The World Flying Force Rebellion in the Shadows

Chapter Eight- Mystery in the Flight Simulator

"What the heck was that about last night?" We were in line for breakfast the next morning.

"Nothing, do you want some tea? You look tired," Notawa asked, her tray slid along the buffet counter.

"I couldn't sleep at all. I was thinking about it all night."

"It's just, you don't say that," She leaned in and whispered, "you can't say that the Flying Force killed someone." Her head did a quick turn over her shoulder, like someone was going to grab her right then.

"Why?"

"Just don't OK?" She stopped moving forward and was holding up the line behind us. The serious look on her face was almost comical. Notawa didn't do serious very well.

"OK! The gods alive, can we just eat?" I asked. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief.

Then, she raised her voice so everyone around heard it, "It's simulation day! Can't we be excited about that?"

The whole point of the Flying Force Space Academy was to go into space. The Collaboration of Science and Engineers had worked up a new aircraft, specific for that job.

And I was going to fly it.

First, I had to log in 120 hours in the simulator. Now that I had finished a few of the initial classes, every Friday I would run the flight simulator with my partner. Zarleque met us at the table, he looked as bright and fresh as a new born baby.

"Good morning ladies, ready for today? Six hours strapped to a fake spaceship sound like as much as fun to you as it does to me?"

"Actually, it does, can't wait to see what they come up with," I said as we sat at the metal table. Zarleque dug into his food like he hadn't eaten in years. Flecks of food flew from his mouth. He didn't get that big by skipping protien, but it was gross to watch him eat.

Notawa was thinking the same thing. Her eyes kept darting towards him every so often to see if he was done yet.

"During your simulation, it's possible they will throw obstacles at you. The computers could stop working or the coordinates could flip upside down, so being prepared is crucial." The edges of her lips kept twitching upward. She knew something.

"Ok, what do they have planned, I know you know."

"Nothing! Just be prepared and listen to me," she said with a smile.

"You sound like a mother." I added pushing away my oats.

"I am a mother, eat your breakfast," she said. Zarleque found it all very amusing. He was trying not to laugh. His shoulders shook from the effort. Their amusement irritated me. The whole conversation about my mother had me on edge, and Notawa's explanation didn't satisfy my curiosity at all.

"What is so funny?" I asked Zarleque.

He raised his hands and said, "I'm just ready for flying."

"I'm glad you guys think this is funny. You aren't the ones that are being watched under a microscope. All these people just waiting for you to fail," I said. They both stopped eating.

"You think people are waiting for you to fail?" Notawa asked. Zarleque pat my back.

"Not one person thinks you are going to fail, not one. That's part of why they hate you. You don't need to impress them," he said to me.