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Jenny stood, Chidwi sitting lightly on her shoulder. She wasn’t as shaky on her feet as she had been, but she knew she would need to sit again soon. She hoped her abrupt appearance for her teammates hadn’t caused any new issues for any of them, but she kind of felt it was like pulling off a bandage; it needed to be done quickly for the least possible shock and pain.
She had quickly done each of the separate teams as well, stopping in at the Puerto Rico and Switzerland gate groups, basically with the same message each time. Now that she had broken the ice, so to speak, she would go back and make individual contact, but not right now. Now she had the Groga to reassure and to begin some things that would hopefully prepare them for friendly contact with the Alliance.
Freia walked stolidly on one side of her and Grephan on the other, ostensibly as an honor guard, but she knew it was mostly to catch her if she collapsed. She tried to imply a stately stroll as opposed to an invalid’s barely functional gait. She wasn’t sure if she was pulling it off, but she needed to give a good impression and weakness wasn’t in it.
She willed herself to look to the left and right, nodding and smiling to those they passed as they moved toward what might be the equivalent of the village square she had experienced in the Groga dome on the Inseni planet, tagging along with Burt.
After the revolt, the Groga had split into two separate camps; those who supported the revolution and those who still wanted to be part of the Insenium. There were no hostilities or confrontations between the two groups, although that might change, depending on the outcome of this particular struggle.
Like the square in the dome, they approached a wide open space among the shops and residences they passed through on their way. There was a large raised platform stage at one end and the square was beginning to fill with curious Groga of all types; merchants, farmers, governmental leaders, soldiers and even children.
As they got to the platform, Anwhal greeted them. He was in uniform as before, and beside him was someone Jenny assumed was a city official.
“Welcome, Jenny, and your honored companion. I would like you to meet Governor Milhem, our leader. He is in alignment with the things we discussed with you, Elizabeth, and Burt. He has asked that you speak to the people this day if you would.”
“It is good to meet you, Governor, and to see you again, Anwhal. I would be happy to speak to your people and Chidwi would also like to speak as well, if that is alright.”
Governor Milhem smiled broadly. He was short for a Groga, with round shoulders and a bit of a paunch. Jenny guessed that public figures were often a little less than fit, especially if they spent most of their time at a desk.
“My people would be delighted to hear from your honored companion, Miss Jenny. I will introduce you when all are assembled. In the meantime, would you take a seat on the dais, please?” He offered Jenny his arm and she took it gratefully, hoping she didn’t show that she was fading fast.
Thankfully, there was a speaker’s podium on the stage which would give her something to hold onto as she spoke. It would also serve as a perch for Chidwi so all could see her clearly when she took the stage alone, as was Jenny’s intent.
When she had broached the idea with Chidwi, she had agreed placidly. The Linkling seemed to have no fear, which made Jenny a lot more confident when she remembered that Chidwi was always in it with her to the end.
The crowd assembled was huge and as Jenny took her seat, butterflies began to rage in her stomach. This reminded her of her valedictorian speech. She had nearly thrown up before heading to the podium that time. She hadn’t actually thrown up, but her stomach was still queasy even when the crowd had applauded enthusiastically as she had sat down. She was fine in small groups, but crowds like this were intimidating and she wasn’t sure that would ever change for her.
She guesstimated there were close to ten thousand people in the crowd and these were only the people in this village which was not the capital city of the Groga planet. According to Freia, they were separated into cities and towns and training camps, but not into any kind of states or countries. They were simply the Groga.
Hundreds of years ago, according to Freia, the Groga had been conquered by the Fleistians. At the time they had been a rural people. The Fleistians had been on one of their planet discovery expeditions, and when they had found the Groga they had taken one look at them and decided to co-opt them as slaves.
They had easily subdued their people and began a project to train the best suited men as warriors. Over time, that meant most of the men. The women, in the meantime, did the farming and other tasks necessary to supply an army, not to mention that the strongest of them were forced to bear children of the strongest and most able warriors.
This breeding program did not focus on intelligence or talent in any other field; simply how many naturally strong and fierce soldiers they could obtain.
The Groga never saw anything of the Fleistians other than their masters in the training of more soldiers and the small force of trainers that stayed with them on their planet. It had never occurred to them that they were actually more numerous than their masters.
Domination and enforcement had never before been a part of their nature. They had humbly and obediently done the will of the Fleistians, raiding and enslaving others at their master’s bequest, because they knew their families were held hostage for that obedience, although the Fleistians had never specifically said so.
The Dimensional Alliance had finally subdued what they thought was the Groga’s attempt at dimensional domination and had nearly destroyed them on their world. The Fleistians, to preserve the services of their armies, had moved them to this new planet. For many years, the Fleistians allowed the Groga to increase their numbers again, serving only to fight from time to time in the quarrels between the Fleistians and the Cindu, and the Groga had no longer been a focus for the Dimensional Alliance, as they considered them defeated and no longer an issue.
Then the Insenium had virtually taken over the Fleistians and once again the Groga were employed to plunder as much technology as they could find and supply the Insenium with slaves.
Unknown to both the Fleistians and the Insenium, a story had been passed down amongst the Groga that the time would come when their masters would be overturned and they would once again become a peaceful and happy people, freed from the compulsion to murder, torture and enslave people for whom the Groga had no enmity.
There were a small number of them who had finally succumbed to the violent philosophies of their masters, embracing the life of raiders and slavers. These were generally shunned by the majority of the Groga people.
Now, here was Jenny, and they had seen how Burt and Jenny and the allies of the Dimensional Alliance had organized and supported the revolt by the slaves and Groga in the Inseni capital. Anwhal had been training his soldiers behind the backs of the Insenium, that they would only have to wait a little longer before they would be free and wouldn’t have to do the will of evil masters to protect their families.
When Burt and Jenny had shown up that day in the military training dome, Anwhal had known that the time had finally come. He had a strong feeling that these could not only be trusted, but they had the ability to plan and execute that plan successfully. He also knew that by siding with these strangers he would not only be putting the entire Groga population in jeopardy, but it would put him in conflict with those Groga who had bought into Fleistian and Inseni policies and philosophies. This worried him so much, but he knew that this was more than about losing Groga lives. It was about saving Groga souls.
He feared deeply that if they continued to serve the Insenium, the time would come when all of his people would finally be degraded to the point that they began to enthusiastically embrace those wicked philosophies, and the Groga as a people would descend into complete and willing barbarism.
This is what Freia and Anwhal had expressed to Jenny during her days of healing. They would sit by her bed when she was awake, and finally by her chair when she was able to sit and talk to her earnestly about their hopes and desires for their people. And as they did so, Jenny found she had learned to love these people. Of all the things she had expected to happen during this war, this was definitely not one of them.
So, when Milhem stood to introduce her, she calmed her heart and focused instead on what she was about to say, on the people to whom she was about to speak, like all beings everywhere, not perfect and not always lovable, but of great worth and potential. This would be her message. She could do this.
She stood, Chidwi perched comfortingly on her shoulder, and for a moment she gazed solemnly around the huge gathering. Then she took a calming breath. “Groga people,” she broadcasted, “My name is Jenny Japhet. I come from a planet called Earth. I am a representative of the Dimensional Alliance and all free beings in the multiverse. I am here to offer you an opportunity to join us as free beings who value families, liberty, and the hope for happiness.
I will not lie to you. This is not a gift I can merely hand to you. Freedom never was without a price. But I can offer you the support and resources of billions of freedom loving planets throughout the multiverse. We do not yet know the full import of what we are up against, but I can tell you that we are committed to this fight.
Your people were once a happy, productive, and peaceful race. It is my hope you can be so again. Your past can be put behind you. Your future is in your hands. No one will force you. No one will blame you for the past or hold your service under evil masters to your account. The only thing that will matter going forward is your desire and commitment to become what you were always intended to be.”
She paused, scanning the crowd. The faces were intent and most appeared open and receptive. She took courage.
“You must ask yourself the question; ‘Is it worth the sacrifice?’ Because there will be necessary sacrifices. There will be difficult times, perhaps more than any of us can imagine, but you won’t be taking the risk alone. Every one of my compatriots have made the commitment to put their lives in jeopardy and to risk annihilation if necessary, to send the message to those like the Insenium and the Fleistians that we will not lie down and accept their domination and tyranny. Will you make that commitment?”
Jenny was unprepared for the response. One person, far in the back, began a rhythmic stomping. It was picked up by another and another. Within moments, the stage began to quiver under the relentless stomping from the crowd. They didn’t say a word, but then they began to beat their chests in an opposite beat to the stomping rhythm. Stomp, thump, stomp, thump!
Instinctively Jenny held up both hands high over her head, looking into those intent faces as the rumbling continued. Jenny realized that Milhem and Anwhal were also standing and joining in solemnly. It appeared this was a kind of ritual. Suddenly Anwhal held up one fist. Every fist in the assembly shot into the air, and the stomping and thumping stopped abruptly.
She had no words. Fortunately, at that moment, Chidwi stepped onto the podium and all went silent. She raised her hands above her head in imitation of Jenny’s gesture. “My dear Groga friends, I am Chidwi. I am Jenny’s companion and friend. I wish to thank you for your kindly care of her after her injury while aiding in the revolt against the Insenium. I wish to thank you for your response to her words. Jenny is wise for her young years, wise beyond any expectations, including her own.
Your people have entered onto a new path, but you don’t even know what that path is.
Do you think that Jenny’s invitation is to fight? Is Jenny inviting you to mortal combat?
I tell you NO! She IS NOT!”
Jenny could not remember hearing any of the Linklings ever use such a forceful mental voice. She could see the shock on the faces before her, as if they had all been doused in ice water.
“This will not be your battle. Your battle is of a different sort, and it will be far harder than picking up your weapons of war and marching forth to conquer. That will no longer be your path.
How strong are you really? How brave are you? A true warrior’s heart is not measured by their victories in battle. A true warrior is measured by their integrity, their courage, and their devotion to what is right. Your new path will test your mettle, but you will accomplish more on it than you ever did with a weapon in your hand.
So, I ask you? Will you learn? Will you discover the true potential of your race? Are you willing to throw down your weapons of war and become a truly free people? Will you trust that this thing which goes so counter to what you thought you knew will actually give you the freedom you seek?”
There was no stomping this time. One by one, like a wave of grain in the wind, they knelt hands to heart in silence, including Anwhal and Milhem.
Jenny was stunned. Chidwi had truly spoken what was in her own heart, but she hadn’t known how to tell them this. She had been having some dreams that she could never remember on waking, and this seemed to be the essence of them. She had thought she would have to ease these people into these ideas and wasn’t sure of how this would finally go over.
Now here, kneeling before her, was the entire population of this Groga town. How did that happen? Something about their attitude toward the Linklings, Jenny was sure. She was pretty certain it wasn’t anything she personally had said or done, at least not to her knowledge.
She once again took a calming breath and sent to them. “Please don’t kneel to us. We are not your masters. We are only here to help you however we can and to get your agreement. This must be accomplished with all the Groga on your planet, and when we can, we will draw the rest of your people who have been sent to other worlds, to join you. Chidwi is a great teacher and a good friend. She has agreed to have several of her family come here and make a home with the Groga to support them on their new path. Please stand and don’t kneel to anyone. That should be reserved for the Creator of All Things.”
