Parole and Truth in Sentencing Paper Free Essays

Parole and Truth-in-Sentencing Paper xxxxx xxxxxxx CJS/200 November 19, 2011 xxxxxx Parole and Truth-in-Sentencing Paper Before parole turns into a choice to a guilty party or a wrongdoer stays on parole, there are conditions and ideas and objectives that must be polished or met. Commonplace conditions impact parole as the prisoner is discharged from jail. Truth-in-condemning laws have objectives in relations to parole. We will compose a custom exposition test on Parole and Truth in Sentencing Paper or then again any comparative point just for you Request Now To comprehend the ideas on which parole is based, one must know and comprehend the meaning of parole. Parole, the early arrival of a prisoner from restorative repression under oversight, is a condemning methodology that profits wrongdoers continuously to beneficial lives (Schmalleger, 2011). As indicated by Schmalleger (2011), â€Å"By making early discharge conceivable, parole can likewise go about as an upgrade for positive social change. † Parole is based off and underpins the idea of loose condemning, which held that a prisoner can increase early release through great direct and personal growth (Schmalleger, 2011). The states of parole place general and exceptional constraints on guilty parties who have been discharged from jail early (Schmalleger, 2011). The offender’s criminal foundation just as the conditions of the offense is thought about when alluding to exceptional conditions, while general conditions are fixed by state resolutions (Schmalleger, 2011). Under the states of parole, a parolee should intermittently check in, or report, to probation officers, and probation officers may visit the parolees home or work environment unannounced (Schmalleger, 2011). While a wrongdoer is on parole, the person in question must acquire work inside 30 days and proceed with function as it has appeared to lessen the likelihood of rehashed offenses (Schmalleger, 2011). In understanding to Schmalleger (2011), â€Å"General states of parole as a rule incorporate deal to avoid leaving the state too to obey removal demands from other ward. † Truth in condemning, a nearby association connecting the sentence forced on a wrongdoer, and the measure of time served in jail, profited guilty parties while chafed casualties (Schmalleger, 2011). What you get is the thing that you serve† turned into the accentuation on truth in condemning and has become a significant strategy focal point of many state governing bodies and the United States Congress (Schmalleger, 2011). The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement put aside finances that embrace reality in-condemning laws guarantee that specific savage wrongdoers will serve at any rate 85 percent of thei r jail sentence (Schmalleger, 2011). The idea of parole permits a wrongdoer to be discharged from imprisonment before the finish of their sentence in specific situations. Conditions must be followed and kept up to guarantee the guilty party remains on parole. The objectives of truth in condemning depend on rough crooks finishing 85 percent of their opportunity to respect the person in question. References Schmalleger, F. (2011). Criminal equity today: An initial book for the twenty-first century (eleventh ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson Prentice Hall. Step by step instructions to refer to Parole and Truth in Sentencing Paper, Papers

Essay Homework Help Can Be Found in Many Places

Essay Homework Help Can Be Found in Many PlacesEssay homework help can be found in many ways. The best thing to do is look around your house and see what you have lying around. This may include old paper and pencils, pens, paper clips, crayons, markers, or other interesting things that you would need to work with. You can also use the internet and see what resources are available for help with essay writing.Writing a good essay is not a simple task. You must be able to be creative in order to get across your point. One way to do this is to use a word processor. You can set up a rule that when you enter something into the word processor, it should be typed in exactly as you wrote it down. Using a word processor can be extremely helpful if you do not have much space in your room and need to write essays.Many people do not realize how easy it is to be creative when they are writing an essay. Writing a good essay is going to take some thinking and researching, so make sure that you are c omfortable with this part of the task. There are always people who will provide assistance with your essays, whether it is to write the essay itself or answer questions about the essay.When you are writing an essay, there is no way that you will be able to get it done without having to rely on someone else to help you. Writing an essay alone takes a lot of time. In addition, you might not be in the best of health to finish the assignment due to lack of sleep, illness, or other reasons.Essay homework help is provided by professional writers who will write the essay for you and then go through it with you. They will make sure that you follow the directions given to you properly. They will even go through the entire essay with you and suggest changes that you may want to make in the middle of the essay. It is very important to remember that you will only be spending a certain amount of time on an essay. Even though the essay may seem like a lot of work, if you are familiar with how to write an essay and what to do while you are writing it, then it can seem easy. If you ever run into a problem, you can contact an essay help specialist.There are a few reasons why it is important to get essay homework help. First, if you do not understand something, you can ask a professional for advice. Second, you can rest assured that the person you have assigned to help you will help you with all aspects of your assignment. Finally, the person assigned to help you with your essay will also be in the best position to assist you if you get stuck on something during the process. There is nothing worse than having to give up because you did not know where to begin.While you might feel comfortable using only one writer, you should not completely rely on one person to write your essay. A professional essay writer can be able to edit and rewrite your essay for you, which makes them invaluable. Essay homework help is available online, from a library, from a friend, or from the professio nal writers themselves.

The power of encouragement

The power of encouragement A really nice story reminding us not to give up too early.Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the famous 19th-century poet and artist, was once approached by an elderly man.The old fellow had some sketches and drawings that he wanted Rossetti to look at and tell him if they were any good, or if they at least showed potential talent. Rossetti looked over  them carefully. After the first few, he knew that they were worthless but Rossetti was a kind man, he told the elderly man as gently as possible that the pictures were without much value and showed little talent. He was sorry, but he could not lie to the man. The man was disappointed, but seemed to expect Rossettis judgment.Dante Gabriel RossettiThe old man then apologized for taking up Rossettis time, but asked him to look at a few more drawings.Rossetti looked over the second batch of sketches and immediately became enthusiastic over the talent they revealed. These, he said, oh, these are good.This young student has a great talent. He should be given every help and encouragement. He has a great future.Rossetti could see that the old fellow was deeply moved.Who is this fine young artist? he asked.  Your son?No, said the old man sadly.It is me   40 years ago. If only I had heard your praise then! For you see, I got discouraged and gave up too soon.Author Unknown

Theme of Voice in Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay

Breaking Through In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God written by Zora Neale Hurston, Janie the protagonist is seen by critics as having no voice. For all women silence knows no boundaries of race or culture, and Janie is no exception. Hurston characterizes Janie with the same silence that women at that time period were forced into, (complete submission.) Women were to be seen and not heard. Janie spends forty years of her life, learning to achieve/find, her voice against the over-ruling and dominate men in her life. But in the end Janie comes out the victor, breaking the silence. In her essay What do Feminist Critics Want? Gilbert states, Like Wagners master singers....men had the power of speech,[but]....women†¦show more content†¦Janies actions are stronger than words, Janies trial at the end of the novel, proves, Janies silence to be more powerful than articulation. Hurston uses the narrative consciousness in Their Eyes, to characterize those who are silent and lack their own voice, by doing this Hurston gives depth, to those whose voices, are heard. Throughout the entire novel, the development of the male voice seems to parallel the development of Janies. The men in Janies life have voices, and it is by her relationships with these men, that Janies voice gets stronger. Janie becomes more self confident with each relationship she endures. Hurston, by using the consciousness narrative, is actually speaking for Janie; the narrator and Janie are like one. This might be the reason that Hurston gives little voice to Janies character. Janie is not silenced in the novel, she is expressed through the narrative. Which if the reader does not close read, the reader will not comprehend this aspect of Hurstons novel. Passion and control correspond to voice and silence, as expressed by the three relationships in Janies life. Hurston brings together the men and women in her novel, comparing Janies personal growth to the three significant men in her life ( Logan, Starks, Tea Cake, which all three were her husband.)Show MoreRelatedThe Life of American Women in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God895 Words   |  4 PagesZora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel illustrating the life of an African American woman that finds her voice through many trials and tribulations. At the heart of the story, Hurston portrays a protagonist who moves from a passive state to independence, from passive woman with no voice who is dominated by her husband to a woman who can think and act for herself. Hurston achieves the greater theme of Their Eyes Were Watching God, of self-expression and independence throughRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God893 Words   |  4 Pag esdesire for answers throughout her three relationships, displaying what she is longingly seeking for in life. Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, follows the life of protagonist, Janie Crawford, a confident, middle-aged black woman who goes throughout life discovering her quest for spiritual enlightenment and self-discovery. In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston explains the hardships as ideas of maturity, sexism, and social class. Throughout the novel, Hurston describes JanieRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God1110 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"She was seeking confirmation of the voice and vision, and everywhere she found and acknowledged answers. A personal answer for all other creations except herself. She felt an answer seeking her, but where? When? How?† (Hurston 11). This quote exemplifies Janie’s desire for answers throughout her three relationships, displaying what she is longingly seeking for in life. Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, follows the life of protagonist Janie Crawford, a confident, middle-aged black womanRead MoreMetaphor, Metonymy and Vioce895 Words   |  4 PagesBarbara Johnson’s critique focuses on the metaphoric, metonymic and voice in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. It focuses on the major character, Janie Crawford’s inner and outer change towards her various relationships. She focuses on the strengths, both vocally an d physically, gained after her first slap down by her second husband, Joe Starks. Barbara Johnson focuses on the metaphoric meaning of this transformation which was defined as the substitution based on the resemblanceRead MoreJanies Self-Discovery Essay1481 Words   |  6 PagesTheir Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston is about a young woman that is lost in her own world. She longs to be a part of something and to have â€Å"a great journey to the horizons in search of people† (85). Janie Crawford’s journey to the horizon is told as a story to her best friend Phoebe. She experiences three marriages and three communities that â€Å"represent increasingly wide circles of experience and opportunities for expression of personal choice† (Crabtree). Their Eyes Were Watching GodRead MoreThe Film Their Eyes Were Watching God692 Words   |  3 PagesThe film Their Eyes Were Watching God, based off of the novel by author Zora Neale Hurston, is a story of a young woman named Janie who spends the film narrating her life story to a friend. Janie ’s story is one of self-exploration, empowerment, and the ability to express her freedoms both as a maturing woman and African American, throughout her life experiences. As she navigates through sexism and racism to find herself it becomes more evident that it will be more difficult than she initially thoughtRead MoreWhose eyes were watching God?1400 Words   |  6 PagesWhose eyes were watching God? In the movie Their Eyes Were Watching God, Oprah Winfrey manipulates events that happened in the book by Zora Neale Hurston. Oprah morphs many relationships in the movie Their Eyes Were Watching God. She changes the role of gender, and also makes changes in Janie’s character strength. Oprah also changes the symbolism in the movie to where some important symbols in the book change to less important roles. Oprah changes many important events in the book Their Eyes WereRead MoreAnalysis Of Zora Neale Hurston s The Eyes Were Watching God Essay1690 Words   |  7 Pagesform specific and differing experiences of oppression. Zora Neale Hurston deals with the intersection of race and gender through the story of Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God. However, rather than seeing the way in which Hurston deals with this intersection, the author Richard Wright claims, â€Å"The sensory sweep of her novel carries no theme, no message, no thought. In the main, her novel is not addresse d to the Negro, but to a white audience whose chauvinistic tastes she knows how to satisfy.†Read MoreGender Roles in Their Eyes Were Watching God1087 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Gender Roles in Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God During the 1900’s, women, specifically black women, were considered to be property of men in the United States, especially down south, in states such as Florida and Georgia. Legally, women had no voice. For example, if a woman was abused by her husband, the court system would not acknowledge it even if it did really happen. In the article â€Å"Sexism in the Early 1900’s†, Becca Woltemath states that â€Å"†¦a woman’s job is to take care of the houseRead MoreThe Sentiment of Oprah, Not Hurston: Their Eyes Were Watching God1502 Words   |  7 PagesOprah took a magnum opus, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and remade it into an entirely different story that did not comply with the book. By altering Janie’s character, moral fiber, relationships, and public acts, it changed the meaning of the novel. The symbolism and the significance of the title varied from the book and the story morphed into a tale of love when made into a movie. Zora Neale Hu rston’s book held a disparate meaning before it fell into the hands of Oprah, who annihilated it. Janie’s

The Importance Of Music For This Group Of Pupils - 814 Words

Moreover, it is a naturalistic and qualitative study, which comprises of two sets of data, observation notes and interview questions. The participants were five teachers of students with autism in special primary schools in the area of Bristol, in the UK. Ethical considerations were taken into account before collecting the data by ensuring the confidentiality and anonymity of the participants through a consent form that was granted to the participants, while it was made clear that they could withdraw from the study at any time. In addition, the teachers were given an information sheet to read before the start of the observations or interviews and they were given the chance to ask questions concerning the study and the procedures. In addition, in order to analyse the data thematic analysis was used, through which some relevant themes emerged. The findings of this study support previous literature concerning the benefits of music for this group of pupils, while they add to the existing knowledge by providing information concerning some possible difficulties music might create in certain occasions. In addition, teachers’ perceptions on the generalizability of the positive effect music has on children with ASD were examined, which has never been explored in a relevant study in the past. Links are made between the present study’s findings and the relevant literature, highlighting the differences and the similarities of the two. Finally, methodological limitations of the studyShow MoreRelatedEquality in Schools819 Words   |  4 Pageshas the right to access the curriculum, Equality of access. This means that children can work to the best of their ability and be treated equally within their learning. The schools have a duty to support these rights and they must be reflected through their policies and procedures and must comply with current legislations and codes of practice. The Equality Act 2010 1.2 All pupils have the right to a broad and balanced curriculum. This must also be supported by high-quality teaching and learningRead MoreMy Dream Of Being A Primary School Teacher938 Words   |  4 PagesTeaching children gives me endless satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. I realised the importance of the role when my son started school 20 years ago. Every parent wants their children to achieve their potential, and this motivated me to start my career as a teacher. I have much practical experience of working with children between the ages of 3-11 years, and I have worked with children from different ethnic minority backgrounds. Over fourteen years of experience in teaching and supportingRead MoreExploring the Reasons for Differences in Educational Achievement Between Different Ethnic Groups775 Words   |  4 PagesExploring the Reasons for Differences in Educational Achievement Between Different Ethnic Groups I believe that this is an important issue to consider as research has shown that whilst Afro-Caribbean males are at the very bottom in terms of achievement, West Indian females tend to do even better than white females at GCSE. Sociologists such as Cecil Wright link educational achievement with teacher racism and labelling whilst other sociologists such as Charlotte Brookes linkRead MoreTeaching Methods Can Affect Young Children s Initiative961 Words   |  4 Pagesam acutely aware of how teaching methods can affect young children’s initiative. Some pupils have positive attitudes towards study, whereas others have an aversion to learning from a young age. Having enjoyed learning since I was a toddler, I am eager to share my passion for gaining knowledge with the younger generation. With my educational and vocational background in engineering, as well as knowledge in music, arts and literature, I would very much like to combine my knowledge and skills to nurtureRead MoreRequiem for a Dream981 Words   |  4 Pagesin. Aronofsky began this visual technique in Pi his debut film and continues it here where it becomes even more apparent by the use of the split screen techniques in the film which is often used to highlight two characters feelings on a certain situation but just as frequently to distinguish the utter loneliness and fear of his characters.Harry is represented as the main protagonist in this scene and represents drug addicts who will do anything for their next fix, in this instance he is usingRead MoreSMSC12647 Words   |  51 Pageswebsites 39 1 Introduction Since the 1988 Education reform Act schools have had a statutory duty to ‘promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society’. The Education (Schools) Act 1992 underlined the importance of this duty by making the promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development an aspect to be included in Ofsted inspections. In 2003, the publication of the report ‘Excellence and Enjoyment’ for primary schoolsRead MoreA Discussion Of Different Themes Within Education1513 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout this assessment there is a discussion of two different themes within education. The two themes include; the analysis and discussion of; back to basics cultural restoration; and subject based/ topic based curriculum - the control of curriculum organisation. These themes are analysed by comparing and contrasting one another linking to many aspects within education including: teacher morale, educational theorists and influences such as: Social, cultural and political. Maria MontessoriRead MoreEssay about The Success of Nazi Policies Toward Education and Youth1357 Words   |  6 PagesHitler and the Nazi party had a range of policies to control education and the German youth. This was mainly to ensure loyalty to Hitler and the Nazi party. Some believed in these policies and other did not but it was fear and glory and the fear of social inadequacy that made most comply. Hitler and the Nazis wanted to control the education system and youth by controlling the teachers, pupils and the curriculum. In April 1933, a law was passed that made membership of the NSDAP Read MoreThe Professional Development Of A Teacher1631 Words   |  7 Pagesteaching methods have a significant positive impact on how students lean. It is crucial to understand that a good teacher does not just simply require advanced skills and knowledge in their subject area but is essential that we are good role models to pupils, as well as promoting a good example of moral and ethical and positive attitudes. â€Å"In addition to knowing what and knowing how, teachers must also be competent in knowing how and knowing when† (Calderhead and Shorrock 1997) The professional developmentRead MoreImportance Of Art And Its Effect On Society1435 Words   |  6 PagesThe Importance of Art in Society Art is often marginalized and left aside in favor of serious fields, like math and science; it is generally seen as an extra and as something purely recreational – icing on the cake. However, it is an essential component of any even moderately healthy society. To begin with, it has quantifiable benefits in areas including therapy and education thanks to it s fluid, ambiguous, and creative nature. Equally, it is difficult to find enjoyment or fulfillment in life

Zoe’s Tale PART III Chapter Twenty-One Free Essays

The next morning I found out Dad was under arrest. â€Å"It’s not exactly arrest,† Dad said at our kitchen table, having his morning coffee. â€Å"I’ve been relieved of my position as colony leader and have to travel back to Phoenix Station for an inquiry. We will write a custom essay sample on Zoe’s Tale PART III Chapter Twenty-One or any similar topic only for you Order Now So it’s more like a trial. And if that goes badly then I’ll be arrested.† â€Å"Is it going to go badly?† I asked. â€Å"Probably,† Dad said. â€Å"They don’t usually have an inquiry if they don’t know how it’s going to turn out, and if it was going to turn out well, they wouldn’t bother to have it.† He sipped his coffee. â€Å"What did you do?† I asked. I had my own coffee, loaded up with cream and sugar, which was sitting ignored in front of me. I was still in shock about Enzo, and this really wasn’t helping. â€Å"I tried to talk General Gau out of walking into the trap we set for him and his fleet,† Dad said. â€Å"When we met I asked him not to call his fleet. Begged him not to, actually. It was against my orders. I was told to engage in ‘nonessential conversation’ with him. As if you can have nonessential conversation with someone who is planning to take over your colony, and whose entire fleet you’re about to blow up.† â€Å"Why did you do it?† I asked. â€Å"Why did you try to give General Gau an out?† â€Å"I don’t know,† Dad said. â€Å"Probably because I didn’t want the blood of all those crews on my hands.† â€Å"You weren’t the one who set off the bombs,† I said. â€Å"I don’t think that matters, do you?† Dad said. He set down his cup. â€Å"I was still part of the plan. I was still an active participant. I still bear some responsibility. I wanted to know that at the very least I tried in some small way to avoid so much bloodshed. I guess I was just hoping there might be a way to do things other than the way that ends up with everyone getting killed.† I got up out of my chair and gave my dad a big hug. He took it, and then looked at me, a little surprised, when I sat back down. â€Å"Thank you,† he said. â€Å"I’d like to know what that was about.† â€Å"It was me being happy that we think alike,† I said. â€Å"I can tell we’re related, even if it’s not biologically.† â€Å"I don’t think anyone would doubt we think alike, dear,† Dad said. â€Å"Although given that I’m about to get royally shafted by the Colonial Union, I’m not sure it’s such a good thing for you.† â€Å"I think it is,† I said. â€Å"And biology or not, I think we’re both smart enough to figure out that things are not going well for anyone,† Dad said. â€Å"This is a real big mess, nor are we out of it.† â€Å"Amen,† I said. â€Å"How are you, sweetheart?† Dad asked. â€Å"Are you going to be okay?† I opened my mouth to say something and closed it again. â€Å"I think right now I want to talk about anything else in the world besides how I’m doing,† I said, finally. â€Å"All right,† Dad said. He started talking about himself then, not because he was an egotist but because he knew listening to him would help me take my mind off my own worries. I listened to him talk on without worrying too much about what he said. Dad left on the supply ship San Joaquin the next day, with Manfred Trujillo and a couple other colonists who were going as representatives of Roanoke, on political and cultural business. That was their cover, anyway. What they were really doing, or so Jane had told me, was trying to find out anything about what was going on in the universe involving Roanoke and who had attacked us. It would take a week for Dad and the others to reach Phoenix Station; they’d spend a day or so there and then it would take another week for them to return. Which is to say, it’d take another week for everyone but Dad to return; if Dad’s inquiry went against him, he wouldn’t be coming back. We tried not to think about that. Three days later most of the colony converged on the Gugino homestead and said good-bye to Bruno and Natalie, Maria, Katherina, and Enzo. They were buried where they had died; Jane and others had removed the missile debris that had fallen on them, reshaped the area with new soil, and set new sod on top. A marker was placed to note the family. At some point in the future, there might be another, larger marker, but for now it was small and simple: the family name, the name of the members, and their dates. It reminded me of my own family marker, where my biological mother lay. For some reason I found this a little bit comforting. Magdy’s father, who had been Bruno Gugino’s closest friend, spoke warmly about the whole family. A group of singers came and sang two of Natalie’s favorite hymns from Zhong Guo. Magdy spoke, briefly and with difficulty about his best friend. When he sat back down, Gretchen was there to hold him while he sobbed. Finally we all stood and some prayed and others stood silently, with their heads bowed, thinking about missing friends and loved ones. Then people left, until it was just me and Gretchen and Magdy, standing silently by the marker. â€Å"He loved you, you know,† Magdy said to me, suddenly. â€Å"I know,† I said. â€Å"No,† Magdy said, and I saw how he was trying to get across to me that he wasn’t just making comforting words. â€Å"I’m not talking about how we say we love something, or love people we just like. He really loved you, Zoe. He was ready to spend his whole life with you. I wish I could make you believe this.† I took out my PDA, opened it to Enzo’s poem, and showed it to Magdy. â€Å"I believe it,† I said. Magdy read the poem, nodded. Then he handed the PDA back to me. â€Å"I’m glad,† he said. â€Å"I’m glad he sent that to you. I used to make fun of him because he wrote you those poems. I told him that he was just being a goof.† I smiled at that. â€Å"But now I’m glad he didn’t listen to me. I’m glad he sent them. Because now you know. You know how much he loved you.† Magdy broke down as he tried to finish that sentence. I came up to him and held him and let him cry. â€Å"He loved you too, Magdy,† I said to him. â€Å"As much as me. As much as anyone. You were his best friend.† â€Å"I loved him too,† Magdy said. â€Å"He was my brother. I mean, not my real brother†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He started to get a look on his face; he was annoyed with himself that he wasn’t expressing himself like he wanted. â€Å"No, Magdy,† I said. â€Å"You were his real brother. In every way that matters, you were his brother. He knew you thought of him that way. And he loved you for it.† â€Å"I’m sorry, Zoe,† Magdy said, and looked down at his feet. â€Å"I’m sorry I always gave you and Enzo a hard time. I’m sorry.† â€Å"Hey,† I said, gently. â€Å"Stop that. You were supposed to give us a hard time, Magdy. Giving people a hard time is what you do. Ask Gretchen.† â€Å"It’s true,† Gretchen said, not unkindly. â€Å"It really is.† â€Å"Enzo thought of you as his brother,† I said. â€Å"You’re my brother too. You have been all this time. I love you, Magdy.† â€Å"I love you too, Zoe,† Magdy said quietly, and then looked straight at me. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"You’re welcome.† I gave him another hug. â€Å"Just remember that as your new family member I’m now entitled to give you all sorts of crap.† â€Å"I can’t wait,† Magdy said, and then turned to Gretchen. â€Å"Does this make you my sister too?† â€Å"Considering our history, you better hope not,† Gretchen said. Magdy laughed at that, which was a good sign, then gave me a peck on a cheek, gave Gretchen a hug, and then walked from the grave of his friend and brother. â€Å"Do you think he’s going to be okay?† I asked Gretchen, as we watched him go. â€Å"No,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Not for a long time. I know you loved Enzo, Zoe, I really do, and I don’t want this to sound like I’m trying to undercut that. But Enzo and Magdy were two halves of the same whole.† She nodded to Magdy. â€Å"You lost someone you love. He’s lost part of himself. I don’t know if he’s going to get over that.† â€Å"You can help him,† I said. â€Å"Maybe,† Gretchen said. â€Å"But think about what you’re asking me to do.† I laughed. It’s why I loved Gretchen. She was the smartest girl I ever knew, and smart enough to know that being smart had its own repercussions. She could help Magdy, all right, by becoming part of what he was missing. But it meant her being that, one way or another, for the rest of their lives. She would do it, because when it came down to it she really did love Magdy. But she was right to worry about what it meant for her. â€Å"Anyway,† Gretchen said, â€Å"I’m not done helping someone else.† I snapped out of my thoughts at that. â€Å"Oh,† I said. â€Å"Well. You know. I’m okay.† â€Å"I know,† Gretchen said. â€Å"I also know you lie horribly.† â€Å"I can’t fool you,† I said. â€Å"No,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Because what Enzo was to Magdy, I am to you.† I hugged her. â€Å"I know,† I said. â€Å"Good,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Whenever you forget, I’ll remind you.† â€Å"Okay,† I said. We unhugged and Gretchen left me alone with Enzo and his family, and I sat with them for a long time. Four days later, a note from Dad from a skip drone from Phoenix Station. A miracle, it said. I’m not headed for prison. We are heading back on the next supply ship. Tell Hickory and Dickory that I will need to speak to them when I return. Love you. There was another note for Jane, but she didn’t tell me what was in it. â€Å"Why would Dad want to talk to you?† I asked Hickory. â€Å"We don’t know,† Hickory said. â€Å"The last time he and I spoke of anything of any importance was the day – I am sorry – that your friend Enzo died. Some time ago, before we left Huckleberry, I had mentioned to Major Perry that the Obin government and the Obin people stood ready to assist you and your family here on Roanoke should you need our assistance. Major Perry reminded me of that conversation and asked me if the offer still stood. I told him that at the time I believed it did.† â€Å"You think Dad is going to ask for your help?† I asked. â€Å"I do not know,† Hickory said. â€Å"And since I last spoke to Major Perry circumstances have changed.† â€Å"What do you mean?† I asked. â€Å"Dickory and I have finally received detailed updated information from our government, up to and including its analysis of the Colonial Union’s attack on the Conclave fleet,† Hickory said. â€Å"The most important piece of news is that we have been informed that shortly after the Magellan disappeared, the Colonial Union came to the Obin government and asked it not to search for the Roanoke colony, nor to offer it assistance if it were to be located by the Conclave or any other race.† â€Å"They knew you would come looking for me,† I said. â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"But why would they tell you not to help us?† I asked. â€Å"Because it would interfere with the Colonial Union’s own plans to lure the Conclave fleet to Roanoke,† Hickory said. â€Å"That’s happened,† I said. â€Å"That’s done. The Obin can help us now,† I said. â€Å"The Colonial Union has asked us to continue not to offer aid or assistance to Roanoke,† Hickory said. â€Å"That makes no sense,† I said. â€Å"We are inclined to agree,† Hickory said. â€Å"But that means that you can’t even help me,† I said. â€Å"There is a difference between you and the colony of Roanoke,† Hickory said. â€Å"The Colonial Union cannot ask us not to protect or assist you. It would violate the treaty between our peoples, and the Colonial Union would not want to do that, especially now. But the Colonial Union may choose to interpret the treaty narrowly and has. Our treaty concerns you, Zoe. To a much lesser extent it concerns your family, meaning Major Perry and Lieutenant Sagan. It does not concern Roanoke colony at all.† â€Å"It does when I live here,† I said. â€Å"This colony is of a great deal of concern to me. Its people are of a great deal of concern to me. Everybody I care about in the whole universe is here. Roanoke matters to me. It should matter to you.† â€Å"We did not say it did not matter to us,† Hickory said, and I heard something in its voice I had never heard before: reproach. â€Å"Nor do we suggest it does not matter to you, for many reasons. We are telling you how the Colonial Union is asking the Obin government to view its rights under treaty. And we are telling you that our government, for its own reasons, has agreed.† â€Å"So if my dad asks for your help, you will tell him no,† I said. â€Å"We will tell him that so long as Roanoke is a Colonial Union world, we are unable to offer help.† â€Å"So, no,† I said. â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"We are sorry, Zoe.† â€Å"I want you to give me the information your government has given you,† I said. â€Å"We will do so,† Hickory said. â€Å"But it is in our native language and file formatting, and will take a considerable amount of time for your PDA to translate.† â€Å"I don’t care,† I said. â€Å"As you wish,† Hickory said. Not too long after that I stared at the screen of my PDA and ground my teeth together as it slowly plodded through file transformations and translations. I realized it would be easier just to ask Hickory and Dickory about it all, but I wanted to see it all with my own eyes. However long it took. It took long enough that I had hardly read any of it by the time Dad and the others had made it home. â€Å"This all looks like gibberish to me,† Gretchen said, looking at the documents I was showing her on my PDA. â€Å"It’s like it was translated from monkey or something.† â€Å"Look,† I said. I pulled up a different document. â€Å"According to this, blowing up the Conclave fleet backfired. It was supposed to make the Conclave collapse and all the races start shooting at each other. Well, the Conclave is starting to collapse, but hardly any of them are actually fighting each other. They’re attacking Colonial Union worlds instead. They really messed this up.† â€Å"If you say this is what it says, I’m going to believe you,† Gretchen said. â€Å"I’m not actually finding verbs here.† I pulled up another document. â€Å"Here, this is about a Conclave leader named Nerbros Eser. He’s General Gau’s main competition for leadership of the Conclave now. Gau still doesn’t want to attack the Colonial Union directly, even though we just destroyed his fleet. He still thinks the Conclave is strong enough to keep doing what it’s been doing. But this Eser guy thinks the Conclave should just wipe us out. The Colonial Union. And especially us here on Roanoke. Just to make the point that you don’t mess with the Conclave. The two of them are fighting over control of the Conclave right now.† â€Å"Okay,† Gretchen said. â€Å"But I still don’t know what any of this means, Zoe. Speak not-hyper-ese to me. You’re losing me.† I stopped and took a breath. Gretchen was right. I’d spent most of the last day reading these documents, drinking coffee, and not sleeping; I was not at the peak of my communication skills. So I tried again. â€Å"The whole point of founding Roanoke colony was to start a war,† I said. â€Å"It looks like it worked,† Gretchen said. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"It was supposed to start a war within the Conclave. Blowing up their fleet was supposed to tear the Conclave apart from the inside. It would end the threat of this huge coalition of alien races and bring things back to the way it was before, when every race was fighting every other race. We trigger a civil war, and then we sweep in while they’re all fighting and scoop up the worlds we want and come out of it all stronger than before – maybe too strong for any one race or even a small group of races to square off against. That was the plan.† â€Å"But you’re telling me it didn’t work that way,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Right,† I said. â€Å"We blew up the fleet and got the Conclave members fighting, but who they’re fighting is us. The reason we didn’t like the Conclave is that it was four hundred against one, the one being us. Well, now it’s still four hundred against one, except now no one’s listening to the one guy who was keeping them from engaging in total war against us.† â€Å"Us here on Roanoke,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Us everywhere,† I said. â€Å"The Colonial Union. Humans. Us. This is happening now,† I said. â€Å"Colonial Union worlds are being attacked. Not just the new colony worlds, the ones that usually get attacked. Even the established colonies – the ones that haven’t been attacked in decades – are getting hit. And unless General Gau gets them all back in line, these attacks are going to keep happening. They’re going to get worse.† â€Å"I think you need a new hobby,† Gretchen said, handing me back my PDA. â€Å"Your new one here is really depressing.† â€Å"I’m not trying to scare you,† I said. â€Å"I thought you would want to know about all this.† â€Å"You don’t have to tell me,† Gretchen said. â€Å"You need to tell your parents. Or my dad. Someone who actually knows what to do about all this.† â€Å"They already know,† I said. â€Å"I heard John and Jane talking about it last night after he got back from Phoenix Station. Everyone there knows the colonies are under attack. No one’s reporting it – the Colonial Union has a lockdown on the news – but everyone’s talking about it.† â€Å"What does that leave for Roanoke?† Gretchen said. â€Å"I don’t know,† I said. â€Å"But I know we don’t have a lot of pull right now.† â€Å"So we’re all going to die,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Well. Gee. Thanks, Zoe. I’m really glad to know it.† â€Å"It’s not that bad yet,† I said. â€Å"Our parents are working on it. They’ll figure it out. We’re not all going to die.† â€Å"Well, you’re not going to die, at least,† Gretchen said. â€Å"What does that mean?† I asked. â€Å"If things really go swirling, the Obin will swoop in and take you out of here,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Although if all of the Colonial Union is really under attack, I’m not sure where you’re going to end up going. But the point is, you have an escape route. The rest of us don’t.† I stared at Gretchen. â€Å"That’s incredibly unfair,† I said. â€Å"I’m not going anywhere, Gretchen.† â€Å"Why?† Gretchen said. â€Å"I’m not angry at you that you have a way out, Zoe. I’m envious. I’ve been through one attack. Just one missile got through and it didn’t even explode properly, and it still did incredible damage and killed someone I care about and everyone in his family. When they come for us for real, we don’t have a chance.† â€Å"You still have your training,† I said. â€Å"I’m not going to be able to engage in single combat with a missile, Zoe,† Gretchen said, annoyed. â€Å"Yes, if someone decides to have a landing party here, I might be able to fight them off for a while. But after what we’ve done to that Conclave fleet, do you think anyone is really going to bother? They’re just going to blow us up from the sky. You said it yourself. They want to be rid of us. And you’re the only one that has a chance of getting out of here.† â€Å"I already said I’m not going anywhere,† I said. â€Å"Jesus, Zoe,† Gretchen said. â€Å"I love you, I really do, but I can’t believe you’re actually that dumb. If you have a chance to go, go. I don’t want you to die. Your mom and dad don’t want it. The Obin will hack a path through all the rest of us to keep you from dying. I think you should take the hint.† â€Å"I get the hint,† I said. â€Å"But you don’t understand. I’ve been the sole survivor, Gretchen. It’s happened to me before. Once is enough for any lifetime. I’m not going anywhere.† â€Å"Hickory and Dickory want you to leave Roanoke,† Dad said to me, after he had paged me with his PDA. Hickory and Dickory were standing in the living room with him. I was clearly coming in on some sort of negotiation between them. And it was also clearly about me. The tone of Dad’s voice was light enough that I could tell he was hoping to make some point to the Obin, and I was pretty sure I knew what the point was. â€Å"Are you and Mom coming?† I said. â€Å"No,† Dad said. This I expected. Whatever was going to happen with the colony, both John and Jane would see it through, even if it meant they would die with it. It’s what they expected of themselves as colony leaders, as former soldiers, and as human beings. â€Å"Then to hell with that,† I said. I looked at Hickory and Dickory when I said it. â€Å"Told you,† Dad said to Hickory. â€Å"You didn’t tell her to come away,† Hickory said. â€Å"Go away, Zoe,† Dad said. This was said with such a sarcastic delivery that even Hickory and Dickory couldn’t miss it. I gave a less-than-entirely-polite response to that, and then to Hickory and Dickory, and then, for good measure, to the whole idea that I was something special to the Obin. Because I was feeling saucy, and also because I was tired of the whole thing. â€Å"If you want to protect me,† I said to Hickory, â€Å"then protect this colony. Protect the people I care about.† â€Å"We cannot,† Hickory said. â€Å"We are forbidden to do so.† â€Å"Then you have a problem,† I said, â€Å"because I’m not going anywhere. And there’s nothing you or anyone else can do about it.† And then I left, dramatically, partly because I think that was what Dad was expecting, and partly because I was done saying what I wanted to say on the matter. Then I went to my room and waited for Dad to call me again. Because whatever was going on between him and Hickory and Dickory, it wasn’t over when I stomped out of the room. And like I said, whatever it was, was clearly about me. About ten minutes later Dad called for me again. I went back into the living room. Hickory and Dickory were gone. â€Å"Sit down, Zoe, please,† Dad said. â€Å"I need you to do something for me.† â€Å"Does it involve leaving Roanoke?† I asked. â€Å"It does,† Dad said. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Zoe,† Dad said. â€Å"No,† I said again. â€Å"And I don’t understand you. Ten minutes ago you were happy to have me stand here in front of Hickory and Dickory and tell them I wasn’t going anywhere, and now you want me to leave? What did they tell you to make you change your mind?† â€Å"It’s what I told them,† Dad said. â€Å"And I haven’t changed my mind. I need you to go, Zoe.† â€Å"For what?† I said. â€Å"So I can stay alive while everyone I care about dies? You and Mom and Gretchen and Magdy? So I can be saved when Roanoke is destroyed?† â€Å"I need you to go so I can save Roanoke,† Dad said. â€Å"I don’t understand,† I said. â€Å"That’s probably because you didn’t actually let me finish before you got on your soapbox,† Dad said. â€Å"Don’t mock me,† I said. Dad sighed. â€Å"I’m not trying to mock you, Zoe. But what I really need from you right now is to be quiet so I can tell you about this. Can you do that, please? It will make things go a lot more quickly. Then if you say no, at least you’ll be saying no for the right reasons. All right?† â€Å"All right,† I said. â€Å"Thank you,† Dad said. â€Å"Look. Right now all of the Colonial Union is under attack because we destroyed the Conclave fleet. Every CU world has been hit. The Colonial Defense Forces are strained as it is, and it’s going to get worse. A lot worse. The Colonial Union is already making decisions about what colonies it can afford to lose when push comes to shove.† â€Å"And Roanoke is one of those,† I said. â€Å"Yes,† Dad said. â€Å"Very definitely. But it’s more than that, Zoe. There was a possibility that I might have been able to ask the Obin to help us here on Roanoke. Because you were here. But the Colonial Union has told the Obin not to help us at all. They can take you from here, but they can’t help you or us defend Roanoke. The Colonial Union doesn’t want them to help us.† â€Å"Why not?† I asked. â€Å"That doesn’t make any sense.† â€Å"It doesn’t make sense if you assume the Colonial Union wants Roanoke to survive,† Dad said. â€Å"But look at it another way, Zoe. This is the first colony with colonists from the CU rather than Earth. The settlers here are from the ten most powerful and most populous Colonial Union worlds. If Roanoke is destroyed, all ten of those worlds are going to be hit hard by the loss. Roanoke will become a rallying cry for those worlds. And for the whole Colonial Union.† â€Å"You’re saying we’re worth more to the Colonial Union dead than alive,† I said. â€Å"We’re worth more as a symbol than as a colony,† Dad said. â€Å"Which is inconvenient for those of us who live here and want to stay alive. But, yes. It’s why they won’t let the Obin help us. It’s why we don’t make the cut for resources.† â€Å"You know this for sure?† I asked. â€Å"Someone told you this when you went back to Phoenix Station?† â€Å"Someone did,† Dad said. â€Å"A man named General Szilard. He was Jane’s former commanding officer. It was unofficial, but it matched up with my own internal math.† â€Å"And you trust him?† I asked. â€Å"No offense, but the Colonial Union hasn’t exactly been on the up-and-up with us lately.† â€Å"I have my issues with Szilard,† Dad said. â€Å"And so does your mom. But yes. I trust him on this. Right now he’s the only one in the whole Colonial Union I actually do trust.† â€Å"What does this have to with me leaving Roanoke?† I asked. â€Å"General Szilard told me something else when I saw him,† Dad said. â€Å"Also unofficial, but from good sources. He told me that General Gau, the Conclave leader – â€Å" â€Å"I know who he is, Dad,† I said. â€Å"I’ve been keeping up with current events.† â€Å"Sorry,† Dad said. â€Å"He said General Gau was being targeted for assassination by someone in his own close circle of advisors, and that the assassination would happen soon, probably in the next few weeks.† â€Å"Why’d he tell you this?† I asked. â€Å"So I could use it,† Dad said. â€Å"Even if the Colonial Union wanted to tell General Gau about the attempt – which it doesn’t, since it probably would like to see it succeed – there’s no reason to believe that Gau would consider it credible. The CU did just blow up his fleet. But Gau might listen to the information if it came from me, because he’s already had dealings with me.† â€Å"And you were the one who begged him not to bring his fleet to Roanoke,† I said. â€Å"Right,† Dad said. â€Å"It’s because of that we’ve been attacked as little as we have. General Gau said to me that neither he nor the Conclave would retaliate against Roanoke itself for what happened to the fleet.† â€Å"We were still attacked,† I said. â€Å"But not by the Conclave itself,† Dad said. â€Å"By someone else, testing our defenses. But if Gau is assassinated, that guarantee dies with him. And then it’s open season on Roanoke, and we’ll get hit, fast, because we’re where the Conclave had its biggest defeat. We’re a symbol for the Conclave, too. So we have to let General Gau know he’s in danger. For our own sake.† â€Å"If you tell him this, you’ll be giving information to an enemy of the Colonial Union,† I said. â€Å"You’ll be a traitor.† Dad gave me a wry grin. â€Å"Trust me, Zoe,† he said. â€Å"I’m already neck-deep in trouble.† His smile disappeared. â€Å"And yes, General Gau is an enemy of the Colonial Union. But I think he might be a friend to Roanoke. Right now, Roanoke needs all the friends it can get, wherever it can get them. The ones we used to have are turning their backs on us. We’re going out to this new one, hat in hand.† â€Å"And by we you mean me,† I said. â€Å"Yes,† Dad said. â€Å"I need you to deliver this message for me.† â€Å"You don’t need me to do it,† I said. â€Å"You could do it. Mom could do it. It would be better from either of you.† Dad shook his head. â€Å"Neither Jane nor I can leave Roanoke, Zoe. The Colonial Union is watching us. They don’t trust us. And even if we could, we can’t leave because we belong here with the colonists. We’re their leaders. We can’t abandon them. Whatever happens to them happens to us too. We made a promise to them and we’re going to stay and defend this colony, no matter what happens. You understand that.† I nodded. â€Å"So we can’t go. â€Å"But you can, and secretly,† Dad said. â€Å"The Obin already want to take you off Roanoke. The Colonial Union will allow it because it’s part of their treaty with the Obin, and as long as Jane and I stay here, it won’t raise an eyebrow. The Obin are technically neutral in the fight between the Conclave and the Colonial Union; an Obin ship will be able to get to General Gau’s headquarters where a ship from the Colonial Union couldn’t.† â€Å"So send Hickory and Dickory,† I said. â€Å"Or just have the Obin send a skip drone to General Gau.† â€Å"It won’t work,† Dad said. â€Å"The Obin are not going to jeopardize their relationship with the Colonial Union to pass messages for me. The only reason they’re doing this at all is because I’m agreeing to let them take you off Roanoke. I’m using the only piece of leverage I have with the Obin, Zoe. That’s you. â€Å"And there’s something else. General Gau has to know that I believe the information I’m sending him is good. That I’m not just being a pawn again in a larger Colonial Union game. I need to give him a token of my sincerity, Zoe. Something that proves that I have as much to risk in sending him this information as he has in receiving it. Even if I or Jane could go ourselves, General Gau would have no reason to trust what we say to him, because he knows both Jane and I were soldiers and are leaders. He knows we would be willing to sacrifice ourselves for our colony. But he also knows that I’m not willing to sacrifice my only daughter. And neither is Jane. â€Å"So you see, Zoe. It has to be you. No one else can do it. You’re the only one who can get to General Gau, deliver the message, and be believed. Not me, not Jane, not Hickory and Dickory. No one else. Just you. Deliver the message, and we might still find a way to save Roanoke. It’s a small chance. But right now it’s the only one we’ve got.† I sat there for a few minutes, taking in what Dad asked of me. â€Å"You know if Hickory and Dickory take me off Roanoke, they’re not going to want to bring me back,† I said, finally. â€Å"You know that.† â€Å"I’m pretty sure of it,† Dad said. â€Å"You’re asking me to leave,† I said. â€Å"You’re asking me to accept that I might not ever see any of you again. Because if General Gau won’t believe me, or if he’s killed before I can talk to him, or even if he does believe me but can’t do anything to help us, this trip won’t mean anything. All it will do is get me off Roanoke.† â€Å"If that’s all it did, Zoe, I still wouldn’t complain,† Dad said, and then quickly held up his hand, to stop me from commenting on that. â€Å"But if that’s all I thought it would do, I wouldn’t ask you to do it. I know you don’t want to leave Roanoke, Zoe. I know you don’t want to leave us or your friends. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you, Zoe. But you’re also old enough now to make your own decisions. If when all was said and done you wanted to stay on Roanoke to face whatever came our way, I wouldn’t try to stop you. Nor would Jane. We would be with you until the end. You know that.† â€Å"I do,† I said. â€Å"There are risks for everyone,† Dad said. â€Å"When Jane and I tell the Roanoke colony council about this – which we will do once you’re gone – I’m pretty sure they are going to kick us out as the colony leaders. When news gets back to the Colonial Union, Jane and I are almost certainly going to be arrested on charges of treason. Even if everything goes perfectly, Zoe, and General Gau accepts your message and acts on it and maybe even makes sure that Roanoke stays unmolested, we will still have to pay for our actions. Jane and I accept this. We think it’s worth it for a chance to keep Roanoke safe. The risk for you here, Zoe, is that if you do this, you might not see us or your friends again for a very long time, or at all. It’s a big risk. It’s a real risk. You have to decide whether it’s one worth taking.† I thought about this some more. â€Å"How long do I have to think about this?† I asked. â€Å"All the time you need,† Dad said. â€Å"But those assassins aren’t sitting around doing nothing.† I glanced over to where Hickory and Dickory had been. â€Å"How long do you think it will take them to get a transport here?† I asked. â€Å"Are you kidding?† Dad said. â€Å"If they didn’t send for one the second I was done talking to them, I’ll eat my hat.† â€Å"You don’t wear a hat,† I said. â€Å"I will buy a hat and eat it, then,† Dad said. â€Å"I’m going to come back,† I said. â€Å"I’m going to take this message to General Gau, and then I’m going to get back here. I’m not sure how I’m going to convince the Obin of that, but I’m going to do it. I promise you, Dad.† â€Å"Good,† Dad said. â€Å"Bring an army with you. And guns. And battle cruisers.† â€Å"Guns, cruisers, army,† I said, running down the checklist. â€Å"Anything else? I mean, as long as I’m going shopping.† â€Å"Rumor is that I might be in the market for a hat,† Dad said. â€Å"Hat, right,† I said. â€Å"Make it a jaunty hat,† he said. â€Å"I promise nothing,† I said. â€Å"Fine,† Dad said. â€Å"But if you have to choose between the hat and the army, pick the army. And make it a good one. We’re going to need it.† â€Å"Where is Gretchen?† Jane asked me. We stood outside the small Obin transport. I had already said good-bye to Dad. Hickory and Dickory waited for me inside the transport. â€Å"I didn’t tell her I was leaving,† I said. â€Å"She is going to be very upset about that,† Mom said. â€Å"I don’t intend to be away long enough for her to miss me,† I said. Mom didn’t say anything to that. â€Å"I wrote her a note,† I said, finally. â€Å"It’s scheduled for delivery tomorrow morning. I told her what I thought I could tell her about why I left. I told her to talk to you about the rest of it. So she might come by to see you.† â€Å"I’ll talk to her about it,† Jane said. â€Å"I’ll try to make her understand.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said. â€Å"How are you?† Mom asked. â€Å"I’m terrified,† I said. â€Å"I’m scared I’ll never see you or Dad or Gretchen again. I’m scared I’m going to screw this up. I’m scared that even if I don’t screw this up it won’t matter. I feel like I’m going to pass out, and I’ve felt that way since this thing landed.† Jane gave me a hug and then looked to my neck, puzzled. â€Å"You’re not taking your jade elephant pendant?† she said. â€Å"Oh,† I said. â€Å"It’s a long story. Tell Gretchen I said for her to tell it to you. You need to know about it anyway.† â€Å"Did you lose it?† Jane asked. â€Å"It’s not lost,† I said. â€Å"It’s just not with me anymore.† â€Å"Oh,† Jane said. â€Å"I don’t need it anymore,† I said. â€Å"I know who in this world loves me, and has loved me.† â€Å"Good,† Jane said. â€Å"What I was going to tell you is that as well as remembering who loves you, you should remember who you are. And everything about who you are. And everything about what you are.† â€Å"What I am,† I said, and smirked. â€Å"It’s because of what I am that I’m leaving. What I am has been more trouble than it’s worth, if you ask me.† â€Å"That doesn’t surprise me,† Jane said. â€Å"I have to tell you, Zoe, that there have been times when I have felt sorry for you. So much of your life has been completely out of your control. You’ve lived your life under the gaze of an entire race of people, and they have made their demands on you right from the beginning. I’m always amazed you’ve stayed sane through all of it.† â€Å"Well, you know,† I said. â€Å"Good parents help.† â€Å"Thank you,† Jane said. â€Å"We tried to keep your life as normal as possible. And I think we’ve raised you well enough that I can tell you this and have you understand it: What you are has made demands of you all your life. Now it’s time to demand something back. Do you understand?† â€Å"I’m not sure,† I said. â€Å"Who you are has always had to make room for what you are,† Jane said. â€Å"You know that.† I nodded. It had. â€Å"Part of that was because you were young, and what you are is so much larger than who you are,† Jane said. â€Å"You can’t expect a normal eight-year-old or even a fourteen-year-old to understand what it means to be something like what you are. But you’re old enough now to understand it. To get an appreciation for it. To know how you can use it, for something besides trying to stay up late.† I smiled, amazed that Jane remembered me trying to use the treaty to stay up past my bedtime. â€Å"I’ve watched you in the last year,† Jane said. â€Å"I’ve seen how you interact with Hickory and Dickory. They’ve imposed a lot on you because of what you are. All that training and practicing. But you’ve also started asking more of them. All those documents you’ve had them give you.† â€Å"I didn’t know you knew about that,† I said. â€Å"I was an information officer,† Jane said. â€Å"This sort of thing is my job. My point is that you’ve become more willing to use that power. You are finally taking control of your life. What you are is starting to make room for who you are.† â€Å"It’s a start,† I said. â€Å"Keep going,† Jane said. â€Å"We need who you are, Zoe. We need you to take what you are – every part of what you are – and use it to save us. To save Roanoke. And to come back to us.† â€Å"How do I do it?† I asked. Jane smiled. â€Å"Like I said: Demand something back,† she said. â€Å"That’s unhelpfully vague,† I said. â€Å"Perhaps,† Jane said, and then kissed me on the cheek. â€Å"Or maybe I just have faith that you’re smart enough to figure it out on your own.† Mom got a hug for that. Ten minutes later I was fifteen klicks above Roanoke and climbing, heading for an Obin transport, thinking about what Jane had said. â€Å"You will find that our Obin ships travel far more quickly than your Colonial Union ships,† Hickory said. â€Å"Is that right,† I said. I wandered over to where Hickory and Dickory had placed my luggage and picked out one of the suitcases. â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"Far more efficient engines and better artificial gravity management. We will reach skip distance from Roanoke in a little under two days. It would take one of your ships five or six days to reach the same distance.† â€Å"Good,† I said. â€Å"The sooner we get to General Gau the better.† I unzipped the suitcase. â€Å"This is a very exciting moment for us,† Hickory said. â€Å"This is the first time since you have lived with Major Perry and Lieutenant Sagan that you will meet other Obin in person.† â€Å"But they know all about me,† I said. â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"The recordings of the last year have made their way to all Obin, both in unedited and digest form. The unedited versions will take time to process.† â€Å"I’ll bet,† I said. â€Å"Here we are.† I found what I was looking for: the stone knife, given to me by my werewolf. I had packed it quickly, when no one was looking. I was just making sure that I didn’t imagine packing it. â€Å"You brought your stone knife,† Hickory said. â€Å"I did,† I said. â€Å"I have plans for it.† â€Å"What plans?† Hickory asked. â€Å"I’ll tell you later,† I said. â€Å"But tell me, Hickory,† I said. â€Å"This ship we’re going to. Is there anyone important on it?† â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"Because it is the first time that you have been in the presence of other Obin since you were a child, one of the members of Obin’s governing council will be there to greet you. It very much wants to meet with you.† â€Å"Good,† I said, and glanced at the knife. â€Å"I very much want to meet with it, too.† I think I actually made Hickory nervous right then. How to cite Zoe’s Tale PART III Chapter Twenty-One, Essay examples

Total Quality Management Xerox

Introduction Total quality management is a variation of lean manufacturing principles that originated in Japan. Toyota Production System first developed them. Over the years, the concepts have morphed into various business tools, including the TQM that is now a comprehensive tool used by almost all major firms in the Western world.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Total Quality Management: Xerox specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More TQM incorporates customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, and workforce commitment (Lai, Lui Hon 2014).  The following are achievable with adequate total quality management implementation in a firm. First, the firm will strengthen its competitive position, have high productivity, enhance its market image, increase its profitability, and ensure that employees have job security. These and other results depend on the nature of TQM implementation and the business sector. A q uestion concerning implementation is whether it contributes to better functioning of other tools and whether TQM leads to the desired results. Additional queries may relate to whether the business in question is also reaping sustainable benefits. Xerox case This section now examines the application of TQM in Xerox Corporation. Familiarity with Xerox and research on the company through secondary literature sources informs the analysis. Among multinational Western firms, Xerox is one of the most quality conscious one. It began implementing TQM in 1980. The company develops its TQM practices to respond to changes in its business environment and to shape its operations to enjoy a competitive advantage. Company background The firm started operations in 1906 in the USA. Five decades later, it had made its first plain paper copier. Its profit growth was 20 per cent annually by the start of the 21st century (Xerox 2004). Stock prices for the public company soared.Advertising Looking fo r critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, its company’s growth nosedived soon afterwards. Its stock price fell from a high of USD 70 in 1999 to less than USD 5 in 2001. During the period, the company lost USD 30 billion as market value (Xerox 2004). Worldwide, Xerox has a reputation to uphold, as the world’s best photocopier manufacturer. Its success is a demonstration of right management principles, tool usage, and positive sustainable outcomes. Implementation of TQM at Xerox began as a reaction to the negative market performance. The company lost about 65 percent of market share in the 1980s and was moving towards obsolescence. It needed to change its strategies and once again become dominant in the market. At the time, key sources of competition were Japanese manufacturers that were embracing a low cost market strategy to upset incumbent rivals like Xerox in the general ele ctronics and office equipment markets. Although Japanese copiers were very affordable for most businesses, they did not compromise on quality, which made them irresistible to customers. Xerox copiers at the time were of high quality, but costs of production were very high, such that cutting prices would translate to company losses. Main findings The introduction of TQM was a change of tactic that would seek to ensure that Xerox copiers curve out a new niche market segment and fulfil consumer preferences. Xerox opted to go for a quality edge, instead of being fixated on prices and finding ways to produce cheaper products than competitors do. Its new value proposition would be to attain leadership through quality. Xerox would leap ahead of the innovation curve and defend its brand image. It would grow its reputation by designing well-functioning and long lasting products.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Total Quality Management: Xerox specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Additionally, the company was also looking at maintaining long-term relationships with customers. It would only achieve this feat through adequate quality management. Research on TQM benefits in company shows that having TQM is not an end in itself. Firms also have to embrace the critical features and principles that promote TQM implementation for them to maximise its benefits (Fawcett et al. 2014). Employee commitment The goal of TQM at Xerox is to manage for results. This applies to all operations of the firm. The company wants to have production improvements and revenue increases consistently. It relies on the management of quality as its main strategy. To achieve its success, the company used TQM principles to make changes in the way it does business and relates to customers, suppliers, and employees. Today, Xerox is back to its glorious past, where it commands a substantial market share in printing and document p roduction business globally. It has the support of employees and customers and its revenue and returns on investment are high. The company realized that suppliers, including employees as labour suppliers, were sources of quality compromises. It also noticed the spread of resources when dealing with many independent suppliers for specific production components became less efficient than collective dealings. As a remedy, it consolidated manufacturing facilities so that it would only deal with groups of suppliers. It made economic sense, as group relations afforded Xerox economies of scale and gave it a bargaining power in negotiations, as it could easily take advantage of intra competition among suppliers. Most importantly, groups of suppliers lowered the cost of quality implementation. With suppliers organized into a group, the company could organize supplier relationship systems to undertake quality inspections and lower its overhead costs by eliminating marginal costs in procuremen t, inspection, shipping, and supply management. Moreover, consolidation meant that Xerox now had a manageable small supplier base. Its task of increasing employee empowerment also became achievable after the renewed focus. It was able to extend monitoring systems to the suppliers and assume a better position that allowed the firm know in advance when a problem arises.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More With few overheads in supply and a low number of suppliers, employee requirement for Xerox in the manufacturing and supply management remains low. Continuous improvement results When Xerox was losing money in 2001, it was still implementing TQM; however, a change in the external environment meant that the company’s production strategy was no longer viable. Photocopiers were turning digital and Xerox was still stuck in the analogue world. After the decline, the company retaliated with its digital production press for the production market. It also enhanced its office product line to include digital copiers and printers. The company worked towards increasing its revenue and reducing costs so that it would offset the losses encountered prior to the year 2004. Performance over the last decade has been promising, which shows that the tactics used by the firm paid off. Its financial performance for the last few years has been positive, with promises for future revenue growth (Xerox 2014). Other than the shortcomings of failing to catch up with technological trends, Xerox has made considerable efforts to be at par with customer demands and environmental threshold capabilities. In addition to photocopiers, the company offers LCD monitors, printers, large volume digital printers, workflow software, and other office productivity software. The company relies on benchmarking, as it works towards sustaining its competitive advantages. This is a process of improving towards, and considering best practices (Xerox 2014). Benchmarking can be of different types, such as strategic, process, functional, internal, external, and international. Each type has a different aim and scope of comparison. Benchmarking is a multiple step process that begins with planning and the data collection, which precede analysis and reporting. After that, the firm makes changes based on the report (Rani, Duhan Deshwal 2012). After initial market troubles, Xerox benchmarked its operations again st Japanese companies. Xerox realised that it takes twice as long to produce compared to Japanese competitors. At the same time, the number of technical staff needed by Xerox for the same production process was almost five times higher than the number used by Japanese firms. For example, there would be five more engineers at Xerox than at its competitor, and they would all develop similar products. The company also experienced design changes that were four times higher than the competitors. Consequently, it spent more on design costs, with figures being three times more than the competitors. As Xerox manufactured goods, Japanese firms had already sold them to the market. They were fast, low cost, and high quality at a retail price that was equal to the manufacturing cost at Xerox. Xerox had over 30,000 defective parts per million due to the inherent inefficiencies and the lack of quality management. This was 30 times more than what competitors reported.  After finding out its bad position against the competitors, the company opted to follow the benchmarking process to achieve similar results and surpass the competitors in some aspects of its operations. In planning stages, it came up with the features for benchmarking. In addition, it had to come up with an appropriate data collection method to facilitate effective capturing of information for subsequent decision-making. Xerox evaluated the rivals’ strength against its strength as part of the analysis. Once it made tangible analysis, it moved on to the step of integration. In this step, necessary goals were put into the overall company planning process. Action steps came later and they included the implementation of established plans. Moreover, the company checked whether the goals that were set were being realized. It also assessed its maturity to determine its position in the market. The suppliers who served Xenon were about five thousand, while those of most Japanese firms were about one thousand. It reduced the number to 500. It was also realized that Xenon’s rivals offered the vendors skills in quality control, among other areas. To match up, Xerox opted to introduce a vendor certification process. It consisted of training suppliers and then certifying them and establishing partnerships that would provide a means of telling them the areas for improvement. Xenon informed the vendors about the changes that were undertaken in the bid to enhance customer experience. This ensured that the firm became proficient in supplier management and was able to increase overall quality of the business unit consistently. Xenon got rid of inventory bottlenecks caused by excess capacity, or non-matching customer orders and production stocking levels as part of inventory management. A key indicator of performance improvement was the capital cycle period. The company also minimized its inventory carrying cost. With smart document management solutions, the firm allowed customers to shift t o an on-demand model for producing documents. The method retained quality and saved in inventory costs for customers and Xerox (Xerox 2004). The manufacturing system recognizes internal customers like assembly line workers and external customers like the end users. The people at Xerox connect to customers and their businesses. Relationships between employees and customers or the firm are personalised (Xerox 2004). With product innovation, the company has come up with new ways of enhancing the functionality of its main products to reduce damage and waste so that they are more beneficial to client businesses. For example, the firm develops smart packaging products that can track temperature and relay consumption information with every opening. They act as additional information collection centres for the company and fulfil customer needs for better functional designs (Xerox 2014). Customer satisfaction On customers, a philosophy of being oriented to customer demands drives Xeroxâ€⠄¢s strategy. Here, manufacturing goals have a quality aspect, in addition to being quantity based, because of firm performance targets. The current goal is to ensure that customer interaction with Xerox at any point is rewarding to both parties. Points of interaction include Xerox copiers, employees, and marketing campaigns. The company seeks to have all activities meet high quality standards, such that it does not have to worry about customers interacting with any of the company aspects and finding out there are poor quality elements. Thus, customer satisfaction encompasses everything that the company does internally and externally. The realization of customer satisfaction goals is a management task. In addition, the company continues to move elements of its production-based strategies to customer based ones (Xerox 2014). Achieving the customer satisfaction feat comes with a full dedication of all members of the organization to be considerate of the market and be alert about oppor tunities for improvement. Entrepreneurship shows in the spirit of employees, while personal initiative ensures that there are incremental changes that enhance the overall quality of the company tradition, customer relationship, and product features at all levels of the organization (Sikdar Payyazhi, 2014). Customer satisfaction goals continue to be key pillars of quality of the company. The firm continues to invest in other businesses that are likely to increase its value creation for customers. Rather than offer standalone products, Xerox now takes part in integrating its office and production systems, together with clients and their end users for both public and private customers. The company is now moving towards being a service-led company. It provides products, but it also enhances their utility and fulfils customer needs by making the customer part of an overall process of designing and solving needs. Thus, the company has to constantly add new features and eliminate the chal lenges that relate to service delivery. A key indicator for its success is the rate of contract renewals for managing services that it provides. The year 2013 saw a 92 per cent increase in business processes and IT outsourcing business (Xerox 2014). The company also retained its global leadership in digital technology products. Service revenues for the firm were only 24 per cent of its total revenue in 2009. In 2013, they made up 55 per cent of total revenue (Rani, Duhan Deshwal 2012). Discussion According to Rani, Duhan and Deshwal (2012), the gains made by Xerox, such as the reported reduction in supplied parts defects by the early 1990s, are attributable to the robustness of TQM applications. Today, TQM can serve both private and public organizations, with equal gains expected. The focus of quality refers to meeting the expectations of customers and financial stakeholders. It can extend to meet societal needs and personnel needs. As much as the basic definition of quality has re mained the same over the last few decades, understanding has undergone an evolution. In its original foundation, TQM aims to discourage reactions and promotes planning and production. It favours first-time prevention, instead of inspection and conformance to requirements.  Looking at Xerox, success came because management was committed and offered a storing top-to-bottom support. The company held a strong customer focus in its internal and external processes. The entire Xerox workforce was, and continues to be part of TQM implementation. Business improvement is happening in a continuous manner, while the firm is becoming more innovative in its production. Lastly, the company opted to treat its suppliers as partners. It involves them in its long-term plans and accommodates their needs in its strategic plans to ensure that high quality production remains sustainable.  Success at Xerox was achieved by focusing on information. The question was about what the firm could do with knowl edge of its internal processes and the competition. Although the company embraces technology, it only does so when the underlying information makes economic sense.  Continuous improvement and employee empowerment are features of TQM. Achieving perfection may not be possible in a dynamic business setting. Nevertheless, organizations need to improve their performance recurrently to enjoy compounded effects of growth, development, and efficiency. On the other hand, employee empowerment is recognition of the internal customer of the organization and the first public relations officer. Under this feature, a firm lets employees suggest changes and spot problems in production. Forthcoming employees receive rewards, instead of punishment.  Process management and product design are also features of TQM. They relate to the quality of source materials being determined before processing or production commences and the ability of a product to meet customer needs based on its functions, usage , and practicality respectively. A firm has to make sure that suppliers offer same quality practices to it so that time for inspection and resources used for verification of quality standards remain minimal. With product design, a firm seeks to put customer preferences into technical requirements of products, such that product performance in the market experiences grows. Issues of TQM Coming up with a comprehensive implementation of total quality management in a firm needs total commitment from the staff. With participation of every member of the firm and their commitment, some TQM features may remain unachievable. In addition, the level of commitment and participation differs among the hierarchical levels of the organization. An important thing is to have the management staff doing more as both workers and mentors to influence expected behaviour and the attitude of the junior staff (Sikdar Payyazhi, 2014).  Once the staff exhibit commitment, an additional step is to have a compa ny-wide improvement process. Here, the basic feature is measurement of performance, and then implementing new or existing strategies to increase the performance and achieve new benchmarks. Monitoring ensures that a firm is in touch with its features of TQM, such that improvements and corrections to problems happen immediately upon the identification of a need. The determination to push forward with the changes brought by TQM is important. Demanding continuous improvement may not be straightforward and comfortable, but this is what overall success requires. Consequently, a firm’s leadership may have to look into attaining high satisfaction levels for all the organizational members as part of the collective strive to gain firm-level triumph. While implementing and fostering commitment is critical, there is also a heightened need for quality, which is the principle factor within TQM. Quality is a measure of excellence in processes, products, interactions, relationships, and stra tegies of a firm (Cronholm Salomonson 2014). Any features of poor quality undermine overall gains that a firm makes towards being a preferred organization to work in and a fierce competitor. Quality achievement comes at a cost. To gain good quality, a firm has to use resources and adopt a specific tactic to avoid consequences of poor quality. At the same time, if a firm has poor quality, then the cost suffered in terms of missed opportunities and declining business prospects is the problem that it will have to deal with. Thus, a firm must evaluate whether prevention, appraisal, and implementation costs of TQM are appropriate investments and whether their returns is higher than the lack of initiative, which reverts a firm back to its initial losing position. Among prevention costs incurred by most firms are procurement inspection, quality training, design, machine inspection, field testing, sampling, and monitoring along the supply chain (Azadi, Farzipoor Hosseinzadeh 2014). TQM is applicable to all activities undertaken by an organization. The improvements achieved help to increase opportunities and efficiencies of other non-related sections of the organization. For example, improvement in procurement inspection lessens the demand for process inspection and allows an organization to reallocate resources and maintain agility towards changing business environments. On the customer side, satisfaction is the product of quality management. The same achievements are possible for suppliers. The essential thing is that performance enhances across the organization, affecting all its business processes and stakeholders (Eltantawy, Giunipero Handfield 2014). Quality costs narrow down to prevention, appraisal, and avoidance of failure. Taking precaution is expensive, but not taking it can be more expensive for a firm; therefore, it is a necessary cost. The same is true for appraisal costs, which relate to the expense paid to detect flaws in quality across the entire fi rm’s spectrum. Appraisal costs will include the funds used to perform in-house checks, together with those paid to third-party inspectors. It will also include the time and other non-monetary resources used by the firm to achieve its total quality management. Future of workforce commitment and continuous improvement at Xerox As Xerox focuses on service delivery as its next area of growth, it increases demand for expertise, employee citizenship behaviour, and quality control of its employees and business partners’ staff. Determination of quality at a service level is the same as that of a physical product. For example, the number of defects is not as countable in a service, as they are in a physical product. Sometimes, errors in service delivery and customer relations compound and take time to reveal. Setting standards and conforming to them when the product is intangible is problematic. Xerox meets the service delivery challenge by emphasizing on information gathering and knowledge sharing (Xerox 2014).  Xerox can control the manner of delivering services to clients by integrating suppliers, employees, and customers in its plans and their execution, such as review of designs and inventory management. With this approach, it is possible to learn about mistakes and eliminate them in collaboration with clients to prevent the loss of business (Mosadeghrad, 2014).  Some aspects of TQM at Xerox are not as visible as they were two decades ago when the process was initiated at the firm. Today, quality management has become part of an ongoing tradition. Benchmarking may not reflect the competition in isolation, but it integrates with customer and employee features. The blurring line of business partners and customers also makes information differentiation from competitors and customer preferences difficult and may pose a challenge for data analysis for the company (Moskovkin, Bocharova Balashova 2014). Conclusion The implementation of TQM at Xerox has been one of the reasons for sustained success over the last few decades. At the same time, incidences of company poor performance at the end of the 20th century show that TQM is only advantageous when it also ensures that the firm remains agile to changing business environment conditions. The findings from a review of Xerox show that the firm is moving towards being a service-oriented company. Many of its success strategies were based on manufacturing. As a global business, service delivery has a number of challenges. Nevertheless, the adoption of quality control benchmarks and insisting on employee empowerment ensure that the firm’s service oriented strategy is paying off. Reference List Azadi, M, Farzipoor, SR Hosseinzadeh, ZK 2014, ‘A new goal-directed benchmarking for supplier selection in the presence of undesirable outputs’, Benchmarking, vol 21, no. 3, pp.314-328. Cronholm, S Salomonson, N 2014, ‘Measures that matters: service quality in IT servic e management’, International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, vol 6, no. 1, pp. 60-76. Eltantawy, R, Giunipero, L Handfield, R 2014, ‘Strategic sourcing management’s mindset: strategic sourcing orientation and its implications’, International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, vol 44, no. 10, pp. 768-795. Fawcett, MA, Fawcett, S, Cooper, M Daynes, K 2014, ‘Moments of angst’, Benchmarking, vol 21, no. 3, pp. 450-480. Lai, J, Lui, S Hon, A 2014, ‘Does standardized service fit all?’, Int J Contemp Hospitality Mngt, vol 26, no. 8, pp.1341-1363. Mosadeghrad, MA 2014, ‘Essentials of total quality management: a meta-analysis’, International J Health Care QA, vol. 27, no. 6, pp. 544-558. Moskovkin, V, Bocharova, E Balashova, O 2014, ‘Journal benchmarking for strategic publication management and for improving journal positioning in the world ranking systems’, Campus-Wide Informatio n Systems, vol. 31, no. 2/3, pp. 82-99. Rani, S, Duhan, RK Deshwal, S 2012, ‘Study of implentation of total quality management for defect reduction in manufacturing industry’, IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering , vol 1, no. 3, pp. 11-14. Sikdar, A Payyazhi, J 2014, ‘A process model of managing organizational change during business process redesign’, Business Process Mgmt Journal, vol. 20, no. 6, pp.971-998. Xerox 2004, Anuual report 2003, https://www.xerox.com/annualreport/xerox_2003.pdf. Xerox 2014, Annual report 2013, https://www.xerox.com/annualreport/2013/assets/xerox-oar-2013-full.pdf. 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