Chapter 5
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Male voice, older: "Begin Alpha Recording Session 5."
(Pause)
Female voice, younger: "Good day. This is Raine Elsie Johnson Bergrenn."
(Pause)
"After meeting with Mr. Hahn that day, I became more aware of my new responsibilities with working for the resistence. I had to do anything that I could to get information to help my countrymen. I suppose that I should go into more detail about what was going on in Firmslad. Although I was trapped at the university, bits of information still managed to make their way to me. From Petr I knew that the people were for the most part living in squalid conditions, but he told me that as the Ginsaneans gained more control things were becoming more organized. Thus, eventually sanitation would be regulated."
(Sigh)
"Celene had been hearing a lot of gossip from the bakery, which she slipped to me before the men got back home. Apparently, the Ginsaneans were working hard to get our country under submission. Everyone had been issued an ID and were expected to carry it with them at all times. The entire country had been sectioned off into ten quadrants. We were in Le Sourne-5; each area was controlled by a commanding officer, ten Generals. Each man was aided by a council – Celene hadn't heard much about them. Inside each quadrant was separated into districts, cities, and, smallest, precincts. We knew that each precinct was run by a GSS Agent, but we didn't know who he was. He had a team of security men, like the two I ran into along with the help of the locally stationed Ginsanean Army."
(Pause)
"It was all very confusing. We thought that the Army and the GSS were controlled by different people, but they seemed to work together well. You might wonder why it even mattered at all, they were all the enemy, right? Well, I thought it important to learn as much about them as I could. Most of this was gossip that anyone could hear, but maybe I could use it to learn more about them and help the resistance."
(Pause)
"They started imposing new laws. There was a curfew. Each person had to get an approved job and was paid in food rations. All books, computers, radios, and televisions were outlawed. Cameras were put up all over town, as were loud speakers and grainy black and white monitors that would occasionally squawk at us about curfew or obeying the government or some such nonsense. Any one that had been in leadership before, including our teachers, was removed and taken away. Death camps were the rumor, but I doubted it – if not for any real reason other than optimism and hope."
(Pause)
"I'm sorry to say that most of us just fell in line. It was easier for them once things had settled down to just follow orders. Once the fighting in the streets had stopped and things had been cleaned up, food and medicine came in regularly now. I guess everyone just became accustomed to their new lives. Well, not everyone. Everyone now and then we would hear quickly-suppressed rumors about supply trains being blow up and GSS men getting attacked. Each story gave us reason to continue hoping. The children were taken to new Ginsanean run schools. They weren't very different, the parents would have rioted if their children had been brainwashed. But I think it was smarter this way – get the children to trust you, get the parents to trust you, and the rest of the people will follow. I could see it in their eyes. They would reason: 'this isn't so bad, we're fed, we're clothed, we're taken care of. So what if we can't do what we wanted to before – we're all equal now. Just keep your head down and survive.'"
(Pause)
"That wasn't me. I refused to give up; and so did many others. We weren't the majority, but our numbers weren't small; perhaps all of us wouldn't risk our lives, but we would do as much as we could. So, I began snooping around the room, but if the major or the lieutenant kept anything there, I couldn't find it for the life of me. Where did they go everyday? Celene seemed certain that Bram just worked with the army, training troops and teaching basic classes. However, I had no idea was the major did. Perhaps I should just ask him, but I thought that would be too obvious, especially since I generally tended to avoid him as much as possible. Though I could slowly start to 'warm-up' to him."
(Pause)
"It was difficult deciding what avenue to take. I wanted so much to be a help to the resistance; that might be why I was so willing to do anything, no matter how foolish or dangerous. Secretly, I wanted to be a hero, to be the one who wrested the chains of the oppressors away from my people. Silly, I see that now, but I had such visions and dreams."
(Pause)
"Living in the university kept me away from a lot of the trouble so easily found in the city. Le Sourne became the head of operations for Ginsaneans and I was right in the midst of what soon became a training ground and barracks for their soldiers. They left us civilians alone, just expecting us to remain compliant under their rules. All in all, it soon became apparent that I would have free reign of the place. As long as I kept my ID and flashed the name Bergrenn around, no one bothered me. The major was pretty much famous around this place. According to the tales, he proved himself quite the hero in combat and was promoted rapidly. It incensed me; here I was married to one of great enemies of my people. Though I must give credit where credit is due – apparently, he never took life unnecessarily and took great care to avoid leading an attack where it was not necessary. So who was this man I had been forced to marry? This was what I had to find out."
(Pause)
"One evening, I came in late from work and found my suite mates out in our lounge having a little party. The girls jumped up excited; other than Celene I hadn't seen much more than glimpses of them. Going around giving hugs, I realized how much I had missed them. They all looked the same – the weariness I had seen before was mostly gone from their faces. Uma directed me to a seat, 'Here, Rainy, sit there and now we can get this party started!'
I laughed, 'alright, alright! What's going on?'
Eliza grinned, 'we're having ourselves a little shindig – just 'cause!'
Jeina smiled, 'we got permission. We probably could have done this awhile ago, they've been so much more lax now that things have calmed down. We are definitely going to do this way more often!'
Celene giggled and passed me a plate of cookies, 'eat up, Raine! This night is for us!'"
(Laughter)
"It was such a wonderful stress relief. I hadn't realized how taut and edgy I had gotten, but this certainly helped. We chatted about our husbands and our jobs. Late into the night we told the rumors that we had heard. It was one of the best nights I have ever had."
(Pause)"After talking with the girls, Celene and I snuck guilty back into our room. I was late; the men were already in bed, but I knew they weren’t asleep. I the dark I searched around for something to wear to bed and hurriedly climbed into bed after letting Celene wash up first. As I laid my head down, I heard the major’s low voice, 'good night, Raine.' It was soft, more gentle than I had ever hear him.
'Goodnight,' I whispered back, somewhat confused."
(Pause)
"The next morning, I got dressed – it was Sunday and I had the day off, but not according to my ID. The major ate quickly and left. Feeling daring, I decided to follow him – at least as far as I could. He left the university and started a winding path through Le Sourne. I stayed far back, peering around corners and staying in the shadows, all the while hoping I could find my way back. After a good fifteen, twenty minutes of walking, he came to a decrepit-looking building. I ducked as he looked around and, satisfied that the streets were empty, went in."
(Pause)
"Not knowing what to do, I waited. What was he doing in there? Finally, a man cam out. It took me several moments to realize it was my husband. He looked like a stoop-shouldered, older man. He wore old, ratty clothes with an old cap pulled low, hiding his icy, blue eyes. His face and hands were smudged and his hair was several shades darker."
(Pause)
"I was so shocked that I almost lost him before I remembered that I was supposed to be following him. He went a few more blocks, there were people about now, Firmslads. We both blended in well. Casually, he walked up to a group of four men and shook their hands. I crept closer. Did they know who he was? Did I? I started to guess then that he might be a spy. This was terrible. Here he was gathering information from my own people. What was I supposed to do? I needed to tell Petr."
(Pause)
"I hurried back home. Oh wait, I would have to wait until I met him back at the hospital; I really needed a better way to contact him. I became quite frustrated and think I might have snarled at some new Ginsanean army cadets. But no one bothered me; the word had spread that I was Major Gavrie Bergrenn's dear, little wife. Ha! If only they knew. I was more determined than ever to make sure that I got information from him."
(Pause)
"Fortunately, I just happened to run into Petr back near the hospital. I told him everything I knew and he said he would find out who those men were and I gave him directions to the building. 'Good work,' he said, 'we've been wondering if they are trying to infiltrate us with spies. We assumed they would, of course.'
I shrugged my shoulders, 'I guess it was bound to happen. One more thing, Petr, I need a better way to contact you. What if there's an emergency?'
Petr scowled but he said, somewhat reluctantly, 'I might be able to get you a v-phone, but I'll need time; there's not a whole lot of them left.'"
(Pause)
"This wasn't exactly what I meant, 'I mean, can you tell me where to find you? I know where that first place is, but is there someone else I can leave a message with or something.'
'No, Raine. You've got to understand, I can't tell you where I live. If you don't know things, you can't be forced to tell anyone. The safe house is the best way to reach me if you need to tell me something really important. But for right now, I need you to keep following him. I think I can even get you a disguise. Won't be the best, but we really need you trailing him.'
'Why?' I asked. 'Why is the major so important?'
He looked at me oddly, but I ignored it. 'I can only tell you that the last couple of missions have gone bad. We know there are moles and spies and we need you to find out who his contacts are. This is very important.'
I nodded, 'I can do this, Petr. Whatever you need.'
With that, he gave me one of his rare smiles and turned away slipping into the shadows as a couple of GSS agents rounded the corner and nodded good-day. How did Petr always do that?"
(Pause)
"As I walked home that evening, there was a new announcement playing over the grainy, black and white tv sets. A good-looking Ginsanean man as a GSS agent with the words 'Obey the Law: A friendly reminder from your local GSS agent' superimposed on it. I laughed; how stupid did they think we were? Let the propaganda begin! I lingered in front of the dorm building, dreading going in and seeing the major. Who knew if he would recognize me? But eventually I had to make my way in. Celene, Bram, and the major were getting the final touches ready for dinner and looked up when I came in. 'Sorry I'm late,' I mumbled as I sat down."
(Pause)
"They sat down and we began to eat. As I was carefully glancing at the major to find any traces of his earlier disguise, I noticed that he was considering me mindfully as well. 'How was your day, Raine?' he asked as casually as could be.
'Fine. I went for a walk and visited the hospital,' I replied as cool as he had been. 'How was yours?' I turned and gave him my full attention and said sweetly, 'I've never asked – what is it exactly that you do?'
Nevertheless, my coy questioning didn't slow him down, 'My day went well. I work with the information department, Raine. We work lines of communication between the different quadrants and up and down the chain of command. Pencil-pushing with the occasional computer glitch; quite dull most days.'
I smiled."
(Pause)
"Now that I think about it, that was the first time that I had ever attempted a conversation with him. I tried to hide my laughter as Celene and Bram looked worriedly between the two of us. The major also noticed and raised an eyebrow at me, but I refused to join him in his amusement. 'So how's work at the hospital?' he asked after a few quiet moments.
'It's fine, nothing too exciting, mostly minor injuries and illnesses.'
'Has Kurtz been treating you well?' he asked in a more serious tone.
'Quite well, other than I can't understand him. Under all the yelling, I'm sure he's a sweet, old man.'
He laughed, 'that's Kurtz alright. I'm glad you like him – he's a good man.'
A good Ginsanean, I thought, but kept that to myself. I couldn't think of anything else to ask him without seeming obvious, so we spent the rest of the night talking about trivial things. It was a start though. We were talking and certainly he would think that I was warming up to him. I couldn't help feeling happy as I fell asleep that night – perhaps things would turn out alright after all."
(Pause)
"Well, it's getting late. I'll come back tomorrow.
(Male voice, indistinct)
"Yes, thank-you, sir. Have a good night."
Male voice: "End Alpha Recording Session 5."
