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.Am I right?”Alan half-grunted.“Forget suspicious staffers.I’m still not happy that this Callin boy, whom we know nothing about, already knows so much about you.”Steve sighed.“Yeah.I agree with you on that.I wish I’d met Callin while I was out somewhere as Vortex, instead of in my own backyard.But.” He threw his hands up.“.what’s done is done, I guess.Think of it this way: The more we learn about Shining Star tonight, the more it will help level the playing field.Right?”Alan opened his mouth to reply, but a flicker of light from above distracted both of them.Instead, he said, “There’s your new friend now, I think.” He started backing toward the training center.“I’ll let Ardette know our guest has arrived.Unless you want me to wait with you?”“No, thanks.I’ll be fine.We’ll join you shortly.”Alan half-grunted as he trotted for the training center door.Now that Alan was gone and his enhanced eyes could clearly make out Shining Star’s rapid approach, Steve found himself unexpectedly nervous.Occasional doubts aside, he’d spent the past twenty-four hours more excited than anything else, eager to the point that he’d had trouble sleeping last night.but now butterflies swarmed in his stomach, and he wasn’t entirely sure why.He didn’t feel like he was in any “danger” — no tingling of the spider-sense; no disturbance of the Force — it was just, sort of.well, the jitters.I feel like I’m about to meet a blind date or something.How lame is that?How would you know? asked an inner voice that sounded suspiciously like his older brother, Jonathan.When was the last time you went on a date?Shut up, he replied with a smile, not realizing that it was the first time he’d thought about his absent brother without experiencing a familiar twinge of pain.Shining Star zoomed down toward him like a silent comet, not slowing his approach until the last possible moment, then touching down so gently that his dark silver boots barely made any noise.No wonder I didn’t hear him last night!Taking the initiative, Steve smiled and said, “Hello again, Shining Star.”Shining Star answered, “Hello,” his words still out of sync with his lips.He cocked his head to one side and looked Steve up and down.“You are not to wear your cape tonight.”Aw, crap, Steve thought, Alan was right.I should’ve done this as Vortex.He said, “Uh.no, I’m not.I, uh.” What had rolled off the tongue so easily with Alan now sputtered out in a slow, clumsy drip.“I just figured.well, you already know who I, so, um.you know.”“You brought it under the coat when last night we met.But now you aren’t to wear it at all.Makes your cape.?” Callin hesitated before backing up and rephrasing, “Does not your cape has a special meaning?”Not sure where this was going, Steve answered, “Well.yeah, it does, actually.It projects a sort of, you know, dramatic flare, an iconic panache and mystique—” He caught himself, remembering that his guest, translator or not, lacked a full command of English.He simplified it to, “It projects an image that I hope excites people.”Shining Star did his sort-of-nod thing.“I see.” But he seemed vaguely disappointed and pensive now, though that super-dark mask of his made it hard to tell for sure.Wanting to fill the awkward silence, Steve pointed and said truthfully, “Your cape looks awesome, by the way.Does your cape have a special meaning? I mean, beyond being a part of your uniform?”Shining Star remained quiet long enough for Steve to wonder if he hadn’t understood the question, but then he said, “To us.where I’m from, a cape symbols regal distinction.I wear my cape recall this, and other things.” He offered a slight smile and added, “Besides to be part of my uniform.”“Ah.” Steve nodded, though he wasn’t sure he followed all of that or how much meaning was lost in the translation.Were there parts of Russia where the higher-ups still wore capes? Was this guy descended from royalty?“Why don’t you come inside with me?” he invited — if nothing else, Alan and Ardette would provide two more sets of ears for Callin’s broken English.He stepped toward the training center with a “come along” gesture.Shining Star hesitated, and even shifted his weight away; for a second, it looked like he might fly off instead.But then, to Steve’s relief, he semi-nodded and followed.This sense of reluctance from Shining Star had Steve worried.If he only could’ve known how much not wearing his uniform tonight was dropping the ball.Talk about your D’oh! decisions.This sucks.They entered the training center across from the control area, and Steve offered a quick, “You remember Alan and Ardette from last night?” as they crossed the open room.“He’s so young,” Ardette whispered to Alan as they approached [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]