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landscapes,
prosperous cities had sprung up with the wealth brought to Bellac
by the Union. Out here little of that was in evidence. Of course,
out here was one of the few places where the space tether could be
built. The other was planned for a floating platform in the ocean,
also along the equator.
    He guessed her thoughts. “Can’t wait to get
out of here, huh?”
    Nova shrugged. “I want to be in my plane.”
She gestured at the thin line that the distant elevator etched into
the sky. “We were told that we’d be patrolling the jumpsite and the
new orbiter. Not blowing up Rhuwacs on the ground. Not beating up
Bellac rebels that don’t even know what they’re fighting for. I’m
less than sixty hours in the Kite away from qualifying for Hunter
Class trials.” She kicked at a stone to watch it tumble down the
slope into the valley at approximately the same speed at which her
hopes for a quick advancement were disappearing. A Hunter Class
pilot was practically guaranteed a post on some of the most
desirable Air Command bases. Which, right now, was any place but
Bellac Tau. “I’ve been waiting for that since I was about
five.”
    “ Just a few more days and you’re back
on the base,” he reminded her. The members of Rudjo’s company out
here in Shon Gat had only a vague idea of why she had joined their
squad. Not having been given a command, she had clearly not been
promoted into this assignment. Some rumors were mongered that she
had gotten into an altercation with a senior officer but no one had
asked for details. She was glad for that, also aware that a
reputation for getting into brawls was probably helpful out
here.
    Then again, she had been relieved to find
that the other grunts in her company were, for the most part,
amicable and likable men who treated her as one of their own. Nova
was not the only female combat soldier stationed here and her
presence was not exceptional. This is what she had come to expect
from her assignments, in the air or on the ground. There was no
tolerance out here for those not doing their share to keep them all
alive and so far she had given them no reason to doubt her
abilities.
    “ Yeah, can’t wait,” she said. But was
that even true? What was waiting for her back at the base? Captain
Beryl whose personality probably hadn’t improved after thirty days
in lock-up, his devoted followers who would surely find ways to
retaliate, her own squad of pilots who’d probably rather not get
into the middle of things. Despite what Major Trakkas had guessed
about her, she was tempted to apply for transfer away from this
dreary planet.
    “ You pilots have it made,” Reko said.
“Real beds, real showers, real food!”
    “ Sort of,” she amended, her attention
back on the screen in her hands.
    “ I’m thinking of quitting the military,
did I tell you that?”
    She nodded. He spoke of it daily.
    “ I’m heading back home to Magra. I have
the sweetest girl in the world. She’s a teacher. Languages, mostly.
And music. Can you believe it? They teach music on Magra!” He
smiled happily as he stared into the distance, perhaps in his mind
seeing the planet from here. “I can get a job on the base, I think.
Mechanics. What’ll you do when you get out?”
    She looked up, puzzled. Get out? Out of what?
She had spent her entire life on one military installation or
another, always assuming that that’s what everyone did. Her father
had moved his family to where he was posted, as was common among
senior officers and his only child had learned to adapt. Instead of
music she had learned physics and ballistics and aviation. The
languages she knew had come to her by listening to the rough talk
of soldiers and cadets from a dozen different planets. Planes were
her passion, weaponry her expertise. And not once had she thought
about doing anything else. “Fly,” she said.
    “ Boring, Whiteside! You need a hobby!”
He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. His
violet, mildly