When Meredith found out that she was pregnant with a second child, her already crumbling world collapsed around her. Even with the casualties from the war, overpopulation still held humanity in a tightening chokehold. In an effort to combat the overpopulation, the government instituted a one-child policy. If the pregnancy is discovered in time, the fetus is subject to an abortion. If not, the parent is allowed to keep the child at the price of a heavy fine. If they can't afford the fine, the child is considered government property.

Meredith could never find it in herself to have an abortion, nor did she have the money to pay the fine. In truth, only the 1% would ever see that much money in their life. So she hid the pregnancy as best she could.

Meredith Mills was a brittle sort of woman. She spoke quietly and uncertainly, afraid of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Her hands had developed a slight shake, and she bore her 40 years badly. She was thin and pallid with none of the womanly figure she had once had. She had relied on her husband to make the big decisions in their life, but when he left for the war and never came back, she was thrust violently into the role of authority. Her oldest, Ellie, had been a joy to raise. Eager to please and quick-witted, Ellie had been no burden on her mother.

"Mills, Jackson." The tinny loudspeaker blared. One the boys sitting around in the parade square got up and walked over to the general's office. A bored-looking soldier in a pristine khaki uniform let him in and closed the door behind him.