Time seems to slow down for Mirage Sterling.
She can see the opposing basketball player run towards the basket.
The player jumps high,
And then slams the basketball down, through the hoop.
She looks at the time. There is no way the Academy can make up the deficit in the time remaining.
It is inevitable that Transylvania County University would win this game.
And so there is nothing to do but let the clock run out.
The buzzer rings, and the announcers say that Transylvania won. The crowd cheers.
The Academy's Women's Basketball Team all huddle around their coach, Melissa Karn. They all feel tried from running around the court.
"Yes, we lost," says the coach. "The last game of this semester, and we lost. Sure, we made the Transylvanians earn their victory, but victorious they are. Now, I will remind you again, as I must, as your coach, loss can be a teacher. Loss can be a coach- a harsher coach than I am. Now listen, we can be back on Academy grounds in a few hours. Your focus now should be final exams. You'll be hitting the books instead dribbling the ball. Remember, you're cadets first."
"Yes, ma'am," say Mirage and the other players.
They all go to the locker rooms to change into gray workman's uniforms, similar to that worn by soldiers doing dirty work.
"Things are hard," says Ayanna Harden.
"We know that, Harden," replies Karn.
"Well, our game's been down since last year. I mean, Grace graduated last year, of course, and Sherry got hurt in that first game of March Madness. Not only couldn't she play basketball for us, she was separated from the Academy due to her injury. I mean, I know I'm the star player, but star players rely on backup."
"I remember when that happened," says Ann Campbell. "We had a little goodbye celebration the last day of the school year."
"Listen, Ayanna," says Tawny Wilson. "We'll be your backup. And when we come back to the Academy in January, we will practice as hard as we can, and train the newbies here too."
"Yeah," says Carli Padgett. "I have so much to learn."
"We need to leave a legacy," says Mirage. "I mean, Ayanna, you won't be at the Academy next year; you'll be once again on active duty in the Space Marines." The basketball player stands up from the wooden varnished bench. "We'll do our best."
"I'm proud of you girls," says Coach Karn. "Study for your finals."
"Ma'am, yes, ma'am," the players say, smiling.
A few hours later, they are asleep in their dormitory rooms, beginning their recovery from their very strenuous physical activity.
Ooooo
"This is just so hard to cram into my head," says Cadet Private Carli Padgett, reading a math textbook.
"Well, it makes sense to require this," replies Cadet Corporal Mirage Sterling. "I mean, if you are under enemy fire, you won;t exactly have time to look things up in order the make the decision."
The two of them, as well as Cadet Staff Sergeant Tawny Wilson, are inside a dormitory study room, which basically has chairs, a desk, and a lamp. Several textbooks and stapled sheets of paper are inside. There are no electronic devices to cadets will not be tempted to just read novels or play video games or look at other web sites that are more arousing. Light comes from overhead lamps. It is supervised study time, when senior cadets supervise studying by junior cadets, while they themselves study their own course material.
Mirage and Tawny continue to talk to Carli about her studies. Occasionally, the junior cadet would talk about home, or about their experiences on the basketball court, but the two senior cadets keep her in line.
Finally, they all feel tired, like a space vessel running low on protoculture.
"It's almost lights out, Padgett," says Tawny, checking her wristwatch. "You need sleep for your first final exam."
"Yeah," replies Carli. "I mean, yes, ma'am."
Mirage does her best to suppress a yawn.
"See you tomorrow, maybe, Cadet Staff Sergeant?" she asks.
"Perhaps, Cadet Corporal," answers Tawny.
Mirage walks beneath the night sky to her own dormitory. She walks down the hallway un til she reaches the room assigned to her.
It is not like the room she had first year, when she had to share a room with three other girls. She notices Cadet private First Class Ann Campbell asleep at the desk, with two open textbooks.
Ooooooo
Mirage's first final examination for her second year at the Academy is the history final exam, inside a small classroom, as opposed to the auditoriurm-like classrooms two of her other classes are held in. A proctor hands out slips of paper. None of the cadets are allowed to brings books or notes or anything. Mirage and her classmates all see the professor, a woman in a tweed coat and a black skirt.
Mirage reflects on her class here, attending the lectures and typing up essays to explain her understanding of history.
"Exam shall begin," says the professor.
Mirage begins with filling out the circle, drawing upon her memories, especially memories of key phrases. On some questions, she pauses for as long a minute.
A bell chimes.
"Exam is over," says the professor. "Please turn your tests in."
Mirage gets in line behind some other cadets. She reaches a cardboard box, where she hands in the filled-out multiple choice test. After that, she heads out the door, and down the hallway to the exterior of the building. . Placing her cover on her head, she feels some relief, and can see relief in the faces of other cadets leaving the building.
The cadet corporal knows that she has to study for another exam in the afternoon.
Oooooo
Cadet Private Mirage Sterling stood before the door. She was feeling a bit nervous, and her heart was beating a little faster than normal.
"Come in," said a female voice.
Mirage opened the door. On the other side was a rather large office, the floor covered in plush carpet. On the right side of the office was an alcove with a sink, a miniature refrigerator, and a coffee maker. In the back was a large wooden desk with typical office stuff on top. A leather chair was behind the desk.
Sitting on the chair, facing towards the cadet, was a dark-haired woman with eyeglasses. She wore a Mandarin-collared blouse. On each shoulder was a gold shoulderboard. On each shoulderboard was an anchor and a star.
"Cadet Private Mirage Sterling, reporting as ordered, ma'am," said the cadet, standing stiffly.
"At ease, Cadet Private," replied the woman.
Mirage relaxed herself.
"I shall formally introduce myself," continued the woman. "I am Commodore Kamini Nijjar, United Nations Ocean Patrol, Commandant of the Corps of Cadets of the United Earth Forces Academy. I have heard of your reputation. Before that, would you like a cup of coffee?"
"Uh, sure, Commodore. I should be able to operate the coffee machine here."
"Oh no, Cadet. When officers offer beverages to subordinates in their office, the officer must serve the beverage."
"Really, ma'am? The superior serves the subordinate?"
"It's not in regulations, but it has been our custom and tradition for over fifty years." The commodore walked to the coffee machine, placed a paper cup inside the slot, placed a tiny cylindrical pod in the machine, and pressed a button. The machine hummed, and Mirage heard a streaming sound. Nijjar then took the cup.
"We have cream and sugar on the counter," continued the Commandant of Cadets. "I let cadets do it themselves."
Mirage proceeded to put some white sugar and non-dairy powdered creamer into her coffee and mixed it with a wooden stirring stick. The first year cadet took a sip.
"Thank you, ma'am," she said.
"You are welcome, Cadet," replies Commodore Nijjar. "I ask you. How are things?"
"To be honest, ma'am, I keep having things to do. I mean, I didn't even have time to shower before meeting you. Please excuse me, ma'am."
"I will excuse you under the circumstances. I too attended the Academy. Not this campus though, the Academy could not operate from this campus when I went here twenty-five years ago. But being kept busy by third year cadets, during my first year, I know all too well. If something had to be cleaned, there were over three hundred first year cadets to choose from."
"Now there are over a thousand," said Mirage. "Oh, excuse me, ma'am, I shouldn't have talked out of turn."
"You will learn, Cadet. I am aware of your family history." The commodore stood up. "Your father, when he was a boy, separated from his family when his evacuation shuttle was shot down, hiding from alien invaders, until there was an opportunity to strike back. Your two aunts, fighting these same aliens, not knowing if their brother was alive. And your grandparents- a love story that changed the course of a war."
"I have an interesting family history, ma'am. And that's only on my dad's side."
"I've spoken with your coach. You do have a natural aptitude, turned into skill by hard training, of course. Now, Cadet, allow me to tell you why I wanted you to come to my office. I want to meet cadets who will not only excel here, but excel as officers in the five services of the United Earth Forces. What do you want to be, Cadet?"
"A veritech space combat aviator for the United Nations Ocean Patrol, ma'am."
"You have the potential, Sterling. And my people and I will bring out this potential. So you trust me and Coach Karn and your senior cadets. Do the best job, not matter how routine it may seem. In the United Earth Forces, success is the end point. We do what we can, what we must, to succeed. It's how we liberated Earth. It's how we paid back those who betrayed us. Now, you probably have some studying and basketball practice to do. Dismissed!"
"Ma'am, yes, ma'am," snapped Mirage.
Ooooooo
Mirage and the other cadets assemble for the final time, all of them in their gray uniforms. Most of them are still trying to recover from the stress of the final exams earlier that week. Facing them are Army Lieutenant General Andrea Vukovich, who is the Superintendent of the United Earth Forces Academy, and the leadership of the Corps of Cadets. The leadership all took a look at the departing cadets.
"...and it has been a wild ride, especially for you plebes," says the cadet colonel. "I still remember my plebe year. Now, go home, and enjoy your next four weeks."
General Vukovich takes the podium. She wears the Army Women's Service Alphas- a green closed jacket with brass buttons down the middle, and a green skirt reaching just below the knee. s"Class, you are dismissed," she says.
"Ma'am, yes, ma'am," snap Mirage and the other cadets.
"I guess this is goodbye until next year," Cadet Private First Class Ann Campbell says to Mirage.
"Yeah. You said winters in Idaho can be brutal."
"I can still remember that week you visited me in Chubbuck. Your brother even drove his van to visit us there- Ben, that's his name, right?"
"No, John is the one driving his van all over America. Ben works on interstellar cargo ships for some company."
"Well, ladies," says Cadet Major Ayanna Harden, "You all have a good time and I will to."
"Yes, ma'am," reply Mirage and Ann, saluting, whose salute is returned by Ayanna.
A few meters away, Vukovich walks with the Commandant of Cadets, Commodore Kamini Nijjar of the Ocean Patrol. They glance at cadets walking away, some with bags full of personal belongings.
"The cadets get to go home, ma;'am," says the commodore. "and we get to stay here, clean up after them, and plan things for when they return."
"Are you griping, Kam?" asks the Superintendent.
"Well, maybe a little bit. What about you?'
"Griping goes up, not down, the chain of command. If I want to gripe I have to write in an e-mail to the Joint Chiefs."
"Well, did you?"
"Above your pay grade, Commodore," replies the general, smiling.
They reach the admin building. The building actually has a courtyard in the middle with all sorts of flowering plants. It looks the same as it did all year, except for the absence of first year cadets doing groundskeeping.
"I'll have to go to my office to check e-mails, and you probably have quite a few e-mails waiting for you," says the general. She looks around, seeing the inner balconies around the courtyard. "You know, Kam, tell you what. The cadre is all relieved as of now. The only people here will be the Security Police. We;'ll see you on Monday. That's when we do the hard work."
"See you on Monday, Andrea," replies Kam.