“I might try it. It would be nice not to have an accent, except when I want one,” Yvette said.
“Do the guys think your accent is sexy?”
“Some of them,” Yvette said. “How long does it take?”
“Within two months, everyone is functional enough that they can get a job.”
“What do they do for money before they can get a job?”
“The city pays them to do things like clean the streets and stuff like that; unless they have children, then they are paid just to take care of their children while they all learn.”
“But how much can they make sweeping the streets?”
“Oh, the job doesn’t really matter; you get your condo rent-free and an open account to use to buy food and essentials; after two months you get a job and have to start paying for your own shopping, but your condo is still rent-free for the first six months.”
“That is generous,” Yvette said.
“I guess, but then everyone has to work. They say the taxes pay back the money within a year, and the city doesn’t have anyone on long-term welfare.”
“No people who just want to live on the, what is the word, dole?”
“That’s the word the British use. Last I checked nobody was living on the dole,” Catie said.
“I should get my brother to come here. Maybe they could get him to get a job,” Yvette said.
“What does he do?”
“He lives with my parents and goes to school.”
“So, he just needs to graduate.”
“He is five years older than I am. School is his job; he keeps changing what he studies so that he will never graduate. My parents just keep paying for him.”
“I guess there’s always someone who will take advantage of any system. I’ll have to check and see if Delphi City has anyone doing it now. It’s been a year since I was here before.”
“Hey, Alex!” two cadets called out as they walked by their table.
“Hi, Charles, hi Ricardo,” Catie replied.
“Isn’t Ricardo the one you had the fight with?” Yvette asked.
“Yes, but he’s cool.”
“You know that it is not always too good to be well known at the Academy?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard that. I keep trying to keep a low profile, but I guess I’m not very good at it.”
“Maybe I can help you with that.”
“You can try.”
◆ ◆ ◆
The next morning, Catie was reviewing the report from Ajda on the StarMerchant when Yvette’s alarm went off.
“What the . . .” Catie jumped as the blaring music started up. She caught her breath and looked over to see when Yvette would turn the thing off. She saw a hand come out from under the covers and paw at the Comm sitting on the table. After a few attempts, it finally found the Comm and silenced the alarm. Catie checked the time in her HUD, “0545, plenty of time to keep reviewing the specs.”
“What the . . .” Catie jumped again as the same music started blaring. She looked over and saw Yvette’s hand reaching toward her Comm again. “Oh, no you don’t!” Catie walked over and pulled the blanket off Yvette.
“Rise and shine!” she yelled.
Yvette rolled over and pulled the pillow over her head. “Not a chance!” Catie hissed as she grabbed the pillow. Then she took the glass of water from the bedside table and sprinkled a little on Yvette’s face.
“What!” Yvette squealed.
“Your alarm is going off!” Catie said as she thrust the Comm at Yvette.
“It’s only the second alarm,” Yvette said. She grabbed her Comm and silenced it.
“Well, it’s the last one I want to hear,” Catie said. “Now get up and get ready. PT starts in twenty minutes.”
Yvette sat up, gave Catie a dirty look, then stumbled into the bathroom, taking her Comm with her. Fifteen minutes later, Yvette came out and got dressed. “I could have slept for another five minutes,” she grumbled.
“You could have lived another five minutes,” Catie said. “One more blast of that music and I would have killed you.”
“What were you doing up?”
“I woke up at 0430 and was doing some work,” Catie said.
“What would possess you to get up that early, are you still on Guatemala time?”
“No, I always get up early. That way, I can take care of my morning routine in peace, get some work done, and not be rudely awakened by anyone.”
“Oh, they don’t do that to us second-classers,” Yvette said. “I don’t even think they do it to the fourth-classers anymore.”
“Well, I always get up at 0430,” Catie said. “If nobody’s pounding on me, I do just fine with five hours of sleep.”
“Wow! And sorry about the alarm. I should have warned you.”
“That would have been nice,” Catie said as she pulled on her running shoes. “You need to get ready.”
Yvette quickly pulled on a shipsuit and shoes, ran a brush through her hair, and slapped her face a couple of times. “I’m ready.”
“You know I can wake you up if you like.”
“I don’t like your wakeup method,” Yvette said. “It’s too harsh.”
“And loud music isn’t?”
“Not to me.”
“Why don’t you leave your earwig in and have your Comm start playing the music. It can keep raising the volume until you finally decide to get up.”
“Oh, I’ll try that. I’m sure it will be more pleasant than water in my face.”
“I wasn’t trying to be pleasant when I chose the water,” Catie threatened.
◆ ◆ ◆
When Catie walked into her first class of the morning, she was shocked to see the other cadets spread out and chatting with each other while they waited for the instructor to arrive. It was a small classroom, which was what she’d expected for an advanced class. As she recalled, it was similar to her eighth-grade classrooms, the last formal classes she’d attended. The lack of discipline was still discomforting. She shook her head and took a seat, waiting for one of the cadet officers to
