by LARDLAD (ANTHONY E. TAYLOR)
That evening, as preparations were hurriedly being made for the attack at dawn, Zil took a break and visited with Jalarl. Jalarl was warming himself by an open fire. Cham was away lending a little morphing muscle to some of the preparations.
"So, Jalarl...what do you think of freedom?" Zil began.
"To be honest, sir," Jalarl answered, "it's a little scary!"
"I know what you mean, young one. I was a slave as well."
"You were?" Jalarl was disbelieving. Zil to him exuded such confidence like he'd been always free.
"Yes. I was about your age when the person who preceded me as leader, Hahnso, freed a group of us from a work camp."
"What happened to him?"
"Hahnso?" Zil had a distant mournful look in his eyes as he spoke. "He died five cycles ago in a similar mission to the one that freed me. He was like a father to me."
"Father?" Jalarl was puzzled.
"Ah, I forget sometimes the cir***stances and mindset I had as a slave. Do you have a mother?"
"Yes...at least I did. I haven't seen here since..."
"Since you turned five cycles! Yes, that's the standard time of separation. What you don't know...what your mother may not have known...is that every child has a father and a mother! Before the Khunds took over, this was common knowledge as all children were raised by their father AND mother well beyond five cycles. And all remained in contact beyond."
Jalarl was astounded by this. He'd learned many new things the past few days, but this was possibly the most foreign yet. "So, I have a father?" he managed.
"Yes and no. The Khunds didn't allow men and women to make children in the natural way. The Khunds needed to breed fresh slaves, so they artificially took the seed from men and placed them inside the wombs of women. You see, to promote the warmth and tenderness of a family was seen to undermine Khund rule. So, you do have a father but not one who knew, or probably even ever saw, your mother. If you or I had been enslaved much longer, our seeds would have been taken in such a manner!"
Jalarl looked around. He saw a man and women cradling an infant. Zil saw this. "Yes, Jalarl...those two found love and happiness with one another and created together that beautiful child. They, in essence, are that for which we are fighting!"
As the realization sunk in, Jalarl began to sob then cry full out. Zil offered an embrace to comfort the young ex-slave. "I never imagined just how much the Khunds had enslaved us, Zil," the boy managed.
"Yes, Jalarl...to see what the Khunds have taken from our planet in full is to see the true face of evil. They have deprived you, me and millions more of the simple joy of being part of a family." Zil added his own tears at this point. "Even after all these years of fighting, I've never stopped being able to mourn the loss of what I never had, but should have had."
Jalarl's face hardened. "Zil, I want to go with you on tomorrow's mission! I want to fight to free Rinaxl!"
"I believe you, young one," Zil answered, "but you are inexperienced in combat. We need to train you in the proper skills! You have no knowledge of how to fight right now. You'd probably be killed. I want you to have every advantage when you participate. You will sit this one out, but soon, you will get to fight for our cause. Do you understand, child?"
"Y-yes, Zil," Jalarl answered with as much conviction as he could fake. Inside he was determined to take an immediate role. Somehow, he would go with them and prove he was ready. He would fight for all the mothers, fathers and children.
"Goodbye, child," Zil said, "we will speak more after the victory!"
After Zil exited, Jalarl whispered, "and I will be there to help!"
End Part Seven