A Spaceman

Chapter 12--What does a cat from Japan look like?

When I reach the door I'm mildly surprised to find I'm not the only one wanting it open. A little boy, probably eight years old or so, is knocking as well. he looks at me with big brown eyes.

"Sir, are you a pilot?" he asks.

"I'm training to be, what are you doing?" I ask.

"I'm looking for my friend," he says. Right. They said Major Card had a daughter so this is her little friend.

"How long've you been at it?" I ask.

"Seven minutes, sir, I'm sure she's in there," he says.

"Right," I say, kneeling down. time for a new method.

**

"Put the wild waters in this roar allay them. The sky it seems---"

"Would pour down stinking pitch But that the sea---"

"Arg---mounting to the welkin's cheek, Dashes the fire out—"

"—O, I have suffered with those that I saw suffer: a brave vessel---shouldn't we get the door?" Tess asks, grunting a little.

"No, I'm sure it's someone important don't you remember the next bit?" I ask, gritting my teeth to hide how my muscles ache.

"Who had no doubt some noble creature in her, your turn."

"Dash'd all to pieces O the cry did knock against my very—"

"Heart poor souls they perish'd had I been any god of power I would—"

"Have sunk the sea within the earth or ere It should the good ship so have swallo'd—"

"And the fraughting souls within her----next one," she says, taking a deep breath.

"Be not afeard—" I begin, with a grin. She never gets tired of this. Just like me.

"Why do you make it easy on me---'the isle is full of noises, sounds and sweet airs that—"

"Give delight and hurt not sometimes a thousands—"

"Twangling instruments will hum about mine ears and sometime—"

"Voices that I then had waked after long sleep will make me sleep again."

"And then in dreaming the clouds methought would open and show riches Ready to drop upon me that—"

"When I waked—"

"I cried to dream again—"

Thankfully that's just when the door opened and we got to finish that bit Tess likes that one.

"Good Afternoon, sir, Cadet Starr reports."

"Tess! We're going to be late to class!"

That would be my cadet and Tess' little friend, Aiden. I dislike him in general. I didn't like his father either. He's the one I ransomed to the Isylgyns in exchange for my life.

"Report, Cadet," I mutter.

"Sir, Commander Thorn requests your presence immediately." I glance over to see if he's still holding the salute. He is. I sigh. This is going to be a long six months.

**

Major Card and his daughter are both lying on the floor, doing planks. Their faces are red and tight, as though they've been at it for a while. The girl is little, with long dark hair, she's swarthier than Major Card, and her eyes are a dark color, not blue.