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42. OCCUPYING TOURISTS; None Of The Government's Business.

The soldiers from Costaramannh are a sensation in Entemannh Garibe!

We see them everywhere we go. They stand with people, couples, families, little crowds sometimes, who periodically laugh out loud. Natural entertainers, some are, it seems.

Thimiannh says, "The locals have invited them into their homes, garrisoning them during their 'occupation' here. It is spoken of as an 'occupation', in Government circles, that they are 'occupying' Entemannh Garibe, but everyone knows it is only for two, maybe three days, and why. They are escorting us north for safety, due to the 'trouble' we had in the south. The... word... (on the street) so to speak, is that it was the first time in years there had been shelling, artillery fire, in Costaramannh, and ass Emoilihn are not happy with it. The perpetrators are being sought in Costaramannh. The locals of Entemannh Garibe are treating the visitors like tourists! I like it!"

I think folk here were bored and the 'happenings' are giving them something exciting to talk about! LOL

There are rumors, some fun, some not so. Rumors that we were killed in Costaramannh are not fun. Rumors that we married there, in defiance of the Koobahbahnnh, are very popular and take various forms. One is that the Koobs presided at a formal... like a 'state' dinner, and that the wedding took place there, with them watching and ass Emoilihn crowd enthusiastically supporting us, drowning out the Koobs protests. That's... kind of fun, but... provocative. Soda points out that,

"We don't need to provoke anyone. The plan that we, you, Eenunh, remain a side issue, letting the diplomacy with Briggs and the Koobs' commercial interests be their dominant motives, may be moot. Your immigration, your marriage, is common discussion. Diplomacy, commerce, is not on the lips of ass Emoilihn."

Thimiannh, argues, "Perhaps it is, just not as prominently as ass oomam, ass Coban Sahn, the Music Man, and Eenunh Entemannh, widow of a fallen hero. I find their story more.. interesting... more pleasant to discuss, than the formalities of diplomacy and commerce. We... our friends, can... and perhaps should... put these other matters into the conversation. It is an important matter, the opening of relations between people from another planet. They demonstrate a variety of temperaments, a potential for good or evil. It is a danger. Their technology, if they... take a side, side with a faction, our Koobs, military, commercial interests, or others in other places, can reignite the Terror Wars. Ass Emoilihn should be discussing these matters, assuring that no such alliances be allowed to take on a one-sided commercial favoritism, and that no military alliance be formed. Any such betrayal of Emoilihn interests will be met with uniform resistance, north, south, east and west. Paronde cos revonddnnh." (Family will prevail.)

All present, Soda, Eenunh, Tinunh and her girls, Evannh's mother, are silent, but nod in agreement. Thimiannh's two commanders sit behind him, against the wall. I'm confident, though they don't nod, that they will take Thimiannh's order. I like their faces. They're stern, intelligent, listening.

"We were not the Government's 'business'," I say. "They had no interest in me, us. They made us their business. I only fell in love. I didn't ask the... blessings of any legal or religious entity. So now, I will make the Government my business, to make ass Emoilihn aware... that this... intrusion into my private matters... can be a... precedent... for intrusion into theirs. And that the diplomacy means other oomamnnh will come, so it is of concern to them, the decisions the Government makes for them, the... leadership decision-makers who make the big decisions for all the rest of... us. The time to know, to be aware decisions are about to be made, the time to act, is now, before. If we find ourselves in places... or... conditions... we don't want to be in, due to decisions made for us by leadership decision-makers, in commerce, in Government, in collusion, we have been misled... by definition. So we must... exert influence... in the conversation. Get the people... ass Emoilihn talking, thinking, exerting influence."

"My teacher has discussed these very issues, at school," Eevannh speaks up. "What happens to our economy if there are suddenly new commercial investments, or costs, or political alliances, military alliances. My teacher says we, the children, have to think about it because it may change our lives for the rest of our lives." Tinunh and the two other girls nod, something sage and thoughtful in their faces.

"We talk about these matters, the implications, my husband and I," Eevannh's mother says. "The neighbors do too. We're not... starting their interest, but we can make it more their interest. All we have to do is talk, and talk to more people, get it up in their level of interest. We can talk all day about our children, our husbands, what we are making for meals, the price of things, but if we talk about the implications of the..." She stops, seems reticent about going on, goes on, "ass Koobs..." she says, stops again, goes on again, "making big decisions without our... ability to comment, to say what we want, what we think, I know ass Emoilihn will take interest, self-interest. It's very motivating!"

Eevannh reaches up from the floor, takes her mother's hand.

I imagine a... talking campaign... Thimiannh has his soldiers, and the ones from Costaramannh to do some talking. The rest of us, a few acquaintances, a random conversation. We can start the conversation... and others are likely to carry it forward. There's no way of knowing how it will go, how many people can be reached, and whether they will see things as we're talking now. There's no way to be sure of how the... campaign will be... received by the Government types. But... we can try.

"I'll go to the mall, to the restaurant, arrange to play tonight, and tomorrow night," I tell them. Each night will be listed on the marquee as a 'One Night Stand; Coban Sahn Ass Oomam'. "I'll talk from the stage if I can think of a way to do it. We need a few simple phrases that get them thinking, talking."

"Yes," Eenunh says. "You have to be... subtle. Simply invite them to think about the implications. We can't appear to be setting ourselves up in opposition to anyone. Just... just talking. Just people... just talking. I'll go do that. I'll arrange that."

I repeat telling her what to put on the marquee, the sandwich board sign they'll put in the hall. 'One Night Stand', even though I'll do it again tomorrow night.

Thimiannh goes with his commanders and me to the water-truck cavern, stops me at the dock. "I'll take the southern commanders into the desert," he says, "and see how the idea is received. I only want the soldiers to use our... talking points... once or twice in their conversations, try not to make it too obvious that we are trying to influence public opinion."

I watch them go, mount a truck, pull over to the spindle door. The commannh open it; the truck goes out. They close it behind.

I stand, listening to voices and noises echo in the cavern. I... feel... rather alone. I need to go... home... where someone's waiting.