to get an appointment with you for months! Have
you forgotten what we pledged on that rooftop?"
9 "In no way have I forgotten! " North replied, "But that night I spoke
in great anger. The time will come when we will begin our work, but we
must go slowly, make each step we take with caution.
10 Neither of us is fifteen years old. We could not BEGIN to stage a
rebellion, or even gather people. We must study, learn, make ourselves
ready, then carefully gather followers. But it will take time before we
can move. Until then, we must sit tight, be patient, and become The
Empire's most faithful servants."
11 While North was saying all this Gray looked more and more upset.
Finally, when North was finished, he spoke out. "But we CAN'T wait,
North. I TOLD you there were others. We already HAVE people, but none
of us are leaders. None of us have the drive you have. I told them we
have a leader, and they've been waiting to meet you.
12 I've kept putting them off, telling them we weren't quite ready, but
now they insist. They want to hear you, get some idea of what you have
in mind. We need someone badly, or some
of us are going to do stupid things that will do no one any good."
13 "OTHERS?" North gasped, "You've told OTHERS my name, that I was your
leader?"
14 "NO!" cried Gray in return. "Do you think I'm crazy? That
I
would jeopardize your safety? I just told them we had a leader,
someone who had a plan. Some of them are younger than we are. Some of
them are older, but we're all looking for someone
with fight, someone to make us feel we're important, not just something
for others to use. That's all, North, I haven't betrayed you."
15 North calmed down and returned to his seat. "All right," he assured,
"but don't SCARE me like that! The only problem is, I don't have a plan
any more than you do, just some ideas."