"I see your work, Theo Waitley, and I see thought.  That is good in a student and in a pilot. The opportunity in this proposition that flight-space is unstatic, that I'm not clear on."

    Theo sat even straighter, looking up at the apparition, as who could not when faced with someone so straight-backed and firm, so immaculately balanced despite the near-aching spareness of her frame, and skin so pale it bordered on a translucent blue.  Theo doubted she had ever met a woman so old before.

    This was Veradantha, who had found seven minutes in her schedule. The counselor had pointedly started the timer on her desk when Theo arrived, and now, it counted down relentlessly.

    "These are not so novel, these ideas you have here; the tables tell the tale, pilots of experience are familiar with these facts.  Even these demonstrations you have – true , I have not seen it illustrated thus for the school standard cluster! – even these are used by some teachers and programs elsewhere. "

    Theo fought a grimace, and then a sigh. It hadn't been her idea that this was all original, just that it was important to her – but Chelly'd put his name on the line with sending her here, so she hoped it wasn't all going to go to dust.

    The counselor stepped in thought from one end of her office to the other, pausing as she sipped from the coffee cup in one hand and then bit into the pastry from the other.

    The pastry moved rhythmically up and down for a moment, then caught the cadence of the words, as  if it were the pastry making the point and not the woman.

    "Understand me, you have have insight, and this good, and it is good that your Senior brought this ...energy you have ...to my attention."

    The pastry in the delicate hand indicated Theo's handiwork, still clutched in her lap.
    "I took time, Theo Waitley, to review your visit to the mountaintop."

    Veradantha spoke very low, and Theo thought she made "Theo Waitley" into one word, to mirror her own single name.

    Theo sighed – would she never stop hearing about that?

    But if Veradantha  had already reviewed that flight, she must be out of time or nearly so already! It was difficult to drag her attention from woman, to glance at the chronometer, counting down.  Except it was not counting down from seven to zero any longer, but counting blinking it's way up from  4:45, in half-second increments.

    "Nothing to say, Theo Waitley?  You frowned when I mentioned your feat."

    Theo suppressed the shoulder shrug she felt building, and managed an even tone despite the flip over from 4 minutes to 5, actually managing to nod for emphasis as she looked into the lined, quizzical face.

    "Everyone mentions it, ma'am, and all I did was what ground control told me was needed.  But that was days ago and it makes some people think I was showing off.  I didn't do it to show off. I don't like people to say so. I guess I'm still surprised by it."

    The pastry, much diminished, thought in a back-and-forth motion for several precious seconds, and the already thin lips compressed into what might be a hard smile.

    "Yes, I can see that. I also can see why the Senior thought the landing worth my attention. So, Theo Waitley, do you enjoy your flying in  the Slippers? I will admit that I do, though I cannot find time and energy together to take as many flights as I might."

    "Yes," Theo said, nodding and grinning wistfully, "I do like it. But now they've moved me into the power group training so I can't get time."

    "The universe is like that, Theo Waitely. When you are good at something often you must give it up for something you are not so good at.  This is inconvenient, but true."

    The hand was now free of the disappeared pastry, but fascinated still, with several rings and wrinkles so fine they looked like down, and it still often kept time with  Veradantha's words.

    "So you like the Slipper, and you imagine you will like powered flight as well.  Would you be satisfied to be an air pilot, do you think?"

    The question took a moment to penetrate, and at that point her glance swept the desktop.

    The chronometer hit seven suddenly, blinked once, and began counting down again.
    "Air pilot?"

    The voice in Theo's ears was her own, and it might have quavered.

    "Don't be kittenish on my time, Theo Waitely!"

    The woman plunked he cup down on her desk, and swept fully in front of Theo, using her height and posture to loom better than anyone had ever loomed over her, including Father.

    "You must understand that worlds need air pilots; in fact in many place air pilots who fly to orbit and back are what citizens think pilots are.  It is worthy work!"

    Theo felt heat on her face and tried to keep it out of her voice; her stomach felt as if she'd been in a mountainside downdraft.  It didn't help that she was looking up – how could someone so skinny be so formidable?

    Taking a deep breath, she replied, slowly. " Yes, air pilots do worthy work.  I want to know how to fly – that's useful.  It's fun. It's more than fun.  But, I'm here to be a spaceship pilot.  I don't want the sky to be my roof!"

    Theo let the tension subside, looked carefully at the counselor's face and asked, quietly "Is my math that bad?"

    "Piffpuff, Theo Waitely, I have not accused you of being incompetent. I asked if you would be satisfied with the title of air pilot."

    The flip of hand and huff were unnerving, but Theo resisted the urge to stand.

     Veradantha tugged a bright blue mumu-twin from a media case and her frail-looking hands flowed over the keys. She glanced up at the chronometer, said something quite that sounded like "what time?"

    Theo itched to see what was on that screen but the woman cradled it in her arms and walked away from her, peering out the window overlooking the campus airfield and back at the screen, inputting something, glancing outside again. The timer was flashing now and --

    "Well, Theo Waitely,"  came the voice, "I am clear that you are not dumb. I am also clear that you are inconvenient. Worse, you are inconvenient in a way that is inconvenient not only to me – I have the habit of being inconvenienced! -- but to you, and the school itself."

     Veradantha came and stood in front of her, looking down with solemn eyes.

    "What we shall do, you and I in our turns, is we shall be convincing when necessary and if that is not sufficient, we shall contrive.  I have sent to your advisor to ask permission for this, of course, and then we shall see if the threads you string are useful."

    The counselor paused, looking away for a moment before peering down at her again.
    "With luck you have not seen the last of me, as I have some tests you will need to take.  I have some forms for you to fill out, a questionnaire or two, they will arrive soon, as soon as permission is given, in your campus mail.  These tests will perhaps not be so comfortable for you, but they will clarify things."

    Clarity was something she could use, Theo knew.

    "Thank you," Theo began, but her words were waved off.

    "I see you are nearly late to your next class, unless you run, which you will do. Thank you for your time. "


    Theo arrived at the door barely ahead of the crowd off the hourly shuttle, her key sticking first in her pocket and then to her sweaty fingers.  She wondered who'd  taught them to be so noisy – yah, and they wanted to be pilots!

    Asu, at least, wasn't that noisy and she spoke up --

    "Hey Theo, mine's ready! Let the pro through!"

    Theo snickered and stepped aside, the rucksack brushing against the side wall with an annoying hiss.

    "I bow to progress," Theo agreed, and the door opened for her.

    She might have taken the earlier shuttle herself, but she'd taken the longer walk, down by Belgraid, which was a pleasantly situated second and third year dorm she'd not visited before. Not that she'd exactly planned on meeting Kara there, but she'd hoped, and since she was still feeling wrung out from her meeting she'd happily accepted Ristof's polite invitation to a small session, joining Kara and three others for what she thought would be a few minutes.

    "Bowli ball, huh?" Asu looked her up and down, scowling. "I'm glad to see you getting more social, but you're going to have to run those leggings through the cleaner a dozen times to get 'em clean, and the shirt twice as many, and that will cost the room a yellow dot, I bet!"

    "No! I ...." but a quick inspection showed her roommate's fears to be not entirely unjustified.

    "You can do that indoors you know? Sign up for one leagues or at least stop by the pad rooms and play rated.  Won't get more than scuffed. But look at you! You look like someone walked out of a forest. You even have twigs in your hair!"

    The game had been going on, Ristof said, since before breakfast, and with trade-ins and trade-outs they were shooting for third shift lights out.  Of course there wasn't really a lights out, that was a holdover time for the locals who'd come through residence schools all their lives, but ...

    "The real goal," Kara explained, "is to get us ready for the senior round-the-clock challenge at term end.  Belgraid's gonna knock 'em this time!"

    "Come Asu, you know this was just a fun thing ..."

    "Hey First Bunk, Chelly'd have a fit if he came in here and found that grass all over the place!"

    Theo laughed and shook herself the way Coyster did when he came in. Just like Coyster she shed leaves and grass.

    "How'd that meeting go?"

    By now Asu was into the coldbox, pulling a pair of squeezewaters, calling out over her shoulder.  Theo, gratefully unshod, pushed the grass and the twig she'd dutifully finger combed onto the floor toward the recycle bin with her sockfeet.

    "I'm not sure," she admitted, "I've waiting for some tests and forms and stuff."

    Over the whuff of the floor suction came Asu's "Hunh, guess that's something." She handed over a water and made a scrunched nose face. "Theo, will you get some antisep on that hand? That's blood!"

    It was blood, but not much of it, and the game had still been going strong when Theo left. She'd been vaguely trying to get out for some time, but they'd been keeping it five strong all day and it seemed rude to break it just to go back to the room.  If she'd had a class to go to instantly, it would have been different.  But coming off the interview and a session reciting from memory what anyone could read in the history files each new charge at the ball had felt as necessary as the last.

    "Not dripping. I'll clean it."

    "So something going to happen now? About the math?"

    Mud! "Asu, will you let up? Didn't I say there were forms and tests and stuff. I don't know about the math yet."

    Asu laughed. "Most days I can't stand between you and that screen in there when you get in, first thing you do is check for mail.  Today ..."  The laugh came back. "You must think they're here already!"

    Theo let her glance drift toward the ceiling.  Sometimes Asu was just too good.

    "I got the shower."


    Theo didn't take usually long showers and so today she did.  She also got a cup of tea and unsealed the last of the chernubia she'd discovered in the school store for a quiet one-girl snack in the  common area, with lights low while Asu fussed about some sports thing in the room.

     Not nearly as good as the fresh ones served by a luxury cruise liner, the snack still bore a passing resemblance to something Win Ton smiled over, and that in turn made her smile and absently adjust her necklace. 

    And there, a second cup of tea, and she was standing with tea in hand wondering if requesting an image from Win Ton would be bad form. Not like Asu's pet athlete's image, but ...well, maybe, actually...

    There was a motion, and Asu peered into the common area, began mimicking a terminal announcer.

    "Attention. Control to Pilot!  Blink blink blink blink blink, attention, Theo!"

    Asu's voice was not quite as emotionless as a good warning mode was, and now she waved her hands, pointing toward the desk.

    Theo'd seen that message waiting light and ignored it before the shower. Well ... right, Asu had a point.

    She took her cup with her and slid into the seat, "I hear you, I hear you."

    The very first line in the incoming messages was from Senior Scout Cho sig'Radia. So was the third. Theo's hand flew over the input and she slapped the privacy button, effectively limiting the view to someone sitting in the spot she sat in.

    Behind her, Asu made a sound like a harumph, and pranced by toward the common room.

    "Must be expecting something from the bestboy,"  Asu hazarded as she left, but Theo was already twisting her thoughts to hear Cho's voice behind the words on the screen.

    You have not been at all silly to pass the news of your recent flight to me; indeed, it is exactly the type of news one could hope for: success in flight! Being some standards away from a sailplane run I discover the sim a joy; I hope you will not feel overburdened with the  information that I, like your academy, have been pleased to share copies with several pilots. Win Ton, alas, professes a lack of surprise in your abilities, but promises his own commentary.

    Theo relaxed into the seat, nearly losing the sight circle of the screen when she did.

    Good, she thought. She'd not sent him a copy, not wanting to brag in his direction...

    Too, Cho went on, you have followed forms precisely. I need to know these things not only for the reinforcement of my judgment on your ability, but that we make no errors in dealing with your future.

    My role as sponsor requires I take an active interest in the affairs financial attending your schooling, and in this case, with only a small and not unseemly amount of prompting, your academy and I have reached an accord on the value of your lessons for the school, and for yourself.

    Following in a short while will be the contracts I have entered into on your behalf, as well as a document transferring practical control of the finances accruing to you from income derived from various uses, transformations, and recordings of your flight.  Pardon that these are dry and filled with complexities well beyond the complexities of piloting equations, but such are Liaden contracts, as you will no doubt be told many times in your career. For your enjoyment, the contract in Liaden is appended to the trade version. In short form, we have arranged for your earnings to be set against your expenses, with a 25 percent share coming direct to your spending account until all expenses are met.  Please follow the instructions about passwords, account controls, and the like exactly. Once accessed the account becomes yours.

    Theo found herself leaning toward the screen, contracts?

    I have passed on a copy of the sim to your mother in the hopes the Pilot who trained you may see it, if cusom allows.

    Oh no! Kamele would not be happy. Surely, Father would --

    The letters on the screen blurred slightly. After a moment she went on.

    Father would do as he always did, doubtless, and use his own judgment. Given that Kamele'd spent a lifetime in ignorance of his piloting, as had Theo, she hoped he'd explain the sim appropriately.

    Good lift and safe landing, pilot.

    I remain Cho sig'Radia, sponsor.