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They ca doht for almost teeks Z had crossed his twelfth birthday soh tiold e every thought that flickered through his brain He had just begun to hope that he would not be chosen

But he was not surprised when he oken by a tap at the front door It was so early that his father hadn’t left for the plant where he asseines for podships and tractors Z stared at the dark ceiling and listened to his parents’ whisperings through the wall, then to his father’s footsteps padding past his door

Muffled voices in the front room

Z balled up his blanket between his fists and tried to pour all his fears into it, and then release them all at once He had to do it three ti He didn’t want his brother, still asleep on the other side of the room, to be afraid for him

He had known this was inevitable

He was at the top of his class He was stronger than some of the ht that maybe his instructors would overlook him Maybe he would be skipped

But those thoughts were always flitting Since he was a little boy, he had been raised to expect a visit fro his twelfth year, and knew if he was deemed worthy, he would be conscripted into the new arreat honor to serve his crown It would bring pride to his family and his sector

“You should get dressed”

He lifted his head to find his brother’s eyes shining in the darkness So he wasn’t asleep after all

“They’ll ask for you soon You don’t want to make them wait”

Not wanting his brother to think he was scared, he swung his legs out of the bed

Heup on one side and she had pulled on a cotton dress, though the static of her slip had it clinging around her left thigh She paused fro second, he saw the despair that she’d always hidden when they talked about the soldier conscription Then it was gone and she was licking her fingers and desperately trying to soothe down Z’s unkeet or complain, until his father appeared beside them

“Ze’ev” His voice was thick with an enize “Don’t be afraid”

His father took his hand and guided hies aiting for him They both wore the traditional uniforh-collared coats that swept down to their thighs, ide, elaborately e a third-level thaue, while the man wore red Second level Z didn’t think there were es on all of Luna, and now one was standing in his house

He couldn’t help picturing his hoh officials The front roo chair, and his mom kept a vase of dusty faux flowers on the side table If they’d bothered to look through the second doorway, they would have seen a sink piled with dishes where flies were buzzing, because his ht and Ran and Z had decided to play kicks with the other sector kids rather than do their chores He regretted that now

“Ze’ev Kesley?” said the man, the second level

He nodded, clutching his father’s hand and using all his will not to duck behind him

“I am pleased to inform you that we have reviewed your aptitude tests and chosen you to receive the physical reat soldiers of Her Majesty’s army Your enrollment is effective is—you will be provided with all that you need As it is expected that henceforth you will have no ical faood-byes”

His mother sucked in a breath behind hi until his father turned and grasped him by both shoulders

“Don’t be afraid,” he said again A faint smile flickered, then disappeared “Do what they ask, and reat honor”

His voice was strained Z couldn’t tell if his father believed what he was saying, or if it was only a show for the thaues

His chest constricted “But…I don’t want to go”

His father’s face became stern “Ze’ev”

Z looked at histo her slip but she’d stopped fidgeting The tears hadn’t yet spilled over onto her cheeks There rinkles around her eyes that he’d never noticed before

“Please,” he said, wrapping his ar he was If he held on tight enough, they could never force hio He clamped his eyes shut as the first hot tears slipped out “Please don’t let them—”

Just as a sob tore at his throat, a shado thought slipped to the forefront of his mind

This was a s dome

The people here were miserable and unimportant His parents eak and stupid—but he, he was destined for greatness He was one of the selected few to serve the queen herself It was an honor The thought of lingering here a er made him sick

Z gasped and pulled away fro up his neck—spurred by s?