I.
Western Australia, Philosophy City, Philosophy University - 2010, 08, 12
Philosophy City was far from a booming metropolis. A small secluded town that nestled tightly against the wide and empty arid landscapes of Western Australia. An hour drive outside the cities edge, but not quite at its limits, settled the large oasis that housed the institution, Philosophy University. Owned and operated by the Sennett Organization for the express purpose of training young and talented minds in the arts of various sciences. The current Chancellor, Ezra Sennett, had taken a deep pride into the reputation of the school in particular. It was true that students from all over the world had applied in hopes of obtain a coveted education from such a notable former child prodigy and medic, Rebecca Chambers, the school was a different kind of oasis. Full of minds that engaged her in deep and meaningful just that of the professors, the students. The bright minds that gave her a deep sense of hope in the future of the world. For the last month and the next few to follow, she was to act as an instructor and professor for the universities 'Biology and Mathematics' program. An honor she did not take lightly. The staff had comprised of seasoned veterans who had made outstanding advances in their individual fields. Even as a woman in her 30's, she still felt as she did a member of S.T.A.R.S at 18. Far too young to be there.
"This is it for today. I want anyone to raise their hand if they think they can solve it." Rebecca stood brimming with confidence at the front of the small university classroom. The days class had just about reached its conclusion and the lesson plan had been conducted in full. The last problem had been something Rebecca had come up with a few years ago when she had first started teaching, for a University named Philosophy University, she believed the lesson would be effective. It was to this end that she summoned her top student, Mary Grey, to take on the puzzle first.
Mary was a girl with an academic, comprised of beauty, poise and intellect. She wasn't like the other girls in class with their modern attitudes, Mary was a classical girl with curls that fell like dark rings of water down her back and shoulders. Her modest dress was like that of a doll, a soft pinkish hue that fell down to her knees. Her modesty was only exemplified by the white stockings that seperated the hem of her dress with her black buckled shoes. As she ran the black dry erase marker along the blank white canvas, numbers, mathematical symbols, variables and integers exploded in rapid succession. As was usual for the amazing Mary Grey.
Rebecca continued to encourage her class but the instructor's words failed to penetrate the distracted mind of Olivia Price, chewing gently on her pen tip. Olivia had been eyeing Rebecca over since the lecture ended, contemplating a question she had been mulling over since the first week of Rebecca's stay. When she finally rose her hand, Rebecca had incorrectly assumed interest in the problem and called upon the fashionable young woman.
"Ms. Chambers, Do you have a boyfriend waiting for you back home?" Olivia innocently asked, coyly tilting her head, her high auburn ponytail flopping to the side playfully. The billowing chatter from the class around them revealed their own interest in the 'new' problem. Rebecca couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"A little tougher than the question you came up with, huh?" Laird Peterson joked.
Olivia insisted through Rebecca's silence, leaving her seat and danced by Mary - still concentrating on the problem - to confront her teacher at the front podium.
"You've been our sub for a month now, that's more than enough time to ask this sort of thing. Don't you think?" Her accented voice was bright and cute through her question. "I bet you're in a long distance relationship with a boyfriend back home in America, or...is it a secret love, we promise we won't say anything. Right guys?"
"Sounds like you're the one with romance on the brain, Olivia." Rebecca said bemused, and also deflecting, "You have a boyfriend you're not telling us about?"
Olivia's mouth curled up into a proud, giddy smile.
'Had this been her intention?' Rebecca pondered as Olivia scanned the class for someone. Another classmate.
"Well, I did want to keep it a secret, he is the most popular guy in the science department after all, but…" She hesitated again, biting her lip excited. "What the hell!" She finally said, before she exclaimed with a chirp, "I've been seeing Lucas Butler!"
Mary's marker scratched down the board. Her mind raced in all directions except toward the solution to the problem before her. She turned her head discretely to try and catch a glimpse of Lucas behind her. He was a handsome man with stylish blond hair and a blue button up shirt made classic with a simple tie. He was someone Mary had considered a friend, one of the few people she felt she could actually hold an intelligent conversation with. He wasn't as bright as she was but she liked him regardless. Seeing him with Olivia made her stomach turn. She was far from worthy of his hand.
"I'm so glad it's finally out!" Olivia said, sighing dramatically, as she raced to Lucas and embraced him in a tight hug.
Mary grit her teeth, how someone like Olivia even made it into the halls of the institute was enough of a puzzle to solve.
'How could he choose her?' Mary internally demanded. She slammed her palm against the blackboard aggressively. The attention of the class was caught again as she drug her slender fingers through the marker and smeared her solution beneath her hand.
"I can't do it." She said, bitterly, "I can't solve the chemical reaction formula."
Everyone had officially lost interest in Olivia and Lucas' debut and found themselves vocally expressing their shock, "Mary with the IQ of 230 can't solve a problem?"
"Everyone, relax. Laird raise your hand before you speak." Rebecca said cooly, easing the raising taunts with a downward gesture of her hands as she made her way to Mary's side. She took the marker from her fingers and drew a clumsy question mark where the conclusion should have gone. "The truth is: Mary is right. There is no solution to the problem."
"Is that a joke?" Lucas said, under the captivity of Olivia's grasp, "You're usually so purposeful with your equations.".
Rebecca smiled and urged Mary to take her seat, which she was hesitant to do.
"No matter which direction you face in your life, no matter which science you study there won't always be an answer that math and science can explain. But, we also have countless opportunities to find new discoveries. For Instance, if we take another look at the linear- "
"You're wrong, Ms. Chambers." Mary said suddenly. Her voice sudden, in a burst of almost excitement. Her eyes widened in passion as she recited what sounded like a passage, "If the human race has reached its limit, it is the time of something greater to break through those barriers and become something greater. Something more. Start again..."
A silence darkened over the attentive class at Mary's unusually dark answer, the girl was typically quiet and introverted. For her to speak so proudly was unnatural in some way.
"More than human?" Rebecca asked bemused, "I think you missed my point, Mary…"
Mary's expression remained unreadable, flat and swept behind her falling ringlets.
"I hope for all our sakes the world never comes to that. I know it's a confusing ideal, but I want you to remember it. It's something I learned when I was your age. There's some just some things the human race isn't meant to mess with."