"Jennifer…can we go soon?"
Jennifer smiled at the impatient look on Sarah's face. "I think Katherine is still choosing between a few books."
"But she's looked at almost every single book here already!"
"Sarah, there's a considerable amount of books here. I think it'd take your sister about a month of looking to get through them all."
"Coulda fooled me," Sarah grumbled.
"How about we go check out the music section?" Jennifer suggested. "I think I can leave your sister here for a while without worrying that she'll get into trouble." If I didn't tell her, she probably wouldn't notice I was gone, she thought to herself. After tapping Katherine on the shoulder and telling her they'd be back in a little while, she lead Sarah down the stairs. The younger girl enjoyed reading, but nowhere near as much as her older sister did. While she'd been amazed at the sheer size of the library at first, Sarah had quickly picked out a few books. She'd then managed to content herself with what Hawk would have called "people watching" for a surprising amount of time while Jennifer and Katherine had browsed the shelves.
Because she hadn't had quite as many years of indoctrination as Katherine had experienced in the Youth, her social skills were progressing much more quickly. Then again, Sarah was a naturally social person. Tim sometimes grumbled that she could stand for an hour talking to a tree, and eventually the tree would talk back just to get her to be quiet. But as they began to browse the music selection together, Sarah was unusually quiet. Actually, other than complaining about her sister, Sarah had been quiet since Jennifer had picked the girls up that afternoon.
"Are you ok, Sarah?" Jennifer asked her. "You don't seem yourself."
Sarah stopped and turned to face her friend. "Why won't they let you go home?"
Jennifer was confused. Sarah had obviously overheard her parents talking about last night's hearing. Jennifer hadn't hidden her situation from the girls. Especially once she'd been granted a hearing, the girls had asked her about her situation. "Because they aren't sure that they can trust me to keep Eden's secret safe."
"Because you used to be in the Dread Youth?"
"Yes…that's the basis of it."
"But you fight with Captain Power."
"I know that, and you know that. But not everyone here believes that's enough."
"Dad said you did a good job last night, trying to convince them. I heard him talking to Mom when he got home."
"He didn't get home till pretty late, Sarah. Weren't you in bed?"
"Yes, but I couldn't go to sleep. I had another idea for a story, so I was working it out in my head. I knew if Mom caught me writing with a flashlight again I'd be in trouble."
Jennifer smiled. Sarah's imagination was amazing now that it had free reign, and she'd taken to writing her ideas down in the form of stories or plays. It was one of the few times she was quiet, her parents often said. "Another one, huh? I'd like to read it when you're done with it."
Sarah nodded, but pressed on. "I wish Mother had let us come to the hearing." She fiddled with a recording before continuing. "What if they still don't let you go home?"
Jennifer tried to ignore the flopping of her stomach at that thought. "Then I'll keep trying to convince them."
Sarah eyed her quietly for a few minutes before saying heatedly, "It's not fair."
"I know it's not – trust me, Sarah."
"But how are they any better than Dread?"
This wasn't going to be an easy conversation, Jennifer thought. She sat down on a nearby bench, and motioned for Sarah to join her. The girl sat down next to her, but her hands were crossed over her chest and she had a very stubborn look on her face. "It's true, Jennifer – think about it. Dread wouldn't let us do what we wanted to. All he talked about was 'the will of the machine.' Now the people here won't let you do what you want to. Even though you want to go out and fight, and make it safe for people."
"It's not quite that simple, Sarah-"
"Why not? It's the same type of thing. Sometimes I wonder if you should stop fighting Dread and fight the Council instead. Maybe I should, too," she said forcefully. "I know that they're the reason Mom won't let me come into town to go to school with Hannah."
"Yes, it's part of it."
"It's not fair! Mom is always scared whenever anyone approaches the farm. Sometimes I think she'd just hide Katherine and me until the whole war is over. I don't want to be hidden – I want to be with people. I want to learn about them, and write stories about them."
"I think you do a pretty good job on your stories already."
"I want to be with people, Jennifer. And because of the Council, I can't. I still say that's no better than Dread. You know how to fight Dread – why don't you fight the Council the same way?"
"Because they're not the same opponent, Sarah. They're completely different." She could tell that the girl didn't believe her, so she tried to explain more. "Dread is violent – he hurts people physically and emotionally. He has a large army at his disposal, and he controls most of the entire world. The Council only controls what's here, and they're not violent."
"They still hurt people."
"Yes, they do. They hurt people with their power, too. It's just a different type of power." Jennifer struggled to make the little girl understand how the two situations were different. "It's the difference between politics and warfare. Do you know what I mean by politics?"
"I heard Dad talking about it last week. He said fighting politics is just like fighting the war, only it's sneakier."
Jennifer had to laugh at that very apt description. "Yes, politics is more of a contest of minds than a physical contest. The thing is, Sarah, what I do out in the Resistance wouldn't work here. If I tried to do the same thing here that I do out there, I would never get my point across. No one would listen to me if I tried physically fighting them."
"Is that why you didn't just run away? I heard Dad say you could have, a long time ago."
"Yes, it is. If I run away now, I'd be doing exactly what they think I'm capable of – betraying them. I have to play the game by their rules. Here in Eden, I need to use my mind – I need to use logic, and reasoning. I need to appeal to their humanity, to the part of them that can understand the need to fight for something they believe in, and the need to be with people they love." She watched Sarah as she spoke, and hoped she was getting through to her.
"And it just so happens that Corporal Chase is fairly good at appealing to people's humanity," a voice said from behind them. Jennifer whipped around to see who was speaking – she hadn't meant to be overheard. She felt panic rise in her. Had she given away Sarah and Katherine's secret? Then she recognized the tall, older woman that had spoken - it was Rebecca Chambers.
"I didn't mean to startle you, Corporal," the woman said calmly. "I'm here with my granddaughter to find a particular book she heard about at school. I happened to see you, and I hoped I could have a word with you in private."
"Oh – of course," Jennifer said, wondering if it was a good thing or a bad thing that the Councilwoman wanted to talk to her. "Sarah, why don't you go find some of that music. We need to get back upstairs to your sister soon." Sarah hesitated, glaring at the stranger as if warning her that she'd better not hurt her friend. But after another look from Jennifer, she moved away to browse.
"She is afraid to leave you with me," Chambers said, smiling. "Even your young friends are strong supporters of you."
"I'm very lucky that way," Jennifer conceded.
"I knew that last night. The looks we were all getting from that half of the room were not pleasant ones." Chambers' face became serious. "I meant what I said, Corporal. You did an amazing job last night. And you have this entire time – you've played the game very well." Now her expression darkened, and she lowered her voice so that only Jennifer could hear her. "However, you've caught the attention of some dangerous people. The Council is meeting again tonight to finish deliberating your case. It won't be a brief meeting. I think you touched each and every member of the Council. But some of them are…influenced…by those dangerous people I just spoke of. If I were you, I would definitely watch your step."
Jennifer's expression hardened. "I'm not backing down. I don't deserve to be treated like this."
Chambers shook her head. "You'll get no argument from me there, Corporal. And I believe those of us who support you on the Council have a good shot at getting a majority vote." At those words, Jennifer's heart soared. But Chambers continued. "I just want you to know that not everyone in Eden can be trusted. I have no proof, or I would have acted by now. But I'm fairly certain you're being followed this afternoon, and it's by people that you don't want following you. These people have some of my fellow Council members frightened. They're not to be trifled with. I just want you to be careful. I'd like you to be in one piece to hear our ruling tomorrow." At that, Chambers began to walk away, but stopped. "What you're doing for that girl and her sister is admirable. They need someone like you to help them." At Jennifer's shocked expression, Chambers smiled quickly and shook her head. "I have my ways of finding things out, as well. Their secret is safe with me. Besides…maybe now that you've opened peoples' eyes, everyone in your situation will have an easier time of things once this war is over.
"You see, Corporal Chase, I'm looking to help people, not hinder them. Talking to you was the last thing in a series of events that helped me to see that I've done nothing for too long – it's time I starting helping people. It's my hope that I can start with you." With that, she walked away, leaving Jennifer staring after her.
"Jennifer? Are you ok?" Sarah came up to her with a few recordings in her hand. "She didn't bother you, did she?"
"No…she was trying to help me, I think. Are you ready? I want to go get your sister and head home."
"What's wrong?" The child was too perceptive, really.
"Nothing…I think. I just want to get you guys home before dinner, that's all. I promised your mom I would." She hurried Sarah upstairs, breathing a sigh of relief to see Katherine still bent over a stack of books at a table. They checked out their selections, Jennifer watching the people around them the whole time. It wasn't until they headed outside into the transport Jennifer had borrowed to take them to and from the library that she noticed the two men watching them through the windows.
They'd been sitting right behind Katherine when she and Sarah had come back upstairs.
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"Tim, I don't know who they are. But they followed me around for a while. I ended up taking the girls back here – I told them we were stopping for a snack - so that those guys would think I was heading in for the day. It didn't work - they've been outside ever since. That's why I asked you to come get them instead of bringing them home. I just didn't want to say it over an open channel."
"I don't like this," Mark all but growled. "This has Stanton written all over it."
"Are you sure?"
"Who else has the credits that would be needed to pay people to follow someone around? Who else would be 'dangerous' enough, if Chambers can be trusted, to need to warn Jennifer like that?" He pointed to his friend. "You don't go anywhere alone from here on out, you hear me?"
"Mark, you're being ridiculous. I can take care of myself."
"You have no weapon and no armor right now, Pip. You're not in the Resistance here."
"No, but it doesn't change the fact that I had plenty of training in hand-to-hand combat in the Youth. If I start hiding, Stanton – or whoever this is – wins."
"I'm not asking you to hide. I'm just asking you to put a little faith in the power of numbers. Just…use the buddy system, ok?" Mark's face softened. "So…Chambers thinks you're going to win?"
Jennifer nodded, her eyes more hopeful than he'd seen them in a long time. "She said that it wasn't going to be easy, but she thought that they could win a majority vote. She said that I got through to everyone, but there are several that are influenced by dangerous people, and that they were scared."
"Well then, I think I'm going to go pick up Kelly – her shift is almost over – and bring her back here. You girls can talk some wedding stuff with Vi, since it looks like we just might be losing you pretty soon." Mark squeezed her shoulder and headed out the door.
Tim, however, continued to look at her seriously. "Jennifer, please be careful."
"I will. I'm so sorry – if I'd have known, I never would have taken the girls with me into town."
"I'm not worried about that – I think between you and Katherine, you might even have been able to take them. She's pretty strong at hand-to-hand combat as well. I found that out one night right after we found them when I inadvertently startled her." A rueful smile crossed his face. "I was sore for days. But there's no reason to invite trouble. Just hang close to Vi's tomorrow, or at least travel with someone else. Mark will be gone making his run, so if you need someone, just contact me."
That reminded Jennifer – she had a letter to Jon started that she needed to get to Mark before he left early the next morning. He was planning on fulfilling his courier duties a little earlier than usual so that he could be back for the Council meeting. If she went upstairs now, she was pretty sure she could get it done before Mark returned with Kelly. "I will. Let me go say goodbye to the girls, and then I need to finish something before the wedding planning begins." She followed Tim into the kitchen, where Lottie was putting the girls to work getting dinner ready in order to keep them away from the adult conversation.
…I hope Councilwoman Chambers is right. If she is, I might be seeing you even sooner than either of us imagined! I never thought I'd be saying this, but I am going to have to put off coming home just a little while, even if I am released tomorrow. I have to stay at least long enough for the wedding – it's set for a week from Saturday. I want to be there for them on their big day. I've never been to a wedding before….Kelly says there's nothing to it, at least not the way they have them nowadays. She and Vi were telling me stories last night about the big productions they'd attended before the wars. You know, I can understand wanting to celebrate making a commitment like that to someone, but some of the things they were telling me about were almost too much. Extravagant gifts, elaborate dinners, worrying about who sat next to who…I'm so glad Kelly isn't the least bit interested in any of that!
You know, the timing of this is really bad. When you're getting to read these letters, I'll be learning whether or not I'll be heading home, but you won't know for another week. I'm trying so hard not to get excited, but it's hard. I might actually get to see you in two weeks. It's been so long, Jon. I might not be able to do much but hold onto you for a little while at first. Scout, Hawk, and Tank have all told me about how they're going to be hugging me like crazy for a while, and to prepare myself for it. They might have to wait a little while, though! It's funny to think that I used to dread being hugged by any of you because I didn't know how to react. Now, those hugs can't come fast enough.
I have to go to get this to Mark in time for him to leave early tomorrow. I hope that it doesn't throw you off. He just wants to be here when the Council announces their decision.
She paused, unsure how much she wanted to include. She didn't want to hide anything from Jon. She knew she wouldn't want him to hide anything from her. But she also didn't want to leave him helpless and worried for an entire week. It was going to be bad enough knowing that he wouldn't be able to get word about tomorrow's ruling for the whole week. She didn't see how telling him about Councilwoman Chambers' warning, or the men that had followed her and the girls home - and as far as she knew were still out there - would help him at all. She made the conscious decision to end her letter there, telling Jon how much she loved him and how she hoped she'd see him soon. With only a slightly guilty conscience, she sealed the envelope and headed downstairs just as she heard Mark and Kelly enter Vi's dining room, where the wedding planning was going to begin in earnest.
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The next day, the jumpship landed at the rendezvous point that Mark had indicated last week and the Power team disembarked. They were working very hard to keep their hopes from getting too high. They knew that Jennifer's hearing before the Council had been two nights before, and if things had gone well…it had gone through all their minds that there was a chance that Mark would not be alone this time. Maybe, just maybe, Jennifer had convinced the Council to see reason. Maybe she would finally be coming home.
Jon had been almost silent all morning, and the others knew that he was on edge. It was more than just seeing Jennifer, they knew. It was not knowing how she was being treated…and guilt, no matter how unfounded, that she'd been going through this without his physical support. Even if Jennifer wasn't with Mark today, Jon needed to know that the Council had at least begun to see reason.
"Captain? I'm getting a signal." Jon turned to see Scout holding his scanner. "It's got Eden's signature – but it's stationary, and it's…that way, about a quarter click."
A stationary signal that wasn't at their meeting point? Why wasn't Mark here, where he'd asked them to be? This didn't bode well. The team hurried to the area Scout had indicated. There they found the source of the signal. It was a package hidden among an outcropping of rocks. There was a recorder on top of the stack of letters in the box. Jon looked at his team, worry etched over each face, and hit the button to play it.
"Captain, it's Mark. Please, don't panic. Jennifer is fine. She's just not on her way yet.
"You would all have been so proud of her, Jon. She was amazing on Monday. She spoke with passion, but her arguments were all logical and to the point. She was emotional, but she never lost control. And she did it all while she sat a table by herself, only looking at them. We all had to sit behind her and watch. But she nailed it. She made them think. And she caused enough dissention between the members that they put off their ruling till tonight." All four faces had been focused on the player, but now their eyes met. It wasn't over yet – Jennifer was still wondering.
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to meet you. But some things have come up that have a few of us worried. Jennifer was followed yesterday when she took Katherine and Sarah to the library in town for the first time. One of the Council members stopped her in the library and brought her attention to it. The good news is that that Council member is on Pip's side, and she seems to think that they can get a majority vote to drop the restrictions against her. The bad news is that she warned Pip that whoever is influencing some of the Council members is dangerous, and is probably behind the people tailing her. We know who that is, and we're going to do something about it. But that's why I'm not there today. I made my run as early as possible, dropped off the letters, and headed back. We all need to be there tonight.
"We're not letting Pip go anywhere on her own…which she's not very excited about, as I'm sure you could have guessed." All four men smiled at this. "We know she can take care of herself, but we'd rather she not have to. With any luck, Captain, by the time you get back to your base we'll be at Vi's celebrating the fact that she doesn't have to wear that damn tracker anymore, and planning to bring her back.
"Before I go…I left something for you. Look, I know you haven't had a chance to read about this in Pip's letters, but Kelly and I are getting married a week from Saturday, and it wouldn't be the same for either of us if Pip wasn't there. It was a hard decision for her to make, but she has decided to stay until the next transport after the wedding, no matter what the Council decides. I'm sorry – I know I'm being selfish, but the look on Kell's face when Pip agreed was worth it. I'll still be here next week, though, to meet you and see what your response is to the item I left you. And if you tune your receivers to the most popular radio show in town tomorrow, I promise you I'll get word to you about the outcome of tonight's meeting. I can't imagine you guys having to wait a week to find out what's happening.
"Keep the faith, Jon – I really think it's almost over."
The transmission ended, but no one moved for a moment. They were all trying to absorb everything that Mark had said.
"She's being followed?" Tank unknowingly sounded a lot like Mark had when he'd heard the news. The growl in his voice was frightening.
"Does anyone have control over this idiot?" Scout asked.
"Vi told me a little about him – she says he is a paranoid nut," Matt said darkly. "With someone that willing to hate in a position of power, things are bound to go bad," Jon said, anger and frustration in his voice.
"Sounds like someone I wouldn't be able to stand," Scout commented dryly.
"At least Mark's made plans to let us know what's happening," Matt said with relief. "The thought of not knowing for another week! We'll keep Freedom Two's channel open all day tomorrow. And a wedding! I bet Vi's in her glory," he chuckled. Then he turned to Jon and looked his friend square in the face. "Are you ok with her staying?"
"I'm the one asking her to leave paradise to come back here and be with me – I have no right to be upset with anyone else," Jon said definitively.
Matt rolled his eyes and smiled at him. "Like she'd ever want to be anywhere else. What did he leave for you, Jon?"
Jon rifled through the box, seeing Jennifer's handwriting on bundles of letters addressed to each of them. Then, at the bottom of the box, he saw an envelope in an unfamiliar handwriting. "Let's find out," he said, opening the envelope. His eyes widened a bit while he read what was enclosed. Then a grin slowly started to spread across his face.
"This must be good," Tank said, nudging Scout. "I haven't seen a grin like that on his face in a long time."