Census of The Stars

Chapter One: Campbell and a Bittersweet Introduction

The morning seems bleak as time inches forward; nothing about waiting for a member of the Elite could get more dreadful. Questions are floating around in his mind as he waits for someone to tell him why he is there; it could be anything really, and that is what terrifies him. The receptionist continues to answer the phone and schedule appointments for the Cresthaven Council as the clock seems to be malfunctioning while he stares upon it. He could feel the sandpaper-like seconds as they creep, but the real reason is because of the Star Race this week, his nerves are on a high, and his Star Power seems to be buzzing the closer the date comes. He rests his head against the wall, shutting his eyes, hoping to relax a bit before hearing his name.

"Mr. Wilder, you can go in, Dr. Ward will see you now." The receptionist tells him, and his eyes pop open with an unknown purpose.

The room opens to the Council, Elite, and a girl who wears a look of disappointment on her face, but it was there before seeing him.

"Ah, yes, Campbell." Dr. Ward states with a smile and a curt nod and then looks to the others in the room. "I'd like to introduce you to someone; this is Cass Hale. This young lady is probably the most envied person from your generation of scientist. She just graduated from the Academe, like yourself, and I thought about you for this job, it could help you with any opportunity you might have in the future." He explains beaming at both Campbell and Cass. The conversation Campbell remembers never left his mind, the National Star Race, held in a new state every year, a massive undertaking; the backing of someone like Dr. Ward would mean everything to him. "The opportunity here is for an entire summer," he says, slicking his hair back with his hand and looking around the room. There are so many people around to hear his words and some of them are of the simple-minded variety of racism. The Council was here for some other reason, the Elite were here for him and Cass, of that he will remain hopeful. With a slight nod to the girl in question, she turns back towards Dr. Ward, as if there was some trick to what he is saying. "Now, I realize this might come as a shock to you, Cass, since we hadn't told you that you'd be sharing the experience with Mr. Wilder yet. With you being so young, and him in his prime as a Star Bound Chaser; well, we figured it would be easier to have you help each other out." He finishes, but the girl's face does not change. It seems to get worse, as if someone had killed an animal in front of her.

The Council exchanged worried glances when he mentions the fact that Campbell is something other than human. It scares them, Campbell can see it in the Council member's eyes that they wish they could control everything going on in Cresthaven, hence why they are here, he would assume.

"Sharing?" asks the girl, her voice cracks as she says it, but it was still surprised, hurt even. She glances back towards him with a whip; her black hair bounces around her head, involuntary crimson rushes to her cheeks when she sees Campbell watching her. The fact that they are sharing their opportunity weighs within her intensely, he can see that. Individually, this was probably supposed to be their moments to shine, not to compete for the spotlight.

"That's correct, Miss. Hale," Dr. Ward states, leaning forward slightly. "You are both underage Travelers. Technically, you aren't even allowed out of Council sights until you're eighteen, yet," he says, dropping his gaze from the two of them and leaning back. "You have both fairly out qualified any other applicant, and that is not something we can just overlook." The words he utters are flattering, but world crushing. He fails, then she fails. Together. Or not at all.

"Look, I still don't even know what we're doing, what can two people do for an entire summer that have better qualifications for than someone higher up?" Campbell asks, and he rakes a hand through his curly brown hair as he looks away from everyone's unimpressed stares.

Cass turns with a sarcastic expression on her face, showing that she knows she is too good to be working with someone like him. "You're going to be taking this year's Census of the Stars, Mr. Wilder." Dr. Ward states in a dreamlike manner, and the other eyes in the room seem to flutter dreamheavy as well.

Campbell can feel his palms sweat, and his mind starts to grow heavy with the thought of what that might entail. Something about the arrogance and the 'too smart for her own good' girl sitting to the side of him, makes him nod his head. He wants to believe there is nothing that could train him better for what Dr. Ward has to offer him, then babysitting a girl as she documents the stars.

"So, beloved Elite, decorative Council, it is settled." Dr. Ward states as he stands abruptly, jostling everyone a bit, and smiling down at them like a teacher would his students. "Cresthaven will accept the invitation this year, and we will be sending the youngest and most brilliant to create the Census of the Stars; better than anyone has ever seen." He smiles and though the look on Cass is one of hunger and a passion; Campbell wishes he never ran into the salt and pepper haired man in the halls a few weeks ago. "As it is said to all the Census Creators, the Universe is at your disposal, what will you be remembered for?" the question is somewhat rhetorical and loaded, though Campbell feels a chill run up his spine.

With that, Dr. Ward walks around the table and shakes Campbell's hand, and Cass stands to do the same. They exit the room and watch the others. After a moment of chit chat outside, Campbell finds himself sitting on the same bench as before; and the girl, Cass, next to him. Her fingers are carelessly playing with her many rings, a vacant expression on her face as she stares blankly into the floor. He looks away; he notices how her complexion is the exact color of creamed coffee, the color of a pureblood Traveler. His heart aches to know that his Traveler gene lays with the Star within him, not him, not like her.

"Look," Campbell says after a moment of them sitting by themselves in silence. He realizes that she had zoned out when she is startled by his presence.

"No, you look," she interrupts him, he clamps his mouth and allows her to go first. "I have been working at this since I was three since I could use a telescope, I've known that I would take a Census." She states, and Campbell feels that same guilt as before stir again. "I will not let you get in the way of that, so be a good bodyguard by protecting my findings, and Chase the stars till the sun comes up, I don't honestly care." She says with arrogance again, but the tone she enacts within her words is teetering on the line of ignorance.

Campbell watches as she stands and leaves without another word on the subject, he wanted to tell her all that; let her know that he wouldn't get in the way of her life goal, but now, it would be his pleasure to see her engulfed in flames and drowned in the Cresthaven Bay. "It's gonna be a long summer Cassie; we'll see who comes out on top of this little experiment of theirs." He tells her as he catches up with ease outside of City Hall on Marview street, the South Quarter of Cresthaven.

"This isn't an experiment. There's a Census taken every year. It's going to take every day and night to figure out the calculations and the coordinates of each star. Not to mention the constellations, then logging all the missing and dead ones," she says, getting lost in her own words. "Did you just call me Cassie?" she asks, bewildered.

"Have fun with all of that, day and night, and I'll have fun 'guarding'... and whatever the hell else I'd like." he laughs, knowing his job will be a walk in the park compared to hers, and it makes him feel better for her being so arrogant towards him. He watches as she saunters off, her nose in the air, and he takes a deep breath, thinking about how tomorrow is going to start the most extended summer of his life.