Sharon Lee - - Prologue

Now that the spaceship was down, craft were again circling and descending, while several on the flight line were moving slowly toward the live deck for takeoff.

Kara was muttering about dinnertime coming right up and she'd been hoping to get a chance to—

But Theo caught sight of yos'Senchul and the Commander, walking out toward the strip from Ops, carrying on a quick hand-talk.

Certified routing/newest off-limits/warning zones for graduates/direct and secure was the gist of yos'Senchul's communications while the Commander's were more like Noisy obvious unscheduled bad-form non-orbit show-off.

Theo looked away, feeling a bit as if she'd eavesdropped on one of Kamele and Father's private conversations. Likely if she hadn't spent so much time with yos'Senchul she wouldn't have been able to read . . .

"Theo, look, come on, they've got it settled. Let's go see!"

Kara grabbed her by the hand enthusiastically, tugging and not letting go until Theo picked up speed and together they outran most of the team to the orange-chained stanchions.

The ship gleamed in front and overhead, warmth still radiating into the cooling evening, several tiny beacon lights having taken over the duty of the flight lights. Theo could see herself in the fuselage where it bulged to become wings, she could see Kara too, and the Commander and yos'Senchul standing with a small group of seniors dressed with their formals and wings close behind.

"Look at the size of this thing," a pilot used to Star Kings said, and Theo blurted out, "This is so tiny! It could fit in a cruise ship ballroom!"

That started a heated discussion, and quotes of cubes and relative engine power and, "I've sat jump seat on something bigger than this . . ."

Theo basked in the glow of the ship. Yes, this is it. Something like this . She felt as if her pores absorbed the moment and her hands already knew the need to fly such a thing.

The Ops guy came out to the stanchions, comm in his hand, and then opened the gate for the Commander.

"Sorry," he said, "the tug crew forgot this is Liaden, so the ground hatch is on the other—"

yos'Senchul waved him away with a salute and hand-sign, leading the small contingent to the proper side of the ship, just as there came a hiss, then a whir that must have been the hatch opening.

The strip-side crowd quieted as the gangway slid almost all the way to the ground, and then there was hand-shaking and bows, all seen on the other side of the ship. Two of the seniors became honor guard to the ship, flanking the gangway. The others fell in behind the Commander and yos'Senchul and the pilot with his rakish hat, as they walked back toward the stanchions.

"Theo—what?" Kara whispered at her, then jammed an elbow into her side.

The man moved like a pilot, after all, that must be it—her stomach though, apparently had another theory.

"Theo?"

She stood very still, watching as the group came through the gate.

"He looks familiar. He kinda walks like a friend of mine," she managed.

Kara snickered. "Oh, he does?"

The pilot had been scanning as well as walking and talking with his hosts, she could see that. Suddenly his eyes met hers; he did a dance-step pause, a half-smile twitching at the corners of his lips as he looked at her fully face on.

"Pilot Waitley, my compliments." This was spoken in a formal measure as he bowed quickly. "I am extremely pleased to find you here, Theo," followed in a lower tone, for her ears only, then, loud enough to strike the ears of those crowding behind her, "I hope to be in touch."

"Hi, Win Ton!" she got out, waving as the procession swept on, the grin on her face not at all subdued.

The Commander also nodded at her, perhaps sternly, and yos'Senchul bowed an acknowledgment, his hand fluttering with a this pilot clarifies this pilot clarifies , and the honor guard looked at her perhaps in consternation as they got back into step.

Then they were gone and Kara was yelling in her ear, "Who was that? You know him? Who? Why didn't you say something ?"

"I've never seen Win Ton in a hat before," Theo managed, realizing she was giggling.

"You do know him! How?" Kara was delighted and demanding at once. "That was a bow between equals!"

Theo laughed. "He's a friend, Kara. He gave me my bowli ball. We beat the dance machine together."

Some of the other DCCT people crowded in close to find out what was happening, but the gate was being drawn back and more waiting students surged past, and she didn't have to answer, "What dance machine?" right then.

"Rule is you can look but not touch!" yelled the Ops guy on guard as the official contingent moved into the building.

"The pilot will give tours as time permits," he went on. "Tomorrow."

Nineteen

Erkes Dormitory, Suite 302

Anlingdin Piloting Academy

She'd put on her best pair of black slacks, and was dithering between the black shirt and the cream-colored sweater when Asu came in and leaned a hip against the door.

"It is true!" she said, with such a note of finality in her voice that Theo blinked, trying to recall if she'd called the other girl on something at breakfast.

Well, only one way to find out, she thought, refolding the black shirt.

"What's true?" she asked over her shoulder.

"The Scout courier is your friend! The one who sends you jewelry!"

"The one who sent me a pair of wings , you mean?" Theo shook out the sweater.

Asu frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Getting dressed."

"You're going to wear that ?" Asu asked, like the cream sweater was—gym clothes or something.

"What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing's wrong with it," Asu said in her too-patient voice. "It's a nice, warm, serviceable sweater with a high neck and long sleeves."

"I'm not taking your point," Theo said, yanking the sweater over her head, as the hall door giggled. She emerged, and looked over her shoulder.

"Hey, Chelly!" she called, pulling the sweater straight.

"Chelly," Asu commanded, without turning her head, "come here and be of use!"

"What now?" he wondered, pausing beside her and giving Theo a nod.

Asu flung out a dramatic hand, encompassing Theo, their shared room, and quite possibly the entire Anlingdin campus. " Look at that sweater!"

Chelly blinked. "Looks okay to me."

"For a date with a star pilot?"

"Well, why not?" Chelly said reasonably, and shook his head. "Should've known you'd get that rumor," he added.

Asu looked at him over her shoulder. "It is not a rumor! He spoke to her in front of the Commander, yos'Senchul and all gathered! He called her by name and said he'd be in touch!"

"Said he hoped to be in touch," Theo corrected hastily. "Which doesn't mean he's going to be able to get in touch. He's here on business, after all. Nothing to say that the Commander won't be sending him off tonight. She might have—" She gulped, suddenly panicked.

"Easy, it's still on the field," Chelly told her lightly.

Theo sighed, and went over to the mirror to fix the wings to the sweater's collar.

"The way he flies we would have heard the boom when he lifted," Asu said, acidic. "Honestly, Theo, you might have told me he was coming!"

Theo stared at her. "I didn't know he was coming!" she protested. "Why would I?"

"You correspond," Asu said loftily. "He sends you gifts."

"One gift," Theo corrected. "And, in case you hadn't noticed, that is a courier ship. He might not've known himself that he was coming to Anlingdin until he got his flight orders."

"True enough," Chelly said, firmly. "Give it up, Asu." He gave Theo another look over the other girl's shoulder. "Sweater looks nice, Theo. Don't let her bully you."