Repatriate Protocol Box Set

by Kelli Kimble

“I don’t think so. He wouldn’t be like that.”

  Elliot looked at me sideways. “You have a soft spot for him.” He poked me in the side. “I think you like him.”

  I shook him off. “It’s only logical, Elliot.”

  “Oh, I believe you,” he said. He mimicked me in a falsetto voice, “Leo wouldn’t be like that.” He broke out laughing.

  People coming towards us in the hallway openly stared.

  “Stop it,” I said in a low voice.

  “Why?” he teased. “Are you afraid someone will tell Leo you like him?”

  I glared at him.

  “All right, I’ll stop.” He held up his hands in surrender. “I’m only pointing out the obvious, though. You like him. He likes you. Future queen. President. Marry him and improve everyone’s situation.”

  I stopped. Nobody seemed to be in earshot now. I leaned closer. “I understand the situation, thanks. What I don’t understand is how we will improve their situation.”

  “By teaching them about the outside,” he said. “They need to get out of the mountain to reach their goal.”

  “What goal is that?”

  “Rebuilding humanity. The way it was before the winter.” He tipped his head. “I thought Leo told you this.”

  “I don’t know anything about the way humanity was before. And neither do you. How would we know what that entails?”

  Elliot shrugged. “I’m sure if you asked him, Leo would be pleased to court you with the details.” He waggled his eyebrows as he spoke.

  “Whatever, Elliot.” I pushed him aside and continued walking. “We’ve got homework to do. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  He stayed where he was, laughing at his own stupid jokes.

  ◆◆◆

  Leo did stop by shortly after I returned from a quick dinner run to the commissary. The homework was difficult—I’d easily spent two hours on it and had completed less than half of it.

  I invited him in, and he sat at the table, where I had my tablet and the remains of my dinner.

  “Ah, studying,” he said.

  “Yes, I have a lot of homework.”

  He smiled. “Don’t worry; I won’t stay long. I just wanted to know how it went.”

  I paused. “She seems very knowledgeable,” I finally said.

  He laughed. “That is not a glowing recommendation, Fiona.”

  I began clearing my dinnerplate and utensils, placing them back onto the tray.

  He touched my wrist. “You needn’t try to hide how you feel,” he said. “If you don’t like her, say so. There are a dozen other just as qualified people I could give the job to instead.”

  I sat down in the chair across from him. Did he have to seem so kind and caring? “It isn’t that I don’t like her. It’s more that she doesn’t like us.”

  He nodded and frowned but didn’t say anything.

  “She seems to believe we’re not just uneducated. More like stupid and ignorant.”

  “I will make sure you have someone new in the morning, then. It won’t do for you to be uncomfortable. That isn’t a suitable learning environment.”

  “No—I don’t want her to lose her position. I was only venting. I don’t want you to do anything.”

  “Well, maybe I’ll just have a chat with her about what you’re covering, then.”

  “Do you need to speak to her at all?” I said. I really didn’t want to get Annie in trouble.

  “Yes, she’s required to update me on your progress tomorrow, after your lessons.”

  “Oh.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll be discreet. Oh! Before I forget, I brought something for you.” He reached into his pocket and produced a slim, blue, stick-shaped object. “This is a stylus for your tablet. You’ll need it when you learn to write. It was mine when I was in school.” He pushed it across the table to me.

  I picked it up. It was lightweight. One end was slightly pointed, with a tiny, ball-shaped protrusion over the point to blunt it. The other end felt prickly.

  “Tooth marks,” he said. “A bad habit I had as a boy.”

  I smiled. “Thank you, Leo. I appreciate it.”

  “I’ll let you get back to studying. May I meet you for lunch tomorrow?”

  I ducked my head slightly, my cheeks heating up. “Of course,” I said. I was relieved that my voice didn’t warble as I said it.

  He smiled. “I’ll look for you then.” He stood up and went to the door. I stood, but he waved me back to my seat. “I can see myself out. You’ve got work to do.” He opened the door; then, just before he shut it, he poked his head back inside. “Your teeth look lovely, by the way.” Then, he ducked back out and shut the door.

  My stomach flip-flopped. Maybe Elliot was right. Maybe I did like Leo. Was I being stubborn by not accepting his proposal? I’d neglected to ask about what he stood to gain by incorporating the village into his plans. But, he was right that I had work to do. I pushed it from my mind and resumed my homework.

  The morning came too quickly. I felt unprepared to face Annie in class but knew I had no choice. A bleary-eyed Elliot arrived just as it was time to leave, and we walked to class together. I didn’t mention Leo’s visit the night before. I didn’t want to discuss my feelings for Leo with Elliot again.

  Annie was waiting for us in the classroom. “I told you not to be late,” she said.

  “We’re not,” said Elliot, holding up his tablet. “We’re right on time.”

  “I know. I was just surprised you could follow such an instruction,” she responded.

  I sat down in my seat. Maybe at lunch, I would ask Leo to have a word with her, after all.

  “Tablets, please.” We held up our tablets, and she tapped hers to each of ours in turn. “I see we have satisfactorily completed the homework. Very good. I was worried I would have to spend a lot of time reviewing this morning. Shall we get started, then?” She began with reciting the alphabet, without the aid of a rhyming song. We were almost done when the door swung open, and a woman who somehow managed to look even more severe than Annie entered the room.

  Annie heard the door but didn’t turn to face it. “You are interrupting an important session, so you may take your leave now,” she said.

  The woman’s upper lip curled into a snarl. “I’ll take my leave when I’m good and ready,” she said.

  Annie spun around. “Oh! I didn’t realize . . . I mean, I must apologize, Ma’am. Please, do come in, if you’d like.”

  The woman entered and sat in a tired-looking chair that was shoved into the corner. “Continue with the lesson, Annie.” She produced a tablet from a large pocket and sat with her finger poised above it.

  Annie turned to do as she was told but soon swung back to face her aggressor. “Ma’am, I do appreciate your visit, of course. But, I believe you have much more important things to do than watch over the education of outsiders. You needn’t feel like you should stay.”

  “You’re right. I do have more important things to do. And you’d better believe you’re going to be compensating me well for having to take the time to look in on you.”

  “But, I didn’t ask—”

  The woman interrupted. “You’re over your head, Annie, dear. Please, continue.”

  Annie stood, frozen for a moment. Then, her shoulders hunched the tiniest-perceivable amount, and she turned back to us. “Let us continue with our letter recognition. Elliot?”

  The whole rest of the morning passed, with the stern woman sitting in the corner. She occasionally nodded or tsked with her tongue. Her fingers tapped away at her tablet, though she never looked down to observe what her fingers were producing.

  Again, Annie didn’t give us breaks. But at least today, she didn’t take any, either. She kept her back to the woman in the corner but if I’d ever believed the talk of women having a third eye in the back of their heads, it was then. She seemed to feel every tap against the tablet internally.

  Finally, it was time for lunch, and we were dismissed. Elliot rushed out, b
ut I did my best to walk, rather than run out the door. I was glad I’d shown some restraint when I saw that Leo was waiting in the hall. “Hello. I didn’t think she was ever going to dismiss you,” he said.

  The stern woman emerged from behind me, and Leo’s smile changed into a smirk. “I see my secret weapon has arrived to save your day.” He kissed the stern woman on the cheek. “Mother, I should like you to meet Fiona. Fiona, this is my mother.”

  I extended my arm for their traditional greeting, but she greeted me instead with the village handshake. “Please, call me Pacifica. I’ve heard a lot about you, my dear. I do hope that you haven’t formed your opinion of the colony based on the unfortunate biases of your teacher.”

  “Someone once told me that we all have a bias towards our own upbringing,” I said.

  “There’s truth to that, terrible as it is. Rest assured that you’re holding your own. You and Elliot are both making remarkable progress,” she said. She smiled. “And I don’t think Annie will give you difficulty again.”

  “Thank you, Ma’am.”

  “It was lovely to meet you. I hope to see you soon. But, I understand you have a lunch date with my Leo.” She winked at me.

  I felt my face heat up, and I nodded.

  “Mother, you’re embarrassing Fiona,” Leo said.

  “I can see that. And you’re right. She does have quite a raw beauty about her.” She looked me over. “Clearly, royalty.”

  “Mother.”

  “All right. Goodbye, then.” She leaned in towards Leo, and he delivered another peck on her cheek. She patted my arm and went on her way.

  “Wow,” I said when she was gone. “I don’t believe I’ve ever met anyone as formidable as her before.”

  Leo smiled. “Don’t let her fool you. Deep down, she’s quite softhearted.”

  “Is that where you get it from?” I asked.

  He flinched. “Don’t flirt unless you mean it, Fiona.”

  “Who says I don’t mean it?” My heart leapt into my throat. I hadn’t really meant to say either of those things.

  He stepped close. “Do you think I’m softhearted?”

  I frowned. “I don’t think it; I know it. It’s quite obvious.”

  “I thought I hid it well.” He stepped even closer. “It’s unseemly for a president to be a pushover.”

  My eyes moved to his lips. Was he going to kiss me?

  A door slamming down the hall jolted us both from the moment. He smoothly put an arm over my shoulder and turned me, as if he had only been standing so close to me for the purpose of directing me somewhere. “I do believe lunch is waiting,” he said.

  I nodded and allowed him to steer me along. If he wasn’t going to kiss me, at least I could enjoy the feeling of his hand against the small of my back.

  ◆◆◆

  “Your mother seems . . . nice,” I said. We were in the commissary, eating lunch between visits by many of Leo’s constituents.

  He laughed. “That’s a loaded statement.”

  “She was nice to me, anyway. Poor Annie got quite the snout-full.”

  “I hope you don’t mind. I know you asked me not to interfere. But, I can’t have people treating you that way. And Annie has been in need of an attitude adjustment for some time, now.”

  “Why did you pick her, then?”

  “Other than my mother, she’s the best. Why else?”

  I nodded. A woman approached the table. “Excuse me, Mr. President?” she said.

  “Yes?” He set down his fork and turned to her.

  It seemed to remind her that she was interrupting his meal. “Um, well, it can wait. But, I had some questions about the new laundry rules?”

  “Nonsense. If it’s important to you, it’s important to me.”

  She continued about some new restriction and how it was difficult for her family. I didn’t pay much attention to what she said. Instead, I watched her. She never actually touched him, but her hand was hovering over his shoulder as she talked. It irritated me.

  “Fiona?” he said.

  Crud, they were talking to me, and I wasn’t paying attention. “Yes?”

  “I was just introducing you to Penny. I think you would have a lot in common with her.”

  Penny’s expression confirmed that, in fact, we had only one thing in common, and that was not likely to be something we wanted to share.

  “Nice to meet you,” I said. I smiled but didn’t stand or move to grip her arm.

  “Likewise, I’m sure,” she said. “Well, I don’t want to interrupt you further. Maybe I could stop by your office later?”

  Unable to restrain myself, I settled my hand on Leo’s. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth for the briefest of moments. “I’m sure Leo’s assistant would be happy to help you with your problem,” I said.

  Penny’s eyes bulged dangerously. Spurred on by her reaction, I lightly stroked the back of Leo’s hand.

  “Yes, Penny. My assistant would welcome the opportunity,” said Leo.

  “Right,” she said. “Your assistant.” She looked at me and licked her lips deliberately. She turned back to Leo. “Thank you for your time, Sir.” She turned and left, her stiff posture broadcasting her dislike for me.

  Leo pressed his other hand on top of mine. “That was rather nice,” he said.

  “Mm.”

  “I think the solution to our problem is obvious now.”

  “What problem?” I asked.

  “Your indecision.” He leaned closer so that only I could hear. It felt as though everyone else faded away, and my attention zeroed in on him until I saw him in sharper colors and angles than anything I’d ever witnessed before. “You don’t want to get to know me. You want to be courted. To be loved.”

  Heat stole up my neck and over my face.

  “You needn’t be embarrassed,” he said. “It would be a pleasure to court you. I’d like to take you to dinner and spend idle time together. A stolen kiss here and there; that would be most welcome, too.” He raised his eyebrows, breaking the spell.

  “Don’t tease me,” I said, turning away.

  “I’m not teasing. Not at all,” he said, leaning back into his chair. “But, I do like to have some fun now and then. Don’t you?”

  “I haven’t had many opportunities for fun,” I said.

  “We’ll fix that straightaway. When you’re finished with your homework this afternoon, come to my office, and we’ll accomplish something fun.”

  I agreed, but before he could elaborate, another citizen with an urgent requirement approached. I finished my meal in silence, not really paying attention to the parade of people demanding his expertise.

  When it was clear that he wasn’t going to get to finish his own meal—let alone say anything more to me—I cleared my plate and waved goodbye to him from across the room. He waved back and winked. People standing near him tried to determine whom he was waving at, but they couldn’t seem to see me. That was fine. He could see me, and that was enough.

  Chapter 13

  It was past dinnertime when I completed all my homework to my satisfaction. Annie might have been a mean sort, but I still felt motivated to please her and excel. Perhaps that’s where her teaching strength lay.

  I went to Leo’s office and entered the outer room. The lights were low, and his assistant was not sitting at her desk. Tentatively, I walked the length of the room to his inner office door. It was slightly ajar. Inside, I could hear him talking, though I couldn’t hear anyone else responding.

  I tapped on the door and pushed it open. He was striding back and forth. “Fiona,” he said, coming to the door and guiding me inside. “I was starting to think that you weren’t coming.”

  “I had a lot of homework to do.”

  “Yes, I knew that, of course. I just—nerves, I guess.” He splayed his hands out in a gesture of futility.

  “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. I know you’re a busy man.”

  “I’ll never be too busy for you,” he sai
d. He tipped his head after he said it, as if he were surprised to find he felt that way. “You must be hungry. Forget something fun. Let’s just have something to eat.”

  “All right,” I said. I didn’t really want to go back to the commissary and watch other people speak to him while I ate. But, I was hungry.

  He went behind his desk and produced a metal box. “Let’s go to the outer office. More room to spread out there,” he said. I followed him, and he spread a blanket on the floor and set the metal box in the middle. He sat down and patted the blanket beside him. “Come, sit.” I obeyed and watched as he extracted a variety of foods from the box. They all appeared to be from the village. A prickle of homesickness caught at my throat. “Do you like it?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I said. It was all I could say without letting a sob escape. I realized I missed the village terribly, though I had nobody there who really missed me. Except maybe the queen. Even so, the familiar sights, sounds, smells—I had none of those comforts here.

  “You must be wondering how I’ve come by these things,” he said, handing me a plate heaped with food. Something in his tone made my insides wither. “I doubt your mother has ever mentioned this to you, but our groups have been in communication for quite some time. She sends her most trusted advisor to stay with us every year for about a month. You probably know him. Barrow?”

  “Yes,” I said. My heart sank.

  “He’s been coming here since before I was even born. A rough man, but he seems respectable. He certainly has the interests of the village at heart.”

  “Does he?” I asked.

  He set his plate down. “I have the feeling I’ve said something you don’t agree with.”

  “Barrow and I likely don’t see eye to eye,” I said.

  “Really. That’s surprising. You know him well?”

  “No. Not really.”

  He smiled. “Then, how do you know you don’t see eye to eye?”

  “He advised the queen not to allow me to have an extra choosing. He said that it would only make me more of a spoiled brat.”

  “You’re royalty,” he said, smirking. “You have to expect the occasional unfair reference to your advantages.”