Tree: Live to give, give to live (Numbered Book 3)

by Magus Tor

  Whoa. Aurelia could feel herself starting to panic. She hadn't considered the fact that she'd be on stage too. Why? She guessed that Jonathon needed her support, and maybe he was right. Maybe it was time to make her first public appearance. She wondered if she'd make any difference up there. But then, it was only fair. Jonathon was about to lay all his cards on the table; it was only fair that she do the same and appear on stage as what she really was. His supporter. His partner. But crap. There were butterflies flitting nervously around her stomach as she set off to find the delegate kitchens.

  She spent the rest of the morning washing dishes. Fine work for someone who’s supposed to be up on the VIP stage, she thought as she dried her hands for the millionth time. Down here on the delegate level, she could feel the buzz of curiosity. People were talking, wondering, some suspicious, others excited. All wanted to know what this meeting was going to be about. All were desperately coming up with ideas for why they'd been called there, and rumours abounded.

  It was a relief to get up out of the steamy kitchens, and Aurelia brushed a lock of damp hair off her forehead as she ascended a red rock tunnel. She found her mother already in her chamber.

  “Gods, look at you,” she said, surveying her wet and steamed daughter. “Off to the dry-wash, and make it fast.”

  With a grin, Aurelia ran off and took the fastest dry-shower she'd ever taken. When she got back, her mother was holding up a dark blue dress.

  “Jonathon sent this for you to wear,” she said, doubtfully.

  Aurelia shook her head. “No, I wear my uniform,” she said.

  Her mother looked at her, then nodded. “Smart move,” she said. “You're a Worker and should appear as a Worker. There's no need to be dressing you up as something you're not. I'm surprised that Jonathon didn't think of that.”

  “Oh, I bet he did.” Aurelia smiled. “He just wanted me to have the choice, that's all.”

  Her mother tutted. “Sit on the floor,” she ordered.

  Just as she had as a child, Aurelia knelt on the floor between her mother's knees and let the older woman's fingers tease and cajole her hair into an ornate braid. It was something her mother hadn't done for years, and it was oddly relaxing.

  “Worried?” her mother asked.

  “Naturally,” said Aurelia.

  “Don't be. You're going to do fine.”

  Her mum had always been short on words of advice for occasions like this. But Aurelia knew what she meant. It was fine to be worried, but don't show it. There was nothing to do but go and get the thing over with anyway, so no point wasting energy complaining, crying, or worrying. She grinned and stood up.

  “Thanks, Mum,” she said.

  Her mother looked at her time reader. “We're almost good to go; are you ready?”

  Aurelia nodded.

  The two women went across the hall and got Aurelia's father, then the three began walking down the corridor.

  “This way,” her father gestured, pointing to a curving tunnel branching off at an angle.

  They didn't speak, all lost in their own thoughts about what was to come. The tunnel eventually curved back around the huge cavern, and when her father stopped them, Aurelia could see a large archway leading to some very bright lights.

  “That's the stage. Scary, right?” said Jonathon's voice.

  He'd appeared behind them and made Aurelia jump.

  Aurelia's mother nodded at her father, who said, “Right, we'll be joining the others on the stage.”

  “What about me?” Aurelia asked.

  “Wait here with me,” said Jonathon.

  There was an ever-growing hum of voices coming from the archway, and Aurelia understood that the delegates were coming in.

  “Ready?” she whispered to Jonathon.

  “As I'll ever be.” He smiled back.

  She marvelled at how calm he seemed, how collected.

  “Mind you,” he added. “If this whole speaking from the heart thing doesn't work, I'm going to kill you.”

  She laughed. “You'll do fine.”

  The buzz of voices had grown ever louder, but all of a sudden it stopped. Someone must have stood on the stage, and all Aurelia could hear now was a collection of small coughs and the scraping of a chair or two.

  “I will not keep you waiting,” said a voice that Aurelia was astonished to recognise as her father's. “I have spoken to many of you myself in the last few days, and I know that you all want to know why you're here. You're about to find out. This is a momentous day, one that will go down in history.”

  There was again a stirring of conversation, but her father didn't continue until the room was silent again.

  “Today will change your lives, one way or the other, forever.”

  This time there was a stunned silence.

  “There is someone here who wishes to speak with you.”

  That was the cue. Jonathon took her hand, and together they walked towards the archway.

  At first, she was blinded by the light. Blinking, she walked towards the small podium where she could just make out the figure of her father. And then she saw the faces. Hundreds of people were there, and as they began to recognise just who was approaching the stage, there was a whole plethora of emotions. Of course they knew Jonathon Hansen. Some of them looked awed, others excited. But a fair few looked afraid. Afraid that a politician in their midst meant that they had been found out. Afraid that the Resistance ended here. Slowly, very slowly, the applause began. Someone in the back of the room clapped first, then more and more joined, until the whole room were on their feet—though whether from enthusiasm or fear, Aurelia wasn't sure. Jonathon quickly kissed her cheek, her father took her hand, and they went to a long row of seats that had been placed along the back of the stage. Here was her mother, Lukas too, and several other faces that she recognised. Once seated, she could see Jonathon's back, his hands raised for silence.

  “You know who I am,” he began, his voice clear and ringing through the room.

  There was a murmur of assent from the crowd.

  “But you do not know what I am.”

  Aurelia smiled. She'd known this was the right thing to do, known that once in front of these people, Jonathon would know what to say.

  “I am here not because I intend to be your next President, though I do. I am here because I intend to be the first President of a free Empire. I am here because I have led you in the Resistance for many years, unknown to most of you. And I am here because now I need your help.”

  Again there was a stunned silence as people digested what they had just heard. And then, this time as one, the crowd jumped to their feet and applauded. Jonathon once more held up his hands for silence.

  He began with the facts, the same way he had begun when persuading Aurelia to join the Resistance. He told them all of the resources being stolen from Earth and sent to Lunar. He told them of the unfairness under which they lived. He told them of the inequity of being numbered, tracked, bred. All of which they knew. But then he told them of his plan to change all this, which they didn't know. Slowly, step by step, he laid out how he believed the Empire could work; and Aurelia found herself hanging on his every word, just as the crowd were. He spoke simply and honestly. And when he was done, he went silent, his head hanging down until the applause died down.

  “And now I ask you for your help,” he said, more quietly. “Your help in bringing this future into being. The old regime will not die quietly. And that means that from some of you I will ask the ultimate sacrifice. But I will not lead the unwilling into battle. I am here to ask your permission. To ask you if you will allow me to change your Empire.”

  The crowd, who had finally realised the import of his words, shuffled nervously.

  “You are asking us to fight for you?” called out a voice from the middle of the room.

  “Yes,” Jonathon replied simply.

  “To risk ourselves, our children?” asked another voice.

  “Yes.”

  “You
ask for the Workers to stand alone against the Ruling Class? Those with the money, the power, the weapons, the Military?” asked yet another.

  It was clear that the mood in the room was turning.

  “No,” said another voice, and this time it came from behind Aurelia.

  She turned, unable to see who was appearing through the archway.

  “We do not ask you to stand alone,” the voice continued.

  And then she knew who it was. She saw Nicholas appear in the centre of the arch, just as she was distracted by movement in the cavern. Looking back out towards the audience, she saw rows of Military Cadets filing silently into the room and lining up in neat formation behind the seated crowd. Jonathon stared, his mouth wide open. As Nicholas approached the podium and opened his arms for a back-slapping hug, Aurelia saw the Clone whisper something into Jonathon's ear.

  “We've been funnelling Clones out of Lunar for the last few days,” said Elza, slipping into the seat next to Aurelia. “That's what's delayed us.”

  Jonathon held up his hands for yet more silence from the astonished crowd.

  “We do not ask you stand alone, because the Military stand with us!” he announced, to roars of approval.

  He stood back for a moment and allowed Nicholas to address them, assuring the crowd that the Military Class stood with them and would be there when the time came.

  “I ask one more thing of you,” Jonathon said, when he retook the stage. “I will force no one to stand with us, and you are free to leave and go about your own business if you decide you want no part in this. I do not even forbid you to speak of it; your words are at your own discretion. But I do ask that all of you stay here until tomorrow evening. You must make your decision at leisure. Once made, those of you who decide to join us will be given more information. Those who wish to leave, will leave.”

  There was a renewed murmuring, though as far as Aurelia could tell, no one considered the fact that they were being held prisoner for twenty-four hours. Somehow, Jonathan had made it seem like a reasonable thing to do.

  For the last time, he held up his hands. When the crowd were quiet, he said: “Think carefully, my friends. I can promise you nothing. But if we succeed, then we will build a new world. Together.”

  He turned, even as the roars and applause began again, and walked calmly and slowly off the stage and disappeared through the archway.

  Aurelia felt a shuffle of movement next to her. She saw Elza pull out her portable com, look at it, frown, and then hurriedly leave the stage too. Weird, she thought but had no time to think more, as her father took her arm and the rest of the Resistance left the crowd to their amazement and delight.

  They rushed through the corridor, ascending a tilted tunnel until they came to Jonathon's office. The door was closed, but no one thought to knock. Aurelia's father opened the door, and they flooded in, stopping when they saw him standing in the middle of the room. He was flushed with success, his cheeks pale pink and his eyes flashing.

  “Do you think I did it?” he asked, a faint tremor in his voice.

  Aurelia was the first to speak. “I think you more than did it.”

  She ran into his arms, and the others surrounded both of them, clapping Jonathon on the back. When he finally extricated himself, his eyes searched the room until he found Nicholas.

  “Where the hell have you been?” he asked, pointing at him. “And what the hell was all that about?”

  Nicholas grinned and shrugged. “A surprise?”

  “One hell of a surprise; I nearly lost them for a minute there until you showed up.”

  “Just as well I showed up with my friends then, isn't it?” Nicholas laughed.

  “I think a celebration is in order,” Lukas said. He walked around Jonathon's desk, reached into a drawer, and pulled out what Aurelia recognised as a bottle of champagne.

  Jonathon narrowed his eyes.

  “For someone that's awfully good at keeping secrets,” Lukas said, airily, “you're terrible at hiding things. Half the people here know there's a bottle of champagne in that drawer.”

  With ease, he slid the cap from the bottle. Jonathon sighed and found drinking vessels for them all.

  Aurelia watched, feeling slightly apart from the celebration for some reason. Her parents were speaking animatedly to each other, reliving Jonathon's speech. Nicholas and Jonathon were pouring glasses and accepting congratulations from the flow of people coming through the office. But, she thought, we aren't done yet. Until the delegates were free to leave the cavern, there were no guarantees. And if they had to be kept there longer than the following evening, trouble could very well start. She tried to smile as she accepted her glass from Jonathon, but in truth she was worried. She was happy for his success, yes, but she was still worried about what was to come.

  She was taking her first sip of champagne when Elza burst into the room. She looked overexcited—panicked, even. With one look at her face, Jonathon ordered everyone out of the room except Nicholas, Aurelia, her parents, and Lukas.

  “What is it?” he said, quickly closing the door.

  Elza waved her portable com in the air, breathing rapidly as if she'd run all the way from the meeting chamber. “I got the call,” she said.

  Jonathon paled.

  “The President is dead.”

  Chapter Twelve

  After the celebrations of the rally, the silence in the room was overbearing. Aurelia counted to ten, letting the news sink in, allowing everyone to process exactly what it meant to them all. Nicholas had looked immediately at Elza, Lukas at Jonathon, and Jonathon himself lowered his eyes to the floor so she couldn't see what he was feeling.

  “What now?” she asked, after the silence had bathed them for a minute.

  Jonathon looked up, his face flushed, his eyes gleaming. “Now we go back. There'll be two days of mourning before the election process starts, and we must be seen to be in Lunar. Lukas?”

  Lukas nodded and left the room, Aurelia assumed to arrange transport.

  There was so much to be done that they all stood frozen, not sure where to start. Then Elza cleared her throat and walked towards Jonathon.

  “You took a risk bringing everyone here,” she said huskily. “And it paid off.” She held out her hand, and Jonathon took it. “I want to be the first to wish you luck,” she continued quietly.

  Jonathon smiled, then pulled her into an embrace. “Elza,” he said, letting her go, “you have been my right hand for almost as long as I can remember. This victory will be yours just as much as it will be mine. Will you return to Lunar with us?”

  Now it was Elza's turn to flush, and Aurelia caught her eyes glancing over at Nicholas before returning to Jonathon. Jonathon also apparently caught the movement, because a grin spread across his face. “And you too, Nicholas,” he said, trying to contain his laughter.

  Elza looked relieved as she nodded. “Of course we'll come.”

  Aurelia's parents had been quiet up to this point, but now her father spoke. “I would be glad to stay here in 05 for the moment and take care of things here,” he said.

  Jonathon nodded. “I've been counting on that,” he said, gratefully. “And if you wouldn't mind staying here for just a few minutes more, there is something that I need to talk to you about before I leave.”

  Stefan smiled and agreed.

  “I suggest that the rest of you go and pack your things,” Jonathon said. “Be ready to leave when I give the word.”

  Aurelia found herself outside the office before she'd even had a chance to congratulate Jonathon. But before she had time to think about going back, her mother took her arm.

  “I'll walk down with you and help you pack,” her mother said firmly.

  Aurelia knew that there was something on her mum's mind, and she also knew not to ask questions until her mother was ready to talk. They walked the rocky path arm in arm, Aurelia's mind whirling with all that had happened in the last few hours.

  It wasn't until they were in Aurelia
's chamber that her mother spoke.

  “This is really none of my business,” she said, sitting on the sleeping edge as Aurelia dragged her pack out from under it. “But you are my daughter, and I care for you very much. We're closer than most families are.”

  Aurelia smiled. “What is it, Mum? Ask away.” She began folding her spare uniforms.

  “Aurelia, do you love him?”

  She was surprised at the question, but answered anyway. “Yes, I do,” she said, sitting on the bed next to her mother.

  Her mother smiled. “Good. He's a good man, and I hope you will be happy together. As happy as your father and I.”

  Aurelia took her mother's hand. “I hope so too,” she said.

  Her mum hugged her. “Now let's fold those uniforms again, properly this time.”

  She knew that her parents had to stay on Earth, knew that her father would insist anyway. And for a moment, she wondered what was going to happen. She hoped that before this was over, they would see each other again, but she knew it was unlikely. She let her mother refold the uniforms that she'd already done, watching her as she did so. Her mum wasn't old, but Aurelia still saw a sprinkling of grey in her dark hair, the little creases around her eyes and mouth that wouldn't go away. Her mother looked an awful lot like the grandmother she'd never known.

  “All done,” her mum said, straightening up. “You're ready to go.”

  Aurelia thanked her and smiled before getting up too and hugging her mother one last time. “I love you, Mum,” she said.

  “Me too,” said her mother. “But get on back up to the office; you'll be leaving soon.”

  “You'll come to say goodbye?”

  “No, I'll say my goodbyes here. I don't like to watch you go.”

  “Stay safe, Mum, please,” she said, picking up her bag.

  “You too, little one.” Her mother stopped for a moment. “And know that we're proud of you and that no matter what happens, you can always come home.”

  If there’s a home to come to, Aurelia thought, blackly. She bit her lip and nodded, bending to kiss her mother's warm, soft cheek before turning to leave. She didn't look back, and choked back tears as she made her way down the corridor.