Chapter Twelve

Sasha earns a job in the Heavenly Kingdom, and finally meets Alexander.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Chapter twelve, Sasha the Lord did not mean for Sasha
to be a cleaner. That was her first big lesson
as a citizen of the Heavenly Kingdom. She was good
enough at it, and she had too much self respect
to complain, but the work felt so unrewarding that she
knew it must not be what God wanted for her.
She'd spent her first night in the Kingdom being pampered

(00:22):
and provided for by her fellow sisters in the Faith.
They'd fed her, cleaned her, found her fresh clothes, and
given her all the emotional rewards she could have ever wanted.
And then the next day, Helen had woken her up
at seven in the morning to help clean out an
old Republic barracks that was being transitioned over to housing
for soldiers of the Heavenly Kingdom. She knew it was
honorable work, she knew it was necessary work, and she

(00:45):
knew from the issues of Revelator she'd read that establishing
the Kingdom of Heaven was a job that would not
be accomplished easily or without pain. She'd accepted this when
she'd made the choice to venture down here, but by
the time she'd scrubbed her twelfth toilet of the day,
Sasha had to ida that her mind and her loyalty
were better used elsewhere. Oddly enough, something her father had

(01:05):
told her about the corporate world stopped her from whining.
Never complain, never speak ill of your colleagues, and always
ask if there's more work you can do. It had
been his advice to survive and thrive in business, but
she took it to heart here, and by the end
of her first full day in the kingdom, she'd scrubbed
more toilets than any other girl. She hated the work,
but she also took a perverse sort of pride in it.

(01:26):
That brought a little guilt because she wasn't here to
serve her pride, But also wouldn't the Lord God be
happy to see her commitment. I'll ask Helen about that,
Sasha told herself. She'll tell me how much of my
pride is justified and how much isn't. She didn't see
Helen again until the end of that day, when a
truck came to gather all the girls up and take
them back to the House of Miriam. They all washed

(01:48):
up and then sat together around a large oaken table
while Helen led them in prayer, she read a chunk
of the Book of Isaiah, and then gave a quick
lecture on the value of physical labor, each callous on
your hand as a kiss from God, before inviting them
to tuck in. The dinner wasn't luxurious by sasha standards,
just biscuits, a thin brown gravy, and a palm sized

(02:09):
slice of beef for each of them. But they had
oranges for dessert, which was a treat, and Sasha felt
more comfortable than she'd ever have believed. Among her new sisters,
Caroline had fled from Florida, North America's bananaist Republic. She'd
been shot in the arm making her way to the
Heavenly Kingdom. She said almost nothing. Sasha wasn't sure she
even spoke English. But Caroline worked hard. There was an

(02:31):
intensity in her eyes that was a little scary and
humbling at the same time. Then there was Susannah from
the black Stone Nation. Sasha couldn't help but notice she
was the only black girl there. Susannah had spent most
of their work day singing to herself. She had a
beautiful singing voice. And then there were the three other
am fed girls. Emmeline, Rosie, and Anne. They had all

(02:52):
left a few weeks before Sasha had made her own journey.
Anne had actually gone to the same middle school as Sasha.
She wasn't great with name so most of the other
girls in her group were still more of a collection
of smiling faces than real people at this point, But
they'd all been so warm to her. There was a
real effort from all of them to make regular physical contact.
They put hands on each other's shoulders and cheeks, They

(03:14):
hugged constantly. Sasha experienced more touching in her first twenty
four hours here than she'd experienced in her last five
years in the American Federation. There was something intoxicating about
being touched and feeling so cared for. The only girl
she didn't like was May. Like Sasha, May was within
spitting distance of age eighteen, She'd fled from the UCS,

(03:36):
and she had a gift for letting people around her
know when they fell short of God's standards. During their
work day, she'd spent more time policing the other girl's
posture than she'd spent scrubbing toilets. When Anne had hitched
up her shirt sleeves, it was May who had scolded
her for a modesty. When Susannah took off her shoes
and socks during their lunch break, May had yelled that
she was an unfair temptation to the young soldiers walking

(03:58):
by on the street. Sasha knew it was unfair and
definitely Unchristian to feel this way, but May looked like
someone who lived to tell other people what to do.
She had the pinched features, squinting eyes, and high pitched
voice of a born snitch. May kept her hair tied
up in a bun so tight and short it looked military.
She never smiled and never seemed to relax, and there

(04:20):
was something about the frenzied way she'd pray alone quietly
in the corner throughout the day that made Sasha leery.
She hated that she'd noticed those things. She knew God
didn't want her focusing on what other people were doing wrong.
And besides, she told herself, what are you really angry
about that? She's too serious about her faith. Isn't that
way you left home? Gluttony is a sin too, you know,

(04:42):
May said. Sasha realized with a start that May had
addressed her. She had been eating her orange and absent
minded and tired after a long day of labor. She
hadn't realized how messy she'd been about peeling it. Her
hands and sleeves were covered with a sticky juice. She
looked around at the table and noticed that the other
girls had been much more careful their dessert. Sorry, Sasha started,
I wasn't thinking. May rolled her eyes and started to

(05:05):
say something else, but Helen cut her off. It's quite
all right, dear. None of us is perfect. She cast
a reproach for lie at May. And we all lose
ourselves and thoughts sometimes, especially in the wake of great change.
The Lord understands. She looked out to the rest of
the table with a gaze that seemed to take in
each of the girls collectively and individually. Then she spoke,

(05:28):
we are all here because we recognize the primacy of
God's word on earth. But we are no more perfect
and no more beloved by our Lord than the enemies
we face. Never forget that, girls, our foes are as
dear to Him as we are. They must be purged
when they seek to interfere with God's will, But we
should feel sorrow for such losses, and we should never

(05:49):
ever Her eyes went to May again, let our fortune
in hearing God's word bleat us of compassion, or lead
us to arrogance. Sasha's heart swelled at this. She never
admired a woman more. Helen had a way of imparting
wisdom without judgment, of shining a light on the truth
without seeming like it was her truth alone. Helen wasn't
a preacher, but Sasha had never heard anyone speak the

(06:12):
word of God with more conviction. After dinner, they had
an hour of free time to read their bibles, share
a few stories of their old lives, and drink a
single cup of sweet lemon tea. By nine o'clock it
was bedtime. Sasha was rankled a bit by the fact
that she and her fellow young women were being ordered
into bed at a set hour, but she was so
exhausted by her day of labor that she couldn't work

(06:33):
up much frustration over the mild injustice. Perhaps, when she'd
had more time to adjust, she'd bring this up to Helen.
She collapsed in her bunk bed, certain she'd fall asleep
in an instant. Instead, she lay awake for the better
part of an hour, thinking of Alexander. She'd still heard
nothing more from him or about him. She'd asked Helen
a couple of times today, and the older woman had

(06:54):
almost seemed angry. Somehow, Sasha knew the anger wasn't towards her,
and that was doubly confusing Sasha. Anne's voice broke her reverie.
The other girl was situated just below her on the
bunk bed. Sasha was surprised to hear her still awake. Yes,
is something the matter? No, Anne said, I just couldn't sleep.
I thought maybe you were awake too. I guess we're

(07:17):
both in the same boat. Then Sasha kept her voice low,
more to avoid waking any of the others than out
of fear of breaking the rules in more ways than one.
Anne said, I'm waiting for a man I love too.
Sasha's heart beat a little faster. It was like that,
with everything that made her think of Alexander, her mind
didn't need a great deal of prodding to turn towards him.

(07:37):
Your love is at the front, too, Sasha asked, I
think so, Anne said, I was lucky enough to get
to see him once I arrived in Kappel first, back
before the Kingdom took Plaino. We met once then and
once more after the city fell and they moved us
into the House of Miriam, Jealousy seized Sasha's heart. She
tried to replace it with gratitude in the Lord, he'd

(07:58):
send her someone who can understand pain and frustration. Wasn't
that a blessing? That must be hard for you, she said,
getting to see him and then being separated. The words
came out a bit stilted and cold. She hoped Anne
hadn't noticed it is. Anne said, but it isn't half
so rough a place as you're in. I can't imagine
how anxious you must be arriving here and not seeing him.

(08:21):
He's not the only reason I came, Sasha said, a
bit defensively, But yes, it's hard. I'm scared. I don't
know why I feel so silly, Admitting that it's certainly
not silly, Anne assured her, But I get it. Everyone
here is so focused on gratitude and God's wisdom. It
almost makes you feel like a traitor for feeling afraid

(08:41):
or unhappy. Anne's voice dropped a few decibels, as if
she was ashamed of her next words, I almost feel
like a liar when I smile. I don't think the
Lord wants us to be liars, Sasha said, but I
think being happy, or trying to seem happy, is a
sacrifice we make for the kingdom. It helps keep everyone
else around us strong. Hm hm, Anne said, and then yawned.

(09:05):
Her voice sounded heavy with sleep. There must have been
something contagious in the sound, because Sasha felt her own
eyelids start to droop. That's a nice way to look
at it, Anne said, I like the way you think, Sasha.
Helen woke all of them up the next morning. She

(09:28):
was gentle with it, a hand on each girl's shoulder
and a word in each of their ears, but there
was no mistaking that she meant now. So Sasha got up.
Her feet hit the floor just as Anne took her
first steps forward towards the dining room. They all filed in,
silent and groggy. The girls took their breakfasts in the
form of a thick, tasteless protein shake, and then they
were loaded onto a heavy military looking bus and driven

(09:50):
off to a large, red brick office building. According to
the bullet poxed signs, it had once been an administrative
building for the corporation that had run most of the
Republic schools. Sasha swept up bullet casings and shattered glass.
She scrubbed toilets and wiped the blood off the walls,
and tried not to think too hard about how it
had gotten there. Conversation wasn't forbidden, but there was a

(10:11):
lot of ground to cover, and May was quick to
scold anyone who dawdled. Sasha and Anne both kept moving,
but they passed each other in the halls often. Each
time the other girl would favor Sasha with a supportive smile,
and Sasha would return it. They broke for lunch a
little afternoon, stale cheese sandwiches and orange juice, but instead
of getting back to work after their meal, they were
met again by the bus that had taken them there.

(10:33):
They were told to file inside. Sasha wound up in
between Anne and Susannah in the middle row of the bus.
It was hot, the air circulation was bad, and the
smell of sweat was thick on the bus, but the
windows were down, and once the bus got going, the
air that blew in felt like Heaven, Lord God, I've
been waiting for this all day, said Susannah. I'd stay

(10:53):
on this thing all night if they led me. Yeah,
Anne said, this is actually a lot more comfortable than
the bunk room, even when the hours working in the
fans are on. Does the power go out a lot?
Sasha asked. She felt dumb for even giving voice to
the question, but her seatmates didn't treat it like a
stupid question. Not a lot, Anne said, but we'll lose
an hour or two most days, and it can be

(11:14):
out for quite a while when Austin gets a drone through.
That doesn't happen often. Susannah assured her. I've been in
the Kingdom ten days and we've only had to take
shelter once twice for me. Anne said, but I've been
here almost three weeks. I'm not scared, Sasha assured them.
I'm just curious. You should be scared. Susannah said, it sucks.

(11:38):
It wasn't a long ride, and Sasha was embarrassed at
how long it took her to realize the destination. This
was the same route they'd taken from the House of Miriam,
just in reverse. She and the other girls were being
taken downtown. Won't she got a good look at the gallows,
she understood why there were six people lined up in
front of the little stairway that led to the platform.
They looked like prisoners. Susannah looked just as confused as Sasha,

(12:02):
but Anne seemed to understand what was going on. She
scrunched her face in disgust. Oh no, she said, I
hate it when they make us watch this. The two
martyrs who had guarded them all day opened the doors
and told them to form up outside of the bus.
Sasha did as she was told, while grabbing as many
long looks at the gallows as she could manage. None
of the people who stood out in front of the

(12:24):
platform looked like soldiers, or robber barons, or much of
anything at all. They just seemed young and scared fags.
The martyr standing next to the driver at the bus
door grunted as Sasha stepped past him. He waited until
the other girls had all filed off the bus before
he stepped around to stand in front of them. Sasha
hadn't paid the man too much attention during the day, because,

(12:44):
in truth, he scared her. He looked old, over forty
at least, and his face was heavy with scars and tattoos.
There were faded blue crosses inked on each of his forearms.
There wasn't much skin visible under his armor and helmet,
but the skin she could see was tanned red like leather.
His eyes were cold and seemed fixed into a permanent squint.
When he addressed the group, it was with a voice

(13:05):
that sounded like it came to them through a filter
of gravel and glass. These people, he said, and spat
after the word people a gender traitors. There were a
few gasps from among the crowd. He continued. It took
us a while to crack into the Republic's old files,
but we finally got a list of all the fags
who refused to accept their God given gender. They thought

(13:25):
surgery could hide him. But there's no hide in the
truth from the eyes of God or his true servants,
and there's only one fair punishment for someone who turns
their back on natural law. Sasha's heart started to pound.
She'd known, of course, that Pastor Mike didn't approve of transgenderism,
of gender change surgery, of homosexuality, or of anything else

(13:46):
that didn't fit into the neat biblical lines of what
a man and a woman ought to be, but it
always phrased his objections with such compassion. Queer and trans
people weren't monsters deserving of death. They were victims of
the fallen secular world, same as anyone else. Sasha agreed
they needed re education, but this the crowd, perhaps three

(14:06):
hundred strong, cheered as the prisoners were led up to
the gallows. Sasha's heart beat like a bass drum. She
couldn't hear anything else. The voices of the crowd, of
her sister's faded behind the beating sound of the blood
that coursed through her head. But her eyes continued to work,
and she watched in horror as they fit nooses around
each victim's neck. The young people cried and screamed and begged,

(14:27):
but the martyrs paid them no mind. Some of them
chanted in tongues while they prepared the killing machine. Sasha
saw joy in their eyes. She found it revolting. Before long,
they'd finished their preparations, and six people were strung up
on the gallows before the brays and cries of the crowd.
Sasha didn't think it was possible for her heart to
beat any faster, but it kept speeding up. She felt

(14:48):
light headed and nauseous, and a little like she needed
to go to the bathroom. Her knees grew weak, and
she found herself leaning on Anne. The other woman looked
almost as scared as Sasha did, but she weathered it better.
She put an arm around Sasha, supporting her, and the
two of them looked on as the executioner called out
and pulled the lever that sent six human beings dropping
down to dangle until they were dead. The snap of

(15:10):
their necks was the only thing Sasha heard above the
sound of her own pounding heart. She watched them twitch
and jerk for a second two, and then her body
grew too light, and her legs collapsed beneath her. The
world went black. She awoke back in the house of Miriam.
Her sisters knelt or stood around her. Sasha was gratified
to see she wasn't the only one who'd passed out.

(15:33):
Anne lay next to her, clearly disoriented, along with two
other women whose name Sasha hadn't quite memorized. Helen set
in between them, wet washcloth in her hand, and stroked
their faces. There, there, DearS, you've had a terrible shock,
and there's no shame in your reactions. No shame may
spat the words. There was a glow to her face
and a manic glint in her eyes. Ma'am, with all

(15:55):
due respect, I don't know how these girls can call
themselves committed to the heavenly kingdom if the sight of
to find justice hurts them so much. Sasha saw anger
in Helen's eyes, but the older woman didn't let it
carry over into her voice. Instead, she fixed May with
a cool gaze and said in an even tone, Miss May,
one can believe in our Lord's justice and still regret

(16:15):
the pain that comes with it. That does not signal
a lack of devotion. It signals compassion, a trait Jesus
Christ had an abundance. May frowned and pursed her lips,
but she kept them shut for now. Helen turned back
to Sasha and the other girls who had fallen. Death
is never easy to witness, girls. It should be a
horrible thing to witness. She glanced back to May. And

(16:36):
we should all be worried if a day ever comes
when we can see such violence without pain in our hearts.
But these are dire times. The world has fallen too
much for pacifism to bring back the rule of God,
and so we must use violence. Do you understand? Sasha nodded.
She heard the other girls give stuttering, hollow replies. Even

(16:56):
the girls who'd managed to stay standing looked shaken. May
was the only one who wore a smile. They gave
her a wide berth the rest of the day. Whoever
was in charge of their schedule paid some deference to
the fact that they had been forced to watch in execution.
There was no more cleaning that day. They spent the
rest of the daylight hours seated around the common area
in the House of Miriam sewing uniforms. Sasha had never

(17:20):
sewn before, but Anne sat next to her and taught
her the basics. Her hands were still shaking when they
got to work, but Anne helped her and eventually, focusing
on the meticulous task allowed her to blot out the horror.
Once she got a good grip on the basics of
what was required of her, she was able to lose
herself and quiet productive flow. She was almost disappointed when
Helen called them to dinner. They ate the same food

(17:42):
as the day before. They prayed, and then they had
an hour of relatively free time. They couldn't leave the
House of Miriam since it was after eight, but they
could talk. Sasha gravitated naturally to Susannah and Anne. The
topic of conversation turned at once to the execution. Is
that always what it's like, Sue, Sanna asked. Anne nodded.
Her voice shook a little when she said, I passed

(18:05):
out last time too. I thought it'd be easier the
second time around, but it really wasn't it feels wrong,
Sasha whispered. She glanced over to May, who was holding
court with a few of the other girls at the
other end of the common area. I'm not saying it's
okay what those people were doing, but surely they deserved
a chance to repent. Susannah nodded. I don't think Jesus
would want us to murder people just for being wrong.

(18:27):
It's one thing to kill an atheist or an apostate
who's attacking you. It's another thing to just Her voice
caught a bit hank people. Anne shook her head in
an absent sort of way. Kyle told me it was necessary. Kyle,
Susannah asked, my intended Anne said, I watched the first
execution with him when I passed out. He was so sweet.

(18:49):
I came to when he was holding me, petting my head.
Anne's eyes shone with love, and Sasha had to fight
hard to keep the jealousy from her own face. He
explained that the Heavenly Kingdom couldn't afford to re educate
the fallen. They are too many and we are too surrounded.
If someone is capable of changing, God will know, and
he will ensure they get their just reward in heaven.

(19:10):
Sasha was not entirely convinced, but she also wasn't willing
to argue with Anne. It felt a little dicey just
admitting her continued discomfort with the executions, so she stayed quiet,
and the talk turned to more comfortable matters, what they
expected from the next day's work and what sort of
lives they lead. When the fighting was over and they
were settled down with the Gallant warriors, they knew they'd
marry soon. The girls all filed off to their small

(19:33):
snug beds after a long day of work and stress.
The bed felt so good that it made Sasha feel guilty.
Alexander was fighting right now, he'd surely seem more death
than she had, and he didn't have the option of
fainting or crying about it. As she drifted off to
sleep again, Sasha promised herself that she would never faint
or cry out in the face of death again. If

(19:54):
this was the way God had ordained, his kingdom must come,
she owed it to herself and to her Lord to
stand and see it. The next day, they all went
back to the same battered administrative building as the day before.
Sasha scrubbed and swept ate her lunch and got right
back to work. She forced herself into enthusiasm for the
menial labor with the same discipline she'd used when it

(20:15):
had been time to study for an exam and a
class she hated. The same tactic worked in both high
school and the Heavenly Kingdom. About two hours before the
end of their workday, Sasha's rhythm was interrupted by the
sound of a crash and a scream from one of
the girls in the bathroom next door to the room
she was in. Sasha dropped her scrub brush and darted over.
She was the first one into the room. It took

(20:36):
her a moment to piece together what must have happened.
Susannah had been scrubbing a sink that had been badly
damaged by shellfire. The sink had collapsed while she had
scrubbed it and a jagged edge of porcelain had torn
open the girl's hand. There was already an enormous amount
of blood. By the time Sasha arrived. Susannah looked pale.
She backed up against the wall and was just screaming wordlessly.

(20:56):
Sasha had taken three semesters of premed classes in the
last two ears. She had a good basic instruction and
first aid. She pulled her shirt off over her head
and wrapped it around the gash on the other girl's hand.
It was the spare shirt she had brought from home,
and it had an antimicrobial weave that should make it
relatively safe as a wound dressing. She pulled it tight,
watted the extra fabric up over the wound, and applied

(21:18):
as much pressure as she could. Susannah kept screaming, but
the flow of blood from her wounds slowed. Breathe with me,
Sasha told Susannah as she stared into the other girl's eyes.
In she inhaled, and out she exhaled. She repeated this
several times until Susannah stopped screaming and started breathing in
time with her. Several of the girls had crowded around

(21:38):
the entrance to the bathroom. At this point, when Sasha
glanced up, she could see May's face in the back
of the crowd. She looked disgusted, probably at the fact
that Sasha had torn off her shirt. Please call for
the martyrs, Sasha asked, no one in particular, Tell them
Susanna needs medical attention. I don't think she has any
clotting agents in her blood. No one moved, so Sasha
locked eyes with Anne and told her, please go now.

(22:01):
We shouldn't take any chances with a wound like this,
and nodded. Broke away from the glocking group and stumbled
off to find help. Sasha looked back to Susannah. She
coaxed the other girl to sit down against the wall
and sat down next to her, applying pressure to her
hand the entire time. Sasha's shirt was now soaked through
with hot, sticky blood. Her hands were wet too, but

(22:22):
she didn't feel squeamish about this. She'd expected to after
her reaction to the hangings, but somehow the sight of
all this blood actually combed her. She knew what to
do here. It felt good to take effective action. The
martyrs arrived a minute or so later, with a medic
close behind By that point, Susanna's bleeding had stopped entirely.
The medic was impressed, and he said, so you have

(22:44):
some kind of training, ma'am. You handled this very well.
Three semesters of premed. She had answered, it was only
high school premed, but they made us do a lot
of first aid drills. The medic gave her a significant
look and then asked, what's your name, miss Sasha. She'd
arted before correcting herself. Sasha. Susannah was taken off to

(23:04):
whatever served as a hospital for the Heavenly Kingdom while
Sasha and the rest of the girls finished their work day.
It was uneventful after that, but the other girl's attitudes
towards her seemed to have shifted. Anne had given her
a big hug, of course, but everyone was more respectful.
Several of them came to her to ask minor things,
advice on how best to clean a room or clear
a pile of rubble. At one point, Sasha had divided

(23:25):
four girls up into two teams to remove a huge
amount of shattered glass. While she directed the effort, may
had walked by the room and butted her head in
Just because she knows a little first aid doesn't make
her a foreman, she sneered. The other girls didn't pay
May any mind. They left for the day at the
usual time and arrived back at the house of Miriam
in the early evening. Helen was waiting for them at

(23:46):
the door. Behind her stood an older man in a
white lab coat. He had a cross pinned to his
lapel and a larger red cross on his arm band.
As the girls all filed into the building, Sasha saw
Helen point to her and whisper something to the man.
He nodded, Miss Sasha, he called out. As she headed
to her seat at the dinner table. Sasha peeled off
and approached him. Helen stood near by, distant enough to

(24:09):
make it clear that this conversation was between her and
the man, but close enough that her presence provided a
warm kernel of certainty and support. Yes, Sasha asked. The
man had a sharp, narrow jaw and a long nose.
There were deep bags under his eyes, and his hair
was at the grayest end of pepper gray. He wasn't
very large, but he used his physicality well. He moved

(24:29):
like he was used to controlling the room. Sasha, I'm
doctor Brandt, one of our medics. Was very impressed with
your work earlier today on the injured girl. Sir all
I did was trying to stanch the bleeding. Anyone could
have handled that. It didn't require any special knowledge. No,
he interrupted her, it did not. The knowledge of how
to stim bleeding is not rare or special, but the

(24:50):
willingness to jump in during an emergency and to get
blood on one's own hands is rather rare. I understand
you have some form of medical training, very little, Sir.
I took three semesters of pre medical courses in high school.
I was thinking about a medical career before. I yes, well,
three semesters of any kind of training almost makes you
a doctor. Here, we're not exactly flooded with qualified medical experts.

(25:13):
Doctor Brandt lacked Helen's gift for interrupting without seeming rude,
but he was clearly a busy man, and the fact
that he'd offered praise made it hard for Sasha to
take offense. Miss Helen. He snapped back at the older woman,
I'm putting this one on special duty. Would that be
all right? Of course, doctor Brandt. Helen said, she smiled
at Sasha, and there was honest pride in that smile

(25:35):
more pride than she had ever seen in her mother's eyes.
Sasha resisted the urge to tear up. In response, Doctor
Brandt turned to Sasha next and asked, what do you
know about the people of the road. She frowned. Post
humans were a popular topic of discussion in her high school.
Sasha had seen waste Land Warriors a couple of years back,
and benis enthralled as everyone else, but her school curriculum

(25:57):
didn't talk much about them and definitely down played their
influence in the rest of the continent. Her father had
called them a bunch of idiots dancing around the desert
doing drugs and robbing people. She decided to use a
variant of that for her answer. Their drug addled pagans
fornicating and spurning the will of God. Doctor Brandt smiled.
He had such a serious face and such stern features

(26:19):
that Sasha was shocked by the honest kindness of that smile.
I'd say that's basically accurate, he chuckled, perhaps even a
bit charitable. It turns out one of these groups sent
some emissaries into Plano just before the city fell. They
were on some trade mission. They wound up getting stuck
in a pin with a few other prisoners. We didn't
even realize who we had until their people contacted us

(26:40):
and demanded their release. Sasha's eyes widened. All she could
think of were the grainy video fragments from one section
of Waste Land Warriors. It was supposedly a recording of
an attack on an Agis Biosystems convoy headed from Milwaukee
to Denver. The convoy had been well armed, but it
had been taken apart in a matter of seconds. The
assailants moved so fast that the documentarians had needed to

(27:01):
slow the video to make them visible as anything but
flashes on the screen. How could something that fast and
deadly be captured? Doctor Brandt answered her question before she
could ask it. I'm going to guess her wondering how
he managed to capture three of those Frankenstein abominations. Yes, sir,
Sasha said, well, Doctor Brandt popped the glasses off his
face and buffed the lenses on his shirt while he spoke.

(27:25):
Most members of any given group aren't quite like that. Oh,
they're all Pagans are atheists, just some kind of heathen.
They have a lot of aesthetic modifications. Led tattoos and
body lighting and some sensory upgrades, but few of them
have military style implants. I see, as you know, cities
and civilized nations tend to ban those implants within their borders.

(27:47):
Doctor Brandt slid his glasses back into place on his nose.
So the people of the road have to send their
less modified citizens out to negotiate, et cetera. Which means
we've got a bit of a tiger by the tail
situation here. What do you mean, Sir Sasha asked, Well,
the stories about these types are absolutely true. Some of
them have hundreds of warriors packed to the gills with

(28:09):
nightmare technology. There are individuals who are capable of taking
on entire companies of human war fighters. The tribe these
particular captives hail from, well, their name is quite obscene.
The City of Wheels would be the most polite variant
there is lost as it gets when it comes to
the Word of God. But they've got about six hundred
post human citizens. Sasha thought back to what a dozen

(28:31):
of those things had done to that convoy. She tried
to imagine the carnage six hundred of them could unleash
upon the heavenly Kingdom. A shiver ran down her spine exactly.
Doctor Brandt nodded at her like I said, we've got
a tiger by the tail. They might not intervene while
we have their people, so we've got to make sure
our captives are well taken care of. That's where you

(28:53):
come in. Me. Two of the captives are women, Sasha.
They'll need to be inspected by some one beside it's me.
We do have some qualified female nurses, but an sdf
drone hit one of our troop transports about two hours ago,
and I'm afraid they're both in the thick of that mess.
So you're coming with me to handle this job. I'm
proud to do it, sir. She wasn't sure what else

(29:15):
to say, and besides, it was true. The first captive
sat on a small concrete bench in the back of
an eight by ten cell. Her hair had been shaved
into a mohawk, but the purple hair was deflated and greasy. Now.
There was stubble on the sides of her head. Her
face was round but lean. There were slight laugh lines
at the corners of her cheeks in the edges of
her eyes. She wore a sleeveless purple and black dress

(29:37):
that was by now filthy. Her arms were covered in
a strange series of tattoos, dozens of branching lines that
each terminated in a box. They looked almost like circuit diagrams.
Sasha quickly realized that each box held a little led screen.
Most of the screens were set to a dull red color,
but once she stepped into the women's cell, they flashed

(29:58):
bright orange. The woman looked up and snarled at doctor Brandt.
Fun do you want ship bird? She looked over to
Sasha and then added, sorry, ship birds, Sasha. Doctor Brandt sighed,
kneading the bridge of his nose. Meet Marigold Fulton. Jesus
fucking Christ, what are you six? Fucking ten? Marigold said
to Sasha. Then she looked at doctor Brandt. That's fucked up, man.

(30:22):
Doctor Brandt winced at both curses. Sasha glanced down and
saw that his right hand was bawled up into a
fist and clinched tight. Marigold, this is Sasha, he said,
through gritted lips. She'll be performing your intake exam. We
need to make sure you're uninjured, uninfectious, and not hiding
any weaponry. I would recommend compliance your kind always do.

(30:44):
The woman spat back, Sasha, you've got this. Doctor Brandt
gave her a curt nod, turned on his heels, and
headed back out of the cell. There was an armed
guard just outside the cell. As doctor brand had instructed,
Sasha pulled along privacy screen out from the far end
of the wall and clasp it to a set of
hooks on the other end. The captives were being held
in the old plain Oh jail, which made this one

(31:05):
of the rare buildings in the Heavenly Kingdom being used
for its intended purpose. Sasha was grateful for the privacy screen.
She was also unbearably nervous about what came next. I'm
going to have to ask you. In one smooth motion,
Marigold pulled the dress up over her shoulders and off
of her body. She wore nothing underneath it. Her pert breasts,
her little belly, her pubic mound, and its shock of

(31:26):
purple hair were suddenly just there. You're gonna do your job?
Are you just gonna stand there and Jill off Marigold
asked what. Jill Marigold gave a harsh laugh. It's a
senton ym from masturbation, Lady, masturbation. You don't do that,
do you, Sugar. I'm gonna guess the Heavenly Kingdom frowns
on girls having fun without the help of boys. Sasha grimaced.

(31:48):
The Heavenly Kingdom doesn't frown on women having fun, but
it does encourage self control. Mr. What you're talking about,
it's a distraction, It's worldly. Marigold whistled and mocked surprise,
and said, spoken like a lady who truly needs an orgasm.
What I need to do is draw some of your
blood and some of your saliva and then perform a

(32:09):
cavity search. Marigold's lips curled up into a catlike smile.
She opened her legs. Sasha had seen other women's vaginas before,
but only in textbooks and movies. This was the first
time she'd found herself staring directly down the barrel of one,
so to speak. She gulped, Darlen, am I your first?
Don't be scared. I got some chrumb in me, but

(32:30):
I never wound up putting defensive teeth in there. Now,
my friend, Topaz, stop, I know what you're trying to do.
Just stop, Sasha hadn't thought the woman's smile could get
any wider, but it did. And what am I trying
to do? Child? You're trying to to fluster me, to
distract me or Marigold rolled her eyes as she replied,

(32:51):
I'm bored. You Fox have kept me in one holding
area or sell or another for almost a week. I
spent three days shifting in the corner of a gym,
but at least Rick and Tuly were there too. The
woman smiles softened for a moment. She looked troubled, vulnerable.
You don't have any idea where my people are, do you?
Sasha shook her head. She felt guilty for some reason.
That was stupid. She hadn't done anything wrong, but she

(33:14):
felt the need to assuage the other woman's fears. I
don't I'm sure they're all right, though we wouldn't execute
them just for being in the wrong place at the
wrong time. Marigolds snorted, maybe you wouldn't love your friends.
Though I've seen your gallows. It doesn't seem like the
kind of things someone builds just for show. We have
a right to enforce our laws, God's laws. What am

(33:37):
I doing defending the kingdom to someone who's clearly blind
to the word. Sasha shook her head. She opened the
blood testing kit doctor Brant had given her and stepped
back towards Marigold. Look, I've got to do this. Just
hold still and it'll be quick. It was. The other
woman offered no resistance when Sasha told her to stand.
She stood. When Sasha reached a gloved hand up inside

(33:58):
her to search for foreign object, Marigold said nothing. She
didn't even flinch. Instead, she kept her eyes locked on Sasha's.
The other woman barely blinked. In about two minutes, Sasha
had finished her examination and collected her samples. She started
to step back, but Marigold's hand shot out whip fast
and grasped her around the wrist listen. Sasha stopped and listened.

(34:20):
She wasn't sure why. It was something about the other
woman's tone. She'd heard the term command voice before, Sasha
hadn't understood what that term meant until now. When Marigold
spoke again, it was in a hushed tone, barely more
than a whisper. I don't know what brought you here,
but you're obviously smart. You don't have those dead zelad eyes.
She jerked her head in the direction of the guard outside.

(34:40):
When I mentioned the gallows, you looked fucking ill. I'm
gonna guess you haven't been here long. You're probably having
second thoughts. Helped me get my people out of here.
If we can get back to my city, you'll be safe.
We'll take you wherever you need to go. I Sasha
wasn't sure what to say. She should have slapped the
other woman or spitting her eye, but she didn't. Don't

(35:01):
say anything. You'll be back here, I promise. Think about
what I've said, think about where you are. Just fucking think.
She let go. Sasha stepped back. The two women locked
eyes for a long moment, and then Marigold grabbed her
slip dress off the floor and slid it back down
her thin frame. Sasha unclipped the privacy curtain and headed
back out into the hallway. The other woman, captive Tullie,

(35:25):
was tall and muscular. She had a wide face with
cheek bones so sharp they were almost jagged. Her skin
was a dusky brown. Her eyes were alert and moved
rapidly between Sasha, doctor Brandt, and the guard who led
them into the room. Her name is Tullie, Doctor Brandt said,
and she's probably going to threaten you. Pay her no mind.
He turned away and left, while the guards stayed behind

(35:46):
and kept a close eye on the tall woman. Sasha
was scared to approach Tulli at first. The woman's forearms
were corded with muscles, and she had biceps that looked
as broad as Sasha's thighs. But the woman didn't move
an inch or say a word the entire time Sasha
worked on her. Tullie didn't even blink. She complied to
every one of Sasha's requests without eye contact or any
other form of acknowledgment. The woman seemed dead to the world. Somehow,

(36:09):
Toullie's quietness and seeming stupefaction were more uncomfortable than Marigold's
aggressive words. Sasha finished her work in short order. Once
the last vial was sealed and her gloves removed, she
took a final look at the captive. I hope you
get back to your home soon. Sasha immediately regretted the words.
This woman is the enemy. Why would you try to
comfort her? She won't even look at you. Tullie let

(36:32):
out a dull laugh. She had been so silent earlier
that it shocked Sasha. The other woman turned her head
and stared at Sasha. I will return home soon, and
fire and blood will come to this place because you've
held me here. You're a dead woman walking enjoy the
last beats of your heart. Sasha didn't know what to say.
What could you say to that? So she took her

(36:54):
samples and left. Doctor Brandt dropped her off outside the
house of Miriam and told her he'd send a jeep
out tomorrow morning to take her to the hospital. Sasha
thanked him and headed inside. The other girls were already
almost finished with dinner when Sasha sat down and joined

(37:16):
the group. She gave a quiet smile to Susannah and
nodded at the other girl's bandaged hand. When dessert a
banana this time, was over, Miss Helen took Sasha aside
while the other girls broke off to read their bibles
and drink their nightly tea. I have some news for you, yes, ma'am,
Sasha asked. Alexander has been rotated back from the front,

(37:36):
and that strange look of mingled frustration and anger crossed
Helen's face again. You'll be able to see him tomorrow
after lunch Sasha's heart pounded, an excitement that made her
feel guilty and elated at the same time. I'm afraid
it won't be a long visit, Helen continued, but you'll
have a bit of time with him, And then Helen's
sighed again, just a little. Sasha was sure she wasn't

(37:58):
supposed to have noticed it, but Miss Helen's eyes looked
a bit watery. Sasha was so happy, so excited, that
her brain glossed over this fact. Instead, she gave miss
Helen a hug. It wasn't nearly the first one they'd shared,
but this was the first time. The older woman seemed
hesitant in returning it, but she did after a moment,
and Sasha's joy drunk brain wrote over any sense of

(38:19):
doubt she ought to have felt. Sasha buzzed with uncontained energy.
The rest of the night. Sleep was near impossible. She
tossed until the small hours of the morning, turning over
her memories of chat conversation she'd had with Alexander. His
face felt so clear and real in her memory that
she could almost touch it, and tomorrow she'd be able
to do just that. Sasha finally passed out about two

(38:41):
hours before Helen came round to wake them up. She
should have been exhausted. Instead, she found herself out of bed,
feet planted firmly on the ground before her mind was
even fully awake. Her subconscious was that eager to start
the day. She rinsed herself with extra care that morning.
May seemed to notice the added effort she put into
primping and called her out for it. You're not working

(39:02):
at the hospital to snag a doctor, she sneered. You
know that right. Sasha tried to ignore the comment. Susannah,
whose hand was still bandaged from her injury the other day,
spoke up in her defense. There's nothing wrong with being
extra clean May. It's probably important for the work she's
doing over there. Sasha's dealing with wounds and stuff, She's
not scrubbing toilets like you. Sasha was gratified by how

(39:24):
that made May's face blush. She flashed Susannah a grateful
smile and shuffled out of the washroom as quick as
she could manage. She headed outside and took in her
first deep gulp of the cool morning air. Cool might
have been too strong a word to use, but the
fresh air felt good on her skin. It only took
her a few seconds to spot the battered and dirt
specked jeep doctor Brandt had sent to pick her up.

(39:46):
A young man, maybe as young as her, with a
weak chin and an acne pocked face, sat behind the wheel.
Sasha waved to him, ran up and hopped in. It
wasn't a quick ride to the hospital. Large sections of
the road were destroyed, blocked by buble, or jammed with
traffic from refugees entering the Heavenly Kingdom. Seeing that had
gratified Sasha. More souls coming to God, she thought. For

(40:08):
the most part, she lost herself in thoughts of Alexander
until forty minutes later, the jeep rolled to a creaky
stop in front of the medical city of Plano. The
enormous hospital complex looked badly damaged and largely abandoned. Many
of the windows had been shot out or shattered by
large blasts. Several buildings had chunks of wall and roof
that had fallen in, but there were lights on in

(40:29):
many of the windows, and the hum of generators filled
the air of the front courtyard. Dozens of people milled about,
filled with purpose, running wires and wheeling patients Sasha was
excited at the thought that she might get to do
some actual work in a functioning emergency room. When she
found doctor Brandt, he quickly disabused her of those notions.
We're doing all right today. What I need you to

(40:49):
do is come in here and help me catalog which
medicines have spoiled. The power had gone out during the
fighting for the city, doctor Brandt explained, and the medical
storage room had been without refrigeor ration for almost two days.
He showed her how to check medical vials for signs
of spoilage, handed her a clipboard to mark her findings,
and told her to get to work. It was a menial,
painstaking task, and Sasha found herself missing the hell out

(41:12):
of cleaning. She hated it, but she devoted herself to
the work, and minute by minute the time passed. Eventually
it was time for her meeting with Alexander. Sasha pulled
herself away from the rows of vials and jars and
blister packs and headed outside to where she knew the
jeep would be waiting. Her driver that afternoon was a
different martyr, slightly older but still young. She was so

(41:34):
preoccupied with thoughts of Alexander that she almost forgot to
greet the man. He didn't seem to be in a
talkative mood either, though, and they rode in silence back
to the center of town. Sasha was so focused on
the butterflies in her stomach and trying to catch glimpses
of her hair and face in the rear view mirror
that she didn't notice the crowds thronging downtown until the
jeep rolled to a stop and it was time for
her to disembark. A familiar sense of queasy dread gripped

(41:57):
Sasha's guts as she exited the vehicle and looked out
over the crowd. They were converged around the gallows. Once again,
Sasha craned her neck and she was able to see
four men in filthy, tattered rags standing before the killing instrument.
It took her a second to recognize two of the
men as the porters who had first unloaded her from
the crate. An older bearded martyr and jet black body

(42:17):
armor stood before them. He held a bible in one
hand and a formidable looking handgun in the other. Sasha
started to push her way through the crowd for a
better look. She hadn't made it far when the bearded
martyr addressed the crowd. These four men were all once
employees of the secular abomination that calls itself the Republic
of Texas. He said, in his booming, stentorian voice, the

(42:38):
Heavenly Kingdom offered them mercy in the form of indentured servitude.
All we asked, he scanned his eyes across the crowd.
The left corner of his lip curled up into a
slight growl. All we asked for was their honest, obedient labor.
And they repaid this mercy by stealing food and supplies
meant for the Heavenly Kingdom's brave soldiers. He lifted his

(42:58):
big pistol up into the sky and fired off four
shots in quick secession. These men stole from God. There
was only one proper punishment for such a sin. He
turned back towards the gallows and knotted at a hooded
martyr who stood behind him. With a hand on the
thick wooden lever that operated the whole grim apparatus. The
other man pulled downwards, and the four bodies on the

(43:19):
scaffold dropped with a sickening chorus of snaps. Sasha felt
her stomach turned sour this time. Though she watched, she
didn't take her eyes off the gallows until the last
man had ceased his twitching. It's not a pleasant side,
is it? That voice? Sasha recognized it immediately. It was
the voice she'd heard a hundred different times over her deck,

(43:39):
hidden up in her room back in the ham fed.
It was the voice of the first man she'd ever
really loved. It was Alexander. Sasha turned around, and her
heart nearly burst at the side of him. He was tall, broad,
and muscular in a way that somehow seemed comforting and
not scary. His mop of curly brown hair, lopsided smile,
and round, permanent jawline were all ex lee as she

(44:00):
remembered from their dozens of chat sessions. He wore alive
green fatigues that looked stained and burned in a few places.
His hair was greasy, and there were great big bags
under his eyes. But he was here, He was real.
She collapsed into him. Before she realized it, she'd started
to sob. I love you, I love you, I love you.
I thought you were dead. I love you. He hesitated

(44:20):
for several long beats before he returned her embrace, but
he returned it with gusto. His hands crept down from
her sides to her buttocks. He squeezed her. It was
a gesture she'd fantasized about several times in her weaker,
more carnal moments. It was not something she'd expected a
godly man like Alexander to do out in public, surrounded
by people in the immediate aftermath of an execution. Sasha

(44:43):
pulled back and coughed in surprise. She didn't say anything, though,
she didn't want to mar their first meeting with that,
and she also remembered something Pastor Mike had written in
Revelator that the beastly nature of man must be salved
by the goodness of women. Alexander had just been several
days up at the front. He must seen terrible things.
It was understandable that his self control would not be

(45:03):
at its peak right now. Still, she didn't like the
way he looked her up and down. There was something
of the wolf in his eyes. It was not the
look she dreamed of seeing. But then he spoke, Sasha,
I'm so proud of you. I didn't know if I'd
ever get to see you here. I wasn't sure if
you'd be willing to truly commit yourself to our Lord,
but I prayed that you would. And now, by the

(45:25):
grace of God, you're here, and you're even more beautiful
than you looked online. Sasha blushed. How could she not look?
He waved a hand towards the gallows and the bodies.
Things are still sort of a mess around here, but
I know one cafe near by us up and running again.
I've got enough rash and tokens to get us both
a cup of coffee. What would you say to that,

(45:46):
I'd say yes. She smiled at him. Her earlier reservations
dissolved as she took his hand and followed him down
the street, past the gallows, in the dispersing crowd, and
towards the cafe. In a minute, they were there. It
was a small place, one rectangular room with a coffee maker,
a half dozen tables in an outer patio area with
another half dozen tables. There was a generator, power and

(46:08):
air conditioning inside, so they sat there. Alexander ordered them
two large cups of black coffee. He sat down while
he waited for their order and stared into her eyes.
She stared back for a while, that was all they did.
It's so good to see you, Sasha said. I've been
working at the hospital and I've seen so many wounded men.
I couldn't stop thinking I was going to see you

(46:28):
in one of those beds, broken and bleeding. He smiled
at her. Then he reached his left hand out and
sat it on top of hers. Sasha shivered. She couldn't
help it. Things stirred inside her. She felt a sudden,
powerful urge to possess his body, to hold him and
squeeze him and be explored in turn. She clamped her
mouth tight and focused on trying not to give all

(46:49):
her thoughts away through the blush in her cheeks. Sasha,
he said, it brings me such joy to see you here.
And don't worry. I know the situation at the Ladies
Barracks is rather primitive, but I'm talking to my commanding offices.
As soon as we get married, you'll be a part
of my household. We'll be able to live together, We'll
build a life, and that life will help build the heaven,

(47:10):
the kingdom. She was stunned for a moment. Sasha began
to tear up, and all she could do was not
at him. This was like a dream. It was, of course,
rather different from her actual dreams, which had involved Alexander
in a house, but not so many bleeding and dying men,
nor a gallows. Their coffee arrived, Alexander took a sip
and she followed suit. He continued, I know you're working

(47:33):
at the hospital now. I'm sorry about that. I'm sorry
you had to spend so much time scrubbing toilets. As
soon as I can get you off those duties, I will.
Oh no, she interjected, I love working with doctor brand.
It's important and I want to do my part to
help the kingdom thrive. Something passed across Alexander's face. It
looked like irritation, perhaps at her interruption, but it was

(47:54):
gone quickly and his smile returned. That's admirable, Sasha. You're
a remarkable young If that's what you want, I'm sure
you can continue to help out there until you're with child.
With child, Sasha felt guilty for the horror in her voice.
Of course she wanted children, she just didn't want them
now or particularly soon. Alexander nodded, we must be fruitful

(48:17):
in multiply, so the heavenly kingdom can remain and expand.
His smile was so warm, so kind. I know you've
read more of past and my ex writing than I have. Sasha,
you're a very smart girl, but God made you to
bring forth more children. You wouldn't want to delay your purpose,
would you? Maybe? A little? She thought? No? She lied good.

(48:39):
He smiled again. And don't worry. You won't have to
do it alone. Mollia already has a child, and Adelaide's
two months pregnant. They'll help you too. The world stopped,
at least it did for Sasha. She could tell people
were still moving around her, but Sasha's reality had shrunk
to the pounding sound of her heart in a twisting
in her gut. Ad late and Mollia. Alexander gritted his teeth.

(49:03):
There was something almost practiced in the way he said.
What came next? Adelaide and Malia are my wives, as
you will be? Well, Alexander, you didn't say anything about
other wives. You never mentioned them at all. Why are
how can you be telling me all this now? His
smile turned sad, or at least it gave the illusion
of sadness. Sasha was still too shocked for anger. She

(49:25):
felt like a whole had just been knocked in her heart.
She knew she should be angry, but she also felt
like there must be something missing, something she didn't understand yet.
Alexander was a sweet boy. He wouldn't do this to her. Look,
he said, I'm sorry. This is never easy. You understand
how important the Heavenly Kingdom is, Sasha. Nothing in the
world could Madam are, and the kingdom will not survive

(49:49):
without people like you. One of my jobs here is
to push young women like you to take the terrible
risk of coming here. And so you lied, She croaked,
barely able to believe what was happening, You, poor false witness. Alexander.
I I did not lie. His voice hardened, and so
did his eyes. I did not tell you about every

(50:09):
aspect of my life here, but I did not lie.
He sighed, took a sip from his coffee, and continued.
I'm part of a special unit within the Kingdom, formed
on the order of the past. To himself, he calls
us jacobeans. It is our job to see the next
generation of modus. We take personal responsibility for the Kingdom's expansion.

(50:29):
Finding you and bringing you here was one part of
my work in this great cause. If I had told
you every detail about life here, every single thing, you
wouldn't have come, and your soul would have stayed in jeopardy.
He took another deep, arrogant sip of his coffee. I'm
sorry if this hurts you, but it was for the
greater good. We must sometimes do distasteful things to serve

(50:51):
God's design. Sasha's vision went red. She stood and, without thinking,
grabbed her now lukewarm mug of coffee and splashed the
whole thing in Alexander's face. He yelled at her and
sputtered like a goldfish, but she was already up and
heading for the door. She flung it open, walked out
into the crowded street, and lost herself in the press
of the crowd and the boiling waves of her own anchor.

(51:16):
Hey I'm Robert Evans. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
I hope you enjoyed the chapters to come. You can
find the free e pub of every chapter and eventually
the whole book at a t r book dot com,
complete with illustrations. If you want to support me in
writing the sequel, you can crowdfund me at After the Revolution.
The sequel at go fund me. Just type and go
fund me after the Revolution the sequel. Um. I'd like

(51:37):
my books to always be free, so I'm just going
to try to crowdfund the next one and see how
that works. So after the Revolution the sequel on go
fund me. You can also find the community of fans
of this book online at our slash after the Revolution
on Reddit. So after the Revolution the sequel on go
fund me and are slash after the Revolution on Reddit.

(51:58):
A t r book dot com for the old book.
Thanks