Alex was starving. None of the passengers were allowed to eat for 24 hours before the flight, but she hadn't eaten since the Battle School officer had come with the news that she was accepted. He had given her a choice, asked her if she wanted to come and be trained or not. But was it really a choice? The guilt would have driven her insane, knowing that she could have had a chance to help Earth and passed it up because she was afraid. No, she would go, and she wouldn't complain or cry.

                What would life be like out in space? Different gravity, different food. All her friends--if she ever made any--would all be boys. There were very few girls in Battle School, and she doubted they'd welcome her. They wanted to be the only ones, didn't they? But I'm not going to cry, she told herself sternly. I'll never cry or complain, I swear it.

                There was a sudden blur of color next to her, and she turned to see a boy slide into the seat next to her. He didn't to seem to notice her for a moment, but his face broke into a grin when he saw her.

                "Hi there, little girl," he said. She looked him over--bright, icy blue eyes, feathery silver-blonde hair, tanned and tall for a 6-year-old—and then answered him.

                "Hi, little boy."

                "So, we got ourselves a konojo in our little pack. Lucky us!"

                Alex blushed.

                "You won't even notice in a while, I'm sure."

                "True, after they've whipped us all into shape, we'll be too tired to even remember our own names, much less yours, kono!"  He said, but he was grinning, and Alex immediately warmed to this boy.

                "You don't even know my name, so how can you forget it?" she asked him.

                "Well, you don't know mine." Alex grinned.

                "Alexia Enrei. Just call me Alex,"

                "Actually, I prefer kono. Aaron Tyler."

                "Another American. Woohoo."

                "Lucky, huh? This pack'll kill our little asses before we get to the school." They both laughed at this, and Alex felt--amazingly—comfortable. She doubted she'd ever have to worry about making friends now. The two chatted for a while, telling each other about the homes and families they were leaving behind. Aaron was saying something about his best friend, who was a year older than him and had been recruited to Battle School a few months ago, when suddenly the shuttle fell completely silent. Alex looked away from Aaron to see a fit, middle-aged man step up from a ladder.

                "So, this is our newest group? Interesting combination," he said, looking directly at Alex and Aaron. "Well, no matter. You'll all be ours after a couple weeks, won't you?" A couple launchies smirked, some coughed, Alex swallowed hard and wondered what he meant by his almost scornful words. Every kid here was the best of the best, taught and monitored almost since birth. Yes this man acted as though they were a shuttle-full of bugs, fresh and ready to be picked on and eventually squashed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Aaron grimace.

It looked like things were going to get dirty from here.