Chapter 27

“Wait,” said the Lieutenant.

We, the sailors looked.

“Yes?”

He waved the decree. “Residents,” he said. “It says residents.”

“I own property in the Princessapality,” I said.

“You do?”

“Yes ... Virginia ... and Michigan.” I said.

“Virginia is in the Federation of America,” he said.

“Ooo ... hadn’t thought of that,” I wasn’t the only listener who said that.

“You’re a New Zealander.”

“True ... naturalized,” I said. “I got my American citizenship back.”

“When?”

“When what?” I said, “Oh ... I get it. Junior? When did you go all berserker on the US?”

“Thirteen,”

“Six years ago?”

“About ... five is more like it...”

“How long afterwards did the VOTE take place?”

“It’s still ongoing,” Junior said.

“I’m 22 ... we got our passports back at 15 ... seven years.”

“We’re good. The USA was still the USA,” JW said.

Tyche said, “Australia is Commonwealth ... Canada is Commonwealth So are Bermuda, Bahamas, The UK, Nigeria, South Africa, New Zealand, Singapore, India, a bunch more... 53 all together.”

“Who are you?” asked the Lieutenant.

“Tyche Selene Flintkote,” said Tyke.

“Flintkote, eh?” Looking straight at me, he said, “Yours?”

“Nope ... Zoe and JW,” I said. Zo grinned and tootled her fingers.

“How old are you? You cannot be younger than 8 ... not with that memory,” Mr. Lieutenant said.

“I am four ... and will not be five for 300 days,” Tyke said.

“Just Four?”

“Four and two months.”

“She’s smart ... smarter than we triplets were at four,” I said.

The Lieutenant gnawed his lower lip and shrugged, “What about THIS boat?”

He automatically assumed that my sister and brother were owners.

“Mine,” I said, and presented the paperwork.

“Your boat?”

“Yes,” I passed him the papers.