~~~Austin, Vocal Testimony Tape 7~~~
" My 'first' day of school didn't end soon enough.
"Tired?" Joiln asked.
I opened an eye, "Huh?"
"Are you even awake? Hard day?"
"Well, I was almost asleep. Thanks a lot."
"Aw, you hadn't even lain down for two seconds. Besides, I didn't think you'd want to go to school tomorrow without even starting your homework."
I yawned and smiled, "Ok, fine. So where'd it go? Ah, here... is it always like this?"
He ignored me calmly, which I took as a yes. He let the time slip by before asking, "Having trouble?"
"No," I sighed.
"You're doing that pretty slow," he replied casually.
"I have to translate it, and my brain's low on sleep...."
"I'm having trouble with my English."
We shared a look, got up, and switched papers. Joiln looked at the camera.
"This isn't that hard. I could... help you understand it."
Joiln looked at me and smiled, "Alright, then. I can help you too."
"Yeah, I have a feeling the plants and animals will all be pretty new to me. I'll probably need help in science."
He grinned, "Let's get started."
And so we did; I helped him with his math and English, he helped me with my science and Caldorian. Luckily, it had been arranged that all our classes be the same in order for Joiln to keep an eye on me, so our homework was all the same.
The lights went out.
"Did you do that?" I asked.
"Hm? Do what?"
"Turn the lights out of course."
"No.... It's the 15th hour. Lights out time."
"And when do they turn back on?"
"At the Zero hour. Uh, when the 20th hour is done with."
"That's only five hours of sleep- I'll never survive on that!"
"We'll go to the doctor in a few days if it's a problem."
["Boy, am I glad I get more sleep than that now!" Austin says, "And then I'm not up for 15 hours, either."]
~~~Medical Records from Polan Diciplinary School~~~
*Dr. Shinou*
"Dr. Shinou?"
"Yes?" I asked, turnign around to face my afternoon apointment.
"Sir, I--"
I met this with a glare.
"I mean-- Dr. Shinou, I--"
"I read your complaint, Austin."
"Yes?"
"Well, you seem to be quite awake now. I have trouble believing you cannot follow a regular sleep pattern," I growled, not willing to believe that the creature trully needed so much sleep as teh GSI had reported, but rather believing that he was spoiled.
"Forgive me, Dr. Shinou, but it is not regular for me, and the only reason I'm awake is because coffee is a miracle."
I glanced at the report from GSI. "What is normal for you then, Austin?"
"Eight hours of sleep and sixteen awake is best...."
"A one-to-two ratio? That would be... six to seven hours of sleep. This school is not supposed to be easy, Austin. We're about potential. I think you can live on five hours of sleep."
"Dr. Shinou... I've really been trying that... but sooner or later I'll get in serious trouble for sleeping in class and I won't be able to help it, or even for not finishing my homework because I fell asleep as soon as I got to my dorm rather than at lights out...."
"Would you prefer to take your last period during lunch instead? Then you would have almost two hours extra for sleeping."
"But my last period is art, Dr."
"And...?"
"Well, I suck at it. I don't have any talent whatsoever, so why should I take it at all?"
"You as a student do NOT chose your classes! It is a required course. You would need specific premission from your art teacher, the principal, and myself."
"But, how could I eat if I don't have a lunch period? Wouldn't you at least consider recommending the decision? I'd be awful grateful if you simply supported it, but I'd be even more so if you recommended it.... please?"
"I've got a better idea. Ask your art teacher if you can take her class for half the period of lunch, and then for a full period or more on weekends. That I will recomend, and you should still ahve time for recess if you eat fast enough."
"Wow, thanks Dr. Shinou!"
"Can you find the art room by yourself?"
"Yeah."
"Starting tomorrow then, if your teacher agrees. Contact me if there are any problems."
"Of course, Dr. Shinou," he said gratefully, leaving.
~~~Austin, Vocal Testimony Tape 7~~~
["Are you cutting any of this out?" Austin asks. "Actually, yes we are," the deeper voice answers, "but only in the text version." "Oh, alright, Dreka. HEY! is that a butterfly!" "You're so easily distracted. Close the cutains." "Alright, alright."]
A small shaking of my shoulder only annoyed me. In my dreams, I was convinced it was 'that stupid cat' and tried to swat it away.
"Ow! hey, wake up you lazy jerk."
"Not lazy," I protested, still mostly asleep. I felt a terrible burning as Joiln, my usually pleasant room mate, lifted me into a sitting position without puttin gon his gloves first. I would never in a million years adjsut to the fact that everyone here had skin as hot as fire, and almost the same color too. They would never seem to adjust to the fact that it hurt me to be touched with the palm of their hands even. I kept my eyes closed, refusing to admit I was awake yet. This was made diffficult by the urge to go jump into the shower and turn on the cold water before my skin blackened.
"You have an hour to finish your homework," Joiln announced, thankfully letting go. "I'm sorry I even let you sleep this long."
"I'll do it in the morning."
"This IS morning. Remember to go to art during lunch today."
I turned an ungratefully, blurry gaze on Joiln. "I hat mornings, and I hate art."
"Ok," he grinned, "So maybe you have an hour and a half left, but you still should get rolling." He returned to his usual laid back, almost careless but always in control, look, stance, and tone. "Let's get going."
"Right."
~~~Joiln, personal diary~~~
*Jy, Welc, 1110001101bns*
"Try not to be so jumpy," I observed. "Don't you learn anything from me?"
"I'm not jumpy," he snapped.
"Uh, huh. You looked like a zangura on amphetamines when the teacher came in."
"I hate this place. I'll never get used to it. Maybe you can stand it. You've put up with this crap since you were born."
"That's because I know how to relax."
"Relax? I can relax, quite well, actually, I just can't stay that way! We're here twenty-four/seven!"
"Twenty-four/seven?"
"Twenty-four hours, seven days a week. Er, like saying twenty/ten."
"Try again."
"No," Austin snapped. "I can't always think in your language and theres nothing you or I can do about that at present."
I reflected that he wasn't even speaking 'our language:' Caldorian.
"Then maybe you need some rest."
"A break, perhaps, I'm not tired."
"How do you reelax?"
"I- it's, er, a concentration thing my friend taught me. Mike. He wasn't done telling me about it, I think, but he's on Earth and I'm here."
"It can't always be mental relaxation, Austin. I'll explain to you some other time."
He immediately dropped it, taking the hint. I never had to remind him there were cameras in our room; he seemed excruciatingly aware of the fact.
"You look tired. Lay back at least."
He sighed, "Fine," then sprawled out on his bed. "How can you obey so many rules?"
"What else is there to do? Get in trouble?"
"I can't even keep them all in my head...."
"That is probably why you were sent here."
"Er?" he yawned.
"This is a reformitory school, of course."
He turned to me, a bit shocked, "It is?"
"Yeah. You didn't think I got in because of my wonderful additude toward authority, did you?"
"I guess not. So why am I here? Do they think these mistakes are on purpose?!"
"What sort of mistakes?"
"Hmph. Calling people Sir for instance. What to wear everyday. I told you, I can't keep track of it all."
"They probably think it's lower conscious," I hinted.
"Bah. Ridiculous. I'm not sick in the head or anything. Just cuz I won't bow down to their God! I have to deal with all this 'I bet he's nuts' crap from everyone!"
I remember a large silence.
He continued, "You don't think I'm anythign more than weird, do you?"
"That's 'my God' too!" I spat, avoiding his question.
"... I'm sorry," he said simply, but I could tell he didn't mean it.
"Sure, whatever. Finish your homework so you can go to bed, friend."
"Sure thing, amigo. I'm sorry."
*Jee, Welc, 1110001101bns*
Austin shot out of bed.
"Feeling any better?" I asked him.
"Huh?! No! I'm not feeling better- I'm still jumpy in case you couldn't tell," he snapped, clearing the seat of his forehead.
I waited a moment for him to calm down. He took a deep breath and addressed me again. "Wow, that was strange. It was so real. Like it wasn't a dream at all, like I was there."
"What made it so real?"
"I've never dreamed in color before, and it was just something I'd never come up with in my wildest dreams. Er, that's probably not the best of sayings at this moment."
I nodded. He started pacing. "So what's so strange about this dream? What was going on?"
"I'm not sure... I've never seen people dressed like that before, and yet... somehow I know its from the late nineteen-hundreds on Earth. Just... the feel of the place... It was a totally different reality, but it WAS reality..."
"Have you ever seen pictures from that era?"
"No."
"Ever read about it?"
"Not really, only that it existed. Like, one sentance, 'and in the twentieth century, the world was still sorely split into seperate nations, but that was soon to change.'"
"That is strange," I agreed, "Try not to think about it and go to sleep."
"Yeah, I wish I could wake up so easily for school," he joked.
"No you don't. Goodnight."
Some way or another, Austin was not doign so well. He was stressed out... I could help him but does he trust me? Can I trust him, really? This could get us both in trouble, but hopefully we'll still be friends by tomorrow night.
~~~Austin, Personal Dirary~~~
*Jii, welc, 1110001101bns*
Around lunch time...
"Not hungry?"
"No," I sifghed. "I'm not really hungry."
"Come on, let's talk where it's quieter."
"Sure."
We moved discreetly into the woods.
"You trust me, right?"
"Um... so far...."
He smiled tersely. "Yeah, well you think we live everyday without breaking rules? Without- wanting to break them?"
"I understand, I think. I won't say anything, whatever this is."
"Good. Are you willing to get in trouble?"
"Er, I don't know, what kind?"
He smiled for real. "Come on, then," he insisted, leading me deeper into the woods. "You just gotta trust me and out little group- the teachers will never know- except that you skipped school."
"Our little group?"
Several people stepped into view.
"Oh, hi," I said nervously.
~~~Principal Hekelain, Interview~~~
Dreka: Hekelaine, we have met before in good company.
Hekelaine: Yes, we have. What brings you here?
Dreka: Earth wishes for you to answer a few questions concerning your student, Austin.
Hekelaine: Oh, yes, I remember him. I would be happy to answer your questions. Would you by any chance be willign to give me a bit more information as to why tehy want these answers?
Dreka: It is simply for their records of his stay here.
Hekelaine: Then go ahead.
Dreka: There is a time where it is entered in that Austin was missing. Could you explain waht happened then, to the best of your knowledge?
Hekelaine: The first time?
Dreka: Yes, Hekelaine.
Hekelaine: Well, I recieved a call telling me that both Austin and his room mate were missing. But I knew Joiln well enough not to worry. It was improbable that he would be stupid enough to try to run away permanantly.
Dreka: Were you worried at all about Austin?
Hekelaine: I was. He seemed to be adjusting slowly to the school as a whole, and I was planning on sending both of them to therapy. If they did it again, I would be forced to expel Joiln, as those were the rules. I planned on talking to Austin about it in his math class, which I taught.