03: Tuesday, July 7, 2043, 1400 hours CST: Colby
Zach stood near Hanger 17 and called Colonel Bruno, Colleen. "I'm just calling you to let you know I'm waiting for Doctor Tang to arrive."
"Very well," replied Colleen.
"Now that you've had a chance to sleep on it, any doubts about keeping me on the team?"
"I'm still feeling it today, so no. I enjoyed spending the time with you," Colleen said. These phone calls might be monitored, but there could be any number of explanations for the exchange, the simplest conclusion being that they had trained together. "How about you? Eleven women: that seems like a lot of women to deal with on a day-to-day basis."
"I'm sure you're all delightful. I'm sure it will be fine."
"I know you'll be busy with intake over the next several days, but once you've cleared that, I'd enjoy a rematch."
"Count on it, ma'am. I'd enjoy that very much as well. I'll keep you posted."
"Carry on."
A T-38 taxied up to him and stopped, its engines winding down. The canopy popped, and out stepped Anming Tang in a flight suit. She had been awarded a Nobel Prize in Physics last year at the age of 26 for her theoretical work in describing Dark Matter and Dark Energy. She was the only physicist from mainland China ever to actually do her Laureate work while living in mainland China. As all 5'5" of her walked towards him to greet him in her form fitting flight suit, he was struck by the fact that Anming had a few things going for her besides probably being the finest mind of this or perhaps any century.
Anming took his proffered hand, and said, "Hello, you are Zachary." She said it very carefully "Zach-a-ry," like she had practiced it many times. With her other hand, she grabbed his arm at the bicep as if she were steadying herself. She eyed him quizzically and smiled. Her photographs hadn't done her justice. She had an exotically delicate and beautiful face ideally set off by the heroic nature of the flight suit. The most remarkable thing about her facial features were her big, wide set, beautifully almond eyes. They were stunning. Her lithe body and pert B-cup breasts enhanced her stunning presence, but most importantly, her brilliance animated her with a sparkling energy and winning personality that hit him between the eyes like a sledgehammer. Her jaw quaked slightly. She was feeling nervous and shy.
Zach immediately had a very strong compulsion to take her up in his arms and comfort her. He would do anything for her. He was in love. He had to snap out of it and say something. "Yes, Doctor Tang... Anming. It's such an honor," he gushed. Oh no, he was overdoing it. By way of small talk, he asked, "How does it feel to be free?" Immediately, he wanted to kick himself.
Anming seemed unperturbed by Zach's remark, and replied, "Ready to meet the new boss, same as the old boss. I'm sorry, I struggle, my English."
Zach hadn't expected Anming to quote the Who to him, and elliptically, at that. "I like your English," he offered, and he was rewarded with another smile from her and a cock of her head that made his heart sing. He opened the car door for her. "I'll take you to her." She climbed in, and he drove her over and parked in front of the temporary building housing Colonel Bruno's office. They went in, and he introduced her to the Colonel's adjutant. After this, Anming turned to him, held his hand in both of her slender hands, looked him deeply in the eyes, and with a bit of a quaver in her voice said, "Ready soon."
"Okay, I'll wait here," Zach replied happily.
"No. Don't wait. Go," Anming urged him, smiling, as if he had told a joke.
A look of confusion must have crossed his face, and she kept smiling. It seemed at this point that he had been dismissed, so he backed away a few steps. But his heart was begging him, so he blurted clumsily, "Would you please go to dinner with me?"
Still smiling, she answered, "No, thank you."
Zach's heart sank into the pit of his stomach, and he said, "Okay... then... I'll see you around." And turned and scooted out of there so she couldn't see him wince from the pain of her rejection.
He was a freaking astronaut, and he had to calm the fuck down. Clearly she wanted nothing to do with him and had just been being polite. He was a damned fool. He felt truly crushed. Why did he always fall in love with women who wanted nothing to do with him? Then his alarm rang. He had to be at Colby Lincoln's place in half an hour. Luckily, it was only fifteen minutes away. Well, no time to mope about this. He scraped his heart off the tarmac, climbed in his car, and drove to Colby's house.