Far Horizon (Juggernaut #4)

Twelve

Ellie turned around as soon as the shuttle doors closed.

She picked up her bag with a grunt. Leaning to one side as a counterbalance she moved forward with uneven footsteps. One leg moved free and easy. The other took the weight of the bag against her calf. One easy step. One awkward pivot to guide the bag along. Repeat.

"You need a hand with that?"

Ellie looked up from her careful walk into a face framed with brown curls. The face raised his eyebrows toward the bag she sort of carried. The gesture echoing the words.

If it was Mal asking, she would have said yes. If it was Tila - well, Tila wouldn't have offered but instead blamed her for bringing too much. But this was a new day, a new world, and a new adventure. It was a chance to be a new Ellie.

"No thank you," she said.

"It looks heavy, that's all, and you look—"

"I'm fine, thank you."

Ellie took one more step past him, just enough, she thought, to make the point, and dropped the bag. Her fingers ached.

"It is quite heavy," she admitted.

"I'm Aiden," said the boy. He lifted the bag easily and stowed it in a locker above the seats. "Senior or new cadet?"

"Um, new cadet I think."

"You don't know?"

"It's a transfer, sort of."

"Oh? Where from? The Icarus? You weren't on board the Texas."

"Yes."

"Sorry?" Aiden looked her over again. She didn't fit the mould of any pilot or cadet he had met before. She lacked the arrogance he was used to. This little blonde thing in front of him with the nice smile seemed far too timid to be joining their class. But maybe her reticence had a purpose.

"Oh, so you're the one?"

"Which one?"

"The late arrival."

"I'm not late."

"I mean you're not transferring from the Texas to the Paris, like the rest of us. You completed basic training somewhere else, or... you know?"

"Or what?"

"It's okay, your secret is safe with me. We all heard the rumours. You're the patron."

Ellie hesitated. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Is this what Conway meant? New Ellie tried to play it cool.

"I really can't say."

"I knew it! Look, it doesn't matter to me, honestly. I don't care who paid to get you in here. Not everyone can pass the entry exams. Don't feel bad, but don't rub it in anyone's face either. You're in now, that's all that matters. Enjoy yourself, don't hurt anyone, and you'll have a great time and be back to your old life before you know it."

"I could have passed the assessment."

"Could have?"

"Did. I mean did pass."

"Oh you did? I'm sorry, I rush to conclusions sometimes. Bad habit. What was your score?"

"My score?"

"Your assessment score? Was is more than eighty per cent?"

"Um."

"Eighty five? You're on your way to elite status already if you scored that high. So what was it."