Chapter 1
It was twelve p.m., on a Tuesday. Adele was on the phone with her father as she made herself lunch.
Every day was like this. Unless Zechs could actually make it home for lunch. The seventeen year old year
old brushed some college brochures aside as she sat down with her bowl of microwave pasta.
"Adele, have you looked over any of the pamphlets?" Zechs asked his daughter. He had been urging
Adele to assert herself to her school work since this was her last year in high school. But it seemed the
more he pushed her, the lazier Adele became.
"No, Daddy, I haven't. I mean, I looked over some of them, but I didn't see any that interested me.
Look, I'm sorry, Daddy. I know you wanted me to choose a school soon, but," Adele began. She was
interrupted by her father.
"I know this excuse, Adele. I didn't raise you this way. Please start looking at those colleges. You don't
know how many of my friends' children have spoiled their futures by not furthering their education."
Zechs lectured. Adele picked at her food while half listening to Zechs. She already knew this lecture by
heart. Ever since her grades had started dropping a few years ago, Adele's father had been working her to
improve her grades.
"Okay, Daddy. I swear, this year will be different. But could you please stop with all the lecturing. I don't
like the pressure." Adele told her father. A few moments of silence passed and the tension faded. A good
chance to change the subject.
"So, Daddy, how's your day?" She sweetly asked her father. Adele looked around the messy house while
talking to Zechs. He hadn't been home a lot lately and Adele wasn't much of a cleaner. Mess just seemed
to accumulate every where. They had talked about hiring a house cleaner, but lately that idea had to be
rejected. Two major reasons: Adele going to college soon, they needed money for her tuition, and lately
the Preventers had been getting pay cuts and there was a large possibility that Zechs could be next.
"It's been going okay. How about yours?" He responded. Adele could hear her father take a bite out of
whatever he was having for lunch. She could also hear Miss Mariemaia Kushurinada, her father's work
partner.
"It's been okay, Daddy. Kinda boring since Chin Xue's on vacation, and Nell has to work. What are you
having for lunch, Daddy?" Adele posed a question while actually picking up a college brochure to read. A
few more questions and responses were traded, and soon it was nearing one o'clock.
"Well, sweetie, I need to get back to work. Mariemaia needs me to help her go over some mission data."
Zechs told Adele.
"Not another mission! Are you going to go away again Daddy?" She asked, suddenly concerned.
"If I can work this out, I won't have to leave you," Zechs said in a reassuring tone, "Now, Mariemaia is
urging me to get off the phone. Bye, Adele."
"Bye, Daddy."
Both hung up their phones. And went back to their work. Adele continued to sort through the college
pamphlets. Zechs went to help Mariemaia with their mission planning.
It was twelve p.m., on a Tuesday. Adele was on the phone with her father as she made herself lunch.
Every day was like this. Unless Zechs could actually make it home for lunch. The seventeen year old year
old brushed some college brochures aside as she sat down with her bowl of microwave pasta.
"Adele, have you looked over any of the pamphlets?" Zechs asked his daughter. He had been urging
Adele to assert herself to her school work since this was her last year in high school. But it seemed the
more he pushed her, the lazier Adele became.
"No, Daddy, I haven't. I mean, I looked over some of them, but I didn't see any that interested me.
Look, I'm sorry, Daddy. I know you wanted me to choose a school soon, but," Adele began. She was
interrupted by her father.
"I know this excuse, Adele. I didn't raise you this way. Please start looking at those colleges. You don't
know how many of my friends' children have spoiled their futures by not furthering their education."
Zechs lectured. Adele picked at her food while half listening to Zechs. She already knew this lecture by
heart. Ever since her grades had started dropping a few years ago, Adele's father had been working her to
improve her grades.
"Okay, Daddy. I swear, this year will be different. But could you please stop with all the lecturing. I don't
like the pressure." Adele told her father. A few moments of silence passed and the tension faded. A good
chance to change the subject.
"So, Daddy, how's your day?" She sweetly asked her father. Adele looked around the messy house while
talking to Zechs. He hadn't been home a lot lately and Adele wasn't much of a cleaner. Mess just seemed
to accumulate every where. They had talked about hiring a house cleaner, but lately that idea had to be
rejected. Two major reasons: Adele going to college soon, they needed money for her tuition, and lately
the Preventers had been getting pay cuts and there was a large possibility that Zechs could be next.
"It's been going okay. How about yours?" He responded. Adele could hear her father take a bite out of
whatever he was having for lunch. She could also hear Miss Mariemaia Kushurinada, her father's work
partner.
"It's been okay, Daddy. Kinda boring since Chin Xue's on vacation, and Nell has to work. What are you
having for lunch, Daddy?" Adele posed a question while actually picking up a college brochure to read. A
few more questions and responses were traded, and soon it was nearing one o'clock.
"Well, sweetie, I need to get back to work. Mariemaia needs me to help her go over some mission data."
Zechs told Adele.
"Not another mission! Are you going to go away again Daddy?" She asked, suddenly concerned.
"If I can work this out, I won't have to leave you," Zechs said in a reassuring tone, "Now, Mariemaia is
urging me to get off the phone. Bye, Adele."
"Bye, Daddy."
Both hung up their phones. And went back to their work. Adele continued to sort through the college
pamphlets. Zechs went to help Mariemaia with their mission planning.