The Testaments

Aunt Vidala comes into Aunt Lydia’s office in the morning. She doesn’t believe Aunt Victoria (Agnes) and Aunt Immortelle (Becka) are ready for their Pearl Girl mission. Aunt Victoria is a defection risk because of her Bloodlines file, which Aunt Vidala saw on Aunt Victoria’s desk. Aunt Lydia feigns shock and says she’ll make inquiries, adding that she believes Aunt Victoria to be resistant to perilous ideas and mature enough to resist temptation. Aunt Vidala still disagrees but asks Aunt Lydia to remember her warning with Aunt Victoria defects.

Next, Aunt Helena comes to warn Aunt Lydia that Aunt Victoria has been reading her Bloodlines file without authorization. Aunt Lydia replies that Aunt Vidala has already informed her of this and that she believes that Aunt Victoria’s upbringing will overcome her biological origins. Aunt Lydia asks Aunt Helena if she feels that nature always wins over nurture, in which case they are all doomed by the original sinfulness of Adam. This suggestion alarms Aunt Helena, who says she did not mean to make that implication.

Aunt Lydia agrees asks Aunt Helena to keep an eye on Aunt Vidala, whom she fears was the one who places the Bloodlines file in Aunt Victoria’s hands. Aunt Helena remarks that Aunt Vidala never liked the girl. She leaves the office, happy to have this assignment.

As Aunt Lydia is sitting in the Schlafly Café Aunt Elizabeth approaches and wails that Ardua Hall is full of Eyes and Angels. The Eyes are in the print shop, confiscating the Pearl Girl brochures, and Aunt Wendy has been arrested.

Commander Judd is already in Aunt Lydia’s office. He explains that after much investigation, they determined that Mayday and their contact passed messages through the Pearl Girl brochures. The Eyes have taken Aunt Wendy in for questioning. Aunt Lydia replies that Aunt Wendy lacks the ability to devise such a scheme. Judd agrees, Aunt Wendy will be sent to a clinic to recover from the shock. None of the brochures in the print shop contain microdots, but some brochures that had returned from Canada contained messages that must have come from Mayday, meant for the unknown traitor.

Aunt Lydia tells Commander Judd that she has long held doubts about Aunt Vidala, though Aunt Elizabeth and Aunt Helena also have access to the print shop, as does Aunt Lydia. Commander Judd smiles at Aunt Lydia’s joke that she herself must be a suspect. He says that, politically, they need to find the traitor, or they will be in danger, though they might redeem themselves by producing Baby Nicole. He suggests that they also declare his betrothal to Baby Nicole for more effect. Aunt Lydia Aunt Lydia points out that he is married. Commander Judd asks about the health of his Wife, which Aunt Lydia says is not as good as it might be. Commander Judd says he prays for a release from her suffering, which Aunt Lydia assures him will come soon enough.