”

  Raj then started driving the details with presentations and photographs of he and Heather working together in the lab. In every picture he was smiling.

  Heather again took over and explained their cold fusion experiment. After his fifth glass tube or palladium electrode, Fintan stopped paying attention and just wanted to see the results. She poured some water into the apparatus, telling how the hydrogen in the water would break down into deuterium, and that fusion would take place within these atoms.

  Within a few seconds, a light bulb came on.

  “Now a light bulb only requires a small amount of electricity,” said Heather.

  “So we wanted a much larger demonstration,” said Raj. He turned on the projector again and showed one of the skyscrapers in the city center. “Using a device this size, we were able to provide power to this building!”

  The lights in the building came on. Then they went out.

  “For about 3 seconds,” said Raj.

  *

  After several more demonstrations, all brilliant, Fintan was feeling nervous.

  “You’ll be fine,” said Ayako. “I know you’ll knock them dead.”

  They assembled in the field near where Ayako and Fintan had found the crashed ship. Ayako explained the ship systems end to end, identifying what was broken, what was missing and what was beyond repair. She was crisp, and clear and straight to the point, and showed her logical step-by-step disassembling of various noncritical systems, and how she and Fintan had cannibalized these to put together a working ship.

  And then it was time for the flight demonstration.

  “The task,” said Ayako, “was to show that we could get the ship airborne, and fly it for a short distance. We were asked to do one mile, on the assumption that if you can do one, you can do fifty.”

  Fintan lifted the ship off the ground. It started to spin smoothly.

  They had rigged a speaker on the ground, so Fintan’s voice could be heard from the crowd. “Everything is green,” said Fintan.

  He then started moving slowly away from the group as Ayako explained the various setbacks that they had met and how they had gotten around them.

  After a few moments, Fintan reached the landing point, one mile away.

  They had timed their presentation perfectly.

  Ayako thanked the crowd who clapped politely.

  And then Fintan’s ship exploded with a thud, and a huge black cloud started growing where his saucer had been.

  Everyone gasped, and Singh turned pale. Heather screamed. Nizhoni looked stunned.

  “I’m ok,” came Fintan’s voice from the speaker.

  There were some cheers.

  “And look behind you,” he said. The crowd turned around.

  Fintan’s ship was hovering, impossibly quiet, right behind them. He waggled his wings and took to the air, trailing colored light behind him. Once he was about a hundred feet above them he used the skywriter to write ‘Gothcha!’ in the air.

  Then he landed to tumultuous applause.

  *

  The class was buzzing from Fintan’s prank as they returned to the classroom. Mister Singh eventually saw the funny side of it, but clearly wasn’t impressed. “I won’t mark you down for that nonsense,” he said. “But if you ever do that again, I’ll strangle you.”

  Finally it was time for Zack and Nizhoni’s presentation.

  They stood at the front of the class either side of the projection screen.

  “What is Science?” asked Zack

  “It is the effort to discover and increase our understanding of how the physical world works,” answered Nizhoni

  “And how do we increase our understanding?” asked Zack.

  “Through controlled methods, we observe physical evidence, collect data, and analyze the information,” she answered.

  The screen began to show pictures. There was randomness to them. One minute it might be a mountain landscape, the next a river or a city scene.

  “When we started this project, we had no idea what we were doing,” said Zack

  “And we thought about the definition of science,” said Nizhoni.

  “Whose understanding are we increasing?”

  “Are we doing what we do for the benefit of all humanity?” asked Zack.

  “Or just some of them?” answered Nizhoni.

  The images on the screen changed now. Instead of scenes of beauty and modernity, they changed to images of poverty and suffering.

  Zack and Nizhoni spoke through each of the scenes, linking them all back to science. They showed burned and charred bodies from the use of chemical weapons in Vietnam, and how they were caused by the science of effective weapons. They showed the effects of drought in regions of India, and how they were caused by global warming, a human effect. They showed animals that were extinct or near extinct and linked them. They showed the destruction of the rain forests, and how science made it all possible. Example after example of destruction, with linked, shocki
ng images followed, stunning the class into silence.

  Then he showed the image of a shadow on some stone steps.

  Ayako gasped.

  “This image,” he said, “is from Hiroshima in Japan. This is a human being who was close to ground zero when we dropped an atomic bomb on their city. They were instantaneously vaporized, and this is all that remains. This is the result,” he paused “of science.”

  “So science,” he said “is more than a process of increasing our understanding. It is something that can easily and frequently be misused at the cost of great suffering.”

  He showed the pictures of the craters nearby. “Just a few miles from here is a canyon that looks like it comes straight out of hell. You can see the power of the destructive force that Science can give us. This one is called Sedan Crater.”

  He showed the picture that he had snapped from his saucer. “It’s scale defies belief, and it is just one of hundreds. This is what we did to our world in the name of science,”

  Nizhoni continued. “If this is what we would do to our world, what would others do? If this is how we treat our own people, how would outsiders treat us? “

  Zack took over. “We are learning to go to the stars, but what will we find there? Are we ready for it? What does the evidence tell us?”

  “And that was our project,” said Nizhoni. “Our Science Project, where we decided to explore what Science was, we observed the physical evidence.”

  “We collected the data,” said Zack

  “And we analyzed the information,” said Nizhoni.

  Together they said. “And our conclusion was that while Science helps us to understand the Universe.”

  “It isn’t enough,” said Zack

  “We must understand ourselves too,” said Nizhoni.

  They both sat. Mister Singh looked stunned. Then he slowly began to applaud. The rest of the class joined in and were soon cheering.

  Fintan looked to Ayako, “Not bad, eh?”

  Ayako nodded wiping the tears out of her own eyes with a tissue.

  Chapter 19: Halloween.

  Sunday.

  Dance Day -5.

  8:45PM

  “Hey,” said Zack. “There’s going to be a Halloween dance”. They were back in their dorms. Fintan was at his terminal working on his homework, and instant messaging with Nizhoni. A couple of weeks had passed since their science projects, and life was getting back to normal.

  “What?” said Fintan.

  “Look,” said Zack, showing him a flyer that he’d gotten off one of the older kids. “This is going to be so cool!”

  “It’s not on Halloween, it’s the day before,” said Fintan.

  “Close enough, so it’s going to be so much fun. Let’s get tickets and bring the girls along!”

  Fintan looked in his wallet. The school gave them an allowance and being somewhat of a spendthrift, Fintan had some money left.

  “I’m not going to buy a costume,” he said. “I’m not even sure where you’d buy one in this city, something about its nature as an underground city, dedicated to the future of humanity’s road to the stars, tells me that it doesn’t have a costume shop.”

  “So you’re going to be boring and go in dress uniform?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “Argh! I have the most boring roommate in history!”

  “It’s a formal,” said Fintan, reading the invitation card. “Meaning that guys buy the tickets and girls go with them. You’re going to need a date.”

  “Ayako, of course,” said Zack. “If I ever get around to asking her. Or maybe I’ll ask Iara. Do you think they’d let a student take a teacher?”

  *

  Monday.

  Dance Day -4.

  10:22 AM.

  Cosmic History class again and Sinclair’s endless droning. Fintan was fighting to stay awake, but he knew that Sinclair was sneaky enough to wait for him to nod off and then ask him a question. So somehow he fought to stay awake.

  Zack’s eyes were glazed over. Fintan assumed he was running scenarios through his head in how he’d ask Ayako to the dance, and how he’d deal with rejection or acceptance.

  He caught Nizhoni glancing his way. She smiled a little, embarrassed to be caught, and then turned her attention back to the lesson.

  Class finished and they filed out into the corridor, complaining about the homework that Sinclair had given them. They had half an hour before their next class, so they went to the cafeteria for a drink and a sit down.

  Zack elbowed Fintan, asking him to give him and Ayako a bit of ‘lonely time’. Fintan shrugged, and asked Nizhoni to join him in the library for a few minutes – he had some questions.

  As they climbed the stairs to the library, Nizhoni said. “So, are you taking me away from Ayako because you have to ask me something, or are you taking me away from Ayako because Zack wants to ask her something?”

  She was grinning.

  Fintan thought for a moment. “Yes,” he said.

  They got into the library and sat at a study desk. Suddenly Fintan found it hard to breathe. He was blushing from ear to ear. “Err,” he said. “Umm.”

  Nizhoni just smiled.

  He took a breath. “Willyougotothehalloweendancewithme?”

  “Yes,” she said. “I’d love to.”

  *

  Monday.

  Dance Day -4.

  11:05 AM.

  Fintan felt about a foot taller as he walked down the stairs. She said yes. They approached Zack and Ayako in the cafeteria. They were chatting about homework and drinking soda.

  “Well?” said Fintan to Zack as the girls started chatting and giggling.

  “Well, what?”

  “What did she say?”

  “I didn’t ask her”

  “Why not?”

  “Err. Em,” said Zack, fingering his collar. “I think I might ask Iara.”

  “Don’t be silly,” said Fintan. “Look at her! She’s amazing. Why don’t you just ask her?”

  “I can hear everything you’re saying, you know that?” said Ayako.

  She looked at Zack.

  “Hi,” he squeaked.

  “We’ll be late for our next lesson,” said Ayako, coldly. She and Nizhoni walked ahead, arms linked, whispering and giggling.

  *

  Monday.

  Dance Day -4.

  10:44 PM

  “She’ll never say yes now,” said Zack later that night as Fintan and he were ready to sleep.

  “She won’t say it if you don’t ask her,” Fintan responded. “And there’s only three days to go.”

  “I’m going to work on my costume,” he replied. “I’ll ask her tomorrow.”

  “What is your costume anyway?”

  “I’m not telling, you’ll just have to wait and see. Oh, and Fintan?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Don’t tell anybody about me making a costume, ok? I want it to be a big surprise.”

  “Ok.”

  *

  Wednesday.

  Dance Day -2.

  12:30PM.

  “So has he asked her yet?” whispered Nizhoni.

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Nobody else has asked her yet either, but, she’s really beautiful, somebody is bound to,” she replied.

  “I know.”

  “What do you mean ‘I know’?” said Nizhoni. “If you thought that, why didn’t you ask her instead of me?”

  “Err. That’s not what I meant.”

  “Oh yeah, that’s not what you meant. That’s a weak excuse, Fintan, and I expected better of you.”

  “Sorry?”

  She laughed, and pinched his arm.

  “Girls,” sighed Fintan.

  *

  Wednesday.

  Dance Day -2.

  10:22 PM.

  “So, Zack, what’s going on? Have you asked her yet.”

  “Yes,” said Zack

  “And?”

  “
Well, yes, I have asked her a thousand times in my head.”

  “That doesn’t count.”

  “I know.”

  “So go there. Now.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m working on my costume.”

  “Your costume? There’s no point in having a costume if you don’t have a date!”

  “There’s no point in having a date if you don’t have a costume.”

  “Well I have a date,” said Fintan.

  “Nizhoni?”

  “Of course.”

  “Heh. Well done man.”

  *

  Thursday.

  Dance Day -1.

  6:32 PM.

  All through classes there was an air of anticipation. If folks were inviting others to the dance, nobody was telling. Fintan was sitting at dinner with Zack, Ayako and Nizhoni.

  “So, who do you think asked Heather?” said Ayako.

  “I heard some fifth-year did,” answered Nizhoni.

  “A fifth year? Wow!” answered Ayako. She glanced over to the table with fifth years. “Maybe I can go over there and see if one asks me?”

  “Are you kidding?” said Nizhoni. Zack started nodding to agree. “They’d be lining up to ask you,” she continued. Zack stopped nodding and looked morosely into his food.

  Fintan elbowed him.

  “Err. Ayako?” said Zack.

  “Yes?”

  “Is it more proper to call you Katsuragi-san?”

  “Yes it is. Your point?”

  “Nothing. Just wondering.”

  Fintan and Nizhoni rolled their eyes.

  *

  Thursday.

  Dance Day – 1.

  10:11 PM.

  “Yes!” said Zack from his side of the bedroom. He had been working behind his partition not allowing Fintan to see.

  “Did you ask her on e-mail?”

  “No. But that’s not a bad idea,” said Zack. “I was saying ‘Yes’ because I’ve finished my costume. And it looks awesome. “

  Fintan sighed.

  “Ok, that’s it,” said Fintan. “We’re going over there now, and you are going to ask her, or God help me I will burn the costume.”

  “You wouldn’t do that!”

  “Watch me,” said Fintan. He strode to the other side of the partition, grabbed Zack’s arm and walked out the door.

  “Let go!”

  “Not on your life,” said Fintan.

  They walked down the connecting corridor and into the boy’s common room. They continued through it towards the dining area.