Learning to Dance

one there to whom it really mattered that Taz had just beat
the odds to become the youngest Starship Ranger in over a
generation. She felt strangely hollow afterward as she
followed her fellow graduates into the reception area.
She was just planning her escape route, craving a good
workout at the gym, when a young communications officer
burst excitedly into the reception. Conversations died as
everyone turned to stare at his dramatic entrance.
The officer didn’t falter, but sought the Admiral with his
eyes.
“Admiral, sir! An urgent message for you from space!”
Scattered muttering from the crowd as scenarios flashed
through Taz’s mind. She subconsciously reached for her
zapper. More robot attacks? Full-scale war?
The officer continued.
“It’s the Eagle, sir – she’s on her way home.”
The message from the Eagle, the newsfeeds later
proclaimed, had been sent by a primitive Morse code
transmission, but the encryption codes had been verified
and there was no doubt that it had come from the lost ship.
Celebrations were planned and a lot of loud “I told you
so’s” were heard throughout the mess hall. When it was
announced that the starship had been spotted within their
solar system again, a great cheer went up around the entire
Academy. The ship looked badly damaged, and if the
G.L.E.E. was able to contact them again, they were keeping
the communications to themselves. A rumour started going
around that all the ship had left was a skeleton crew of
seventy or so – far fewer crewmen than she’d left with –
and that the ship’s Commander was among the dead. The
return of the Eagle was all anyone on Earth could talk
about.
A welcoming ceremony was planned for the day the ship
finally docked at the Academy’s base. Taz stood at the far