The Apprentice Starship Engineer: Book One The Link by Daniel Hanks Read Free Book Online

“Nice to see you again. I mean it when I say thank you for making Margret the way she is. Thanks. I must be going. I have a class.” I got up from the table.
    Sandra was hard on me. She worked me like a dog. After we finished, she said, “We’re going to have a tournament. I entered you as a novice. We have a month. You’ll be ready.”
    What could I say? She looked so happy and excited. What I’d do for a friend was just stupid. I smiled, and said, “Great, that sounds like fun. You think I stand a chance?”
    “No worries. I’ll make sure you’re ready,”
    I cursed myself all the way to my dorm. What the hell was the matter with me? I should just stand up for myself and stop being such a dumb nice guy. After taking a shower, I hung out in the dayroom, watching a video, then Johnny started giving a woman breathing lessons. Feeling uncomfortable, I went to my tube, going to bed early.
    All through breakfast Margret had been unusually quiet, no smart little remarks, no suggestions, nothing. I didn’t know what was wrong, but as I was about to leave she told me.
    “I should always go with you. I hate being left behind.”
    “You heard her. No electronics allowed. I have to leave you here. It’ll just be a few hours.” She didn’t answer as I closed the door.
    Kathy wasn’t happy. She was tart as she told me to take a seat. She read me the rules and reminded me if I was caught cheating on the exam, I could be expelled from the union.
    “Kathy, I won’t cheat. I expect to pass in the high nineties,” I said.
    “Take a seat. The exam will start in five minutes.”
    She handed me a calculator and a touch pad with a stylist. She took a seat facing me. She sat up, looking straight at me. I unsnapped my sleeves and pulled them back, then rolled my arms over to show her I didn’t have any answers written on them. We stared at each other as the countdown continued.
    “You have nice eyes,” I said.
    “No talking during the test,” she said.
    The timer went to zero, and the first page of the test appeared. I gave her a smile and then found my groove. I hit it hard, flying through each problem as fast as I could. Everything else faded. It was just me and the test. After answering the last question, I looked up at her. She shook her head. The screen in front of me flashed one hundred percent. No questions missed, it said. I looked back to her, and she slumped in her chair.
    “How did you do that?” she asked.
    “I work very hard.”
    “Oh.”
    After pulling down my sleeves, I held out my hand. “Come on, I’ll buy you lunch.”
    She was quiet as we walked. Coming around a corner, Jenny ran into us. She looked at Kathy, then at me and our hands.
    “Oh, I get it. That’s why you’re so busy,” she said with a crooked smile. She turned on her heel and then walked away at a fast pace.
    Kathy’s face turned red, and I laughed. “You’re an awful young man,” she said, then turned and went back the other way, shaking her head.
    I headed to engineering. On my way I stopped at a cafeteria and picked up a sandwich to go, then grabbed Margret, who was still pissed. Bob and Jack were both at the shop when I arrived.
    “Ah, don’t worry, lad, you’ll get it next time. It took me two tries to pass it,” Bob said.
    “This won’t hurt you. It’ll put you back a few months, but you’re smart. You’ll pass easy next time,” Jack said.
    I looked at both of them and smiled. “I aced it.”
    “You aced it, in what, an hour?” Bob said, getting up. “If you don’t mind, I’ll give Kathy a call.”
    “Ah, Bob,” Jack said, shaking his head, “let’s leave Kathy out of this for now. You and I both know he couldn’t have taken the test much less aced it in an hour.” He gave me his son-don’t-give-me-no-shit look. “So what happened, Drake? Was the test canceled?”
    I smiled at him. “I’ll call Kathy. She can tell you,” I said, pulling out Margret. “Please call Kathy Shelling.” Both Jack