Chapter 10

I met with the council of leaders. Somehow, a copy of the British manual had been obtained and I was put to translating it. The leaders weren’t impressed nor pleased. One said, “There is no provision for any independence on the part of the ‘native peoples.’ Jonso has been telling us that we will have to fight and win. I now understand that. They do not consider the possibility of equality in their manual.”

Another said, “I would like to hear Josh talk about the similar actions in his universe. The similarities are frightening.” Others nodded. Honso gave me a nod.

I stood. “Leaders, there are parallels from my universe. My world, when I was removed from it to here, did not have interplanetary travel, much less interstellar. If that occurs for my world, it lies in the future. The Britishers we have met and the manual we have studied seem to follow a path that had been found unhealthy in the long run on my world. My people had finally disavowed it. The Britishers of this universe don’t seem to have had that epiphany. Therefore, we must make decisions based upon what we have seen and what I have extrapolated from my history.

“On my world, we went through a period of history hundreds of years ago in which people who lived differently were considered less than others and ripe for conquest. It was a time called the colonial period. There were some things that occurred including thinking that seem to have parallels for us.

“First, my world had kings and decided that they were a bad idea. People in my world elect their leaders. They weren’t always better but there was the reasonable hope that the next election would cure the problem. Despots did not last. We had what was called the ‘rule of law.’ It wasn’t perfect but was better than any alternative we had found. The British haven’t had that happen.

“Second, we learned that people were different and found what worked for them in different ways. The British do not admit that. To them, natives who aren’t their obvious equals in their type of technology are automatically inferior.

“I guess a third item would be that they have some technology to traverse between stars and yet it appears that their personal technology is inferior to that of my home world. Their radios are clunky, for instance. It shows that technology is different everywhere.”

A man I didn’t know said, “We must decide what to do about them. By that, I mean a solution that removes them from our world or dramatically changes their attitude. I’m concerned that it will take a harsh lesson to have any hope of getting through. We may have to head for the stars after we get them stopped here.”

There was more discussion but the words of that leader appeared to be the track that the leaders would adopt. I was amazed at the casualness about developing star travel.

The meeting broke up. Honso and I were tasked along with another leader, Timmo, with clearing the British. I was only involved to translate since I had no idea how this was going to happen. Men and women from both villages were gathered and given instructions.

Timmo asked me, “Josh, did you bring the radio from Abide?”

“Yes, Sir. However, it has no power nor antenna.”

“No problem. Give it to Janna. Tell her I want to talk to the British and listen in on any of their conversations within two hours.” I nodded.

A woman came to me as I stood with Elena and said, “I am Janna. I know Elena so you must be Josh.” She looked at Elena and grinned. “He looks good.” She looked back at me. “Where is the radio?” I handed it to her wordlessly. She looked it over, opened the case with a fingernail. She smiled. “Very good. I rather thought that’s what it would be like. It won’t be difficult to duplicate its abilities.” I just nodded. She left with the radio.

I said, “Elena, I am astounded by the technological ability that is available when it’s needed.”

“Josh, we went through a time of technology a thousand years or so. We have developed away from that. Our big interest is personal relations.

“We must prepare for the British surrender. We will also have to help Jonso’s people when they are released. You will be charged with translating to and from the British.”

Elena and I gathered blankets. We stored them in an area that another village had prepared as a camp for captives.

Janna returned with a radio, at least that’s what she called it. She showed me how to work it. I turned it on and we could hear the British talking!

“Sir Archibald, this is Her Majesty’s Star Ship Mary the ninth with Commander Andrews. We understand that the colony has no ships left due to a native uprising. We were not advised that the natives had any explosives. What happened?”

“Commander, we don’t really know. We made a run to Willoughbyton and wiped out the native village and some people who were on their way to Kingston. Two nights later, all the ships were exploded without warning. Our commander in Willoughbyton had advised that the natives had some kind of fire thrower that they were using against them. That was their last transmission. The natives took over the radio. We believe it now lost.”

“It doesn’t matter, Sir Archibald. This is a coded channel. What do we need to do?”

“Evacuate us and then carpet bomb this area. We will have to start over. The natives don’t take well to laboring anyway.” I gasped.