Imperfect - Chapter One (Patreon)

Twenty-nine years later

Olwen

Perfection does exist. In society, and in people. Perfection is only a matter of breeding and proper placement. Very few people throughout history have had the patience to create the perfect society. Their attempts consisted of genocide, slavery, and other primitive options to rid the world of what they deemed unacceptable at the time instead of peacefully purging them over time. To create something perfect is to have patience. It takes the mental capacity to envision a bigger picture and sacrifice to ensure that vision happens. That is what my family decided over three hundred years ago. They chose to be part of the bigger picture. It was something that rocked the modern world at the time, the audacity to purge a line of imperfections. It took time and a lot of patience, especially with the outer world breathing down their necks about how discriminatory it all was. But after decades of hard work, my ancestors did it. They helped to create Etherium; the perfect society.

I shift my gaze out the window to take in the scenery of our world. The buildings of the capital stretch toward the sky, glistening in the setting sunlight. If you look toward the sky hard enough, you can see the slight reflection of the glass dome that covers our society protecting us from the harsh rays of the sun and the polluted airs of the outsider's world. It stretches for miles in the distance, the magnificent buildings stretching along with it. The air is clean and crisp, unlike the world outside of our domes. We have established a society that is perfect in the way it functions, in the way the people interact, and in the way it has established an ecosystem that has thrived enough for us to not have to depend on the outside.

Life before Etherium was one filled with war, poverty, and disease. The people of that time didn't take care of their world. They were poison to it, and when approached with the solution to make it better, they would rather cling to their selfish desires, not wanting to put the greater good above their own individual lives. It is why the world outside of Etherium continues to deteriorate. Their way of life doesn't work. It never did. And in a few hundred years, it will no longer exist as all the minds that could have saved them decided to live here. At that time we will finally be able to expand and create the perfect utopia outside of the domes. For now, however, we must bide our time. It won't be long before the outside extinguishes itself.

My gaze shifts to the lower half of Etherium. From here I can see it peaking from beneath the platforms. It is where the outsiders live. It was established long before I was born to allow outsiders a place in our world without disrupting the flow of our society. They do little to contribute to society, but they are used in our everyday lives for the small things, thus earning a place of security where they will never know hunger or poverty. It took Etherium seventy-five years to completely establish and run on itself. It was decided three decades after that to allow limited entry to those less fortunate, even if they didn't have the intellect to deserve it.

Our society is split into four classes.

The king's class is made up of the elite and most highly intellectual individuals who run our society and ensure its survival. The Rook's class is made up of skilled individuals that contribute with their expertise and services. The bishop's class is made up mostly of those who do not excel in academia but linger around the average range. The knight's class consists of people from every class but mostly those who excel in strength. And finally, the pawns. The pawns are outsiders who fled from their own world to use ours as a refuge. They come from outside of the domes and can never occupy positions reserved for those born into our world no matter how naturally gifted they may be. Their ancestors threw away the opportunity for a better life.

"We have arrived, Miss Sheridan."

My gaze shifts to my driver. Another example of someone given the opportunity to do the small things. His family was allowed into our society two generations ago from the outside. My family offered his a place to serve us, thus securing them a place in our society. He is no one of importance, his intellect a little less than average, and his physical skill nothing to write home about. But part of creating a society that radiates perfection is having mercy on those less fortunate and allowing them to fill the small holes that form. And one day when it is time for me to create a family, I will choose a family from the outside to be of service to my own as is my family's way.

The door to the car opens automatically, and I am greeted by the staff of the venue.

"Welcome, Miss Sheridan."

The man smiles at me as I place my hand in his, using him as a balance to step out of the car. My gaze shifts to the grand building looming over me. The white marble reflects the setting sun and the gold accents speak of its importance. Placement ceremonies have been held in this building for centuries. It was one of the first buildings completed in Etherium and it still remains as elegant as it did centuries ago. We have thinned air pollution and even the rain that comes in from the outside is filtered, allowing our buildings to last much longer than they would if not in our domes.

I make my way into the building, forcing myself to hide my anxiousness the closer I get to the grand ballroom. The sound of music wafts through the halls as does the chatter of excitement. For the first time in decades, a Sheridan has been chosen for the king's advisory council. My father has always held a position in the government as part of Parliament. It was expected that one of his children would follow in his footsteps and when it wasn't my brother, expectations fell to me. But I have surpassed my father's position.

My family has always been held in high regard. We have deep roots in the king's class, my twelfth-great-grandfather was among the first individuals to give Etherium a true chance. It was taboo at the time, so no one would invest in the generational project. But he and many others gave up their lives on the outside to put everything they had in it. He, along with other families in the king's class helped establish this world we now live in. Everyone in the Sheridan family has since played an important role in our society, including my parents. Both of whom have been immortalized by their actions in Etherium's history. Their names were placed in the history books long before my brother and I were born. Both their marriage and accolades are proof that Etherium works.

Maximizing your existence should be decided by genetics and aptitude testing, which is why my family continues to rise to the top.

Unlike my brother, I have always excelled in academics. From the moment we turn four, our testing begins and from that moment, I have always been ahead. I graduated first in all of my classes from elementary to higher education. As I think of my past, I don't think there has ever been a time I struggled when it came to learning and comprehending. Being smart was never something I strived to be, it was as much a part of me as my limbs. My placement scores have outweighed anyone in Etherium in the past fifty years and my blood has revealed signs of a mutation. Only a handful of the king's class has shown this marker as a result of selective breeding. In my case, I have shown a heightened sense in predicting possible future outcomes. When tested against other people with this marker, their results were an eighty-three percent success rate in their predictions. Mine, however, are ninety-seven percent placing me high above my counterparts and gaining me a place on the king's council. Something that hasn't happened in my family since my great-great-grandfather. I have maximized my potential of living in our society and fulfilled my purpose once again proving our way works.

As I approach the doors, I can make out the muffled speeches. The ceremony has just begun. The doors open upon my approach just as applause erupts. I silently take in the crowd from my hidden place behind the stage, my stomach coiling in discomfort as a result. I never gained the social experience that my brother did. I don't particularly appreciate talking to people or having useless conversations. And in the long run, it worked out. For what I've been chosen, social interaction among peers isn't a necessity. I will more than likely spend most of my days in isolation, only to be called upon when there is a meeting or concern by the government body or the king himself. And at that point, I don't need to have a pointless conversation. They will all serve a purpose.

I come to a standstill as I wait for my name to be called, taking in the room filled with important members of our society. Even the royals have attended, seated in the top section to overlook everyone below. They have all flocked to be part of this historical celebration. The king only chooses new members for his council when a candidate who shows promise arises. That is why there are currently only three members. And I am the youngest.

"And now, the moment we have all gathered for. It is time to introduce you to the newest member of the king's high council. She has been a promising candidate from the day she began testing. She has excelled more than any other human within Etherium with no challenge. Her family has selflessly contributed to Etherium in ways we could never repay. Please, welcome Olwen of the Sheridan's."

Applause once again fills the arena, echoing off the walls. I clasp my hands in front of me, making my way on stage. My eyes graze over the crowd, pausing when I see my family watching me with prideful expressions. They stand, along with the rest of the room as I approach the podium. I force a smile on my lips, turning away from them to face the man in charge of the capital affairs.

"Congratulations, Olwen. You have made your family proud," he smiles.

"Thank you."

I hold out my hand as I've been told to do in the past, watching as the grandmaster uses a high-powered laser to insert a chip under my skin that allows me access to levels of our society only the highly elite have been permitted. He also burns the mark of my rank into my forearm, the skin turning bright silver as it heals instantly using an agent created in our society. The pain is minimal and my adrenaline dulls it almost instantly. I study it in awe. My father and mother also hold a mark, but not this one. This one is above their own.

The grandmaster smiles knowingly, gesturing for me to face the crowd. As I stand, holding my arm up for the height of Etherium to see, I feel a strange sense of emptiness. I'm only twenty-six, and I have maximized my existence in society with nothing more to look forward to other than my eventual arranged marriage and family I must create to further spread my genetics. I immediately push the thought down, locking it away with the rest of my unnecessary emotions. This is the highest honor, and I will feel nothing but happiness today.

That is the way of Etherium.