Allied Forces Vs. Platonians (9.2)

Chris and Laurie had only run a short distance from Dirin City when they came upon a Squirrel standing in wait for them. The two children stopped dead in their tracks. They relaxed, however, when they saw that the Squirrel also carried an ECOP tegar. He was the one making the signal. When he noticed the children, the Squirrel collapsed his tegar and clipped it on a woven belt that was strapped across his chest.

"Hello," he said smiling, "You two would be Chris and Laurie?"

The children nodded, putting their own staffs back on their belts as they cautiously approached the Squirrel.

"My name is Bushwhacker," the Squirrel replied with a smile before it faded into a look of concern.

"I have been sent, along with a few others by Whirlp to help round up all the ECOPs."

Confused and growing more concerned, Laurie blurted, "Is there a problem?"

"Whirlp did not want to give any details until every member was with him. I believe there is a threat of attack. Mind you, I am only inferring this based on rumors."

"When and where must we go?" Chris asked.

"We have a few more members to locate, and then we will join the gathering tomorrow morning."

"Sir, I believe we should tell our parents where we are going," Laurie suggested as Chris nodded in agreement.

"Tarpin is on his way to speak with them, you passed him on your way here."

"What!" exclaimed Laurie, "How? We did not see him!"

"He is a master of disguise; I do believe he was hidden in a tree somewhere in your city, watching to make sure you heard and understood the signal. It's a prerequisite for new members. We need to be sure you can identify the signal on your own in the event of trouble," Bushwhacker added with a smile, "You have passed quite admirably."

Chris and Laurie smiled.

"Well— Tarpin will catch up with us later; we'd best be going," Bushwhacker turned to the south and lead the way over the grassy fields.

"Mr. Bushwhacker--" Chris began, careful to stay even with the ground-eating stride.

"Please," the Squirrel replied with a smile while continuing his swift pace, "Just call me Bushwhacker."

"Umm, OK, Bushwhacker – aren't you a Squirrel?"

Bushwhacker smiled. He had wondered when they would grow curious about his tribal affiliations.

"Yes I am," He said, "The life filled with suspicion of others was not for me. I wanted to know every single detail before I acted. Quite unlike my kinsmen, the tribal Squirrels, who love to jump to conclusions about everyone and everything. I believe you have met them."

"Uh…" The single syllable was all Chris found himself able to manage.

"Yes, we have," Laurie answered.

Bushwhacker smiled. "Yes, I heard a bit about the misunderstanding from Tarpin. Ever since the arrival of the first small group of Platonians, about ten years ago, my people have become increasingly jumpy," Bushwhacker explained.

The little group fell silent. They were traveling southeast from Dirin City through the area Laurie and Dr. Smith flew over, what seemed like centuries ago, looking for a water source. Chris and Laurie had taken out their MTD's and would stop occasionally to record information about the landscape into their journals.

"There should be a small stream coming up soon," Chris stated while walking and peering into his MTD screen.

Focused on the screen, he bumped into Laurie. Mumbling an apology, he put his computer away and paid attention to the path.

"We should find two more members waiting for us on the other side of the stream." Bushwhacker informed them.

Upon reaching the stream, they crossed on natural stepping-stones they found midstream. When they reached the opposite bank, there was no sign of the expected ECOPs.

"Where are they?" Chris asked.

Bushwhacker scanned the forest edge with scrutiny.

"Perhaps we should signal them?" Laurie suggested.

"Yes, I suppose so. They're probably just late," Bushwhacker replied with a nod.

All three ECOPs took out their tegars from their belts, extended them with two shakes of their wrists, and commenced generating the signal. Two iguanas came dashing from the woods, signaling in response. As the group came together, they each put away their tegars. The iguanas bent over panting and laughing, their hands on their scaly knees.

After they caught their breath, they both straightened up and introduced themselves.

"I'm Mon,"

"I'm Nom,"

"Sorry we're late," they chirped in unison,

"Chameleons had farmland disputes,"

"We just managed to get it all settled."

Bushwhacker smiled and nodded, "Quite understandable, it is farming season for the chameleons. Whirlp expected something like that to come up… Mon, Nom, this is Laurie Kingston and Chris Hagan,"

"A pleasure,"

"To meet you," said Mon and Nom smiling.

The brothers were identical, Laurie noticed, from the way the ridges above their eyes curved to the pattern in the scales down their chests. They both had orange spines running down their backs and multiple black rings down their tails. The tips of their tails were the only physical trait Laurie noticed a difference in; one was black the other green. The brother who had identified himself as Mon wore a red braided bracelet around his right arm.

"You two are twins!" Laurie exclaimed with a laugh.

"You are also iguanas, like Tarpin, if I'm not mistaken," Chris added.

The way Mon and Nom kept jumping and hopping around, it was hard to tell.

"Right and,"

"Right again!" The twin brothers answered as they continued dancing in place on their tiptoes.

The children laughed.

"We thought Tarpin," Mon started.

"Would be joining us." Nom finished.

"He will join us at the meeting," Bushwhacker answered.

The twins stopped dancing and started doing arm circles.

"We should probably make camp now," Bushwhacker continued, looking toward the setting sun.

Chris and Laurie went off to look for edible plants while the twins went to look for firewood. Bushwhacker put together a fire ring with rocks from the riverbed.

Soon after everyone had eaten, the twins stretched out on the riverbank and fell into a watchful sleep. Bushwhacker and the children sat beside a merrily crackling fire.

"Are Mon and Nom always this energetic?" Laurie asked.

"They have their days. Mon and Nom can be serious when duty calls. Even so, you haven't seen the worst of it. I'm just glad the Chameleons had the sense not to let them anywhere near their sugar cane; now that makes them hyper!" Bushwhacker answered.

Chris chuckled as he found himself trying to imagine Mon and Nom more energetic than they were today.

Shaking her head and suppressing a giggle, Laurie asked, "Are we meeting up with anyone else?"

"Yes, just two more," replied Bushwhacker, "We will meet them in the lake just southwest of our current position. We'll be traveling through the forest tomorrow."

"Did you say 'in' the lake?" Chris exclaimed, his head snapping up to attention; he had been staring into the fire, his face expressionless.

"Yes; Whirlp sent word to me that they have been down in the lake helping with a building problem."

Laurie and Chris looked at each other with raised eyebrows, their faces clearly expressing their disbelief.

The growing group left early in the morning. They had been walking through the forest until mid-morning when Chris and Laurie found themselves staring into a lake, at the bottom of which they could see the shining expanse of an entire town—and two rabbits swimming upwards towards them. When they reached the surface, they wrung their ears free of the water. The pair joined their small band now continuing their trek southeast, toward what Bushwhacker referred to as "The Meeting Place."

The meeting place turned out to be a meadow in the shape of a natural amphitheater surrounded by trees. Laurie wasn't sure about the headcount, but by her estimate there were close to a hundred ECOPs gathered here. Bushwhacker and the others dispersed, leaving Laurie and Chris standing at the edge of the gathering. Waves of concerned-sounding murmurs could be heard through the crowd.

Chris tapped Laurie on the shoulder as he saw her looking around for Tarpin.

"Did you see those two rabbit ECOPs?" Chris asked. "How do you think they stayed underwater, much less helped do anything down there!"

"They wear weights on their feet, err… paws, and they can breathe underwater." Laurie replied, sounding distracted.

"What!"

"Yeah,"

"How did you know that?"

"I asked one of them," Laurie explained, craning her neck to try to see over the shoulders of a creature that reminded her of an otter. "They claim that there is something in the water that will allow anyone or anything to breathe."

"Wow!" Chris exclaimed.

"Yeah," Laurie answered jokingly as she decided to stop trying to look for Tarpin. "No need for scuba gear!"

Any further conversation was cut off as they noticed Whirlp, stepping up onto a stump near the center of the assemblage.

As the noise died down, someone came up behind Chris and Laurie.

"Hello,"

"Tarpin!" Laurie exclaimed as she turned around, smiling.

"Hey!" Chris replied in welcome.

Tarpin smiled, laid his scaly paws lightly on each of their shoulders, and then fixed his eyes on Whirlp, who raised his hands for silence. The crowd became still.

"Fellow ECOPs, I have called a gathering here today because we are facing a difficult situation. Many of you know firsthand of the Platonians"-- at this, a slight murmur rose again, and an instant later was silenced "We have been given information from our spies that the Platonians plan to stage an all-out attack on us" Another wave of murmurs followed.

"But that is not all. They also plan to attack the Earthlings and the Laskonians. Whirlp paused as the crowd murmured in outrage. "I can guarantee you all that they will not rest until they have conquered every group and tribe. I suggest we fight them and settle this once and for all – we simply cannot allow this!" Shouts of assent filled the air.

A stray hand rose up out of the crowd, and Leader Whirlp acknowledged it.

"Sir, the Platonian armies outnumber us fifty to one."

Chris and Laurie looked at each other; Laurie's eyes brightened and she began pushing through the crowd, with Chris following close behind.

"Yes," said Whirlp, "But we must try. The future of the next generations of inhabitants here on Exandra, and on other planets, hangs in the balance. If we lose there will not be any peace, only oppression. Are we not Caretakers of the Peace?"

Another stray hand rose and was acknowledged. Laurie stepped forward.

"Sir, you say we are outnumbered fifty to one?"

Whirlp nodded.

"If we extend a hand of allegiance to all the groups here on Exandra and Lask, if we join together to fight, we would have better odds at defeating them!"

"There is strength in numbers," Chris added, as he came up behind her.

The ECOP leader quietly considered the children's suggestion. He gazed around at the group assembled before him, and turned again to smile at the children. Everyone started talking and nodding at once in agreement.

"That just might work. Tarpin, Chris, and Laurie," Whirlp commanded, "you three will appeal to the leader of Lask and to the citizens of Dirin City. The rest of you, spread out. We must ask everyone to join together, if only this once, to fight for peace!"

A cry of assent rose from the crowd. The meadow was fast becoming empty as the many delegates scattered to fulfill their mission; unity in the face of disaster. Soon, all that was left in the meadow were Tarpin, Chris, and Laurie.

"Shall we go then?" Tarpin asked, breaking the silence.

"Will it be enough?" Chris asked in a low voice.

Both he and Laurie were dazed by the thought of war. Earth had not suffered one for many generations.

"We must hurry back to Dirin City," Tarpin said, sensing their disquiet, he added, "What will be, will be; what will come, will come."

Silence reigned as the three of them made their way back.

In a large room inside the Central Station in Dirin City, a meeting was being held. One representative from every household was present. Captain Mitchell stood at a small podium in the front of the room. Tarpin, Laurie, and Chris stood off to one side.

"Friends," Captain Mitchell began, "we have gathered here today because there is a very pressing situation at hand."

Captain Mitchell motioned Tarpin forward and the two children stepped up to stand beside him at the podium.

"People of Dirin City, we have been given information that the Platonians are organizing to attack the ECOPs, all residents of Exandra, and Lask. It is their plan to attack each separately and build on each success. Our survival depends on joining forces." The assembly hall was quiet except for the toneless scuffle of a few feet.

Sensing the indecision, Laurie took over.

"Friends, parents, when we came to Exandra the Laskonians didn't know us. They still offered friendship; help and assistance when we needed it most! They took in those of us who couldn't reach Exandra during the first snow storm, and were quick to warn us when a second storm was headed our way. The ECOPs helped us rescue our people when they had been taken captive. (Captain Mitchell nodded gratefully toward Tarpin) When the storm stranded us far from Dirin City, it was an ECOP who helped us find our way home! They are our friends…Friends stick up for each other!"

"These Platonians have been harassing the Laskonians and the tribes of Exandra on and off for years. Burning their villages and pillaging towns seemingly at random and without provocation. Now that they have amassed a large army it will only be a matter of time before they turn their attention to Dirin City." Tarpin explained.

Feeling the adrenalin chasing his fear of public speaking away Chris stepped up.

"We must fight this tyrannical force. They won't rest until they have captivated every living thing in fear. Isn't the old Earth saying, united we stand, divided we fall?" Chris said with conviction.

When Chris had stepped away, Tarpin returned once more to the podium.

"As representatives of Exandra's Caretakers Of the Peace we ask you to accept our offer of allegiance, so that peace and justice may finally be obtained."

Before Captain Mitchell could call for a vote everyone was standing and clapping in agreement.