Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : Science Fiction

*"We have done enough for this so-called union. We need to go to a different course, which is, to continue what our ancestors have started. The full imdependence of this Empire starts now! Long live Asia!* The holographic TV inside the cafe got all of the customers' attention as it spits out the President's speech, streaming it live from the Capitol.

"I knew this will come!" The barista said to himself as he wipe his counter with a moist towel.

"Dark times, indeed." A young man responded as he sips his coffee. "War is coming. We need to prepare ourselves."

The barista responded to him, "Don't say things like that!". The customers are all startled with his voice, all of them looking at him. "Pardon me.", he said.

The man chuckled. "Hahaha, don't just shout there and disturb your own customers, Vincent."
"Shut up, Carl." Vincent replied as he remove his apron, letting his large tummy to let loose. He then grabs a cup and cleans its insides using a piece of cloth.

Carl took a sip in his coffee. He knew it from the start that this day will come. "You know...", he said to Vincent as he puts his cup down. "...haven't you thought of it? That the Greater--"

"--That's enough." Vincent interrupted him. He set asides the cup that he's cleaning and placed it in the divider behind him along with the other cups. "Please, not here. It may cause an uproar. Look at those Government Officials who are here. They might hear you and be sentenced as a terrorist."

Carl looked around the whole coffee shop. He saw some couples laughing, others are alone sipping their own tea and some are just there sitting while looking at the windows. He then saw three court officials along with their wives near the entrance. They are in a large table, talking with each other discreetly. *Aren't they surprised that the Empire wants to get out of the Union?* He asked himself. But he knew the answer to his question inside.

"Hmp. Fine. Here's my wrist. I'm leaving."
He stood up and pulls his right sleeve as Vincent scanned his wrist using a silver card.
"That'll be 28 leos." The card beeped, indicating that the payment transaction is finished.

"28?! Hey, I only ordered one!" Carl complained. Vincent let out a faint sigh. "You forgot to pay yesterday."

"Fine." Carl replied as he fixes his sleeves. "I'm going to the University now. Thanks for everything, old pal." He puts on his coat and lights a cigarette. He started walking towards the entrance but Vincent interrupted him.

"What will you do now?" His friend asked him.
He takes a hit in his cigarrete and lets out smoke from his mouth. "Easy," he said. "I'll become what you have said earlier."

He continues to walk until he opened the door and left the place where the aroma of coffees had dominated the place. He checked his watch to see whether he's late for his class again. *"I still have thirty minutes. Better not be late."*, he said to himself.

He hailed a taxi and a yellow-colored floating cab appeared to his side. The window opened revealing man in his sixties, with a unique yellow-colored hat. The hat has a small image of a wheel embedded in it, indicating that he's the driver. "Where are you heading?", the driver asked.

"Palmount, if you may." Carl replied.

The driver responded, "Hop in." The cab lowered itself as the right door at the back automatically opened to welcome him. He gave a quick glance to the towering buildings around the whole area before entering the cab. The buildings we're all shining due to the sunlight that reflects on the windows. *"Another busy day ahead."*, he said to himself.

He entered the cab and seated on its couch as the door automatically closed and locked itself. He tried to find a comfortable spot to settle with but ended up leaning to the side of the cab's left window. The driver started the engine of the taxi by turning the key forty-five degrees to the left. The cab started to float a little bit higher than before.

"As the rules said, three feet from the road. Any songs you wanna play, Sir? A particular band or genre?" The driver asked, looking at him using the rear view mirror.

"Anything will do.", he replied. "Except Pop."

"Sure thing. By the way, the ETA is..." The driver responded as he look at his watch. "Fifteen minutes.", he added.

"Looks good." Carl replied.

The driver slowly started the cab until the speedometer's reached forty. Carl slowly closed his eyes as he immerse himself in the classical music that the taxi's radio plays. *"You have a good taste in music, huh."*, he said to the driver but faintly. He decided to take a nap as they drive along the Stark Highway with ease and no traffic.

Palmount University is the most prestigous school in the Capital and behind the school lies the Capital Plaza, which is, at the center of the Commerce Area of the Capitol. Palmount is wide, similar to seventy soccer fields. The education it offers is top-notch and the school covers all education level, making it accessible to anyone but not achievable by everyone. Every facility is present as well as the equipments needed in every activity they have to do. The driver honked his car to wake Carl.

"Sir, we're here." The driver said to him then chuckled afterwards. "I didn't expect that you're a loud honker." The driver added.

"O-Oh, sorry." Carl replied, immediately followed by a yawn. After gathering himself together, he fixed his coat, tightened his dark blue tie, and rolled up his right sleeve. 

"Here's my payment." He reached his hand to driver at the front. The driver scanned his arm using a small blower-like scanner which is connected underneath the car's monitor. The moniter is placed in the middle of the car's interior, along with radio which is directly above it. A beep was heard and the monitor displayed 'Payment Received' in a green background. The door automatically opened, making the cold air from the air conditioning of the taxi to come out, mixing with the fresh air outside.

He gave his goodbye to the driver and entered the gate along with the many students who are currently enrolled in the school. There are four gates of the school. The Front or the Main gate, the biggest of the four, is located in the north side of the school. The other three are named after the directions where they are currently located at. All gates have sensors which are placed in the gate pillars, scanning all of the individuals who are entering the school. Once a teacher was scanned, he or she will be automatically registered in their daily time record. It also acts as a protection from disease-carrying individuals that might enter the school's premises.

"Everyone creates their own universe. Do you agree or not?" Carl asked his students with a loud voice. Its been two hours since he entered the school, and thirty minutes that started the class discussion. He's been teaching for the last six years in this university, and became one of the most-well known teachers throughout the whole Capital. 

A student raised his hand. Carl smiled happily and called the student. You can see from the teen's face that she's really serious. *"Finally found an interested!'"*, he said to himself. Its already half semester since the class started and this is the first time that someone raised their hand to give an opinion.

"Yes, Eva?" Carl asked. The girl stood up and everyone in the room looked at her. A surprised expression replaced everyone's confused look.

"You are right.", Eva replied. Her nervousness is slowly conquering herself. "But it is more focused on subjectivism." The short-haired girl added.

Carl is about to give his students his answer but was interrupted by the bell. The bell rang in a different way-- it didn't rang in the usual monotonous ring but instead it rang three times, with short interval.

"Oops sorry class, we are needed in the faculty. You are dismissed. And Eva, good job."

---

All teachers are present around the faculty room, each one of them sitting in their own stations filled with different paperworks. 
A man in a brown suit entered the room. He was wearing a brown fendora hat, as well as round glasses. His white hair and the pole his holding indicate that his already old.

"Good day, my fellow teachers." he said.

Everyone responded by saying, "Good day, Mr. Thompson."

"Thanks for coming here.", he responded. He took off his hat and held it using his left hand, then he rested it above his stomach. "This is just a short announcement. I decided not to make a memorandum because I want to see your faces personally. By the way, I want you to give you a commendation since everyone of you is present."

Carl is listening very careful. He's so curious why did the principal wants to see then personally. He knew inside of him that there .is something wrong.

"Have you heard the news this morning?" Mr. Thompson asked everyone. "Apparently, the new State President want our dear Empire to leave the U.W.E.. I want everyone of you to brace every little change the Empire will enforce, whether it is unpleasant or not. Expect the unexpected. Even I, don't know what will happen to the future but, as we all teach to our students, Russia was pissed by the USA's actions, igniting the Third. There's a possibility that it will happen again. Also, cutting our ties to the other Empires will stop all imports and exports so expect a wage cut. Starting today, everything will change. But if possible, don't defy the State."

Everyone can't say a word except for Carl. He's not surpised as he knows what to expect.

"And that's all I want to say. Take care, everyone. And also... annouce that there will be no classes tomorrow. I was invited in a meeting with the State. Goodbye, you are dismissed." Mr. Thompson said to everyone and left. Almost all of the teachers went out, few of them stayed and returned to their work. The same goes for Carl--but he stayed to sleep.