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GRADUATION DAY

Our new unifor chow, pressed and starched and neatly folded on our bunks And an extra special bonus surprise: headbands equipped with the latest in alien detection technology, a clear, quarter-size disk that slips over your left eye Infested huh the lens Or so we’re told Later that day, when I asked the tech exactly hoorked, his ansas sireen When I politely asked for a brief deet your demo in the field, soldier"

For the first ti to Camp Haven--and probably for the last ti froer’s the only one who ducks into the latrine to change The rest of us strip where we stand, throwing the hated blue jumpsuits into a pile in the ht idea to set them on fire and would have if Dumbo didn’t snatch the lit match from her hand at the last second

The only one without a unifor back and forth, arms folded over his chest, bottoet it After I’

"You’ll get your turn, Private Hang in there"

"Two years, Zombie"

"So? Think what a hardass you’ll be in two years Put all of us to sha squad after we deploy I proh I have no idea when--or if--I’ back Our mission is still top secret, known only to Central Co I don’t really care, as long as Reznik stays here

"Come on, soldier You’re supposed to be happy forback" He says it with so ry conviction that I don’t knohat to say "I’ll never see you again"

"Of course you’re going to see et I proain, right over rab his wrist, and he lays into rab that one and order him to stand down

"Don’t pro ever, ever, ever!" His little face screwed up with rage

"Hey, Nugget, hey" I fold his arms over his chest and bend down to look his you don’t have to promise You just do"

I reach into my pocket and pull out Sissy’s locket Undo the clasp I haven’t done that since I fixed it at Tent City Circle broken I draw it around his neck and hook the ends together Circle complete

"No matter what happens out there, I’ll come back for you," I proer co her hair beneath her new cap I stand at attention and snap off a salute

"Private Zo for duty, squad leader!"

"My one day of glory," she says, returning the salute "Everybody knoho’smodestly "I don’t listen to rumors"

"You made a promise you knew you couldn’t keep," she says matter-of-factly--which is prettyis she says it right in front of Nugget "Sure you don’t want to take up chess, Zo seeh

The door flies open, and Du, sir!"

We rush to the ends of our bunks and stand at attention as Reznik moves down the line for ill be our final inspection He’s subdued, for Reznik He doesn’t call us h Flintstone’s shirt is untucked on one side Oompa’s hat is crooked He brushes off a speck of lint that only he can see frodown into her face, almost comical in its seriousness

"Well, Private Are you ready to die?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" Teacup shouts in her loudest warrior voice

Reznik turns to the rest of us "How about you? Are you ready?"

Our voices thunder as one: "Sir! Yes, sir!"

Before he leaves, Reznik orders me front and center "Come with me, Private" A final salute to the troops, then: "See you at the party, children"

Onlook, as if to say, Told you so

I folloo paces behind the drill sergeant as hethe finishing touches on the speaker’s platforh brass, unrolling a red carpet A huge banner has been hung across the barracks on the far side: WE ARE HUMANITY And on the opposite side: WE ARE ONE

Into a nondescript one-story building on the western side of the coh a security door h a metal detector manned by heavily armed, stone-faced soldiers Into an elevator that carries us four stories beneath the earth Reznik doesn’t talk He doesn’t even look at , but no idea why I nervously pick at the front ofcorridor awash in fluorescent lighting Passing through another security checkpoint More stone-faced, heavily armed soldiers Reznik stops at an unh the lock We step inside a sreets us at the door, and we follow hie private office A h a stack of computer printouts

Vosch

He dismisses Reznik and the lieutenant, and we’re alone

"At ease, Private"

I spread rippingdesk, eyes forward, chest out He is the supreme commander I’m a private, a lowly recruit, not even a real soldier yet My heart is threatening to pop the buttons on my brand-new shirt