November 29, 2008
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YACAS 11-12
Sesshy!
Kipoo cried the cry of victory as the group entered the camp, the slaves much calmer now to see their former comrades in the jungle had 'freed' them of their captivity. The common tongue of the jungle was known by all, and rarely did a different language pop up to add to the secrecy of plans and such, however in the fight to survive, wars could not be afforded. He had done him and his village proud that night, bringing two slaves who had learned the common tongue of the strangers! The chieftain would be most please with them all! Or at least he hoped he would be. They had traveled a very long way after all.
Nukoea himself was pleased that things went so well, however a little worried as well. They had to rely on their shamans to take them out of the field, none of them expected anyone to come outside during the party, and the fact that they were almost caught frightened him. He hoped that they would still be safe in their deep jungle home, since they was no way for them to be followed, especially at night when things were most dangerous, which was yet another odd but good thing. They hadn't run into any resistance by any of the larger predators that usually roamed the area on their way back, although he couldn't figure out why. Stranger and stranger things kept popping up which usually meant an imbalance somewhere, one that would bring the destruction of some at the rising of others.
"We have two brethren who know of the new comers and have learned their ways and their tongue," the chieftain said, the entire camp gathered around in the meeting tent, usually only filled on such occasions. "We will learn of these strangers, and hopefully be able to learn from each other, although the possibility of that is very slim from what I have heard already from our two guests. As it seems that their entire camps and tribes have been either captured or whipped out, which doesn’t bode well for us or any of the others that are still thriving out here in the deep."
Murmurs of discontent spread thought the enclosure, raising a giant three fingered hand, the conversation died away, and attention was once again on the old chieftain and the ones that had been brought to show them of the hardships that may be befalling them in the near future, although none of them wished it to.
"We are made to work during the coolest parts of the day," one said, looking at the other. "Although our master is kind, others do not fare so well, working even in the full light of both suns while we rest and eat and have some time for ourselves. We are the fortunate ones who do not have someone beating us, belittling us and our ways to make room for their own ideologies. Protect yourselves, my allies, protect yourselves from these strangers!"
“They will want nothing less than your life’s loyalty and your skills at whatever they deem worthy of you,” the other responded. “Defend yourselves well with what we will teach you! There is little else you can do, as you have seen the fire beasts they call dragons, those frightful things that both make sure we can’t escape, and protect us in the boundaries. Then there are the beats of impossibility, called Gryphons, and they are the most ferocious beasts that even the Home cannot create and through at us. Beware, my brothers and sisters, beware of the dangers that will face you all!”
This times, the worried glances and whispers could not be deterred by the chief, and he knew it. There were many things that were going through the tribe people’s minds at the moment, as what was going to happen to them and what else was going to befall them in this struggle to stay free and maybe live side by side with that society. As unlikely as that was, he would do everything to keep his people free and for the most part unharmed, as much as he possibly could and with whatever the Universe would give them.
“My people, my guests,” he began, standing up. “We will continue this when the first sun rises, as it is already late and we all are weary from worry and in the case of the ones that brought to us our brothers who had lived the horrors, they had a very exciting and treacherous trip home. Hopefully rest will come easy, and do not forget that we are not on the verge of war, nor are we going to fall on the marrow. Be confident, my people, that we will rise and flourish as the Universe has predetermined, whether it is in the hands of these strangers or our own hands.”
With that ,they went back to their tents, the two ‘captives’ allowed to stay with the chieftain as guests, since they were considered so at the moment. He didn't feel like discussing things that would be address the things that would be addressed at the sunrise, as he was pretty sure that most of the other tribe members would want to hold a morning council, which were rare as it was, since this would be affecting the entire jungle. These strangers were proving to be much more dangerous than previously thought, which did not bode well for him. taking in a deep breath, he said his thanks to the Universe for allowing him to live another day, and went to sleep, most likely the only one who had any decent sleep that night.
=and we get a report of Isabelle. Finally=
Isabelle was all set, speech in hand and her warriors behind her, this auction wasn't going to go well at all, or at least she planned it like that. She had her permit, she had her soapbox, and she was ready for this war to start. The podium was set up, the smaller sun just reaching it's ten o'clock positioning, the larger sun just barely beginning to rise. She still had plenty of time to prepare, to allow her voice some rest before she used it to disturb the group that would gather her and rally her own supporters in her cause, maybe even get some new ones.
"You're here early," Vivienne spat in obvious displeasure. "I surely thought that you had the permit for the same time as my own auction. Don't interrupt the way this works, girl. We are a war bearing race, and this is how we take care of the captives, as the old days did when the High Three were in their infancy and were separated into. Your race was known for their magical capabilities, and were usually used to contact The Priest and Priestess depending which faction got their hands on your kind. Do not fool yourself, girl. This is just the easiest way to control those we conquer, until we gain their full submission and then integrate them into the society we have built. Or did you not pay attention to your history lessons."
Isabelle bit her cheek, not liking the way her people had suffered at the hands of those like Vivienne all those years ago, and how much her words made sense, especially since she was watching it all happen with her own eyes. But then again, all it would take was one ruler, one misguided idiot to make those once free into slaves again, although she doubted that it would ever come down to that. After all, her people had stayed free for many millennia now, although being from a long lived people, there were still some Elders who were born as slaves, and a few that were slaves for most of their young adult lives. She didn't want them to watch as one of their own allowed another race of people be pulled down the same path of destruction. Of a tortured and belittled past that they were expected to completely forget even millennia later.
With a curt nod, Vivienne excused herself to get herself prepared for the auction, and to inspect the alien, as she wasn't able to go to Clyde's little 'showing off' party due to the fact that she had her own matters to attend to. It would do both the alien he had called 'Rowan' and himself to get out more than just to do business, to actually mingle with society instead of trying to stay as far away as he possibly could from it. Although she had to admit herself, sometimes living in Sheystown was enough to drive her mad and wished for something a little more out of the way. This one of the few occasions.
Isabelle watched the older woman leave, most likely to see how things were being taken care of. She hated the fact that she had to be in the same space as that woman, although it did have its advantages as well. It would allow her to appear stronger than she actually felt, although she doubted that would do little good if Vivienne was as ruthless as those that personally knew her said she was. They also told her she was a fool for trying to change something that had been the way of doing things for so long, disbelieving that there actually could be a different way to handle things, one that wouldn't involve slavery or the belittling of proud people to those that were 'socialized'. Societies could exist in different stages, different ways to interact with their environment. They were just as socialized that they were, although their technology could use some improvement, Isabelle had no problem telling the difference between the two.
The auction started without a hitch, Isabelle not permitted to speak until at least ten minutes into it, making it easier for them to at least push through as many trades as they could in that span of time. However, when her permit did go into effect, she had a good third of the townspeople behind her, waiting for the 'leader' of their movement to speak, to lead them in the first real battle with their foes, wondering who would actually come out on top of this whole ordeal.
"My friends, family, other townspeople," she began, her voice carrying over the auction, much to Vivienne’s annoyance and displeasure. "We have gathered here to prove them wrong, that there isn't just one voice against this, there isn't just one person who doesn't want to see our brethren who share this planet enslaved, to be given a sentence a criminal would just because they have a different language, because they have a different way of looking, of doing things. They had their own society, their own beliefs, their own allies and enemies in this place before we ever thought about coming here. they had their own little place in the world, advancing as this harsh environment would allow them, even though we seemed to have the favorable environment for development while they didn't.
"They are now being sold as I speak, being traded for others of their own kind, brother for brother, mother for son, father for daughter, all based on how well they work, how they were trained, instead of keeping families together, instead of thinking about how this is tearing those bonds. Friends will never see other friends again, family members could meet and never know that they were related. This is a sad world that we all live in, that we come to know and accept as the truth and the only way things will be able to be done."
That had some more people join her own crowd, and some polite applause, although she was lighting fires in the hearts and souls of the people she was reaching, which was what she had set out to do. She wanted to save the other tribes that they found, wanted to save them from the same fate that their allies or enemies were having. It sickened her that it had taken this long for her to stand up, as even that alien would have been saved instead of being sold to the highest bidder, although the few times that she had seen the alien sine then inclined that Clyde had been taking rather good care of him, which was one reason that she was happy he was sold to him and not anyone else, but still saddened by the fact that he was sold at all.
Meanwhile, Clyde was listening tot he speech, not really wanting or needing anymore slaves, just getting out here because Vivienne requested that he at least come to let her inspect Rowan, who was wearing his 'Sunday best' so that he made an even better impression than perhaps even at the party. Vivienne was an important ally, although he was a bit proud of Isabelle for having the gull for standing up for what she believed in, for going against the majority on this subject. He was sure that a few minds would be changed because of this, which would mean that her goals were going to one day be realized, although he was sure that equality was going to be harder to come by than she had ever deemed possible.
He looked at those on the podium with amusement, as how it made them seem uncomfortable for being up there, the subject of ridicule for something that was once deemed another part of life. those that didn't have views usually didn't even consider that there were other ways of doing things and didn't believe in their cause at all much and were just going 'along with the crowd'. Vivienne would have to counter and counter hard to at least gain the respect for herself back, as well as rally her own supporters towards her goal, although he wasn't sure how the older women was going to accomplish this. He almost wished that he had more of an interest in this subject, as it would most likely persuade him to at least try to stick around and see how it all turned out, but he had his own country to think about, and getting back to that was his first priority.
"That girl is loud," Rowan scowled, not caring for Isabelle, as elven were usually not well viewed upon in his, Clyde's and Fairfax's world. "However, she is strong and believes in her cause."
"That she does," Clyde grinned. "I have watched that one grow from a small child, and she is a rather opinionated individual. I'm rather proud of her for coming along this far. It makes me want to stick around and maybe see what will come of this."
Rowan didn’t understand how Clyde could make any sort of friend with all these people destined to die long before either of them, but decided that the other endured where he could. He was beginning to see himself a little luckier now that he had people on this world that could not only understand him, but able to teach him the ways of this world now, although he wasn’t too keen on a few aspects like it. He was a little amazed at how fast the world seemed to be evolving, since it had taken them much less time than he thought to start already questioning slavery and such acts, even if the colonization stage was taking much longer than he thought that it should have.
The rest of the auction went off with a bit of annoyance from the other side of the street, Isabelle’s speech being heard the entire time which had those buying faster instead of starting bidding wars or mulling it over so they could get back to the ‘sanity’ of their own homes. Clyde found it annoying that he had to stay over, to ‘show’ Rowan to Vivienne who was in no better mood and somehow even had a colder look around her than she usually had. Rowan couldn’t see how that was physically possible, but he was sure that he would fare better if he kept his mouth shut for once, Clyde silently thanking him for that decision.
“I see he’s being properly trained in manners,” she said, her eyes saying she was slightly pleased while the rest of her was still rigid and cold. “And how is his speech and other studies coming along? From what I hear, he is going to help Senkora with her duties as a butler and doorman.”
“You’re assumptions still amaze me,” Clyde grinned, adjusting his hat to cover his face from the harsh sunlight. “He is picking up the language very well, especially for an alien, and complains that this world is evolving too slow. I guess the way things are being done aren’t to his liking.”
“Well, not everywhere can be the same,” Vivienne nodded, as if she understood exactly where he was coming from. “I am very pleased to hear such progress in such a short time. And he finds your house to his liking?”
Clyde looked at Rowan, who bowed respectively to Vivienne, which pleased her even more. “I find the accommodations very likeable,” he said, trying to hide his accent, and doing a much better job than a few days pervious. “I thank you for allowing me to be taken in by your society and to such a highly sociable house. The party was very interesting.”
“I’m very glad to hear that,” Vivienne replied, looking around, making sure those that she had hired to take the podium down were doing it properly. She didn’t need to buy another one because of their stupidity. “However, I must be going. I do not like how those I hired to take this thing apart are handling it. I would have my own people do it, however, someone may have had a problem with that.”
Her glare at the still talking Isabelle, who only had a few more minutes before her permit expired but a rather large crowd, all sympathizers that would most likely threatened Vivienne’s main source of income as well as way of life. Clyde didn’t miss the malice in her eyes and didn’t wish to be around when the cold woman acted on such an impulse, as that would most likely prove socially suicidal for Isabelle, not thinking the other girl knew what she was getting herself into. Then again, he could be mistaken, as Isabelle already had been taking chances before as if she didn’t care, and therefore it would make this situation even more worse if Vivienne ever did take out any part of her malicious thoughts.
Isabelle herself was very proud as she ended her long speech, thinking that her rally was a huge success after getting a much larger crowd than she expected to get. They even responded well, and she ignored the scathing looks that she received from the other side of the street, a little happy that she was able to force them to look like the bad guys and even caught the interest in some of them. This war was just starting yes, but she was confident that she was going to win.
She had no doubts as she went home that day that she had made a difference, enough of one to celebrate at least a little bit, and walk with her head a little more high. She thought that she was more than prepared to face the social reaction, as well as rejection from anything that she may have personally desired, but that mattered little at the moment. Her cause was growing, little by little, infecting more and more people in its wake. All she had to do now was keep up her feeding of the flame until it spread like the wildfire she knew that it was destined to become.
However, she didn’t realize how close to home the objections would be, nor the fact that her poor father would be drawn into this war no matter how much he stayed out of it. It wasn’t until she got home and looked at it in horror as the holes in the large windows were gaping and would be expensive to replace for her to reflect on how this would effect those around her.
“Have you heard about what was happening with Isabelle,” Fairfax asked, the three of them deciding to discuss on how to feel about this new turn.
“It’s a social movement that was going to be started at one point or another,” Rowan replied with a yawn. Although I’m a bit surprised since the technologies haven’t been invented yet to make life easy yet, nor have they have the other social revolutions which is disturbing. Although I guess it’s good to get the slavery issue out there now so that later it doesn’t come back to bite them.”
“It hinders my plans,” Clyde replied shortly, taking a sip of his tea. “And I plan to get back home before I spend another year on this forsaken planet. My eyes are beginning to wear because of the damn suns.”
“Hence I picked the inner jungle property,” Fairfax said, obviously pleased with his decision.
“Yes, but I make more profit out here,” Clyde nodded. “And was why I was able to buy Rowan and you weren’t even a contender. “
“You two stop it, we can be enemies and childish when we’re back home,” Rowan yelled. “This place is dulling all of us, you to especially as you spent the longest out of any of us here.”
“Don’t remind me,” Fairfax grumbled into his tea, Clyde chuckling lightly. This was turning out to be a very interesting afternoon.
=back to the tribe.=
Plans were formed in defense, although the chieftain didn’t believe that would do them any good. After all, they had technologies that were much more advanced than what they had, and he didn’t want to risk any of his people in perhaps having an ambassador as he would have done been it a different tribe. Even if they were armed with the language of the newcomers, he wasn’t sure that was going to work. These people didn’t seem to understand that they were smart, just a little behind in technology but not behind in social structure. The jungle was a cruel mistress, and he doubted that if the others were in this place that they would have come so far.
They had let the guests stay for as long as they needed, the two escapees deciding to warn the other tribes of the danger that was lurking on the shores and arm them with the knowledge that they had given the descendants of Elephante. They were very thankful with the knowledge, and even allowed a small escort to the next village, that wasn’t very far away but it was customary to show good information with good protection to the destination or at least halfway. Those that hunted in the thick trees and underbrush rarely attacked groups, often settling for those that were alone and vulnerable. That still didn’t help that they really didn’t need another enemy, a much smarter one with better tools that they had.
Kipoo was all for being an ambassador, wanting to figure out the other’s motives as well as wanting to learn all he could about the other peoples. He wanted to know their history, what they saw themselves as, what their society’s goals were, how did so many different people end up coming together to form such an unlikely alliance! They all looked so similar, did everything on that side of The Great Water really look like that or did they assume that there were those that looked like them over here too so they thought to send those that might have looked more appealing to those that lived on the shores? With all of this churning about in his mind, he couldn’t find much rest, nor could he keep from fidgeting since he didn’t want to go against the Chieftain’s orders, no matter how insane he thought they were.
There was just so much that they would be able to learn from each other! Most of the tribe, after much practice and still practicing, had grasped the language, and knew how to speak just as well as the escaped slaves, which was something that he was proud of as that would surely demonstrate the fact that there was a complex social structure and that they could actually live together and learn how to coexist. He didn’t want to ever live in such stuffy looking houses that were rooted to the ground as the trees were. What if danger approached? They would have to leave everything behind instead of just packing everything up quickly and moving on so they would be able to find a safer location to live for awhile. Then again, they had the fire beasts at their command, and the winged terrors and other things that he didn’t have a name for in his own language. ‘Guns”, ‘swords’, ‘runes’, they were all foreign and he didn’t understand what they looked like nor what their purpose was. Were they new beasts that they were slowly bringing over too? Were they even more frightening than the winged terrors and fire beasts? He hardly thought so.
“There you are,” Nukoea huffed, striding into the tent. “We were afraid that you would have went off alone to meet the outsiders with as much as you’ve wanted to.”
“It seems that I’m just destined to stew,” Kipoo replied with a huff. “However, I’m sure that the Universe will allow me to meet them at one point or another. However that point seems to have yet come.”
“You show wisdom for one who barely has any tusks,” Nukoea laughed, turning out. “Just remember that patience is something the Universe has, and therefore so must you.”
Kipoo watched the other leave, and mulled over his options yet again. Maybe he would wait a little longer, so that the Universe could make things more favorable for him. That way, there would be some sliver of a chance that things could improve the rate that he and the outsiders would be able to understand each other. That would be a great thing, especially if it would bring both beings together and maybe even bring some more understanding to those that had been made into laborers, which wasn’t too bad. After all, that was what the tribes in the jungle did as well, so they weren’t breaking any laws. Making enemies into laborers was a very common practice indeed, especially when dangerous work was needed and they didn’t want to risk any of their own tribe’s people.
Taking another deep sigh, he laid back in his hammock, looking up at the skins decorated with the symbols of his family, the story of their coming into being and always being added to by the later generations. He would add his own when he was old and his tusks were large, and when his life was in his twilight. He couldn’t wait until his story would be added, and he would gain all the respect those that came before him as well.
He was awoken by the drum beats, calling another meeting. Groaning, Kipoo rolled out of his hammock, shaking his head to wake himself up and partly in irritation. Whatever the chieftain had to say must have been important for him to be calling a meeting this late in the day, which meant that something must have happened, something that would effect all of their lives.
“My fellow friends,” he began, pointing to the east, “there was a great fire in the settlement of the newcomers today, one that almost reached the jungle’s borders. Hopefully it was just an accident, however, I have never seen such a display in all my years. Usually, it has meant war, or some sort of other troubles. I know I would much rather wait this out and see what the newcomers have in store for the jungle, but this changes everything. The Universe has given me its answer to my question.
“A surveying party will be sent out to see what damage as been done to their settlement, and we may send representatives to their village to see what in world is happening in their own society. Although I would have liked our races to slowly become aware of each other, such threats to The Home are unacceptable, and must have something done about it as soon as possible. The ones that will be going on this mission will be told in private, as I don’t want the tribe either discouraging them or encouraging them to go on this adventure.
“Please, be on your guard,” he said, booming voice traveling over the large gathering. “Make sure that if there is any smoke in the sky to tell me immediately, as that could mean that they are on the move and on the attack. I do not want to think about what would happen if they came here and we had no prior warning of it, or were ignoring the warning that they had given us.”
With that, the meeting had ended, Kipoo’s glee once again resorted as now he had a chance to be that ambassador, maybe even with a little more practice with that language and he could perhaps be the one that Chieftain went to first to see if he could go on that expedition! He couldn’t wait until he received his invitation, somehow sure that he was going to get one. The Universe was going to reward him for his patience, just like Nukoea had told him, and his advice was right. His tent would have the most elegant story of his adventures for his future ancestors to see and read about!
It was days until the Chieftain finally came to his tent, asking him to be the ambassador and Kipoo eagerly accepted, brushing up on his language skills as well as his social understanding that their pervious guests had taught them all. It would be days more until he would be on the trails, sneaking about the other’s encampment for signs of them going further into the jungle or even unrest within their own settlement which was very possible. He just hoped that they would accept him and the rest of his tribe as an intelligent species instead of just something else to conquer.
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