Page 4 of Reformation
To Cody’s surprise, he shook his head. “This is more generalized. Pervasive. Something is different about the Academy this year, Cody. There is a strange sense of expectation in our instructors, in a way that isn’t necessarily good. It feels like people arebracingthemselves, but they don’t know what for.”
“Do you think it has to do with the election?” The Alliance’s five-year election was being held this term, and every media outlet was already blistering with attacks on every candidate. Ads were being run for politicians not even from this planet—it didn’t make any sense to Cody. Pandora was a small colony, and elections had been simple, fast, and uncontested. Seeing the circus the Central System made of them was exhausting.
“Possibly,” Grennson allowed. “I know little of such politics. Perelan’s matriarchies are inherited positions.”
“Even those don’t always go uncontested, though.” Grennson’s own adopted father was proof of that. Ferran was officially his mother, Grenn’s, heir even though he was biologically male. He would be the first male house ruler in tens of thousands of years.
“No, but they aren’t so pervasive either.” Grennson shrugged, a human quirk he’d picked up. “I hope that’s all it is, but I can bear it no matter what.”
“Good. If you need help, let me know.” Cody cast a hopeful look at the muffins. “Can I have one of those now?”
“Of course.”
Bad feelings or not, crazy science experiments and packed schedules or not, Cody was excited for the new year. He had his friends with him, his family was healthy and happy, and he had recovered really well from the environmental challenges of Perelan. As far as he was concerned, everything was off to a perfect start.
Last year’s awfulness had been an anomaly. This year was going to be better. How could it not be?
Chapter Two
Jonah
Jonah winced as he heard his ship’s thrusters whine indignantly and wondered, not for the first time, why he was doing this. “Ease up on the throttle, Lacey. You’re gonna rattle us right apart at this rate.”
Lacey scowled from where she sat in the copilot’s seat. It wasn’t all that different from her expression when they’d lifted off an hour ago, honestly. “It’s thisstorm, it keeps screwing with me. I thought this thing had stabilizers?”
“It does, but you have to practice things the hard way too,” he reminded her. “You’ll be tested on whether or not you can fly one of these ships without stabilizers to help you. Eventually, I’ll shut off one of the engines too”—he shut his eyes briefly as the ship jumped and almost spun out on an updraft for the tenth time in two minutes—“but not today,” he finished. “C’mon, you’re better with this class of ship than you think. Just handle the controls like you did in the simulation.”
“But this isn’t a simulation!”
“No, which is why you’ve got to—proximity alert, Lacey, we’re getting too close to the heart of the storm.” The ship was builtto withstand lightning strikes, but the manufacturers hadn’t imagined how bad storms could be on Pandora. “Get us some altitude.” She grunted and leaned into the throttle. It wasn’t easy, but the ship gradually veered away from the hurricane that was whipping across the edge of the ocean as she set them on a higher course a bit closer to land.
“Now can I use the stabilizers?” she asked around gritted teeth.
Jonah checked their position. “Turn the autopilot on.”
“I don’t need the autopilot!”
“You need a break, honey. Turn the autopilot on for a minute, okay?”
“Fine.” Lacey practically slammed the lever into auto mode. Instantly, the ship’s course steadied. Jonah set them to flying in easy circles, then turned toward his son’s childhood best friend.
“What’s going on here, Lace?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She didn’t meet his eyes, though, staring sullenly out at the lashing rain that beat across the viewscreen. It didn’t obscure the holographic projection of their course, but it sure made things dark in the cockpit.
“I’m talking about you jerking around those controls like you’re trying to hold onto a catterpet’s tail. You’ve flown one of these before, Lacey, and I’m right here with you. You don’t have to be nervous.”
“I’m not nervous.”
“Then what are you?” No response. Jonah suddenly felt tired. “Fine. You want to keep it to yourself, that’s your right, but I’m not going to let you take your mood out on my ship. We’re heading back to the Box.”
Thatgot her attention. “No! I don’t want to go back yet!”
“Well, I’m not going to let you fly when you can’t focus, and it’s my ship.”
“I’ll do better, I promise.”
Jonah sighed. “Lacey …”
