“They’ve got the temperament. Leadership. Poise under stress. They think before they move, and when they move, it counts. That catamaran save was a real-world test, and Fly was Mr. Cool Under Pressure.”
“And, Than?”
“He’s quieter, more reserved, but brave. He was a heartbeat behind Fly, even though he’s still green in the water. His thinking is sound, and he’s smart. He’ll be like a sponge. Both are officer material.”
Bear gave one slow nod. “My thoughts exactly.”
The silence that followed was full of respect. Than and Fly had earned that with sweat, not talk.
“You’ll talk to them. Set them on the path?” Joker asked.
Bear nodded. “I will.”
“Well, then, daylight’s burning. Let’s haul ass and show them who’s boss on this run.”
Bear cued Flint and they started after the team.
The waves rolled in steady and low, soft thunder over wet sand. Once the run was finished, the team sat scattered in a loose circle, boots half-buried, shirts clinging with sweat. The golden hour lit everything in burnished light, the kind of quiet that came only after a good run and shared exhaustion.
Bear twisted the cap off his water bottle and took a slow drink before looking at the two sitting across from him. “Fly. Than.” He tipped his chin toward Joker. “We’ve been talking.”
Fly wiped his mouth, ocean bright eyes narrowing in curiosity. “About?”
“Have you two thought about becoming officers?” Bear asked. “Annapolis.”
For a heartbeat, neither spoke. The word officers hung in the air like a thrown gauntlet.
Fly broke first, groaning. “College?” His voice went full teenage dramatics. “Come on. I don’t want to bog myself down with academics.”
Buck laughed, deep and unbothered. “Kid, Annapolis isn’t college. It’s a crucible. You don’t just study. You live and lead it.”
Joker leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, voice calm but firm. “He’s right. The academy isn’t about books. It’s about foundation. It’s about shaping the kind of leader men follow even when they’re exhausted and scared and bleeding out. It’s about discipline, self-control, accountability.” His gaze caught Fly’s and held it. “You’ve already got the heart. Now you need the structure to match it.”
Fly rolled his eyes, half grinning. “You’re saying I need to behave?”
Blitz barked a laugh. “God help the Navy if that ever happens.”
Zorro grinned. “Nah, he’s saying you need to command with more than charisma and good hair.”
The laughter rippled through them, easing the tension.
Joker’s mouth curved, but his voice stayed steady. “An officer doesn’t just lead a team. He carries their lives. Every decision you make ripples through someone else’s survival. You learn that at the academy, and you keep learning it every day you wear the bars.”
Than frowned slightly. “You think we could do that?”
Bear met his eyes. “You already are.”
That earned him silence, the kind of quiet that comes when truth sinks deep.
Professor spoke next, voice mild but certain. “You’ve both got the aptitude. Intelligence. Adaptability. You think before you act. That’s rare.”
Buck nodded. “You’ve got integrity, too. That’s rarer.”
D-Day smirked. “Stubbornness. That’s mandatory.”
“Especially for officers,” Zorro added. “The trick is learning when to let your team’s voices in. The best leaders don’t bark orders. They listen.”
Gator tipped his water bottle toward them. “You want to lead SEALs one day? Then you’ll need to bleed for the right reasons and think for the right ones.”
