"FREE-38" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jerome Bigge - Warlady 9 - The Freedom Fighters Of Trelandar)Freedom Fighters of Trelandar A Tale of Adventure in the Second Dark Age Book Nine of the Warlady Series By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Thirty Eight "I'm `serious', what I said to you," Lady Lana said to me as we had dinner together. Senator Daris having gone to Thistle "to throw his weight around" as Lana had so put it here. He'd taken Carl and several men at arms with him to insure his own safety, a wise "precaution" we'd warned him considering everything too now. We were having pot roast and mashed potatoes, gravy, stewed car- rots. The "dinner" Carl and I would have had but for Lord Daris. Jerry was outside, playing with Mischief, tossing a ball for her. "I have no wish to live the `life' of an outlaw, especially not now," I answered. Attempting to overthrow Darlanis' occupa- tion of Trelandar was something sure to "fail" unless we had the right person to lead us. And that had to be someone who would be popular enough with the people of Trelandar to make them willing to fight, to die for the cause of a free Trelandar! I was well enough "known", but I did not have the "reputation" necessary for such a task. And in any case I had no doubts that Darlanis was well enough aware of my abilities to take immediate action should I even attempt to organize any sort of "resistance movement" now! "I plan to speak to Lady Tirana about this," she said to me. "She will tell you how `hopeless' it would be," I grinned. "You did have an `organization'," Lana protested in return. "We will have to have help from the outside," I pointed out. "Then we go to Dularn, to Talon," Lana quickly retorted now. "To `assist' us would be an act of war against Darlanis," I pointed out as we sat there with the remains of our meal sipping wine and talking talk that I knew well would go nowhere here now. It was one thing to talk of making a revolution against Darlanis, another thing entirely to actually do it. I supposed that it was possible to make all sorts of "trouble", but Darlanis certainly wasn't going to let Trelandar go just because we killed a few of her men at arms from time to time. She, or more likely Princess Tara here would make "reprisals" against the people of Trelandar. I'd seen such "tactics" in use too in the last months of the war. There was also the problem of quislings like Lara Warsan, who was one of our most well known, Miss Warsan being head of the Prosti- tute Guild, thanks to Darlanis, who had seen a good opportunity.* * This was my "opinion" about Lara Warsan at the time. (Sanda) "There are parts of this estate that could `hide' people for years," Lana pointed out. The forests to the south of the manor being thick and for the most part uninhabited. On the other hand if the Imperials were serious about hunting people down, they had the ability to do so, using dogs and say a Legion's worth of men. Thus, any band of freedom fighters had to be people who lived in the area, and who conducted their activities only when so needed. Not "guerrilla warfare" as such, but more like "terrorism" here. The "thought" making me smile as I thought of what the Imperials had called my activities, perhaps with more truth than I'd known. "It is more a matter of the `fish' swimming in the `sea'," I smiled back. "Those who fight for the freedom of Trelandar must be those who the Imperials will least suspect," I pointed out now to her. "Not just people lurking in the forests like bandits..." I'd had to learn my own tactics as I'd went along, and I was well aware too of the "fact" that it would be all too easy for such a force to become more just a gang of outlaws than a force for lib- eration. It is "easy" for guerrilla fighters with their arms to see the disarmed people around them as "sheep" to be "exploited". There is also an issue of how do you deal with quislings and the sort who tries to keep from getting "involved" in things here... Those who will betray you for money are often less of a "problem" than those who will betray you out of fear of what the enemy will do to them. In practice you have to exercise military discipline over the people, force them to act in ways that they fear to do. You have to make them give of themselves in ways they don't want to do. Make them commit themselves to a cause that many may see as futile, as a "losing cause" that only a fool might so support. Then there are those who shrink from the idea of violence against the enemy, especially if the enemy forces in their area have been "behaving" themselves and are now perhaps seen as "legitimate"... Another problem that arises is that many people, while will- ing to fight in battle, tend to draw back from the thought of am- bushing someone say walking down a path, killing them from behind in a surprise attack. Even those of the black castes have their "problems" with such, especially those who see warfare as being a sort of "national affair of honor" with rules and everything now. Lurking in the shadows and plunging a dagger into someone's back isn't considered "honorable" by the caste codes, but it is a part of guerrilla warfare, of fighting against those who are occupying your country. In guerrilla warfare, there are no "rules" as such like there are in more conventional forms of warfare. You don't as a rule take prisoners, and you might also kill even those who throw down their arms and try to surrender although I "drew the line" at this, and never allowed it among my own forces here now. What is necessary here is to see the enemy as ENEMY, as EVIL INCARNATE, as servants of the Evil One, even if many you kill are no doubt little different from those who are your own friends. I might note that with occupation forces you can also run into the sort of a situation where parents will have their own children in camp with them. Or where you will ambush a mother with her child and know that her little boy actually watched his own mother die! And then when later you hold your own child to yourself, you know that you killed another little boy's mother, that you killed her! Then you start wondering if it's all worth it, whether or not you should continue on with a "resistance movement" that is being de- nounced not only by the enemy, but by so many of your own people! You start wondering if you're a" freedom fighter" or a criminal!! Especially when you're doing things that are ordinarily crimes... "The question is: Do you have the `guts' for it?" I said, sipping at my wine, the breeze ruffling the lace window curtains. I could feel myself sweating underneath the cotton print I wore. I was aware of my swollen belly, of the fact that I was pregnant. That I was now in a "family" way as some might put it here now. "From another I'd consider that an `insult'," she retorted. "It isn't like warfare," I said, holding her eyes with mine as we now sat there with our dirty dishes on the table before us. "You do things that no honorable person would enjoy doing," I ex- plained, hoping that she'd understand where I was coming from... "It's not some `game' like war basically is..." I continued here. "There are no rules, no `codes of honor' that apply," I "smiled". "You don't want to `do' this, do you?" Lana challenged me. "Could you kill a mother with a baby in her arms?" I asked. I'd had that happen to me once. The woman had come running out, and I'd shot at another, missed him, and hit her, my arrow going through the baby's body into its mother's. I had too many "bad" memories to want to rashly jump into doing this stuff again now! Jerry coming in then with Mischief at his heels, the dog running to the table and putting her paws on my leg now for a hand out... "I don't know," Lana breathed, looking down at the table as I gave Mischief the piece of "fat meat" that I'd "saved" for her, the Boston Terrier gobbling it up and grinning up at me for more. "Let's clean up the table," I suggested, seeing her nodding. "I keep thinking that if we don't `do' anything..." Lana said to me as she found herself a comfortable chair and settled in with a cup of coffee, a "delicacy" here that few could afford. "Darlanis could die in battle," I pointed out to her here. "Or of old age a century from now," Lana pointed out to me. "We lack a `leader' to inspire the people," I retorted back. It was true that I was Paula's sister, but I wasn't a Warrioress. And even if I did accept the caste mark, it wouldn't mean much... "There is Lady Tirana," Lana said, grasping at straws here. "If things were different, and we had Darlanis..." I smiled, seeing Lady Lana nod. Darlanis was awesome, the sort of a woman who could inspire armies to die in her honor. That was the "se- cret" of her power over men, her awesome beauty. That wonderful clear ringing voice of hers that made you "believe" despite your- self. That feeling of "goodness" that she seemed to radiate too! Even Paula with all her beauty had been no "match" for Darlanis!! "Or Janet Rogers..." Lana laughed softly, smiling at me now. "We need to do some serious thinking..." I said to her then. It was my opinion that it was impossible to get the Imperials out of Trelandar unless someone else first "defeated" them in battle. Caused Darlanis to lose "face" with her own people, something I'd been surprised hadn't "happened" as yet with her defeat by Talon. Yet she was still as "popular" as ever, despite everything here! "There is no one `else' but you..." Lana spoke to me then. "I'm afraid right now I can't `do' that much," I smiled. "Perhaps `next year'," Lady Lana then smiled, getting up. "I'll be glad to see the last of `Lord Hog'," Carl said as I "warmed" up a dinner for him a couple of hours later, the sun now set, Jerry in bed with Mischief as usual snuggled in next to him. Senator Jan Daris having returned here from his visit to Thistle. The cries of the night birds audible through the open windows. "One of the Empire's `finest'," I grinned back at him. Freedom Fighters of Trelandar A Tale of Adventure in the Second Dark Age Book Nine of the Warlady Series By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Thirty Eight "I'm `serious', what I said to you," Lady Lana said to me as we had dinner together. Senator Daris having gone to Thistle "to throw his weight around" as Lana had so put it here. He'd taken Carl and several men at arms with him to insure his own safety, a wise "precaution" we'd warned him considering everything too now. We were having pot roast and mashed potatoes, gravy, stewed car- rots. The "dinner" Carl and I would have had but for Lord Daris. Jerry was outside, playing with Mischief, tossing a ball for her. "I have no wish to live the `life' of an outlaw, especially not now," I answered. Attempting to overthrow Darlanis' occupa- tion of Trelandar was something sure to "fail" unless we had the right person to lead us. And that had to be someone who would be popular enough with the people of Trelandar to make them willing to fight, to die for the cause of a free Trelandar! I was well enough "known", but I did not have the "reputation" necessary for such a task. And in any case I had no doubts that Darlanis was well enough aware of my abilities to take immediate action should I even attempt to organize any sort of "resistance movement" now! "I plan to speak to Lady Tirana about this," she said to me. "She will tell you how `hopeless' it would be," I grinned. "You did have an `organization'," Lana protested in return. "We will have to have help from the outside," I pointed out. "Then we go to Dularn, to Talon," Lana quickly retorted now. "To `assist' us would be an act of war against Darlanis," I pointed out as we sat there with the remains of our meal sipping wine and talking talk that I knew well would go nowhere here now. It was one thing to talk of making a revolution against Darlanis, another thing entirely to actually do it. I supposed that it was possible to make all sorts of "trouble", but Darlanis certainly wasn't going to let Trelandar go just because we killed a few of her men at arms from time to time. She, or more likely Princess Tara here would make "reprisals" against the people of Trelandar. I'd seen such "tactics" in use too in the last months of the war. There was also the problem of quislings like Lara Warsan, who was one of our most well known, Miss Warsan being head of the Prosti- tute Guild, thanks to Darlanis, who had seen a good opportunity.* * This was my "opinion" about Lara Warsan at the time. (Sanda) "There are parts of this estate that could `hide' people for years," Lana pointed out. The forests to the south of the manor being thick and for the most part uninhabited. On the other hand if the Imperials were serious about hunting people down, they had the ability to do so, using dogs and say a Legion's worth of men. Thus, any band of freedom fighters had to be people who lived in the area, and who conducted their activities only when so needed. Not "guerrilla warfare" as such, but more like "terrorism" here. The "thought" making me smile as I thought of what the Imperials had called my activities, perhaps with more truth than I'd known. "It is more a matter of the `fish' swimming in the `sea'," I smiled back. "Those who fight for the freedom of Trelandar must be those who the Imperials will least suspect," I pointed out now to her. "Not just people lurking in the forests like bandits..." I'd had to learn my own tactics as I'd went along, and I was well aware too of the "fact" that it would be all too easy for such a force to become more just a gang of outlaws than a force for lib- eration. It is "easy" for guerrilla fighters with their arms to see the disarmed people around them as "sheep" to be "exploited". There is also an issue of how do you deal with quislings and the sort who tries to keep from getting "involved" in things here... Those who will betray you for money are often less of a "problem" than those who will betray you out of fear of what the enemy will do to them. In practice you have to exercise military discipline over the people, force them to act in ways that they fear to do. You have to make them give of themselves in ways they don't want to do. Make them commit themselves to a cause that many may see as futile, as a "losing cause" that only a fool might so support. Then there are those who shrink from the idea of violence against the enemy, especially if the enemy forces in their area have been "behaving" themselves and are now perhaps seen as "legitimate"... Another problem that arises is that many people, while will- ing to fight in battle, tend to draw back from the thought of am- bushing someone say walking down a path, killing them from behind in a surprise attack. Even those of the black castes have their "problems" with such, especially those who see warfare as being a sort of "national affair of honor" with rules and everything now. Lurking in the shadows and plunging a dagger into someone's back isn't considered "honorable" by the caste codes, but it is a part of guerrilla warfare, of fighting against those who are occupying your country. In guerrilla warfare, there are no "rules" as such like there are in more conventional forms of warfare. You don't as a rule take prisoners, and you might also kill even those who throw down their arms and try to surrender although I "drew the line" at this, and never allowed it among my own forces here now. What is necessary here is to see the enemy as ENEMY, as EVIL INCARNATE, as servants of the Evil One, even if many you kill are no doubt little different from those who are your own friends. I might note that with occupation forces you can also run into the sort of a situation where parents will have their own children in camp with them. Or where you will ambush a mother with her child and know that her little boy actually watched his own mother die! And then when later you hold your own child to yourself, you know that you killed another little boy's mother, that you killed her! Then you start wondering if it's all worth it, whether or not you should continue on with a "resistance movement" that is being de- nounced not only by the enemy, but by so many of your own people! You start wondering if you're a" freedom fighter" or a criminal!! Especially when you're doing things that are ordinarily crimes... "The question is: Do you have the `guts' for it?" I said, sipping at my wine, the breeze ruffling the lace window curtains. I could feel myself sweating underneath the cotton print I wore. I was aware of my swollen belly, of the fact that I was pregnant. That I was now in a "family" way as some might put it here now. "From another I'd consider that an `insult'," she retorted. "It isn't like warfare," I said, holding her eyes with mine as we now sat there with our dirty dishes on the table before us. "You do things that no honorable person would enjoy doing," I ex- plained, hoping that she'd understand where I was coming from... "It's not some `game' like war basically is..." I continued here. "There are no rules, no `codes of honor' that apply," I "smiled". "You don't want to `do' this, do you?" Lana challenged me. "Could you kill a mother with a baby in her arms?" I asked. I'd had that happen to me once. The woman had come running out, and I'd shot at another, missed him, and hit her, my arrow going through the baby's body into its mother's. I had too many "bad" memories to want to rashly jump into doing this stuff again now! Jerry coming in then with Mischief at his heels, the dog running to the table and putting her paws on my leg now for a hand out... "I don't know," Lana breathed, looking down at the table as I gave Mischief the piece of "fat meat" that I'd "saved" for her, the Boston Terrier gobbling it up and grinning up at me for more. "Let's clean up the table," I suggested, seeing her nodding. "I keep thinking that if we don't `do' anything..." Lana said to me as she found herself a comfortable chair and settled in with a cup of coffee, a "delicacy" here that few could afford. "Darlanis could die in battle," I pointed out to her here. "Or of old age a century from now," Lana pointed out to me. "We lack a `leader' to inspire the people," I retorted back. It was true that I was Paula's sister, but I wasn't a Warrioress. And even if I did accept the caste mark, it wouldn't mean much... "There is Lady Tirana," Lana said, grasping at straws here. "If things were different, and we had Darlanis..." I smiled, seeing Lady Lana nod. Darlanis was awesome, the sort of a woman who could inspire armies to die in her honor. That was the "se- cret" of her power over men, her awesome beauty. That wonderful clear ringing voice of hers that made you "believe" despite your- self. That feeling of "goodness" that she seemed to radiate too! Even Paula with all her beauty had been no "match" for Darlanis!! "Or Janet Rogers..." Lana laughed softly, smiling at me now. "We need to do some serious thinking..." I said to her then. It was my opinion that it was impossible to get the Imperials out of Trelandar unless someone else first "defeated" them in battle. Caused Darlanis to lose "face" with her own people, something I'd been surprised hadn't "happened" as yet with her defeat by Talon. Yet she was still as "popular" as ever, despite everything here! "There is no one `else' but you..." Lana spoke to me then. "I'm afraid right now I can't `do' that much," I smiled. "Perhaps `next year'," Lady Lana then smiled, getting up. "I'll be glad to see the last of `Lord Hog'," Carl said as I "warmed" up a dinner for him a couple of hours later, the sun now set, Jerry in bed with Mischief as usual snuggled in next to him. Senator Jan Daris having returned here from his visit to Thistle. The cries of the night birds audible through the open windows. "One of the Empire's `finest'," I grinned back at him. |
|
|