"No idea. Oh, right. My dad told me to check in with him, too," Julius said.

Julius lifted his wrist, and a white wristband flashed briefly. Then, he closed his eyes.

It was a communication device developed by Star Alliance. It was way more advanced than anything on Earth—it could handle video, voice, and even silent messaging—meaning it allowed direct brain-to-brain communication without anyone around knowing you were chatting.

Right now, Julius was silently talking to Trent. "Father, Lyle j