Sophia

disclaimer: see first part, ( by me, being the second part ot the story)

Susan woke an half an hour earlier than her usual five o'clock. Yesterday, after they had gone to the park, Susan had bought the child a back pack, lunch box, school box, folders, supply box and supplies for school, notebooks and a traper keeper. The backpack was large enough the the child's briefcase style art box which she put in. She found a book, a small game and a set of doll clothes which she added. She then dressed and woke the child. After she made Sophia's bed she left the girl to change into the new green skirt, short sleaved blouse, white socks and dress shoes. While the child did this, she took out a few treats for the girl. For lunch, which she normally skipped, she would see to it that they were both in her office where she had a fully stocked kitchenette or if time permitted would go out to a resteraunt. But children need more that just three meals, they are always hungry. She placed in a bag of hard candy, a carton of juice and packs of chips. She wondered as she did so how she had become such and expert considering she had little contact with people under 20. By then the child was dressed and ate as Susan took the front of the child's hair and clipped up with a black clip. She put the brush and Sophia put in the doll now in day clothes and the dolls night things. As Sophia put on the light backpack Susan took out twogum five stick packs and handed them to the child having gotten them the day before and into her own pocket slipped in a five stick pack of mint gum before picking up her briefcase, taking the childs hand and heading out the door.

Sophia ran to keep up with Susan. " Where are we going?" she asked in true childish manner.

Susan looked to the child and responded," we are going to an unused Storage room where I train the novices to fly."

" But it isn't your job."

She is observant thought Susan to herself as she spoke," How do you know?"

" If they are Earth Force than they come trained, besides you run the station."

"Sweet heart I do a lot more than that because of the war. And I am training them because they are unskilled workers and I want them to have a chance besides we need them for the war."

" But don't you get tired."

Susan smiled a weak smile and said," More than you can imagine."

Susan and Sophia returned home late as usual that night. The child had been a hit with the crew . Now she was tired and Susan barely got her to bed before she fell asleep. Susan went to bed herself but as she closed her eyes a memory came to her, one that always cut at her heart, but now it gave her hope as she thought back to that day ten years and one month ago June 16,2250.

***** She was worn out after her long labor, but with one last push her daughter was born at 3:18 pm. She held her precious treasure in her arms, for the short ten minutes before they took her away, never quite leaving her heart. *****

Susan had been 16 when she joined up. As usual for a teenager alone for the first time she went a bit wild. The result was a daughter. She had struggled to make it through academy in her condition and after birthing her daughter gave her up for adoption, knowing it was the better choice, but it didn't save her the heartache everyday without her child caused.

She had asked that the child be named Sophia and that she be put as the birth mother on the certificate so if one day her child wanted to find her she could. That copy of the birthcertificate was hidden from all but the top officals in the agency, adopted parents and herself. She had the pass word.

That night she used every ounce of skill she had to bring up the childs file undetected. With a swift breath she quickly typed in the pass word. * **** *** ** ****** ****. I love you my little girl. and it came up Sophia Faith O'neal. Susan grinned that was the middle name she had given her girl. The surname was that of her adoptive parents. She scrolled down to the birth mother, closed her eyes, let out a breath, opened her eyes and reading the name grinned.

There it said, Birthmother: Susan Maria Ivanova.