The secret. Right here, in my fingers. I owed Cobb an enormous debt—not just for today, but for everything. For making space for me in his classroom, when no one else would give me a chance. For suffering me all these weeks, for not punching me square in the face when I’d called him a coward.

I’d make it up to him. Somehow. I tucked the data square into my pocket and strode toward the training building. I could probably plug this in to my mockpit, though could I even use that while on medical leave?

I was so single-minded in my attention that I didn’t notice the people I was passing until one called out to me. “Wait. Spin?”

I froze, then turned. It was FM, wearing a skirt. Like, a real skirt and blouse, her short blonde hair done with silver barrettes.

“Stars, where have you been?” she said, grabbing me by the arm. “In your cave?”

“Where else would I be?”

“You have leave.” she said. “The domineering authoritaria has relaxed its viselike grip on us. We can go off base.”

“I go off base every night.”

“This is different,” she said, pulling me by my arm. “Come on. You’re lucky Quirk sent me to fetch something for her.”

“Kimmalyn?” I said. “You’ve seen her since she left?”

“Of course I have. It’s not like she moved to another planet or something. Come on.”

I wasn’t likely to change FM’s mind when she was in one of her crusading moods… so I let her tow me after her. Out past the gates of the base. Along the rows of buildings, into one I’d never paid much attention to before.

Which held a completely new world.

38

The restaurant wasn’t much, really. A jumble of tables full of younger pilots and cadets. Dim lighting. A man playing hand drums in the corner for some music.

FM pulled me to a table where Arturo sat with his arm around a girl I didn’t recognize—short hair, brown skin. Kimmalyn sat primly at the table with a very large, very purple drink in front of her. Next to her was Nedd.

Nedd. I hadn’t seen him in weeks. Ever since that night on the launchpad! He had on trousers and a button-up shirt, and a jacket was draped across the back of the chair. It was strange to see him in street clothes. Especially next to Arturo, who had on his cadet’s jumpsuit.

I could hear Nedd’s easygoing voice over the hum of other chatter in the room. “I never said I was that kind of stupid. I’m the other kind of stupid. You know, likable stupid.”

Arturo rolled his eyes, but the girl next to him leaned forward. “Nedd,” she said, “stupid is stupid.”

“No it’s not. You’re talking to an expert. I—”

“Guys,” FM interrupted, presenting me with hands raised to the side, “look who I found slinking around the base. She was moping about how she can’t shoot anything for a few days.”