Simon Hawke - Ivanhoe Gambit

"Only because I was very lucky," Lucas said.

"Then you can't be the only one," said Rick. "I know they lay it on pretty thick, I'm not a fool. But look at me. I'm eighteen years old and I've done nothing but go to school all my damn life. I worked my ass off so I could get a decent job and now I've got one and what do I have to look forward to? Spending the next hundred years working for the corporation, filling out forms, programming computers, sitting on my duff all day and coming home to watch the holo at night. Anyplace where you can go for some excitement, I can't afford. So that's it, right? Okay, so maybe you're a little jaded, but you've had your shot. You took the gamble and you time traveled and you made it back and now that you're older, you can settle back and enjoy a boring job and have those memories to keep you going. Me? I never even had a chance to get any memories. I say the hell with it, I'm joining up. Maybe I'm throwing my life away. Maybe I'll go through all kinds of hell and feel sick and scared and hurt, but it beats being bored to death. This job might be all right for you, Mr. Priest, because you had a chance for some adventure while you were still young. Me, I'm not going to blow that chance."

He got up and walked to the back of the hall, where the recruiting tables were set up.

Lucas sat still in his seat. "While I was still young?" he said to himself. He shook his head. "Damn kids. Think they know it all. Stupid fool's throwing his life away."

He looked up to see an armored knight walking past him on the runway, nysteel gleaming, sword held at the ready.

Maybe he's the one who's got a point, thought Lucas. It does beat hell out of being bored.

He licked his lips, sighed, then got up and followed Rick toward the recruiting tables.

"Shit," he said. "I'm really going to hate myself tomorrow morning."