WEBVTT - Chapter Fifteen 0:00:02.320 --> 0:00:07.200 Chapter fifteen, Sasha. The man on the gurney was the 0:00:07.200 --> 0:00:11.680 most comprehensively broken human Sasha had ever seen. His jaw 0:00:11.720 --> 0:00:14.320 had been ripped completely out of its socket and shattered 0:00:14.320 --> 0:00:18.200 in four places. His eyes had been gouged into horrible, smashed, 0:00:18.239 --> 0:00:21.520 grape looking things. His hands and fingers were all broken, 0:00:21.640 --> 0:00:24.639 as were his feet and shins. His ears appeared to 0:00:24.640 --> 0:00:27.159 have been bitten off. His tongue had been severed, and 0:00:27.200 --> 0:00:30.280 the wound cauterized with something that had charred the flesh black. 0:00:30.880 --> 0:00:34.360 Sasha hadn't known a person could take such punishment and survive. 0:00:35.240 --> 0:00:37.159 The chart at the end of the bed identified him 0:00:37.159 --> 0:00:39.879 as Sergeant Lufkin, a two year veteran martyr who had 0:00:39.880 --> 0:00:43.280 been guarding a checkpoint outside of Dallas. He was conscious. 0:00:43.440 --> 0:00:45.559 Every now and then he'd thrash about and let out 0:00:45.560 --> 0:00:48.720 a burbling moan, but the man didn't appear capable of 0:00:48.760 --> 0:00:53.280 any sort of intelligible communication. Well these aren't combat injuries, 0:00:53.479 --> 0:00:56.440 doctor Brand said. These men look almost like they've been 0:00:56.440 --> 0:00:59.360 in a car wreck, only the damage is too precise 0:00:59.440 --> 0:01:02.880 and too liberately targeted. I've never seen anything like it. 0:01:03.560 --> 0:01:06.600 It was Sasha's duty to administer the men's pain killers 0:01:06.640 --> 0:01:09.640 just a tiny drop of morphine each. It wasn't enough 0:01:09.680 --> 0:01:13.120 by any proper hospital standards. The soldiers were all in 0:01:13.280 --> 0:01:16.680 clear agony, but the Heavenly Kingdom was short on pain killers, 0:01:16.720 --> 0:01:18.640 and this was the most they could afford to spare 0:01:18.760 --> 0:01:23.039 for invalids, as doctor Brandt had called them. This frustrated Sasha. 0:01:23.400 --> 0:01:25.880 Her mother's hospital could have restored all four men to 0:01:25.959 --> 0:01:28.600 full health and vigor with perhaps a month of treatment 0:01:28.600 --> 0:01:32.120 and physical therapy, but the Heavenly Kingdom forbade that grown 0:01:32.200 --> 0:01:36.600 organs and limbs cloning contravened the Lord's will. Sasha agreed 0:01:36.680 --> 0:01:40.199 with that in theory. She'd fled to the Heavenly Kingdom 0:01:40.240 --> 0:01:43.280 partly because she believed juven treatments had robbed the ampt 0:01:43.319 --> 0:01:47.440 of its humanity. But still it seemed so wrong that 0:01:47.480 --> 0:01:49.520 these men would go the rest of their lives as 0:01:49.560 --> 0:01:53.200 twitching and sinceate lumps of flesh. The number of things 0:01:53.200 --> 0:01:56.360 that felt wrong about this place grew every day. The 0:01:56.440 --> 0:01:59.480 executions had been the first big shock to her system, 0:01:59.520 --> 0:02:03.320 but she'd accepted Helen's justification. The Bible was filled with 0:02:03.360 --> 0:02:06.560 decent men doing awful things in times of war. The 0:02:06.640 --> 0:02:10.119 gallows weren't pretty, but they were hardly without biblical precedent. 0:02:11.120 --> 0:02:15.800 She'd been unable to justify Alexander's actions in the same way. Oh, yes, 0:02:15.840 --> 0:02:18.280 she knew polygamy was condoned by the Word of God. 0:02:18.639 --> 0:02:21.919 She'd read about Lammick and Abraham, and Solomon and David, 0:02:21.960 --> 0:02:25.079 and of course Jacob, the patriarch of the Twelve Tribes 0:02:25.120 --> 0:02:28.960 of Israel and a parent namesake for Alexander's order. She 0:02:29.160 --> 0:02:32.560 still hated what he'd done to her. Sasha couldn't bring 0:02:32.639 --> 0:02:34.960 herself to believe that a man as truly good as 0:02:34.960 --> 0:02:39.000 Pastor Mike would condone their actions. Polygamy is a biblically 0:02:39.080 --> 0:02:42.160 sound strategy for a people on the edge of destruction, 0:02:42.400 --> 0:02:44.920 He'd written in one of his Revelator columns. But it 0:02:45.080 --> 0:02:48.240 is not the human ideal. In our Lord's eyes, the 0:02:48.280 --> 0:02:51.079 most perfect union is one man, one woman, and as 0:02:51.120 --> 0:02:54.640 many children as they can bear. Had he decided since 0:02:54.720 --> 0:02:56.960 that the Heavenly Kingdom was a people on the edge 0:02:56.960 --> 0:03:01.359 of destruction. After the disastrous meet with Alexander, Sasha had 0:03:01.360 --> 0:03:03.919 made her way back to the House of Miriam. Helen 0:03:04.000 --> 0:03:06.400 was seated at her desk when Sasha barged in the 0:03:06.440 --> 0:03:10.040 older woman looked tired, resigned, and almost depressed. It seemed 0:03:10.080 --> 0:03:14.520 as if she'd been waiting for Sasha. Hello, dear, she said, 0:03:14.560 --> 0:03:19.040 with a sad smile. I assume you just met Alexander. Yes, 0:03:19.240 --> 0:03:22.680 Sasha couldn't help but shout. What they're doing is vile, Helen. 0:03:22.919 --> 0:03:25.200 He wanted me as his third wife. He lied to 0:03:25.240 --> 0:03:27.480 convince me to come down here. He says. There's a 0:03:27.480 --> 0:03:30.519 whole group of martyrs. They call themselves Jacobeans, and they're 0:03:30.560 --> 0:03:33.280 just catfishing girls down here. We have to tell someone. 0:03:33.360 --> 0:03:35.880 This isn't okay, this is so wrong. I just I can't. 0:03:36.360 --> 0:03:39.200 Sasha started to sob. She'd been too angry to cry 0:03:39.240 --> 0:03:41.840 in front of Alexander. But the House of Miriam was 0:03:41.840 --> 0:03:45.480 a safe place. Helen was a safe person. Sasha's grief 0:03:45.520 --> 0:03:47.760 caught up with her anger, and she found herself doubled 0:03:47.760 --> 0:03:51.360 over on the floor, racked by sobs. She lost herself 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:54.080 in sorrow for a few long heartbeats, and then Helen 0:03:54.160 --> 0:03:56.720 was there beside her. She felt the older woman's strong 0:03:56.840 --> 0:03:59.280 arms around her, felt a hand running through her hair. 0:04:00.160 --> 0:04:03.480 There there, child, it's all right, it's going to be okay. 0:04:04.280 --> 0:04:07.560 We have to do something Sasha choked out, Pastor Mike 0:04:07.680 --> 0:04:10.640 needs to know what's being done in his name. She 0:04:10.760 --> 0:04:15.280 looked up into Helen's eyes. She saw pain and anger there, Sasha. 0:04:15.560 --> 0:04:18.960 Helen said, this will be hard for you to understand, 0:04:19.120 --> 0:04:21.760 but the pastor is well aware of what those men 0:04:21.800 --> 0:04:26.160 are doing. I've spoken to him about it myself. Sasha stiffened. 0:04:26.480 --> 0:04:28.720 She pulled away from Helen, and Helen let her go. 0:04:29.400 --> 0:04:31.600 They sat next to each other on the floor in 0:04:31.680 --> 0:04:36.600 silence until Sasha spoke again. Authenticity is the strongest arrow 0:04:36.600 --> 0:04:39.719 in our quiver. She quoted, When did that stop being true? 0:04:40.080 --> 0:04:41.920 When did it become ok to lie in the name 0:04:41.960 --> 0:04:45.840 of the Lord? Helen sighed and shook her head. It's 0:04:45.880 --> 0:04:48.520 not OK, But so much about this world we live 0:04:48.560 --> 0:04:51.520 in is not OK. They still murder forty thousand babies 0:04:51.560 --> 0:04:54.479 per year in the American Federation, hundred thousand in the 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:58.520 California Republic. Sodomi and cloning are rampant across the world. 0:04:58.920 --> 0:05:03.760 We the faithful are surrounded on all sides. Sasha recognized 0:05:03.800 --> 0:05:06.360 that last line. It was the opening sentence of Pastor 0:05:06.400 --> 0:05:09.800 Mike's infamous Sinful Continent in the Hands of an Angry 0:05:09.839 --> 0:05:13.360 God column Sasha couldn't deny the truth of those words. 0:05:13.600 --> 0:05:17.240 Everything Helen said was accurate. But but how are we 0:05:17.279 --> 0:05:19.680 any better than them if we stooped to dishonesty to 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:23.400 fill the heavenly kingdom. Helen stiffened and straightened her back. 0:05:23.960 --> 0:05:27.400 We are better than them, dear, because our goals are godly. 0:05:27.920 --> 0:05:29.839 There was a hint of pride in her voice. We 0:05:29.920 --> 0:05:33.000 are fighting for the one singular truth. You must never 0:05:33.040 --> 0:05:34.960 forget that the men and women fighting for that truth 0:05:35.000 --> 0:05:38.520 are flawed. We are all falluable, we will all fall 0:05:38.560 --> 0:05:41.599 short of God's standards. But we are also the only 0:05:41.640 --> 0:05:45.039 ones trying to meet God's standards. And that makes what 0:05:45.120 --> 0:05:49.320 Alexander did okay. Helen shook her head. Sasha saw tears 0:05:49.320 --> 0:05:52.200 in the corner of the older woman's eyes. No, child, 0:05:52.480 --> 0:05:56.120 nothing makes it okay. You were wronged. That boy played 0:05:56.160 --> 0:05:58.800 with your heart. He lied to you about his love, 0:05:59.040 --> 0:06:01.880 and that's an un a givable thing. But you're here now, 0:06:01.920 --> 0:06:05.720 aren't you, And that's what matters most. Helen held her 0:06:05.760 --> 0:06:08.080 and talked with her for the next few hours. By 0:06:08.080 --> 0:06:10.359 the time the other girls came back, she felt better. 0:06:10.760 --> 0:06:14.279 Not good exactly, but better, stable enough to not burst 0:06:14.279 --> 0:06:17.440 into tears during dinner. She kept quiet at meal time 0:06:17.440 --> 0:06:19.960 and was glad that the others seemed too exhausted from 0:06:19.960 --> 0:06:23.120 their day of labor to say much either. After dinner, 0:06:23.160 --> 0:06:26.280 they had another hour of personal time. Anne and Susannah 0:06:26.360 --> 0:06:30.000 zeroed in on her with military precision. Sasha's vaunted poker 0:06:30.000 --> 0:06:32.520 face hadn't been enough to hide her sorrow. Her new 0:06:32.560 --> 0:06:34.400 friends had guided her to a corner of the room 0:06:34.440 --> 0:06:38.279 where they'd have relative privacy. What's wrong, Anne asked in 0:06:38.320 --> 0:06:41.200 a low voice. She and Susannah both laid their hands 0:06:41.200 --> 0:06:44.960 on Sasha's shoulders. Sasha reached up to grasp both their hands. 0:06:45.520 --> 0:06:48.520 It happened automatically, as if by reflex, but it brought 0:06:48.560 --> 0:06:51.560 her great comfort. She closed her eyes and stood quiet 0:06:51.560 --> 0:06:53.880 for a moment as her mind and heart calmed down. 0:06:55.000 --> 0:06:59.960 I met Alexander today, she said. Anne looked confused. Susannah frowned, 0:07:00.160 --> 0:07:03.360 then laughed and asked, what did have? Bad breath? Where 0:07:03.400 --> 0:07:05.560 his eyes all? She blew out her cheeks and crossed 0:07:05.560 --> 0:07:11.000 her eyes. Anne laughed, but Sasha stayed quiet. Susannah smile faded. Sash, 0:07:11.200 --> 0:07:15.440 She said, in a quiet voice, what happened? Sasha looked 0:07:15.440 --> 0:07:18.280 from Susannah to Anne, she felt a surge of gratitude 0:07:18.280 --> 0:07:20.000 and her new friends for being there at all. She 0:07:20.080 --> 0:07:22.160 took a deep breath in and then told them what 0:07:22.280 --> 0:07:24.800 had happened. She went quickly in the hope that her 0:07:24.840 --> 0:07:29.840 clipped recitation of events would make it all seem less devastating. Oh, Sasha, 0:07:29.960 --> 0:07:32.360 Anne said, I am so sorry. This has to be 0:07:32.440 --> 0:07:35.760 some sort of mistake. Helen didn't seem to think so, 0:07:36.240 --> 0:07:39.240 Sasha said, I don't think Alexander lied about the sons 0:07:39.240 --> 0:07:43.200 of Jacob being powerful here. It's chaos right now, Sash. 0:07:43.600 --> 0:07:46.480 Susannah assured her. Maybe a few guys can get away 0:07:46.480 --> 0:07:49.120 with acting like this now during the war, but once 0:07:49.120 --> 0:07:51.560 it's over, Pastor Mike won't let them treat us like this. 0:07:52.400 --> 0:07:55.760 Anne nodded. Kyle gets rotated back from the front tomorrow, 0:07:55.840 --> 0:07:58.480 she said, I'll ask him about the sons of Jacob. 0:07:58.600 --> 0:08:02.000 Maybe he'll know something we can to. Sasha knew from 0:08:02.000 --> 0:08:04.560 the look she'd seen in Helen's eyes that further protest 0:08:04.560 --> 0:08:07.960 against the Jacobeans would be useless, and besides, she thought 0:08:08.240 --> 0:08:11.840 the most painful thing was Alexander's dishonesty. He's already hurt 0:08:11.920 --> 0:08:14.640 me as much as he can. She tried to convince 0:08:14.640 --> 0:08:16.880 herself of that, just as she tried to enjoy the 0:08:16.880 --> 0:08:19.080 company of her friends without dwelling on the face of 0:08:19.080 --> 0:08:22.320 the boy who betrayed her. She was less than successful. 0:08:23.120 --> 0:08:26.280 Bedtime came, the girls washed up, said their good nights, 0:08:26.280 --> 0:08:29.640 and snuggled up in their beds. As usual, Sasha's mind 0:08:29.680 --> 0:08:32.840 stayed awake and active. She wasn't having second thoughts exactly, 0:08:32.960 --> 0:08:36.560 of course, not never, but so much about today felt wrong. 0:08:36.960 --> 0:08:39.400 Alexander and the sons of Jacob, of course, but also 0:08:39.480 --> 0:08:41.560 that the brave men she'd worked on that afternoon would 0:08:41.559 --> 0:08:44.240 never walk or see your talk again. This is war, 0:08:44.400 --> 0:08:47.080 she reminded herself. A great deal of it is going 0:08:47.120 --> 0:08:57.199 to seem wrong. The next morning and afternoon went by 0:08:57.200 --> 0:09:00.400 in a haze of industrious activity, breakfast in bay iandages 0:09:00.440 --> 0:09:04.160 and preparing medications for doctors and nurses. Sasha lost herself 0:09:04.160 --> 0:09:06.600 in the work and for a few hours wasn't happy 0:09:06.760 --> 0:09:09.839 or sad. Her shift at the hospital ended at five, 0:09:10.280 --> 0:09:12.280 she took her nightly jeep ride back to the House 0:09:12.320 --> 0:09:15.280 of Miriam, but rather than going right inside, she decided 0:09:15.320 --> 0:09:18.000 to take a walk around the downtown strip. She had 0:09:18.000 --> 0:09:20.360 a few ration scripts in her pocket, enough that she 0:09:20.360 --> 0:09:22.200 could have bought coffee or even a meal in the 0:09:22.200 --> 0:09:25.760 one functioning restaurant still in town. But she wasn't hungry. 0:09:25.920 --> 0:09:29.120 She just wanted to walk. This part of the Heavenly 0:09:29.200 --> 0:09:31.320 Kingdom looked less like a war zone and more like 0:09:31.360 --> 0:09:34.480 a functional polus with every passing day. Most of the 0:09:34.480 --> 0:09:37.120 piles of rubble and spent shell casings were gone. Now 0:09:37.320 --> 0:09:39.120 there was still quite a lot of damage to all 0:09:39.120 --> 0:09:41.880 the buildings and very few intact windows to be found, 0:09:42.080 --> 0:09:45.400 but that strange spoiled milk smell was gone. Some shops 0:09:45.400 --> 0:09:48.000 were open again, along with a small farmer's market about 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:50.560 ten minutes down from the House of Miriam. There were 0:09:50.600 --> 0:09:54.000 people out too, Not many families yet, but she saw 0:09:54.040 --> 0:09:57.000 a lot of sweaty, tired looking soldiers. They wandered in 0:09:57.080 --> 0:10:00.199 small groups and clustered around the strips only functional calf bay. 0:10:00.960 --> 0:10:03.680 There were refugees too, and new immigrants to the Kingdom. 0:10:03.920 --> 0:10:06.480 Greeters in blue and white uniforms. The foot soldiers of 0:10:06.480 --> 0:10:09.320 the Kingdom's Immigration Department led columns of them down the 0:10:09.360 --> 0:10:12.280 main Dragon into old government buildings that had been repurposed 0:10:12.280 --> 0:10:15.840 into housing collectives. Sasha felt herself filled with a strange 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:18.360 pride at odds with all the doubt that still roiled 0:10:18.400 --> 0:10:21.600 in her gut. From right here, the Heavenly Kingdom looked 0:10:21.600 --> 0:10:24.280 exactly like what had been promised to her. It was 0:10:24.320 --> 0:10:27.520 still rough, raw and unfinished, but it overflowed with the 0:10:27.520 --> 0:10:31.360 good intentions of godly men and women. Helen had been right. 0:10:31.559 --> 0:10:34.800 Sasha could see that now, as ugly as Alexander's lies were, 0:10:34.840 --> 0:10:37.719 as detestable as she found the whole idea of the Jacobeans, 0:10:38.040 --> 0:10:40.320 the Heavenly Kingdom was still a thing of beauty. It 0:10:40.400 --> 0:10:43.040 was still worth fighting for. She just had to accept 0:10:43.120 --> 0:10:47.520 that it would never be perfect. And Hello, Sasha, she stopped. 0:10:47.920 --> 0:10:49.960 The hair prickled up on the back of her neck. 0:10:50.280 --> 0:10:54.240 Sasha turned around to face Alexander. Sasha had been lost 0:10:54.240 --> 0:10:56.040 in thoughts, so it was hard to say for how 0:10:56.120 --> 0:10:59.240 long they've been following her. Three other men were with him. 0:10:59.280 --> 0:11:02.480 They all wore clean, pressed, new uniforms and sidearms at 0:11:02.480 --> 0:11:06.240 their waists. She didn't recognize the rank insickneas on their shoulders, 0:11:06.440 --> 0:11:08.320 but she did notice that each of them wore a 0:11:08.400 --> 0:11:10.679 large gold badge in the shape of a lion's head 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:13.680 on their lapel. She'd seen a lot of uniformed martyrs 0:11:13.760 --> 0:11:16.480 during her short time with the Heavenly Kingdom. She'd never 0:11:16.480 --> 0:11:20.920 seen a badge like that before. Hello, Alexander. She tried 0:11:20.960 --> 0:11:24.480 to keep her voice cool but respectful. Hello, brothers, Peace 0:11:24.520 --> 0:11:27.280 be with you and also with you. The other young 0:11:27.280 --> 0:11:31.319 men mumbled by habit, Are you walking alone right now? Medea, 0:11:31.559 --> 0:11:35.000 Alexander asked, his lips curled up into an unctuous smile. 0:11:35.480 --> 0:11:38.320 That worries me. These streets still on as safe as 0:11:38.360 --> 0:11:40.839 they should be. Let us walk with you a while. 0:11:41.920 --> 0:11:45.640 Sasha stiffened. There was something dark in Alexander's eyes. She 0:11:45.720 --> 0:11:47.840 wondered if it had always been there and she'd just 0:11:47.920 --> 0:11:51.240 ignored it before. Her heart began to race. Sweat beat 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:53.040 it on the back of her neck. There were a 0:11:53.120 --> 0:11:55.319 lot of people around still, but she was away from 0:11:55.320 --> 0:11:57.840 the most crowded part of the main drag. It wouldn't 0:11:57.840 --> 0:11:59.920 be hard for three strong young men to move her 0:12:00.000 --> 0:12:04.520 somewhere less visible. I'd prefer to walk alone, she tried 0:12:04.559 --> 0:12:07.000 to keep her tone. Even Sasha felt like they must 0:12:07.040 --> 0:12:11.080 still have heard the trembling in her voice. That's nonsense, Sasha, 0:12:11.240 --> 0:12:14.520 Alexander said, No, woman wants to be alone when they 0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:17.800 can enjoy the company of their protect us. He stepped 0:12:17.840 --> 0:12:20.200 towards her, reached a hand out and brushed the hair 0:12:20.240 --> 0:12:24.000 away from her eyes. Alexander stroked her cheek. His hand 0:12:24.080 --> 0:12:27.000 drifted down to her shoulder, where he applied firm pressure. 0:12:27.400 --> 0:12:30.679 Sasha wanted to pull away, but Alexander was much stronger 0:12:30.720 --> 0:12:33.440 than she was. He had a gun, and two friends 0:12:33.480 --> 0:12:36.360 with guns, and apparently the personal support of Pastor Mike, 0:12:36.760 --> 0:12:39.120 so she stood still and tried to stop her heart 0:12:39.160 --> 0:12:43.040 from beating quite so fast. Sasha, he said, in the gentle, 0:12:43.120 --> 0:12:45.840 sweet voice that had helped to carry her here. You 0:12:45.920 --> 0:12:48.680 deserve to be cared for. I know the full truth 0:12:48.760 --> 0:12:50.800 was a shock to you, and I'm not angry at 0:12:50.800 --> 0:12:53.760 your reaction, really, but you still hold it on to 0:12:53.920 --> 0:12:57.319 fragments of the secular world. You need to drop that 0:12:57.440 --> 0:13:00.160 veil from your eyes and accept that God wants this. 0:13:00.600 --> 0:13:04.360 He wants men like us, Alexander gestured to his friends, 0:13:04.760 --> 0:13:08.200 men with superior talents, to breed and fill the world 0:13:08.240 --> 0:13:12.520 with more holy warriors. Sasha closed her eyes. She took 0:13:12.520 --> 0:13:15.240 a deep breath in and out, and then another. Just 0:13:15.520 --> 0:13:17.640 go with it. A part of her said, he won't 0:13:17.679 --> 0:13:19.440 hurt you if you just tell him what he wants 0:13:19.480 --> 0:13:22.559 to hear. She knew that wasn't right, though she hadn't 0:13:22.600 --> 0:13:25.080 risked her life to cross into the heavenly kingdom just 0:13:25.160 --> 0:13:28.680 to compromise her morals. Now, I am doing good and 0:13:28.800 --> 0:13:31.440 valuable work here, she replied, in the calmest voice she 0:13:31.440 --> 0:13:33.960 could muster. I don't want to be your third wife. 0:13:34.120 --> 0:13:36.280 I know God has another purpose for me, and I 0:13:36.360 --> 0:13:39.200 intend to seek it. At his hand clinched tight on 0:13:39.240 --> 0:13:43.120 her shoulder, Sasha's eyes widened in fear. There was something dull, 0:13:43.240 --> 0:13:46.040 black and hungry in his eyes. The two men behind 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:49.120 him straighten their backs and started glancing around, scoping out 0:13:49.160 --> 0:13:54.280 the area. Sasha, Alexander said, I brought you here. You 0:13:54.559 --> 0:13:59.240 are my responsibility. I don't believe you're thinking clearly. We 0:13:59.240 --> 0:14:02.720 should take a walk and find somewhere private to talk 0:14:02.720 --> 0:14:05.679 about all this. I've come indeed a home near by. 0:14:06.240 --> 0:14:10.640 Come on, walk with me, he pushed at her. The 0:14:10.679 --> 0:14:13.360 whole time he spoke and grew angrier with each passing word, 0:14:13.440 --> 0:14:15.160 so that by the time he said walk with me, 0:14:15.280 --> 0:14:18.480 his voice had grown tight and cold. Sasha steadied her 0:14:18.480 --> 0:14:20.600 heart met his eyes with as steady a gaze as 0:14:20.640 --> 0:14:24.840 she could manage, and said, I don't want to walk 0:14:25.080 --> 0:14:28.360 with you. Her heart was pounding so loud she was 0:14:28.400 --> 0:14:31.160 sure Alexander and his friends could hear it. But Sasha 0:14:31.160 --> 0:14:33.320 didn't move. She was sure at any minute now he 0:14:33.320 --> 0:14:36.360 would grab her full on and force her forward. But 0:14:36.440 --> 0:14:38.920 before he had the chance, a familiar voice called out 0:14:38.960 --> 0:14:42.760 to her, Sasha, is that you? It was doctor Brandt, 0:14:43.000 --> 0:14:45.360 and all her focus on Alexander and his posse, she 0:14:45.400 --> 0:14:47.840 hadn't even noticed the electric hum of the doctor's jeep 0:14:47.880 --> 0:14:50.680 as it pulled up behind them on the main street. Yes, sir, 0:14:50.880 --> 0:14:53.240 she cried, her voice a bit higher and more frantic 0:14:53.240 --> 0:14:55.360 than she'd meant it to sound. What do you need 0:14:56.160 --> 0:14:58.560 getting the back girl? You can flirt with soldiers later. 0:14:58.680 --> 0:15:01.000 The Heavenly Kingdom needs your skills. We've got a bit 0:15:01.000 --> 0:15:04.520 of an issue. Alexander's face went purple. The two men 0:15:04.560 --> 0:15:07.400 behind him seemed confused. One put a hand on his gun, 0:15:07.440 --> 0:15:10.520 but Alexander waved him back. He shot Sasha a vicious 0:15:10.560 --> 0:15:14.320 look and then turned to doctor Brandt suddenly composed any 0:15:14.320 --> 0:15:18.680 idea how long you'll need her? What are you a lieutenant? 0:15:19.000 --> 0:15:21.400 Doctor Brandt? Scoffed, She'll be gone as long as the 0:15:21.480 --> 0:15:23.560 Kingdom needs her. I don't see a ring on either 0:15:23.640 --> 0:15:25.920 of your fingers, so I'm fairly certain it's not your 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:29.120 place to care how long this takes Sasha. He beckoned 0:15:29.120 --> 0:15:32.800 to her with his index finger. Come on now, girl, gladly, 0:15:32.960 --> 0:15:36.280 she said with a genuine smile. Sasha darted past Alexander 0:15:36.320 --> 0:15:38.160 and his men and hopped up into the back seat 0:15:38.200 --> 0:15:40.040 of the jeep. She tried to keep her head and 0:15:40.080 --> 0:15:42.560 eyes down while the doctor's driver gunned the engine and 0:15:42.600 --> 0:15:45.480 sped off down the main street. Once they were under way, 0:15:45.680 --> 0:15:49.560 doctor Brandt turned back to her. Sasha. He asked, was 0:15:49.600 --> 0:15:53.440 anything going on with those young men? Anything untoward? I 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:56.200 ask because you seem positively elated. I've picked you up 0:15:56.200 --> 0:15:58.800 to deal with a problem. Do I tell him the truth? 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:01.400 Sasha wondered, Do I admit I was lured to the 0:16:01.480 --> 0:16:04.480 kingdom by a catfisher? He'll never take me seriously. Then, 0:16:05.120 --> 0:16:07.600 this job was her favorite part of serving the Kingdom. 0:16:07.720 --> 0:16:10.080 Sasha didn't want to do or say anything that might 0:16:10.120 --> 0:16:13.400 disrupt it. And besides, Doctor Brandt was a busy man. 0:16:13.800 --> 0:16:16.800 Lives were in his hands every day. I can't distract 0:16:16.880 --> 0:16:21.160 him with this. No, no, everything's fine. I'm fine. Doctor 0:16:21.160 --> 0:16:24.080 Brandt gave her a stern look. Sasha smiled a tense 0:16:24.120 --> 0:16:26.800 smile in response. He shrugged and turned his head back 0:16:26.840 --> 0:16:30.080 to the road. All right, he said, And then there 0:16:30.120 --> 0:16:33.360 was a problem with one of your patient's blood tests. Oh, 0:16:33.400 --> 0:16:35.800 Sasha frowned. I'm so sorry. What did I do wrong? 0:16:36.240 --> 0:16:40.040 Nothing at all, doctor Branda shared her. But that vile woman, Marigold, 0:16:40.240 --> 0:16:44.640 she's pregnant. Pregnant, Sasha was shocked. Most adult women in 0:16:44.680 --> 0:16:49.120 the American Federation had aphrodity rings installed. Sasha had refused hers, 0:16:49.160 --> 0:16:52.440 but the government offered them for free. They provided complete 0:16:52.440 --> 0:16:55.320 control over reproduction and allowed women to select whether or 0:16:55.360 --> 0:16:58.240 not they wanted to be fertile. She'd assumed anyone with 0:16:58.280 --> 0:17:00.640 as many bile modifications as mayor Gold would have a 0:17:00.720 --> 0:17:03.560 ring as well. Maybe she just wants a baby for 0:17:03.600 --> 0:17:07.439 some reason. Sasha hadn't initially considered that a possibility. It 0:17:07.520 --> 0:17:10.159 was hard to imagine someone has fallen as Marigold choosing 0:17:10.160 --> 0:17:13.800 to raise children, Yes, Sasha, doctor Brandt said, or at 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:17.639 least that first test indicated so false positives do still happen. 0:17:17.680 --> 0:17:20.119 That's why we're headed back. We need you to administer 0:17:20.200 --> 0:17:24.920 another test so we can be certain. Well, shit, Marigold grunted. 0:17:25.000 --> 0:17:26.960 I didn't expect to see you back this soon. You 0:17:27.000 --> 0:17:30.120 need a friend, darling. The heathen woman looked the same 0:17:30.160 --> 0:17:32.520 as she had on their last interaction. Her hair was 0:17:32.600 --> 0:17:34.560 less greasy, so they must have let her wash, but 0:17:34.600 --> 0:17:36.480 she wore the same slip dress and sat in the 0:17:36.520 --> 0:17:40.360 same corner of the same cell. Sorry, no, Sasha said, 0:17:40.359 --> 0:17:44.600 I'm here to administer a pregnancy test. Mirrigold's eyes widened 0:17:44.840 --> 0:17:47.520 for a few seconds. The woman was speechless, her mouth 0:17:47.600 --> 0:17:50.400 opened and closed. She nodded and clutched her left knee 0:17:50.440 --> 0:17:54.520 with her left hand. Okay, the captive said, right, where 0:17:54.520 --> 0:17:57.080 do you want me to do it? Do? Sasha looked 0:17:57.119 --> 0:17:58.880 down at the stick in her hand and then realized 0:17:58.920 --> 0:18:01.879 how these things worked. I'm sure doctor Brandt doesn't expect 0:18:01.920 --> 0:18:04.720 me to watch her. Pea, you can go over to 0:18:04.840 --> 0:18:09.080 your normal space. I'll just I'll turn around. She handed 0:18:09.080 --> 0:18:11.280 Marigold the test and spun around on her heels so 0:18:11.320 --> 0:18:13.720 the other woman wouldn't see how much she'd already started 0:18:13.760 --> 0:18:16.800 to blush. Damn, girl, are you that squicked out by 0:18:16.800 --> 0:18:20.560 the human body? What Sasha asked, without turning around. Your 0:18:20.600 --> 0:18:23.960 face is as red as a damn beat. I'm sorry why, 0:18:24.440 --> 0:18:27.760 I don't know. Marigold laughed. You can turn around now, 0:18:27.840 --> 0:18:32.120 I'm decent and done. Sasha turned around. Marigold smirked at her. 0:18:32.760 --> 0:18:36.399 You know, she said, that instinct to apologize might actually 0:18:36.440 --> 0:18:38.399 come in handy around here. I'm sure the sort of 0:18:38.440 --> 0:18:40.800 men who jump in on this bullshit will appreciate it. 0:18:41.560 --> 0:18:44.040 Sasha recovered her senses and felt a bit of anger 0:18:44.080 --> 0:18:47.639 at Marigold's words. I don't appreciate you saying those things. 0:18:47.720 --> 0:18:50.640 She said. The men here are good and brave and uh. 0:18:50.760 --> 0:18:54.280 Sasha's voice caught it broke just a little. Marigold saw 0:18:54.440 --> 0:18:57.080 and heard her doubt. The other woman didn't laugh like 0:18:57.160 --> 0:19:01.360 Sasha expected. In fact, her smile fellow a. Marigold looked 0:19:01.359 --> 0:19:04.400 at her with something like pity. I know you don't 0:19:04.400 --> 0:19:08.080 believe that, she said. Sasha closed her eyes and took 0:19:08.080 --> 0:19:11.680 a deep breath in. Then she replied, no men are perfect, 0:19:11.760 --> 0:19:14.080 just as no women are perfect. But everyone here in 0:19:14.119 --> 0:19:16.920 the Kingdom tries every day to abide by the Lord's will. 0:19:17.280 --> 0:19:21.120 That's what elevates us above. Marigold interrupted, does your Lord say, 0:19:21.119 --> 0:19:24.800 women don't get last names. We don't use last names 0:19:24.800 --> 0:19:27.600 in the Kingdom because they distract us. We can't afford connect. 0:19:27.840 --> 0:19:30.760 The men keep their surnames, don't they. That was true. 0:19:31.040 --> 0:19:33.359 Sasha hadn't thought about it much, what with everything else 0:19:33.359 --> 0:19:35.440 that was going on. But doctor Brandt went by his 0:19:35.520 --> 0:19:38.600 last name, didn't he? And Alexander had a surname too. 0:19:38.760 --> 0:19:41.040 She's trying to weaken your faith in the kingdom. Don't 0:19:41.040 --> 0:19:43.919 give into the doubts of the serpent. It doesn't matter, 0:19:43.960 --> 0:19:47.359 Sasha said, and immediately regretted it. Any response would surely 0:19:47.400 --> 0:19:50.840 just egg Marigold on and sure enough, Oh it doesn't. 0:19:50.960 --> 0:19:54.440 Then why is that the rule? Well, it's obviously because 0:19:54.440 --> 0:19:56.639 we need some way to tell families apart from one another. 0:19:57.080 --> 0:20:00.159 Marigold smirked. Now, And the only lineage that matter is 0:20:00.440 --> 0:20:03.159 the man's, isn't it. Women are just appendages in your 0:20:03.160 --> 0:20:07.320 belief system. I am not an appendage, Sasha shouted, surprised 0:20:07.320 --> 0:20:09.960 at her own anger. She heard shuffling feet, and a 0:20:10.000 --> 0:20:12.040 second later the guard had one hand on the door 0:20:12.040 --> 0:20:15.000 and another on his rifle. Ever then, all raight, miss, 0:20:15.040 --> 0:20:18.520 he asked, yes, Sasha called back to him over her shoulder. 0:20:18.640 --> 0:20:22.040 I'm fine, Sorry, she's just Sasha fixed Marigold with a 0:20:22.080 --> 0:20:27.080 withering gaze. She's very frustrating. Marigold smirked at that, then 0:20:27.080 --> 0:20:29.679 she held out the test. Sasha hesitated for just a 0:20:29.680 --> 0:20:32.560 second before taking the strip from the other woman. Marigold 0:20:32.640 --> 0:20:40.399 smiled at that too. You're pregnant, Sasha said, yep. Marigold nodded. Congratulations. 0:20:40.560 --> 0:20:44.480 Sasha tried to sound genuine. Marigold's eye roll didn't help that, cause, 0:20:44.800 --> 0:20:47.400 oh yeah, the other woman said, this is a real 0:20:47.480 --> 0:20:49.480 joyous moment for me. I hope your people let me 0:20:49.520 --> 0:20:51.320 live long enough to know whether or not my kid 0:20:51.320 --> 0:20:54.679 will deserve a last name. You know, Sasha said, in 0:20:54.760 --> 0:20:57.320 growing anger. This place isn't perfect, but if you've got 0:20:57.320 --> 0:20:59.800 to know the people here, you'd understand they are the 0:21:00.040 --> 0:21:02.119 best people I've ever met. I wish you could have 0:21:02.160 --> 0:21:05.200 seen the welcome I received. I've never felt so loved. 0:21:05.640 --> 0:21:08.560 Marigold asked, like, all you needed to do was show 0:21:08.640 --> 0:21:14.160 up to earn their acceptance. Yes, Sasha admitted, suspicious. Did 0:21:14.160 --> 0:21:16.400 they sort of swarm you but in a nice way? 0:21:16.440 --> 0:21:19.000 Everyone hugging you and holding you and offering you, say 0:21:19.040 --> 0:21:23.720 physical affection? Yes, Marigold nodded, as if she'd just gotten 0:21:23.720 --> 0:21:27.399