Chapter 8

It took eight days to return to Honso’s village but we made it safely. Jonso and Dona had told their stories over our trek. We returned to the village and went to my house. Elena was happy for my return though not happy about the information I brought.

‘Elena, my love, I must talk to Honso quietly. We’ll stay here. You get him to come visit. The village will need to meet about this but we must watch out for the British. They aren’t happy that Jonso and Dona escaped nor will they like the information they bring to our village.”

Elena left and returned shortly with Honso. He said, “Josh, you’re back!”

“Yes. I brought people from the village with me.”

“Jonso, why are you here?”

“Hello, Honso. My village was raided and everyone was carried off. We have been made to work in their fields and our women are taken regularly whether they wish it or not. My people need help. The two of us escaped but, without Josh, the Britishers would have recaptured or killed us. They looked for us while we walked here.”

Honso said, “Josh, you were concerned that this would be the case. It appears you were more right than you had even imagined. What do you suggest we do?”

“I think that as a gesture of good faith, we need to have the British make a visit and the situation presented to them. Without Jonso and Dona available, they will deny what they are doing. What they will say after Jonso tells of his experiences will be to accuse Jonso of lying. We need to be ready to stop violence on the part of the British.”

“You really think there might be violence, Josh?”

“Yes. There is an old saying from my world. ‘Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.’ The instruction book that they used to justify bombing us still exists. They are following it at their new village. My fear is that, sooner or later, we will have the same problems as Jonso’s people. That’s what their book says they will do.”

Honso said, “I will call a quiet meeting of the village. You and Jonso will talk. Others may speak and we will determine a course of action.” I nodded since I knew this was the practice.

The meeting was called for tomorrow night. That night and for all of tomorrow, I arranged for Elena, Dona, and Jonso to not be found. I had the feeling the British would know and would try to interfere in some way. Just before the meeting time, we went my home on the way and found that it had been ransacked! I was more right than I had thought.

At the meeting, other elders of the village were there but Honso was not. A neighbor of his advised us that a small squad of British had taken him away.

Jonso conferred with a couple of elders. One of them, Arno, presided over the meeting. He called us to order. The first issue was Honso being taken by the British. That was, I found, an act of war. I then told of what had happened on my trip and to my home some time today. Jonso then told his story.

There was little discussion. Once again, we were at war with the British. Arno, Jonso, and I would go to their house and advise them that they had a number of issues. Jonso’s village being one, my house being ransacked being another, and the death of Honso at British hands being the other. Other men and women moved into a position to set their house on fire as well as kill any trying to escape.

The three of us approached the British house. One man was outside. I said, “Good evening. The village has met. We are at war. You have enslaved the people of Jonso’s village, you have ransacked my home, and you have killed our leader, Honso. You will be given a chance to take cover before we start hostilities. We have evacuated our village. We expect to be bombed and eventually die but we will not be dominated without fighting.” I translated and we backed up as the man ran into the house. We ran for cover as they began to shoot at us.

I didn’t know it but we had explosives. After four explosions, the house was a shambles. The people inside waved a white flag. Arno said, “Josh, translate for me. Other than protecting yourself, follow my instructions.” I nodded. We had a flag and went out to talk. Two Britishers and Honso came out. A pistol was being held to Honso’s head and his hands were bound.

We approached and stopped. The British and their hostage came closer. Before anyone could say anything, Honso spoke. He said, “I was taken against my will and the British have threatened me. I am prepared to die. The enemy may not use me as a bargaining chip.”

I had to translate to the British. Honso struggled loose and began to walk toward our defensive line. The Britisher aimed his pistol. I said, “If you shoot him, you won’t outlive him but by seconds.” He paled realizing that this was real and no bluff. From inside the house, a voice ordered, “Shoot!” The man’s finger tightened on the trigger. I tackled Jonso and Arno as Honso ducked behind a barricade. I could hear bows twang and both Britishers went down dying from the arrows in their bodies.

Jonso, Arno, and I were in a slight ditch. Bullets passed over us but only grazed us. Arno was on his back and shouted, “Fire the sides!” I found that my people had invented a new weapon, a flame thrower.

Both sides of the building caught fire! It burned surprisingly quickly. Suddenly, the Britishers came running out with their hands in the air in surrender. They were shouting in our language that they surrendered.

We had forty prisoners, fifteen of who were women. We gathered them and frisked them. Honso, Arno, and Jonso stood in front of them all. I stood to one side close by to translate. All three were angry.

Jonso said, “My village was raided and surrendered and then all the women in the village were forced to have sex with the Britishers. We could do the same with these Britisher women.” I translated.

The Britishers paled. One man said, “That’s uncivilized.”

I replied. “Yes, I think so, too. You did it to Jonso’s people and would have done it here. Why shouldn’t we do it to you. That’s how you treat those who surrender to you.”