Rhoe’s Request Read Free Page A

other, and one shrugged, “Nothing. You have a better flight simulation than our battle veterans. There has only been one other with your level of competence, and he has not been with us for decades.”
    The answer struck her. “My father.”
    Hiiron stared at her. “Captain Rhand is your father?”
    She nodded. “He is headman of our settlement, but from what rumours I have heard since coming here, he was a fairly skilled pilot.”
    One of the instructors twisted his lips. “That was one word for it. During the incursion, he managed to hold off thirty ships while waiting for reinforcements.”
    Rhoe smiled, “He has always had a knack for the sky.”
    The single female instructor smiled. “That is one way of putting it. We would like to put you behind the controls of a live ship to see what you can do. Are you amenable?”
    Rhoe blinked. “Um, sure. I mean, I would love to try.”
    Captain Hiiron nodded, “Good, we are short on pilots. I can ride as co-pilot for her first flight.”
    The others nodded. The female instructor said, “Let’s see how she does in reality. She might be the first to do practical first and theory last.”
    Captain Hiiron asked, “Are you ready?”
    Rhoe looked up at him, and her heart told her that she would follow wherever he chose to lead her. “I am as ready as I will ever be.”
    There was a trace of a smile around his mouth as he led her away from the simulator floor and through the maze of corridors that lead to the hangars.
    “You can grab a helmet and meet me at ship nine.” He casually snagged his own helmet as was evidenced by the customization of the black swan on the side.
    She tried on three helmets from the rack of blanks and found one that fit. Rhoe tucked it under her arm and went in search of ship nine.
    She passed twelve glossy and gleaming ships before touching the side of ship nine. It had a black swan painted on the side. It seemed she was going to be flying Captain Hiiron’s ship. Oh boy.
    He stepped around from the back of the ship and smiled at her. “Ready?”
    “No, but I am going to do this anyway.”
    “That’s the spirit.”
    She swallowed, watched as he climbed and slid into the rear seat. That left the pilot’s seat for her.
    She clambered up the side of the twenty-foot ship and settled herself in the pilot’s seat, strapping herself into the harness and trying to think of what she was supposed to do next.
    “Helmet on.”
    Oh, right. She pulled the helmet on, and his voice came to her through the speakers built into her earpieces.
    “Now, flick the beacon for a taxi out of the hangar.”
    She followed his order and asked, “Can’t we just drive out of the hangar?”
    “It isn’t advisable when there is a battle situation. They will get you where you need to be.” There was amusement in his tone.
    A bot appeared, hooked itself to the nose of the fighter and hauled them out into the sunlight.
    “In a combat situation, you have fifteen seconds to lift off before the next ship needs your space. That clock starts now.”
    She made a face at the calm words coming through her helmet, but she flicked toggles, activated the horizontal take off and the ship wobbled a little, but it rose straight into the sky.
    “Good. We are going to ride the coastline on a patrol. Orient yourself and head out.”
    Her palms were sweating, but she shifted from hover to forward movement with a smooth grip on the controllers.
    Rhoe was so fixated on following the next step in the procedure that it didn’t occur to her for a hundred miles that she was actually flying. The thrill came suddenly, and a wide smile crossed her features. “Can I find out what this thing can do?”
    “I am your backup, and we are over free airspace. Do what you like. That is the purpose of this flight after all.”
    “Understood. What is the nature of your injury?”
    “I damaged my arm during a training exercise. I will be cleared for duty in a few days.” Hiiron chuckled. “Open it