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drama must be on the agenda for the service. The music was loud in the auditorium, like something you would hear in a nightclub. There was a group of teenagers down in front of the stage, dancing uncaringly, as the beginning of the service approached and the rows in the auditorium filled up.
    As was Anytha’s parents’ custom, they rushed to the front of the auditorium to make themselves known to the most important person in the room. Chester and Delah headed up to the stage to greet Commissioner Inali, and Anytha walked behind them. Inali opened out his arms at their approach, smiling widely at them.
    “Ah, the beautiful Lindewe family has arrived! It is so good to see your smiling faces on this beautiful, cloudless day!” Inali boomed as he embraced Delah around her shoulders with one arm and grasped Chester’s hand firmly with the other. “Don’t you all look so lovely today?”
    “Ah, always underdressed compared to you!” Chester replied humbly, looking at Anytha and gesturing for her to shake Inali’s hand.
    “Pleasure to see you, Commissioner,” Anytha said, looking him straight in the eye. “I’m intrigued to see what might be in store for us today.”
    “Well, I don’t think you will be disappointed. And, Anytha, I’m intrigued all the same, to see what you have in store for the entire Practice of Blue! Activation is right around the corner, right? Are you as excited to be an official member of the Practice as I am to have you on board?” Inali asked, tapping Anytha reassuringly on her upper arm.
    “I am excited to finally be able to vote, yes, but I’m still nervous about all eyes being on me on Activation Day. I’m not used to holding all the attention like you!” Anytha said with a smile.
    “Ah, that’s normal. The butterflies will leave you as soon as that clock strikes midnight. I’ll be there to cheer you on, too!” Inali said, turning his head and winking at Chester.
    Anytha smiled wryly and looked at her father, who smiled back at her and raised his eyebrows. Commissioner Inali didn’t make a point to make it to every activation, only the ones of activees that he believed showed great promise of doing important works for the Practice. Anytha had always looked up to Inali as a father figure, seeing all that he did for the community—helping the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing the homeless. It seemed that all of Chester’s boasting of his precious daughter over the years had indeed made a huge impact on Inali’s impression of her. Anytha felt her nerves flood her mind, and the muscles in her throat tightened at this new thought of Inali himself being at her activation.
    She was flattered, there was no doubt, but now instead of dozens of eyes being focused on her on Activation Day, she could expect hundreds. It was known that the activations that Inali attended were the rowdiest and most highly attended of them all. Inali was known to tell stories, or put on elaborate shows, and the attendees’ inebriated state did nothing to dull the effects of the mystifying quality of his performance. She was now happier than ever that the dress she chose was one of the most conservative ones in the store.
    Chester and Delah laid their hands on Inali’s shoulders and said a quick blessing over him. Inali closed his eyes as if receiving the blessing into his soul. They tapped the places where their hands had laid, and slid them off, saying goodbye to the commissioner and heading off to their seats. The family settled into the movie theatre-style seats and prepared their minds for the service, taking in the stage and sounds, breathing deeply.
    The music broke into sporadic, booming bass sounds, layered under trickling synthetic effects. Large, gray screens rose up from the floor of the stage, creating a huge wall around the back that angled out at the sides. Inali took the stage, and the auditorium erupted into applause and loud cheers. With the next boom of the bass, an explosion of stars