by Paul Dueweke
CHAPTER TWO
Threat to the Republic
Terra Halvorsen, a political science professor, sat in her living room about a mile from her office at the University. Curled in her lap lay Samantha, purring quietly and unresponsive to the commotion on the TV before them. But Professor Halvorsen made up for Samantha’s lethargy. She watched the Primary with singular intensity.
She didn’t care about choosing a candidate or playing the games everyone swilled. Her focus slashed through the peripherals, digesting every facial expression, every movement, every shadow. She wasn’t just watching; but dissecting, penetrating, analyzing. Her attention spotlighted the details, looking for flaws, searching for any glimpse or clue to support her belief.
She’d developed a simple but controversial theory with painstaking research. But her effort had been met first with an artificial indifference that intellectuals reserve for issues that offend their faith, but which they hope will just wither with neglect. This seeming indifference turned into hostility by the university administrators as it became clear that Professor Halvorsen wouldn’t just go away.
Professor Halvorsen nudged Samantha, and the black and white ball turned her head sideways and looked up at her with one eye. She nudged her again. “Come on, Sammy. I have to get up now. Vamoose.”
Samantha stretched one paw far up her robe until it came to rest on bare skin. “Ouch! Not with your claws, Sammy!” She stood up with Samantha who jumped down in displeasure.