The Ark Diary of Dylan De Rovia Book One of De Rovia Diaries

I get invited to a party

Wednesday October 2, 2149

School is going well, I'm ready to be done it would help me if I picked a career. If I do repairs I'll go the collage for classes in engineering. I know little bits now being apprentice but a lot I don't know. Then if I choose teaching I'll just assist to normal teacher for next year and then when the new school year starts I'll have my own class. I have till my fifteenth birthday in January to pick. Or it will decided for me. Like enough things aren't decided for me already.

Mom said she knew that she wanted to be a doctor from the time she was eight years old. Dad, well he was always big and scary but under all that was gentle protector. He said that his second choice was OBG studies. That's how they met during Mom's rotation as an OB when Dad was still undecided. He picked the guard in the end.

Lori has her career and Kye of course is already a full citizen. Everyone but me seems to be ready to settle down into this phase of life. I don't know I can't seem to choose it should be easy.

I'm writing from my school room. All just had our history exam. Some of us are still taking it. I was the first to finish it. Since we don't have paper test like on earth, the teacher sends us links to the test on the ships internet.

When we open the link our tablets are locked until the test is finished or time runs out. It took me all of twenty minutes to complete. But, since I can't leave yet I'm writing more about random things.

Like weather, the weather's turned cool again and we're all getting ready of halloween. I really think we could do this whole journey without the cold seasons. But, we need it our bodies need to be able to adjust to different climates. Without it over time our bodies wouldn't be able to adapt and that stuff that means it's cold and I don't like cold.

When get to Gillespie I want to find a tropical island and claim that as mine. Just one small island with a beach for walking on and little house for living in. Cause we're all going to settle in one place for the first ten years. Then teams will sent out to explore the planet in the flesh. We'll have drones going out to bring back samples.

There's a whole plan about landing and setting up the colony settlement. For the first three years it's going to be the explority team. a handful couples on the planet, when get there will be supplies. The supply shuttles will launch when the drones send back there feedback. They're pre-programed to find human friendly areas for habition.

A river valley would good or maybe a coastal plain. No desert or open plains with scarce resources. This place isn't earth but it should have some of same basic needs. One water,preferably with a PH of 7 and free of harmful contaminants. Really that's all we need water and atmosphere, all need to terraform we brought with us. It's in the goldilocks zone just far enough from the sun to have liquid water. With water comes life and life is full possibilities.

Life here is so structured and regulated, I feel very lucky to be born to born now. That I'm living in this time, not in one of past generation that were stuck here living their whole lives in this one place. I'll be able to go somewhere and say I was the first person to be here. I can tell my children that the world is big place full of new things to discover.

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Stepping on the hard ground of the farmland greenhouse I find Kye talking to a woman. She's pretty with blond hair braided into a tight bun around the top of her head. When the winter cold sets in the farmlands don't stop the vast fields are barren but the work never stops. Greenhouse that produce more special crops, like sugar and spices while others are set-up to make medical supplies. This place is full of bright red poppies that keep Mom supplied with morphine and Dad busy with drugs.

Kye see's me and smiles, excusing himself from the blond. He pulls me into a hug, "Don't you have school."

"Exam day I have some free time so I thought I would come here and bother you until Lori gets off work."

"More acade plans?" He guesses leading me down the rows to his office.

I nod. "We're going to catch a movie then I'll be home for the night."

"Sounds fun."

Sitting his chair I feel the change in his normally laid back personality. "What's wrong?"

He shrugs, "Why does something have to be wrong?"

"You have a tell," I say pointedly. "You have a couple but this is your I need to ask your something but I don't want to hurt you look."

He raises his eyebrow in shock then it falls. "Right your Dads a guard."

"What is it your family?" Whenever he has that look its normally about his family drama. Uppers tend to have a lot of drama cause of the power dynamics which keeps most of us entertained. Our relationship is a hot topic in both circles mostly a joke here but with his family I'm new player in the power game.

"Yeah, um...The annual Halloween masquerade ball is coming up my Mother said that I had to come and that I want you to be my date."

I choke out a laugh. "Why are you showing me off as your side piece so other Uppers don't come sniffing at my tail?"

Kye makes his do you have to be so honest face. "I have to go I want to be my side. I'm not ashamed of you and these people will try to use you in very intricate power game. They'll try to use when your my wife but as my side piece they won't look at you."

"But I can listen to them."

"You don't have to this yet but in two years you'll be a part of this game weather you want to be or not. Trust me I've tried to get as far away from it as can."

"You know you mother is going to be shocked as hell to see me." I smile. "So, shocked she might have heart attack and die."

He scoffs, "I'm not that lucky."

"I don't have a thing to wear to an upper party like this."

He smiles that devil smile that lets me know he's already thought this through. "I'll send you the name and address of guy I know he'll make you something nice."