Most of the parents and guests had arrived and were making their way to the Longhouse for the banquet when word started to spread around campus that something was happening in Simeria. By the time we were all seated at the long tables with our plates of roast beef in front of us, everyone knew that there had been an uprising by East Simerian factions loyal to the Indorustans. They had launched an attack on an Allied military base in Simeria, taking six surrounding towns, and were now moving troops across the Simerian Desert. The East Simerians, who were loyal to the Indorustans and had been fighting for years to bring Simeria under Indorustan control, had been stopped by our soldiers and SteamTanks, but just barely.
“Things have been tense for months,” Raleigh told us. He’d taken the train up from New York and then caught a SteamTaxi from the station to the Academy. “But the East Simerians have been staging more and more protests, and finally they took over a couple of BNDL’s command centers. They had weapons that had clearly come from the Indorustans. This may mean war.” He leaned across the table, talking with his mouth full of meat and gravy, little droplets of grease clinging to his beard.
“Well, if it isn’t Raleigh MacAdam.”
Raleigh looked up and a huge grin broke out across his face. Sukey was standing there with a tall woman in a green synthetic flight suit, flight goggles pushed up on her head. Her short red hair was straight and a couple of shades brighter than Sukey’s, but otherwise they looked like older and younger versions of the same person.
“Delilah! My god. It’s been a long, long time.” Raleigh tried to stand up, but Delilah waved him back down, and she and Sukey slid onto the bench next to him. She hugged him, laughing, and said, “I was hoping I’d get to see you, my old friend. Hi, Zander. Hi, M.K. How are you, Kit?”
We all chatted about school and her recent trip to Deloia. After she and Raleigh had caught up a bit, the conversation turned back to Simeria.
“Hildreth hasn’t said a word,” Delilah whispered, looking around to make sure no one was listening. “But the rumor is that it’s a major uprising and we no longer have control over Simer City. The Indorustan Empire has been arming the East Simerians for years, and they aren’t going to let us put down the uprising without a fight. They may see this as their chance to take us on in the Newly Discovered Lands in the east.”
“Here we go,” said Raleigh, his mouth full of food, as Maggie, wearing a sparkling, snowy-white arctic climbing jacket and white velvet pants approached the podium. The din in the room quieted down to a low murmur.
“Welcome, parents and special visitors,” she began. “We are looking forward to showing you the amazing work that our students have done this year. And we are especially looking forward to the biggest event of the fall term here at the Academy, tonight’s announcement of the Final Exam Expeditions.”
After a round of applause, Maggie held up her hands. “Now, I know some of you may have heard about the rebellion in Simeria,” she continued. “We had a messenger from New York this morning who brought reports that the military forces of the United States and its Allied Nations have already been quite successful in restoring peace in Simer City. We have word that many BNDL agents are serving with courage and distinction, which is something of which we can all be proud.” She smiled slightly. “In any case, we can all rest assured that our government is doing all it can and that the conflict will be over soon. Now, please, everyone, enjoy the meal. When we are done eating, we will hear from BNDL director Mr. R. Delorme Mountmorris.”
The dinner was bad. I had to chew the potatoes at least fifteen times before they were soft enough to swallow, and the vanilla cream pie tasted of sour milk. I didn’t feel like eating anyway. Waiting for the announcement, my stomach felt as sour as the pudding in the pie.
Zander told Raleigh and Delilah about his field biology class, and M.K. was telling Sukey about her work on Amy and how she’d come up with the idea for the compressed steam engine. Sukey asked her all about the hydraulics and the rudder. Since I didn’t really understand the technical details, I just sat there by myself, looking around the room. As I scanned the long table full of students and guests, I saw Kemal doing the same thing I was. He sat between a man and a woman who must have been his parents. They all looked as nervous as I felt. Kemal and I locked eyes for a moment before he looked away.
Finally Maggie returned to the front of the room. “As you know,” she began, “the Final Exam Expeditions are an important part of our history here at the Academy. They provide real-world training and are meant to test you and teach you what you will need to know to become a full-fledged Explorer of the Realm.
“Now, to announce the ten chosen expeditions, please welcome Mr. R. Delorme Mountmorris, the director of the Bureau of Newly Discovered Lands.”
Mr. Mountmorris, in a red suit and top hat, walked with long strides up to the front of the room.
You couldn’t help noticing the twenty or so agents standing around him this time, and no mounted animal heads were anywhere in sight. Mr. Mountmorris grinned, and everyone gave a hearty round of applause. Raleigh frowned, but then he joined in the clapping, and I figured I’d better not ask for trouble, so I clapped too. Across the room, Leo Nackley leaned over to whisper to a dark-haired woman I assumed was his wife, then patted Lazlo on the back. Lazlo didn’t look nervous at all.
Everyone applauded, and Mr. Mountmorris grinned and bowed. Then he took out a large envelope and opened it with a flourish.
“The first expedition will be . . .” He waited for a second, to increase the drama. “An Expedition for the Purposes of Exploring an Inlet of the New North Polar Sea.” We heard a little squeal of delight from the back of the room. “To be led by Ava Eisenhofer. Congratulations, Miss Eisenhofer. Your teammates will be . . .” I held my breath. If I heard my name or Zander’s or M.K.’s or Sukey’s, it was all over. But she went on, “Joseph Anderson, Jonas Krowinski, Flynn Dooley, Clara Mabbo.” Ava, a talented geologist in her last year at the Academy, came up and said a few words about the minerals they were hoping to find in the ice. “I only hope that our discovery will lead to a brighter future for our country,” she said, to much clapping and cheering. When she was done, I let out a sigh of relief. Only nine more to go.
“The next expedition will be. . . .” He didn’t wait as long for this one. “An Expedition to Map the Third New Hawaiian Island, led by Michael Fitch. The members of the expedition will be . . .” I listened to make sure that none of us were on it, and then I exhaled deeply as Mike came up to talk about his expedition. I got through the next one, and then for some reason I had the feeling that the fourth one was going to be it.
But it wasn’t. It was an expedition to the Sahara.
Mr. Mountmorris grinned. “Now, this next expedition is an interesting one. There was a lot of interest in this region this year. The next expedition will be . . .” He fumbled with the paper, drawing it out unbearably. “An expedition to the St. Beatrice Region of the Caribbean to Research and Explore Possibilities for New Fuel Sources.”
I looked at Zander. St. Beatrice! It was mine!
But then Mr. Mountmorris went on. “To be led by . . . Lazlo Nackley. Crew members are Alexander West., Jr., Mary Kingsley West, Joyce Kimani, Jack Foster, Christopher West . . .” Zander and M.K. and I had all been named. And just as I realized that he had one more name to say, the words came out of his mouth and my heart sank. “. . . Kemal Asker. Expedition instructor is Cameron Wooley. That rounds it out. Lazlo . . .”
Lazlo came up and started talking about how his research showed that there may be a source of oil under the ocean in the northern Caribbean. Newly invented drilling equipment would allow him to access the oil. “If we are successful, we will be providing a new fuel source to help our military secure our borders and protect our territories . . .” My head was swimming. It was too hot in the room, and I thought I was going to faint. Lazlo finished talking and grinned at the round of applause that followed him back to his seat. Leo Nackley was staring at me, watching for my reaction, and it was all I could do to keep clapping and stay on my feet.
And then Mr. Mountmorris was announcing the next expedition, something about Iceland and a new species of Snow Deer. I heard Sukey’s name. Mr. Mountmorris kept talking, but I couldn’t focus.
Lazlo was leading our expedition.
We were going to the Caribbean.
And Sukey wasn’t.