Without wasting another second caught in that odd moment, Yalena made sure to scan her Berry at the right door this time. As soon as the doors opened, though, she saw a massive suitcase perched up on the floor and opened, letting out all sorts of garments that had been stuffed inside.
“I know, I know.” The Australian accent came from a waterfall of strawberry-blonde hair. The freckled girl that had arrived with the Martians had her back to Yalena and pulled out clothes one after the other so fast, she may as well have been a worker at the old-days assembly lines. “It’s a mess in here, but I promise I’ll clear it up soon. And I hope you don’t mind that I took the top bunk; height helps me think. And sleep. I must admit you’re not like the other Moonies I’ve met. Can’t believe you had just one bag of clothes. I was as sure as the expansion of the universe that you would already have occupied all available closet space.”
“Heidi, is it?”
It was the only way to interrupt the rambling.
Her new roommate cast a glance over her shoulder. “Oh,” she said, jumping up. “Yes, and you are...”
“Not Natalia,” Yalena said, trying not to read too much into the surprised reaction.
Heidi showed a row of even, white teeth as she smiled. “Yalena. Sorry. It’s not an easy one you got there. I just thought I’d be paired with Natalia, being the two most experienced in space and all.” A hand rushed up to cover her mouth as soon as she’d said it, then fell down, allowing her a chance to correct herself. “I mean, I thought STAR Academy paired us up with our biggest competitors. That’s why Dave and Alec are rooming, I’m sure.” She then winced, probably realizing she wasn’t making things better. “Not that I don’t consider you good enough to be my competition. Not that I am looking for competition.” She huffed in despair. “Word vomit ending now.”
“Are you sure?” Yalena almost smiled.
“Stargazer scout’s honor.”
Despite the unfamiliar saying, Yalena nodded, understanding. “About the upper bunk—go for it.” It was the only thing she cared to comment on out of Heidi’s chatter.
The two of them shared a quick look. Yalena wasn’t sure if insecurity hung on both sides of the equation. Judging from the intros, Heidi had the most well-rounded profile of the entire class. She’d studied both on the Moon and Mars, and she had even taken up piloting, albeit much later than most of the others. By any standard, she was the polar opposite of Yalena. Perhaps Heidi was right—the room assignment wasn’t coincidental—but she’d gotten the logic wrong. It placed a space know-it-all with a space virgin; opposites, not competitors.
“I wasn’t sure there would be anyone else here, and to be honest, that was a bit weird, when everyone else had a roomie. I’m glad you’re here.”
Good. There were two ways to go about it—dwell on the differences, or reach out a hand.
“Thank the stars that Alec got us to Unifier more or less on time.” Heidi wiped her forehead from the exertion of having fought with the monster suitcase by her side. Peace offering received.
“Seems like he was happy to do it.”
“Oh, don’t get the wrong impression. I was talking their ears off about missing the intros and the welcome event. Even Dave couldn’t handle me at one point.” She giggled, and Yalena smiled in response. “The boys would have done anything to get me off their case, trust me.”
“How did you know about the welcome event and the intros?” Yalena asked, tiptoeing around the clothes on the floor. Heidi’s confidence cemented the feeling that Yalena was moving at least a few steps behind everybody else.
“I tortured it out of that second-year, Kiki,” Heidi said, pulling a vacuum bag of clothes from the bottom of her suitcase. “Besides, I know the drill.”
“I bet you do,” Yalena murmured. “You and I have that in common—being the new girl, I mean.” It felt like an odd statement—drawing a parallel between them—when Heidi had been switching planets, rather than schools.
“True. So, how does it feel to be back in space?” Heidi realized what she’d said a split second later, her face horror-stricken. “I’m so sorry. My big, inconsiderable mouth!” She covered said mouth with a palm again and waited for a reaction. Yalena had the feeling she’d have to get used to seeing that.
“It’s odd,” she glanced over the slip-up and answered. “I feel like there’s so much I should know, but don’t.”
“You’re lucky to have me as a fairy space mother, then.” Heidi shrugged, unaware or unimpressed by how adorable that bubbly statement sounded. Or how much it meant to Yalena.
The words came out squeezed. “I’m not sure I can offer much in return.” Her eyes darted left and right before landing on Heidi’s gray ones.
“How about we start with an honest opinion?”
Heidi’s knees shot up to her chest and she hugged them in, expecting Yalena’s reply.
“Ask away.”
“When we got here, do you think people noticed...” she dragged out, but Yalena could already feel her concern.
“I did.” She winced a little. “But it shouldn’t be a big deal. If anything, it’s cool that you know someone from the class before being here. It’s more than the rest of us can say.”
Heidi loosened the grip she had on her knees and stood up, needing to pace. “I didn’t plan this, you know. We’ve been going out for a year. I extended my exchange on Mars to two semesters to stay with him, and then we both got invited here, so it was just perfect, like meant-to-be perfect.”
Yalena nodded, even though she’d never felt that herself.
“But we talked and agreed to be all business when we got here. To keep the relationship on the down-low, you know. Then, I completely spaced when we walked in. Supermassive disaster.”
“It doesn’t have to be.” Yalena wasn’t just saying it. “I mean it. Think about it. It’s out now, rather than turning into a big secret with a grand reveal.”
Heidi pressed her lips together as she considered this. “See,” she said, scrunching her nose, “you already did more for me than I for you.”
After that heart-to-heart, the girls rushed to get ready for the welcome event. Yalena rehashed bits and pieces of what she and the other Earthlings had experienced thus far, and she got excited outbursts from Heidi at every turn. It was either “I love the flip!” or “And you thought they were promoters?” or simply a line of jingling laughter.
A sound that must be the doorbell interrupted them. Yalena opened the door, then introduced Jen to Heidi. With her hair half-wet and dripping over the elegant, black dress she had on, Jen seemed distressed, and Yalena didn’t have to guess the reason.
“What a witch!” Jen remarked in quiet anger, making Yalena’s lips curve up in a tiny smile. It was likely the most offensive thing classy Jen had said in her life. “She wouldn’t let me finish drying off! Said she needed extra time to curl the ends of her hair. Hello? She has the straightest hair I’ve seen! It’s an exercise in futility.”
Heidi laughed. “Ah, those Moonies.”
“Those brats, you mean.”
“They just like to remind everyone they’re on top of the food chain now,” Heidi said. “Just two generations back, they were the cheap workforce on suicide work schedules. Now, they’re loaded.”
“You’re right,” Yalena said, letting the new information sink in. “It does help to know why they do it. It does nothing to make us like them more, though.”
With no more time left, the girls rushed out and followed the silver markings to find their way to the celebration.
“Do we always have to do this?” Jen asked Heidi. “I get that our Berries have the updated agenda and show us which color stripes to follow to get where we need to go, and the space station is humongous, but it would be nice to have hope that we’d eventually find our way around on our own.”
“Doubtful, for the first weeks at least. Think of it as New York in space,” Heidi said. “It’s a city—a packed, overcrowded, dynamic, never-resting c
ity—and we are only a part of the Academy in it.”
“I feel that,” Yalena said, humbled by the sheer size of the station. It had looked like a glossy, spinning disco ball from the outside, but from within, she could lose herself in the tightly-knit maze of corridors and elevators.
When the doors to the welcome event opened and revealed white tablecloths on a few large tables, as well as a crowd of impeccably-dressed people, Yalena was happy to have brought at least one formal dress with her. Eric and Nico were there, already friendly and familiar, and they waved to Yalena and Jen to join them, while Heidi jumped over to the Martian group. Nico had a black suit on, but he seemed awkward in it, tugging on the tie to loosen it at times. On the other hand, Eric was made for his refined blue uniform.
“It’s a dress uniform for special occasions,” he answered before Yalena had a chance to ask.
“Is that the flying school honors?” Nico asked.
“Yes. You get it upon graduation from their summer school. Look around. Some of the others have them, too,” Eric said, looking at the Martians and a few others wearing the same dress uniform. “I got it when I was sixteen,” he added.
“And you have to wear it now?” Jen examined the fabric with some interest.
“Well, it’s sort of like Air Force and Marine folks. If you get an honor, you get a dress uniform, and you wear it to...well, show that you have the honor,” Nico tried to explain, but he didn’t sound convincing.
“So, is flying your thing?” Yalena glanced at Eric. The statement seemed like a safe bet around here.
“I’m the commander’s son. These things aren’t exactly optional,” he said evenly.
Yalena’s smile dissolved as she tried to pinpoint the feeling she got. There was hardly anyone who fit here better than Eric—not even Natalia, as hard as she tried to force her confidence down people’s throats. Possibly not even Alec, who’d obviously been able to pilot better than a STAR Academy second-year. Yet, Eric’s clear eyes shone with something different. He might be the commander’s son, but Yalena wouldn’t make the mistake of assuming that was all he was.
“Speak of the devil...”
The elevator doors opened to let out a man in a black dress uniform and a woman in a burgundy dress clinging to his arm. The commander was probably about fifty years old, but he looked rather handsome. Yalena could see the resemblance immediately. Both Eric and his father had the same wide forehead, dirty blond hair, and clear, blue eyes. The woman was visibly younger, not older than thirty-five, and her red-brown hair was pulled back in a bun. Yalena couldn’t stop herself from making a quick calculation. Unless this woman had given birth to him at fifteen, she couldn’t be Eric’s mother.
“Dana, you look lovely,” Eric said, his voice level and business-like.
“Thank you. Will you introduce me?” she asked, looking at Nico, Yalena, and Jen.
“Everyone, this is Dr. Dana Lannely. She’s head of our medical staff,” Eric said and then introduced the three of them to her. During the exchange of pleasantries, Yalena peeked behind her, but the commander had disappeared somewhere already. She stepped from one foot to the other, trying to contain her nerves.
“Your father needs to find Cooper before the speech,” Dana informed Eric to answer his wandering look.
“Is Cooper back?” It was hard to miss the excitement in Eric’s voice.
“I believe so. He wouldn’t miss the welcome event for the world.” She smiled.
“Apologies for leaving you alone, dear,” O’Donnell said quietly as he returned. “Cooper hasn’t arrived yet. So typical.” The low hum that was his voice didn’t completely mask the annoyance in it, but the commander switched his attention to the group fast. “Eric, I see these are some of your new friends?”
His son didn’t skip a beat. “Yes. This is Nico Flynn, a Zanzar station alum. Jenneviere Reynolds here is from Pennsylvania, and this is Yalena Russo from Europe.”
Yalena thought the commander would greet them absentmindedly; instead, he shook hands with them formally. Something in his eyes shone as he looked at each of them. Even though she barely knew him or his father, they obviously had a rather sound idea of the new recruits.
“Are you enjoying Unifier the way you enjoyed Zanzar?” he asked Nico.
“I am, sir. Even more than Zanzar.”
“After your tantalizing application letter, I’d be a fool not to ask for The Woodpecker’s opinion on our IT defenses.” O’Donnell arched an eyebrow, provoking a nervous landslide of nods from Nico. It was hard to miss the sparkle in the boy’s eyes.
Yalena was confused. “I thought no one applied for STAR Academy, and you just had to be invited?” she whispered to Jen beside her. Jen just shrugged.
“By all means, sir. I would be happy to take a look.” The cocky tone Yalena had witnessed before the launch was reduced to a memory from the distant past.
“Reynolds, I suspect you might find our collection of medical equipment interesting. I am sure Dana would be pleased to have your help at the ward, too,” O’Donnell said to Jen.
“Really? I mean, thank you. That sounds great!” She shone.
O’Donnell finally regarded Yalena. “I must say, I have never doubted whether the students we invite here would accept my invitation. I am happy to see I was right again, as yours is the only case that could have ever proven me wrong,” he elaborated with a wise choice of words, striking perfectly in place.
“I...couldn’t miss out on the opportunity,” Yalena said, unable to avoid the feeling that O’Donnell could see right through her.
“I was counting on that,” he concluded, like a lawyer who’d arrived at his final argument. His intense, blue eyes studied her face.
“Marcus! Eric!” a young officer in a dark gray dress uniform called out. He had the same wide forehead, and Yalena was wondering whether he was Eric’s older brother when commander O’Donnell greeted him.
“Cooper, you’re late. I needed to speak to you before we began.”
“I know. We got delayed. I’ll explain later,” Cooper said quickly.
“Yes, later. It’s almost time for the speech, Marcus,” Dana reminded him, and they excused themselves.
Cooper stayed behind. As soon as the commander and Dana turned their backs, he hugged Eric over his shoulders with one arm and said with a vicious smile, “So, any dirt from the intros? I’ll have to hear it, you know.”
“Guys, this is my uncle,” Eric said, seeing the confused looks on his friends’ faces.
“Cooper O’Donnell. It’s a pleasure.” He shook their hands and then said to Eric, “I may be back for a few months now. We’ll see what big ol’ brother says after I get a chance to talk to him.”
“Really?” Eric’s voice was so hopeful, it almost pained Yalena to hear it.
“Yeah. I’ve got to run now, though. I’m the pretty background,” Cooper said and winked goodbye to the four of them. Then he made his way up to stand by the commander’s side during the speech.
Eric, Nico, Jen, and Yalena hurried to find their seats. O’Donnell stood in the middle of the room on a small podium, with Cooper on his right and a much older professor on his left. He didn’t have to call for everyone’s attention. Quiet had already settled in the room, and all eyes were on the three men at the center.
“It is with great pleasure that I stand here before you to cordially welcome each and every one of our new first-year students at STAR Academy,” O’Donnell began. His eyes scanned the room, focusing on the first-years’ faces.
“The purpose of STAR Academy is to provide the selected and highly capable students of The Near Worlds with the academic knowledge and skills that have become indispensible in the reality we live in. Being in space is no longer a mission for scientists and astronauts only. Space has become our habitat, with its own complexity, rules, and history. No matter if you want to be a chemist, an economist, or a programmer, you all have the mixture of abilities that have been determined as the most fertile grou
nd to plant the seed of space education in.
“What we can give you is knowledge, skills, and opportunities. What we desire are the personalities that brought you here, the unceasing desire to excel at what you do and to always strive for improvement. You are a group of young adults that humankind should be immeasurably grateful for, and we at STAR Academy intend to guide you through an education process that will prove it. We believe in you and expect nothing less than open minds to learn and experience the new, determination to persist in the face of challenge, and trust in us and your fellow classmates to allow yourself to form an everlasting bond. It is a pleasure having you with us. And from the team who has turned the idea of STAR Academy into reality, I wish you all good luck!”
Everybody applauded O’Donnell’s speech, but then, seeing the older man on his left raise his hand, they fell quiet again to let him speak.
“Thank you, commander, for this wonderful and truly inspiring welcome to our new students. To those of you who do not know me, I would like to make a short introduction. I am professor Vincent Howards, and I was on the team that designed the initial idea of STAR Academy. STAR Academy is a three-year college, much like colleges in all other worlds, where you are admitted after successfully finishing twelve consecutive years of study. For most of you, this is at the age of eighteen.
“As commander O’Donnell mentioned in his speech, you come from a large variety of backgrounds, and that is not a coincidence. During the first two years of your education here, you will be given the opportunity to try different team roles. Toward the end, you will customize your profile and tailor it to one specialization. Therefore, it is extremely important that you have different interests, strengths, and aspirations for the future. It is our dream to see a squad ready to tackle complex space missions by applying a diverse and balanced set of complementary abilities.”
The first-year students were then all given a new touchscreen tablet. Howards explained that it would be their primary tool. Yalena attached her Berry to the little docking port at the top. The bigger screen would be indispensable for reading.
The Unsound Theory (STAR Academy Book 1) Page 5
