In Shaw AFB Base, there were 4 squads of recruits. Being an effective Shine pilot was their sole goal. Each squad had 6 boys in it. That meant 24. The big pilot program was managed and headed by the United Nations because they had to manage humanities response to the Z'lanthrax threat. Henry was a native South Carolinian. He was one of the majority white boys on base. That did not matter to him though. It was time to hone his skills as a pilot. He wanted to serve his country first and then his planet. Henry wanted to fight to defend his homeland and family. The United States had lots of good looking recruits and he was one of them. He was a prospective 4th generation Glowie if he got in. Both his grandfather and father were Bottoms. Both had unfortunately sustained critical injuries that made them unable to continue piloting the Shines. His great-grandfather was a Top. It was a shame. Henry had always wanted to pilot with his father. They retired. Some people were often disappointed about what befell them. Due to his desire to follow in his father's example, he aspired to be a Bottom.
Because his father was a Glowie, Henry was essentially born on base. He knew all of the protocols and was professional when on the clock. Henry saw how his dad was praised as a true hero. Shannon Gregory was the Top and their full partnership was legendary worldwide. Henry even got to tour the big cockpit with them. His father went on several combat missions against the hostile alien menace. However, his father was seriously injured in a battle. The fact that Henry's father, Mark Miller, was an officer and humanity was united under the UN for the war, Henry's father achieved international fame for his service. It was clear the fame had not went to his head. His father and grandfather had instilled hospitality, patience and humility into his head. His family did not want Henry to go into the program because they thought he was way too young. Especially after Mark Miller got injured. Now that he was 17, he was able to join the Pilot Program with parental permission. When a recruiter from Mark's old unit came to dinner, there was not much he could do to stop him. Henry had 5 boys with him.
They were all pretty nice in Henry's opinion. He did have any problems with them. They looked at him on the first day and wondered what to expect from him. When his father was active as a pilot, Henry spent time in several nice European countries. His French and German was totally fluent. It was much better than his father's. The first few months were spent in a boot camp. Then they were allowed to get in their Shine simulator room. While in training, all the prospective Glowies wore the training mech suit. Henry knew all about them. It was not comfortable. Not at all. He had seen his father and grandfather's at their house. These were the standard tan and only had the word "Testing" on the chest. They also did not have sleeves or pant legs. It was all part of their hazing ritual. None of his squad mates had the lineage he had. He was the oldest member of their squad and the second tallest. Only Jesse was taller than him. They had to attempt synchronizing in pairs. He went up to Jesse. "Want to sync up!? I think that you can be a good Top. I'll take Bottom." he proposed. Jesse nodded his head.
