Even worse, their parents broke the contract with the Orbis Guarantors by having children on the ship. According to the agreements, no children were to be involved. JT and the others have no clue as to why that clause in the contract was broken.
Faced with their limited choices, JT and the other seed ship children quickly agree to the indentured servitude and get injected with hardware that accesses their brains and immediately teaches them all the languages used on Orbis. Furthermore, they’re able to go to school and directly download files they need to learn into their brains.
During the hardware upgrade, JT learns that he’s a “softwire,” a being capable of interfacing directly with computers simply by willing it, without having a physical connection. The ability quickly upsets many of the Orbis natives because it makes him more powerful than any of them are comfortable with. At first, many of the natives talk about killing him outright. In fact, Madame Lee, one of the Council members, kills a man as they’re discussing the fate of the seed-ship children. Two factions on Orbis’s rings fight for control.
After a while, he’s assigned to Weegin, a junk dealer. JT makes Weegin take Ketheria, too. The life sorting through the junk Weegin buys and separates into scrap and salvageable components is hard and without hope.
While in his sleep pod, using the dream enhancement hardware, JT begins having strange dreams about a girl living within a forest somewhere in Orbis. At first he thinks the girl is Ketheria, but he quickly determines that she isn’t. He also learns that she’s in grave danger, under attack by creatures all the time.
Only a short time after that, JT discovers the shattered remains of the Renaissance while processing junk. Weegin has bought salvage rights to the seed-ship and junked it out. Now JT knows for certain there’s no way off Orbis.
Article comments
1 - Austin
I wish that u would tell more about what happened at the end, that would be pretty cool and Im reading the book right now and im in the part about when he goes to the council and he gets death threats from aliens on orbis 1. It is a pretty good book. What do You think of this book if you dont Know what book im talking about it is The softwire Virus on Orbis 1
2 - Debbie
The Softwire is truly a great read especially for the teen reluctant reader. There are dangers around every corner with aliens, and take over attempts. PJ Haarsma does a wonderful job bring this world to life with his ability for just the right amount of detail, suspense, and adventure.
3 - Denise
I am a huge fan of The Softwire. Good SciFi for kids is rare these days. This one is fast-paced and imaginative, with a very appealing protagonist. I can't wait for the second book to come out so I can find out what's happening with the "kids." The book is also part of a literacy project called Kids Need to Read. They donate books to needy libraries.