Free Transcendent (9781311909442) by Jason Halstead Page B

flared
twice as she breathed through them. Finally she managed to ask,
“The president sent you a communication? Personally?”
    Lily shook her head. “No.”
    Palla’s shoulders dropped as she released
some of the tension in her back.
    “He told me in person.”
    Kami jerked her head up again and Palla
resumed her imitation of a fish out of water gasping for
breath.
    The door opened behind Lily to admit Trix.
“Did you guys hear the rumor about the new president being here? Do
you think—what’s wrong?”
    Lily turned to face the other Venerian girl
and offered her a weak smile. “I met him a few minutes ago.”
    “You met—no way! That’s so—so—I don’t even
know. I mean, it’s cool and all, but this is the guy who sent an
army to take over Venus. He killed almost everyone we know,
right?”
    “He’s very passionate about his beliefs in
sacrifice and the future of humanity,” Lily said. What she kept to
herself was that she didn’t share his beliefs. Her family had been
ranchers, not idealists or terrorists. They could have kept on
ranching just fine regardless of who wanted to be in charge.
    “That’s unbelievable!”
    “You don’t believe me?”
    “No! I do! I mean, yes, I believe you. It’s
just amazing. We’re just kids, right? And you got to meet the
president!”
    “I don’t think we’ve been kids for a few
months now,” Lily said. “Not since I watched one of my best friends
get blown up and saw my village destroyed.”
    Palla cleared her throat. Her complexion was
still a little pale but she’d lifted her head back up and was
standing now. “Lily, have you read up on President Ondalla’s past?
He endured terrible hardships before he could be chosen as the man
who would fix our selfish and foolish ways. Not just endured, but
overcame. He learned from them and discovered that only in working
for the greater good and putting aside personal pride and greed
could we ever hope to evolve as a species.”
    “What are you trying to say?” Lily
asked.
    “Only that you might not understand why
things have happened the way they have, but you must trust the
people who are in charge. They have been around longer and they’ve
seen more than you have. If I had to shoot one of you right now so
that the other two could go on to survive and be better for it, I
would. I would hate it, but I would do it if I had to.”
    “I’m not so sure you’d hate it if it were
me,” Lily snapped without thinking.
    Palla jerked her head back. “Lily! That’s
not true at all! Why would you say that?”
    Past the point of going back, Lily knew she
had to push forward. “Because you don’t like me. You feel
threatened by me. We used to have a girl in my colony we called the
Golden Child. She was my friend, but only because I never
challenged her. I let her think she was special because it didn’t
matter. I had all I wanted and I didn’t know there was any more I
could need out of life.”
    Palla shook her head, not understanding.
“This girl, did she come to TLC-1 with you?”
    “No, she got blown up by one of those
biomechs,” Lily said. Palla flinched at the news, allowing her to
drive her point home. “You’re the same as Pita was. You had all
this attention because you had something special, but as soon as
someone more special comes along, you don’t think you’re any good
anymore. Nobody cares, and that hurts you. You want people to care.
You want to be special again.”
    “Lily! That’s not true! I—I’m here to help
you all. I’m here to—”
    Kami stood up and slipped her pad in her
bag. She rushed past Lily and Trix on her way out the door, causing
everyone to follow her with her eyes. When the door shut, Trix
shook her head to warn Lily not to ask. Lily turned back and saw
Palla open her mouth to continue defending herself.
    “Palla, stop,” Lily said. “I was mean to
you, too. I said things and I pushed you. Teased you, even. I’m
sorry.”
    Palla’s eyes went from wide open