3 months later...
So far I'd been working on this holographic computer project in Olfang's workspace. My fingers were getting better at handling the small components, aligning the micro-projectors the way he'd shown me.
After that fight, I'd won with a lot of trouble, my class at school seemed to show a little more respect, at least not calling me a toddler anymore.
The most valueable definitely came from Theodora's training sessions though, I couldn't wait for our first mock duel tomorrow to see how much I've developed since being here.
The workshop air filled with the fumes of my soldering and oil. Weirdly comforting scents at this point.
"Tilt it three degrees left," Olfang said from behind me. "The projection matrix needs perfect alignment or you'll get distortion."
I made the adjustment to the "project matrix" better known in my world as a central processing unit or cpu for short, then hit the test sequence. A small holographic display flickered above the device, showing a rotating geometric pattern.
The image wobbled.
"Power distributor," I said, already reaching for the component panel.
Olfang raised an eyebrow. "You spotted that faster than I thought?"
I shrugged, reorganizing the powers flow. The holographic image stabilized, rotating smoothly now. It was basic when it came to us nerd Xians, just a simple interface that could display data like calendars, or time and run calculations, but it worked.
"Most kids your age are still figuring out the basic circuits," Olfang said, looking at what we'd built. "Stay three steps ahead as always son."
That felt good to hear. Part of my progress came from my own person psionic energy experiments I'd been running. I'd been trying to channel it into my mind while studying technical manuals and guide books, hoping it might speed things up the way it boosted my physical abilities.
Results were mixed. I couldn't suddenly download information or slow the perception of time, nothing as dramatic as that, but I'd noticed I could read way faster than before. My eyes tracked lines at nearly twice normal speed, which was something.i must've unintentionally increased my ocular perception.
"There's a technology fair in three weeks," Olfang said, powering down the holographic computer. "Hub District C. I'm entering the open division with my hauler algorithm."
I looked up. "The routing optimizer one?"
"That's the one. Been refining it for months. Those massive ore transports eat through fuel on inefficient routes—my algorithm could cut consumption by two percent across the fleet." He paused. "You should enter the junior division with this."
"Really?"
"Why not? It's solid work. Good experience, and I'm curious. Going against the young people in Section D I believe shouldn't be difficult."
I looked at the holographic computer. Three months of work, learn code I still barely understood, most of it under Olfang's guidance.
"Okay. Yeah, I'll do it."
The transit to Hub District C took most of a day. We rode in a public transport since Theodosa had already took her claim of the car for today, It was a crawl pace along elevated rails, passing endless mining operations and processing facilities.
The sky was its usual purpler-orange, thick with the haze of clouds
"Your grandfather worked on vehicle systems," Olfang said, staring out the window. "Mining corps contracted him for hauler maintenance and upgrades. He was good with his hands, like you."
I listened carefully to Olfang's memories of his father. He rarely talked about his past unlike Theodosa
"He used to say the real advancement was happening elsewhere—in the Core Districts where they had research facilities, or off-planet entirely." Olfang smiled slightly. "Always dreamed bigger than Section D allowed."
"Why didn't he leave?"
"Contracts. obligations. Same reasons most people stay." His expression went distant. "And then I came along, and he had family to think about. By the time I was grown, he was too settled to start over somewhere new."
Hmm I understood somewhat my past self had been trapped by circumstances, just like I was now. The pattern made me a little uneasy but it's not like I hate how things are now.
Hub District C was bigger than our settlement. Taller structures, more commercial activity, more people moving around though everyone here seemed much more busy, and bother by workload.
The technology fair occupied a converted warehouse, split into two sections: open division on the main floor, junior division in the adjacent hall.
I carried the holographic computer to junior registration, where a tired-looking female Xian administrator assigned me to display space number seventeen. Around me, other kids were setting up their projects already.
I walked through the hall, checking out the competition.
At station three, a girl had built an automated plant watering system with a led moisture sensor—practical and actually easier build than it sounded, definitely helpful for the hydroponics operations a lot of families relied on. Station seven had a mining helmet with improved visibility lights, using a clever reflector
arrangement. Station twelve featured a calculator designed for mineral value assessments, wthough it seemed a little useless without the original which already had built-in commodity price references.
At station nine, someone had constructed a robotic arm for some sort of hand dance. The motors were loud and the movements jerky, but it functioned.
They were the few legitimate projects I'd managed to see. somewhat practical solving real problems, not that they hadn't already been solved here already.
I quickly set up my holographic computer at station seventeen. When I activated it, it generated a three-dimensional flatscreen interface that floated in the air, displaying an image with only three Icons to choose from.
Objectively mine seemed to have more effort put into it from the standpoint of difficulty, though many here did have a flare mine didn't quites share.
The judges made their rounds mid-morning. Three of them: an older woman with mining corps insignia, a younger guy who taught at the district technical school, and a merchant whose clothes suggested money beyond Section D standards.
They spent about two minutes at each station. When they reached me, I demonstrated the holographic computer's capabilities—data visualization, calculation functions, the customizable interface etc.
The mining corps judge leaned in closer. "You built this yourself?"
"With my father's guidance," I said. "He's in the open division."
"Still," the teacher said, making notes on his datapad. "This is sophisticated work for someone your age."
They moved on.
I watched them work through the remaining stations, then headed to the main hall to check on Olfang.
The open division was way more crowded, with serious-faced adults demonstrating complex systems. I found Olfang at station forty-two, surrounded by holographic projections showing hauler routes across Section D's mining network.
"The algorithm optimizes based on real-time variables," Olfang was explaining to a small group. "Fuel capacity, cargo weight, atmospheric conditions. Standard routing wastes fifteen percent on average—these projections show the efficiency gains cutting back on the major loss."
People asked technical questions. Olfang answered each one with confidence I usually didn't spot on him everyday.
I felt genuinely proud watching him work. These skilled engineering people that believe that it could save the mining corps real resources.
The awards ceremony happened late afternoon. Junior division first.
Third place went to the robotic arm shockingly, it didn't seem to function as well as the other I'd seen but it likely won due to it complexity. Second place to the mining helmet.
When they announced first place, my name echoed through the warehouse speakers.
I walked to the platform, accepted the prize envelope and certificate. The judge handed me a data chip.
"Access to the junior technical data," she said. "And fifty Technos." That's about sixty USD equivalent.
Polite applause.
I returned to my station, looking at the data chip. Fifty Technos wasn't much—maybe enough for some components or a few decent meals. The data access was more valuable, though I suspected I'd burn through it faster than they expected.
The other junior participants came by to congratulate me. The girl with the watering system said my holographic computer was impressive. The boy with the calculator asked technical questions about the projection matrix.
They almost seemed proud to have lost against me, though I could tell the lower quality participants weren't as happy with my win.
The gap between my project and theirs wasn't about intelligence or how hard they worked. They'd put in just as much effort. But they were building with what Section D education provided, with the materials and knowledge available to most families here.
I had access to Olfang's expertise, probably better components as well those resources that put me several steps ahead before I even started.
The education here was simply to limited. The materials were limited. The knowledge base people could access in Section D was limited by design, shaped by a system that needed workers more than innovators.
In the open division, Olfang won his category, I had no clue he was that smart but looking back it kinda feels obvious.
I watched him accept the implementation contract from the mining corps, watched officials discuss rolling out his hauler algorithm fleet-wide. It was a real achievement, something that would make an actual difference.
But while I listened to the ceremony speeches, I caught fragments of other conversations around me.
Two merchants near the back: "...the Core Districts are three generations ahead in fabrication tech..."
An official to a colleague: "...another year, another batch of bright kids who'll migrate inward if they're smart..."
Someone laughing: "...rim education standards, what do you expect..."
Something clicked into place.
Section D existed to extract resources. I thought Everything here was meant to optimize for that single purpose: education trained workers for the mines, technology improved extraction efficiency, even entertainment was simple and cheap to keep people content enough to stay.
It seemed, If you wanted to truly learn, to push boundaries and build something beyond optimizing someone else's infrastructure—you had to leave.
The transit home was quieter.
Olfang seemed satisfied, reviewing his implementation contract on a datapad. I stared out the window at the industrial landscape sliding past.
"You're quiet," Olfang said eventually. "Not happy about winning?"
"I'm happy, Just thinking."
"About?"
"Those merchants at the ceremony. The ones talking about the Core Districts, about tech development in the inner systems."
Olfang's expression got cautious. "What about them?"
"How different is it? From here?"
"Very different." He set down his datapad. "Better facilities, more resources, actual research institutions instead of just technical schools. The inner districts of Planet X have universities, corporate labs, development centers."
He paused. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious." I watched a hauler convoy moving along a distant road, massive vehicles carrying ore toward processing facilities.
Even with Olfang's algorithm, they'd still be hauling ore, still feeding the same system.
"Do people leave Section D often?"
"Some do. Usually the ones with specific skills the inner districts want, or enough saved Technos to buy out their family's contract obligations." His voice was measured. "It's not easy. And it means leaving everything you know."
"But people do it."
"They do." Olfang studied my face. "You're thinking long-term. That's good. But you've got time—you're still young. Focus on learning what you can here first."
I nodded, but my thoughts couldnt help but wonder. It might be good to get off planet early.
Section D would teach me the basics, give me a foundation. Olfang could guide me further than most kids my age would get. But eventually I'd hit a ceiling, a point where the available resources couldn't take me any deeper.
I thought about the junior database I'd won access to. I'd probably exhaust it within a year, maybe less.
Then what? More competitions? Optimization projects for mining equipment? A job with the corps, using my skills to improve extraction efficiency?
My past life had been limited by circumstances I couldn't control—born into a world that never valued anything other than education, forced into survival mode, fighting until I died without ever getting the chance to truly learn.
This life was different. I had time, I had Olfang's support, I had my psionic abilities giving me an edge.
But Planet X's rim sections were still a cage, just a more comfortable one.
"The merchants mentioned off-planet opportunities," I said quietly. "Places beyond Planet X."
Olfang was silent for a long moment.
"That's a much bigger step. Different systems entirely, no guarantee of work or stability. Your grandfather used to talk about it sometimes, but it was just talk—the logistics are complicated, and expensive."
"But possible?"
"Technically, yes. If you had enough Technos, the right skills, a high school or job corp could take you under there wing why ask?".
I met his eyes.
"Because I don't want to spend my life optimizing someone else's mines. I want to learn more than Section D can teach me. And eventually, I also want to leave off planet."
I said it plainly. No drama. Just stating a fact I'd recognized.
Olfang's expression was complicated "You're thinking years ahead. That's fine, ambition is always good. But don't rush it. Learn everything you can here first, build your skills, save what you can. When the time comes, if you still want to leave, we'll figure it out."
"Okay," I said.
It was clear what I needed to do, the Time I needed to learn everything Section D could offer. Technos I'd need to save. Skills that would be valuable off-planet. Phonic abilities I needed to develop further.
This life, I'd make sure I actually got to do all I wanted.