Rise of the Remorhaz Society

[The FryeR K]

HOCKEY OVER...RED WINGS SWEPT...NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

One thing left to hope for...
...that someone beats Toronto and the Ducks

[mlmbd]

sachmo;

Originally posted by sachmo:
Did you watch the game Last night? Awesome!!

(Odd finding another Hockey fan. Way down here in Texas!) Heck yes! I watch em' all! At playoff time anyway! I know a couple of the players. So during the regular season, I go to a few games! That triple OT game from Last night between the Red Wings and Ducks was more than awesome. Sorry to the Red Wing fans. But the game was great!

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[sachmo]

Not a strange as you might think, especially since I live Dallas, but I LOVE hockey. If you want to, come by www.andrewsstarspage.com and talk hockey with some other Stars fans!

[mlmbd]

Originally posted by sachmo:
Not a strange as you might think, especially since I live Dallas, but I LOVE hockey. If you want to, come by www.andrewsstarspage.com and talk hockey with some other Stars fans!

NO, what I meant is it is strange to see Texans as hockey fans! I mean where is all the ice? I thought I was one a very few hockey fans in Texas, let alone in Dallas. I live in Irving, just across from the stadium! Just one more, and it is off to the next round! YEAH!!

Oh, I will try and drop by the link! Thanks!

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[sachmo]

A plea for the People

The Chairman of the Remorhaz Society looked at the nervous Norakian standing next to him.
“Ready? It’s about time, Trilek.”
The Norakians eyes grew as big as dinner plates.
“Yes. Yes, I am ready, Chairman. I must tell you I am feeling very anxious.”
Chairman Sachmo smiled at Trilek, trying to put him at ease.
“I know how you feel. I get nervous every time I have to speak. I always have.” He shrugged.
“May I ask how you handle it, sir?” Trilek asked.
“Well, I pick one person out of the crowd, and pretend I am talking to them. It makes the numbers easier to deal with.”
“I will try that, Chairman. I hope that will ease my anxiety.” He paused a moment, absently straightening his tunic.
“I am ready.”
The Chairman nodded to his page, and put his hand on the Norakians arm for a moment.
“Just speak to them with the same conviction that you did to Governor Dison and I. If you can do that, everything else will fall into place.”
Trilek nodded as he stared at the curtain before him. On the other side of it waited the entire General Assembly of the Remorhaz Society, and they were here to listen to his plea. It was a daunting task.
He was vaguely aware of the Chairman stepping out onto the dais from between the curtain, and his body being swept onward by the Chairman’s staff and handlers. When he came out from behind the curtain, he almost froze. Before him was a huge auditorium, filled to capacity with representatives from all corners of the Remorhaz Society. Hundreds of them, all sitting in neatly arranged rows and all staring at him. Thankfully, a staff member guided him to the chair that was reserved for him, specially crafted to comfortably facilitate his Norakian body. When he was finally seated, someone he did not see handed him a glass of water, which he absently drank, all the while trying to remember who he was and what he was here to talk about. He could feel the anxiousness rising in his trunk, causing his blood system to pump faster and faster. He lifted the water glass once more, only to find it empty. He stared at it dumbly. He glanced left and right, but no one was paying attention to him. They were all watching their leader address the General Assembly. I will need more water, he thought. Whom shall I ask?
Just then, he became aware of the Chairman looking at him with an outstretched hand, beckoning him to come to the dais.
His legs surprised him and raised his body up off of the chair. He could see the representatives clapping and watching him. He took a step forward, then another, then another. The Chairman stepped back and let Trilek take the dais for himself. As he looked at all of his fellow citizens, a strange calm came over him. For all of the Norakians who survived the war, and for all of those who perished, he had to convince these people to hear his case.
“Greeting, honorable representatives of the Remorhaz Society. I am Trilek, a Norakian citizen of the Remorhaz Society.”
This brought clapping and even a smattering of cheering from the assembly. He waited a moment for it to die out and then continued.
“When the Remorhaz people and the Norakian people discovered on another, our relationship was doomed from the beginning. Norakian society was not structured to accept the existence of other races, and when that discovery could not be denied, you were labeled as a threat to our way of life. War was inevitable.”
A rumble of murmurs passed through the auditorium, and Trilek could see a few faces darken with anger.
“The war began, and people died. When the war turned against Norak, our leaders refused to negotiate. Our religion forbad the existence of other races, and so your race could not be bargained with. It was a fight which cost billions of Norakians their lives.”
“When the Space Marines landed on Providence, it was only the cowardliness of our Last surviving elder that saved our lives. Up until that time, Norakians followed the instruction of the elders without question, even to our deaths. When he surrendered the planet to Remorhaz, he inadvertently destroyed thousands of years of social rigidity, although at the time we did not know it. We expected enslavement, or torture, or whatever other fate a conquered people can expect. That was not to be, however.”
He stopped for a moment and glanced at the Chairman. He was listening intently, as was everyone else in the auditorium. The Assembly knew what the Chairman was asking for; the authorization to allow Norakians to enlist for military service. Thus far it had been a rather unpopular notion. All of the wheeling and dealing that the Chairman had been able to do had only secured about a fourth of the votes he needed. Trilek was his trump card, and the Chairman hoped that his speech would sway the votes needed to pass the measure. If not, the movement was dead. Trilek knew how many Norakians wanted to do their part for their new people. He just had to convince the rest of the universe that it would be safe. He took a deep breath and continued.
“The people of Remorhaz embraced us with open arms. We were not subjugated by harsh captors, but were given full rights and citizenship in the Remorhaz Society. We were allowed to come and go as we pleased. We were allowed to choose our activities and professions. We slowly learned the ideas of choice, individualism and freedom. While it may be hard for many of you to grasp, there was no word for any of these virtues in the Norakian language. Since the dawn of our time we lived for our gods and the leaders who represented them. The war taught us many things about how we had lived our lives before, but we knew that we now had the freedom to live as we pleased.”
“There have been struggles, to be sure, but most Norakians have embraced this new way of life. We have been allowed to continue practicing our religious beliefs as we choose. As we learned to live as Remorhaz citizens do, we saw news of the wars. We watched the vid programs as citizens gave their lives to protect the lives of many, and to protect the Remorhaz way of life. Soon, we began to ask if we could offer our lives to protect our new home. Sadly, we were told we could not.”
The auditorium was silent. All eyes were on Trilek as he continued.
“The Norakians are a proud people. We are a loyal people. We are a strong people. That is only part of who we are, though. We are now Norakians of the Remorhaz Society, and we choose to fight the enemies of our people.”
A few people began to clap and hoot. Even more tried to silence them.
“ I realize how this must sound. Many of you must think the idea is preposterous. Why should the Society even take the risk of rearming its first enemy?”
Immediately shouts rose up, some dissenting but many agreeing with Trilek’s Last statement. That was the root of it. They were afraid, and he couldn’t blame them at all.
“I can tell you why. We are Remorhaz, just as you are. We have the right to fight for our freedom, just as you do. Since we know what it is like to live without freedom or choice, it means more to us than you could possibly imagine. Many of us feel that the old ways of our people led to a stagnation of growth and a terrible xenophobia that almost destroyed us forever. We will not let that happen again. We would no sooner stab Remorhaz in the back then we would give up our freedom. Let us, your fellow Remorhaz citizen, take up arms and stand by your side. Let us protect you as you have protected us. I thank you.”
Thunderous applause broke out in the auditorium. The entire General Assembly was on its feet, cheering and clapping. Trilek bowed his head in thanks, as was the Norakian custom. He then raised his arm and waved, as those of Remorhaz do. He felt the Chairman move to his side and put his arm around his back, smiling and waving to the assembly.
“Trilek my friend, I think you carried the day”, the Chairman said.
“I only spoke the truth, Chairman. I thank you for allowing me the opportunity.”
Chairman Sachmo chuckled.
“The truth? Trilek, I think you are going to turn the political world on its ear!”
Trilek stared at him, with a puzzled expression on his face. He wasn’t sure he would ever fully understand humans, but he was glad to be living among them. They were strange, but so very interesting.

The following day, the General Assembly passed the resolution authorizing Norakians to join the Remorhaz military. On Providence, open enlistment began for the first Norakian Space Marine Brigade. The response was overwhelming. The muster sheet for the brigade was filled in three hours.

[ April 19, 2003, 08:19: Message edited by: sachmo ]

[Raging Deadstar]

I always had a soft spot for the norakians, glad to see the Remorhaz are treating them well

Great Addition, certainly worth the wait!

[mlmbd]

sachmo, I agree with RD. Excellent addition, to your story. Well worth the wait. Indeed!

Only a couple of hours to muster an entire Brigade. Impressive!

mlmbd

[CNCRaymond]

Bravo. I have enjoyed reading your story. When can you post an new chapter?

[ April 20, 2003, 08:01: Message edited by: CNCRaymond ]

[Ragnarok]

Very nice addition you put together. I certainly look forward to the next installment.

[sachmo]

Originally posted by CNCRaymond:
Bravo. I have enjoyed reading your story. When can you post an new chapter?

Hopefully soon! Things seem to be cooling down in my personal life, and I should have time to write a bit more.

Thanks for the kind words, all. I only hope that you enjoy the story.