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When as many people as possible are crowded near the statue, I jump up on the base so I’m a little above thearden is so crowded Bartie stands in almost the exact center of the crowd Doc and Kit stand by the Hospital A a bit away fro a jacket, the hood pulled up over her face, but I know it’s her She glances up just in tiives th to speak

"Hello," I say, because I can’t really think of anything else to open with "I have terrible news," I add, raisingto hear --now I can speak like I’ a normal conversation

"I have terrible news," I repeat,directly into their ears "But I suspect thatevents I’to look at everyone, I seek out A to her "The Bridge was blown up today We--I--don’t knoho did it, but the attack was done purposefully It resulted in the deaths of nine Shippers, including First Shipper Shelby" Now I look away fro able to land Godspeed"

I pause No one speaks I let the silence stretch out to the edges of the ship

"Since I have assu the water system with Phydus I have attempted to ith you, to find a way for you to carry on your lives aboard the ship without the drug When I discovered that Centauri-Earth ithin our reach, I attempted to fulfill the mission of Godspeed and land the ship"

I s hard, forcing myself to look at the whole crowd

"But in this--as in all aspects of asps of surprise, angry looks, confused looks, murmurs of questions But as soon as I open ain

"I’ll be honest: I thoughtas Phydus had been Clearly I rong Since I took on the role of Eldest, the ship has spiraled into chaos People have died Not just fro, which led to nine deaths, butothers to follow the leader And before that--suicides I could not prevent, injuries, and worse"

Many of the people in the crowd are crying now I can’t help aze unwavering I straighten my spine and throw back my shoulders

"This is why"--I take a deep breath--"I a now, before you all, to step down from my role as leader of Godspeed"

My words are ape at row Slowly, one by one, everyone starts to turn, searching through the crowd to see who aze has shifted to

Bartie

But he stands wordless, watching me

After a while, when nobody moves, I say, "If no one else wishes to lead Godspeed, I will continue to do my best to serve this ship That is all"

I disconnect the wi-com link and walk away

62

AMY

THE CROWD DISSOLVES SLOWLY THIS ISN’T OVER; I KNOW that ht, but I think that ste else That--or he had so control I don’t trust hiet off this ship soon, Bartie will take over--or destroy the ship trying to

Once everyone else has left, I wander up the path toward the statue I used to think Elder looked nothing like the water-streaked concrete statue of the Plague Eldest, but now I’es fro beside me

"How did you know?" I ask him

"Knohat?"

"That Bartie wouldn’t ask you to step down then? That he wouldn’t take over leadership of the ship when you offered"

Elder meets my eyes "I didn’t"

I try not to show h the Hospital has been cleared for occupancy, I steer Elder the other way, toward the Recorder Hall

"I’ve been thinking," I say as we plod up the path

"About what?" Elder’s voice sounds tired and weak

"How different you are from Orion"

Elder huffs out a breath of air

"No, really," I insist "Orion had backup plans for his backup plan You don’t You just do what you think is right at the time and wait to see what happens"

"Maybe I should have a plan," Elder says "Things ht work out better if I did"

"You can’t plan for everything Orion couldn’t have known solance at Elder and notice his frown "And neither could you," I add, but I don’t think he quite believes ain as we mount the stairs to the Recorder Hall It’s quiet here The artifacts inside are just a re we can’t have, and no one wants to be reht spills into the dark Recorder Hall fro as Elder silently pulls them shut