The Girl Without a Name

by Rachel Burns

  We waited for two hours before it was announced that everyone above a ninety-four could move onto the next round.

  The reporters were waiting for us again. They were reporting about me because I was a girl who was moving ahead. Daddy spoke with the reporters, telling them that more parents should encourage their daughters to study and do well.

  ~

  I practiced with Shane until Daddy said it was time for me to go to bed. He came in and sat down on my bed after Shane returned to his dormitory.

  “What if I don’t make it to the next round?” I asked Daddy, wanting to know what he would do to me if I failed.

  “Then you’ll make it next year. This is your first year. You have already done very well, and that is what I would tell the reporters.”

  “You wouldn’t be mad?” I asked him.

  “No.” He smiled at me. “But you started something. I want you to come back next year and the year after that. You owe it to all the girls whose parents don’t think that it’s important to teach their daughters, beyond teaching them to read or write.”

  I nodded. He was right about that. I had to prove that girls had a right to be here too. We weren’t second-class citizens. Still, I had questions. “Why don’t you ever talk about me becoming an air captain?”

  “Because, you’re a girl.” Daddy smiled at me. “I know that sounds paradox. But I once supported a woman and encouraged her to do whatever she wanted to do. She got killed doing what she felt was right. I lost her. I learned the hard way that women are very special creatures who need to be protected. If you need to, you can get into an airship and fly away, but I don’t want you to fly into war.”

  “But you want your sons to do that?”

  “We’re men, we protect women.” He leaned down and gave me a kiss. “Sleep well.”

  “Are you sure you won’t be mad if I don’t do well?” I asked him again.

  “By getting this far, potential parents looking for a wife for their sons will consider you first. This was very important. Shane had a wonderful idea.”

  “Wouldn’t I have been able to find a husband otherwise?” I asked him. I knew that I wasn’t as pretty as my sisters. I was cuter when I was younger, but now I was very plain.

  “Of course you would have, but this will make it easier for me to get a man who will deserve you. Only the best will be good enough for you.”

  I nodded at him. I wasn’t sure if I believed him, but it was nice having a moment alone with Daddy. This trip was amazing only because of that. I had Daddy’s complete attention.

  For that reason alone, I had already won.

  Chapter 12

  The next morning, I joined the three other girls who were also left. We chatted about the boys and how immature they were. It wasn’t fair that girls were discriminated against. I told them about what the women on Earth had achieved. They had almost reached a point where they were considered equal to men. But then the men took away their rights again.

  When it was time to go in, a teacher told us that we had to sit in an extra room. It was open to the other room, but we were apart from the boys.

  “My father isn’t going to like this,” I told the teacher.

  “And who is your father?” the teacher asked me.

  “Brandon Reeves.” I sat down and folded my hands again.

  This test was a lot different. We had to write essays and do lots of math. Shane loved to teach me math. He would show me what he was studying. He practiced math with me yesterday.

  I was lucky. Exactly what he was studying here at the university at the moment was on the test. I finished and reread my essay a few times. Then I turned my test over and folded my hands and waited. I had to wait half an hour for the test to be over with. The teachers would correct all day and give us the results this afternoon. We had the chance to visit a few classes. They wanted us to come to this university. Well, not us girls. This was an all boys’ university. There were no universities for girls anymore.

  Twenty years ago, women had been allowed to go, but times were changing. Daddy also thought that women needed to be protected and kept at home. But he thought that they should be educated.

  I went with Daddy and Shane to lunch. We talked about the math that was on the test.

  After lunch, I returned to school with Shane and studied the board about the classes I could choose to attend this afternoon. I decided that I would like to go to a seminar about the Aliens language. I still felt drawn to trying to speak the alien language.

  I attended the seminar and listened to the teacher explain the differences about the words and the tones they made. It was a humming in the nose, and only very few humans had ever been able to make the noises so that Aliens could understand them.

  The teacher had us try to make the sounds. This wasn’t a topic that interested that many people, so I sat in room with ten other students. All were male.

  The teacher went around the room and listened to us. He had me try again and again. Then he praised me. He chose other words and had me practice them. Then he told me that he would talk to my father. He insisted that I should have formal lessons. He offered to give me the lessons personally, telling me he could do it through the TV.

  I went to another class about math and then one about ancient Earth studies. Then I joined Daddy and Shane to hear if I was further.

  They call out the names of the fifty children who would continue on. I was counting with my fingers as they named the children. They were doing it alphabetically.

  My shoulders dropped when they got to S. They had passed R, and thus I wasn’t good enough. When the university dean announced that Brian Zoble was further, I assumed that I had miscounted, and that he was already at fifty.

  “And a young lady also qualified for the test. Sophia Stephanie Reeves,” the dean called out.

  I turned to Daddy and said, “That’s me.”

  “That’s right. You did it.” He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tenderly. I could feel his pride.

  I sobbed for happiness against his chest, safe in the knowledge that no one could see me crying.

  Daddy and Shane comforted me and told me that this was good news. “I know. I can’t help myself.”

  A teacher tapped Daddy on the shoulder. “Excuse me, Mr. Reeves. I would like to talk to you about your daughter. She was in my class this afternoon, and I have to tell you that she has a very rare talent. I would be honored to teach her.”

  Daddy smiled at him. “It doesn’t bother you that she is a girl? I have to admit that I’ve had a child in this competition for five years in a row, and I don’t care for how my daughter has been treated.”

  “I’m very sorry about that, Mr. Reeves. I assure you that I don’t care about gender. I care about competence. Your daughter has talent, and she’s young. The younger a child starts with a new language the better.”

  “Language? What language?” Daddy was very cold.

  “The alien language. She was able to make most of the necessary sounds. I’m sure with practice, she can learn the others as well. With her brilliant mind, she could learn and study the language within a year.”

  “No,” Daddy almost shouted out. He took hold of my hand and turned me away from the teacher. I was shocked by Daddy’s behavior.

  Shane followed us. “Daddy, he was offering to teach Sophia personally. That is an honor.” He explained.

  “She has other subjects that she should be concentrating on. Tomorrow is another test, and it’s completely verbal. Tell her about it and prepare her. I know that she has you to thank for all this. You helped her and made our family look good.” Daddy laid a hand on his shoulder for a moment, warning him not to say anything further.

  We went to our hotel. Again the press was following us. Daddy told them that I made it into the top fifty. “I’m so proud of her. She is a great example for all girls, showing them that hard work can pay off.”

  As soon as we were behind closed doors, Daddy turned on me. “Why did
you take a class about the alien language? Why did you join that group? Was it because of a boy?” He was furious.

  “I’ve always wanted to know what the Aliens sound like. I want to be like that woman on the movie you show us when a new child comes. The one who made the peace treaty.” I answered him truthfully.

  “That woman? You want to be like that woman? I’ll tell you about that woman. She’s dead. They killed her and the baby she carried. The Aliens killed her and her baby and then declared peace. They can’t be trusted. I would never let one of my children go anywhere near an alien. You can forget it.”

  “But Daddy, he said that I had to learn it because so few people can make the right sounds. He said it was my duty.” I tried to explain to him.

  “No. One more word, and I’ll punish you,” he warned me.

  I shut my mouth, but it wouldn’t stay closed. “But the teacher said, that I have a rare talent.” Hadn’t I just proved how smart I was by placing in the top fifty? Why had I opened my mouth? I regretted my words immediately.

  Daddy’s hands went to his belt. He grabbed me and took me into my bedroom. Without any to do, he sat down on my bed and pressed me down over his knee. The belt hurt so much when it landed, and my feelings were hurt. I thought that I had done something wonderful, and now I was getting punished for it.

  My mind raced, thinking that I needed to be well rested and not sore for tomorrow. I needed to get Daddy to stop before I ruined my chances for tomorrow.

  “I’m sorry, Daddy. I shouldn’t have talked back. I’m sorry.”

  “I don’t want to hear another word about language lessons. Is that clear?” he yelled at me.

  “Yes, Daddy. Never again,” I promised. Already his hold on me was loosening. He stood me on my feet and held me tightly by my arms. “No more of that nonsense. It’s dangerous. Promise me.”

  “I promise, Daddy.”

  “Good girl. Go wash your face, and then it’s time to practice. I don’t care what place you take tomorrow, but I don’t want you to be the first one to walk out of that door,” he warned me.

  “I’ll do my very best. I promise.”

  “Good girl.”

  I washed my face and tried to pull myself together. I didn’t understand why Daddy was so mad. He wanted me to learn everything imaginable but not what I was talented at? It didn’t make sense.

  I went out to Shane and practiced with him. It drove me nuts that I didn’t know the real reason behind Daddy’s refusal.

  Shortly before nine, there was a knock on the door. It was three men from the university and a government man that I had seen on TV before. They told Daddy that they needed to talk to him.

  Shane was about to leave, but he stayed to hear what the men wanted from Daddy. Our training might come in handy if they tried to attack Daddy.

  “She has a talent so few people have.” The man from the government told Daddy after pleasantries had been exchanged and the men were seated.

  “But others have the ability to talk to Aliens. She isn’t the only one,” Daddy protested.

  “At the moment, five people can do it. None with her natural talent. We need to have a younger person who can communicate with them. If we can’t communicate with them, war will break out again.” The men from school were being quiet. Only the government man spoke.

  “Talking with them can be deadly too. How dare you come in here and tell me to let my daughter learn their language? Haven’t I sacrificed enough?” Daddy demanded to know.

  “We’re very sorry about what happened with your wife and your child. No one knows for certain what happened in that airship. It could have been an unfortunate accident. We could teach Sophia and have her talk to them from here. She would never have to leave the planet.” The government man was the one who talked to Daddy. He was in charge.

  “We don’t live on this planet.” Daddy dismissed the idea.

  “Videophones don’t care where people live. She could be connected to them without them knowing where she was.” The man was cool and relaxed. He gave the impression of being completely in control of this talk.

  “I forbid it. You can leave now.” Daddy rose to his feet. “I’ll see you out.”

  “We aren’t leaving until you agree to have the girl taught.” The man still appeared to be relaxed.

  “Are you doing this so she’ll be too upset to concentrate tomorrow? Is this a trick so a boy will win?” Daddy accused him.

  “The competition isn’t important. Finding someone who can talk to Aliens is. She won’t have to talk to them. She can learn the language and then pass it on one day. We aren’t recruiting her; you already did that. We know about your training program and what you hope to gain with your children army, but war might still be adverted. The woman in control of their fleets isn’t interested in war. She’s only interested in humans staying off of her planets.”

  The leader of the Aliens was a she. I liked that thought.

  “We aren’t any closer to war than we were fifteen years ago. Your daughter was born in peace, and I’m certain that she will go to her grave never knowing what war is truly like. She will be safe.”

  “Nevertheless, we respectfully decline. Good evening, gentlemen.” Daddy told him.

  The government man stayed sitting. “I believe that all of your children are adopted. How many do you have in the meantime? Sixteen, I believe. And you have your eye on Amanda Weeker, her father was a famous biologist, wasn’t he. Her mother was a painter. She would be perfect for your collection. Wouldn’t it be too bad if a child with her potential had to spend her childhood in an orphanage because the man who wanted to adopt her was in jail for interfering with government matters of security? All of your children would be forced to go to orphanages. Shane here would have to quit school. Sophia would be forced to line up with the others and wait for a farmer to choose her. Or worse yet, she might not get chosen.”

  Daddy smiled at the man and sat down again. “You wouldn’t send her to an orphanage. You’d keep her and work her to death, translating the crazy things that Aliens want you to waste your time with.”

  “You’re right. She is too precious to be sent to an orphanage, but the others would have to go. Shane would have to find a job. Douglas would never be allowed to continue on at the academy. Kyle would be removed from the team he plays for. I believe that they are in the finals for the universal cup, aren’t they? Millions of fans would hate you, all because you refuse to allow your daughter an education. One that wouldn’t cost you a cent.” The man slipped his hands back into his gloves. “Refusing will cost you everything that you worked for. All of your preparations would be for nothing.”

  Shane and I stared at Daddy, waiting to see how he would react. “After the test tomorrow, I’m returning home with my daughter. She will learn the alien language, but she won’t talk to them. I won’t allow them to fill her head with lies. They can’t be trusted. They killed Lily and our baby after they negotiated peace. Keep that in mind. A defenseless pregnant woman who wanted to help them died because you lied about being able to protect her.”

  “Fair enough. I’ll return to negotiate with your daughter personally when she turns eighteen.” The government man informed Daddy.

  “You’ll have to talk to her husband at that time. I’m sure whoever he is, he won’t want her anywhere near the Aliens.” Daddy smiled back at him, not quite letting him get the upper hand.

  The men stood and left.

  “The woman from the movie was your wife,” I said aloud, realizing what had truly happened. “I had no idea, Daddy. If I had, I never would have gone to that class. I’m sorry.”

  “It wasn’t your fault. It’s time for bed, children. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow.” Daddy needed to be alone. This had been an unexpected shock for him.

  “Yes, Daddy.” I went to my room and got ready for bed. I listened as Shane and Daddy talked. Neither were happy that Daddy had just been blackmailed.

  Chapter 13

 
The test started at ten in the morning. Reporters were allowed into the university to cover the story. Fifty children would go in, and then they would come out one by one. You had to leave if you answered a question incorrectly. My goal was to not be the first one out of the door.

  A panel of teachers faced us. The three men who had been in our hotel room last night were among the men. Would they be especially cruel to me?

  The director stood and explained the rules. Then he turned to me. “Ladies first,” he declared. The look in his eyes told me that he wanted me to fail so I would be the first one out of the door.

  I stood to face the panel. They asked me a question about history. I was able to answer it. I got to sit back down. I wouldn’t be the first to leave. I was so relieved.

  Twenty people had to leave because they couldn’t answer the first question they were asked. The questions got more difficult with each round. Soon I was alone with ten boys and the panel was firing questions. Luckily, I was able to answer all the questions I was asked. There were plenty that weren’t addressed to me that I didn’t know. This had a lot to do with luck.

  Then it was down to five of us. If we didn’t know an answer, then the next child had to answer that question. I was asked about a question about an element that was found on the planets that we weren’t allowed to go to. I told the panel what I knew about it and hoped it was enough.

  “You may sit down,” the teacher told me.

  I exhaled, first realizing that I had been holding my breath.

  Then a question came that had been talked about in the class I took yesterday about the alien language. None of the boys here had been in that class. They all answered wrong.

  Then the panel stared at the last boy. He opened his mouth to speak, but then he covered his mouth with his hand. I heard his stomach lurch. “I can’t lose to a girl. If she doesn’t know the answer, then I’ll get asked another question, right?”

  “Do you know the answer or not, young man.” The director demanded to know.