"You'll have to stay behind," King warned Ezzine, his voice low. She stirred from sleep, and awoke to see her room. King was kneeling by her bed; she hadn't heard anything he said, hadn't even heard him sneak in.
"Hmm, what?" She whispered before getting her wits about her. "King, what are you doing here?" A faint smile washed across her face and she sat up, putting her arms around his shoulders.
"No, no, Ezzine, you didn't hear me. I have to go away in two days, for a very long time. You won't see me for a month, maybe longer. I just came to tell you; I felt it only fair that you find out as soon as possible. I only just found out myself."
"Why?" Ezzine gasped, her arms falling from his shoulders. He took her hand in both of his.
"I'm in danger here; I have to leave the city. The Emperor is not a very understanding man." A wry smile crossed King's lips. "Though he does understand punishment quite well..." Ezzine sat up even straighter, panic invading her soft features.
"What happened? Tell me what happened," She insisted.
"A traitor ratted me out, that's what happened. I've got a few days or so until they find me; I've got to get out before then."
"Who was it? Who was it! Tell me and I'll tell everyone after you've gone! They'll pay, I'm sure of it!" King pressed his hand over Ezzine's mouth.
"Shush, shhh, you'll wake up your parents. Don't worry about it, it's not important. I can't make everyone follow me, this is the risk I take. The only thing that surprises me is that this hasn't happened sooner. Perhaps I'll get my chance to get through to the Emperor after all..." King shook his head sadly. "The people deserve more than this. Have you ever seen what they live in, Ezzine? No, you haven't, I suppose. And thank God for that. It would have made you bitter by now."
"I don't want you to go." Ezzine's words were simple; she seemed not to have even heard King.
"I must. It's no use telling me you don't want me to; I know that. I don't want to have to go, but it's the way things have to be." King cupped Ezzine's cheek in his hand and leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers softly. She sadly kissed him back.
"Can't I come?" She whispered.
"No, not this time, Love. Don't worry though, I'll be back. They can't keep me away for long."
"No..." The girl's voice was different.
"There's one thing you must promise to do for me, though. Please, I would do it myself but I'll be gone; you're the only one I trust. There's a transport coming in, landing in four days. You've got to be there when it comes. It has documents on it that I had smuggled in from Old New York city. You know Carrine, right?" Ezzine smiled.
"Yeah, she's sweet."
"Clever, too. She'll be helping you. I haven't told her why you're going, but she'll help you get in. What you'll need to do is sneak aboard at night and then find the documents from an insider who'll be serving on the transport. A Private Acker, ok? No, no, I'm telling you too much. You won't remember it all. I'll get a note to you before I leave, ok?"
"Ok," Ezzine nodded.
"But I've gotta go. The shields'll go up in about twenty minutes. Good bye, Love, and I'll see you as soon as I can. Thank you so much." Ezzine clung to King helplessly, pushing her face into his shoulder. She inhaled deeply, trying to memorize the smell of him, and contours of his shoulder blades beneath her hands. She kissed him again, longer this time.
"I'll miss you," King added. "Thanks."
"Bye..." The word lingered in the air as King stole out of Ezzine's room. She didn't even know how he had managed to sneak into her house, but somehow he had done it. She was glad he had, but torn up inside from the news he brought. It was good that he had told her then, though; she could sleep some before waking, before the shock took her over. But she would sleep first, and see if that helped to numb her to it, to dull her mind. It wouldn't, but that didn't matter; as long as she could put something between King and herself before the full impact hit, it would be better for the both of them.

"I can't believe it!" Ezzine screamed.
"Ezz, calm down!" Janet stood and crossed her room towards her friend. "Neither can I, and I know it'll be hard for you, but calm down. Yelling won't make him stay."
"But someone told the authorities! How could they do that? How could they betray the cause like that? How could they betray King?" Ezzine shook her head in disbelief. "I just don't understand. And now he'll have to leave. It's not fair. Not just for me, but for King! To have to leave behind his life here to go into hiding, to go someplace safe for a time.... It's horrible."
"People are like that. They'll change their allegiances as many times as suits them."
"Humans are a horrible horrible race. I want to go away, somewhere simpler."
"What about the Fellestrians?" Janet raised her eyebrow and laughed. "Are they simple enough for you?"
"Too simple. I mean, they can't even move normally or communicate."
"I'm sure they'd be very insulted if they heard you say that."
"Well I'm not a tactful person. I'm an angry person, and I just want a normal life."
"You gave that up when you started seeing King. When you became romantically involved with him. You know that, and you wouldn't change anything," Janet knowingly accused. Ezzine nodded.
"Yeah, you're right." Ezzine stood up and looked out of Janet's window. The day was bright; the little rivers on Janet's terrace sparkled brightly, blindingly. "Still, why can't I have it all?"
"No one can."
"I know that, I know. I didn't want an answer. I'm just being immature. Listen, I've gotta go home; King said he'd send me a note sometime soon. I'm expecting it today."
"Well let me come with you."
"Ok, fine. If you want to, you can. It's not going to be interesting though."
"Not a love letter?" Janet teased.
"No," Ezzine shot back. "It's for work. A mission. He needs my help, and I'm going to help him."
"Ezz, come on, you're too tense. So serious. The sooner you can relax, the sooner you'll be happy. The happier you are, the faster this month will go by. King would want you to be happy. I don't know him that well, you know that. But... But he'll want you to be as happy and comfortable as possible." Ezzine nodded, unwilling to talk to Janet. She really just wanted to be alone, but wasn't willing to tell Janet so; she was so easily insulted by things such as that.

Ezzine sighed unhappily and threw herself into her bed. Carrine was dead. Dead. There was nothing she could do about it. She had failed King by not getting the documents; by letting the transport be destroyed, even. And she had failed herself and Carrine in letting Carrine die. Carrine was too bold, it wasn't safe; but she went anyway. Several hot tears pushed at Ezzine's eyes, and she tried to keep them from spilling down her cheeks, but it was no use. The deluge came anyway, and Ezzine hated herself for it, hated herself for everything. The emotion that flooded her, loving King, having to deal with him leaving, letting Carrine die... It was all so complicated.
Another faction had come. Apparently whoever had made the bargain with King; Private whatever, had also made a bargain with another faction. One who's leader simply wanted to overthrow the Emperor for power. Carrine had known about it. She swore and spat when she saw them roll in with their illegal, ancient guns. Ezzine hadn't known what to do, but run. Carrine pushed on, and when she saw that, Ezzine followed. It had all been in vain, though.
The morning came swiftly, and Ezzine's swollen, tear-soaked eyes felt fresh and new. Deep down, she knew it wasn't her fault, but she did feel horrible about having failed Carrine and King. There was nothing that could have been done. A soft knock sounded on the door.
"Come in," She called. Ezzine's mother appeared standing in the doorway, a long robe swirling to her feet, her elegant face calm and emotionless. A small piece of paper hung between her slender fingertips.
"You've been receiving some interesting mail, apparantly," She said, her ruby lips still not betraying anything other than indifference. Ezzine's stomach dropped as she recognized the paper, and the room spun out. Everything stopped.
"Mother-" She gasped.
"By all rights you should be arrested and put into jail for your involvement with this group," She spat, anger suddenly pooling in her eyes. Ezzine sat up in her bed and pulled the sheet close to her, afraid. "And this! This!" She held up another note.
"No, mother, no!" Ezzine screamed as her mother's delicate fingers tore the second one in half. The girl leapt to her feet and tried to save the two slips of paper, the strong handwriting that covered them, the affectionate words. Eleah looked down at her daughter, who was desperately gathering up the remains of the letter.
"Do you love him? Do you really think you love him, a rebel? He's a criminal! He'll be rotting in jail within the week, mark my words!" The emotional display was so unlike Eleah Vannery that her daughter ran back to the solace of her bed.
"This doesn't concern you at all," Ezzine shouted.
"Of course it concerns me, you live in my household don't you? Do you know what this has done to your father? Do you know, he could have lost his job!"
"You don't care about me at all, by all rights I shouldn't have to think about you or father before I do anything! This was my decision. Well fine, lock me up in jail. You said I deserve to be arrested. Go ahead. Let them drag me off, I'd be happier in a prison cell or a penal colony than I would be here!" Ezzine argued passionately. Eleah smiled cruelly and folded her hands in front of her. The other letter, the one describing where to meet the transport, fluttered lifelessly to the floor. Ezzine knew she should have burnt them, but she just hadn't been able to bring herself to it...
"You will not locked up in a jail, Ezzine. You're lucky, you know that? You are lucky. Your father was able to request an audience with the Emperor, who personally granted permission for you to be forgiven, and instead of being imprisoned, he as agreed that you should be sent off- world. To a school. You will live there as if nothing ever happened. When this rebel is captured and his faction crushed, perhaps the Emperor will be kind enough to allow you to return. Until then, I think the discipline will do you some good, Ezzine." The girl gaped at her mother.
"Off-world... But what about Janet?"
"She'll write to you, I'm sure. Though I would advise her mother to suggest she doesn't. You haven't gotten her caught up in this too, have you?"
"No," Ezzine lied, her eyes distant. She wouldn't see King, either. Maybe not ever again.
"Very well. You'd best pack your things, the shuttle leaves tonight. Good bye, Ezzine. I hope you learn on this other world. Tillana 6. Yes. It is far away..." Eleah forgot she was talking to her daughter, it seemed, and left the room as quickly as she had come.