COMPETE: The Atlantis Grail (Book Two) - Preview

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR (draft)

​CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Today is Zero Gravity Dance Day. Yes, it's only the first of four such Dances scheduled throughout the months of our journey. One for each season, and this one's Blue.

I wake up with the 7:00 AM gradual lights, and feel a strange zing of excitement. My own crisp and clean change of uniform is folded on the chair, ready for me.

Atlantean laundry facilities are spare and there's always a line to use the super high-speed wash-and-dry combo units down at the end of each deck. But last night I managed to run my clothing through, and now I'm all set for today, with a fresh new bra and undies, and that very pretty starched and pressed looking uniform. As far as uniforms, we all have two sets each, so I get to wear my perfectly clean one in honor of Dance Day.

Just for a brief moment I regret not having a special dress to wear to this thing. And then I tell my stupid brain to cut it out.

I don't dress up. I don't dance. Remember, Gwen numbskull Lark?

Besides, after all the upcoming work in the Resonance Chamber today, I hardly expect my clean new uniform to still be fresh and unblemished. Oh, well.

I shower and put on the clean uniform, and consider doing something different with my hair. A stern, pasty-pale, tired girl looks back at me from the mirror, with long hair that's starting to form waves already, even though it's ratty wet. And so I decide to just do the ponytail for now. Maybe, when it's time for the actual dance I can run back to my room and freshen up a bit, and maybe brush my hair and wear it loose. . . .

I rush through breakfast, seeing no one I know in the Officers Meal Hall, and then head directly for the shuttle bay that's supposed to produce my sister. I don't have to be anywhere until 9:00 AM when we begin work at the Resonance Chamber, so I hang out at the bay for at least fifteen minutes past eight, watching the crazy-busy traffic.

It is absolutely a madhouse today. Shuttles arrive and depart every minute, kicking up major wind in the launch tunnel, and the platforms are filled with Earth teens and Atlanteans. People carry bags and formal jacket suits and dresses neatly wrapped in plastic, and a few brave souls are already dressed up—which I think is insane, since they have a whole day to kill before the Dance. Some of the Cadets are wearing white dress uniforms, trimmed with gold braid around the collar and sleeves. I realize these must be parade uniforms of the Atlantean Fleet, and they look sharp.

Happy, rowdy teen noises come from everywhere, squealing, yells of greeting in various Earth languages, as people meet their dates arriving from other ships.

I watch a few couples kiss and linger, as they come together, and I think about Logan. I haven't seen him for the last several days, so I wonder how it will be. . . . At this rate, I'm uncertain if he will even show up for the Dance.

Eventually, Gracie's shuttle arrives. I see her come down the short ladder, and oh, wow—Gracie's wearing the fancy white Cadet dress uniform! And right behind her I see a familiar hoverboard, and on it, Blayne Dubois. He's hovering upright in the LM Form, dressed in his everyday grey uniform. Gracie turns to him to say something, and laughs loudly as she takes the last step off the bottom rung.

They both see me and Gracie waves. "Gwen!"

I move through the platform crowds toward them. "Gracie, there you are! And, wow! Look at you!"

Gracie beams at me and straightens up her posture. "You like?" Then she adds, "And no, there's no uber-foofy blue prom dress outfit, I was just messing with you last night. . . ."