Red Hat Girl

Biggs's easygoing smugness dissolved into something warmer. "I've missedyou, kid." Luke looked away, embarrassed. "Things haven't exactly been the same sinceyou left, either, Biggs. It's been so—" Luke hunted for the right word and finallyfinished helplessly, "so quiet." His gaze traveled across the sandy, deserted streets ofAnchorhead. "Its always been quiet, really." Biggs grew silent, thinking. He glanced around. They were along out there.Everyone else was back inside the comparative coolness of the power station. As heleaned close Luke sense an unaccustomed solemness in his friend's tone. "Luke, I don't come back just to say good-bye, or to crow over everyone becauseI got through the Academy." Again he hesitate, unsure of himself. Then he blurtedout rapidly, not giving himself a chance to back down, "But I want somebody to know.I can't tell my parents." Gaping at Biggs, Luke could only gulp, "Know what? What are you talkingabout?" "I'm talking about the talking that's been going on at the Academy—and otherplaces, Luke. Strong talking. I made some new friends, outsystem friends. Weagreed about the way certain things are developing, and—" his voice droppedconspiratorially—"When we reach one of the peripheral systems, we're going to jumpship and join the Alliance."