Zoe’s Tale PART III Chapter Twenty-Five

And so I went main office, Consu gift in tow. earth-closet and Jane greeted me as I jumped off the Obin hoot, both of us ending in a pile as I ran into momma full speed and so we dragged protactinium mastered with us. accordingly I showed them my unused toy the sapper domain generator, specially designed by the Consu to give us a tactical advantage when Nerbros Eser and his friends came to call. Jane immediately as well ask to it and started small-minded with it that was her thing.Hickory and Dickory and I decided that in the end neither stern nor Jane necessary to exist what it alikek for us to compass it. The little they knew, the less the compound wedding could stimulate them with at their betrayal trial. Although it looked like that talent not happen the Roanoke council did remove John and Jane from their posts once they revealed where they had sent me and who I was supposed(p) to see, and had appointed Gretchens dad Manfred in their place. n whiztheless they had given Mom and dada hug drug days to hear subscribe from me ahead they informed the Colonial Union roughly what theyd d unrivaled. I got put up that under the wire and once they saw what I brought, werent inclined to offer my parents to the tender affections of the Colonial Union judicial system. I wasnt firing to complain astir(predicate) that.After I got Mom and soda acquainted with the sapper field generator, I went for a walk and bring Gretchen, reading a book on her porch.Im back, I verbalize.Oh, she verbalize, casually flipping a page. Were you de furcateed?I grinned she hurled the book at me and told me that if I ever did anything like that again, she would strangle me, and that she could do it because she forever and a day was better in our justification courses than I was. Well, it was true. She was. Then we hugged and use up up and went to find Magdy, so we could pester him in stereo.Ten days later, Roanoke was attacked by Nerbros Eser and about a hundred Arrisian soldiers, that being Esers race. Eser and his soldiers marched dependable into Croatoan and demanded to speak to its leaders. They got Savitri, the administrative assistant, instead she suggested that they go back to their ships and pretend their invasion never happened. Eser ordered his soldier to shoot Savitri, and thats when they conditioned how a sapper field can genuinely mess with their weapons. Jane tuned the field so that it would deadening fell bul allows alone not drawn-out projectiles. Which is why the Arrisian soldiers rifles wouldnt work, but Janes flame throwster would. As did soda waters hunting bow. And Hickorys and Dickorys knives. And Manfred Trujillos lorry. And so on.At the end of it Nerbros Eser had none of the soldiers that hed landed with, and was excessively surprised to learn that the battleship hed set in orbit wasnt thither anymore, either. To be fair, the sapper field didnt extend into space we got a little help at that place from a benefactor who wished to remain anonymous. But however you sliced it, Nerbros Esers play for the leadership of the conclave came to a very sad and discompose end.Where was I in all of this? Why, safely squirreled away in a go wrong shelter with Gretchen and Magdy and a bunch of otherwise teenagers, thats where. Despite all the plaints of the previous month, or maybe because of them, the executive decision was made that I had had enough excitement for the season being. I cant say I disagreed with the decision. To be honest about it, I was aspect forward to just amount hold ofting back to my life on Roanoke with my friends, with nothing to give care about except for school and practicing for the side by side(p) hootenanny. That was right about my speed.But because(prenominal) General Gau came for a visit.He was in that respect to pay off custody of Nerbros Eser, which he did, to his massive personal satisfaction. But he was everywherely there for two other rea sons.The start-off was to inform the citizens of Roanoke that he had made it a standing order that no combination member was ever to attack our colony, and that he had made it clear to non- combination races in our subdivision of space that if any of them were to get it into their heads to make a play for our little planet, that he would personally be very disappointed. He left unsaid what level of requital personal disappointment warranted. It was more impressive that way.Roanokers were of two minds about this. On the one hand, Roanoke was now practically free from attack. On the other hand, General Gaus declaration precisely brought home the fact that the Colonial Union itself hadnt done much for Roanoke, not just lately but ever. The general quality was that the Colonial Union had a banding to answer for, and until it answered for these things, that Roanokers felt perfectly confirm in not paying too close attention to the Colonial Unions dictates. Like, for example, the one in which Manfred Trujillo was supposed to ar eternal rest my parents and make do them into custody on the charge of treason. Trujillo plain had a hard time finding either John or Jane after(prenominal) that one came in. A neat trick, considering how a lot they were talking.But this folded into the other reason Gau had progress around.General Gau is offering us sanctuary, pascal said to me. He knows your mom and I will be charged with treason several counts seem likely and its not entirely out of the realm of possible action that youll be charged as well.Well, I did commit treason, I said. What with consorting with the leader of the Conclave and all.Dad ignored this. The point is, change surface if good deal here arent in a rush to turn us in, its alone a matter of time out front the CU sends real enforcement to come get us. We cant ask the people here to get into any more trouble on our account. We have to go, Zoe.When? I asked.In the beside day, Dad said. Gaus shi p is here now, but its not like the CU is loss to ignore it for long.So were going to constitute citizens of the Conclave, I said.I dont hypothecate so, Dad said. Well be among them for a while, yes. But I have a plan to get us somewhere I think you might be happy with.And where is that? I asked.Well, Dad said. Have you ever hear of this little place called Earth?Dad and I spoke for a a few(prenominal) more minutes, and hence I walked over to Gretchens, where I actually managed to say how-do-you-do to her forward I broke down in sobs. She gave me a hug and held me, and let me know it was okay. I knew this was coming, she said to me. You dont do what youve done and then come back and pretend nothing has happened. I fancy it might be worth a try, I said.Thats because youre an idiot, Gretchen said. I laughed. Youre an idiot, and my sister, and I sexual fill in you, Zoe.We hugged some more. And then she came over to my hold and helped me and my family pack away our lives for a hasty exit.Word spread, as it would in a small colony. Friends came by, mine and my parents, by themselves and in twos and threes. We hugged and laughed and cried and said our good-byes and tried to part well. As the sun started to set Magdy came by, and he and Gretchen and I took a walk to the Gugino homestead, where I knelt and kissed Enzos headstone, and said good-bye to him one last time, even as I carried him still in my heart. We walked home and Magdy said his good-bye then, bragging(a) me a hug so robustious that I thought it would crack my ribs. And then he did something hed never done before gave me a kiss, on my cheek.Good-bye, Zoe, he said.Good-bye, Magdy, I said. Take care of Gretchen for me.Ill try, Magdy said. But you know how she is. I smiled at that. Then he went to Gretchen, gave her a hug and a kiss, and left.And then it was Gretchen and me, packing and talking and cracking from each one other up through the rest of the night. Eventually Mom and Dad went to repose but didnt seem to mind that Gretchen and I went on through the night and consecutive on until morning.A group of friends arrived in a Mennonite horse-drawn wagon to enthral our things and us to the Conclave shuttle. We started the short voyage laughing but got quiet as we came closer to the shuttle. It wasnt a sad curb it was a silence you have when youve said everything you need to say to another person.Our friends raise what we were taking with us into the shuttle there was a lot we were leaving behind, too bulky to take, that we had given to friends. One by one all my friends gave me hugs and farewells, and dropped away, and then there was just Gretchen and me again.You want to come with me? I asked.Gretchen laughed. mortal has to take care of Magdy, she said. And Dad. And Roanoke.You always were the organized one, I said.And you were always you, Gretchen said.Someone had to be, I said. And anyone else would have messed it up.Gretchen gave me another hug. Then she st ood back from me. No good-byes, she said. Youre in my heart. Which meat youre not gone.All right, I said. No good-byes. I love you, Gretchen.I love you too, Gretchen said. And then she turned and she walked away, and didnt look back, although she did pulley to give Babar a hug. He slobbered her thoroughly.And then he came to me, and I led him into the passenger compartment of the shuttle. In time, everyone else came in. John. Jane. Savitri. Hickory. Dickory.My family.I looked out the shuttle window at Roanoke, my world, my home. Our home. But our home no longer. I looked at it and the people in it, some of whom I love and some of whom I lost. Trying to take it all in, to make it a part of me. To make it a part of my story. My tale. To hatch it so I can sound out the story of my time here, not dead on target but true, so that anyone who asked me could feel what I felt about my time, on my world.I sat, and looked, and remembered in the present time.And when I was sure enough I had it, I kissed the window and displace the shade.The engines on the shuttle came to life.Here we go, Dad said.I smiled and closed my eyes and counted down the seconds until liftoff.Five. Four. Three. Two.One.