Together

Chapter 20★ Amy

My alarm begins to blare right on schedule. I come awake within five seconds and burst out of bed. I silence my alarm and get dressed in the provided uniform, wearing the loose white clothes underneath. I neatly make my bed and walk out the door. The code lights up the walls heading to my left, and I follow the flashing black lights all the way down to the docking bay.

When I arrive I see Petra and Dink already there. I walk up to them. Petra is chewing her thumbnail and Dink is tapping his foot. They look so nervous. More people arrive in groups of twos and threes. Bean, Wolf and Fly. David and Aiden. Tom, Allie, Sandy and Sammy. Caleb and Connor. Bruno and Bernard. Alai. All of Dragon army is here, and then some. Bean paces and Wolf watches him with concern. Fly, Tom and Allie walk over to me, chattering nervously. Although, since they are the only ones talking, they whisper, in that way so as not to disturb the silence.

Three more people walk in and a woman I haven't seen in weeks follows them. I check my watch. It is 0330 hours precisely, down to the millisecond. The lady clears her throat. No one is talking, so it seems pointless. We all snap to attention.

"At ease. Some of may have already met me." She glances around at the fifty gathered cadets. "For those of you that haven't, my name is Major Anderson. Colonel Graff would be addressing you, but he has landside matters to attend to at the present time." Probably watching over Ender. "You have been chosen to advance to Command School. Ender Wiggin, hopefully, will choose to continue his training, and join you later as your Commander. Most of you were in his army, and have an idea of how he operates. You are the last group we are sending to Command school. It is a four month journey to the planetoid Eros, where Command School is located. When you arrive, you will take a month long set of basic courses. How well you do in these courses determines what rank you receive. Bean, Alai, Petra, Dink, Fly, Tom and Bernard will be your superiors. Ender will issue commands to them, they will issue commands to you. Below them are the ranks of squadron leader and squadron drone pilot. Good luck." She turns and we pull back to attention.

Another major directs us onto the ship. We each scan our handprint into the database. We are left in a galley, and told to enjoy breakfast. I start to sit with Petra and my other friends but they are my commanders. I probably need to sit somewhere else. I see David, Allie, Aiden, Sandy and Sammy and walk over to them. I put down my tray and they look at me quizzically.

"Aren't you gonna sit with your big shot friends?" Allie spits.

"They're my commanders now. There's probably some rule against it." David nods and Aiden looks at me sympathetically. I look at what was placed on my tray. It's more solid than Battle School food, but tastes about the same. Still, I try to eat something substantial. It's going to be a long flight.

★★★

I enter the database after breakfast and tell it to give me directions to my room. This ship is either much larger than I thought, or the rooms are just tiny. I'm betting it's the second option. I start down the hall when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn. Tom.

"Why didn't you sit with us?" He looks....concerned? Sad even. I turn and keep walking and he follows me.

"You guys are my commanders now. Big wigs. There's probably some rule somewhere against it."

"That wasn't the case at Battle School."

"Commander's mess hall?"

"That's for the real big wigs, overall commanders. Like Ender. But there was nothing against toon leaders eating with their toons."

"I get the feeling that this isn't going to be like Battle School, or school at all. I feel that this will be like going to war."

"Well, say whatcha want. I'm gonna check up on this rule thingy you're so sure exists." He turns and walks to the nearest computer port. I walk six yards and then turn left at the junction. My room is the first on the right. I scan my hand and the door slides open. The rooms are definitely smaller than they look.