Frederick sat in the lecture hall with several other cadets. The speaker was droning on, but they knew better than to let a military officer see them looking bored.
"...and as captain, you will go down with this ship," the old man said.
"That's just a figure of speech, right?" Frederick whispered to Jorgensen.
"I don't think so," his friend whispered back.
"Jorgensen! Bjorgman!" the old man shouted. "Do you have a question for me?"
"Sir-" the two said in unison.
"I know what you were asking. It's not a figure of speech. You need to be prepared for anything."