When their tour had ended, on the second day, Arthur invited them into another of the lounges to sit and talk. Jenna wondered just how many lounges this ship had. The new lounge was obviously designed with relaxation and comfort in mind, not the kind of showy, almost gaudy comfort of the Elen-Tron, but true tastefulness which gave them a warm, harmonious feeling.
"How about something to drink?" Arthur said.
The Ophilion nodded in unison. "Yes, please," Celli said.
As if on cue, one of the Meloria came into the lounge carrying a tray with glasses containing an opaque light red liquid which she placed on the table. Everyone politely expressed their gratitude.
"This is juice from a fruit that grows on Earth," Arthur explained. "It's called a strawberry... one of our favorites."
The Ophilion took the tall glasses and tasted the juice cautiously at first. "It's delicious!" Jenna remarked. The others nodded in agreement and drank freely. They later agreed that it was the best elixir they had even drank; better even than hamera juice. They placed their glasses back on the table, sensing that Arthur had something important to tell them.
"We want to give you a few calah to get used to your new reality before you begin training in earnest," Arthur said. "We want you to feel comfortable with the way things work here. But we do have one important announcement that we will make now, and that is to assign you your personal trainer. I think you have already developed a connection, but we want to make it official."
The young Ophilion and the Melorian agents looked into each other's eyes. "And you probably know who your trainers are; they are the ones you first held hands with when you met." Galian reached over and took Fel's hand; Takea, Jenna's; Cathandra, Celli's; and Kylor, Orion's. "So, there it is," Arthur concluded, "official. We will all be working together, but these will be your personal coaches – the ones directly responsible for you during your time of training, and during your active mission. And I believe that your coaches have a special gift for each of you." Arthur and Maria smiled at them and rose from their seats, leaving the eight to themselves.
***
"Do you remember the time you were swimming in Belemer Lake?" Kylor asked Orion as they walked down a wide passage somewhere in the ship. "You had just completed your eighth cenro." Orion remembered. He looked up at his coach nervously and swallowed. "You thought you could make it to that dock, out on the lake."
Orion felt his heart rate increase as he remembered the terrifying sensation of panic. "I thought I was going to die." He said quietly, and they stopped walking.
"Then you felt something – in your mind," Kylor tapped his temple, "and suddenly, you knew you could swim the rest of the way – your panic disappeared."
Orion looked up at his trainer in awe. "So... that was real?"
Kylor smiled.
"It wasn't just my imagination?"
He shook his head.
Orion looked to the floor. "I never told anyone about that – I was scared." He looked back up at Kylor. "Thank you."
The powerful Meloria placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "That's my job. I have been keeping my eye on you all these cenro, and sometimes, I came to help when I was needed."
Orion shook his head taking it all in. "All so we could find our way here... and do this mission?"
"No!" Kylor said, showing surprise for the first time. He placed his other hand on Orion's other shoulder and looked deeply into his eyes so that he would understand. "Not just for the mission, Orion, for you – because you wanted to know more and go further; because you have the heart and will for it – because it is your Destiny to do so. Remember, I wasn't the one who selected you."
There was a pause as Orion took this in. "Togan..." he tried to tie some of the loose ends together but realized it would take time, "so... she really knows me? She sees me?" Orion asked sincerely.
There was a soft light in Kylor's eyes. Orion had his answer. He inhaled deeply as a fresh thrill of wonder coursed through him.
Kylor motioned with a sideways nod and they began walking again.
"Not many people on Ophilion recognize Togan," Orion said, "Jenna and her people are the only ones I have ever heard of that know her well, and they follow the Ancient Code. Most others just think Togan is a myth, or at least not important."
Two Meloria passed them by, walking in the opposite direction; they smiled and nodded their greeting and one of them gave Orion a hearty pat on the shoulder. "That's Flex and Akima," Kylor told Orion, "they are from a class of warriors called the 'Order of Light'; very powerful agents; very dangerous."
Orion raised his eyebrows. "And they're going to help us save Ophilion?"
"They're going to protect the people who choose to follow the emergency instructions – when the emergency comes." He raised his eyebrows meaningfully. "If it comes."
Orion seemed to sense that this would be explained later in full, so he didn't ask for clarification. "Which order do you belong to?" Orion asked.
"The 'Order of Fusion'," Kylor responded. "Three of the Melorian Orders are represented on our ship. There are nine Melorian Orders in all," Kylor saw fit to divulge some of the Merenthaal secrets. "Takea is also of the 'Order of Fusion'. Cathandra is of the 'Order of Light'. Galian, of the 'Order of Crystal'."
Orion carefully slotted in his brain the question of the remaining orders. For now, he would simply listen and attempt to comprehend whatever Kylor was telling him.
"Seven of the orders have the ability of operating in the First and Second Dimensions. The other two orders can operate in the First and in the Dimension Above the First. They walked past an archway and Orion glimpsed, for a second, a large dimly lit room where a few people seemed to be engaged in a combat exercise of some kind, but he couldn't tell what they were doing and Kylor didn't comment on it. "On the Antarious you are in First Dimension Space," Orion's instructor said. "When you entered the airlock, you transitioned between the two dimensions. This is the reason you feel so differently physically. And that is why this ship seemed to be invisible - even to your electron scanners."
Orion's head was spinning. What else would they discover here? The 'rabbit hole' Arthur had mentioned really was deep and complex.
They had walked around part of the ship and had come to a bright white rotunda in the wall, big enough for five or six people to fit into comfortably. It was similar to a personnel lift, only smaller and it had no door. Orion hesitated momentarily then followed Kylor and stood on the impeccably white floor. The Antarion made a mental command after which Orion felt a strange rippling sensation flow through him. At the same time, a shower of white seemed to envelope them momentarily.
Kylor motioned for Orion to step out of the rotunda. He did, and inhaled sharply. They were in another part of the ship entirely. Whatever that device was, it transported them to a completely different part of the ship almost instantaneously, and without the sensation of motion. Kylor was pleased with the boy's reaction. Orion scanned the scene from right to left then right again. He walked a few paces forward and placed his hands on a railing. In front of him, a few steps lower than the floor he was standing on, was the most fantastic control center he had ever seen – someplace on the Antarious they had not been shown on their tour.
The three Antarion on duty smiled and waved. One of them was Miguel – one of the four Almaron commanders. "Welcome to the 'lab!'" Miguel called to him. "Come on down and have a closer look."
Orion glanced up at Kylor who nodded. Orion reverently descended the six steps which led to the floor of the lab. Miguel walked up and clasped his hand. "How did you sleep?" he asked.
"Oh... fine, just fine." Orion answered, in a daze.
The lab had various work stations and com-displays; counters strewn with papers and equipment; strange machines, the purpose of which Orion could only guess at.
"I'm glad you decided to stay with us, Orion," Miguel said, and the young pilot could see from the look in his eyes that the Almaron's words genuinely reflected his feelings. "I would like to tell you some things that will be of importance to you. First, I would like to tell you that your uncle Menaro is well. He is still in suspended animation and has been taken to one of our facilities on Ophilion. He is safe and he will make a full recovery."
Orion looked at Miguel with concern and guilt. "I'm so sorry! I had completely forgotten about him! How could I have?"
Miguel smiled. "That can happen when you enter a new reality. Have you thought about your mother since you've been here?" Orion considered, then slowly shook his head, feeling even more guilt. Miguel nodded understandingly. "She's fine, don't worry," he told him. "We sent her a message – an official Merenthaal message – by courier – informing her that you are fine, that you accepted an invitation to participate in a specialized educational program for gifted youth; that this program will improve your prospects for your future. Our messenger answered all of her questions and was very convincing, and your mother agreed. He told her that you will make a video call today; and we'll do that later."
Orion nodded, still feeling guilty, but grateful that the Antarion had taken care of his family and friends.
"Also, the currier told her that you are working, part time, for the educational firm, and will be paid well for your efforts." Miguel smiled. "It will more than compensate for your missed work days at Tur-Lam 64. The messenger also spoke to the management at your factory who kindly consented to your absence, and your job will be waiting for you when you return – if, indeed, you wish to return to it."
Orion wasn't sure how to answer and felt uncomfortable about receiving financial remuneration, but he realized that he and his mother would need the money if he wasn't at work for four weeks.
"About Menaro," Miguel said, "the first thing we did after you came aboard was to make sure he was okay." The Almaron started walking to the other end of the lab; Orion followed. "Our goal is to serve and protect people, while at the same time not interfering with personal freedom and choice." He chuckled. "Not always simple. We tend to get creative in our work."
Orion nodded, not fully comprehending what he meant.
"Have a look over here," Miguel said, and proceeded to show Orion a map of the ship. He smiled and thought back to the time he first entered this amazing vessel. He remembered the first time he had taken the controls and made her fly.
"Here we are," Miguel pointed to a yellow dot on the map, "and here are your quarters...the main lounge, the morning meal lounge."
"How many decks does it have anyway?" Orion asked, trying to understand the layout. "It was hard to tell from the tour."
"Six in all, but they split and angle in many places, so it gives the feeling that there are more. Here is the outside view." Miguel pressed a few buttons on the keypad. A rotating holographic image appeared in front of them.
A fascinated smile appeared Orion's face. He stared at the hologram for a while in silence. "That is such a sleek shape." He shrugged and chuckled. "We certainly don't have anything like this on Ophilion... nothing even close to this. And it's pretty big!"
"Well, you should see the big ships."
"The big ships?" Orion echoed.
"Many times this size." Miguel smiled and pressed a sequence of buttons on the controls in front of them. A diagram of ships appeared in a high-definition hologram in front of them. "This is the galactic fleet known as the Isorropia." Miguel pointed to the middle of the display, "this is the Antarious... this..." the instructor adjusted the scale and the Antarious shrank in size until it was a mere point, dwarfed by another vessel, "...is the Henosis."