The week flew by. I'm not sure why, but the cadets kept doing better every day.

Friday morning was another dorm inspection. I had to look harder to find something wrong, and since I had to look hard, I really didn't worry about it. I was getting the names of people, slowly, and they were becoming more personal in their room layouts. Drawings of two and a half ships kept popping up in different places, and I grinned at each one. Some of them cadets were really good artists.

Raul introduced me to their six new Assistant Shift Leads, and I shook hands with each one of them. Everyone was please with themselves until I gave them the order.

"Raul, spread the word. Classes end early on Friday, and we have a work party at the field across from the rifle range. Mandatory formation, work uniform, 1700 sharp. If we work hard we can knock it all out in a couple of hours, and then everyone will be free for the weekend." I had to nod quickly and turn away, not laughing was hard to do. 'Course, there was some grumbling, but that's to be expected. I needed to give them as much as they had given me, and this was a good time for it.

Ma had come in mid-week, saying that Missy needed help around the house. I'm not sure what she meant; I was doing stuff, but it helped me since I could study more. Missy seemed happy for it too, I guess having another lady to talk to helps.

Attitudes during the Friday courses weren't as high spirited, and I had figured as much. Still, the entire team worked hard, wrapped up classes, and then showed up at the field.

My guess is that they didn't expect to be laying out picnic tables and setting up chairs. Missy and Ma already had all three grills going, I found out that you can rent them, along with the tables and chairs, at the base.

We found cadets who could take over the grills, and Ma started unpacking tater salad, chips, beans, and all sorts of other things. Cadets pitched in there too, and Missy organized everyone. A group of cadets were sent to get whatever outdoor games folks wanted to play. Someone ran back to the dorm and grabbed a portable stereo system, and then we had weird music to go along with the laughter and talking.

I made sure Missy got a few kisses before she swatted me away. Folks laughed at that, too, and I just shrugged. The message had been clear, Missy was my girl, and my only girl. Some of the others were trying to form couples. A few times it worked, often it didn't. I had hopes for folks, they deserved as good as Missy and me. But they had to find their own way, too.

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The party went on late into the evening, and someone showed up with a couple of stand up fire pits. I love being near a real fire; it warms the body and the soul all at once. Someone else had gotten stronger beverages, and to be honest, I didn't care. They were adults now, and they needed to make their choices in life. Except for clean-up and policing the area, every cadet did that. A bunch of they shooed Missy and Ma away, and told them to go sit and enjoy the evening.

In the end, it was just me, the three Shift Leads, one fire pit, and a half a bottle something with some kick.

"Y'all did good, I'm proud of you," I said. Patricia handed me the bottle, and I took a swig before handing it to Conrad. Raul was staring hard at the fire, and Conrad had to wave the bottle at him before he took it.

"How do you deal with the pressure, Chief?" Raul held the bottle, unused this round.

"What do you mean? Being Chief? Or something else?"

Raul kept staring at the fire. "I have a hyper-achieving sister that I can't ever compete with, and I barely made it into the Academy. The course work is already starting to worry me, and we've only been here one week. I...I don't think I can make it."

He still hadn't taken a drink, and for a minute I thought Patricia was going to wrestle him for it. He finally seemed to get the hint, and handed it over.

"When I said that two of my crews inspired me to do more than I ever thought possible, I meant it." I took the bottle after Patricia took her swig. "I worked as an Apprentice, and got no training and no papers. Half the stuff on the ship didn't work, and the only thing they let me do was clean the bilge and wipe down the connections."

I looked at the bottle, and then passed it to Conrad. "To top it off, I had a family debt to pay off, and I was as broke as Patricia's moral code. There had been an accident, and I was injured. By regulations I could have stayed in sick bay, and no one would have said a word. Captain needed me, though, and I reported for duty. Then things got worse. So much worse."

It was my turn to stare into the fire. "Captain asked me to do the impossible. I gave him everything I could, and found stuff to give him that I didn't know I had. We did what had to be done."

After a couple of minutes, I looked up. Raul was looking at me, and he said. "The half ship?"

I just nodded. "And the dead friends. That's why I have faith in you. I have seen what can be done when we don't limit ourselves to just what we think we can do. I have seen a team commit to an impossible mission, and succeed. You can do it, too."

Raul nodded. "My sister says the same thing. You'd like her, maybe she can visit. I think I'll ask her for advice on how to keep going."

He looked at me and smiled. "Thanks, Chief."