"Hey, A-Ko?" C-Ko cried behind her. "Who were those guys you said 'Hi' to?"

"I guess they're my unofficial fan club, C-Ko. I've been saying 'Hi' to them for five years now."

"You got a fan club? No way. Maybe they got an infatuation for redheads," the Princess giggled. "How much further to the college?"

"Just another minute, and we should be there."

She thrust her poles into the soft snow, the powerful poles propelling the two women. The wake of ivory crystals behind them grew again, higher with every minute.

It stood alone in the middle of the college common, bare and sleeping trees on either side. Those few students trudging their way to class stopped for a moment to gaze at an "angry" snowman. Twice the size of regular ones, this one was made of plastic; steam slipped out of its nose and ears.

The steam flew from the fifth bowl of beef ramen noodle soup D ate. It was piping hot, straight out of the micro-microwave portable oven the Alpha Cygnans designed and built the year before. The spy sat on it inside the cramped space, grateful to be eating her meal bought the night before at the Hotel. Just able to use the chopsticks in those tight quarters, the Cygnan spy slurped her meal with relish. "Mmmmm," she hummed, chewing. "Doctor Stellamaris was right after all. Dem guys at 'Noodles Apocalypse' do whip up good soup. Next time I'll try the shrimp-flavored."

Bundled up in her fur parka and snowsuit, D waited to spot her Princess entering Graviton City University grounds. She felt sure she'd go unnoticed THIS time, hidden within the plastic snowman. When Her Highness passed her checkpoint, she'd make her report to the Captain.

"Another winter," she sighed between sips of broth. "Dis planet just gets me down. Maybe I'm gettin' old."

She drew up a pair of zoom binoculars from her parka, put them to the rear of the snowman's fake eyes. She turned the head one way, then the other; resting her gaze toward the main road leading into the campus. The head was now pointed backwards.

"Maybe she won't come here today," she thought aloud, as a small wave of snow approached her position. It drew closer, swift in speed, growing in size like a tsunami. D gasped as the loud, rumbling wave engulfed her, everything growing dark in an instant.

"Whoo-hoo," A-Ko exclaimed, flinging off her goggles and shaking her hair. "And that's how you slow down to a stop, C-Ko. What do you think of skiing now?"

"Cool!"

"It just takes time, patience, and careful practice. You'll get the hang of it."

"Neat," the Princess added, as A-Ko squatted low to let her off her back. C-Ko hugged her neck, kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks, A-Ko."

"No problem," she replied, hugging back.

"What will you do with your skis?"

"Lockers, C-Ko. Lockers."

"Yeah, right, I forgot. What classes do you have today?"

"Let's see if I remember. I have a class on Classical Japanese Literature, then one on 'The Gulag Archipelago' by Solzhenitsyn. What about you?"

"I got Geometry Made Easy, then another session of Remedial Home Economics."

"What! You're still taking R.H.E.?"

"Yes, A-Ko," she said, bowing her head.

"But -- but you've been kept behind in that class for three years in a row. Even I took it with you once. What's holding you back?"

"That mean Mr. Suzuki still thinks my ramen soup tastes like -- well, he used a dirty word, A-Ko."

"Oooooh," she growled. "That man IS a dirty word! Look, usually on big snow days, it's a half-day. After class, we'll walk back to my house and call up our boyfriends, okay?"

"Yeah," C-Ko said, lifting her head, emerald eyes twinkling. "I like these double-dates. Will we meet here after class?"

"You bet. Oh, hold on a second." She turned to face the sparkling hill of snow made from her slowing down in her travels. Taking a deep breath, she blew the snow into the air, each flake dancing its way into the clear morning sky. A battered, big plastic snowman remained, its carrot nose and top hat bent to crazy angles.

"Sorry, D," A-Ko shouted. "No offense intended."

"None taken," D sighed aloud.

"Seeyalater, D," C-Ko giggled, as she and her friend ran to their classes. The Cygnan lifted up her head, snowman head still head on her, saluting her Princess.