"Morndorf Academy?" he stammered. "Isn't that the Church's exclusive military academy up in Maine?"
"None other!" The Speaker answered.
"But my parents couldn't afford to send me there!"
"Your tuition's been paid by a benefactor," Speaker Polley explained. "All your parents will have to provide is your spending allowance. All else has been taken care of."
Samuel shook his head. "My father would never agree!" he argued.
"Your father has ALREADY agreed!" Speaker Polley put in. "He even offers an incentive. If you agree to go he will permit you to correspond with your brothers and sisters as a friend, allow you some contact with the family. It took quite a bit to get him to make that concilliation."
"I'm sure it did!" Samuel agreed. "What about the criminal charges?"
"We have made no official contacts yet," The Speaker answered, "but I firmly believe when the judge hears what you've been offered he will consider it a reasonable alternative to incarceration or probation. You're being offered something rather special."
"I know!" Samuel answered, "I know! It's just, well, I don't know if I'm ready for this. I've never been very military inclined. Can I have a little time to think about it?"
"Certainly" the Speaker answered. "I'll be in town for several more days. I have to make another pick up before I return. Here's a brochure. Think about it!"
Samuel promised he would. The Speaker made his good-byes and left. Samuel stuck the brochure in his back pocket. As he turned around to go to his room a matron approached, carrying a letter. "This just arrived for you," she announced.
Samuel took the envelope and opened it. It was an official notice. His hearing for removal would be that Friday evening. "Thank you!" he moaned, and went to his room, stuck the letter and the brochure on his night table, and went to his studies. The days dragged by.
Finally Friday evening came. Speaker King came for him, with a heavy escort. "Am I THAT dangerous?" Samuel asked.
"No!" The Speaker answered, "But the Libertarians have decided to make a fuss about your removal. They have had The Church where your hearing is to be held blockaded, but we are not going to permit them to interfere with our practices."
They loaded into a large car and drove across the city. As they neared the Temple Samuel could see what The Speaker meant! The street was lined with people! Some of them carried signs that read "Love your children! Children have rights!" and, "Don't throw away your children!"
By the time they reached the Temple, itself, the police had cleared a path for vehicles. Still stones and bottles hit their car as they made their way into the parking lot, which was kept clear by church Guardians. They finally got into the room where the hearing was being held. Suddenly Richard Dunworth burst into the room dressed in Speaker's garb.
"I insist on speaking at this hearing!" he screamed. "This young man has the right to be represented by someone who does not follow the doctrine of your Church. You have no right to put children out of families because they do not follow your religious teachings! Such a practice cannot be considered holy!"
"Guardian," The Speaker in charge of the hearing cried, "Remove that man! Escort him from the building but remove those clothes from him as you do so. He has no right to wear them. He is not a member of any of our orders."
"Yes Speaker!" the Guardian answered, seizing Dunworth.
"Let me go!" Dunworth raved. "I have a right to be here! Let me go!"
The Guardian however, unceremoniously dragged him from the room, after that the hearing went rather smoothly. Samuel's father expressed the reasons for the removal. Samuel explained he did not protest. Speaker West petitioned The Church to allow Samuel to remain a member, and mentioned the offer of Morndorf Academy. The Speaker looked at the papers before him and nodded.
"It is with deepest regret," he remarked, "that according to the Laws of The Church this family does have grounds to order this young man to be removed from the sphere of their responsibility for his own actions. I grant the removal. Until such time as a case against him is decided I rule that the young man is still part of The Church and entitled to all of its benefits and protections.
This hearing is concluded! Let those involved in it abide honorably by its decisions. Let any discourse that is between them cease. So must it be!"
Samuel repeated "So must it be!" then they all prepared to leave. He took Speaker West's hand as he rose. "Thanks for offering to pay my tuition at Morndorf!" he praised.
The Speaker smiled and shook her head. "Wasn't me!" she answered, "Somebody else heard about your troubles and thought you still had some potential. But I would have had if the opportunity had presented itself!"
The trip out of The Church was as harrowing as the trip in. The crowd had heard of the results of the hearing and

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