Rip turned quickly and looked through a helmet at the grinning face of
Major Joe Barris.
Barris spoke as though to himself, but Rip turned red as his hair. "Funny
how fast a man ages in space," the Planeteer major remarked. "Take Foster.
A few weeks ago he was just a cadet, a raw recruit who had never met high
vack. Now he’s talking like the grandfather of all space. I don’t know how
the Special Order Squadrons ever got along before he became an officer."
Rip had been feeling a little too proud of himself.
"It’s good to get back," Rip said.