Chapter Four – Revolutionary Girl Lucy

Chapter Four – Revolutionary Girl Lucy

“Attendance in higher education has gone through some periods of highs and lows. Counting from the start of the 20th century when education started to become more prominent throughout the western sphere, we see a sharp rise in the number of people getting educated for longer, with dips during the Great Depression, the two World Wars, and a massive rise during the eighties and into the nineties.

We haven’t quite recovered to mid-2010s levels, but we’re quite close.”

–Rise and Fall of the Educated, a thesis, 2051

***

“So, what did you think?” Lucy asked as we stepped back into the Bastion.

“Eh,” I said with a shrug. The vice principal had a few things to show us after the cooking class, but the other classes were out at the moment, and so there really wasn’t too much to show except for some empty training facilities and some big rooms that had nothing in them. We did meet with one professor, the hardass teacher who did combat training, and I kind of liked that bit, but… it wasn’t huge?

“Yeah, I had the feeling you’d feel that way,” Lucy said. She didn’t sound disappointed or upset about it.

“I mean, yeah. But I don’t mind coming over a few times,” I said. Lucy wanted this, and it was hardly a huge sacrifice. Though it did beg the question. “So, did you just wanna do the cooking thing, and that’s it?”

“Hmm,” Lucy hummed. “Yes and no. Did you know that a lot of revolutions start in schools?”

I blinked, pausing halfway to the bridge. “Uh.. I guess?” I said. “What’s that got to do with learning how to cook?”

Lucy snorted, and then she wrapped her arms around my middle and dropped her head into the crook of my neck. “Silly,” she declared. “The cooking thing is an excuse.”

“You’ve got plans, then?” I asked.

“I’ve got ambitions,” she replied. “And while I appreciate your help, I think I can do a lot to push them forwards all on my own. I just need to be in the right place and at the right time, with maybe the right contacts.”

“And do you care to share those with me?” I asked. For a moment a small part of me worried that Lucy might have ambitions that didn’t include me, but that struck me as unlikely.

“Mhm!” she said before breaking the hug only to squeeze past me and into the cockpit. She flumped onto one of the seats at the back, the opposite one from the seat she’d taken on the way here. “So! Schools foster revolution. Do you know why?”

“I have no idea,” I said.

“Yeah, same. At least, I didn’t know. But I’ve been looking into it for a while now. You remember the Kittens in Burlington?”

“Can’t forget, yeah,” I said. “You’re still in contact with them, right?” That was the group of normal citizens that Lucy and I had armed up. They’d turned into a… somewhat competent group of fighters. Not great. They didn’t have the training or even the equipment of a proper PMC, but as far as volunteer militias went, I think they were nearer the top.

“I am!” Lucy said. “It’s pretty calm though. Burlington is safe, and now there’s not as much use for the Kittens as an organization. Still, I managed to kinda-sorta buy some space in a few buildings downtown.”

“With what money?” I asked.

“Donations,” Lucy said. “Like, if every member gives you a hundred or so credits, that adds up real fast. Plus we sold some extra equipment, did some food drives, and just kind of… gathered a bit of money. And the price of stuff in the city dropped a bunch after the incursion. Anyway, my point is that we now have a soup kitchen, a clothes shop, and a small community centre going, where people can help each other. It’s all very nice and wholesome. Not great for generating credits, but it’s good for the rep.”

“Huh… okay, and you’ve been doing this from home?”

Lucy shrugged. “It’s less work than you think? I mostly just need to be the final word and tell some people what to do and others to remove the sticks lodged up their behinds.”

I nodded. Lucy was impressive that way. “So, what’s that got to do with this school? Or revolution, for that matter?”

“Well, your speech at that funeral? Last week? I think that and a few other things are… they’re sparking something. People want change. They always do. And when it happens, it can be really good. As much as it can be really bad. I’d rather we end up on the really good side of things.”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

I worked my tongue over my teeth as I thought about it. “Okay,” I finally said. “Sure. I can see wanting to ride things out on the winning side.”