" Great! Right then, Mr H, I'll get on with the cleaning. You go and do your thing and I'll let you know when I'm finished." OK, Sharon!"Richard was a...palled. It was like Sharon was looking on things as part of her job, an extension of her cleaning: a duty that possibly she owed to Rachel. He had to do something about it but wasn't at all sure what. Sharon was so bossy!He quietly got on with some work, made and drank a cup of coffee on his own mid-morning and got no further with deciding how to. The tests had been grueling, some things so simple while others were well above his realm of capabitility. Fifty days ago he'd recieved the acceptance notice. Ten days ago he'd gotten the standard issue uniform and haversack for Cadets. Yesterday he'd said goodbye to his family and started the journey to the landing pad. And now he was waiting.The other guy across the field looked like a farm kid just like Dack, just a little more slim, a little taller. They could have been brothers, if it. I was at a crucial point in my latest Project and kept working until I came to a good stopping point.Twenty new students were being lectured to by the stocky weapons instructor. The older students were warming up off to the side in their usual place by the dummies. I wasn’t exactly an older student, but I had earned Kyle’s respect, he skipped me well past the beginner’s portion of his lessons.I waved at the Dojo owner and headed to stretch in my heavy Carhartts that he insisted that I practice. I hope you know what you've taken on?" Oh, Hamish has already confessed to what you all ate for breakfast yesterday, so we made him carry a decent sized joint back from Mr Waite's shop. We reckon that we'll be able to feed six of you starving students, and I might even get a little bit of leftover cold beef to go with my gruel during the week!" I'll gruel you, Alastair! Have you forgotten your manners again?" I'm sorry, my darling! Everyone, this is my wife Catriona, who has cheerfully put up.