------------------------------------------------------------------------ [u][b]June 8th: Chew Ber, Begmeder Province, Ethiopia[/b][/u] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The people outside the shoddy rock church crowded [i]Fitawrari[/i] Ergete, all of them speaking at the same time. [i]Abba[/i] Tofik stood next to him in priestly robes. Ergete fed these people, and clothed them, stealing from the corrupt [i]Neftanya[/i] and giving to the common farmers. These would be the voters when Ethiopia threw off the yoke of the obsolete Emperor. His heart swelled with pride at seeing them all around him. They were barefoot, poor, oppressed, but they still loved their country and cared for its future. Their voices clashed, ruling out one another, but there was a theme to the little he could hear. The [i]Abune[/i]. The excommunication. "Fellow citizens!" he called out, his booming voice quieting them somewhat. He smiled and held out his hands, signalling for them to pause. "Am I excommunicated from you? Do you believe this?" "No!" they roared back. "I am surrounded by my fellow Christians. Do you welcome me as a fellow?" "Yes!" they roared again. "Then I am a member of the true church: the church of believers. What can Addis Ababa do?" The crowd became loud again, but he held his arms out and spoke above them, wresting control of the disorder. "The [i]Abune[/i] is an elderly man. He spends his day in holy service and does not understand the den of snakes that surrounds him. The Emperor and his creature Desta whisper lies into the ears of that holy man. They mislead him. If he were to come here, to walk among you, the true people of God, he would not deny you, and with a tear on his cheek he would forgive us. But he cannot do this. He wears chains of pearl. When we liberate our country, we will liberate our church! Do any of you men want to help us? First start by aiding my men. They are trying to divide the herd of cattle down there into lots to give to you. Help them, and maybe you'll find you like the work and want to help some more." The crowd dispersed, most to go see the cattle. Ergete was drunk on their love. "I tell them every day, 'the [i]shiftas[/i] in the hills do good work.' I mean every word of it." the priest said. "Thank you, [i]Abba[/i]. There will one day be statues of you in Addis Ababa." [i]Abba[/i] Tofik blushed. "I do not work for glory, only for God. It is like his prophet said, 'He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory.'" "Look, a people rises like a lioness, and lifts itself up like a lion." quoted Ergete. Tofik's eyes lit up, "You are a worthy believer. Lead these people out of the desert and into the promised land." With that benediction, he left the priest and headed for the herd. The men sung as they worked, children following along them, trying to touch the stocks of their carbines. Mahetsent directed them as they divided the small number of cattle among the villagers. Ergete's horse was tied up near by. He loosed it, mounted, and rode to Mahetsent's side. "Did you pick some men to ride with us?" "Yes" Mahetsent said. He didn't look away from his work. "Good. We will need to ride soon. Meet me at Werke's farm." With his orders conveyed, he rode southwest alone. He brought his horse to a canter, following the road for a time. This was one of the most well traveled roads in Ethiopia, clinging to the foothills of the Semien mountains in the south. It was popular, but it was still dirt, and the rising use of automobiles, especially by the government, made ruts that'd been filled by muddy water after the first monsoon-season rain. The land bloomed green, and the air was thick with the smell of fresh growth. He rode off the track, into the rising foothills, toward Werke's place. What he arrived at was a humble series of circular stone huts and mud-packed sheds, with a pen full of goats nearby. Werke came out at the sound of hoofs. She was a woman in her thirties, already a widow, taking care of a number of children. The oldest, eleven, was tending the goats. "Do you have time?" she asked. "You have the gold?" "In the storage hut." she said. "There is coffee on the fire." "I don't think I'll have time for coffee." he dismounted, and tied his mount to a fence post. She led him to the storage hut. Tools were piled along the walls, and the room smelled thick with dust. She retrieved a woven basket, the kind that might be used to haul eggs to market, and pulled out a bag. "Your men are not with you. You are not going to go alone, are you Ergete?" "They are right behind me." he said. "I do not hear them." she slipped her dress over her shoulder and revealed her breasts, heavy and beautiful. "Real quick. For a lonely widow." He undid his belt, places a hoe in front of the door to block it, and dropped his pants. The sound of several dozen horses galloping together told them it was time to finish. He was dressed and fastening his belt before they were in front of the house. When he saw Mahetsent, he lifted the bag of gold in the air and wiggled it, moving to mount his horse. "Are things settled in the village?" he asked. "Of course." Mahetsent said, "Are things settled here?" He nodded and looked off to the west. They rode away, passing the widow's huts like a stream around a bed of rocks, shadowing the road from a distance, keeping to the wild country where they had an advantage. A herd of ibexes dashed up the hill as the [i]shiftas[/i] rode by. Ergete and Mahetsent led the party. As they got into the rocky territory on the cliff-lined edge of the mountains, they slowed down and had time to talk. "The men do not approve." Mahetsent whispered. "Of what?" "Paying this man. Bribery is unseemly work. It's not what you've preached to them." "A little bribe will give us breathing room to grow our revolution. It's utilitarianism, good democratic stuff. We pay for a little and gain a lot." "I see what you are doing. But the men are restless." "They will see in the end." Ergete said, "Nobody is completely innocent in this world except for Christ." They arrived in a gully, where a richly dressed man sat on the back of an ass. Several armed retainers stood at his side. Both forces faced one another, all men armed except the man on the ass, two small armies facing off with little love for one another. Ergete rode into the middle. The man on the ass joined. "Ergete I presume." the man said. "[i]Fitawrari[/i] Ergete." "Naturally" the man responded, monotoned. "I am [i]Ballabat[/i] Bekwere. The [i]Mesfin[/i] sent me." "Did he send his word with you? That my band is not to be harassed by the government of Begmeder, or my supporters oppressed?" "It will be like you are a ghost." The [i]Ballabat[/i] said. Ergete nodded, reached under his [i]shamma[/i], retrieved the bag of gold, and tossed it. The surprised official just barely caught it, and Ergete smiled seeing him struggle. [i]Ballabat[/i] Bekwere checked the contents of the bag. When he was satisfied, he looked back up at the [i]shifta[/i] lord. "Do you really think Ethiopia will ever be a democracy? Isn't that like expecting the wolf and the baboon to make a pact of friendship?" "That's why men are men and the animals are animals. We can do great things, but the creatures of the earth must live in the dirt." Before the official could reply, a single shot rang out, and its ricochet echoed between the rocks for a long ominous moment. It hadn't come from either group, and everybody in the gully ran for cover. A voice called out from the rocks above. "You have all broken the Emperor's Laws! Surrender now and no blood will be shed!" One of the [i]shiftas[/i] took a shot in the direction of the voice. Ergete hid behind the same rock as the [i]Ballabat[/i]. "[i]Neftanya[/i]" Bekwere cursed. Of course. They were retired military officers, rewarded by their service by land, a conservative middle class with weapons they knew how to use. They hated the [i]shiftas[/i] who put ideas in the peasants heads. A volley rang out from the [i]Neftanyas[/i] side. Everyone was behind cover, armed with rifles and pistols. The horses, in the field of fire, took a few shots from that first volley before getting out of the way. Two horses lay dead, bright red blood pouring out like wine. Ergete thrust his pistol into the [i]Ballabat's[/i] hands. "Cover me!" he said, rushing off to flank their attacker before the official had the chance to object. Bullets whizzed past his head. He dodged from rock to rock, taking shots at the enemy with his carbine when he had the chance. Several other [i]shiftas[/i] had the same idea. One tried to charge straight ahead and was pinned down behind the carcass of a horse. A bullet winged through Ergete's afro, creating the smell of singed hair. In the miniature battle, miniature tactics played out. The [i]neftanya[/i] countered the [i]shifta's[/i] flanking maneuver with one of their own. On both flanks of what was now a circular fight around the gully, [i]shifta's[/i] fought hand to hand with the [i]neftanyas[/i]. A middle aged man with a rusty curved sword came at Ergete. He defended himself with the forestock of his carbine, pushed the man back, and shot him. He now had a sword. One by one he took on the enemy, dueling them with the stolen blade, bullets whizzing by. The men still pinned down in the gully charged across. Overtaken, the [i]neftanya[/i] retreated. Ergete stood atop boulder in triumph, his men ululating around him, blood dripping from the sword. The battle had taken at best five minutes. "This is the first battle of the great revolution!" he called out, "Let it be called '[i]The Battle of Ma'aleh Levona[/i]', because we are like the Maccabees, driving the oppressors out of our home country!" They cried out in triumph, joined by a few of the [i]Ballabat's[/i] retainers. Ergete came down among them and approached the bruised [i]Ballabat[/i]. "We saved your lives. Is that worth a stronger guarantee from you?" "I have no reason to serve those bastards." Bekwere said, "The Government of Begmeder has no quarrel with you, [i]Fitawrari[/i] Ergete. We will not fight for you, but if you don't fight against us, then we will not fight against you either."