Chapter Thirteen
The time finally came for the Final Tests, and
for long, grueling hours the two young friends drew on the knowledge
that had been pounded into their minds for ten long years; but finally it was over and they stood in the hallway awaiting their
results.
2 Slowly in alphabetical order, everyone's scores appeared. But before
Morn's came on the screen, there was a hesitation, then, finally, his
name printed out and after it, the figures 99.99! An excited cry rose
from all those in the hall. "That HAS to be a record!" somebody said.
"It HAS to be! " It was the highest score ever recorded in their
peoples' history!
3 Again, the programmer hesitated, as if knowing the importance of what
he had just entered, and what he was about to enter. For the next name
to come up on the screen was Northern Star, and after it, the figures
99.89! The whole class went wild. Two ninety-nines in one school was
almost too much to believe. Morn looked at his friend. "It looks like
we're Academy Bound! " he said. "We've got to be within the top ten of
our group!" North just gazed at the screen, stunned, not even sure he
could believe what he had accomplished.
4 They were in the top ten alright, fate had seen to it that they were
the top two. As usual The Games were no problem. It was between North
and Morn for first place, and North slacked off a little, letting his
friend have the final year. Being second to Morn was getting to be part
of his life.
5 Their applications to Academy were a formality. Two days after North
sent his, a registered tape arrived. It simply said, "This is
notification that Northern Star is hereby appointed to Fleet Academy
and will report there twenty days before the beginning of the next
session. It is also noted that Northern Star shall be Second Cadet
Commander."
6 Grabbing his mother, North spun around and around,