Colin was still staring as the men went through the whole crowd and let everyone go. They disappeared on the ferry and went back down the river.
"What happened?" he asked again.
"They were looking for you, I think." Michi said.
"Not that. I mean… he didn't seem to think I'm a white badge." Colin said, half in a daze.
"That's because you're not, Colin." Michi told him. "Look at your badge."
Colin glanced down and saw.
His badge was no longer white. It was yellow.
"How?" he stared. "What did you do? What was that black plate? Was it a registration?!"
"Something like that." Michi said slowly. "Katrin told me about what was going on, saying you'd probably come to this lakeside. When the men started gathering everyone, I talked to her about it and between us, we formed a last-resort plan. Something that would save you if the worst happened."
"And the worst did happen." Colin realized. "So you used the black plate. But what was it? What did it do?"
Michi took a deep breath. "Colin, that black plate… it was a transfer plate. When you stepped on it, you accepted a gift."
"A gift?" Colin stared. "What kind of gift?"
"A Comrade." Michi said simply.
"A {Comrade}?! We can DO that?!" Colin gasped. "But who would give someone else a Comrade? Who would give {me} one?!"
Michi looked him straight in the eye, and Colin realized the answer to those questions even before she said it.
She said it anyway.
"Colin… Katrin gave you one of her Comrades."
***
He was stunned.
"Katrin did… {what}?" Colin whispered.
"Katrin… gave you one of her Comrades." Michi said again. "It was the only way we could be sure you would reach yellow badge and get away from the men."
"But… she…" Colin shook his head. "I'm supposed to be giving {her} Comrades. That's what the Rainducks are for! They're for her!"
"I'm sure." Michi said. "But Katrin didn't send you a Rainduck or some other Farm Comrade, Colin."
Colin froze. "What do you mean?"
Michi dropped the next bombshell on him, and this one was much worse. "She gave you the one that would guarantee you would be saved, the strongest one she had.
"Colin, she gave you Raiki."