Earth Star(28)

‘Something wrong?’ asked Fian.

‘I’m just panicking. I have to eat breakfast in a room full of Military officers, and then go and tell eight famous pre-history experts that I’m their new team leader. I’m not sure which scares me most.’

‘Why are you worried about breakfast? You survived eating dinner with Colonel Torrek last night.’

‘I didn’t have to worry what Colonel Torrek thought about me being here. He was the one who called us in. The people in there,’ I pointed at the door, ‘belong to the Attack team. They have to sit in the fighters surrounding that sphere, not knowing if it’ll turn out to be friend or foe. They have to wait for it to fire first, knowing they may not survive that attack, knowing they’re expendable.’

Fian pulled a face. ‘It must take some special people to do that job.’

‘I feel such a fake,’ I said. ‘I’ve been given the Artemis for tagging a few rocks, I’ve been made a Major to impress a few history experts, but the people in there are true heroes.’

I forced myself to open the door, we entered the dining hall, and for a moment it was oddly similar to going into breakfast with my classmates. People were clustered around tables, eating and chattering away in eager voices.

That first impression lasted only a second before the differences hit me. The tables and chairs were fancier than the basic grey flexiplas ones in a dig site dome. There was real food laid out as well as a row of food dispensers. The people were obviously older than my classmates, and they were wearing Military uniform instead of a motley assortment of casual clothes from five different sectors. The main difference though, was that my classmates didn’t stand and salute me when I came in for breakfast.

Correction, I thought. These people weren’t saluting me; they were saluting the Artemis medal and the tradition of courage and sacrifice it represented. I was a hollow mockery of the legendary names on the Artemis role of honour, but I owned the shoulder the medal was pinned to and should respond with dignity. I saluted back and gave the nod that allowed everyone to relax and sit down.

The worst moment was over, and I felt exuberant with relief as I followed Fian over to the food. ‘Amaz, there’s cheese fluffle!’

‘You want cheese fluffle for breakfast?’ Fian looked at me incredulously. ‘You’re serious?’

‘Fian, you haven’t lived until you’ve tasted cheese fluffle on toasted wafer.’

He watched me load up a plate. ‘Didn’t you have cheese fluffle last night?’

‘Fian, I will have cheese fluffle morning, noon and night if I can get it. Dome food dispensers never have it, so whenever I get the chance … Just try a mouthful and you’ll understand. It’s utter blizz!’

He shook his head and filled us two glasses of frujit. ‘I don’t really like cheese.’

‘Deltans,’ I grumbled. ‘They’re not allowed sex or cheese.’

Fian nearly spilt the frujit as he burst out laughing. When he recovered, we went across to an empty table and sat down. A lot of people were looking at us, but I tried to ignore them and relax.

‘How will you handle the meeting with your team?’ asked Fian.

I savoured a joyous mouthful of cheese fluffle on toasted wafer. ‘Not sure. These people are famous experts in theoretical pre-history.’ I brought up the list of names on my forearm lookup. ‘Just take a look.’

Fian leaned over and read them through. ‘Amaz!’

I realized someone had come over to our table, a man in his late twenties, with a tangle of jet-black hair above a strikingly handsome face. He wore a Major’s insignia like my own, and didn’t bother with the excessive saluting, just gave us a friendly smile.

‘Sorry to interrupt,’ he said. ‘I wanted to introduce myself. You’re Jarra Tell Morrath, of course.’ The Major nodded at the Artemis on my shoulder. ‘I’m Drago Tell Dramis. We share a couple of great-grandparents.’

‘We do? Totally zan!’ Since my parents died, I’d exchanged a couple of impersonal recorded messages with my older brother and sister, but I’d never expected to meet them or any other relatives. I was so grazzed that I stared at Drago for several seconds before I remembered to introduce Fian. ‘This is Fian Eklund.’

Drago nodded briefly at Fian. ‘Captain.’

Fian nodded back. ‘Major.’ He didn’t sound too friendly about it.

I gestured at a spare chair and Drago sat down. ‘My condolences on the death of your parents,’ he said. ‘I had the honour to be a banner bearer at their memorial service. They were fine officers.’