"Katara I don’t think you realize how serious this is."

Katara remained relaxed with her feet propped up on her parole officers desk, head tipped back.

"In two months you’ll be old enough to be tried as an adult. Do you really want culled? Don’t end up like your mother."

"My mother." Katara’s voice held an edge. "She was dead before the culling. She died when my father stepped out on her."

"I appreciate your candor."

"The truth is overrated Gail. It’s unfeeling. Callous."

"Better than lies. Lies are a cancer that eat away at a person."

"My father does not appreciate my candor. He’d prefer I let the lies eat me up inside."

"Why is he the only person you’re honest with?"

"I want the truth to destroy him. To wear him down and drive him mad."

"And what is this all powerful truth?"

"That he killed my mother."

"Katara." Gail’s voice was reproachful.

Katara dropped her feet to the floor and sat up straight. "She moved to colony three for him. Did you know that?"

"Gail shook her head.

"Left her home, family, friends. All because he said he loved her. Then one day he decided he didn’t anymore."

"She told a lie Katara. That’s what killed her. She broke the law." Sadness touched her words. "And you’re on that same path. You have two months to learn how to say the truth or you face the public shaming and the cull."

"Then I have two moths to catch my father in a lie."

"Don’t do this Katara." Gail pleaded. "Let me help you. There’s still time to rehabilitate you."

"There is nothing to rehabilitate. Before the global cull I’d have been considered a normal teen."

"Katara there are easier ways to get rid of your father. Can’t you wait until your twenty first birthday when you’re old enough to cull someone?"

"I’ve waited ten years already. Besides the population cull is an honor and too for him. I have to catch him in a lie so he’s shamed as she was."

"You’re already an outcast because of your mother. With two shamed parents you’d be a pariah."

"So be it."

Anything it took to have him culled she’d do.

"You can’t catch your father in a lie if you get shamed first. No more lies. No more getting arrested."

"Fine. The brutal truth is all I’ll speak until he’s been shamed."

"I appreciate your candor." Gail said when the lie detector built into the room neglected to beep.

"Am I free to go?"

"You’re not going to wait for your father?" Gail knew the answer before she even asked. "Stay out of trouble kid."

Katara held her tongue and left Gail’s office. Her purple and black punk boots hitting the tile floor the only sound in the building. The empty state of the building made Katara feel like the only trouble maker in the city.

She walked faster until she pushed open the door to outside.

"How much trouble are you in?"

As she stepped outside onto the steps she looked sideways at her friend Jeremy leaning against the brick building.

"No more than usual." She slid down the rail to the empty street.

He followed her one step at a time. "Why did you punch Gavin for telling the truth?"

"His truth Remy. His truth. And the truth is subjective. You are not what he believes you to be." She took deep breaths to calm herself.

"Or maybe I’m not what you think I am. Either way Katara you shouldn’t have lied to his face, and in front of everyone. I don’t want you to get culled over me."

Katara laughed. "When I get culled it won’t be over anyone. Though if it was it would be you."

"Don’t say that Katara." Jeremy followed her down the cracked sidewalk. The afternoon sun made them sweat. "That makes me feel bad."

"Why? You’re the only person I’d get culled for."

Jeremy didn’t reply.

"Don’t be sad Remy. I’m not going to get culled."

"Two months Katara. That’s all you have left until you’re an adult."

"I can always transfer colonies. There are ones without our rule. my mother was from one."

"You’d just leave?"

"You can always come with me."

"I like it here. I like the truth."

"The truth is subjective." She repeated. "The truth hurts." Katara stopped and looked at him. "You’re not dumb and ugly, or a loser. Gavin only sees what he wants."

Jeremy looked at the sidewalk. "Thanks." His voice was barely a whisper.

"You’re brilliant Remy." She wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"He’s jealous you spend so much time with me."

Katara laughed. "Jealous? Pssh. I think not."

"He wants you."

"Simple wanting never got anyone anything." Katara started walking again. "So what happened after I left?"

"You mean after you got taken away in handcuffs?" Jeremy followed her. "Not much. Gavin went to the nurse."

"He’s such a puss."

"You know who his dad is. He’ll see you shamed."

"I won’t be around long enough for that."

"What will I do when you leave?"

"You’ll meet a nice honest girl, settle down and become a journalist."

"And where will you be?"

"We’ve been over this. After I cull my father I’m leaving and I don’t know where I’m going."

The Drake. What could he possibly want with her? Rumor had it he was an Ori. Someone who wanted to return to the ways before the cull.

Katara stood and followed her through the crowded club, music and bodies pushed at them. The bartender led her through a door marked employees only then into a storage closet. She pressed on the back panel and it slid aside. Stairs led down into a deeper dimness than the front of the club. Moans drifted up from the downstairs.

"The man at the bottom will take you to him."

Katara wasn’t sure if she should thank her so she just kept her mouth shut and descended. The door scraped shut behind her taking most of the light with it. Dim bulbs every foot or so on the wall lent enough light for her to keep her footing. A man waited at the bottom. The back of his shirt said security.

"I’m-"

"This way."

The large man led her past several curtained cubicles. People sat inside talking. Telling each other obvious lies. No alarms blared, no police swarmed the building. The moans she’d heard earlier took up again after each lie. The man led her past all of that to an office. He opened the door without knocking and ushered her in. The door shut with a soft click behind her. Monitors covered the wall in front of her. The desk chair was swiveled to face them.

"Hello Katara."

The chair turned and she got her first look at the mysterious Drake. He was a thin man with a wan face. Dark eyeliner made his eyes darker. Their black depths drew her in.

"Thank you for joining me. Please have a seat."

She sat in the offered chair.

"It pleases me to see you."

Katara looked around the bright room. It as in stark contrast to the area on the other side of the door.

"You won’t find any lie detectors down here. This is a sanctuary away from all of that."

"That’s illegal." She looked at him.

Despite her years of lying she felt the absence of the lie detectors like a child who’s comfort blanket is missing.

He set his clasped hands on the desk. "I wasn’t lying to you. I am pleased to see you."

"Why?"

"I need you to do me a favor."

"If it involves lying, I’ve promised my Parole Officer I wouldn’t anymore."

He laughed, a muted sound low in his throat.

"Why ever would you do a thing like that?"

"What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to find someone for me."

"Why would a prestigious man such as yourself need someone like me to find someone?"

"He’s a bit outside my reach."

"Then I’m afraid I can’t help you. If he’s outside your reach he’s not in colony three and my father ripped up my colony pass."

"I can get you a new pass. It will take me three days. Until then I’ll need you to be a saint."

"Who is he?"

"Someone who can reunite our country. No more colonies. No more cullings."

"So the rumors are true. You’re an Ori."

"I am a man sick to death of the hypocrisy of the colonies."

"Then get out. Live in the between."

"Spoken like someone who’s never seen it. The between while not hindered by rules like the colonies is lawless. There’s no structure."

"Why don’t you go find him?"

"I’m being watched. Like you said, there are rumors I’m an Ori. The colony leaders would stop at nothing to eliminate him and us."

"Then why me?"

"Because he’ll know your name. Everyone’s heard of Katara, the girl who never tells the truth."

"Then why would he trust me?"

"Because you’re not a colony zealot."

Katara was out of questions.

"I’m afraid I still can’t help you." She said.

"Can’t or won’t?"

"Perhaps both."

"Care to elaborate?"

She remained silent.

"You of all people should hate the colony system. The absurd laws."

"Oh I do."

"Then why are you refusing to help? Ending this colony will prevent others from experiencing your pain."

"Because that system that killed my mother is going to help me kill my father. Without it what am I? A murderer."

"Do you honestly think you’ll get him to tell a lie? He was schooled here, raised here. The truth is all he has."

Katara sat in silent indecision. She wanted out of colony three but she also wanted her father to pay for what he’d done.

"Don’t you think death is too good for him. If you destroyed all he knows and all he cares about he’d have to live with that. Knowing there was nothing he could do to get it back."

She waited a beat before answering. "Alright. Where do I find him?"

"That I do not know."

"You’re just wasting my time." She stood.

"Sit."

She remained on her feet.

"He’s not recognized by the Colony leaders as head of this country, but the people would elevate him there. No one knows where he is, it’s safer."

"Then how am I supposed to help you?"

"The Ori can help you find him. For now that’s all I can tell you. In three days come back. I’ll have your pass."