Author’s Note: Thank you to those who reviewed. I have the first three chapters (four, if you include the introduction) completed. Due to problems with my old computer (which holds all of my NE files), however, they must be retyped. The updating between the first few chapters should be relatively close together, but all updates afterward could take as long as two months. It took me the whole school year just to finish these three. Yes, go on and laugh. If you like what you read here, put me on Author Alerts, and I’ll trust to keep you posted on the updates... but I’m just warning you ahead of time that those updates will be few and far between.

I would also like to thank Kella Trams for the advice, I’ll take it into consideration during my later chapters (I’m lazy, so I won’t be changing the completed chapters; please bear with me)!

Chapter One: Welcome to NeoEarth

“Is he alive? ...Thank goodness, he moved. Go now, he’s waking up.” A rushed voice slowly filled my numb brain as I struggled to focus. My thoughts were blurry, like faint headlights through a thick fog. The voice cut through the fog, a sharp slap back into reality. I opened my eyes, blinking in the sudden white light. I felt myself being lifted to a seated position, and supported until I could remain that way on my own.

“Now, how are you feeling?” The same voice, calmer this time, met my ears again. A hand rested on my shoulder. It was obviously the hand of an old man, though it seemed stronger than I would have expected. The face by my side was only slightly creased, with a neatly trimmed graying beard. The eyes were a deep blue. If the face was that of an old man, the eyes were those of a child... they were that innocent, that ageless. The man himself was thin, almost frail, standing on the threshold of the last years of his life. He had a deep, pleasant voice, and a kind smile. Any alarm I had felt vanished almost immediately, leaving a relaxed sense of trust in its place.

“I feel... okay, I guess.” I ran my fingers through my messy brown hair. The pony-tail must have come undone sometime earlier. “...What happened?” I asked, realizing I had no recollection of the past few hours. Or the past few days, really. His smiled faded only a little, and he shook his head.

“I’m afraid I can’t answer that, but only because I don’t know the answer. Perhaps Trei would... but he’s resting now, and we mustn’t disturb him,” he said, then paused for just a moment before speaking again. “...Before I tangle you in my chattering, perhaps we should introduce ourselves. My name is, for all purposes, Donevan. I’m pleased to meet you.” He stood, extending a hand as if he meant to pull me to my feet. I took it, though I didn’t pull on it as I stood. The strength in his grasp surprised me once again.

“My name’s Andrew... something or other. Doesn’t matter.” I looked around. We were standing in what looked like an enormous hall, completely void of people other than ourselves. It felt kind of lonely there, surrounded by nothing and no one. “So... where are we?” I asked nervously. He smiled almost proudly.

“We are - though you probably won’t believe me - almost four millenniums after your own time. This is now NeoEarth. It’s only about a thousand years old now, relatively an infant compared to your own time.” He paused, looking at my skeptical face. He ignored it. “At the present time, you’re standing in the home of the Master of this world... Trei.”

“Who’s this Trei guy?” I asked, still looking around listlessly. There was a lot to see, really... it was a magnificent place to look at. White marble walls with a faint splash of color here and there to decorate the intricate mural of a dragon carved into them. The floor was also solid marble, pure white and silver. There were large circular windows, but they were covered by heavy white curtains. The hallway was massive... it was almost as wide as a football field - how strange, the thought of a football field seemed almost forbidden here - and probably twice as long. It seemed so cold and sterile here, like a hospital. There was nothing to decorate the walls, no seats to rest on... though surely people got tired, walking up and down this hall! There must be more of these halls, and if there were, the building itself must have been gigantic. The ceiling was almost too high up to see, but I could tell it was made of the same marble. The only light came from a long tube that seemed imbedded in the wall, running its entire length and filling the entire hallway with a bright, almost blinding white light. Florescent lighting, maybe? The white marble enhanced the effect, until the hall hurt to look at. In face, it seemed like the whole hall had been carved from a single gargantuan block of marble. There were no chisel marks in the murals, no flaws anywhere to be seen. The perfection, the purity, the symmetry... it was unnerving. I got so caught up in looking around that I didn’t even realize Donevan was speaking until after he was finished. He still held that patient, understanding look on his face as I mumbled that I hadn’t heard a single thing he had said.

“I understand... even Trei sometimes gets bored of listening to me rambling on... but it comes down to this - Trei is the Master of NeoEarth, or rather, his protector and director. He keeps this planet safe from harm, and rules over it in times of crisis. He’s young, but very wise. If you have questions regarding life in NeoEarth, he will usually answer them. He knows a great deal of ancient history and science, quite possibly even events that passed before your own time.” I shifted my weight to my other foot, feeling awkward. How could anyone remember things that happened that far back? I was willing to play along with this ‘We’re in the future’ game, until someone made me feel stupid. Until then, this could be interesting.

“And what’s Trei like?” I asked, feeling foolish. He had probably already told me that, but I’d been too engrossed in the hallway to listen. His brows furrowed slightly. Was he angry with me...?

“Trei is... different from our past masters. He doesn’t venture out very often, therefore you would expect that he wouldn’t know much about what takes place in NeoEarth. Certainly, it’s difficult to rule over a planet of this size, but he doesn’t even send out delegates or messengers to the outer regions of our world. Yet, through his own mysterious ways, these lands still prosper. No one’s sure of how he maintains the balance of the world... but somehow or other, he does. It’s as simple as that.” He seemed worried. There was something he wasn’t telling me... and he hadn’t really answered my question... but I decided to let it go. This time. I changed the topic.

“Okay, let’s say I believe this is really the future. You don’t seem too surprised to see someone from the past laying around in the middle of a hallway.” I smirked. How would he react to that? To my surprise, he laughed warmly.

“Oh, Andrew, you’re not the first... though in a sense, you are. There have been many others like yourself... they arrived our of nowhere, and lived among us for a short time... then vanished as if into thin air. Their names appear in our history, raving lunatics who claim to have seen the future. Most of them are from an earlier point in NeoEarth, however. You’re the first visitor we’ve had from... the twenty-first century, I’d be willing to guess...? Whatever the case, you’re the first visitor we’ve had from before NeoEarth! Most of our previous visitors were perfectly sane while they were here... but they changed when they left... I wonder if you’ll do the same...? None of them took much of a liking to me... or to Trei. They seemed to think we were too formal. They seemed to prefer Vansul, Trei’s assistant. I can’t imagine why, the man’s a fool,” His voice became bitter at the end. Obviously, he and ‘Vansul’ didn’t get along very well. He sighed, shaking his head. “It’s a shame, really, because Trei has no real companions, apart from his younger sister and myself.” I shifted again. It was a habit when I felt uncomfortable.

So Trei was a hermit who could make people happy from miles away, kept an idiot for his assistant, and hand no friends. “He sounds like a fun guy. Great for parties.” Donevan laughed again.

“Sarcasm. How refreshing,” he chuckled, then gestured behind me. “Might that belong to you?” I looked. It was my motorcycle. Its silver and black leather clashed horribly against the white marble. Its kickstand was down, and it was standing up perfectly. So how had I ended up lying on my back in the middle of a hallway the size of the Titanic?

“How’d that get there?” I asked, cocking my head to one side and studying it. Donevan shrugged stiffly.

“I’d assume it got here the same way you did... perhaps you were with it? So... if you don’t mind...” His eyes took on an interested glint. you tell me exactly what it is, and what it does?” he asked. I couldn’t help smiling.

“...It’s a motorcycle. It’s a... well, It’s a motorized bike, really. It’s... pretty fast, I guess... but it’s nothing fancy, and it’s not a racing bike. I dunno, I’m not a mechanic. I don’t know a lot about it, sorry.” I shrugged. He nodded.

“I see. It’s not as complex as some of our machinery, but it looks challenging. So it’s a source of transportation, then?” he asked.

“Yeah. Pretty popular, too. It gets a bad reputation... or at least the riders do.” I realized suddenly that I was sitting here in a magnificent hallway, talking to a man I’d only just met about my motorcycle, and he thought it was something special. He really must have been senile if he thought this was ‘challenging.’ Donevan looked up suddenly.

“...You should meet Trei now. He should be getting up soon,” he said, then looked at the motorcycle. “...But first, let’s move this elsewhere.” He pulled a small object out of his pocket. It looked like a remote control. He pointed it to the bike, and pressed a few buttons... and the bike vanished. He smiled at me, chuckling to himself at my startled face. “Don’t be too surprised... this is one of the many ‘gadgets’ this world has to offer. This actually comes standard with any new home nowadays. It cuts down on time, and prevents most back injuries. It can move almost any inanimate object you could move yourself, and then some.” He pocketed the little remote. I realized my jaw was still wide open. I closed my mouth, still stunned.

“Well, then... can’t you just... zap us over to Trei’s place?” I asked. He shook his head.

“Ah, but we haven’t developed a tool to transport humans yet. That’s actually being developed over in one of our larger laboratories... I’m sure Trei will want you to visit there at least once.” I nodded, dazed. Amazing.

He lead me down the hall, and we finally reached the end of it about five minutes later, turning into yet another huge hall. This one was almost exactly like the other, the only difference was that this one was lined with doors. We walked down this hall, passing each door... turning into yet another hall. This final hall was just like the first... with a door at the end. There was a statue on either side of the door, towering roses carved out of what looked like emeralds and rubies, maybe a few garnets. I’d never seen so many jewels in my life. I stared in awe at the beauty of the sculptures. Someone had put a great deal of time and effort into them. Donevan sighed, smiling at the two roses.

“...Lovely, aren’t they...? This is the work of Mistress Atria, Trei’s sister. She’s quite the artist... a master with jewels. She makes jewelry... and she carves stones into things like this.” He gestured to the sculptures. “These were a gift to Trei two years ago. He takes excellent care of them.” He smiled fondly, opening the door and ushering me inside. We stood in a large, circular room. I took a few steps forward... something had caught my eye.

There was a round bed, surrounded by a gauzy curtain. I brushed the curtain aside, and saw an angel sleeping on the bed. It seemed almost sacrilegious to be standing there. I jerked away, surprised to discover Donevan standing there. He tied the curtain to a post at the end of the bed, and I stood there like an idiot, studying the small figure that seemed so out of place in this huge place. Just a kid; maybe eighteen or nineteen. Impossibly long and shiny white hair was spread out across the silver sheets and pillows. One thin, pale hand was tangled in the locks of wild hair; the other grasped the edge of the comforter to the small chest. They wore a pale blue nightshirt that seemed too loose to stay on once they stood up... I chastised myself for almost getting excited at the thought. I didn’t even know the gender of the person I had already developed quite an attachment to. This person was beautifully androgynous... the more I thought they were male, the more feminine they looked; the more I thought they were female, the more masculine they looked. I couldn’t resist it. I reached out tentatively, touching the long, dark eyelashes that rested so innocently against the creamy white skin. My fingers traced over the lines of the cheekbones before I snapped them away. What was I thinking?! I looked, blushing, to Donevan. I’d forgotten he was there.

“Who...?” I gestured to the sleeping seraph. He smiled gently, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“...I’d like to you meet Trei... if he were awake, that is,” he said. I felt my face turn red with embarrassment. This was Trei..? I’d thought for even a moment that the Master of NeoEarth was... I groaned, hiding my face. Donevan laughed to himself again - it was becoming an annoying habit - then shook Trei’s shoulder gently. I shook my head. (A/N: This next bit is a bit weird, but bear with me, because it’s what some might call FORESHADOWING.)

“Don’t wake him up yet!” I begged, but he continued shaking the boy.

“It’s late... he should have been up quite some time ago.” He sounded slightly worried. I kneeled beside the bed. If Trei didn’t wake up... what would happen to NeoEarth? I realized with a hidden smile that I’d been snared into Donevan’s story. I truly believed NeoEarth existed. Of course, after seeing your motorbike vanish into thin air at the touch of a button, you’d believe it, too? This was more, though. This was Trei, the Master of this world, asleep and vulnerable at my fingertips. This was Donevan, worried because this boy was still asleep. I turned away, overcome with an emotion I didn’t even recognize. Trei had to wake up. If he didn’t... if he didn’t... then what? I didn’t even know what would happen to this world if Trei didn’t wake up.

I whirled back around, afraid fro reasons I wasn’t certain of. “He has to wake up,” I said loudly, half-hoping my volume would cause Trei to stir somehow. No such luck. Donevan nodded.

“He does. Help me,” he said, his voice full of fear and concern. There was something wrong with lovely Trei. I climbed into the bed, sitting beside him. Donevan looked appalled. “What are you doing?!” he asked angrily.

“It’s something I used to do to my younger brother. He had an illness... he passed out in his sleep sometimes because he couldn’t breathe.” I shrugged.

“...This... this is an insult to the Master of NeoEarth,” Donevan groaned, covering his eyes. I realized what he thought I was doing... and blushed once again.

“It’s not like that! Here, watch,” I said, lifting Trei just slightly off the bed. He was lighter than any human being had the right to be. I held his head carefully, and breathed into his mouth. CPR... First Aid was something I had actually listened to in school. After repeating it several times, his eyes fluttered open. I had just a few seconds to notice their beautiful silvery-blue color before leaping off of the bed. Donevan uncovered his eyes. Trei took several deep breaths, studying me intently.

“...Who... are you?” he asked. His voice was wispy, like a sound that didn’t really exist. I smiled nervously.

“I’m Andrew Reveicht. Visitor from the twenty-first century,” I added. Donevan stepped to my side.

“He’s not sure how he arrived here, Master. We were hoping you knew.” He bowed respectfully. Trei slid out of the bed like a river slips over a waterfall, his bare feet soundless on the floor as he walked over to me. He was even more beautiful when he was awake. I swallowed as he circled me. He seemed to be inspecting me. What was he looking for; some flaw? I jumped as his hand rested on the back of my neck, under my hair. He stood in front of my, his hand still in the same position, his eyes plunging, like knives, into my soul. I felt inexpressibly uncomfortable, standing there while those cold eyes refused to release mine. I decided, then and there, that Trei and I would never be friends. How could we be? He was... creepy.

He took a step back, his hand slipping over my shoulder and dancing across my chest as he moved. I shivered. He laughed. An nonexistent sound, just like his voice. “Ah, Donevan, you should know I have no idea as to how he arrived here. And why should I? Because I know everything? Or because you don’t wish to try knowing anything?” His voice was cold, cruel, but still not there. It was there, I could hear it, but once the voice itself was gone, it seemed like nothing more than a bit of smoke passing through the room. Donevan bowed his eyes, flinching under his Master’s malice.

“...Such cruel words, Master Trei,” he murmured. Trei sighed, collapsing gracefully on a long lounge chair, posing like an artist’s model. So beautiful, but so cold. Donevan studied him almost as intently as Trei had studied me. “Master, is there something wrong?” he asked. Trei shook his head, staring at the ceiling. He looked at me sideways.

“...As long as our guest is in the room, dear Donevan, there is absolutely nothing wrong with me. Ask him to leave for only a moment, and perhaps there will be.” ...It seemed to be a not-so-subtle way of saying, “Get him out of here so we can talk in private.” I nodded.

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t... I didn’t mean to... well, I’m sorry I ended up here. If I knew how, I’d get out of here as soon as I could and be out of your way.” I said, then headed for the door. Just when I reached it, Trei made a sound like a parent stopping a child from doing something they’re not supposed to do. I turned around slowly, and he sat up. His hair tumbled over him like a blanket.

“Oh, didn’t you hear me? Or are the people of the twenty-first century all deaf? I said, as long as our guest is in the room, there is absolutely nothing wrong with me. Now, why would I want anything to be wrong with me?” he asked, almost teasingly. He patted the seat, smiling coldly. “Come, now. Sit down... I have Questions.” What could I do? I walked over nervously, sitting beside him. He glared up at Donevan. “You’re excused. Go argue with Vansul for a while,” he ordered. I could tell Donevan took this as an insult, but he didn’t say anything.

“...I’ll go check in on Mistress Atria, Master,” he said, but his smile seemed fixed.

“You do that,” Trei said absently, then turned his attention back to me. “Now... Andrew... we must think of a better name for you,” he said, tilting his head sideways only slightly. I shook my head.

“Why? What’s wrong with my name?” I asked bluntly, and he laughed. A cold sound.

“The name draws attention to you, and by drawing attention to yourself, you draw attention to me. I’m not one to enjoy it very much, unfortunately... so if you’d be so kind... I’d like to change it to Andrae,” he said calmly, almost as if I had a choice in the matter. He was stealing my name! The bastard was stealing my name! I nearly struck that pretty little face of his, my teeth and fists clenched tightly. He noticed.

“...You’re angry? Why? It’s only until you leave NeoEarth.” I would realize later just how stupid this sentence was. “Afterwards, you may reclaim you own name. As long as you are here, however...” he leaned over, until he was whispering in my ear. His lips brushed the sensitive skin of my earlobe, sending shivers up my back. I swallowed. “...You belong to me.”

After an hour or so of interrogation about things I didn’t even know about and lectures about things I needed to know about him and his planet (he was approximately - they didn’t keep track of time - seventeen years old, and had ruled for the past ten years on his own), Trei finally decided to “escort” me to a room I could stay in. He lead me in silence, which was just as disturbing as his not-quite-there voice. If I hadn’t despised him so much, I might have attempted to talk to him. Andrae. For God’s sake, Andrae sounded like a girl’s name! He paused in front of the first door in the hallway before his. He turned to me slowly.

“This will be your room... if you like it, of course.” I was surprised, almost startled, by the sudden gentleness of his voice. What had happened to his cynicism and detachment? I followed him into the room.

It was another circular room, not quite as elaborate as his, but infinitely fancier than anything I’d been used to back in ‘my time.’ There was a bed, a couch, and a desk. There were handles on one wall sixteen, total. I assumed they were the modernized version of a dresser, judging by the full-length mirror on the wall beside them. The dominant color in this room seemed to be red. The walls, the carpet, the bed sheets, and the furniture were all red, with a bit of gold here and there. Trei stepped lightly to my side, looking around as though appraising the room. “...If you don’t care for this room, I can show you another,” He was beginning to remind me of Donevan now, with his respectful, calm presence. I was confused. He frowned slightly, though it was barely detectable. “...You don’t like it?” he guessed. I shook my head rapidly.

“No. I mean yes. I mean... the room’s fine,” I stammered, and he smiled gently.

“I see. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask. Donevan has found you an assistant for the minor questions, but if there is anything he can’t answer for you... I’m at your service.” He bowed slightly, then left the room. I followed him out with my eyes, still not entirely sure of whether or not I could trust him. Probably not, when he could change his personality so dramatically. Maybe he changed his personality to suit his needs? Whatever his motives, I knew I didn’t like him. He seemed like someone I couldn’t trust... and couldn’t befriend. I sat on the edge of my new bed. The sheets were a nice silky-feeling fabric, almost like the sheets Trei had been sleeping on... he’d looked so innocent. I should have just let him sleep. Sleep for all eternity...

“Pardon me,” I sat up, watching a dark-haired man all but float into the room, balancing a tower of clothing on one hand. I watched in amazement as he opened each of the drawers, and tossed the clothing into the air. They landed in neat piles inside the drawers, and he snapped his fingers. The drawers closed on their own. He moved around the room quickly. He filled the desk drawers, laughing quietly. “A kind gesture, yes, but who would you write to?” he asked, opening what looked like a laptop computer and turning it on. He opened the curtains, then unlocked a latch on the window by pressing a button. The window opened behind him as he turned to me. “You really should air out this room... the stale air isn’t good for you,” he commented. I began to speak, but he was already back to his brisk work. He ushered me off the bed, stripped it, and had it made again before I had time to blink. He tossed the old sheets into a pile by the door. He took out a small bottle, attached a spray nozzle to it, and proceeded to dust off the desk and nightstand. “It’s just a formality, a treatment. Nothing is made of real wood any longer,” he said, then added, “It’s just a habit no one’s quite broken yet.” I nodded and let him get on with his work. He seemed used to one-sided conversations. He went into a small room (I assumed it was the bathroom) and cleaned up in there, then walked back out and studied the carpet. “...Seems clean enough,” he muttered to himself, and I nodded dumbly again. He took a deep breath.

“My name is Santrea–” he pronounced it ‘San-Tray-Uh.” It sounded exotic. “–and I am your personal assistant. After a while, I promise, you won’t even so much as notice me. If you need me...” He gestured to a button near the door. “...It’s a kind of... ‘intercom,’ you might call it, but it’s much more advanced... it’s difficult to explain. It’s connected to the bottom floor - my home - and I can hear it at all times. My basic instructions are to clean your room at least once a week, and to alert Master Trei of any questions you may have. I am also to complete any errand you ask of me.” He bowed graciously, and I cleared my throat.

“Yeah, thanks for cleaning and everything, but... if you’d just to the question thing, I’ll be fine. I’m used to picking up after myself, I don’t care for people touching my things,” I said. He looked slightly hurt for a moment, but he bowed his head again.

“I understand, Master Andrae. Will there be anything else?” he asked. I shrugged.

“Not really... except... well, the ‘master’ thing’s a little... much.” I knew I was insulting him, and his way of life. It irritated me. “...In exchange for that and the cleaning, though, you have to talk to me.” I said, and he laughed. As soon as he did it, though, he seemed ashamed of himself.

“...I apologize. It would be an honor, Mas... Andrae.” I shook my head. If I told him not to call me ‘Andrae,’ he’d probably burst into tears. I was confusing him. He hadn’t met anyone like me before.

“Don’t apologize... you have a right to laugh...” I murmured. He looked flustered.

‘I... I understand,” he said, bowing again. He turned to leave, picking up the pile of sheets as he went.

I flopped back on the bed. The new sheets were warm... they must have been just washed. They were softer, too... pure satin. Luxury beyond my wildest dreams, all for me, and I hadn’t had to pay a cent! If this was the future... I loved it. But surely, this couldn’t be the w hole thing. Surely, this perfect world had some dark secrets. A flaw. I looked toward the door, remembering Trei. He was one of this world’s dark secrets, for certain... he was dishonest, and untrustworthy. And he was its leader. Trei was two-faced, switching sides the way he had earlier. I wasn’t sure if I could even respect him. I needed a friend in this world, but there was no way in hell Trei could be the one.

Then there was Donevan, the old man. Who was Donevan? He seemed to be a close companion to Trei at first, but when their paths crossed, Donevan began to look more like a servant or slave... possibly Trei’s personal servant, as Santrea had described himself. The elderly man seemed kind enough, and he was no newcomer to hospitality. It seemed like he would be a source of information, should I need it. He was intelligent, and talkative. Donevan showed interest in my own time, and though I couldn’t tell him much, I could share the information I did know. It almost made me wish I had paid more attention to the news. Without question, I could trust Donevan. It was that other man, ‘Vansul,’ that I wondered about. I had yet to meet him, but my opinion was already low.

And Santrea? Could Santrea become a friend? He was girlish-looking, really, rather like Trei. Small-framed, a bit on the petite side. His hair flowed in loose but obvious black waves; his eyes were like endless pools of black ink. His skin was a beautiful light tan. Poor Santrea stood lout like a sore thumb in the white hallways, I was certain, while Trei all but blended in. And in this room, with its odd red marble, Santrea seemed to blend in perfectly. Strange. Maybe it was for this reason that he had been chosen to ‘assist’ me? And yet, I still wondered... could Santrea become a friend? He seemed like he would be quiet, shy perhaps, but a very efficient worker. And he had agreed to talk to me from time to time... but a the same time... he was so unsure of me, the same way I was unsure of Trei. IT was almost fear, at the very least, it was wariness. I would have loved to become friends with Santrea. He looked to be an interesting person, once someone took the time to get to know him. “After a while... you won’t even so much as notice me...” ...He also seemed like someone who would be easily overlooked. He had been in and out of my room so quickly, it stunned me. I sincerely wondered if he’d ever had friends in his life. He didn’t seem to expect anyone to treat him as a friend. He was in for a surprise.

“Andrae?” I jumped about a foot in the air. Trei had been in the room for who knew how long, watching me think of him. I looked at him, startled. He smiled. He was still in his ‘nice’ mood.

“Y-yeah?” I stuttered, struggling to retain some dignity.

He bowed his head for a moment. “...Dinner is in... approximately twenty minutes. But the time we reach the Dining Hall, however, the meal will be served.” He gestured for me to follow him. “Come,” he said coaxingly. What choice did I have? I followed him.

Trei was full of Questions, as he put it. “Tell me, Andrae, what do you think of Santrea?” he asked. I shrugged.

“...I’m still trying to figure that out.” I replied, fingering a lock of my hair. He studied it with distaste. In fact, his eyes swept all over me, as if he was only seeing me for the very first time. What, hadn’t he studied me closely enough back in his room? Hadn’t that impossibly long and unnerving examination been enough to determine any flaws in me? My hair was a disaster, I was certain, a messy tangle of almost-elbow-length brown hair that I usually tied back. My eyes? There were probably dark circles under those, the ugly sea-green things I had inherited from my mother. My clothing was a mess... a torn T-shirt and blue jeans, not to mention a well-worn leather jacket I’d discarded in my room. I’d been on my motorcycle when I’d been catapulted into NeoEarth, that was certain. I was much taller than Trei, maybe about six inches... give or take, but I didn’t really look any stronger than he did.

“...That Santrea couldn’t even bother to give you a bath?” he asked disapprovingly. I shook my head rapidly, readily defending Santrea.

“I kinda ran him off, I think.” He laughed at that... how strange, that laughter was so different from the laughter I’d heard earlier.

“Oh, Andrae, you can’t be intimidating my servants!” He laughed, his voice echoing off the walls like silver bells. Charming... “I have the best and the brightest attendants, you know... Santrea is one of my personal favorites.” He smiled warmly. “Intelligent, efficient, and an extremely talented listener. He’s smart and beautiful... you just don’t find those qualities together in these times.” I nodded. Even in my own time, there weren’t many smart good-looking people. Outside of the movies, at least.

“...I’m... honored to have him,” I said, imitating Santrea. If I was going to be stuck here, I may as well learn how to talk like them. Besides, I had “Questions” of my own.

“Donevan told me you know a lot of my history. So can... I mean, is there any chance you could tell me what country we’re in, or at least the continent, in relation to my own time?” I asked. He smiled at my attempt to emulate his own vocabulary.

“...Well, my friend, you must take into consideration that the world has changed since your time, the movements of the Tectonic Plates...” He waved his hand as if to say the fact was unimportant. “...But I would estimate that we would be somewhere in either the Northern America, or... perhaps Eurasia? I’m not entirely certain,” he replied, pausing to look out the window. He brushed the heavy curtain aside, looking at me over his shoulder. The gesture obviously meant, “Look out at this world. Look out at my world.” I walked over slowly.

It was an amazing view of the nighttime on NeoEarth, the first time I ever saw beyond Trei’s little fortress. The first thing I noticed, as I recall, was that the moon was full... and much brighter than I’d ever seen it. In fact, it seemed almost as bright as the sun... in a cold way. I’m not sure how, but I somehow knew I was seeing NeoEarth in the wintertime. Something about the moon... and the way the stars danced in the sky. There was a city below, almost like a futuristic New York City. A much cleaner, much clearer New York City. This was the capital city of NeoEarth... “The City at the Center of the World,” Retiena. (I was soon to learn that the city got its name form the part of the eye that connects to the brain. This was the part of NeoEarth that saw everything, this was the part of NeoEarth the was connected to the brain of the planet... Trei.) The city spread out for miles, but somehow, it didn’t seem out of place. In fact, it seemed to belong there more than the few trees dotting its streets... they were surrounded by glass, for some reason. The people moved lightly, almost weightlessly, gliding down the street much like Trei, Donevan, and Santrea. They didn’t dress warmly, though the glass was cold to the touch. It could have been the altitude - we were much higher than they were, down there on the ground. There were lights in many of the towering skyscrapers (though none were as tall as we were), the same vivid white light that surrounded us, the single tube of light. I saw no cars, no vehicles of any kind. No smokestacks, no factories. No homeless people sleeping on the streets. No one performing on the street corners. There were strange creatures here and there, creatures that seemed to be accepted as pets... ah, I understood... they must be a new breed of dog, one my time hadn’t discovered yet. I could hear faint music just barely infiltrating the window, a strange orchestral music.

Trei stood beside me the entire time, the warmth of his body almost tangible beside me. This small thing, this child, really, was in charge of this entire city... no, the entire world! It was a staggering thought. Back in my time, you were only barely considered an adult at age eighteen. Trei was only seventeen, and he was the ruler of an entire planet. How? How was that possible? Surely, the people of this city would rise up and try to overthrow someone so young! He had an incredible responsibility. He had to fight poverty, disease, disasters... all over the world. I’d always thought the Kings of medieval times had it though, having to rule over a huge kingdom. Then, the President’s job seemed touch, keeping an entire nation happy for four to eight years. But now... all of that seemed like a walk in the park. No one had ever had Trei’s awesome burden, truly, the weight of the world was on his shoulders. I realized, suddenly, that I couldn’t hate him any longer. If he’d ruled the world for the past ten years without an uprising, he couldn’t possibly be as egocentric as I’d believed. I made it a point to spend more time with him, to learn more about him, to learn more about NeoEarth. I believed it now, completely. This was a world I couldn’t deny.

I stood in a hallway, thousands of years off course in my life. The Master of the planet stood by my side. The world pulsed with a breath all its own around me, drawing me in deeper and deeper, until I couldn’t pull myself out. I was fascinated now.

I had to know more.