the door is completely open, D560 slips out and flees down the hall. Did I say something wrong?
My heart beats wildly up to my neck when ten of the other Legion commanders and I ride the narrow elevator car down into the safety zone. A350 stands next to me. I feel A566âs breath on my neck. He stands right behind me and I have a feeling that he is having a particularly difficult time breathing. Even Finnâs breath tickled my neck, but that was a pleasant feeling. A566âs breath on the other hand gives me goose bumps, almost like a cold wind. I cannot say what is triggering this feeling. He never seemed to be unfriendly; on the contrary, he is the one who turned the balance of the vote to my favor. Actually, I should be grateful to him. He is the only other Legion commander the same age as me. We could be friends, but I doubt that will ever happen.
With a jerk, the elevator comes to a stop. One after another we step out into the artificial light of the atrium.
While the people had gathered in front of the elevator at my appointment, they now stand in orderly rows in front of the still veiled food counters. Through a closed-off path we walk through to a podium to the left of the new food counters.
The other Legion commanders stand in a line behind me as I stand at the edge of the podium in front of a microphone stand. At the rebel meetings, everyone would talk wildly with excitement that would slowly come to a rest. But here no one speaks a word. Every single inhabitant of the safety zone has their eyes obediently fixed on me. Their eyes show no emotion. They look neither happy nor sad, neither curious nor bored. Their gaze is as if frozen. But I know I can break the ice. Somewhere beneath their shell of numbness are unique personalities, just waiting to be awakened. Nevertheless, it would help me in this moment to recognize one pair of eyes in the crowd. I let my gaze flow over the many faces. From up here they all look the same. They stand still, just like robots. I can feel the Legion commanders feel impatient behind me. They want me to hurry up and give my speech. Just when I want to give up my search, I see him. He stands with another fighter in front of the sickbay, which is why I did not see him immediately. But, instead of confidence and encouragement in Clydeâs eyes, I only see anger and disappointment. He stares me right in the eye and without a word tells me what he thinks about me. He thinks I betrayed him and Zoe.
If I was not nervous before, I was now. My heart sits as though it is a lump in my throat. I can feel beads of sweat trickle down my back and across my wet forehead. The warm hand of A350 lies down on my shoulder. âSpeak now!â She tells me. It is a command and not a request.
I clear my throat. The noise can be heard throughout the atrium and reverberates and amplifies off the walls.
âWelcome! A518 welcomes you.â
My voice is weak and does not radiate the strength of the other Legion commanders. Of course I had thought about what I would say, but my mind is a blank. I breathe in and out and think back to A350âs words.
âYou should have no fear and you should not worry about your lines. You have worked so hard for the common food procurement system that you should only have to speak from your heart. People will feel how much it means to you.â
âMan is a herd animal. If you were to put him alone in a cell without contact with other people, he would wilt like a plant without water.â
It occurs to me too late that none of the people in the safety zone have ever seen a living plant. They only know them from educational instruction.
âThe reason why people survived World War III is because they joined forces. Had everyone fought for themselves, probably none of us would be here.â
I look to Clyde. He still looks angry, but also interested. He is listening.
âThe Legion gave people a home. In the safety zone they were safe, even
My heart beats wildly up to my neck when ten of the other Legion commanders and I ride the narrow elevator car down into the safety zone. A350 stands next to me. I feel A566âs breath on my neck. He stands right behind me and I have a feeling that he is having a particularly difficult time breathing. Even Finnâs breath tickled my neck, but that was a pleasant feeling. A566âs breath on the other hand gives me goose bumps, almost like a cold wind. I cannot say what is triggering this feeling. He never seemed to be unfriendly; on the contrary, he is the one who turned the balance of the vote to my favor. Actually, I should be grateful to him. He is the only other Legion commander the same age as me. We could be friends, but I doubt that will ever happen.
With a jerk, the elevator comes to a stop. One after another we step out into the artificial light of the atrium.
While the people had gathered in front of the elevator at my appointment, they now stand in orderly rows in front of the still veiled food counters. Through a closed-off path we walk through to a podium to the left of the new food counters.
The other Legion commanders stand in a line behind me as I stand at the edge of the podium in front of a microphone stand. At the rebel meetings, everyone would talk wildly with excitement that would slowly come to a rest. But here no one speaks a word. Every single inhabitant of the safety zone has their eyes obediently fixed on me. Their eyes show no emotion. They look neither happy nor sad, neither curious nor bored. Their gaze is as if frozen. But I know I can break the ice. Somewhere beneath their shell of numbness are unique personalities, just waiting to be awakened. Nevertheless, it would help me in this moment to recognize one pair of eyes in the crowd. I let my gaze flow over the many faces. From up here they all look the same. They stand still, just like robots. I can feel the Legion commanders feel impatient behind me. They want me to hurry up and give my speech. Just when I want to give up my search, I see him. He stands with another fighter in front of the sickbay, which is why I did not see him immediately. But, instead of confidence and encouragement in Clydeâs eyes, I only see anger and disappointment. He stares me right in the eye and without a word tells me what he thinks about me. He thinks I betrayed him and Zoe.
If I was not nervous before, I was now. My heart sits as though it is a lump in my throat. I can feel beads of sweat trickle down my back and across my wet forehead. The warm hand of A350 lies down on my shoulder. âSpeak now!â She tells me. It is a command and not a request.
I clear my throat. The noise can be heard throughout the atrium and reverberates and amplifies off the walls.
âWelcome! A518 welcomes you.â
My voice is weak and does not radiate the strength of the other Legion commanders. Of course I had thought about what I would say, but my mind is a blank. I breathe in and out and think back to A350âs words.
âYou should have no fear and you should not worry about your lines. You have worked so hard for the common food procurement system that you should only have to speak from your heart. People will feel how much it means to you.â
âMan is a herd animal. If you were to put him alone in a cell without contact with other people, he would wilt like a plant without water.â
It occurs to me too late that none of the people in the safety zone have ever seen a living plant. They only know them from educational instruction.
âThe reason why people survived World War III is because they joined forces. Had everyone fought for themselves, probably none of us would be here.â
I look to Clyde. He still looks angry, but also interested. He is listening.
âThe Legion gave people a home. In the safety zone they were safe, even
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