The next day, I rise early, scrounging a small breakfast and heading outside. I had some unanswered questions, and I knew just who to ask. Hurrying into the school building, I ignore the nasty glares from some of the human girls. I pass by the groups of people talking outside in the courtyard, and pause, grunting at the obvious separation between races.        

There was a cluster of human girls giggling over by one of the bench tables. Another group of Tailers were over in the corner, playing with a beetle running along the leaf of a bush, and still another group of Mirkens playing some ball game with a large ball of crumpled, smushed papers.

“Pardon me, miss,” I jolt my head forward to see an alien standing in front of me. I pause, scanning him for a split second, trying to figure out what race he might be, but his physical appearance didn’t match any race I knew. He looked like an anthropomorphic red panda.

“Huh? Oh, yes, hi, you need something?” I reply, my words tumbling out in a hurry. The alien boy takes a step back, startled.

“My apologies, I wasn’t aware you were in a rush.”

“No, no, no rush. I was just--er--thinking, yes, thinking.”

The boy looks at me, concerned.

“Miss, are you alright?”

“Yes, yes, just fine. If you knew me, you’d know I act like this all the time!” I snap.

“Oh, of course, I’m so sorry! I did not mean to offend you.” he dips his head politely. I sigh, trying to keep my cool.

“No, no, I’m not offended. And what is it with you and ‘sorry?’ Do you always say that every two or three sentences in a conversation?” I ask.

“I suppose... I say it when I feel I’ve wronged someone. I hope I haven’t wronged you?”

“No, of course not, but, if you don’t mind, I do have things to do, so unless there’s a reason you wanted to see me...?”

“Oh, yes, that, I’m doing a survey.” he explains.

“A survey?”

“Yes, miss. Oh--good golly! Where are my manners? Raven’s the name, and you are?” he introduces himself, holding out his hand. I shake it, managing to relax a little.

“Klere. Klere Jackline. May I ask, what are you?”

“I’m a Javerd.”

“Javerd?”

“Yes, miss.”

“Never heard of Javerds.”

“We are not the most populated planet, I must say.”

“Fascinating...” I mumble to myself, breaking off in a daze, then shaking my head to clear it. “Anyway, what’s this ‘survey’ about?”

“I’m inquiring about family with different races; I’m trying to do a comparison about different cultures and traditions when it comes to family.”

“Oh, I see...”

“Problem?” he asks, looking concerned again.

“I just--I don’t really talk about my family.”

“Oh, complications, I presume?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business!” I snap.

“My apologies, I did not mean to make you upset.” He apologizes. I sigh. Keep it together! I tell myself.

“Yes, there are--were some complications with my family.”

“‘Were?’ Then they are gone?”

“Well--no...”

“They are still here?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Very well... thank you very much for your participation.”  he nods politely and begins walking off. Who does surveys about family relationships - how prying of him! I think in disgust. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder why someone would survey such a strange topic.

Trying to push it aside in my mind, I focus back on Myrror’s instructions given to me last night, thinking about what I was going to do about this... whatever it was! 30 days to complete the task... one ring for every day... 4 survivors, one from each continent... and she said something about the survivors having something in common with one another... My eyes widen and my mouth gapes. I whip around, watching the boy - what was his name? - walk away.

“H-hey! Wait!” I call, failing to remember what the Javerd’s name was. Sprinting after him, I grab him by the shoulder. “Hey, you... umm... whatever your name was, what is that survey for anyway?” I ask.

“My name is Raven, and this...? It’s... um... for a project that I’m working on.”

“A project?”

“Yes, a very elaborate project. It’s top secret, unfortunately. I can only discuss it with those who were chosen to work on it.”

“Chosen, you say?”

“Yes, miss. Why...?” he asks, narrowing his eyes in a wary look. Yet, as cautious as he seemed, his voice almost sounded... hopeful.

“Who chooses you?” I ask.

“Miss, are you sure you’re alright?” he asks.

“Who chooses you?!” I repeat, raising my voice.

“I-I-I... just an alien. Just an alien manager.” he stammers, startled by my demanding tone.

“Does your ‘boss’ happen to have a very formless bottom half?” I ask, partially sarcastic. Raven’s eyes widen, so wide they look like they’re about to pop out of his head. Grabbing my arm, he yanks me forward, pulling me towards a janitor closet and shutting us both inside. Pulling the small string to turn on the one little lightbulb hanging at the top, he looks at me, his voice hushed and urgent.

“You cannot ask questions like that! What if I had been one of the lurkers?”

“Lurkers?”

“Didn’t Myrror tell you there were other competitors? Playing this game? The twenty survivors aren’t the only ones out there and we have to find them without attracting the attention of the rest!”

“So this is real?!” I yell. Raven slams his hand over my mouth.

“Shh! Yes, the game, unfortunately, is very much real. Are you a survivor? Did Myrror choose you?” he asks. Grabbing his hand, and pulling it off my face, I answer.

“Yes, Myrror came to me.”

“When?”

“Last night.”

“Yes, yes, I know, she came to all of us last night, but when?”

“Wha--what do you-- ‘when?’” I question.

“Uh... what time, exactly?”

“I.. I don’t know. Around midnight?”

“Midnight! Good golly, you must be the last chosen survivor if she came to you so late in the night.”

“And what are you?”

“I’m the first. What did she tell you? I need every detail you can remember!”

“What--why? Don’t you have the same thing?”

“No... not exactly. Every survivor got the basic rules as well as one piece of the puzzle, which is why we have to find all 20 survivors, otherwise we won’t know what we need to do in the 30 days we have.”

“How do you know this?”

“Myrror told me. As the first survivor, my puzzle piece was that ‘every survivor knows something that the rest know not.’ Now, I need you to recall everything she told you. As best you can!” He encourages me. I think for a moment.

“Well... she... uh... she...” I trail off.

“Yes?” Raven prompts.

“She said I was a survivor, that we’d have 30 days to complete a task...” I begin. Raven nods.

“Keep going.” he encourages.

“She said... know your friends, and your enemies, and that for every day passed there would be a ring in the sky, and--”

“Hold on, what? A ring?”

“For every day passed, there would be a ring in the sky. Does this have anything to do with that big smoke ring that showed up last night?” I ask. Raven’s face turns pale, and he begins chewing his fingernails nervously.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Um... I don’t know how to explain this... there was no ring in the sky last night--I mean, at least no one saw it but you. That means you’re going to have to keep track of that, if it’s true that there are rings in the sky that only you can see.”

“Keep track of it? Hold on a second! Who said I was even playing this dumb game?”

“You were chosen, were you not? Just like the rest of us were, by Myrror.”

“Yes, but she said this was based on the planet’s survival.” I point out. Raven gives me a nervous look.

“What is your point?” he asks me hesitantly.

“I may have been chosen, this may be real, but who said I chose to participate? This game is about the planet’s survival, not mine. I don’t care about this planet, the humans have done nothing but treat us like dirt. They can rot for all I care! Our top priority should be getting out of here before the 30 days is up.” I conclude. Raven’s eyes widen very obscurely, a hint of the shock that he tries so hard not to show.

“So... you’re just going to leave? If we leave, this planet dies...”

“It deserves to die!” I snarl. Raven eyes trail down, avoiding my gaze. Crossing my arms, I begin to ponder.

“Ok, so if we’re going to get out of here, we’re going to need to find a ship...” I think aloud.

“I’m not leaving.” Raven mumbles. I glare at his drooping head, my mouth opening, ready to shoot some snappy comment at him. I pause, however, considering this. Well... if he wants to stay here and die, it’s his funeral. I think sourly.

I do not hate aliens. I, myself, am an alien. But I can’t say that I would support an alien who supports the humans. I crossed my arms, staring at the dirty floor, my bitterness towards this human-helping creep growing by the second. For a long moment, we both sit in silence. Considering. Thinking. I thought about how I was to get out of this place. Chances are, Raven was thinking about how to save it.

Silly fool... I think. Does he really think he’ll get anything out of saving those pitiful humans? Only the foolish think they can be a hero to the arrogant! I think. Raven suddenly looks up, his eyes mild and casual.

“Assuming you’re looking for a ride out of the planet, I happen to know where you could get one.” Raven offers. I glance up, my perspective of him suddenly taking a turn.

“Ok, you’ve got my interest. Go on?” I coax.

“I have been working on a secret project for a few years now, and it is nearly ready.” he explains. I feel a smile slowly begin to form on my face. “But,” he continues gravely “there is a catch.” My smile disappears.

“Figures.” I mumble.

“I will allow you to use my project to escape the planet by the end of the 30th day if you agree to help us to your full potential in the survival games until that time.” he says.

“No! No way!” I exclaim abruptly.

“I cannot let you use it otherwise.” Raven says apologetically.

“That is not a good deal. If I’m going to even think about agreeing to this scam, I need to know what exactly is your project?” I question.

“A ship.”

“A ship?”

“Yes, a spaceship, with the capability of traveling from planet to planet in a matter of hours.” He answers. My mouth gapes. Hours? Some of the best spaceships ever made still take weeks to travel to neighboring planets in a galaxy! I think. I rub my chin, considering his offer. Finally I look at him, smiling slyly.

“Show me.” I demand. Swallowing hard, Raven reaches into his pocket.

“Well... I, uh, I can show you the blueprints?” he offers. “The real thing is quite a ways from here - I hid it in the mountains, to prevent unwanted attention from news crews or thieves.” He pulls his hand out of his pocket to reveal a small, silver marble.

I give him a strange look. Taking the marble, he twists it round in his fingers until he finds a small button. Pressing it softly, he then tosses the marble into the air. Quick as light itself, the marble then bursts into four even pieces, a rectangle of light appearing between them. Each marble held a corner of the rectangle.

“Is that...?” I whisper, trailing off.

“Pardon?” he looks at me.

“Is that holo-technology?” I ask. He nods.

“Indeed it is, this is my third model of a holo-computer. Why?” he adds. I shake my head, unable to find an answer.

“I... I just...” I trail off, staring in awe as the computer fully boots up, the rectangle resembling a simple desktop. But it wasn’t just a simple desktop. This was technology far beyond anything of modern day Earth. Pressing a few buttons, Raven then gives the screen a small flick with his finger, like he was turning the page of an imaginary book. The computer, as if in response, turns 180 degrees to face me.

“These are the most recent blueprints of my project.” he explains. I look over the complex plans, I try to make some sense of them, but only a true nerd could read any of this! Or a true genius... I think, still stunned with fascination over his “computer.”

“I’ll let you keep it.” Raven says abruptly, almost desperate to cut a deal. I tilt my head to the side, looking at him from around the floating computer.

“What?”

“If you agree to help us to your very best for the next 30 days, I’ll let you keep the ship when I allow you to use it on the 30th day.” I ponder this. All I have to do is play this stupid little game for a month, right? And then... and then! And then I could literally do whatever I want! I could go anywhere with a ship like that! I say it’s worth a try... I convince myself.

“Ok, then,” I answer, casually. Raven looks up at me, with a glint of hope in his dark brown eyes. “Deal.”