Some Luck

Flash fiction, 600 words. For IAM's March 6 prompt. Doing a little present tense this week.

IAM’s March 6 image prompt. https://ironage.media/prompt/the-aviatrix.html. Courtesy of Iron Age Media.

Cassie Stone has no luck.

First day of flight school, and what happens? A tornado. Not just any tornado. A tornado that rips off the roof of the hangar and throws a piece on top of the bird she’s supposed to fly. That’s it. An F12 twister coming in from the clear sky, and that’s the only casualty.

And the Sterdgians? They’re superstitious. Tornado Girl, they’re calling her, and they’re not joking. None of the flight instructors agree to get into the reserve bird with her.

Sterdge is part of her bad luck. Nothing good happened to bring her here, to this bright, empty planet that shivers with fear and omens. It’s a planet beset with tornadoes, hurricanes, spouts – if it twists in the sky, Sterdge has got it – and their main mode of transportation is flight. No wonder they’re always worried.

Cassie Stone has never had luck.

First day of life, and what happens? Her parents say they’re going to eat some burgers. Never return. The nurse has got to name her. And take her in.

First day of kindergarten, and what happens? Earth gets attacked by aliens. She’s so scared she pees herself, and all the kids laugh. Alien lasers are firing all around them, and she’s what gets the attention.

First day of college, and what happens? She gets drafted. Not Deirdre Seres before her, not Lorelai Stone-Bennington after her. Only Cassie Stone. Only girl in the entire state university to get her name picked.

First day of boot camp, and what happens? Bad munitions in the armory explode. Everyone else gets a medical discharge back into their old life. Cassie Stone? Not a scratch. The camp’s a smoking ruin, of course. Off to the auxiliary camp on Sterdge.

First day of placement on Sterdge, and what happens? She’s the only one who scores high enough for the air force. The air force. On Sterdge.

First day of flight school, and what happens?

Cassie Stone has no luck.

“Stone? Cassandra Stone?”

A man’s standing over her. Not a Sterdgian, a Terran. Of course he’s got the captain’s bars half-torn on his jacket. Of course he’s the handsomest man she’s ever seen. Of course he finds her sat on the ground like a rock. She pulls herself to her feet and salutes.

“You don’t have to do that. It’s just plain ol’ Dan Hardy now.” He shows her the empty sleeve where his left arm should be. “Resigned last week over obvious medical difficulties. I’m just wearing the kit until a supply ship gets here with a sweatshirt.” He leans in with a grin. “Between you and me, it won’t be long for you, either. The war against the Centurians is over. They’re going to release most of the draftees.”

Probably all of them except Cassie Stone.

 He looks at her record. “Wow, you survived Philadelphia? And Camp Grant … damn.” He looks at her wrecked bird. “Good thing everyone was grounded until I got here. I’d told the Sterdgians I’d teach the Terran, you know. If you’d all been up in the air when that twister hit …”

He looks at his empty sleeve. “Wish I’d taken someone like you on my last run.”

 Then he shrugs and motions her toward the reserve bird.

 “You stick close, pay attention, and be my rabbit’s foot,” says Dan Hardy with a charming smile.

Okay, maybe Cassie Stone has some luck.