Sanctuary Falling
Page 36
“Angela just stepped down, and gave her job to you. You’re the new chief,” Carl informed her. For a shocked instant, Annette dropped all of her shields, and almost fainted. She raised her shields again rapidly, and slowly processed everything that glimpse had told her, including the fact that Carl wasn’t kidding and that everyone in the crowd was in utter agreement with the passing of the baton.
Angela smiled at her from the microphone and gestured for Annette to take it. Numbly, Annette stepped back up to the mike. Annette’s mind flailed for a response as it played back the crowd’s memories of the exact words Angela had used. Angela hadn’t offered the job; she had presented the news of a completed fact, almost taking the tone that she had discussed the prospect at length. Annette didn’t know who Angela had discussed it with, but she did wish Angela had at least given her some warning. One didn’t just slap a person upside the head with something like that. What was Annette supposed to do step up to the microphone and refuse to take the job?
“Clearly, ladies and gentlemen, our new leader is completely speechless,” Carl said, taking the microphone, “I think she was the only one here caught completely by surprise about this announcement. Even though most of us knew she was the chief, even if not in title. You can’t really blame her though; she was just so busy doing all of the things that really earned her this new honor, that she didn’t see it coming.” Carl shoved the microphone back in Annette’s face, “Come on Annette! Speech! Speech!” The crowd took up the chant.
Tears welled up in Annette’s eyes, chief factor? It hadn’t been that long ago that Annette had given up hope of being a factor at all, now she was chief? Annette’s throat felt dry and she hoped she could speak, “I just can’t believe it. When I was a little girl there was nothing more I wanted to be than a factor. I dreamed every night about someday becoming a tertiary factor or maybe even secondary. I thought my dream had come true when Angela first told me that maybe someday I could even be a Prime factor and that I would definitely be a primary. The day I got my Prime jacket I thought I must’ve died and gone to heaven. This. . . honor was beyond anything I had even dreamed. I don’t know what else to say except that I will do my best.” The crowd roared and Annette let herself hear every decibel of it, it didn’t even hurt.
Carl took the microphone, “Okay, people, can we quiet down long enough for me to explain a few things. People from Sanctuary, you all have your pop-pads and your housing assignments if you have any questions ask your pad. Refugees, I guess that’s not as descriptive as it would have been seeing as we’re all Refugees now. Refugees not from Sanctuary, there are factors waiting to assist you in locating your quarters. These guides will all be wearing white berets. By the way, people put on your hats now. Okay that’s the news, for now. Once you’re settled in, if you want any more information channel one on the media screens is running an informative documentary. It can give you most of the information you will require, but if. . . .”
Annette’s attention to the announcement faded. After all, she had written it. Her attention turned to Angela, who was making a quiet escape from the platform. Annette followed her mentor with her eyes as the older woman surreptitiously blended into the crowd. Telepathically, and inwardly Annette knew Angela was finally more at peace with herself than she had been in their entire acquaintanceship. The tired old sheriff could finally rest. Annette realized that the construction of Refuge left her far from being finished with the mission Angela had given her. Annette still had to turn it into a community. As for the factors’ fight against the dark, this was only a fresh beginning.
- - - - - - - - - -