Chapter Four: The Induction
James says all the right words
I left the closet and yanked my shirt up to make it look thrown on. The house was dark as I walked down to the entry, where I threw open the door.
A Virtue Squad stood on the porch. The Watchman in charge met my eye. "Sir," he said. "General Moore sent us by to ensure everything is proceeding properly."
I would have thought it was a terrible joke by one of my brothers if all five of the men in front of me didn't look so serious.
"Everything is fine," I said. The Watchman, Forest, eyed me.
"The General instructed us to remain in the area. In case there's any concerns."
Just how well did my father expect me to perform with a handful of men listening from the road? While it was not entirely unbelievable for my father to do this, it did put me in a bad spot.
"Understood, Watchman. Now if you'll excuse me, I have pressing tasks."
I closed the door and stared at it for a moment. No doubt the squad leader would report back to my father in the morning. I would need to make sure they reported something acceptable, which made my stomach turn.
Alaina's eyes locked onto me the moment I got back to our closet.
"What was that?"
"The General has ears out."
"What does that mean for us?"
"We have to fake it."
From her expression, she felt the same way I did about that.
"You go fake it," she said, "and I'll keep practicing with the rifle."
I had a founding-era rifle given to me by my grandfather. I had only fired it a few times, but we planned to bring it, so we made sure we were both capable of putting it together.
"You want me to go fake us both having intercourse?"
"Well they won't be able to see. You just need to make convincing noises."
If I didn't know she was stressed, I would say she enjoyed that.
"Okay, I'll go to the bedroom while you assemble the rifle. This is vile."
***
The morning after convincing a group of men I was making children with my wife, I went into work like any other day. Pretending all was well took most of my energy, but I knew the clock was ticking.
As soon as I arrived, I informed my assistant I was going out of town. Theoretically, it was my responsibility to check in with training camps across the colony, so it stood to reason I would visit. That it also allowed me an uninterrupted walk near the border was not the main point, of course.
I left the main training compound and headed north out of town and then headed east to Galilee. As the sun rose high enough to be in my eyes, I passed the warning wall.
There was a skeleton nailed to a section of border wall. It had been there as long as anyone could remember, and rumor said it was the last man who had attempted escape. I passed it each time I walked out of town. As intended, it made me question our plan to leave. So much could go wrong. I wasn't even entirely sure the Other Side was what I hoped it would be.
According to Doctrine, once aliens had come to Earth, humans were destroyed and enslaved. Everything outside the colony was lost. So, why would anyone want to leave only to find a hellscape?
I thought that too, growing up. Then, as I learned more about the Before, I realized life outside the walls was probably not so grim as all that.
I continued down the dirt road away from Jerusalem. A member of the border patrol stopped to salute me as I neared. I returned the salute, and he continued the way I came from. It seemed they were currently operating in ten minute intervals.
Crossing into Galilee, I headed for their training center. Throughout the day, I spoke with trainers and officers, and then a few catechumens. After a tour with their border patrol, I made my way back to Jerusalem, in time for dinner.
Alaina gave me a significant look as I sat at the table. I nodded. I had gathered a good amount of intel, and we would meet in the closet after JJ went to sleep.
***
Two months after my father announced his requirement for more grandsons, I stood in front of a crowd of silent teens. The Guardians charged with their training stood at the ends of the pews with fierce, eager expressions. It was a swearing in, the last I would see.
So many faces stared up with a mix of emotions. Some of them were determined and proud. However, few glanced around, never quite looking at anything. Traditionally, no one told boys what to expect at training. Allusions to the difficulty and stress, but no outright explanations. They reached thirteen with no true idea of what to expect. Nothing they imagined, in their games or daydreams, could begin to prepare them.
The big three were present, somehow commanding attention without a word. I stood beside the Grand General, who was beside the High Preacher and Executive Governor. It was rare for all three to be in the same room, but always for inductions. All of us would speak to the newly minted men, amping them up for their training.
Preacher Everett took to the pulpit in his denim jeans and white short sleeved dress shirt. Just as he did every month, he eyed the crowd with a stern expression. In his deepest preacher voice, he said, "422 years ago, your brave ancestors answered God's call to resist the demon forces spawned by Satan. They came from all corners, right here to New Covenant, and closed that border. They did this for you, so that you could live peacefully, free from the tyranny of alien rule. For generations, your forefathers remained on God's path, fighting for this freedom you enjoy. Now it is your turn. You're here to honor your family, the colony, and your Creator. Let us pray."
I bowed my head during the prayer, but barely heard a word. If everything went to plan, my little family and I would be very far away before the induction next month.
After the bellowed prayer, Everett stepped back. Executive Governor Luke Fox surveyed the audience, sharp in his pressed suit. He had been a Contractor by profession. His skill writing contracts made him very popular among voting men, and he trounced the competition in the election.
A wiry man who could argue a loophole until his opponent just gave up, Fox was ostensibly the intermediary between the militia and Church. In reality, the church and militia were so entwined, even I could hardly tell the line between them.
Speaking more evenly than Everett, Fox said, "This is your first step into manhood, and the beginning of your journey to a profession. I know each of you will do your family proud, and I look forward to seeing where you end up. Work hard, and you can accomplish so much in the colony. Idle, and you will earn a legacy of shame."
Eyes in the crowd shifted. Some of them didn't really grasp the weight of the outcome of their training until the reality became stunningly clear.
The General strode forward. His uniform was so stiff it looked like stone. I remember when he spoke at my induction. Nine years felt like a lifetime.
Though spoken at a normal volume, his voice carried across the militia chapel. "You're here to become the protectors this colony depends on to keep us safe from the monstrous beings snarling at the gates. You've heard the story, I'm sure. Eight short years ago, Overseer Moore was a mere Legionary, just out of advanced training. On patrol at the border, he slew a massive beast of an alien. That is the sort of men I expect you to become. To stand, literally stand between this colony and the demons who would enslave us. And who better to turn you into that man than Overseer Moore himself?"
It was my cue. I stepped beside him. Hundreds of eyes focused on me. For a moment, my entire body froze. I have no problem with public speaking, but there was something else. All those innocent faces staring at me, and I would be the one in charge of introducing them to the worst days of their lives.
Forcing myself to continue, I said, "The next six months will be the hardest, most rewarding of your life. I will be here every step of the way, keeping you on the path. Your success is my success, and your failure could mean the destruction of the colony." For the record, my father wrote this speech when he was the Overseer in charge of training. "So, be assured, I will do everything in my power to see to your success."
I gestured to the trainers. They had everyone rise and raise their right hands. One inductee whispered, "Oh fuck."
Raising my right hand, I said, "Repeat after me. I, state your name, do solemnly swear before Almighty God to uphold peace and defend New Covenant against all threats, within and without. I will bear true allegiance to militia command, obey all orders without question, and serve with righteousness and resolve. So help me God."
When the last echoes died away, the trainers ordered the newest Catechumens from the chapel. I watched them go and pretended my chest didn't feel like a giant had stomped it flat.
"James. Follow me."