It was Thursday.  Michael Sternum had been with his team three weeks now, a record-breaking amount of time for a medic and fifth member of the alpha team.  This Saturday would be the first field test of the team that Michael would be in on.  It would doubtless also be her last.

Nimitz still hadn't formally recognized Michael as having a second specialty. His quick conversation with Trent in the hallway had led to no physical results.  Although he had made a note of his recommendation he found it difficult to believe that the smiling, laughing Michael would be any better a stealth specialist than Trent himself.  He'd finally reached a decision that seemed fair.  Michael would be allowed to compete with them in the field test before he asked him to resign from their team.  It was a good way to see how their new member was able to handle real work and the stress of competition.  

He hated to admit it to himself but in all other ways the medic Sternum was a perfect fit to their team.  He hit it off instantly with Trent and Jean Paul, he was doing well with his studies and he had stopped jumping every time he saw CK.  His medical knowledge impressed their instructor and he was dutifully studying math with Jean Paul whenever Trent had the time to tutor them.

Nimitz glanced down at his activity log.  Jean Paul was another factor of their team's structure that was making him nervous.  The youngest member of their team had been missing more in the past weeks than he had in previous months...  Shortly after Jean Paul joined the team Nimitz had demanded to know why the blond was taken out so often.  He had known instantly that their story on his 'nurse checks' were bogus.  The nurse saw him daily after breakfast.  He'd gone through several books before he found the rule he needed, an obscure note that dated back to when the systems of the teams were developed.  As the team commander Nimitz had access to the student files.  Most of the time they were presented to the captain at the time that the new student was admitted to the team.  As Jean Paul and Trent were first team members he'd chosen he'd not missed it when their files were not released.

To say the headmaster was surprised when Nimitz requested a direct audience was something of an understatement.  It was a long evening of arguments and threats but Nimitz finally got the files.  In the process he also earned the renewed respect of the headmaster and his secretary.  Hours later when he had finally finished reading the contence of Jean Paul and Trent's history he realized why he'd not been handed the files in the first place.  He'd known Trent was special.  His math and science scores were far beyond what Nimitz had expected though.  His history was interesting, but irrelevant.  It was Jean Paul's file that really made him re-examine what he'd gotten himself into when he asked for the duo.  Most of his history was what would be considered classified, his physical difficulties were mostly explained and he could make a pretty solid guess as to what the teachers occasionally needed him for.

Knowing what Jean Paul was really capable of made him worry about why he was needed so much more often these days.  Besides knowing several languages Jean Paul had an amazing, even unnatural talent for breaking codes.  If they needed him more frequently for codes the war couldn't be going well...  He didn't need to see Jean Paul's stretched and worried features when he came back late at night to know what the codes were about and he knew better than to try and ask.

Nimitz glanced up at the clock on his wall.  It was 15:40.  The mission details on this Saturday's skirmish would be available to the captains at 16:00.  He was always early.  He stood as he shut his log and turned to put it in his trunk.  Only CK was in the room, reading mission logs as usual.  "CK, I’m leaving to get the mission details.  Trent, Jean Paul and Michael are studying in the library.   I expect they should be there until dinner call.  After I receive the details I will also leave to study them in the library.  I will see you at our evening meal."

CK was sprawled on his lower bunk.  Even 'relaxing' he seemed so stiff.  As always his back was to the solid end of his bunk and he held a large manila folder before his face.  He nodded curtly in response to Nimitz but said nothing, flipping a page in the folder and staring intently.  He didn't even look up as Nimitz left the room and wasn't paying attention as the door failed to click shut.

******************************************************

"Yeah, I get it now.  Thanks so much Trent, you are so good at explaining this..."  Alex looked down at her paper and the math sprawled over it.  It had been jibberish before but now it made since, which is more than she could say for poor Jean Paul... The blond was still wrapping his hair around his pencil as he stared at the numbers.  

"Awww, thanks Michael.  It's no trouble really, we all helped out when I was growing up.  Same as we all had to do laundry we all had to help tutor each other.  You're picking up a lot faster than Ceder and Pine used to..."

"They named your brothers after trees?"  Alex asked incredgiously.

Jean Paul snickered.  "His oldest sisters are named after the seasons of the year and his name was a..."

Trent's expression took on a mischefious grin as he tackled Jean Paul and clasped a hand across his mouth.  "Name's Trent, Trent Wood.   You knew that huh?"  Trying to tear Trent's hand from his mouth Jean Paul managed to squirm out of his chair and fell with a thud on the carpet, pulling Trent down with him.  The pair tussled together on the floor, Jean Paul trying to pry Trent's hand from his mouth and Trent, laughing, trying to stifle whatever it was Jean wanted to say.  "So yeah, why don't you head back to the room since you get it now.  Take another look through those sheets I gave you earlier on specialization and see if anything comes to you.  You can always petition and test under a second badge, you have until Saturday."

Alex nodded.  The stress of finding a second specialization for the field test Saturday had been weighing heavily on her.  Trent had given her the list yesterday and seemed to think that one would pop out at her if she read them over enough.  "I will Trent.  See you at dinner."  She left the pair fighting in the library.  If they were caught rough housing they probably wouldn't be punished as severely as others fighting because Jean Paul needed all the strength training they could get.  She figured they would be all right there until dinner.

She padded through the halls quietly.  Instead of the shiny black dress shoes or heave boots they normally wore she had on the trainers they used in the gym.  The light shoes allowed her to move quietly in the deserted hallways.  When she finally made it to her own room she stopped.  The door was slightly ajar, odd...  Maybe Nimitz had left his key here and needed it to be left open.  She pushed the door open on it's silent hinges and slid in, keeping it open behind her.  

A quick glance around the room reviled that CK was the only occupant.  He was tucked up on his lower bunk, intensely studying an old mission file.  This was a habit that had been well discussed among 'the trio' as they were now being called.  Trent had noticed it and thought it strange.  Commanders trying to up their scores sometimes checked out old mission files to study tactics but other positions on teams never did so.  Jean Paul guessed it might be because he had nothing else to read and field uncomfortable around other people...   Trent swore it was because he had a bo staff so far up his arse that he could find no enjoyment in anything other than the military.  This always made Jean Paul wrinkle his nose and mutter something about not being mean to their teammates.

It was of no matter.  Alex was here on her own mission, to find a second specialization.  Quietly, as not to disturb CK, she padded over to the desk behind their beds.  As she was passing him she happened to glance over to what he was reading.  The manilla folder did hold a mission file but held up before it was a battered and yellowed book.  In shock Alex leaned forward.  It was a soft back, obviously read many many times and with a taped spine.  Her eyes widened further when she realized exactly what it was.

"Oh man!"  She squealed delightedly.  "Oh I love that part!  You know the first time it was read to me I was SO afraid that Bilbo wouldn't be able to answer that one!"

In a movement too fast for her to track CK had thrown the book and folder aside and jumped from the bunk.  Before she could react he had her pined by the throat to the back wall.  Her eyes went wide with panic as his went wide in confusion.  "What are you doing here?"

It was the first time in Alex's memory that CK had ever directly asked her a question.  He hardly ever spoke to her and when he did it was to bark out orders.  Unfortunately she was too choked for air to answer.  She gasped and pulled at his hands.

He loosened his grip only a little and shot another question at her.  "Why were you sneaking up on me?"

With slightly more air admitted to her lungs Alex was able to answer.  "I didn't sneak up on you... I... I'm just in here to try and find a second classification."

CK's expression was doubtful and still threatening, "If that's true why didn't I hear you?"

"I don't know!"  Alex squeaked.  Her smaller hands were still prying at his fingers.  "The door was open.  I thought it was supposed to be.  I left it open and came in.  I’m just quiet I guess."

"Maybe."  CK admitted, letting her down.  He seemed to consider it unlikely, but possible.  "Did you see what I was reading?"

"Of course."  Alex answered.  As soon as she saw the expression harden on his face she reflected that perhaps it would have been better to lie.  Too late now.  "I thought it was weird that you should have a book behind your mission reports so I leaned forward to see what it was.  It's ok though, I love that book too.  It's way better than the trilogy that comes after..."

She fully expected CK to grunt and go back to his work.  His sudden glint of interest took her by surprise.  "There's a trilogy?  More books by the same author?"

Still on edge though she was she couldn't help a small laugh at that.  "Yes, J.R. Tolkin was a wonderful writer, besides the ring trilogy that follows The Hobbit we've found several short stories penned by him as well."

She was caught in his gaze as he studied her.  She wasn't sure what he was looking for but he seemed to find it and nod.  "Oh."  

That was all he said before he stepped backwards, towards his bunk.  She thought it was all over when he turned to face her again.  "If you ever tell anyone about what you saw I'll choke you in your sleep."

She never doubted it for a second.

"Nimitz, a word?"

Nimitz stopped in his tracks.  They were on their way to dinner but CK seldom spoke to him unprompted.  It must be important.  "Of course."

"Michael."

"Yes?"

"Stealth operative."

"Really?"  All he got in response was a curt nod.  "Funny... that's what Trent said too.  May I ask why?"

CK examined his commander with a cold eye.  "No."

Nimitz wasn't able to get anything else out of him.  But if CK suggested it, the paper work would be done directly after dinner.