Professor Gregory Bahnsen explained the fundamentals of starship operation, couching his explanations of the controls in pictures of what they do. The class spent hours playing with buttons and switches on the simulators to see how they affected a ship. Then, after lunch, they shuffled off to a math class where they were introduced to differential calculus. They would come to use this material in their subsequent class, physics, where they learned how to calculate basic starship trajectories.

That evening, they returned to the dorms exhausted. Ed did his nightly routine - remove the outer layers of clothing (leaving behind his T-shirt and pants), take care of oral hygiene, do his daily devotions, and get to bed. Ed let Sofie take the bottom bunk, since it required less effort to get into and offered more security. As he lay in bed looking up at the ceiling, his thoughts drifted to Sofie again. He wanted to talk to her, get to know her better. But what to say? She was a tight-lipped individual, the kind of person who doubtless saw interpersonal interaction as tedious. Truth be told, he didn't blame her. Interaction [i]was[/i] exhausting. But at the same time, it was pivotal to becoming a good trader, and it was an area she was weak in. This brief window of time when they were alone was a rare opportunity to engage her.

"Hey, Sofie..." he began quietly, "I've been meaning to talk with you about something. During that 'Two Truths and a Lie' game, I implied that my becoming Emperor was a lie and my being wealthy was the truth. Actually, the reverse is true. Everything I possess was given to me by my parents. I have nothing to call my own, not a penny to my name that I earned with my own two hands. Part of the reason I joined this course was so I could learn how to support myself. But it's not the only, or even primary, reason for my being here. The primary reason is because I aim to become Emperor of the galaxy someday. I need to go out there and see my future subjects, and learn who they are, what pleases them, what they struggle with, what challenges they face. I need to see the galaxy. Being a star trader lets me do that at my own pace."

He clenched his fist. "When I was younger, as part of my history lessons, I learned a little about the other people we share this galaxy with. The Terran people suffer under the thumb of tyrannical overlords, with no freedoms, little food, and no future. The Zeranian people live in decadence, suffering in their own way under the weight of their own cultural corruption. The Confederates have to deal every day with rampant lawlessness and piracy. But here? We Crescents enjoy a prosperity not seen in centuries. Our justice system is solid. Our military is strong. Our moral compass is calibrated. The people of the galaxy are crying out in pain, and we have the means to help them. That's why I want to become Emperor."

"What I'm getting at is, I'm serious about becoming a star trader. If I want to rise to the top of the galaxy, I have to first show that I can rise to the top of my class. What I'd like to know is how serious you are about being a star trader. A big part of being a trader is connecting with people, and it looks like you're having a lot of trouble with that. I was thinking maybe you could...you know...practice with me. If you're serious about this path."