By the time the air raid claxons fell silent, the Eden students were already lining up by hall, in better order than their adult counterparts. "Wow, Anya, you really are a spaz," Becky said as she lined up with Anya. "Only you would set off an air raid alarm the day of a test." As she spoke, she rubbed her belly and her chest as if in pain. A flight of sleek fighter jets roared by overhead, low and slow enough for the markings of Ostania to be clearly visible. Suddenly, a huge figure knocked Becky to the ground. She shrieked, "Aaaahhh! Get offa me!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Bill Watkins said. "The planes went by an' I thought maybe it was the bad guys!" He rose to his feet, still cradling Becky in his arms.

"Well, you can put me down now!" she shouted.

"I know!" Bill said. He held her tighter, shaking her form with heaving sobs. "I still wanna hold you! You're just so awesome!" After a moment, Becky sighed and returned the hug.

When Damian approached, Ewen and Emile both broke out of line to rush to him. "Boss man!" they both cried out. Ewen burst into tears.

"Dammit, not you guys too!" Damian fumed. When Emile also began to cry, he relented. "Aww, you guys!"

All came to attention when the gates of Eden opened. Anya gasped in recognition. Becky blushed and waved. Donovan Desmond had entered, accompanied by Mr. Blackbell and Oberst Watkins. A scarred man and a woman with lavender hair helped Mr. Desmond ascend to the foot of the founder's statue, megaphone in hand. "Hello, children," he said. "I am Donovan Desmond, chairman of the National Unity Party and former prime minister. I was invited to address you. It appears that an alarm originated from this campus. We do not intend to punish anyone who might have acted in error." Damian scowled at that.

"As it happens, I have an important announcement to make," Donovan continued. "You may be aware of the ongoing situation in West Kielberg. The Free Kielberg front has announced that their referendum showed 90% in favor of remaining a territory of Ostania. The governments of Westalis and Ostania have pledged to recognize their efforts." There was a smattering of cheers. "It has also been confirmed that a very minor incident occurred in the Luwen sector around the time the alarm was activated. It appears that a plane from a Westalis training squadron crashed a few kilometers inside the border after experiencing an avionics malfunction. The pilot safely ejected, and is being cared for as a guest of the Ostanian state."

He smiled. "Now, in light of these developments, the city of Berlint has announced a half-day of celebration for all students and government employees," he concluded. "While Eden is not bound by the decree, the principal has given the staff discretion to dismiss their classes." That produced wild cheers.

As the students dispersed, Becky ran to her Daddy. Anya stood where she was, staring blankly at the rocket ship in her hands. She turned her head at a sharp word. Damian was at her side. "You knew something," he said. "Didn't you?" She shrugged. He turned away, scowling but no longer angry. Then he looked back at Anya, and vented once more: "I spent the last three days studying for that test!"

Anya turned her head as someone else approached, this time from the right. It was Georgie. "Um, hi Anya," he said. "So, I was thinking… I told that story about the leaf. I guess that sounded kinda weird."

"I dunno," Anya said. "I wouldn't throw away anything Mama and Papa give me." She held up the plane. "Like this. Papa got it for me when he told me I was gonna have a new Mama. I have no idea why."

Georgie took it, and pulled it back on the pavement. It rolled a surprising distance, flashing with sparks. "It looks pretty cool to me," he said. "It's a plane Westalis uses. That's probably why it's painted like it's a bad guy." He gave the toy back. "There is, um, something else. When I took the leaf home, my Mama asked about you and I, ah, said you were my girlfriend."

"Really?" Anya said. She gave her best scheming face. "Are we still together?"

"No," George said. "I told her we broke up, but we're still friends."

"How long were we together?" Anya teased.

"A week," he said.

"Aw," she said. "You are my friend, Georgie." She patted him on the shoulder.

Another voice called out. For just a moment, Anya's eyes widened in fear. Then she smiled in relief. It was Mama, approaching through the gates of Eden. "Hello, Anya!" she said. "They gave me the day off! We can go out to the museum after all!"

"Oh Mama, thank you!" Anya said. "But I thought about it, an' going with Papa sounds better."

"Sure!" Mama said with a smile. "We can go to the park, or the candy store, or maybe a movie. Oh, is this a new friend?"

"This is Georgie," Anya said. "I've known him for a while. You know, I think I'd like to go to a movie. Want to come with us, Georgie?"

"You bet!" Georgie said with an uncharacteristic smile. "My father won't be back from work before dinner, anyway."

Becky approached with Damian and Bill. "Hey, if you're going somewhere, we can come too," she said. "Our daddies all had to go somewhere."

"That will be wonderful," Mama said. "It's so good to know Anya is making friends."

Anya tugged at her arm. "Let's go, Mama!" she said. "I heard there's a movie with Sindab the Sailor!"

And outside the gates, a veteran freelance photographer paced back and forth, unable to shake a feeling that there was a story to cover. He took interest as a dark-haired woman approached, hand in hand with a pink-haired girl. He raised the camera when the girl stretched out a hand to a boy at her side. The following morning, papers across Ostania would print the picture of a woman and four children walking hand in hand through the gates of Eden, with a pink-haired girl in the middle.