School was great. I'd always been schooled at home by my Mam and my Aunties. It was great to live and learn among so many people my own age who were interested in the same thing. Namely flying.

The first year of classes was comprised mostly of general subjects, that is, not specific to flying. During the first year I learned a great deal of history as well as math and physics. I didn’t mind the other classes that most of my classmates found useless. But I did, of course, prefer the classes that seemed more applicable. Such as flight simulation.

My family, being a large and therefore, rather poor one, was not current on much technology. In school I learned about all the automations that rich people lived with. My first encounter with a flight simulator was a magnificent one.

I entered the classroom and was surprised to note that there were not the normal desks, but comfy-looking chairs. In front of the each chair were flight controls and a simulator helmet.

"I'm Henry MacFlu." The instructor introduced himself to us. "You call me Mac. Have a seat ladies and gents." Mac was a small man, very wiry and athletic-looking. His bristly black hair stood out from his forehead like porcupine spikes.

I stood looking at the chair. Oh yes, this was gonna be the best class. A nice comfy chair. I reclined.

"Put on the visors boyos." He never pulled the formality gig that the other instructors insisted on.

I put on the visor.

Instantly I was seeing stars. But not as if I'd been hit on the head. I was seeing space. And I was in the cockpit, at the controls. I grinned.

"Ready boys and girls?" Mac's voice was in my ear. "Have a taste of flyin'." I could hear the almost malicious humor in his voice.

Suddenly the view of serene stars flickered to an asteroid field. I heard faint gasps through the helmet and gripped my own controls hard. We'd barely been through their function in a different class and the memorization I'd made myself do came rushing back.

A huge pitted rock was headed for my view screen. I tipped the controls to the left and felt my entire chair shift as the helmet showed the swerve. I was instantly very sick to my stomach. Yes, that's right. I'd made myself ill.

I kept at it though. Silently urging my stomach to ignore the maneuvers as I gritted my teeth. I concentrated only on the controls in my hands and the space debris before me. Swerve right, pitch down, yaw left. All the time blazing forward through the spinning obstructions. I felt the impact as a chunk of rock ricocheted off my 'ship'. Then a boulder the size of a moon loomed in the screen. I pulled up, and even felt a semblance of g-force then collided into the bulk. The view screen erupted into flames then went blank.

I pulled the visor off and gasped for breath. Mac was standing in front of me and my classmates were looking at me in awe. I glanced about, confused.

"What's yer name, boyo?"

"Uh, Hoban, sir. Hoban Washburne."

"Well, Hoban, you have a-mazing reflexes." He motioned to the other students. "These are like all the others. They last only a few seconds, a minute at most on their first sim. You realize you lasted five and a half?"

"Uh, I died though."

"Ha!" He nodded. "Hoban, no, not Hoban that's a trash name."

I eyed him disdainfully. It was my name. My very own. My Mum and Pa had given it to me.

"Too many syllables." His eyes began to twinkle. "Can't rightly call ya 'Ho', now can I?" Some students laughed. I did not.

"I'd prefer it if you didn't." I agreed.

"'Hobe' don’t work neither." He leaned back. "Ah well, I'll think of one. I surely will. And for all ya's you haven’t got a simple name. Now get outta here, good session, all." He flailed his arms to move us along. No one complained that the class hadn’t even run ten minutes. I stood up, still a bit shaky.

"Uh, thanks Mr. MacFlu."

"Mac. I tell ya I like to keep things simple. In situations, you don’t wanna have to think of a longish name."

I nodded.

"Oh, and kid," I turned back to face him "Yer real good, but don’t get cocky. Don't expect special treatment."

I assured him that the thought had never crossed my mind. Not ever. But I was elated just the same. First day at the sims and I'd shown up the entire class and, apparently, everyone else who'd ever had a go. My grin simply wouldn't leave.