13 Outer Limits Academy (Temporarily on Hold)

Chapter 03

"All students are now to report to the solarium for further announcements." The incom in the room buzzed before it squeezed off. Rory's groaned was met with similar sounds all around the art room. Having just put paint everywhere, she was literally covered in multi colors of metallic blue and copper. Placing the cap back on the tube of paint, she swiped her forehead with the back of her hand in order to get the rogue strand of hair out of her face. "Son of a..." she swore as she realized she'd just covered herself further in paint.

"Are you about done playing around?" Rory turned to see Jada leaning against the door frame sucking on another lollipop.

"Yeah, I just need to do a quick cleanup here." She grabbed a cloth from the sink and scrubbed over her forehead. "I'm just a little bit in a mess."

"I can see that. Do you need any help?" Jada offered as she walked further into the room.

"Could you just put the caps back on those paints. They'll dry out if they're left uncovered for too long."

"These?"

"Yes. Thank you." She said as she turned on the water. Flinching at the coldness of the water, Rory forced herself to endure it long enough to clean up.

"You need to hurry."

"Yes, I know." Turning off the tap she grabbed a clean linen towel and patted her face with it. Throwing it into the dirty cloth shoot, she yanked off her smock and discarded the material as well. "I'm good now. Let's go."

"Wait." Jada said as she neared and took her pinky to wipe off some paint left on her neck. "Eh," she tilted her head, "It'll have to do."

Turning off the lights, they both headed down the corridor, following the overflow of other students just coming out of their classrooms to head for the solarium as well. Inside the solarium were windows on all three sides, arched, and bowed perfectly over their heads. On a normal given day, the outside view of inky blank and twinkling lights in the distance could be seen with perfect clarity.

Currently, this day in their annual rotation, three fourths of the windows was disrupted by the presence of a large moon. For those just seeing it for the first time, it gave the illusion as though it was about to crash into one side of the moon from where they currently were.

Taking up their normal spot, one against the back wall of the solarium, Rory scanned the room and the many faces that occupied the many rows of chairs in three sections. When Jada groaned a heavy sigh, she turned to look at her friend to see the obvious anguish on her face.

"What?" Rory asked only the following the direction of her nod to the front of the room where a line of chairs where placed. At the podium stood a woman with her blonde hair tight in a bun and wearing a dark blue dress suit. Her top two buttons were open, obviously giving anyone in their direct path a show as she leaned over to speak to another facility advisor sitting next to the podium.

"I'd thought that she'd be too old to hold this job any more." Most of the teachers and staff at the academy tended to be in their early twenties, passing well on before they reached thirty. That was until Mrs. Cronk. For some reason, she still managed to teach humanities as well as ethics even, though it had been speculated that she was around thirty two as of last year. It was also rumored that she had more than once been having sex with some of the students. Talk about a conflict of ethics, in her own opinion. Still Jada and her often wondered why she seemed more and more in charge of the academy then the principle and vice principle every year she continued to be here.

"Ok, settle down now." Mrs. Cronk waved both of her hands in a downward motion. "I see so many familiar faces and a lot of new ones. I hope all of you are finding your way around the station well enough." There was a collected moan from the uninterested student in attendance. "For those of you who have returned, I hope you've settled back into you regular routine without much trouble or fan fair. Today we welcome all of you back into the fray with open arms." Mrs. Cronk's smile couldn't be any more cheesier. "Now as it is the beging of this academy's sun solar cycle, I want to let you know of some up coming events. First of all, if you noticed behind me, the Guthrie moon is coming up on us fast. Starting next week those elites will be joining us over here for some good-will exchange" Nothing good willed about it. This time of year was never good willed, only built up angst that produced many fights.