A long strip of the Equator ring was marked off with flashing drones, as the Aeronautics Club of the Craton prepared to launch.

Brooks was the only member, though Apollonia had appointed herself as an honorary member of the club for today.

She had gotten an aviator's cap and goggles, with a matching bomber jacket. Brooks had laughed upon seeing them, admitting that he'd never gone that far.

"That's fine," she told him. "I got them in your size, too!"

Brooks had donned the outfit with good cheer, even though it did not suit his typical Antarctican demeanor.

But Apple beamed at him. "We need more people in the club so I can get everyone to dress up like this."

"Don't you dare," Brooks replied with amusement. "I don't want to have to seriously run a club."

From a protective case he brought out his plane. It had four wings, and was a mottled tan and green, with large red stars on it.

It was the model he'd been working on before the mission to Ko, months ago. Even after his return, he'd taken months to return to his duties, refusing to leave the !Xomyi band he had saved. Until they felt secure in their new situation aboard the vast carrier that was slowly preparing them for life away from their doomed homeworld.

After he'd returned, she had made the suggestion; "Why don't we fly your plane?"

Now, they were minutes away from its first flight.

He'd said it was a Po-2. The name had no meaning to her, but she had nodded along as he had told her of its history from nearly a thousand years ago.

"It was a great plane," he finished.

"Great," she said. "Let's see it fly!"

Brooks urged her to wait a few more minutes while he did last-minute checks. Opening up a hatch, he tinkered with the engine. Apollonia thought he was just stalling, but waited anyway.

"So I hear tomorrow is your test," he said to her.

Oh. So that's why he was taking this time.

Nervousness wriggled into her stomach at the thought of her Officer Candidacy Test. She had taken practice tests, but Jaya had helpfully told her they were not much like the actual thing. "To let you practice it will be a hindrance," she had said. "It's best if you go in fairly blind."

"Yeah," she replied to Brooks.

"Do you feel confident?"

"No," she admitted, looking away.

"It's probably good. Thinking on your feet is better, and the more confident you feel the more shock you'll have when you find you aren't ready."

"That's a great pep talk," she said. "Really. Truly."

Her sarcasm got him to side-eye her. "The plane is good to go," he said.

Apollonia's excitement returned. "Yeeeeeee!"

He lifted it with both hands over his head, while she hopped aside.

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"Ready?"

She nodded. "Let 'er rip!"

Brooks started the engine. It chugged to life with an adorably tiny putt, and its propeller began to spin. She'd seen him test it, but now it really started up.

He threw it forward, trying not to nosedive it, and the plane cruised ahead - at first jerkily, wanting to fall, but the pilot inside - a tiny robot controlled a simple flight AI - corrected and gunned the engine, and it began to gain altitude.

Around the blocked-off area, a crowd of dozens of curious onlookers had gathered. Their eyes followed the plane on its maiden voyage, a soft chorus of 'ooohs' accompanying its success.

It was to be short-lived, as a regular drone blundered into the airspace. The pilot AI swerved, tipping the wings, but he lost precious lift and began to spin out of control.

Until Urle reached up and caught the plane easily in one hand.

"It was a nice flight," he called.

The crowd applauded. Apollonia thought it was more for Urle's catch than the plane itself.

He came over slowly, the AI pilot in the plane frantically working the flaps and gunning the engine to escape his grip. The crowd began to disperse.

"That was my drone, sorry," Urle said as he came closer.

"It's all right," Brooks said. "The plane flew straight long enough to show that she could. I'm pleased with the result."

Urle handed the plane over to Brooks. "There's a high priority message coming in for you. You had your system notifications off so I sent the drone to your room. By the time it found you here, well . . . I was already here."

There was a little rebuke in his words; the Captain should not be out of communication.

Brooks reluctantly turned his system back on. "It was only for the flight," he said.

"Bad timing," Urle replied, sounding like he felt bad. "And I wouldn't have bothered you if the message wasn't important."

Brooks looked to Apollonia. "Thank you, honorary club member, for your assistance."

She saluted properly. "Anytime, cap'n."

He returned the salute gravely before turning back to Urle. "I'll take the call in my office."

----------------------------------------

As Brooks took his leave, Apollonia looked across the crowd of dispersing onlookers. Most of the people were unknown to her, though Ann gave her a wave before going back into Watchito's. Several other people filtered in after her.

No one could resist good pizza, Apollonia thought.

One person was not moving away, though, just watching her with a serene smile.

"Hey, Cathal!" she called, waving her arm over her head.

His smile grew a little bigger, and she jogged over. "Or should I say Father Sair?" she said as she got close.

"You may call me however you like," he told her.

"Just not late for dinner?"

He snorted out a small laugh. "That was an impressive flight."

"Next time we'll be launching a whole air fleet," she promised him.

"Typical Union extravagance," he said. "Why launch one when you could launch a million?"

His tone was light, but his words seemed sharp, and she was caught off-guard. "Well, why not?" she asked, her tone openly challenging.

She knew that religion was no longer really a thing in the Sapient Union, and in many ways Father Sair was an outsider on the ship. But no one ever gave him a hard time or even seemed to think less of him for his beliefs or role as a clergy; they just did not share in his beliefs.

But he did seem to have a chip on his shoulder about that, at times.

He seemed fine, though, to just accept her words. "Perhaps you are right," he said.

His smile turned thoughtful. "I was wondering if you might be interested in spending some time in prayer with me tonight? I know you do not share my faith, but the practice is still good for the mind."

That was true, but Apollonia didn't know if she wanted to. She had been planning to study more. But maybe praying would help settle her mind for the test?

Her hesitation prompted Cathal to continue. "Or, perhaps tomorrow night? We are holding a ceremony - I think you will find it more interesting, we will be telling myths and legends. They are quite interesting, even to the layman."

That was more doable, she thought. It would be after her test, and she'd . . . well, maybe she'd want the zen, or the consolation. "Yeah, tonight I'm kinda busy, but tomorrow night? That'd be great!" She felt a little excitement about the idea, washing away Cathal's remark about the Union.

His smile was pleasant and genuine, revealing under his normally serious demeanor the handsomeness of youth. "I am very glad you will be able to come."