The Astronaut Corps

High above the clouds.

Two fighter jets roared through the sky, one behind the other. They wove above and below the rolling clouds, chasing each other at high speed.

Nie Yun stayed glued to the lead jet's tail. With his sights locked on its exhaust, he took a deep breath and pressed the firing button with his thumb.

A voice came over the radio from the ground exercise command center.

"Target hit."

"Prepare for the next exercise."

I won!

Nie Yun exhaled, loosened the edge of his helmet, and answered calmly.

"Roger."

Live ammunition was out of the question for a routine combat exercise. Instead, both aircraft carried optical transmitters and receivers. A pilot aimed at the other jet and fired a beam of light in place of a missile. If the receiver on the target aircraft detected it, the command center declared a hit, and the "downed" aircraft withdrew from the engagement.

Of course, the mock battle was only one part of the exercise. Neither pilot could return to base before the whole exercise ended.

Once command declared the lead jet downed, the two fighters "became friends" and changed formation. They headed for the designated airspace to begin the next exercise.

Nie Yun was gearing up for the next round when a voice suddenly came over the radio.

"Exercise over. Return to base immediately."

Exercise over?

Nie Yun froze for a moment.

Though surprised, he answered.

"Roger. Exercise over. Returning to base."

Nie Yun took one last look at the blue sky, then raised his right hand and gave his comrade in the other cockpit a thumbs-up. He moved the control stick and turned his J-20 toward the air base.

The silver-gray fighter touched down amid a roar of rushing air. After a brief shudder, its rear wheels