Mme Blanchet surprised them all with a massive lunch they could eat on the train and surprised Tanya, in particular, by giving her a big hug and kisses on her cheeks as part of her tearful farewell. Tanya's body stiffened but, fortunately, she didn't have a computation orb so couldn't respond to it as an attack.
"Th-thank you madame. Au revoir!" Most of the villagers gathered to see them off. Suddenly the crowd started shouting, "A song! Please, one more song!" The call was started by a certain 11 year old boy, it should be noted. Soon, their cries couldn't be ignored.
Tanya sighed inside but decided to borrow from Rogers and Hammerstein yet again and gave them a rousing rendition of So Long, Farewell that she had translated the night before. She hadn't known they would insist on another song, but she had guessed it might happen.
And she certainly wasn't going to sing "Sixteen, Going on Seventeen" even if she had someone to do the male part. Now way in hell, not even if you held a gun to her head!
They kept to their disguises until very near Paree and then distributed themselves into non-descript delivery vehicles. Even without the ire directed at her personally, she saw the city was in the midst of unrest. She restricted herself to peeking out of security holes in the vehicle and decided she wouldn't want to venture on those streets without her rifle, a computation orb, and about a hundred yards head start!
Once back in prison, a thorough wash with some special soap restored her hair to its original color though it was now an inch or more longer. She hadn't ever let it get this long since joining the military and found it inconvenient at best. Still, she had no access to a hairdresser and it helped keep Gladieau off her back to look more 'feminine'.
"Come come, we mustn't tarry. A broadcast room has been set up in the prison so we can assure the public that you've come to no harm and are, well, still here."
"Where's my uniform?"
The lawyer blinked. "Why would you need that?"
"This is an official function, is it not?"
"I... I don't know. We kept it in my office for the court appearances."
"Well, I can wait until it's brought here."
"B-but the broadcast is imminent! We don't have that much time!"
"I have all the time in the world, Gladieau. Here I stay until I'm dressed appropriately."
"Colonel. This may give them an excuse to act more high-handedly than in the past. Also, it's not a public appearance, after all. And the image would be considerably better than in your prison outfit."
"Nnnngn. So be it, then. In any just world, I wouldn't be forced like this!"
"Yes, yes. I'm sure it will fine."
"Enough of your platitudes, Gladieau! Now get out and I'll be ready momentarily."
In far less than three minutes, she was clothed in the cleanest of the dresses left from the trip. Frankly, she had not intended on wearing any of them again, so this limited her choices tremendously. Her hair had just finished drying a flowed down in gentle curls over her half-bare shoulders and was a further annoyance. She longed for a good cap to keep the errant locks under control!
Her lawyer and guards guided her to a conference room that was one of the few with plenty of natural light in the late afternoon. There were several photographers and even someone manning a hand cranked movie camera to capture the scene. Well, at least they aren't about to execute me in secret. Not with all these witnesses. I hope. Just to be sure, she scanned the room for makeshift weapons and who would be the best hostage.
The warden nodded toward a peculiar microphone. It was similar to the ones used during the trials and had a special magical orb in it just for capturing and amplifying sound with minimal distortion. "If you would, von Degurechaff. There are also a list of questions you could answer for the recording."
"Questions. Have we restarted the tribunal, warden?"
"No, no, not at all! It's just that," he looked pained to admit it. "That people think you may have been killed or died in secret so answering questions we've received recently will let people know that this wasn't prepared in advance. Or from portions of other recordings."
"Ah, I see the point. Well, bring me today's newspaper. If I read a headline or two, that should be sufficient."
"Longer than that would be best. Perhaps ten minutes? Long enough that they can determine it's not just an imitator."
"Is there such a person in Paree, do you think? Someone with MY voice and MY speech mannerisms?"
"Please, Colonel! Just ten minutes and you can speak on anything you like just without being... incendiary."
"Have no fear, I have no wish for tensions to get any worse." She looked at the microphone and then him at of the side of her eyes. "Anything?"
"Certainly, within those restrictions. As long as they know it's you."
"Fine, then." She stepped onto the small stage (why did they even have a stage in a prison, she wondered) and lowered the microphone to a more reasonable height.
"People of Paree! I heard that there were some concerned for my health." Her voice took on a droll tone, "And perhaps those who were concerned I was too healthy. At any rate, I am fine." She picked up the leading newspaper and read it. "According to Le Populaire, I am likely in a very deep grave somewhere under this prison but I can assure everyone that I remain above ground."
She read a few more headlines, many concerning herself but found that she had many minutes to fill. "I spoke with a woman of the Republic recently and she said some things that have remained with me as they seemed very wise. If I may paraphrase: The war is over. Everyone should just go home and handle their own affairs. Just as the weary soldiers of this country have returned, I, too, wish to go back my own Fatherland. And, one day, I hope to walk the streets of Paree like any other tourist. Other than that, I don't really have any message for you but..."
I can fill some space here if I do THAT. Something anyone who lives here will like, right?
"I heard the Francois national anthem since I've been here and thought it a beautiful piece of music. If you can forgive my poor rendition, I'll share it with you."
Her voice gained power and depth, captured, magnified, amplified and broadcast to Paree. "Let's go children of the Fatherland! The day of glory has arrived! Against us tyranny's bloody flag is raised!"
'Listening cafes' and other locations with radios had mostly split between the Free Arena and the Free Tanya population with very few neutral spots. To a certain degree, this had reduced the conflicts as only like-minded people would gather. But that had it's own problems as like-minded people could become organized people.
All were tuned to the broadcast though. The crowds were amazed that someone so young could capture the power and pride of their anthem! "They come right to our arms to slit the throats of our sons, our friends! Grab your weapons, citizens! Form your battalions! Let us march! Let us march! May impure blood water our fields!"
Tanya's voice was both sweeter and more strident than ever as she got the stride of the song. "This horde of slaves, traitors, plotting kings! What do they want? For whom these vile shackles, these long prepared irons?"
All across Paree, the listeners could imagine her condition. They remember the pictures of a shackled little girl being dragged to the prison months ago.
"It is us that they dare to consider... returning to ancient slavery!" Who were the jailors? Who was guilty? The mood, once happy that they discovered Tanya was well, soon turned dark. "Vile despots would become the masters of our fate! Tremble, tyrants! And you, traitors! The disgrace of all groups, TREMBLE!"
Her voice lowered , full of emotion, "As magnanimous warriors, bear or hold back your blows... spare these sad victims, regretfully arming against us." Many were moved to weep, thinking of the dead, lost in the terrible war and one live girl who still didn't know her fate. She didn't choose this war, she didn't make it.
"But not these bloodthirsty despots! All of these animals who, without pity, tear their mother's breast to pieces!" Sadness was washed away, to be replaced by righteous anger! Who was responsible for the endless fields of war-torn earth, soaked with the blood of so many young men? Many turned to look at the grim prison with narrowed eyes and unpleasant expressions.
"Liberty, beloved Liberty, fight with your defenders! Under our flags, let victory hasten to your manly tones! May your dying enemies see your triumph and our glory! Grab your weapons, citizens! Form your battalions! Let us march, let us march!"
Tanya stepped away from the microphone. Okay, that was pretty good I think. They'll see that I'm a reasonable person who respects their culture and we aren't so different. That anthem, though, you really don't realize who violent it is until you say it out loud. Must be the reason they were so ready to jump into a crazy war in the first place.
Those in the room were frozen with shock. The cameraman, only by sheer habit of long practice had continued to turn the crank and only stopped when he noticed that the film had long since been used.
She cocked her head and looked at the men in the room. "Is that sufficient, warden? Should I say some more?"
"No... wait! Stop the broadcast!" He turned to the operator, "Stop it, I say!"
"But, sir, w-we cannot! It's being stored for the record, yes, but it has already been sent out."
Tanya shook her head. These Republic types. They probably wanted to edit it down and clean up the slow spots. Anyway, not my problem. "Gladieau, these gentlemen seem busy, we should return to my cell."
"Y-yes, that would be for the best."
Neither of them could see, or hear, the massive crowds that were pouring in the streets... angry and looking for something to lash out against. Cries of "Free Tanya!" echoed throughout the city as the fires started to burn...
* * *
The chancellor was literally tearing out his hair as he yelled at the judge, the generals, the mayor of Paree and everyone else in the room. "I told you! I said send her away as quickly as possible! Paree will burn to the ground and we're the ones doing it without the help of the Empire!"
The general tried to interject calmness. "Just some rabble. The troops can block the rioters like before and it will all calm down."
The mayor said timidly, "Ah, sirs. There are reports that some soldiers are part of the, errr, demonstrations. As participants."
A sweaty chief of police was still struggling to make sense of it all. He had been dragged from his mistress's bed by his deputy and was lucky that he had his pants on the right way. His weary deputy had filled him in on the way. "The Free Tanya protestors are about to tear down La Santé and the judicial building. The Free Arene bastards are trying to tear down everything else. Even all our manpower might only protect a few buildings, but not the whole city!"
The browbeaten judge looked utterly haggard. What color that had returned to his cheeks during von Degurechaff's 'vacation' was gone now. "It's her fault," he hissed. "Let her fix it! Drag her in front of the crowds... that will shut them up!"
It was a testament to their desperation that they actively considered throwing a girl to a dangerous mob to solve their problems.
"Judge... you might be right." The chancellor said after some thought.
His eyes lit up, "Yes! Just toss her to them in shackles and it will be over! Give the witch to them!"
"No, fool! Her words sparked this fire, maybe they can quench it as well." He started barking orders, "Get loudspeakers prepared for another broadcast! Anywhere with a receiver! Especially the government buildings. Get Degurechaff back to where she did her recording. Have the warden make her... no... have the warden BEG her to call off the dogs."
* * *
Deep in La Santé, Tanya had no idea about what was occurring outside its walls. Certainly, there seemed to be more commotion than most days but since it had nothing to do with her, she ignored it as she caught up on her newspapers. Though they still refused her any from the Empire, some from the Unified States has some choice quotes from her home country. "Oh, they haven't forgotten me, yet? The States didn't get as bruised as the continental powers so I guess they are still pretending they were neutral. Hmmm, they made massive loans to everyone so their influence will be rising soon." Privately, she wondered if the Great Depression was a certainty and how she could make use of that. Making money on a crash was easy... if you knew it was coming.
Before long, there came a pounding on the door just before the warden burst in followed by several guards.
Tanya responded poorly, ice in her words and eyes. "Sir! I realize I'm a prisoner, but please grant me the minimal level of privacy and decency!" She held a pen hidden in one hand, prepared to use the carefully sharpened point as a potential tool to puncture his throat or take out an eye. "Having disturbed my rest, please see yourself out."
"Lt. Colonel, no, Tanya. Please help me." The normally proud man forced these words out painfully.
Puzzled, her mind raced. What would he need HER help for? Was this some kind of threat? "Warden, whatever could I do for you? I am your captive not the other way around."
"The people, they are rioting! Before long, the city may burn! Nothing has worked to calm them, please, I beg you, get them to stop!"
"I'm only one person, warden. How shall I do that? Even at my best, with the right gear, the most I could handle was a few thousand."
"No no no no! A broadcast! Perhaps you can soothe them and send them away."
"Oh, is THAT what I've been hearing? The sound is so muffled this deep, I couldn't tell. Well, I suppose I might..." she let her voice trail off meaningfully.
He caught the hint. "Anything! Almost! Please!"
"Then I expect to see the cuisine around here upgraded immediately! Gladieau knows my tastes but I trust my orders will be filled promptly?"
"Yes, of course! Now, let us make our way to the broadcast room."
She shook her head. "Too far away from the crowd. Bring a more portable radio, you have those I know. They will need to see me I think." What kind of crazy people does the Republic raise?! They're burning down their own capital! Unfortunately, I'm IN that capital now without a means of flight. I don't want to face down those madmen but better than going up in flames with these idiots.
To one side, Claude felt his heart swell... How brave she is! She would risk her own life to save people she never met... who might have even fought against her in the Great War. She's our own Jeanne d'Arc, a modern saint!
The warden himself carried the radio equipment to the top of one of the outer walls. Loudspeakers were added along the length. Below were angry mobs destroying and setting fires. Shouting "Free Tanya!" all the while. There were even some torches... where do you get torches in the twentieth century?!
"Are you ready, Warden?" She grabbed the hefty radio rig and the hand-held microphone.
"Yes, yes, please start!"
"Lights," she commanded as she stood on top of the wall.
"People of Paree!" Her magnified voice echoed around the streets, stopping the crowds magnificently. "Why have you come here... why are you destroying what you love?" It was more flowery than she liked, but the language tended in that direction.
All eyes looked up as one. A single man, voice louder than most, shouted, "We've come to free you! This injustice must stop!"
Again the crowds took up the chant, "Free Tanya! Free Tanya!"
She held up a hand. "I'm truly humbled and honored you would come to aid me, but surely the progress of law will grant me justice soon. There's no need for violence."
"You can't trust those shitty bastards!" This sentiment was shared by the crowd and, it must be said, by Tanya herself. But she couldn't let her true feelings leak out.
"I have faith that law and sweet reason will win in the end. Please, let us have peace tonight. I said once that I wanted to walk this city as a free person." She smiled and the spotlights on her hair gave her halo of gold. "I can't do that if it falls to ruin."
The crowd calmed but still seemed restless. Crap... one song riled them up so bad. These Francois are way too passionate! Maybe another can calm them down. My repetoire is not very large but, wait, maybe that one will do.
She inhaled deeply and started to sing. She found that the specialized computation orb still had some wiggle room to run a parallel spell so she took advantage of that. The crowd (and those on the wall!) gasped as she stepped off and floated gently down. "Edelweiss, Edelweiss, every morning you greet me. Small and white, clean and bright, you look happy to meet me."
Damn, this is hard! This dinky thing takes twenty time the energy to just float a little!
The crowd, enraptured, fell completely silent as she settled on an as-yet unburned police van. The spotlights turned to follow her. She put the heavy radio down on the roof while still carrying the microphone with the overheating jewel. It glowed brightly, making her appearance seem, literally, magical.
"Blossom of snow, may you bloom and grow, bloom and grow forever..."
Countless eyes in the crowd, and even more ears across the city stopped to behold her. The universal love of home kindled in their hearts to the wistful yet powerful tune.
"Edelweiss, Edelweiss, Bless my homeland forever!" She looked down just as the overstrained jewel burned brightly one last time and then faded out.
It was to utter and complete silence that she turned back and re-entered the prison, walking through the front gates.
I wish I didn't have to use the 'b' word in that song but at least it's not a prayer, right?
* * *
Within 72 hours, she was on a luxury train back to Berun, after having eaten many gourmet meals in the finest hotel in Paree.
Chapter 12 – what came before
Months before, in the Empire...
The normally calm General Rudersdorf hammered the conference table with a clenched fist hard enough to crack the wood that had seen many many years of use and abuse. In his hand was a missive from the chancellor's office, now mangled and flecked with his blood. "What is this garbage!" He was red-faced and you could easily see his warrior ancestors standing behind him, urging him to violence. In another era, he'd be in front of the army with a spiked mace covered with the blood and brains of his enemies!
The assistant chancellor quietly sweated in front of him, quite clearly seeing those ghostly berserkers. He now knew why the chancellor had tasked him to come here instead of coming himself! "It's quite clear, General. While Degurechaff may be an officer of the Empire, there are higher rules that we all must follow. I'm sure the tribunal will be impartial..."
"Impartial!" he bellowed, causing the windows to rattle and a secretary walking by to stumble and drop countless documents. "How could she even get a semblance of a fair trial with these restrictions! No contact with anyone from the Empire, no outside counsel, no packages or information from the Empire, no judges outside of the Alliance of our enemies! Are you using some new meaning of the word impartial that hasn't reached the rest of the country!"
Using his one great talent, the ability to seem calm no matter what his emotions, he answered levelly. "Between us, General, this was the price we had to pay under the terms of surrender. The offer without her was even more punitive. At least with this, we managed to keep our pre-war borders even if we lost some other issues."
"Do you even hear yourself, man? We told you to quit while we were ahead, but you greedy bastards wanted more and so we lost everything! Now you are trying to justify the wisdom of your actions. You'd have to search long and hard to find a soldier as dedicated and effective as she and you're just throwing her away!"
"Please! Would you send one person on a suicide mission if it meant saving dozens, or hundreds, or even the whole nation? Of course you would! And, as effective as you say she is, she's a loose cannon, causing far more harm than good at times. Also, the war is OVER. What use the even the greatest mage when we are at peace?"
Rudersdorf looked at him as if he were insane. "Do you for even a single scintilla of time believe there's some kind of lasting peace from that travesty of a surrender you brokered? This is just them tenderizing the goose before they throw it in the oven! Our army reduced to a shadow. Our coffers are drained in reparations for the war they started. One of our best sacrificed on your altar of incompetence." He raised his voice and pointed at the man who seemed about to interrupt. "Admit it! We did everything humanly possible to dominate on the battlefield, but YOU failed to manage the public and stop the war after we had won! As always, good men have to pay for the failure of half-witted so-called leadership."
The Assistant Chancellor dared not speak as he had no good arguments (and had a reasonable fear for his own well being).
The general finally lowered his voice. "Good men... and one very good girl."
* * *
The 203rd were given no warning; mostly due to them being simultaneously the most dangerous and most loyal battalion in the Empire, and quite possibly the world. Excellent if they were on your side... otherwise, not so much. Some sixth sense caused Visha to sense something was amiss and she dropped by headquarters after being given weekend leave.
"Lieutenant, what are you doing here?" Tanya asked her calmly as she continued to pack her bags.
"I had an intuition you would need me, Colonel. I know, just a superstitious feeling but why are you packing your travel kit?"
She sighed and blew a stray lock out of her face. "The crows of Arene had come to roost after all these months. I've been 'requested' to a military tribunal for war crimes." Tanya looked at her adjutant with steely eyes, "This is strictly confidential! No one is to find out about this until I'm well outside of the Empire."
Visha took over the task, trying to hide the upset she was feeling. "But why?! Isn't winning enough for them, must they tear us all down?"
The blond girl sighed and shook her head. "Everyone tallied their chips after the war and they decided we still had too many. It was either my neck or a pile of gold and other items of value, one assumes. I wish our command had put up a bit more of a fight, though." She laughed with a trace of bitterness. "I heard that they locked out Zettour from those particular discussions and slipped it in at the last minute."
The lieutenant was about to say something, but stopped.
"What is it?"
"I wanted to say we should fight it, but you've already calculated the chances, decided it wouldn't work and so are leaving quietly." She was nearly done with the travel bags but found herself reluctant to close the last one.
A genuine laugh sprang forth from Tanya, surprising them both. "You've learned so much! You're a fine officer, Serebryakov, and will keep getting better. Please hold down the fort while I'm gone. Weiss will be in command but I've put in papers for a promotion for you as well to match your increased responsibilities." She shook her head. "That they tried to fight me on, but they backed down pretty quickly. Let's just say they preferred a quiet departure and were willing to make ample concessions." She tapped a booklet. "This clinched it, I think. I took your methods of interroagation from the Russy Federation and codified it into a proper manual. Very good work, there! You're listed as the chief author but I put myself as a co-author so they would take it more seriously. Drop this off to Zettour after I'm gone, I think he'd enjoy reading it."
Visha teared up but she tried to stay strong. Even when they are sending her to prison or death, she's still thinking of us. Of me! No, no, no Visha, don't cry!
"Perhaps a cup of coffee before the trip? That was the one thing I truly am going to miss. I doubt even the finest cafes of Paree can match your skills." I hate this horsetrading political bullshit. I need to beat this rigged game ASAP and make my way back. But with that raft of promotions I pushed through and all the other compromises they made for the 203rd, my battallion should be in superb shape on my return. General Zettour promised to keep them together until I get back. Weiss gets to the command the battallion, I slide up to central command and my future looks bright then. Need to spend some time in Paree working on another concept paper to cement things.
Perhaps it was pride, but Tanya assumed any halfway fair deliberations could be bent her way. She had bent over backwards her whole career – both of her careers! -- to follow the letter of the law. All the proper legal justifications had been hammered out and polished carefully long before now.
"Here you go, Colonel." She took extreme care to put the cup down carefully as she feared her hand would shake.
"Oh, there's one more thing you can do." She carefully put her model 97 computation orb in a case with her name and left it on the desk. She took the 95 and shoved it into a small iron box stuffed into an old, oversized sock. "You're clever. Find a good place to hide my 95. Don't tell me – or anyone! - where it is. They'll probably want an inventory of 'my orb' but as far as you know, it's just the 97, clear? Good."
"M-Maybe I can drive you to the train station?"
Tanya smiled grimly. "I'm afraid there will be a full military escort. They apparently don't want their poker chip getting lost." She sipped the coffee savoring it thoroughly.
"These beans are new; I didn't see them last time."
"Parting gift from Intelligence. They want me to keep my eyes open while over there." She rolled her eyes. "Good roast, though, I'll grant."
A gentle knock interrupted them, "Lt. Colonel? It's time." Rerugen stood there, fit and efficient as ever though he was noticeable solemn.
"You're early, General. And aren't you a bit overqualified to be my chauffeur today?"
"They moved the time up, I'm afraid." He seemed about to say more but then just shook his head.
"A few minutes, we're almost finished." She drank the rest of her coffee without fanfare and snapped her valise shut firmly.
He looked at Visha, "I trust there won't be any problems?"
"Of course not. I run a tight ship, as you well know. Well, let us be off." The three left the building with Visha insisting on carrying the bags to the discomfort of both Rerurgen and Tanya. Her argument that she was lowest rank carried weight, though.
There was an escort of no less than four vehicles with armed soldiers. Degurechaff and Rerugen would be in one by themselves. Tanya entered the passenger's side and shut the door firmly. Visha stowed the luggage in the trunk and said in a low voice to the General, "May I speak freely, sir?"
Surprised, his eyes widened. "Please, do."
"I know you are acting under orders and had no hand in this decision, but I despise you for your part in all this." Grief was visible on her face that she wouldn't show her beloved commander.
"Ah, Lieutenant... that makes two of us." He shut the trunk firmly and then entered the driver's seat. They pulled away smoothly with the quartet of vehicles surrounding them.
* * *
Tanya didn't bother to look at the scenery as it was all too familiar. "I thought I was joking when I said you were my chauffeur and yet here your are, sir."
"This is the last chance we have to talk privately before the train. One can only assume that half or more of the train will be intelligence agents or worse. I trust you've disposed of your weapons and orbs?"
"My officially assigned type-97 orb is on my desk, naturally."
"Good." He was silent for a moment. "I'll be blunt, I don't rate your chances very highly. Then again, no one has made money betting against you so I expect to see you back in the Empire someday."
"I appreciate the vote of confidence but it's still going to be tricky. Though it's a multi-nation tribunal, it'll be on Republic soil and there's the Arene situation. I won't know the lay of the land until I get there." She borrowed a quote from the future. "Plans are worthless, but planning is everything. I've already started planning, you might say."
He drove neither fast, nor slow but the train station was far too close for his desires. He took a very deep breath. "I wish it were otherwise and please don't think I'm being dramatic but do you have a 'last friend'?"
She sucked in her breath and then let it out slowly. "Yes and very well disguised. The buttons on my dress uniform, to be exact."
"Good." They were nearly to the train station. "I'll leave you with two orders, then. Unless you think there is absolutely no hope, you are not to use it."
"I'm a soldier! When I go, I'll go fighting!"
"And the second is to give them Hell!" For the first time, she saw a strong emotion from the man and it was rage! Ah, allies like this are priceless! I should reassure him that I have the best interests of the the Fatherland in mind.
"Don't worry, General. I'll do the Empire proud."
He watched the escort take Degurechaff to the train. He knew she would ride it just to their border and then switch to a Francois one there. There she goes, the monster disguised as a little girl. They have no idea what they are getting... may God have mercy on their souls.
No one ever tracked down who found Tanya's biography and illegally published it. Though the original title and author were kept on the inside, the bootleg copies had a stark scarlet title on the cover: Ihr Kampf. It spread like wildfire through the Empire and only the tiniest of hamlets hadn't at least heard of it. No one claimed credit and (almost) no one tried to profit from it. But it was copied, and recopied and re-recopied endlessly. Excerpts could be found everywhere and many were annotated with commentary by later authors. (It should be said that copies of original were quite popular with those in the military but were strictly verboten for those in the civilian government.)
The most famous of the bootlegs (and the one that bequeathed its alternate title) was by someone who only signed his work Kartoffel. It added only one chapter and described in unflattering detail the deal that sent Tanya into the hands of the Empire's worst enemies, betraying the trust all soldiers should have for their Fatherland. In almost lurid prose, it told of how the greatest and most loyal of warriors had taken what might be her last ride quietly and without a fight. A sacrifice for failures that she had no part in.
People talked of her dead soldier father, her missing mother, her upbringing at the orphanage. How hard must her life have been? Though Professur Wagner drew no conclusions about her motivations, he noted that every psychological report he found noted her extreme love of country, her prescience and patriotism. As he put it, "Time and again, her foresight astonished her peers and, it must be said, her enemies as well. When her advice was followed, so followed victory. Not heeding her words led to Brest and all that came after. Could it be that this tiny child, so young and inexperienced, saw the conflict to come? Is this what drove her volunteer for the army the first moment she could?"
Translated dispatches from the tribunal were the most common topic of conversation and endlessly dissected. Finally, the first copies of the tribunal broadcasts was smuggled out. Though in Francois, they could hear their brave soldier, fighting for her life. More followed and still more! Whoever was doing it, they were getting more efficient until those in Berun could hear the broadcast mere days after those in Paree.
And then the final two broadcasts arrived.
The first, her voice beckoning the people of Paree! Though in a foreign language, they could FEEL the call to freedom! Even the hated anthem of the Republic became something wonderful when she sang it. Some muttered that perhaps the enemy was never the Francois people, but their leaders who led them astray. Those same people began to wonder whether their own leaders were any better.
The last was the sweet, lovely, almost melancholy song about a strong little flower that, no matter how heavy the snow, finds a way to grow every spring. A Germanian translation was quickly made and was often found along with a copy of Ihr Kampf. The most shocking news, however, was that she had faced an angry mob, ALONE, armed with nothing but her voice to convince them to lay down their weapons and peacefully disperse.
The two sides of Tanya were laid bare and lines were being drawn...
Chapter 13 – Ihr Kampf