Tides of the forgotten

Chapter 8: Chapter 8 – The Dorms



After Bruce stepped off the stage, a buzz of conversation swept through the hall. A gentle chime rang overhead, and the room lights shifted slightly, signaling the end of the general session.

Saurai remained seated for a moment longer, absorbing everything he had just learned. Artemis-5 wasn't merely a ship.it was a living, breathing ecosystem. And now, it was his home.

A young staff attendant stepped up to the front. "All first-year cadets, please proceed to Sector 1, Dormitory Wing According to Your assigned room numbers and route will be automatically updated in your cadet watch."

Saurai blinked and looked at his left wrist. The thin Black band he'd been given during orientation lit up softly. A quiet pulse ran through it, and then a translucent blue interface hovered just above the surface like a mini-hologram.

Name: Saurai Lian

Class: 1-E

Clearance: Level 1

Dorm Assignment: Wing D – Room 1047

Current Points: 473

Status: Active Cadet

Next Event: Combat Drill – 07:00 AM Tomorrow

He barely had time to admire the sleek functionality before Bryn leaned over with a lazy grin. "Looks like we're in the same wing. I'm in Room 1040."

"Then looks like we're neighbors," Saurai said, trying to smile.

Coral glanced over at them and chimed in with a mischievous grin. "I'm in Wing B where most of the girls stay. I hope you two don't get bullied by the seniors in your wing." She laughed loudly.

Saurai looked at Bryn.

"Don't worry," Bryn said, shrugging. "I don't think there'll be any trouble."

The three of them began walking out of the auditorium together. Saurai opened the map interface on his watch and started following the route to Wing D. Since Coral's route shared the same initial path, they walked together.

Eventually, they reached a fork in the corridor.

"Alright, time to freshen up," Coral said. "Let's meet up in the cafeteria later for dinner?"

Saurai and Bryn both nodded, and Coral waved as she turned toward her dorm wing.

---

Dormitory Wing D

The walk to Sector 1 took nearly twenty minutes, guided by the auto-navigation feature in their cadet watches. Glowing arrows appeared directly on the floor visible only to cadets making navigation seamless. Other groups peeled off toward their respective dorms, chatting or yawning along the way.

When they finally arrived, Dormitory Wing D towered over them. It wasn't beautiful but just efficient, like most of Artemis-5. Hexagonal steel-gray walls, tinted glass corridors, and sliding doors humming with clean energy defined its architecture. The entire building pulsed faintly, alive with ventilation systems and recycled air.

Inside, a female AI voice greeted them:

"Welcome to Dormitory Wing D. Each cadet is assigned a private living pod. Please keep your watches active at all times. Unauthorized area access will trigger disciplinary measures."

The interior was clean and organized. Smooth metallic walls, soft gray accents, and adaptive lighting that adjusted to each cadet's bio-rhythm created a calm, sterile atmosphere. Light ambient music played in the background, fading as cadets approached their rooms.

Soon, cadets began to split off toward their assigned pods. Bryn found his room and gave Saurai a wave. "Catch you at dinner then?"

Saurai nodded as Bryn disappeared into Room 1040.

---

Inside the Room

Saurai stood in front of Room 1047. He followed the example of other students and tapped his watch against the panel beside the door. A soft chime sounded.

"Cadet Verified: Saurai Lian. Welcome."

The door slid open without a sound.

Saurai blinked in surprise. The AI voice was startlingly lifelike.

The room was small perhaps three by four meters but very practically designed. His bag had already been delivered. A single bed with sterilized white sheets stood in the center, a collapsible desk with a built-in wall terminal to one side, a wall-mounted screen above, and a compact hygiene cubicle in the corner.

He glanced at the screen and instinctively looked for a remote or switch to turn it on but found none. After a moment of puzzlement, he remembered the AI system.

"Turn on screen," he said aloud.

The screen lit up immediately.

A grin tugged at his lips. It felt futuristic, yet intuitive. He didn't interact further with it, but the potential was clear.

To his right was a square metallic slot labeled: Meal Slot which was maybe Scan to Retrieve slot he thought.

Saurai stepped closer, studying it. It was clear that if he wanted a meal delivered, he could order it directly from his watch, and it would arrive here. The convenience was impressive.

He briefly wondered whether he should go to the cafeteria with Bryn and Coral or just eat in his room. He decided he'd make the call when the time came.

The floor was a matte black composite, the walls a calming gray-blue. No decorations. No windows. A small glowing panel above the bed displayed the current time, internal weather conditions, and the artificial day/night cycle. A small air conditioning vent hummed quietly, keeping the room fresh. Despite being an enclosed space, Saurai didn't feel suffocated.

It was a strange sensation that was a bit clinical but comfortable.

But still, it was quiet. And private.

He dropped his bag and sat on the bed. It didn't creak. The air smelled faintly of filtered citrus probably meant to keep cadets alert.

---

The Watch – A Closer Look

Now alone, Saurai raised his wrist and studied the cadet watch more closely. He was most curious about this device. Unlike anything from his past life, it was seamless, bio-synced, and deeply connected to the ship's systems.

He tapped the screen again, and the soft blue interface came to life.

> Functions:

Schedule

Message Log

Meal Plan

Physical Status

Point Ledger

Navigation

Requests/Tasks

Emergency Signal

He tapped Point Ledger.

> Cadet: Saurai Lian

Starting Points: 700

Last Spend: Meal (Lunch Standard): –2

Current Total: 473

Status: Stable

Then a short list of point policies appeared:

---

💠 Point System Overview

Earning Points:

Class Performance: +5 to +50

Volunteer Work: +10

Practical Excellence: +20

Leadership Role: +30

Monster Sample Reports: Varies

Dome Assistance: Varies

Losing Points:

Meals: –1 to –10

Unauthorized Area Entry: –10

Missed Training: –20

Property Damage: Varies

Fighting/Disobedience: –100+

Warnings:

Below 100 = Caution Status

Below 50 = Probation

Below 0 = Subject to Expulsion or Reassignment

---

Saurai scrolled further and found a hidden feature under settings: Point Transfers – Disabled (Low Clearance). That caught his attention.

Another menu showed Nutrient Forecasts based on his vitals. It even told him he was mildly dehydrated and needed potassium.

"…This thing knows more about me than I do," he muttered.

Curious, he looked around for a charger but saw nothing. He asked aloud, "How do I charge the watch?"

"The cadet watch uses thermo-electric conversion. It charges itself using the heat radiated by your body."

Saurai stared at the band. "You've got to be kidding…"

---

Message Notification

His watch vibrated softly.

> New Message – Combat Drill Reminder

Time: 07:00 AM Tomorrow

Location: Sector 2 – Arena Block 3

Note: Failure to attend will result in deduction of 25 points.

He sighed, rubbing his face. "Of course it starts with combat."

He got up, went to the hygiene cubicle, and took a quick shower. Clean and dressed in fresh clothes, he tossed his used ones into the built-in laundry system.

He remembered the dinner plan with Bryn and Coral but it was still too early. He checked the time and figured he had at least an hour.

Saurai opened his bag and sorted his belongings, then finally lay down on the bed to rest. The room lighting dimmed automatically, reacting to his slowing heart rate. Above him, the ceiling glowed softly with warm ambient light, mimicking dusk.

He stared upward, fingers interlaced behind his head.

His points were stable. He had shelter. A functional watch. But tomorrow's drill loomed and he still didn't know what he was really capable of here.

A faint flutter stirred in his chest again. A pull toward the green domes he hadn't yet seen.

He closed his eyes.

"One seed at a time. That's all it takes."


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