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  1. Okay folks, I know some of you have been wondering about the long tracks of time Forrest and I spend down in our TS room...or you haven't, either way. Well, we are writing a novel...and we want to share part of it with our friends here at AGN! So, for your reading enjoyment, I give you: Chapter 1 of "The Alchemist" Please feel free (we insist actually) to drop your feedback and let us know what you think. This is a draft, nothing here is truly final....so the printed copy may be vastly different. Thank you for your help! June 18, 300 AU - 9:06 PM “Mark my words. We’re going to flip the world upside down once we make this breakthrough, Maren.” Setzer grinned at the young woman seated across from him, his eyes as bright as holoprojectors. He pointed his fork at her. “And my so-called colleagues are finally going to lick my boots for not believing in me. Bunch of thick cynics...” Maren smiled, rolling her eyes. They were hazel, peering at Setzer behind wire-rimmed glasses. She didn't fit the conventional definition of beauty, with her long brown hair wrapped up in a tight bun and clothing in hues of brown and gray. But she was always beautiful to Setzer, even in the dim neon light of Al's Pub & Brewery. The vintage jukebox was playing a pre-Unification oldie; a dreary tune about a heart-shaped box by a man who supposedly killed himself in poppy fields as a protest to his own celebrity. Al always played music from the turn of the 21st century, to give his place the feel of an old pub before Earth was united under the Compact. Al's was one of the novelty highlights of Prime City's nightlife; though the crowd seemed unnaturally small this particular night. Setzer enjoyed dropping by regularly because it was like visiting a living history museum; he always felt like he was stepping into the past. Old shows and sporting events played on a number of ancient flat screen televisions spaced out around the establishment. A varnished wooden bar stood off to one side, lined with a row of occupied bar stools. A few arcade machines sat in a corner, relics from when video games were young. One of them featured a character that, to Setzer, looked an awful lot like a hungry yellow pie chart. Neon beer signs adorned the walls in a variety of designs and colors. Several of the signs advertised beer brands that had long vanished with time; that is, until Al attempted to resurrect them in his brewery. Setzer doubted the recipes or flavors were even remotely accurate. But Al claimed the beers were authentic and nobody argued with him. They were tasty either way. “The physics department respects you, Setzer," Maren said, twirling the remains of her pasta around her fork. "You have to respect someone who earned their doctorate at nineteen.” “Eighteen," Setzer said quickly, spearing his last piece of chicken and shoveling it into his mouth. “Right. Either way, landing a professorship at Holsing in your twenties was just as impressive. It all comes down to the fact that your theory is a hard pill to swallow for most scientists." Setzer paused in mid-chew, arching a brow in feigned surprise. "Hey! You almost sound like you don't believe it either!" Maren laughed. "Oh, I believe it alright. Would I have spent the last two years basing my entire dissertation around something I thought was a fairytale?" She clenched her free hand, her voice adopting an earnest tone. "Something tells me that we're just so close to finding something." Setzer couldn't help but smile at the sound of her laugh. It always brightened his mood, though he had never openly admitted it to her. He remembered the moment Maren walking into his laboratory for the first time; her excitement when she met him, eager to learn everything. The breath catching in his lungs as she gave an example of her mathematical ability. His difficulty forming the correct words around her, even when it came to the subject of physics. But one fact often crossed Setzer's mind over the next couple years: his fellow professors would definitely frown upon a student/teacher romance. So he tried his best to keep things professional. He deflected the excuse that constantly nagged him: She's a 24-year-old post-grad student. I'm 28. What's the problem with that? But Setzer had no idea if she returned his feelings. For all of his supposed genius, reading women made him feel incredibly dense. Romance, while compelling, seemed almost completely foreign to him. As much as he hated to admit it, he could count his number of past girlfriends on one finger. The majority of his childhood and teenage years were spent submerged in schoolwork, navigating the educational fast lane all the way to his PhD. Setzer could recall countless summer afternoons confined to his room, calculating derivatives and definite integrals while the other kids romped around outside. His stern father would have nothing less than the best when it came to his young prodigy, even if it led to a sparse social life. The ravenous pursuit of knowledge continued into Setzer's twenties. He was making headlines as one of the youngest doctors on Earth and was eager to leave his mark on society. His research into particle physics landed him a position as assistant professor at Holsing University, the largest and most prestigious college on the planet. And it wasn't long until his studies led him to formulating the controversial theory that gained him tenure as a full-time professor of physics: what he called the Theory of Alchemy. "How are the final touches on the particle scanner coming?" Setzer asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin. Maren smiled, pressing a button on her wrist-worn holodrive. The projectors activated and a holographic screen and keyboard flared to life above her arm. She tapped the screen a few times with her forefinger and the image of a long, cylindrical device appeared, rotating slowly in midair. One end was fixed to a small rectangular box and the other housed a lens. Three metal prongs sprouted from the cylinder and extended past the lensed side. "It's just about complete," Maren said. "I've made the calibrations we discussed and even gave it a test run." Setzer's eyes widened. "Were you able to get a complete particle blueprint?" Maren nodded enthusiastically. "I hooked it up to my desktop holodrive and scanned a chair in the lab. It gave me a full reading, down to every proton, neutron, and electron of every atom." The holographic screen flashed from the rotating model to a scrolling mass of endless data. "This time the scanner was able to interface perfectly with the holodrive and store the information into a complete blueprint. I even tried scanning myself." Setzer eagerly leaned forward in his chair. "And?" Maren tapped a few holographic keys. A new list of data scrolled along the screen. "It's just as effective at reading organic matter. I was able to download comprehensive data on both a large and small scale, everything from my chromosomes to my atoms. It works, Setzer. This thing finally works!" As if punctuating the statement, Maren tapped her holodrive. The screen and keyboard vanished with a quiet beep. Setzer felt a chill run up his spine to his neck. After two years of arduous work, the last and arguably most important piece of the puzzle was complete. All that remained was finding out whether all of the puzzle pieces fit together as expected. If they did, he could finally present the Theory of Alchemy as bona fide Law. It took all of Setzer's willpower not to release a cry of victory. "This is huge. I doubt even the Compact has molecular or subatomic scanning technology this sophisticated, even in development. You are amazing!" Was that a blush? Setzer couldn't quite tell in the scant light of the pub. Maren shook her head. "Nah. I wouldn't have been able to pull it off if it weren't for your guidance. And let's not forget Professor Booker's development of the micro inducer. We would be just as far off from proving your theory without that." "Still...I'm just glad that I have such a brilliant tech wiz like you at my side. You're going to be an integral part of making this a reality." Setzer took a long drink from his glass. He forgot the exact name of this particular brew; something about a blue ribbon. At that moment, Al himself marched merrily up to their table. The man played just as much the part of an antique as the decorations in his pub. He was tall and pudgy with dark hair and a full beard. He always stood out like a sore thumb in public places; wearing his usual flannel shirt, blue jeans, and work boots. He was supposedly a huge fan of some tool show from the late 20th century, or at least that was his excuse for his notorious fashion sense. Al clapped a meaty hand on Setzer's shoulder, roaring. "Well well, if it ain't Dr. Rowe! Been a couple of weeks since I've seen you down here, friend!" Setzer rocked forward from the overenthusiastic pat on the back. He cleared his throat. "Good to see you too, Al. This is miss Maren Brincefield, by the way." Al's attention flipped to Maren and he donned a broad smile, conspicuously nudging Setzer with an elbow. "El doctoro's gotta girlfriend, eh? Not bad, doc! Not bad at all!" Maren laughed nervously. "We work together over at Holsing. I'm a student there." "A student?" Al pulled in an exaggerated gasp. "Setzer! You dog!" It was Setzer's turn to blush. He fought the urge to give Al an especially fierce evil eye. Instead, he put on a smile and opted for a change of subject. "Not as busy tonight as it usually is, huh?" Al's smile faded, his carefree demeanor souring. He shook his head. "Seems most of my business has been sellin' burgers at lunchtime, really. That Defiance fiasco a couple nights ago still has a lotta folks shook out their britches. It's just like them...to attack the week of Unification Day. Glad you two had the guts to show up though." Setzer's stomach turned a bit at the mentioning of the Defiance. The terrorist organization hadn’t been heard from in 30-some-odd years until the recent strike. The entirety of Prime City was unsettled. It seemed everyone was talking about it in hushed, frightened voices. The attack wasn't far from Holsing's campus too; at a Compact Science and Research facility—which meant Setzer spent the last two days attempting to teach physics to uneasy students. Sparse information was released to the public on the matter: reports of a security breach, followed by a skirmish between Defiance insurgents and Compact Citizen Relations officers. That’s it, other than the typical inspirational speeches about how the people should ‘remain vigilant and brave’. The thought of the Defiance attack had crossed Setzer's mind earlier that day when Maren asked him to dinner. The debacle was almost impossible to avoid, plastered on news broadcasts everywhere he looked. But there was no way he was going to pass up a date with Maren. Terrorists be damned. Setzer shared a look with her across the table. "We weren't going to let something like that ruin our evening. The Compact will drive those cowards back into their hiding holes soon enough. Besides, your hospitable little time machine here doesn't look much like a government building to me. I think we're solid, Al." He gave the man a reassuring smile. Al paused for a moment, then a jolly grin spread across his broad face. “Know what? You’re absolutely right! Give this situation a few months and the Defiance’ll be running with their tails tucked between their legs, if they aren’t already!” Al turned his eyes to Maren as he wagged a sausage-like index finger at Setzer. “You better keep this one, miss Maren. Leave it to good ol’ Dr. Rowe to always cure what ails ya!” Al cleared his throat gruffly. “Speakin’ of ale, ya’ll want a couple glasses of authentic Sierra Nevada?” Setzer glanced at Maren, who shook her head. He turned back to Al. “I think we’re about ready to tab out, actually.” Al tipped his head forward. “Certainly, certainly. Well in that case, I’ve got your check right here, friends.” Al produced a slip of paper and slid it in front of Setzer. “Your company’s been a right pleasure tonight and I hope to see you again soon! Maybe next time we can talk some grav-ball, eh doc?" Setzer grinned. “You can count on it. Though I think we both know the Crimson Wings are gonna go all the way this year.” Al scoffed. "You wish! Ebonhawks, my friend. Ebonhawks." He winked at them both and turned to wander back behind the bar, having a word with one of the waitresses along the way. “A check?” Maren said with raised brows, peering closely at the printed piece of paper like it was some sort of strange anomaly. Setzer laughed. “It's just one of those things Al does. I assume he thinks it adds to the old-timey atmosphere.” He produced his Citizen ID card from a pocket and slid it through the credit register affixed to the table. "You don't have to—" Setzer waved his hand, dismissing her protest. "No no. I've got this. It's the least I can do." Maren gave him a warm smile. A few more patrons filed into the pub and the ambient buzz of conversation was starting to fill the dining room. A new song blared from the jukebox; a colorful tune about a man's breakup with a very expensive girlfriend. The register beeped, indicating that the receipt had been wirelessly downloaded to Setzer's CID card. "What do you say we head out?" Setzer said, rising from his chair. Maren followed suit with a smile and they weaved their way towards the exit. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The street lamps of Prime City painted Lazar Parkway a vibrant blue. The skyscrapers of the city's massive downtown district towered over Setzer and Maren. Each high-rise was dotted with lights, a sea of countless yellow stars shimmering among the tall grey giants. The metropolitan area displayed several expansive holographic screens, emitted from large holoprojectors on the sides of buildings and billboard towers. Most displayed still-image advertisements, changing every once and a while like a slide show. Others played an amalgamation of commercials or Compact government infomercials in an endless loop. One holographic screen in particular was running an especially interesting infomercial, projected from the Scion Technologies corporate headquarters across the street. The video showed the image of a vast field of space. The pleasant voice of a female narrator echoed around the block, catching the ears of pedestrians as they passed. Many of the people stopped in their tracks and turned their entranced attention to the screen, especially Setzer and Maren. "Since the dawn of humanity, we have sought the stars. We've used them for everything from navigation to scientific development...even prophecy. They have been as intertwined with us as the Earth itself." The camera shot swept throughout the solar system, soaring by each planet, the sun quickly expanding as it neared. The camera rocketed past the sun just as quickly and focused on the blackness beyond. "Finally, as a race, we will travel to one of these stars and make a permanent mark. The time has come for mankind to boldly step beyond Sol." The scene flashed to an image of a starship, its shape resembling a colossal clam shell. Three transparent domes stretched the length of its huge hull. The larger domes on the top and bottom of the ship housed huge cityscapes, while the tubular dome ringing the sides of the craft appeared to contain forests, hills, grassland, even ponds. Setzer marveled at the complexity of ship's design, wishing he had the opportunity to study its subsystems. The woman's voice proudly marched on. "Within the next year, the most sophisticated starship man has ever built, the C.S.S. Skyhaven, will embark on a journey to one of our closest interstellar neighbors: Alpha Centuari. Circling this binary star is a planet so Earth-like, so idyllic, we have named it Eden." A slow zoom outward revealed the impressive scale of the blue planet below the ship. According to the caption flashing across the screen, the planet was nearly one and a half times the size of Earth. Setzer shook his head in awe, his voice brimming with excitement. "They've already reached the stage of sending people? I figured it would be at least another decade. Did you see how advanced that ship looks, Maren?" She murmured as if she hadn't heard Setzer speak. "A chance to start over fresh..." Setzer turned to her. Maybe he had misunderstood what she said. Regardless, he could already feel his enthusiasm dwindling. "Wait. You're actually thinking of going?" Maren looked at him with a start. She sighed and shrugged. "I don't know. This place is just so...stifling." Her voice dropped in volume. "I'll be honest. I'm not as fond of the Compact as you are." Setzer blinked. "Wait a second, I'm not—" "You know what I mean," Maren said, giving him a playful push. "And this planet is severely overcrowded, no matter where you settle down. Except for Australia...and there's no way I'm going to move there and join the Defiance." Setzer winced internally at the thought, but managed to keep a straight face. "You wouldn't be running away from the Compact by going to Eden, Maren. They are the ones behind this whole endeavor. They'll be running the show there too." Maren's gaze dropped to her feet. "I know. But it would at least be a new frontier. A place where I can actually make a difference. Earth is so jam-packed with brilliant scientists that it's easy to get lost in the crowd. On Eden, I'd be able to truly make a name for myself." Setzer opened his mouth to speak, but was distracted by the narrator. Her rousing voice was climbing to an emotional peak as the infomercial drew to a close. The screen displayed a stoic group of citizens standing beside each other, hands on their hips. "The Compact seeks brave, skilled individuals who dream of being a part of history. We call upon you to join the first wave of colonization. Apply at your local Citizen's Relations office, or on the Frame. Become one of the lucky few to step out to the stars and claim the birthright of mankind." Maren's eager eyes remained locked on the screen. It felt like Setzer's initial excitement had been completely transferred to her. He began wishing they had missed the announcement by staying in the pub a few minutes longer. Maren turned to look at him, smiling. "I think I'm going to submit an application." Setzer's stomach dropped. Even excluding the countless hours of research and experimentation they had conducted together, the thought of losing her felt as comfortable as drowning. His voice sounded distant in his own ears. "You would abandon all of our work together for Eden?" Maren's forehead wrinkled with worry. She placed a slender hand on his shoulder. "Absolutely not. Look at me. I wouldn't abandon you, Setzer. I'll stay right here until our research is done and I get my doctorate." Her expression brightened. "But can't you see the opportunity there for the both of us? Especially you! Think about it...the architect of the Law of Alchemy, pioneering a new field of science on a new planet! Sure, your discovery will be a big deal here too, but you would be a god among scientists on Eden!" For the both of us? Did she really say that? Setzer was initially taken aback. But the reality of the situation casually began sinking in; she wanted him to come with her. Was this the indication he had been waiting for all this time? Could their relationship transcend science after all? A grin edged onto Setzer's lips. "A god among scientists," he mused, tapping his chin with a forefinger. "I kind of like the sound of that." He gave Maren a mysterious wink and began strolling down the sidewalk. She laughed and followed suit, unexpectedly reaching out to take his hand. Sign two. Is this really happening? Setzer swallowed nervously; he hoped it was the only thing that belied the outward calm he was trying to display. Enjoy this. He gave in to his inner voice and let the calm genuinely wash over him. A constant caravan of cars inched along the road next to them as they walked. The gridlock reminded Setzer of a historical record he had read about Prime City in its pre-Unification days, as the legendary New York. The congested line of vehicles trailed off into the distance as far as the eye could see, full of irritated drivers honking their horns in frustration. A much less crowded flow of grav-cars whizzed away high above, most likely occupied by government officials or corporate executives on their way to one of the thousands of high-rise docks somewhere downtown. Maren peered upwards. "See, this is the kind of thing I'm talking about with the Compact. Why are those people allowed to own personal grav-cars and we aren't?" Setzer glanced up at one of the flying vehicles; what looked like a sleek Mach Industries model, leaving a dim red streak from its taillights as it raced past. "Maybe the upper class gets some kind of bloated sense of self-worth by traveling above everyone else?" He flashed a grin. Maren laughed. "Probably. And if the peons want to fly like the elite, make them cram into public transportation and pay for the trip." "It does sound pretty terrible looking at it from that angle, that's for sure. But I personally can't blame the government's strict registration process too much," Setzer said, shrugging. "Grav-cars take a lot of skill to pilot manually. And even if everyone was trained and allowed to get one of their own, it would probably be chaos. You think traffic's bad down here. Can you imagine it up in the sky? Where there are no lanes to keep things in order?" "They could always use auto-pilot," Maren said. "Sky navigation tech is remarkably robust these days. And there's a lot more room up there than on a street." Setzer leaned his head to the side slightly. "I'll definitely give you that one. But what about the matter-antimatter reactors on those grav-cars? Do you think the Compact wants just anybody to have access to that kind of tech? Some idiot off in the Fringes decides to take it apart and BOOM! A chunk of Prime City is leveled. Or the tech could get into the hands of the Defiance. There's no telling what would happen then." Maren eyed him sidelong for a moment before speaking. "Sometimes I think you trust the system a little too much, Setzer." "It's not that I necessarily trust it," Setzer said, returning her gaze. "It's just that this is the way the world is. Governments will always have policies to manage society, none of which are going to be supported by every single person." He slid his free hand into a jacket pocket. "It's always been that way, even before the Compact. I can imagine it's a logistical nightmare when your citizenship spans the entire globe. But is there really a best way to organize things? A way that will please everyone?" Maren mulled it over for a moment before shrugging. "I suppose you're right. I'm just constantly eager to know the 'why' of things. Always questioning to find some kind of hidden truth behind the mask. Speaking of which..." She leaned in closer, squinting as if she was studying his face. Setzer blinked at her, his nostrils flaring. "What? What is it?" His tongue curled up to investigate. "Ith there thomething in my teeth?" Maren's eyes lit up and she laughed. "No, silly. I want to know what's behind your mask. I've been interested in you ever since I was a little girl, hearing news reports of you graduating from Harvard at fourteen. I've been following your career most of my life." Her cheeks flushed a bit. "At the risk of sounding like a stalker, meeting you was one of the reasons I enrolled into Holsing to begin with. But almost everything between us has been work-related. I want to find out, who is the real Setzer Rowe?" "I...see." Setzer balked at the question. He knew that Maren admired him, that much was apparent when they met. But he had no idea it went this far. "Well...uh...what do you want to know?" She beamed. "I don't know. Anything! Everything!" Setzer's voice cracked. "Everything?" He cleared his throat. Maren shrugged. "I don't know!" She thought for a moment. "What was your childhood like?" Setzer froze. His childhood; the one thing he dreaded being asked about. Will she think differently of me? Setzer partially wanted to gloss it over, saying it was a normal, happy time in his life. That he had loving parents and plenty of friends to play ground-ball with on hot summer days. But his conscience told him Maren deserved better than that. She was worthy of his trust. She deserved the truth. "Well...let's see. Constant schoolwork sums it up nicely, including studies beyond the standard curriculum. All day, every day. Summer breaks? Not a chance in that house." Setzer drew in a deep breath. "I was the only child. My mom left when I was still an infant, so I was raised by my father. I could only guess as to where she went, because dad always refused to give me any details. All I know is that he was bitter about whatever happened. Lucky me, I became his little project. He had a son who was unusually good with numbers and the only thing that mattered to him was keeping me focused. Everything else? Irrelevant." Maren squeezed his hand softly. "It sounds like you were under lock and key." "Might as well have been," Setzer said. "I mean, I had friends at school...but I only got to see them there. I did try sneaking out one night, but the repercussions were...less than desirable." Setzer remembered the flash of a belt buckle, the drawn out lectures about upholding the rules and maintaining order, the revocation of what little privileges he once had. "I didn't gain any real freedom until I went off to Harvard. But even then, he kept close tabs on me." "What about now?" Maren asked. Setzer shook his head. "We don't talk anymore. I stopped returning his calls about four years ago. I didn't even bother giving him my new address. With all of my accomplishments, he has never been happy or proud of any of them. It was like a constant air of disappointment, like I should always be doing better. Anyway, I figured it was way past time to begin living my own life. And you know what? I've felt liberated ever since." Maren watched him for a prolonged moment, her eyes somber. A kind smile found its way to her lips. "Well I'm glad that things are better for you now." She reached up to brush his cheek. "You've grown into a good man, Setzer." A good man. Setzer felt a faint tug in his chest as the words sunk in. Her voice was tender and it washed over him like warm, soothing water. "Thank you," he murmured. A breath slowly entered Setzer's lungs. He exhaled and returned her smile. "Now it's your turn." Maren turned her head to stare at the procession of cars, almost as if she was looking through them at some distant object. "I was brought up by the Homestead Foundation. It's basically a government-run orphanage. I'm sure you've seen the infomercials. They portray the image of a caring, nurturing organization...and they took care of me well enough, I suppose. I was given good food, shelter, an education. But everything was just so impersonal. The caretakers acted like looking after us was more of a hassle than something they were passionate about. When it came down to it, all of us kids were just numbers." Setzer watched her intently. "Do you know anything about your parents?" Maren shook her head. "They told me I was dropped off at Homestead when I was very young. Other than that, nothing. I've always wondered about my parents, but the caretakers said their identities were confidential." Setzer squeezed her hand in return. "Science aside, it sounds like we're fairly alike you and I. Both of us raised by people who didn't particularly care about our emotional wellbeing." Maren's eyes met his again, big and endless like dark oceans of hazel. There was something else in those depths. Was it...yearning? Her voice quavered a bit when she finally spoke. "In that cold place, you were my inspiration, Setzer. Seeing someone so young continue to accomplish so much. You were the drive that my parents could never give me. The hope that if I applied myself enough, I could succeed like you did." She looked to the ground. Setzer wasn't expecting that. Still, it felt incredibly good to hear her say it. The tug in his chest intensified. He reached up to slide a few stray strands of Maren's hair behind an ear. "I'm glad I could be there for you, even before we met. I always want to be there for y—" Before he could finish his sentence, Maren closed the distance and gave him a passionate kiss. At first, Setzer's eyes widened in absolute shock. Then, slowly but surely, his eyelids slid shut and he leaned forward against her lips, taking her other hand in his.