by Barry Alder
Jason looked at him, questioningly.
“It is true,” Ka’tel continued. “We have very little knowledge of how to fight, and all of that comes from what we have heard from others. I can see this surprises you, and I suspect, concerns you.”
“So you want us to defend you and you won’t even help?”
“Our way is not that of violence, but it is a choice each person must make on their own. There may be some of us who would be willing to help you in the fight, but I’m sure most of our village would not.”
“Then how the hell do you expect us to defend you?” Jason said angrily.
“We believe that you can; that you will find a way.”
“I don’t believe this,” Jason muttered as he left the hut, shaking his head. His team had a right to know this, so he started gathering them together, instructing each to find the others and assemble at the village meeting area.
When he arrived, a short time later, he saw the rest of the team was already there, some looking very distraught.
“You all know we were woken to defend the village from an invading army that is heading this way, and some of you may have guessed that we might be facing big obstacles because of this.”
Jason paused to ensure that he had everyone’s undivided attention.
“What I just found out is that the villagers know next to nothing about the invaders. What’s more, they’ll probably not help us to defend them.”
He let this last comment sink into the team. Some nodded, having already realized this from their dealings. Others reacted more vocally.
“What?” Tim yelled. “They won’t even defend themselves?”
“Then why should we bother?” Rick said angrily.
More of the team murmured in agreement with Rick’s comment. Jason could see a serious problem rising as he had already decided to help the villagers despite their reluctance to help. The last thing he needed was to have members of his team undermining his efforts.
“Enough!” he said angrily. “We will help the villagers!”
That caught everyone’s attention and the murmuring stopped.
“We’re soldiers and our task was to undermine our enemies’ resources so that we could eventually defeat them. Well, that task no longer exists. These people have been watching over us for generations now and for that alone, we are indebted to them. If what they’ve told us is true, and I want to verify that on my own, then they need us. We at least owe it to them to see what we can do, and provide whatever assistance we can, if for no other reason than to allow them to teach us what this world is really like so we can live in it successfully.”
He saw that he had struck a chord with them. They were all elite military, and a sense of duty came as part of their core values.
“How are we going to do that?” came a voice from the group.
“First, we need to know what we’re up against. We also need to know what we have and what the territory around here is like. Once we have that, we’ll formulate a battle plan.”
Murmurs of agreement came from some of the team members. Others looked like they were trying to suppress the anger inside them. Jason knew he had a hard road ahead.
“Hong. Rick. Sara. I want you to go back to the complex and bring all the ordnance and explosives you can. Also, any of the equipment that still works for reconnaissance. Raphael, you’re with me. The rest of you get ready for a patrol. I want to find out what the lay of the land is.”
Having something to do seemed to center everyone and they quickly left on their tasks.
“What are we doing, Boss?” Raphael queried.
“We go back and visit Ka’tel. I’m sure he has some information we can use.”
* * *
Ka’tel listened patiently to Jason’s summary of the situation, and paused before responding.
“I am sorry Jason, but I have told you all that I know.”
Jason could feel a wave of anger building as he looked at Ka’tel, an anger born of frustration and not knowing. The words that came from his mouth were heavy with it.
“Well, is there anyone who can? Someone, perhaps, in other villages?”
Ka’tel remained calm, as always, which further infuriated Jason.
“There is a village, perhaps three days distant, where you might find someone. I cannot be sure, but that village is on a trade route and gets many, many travelers.”
Finally, Jason thought, relaxing somewhat. Here was something he could use.
“Will someone take us there?”
“Of course,” Ka’tel smiled. “I think Pa’re would be the ideal person for this.”
Jason detected a subtle smirk on Ka’tel’s face. There was something going on here that he didn’t understand, but right now he had no time to pursue it.
“I will have Pa’re arrange for you to accompany him to the village,” Ka’tel continued. “You should be able to leave tomorrow morning.”
Chapter 4
The sun had only just risen when Pa’re arrived at Jason’s hut.
“Good morning,” said Jason plainly, as he motioned to Pa’re to enter. Jason had met him a couple of days earlier when they were trying to gather information about the coming invaders. Pa’re had been cold and indifferent to Jason that day, and he saw Pa’re’s attitude hadn’t changed.
“Morning,” said Peter cheerfully.
Pa’re just grunted, leaving Peter to wonder if Pa’re had gotten up on the wrong side of the bed. Shrugging, he picked up his knife from the table and placed it in his belt at the back, under his shirt.
“Leave it here,” commanded Pa’re, looking at Peter.
“Why? It’s hidden. No one will notice it and we need some form of protection,” replied Peter.
“It might be discovered and that would lead to questions. Questions that you don’t want asked.”
“Is our equipment that strange?” Jason asked.
“It is different enough to be noticed,” replied Pa’re coldly.
Jason turned to Peter.
“Leave it behind, we’ll use just what’s been given us.”
Jason and Peter continued dressing quietly, watching Pa’re in the process. The more Jason thought about it, the more Ka’tel’s choice of Pa’re for this mission puzzled him. Pa’re was a fisherman, and he did not leave the village often. From the expression Jason saw on Pa’re’s face, it was obvious that he didn’t like having to guide Jason to the village.
As he finished dressing, Jason heard a knock at the door.
“Come in,” he said, surprised that someone else would be around to see them at this early hour.
Lara and a young man entered. Jason saw that it was Na’on, a close friend of Lara’s who often accompanied her.
“We’ll be joining you,” said Lara.
“Both of you? Why?” asked Jason.
“Father thought it would be good for you to have some company, and to help you in the city.”
Jason didn't like it. The more people they had, the more likely they would be noticed, and that was something he wanted to avoid if possible.
“Time to go,” Pa’re said abruptly, putting an end to Jason’s deliberations.
* * *
Throughout the day, Jason and Peter tried to strike up conversations with Pa’re, trying to break down the barrier they felt he had erected. They had no success, and neither Lara nor No’an were inclined to help. When Jason asked Lara about it, she replied, “It’s not our way to speak for someone else unless we’ve been asked to do so, and Pa’re has not asked us. You will have to resolve this between the two of you.”
Once again, Jason was frustrated. For a people so open and welcoming, they had some customs that were infuriating.
* * *
The hike that day was long and grueling, through the mountains that surrounded the village. Lara explained that the route they were taking was the only access to the village, and was one of the reasons why the village had developed as it had. When Peter asked about the s
ea approach, she said that there were many reefs and shoals in the waters in that stretch of the coastline. Only the local villagers knew them well and they served as a formidable barrier against access that way. The news pleased Jason. Perhaps, he thought, defending the village might not be as impossible as it had first seemed.
For most of the day, they spoke very little. Lara and No’an kept to themselves and when they spoke to each other, it was quiet and private. However, Jason noted there was some conflict in their mannerisms, and wondered if this journey was the cause of it. He was also growing more annoyed with Pa’re, who only spoke to chastise them for being too slow.
That evening, at the campsite, Jason confronted Pa’re.
“I know you don’t want to be here, so why did you agree to guide us, and what do you have against us?”
Pa’re stopped what he was doing and looked directly into Jason’s eyes.
“You personally, I have nothing against. It is you and your people being here that I object to. I suspect that Ka’tel wanted me to explain my position to you and that he thought this trip might be the best manner.”
Jason had suspected that his people’s presence was the cause of Pa’re’s anger, so this did not really surprise him. He waited patiently for him to continue.
Pa’re said nothing, eventually realizing Jason would wait for however long it took for him to continue.
“The task of our village has been to protect you and your people until it was safe for you to come out. Most of the others felt our need for your skills was now important. I didn’t, and still do not think it is safe for you to be here now.”
“We can look after ourselves just fine,” Peter interjected.
Pa’re looked at him and chuckled.
“It is not your safety I’m concerned with. It is ours.”
This did not surprise Jason. He had anticipated Pa’re’s fear that they might take over the village and force the villagers into submission. He let a small smile cross his lips. Pa’re noticed this and continued.
“But we are not afraid of you. It is what you represent. The violence and aggression that was so prevalent in your time will catch and spread. We have nothing to counter it, and my fear is that the young ones will emulate you and destroy what we are.”
Peter laughed loudly.
“You're afraid that we’d destroy you?” he asked. “Man, are you wrong! We were fighting for peace and democracy when we went under. We were trying to preserve our own culture which strove to protect groups like yours.”
Pa’re let out a sneer and looked at Jason.
“He doesn’t understand. But you do. You know what I am talking about.”
“Yes, I think I do,” Jason replied. “And your fears are reasonable. But having your village destroyed by the Empire still destroys you, and with us here, we might be able to prevent that.”
“Yes. That is why I eventually agreed to your wakening. It seems to be the lesser of two evils, but only time will truly tell.”
“What does he mean?” Peter asked Jason.
Jason thought for a moment before answering. He knew what Pa’re meant, but the words were having difficulty coming out.
“Despite our peaceful goals, our society was involved in a lot of conflict. That was going on for a long time before the war. It was just simmering and not readily apparent to anyone but those who were outside the society. Very few of us acknowledged it, or were even aware of it, because it permeated everything we did, from our sports to our video games, and to our entertainment.”
“But most of that wasn’t that violent,” retorted Peter.
This time it was Pa’re who laughed.
“What’s he laughing at?” Peter queried.
“You,” Jason replied softly.
Peter glared at Jason.
“What does that mean?”
“We were so immersed in our society, and in its values and actions, that we took all of it as normal. And being ‘normal’ meant it was sane and right, that it was what was supposed to be. But here it’s different. Have you not noticed that there is no conflict here? Not just ‘very little’, but ‘no’ conflict?”
“No, I hadn’t noticed,” Peter said with a hint of embarrassment.
Pa’re looked pleased at Jason’s explanation and at Peter’s realization of the cultural differences between the two groups.
“So that is why Ka’tel had me accompany you,” he said softly to himself, suddenly realizing the village leader had seen much more than he had let on.
Lara and No’an had been sitting off to one side, listening to the exchange. They had heard Pa’re’s concerns during the village meeting involving the decision to waken the sleeping soldiers, but had not given it much thought at the time. Now, hearing those concerns voiced, and acknowledged, by the leader of the soldiers, they took on a deeper and more sinister awareness.
“Pa’re?” asked No’an, “Are we really in danger of the soldiers destroying us?”
“Yes, No’an. They will. Even if they don’t want to. It is as much a part of them as is their breathing. But it will not happen quickly, and we may not even notice it happening.”
Lara noted what Jason had said. He suddenly appeared much wiser than she had thought, and for some reason she couldn’t identify, she liked that.
“Lara,” No’an interrupted softly, “I’m not sure your idea was so good.”
She looked at him quizzically. Up until now, he had backed her completely and she had thought he understood the consequences of waking the soldiers. He certainly seemed to during all their discussions prior to the village meeting, and after the soldiers had moved to the village.
“What has changed your opinion?” she replied.
“What Pa’re has just said. It was something I hadn’t thought of and we never discussed. I thought that after the soldiers helped us defeat the Empire, they would go back to sleep.”
“No’an,” she replied slowly, “nowhere in our rituals or legends does it mention that the soldiers would leave us after we woke them.”
“I know. And that is why I thought they would return to sleep. Their people no longer exist and they are not part of us. They don’t have a place here. There has been much talk in the village about what would happen to the soldiers after, and many believe they will return to their sleep to wait until the next time they are needed.”
“There’s no way we can do that,” Jason interjected.
He looked directly at No’an, straight into his eyes.
“You don’t have any idea of how many of us didn’t make it, do you?”
No’an dropped his head and softly answered, “No.”
“We started with fifty in the team,” Jason continued angrily. “We’re now twelve. I’m sure you can do the math. That’s thirty-eight, in case you are having problems. Thirty-eight of my team who never woke; who died without ever knowing what had happened to their world. Thirty-eight who went into stasis believing that what they were doing was important.”
No’an had not raised his head, nor said anything, in the time Jason was speaking.
“You don’t understand at all,” Jason said flatly.
“There is no way for him to understand,” Lara said after a few moments. “We have known only peace for all our lives. I do not understand what you are saying either, but I see it is very important to you and I respect you for that. Perhaps some day I will understand.”
Jason immediately felt small. She was right, he thought. They didn’t have a clue as to what he and his team believed; about the code they lived by. He had no right to expect anything from them and yet the anger within him needed an outlet.
“I’m sorry No’an. I didn’t mean to attack you. To be suddenly confronted with the death of so many of the people I worked with, and knew was, is, taking some time to get over.”
No’an finally raised his head.
“I am sorry too, Jason. I had not thought of how hard it must be to be here, and all that you have gone through since you w
oke. Please accept my apologies.”
Jason felt the anger drain from him. He suddenly felt very tired and old. To him, No’an now appeared like a child. In fact, most of the villagers appeared like children out of a fairy tale book he had once read. Naive and too trusting of the world. He suddenly felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
Lara noticed the change in Jason. Even to her, he seemed to age suddenly. She realized he had tremendous responsibilities on his shoulders, more than any other person she had ever known. This revelation shook her. She hadn’t realized the immensity of the task she’d burdened Jason with, and she now wished she had not taken this path.
Lost in her thoughts, Lara slowly realized that No’an had been talking to her.
“I’m sorry, No’an. My mind was elsewhere. What were you saying?”
He looked exasperated with her.
“I was saying that if we’d talked more about what would happen after they defended us, then maybe we wouldn’t have woken them.”
“You know that’s not true!” Lara said angrily. “We still would have needed their help, and we would have found some way of letting them stay.”
“I’m not so sure anymore. Besides, it’s too late now.”
“Yes, it is,” Jason said calmly. “But the topic of what happens later is very dependent on what happens in the immediate future. How we survive the invasion will probably have a great bearing on how we’ll fit in with you. Or even if we’ll fit in.”
Pa’re looked carefully at Jason. Despite his misgivings, he was starting to like the man. Or, at least, to respect him.
* * *
It was mid-afternoon when they crested the hill and saw the city below. Jason noted it was significantly larger than their village.
Strange, he thought, how I’ve already started thinking of the village as “our” village.
They were over five miles from it but he could see that it housed hundreds of people, perhaps over a thousand. He could also see many roads entering it, confirming that it was a commercial center.
As they came nearer to the city, Jason saw that it was rather primitive in nature. All the buildings were made out of wood and stone in a manner suggesting a cross between Old English and Spanish-American. He saw no vehicles of any sort other than wagons drawn by horses, cows, and other assorted livestock. There were few horse riders and these were all well dressed, at least by the standards of those around them. To Jason, it felt as though he had stepped back in time, rather than having traveled to the future.
