Read Frontier: Book One - The Space Cadets for Free Online

None
of that counts now. It ’ s up to you to make yourself special from this moment onward.
Understood? ”
    Aisha felt herself shouting. “Sir,
yes, Sir!”
    He nodded approvingly as his gaze
continued to explore. It fell on Soo-Kyung, and his lip curled a
little, almost like a snarl. “Your link is your life in this place.
My assistants will issue them now. The link will show you the way
to your quarters ,” the last word dripped with sarcasm.
“Follow them, and be ready for first classes at oh-six hundred
hours.”
    Without another word, he turned to
leave the stage.
    Aisha surprised herself as she
shouted out, “Sir?”
    He turned and leered back at her.
“What is it, Cadet?”
    “ Sir, we didn ’ t get your name, Sir.”
    “ I know.”
    “ Sir, may I please ask it,
Sir?”
    Did he smile just a little?
“Initiative, eh?”
    “ Sir, I think it ’ s important that I know my C.O., Sir.”
    The smile grew a little bit. His
eyes met hers, searching a little.
    “ Good. My name is Major
Carter.”
    “ Sir, thank you, Sir.”
    “ And it ’ s
good to know somebody in this group has a bit of a backbone.” He
reached out a hand, and she grasped it, firmly, the way she had
always been told to.
    “ Good,” he smiled again. “Nice to
meet you, Miss Parks.”
    He was gone
before she could wonder, How did he know
my name?

Chapter
6
Quarters
    A beginning is a very important
time. It lays the groundwork for everything else that follows, so
be sure that you get your beginning right. It’s much easier to
course correct when the rails are taking you in generally the right
direction. It’s easy, however, to get distracted at the start.
There may be new and exciting things, or different places and
people that divert you away from what is important. Don’t fall into
that trap. Keep your eyes on the ball always, but doubly so right
then. That way you set yourself up for success…
     
    The link was a miraculous little piece of technology. As they were in a closed environment,
within reach of access points to the ‘ nets
every few feet, it was part cell phone, part communicator and part
computer. Aisha had heard of them, and had seen crude replicas on
Earth, but she finally held one in her hand.
    She snapped it onto her wrist and
touched the curved screen. Instantly it projected a map into the
air above it, with an arrow pointing towards her quarters. She
looked to Soo-Kyung.
    “ Apparently we are roommates,”
said the Korean girl, holding her wrist near Aisha ’ s. The directions were identical.
    “ What are the odds?”
    “ I think that they are smaller
than you think. They ’ ve probably been
profiling us for weeks, and matched us for maximum compatibility.
As a result, it ’ s likely no mistake that
you chose the seat near mine on the shuttle, and no coincidence
that we get on very well. In hindsight, I think, it must be
obvious. Logical, even.”
    “You sometimes sound like a
Vulcan.”
    “A what?”
    Aisha joined her first two and
last two fingers together and stretched them out in the shape of a ‘ V’ , the famous
Vulcan salute.
    “You know, Star
Trek? ”
    “I haven ’ t seen much TV.”
    “Oh, well, given that we live
here, now -- it should be required viewing.”
    After rounding a few corners and
traveling down similar-looking corridors that offered tantalizing
glances at the rooms within -- some with games, some with
simulators, others showing well-stocked gymnasiums -- they finally
reached the destination flagged on their links as their
quarters.
    After Major Carter’s pep talk,
they were expecting a basic, utilitarian apartment. They opened the
door, and gasped simultaneously. Their quarters were gorgeous . Built around an enormous bay window that protruded
from the side of the station, giving a 270-degree view of space,
they each had a bedroom, equipped with the latest and greatest in
terminals. A shared kitchen and entertainment area capped off the
common area.
    Their bags had been