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They were arguing again. Jenny gently reached back and rubbed the back of her head. It was healing, but even then, these days she often got serious headaches. This was definitely the part she hated most about her role in all of this. Part of her just wanted to shout, “STOP IT!” It wouldn’t have done any good, of course, but that didn’t stop her from thinking it several times a day.
Their arrival in the Groga capital city had been pleasant enough. Everyone treated Jenny with respect, although she often wondered if any of that would have happened if she hadn’t had Chidwi on her shoulder.
However, the past several days had been one disagreement after another. Not between her and the Groga, but between differing factions among the Groga themselves. It wasn’t even about whether or not they wanted to separate from domination of the Fleistians or the Inseni, but how it was to be accomplished. What had seemed simple to her from the beginning was appearing more and more complicated.
All the Groga agreed that it was time to end their enslavement, but not all could agree on the means or whether they even wanted the help of the Alliance. To many, it seemed too much like what they had already experienced at the hands of their former masters.
Jenny tried to explain that they got to choose in the matter and as long as they didn’t actively oppose the Alliance or attack them, they wouldn’t be in any danger from them. The majority seemed to like the idea of joining forces, so to speak, but didn’t like the idea of not actively fighting. To their warrior’s minds, this was cowardice, and they had a hard time seeing where simply defending their planet would be any real contribution to the war.
Still others wanted to follow Jenny’s every suggestion as part of the transference of their adoration of Chidwi to Jenny. This made Jenny uncomfortable, and she made a conscious choice to never take advantage of that.
She had gotten so used to the orderly agreement that seemed to pervade her work with her team. She knew that none of them were panderers or toadies, but Jenny now wondered how that had happened the way it had.
Mostly she just felt tired and her head hurt. Truth be told, she was still recovering from her head wound. Although the wound itself had closed over and no longer required bandaging, she still wasn’t feeling completely like herself.
Both Chidwi and Freia had assured her that her headaches would eventually go away, that no permanent damage had been done, but Jenny was impatient to get on with it. She doubted she could even last through a quarterstaff match, much less tag her opponent. Sure, the likelihood she would need to was pretty small, based on the fact that she was never without one or more competent guards, but she had liked the feeling that came from being able to defend herself.
And when it came to that, she realized that in a fight she had only come off conqueror once and that had been with the very skilled help of her bodyguards. She had been so cocky about it and now she wondered what would have happened if they had not been there to support her. Sometimes she just felt like a fraud.
She came out of her rueful contemplation as Burt stood and brought his fist down on the table in front of them.
“Enough!” he bellowed in mindspeech. “We don’t have time for all of this petty bickering. And one way or the other, this thing is going to happen with or without your help. We are offering you our assistance to defend your planet, which you will now have to do with or without us.
You have offended the Insenium, something I doubt they will take lightly. You don’t have the resources to field an offensive, and you don’t have the knowledge or tools necessary to transport yourselves about in the multiverse. You aren’t even in the same dimension as these people. So quit blustering and start planning, for heaven’s sake.
If you decide to defend without us, we won’t stop you. We’ve already made that plain. We have no desire to make your choices for you or to force you to do anything. So, either step up and let’s do something productive or we’ll haul ourselves back to the Alliance and get on with eliminating the Inseni threat without you.”
Jenny smoothed her face and tried to act as if this was all part of the plan, but she was hard-pressed to do so. She had never seen Burt actually angry and even now, she felt this was a calculated move on his part, however sincere. She hadn’t expected this. She knew Burt had a lot more experience in these things and now hoped with all her heart that this wouldn’t perhaps create the opposite of the desired effect.
However, the Groga paused in mid argument and all eyes were on Burt. Jenny saw shock, but not anger in those faces. These high end government officials were obviously not used to being spoken to in that way, especially by a non-Groga and a puny one at that.
“Look. I get it. You’ve been enslaved for a long time by beings you thought were there to help you. When you realized you were in a trap, it was too late, or so you thought, to change things without devastation to your families.
Where I come from, we experienced a similar situation. The people were being burdened and taxed by people who should have been their supporters. Finally, when they could take it no more, they appointed a leader and fought back. But they couldn’t do it on their own. Allies came to their aid and after much hardship and many lives lost on both sides, they were able to establish their independence. That didn’t solve all of their problems, but they were an independent nation with their own laws and leaders.
Their allies in that war remained their friends but did not interfere with their choices or afterward with their government. We want to be for you what those allies of ours were for us. We want to support your bid for liberty.
My ancestors took the counsel and accepted the resources offered by their allies. The Dimensional Alliance wants nothing to do with your government on this planet or within your dimension. Our only desire in this is to free the multiverse from the tyranny of the Great Insenium. Can we agree on that and then move forward to assist you in defending your people wherever we find them?
I know you are concerned for the Groga who still live under the thumb of the Inseni. Wherever possible, we will free them and enable them to return to you and strengthen your people by their return. Can we cease the bickering for a moment and at least agree on that?”
Jenny had not ever thought she would see a Groga show open shame, but one and all the Groga cast their eyes to the table in front of them, heads drooping. The silence was deafening and seemed to stretch out forever. Finally, Anwhal raised his head and looked into Burt’s eyes as he stood there calmly, waiting for their decision.
“We have lost sight of why we are gathered here today. Burt Scout is right. We can’t move forward in this without a foundation of trust. Do we trust the Alliance or not? Once they discovered where we live, they could have easily wiped us out. They have the technology and numbers to have done that, and they wouldn’t have even had to touch one foot on our planet to do so.
They are willing to guard the space around our planet and aren’t asking anything in return. Jenny and Chidwi have pledged their honor to us and have brought these confederates to our aid. Can our honor stand the test? Can we decide that we can be compatriots in this cause without being subservient? Will we? My brothers, we must choose.”
One by one they stood fist to heart, looking directly at Burt. The High Groga, Lenwhal, stood last. “You have our pledge and our honor in this,” he sent soberly. “My honest apology for our misunderstanding. Your words ring true, Burt Scout. Let us begin anew. Tell us your plan again and help us to understand the reasoning. We will listen and we will help with that plan with the understanding that we are now a free people and we will not be slaves again.”
Jenny was amazed at the power and conviction that she had felt from Burt. Although she knew he could at times be manipulative when the situation required it, she also knew that he sincerely believed in what the Dimensional Alliance stood for and he would willingly put himself in danger again and again if that meant accomplishing his mission.
“Then please sit and let’s get this done. Our time is short, and we have to use our time and resources wisely if we are going to pull this off. As I told you before, we can’t guarantee anything at this point, no mortal could. What we will promise is that we won’t quit on you and we will put our hearts into it.
This means as much to us as it does to you. Every dimension is threatened by this and all of us are putting our lives on the line. All of us are sacrificing for this. The Dimensional Alliance has already lost many good people in this endeavor. As a famous patriot of the war I told you about in my country once said, ‘We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.’ I believe this to be true in this case as well.”
Burt sat. To the surprise of all of them, Chidwi broadcasted to the group, “Burt Scout is correct. Only by every dimension uniting their strength will this ultimate evil be deposed once and for all. True strength isn’t the ability to bully someone into submission or to terrorize weaker beings just because we are able. True strength is found in complete unity of mind, body, and spirit. If you will be allies and you wish to be successful, you must present a united front. It’s the only thing a bully will understand, and Gall and his minions are nothing but bullies, when it comes down to it.
My kind has agreed to be a part of this. We are peaceful and gentle beings. It is our nature, but this evil cannot be allowed to continue. For this reason, there will be one of us in each city and town. We will bond with a Groga of our choice and give counsel and help you fight when it is necessary. Once again the Linklings and the Groga will live together in peace.”
The Groga seated around the long table in the huge counsel room looked stunned. Once more Jenny marveled at the influence Chidwi’s kind had over these people she had once considered brutish and cruel.
“Since we are in agreement,” Jenny said immediately. “Let’s get this done.”
All heads nodded and the true planning was finally underway.
