The walk through the station’s transparent corridors from simulator room 7S to the commander’s office wasn’t far, but it was still one of the longest in my life. Of course I was walking slowly, taking in the sights. I was in no hurry to get there.
I knew I’d messed up, mega time. I also knew I’d done some pretty dumb things during my stay here. I once convinced Beta Squad that they didn’t have to report to duty on any day of the week that has a vowel in its name. I once super-duper glued Kappa-III Squad’s door shut making them late for roll call. Then there was that time I programmed the Station’s old computer system to burp every five minutes. But cutting through an asteroid field, killing my crew, and losing my shuttle, even in a simulation, that was going to be frowned on.
I just wanted to get lost. But on a computerized space station that was pretty much next to impossible.
“Scout Moon, at your current rate of speed you won’t reach the commander’s office for another four minutes and seven seconds,” said SC-711, the station’s all-knowing, ever-present computer system.
“I’m getting there. I’m getting there.”
“The commander is angry enough at what you did. I would not compound her anger by dilly-dallying.”
“Dilly-dallying? You’re one of the most advanced computers known to man or alien and you use the phrase, dilly-dallying?”
“There are eight other words I could have used, but with analysis of your posture along with computation of your ETA, dilly-dallying seemed to be the most appropriate for the occasion,” SC-711 said.
“I’m a pilot. I don’t dilly-dally,” I said. I continued to walk slowly down the long hallway. The commander’s office door was now in sight.
“Oh please,” SC-711 said. “You are dilly-dallying while talking about dilly-dallying. The commander’s anger will not be inversely proportional to the time it takes you to get there. The longer you take, the more she steams. The more she steams the hotter she gets. It’s pretty much basic human biopsychology.”
I had to admit, just not out loud, SC had a point. Letting the commander simmer in her own steam wouldn’t help my case. I picked up the pace. I figured I was in for a mental spanking at the very least. I might as well get it out of the way.
Finally reaching the door, I took a deep breath. I took another deep breath. Sometimes I wasn’t sure what in the universe I was doing here. Everybody else here was either the best of the best, or genetically improved to be special at something.
Except, of course, for Betas who were the worst of the worst. But even they had their place here. Some team of government social scientists somewhere decided that mixing the worst students in with the best would be “mutually beneficial to all.” I guess if you’re a scientist it’s acceptable to be redundant. It makes things sound more proven if you repeat yourself only with different words.
Anyway, their theory is that the bright students’ brightness will rub off on the dim students. The dim students will then become more useful members of society. These scientists (who obviously don’t get out of the lab much) also figure that the rubbing off goes both ways. They surmise that some of the Betas’ worst traits will rub off on the others around them, creating more humble people. This doesn’t make much sense to me, but what the bloop do I know? I’m just a kid. An average kid.
I lifted my hand to knock on the door.
“Come in, Mr. Moon,” Commander Jasmine called from behind the door, before I had a chance to knock.
The door popped open.
There she stood. Well, actually sat, before me, Commander Gloria Jasmine. Now, those who know me know I’m not prone to exaggeration, but I have to say that Commander Gloria Jasmine is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Okay, I’m only sixteen and haven’t been paying attention to women for a lot of time. But even so, I think I can safely say that Commander Jasmine will be the most beautiful woman I will ever see, even if I live to be four hundred. She makes me wish I was older.
She’s that good looking. I would say she’s that hot, only that would be disrespectful to a superior officer. Plus, the commander is also a powerful MB, a mind bender. The last scout that let his mind wander to where teenage boys’ minds wander, ended up quacking like a duck for the better part of a week. I had to compose myself and be careful with my thoughts. It wasn’t easy. She might not have been perfect, but if there was a flaw you’d need a subelectronic microscope to find it. Her creamy golden skin, golden hair that flowed and curled just over her shoulders, her hypnotic green eyes, her smile, her legs, her…well, her everything. On those rare occasions when she smiled at me, I swore I could hear music playing.
“Come in, Mr. Moon,” she said, more sharply than before.
I took a deep breath and walked in. The commander’s office was very military. The walls and floors were spotless; she must have the cleaning bots whitewash them hourly. Her desk sat at the far end of the room near the wall in front of the world flag. The desk didn’t have so much as a paper clip on top of its built-in information screen. Around the desk there were a few old-fashioned chairs, so straight they looked like they were standing at attention. The walls were dotted with perfectly aligned holo-pictures: the commander graduating from the academy, the commander graduating from medical school, the commander meeting the world president, the commander at the helm of a shuttle. It was pretty easy to see the theme. She pointed to a wooden chair in front of her desk. “Sit,” she ordered.
I did as I was told.
She looked at me. She shook her head. “Mr. Moon, Mr. Moon, Mr. Moon,” she said.
My first instinct was to say, what, what, what, but I fought it back. I just dropped my head and lowered my eyes. I figured the less I looked at her, the less trouble I’d get into.
“Look at me, Scout Moon,” she ordered.
So much for that theory. I looked up at her. I had never noticed what perfect lips she had before. They were like… Man, I had to get my mind back to business before the commander gave my mind the business.
“I know I blooped up,” I said meekly.
“Do you know why?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “And watch your language in front of an officer.”
“If that wasn’t a simulation, I would have killed myself and my crew,” I said.
“Plus you would have destroyed a multi-million dollar shuttle,” the commander added, as only a commander could.
I suppressed a gulp. I had to do something to defend myself fast or I’d be on the next shuttle back to Earth. If I ever left this place I wanted it to be on my terms.
“I did what I had thought I had to do,” I said, quickly. “The mission specs said the crew we were sent to save only had four hours of air left. I thought cutting through the asteroid field would give us much needed time.”
I paused, waiting for her reply. None came. So I went on.
“It was meant to be a learning experience. I did learn a valuable lesson. I’m sorry that I would have killed my crew and destroyed the shuttle but we can’t be certain I would have done that in a real situation. I knew it was a simulation. I’m betting if it had been a live exercise, my crew and ship would be just as alive as they are now.”
Okay, maybe it wasn’t the best argument, but it was the best I could come up with on the spot. I usually think fast on my feet. The problem was around the commander my mind would fill with all sorts of thoughts that weren’t at all helpful to the situation. They were thoughts about her eyes, her lips…her other parts…thoughts that could get me in trouble.
The commander just looked at me for a tic or two, though it seemed like an hour. She smiled, ever so slightly. It was a beautiful smile, it excited me some, but it scared me more.
“Crews die and ships get destroyed,” she said softly. “I might not like it, but I accept it. It’s a fact of scout and military life.”
I sat back in my chair. I didn’t really know where this was going. I figured I might as well be comfortable. At least as comfortable as I could around a beautiful woman who was my superior officer.
“Not only did you disobey your commanding officer, you argued with and insulted him,” the commander said.
I lowered my eyes. She had me on that one. I wanted to say, he’s a freaking chimp. I didn’t. No use making a bad situation worse. Chimp or not, like it or not, GiS was my superior officer. “I know I messed up mega bad,” I said.
“Do I need to remind you again, Scout, that you are talking to a superior officer?” the commander said.
“I know I messed up, mega bad, sir,” I said.
“Might I remind you, Scout, that I am a woman?” she said.
I really fought back the urge to say, no need to remind me of that. Instead I said, “Sorry, ma’am, I blooped up, mega bad, ma’am.”
The commander just looked at me. I liked the attention, but wished it were for something other than me messing up.
“Mr. Moon, I know some people have trouble taking orders from animals. They don’t think it’s natural.”
“It’s not,” I said.
“True,” she said. “But just because something isn’t thought of as natural doesn’t mean it’s not good. Studies have shown augmented animals are very loyal. They make great soldiers and officers. They work for less than humans.”
“Have you ever served under one?” I asked.
She looked at me and smiled. Her smile sent shivers shooting straight down my spine into my toe nails.
“Yes, Baxter, I have. When I was in the space force fighter training, my CO was a skunk.”
“You’re kidding,” I said.
She shook her head no. “I don’t kid with scouts. The ironic thing was during martial arts training she’d always complain about my deodorant.”
“Commander,” SC-711 interrupted. “You have a message coming in from Earth Gov.”
“I do?”
“I certainly have no need to make something like that up,” SC-711 said. “It’s a coded message and will begin in three minutes.”
The commander squirmed a little in her seat. She wasn’t quite flustered, but was the least calm and cool I’d ever seen her. She was trying hard not to let it show, though.
“In that case, Mr. Moon, we have to wrap this up fast.”
I stood up. “I’ll pack my bags.”
“Sit!” she commanded.
I did.
She looked me right in the eyes. Bloop, she had beautiful eyes. Green had just become my favorite color.
“Baxter, pay attention,” she ordered.
I snapped back out of my daze. I forced myself to concentrate on her words, not her face.
“Paying attention, sir, ma’am,” I said in my most scout-like voice.
“You have talent as a pilot, just not as much as you think you have. At least not yet. If…”
“If I don’t crash and burn,” I interrupted.
She shook her head. “Yes, that goes without saying, as does not interrupting your commanding officer,” she said.
I lowered my head. “Sorry, sir, ma’am.”
“What I was going to say was, if you learn to be a better judge of your ability and also learn to trust those around you more, you may someday become as good as you think you are.”
“So you’re not sending me Earthside?” I asked.
“Not yet — you make things challenging for me,” she smiled. “I like a good challenge.”
“Thank you, sir, ma’am, sir,” I said.
She pointed at me. “I warn you, though. I’m smart enough not to take on an impossible challenge. Another incident like this and you will be heading home. Got it?”
“Loud and clear, sir, ma’am.”
“The call will begin in thirty tics,” SC-711 said impatiently. “Scout Moon isn’t cleared for this level call.”
The commander pointed to the door. “Don’t let me see you in here again, Scout.”
I stood up. I gave her a little bow. “You won’t, sir, ma’am.”
I made a hasty exit from the room.