00106



Mita Morgan sat in the parked Security Agency vehicle on the outskirts of the rocketport with her cell phone to her ear.

Security Agent Osmo Martin sat beside the Security Leader, scowling, watching the Hopers milling all about the rocketport- The Hopers were sitting in the middle of landing fields (playing cards), standing atop the idle and waiting freighter rockets, confounding traffic, some hanging around the rocketport lounge and glaring at the Earthers inside- and every one of them answering to Struber. "Sec. Ldr. Morgan, why waste our time negotiating with Struber? You know he's a slug."

Mita Morgan paid him no mind. She spoke on her communications device: "Yes, Sir. Gov. Bright, I know what you are going to say- I know the CDG force is still not in shape, and for that I apologize- Oh, it's not about them? Oh, I see. Yes, Sir."

When the call abruptly terminated, she paused a brief second, considering, then she put away her comm unit. She took out her blaster and aimed it at her companion beside her in the vehicle. "Osmo Martin, you are hereby under arrest."

"Ha ha, you're so funny. Funny, I don't remember you having much of a sense of humor before, Sec. Ldr. Morgan." He kept his eyes on the Hopers, observing them from his seat inside the car and shaking his head in disgust at their antics.

"This isn't a joke. Hand over your blaster- NOW!"

Osmo Martin blinked. "Hey, you're serious, Mita. What gives?"

"Your blaster, Osmo."

He hesitated, then, reluctantly, he gave it to her. "What's this all about?"

She yanked his hands together and cuffed them. "You'll find out. Gov. Bright wants me to bring you to the Governor's House immediately."

Sec. Ldr. Morgan started the vehicle and did a U-turn, heading back into town and then for the Governor's mansion at the edge of Sparkle City, on the Governor's Hill. Perplexed, Osmo offered no resistance, willing to go there, to see the Governor and get to the bottom of this.


Sheila Bright had just left her Uncle's residence, wearing her CDG workout uniform, ready to start another morning of training on the Security Agency's grounds, with the rest of the new volunteers. She got only halfway across the lawn when a Security Agent vehicle coming up the driveway to the mansion's door caught her attention. She saw Mita Morgan get out, which made her mildly curious.

She told herself, I thought Mita would be at the rocketport for those negotiations with Struber again- not that they seem to be doing any good.

Then she noticed Mita open the passenger's door and tug out Osmo Martin, whose hands were cuffed. Mita marched him straight into the Governor's House at blaster point! What? Why?? What did Osmo do?! Sheila forgot about her CDG fitness duty as she dashed back to the mansion for answers.


Meanwhile, Mita brought Osmo to Gov. Bright's office, where Xavier Bright awaited them. Mrs. Kline was gone. She had been sent out for a very long coffee break, something which seemed to happen fairly regularly of late.

Osmo Martin fumed, "What's the idea? You have no reason to treat me like this!"

Sec. Ldr. Mita Morgan kept her blaster trained on Osmo.

Before Gov. Bright had a chance to answer him, Sheila burst into the office. She stared at Osmo Martin, still in cuffs and with the blaster pointed at him. Unbelievable! "Uncle! What is going on here? What is it you think Osmo did?!"

Seeing Sheila, Xavier Bright's usual confidence in all his decisions seemed to wilt a bit. He shifted his weight uneasily, standing there, momentarily thinking what words to use with his niece. Suddenly, his eyes grew cold and focused again. He stood straight, resolved to see this through.

"Sheila, arresting Osmo is not something I wish to do. Osmo is a good man, in his own way. I have grown fond of him. But this is something I must do. For the security of the World of Hope."

Mita Morgan said nothing. She stood alert, watching for any signs of trouble from Osmo.

Sheila protested. "Osmo isn't a threat!"

Osmo Martin also complained, angry. "Gov. Bright, what ridiculous thing are you saying? I have always worked for the good of Hope! You are making a terrible mistake-"

"It is not a mistake, Osmo. You are now my hostage, in order to keep the Earth Leaders in line. I do not want them to send their Army rockets here. I will not allow it."

This flabbergasted Osmo Martin. "A- a hostage?" He had a hard time convincing himself he had heard rightly.

Xavier Bright pointed to the doorway to the hall beyond. "Sec. Ldr. Morgan, take Osmo to the guest suite, the one formerly occupied by the McCleers. There's no reason for Osmo not to be comfortable. The windows do not open, and they are unbreakable- ironically, they are a product of Martinology-, and well above the ground. The walls are made of stone. He should not be able to escape from there."

"Yes, Sir." She motioned to the doorway with her blaster, and said to Osmo, "Let's go."

Osmo grumbled, "You're actually making me a hostage, Gov. Bright! You can't get away with this!"

Sheila found herself speechless.

Before Mita Morgan left with Osmo, the Governor added, "Please see that a guard is posted outside his rooms at all times, Sec. Ldr. Morgan. He must not be allowed to leave. Sheila will bring his clothes from his place at the Security Agency building."

As Mita led Osmo Martin away, Osmo shouted back to Gov. Bright, "You wait- My father won't allow this, once he finds out!"

Gov. Bright corrected Osmo. "He already knows. I told him that you are my hostage, and if Earth dares to send the military, I will execute my hostage."

Sheila Bright found her voice. "No! No, Uncle! This you must not do!!"

Osmo gasped at the Governor's news, startled beyond belief. "What-??"

This threat even shocked Mita Morgan in her tracks. She paused while escorting Osmo away, and Osmo, assessing the situation, considered breaking away, but the Security Leader recovered quickly and poked her blaster into his side. "Osmo, don't try it. Let's go. To the guest suite."

"So, Gov. Bright, Clyden was right about you, after all," Osmo realized, while Mita pushed him along down the hallway with her weapon. "He warned me about trusting you..."

Sheila sniffled, watching Mita take Osmo away down the corridor.

Gov. Xavier Bright did not respond to Osmo. He closed the office door to the hall.

"Uncle Xavier- How can you do this- Why- I don't- I don't understand how you can do such a thing to Osmo!" blubbered Sheila.

Her Uncle's face looked grave, almost unhappy. "No, I don't suppose you can understand. I assure you, though, I do what I do for the World of Hope. Our world. You know me. There is nothing I will not do for our little planet. I do not want to this, but I must. Now, get some of his things, as I had said, and take them to Osmo at his new quarters."

She listened, weeping quietly. Finally, she wiped some tears from her eyes. She nodded, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Y-yes, Uncle..."


When she reached his former rooms at the Security Agency Building, she found she had no way in. The door was locked. But Mita Morgan arrived there shortly afterward. All Mita said was, "I have the key," and with the key, she opened the door for Sheila.

"Mita-" Sheila began.

Mita cut off any discussion. "Sheila, I am sure Gov. Bright knows what he is doing. If I were you, I would not question him so much, and instead trust his judgment more."

"I- I do, but-"

Mita Morgan hastily left, not wanting to talk about it.

It felt weird for Sheila Bright, going through Osmo's things without his permission. She felt like she was violating his privacy. She did not like it. She felt ashamed of it. She selected some of his civilian clothes and put them into one of Osmo's suitcases that he had brought on his journey to Hope, which she found in the closet. Naturally, she left behind his Security Agent uniforms.


When she returned to the Governor's House, and went to the suite, she found a low-level Security Agent guard stationed before the door. He had been told to expect Sheila's coming with the clothes, and to let her into the guest suite. "But first, Miss Bright, I must inspect the case."

Sheila, insulted, asked, "You dare to not trust me, you- you-"

"Just following orders, Ma'm." After quickly looking through the clothes and finding no hidden blasters or anything else controversial, he allowed her to go through the door.

Osmo Martin, inside, understandably did not look very happy. He looked even less happy when he saw Sheila enter. He paced slowly, thoughtfully, back and forth, in front of an easy chair, saying nothing.

Sheila sheepishly set down the suitcase. "I- have some change of clothes for you, Os... Oh, Osmo, I feel so terrible about this! You know, though, my Uncle wouldn't do it, if he didn't believe it was for the good of the World of Hope-"

Osmo Martin stopped pacing. He faced her and growled, "Oh, well, then, that makes it okay. Lock me up, lock you up, threaten us, threaten everybody- It's okay, it's all for the good of the World of Hope!"

"Os-"

"I remember how you encouraged me to cut down on my booze, to mature- and I did, because I found something to believe in, someone who inspired me. Gov. Xavier Bright. A great man! One of the best! Or so I thought. So you told me he was, anyway. What a dope I was! I think my old attitude served me a lot better, I'll tell you that- Look how I ended up when I tried to behave responsibly. What a joke. As if Gov. Bright- and you- act responsibly and decently yourselves! As if taking me hostage is a decent act of a great man. Not the way I see it. And you go along with him! Now my eyes have opened."

"Os-" Sheila choked back tears.

Osmo Martin sat down in a chair, still staring at her. "Yeah, Sheila, you once told me you didn't have many close friends when you were growing up. I can see why, if this is how you treat your friends. Mere pawns, to be used for the good of the World of Hope."

She fell on her knees before him, her eyes pleading for him to understand. "It's not like that, Osmo- He took care of me and my mother, and when my mother died, he took care of me all by himself! I owe him, you see. And he really is a great man. I know he has to make hard choices for the sake of the World of Hope. That comes with being a great leader! You don't really think he will actually hurt you, do you?"

"Yeah, right, you almost convince me. So, what you're saying is, you aren't gonna help me escape, are you?"

"Osmo, don't ask me to do that! I cannot disobey him, not in so important a matter!"

"I see. Hmm. So, tell me, did our friendship mean anything to you at all, Sheila? Did it really mean anything? Is it- was it important? Am I important to you? To let your uncle make me a hostage-" He cut off his own words. Osmo got to his feet and stomped away into another room inside the suite, shutting the door behind himself, in Sheila's face.

Cut to her heart, Sheila put a hand over her mouth to stifle more sobs. She stood again and quietly left the suite, but not before she glanced back at the room into which Osmo had gone, whispering , "Os, I'm sorry, but- I... can't..."

Xavier Bright, waiting just outside the suite, caught her by surprise.

(The guard still remained at his post.)

Xavier Bright saw her tears. "I expected this to be hard for you to do. That's why I had you bring him his clothes, so you can see for yourself how impractical it is for you to visit him in the future. I suggest you heed my advice and do not come here to this suite anymore. No good can come of it."

She kept silent, but walked back down the hall with him. Finally, she inquired, "Will holding Osmo hostage really stop Earth from sending its Army?"

"No. But it will slow them down. Osmo's father is sure to argue against it. He is very influential, and the Council will debate it for many, many days ahead before they can agree. But, in the end, they will do what they want, just like they always did, when it came to sending us those supplies we always needed. Until that time, we shall ready ourselves for that day, when Earth does at last come here to try to take over our planet."

Sheila put together the pieces of the puzzle. "And that is why you formed the Civilian Defense Group, to get the people of Hope in training, so we can fight a war- a war against Earth?"

"Yes, and that is why, behind the scenes, Sec. Ldr. Morgan works with Mr. Struber and the Hopers, to rally the citizens into the right patriotic mindset, so that they are willing to fight for freedom, to battle Earth for control of what little we have here. Earth Leader Bigges knows this as well, so that is why I am forced to make Osmo my hostage. We will fight for our world, Sheila. It may not seem like much of a world to some of our own people, but what we do have, it is ours, and we should not let Earth take it from us!"

Sheia Bright nodded slowly, absorbing this. Then, she forced herself to ask this question. "And, then, if- when Earth does finally send the Army, what then? You won't actually... hurt Osmo, will you?"

He put his arm around her shoulders as they walked away from the suite, and he explained, "Sheila, if a leader makes threats, and is unwilling to carry them out, he will look weak, and he will command no respect from his people. No one will follow him. Nor should anybody follow such a leader."

His niece gaped. "But- but-"

Xavier Bright kissed her forehead. "Sheila, my dear niece, spare yourself some pain, and push it from your mind. You can, with some effort. You are a Bright, after all. Now, I must be going. I have much to do, many things to discuss with Sec. Ldr. Morgan, to prepare for the big day that is coming."

He left her where she stood, heading toward his office once more. So much to do, but now he bought more time, at least. His plans went along as he had expected, but there was one thing that bothered him, one big loose end which made him uncomfortable- the Research and Development Lab. The blizzard cut off access to it, and to whatever newly developed devices that might be there, so if he and his people could not reach it, maybe at least neither could anybody else get there- and get the devices. He hoped. If only he were able to somehow set off that self-destruct mechanism!

(c) drk 2011