The 'Bunny' Chronicles - Part 3

[Misanthrope]

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"You play a dangerous game, Mother."

Giffany's alarm at this realization was stark as her white fur.  Her erect ears, madly twitching nose and wide eyes betrayed the young assistant's nerves as she fully understood the major consequences of what this decision could mean.  While her comprehension was growing admirably, her ability to hide her feelings would be key to her becoming a great leader.  Matron Marlia kept her expression neutral, wanting to nurture her mind, yet inspire her to better control, asking, "Why do you say thiths?"

"Because, if they discovered the truth, they would be terribly angry, and that could lead to war, and a terrible loss of life.  Our people would suffer greatly."

"We awlready suffer gweatly, do we not?" the older, shorter lagomorph-woman prompted, as if she herself could not see this fact.  "We toil, we dig, we build, we expand our homes and our communities.  We planth, we eat, an we flrourish.  We will defend our homes, if nethary...neth....ne-ces-sary, but always, we will grow."

The much older Matron was annoyed by the undignified lisp her lagomorphic incisors affected; while some humans considered her 'baby-talk' to be cute, the Matron needed to be taken seriously if she was ever to be considered equal among the planetary leaders.  Her long pause gave Giffany more than adequate time to respond, but in the silence, all she could hear was the grinding of Giffany's own incisors, an irritating nervous habit to be certain.  Glancing at her young assistant in disappointment, she noted, "Teeth."

The quiet grinding stopped and she smiled gently, assuring her protege, "Warw should well make you newvous.  You undahrstand we awre not stlrong wawriors, but neidher are we helplress.  A gopher is small, but can bite a intruding paw or bury a hunting snake.  War would be very costlry, but for such wrisk, we take glreat benefit.  Wit' dhis income, we build better, we eat more, we grow stronger.  Strongesth of all must WE be, even in appearance, for what peoples see, they berlieve.  Now, tell me what this means."

Taking a breath the young rabbit-woman stood tall and dignified as she could, showing a belly bulge beginning to swell in pregnancy.  She recited, "We must be strong for our people, solicitous of our allies and merciless to our adversaries.  Sniff and hear, always, the winds of change."

The Matron nodded slowly, adding an approving eye-smile, letting the mother-to-be to continue.  She commented on her previous words, "Our people must be secure, knowing their leaders love and protect them.  Our associates must find us comfortable and useful, even should this mean allowing them some advantage.  Enemies must know they confront unending tooth and nail for any offense.  An enemy or an ally may have a change of heart, often for minor problems or small concessions, and that the tallest ears will not always hear troubles stalking.  Knowing trouble approaches, we can hide from it."

"Good," the pudgy Matron commended.  She furthered the logic, "However when WE are trouble not averted, we stand to pwosper, do we not?  For what we, or fowr tat mattah, for what ouwr adveusawies do not know..."

"...will kill without warning, yes," her younger counterpart finished, adding, "but we have had peace for eleven years now; a Treaty of Service for two years.  What of our people who, even now, serve in their homes?"

"An ally is one with whom we are not at war, yes?"  Marlia thumped her large foot on the ground at the sound of nervous teeth-grinding.  It stopped and she finished, "Yet, they are not part of our people; they sewrve they own ends, else they would join us to make Prlanet the forever home of all sentients.  They are enemies in hiding, and while we work in theiw homes, we are not disadvantaged slraves, but well-paid equaws."

Trying to allay her friend's mushrooming doubts, the Matron assured her, "Do not think I do not know the danger.  These workers abwoad would be the first to suffer if hofthstirlit... hofth... Hos-stirl-rlities resume, but they are not merely servants..."

Catching Giffany's eyes, she asserted, "...they are soldiers, not in battle, but in economics.  They famirlies benefit most.  Should war come, those who remain may also become spies, sacrificing their own comfort, perhaps even their lives for ours.  That is why only our best and brightest, our most cunning and cautious awre arllowed to work away from they own homes.  We owe it to them to keep less honorable awrangements from becoming pubrikry known."

"Stealing from a friend will turn a small profit, but sour an ally into an expensive adversary," Giffany replied.

Squinting in amusement, Marlia agreed, "True, however, when one does not know an item is stolen, or does not know the value of what is given, retri-byu-tion, will be srlow, perhaps easier to soothe.  Also, we awre not stearling, we are extorting."

Giffany expressed her concern cautiously, "I am not comfrohtable with this."

"Nor shoulrd you be," Matron Marlia warned.

Her implication was the numerous houseservants returning home to bear philandering employers' children, and the results of the many 'free love' vacations outsiders were encouraged to enjoy at Freed Family warrens.  Often, vacationers spawned children by a parent, or even multiple parents of their brief stays, however, raising these children was none so costly as departed vacationers or former employers were lead to believe.  Even more fraudulent were cases where the same child was attributed to more than one father, receiving illegitimate payments for little more than an occasional comlink message or education report.
Keeping existing families uninformed worked as a two-edged sword: indiscreet parents were eager to keep money quietly flowing to avoid any embarrassing communiques, preventing troubles with jealous spouses, as well as pressuring their leaders to keep national relations peaceful, hence allies, willing or unwilling were made to support the cause of the Family of Freed Houseservants.
It was an insidious arrangement.
Directing attention to the benefits of such a hazardous gamble, the Matron asked, "Tell me: how much has our 'extortion that you are not comfortah-bruhr wit' brought us this month?"

The nervous assistant quickly ran down some impressive numbers.
"See?"  Marlia boasted, "enough to pay for twree lresearch hospitals, and all at no more cost dhan some wacation fun."

"For those which parents, real or imagined, are paying, yes," Giffany agreed, before appending, "but what of those who are not 'profitable'?"

The Matron reminded her of the core value of their culture, "It is the duty of evewy citizen to pwrosper and to add to the profit of ouw people.  If they cannot mazqualrade as children, then we can use them in factowies or, perhaps as soediers."

"Yes, Mother, I have seen to them already and arrangements for transfer and education are already in place," she assured the confident Matron.  Pressing a delicate matter, Giffany was careful to not grind her teeth again, asking, "However, what of the other offspring?  Those critically defective of mind or body?"

Marlia responded with a pained sigh.  As a set of very new species, natural selection had yet to run its course to refine them, and the results were a plague of deformations, catastrophic illnesses and other genetic vectors.  Many were unable to care for even their most basic needs, and these invalids had grown into a heavy burden on resources.  She had been delaying this decision for too long because of how much she dreaded having to make the obvious choice.  It hurt her heart to think it, and hurt much more to need to say, "We cannot affowd to be sentimentoh; find them homes for the publric lrecords but have them twansferred to tah farms."

Before the shock of such a murderous pronouncement could be argued, the Matron added, "Do it quietry; this is a dangerous thing even our own peoples muss not know of."
Giving at least some dignity to her decision, she stated, "For those whom cannot live, let they lives serve to feed others."

Grinding her teeth quietly, the impact of such a dark responsibility unfolded in Giffany's mind.  She did not like it, but she understood the painful decisions that such immense responsibility would make unavoidable if or when the time came for her to take up the mantle of leadership.  It was a source of unfathomable pride that Marlia had chosen to groom and train her to become the next Matron of the Family, but Giffany also understood, and dreaded, the crushing burden that such responsibility would make inevitable.
Understanding the choice did not make it any less painful.  Bowing respectfully, she departed with the solemn promise, "Yes, Mother."

- - - - - - -

M.Y. 2232

Miriam practiced as she put finishing touches on the speech she was to deliver shortly at Grand Mass.

For too long had these filthy animals defiled the minds, hearts and bodies of this holy nation.  Worse, they had been pilfering and yet continued to steal considerable wealth from the very homes and bases they violated.  Thieves, gluttons and adulterers, they were created as an expression of lust and greed.  Typical Morganite productions, they were immoral in every way and without conscience; these subhuman vermin were a threat to humanity by their very existence.
This was a special sermon for this special occasion, and what her infiltration teams and investigators confirmed left no doubt that her decision was an expression of the Holy Ghost.  Waving a hand over her desk to activate a chime in the hallway outside, a moment later, Pastor Rodriguez entered her sanctuary.  Bowing reverently, he asked, "Your Eminence?"

Such genuine respect brought a rare smile to Miriam's typically sour face.  Then and there, she was inspired to grace him by sharing this revelation of the Lord's Will.  "Brother Rodriguez, today shall mark a changing of times.  What has been sown shall be reaped and the wages of sin shall be repaid unto the blasphemous by the hands of thy Holy Congregation of The Lord.  Is all in order to preach righteousness and salvation?"

Bowing again, he assured her, "Yes, Sister Godwinson.  We await only your arrival."

Calling up a map of the cathedral's auditorium, she pointed to a few arrangements and noted, "Have screen splits of the Angels of Justice along with our new Warriors of Light and Crusaders of Righteousness ready to interject when I speak of this 'Crusade' by name.  Break occasionally for the backstage camera to show the pulpit view of the audience, including closeups of a few awed and reverent Believers, and be ready to insert a few idealized still-images of our children when I speak of protecting humanity.  You have been called this day to work The Lord's Will, and your sacrifice shall be this broadcast."

Her approval was nearly enough to bring tears of joy to his eyes.  He reassured Miriam, "Yes, Sister.  All has been prepared since dawn."

She again smiled one of her rare, honest smiles, wishing she could have such faith in the Council of Bishops as she had in the devotion of Sister Westcott or the diligence of Brother Rodriguez.  There was something holy about it, but at the same time, it was assuredly overzealous.  She reminded him, "The spirit is eager, but we must beware the weakness of the flesh.  Please see that our Brothers and Sisters are refreshed, for now is a time of communion."

He seemed confused, as if personal comfort, or even physical necessities for himself and the laity under his direction were an unholy extravagance.  Despite his misgivings, he acquiesced, "Yes, Sister."

She assumed that he was working for their salvation, attributing their sacrifices to 'Heavenly Glories', but having production staff passing out from exhaustion at a critical moment could be taken as an ill omen.  Miriam detailed for Brother Rodriguez, "This is a time for our family and faithful brethren to rejoice.  We must celebrate the blessing of life within this promised land which Our Lord hath bestowed upon us, for soon will our families be broken, some forevermore after."

Brother Rodriguez remained silent, concerned, but listening with profound awe.  Miriam played on his emotions, radiating determination and righteous indignation as she built this private sermon to a crescendo, "The time for forgiveness has run out, and now has turned the time for divine justice.  By the Holy Ghost, we shall fan a spark that shall grow to consume evil, and the sinners shall be cleansed in blood and fire.  Be our roles great or small, from a parishioner's prayer to the lifeblood of our sons, be thy chorus or conqueror, thy must not waver nor falter, for hence hath we been given our Holy Crusade.  Planet must be cleansed of a most wicked corruption, and our sacrifice shall be of blood."

War was certainly nothing to be quickly embraced, but for the shocked look on the Pastor's face, Miriam could have just ordered him thrown from the spires atop the Cathedral here in New Jerusalem.  She interpreted her words for him plainly, "Half-breeds are threatening to subvert and dominate the whole of Planet, displacing the very humans it belongs to.  This infestation has grown out of control, and we shall vanquish the plague of Marlia's illegitimate vermin, washing away the sin and contamination of these beasts, as God so cleansed Earth's Holy Land of the Devil's Nephilim in ages long ago."

Brother Rodriguez twisted instantly from shocked to determined, such was his faith.  He spoke an awed, "May the Will of God be as thy hath spoken, Sister!"

She dismissed him, "Now go forth, my Brother, for you have been called upon to have a great share this day to herald forth the Word of God unto this holy nation!"

He bowed, shaking with excitement, and his voice quivered as he submitted himself, "Yes, Your Eminence!"
So overwhelmed by the joy of this responsibility was he, Brother Rodriguez ran from the chamber in a most undignified hurry.

Miriam indulged in another smile, crossing herself and whispering of and to the departed Pastor, "Bless you, my child."

If only all her flock were so loyal.  She considered advancing him to Minister of the Holy Church, but quickly rejected the notion.  He had much to learn and would be a valuable asset in years to come, but right now he was not ready.
Her smile dissolved and Sister Godwinson activated the chime to summon the man she wished Rodriguez could replace.  "Send in Brother Ostermann and the other military Chaplains."

- - - - - - -

The next day...

"Mother!" came Giffany's worried cry as she burst through the doors into the Matron's private den!

Startled from her stacks of data and reports, Marlia jumped to her feet, alarmed by the impertinent interruption from her protege.  Anyone else, even her own children, would have been rebuffed for disturbing her so, but Giffany was being groomed to be the next Matron of the Freed Family, and she had proven well that she knew what was important and what could and should wait.  She gave a quick, submissive bow and began immediately, "Mother, Sister Miriam gave a speech earlier today pushing for war."

"How do you know dhis?" the pudgy rabbit-woman urgently asked her student.

Giffany passively ground her teeth while she took a moment to compose herself and consider the reply.  Marlia noted to mention later the improvement in controlling her nervous expressions; indeed for her to be so intrusive, this report of impending war must have been more than a misconstrued innuendo or disturbing rumor.  She summarized, "It was a call to arms, and while there were no specific military actions detailed, the way she vilified us and our peoples could only be a mustering wrally for her armies.  There was one word Miriam used, but I could not find a meaning..."

Quickly scanning a few pages of notes, the assistant asked, "What is a 'Nephilim'?  It was used as a demeaning insult, I assume."

Marlia sighed and conceded to Giffany's perception.  "Demeaning it is, and indeed this is a cawrl to arms.  In the Concwave saykwed witings, the 'Nephirlim' were evil creatures, half human and half demon."

Confused, the younger asked, "Yokai's?  I do not understand.  Mononoke eto nekomimi-ka?  We do not live to harm; we are not evil."

The Matron clarified for her, "No, they berlieve different.  Imagine if there was 'Chirdlren of Akuma'.  In they myrt'horlogy, these irlegitimate sons were so evil, they were extewminated.  Indeed you are correct: this must be the prerlude to a decrloration of war."

Baring her teeth in a frustrated cringe, Giffany practically growled, "Dhese mine'less fanatic cannot be reason wit' and they cannot be placated.  They force us to fight.  We must prepare to defend our homes!  We must pwepare to strike back at the Bulrievers, should we not?"

Marlia smiled to hide the envy she felt.  Even after all these years, she couldn't rid herself of the lisp and accent that affected her apprentice only at her most distraught of moments.  Giffany also made liberal use of appropriate and stirring facial expressions which the Matron herself could barely mimic.  Commending her assistant, she affirmed, "You are becoming wise, my flriend.  I give you this time to endear youself to our peoples, to use your abirlities to bwing them to action.  Stwengthen ouwr wresolve, tlrain ouwr defenders, secure ouwr defensive systems, fortify ouwr border... make lready for the coming confrict.  If you do this quietry, we shall take them unaware."

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CEO Morgan: As this matter has clearly grown beyond the scope of merely a few escaped servants, we respectfully request you leave as many of these semi-human creatures as possible unharmed.  Our offer of monetary restitution for the safe return of our intellectual property stands firm.  Surely the Church understands the financial benefit and diplomatic goodwill such a gesture would generate.
-Private message to Miriam Godwinson, interception details classified

Pravin Lal: ...The United Nations Peacekeepers hereby strongly recommend that you to reconsider assaulting these creatures with military force in favor of resuming nonviolent negotiations.  Do not forget that our mission is one of peace and cooperation in order to colonize Planet, not conflict in which we, as humanity attempt to destroy ourselves or our relatives.
-Except from an address to the Council of Planet at an emergency meeting immediately following The Lord's Believers' Grand Mass, MY 2232

These illogical creatures cannot be reasoned with.  By harming Planet's ecology with wanton abandon, they have proven a difficult and destructive enemy.  We applaud your decision to destroy these vermin.  We shall offer no assistance, support or aid to the nation or rudimentary organizations these creatures have assembled, nor shall we give safe harbor to their defectors and refugees.
-Combined formal representative letter to New Jerusalem by Prophet Cha-Dawn and Prime Function Aki-Zeta-5, MY 2233

Foreman Domai: We respect the free will of all peoples, and by swearing such a ruthless and biased vendetta against the progeny our genetic kin, Miriam Godwinson has announced herself an enemy of all liberated beings.  Blindly exterminating living, thinking people denies that there is yet much to learn of freedom and much to gain economically.  Such hypocritical disregard for rights of life and liberty can not be tolerated.  With well-trained, well-equipped military forces stationed near Freed Family borders, ready to engage in defense of our values and our allies, we, the Free Drones, urge the whole of the nation of the Lord's Believers to reconsider supporting this genocidal vow.
-Conclusion of an open broadcast from Free Drone Central, responding to The Lord's Believers' military preparations, MY 2233

Judaa Marr: Human: presence: on Planet: difficult.  Problem: of humans: solve by: human.  Progenitor: not interfere.
-Translation of progenitor 'Usurper' faction communique to Sister Miriam Godwinson's request for military assistance, source classified

Guardian Lular H'minee: Humans: conflict: unexpected.  Destruction: of Planet: unacceptable!  Human: sub-species: much responsible.  Removal: human sub-species: Manifold Caretakers: assist.
-Broadcast from 'Caretaker' diplomatic unit near New Jerusalem, early MY 2233