CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE QUEST FOR CLUES PART X: KINSHIP ACROSS TIME AND SPACE

Ryu, Reis and Zan sat with Tanya in Kolmnid Farms.

"So now we have a mysterious eighth colour composed of an arc of seven colours. The arc of seven colours in itself almost sounds like a pun expressing the nature of Benedict's Ark…" Zan said.

"And eight planets orbiting a sun in Zan's homeworld, the solar system in which his planet dwells" Reis said.

"And a musical scale composed of eight notes" Tanya said.

"Hey, you guys. I just realized something weird" Ryu said.

"Which is?" Reis asked.

"Notice how everyone in the Class Of Honours has a bond with a single person from the Class Of Deviants?" Ryu asked.

Reis opened his eyes in surprise.

"You're right. Aurora is from the Class Of Deviants, I am from the Class Of Honours and we are both from Ryugaeia. Rai is from the Class Of Deviants, Andrea is from the Class Of Honours and they are both from Ferren. Zan is in the Class Of Deviants, Ayumi is in the Class Of Honours and both are from Earth. Ryu is in the Class Of Deviants, Atlanta is in the Class Of Honours, Michael is in the Class Of Deviants, Nadia is in the Class Of Honours and all four are from Kolmnid, Buern is in the Class Of Deviants and Josec is in the Class Of Honours and they are both from Ferus back in Josec's homeworld" Reis said.

"There are six Honours Students and six Deviants adding up to a total of twelve students in both classes" Zan said.

"Have you guys also realized that a day is made up of twenty four hours? There are typically twelve hours of daytime and twelve hours of night time" Ryu said.

"Back on my homeworld, there were five continents as well. They are rumoured to be fragmented parts of what was once a super continent. I know there are seven continents on Josec's world and there are also Seven Ryu in Ryu's homeworld" Zan said.

"Five? I thought we were contemplating sevens, eights and twelves, where did five suddenly pop out from?" Ryu asked with a laugh.

"Someone once told me that the character for 'five' on their homeworld is also the character for 'Kinship'. Five is the largest basic cell of a nuclear family. Such a family would be made up of a father, a mother, a brother, a sister and of course you yourself" Zan said.

"It does make sense. They do indeed add up to five and regardless of number, a nuclear family is made up of these five" Reis said.

"But six Deviants, six Honours Students and twelve hours of daytime and twelve hours of nighttime almost seem like an almighty coincidence to me" Reis said.

"Maybe it's not coincidence. Think about it, each Deviant has a bond with an Honours Student and a day isn't made up of twelve hours but twenty four. There are twelve hours of daytime and twelve hours of nighttime adding up to a total of twenty four hours that make up a single day" Ryu said.