“Rise and shine princess.”

  A gruff and inappropriately loud voice called through from the living area and penetrated Theo’s fitful sleep. He groaned and shifted to sitting on the edge of the bed, hands rubbing at his face, and pushing back the unruly mop of ringlets on his head. He checked his new phone, which unsurprisingly, was a level of tech not yet released to the outside world. The phone had folded up neatly into a thin strip which he had wrapped around his wrist. Along with the date and time, biometric and aetheric density readings scrolled across the translucent display.

  “Fucking five AM, what is this bullshit?” Theo mumbled to himself. After having read the orientation manual, he had found instructions for the phone as well as the schedule for the week, though he may not have paid close attention to the times listed for the start of the day.

  “Don't bother showering, baby cakes, just get into some training gear. You have five minutes.” Did the man not know how to speak at a normal volume?

  Theo continued to grumble as he rifled through the clothing cupboard in the room, pulling out a pair of loose cotton shorts, a shirt, and a light jacket. He looked at his bare feet, and shrugged, not sure what to do. He was certainly not going to wear the shoes that he had been wearing on Friday night.

  Stepping out into the main living area, he grunted as a pair of black trainers were thrust into his chest. Holding them was a squat, bulging man, his eyes barely visible through the squint. He was classic military, buzzed dark hair, deep tan, and a resting bitch face that could reduce a man to tears. Theo took the shoes, stumbling slightly, before making his way to the couch and putting them on.

  “Scrawnier than a malnourished goat.” The unwelcome description came with an equally disparaging grunt. “Come on, little goat.” With that, the man turned and marched out the door and in the direction of the gym. Theo almost decided not to follow.

  The gym itself was first class with every amenity and machine available, and Theo came to know each of them intimately as he was tortured mercilessly for the sake of ‘assessing his baseline.’ He was bent over heaving quietly between two of the machines, silently cursing the sentient teratoma, when he was rudely interrupted.

  “Surprised you didn’t puke, little goaty.” Instructor Allen Marbeck chuckled as he leant down peering at Theo’s sweaty and blood infused face, intruding quite rudely into his suffering. Theo had been told his name not long after arriving at the gym but had only received a grunt when trying to introduce himself. “Pushing your limits will help to not only build your physical strength, but also aid you as you cultivate through your body gate. You are subpar at best, though you almost approached a passable standard on flexibility and reactivity.”

  “I did yoga once,” Theo gasped with just a hint of sarcasm. That copped him a clip over the ear.

  “Good for you, Ghandi. Yoga and meditation will help build muscle and body awareness, not to mention being integral to your cultivation, so keep practicing. It's time to stretch out, and then I suggest you hit the sauna. It’s aetherically infused, so it will help with your recovery.”

  “Does everyone need to punish themselves this much if they are working on their body gate?” Theo asked as he began his stretches.

  “Not everyone follows the warrior path, goat. You’ll find as many fat and malnourished cultivators as there are those that actually put in the effort to look after themselves.” It was clear what Allen’s perspective was. “Advancing the body’s cultivation will naturally strengthen and improve your baseline physical characteristics, but if you want to survive in the real world rather than just live in some fucking ivory tower, then your best bet is to work hard and push your limits.”

  “I see.” At this point, Theo really wouldn’t have minded an ivory tower. Allen could no doubt read the expression on his face.

  “Listen princess, this Institute is focused on rapid response training for aetheric anomalies and terrorist intervention. All students are required to participate in basic physical exercise, martial arts, and weapon training. It’s just the luck of the draw that you found yourself here rather than one of the other useless facilities. If I was to be Frank, and trust me, you do not want me to be Frank - because he’s a fucking monster - you have a lot of fucking hard work to do to even get close to where we would expect a first-year student to be.”

  Theo sighed. He was not looking forward to this.

  “Hit the sauna, pretty boy, you have an hour before Ms. Avery comes to start your induction and orientation. But by all the heavens, you better hope I don’t have to wake you for our date tomorrow morning, or I’ll be having goat curry for breakfast.”

  * * *

  It was his second day of orientation week.

  Having managed to survive another torture session from Allen, and despite his somewhat shaky legs, Theo decided to take some time to explore the level properly. He had memorised the map that was in his orientation guide and seeing as though he had no one booked in for the afternoon, he had figured it was a prime opportunity to do some snooping. He was amazed at the scope of the facilities that lay nestled underneath the bustling city above them. He wasn’t exactly sure where in Melbourne it was located, but the fact that it existed unknown to the world above was incredible in and of itself. The level of technology and engineering required to sustain the thirty subterranean levels was impressive.

  The current floor layout was split roughly into four large quadrants, with those dedicated to accommodation, medical and testing, gym and leisure, and then something with the acronym AT&C. He was most interested in checking out what options were contained in the leisure centre, but there was a bubbling curiosity about the AT&C which had no information available in his orientation pack.

  Avoiding the medical and testing facilities, which is where Theo assumed any personnel would likely be located, he strolled along the corridors which were only periodically given personality by hung art or sculptures. Projection windows interspersed with the art, with today’s theme being a desert oasis with swaying palms and shimmering heat.

  Passing by the gym and pushing down on a visceral lurch as he did so, he began to closely explore the other rooms in the area. There were spaces dedicated to class-based training, martial arts, and he also managed to stumble upon an indoor swimming pool close to where the saunas and steam rooms were located. Turning the corner from there, he saw a door marked with garden, and made his way into a true oasis.

  Verdant warmth and a pleasant moist heaviness hung in the air, weighing down on him as he entered the garden space. There was a dedicated walking path which he followed through the subtropical plants and trees, soaking up the clean, calm air. The dappled canopy hid the tall ceilings, adding to the illusion of being free and unfettered in nature. In the centre of the garden was a small open glade, green grass edged with native ground cover and small flowering bushes.

  Given the ache in his muscles, he took the opportunity to sit and just be still in the serene environment. There was a soft beep from his watch showing the ambient aether was slightly higher here than in other areas of the floor, but seeing as though that meant little to him, he just breathed in the air and enjoyed the stillness. Worries slowly melted away, and he leaned back on his elbows, closed eyes raised to the artificial sunlight that filtered down from above. He wasn’t sure how long he just sat there relaxing before the clearing of someone’s throat broke his reverie.

  “Theo?” A soft voice asked. He turned to see a middle-aged woman in comfortable looking faded jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt, approaching from the path he had recently walked. “I’m Jo, I wanted to come and introduce myself formally, seeing as though I will be teaching one of your classes for the next few months.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” he said, sitting up straighter. “I must have missed it on the orientation schedule. I thought I had this afternoon free.”

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  “Ahh, no, nothing for you to worry over. I was only recently appointed to teach the class, so it would not have been on the schedule you were given.” She reached out her hand to shake. “It was just lucky happenstance that I saw you as you came into the garden. This is definitely one of my favourite spots as well,” she remarked, looking around before sitting down beside him.

  “It’s peaceful, and a nice contrast to mornings spent with Allen,” he joked.

  “I can imagine,” she said, warmth filling her face which she shared unconsciously. She carried a sort of grace that infected those around her, and for Theo, it began to unwind the ball of clenched worry and anxiety that seemed to have lodged in his gut. “Still, it is all very new for you, it’s going to take some time.”

  He just nodded in response to the obvious observation. He could feel Jo watching him quietly for a few moments.

  “Patrick has given me a bit of background, both about you, but also about your experience from last week. Part of my job in teaching Basics of Aetheric Cultivation, will be to help you unpack that a bit further.” She paused, then smiled. “When you feel ready to, of course.”

  Again, he just nodded in response. Despite there being something comforting about her presence, he still felt reserved. He had a quick thought.

  “Can you tell me what AT&C stands for? There wasn’t any information in my induction files,” Theo said.

  “Of course, though there wouldn’t be. That information is not normally available to students. Your circumstances are somewhat unique, as new students wouldn’t normally spend so long on level five for orientation, it’s just worked out that way for you given how close it was to the new year of classes starting. AT&C stands for Aether Testing and Containment. Nothing nefarious mind you. Did Patrick give you any information about disrupted or warped aether channelling?”

  “No, not really.”

  “Never mind, that’s what my classes will be for in any case. When someone first discovers aether, or the ability to cultivate it, if it is not carefully managed it can result in a disruption to the way they absorb aether, or in worst case scenarios a warping.”

  “Ahh, that’s what Patrick meant when he said something about making sure I was safe.”

  “That’s likely it, yes. In any case, your tests returned fine, so you have nothing to worry about. For other outliers though, that is not always the case, which is why finding an outlier is so rare. It often needs intensive therapy to either repair or contain problems with aether channelling. That section of the floor is for rehabilitation. Because of that, for your own safety, and for theirs, you will not be able to access that area.”

  “That makes sense. Thank you for telling me.” He really was thankful, and it was a point in their favour being so transparent, though he got the sense that had more to do with Jo herself, than it had to do with the organisation.

  “In any case, I won’t intrude on your space for any longer, I just wanted to introduce myself so you know my face for when you come to Basics for the first time. It was lovely meeting you Theo.”

  * * *

  The rest of the week passed in a blur. Ms. Avery remained unchanged from his initial meeting, and despite Patrick’s reassurance, she had not particularly warmed. Her strict formality as she described the structure and rules of the training program was a stark contrast to Allen’s torturous pleasure in pushing him beyond his physical limits.

  She had given him a list of the compulsory first year curriculum, with four subjects in addition to their Division Classes and physical training that ran over the whole year. These included Aether Resonance: Manipulation and Control, Military Protocol and the Integrated Rapid Response Program, The Aetheric Federation: The Economics & Politics of Aether, and Anomalies and Known Mutations.

  She had also explained that most of the other students would have two electives in addition to the core subjects, however he had mandatory attendance at Basics of Aetheric Cultivation with Jo for a semester, which would take up one of his electives. He had not had to make the decision immediately, which he was incredibly thankful for. The list of elective options was daunting, but with Patrick’s advice, he had eventually settled on Herbalism and Natural Aids to Cultivation I.

  Pat’s suggestion had been based on a simple but eminently practical reason. Being able to identify and classify herbs would be invaluable, particularly with him not having family resources to rely upon. He was already behind compared to the rest of his peers, and anything that would give him a leg up would be crucial, both for his own cultivation, but also for his integration into the group as a whole.

  Eventually, as part of some of their classes, they would have field trips that would give him the opportunity to find some of his own resources, and he could either request a peer to make him potions or pills, or sell the herbs to the institute in exchange for contribution points. If he did well and enjoyed the class, there were progressively advanced courses that he could choose to follow into the second semester, and again into his second year of studies. Otherwise, by the time second semester rolled around, he would be better equipped to make his own decision.

  Aside from class discussion and allocation, Avery had also arranged for his initial meet and greets with the faculty, which she had scheduled throughout the remainder of his week. Thankfully, his meeting with the weapons trainer Frank was delayed until he had been assessed as having met a basic physical standard. He had grizzled a bit that the same had not been done for Allen, but then had wisely ceased his complaint at the look on Avery’s face.

  Aside from Jo, he had met the teachers, Masters as they were referred to, for each of his core subjects and for his Division classes. It was Master Vincent Yamamoto of the Radiant Division that he had most connected with.

  Master Vincent was a short elderly gentleman that reminded Theo of Mr Miyagi from the karate kid. He was a first generation migrant of Japanese ancestry, though his accent had faded, having been polished clean by years of international education which he had been more than happy to talk about.

  He had a calm and engaging manner that put Theo immediately at ease. His hair, more salt than pepper, was immaculately maintained in a short side-parted style. His metal rimmed glasses sat low on his nose, and he wore a sleekly tailored pin striped suit. The conversation, he recalled, had been both illuminating and a stretch to his previously firm vision of reality.

  “As you see, Theo, aetheric use is naturally influenced by where you are born. In Australia, this means that a scientific lens is intrinsically applied to the ways in which we think about, and research, the use of aether. However, we do our best to ward against moral imperialism, which inevitably leads to roadblocks on the path to further growth.”

  “But isn’t science the pursuit of truth?” Theo asked. “Aren’t the laws of science immutable?”

  “Absolutely true. If, and I stress this, if we were solely talking about the physical and natural world at large. Aether transcends the purely physical and opens the doors to many vastly different metaphysical realms. It intersects and connects the natural with the spiritual and conceptual to name a few. Your prior training for example will give you some insight into the ways in which the conceptual world can influence the physical.”

  “Like the placebo effect?” Theo asked having given the statement some thought.

  “Indeed, that is one good example.” He nodded. “There are many reported ‘miracles’ that can support the idea of mind over matter, though often this is the inadvertent use of aether transcending physical laws. I believe Princeton started some work on this earlier this century if you haven’t read about the GCP before. Though of course, there are some aether users that are part of the research deliberately trying to shift public awareness.” He paused, collecting his thoughts. “Maybe forget I mentioned that, it’s a contentious topic.” He laughed softly, though Theo took note.

  “This does however segue quite nicely into a consideration of broader sociological influences, such as the impact of culture. Take our Indigenous colleagues for example. Their use of aether tends to be more totemic in nature and is much more closely linked with the natural world. Our Indian friends, draw upon their learnings of the chakras and the Dharma, whilst our Asiatic colleagues tend to follow ancestral principals and Taoism.

  “Their categories are also less influenced by physics, and more aligned with the elements, such as earth, fire, water, wood, and metal. We do also correlate ours with elemental energy, though you will find this becomes more common as you progress past your first year. You’ll also find a lot of crossovers in your classes as many of the students think of their Division’s in elemental terms. Debatably, we are open-mindedly multi-cultural here in Australia, and you will see some of that in the training you receive over the coming years.”

  “I see. So why do we use scientific principles to categorise aetheric use then?” he asked.

  “Because while aether transcends the material plane, we still reside within it. I also find it best to know the rules before you start breaking them. And at risk of sounding completely banal, it has made it easier to design the training program and thus to limit class numbers.”

  Theo laughed. Some things were consistent at least.

  “Given that, you should prepare for the fact that even within each Division, there is a vast variety of approaches to the use of aether. Aetheric use is only one part science. The rest is an art form that is influenced by the soul of the individual.”

  “The soul?” There may have been an element of scepticism in Theo’s tone.

  “As I mentioned before, some cognitive flexibility will be required. We talk of the soul as the essence of who you are, without the religious overlays that may cause you to feel conflicted. You may choose to conceptualise it however you wish; each person's path is unique and of their own making. There is no benefit in a hegemonic application of knowledge, we can only guide. You alone will be responsible for the direction which your path takes.”

  It had been a stimulating, if somewhat challenging conversation for Theo. For some time after, he had sat in quiet contemplation in the main lounge of the living area. The window projection, which today was a lush wetland forest scape, slowly progressed from dappled daylight into the deeper darkness of night. The whole week had challenged many of the preconceptions he had held about the way in which the world worked, and he found himself edging towards an existential crisis. Only one thought grounded him in all of this, and that was a persistent and growing urgency to find out what had happened to Jimmy.