Eastern Gate International High School
Beijing, China | November 2027
10:15 a.m.

A rapidly-circulating Conspiracy Theory known as The Dead Internet Theory would have it that virtually nothing you see on the World Wide Web is actually [real] anymore. At least not since 2016 – when Social Media became purely algorithmic.

Real, as in: "It didn't happen exactly as was shown." Not that it doesn't exist. Everything exists, after all. But not all Stories are accurate Representations of Events that took place in our objective, Material Reality.

It would be accurate to say that some Things in Life are subjective, though [most] are objective. Just as the Debate of whether or not we have Free Will could be settled by making the Case that we are in charge of roughly a third of our Reality – while the rest remains outside of our Control.

When Large Language Models were first introduced and made widely available for the average Consumer, there was an initial Wave of Optimism that Artificial Intelligence would usher in a World of boundless Prosperity, as opposed to endless Distraction.

Suffice it to say – we got a World of Distraction, and ceaseless Conflicts over Material Scarcity. Far from the World of Abundance and 4–Hour Work Weeks we desired.

"…so the SCAR-CI-TY of Real Estate… and Affordable HOU-SING… was the key driving Factor behind the widening… [Wealth Gap]!" Professor Jiang explained in his Chinese-American Accent to his Economics Class of 2027, tapping and scratching the digital Chalkboard with his Marker as he went. "Because you can't just make more LAND, short of reclaiming the Oceans, and building Artificial Islands, as they did in the Netherlands – or with the Palm Islands in Dubai… for example."

"Professor – would you say that the People's Republic of China is doing a better Job at preparing the Youth for a Future of AI and Automation, compared to… say… the United States of America, or the United Kingdom?" the American Boy reluctantly raised his Hand, after a Period of relative Silence; the [only] American Boy in his Class. (American-Kiwi, to be precise.)

"Ah… good Question, Will!" Nelson Jiang smiled, and positioned himself at the Center of the Chalkboard – carefully eyeing the Camera Tripod on top of the Desk in front of him, just to make sure he wasn't being cropped out of the Livestream.

"No Shame in asking, Mr. Stewart – but China has a much brighter Future compared to the U.S. Simply because of the Fact that our Government does not have [Term Limits], which… kind of tends to get in the way of long-term Planning."

"The Truth is that Long-Term Planning is necessary in order for a Civilization to build anything worthwhile. At all. You wouldn't be able to build something equivalent to the Pyramids in a Democratic Nation, for example – because then you might have, like… the Opposition Party getting elected 4 Years later, and then scrapping the whole Project, and calling it a waste of Taxpayer Money. Et cetera. Et cetera."

“I suppose we could easily build a Replica of the Pyramids with modern Technology by simply leveraging Cranes, Trucks and what not — but if we were to build something of equivalent Thought and [Effort] — then you would actually end up with something like an O’Neil Cylinder, or a giant Base on the Moon — fully equipped with Hotels, Greenhouses and Theme Parks, or something like that. Which is part of the Reason we were able to launch, and fully assemble the Tiangong Space Station in a matter of [Months], not Years.”

"History therefore favors 'Authoritarianism'. Unfortunately!" he shrugged.

...

11:05 a.m.

The Bells had rung not long ago. Some Students were making their way to the Cafeteria, while others were grabbing their Smartphones from out of their Lockers – gathered along the Hallway to check the Breaking News.

"May I have a look at your Phone, Li?" Will Stewart asked one of his female Classmates.

"Yeah, sure." She gravitated towards him like a Compass, still glued to her Screen – and passed him her Phone.

突发新闻 | 来历不明的蓝色流星体进入地球大气层 | 撞击冰岛、挪威及摩尔曼斯克!

BREAKING NEWS | Blue Meteoroids of Unknown Origins entering Earth's Atmosphere | Crashing into Iceland, Norway and Murmansk!

…was the Title of the Livestream on the BiliBili App.

"What do you make of it, Will?" she asked the young Lad. "Haven't you already seen these Things before?"

"I've seen it in a Dream." he recalled. "This was around the same Time of the Year that the Comet 3I Atlas came around. Zoomed past Mars, did a Turn around our Sun – and then flew all the way towards Jupiter."

"Mr. Stewart – can you come see me for a Minute?" Professor Jiang snooped in with his Notebooks, and his Laptop Suitcase.

"Yeah. Um, sure!" the young Man glanced over his Shoulder. "I'll be there in just a Tick…" he closed the App on his Phone, and handed it back to Li.

...

11:15 a.m.

"So tell me, Mr. Stewart." the Teacher swung his rolling Chair from out of his Desk, and took a Seat in front of the Chalkboard. "How are you enjoying the Classes so far?"

"Pretty good." Will replied in a Murmur, with his Arms crossed – looking at the Clock Tower from out the Window to his left.

"That's great to hear." Professor Jiang endearingly smiled. "I wanted to ask you something about Princess Khan, if you don't mind. I remember you said to me that she was your after-school Philosophy Teacher. When was the last Time you saw her?"

"I last saw her just before Christmas, in Christchurch." he rubbed the back of his freshly-shaven Jawline. "My Parents were accusing me of being quote-on-quote 'badly influenced' by her at the Time. She was just a Philosophy Teacher… but they literally thought that she was some kind of a whacky Cult Leader, because of her unique Perspective on Things, I suppose. Which is literally the main Reason I decided to come here to Beijing on an Exchange Program. Just so I could get away from all the Drama with my Parents…"

"Helicopter Parents, eh?" Professor Jiang shook his Head. "And what dangerous Ideas was Mrs. Khan, a.k.a. Socrates, putting inside your Head?"

"She wrote a Book called The Promethean Tenets." he continued. "…whose entire Premise is this Idea that… the only way we will ever find out about the true Nature of God, is if we play God, and put ourselves in his Shoes."

"Hmm… well that's original." Nelson fixed his Eyes on the Ceiling Fan. "So did Princess Khan ever do anything herself, that resembles… Playing God?"

"She certainly did." Mr. Stewart curled his Lips. "She booked a Trip to Israel, possibly in hopes that she would be received as some type of Prophet. Preaching about Equality, loving thy Neighbour, and so on, and so forth. Trying to mend the broken Relations between the Jews, and the Arabs."

"…and as you probably already know – it didn't quite pan out the way she wanted it to."

...

Solmere, Planet Kīran
YZ Ceti Star-System | ∞ Time Unknown

"You shall thus be taught how to Construct your very first Pylons!" the Cetan's Voice had resonated like Thunder – trembling through the Pillars of the Temple, and the Glass Walls of the giant, domed Enclosure; the Kiranite Biosphere.

"Solar Pylons are Floraline Structures capable of focusing and [capturing] the Rays of our Sun at a near-total Efficiency."

"Crystalline Pylons, on the other hand – are the anchoring Points and Amplifiers of the Psionic Matrix – the spiritual Network that binds us all together – as taught by the Principles of the Fānau; the sacred Union of our every Thought and Emotion!"

Kiranite Starseeds were created by the Cetans as a Means of infiltrating and redeeming Planet Earth in a Manner that would result in the least amount of Chaos and Backlash. They are essentially mind-controlled Humans who, as a Result of their spiritual and cognitive Uplifting and Upgrades, have come to sympathize and almost [identify] with the technologically superior Cetan Race.

One of the first 'Symptoms' of Uplifting is a deep and visceral Reaction, not just to the sheer amount of Cruelty and Injustice in the World – but to the sight of one's Body!

"Why do my Feet look so disgusting, and by God – why are they so smelly!?" Alzira complained when taking off her Sneakers in front of the Cetans.

"Fear not, my dear Child!" reassured the Archon. "For the Fountains, Rivers and Lakes of our Biosphere are all Sources of Holy Water. Drinkable Water, nevertheless!"

"Now how do we start building our Solar Pylons?" Ahmad inquired as he took off his own pair of Shoes, and doused his Feet in the Fountain by the Entrance of the Temple, being careful not to get burned on the steaming hot Bricks that surrounded it. A small Rainbow reflected the Sunlight off of the Droplets pouring from the Spout at its Center.

"No amount of Knowledge and Training will do you any good without the Power and Strength of the [Will]!" the thunderous Voice had echoed from within the Temple once again. "For where there is a Will, there is a Way to materialize, and manifest our Ideas into a tangible Form."

"The Dopamine Molecule, as studied by the Terran Civilization, is the very Link that binds each and every Mind in the Universe to its Material Incarnation; for it is our Focus and [Attention] that creates our Consensus Reality. This Focus and Attention is also called Mana."

Mana refers to positive Energy. Energy that nourishes and replenishes us – unlike Loosh – which is a Term that refers to [negatively drained] Energy. Energy that is robbed and taken from you by Entities from the Lower Realms; the Nexians.

"Dousing our Feet and Hands in a Moon Fountain is a great Way to replenish Mana, and purge us of our Loosh!" the Cetans explained. "It is therefore a good Idea for us to fill as many Moon Vials as we can, so we can carry this Holy Water with us at all Times."

Ahmad and Alzira wiped their Hands and Feet with their Towels – and then slowly made their Way up the Stairs into the Temple.

"Our Temple lacks sufficient Power – you must instruct one of our Probes to build a Crystalline Pylon, so that our Multi-Dimensional Supply Chains can be reached from our World!"

"Understood." Alzira lifted her Hands, one in front of the other – and signaled to one of the hovering Drones that it was time to construct additional Pylons.

Kiranite Probes are sentient, analog and mechanical Units. They are employed by the Cetans in order to spontaneously build and erect various Living Spaces, Military Structures and Places of Worship – using nothing but the Power of the Psi-Matrix.

Cetan Structures are assembled through a Process that concentrates and 'freezes' every Light Particle in its vicinity – effectively solidifying Energy into Matter. As successfully executed by the Probe, under the Command of Alzira – the first Crystalline Pylon built by a Species other than the Cetans!

"Very well done, my Apprentices!" the Archon congratulated the Kids.