“I don’t think that idea will get much traction on Roanoke,” I said. “Or with the Colonial Union. And as far as the individual colonies go, I think they’re still officially in the dark about the Conclave.”
“Yes, the Colonial Union’s informational stranglehold,” Gau said. “I have to tell you that I’ve given very serious thought to skipping satellites over the Colonial Union worlds and simply blasting down a data stream on the Conclave until the satellite is shot down. It wouldn’t be efficient. But at least then the Conclave could be heard.”
I thought about that for a moment. “No,” I said. “A data feed wouldn’t do.”
“Then what would you suggest?” Gau said.
“I’m not sure yet,” I said. I looked directly at Gau. “General, I may want to propose something to you.”
“What is it?” Gau said.
“Something big,” I said. “Something expensive.”
“That’s not really an answer,” Gau said.
“It’s going to have to do for now,” I said.
“I will be happy to listen to your proposal,” Gau said. “But ‘something big, something expensive’ is a little too vague for me to give approval.”
“Fair enough,” I said.
“Why can’t you tell me what it is now?” Gau asked.
“I need to talk to Jane first,” I said.
“Whatever it is, Administrator Perry, if it’s something that involves my help, then you’ll be permanently in traitorous territory,” Gau said. “At least in the eyes of the Colonial Union.”
“It’s like you said, General,” I said. “It’s with whom your allegiances lie.”
“I’ve been ordered to place you under arrest,” said Manfred Trujillo.
“Really,” I said. The two of us stood in front of the shuttle I was about to leave in.
“The orders came in a couple of hours ago,” Trujillo said. “Along with the new communications satellite the CU just gave us. The CU’s not pleased about a Conclave ship being in our sky, incidentally.”
“So are you arresting me?” I asked.
“I’d love to, but it seems that you and your family can’t be found,” Trujillo said. “I suspect that you’ve already left the planet. We’ll do a colony-wide search, of course. But I wouldn’t really lay good odds on us finding you.”
“I’m sneaky, I am,” I said.
“I always said that about you,” Trujillo said.
“You could get in trouble for that,” I said. “The last thing this colony needs is another leader hauled up in front of an inquiry.”
“As your colony leader, I can officially tell you to mind your own business,” Trujillo said.
“So your ascension has been formally approved,” I said.
“If it wasn’t, how would I be able to arrest you?” Trujillo said.
“Good point,” I said. “Congratulations. You always wanted to run the colony. Now you are.”
“It’s not the way I planned to get the job,” Trujillo said.
“I’m sorry we got in your way, Manfred,” I said.
“I’m not,” Manfred said. “If I had been leading the colony, we would all be dead now. You, Jane and Zo? saved this colony. I’m happy to have waited in line.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“I want you to know it took a lot for me to say that,” Trujillo said. I laughed, and looked over to where Zo? was giving a tearful good-bye to Gretchen and other friends.
“Zo? is going to miss Gretchen,” I said.
“Gretchen is going to miss Zo?,” Trujillo said. “I have half a mind to ask you to let Zo? stay. For Gretchen and for us.” Trujillo nodded toward Hickory and Dickory, who stood off to the side, soaking up Zo?’s emotional farewell to her friends. “You said you reached an agreement with the Conclave, but I still wouldn’t mind having the Obin watching our back.”
“Roanoke will be fine,” I assured him.
“I think you’re right about that,” Trujillo said. “I hope so. It would be nice just to be another colony. We’ve been the center of attention long enough.”
“I think I’ll be able to draw some attention off you,” I said.
“I wish you would tell me what you have planned,” Trujillo said.
“As I’m no longer your colony leader, I can’t officially tell you to mind your own business,” I said. “But mind it anyway.”
Trujillo sighed. “You understand my concern,” he said. “We’ve been at the center of everyone else’s plans, and none of the plans have worked out even remotely as they should have.”
“Including yours,” I reminded him.
“Including mine,” Trujillo agreed. “I don’t know what you’re planning, but given the failure rate around here, I’m concerned that the backlash is going to get back here to Roanoke. I’m looking out for my colony. Our colony. Our home.”
“Our colony,” I agreed. “But not my home anymore.”
“Even so,” Trujillo said.
“You’re going to have to trust me, Man,” I said. “I’ve worked hard to keep Roanoke safe. I’m not going to stop doing that now.”
Savitri stepped down from the shuttle bay and walked over to us, PDA in hand. “Everything’s stowed,” she said, to me. “Jane says we’re ready when you are.”