Last Star Burning by Caitlin Sangster

Author:Caitlin Sangster
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon Pulse

CHAPTER 21

“NEI-GE, JIAOYANG, ZHUANJIA, YIZHI. AND Menghu you already know about,” Cale informs me in a bored voice, watching as I take a bite of apple. The names of the collectives all sound as if they’re words I should know but have forgotten, each with an ancient sort of twang. “This is the kitchen, if you haven’t figured that out.” She shoots a look at Howl that clearly implies how unexcited she is to be babysitting me. That, if more babysitting is required, the consequences will be bloody.

“Right, I could just show her . . .” Howl trails off at Cale’s glare.

“That isn’t what Zhuanjia asked for. They said I was supposed to give her a tour. I’m giving her a tour.”

The kitchen ceiling is high, one end a counter that opens into the Core, where plates are being handed off to people waiting in line. I take another bite of apple and set my empty plate down next to a sink, dodging a group of brown-clothed workers cutting vegetables into bite-size pieces.

“You’ll end up in here at least once a week for service.” Cale points over to the soapy mounds of dishes. “Zhuanjia oversees the actual cooking, of course. They do all the technical work around here. Cooking, gardening, maintaining the transports and telescreens. Some things everyone can help with, so they just supervise. Like in the kitchen. But don’t expect service duty in the Heart or anything.”

“The Heart?” I smile at her, but she just rolls her eyes.

“The control rooms.” Cale points up toward the high ceiling, where all the windows and walkways poke out through the shiny rock walls of the Core. “All the defense systems, transports, telescreens, and patrol communications sync back there. Even the lights have a grid up there, so they can see where problems are and fix them. Nei-ge offices are also up in the Heart.”

As we walk out into the Core, I catch a girl in yellow frantically gesturing toward her ear, pointing out my birthmark to her friends. Mother’s birthmark. I sigh. Different people, same reaction.

Cale leads us across the Core, rose-colored evening light filtering in through the skylights. “Nei-ge is partly administrative, but all the leaders are elected from each of the collectives.”

“And the other two? Jir-something?” I ask.

Cale swats another green-coated girl on the behind as we walk by, the Menghu jumping away. When she sees it’s Cale, her face relaxes, smiling when Cale rolls her eyes toward us. “Do you mean Yizhi? They’re medics. Jiaoyang does primary education and research.”

“How did I end up in Menghu?” I ask, trying to ignore the girls in yellow trailing behind us. “I can point a gun, but that isn’t exactly difficult.”

“Everyone in this zoo can shoot a gun.” The new voice turns me around. “We thought Menghu would appeal to you because of your history with the City.”

The newcomer’s grandfatherly face creases in a friendly smile. His gray-green military jacket matches the ones I’ve seen all over the Menghu dorms, but

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