If Jove Stray

Chapter 32: a brief history lesson

"Because I am alone," she replied, releasing Tyson and continuing to put up the bowls and spoons she had pulled out. "I should be able to cook and clean and live on my own; I'm expected to raise a child by myself."

"That's only true if you want it to be," he observed.

Dylan knocked on the door, making both of them jump. Alcott hurried to get it, leaving Tyson in the kitchen. Dylan came in a rush, holding apples and pears. She set these on the counter and then offered Alcott a pear. Dylan barely seemed like the same person who Tyson had met in the halls a couple of days ago. Her posture was straighter, her clothes less wrinkled. She met his gaze without flinching and Tyson wondered what on earth could be so important.

"I realized how early it was when I called you," Dylan said apologetically. "I'm sorry, I should have waited."

"I'm up now," Tyson shrugged. "What can we help you with?"

"I realized last night I have no idea how the government worked on Earth," she said, settling herself on the couch. "I kind of thought that it was like what we had, but I realize how naïve that is. Tyson, you're the only one I can ask who will probably not lie to me."

"Well, I don't know all the details my parents would," Tyson admitted, though inwardly wondering why anyone needed to know this in the wee hours of the morning. "And each country is different."

"The United States is just fine," Dylan assured him. "I just need possibilities."

"What are you planning?" Alcott asked curiously.

"Dashiell has to call a congress meeting soon," she explained. "I saw a video log last night that made me feel like Dashiell did some...illegal things to get the Canary launched. But on our base, the captain has nearly complete autonomy from congress. That's why we're having the problems we're having now. I want options, but its not like we have other governments to look at for comparison."

"Well, the president can write executive orders, but they're beholden to Congress to write and pass laws," Tyson explained. "And neither Congress nor the president can try someone, that's the judicial branch. It has to do with checks and balances, but basically, not one group can just become a dictator and do whatever they want." He thought about it a moment. "I would wager that Dashiell wasn't supposed to get on the ship. There's a saying on Earth that a captain goes down with his ship and that would be expected of him if America had fallen. The fact that we probably vanished at the height of the crisis no doubt destroyed America's chances of survival."

"How do people get into each branch?" Dylan asked.

She was typing everything that Tyson was saying at a furious pace. He wished that he could sit in on this meeting Dylan was preparing for.

"Um, the President and Congress are all voted into office," Tyson continued. "I think the judges are selected by the president and then voted on by Congress, but I'm not sure because the last judge I remember being selected was when I was a teenager. The judicial seats are for life; Congress and the President serve terms. Twelve year maximum."

"For everyone?" Alcott inquired.

"Yeah. It used to be eight years for the president and no term limit for Congress, but they made an amendment when my parents were kids," he explained. "Sorry, I don't know much more; I always tried to tune my parents out."

"You know more than I do," Dylan replied as she continued to type. "What's the secretary thing? Or is it a person?"

Tyson tried to explain the Cabinet as best as he could and how it was different than Congress because only Congress members voted on Cabinet members. The citizens of the country only had control over whom they put in Congress, not the Cabinet. From what he gathered, the government here was a mix of the two, but less organized. No one exactly knew what was the responsibility of their congress. It was more like a meeting of people who solved the problems of the base rather than politicians trying to better the community.

"Merci," Dylan said as she finished typing.

Tyson felt like his brain was sucked dry. It was too early to recall his high school government classes.

"What are you planning to do with this?" Alcott questioned.

"I'm going to talk to everyone I can before the congress meeting," Dylan said, a gleam in her eyes that Tyson would have found threatening if she wasn't on their side. "If I can't get Levi back into botany, I want to make sure that Dashiell pays. That's why I called so early; I want to talk to my papa before he goes to work. I have a lot to do before this meeting."

"Best of luck," Tyson offered, uncertain what else to say.

Dylan took her cap off, smoothed her short curls and reset her cap before rising from her seat. Tyson was a little surprised that she and Levi were partners. She had made a surprising transformation into a person who could possibly stand up to Dashiell. She'd have to find strength somewhere to take him on.

"Merci beaucoup," Dylan told them. "I'll let you know how it goes."

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Dylan problem solved a lot like I do. First, I will get all the information. Then I will wield it like a sword. And I will concede that Tyson isn't the worst. Alcott could have been saddled with a lot more selfish creatures.
I was thinking about writing a Christmas story for this series (noncanon, one shot, fun), I'll post it if I get home and can get it done in the next couple of days.