4.5: Thursday afternoon.
"Then we only need to make the peacekeeper commanders believe they can't achieve an end to the uprising by this time tomorrow and they will surely be open to an offer of peace," says Elena.
"That is an excellent objective," says the Colonel. "Just how do you propose to achieve it?"
"Um …" begins Elena. "Can we jam the peacekeepers' communication system? Without it they can't organise all their forces."
"That would work, but we don't have the necessary equipment. It's a shame we don't have the ARIE you talked about Nadia. Apparently after they modified it for military use it could sabotage whole computer networks."
I look towards Nadia who shrugs her shoulders. Obviously whatever process an ARIE uses to attack an enemy's computer system is unknown to her.
"What do you know about an ARIE, Colonel," I ask, hoping he might say something that gives Nadia a clue what to do.
"Sorry, that's a closely guarded military secret. All information about an ARIE, sigma keys and the like are not for public knowledge."
I sigh and turn towards Nadia. I quickly avert my eyes back to the others when I realise she has that faraway look on her face again. I need to distract the others before they wonder what is wrong with her. Fortunately Elena changes the subject and nobody notices Nadia.
"What are we to do about Joshua and the rest of his team," asks Elena. "Have you had any news of them?"
"Not for certain," replies the Colonel. "But the area they were to make their delivery was surrounded by peacekeepers last night. There's no way in or out."
"What about the underground railway tunnels?" I ask.
The Colonel, Christine and Elena all turn towards me for a more detailed explanation. I tell them what Zoe and I discovered when we made our escape last Sunday. The Colonel finds a map of the old city and we locate the tunnel Zoe and I travelled. On the map it appears as a dotted line without any explanation what it means. We trace similar lines in the western part of the town and find a line which leads into the area surrounded by the peacekeepers.
"We need to get as many of the people out of the trap before the peacekeepers attack," says Elena.
"It's too risky," says Christine. "The tunnels or the station entrance may be blocked. The peacekeepers may have already overrun the area. I can't afford to leave my command post for longer than I've done already."
"Then I'll go," says Elena. "I only need a small team. Some of the girls in hut six might volunteer to help. It's pretty frustrating sitting around doing nothing. We'll be careful. If the tunnels are blocked then we will simply turn back."
"Absolutely not!" reply the Colonel and Christine in unison.
"You are here at Beacon Hill to keep you safe," continues Christine. "You are not to go charging off on some fool crusade that will likely get you killed. I understand you want to play a greater part in overthrowing President Snow's regime but you aren't ready Elena."
An uneasy silence follows. A potentially explosive and ill-timed mother-daughter spat is in danger of erupting.
"I tell you what, Elena. Some of your older cousins and a few men and women from town are due to start an officer training programme here tomorrow. You can join them if your mother agrees. If you undertake and pass the programme, then in a couple of months your mother and I will discuss letting you take on a greater role," says the Colonel in an effort to diffuse the tension. Elena looks at her mother for her consent to the Colonel's proposal.
"Yes, OK," sighs Christine, not really happy about placing Elena in danger. "Please keep Elena safe, father. I might not be able to do so."
The meeting breaks up. Christine says a tearful farewell to her father and Elena. She genuinely believes she might never see them again. Nadia and I wait quietly to one side as the family completes its farewells.
"I have control of the peacekeepers communications network," whispers Nadia. "I should have realised before what the sigma keys do. But there's a problem."
I'm stunned by her revelation. I've no idea what the sigma keys are and but clearly they are important.
"So what are you going to do now?" I ask. "What the problem?"
"I can't do anything without an order from a human being in authority. You. The sigma keys enable me to do many things but they also block my free will. You must tell me what you want me to do with the peacekeepers network or order me to release my control over it. I'm trapped until you do."
"Can you cripple their network?" I ask.
"I can fry every component in their communication devices if you want. But scrambling the security algorithms in their main computer will be just as effective and less obvious. They might not realise the malfunction is due to my attack. It will take them days to trace and repair the damage."
"Good. Do it."
"Done. Thank you," she sighs as she returns to her normal self. "I will need to be careful how I use the sigma keys in future. It's quite draining when I'm working at that level of control. And I can't say I like being mentally imprisoned like that."
"Um … Christine," I say. "Sorry to interrupt, but can I suggest you issue a peace offer to the peacekeepers. Tell them you are willing to negotiate a peaceful end to the uprising. You never know, they may be willing to talk."
"Well, I suppose there is no harm in trying. We've nothing to lose. Father, could you get a message to them. They would let a military patrol through their cordon."
"Yes," replies the Colonel. "It's the least I can do. You are the bravest of all my children, Christine. I'm sorry things have ended like this. You deserved better."
Elena, Nadia and I return to hut six. We've missed lunch, but fortunately some of the girls have saved a few bits of food for us. Marigold decides to make her move while we are eating.
"The girls and I are tired of you bossing us around," she says to Elena. "We decided to have a vote on who should be leader in this hut. Isn't that right, girls?"
A few of the girls shout a loud 'yes'. A few others agree but seem less enthusiastic. I wouldn't mind betting they have been individually coerced into supporting Marigold's demand for a leadership vote.
"Very well," says Elena. "We need at least three candidates. I nominate Faye for one. Who do you nominate?"
"Um … Er … Well I intend to stand, of course," replies Marigold, completely wrong footed by Elena's nomination.
"Good," replies Elena. "How about young Zoe for the third. She has a good head on her shoulders."
"Yes, OK," replies Marigold, knowing Zoe is unknown to most of the girls so will be unlikely to gather more than a handful of votes.
"Don't you intend to stand?" asks Marigold.
"No. I'm moving out of hut six this afternoon. I'm moving into hut twelve. I start my military training in the morning."
Marigold is fuming. With Elena gone she would almost certainly be deferred to as hut leader. But she has committed herself to a leadership vote. Now Elena has split Marigold's supporters I suspect the result may be closer than Marigold thinks.