Ben Blazze and Heimdall's Orb

Chapter 11: The Dragon Professor

Ben opened the door and saw that some students were already there. Four of them were chatting in a circle at the back of the classroom. A couple of others were seated, almost sleeping on their desks. No aliens. He took the second desk in the line by the wall, close to the door, where there was no one nearby. He felt like a penguin in the Caribbean.

In thought, he talked to Sweetflower and their assistants:

Any suggestion for me not to act obviously?

Marvi could unblock the SCAM mind barrier, the Caeli replied. That way, you'd see aliens as humans do.

That would solve one problem, he answered, but it won't help me get used to seeing different species.

I can show you a parallel identification so that you know what you're dealing with, suggested his assistant.

I didn't get it, but let's try that, Ben said.

Done, Marvi replied.

Little by little, the room started to fill up. Each time Ben observed someone, a lot of information popped into view. The DUPER would draw a mark around the person and show their unmasked appearance in a side-box, along with text indications of the name, constellation, and solar system of origin, to name a few.

At first, nothing new: a human, another, another one. Then a skinny boy entered. Ben watched him: cinnamon skin, long face, and spiky black hair. In the side-box, a new race: Myrmician. Two-legged, four-armed, two big compound eyes, a pair of antennae, and copper-colored skin. At the top of his head, instead of hair, thorn-like keratinous structures.

Race: Myrmician

Constellation: Musca

Solar system: Loosab

Planet: Bertha

Distance to Earth's sun: 337 light-years

Ben had only to focus on one of those pieces of information for the frame to expand, and new details appear. He concentrated on the Musca line, and a night sky image came up, highlighting that specific constellation's stars and contour.

Amazing, he thought.

The boy approached Ben, sat right behind him, and hold out his superior right hand to greet him: "Hi, I'm Samuel Spektor. You're new."

It wasn't a question.

"Hi, Samuel. Yes, this is my first day. I'm Benjamin Blazze. You can call me Ben. Nice to meet you."

"Oh, right, call me Sam, please. Nice to meet you too."

The parade continued: another human, then another, and another one. Then a smiling Sirianee and a fearsome Giovinnian, who looked like a jaguar, Ben thought. After some more humans, entered a pale-skinned boy, tall and strong, with blond hair in dreadlocks. Immediately, Ben's DUPER displayed:

Race: Bulboric

Constellation: Hydrus

Solar system: Eta² Hydri

Planet: Bulbo

Distance to Earth's sun: 217 light-years

Without the mind block, the boy would appear as a white stem tree-person with bunches of tiny light green leaves for hair. Upon seeing Sam, he smiled and approached the Myrmician, greeting him with intimacy: "What's up, bro?"

"Hey, Kaleb! Take a seat," replied Sam. They bumped fists, and Kaleb took the desk next to his friend. "This is Ben. He is starting today," Sam added.