The Space
Chapter Ten
“Play is the highest form of research.”-Albert Einstein
Cyd stood over a cutting board, laboring over her latest creation while Macky sat nearby on the counter, throwing an orange into the air and catching it behind his back.
“It truly is a masterpiece,” Macky said continuing to play with the fruit. “Needs basil though.” He smirked giving her the side-eye.
“Well then,” Cyd said leaning over to snatch the orange, “Why don’t you be a propper sous chef and hand me some?”
The two of them laughed and Macky reached over to the herb garden on the window ledge and grabbed her a few sprigs. “You know,” he pondered, “it’s really cool that even though we have known each other for years, this quest brought us even closer together.”
“I didn’t think it was possible Macky,” Cyd sprinkled chopped leaves over two bowls filled with a thai mushroom and protein foam fusion, handing Macky his share. “But it is crazy to think of all the adventures we’ve been through.”
“If you think about it,” Macky said with a mouth full, “we’re a lot like Archimy and Cinque. I mean first Cinque was the teacher and now they work together, kinda like when you first started to show me around and now we do everything together.” He smiled kicking his dangling feet.
“Um, excuse me,” said a girl popping her head out of the fridge. “Did I just hear you mention Cinque? It’s so weird cause he just popped up in this book I’m reading.”
“Really?” Cyd sounded surprised, “what’s it about?”
“It’s about the new online societies that emerged around the 21st century, it’s really quite interesting, I think it might have a lot to do with the basis for The Spaces initial concept.” She said, reaching out her hand, “I’m Kella, it’s nice to meet you.”
Cyd stared blankly for a moment, with a mouth full, she couldn’t believe there was another strand to the quest she had overlooked.
“I’m Macky,” He said jumping down from the counter and shaking her hand, “this is Cyd,” he said gesturing with his bowl.
“Yes, hi!” Cyd squeaked covering her mouth and beginning to laugh a little as she swallowed. “It’s so interesting we should run into you, see we’ve been working on a project for months following Cinque and the origins of the space.”
“It’s a quest,” Macky chimed in trying his best to impress Kella who seemed to be about his age, if not just a year or two older. “We’ve been through all sorts of space and time looking for the history of this place. Maybe,” He paused for a moment and looked to Cyd who gave him a nod, “maybe you could join us!”
“That sounds like a treat,” Kella said blushing, “I’m kind of new here, to be honest, I’ve always been fascinated with the background of it all. I used to be homeschooled and I had an interface there.”
“That’s pretty cool,” said Macky as he walked backward showing Kella the way to their workspace. “Bet you didn’t have one of these at home!” He gestured over his shoulder.
“Wow, I certainly did not!” Kella exclaimed running over to the modified table, “what is it?”
“It’s a Holo-Desk, one of a kind!” Cyd said proudly slapping her hands on the table. “Macky and I made it for the quest, pull up a chair!”
The three of them sat around the desk discussing what they already knew, and trying to line up the new information Kella had to add to the quest.
“So in my story, this it’s talking all about the concept of Affinity Spaces. The part I had just been reading mentioned that the author, Dr. J, sat down with Cinque. He calls him a likeminded fellow who was trying to do similar work in the field of building a community for learning.”
“Interesting, we’ve never come across anything mentioning a Dr. J.” Cyd leaned back in her chair trying to piece together where this all fits in.
“We’ve done a lot of searching with this quest, in fact, I even met Cinque once,” Macky said, boasting slightly and trying to flip his Cinque medal in between his fingers at a speed that might impress Kella. “In a sim at least.”
“It’s the weirdest thing though,” Kella said pulling the book out of her bag to look at it, “it sort of ends right in the middle of the meeting.”
Kella set the book down on the table, the interactive surface began to glow orange around it, strands of light peaked out from the circle searching for other connections. Cyd and Macky leaned in, noticing something written on the outer pages of the book. There, scribbled in black felt marker read the word “Archimy”
“It can’t be,” Cyd said reaching over to touch the book.
Macky fumbled his coin, it made a clank as it hit the desk, everyone seemed to freeze as the coin rolled around on its spine, spiraling down until it hit the edge of the book. Suddenly the light surrounding the book changed to a bright purple, then and electrifying blue, expanding to encompass the coin. A connection fracture shot off, lighting up a square in the center of the table. It began to flash, “New Object Available.”
“A coin that activates a book,” Cyd smirked, “that’s pretty much par for the quest.”
“How curious,” remarked Kella.
“Welcome to the team,” laughed Macky, “goggle up!”
The three of them donned their tech specs and looked once more to the center square, then back to each other. All at once they reached their hands into the center as if to huddle before the send-off, and together the three of them touched the icon.
At once the team was transported to a familiar office. Around a large table sat Archimy, Cinque and a man and woman they hadn’t met before.
“That’s Dr. J,” Kella whispered as if not to interrupt the meeting.
“Well that’s Cinque and that guy over there is Archimy, his name was on your book. I don’t know who that lady is,” Macky pointing out the other members of the team.
“Quiet you two, we’re gonna miss it,” Cyd whispered, and she headed over to the conference table for a closer look.
“Really, it’s great how far you’ve come with the concept,” Said Dr. J, “The physical space is just the beginning for what this whole thing could be.”
“We’re so glad you’ve decided to come in,” Archimy added, “your ideas for the potential of online societies have really inspired us in so many phases of development.”
“I’m glad to see it all put to such good use,” Dr. J laughed, “I’d really like to show you a little of what my associate Gamma has been working on, but I’d better let her do the telling.”
Gamma walked over to the head of the table. “Thanks, J,” she smiled at them and then looked to Cinque and Archimy, “What you’ve been working on here is just the beginning. This new project will give us the ability to teleport the experience of The Space, from a physical space accessible to dozens to one available to millions.” She walked over to a screen projecting an image of a concept for The Space and clicked to change the slide. “I’d like to introduce you to The Rhizome.”
Just as the image on the screen began to change, the entire sim flashed a blinding white. A vault door slammed shut, and in front of it emblazoned across their HUD’s was a red banner reading a single word, “LOCKED” the vault behind it fell away and an endless stream of 1’s and 0’s rained down behind it.
“That,” Cyd said, pulling off her goggles in awe, “that is the real deal. I don’t think we’re supposed to see that yet…”
This concludes Season One of The Space!
Want the whole story? Start with Chapter One
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