A Spaceman

Chapter 35--Live to Fly

"Where are they?" Thorn asks, coming into our break room. Wilde and I are pouring over tests, Hawking is drinking a cup of tea and being amused by our sarcastic remarks.

"Taking their flight simulator tests now," Wilde says, glancing up at him quickly. I do as well, he looks much more himself. He's shaved and his hair is damp as though he's showered. His eyes are a bit clearer I think as well.

"Good," Thorn says, "Did the commissioned staff get a look at the results?"

"Yes, and they printed them for us to keep to remember this wonderful experience by," I say, handing him a stack.

"Why?" Thorn asks, "Or was this terribly unusual as well?"

"Most of it was typical, except one failed," Wilde says.

"Let me guess---Card?" Thorn asks.

"Yes, got every single question wrong, commissioned staff were not pleased, they know for a fact he knows the material, his scores on the entrance exams were unprecedented," I say.

"He probably knows they know," Thorne says.

"I'm sure he does," Wilde says, "Ones like him, too clever for their own good."

"Let me guess, he's passing the flight test?" Thorn asks.

"Flying colors last time I checked," I say, nodding, wondering if it's a good idea to talk so much about Card to him. he seems all right, though, and Wilde sort of nods at me to act normal despite his break down earlier.

"When he was in basic, he was going on about how he would be a pilot. I heard him telling the others. Of course, since he was enlisted, we were all just assuming he meant he'd steal one and stage a revolution," Thorn shrugs.

"Well, so long as he's happy, fewer guidons will be on roofs," Wilde says.

"Yes, did anybody figure out how he was doing that?" Thorne asks.

"No," we both say.

"Ah well, commissioned staff get to have fun with all of them from here on out, all you guys have to do is help them march places," Hawking reminds.

"Yes, that will be nice," I say.

"How did that boy, Leavitt do?" Thorn asks, looking at the tests Wilde and I sorting on the screen on the table.

"He got most all of the questions right up till he fell asleep," Wilde says, "Which is like really really good getting that many right but he fell asleep part way through so he barely passed."

"Aw, poor thing," Thorn says.

"How could you sleep during a test like that?" Hawking asks.

"You really haven't told her everything that's gone on around here," Thorn observes.

"A lot has happened!" Wilde defends herself.

"This kid woke up next to a severed head," I explain to Hawking.

"Okay, good reason he might have trouble sleeping," she winces, "And they said a cadet was doing the murders?"

"Yes, he's been captured now, tried to kill Card and himself," Thorn explains, "Card recovered quite quickly, however, seems he found it thrilling."

"He's not finding the combat test thrilling," Wilde says, looking at her screen.

"What?" Thorne asks, coming over.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Requirements for pilot is that they don't go above a certain heart rate when presented with a variety of disturbing images, as well as during the entire flight test," Wilde explains, mostly for me, "These are the cadet's heart rates, they've been in for an hour and now they're being presented with graphic images of either family members or fellow cadets in various states of death and decay."