Jack’s sleep was broken by an unusual slapping sound. “Luca, knock it off,” he mumbled and opened his eyes. The soft blue light of his alarm clock next to the bed read two in the morning. The sound continued and Jack rolled to the edge of the bed and checked the floor. Luca and Mr. Buckles had been playing pranks on him over the last several days as payback for the pranks Jack had pulled prior to Mr. Buckles getting his new wolf body. The most common prank was Mr. Buckles using his tail to tickle Jack’s face while he slept and making him slap himself. Luca thought that was particularly funny. Jack threw his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. The room seemed darker than usual. The ship never slept and light from outside his bedroom window had to be blocked by thick curtains, but some light always got in. He checked his favorite sliver of yellow light that came from the corner of the curtains; it was dimmer than normal. The sliver of light fell against one corner of the bedroom wall and angled away at an opposing angle to the original sliver of light. He liked to make-up the value of angles in the where specifying the three angles of a triangle does not uniquely identify one triangle. Therefore, specifying two angles of a tringle allows you to calculate the third angle only. Given the sizes of 2 angles of a triangle you can calculate the size of the third angle. The total will equal 180° or π radians. C = 180° - A - B (in degrees) C = π - A - B (in radians) It helped him fall asleep at night. Jack stood and went to the door. He carefully opened the door a crack, ensuring to keep his shoulder against the door in the event of a wolf attack. The first time Luca and Mr. Buckles had ambushed him when he opened the door and was pounced on by the 180 lb wolf, he’d been so startled he’d formed a ball of plasma in his hand and thrown it. The plasma fireball hit the wall and burned through the wood paneling, scorching the metal bulkhead beneath. Tan didn’t know about the scorched wall yet, Jack had hung a poster over the damage. Luca and Mr. Buckles weren’t in the hall. Jack turned around and let his eyes scan for other hiding places. He noticed the light coming from the curtained window had a dappled effect. He went to the window and pulled the curtains open, and where he usually had a view of the vast interior of the ship, and the Suth Sea, he was now looking at waves lapping against the window. The Suth Sea had finally reached their apartment, and soon would be under water. He turned around and ran out into the hall. Luca’s door was open a crack, so that Mr. Buckles could get out and go down to the special ‘potty’ room that had been built for him at the end of the main corridor. Mr. Buckles was only part robot. His skeleton was metal, and his fur a fireproof synthetic material, but the rest of him was an artificially created biological body. He had to eat, and drink, and to Mr. Buckles initial horror, had to learn to go potty. Jack beat on Luca’s door, then ran down to Tan’s room and beat on his door. “Hey guys, wake up, you got to see this.” Jack didn’t wait for a response and ran into the living room. The room had the same dappled light effect as his bedroom, and where there had been a glass balcony door, a bulkhead was now lowered to hold back the water of the Suth Sea. The bulkhead had a thick glass window in the center about six by three feet. The sea level was still at a level where he could see directly out over the surface of the sea. Tan came around the corner from the hall. “What’s going... well, that’s interesting.” Luca followed next rubbing his eyes and Mr. Buckles padding along beside him. “Wha…” Luca saw the bulkhead and the sea beyond. “Oh, wow!” Mr. Buckles went to the new bulkhead and stood up on his hind legs to see outside at the sea. Tan and the boys joined the large wolf at the window. It was a spectacular view that wouldn’t last long. Once the sea was filled, they would be 150 decks underwater. “I’m awake now,” said Tan. “I’ll make a light breakfast, and then we can try to go back to sleep for a few hours.” Tan headed for the kitchen. A flashing message on the digital announcement board next to the kitchen door caught his eye. “Boys, come here.” Jack and Luca pulled themselves away from the view of the sea and went to see what Tan wanted. Jack saw the flashing message. His blood turned cold as he read the message. ANNOUNCEMENT. DECK 27 SCHEDULED TO ENTER SLOW-SLEEP IN 96 HOURS DURATION: 35 YEARS Ensure all perishables are turned into the commissary by Tuesday at 1700. Crew will inspect living quarters on Wednesday beginning at 0900. Medical Personnel will arrive at your quarters to initiate slow-sleep procedures starting at 0900 on Thursday. “Four days,” whispered Jack. “I have to get down to Deck Zero.” “Jack, we have a lot to do to get ready,” said Tan. “Everyone you know is here on Deck 27, you’ll wake up in 35 years and never skip a beat, and Deck Zero will still be there when you wake up.” “I’m going down to Deck Zero,” said Jack. “I need you here,” said Tan. Jack shook his head. “I’m sorry, I’ve done everything you’ve said as my guardian, but not with this. In 35 years I’ll have been declared dead on Aeden, and then there will never be any going back. I have to find whatever it is the Captain wants me to find. If I don’t find a way back to Aeden, I’ll be here on Thursday.” Jack turned to Luca. “You have to decide now. If I find a way to Aeden, I’m going. Either you’re coming with me or you’re not.” Luca laid his hand on Mr. Buckles. “You know the law, it’s forbidden to give an A.I. a real body, because of the Dragon Rebellion. They’ll destroy Mr. Buckles, and they’ll put Tan in prison for knowing Aeden technology. My home was Cyphus, but it’s gone. This is my home now.” Tan frowned. “I didn’t know it was against Aeden law to give Mr. Buckles a body.” Luca shrugged. “So what, I finally broke a rule, and I’d do it again for Mr. Buckles.” Tan nodded. “Unjust rules are meant to be broken.” “If I get back to Aeden, I’ll tell them you two were killed by the Eroden,” said Jack. “That way they won’t try to look for you.” “Alright, Jack, go get dressed,” said Tan. “I’ll pack four days of food for you. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”