Prologue

"You've heard right!"

"Heard what?"

"About the UnderCurrent book silly, what else is anyone talking about with the pandemic's over?"

"Ha, who wants to read a book these days, you're such a nerd Kris. I bet you loved being locked at home for all those months."

"What's that supposed to mean, and who says 'Nerd' these days Dave" - Kris replied indignantly.
She glanced away from her impassive friend, to look over at a massive billboard mounted to one of many tall concrete buildings, across the street from where the two youths walked;
"Look over there, it's the poster for it!" She added, her excitement betraying any dissatisfaction held for Dave's earlier comments.

Dave, a young stout man of around 18, with a full head of scruffy black hair ending in a short dreadlock - Scrunched his tanned face as he skimmed over the large imposing billboard, on about half of it was the cover of a novel with the words: "The UnderCurrent Experience" - Although the other half was filled by the somewhat flamboyant, smiling visage of a slightly greying smug-faced man.
The type who's expression seemed to embody words like 'aristocracy' in Dave's eyes.

He scoffed drawing his gaze away from the eyesore;
"If it's some big historical book about 'aliens' or whatever, then what's that Git's face doing plastered all over it?"

His conversing partner flushed at this comment, "That's Mr.Havelock he's famous. Even you must know that!"

Dave sighed ruefully, "Of course I know who it is idiot, doesn't mean I like him. And anyway doesn't his name bein' on it prove it's all just a media hoax? I mean the heck is the chances England of all places 'makes' a machine, that 'NTME' yoke, which lets you see through the eyes of these 'alien-humans' - Who just so happen to be fighting some sort of Star-Wars Space-War, that's easily marketable for good book sales?
I'll bet it's all just an ad-campaign for Netflix's next Tv show."

Kris's expression gradually fell to one of a simmering rage that was unsuited to her young face - As though Dave had just insulted her personally in some fashion.
Sweeping her long blond hair aside she lay into Dave's ignorance;
"Your such a dolt David, not everything has to be some stupid conspiracy theory, the book was sanctioned by the King. His highness, how can that be fake?
And for your information it isn't just a 'Space War', it's a desperate, romantic struggle between two planets!
A war of the brave rebel forces, the 'Independent-Alliance-Of-Free-States' against the tyrannical 'States-Union', all from the eyes of a group of humble mecha pilots.
It's all about fighting fate and romance and sacrifice, and, and --"

"Alright, alright enough with the lecture, all you're doin' is making it sound even more like a sales pitch.
And by the way you should really tone back the nerdom, you are so into it!" - The young man jeered, teasingly elbowing his companion lightly in the ribs.

Kris for her part blushed a bright crimson in response; "A-am not!"

"Are too. Or is it more 'Mr.Havelock, O-B-E' that you like so much?" The young man said grinning.

"Why are you always such an ass Dave!"
Kris shot back trying to hide her embarrassment.


The conversation continued on in much this manner for some time as the two teenagers continued their carefree walk home from school, down along the busy yet peaceful streets of old London town.
Before long the talk of overzealous authors and fantastical books fading in favour of more important discussions of homework assignments due the next day, plans for the weekend and the faint grilled-smell of a nearby chip-van, to be availed of on the duos long walk home.

Of course the two, little more than children, had no way of knowing that just a half dozen blocks away, 'Thee UnderCurrent Project' continued, past even what the public was being informed of.
No way of knowing that the novel Dave so dubiously discounted - Truly was an honest depiction of another human-esk race's struggle in an interplanetary war - Of people little more then his own age fighting and dieing - In a conflict on a scale unheard of in all Earth's entire history.

And indeed no way of knowing both the suffering of that people's world he so wilfully ignored, or the suffering that the UnderCurrent's discovery might yet bring to his own Earth if given enough time...