“Yes. Redondo’s origins of coming from one of the colony worlds affected by the pirates and his successful mating provided them with the platform to request negotiations, which have concluded. Going forward, the Dragonii will be using our matching program and will, in fact, be helping man the Centers.”
“So they are also offering scholarships?” someone asked.
Gofryth grimaced. “No. It is my understanding thus far that those desiring scholarships or to participate in our veterans’ program will apply to us specifically as usual, but those seeking mates can also apply specifically to the Dragonii who are offering plots of land on three of their colony worlds. Those worlds are not on the border and have never been raided, but are still sparsely populated. One of them is also the province of one of the Dragonii princes, who is unmated and will be the face of their advertising campaign here on Earth. In addition, those applying to be matched by either program will also get the choice to be entered into the database of the other.”
“And this has to do with our classes, how?” I asked, wishing he’d get straight to the point. He sighed. “All of you teach classes deemed beneficial to potential Dragonii mates. You’re to work with the Dragonii on an educational program for those who get matched to better their chance of success on the colony worlds they go to - accounting, biology, et cetera.”
And there it was. I sighed. “And after we’ve helped the Dragonii design their classes?”
”You can choose to return to teaching at a human university, or classes within the Fleet, or go on extended assignment to help oversee the Dragonii education efforts you will have helped design.”
Great. I could just hear my bestie bitching now. I decided I’d tell him tomorrow. Tonight was his mother’s birthday, and I wasn’t going to let my news ruin what we’d planned to celebrate it. It would simply upset him and send him into a deeper depression instead of lifting him out of it. Tomorrow, he’d have a clearer head, and I could point out that I could invite him up to come spend the weekend, and I could come down on occasion. His curiosity would win out, I was sure of it.
I became aware everyone was taking their leave, so I stepped out of the way to let them pass.
“Anything I can help you with?” the lieutenant asked me.
“Yes, is it possible to know yet which ship I’ll be posted to?”
He smiled. “Xeranos should have your berth assignment, including your permanent quarters, sent to your kunnarskyn no later than eight a.m. local time.”
“Great, thanks.” At least I’d be able to give my friend those particular details, and I’d know where I was actually heading. I hated not knowing things, which is one of the reasons I became a scientist, after all.
8
ALEC
Despite Jimmy’s explanation about the personnel recall, I was surprised to see so many people sitting in the shuttle waiting. I’d surreptitiously counted everyone as they chatted amongst themselves or watched the show on the viewing monitor that activated just above our heads in a 360 experience that, quite frankly, I tried my best not to watch as I found it disconcerting at best and more than a bit terrifying at worst. All told, there were twenty-three people on board - sixteen Mylos, along with three mates and two children, one a mere babe in arms, and one human woman who wore a sweatshirt that said Air Force on it in faded letters, along with a pair of jeans and navy blue canvas sneakers. Well, twenty-six really, as there was also Jimmy, the pilot, and me. There was also a rabbit in one of those pet carrier backpacks, two more cats in addition to ours, and four dogs, as well as a parakeet in a small cage with wire wrapped around the door openings for extra security during travel.
Thankfully, the trip was short, a mere half hour according to my watch, and everyone got up and left in an orderly fashion, more or less. Jimmy stood by me as everyone else went off, belongings stowed in the cargo compartment still being unloaded and placed on floating sleds of some kind. Just as I had, everyone had tagged or written their names on their stuff, and it appeared as if the Mylos loading up the sleds were keeping the stuff that belonged to each person together. The woman in the Air Force sweatshirt also came to stand by me.
“Um, I’m guessing you’re waiting for someone to tell you where to go, same as me,” she ventured. “I’m Shelby, by the way. Shelby McMahon.”
“Formerly of the US Air Force, I presume?” Jimmy asked, nodding towards her shirt. “And you may call me Jimmy.”
She gave us a wry grin. “Yeah, I was in the Air Force. Did five of my six years and then some idiot texting while driving rear ended me, still going thirty-five while I was sitting at a red light, so then I also got t-boned by a car going through the intersection. Suffered a TBI that causes me to have seizures, so got medicaled out.” She shrugged. “Figured what the heck. The Mylos offered me job training with housing and employment and free medical that beats anything I can get on Earth, so I took it. My seizures are pretty much under control, but Xeranos told me that the doc who reviewed my records thinks he can use nanites to help heal my brain enough so that they actually stop.”
I gave her a finger wave. “Alec. I was in the Army for a whole hot minute, and I’m here because after failing to even make it through Basic, all I could get were gig jobs and pyramid scheme offers until I was offered a spot in the training program, same as you.”
“There was a girl during my own Basic who got medicaled out. Don’t see it as a failure on your part; it’s just something that didn’t work out. In her case, she had undiagnosed kidney disease that they found out when she got a UTI that wouldn’t clear, so they did some testing.”
I pointed to myself. “High blood pressure. Turned out my heart pounding wasn’t because I was a bit out of shape. Ended up having a mini stroke.” I gave a sardonic laugh. “Six out of the nine weeks.”
“Oh no! It’s good that you didn’t have a full stroke or heart attack, though, right?”
“That’s what my parents said,” I admitted, “and I know they’re right, but it still hits hard. My head tells me that’s true, but in here,” I thumped my chest, “I feel like I failed and that it’s cheating whenever I accept anything because of my veteran status. It’s not like I went to war or anything.”
“Neither did I,” she said. “I was in supply and spent most of my time in Texas and Georgia. I didn’t even get sent overseas at all, and I’d kinda hoped to get stationed in England or Germany, but I wasn’t. And being a vet isn’t about who saw combat and who didn’t. It’s about having served. You did and got medicaled out. You could have just as easily gone all the way through basic and AIT, and gotten nearly all the way to the end of your enlistment, like I did, and bam! Replay of whatever happened, only at a duty station. Being a vet is about having served and done your best to do so. You did, so you’re a vet.” Her face twisted up. “Now, stolen valor where people pretend to have been in combat and earned medals or pretend to have been in the military and never were, that’s different. But you? You’re a legit vet in my book.”
I stared at her. “Thanks,” I finally said. “I think I needed to hear that from another person who served who doesn’t know me.”
Her smile morphed into something warm. “Well, now you have, and hopefully, we’ll get to know each other better. I know I sure could use a buddy.”
“I’m happy to become your friend too,” Jimmy piped up.
“Yeah? Cool! A fellow vet, even if he was silly enough to sign up for the Army instead of going into the Air Force, and a Mylos. Looks like I’m off to a good start.”
A Mylos came hurrying up to us. “Sorry, I’m late. The lifts were all full, what with all the new influx of personnel and their families and household goods, so I had to wait.” He looked quizzically at Jimmy. “Have they not given you your berth assignment?”
