Schema

Spoil Their Spoils, and Let Them Rejoice on Lifeless Earth In the bayfront land of Tenoch, the death of Roberts Tolyem has exposed a vulnerability that citizens haven't felt in decades. Those who saw their once-meager lives transform into a world of opulence and prosperity now question what future awaits them. Tenoch's sudden rise as a global power left it with countless adversaries from all sides of the bay - including the tribe it conquered in a violent resurgence just generations prior. Mounting international tensions, fueled by nuclear capabilities, approach a fever pitch. Beneath Tenoch's unrest lurks a marvel of modern engineering. Fusing chemistry and computing, this top-secret discovery could advance civilization further than the internet, electrical circuit, or even the wheel. Whether it can survive Tenoch's forthcoming regime change will depend on an unlikely encounter between enemy agents, fierce allies, and unwitting bystanders. And swept into the turmoil is Kai Navarro, a boy who's never left his native village.

An Upright Vessel, Black and Without Any Shine, Shrouded in Heavy Vapor Amidst the brink of war, Kai and four others find themselves held captive by a vessel that reveals little about itself. With their homes still ablaze, they're helpless to alter its trajectory while they pursue an unknown destination. Upon inexplicably reversing course, they're left with more questions than answers. As its engines finally wind down, everyone aboard grows eager to escape from the cabin and breathe the outside air. But when the hatch refuses to unseal, the anxious passengers must make an important decision: Stay inside the ship, or force their way out. Only one man aboard understands the vessel's full protocol - a man who hasn't spoken since their journey began. Kai and the others soon discover that the world they once knew, a shining beacon of life and prosperity, is forever transformed.

Give them nothing. Give them nothing to report, and you might just succeed. Three years since their return, Kai and the others find themselves living independently in an unfamiliar world. The Schema's influence has loomed larger than they could've ever imagined, permeating nearly all aspects of modern life. From guiding global policy to selecting your evening's entrée, State's feedback program helps snuff out uncertainty in order to protect society at large. Partnering with State, companies like Dynamism and Normalized Securities utilize the Schema to offer critical insight for their customers, shielding them from whatever hazards may lurk within their futures. But despite widespread adoption, a handful of mysterious cases have called into question the Schema's accuracy - and State's willingness to redact its mistakes. According to scripture, an ancient figure once prophesied the return of a chosen group of travelers, commonly known as the Precedents. Each of them hide in plain sight. Only, Kai is truly lost.