Lea left the Palace in a dark mood. She went to headquarters and immediately called the leadership of both her Blue Team and her father’s White Team into the conference Auditorium. “People, I have it on highest authority that the Admiralty is about to mutiny and attempt a coup.”
She waited for the outbursts to die down, “We are in big trouble. It is a matter of life and death that this entire building must be able to be cleared in under an hour. I want wheels placed on every work table. Practice drills will begin tomorrow. Construction will start immediately on dedicated Jump Tubes. Everything we need to move must fit into those Tubes.”
She activated her light board. Diagrams and charts were gone over.
“How much time do we have, Director?”
“I don’t know. We are actively searching for those answers. Now, squad leaders will work with their squads to make your loads as efficient and mobile as possible. The destinations will be secret. All members with families will be given special Jump Passes for those families.”
The rest of that day she spent working with squad leaders, getting their individual squads lined out. Each squad leader had left to visit each family personally. Together each member of the Tech-Body must understand that, if attacked, they would be the first targets of the Navy. The Navy will want to get the latest in technology. Their families must escape to prevent hostage situations. Lea knew that these people had been hand picked by Tech-Central. They were good, level headed people. They took their instructions with little complaint and began preparing to disappear at a moments notice. Children were watched closer than ever.
Mara had come up with a great idea as well. She discussed it with her husband later that night. It was there habit to sit together a while each evening.“Z…I have an idea on how to organize the children to keep them safe.”
“Really..? Do tell.”
“We form them into groups, like clubs…but more orderly.”
“Ok.”
“I want to call it the Empress’ Personal Junior Guardians.”
“A bit military, isn’t it?”
“I want to know exactly where the loyalist children are when the trap springs?” Her husband leaned forward and nodded, encouraging her.
“The Rebels think they have us in a trap here. Using Lea’s model, we can get our people and their children out as well.”
“My darling, you have a wonderful idea. I want you to start tomorrow. I want you to be in charge.
The Empress went on the news thenext morning to announce the formation of her Junior Guardians. It was a big hit. Children stayed after school and quickly organized. They began doing important projects for the Empire. What was really going on was a way to keep the children together so they could all disappear together. All of the loyalist government worker’s children were also brought into the JG.
Their parents breathed easier. They now knew that General Z would see to it that their children escaped even if they were captured. Mara was glad to have something to do to keep her mind off of the crisis.