The familiar hum of the 2065 classroom greeted the students as they emerged from their immersive historical experience. Zara's hair cycled through shades of rose gold and warm amber, reflecting the deep sense of relief and joy she felt.

  "Oh thank goodness," she burst out, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "X9, I was so worried about Alex! When you started showing us a sick little kid, I thought..." She shook her head. "But everything's getting better for them, isn't it? The whole family?"

  X9's holographic form shimmered with gentle approval. "Indeed. Though our journey through 2045 will continue next quarter, I wanted to end this first segment on a note of hope."

  "Did anyone else notice the weird stuff happening in the background?" Lian asked, her adaptive clothing rippling with patterns of musical notes. "Like how that country song kept playing, and some people seemed... off?"

  Aiden nodded eagerly, his photosynthetic skin pulsing with excitement. "Yes! And the way Trevor and some others moved - almost like they were synchronized?"

  "Very observant," X9 said. "These details may prove significant as we continue our exploration of this period."

  "But I don't understand," Zara said, frowning. "The Xyrillians were bringing such positive changes. The healing, the environmental restoration..." Her hair shifted to questioning blue. "Why would they make people act strangely with songs?"

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  X9's form flickered subtly. "What makes you certain it was the Xyrillians?"

  A thoughtful silence fell over the classroom. Kai absently touched their pendant, their amber eyes distant.

  "As we continue our journey next quarter," X9 said, "keep watching for these patterns. Sometimes the most important details hide in plain sight."

  The students gathered their things, still chattering excitedly about Mik's story. "I can't believe we'll have to wait to see what happens next," Zara sighed. "At least we know Alex is getting better."

  As the others filed out, Kai lingered behind. Their hand unconsciously went to the pendant hidden beneath their shirt. The smooth, cool surface was comforting, a tangible link to parents Kai hadn't seen in years. The pendant had been a gift before their departure on a space mission that was only supposed to take one year. Four years later, it had become little more than a keepsake - precious but ordinary.

  Until now.

  Suddenly, the pendant felt warm against Kai's skin. Kai froze, heart racing. This was new. In all the time since their grandparents had given them the pendant at the start of their first year at New Geneva, it had never done this before.

  A strange sensation washed over Kai - a mix of urgency and something else they couldn't quite name. As if responding to their confusion, a phrase formed in Kai's mind, though they weren't sure where it came from: 'The song of the stars is rising once more. Be ready.'

  Kai blinked, startled and confused. What could it mean? And why now, after all this time? The pendant had always been a mystery, a final gift from parents who had embarked on a space mission years ago. But this... this felt like the beginning of something bigger.

  Looking up, they found X9 watching them with an unreadable expression. The AI simply nodded, leaving Kai to wonder about their own connection to these events from twenty years ago.

  The future, it seemed, had its own song to sing.