Fire of Refignment-Into the Flames 12

1:12

Bardekon

As we approached our destination, I had hoped to see a glimpse of the lush and heavily vegetated planet, with its jungle-like vines, tall deciduous trees, and waterways throughout, but I was to be disappointed. Our window was closed as we entered the atmosphere and did not open again. We were shuttled straight to the Council House.
The Council House which was where the Chancellor and other Council members lived and ruled also had a prison for criminals of the highest offences against the Union. I shuddered when I heard over the ship's intercom that, that's where we were headed, but I knew this was what I had signed up for.
The shuttle began to slow, and the Advocate stood. I followed his lead and we faced the door, waiting. This was it. Here we were, our destination. This was what we'd been working for. I wondered how it would play out. As we stood side by side preparing to be escorted from the craft cell, he spoke again,
"Ms. Carter. We must say our good byes now. We may not meet again after this. We will likely be separated."
I looked at him in tears. He had become so much to me, a mentor, a model, but I understood.
"Good bye Mr. Advocate. Thank you," I started to choke and held my breath to stop the flow of tears.
"Yoshha kishabv abvin, Good bye, dear heart."
I held back the sobs, but the tears ran. No one else had done so much for me.
The door opened. They began attaching our bonds to chains by which they would lead us to separate detainment cells.
I wasn't able to wipe the tears from my face.

Moved in this moment, one last word to encourage her, but not before the guards, he prayed in his heart,
"Yashhan, kay bvah tahn ekh abv cit. Kay bvah heshtohl hish dah inah cit."

And he began speaking quietly as if to himself not looking at anyone in particular, but I heard him, in Yeshmaht, I understood. He was speaking to me.
"Shibv het nahd cit, kishabv abvin. Ohl ie cit nikabv. Akh bva, oshkah anikabv. Nahd ekh, cit gjishtah."
I was stunned. I did not know if he expected me to understand or not, but I did. In essence, he'd said,
Don't fret for me, dear child. I am decided, but you have yet to choose. I pray you make the right choice.
I don't know if he knew that I heard him. I did not look up at him. I did not want to give it away. I did not want to cause suspicion.


I was placed in solitary confinement, in a sound proof white room, brightly lit. The silence rang in my ears. I had no idea what time it was. I was completely confused.
My single meal was slid through a small slit in the door like a mail slot on a metal trey. The food stank. I don't know what it was.
There was nothing in the room, no chair, no bench. It was so sterile.
I managed to eat some of the stinky food. It didn't taste as bad as it smelled, but I couldn't eat much of it.
Then I curled up on the floor with my back to the bright wall.
The light seemed to come from everywhere and it hurt my eyes. I shut them and felt tears squeezing through my lids.
I was alone. I had never felt so alone in my life. I couldn't hear anyone. I didn't know where they took the Advocate. I was alone, and I got scared. "Yash subvaht het moishtah tohl, hish val mektoe," I whispered the words over and over, and I cried. I wanted to believe them, but I didn't know if I could.

He thought of her, the Human child. He knew she was alone, like him in his isolated cell, but also on her own. He hoped she would remember what he told her.
He prayed again for her, for strength, peace, and comfort.
Guilt struck him instantly; responsibility for her suffering bore down heavily: oppressively. Yet he sensed his prayer was heard. He felt it faint in his heart.
He clung to that.

I realized something, as I lay crying in that room. When I had thought that no one had done so much for me as the Advocate, I realized that it was the Master who had put it in his heart to do all this for me. The Advocate had been willing, but it was He who did this for me. He heard my weak prayer from the beginning and in answer He sent the Great Advocate to help me, and to walk through this with me with no regard for himself. Even if this whole thing did not work out, the Master had already shown such tenderness toward me.
I began to love Him as I had not done since I was a child, and I cried for I realized that all this time He loved me this much, and I was only following Him out of duty. I wept for the wasted time I'd spent in duty, without knowing that He cared so much. It seemed that the Advocate had a better understanding of the Master than I did, and I had the Sacred Book all this time, though I didn't read it much. I had this revelation and I didn't know this about Him, but the Advocate did.
I remembered the hurt in his eyes with my confession, and then I remembered the story, and I realized that no one had done so much for me as the Master. As if that weren't enough, when my family was exiled, he gave me Jaymith to look after me. When they took Jaymith, He sent the Interstellar Advocate of Indigenous Peoples who would teach and guide me with his faith as he sacrificed everything for us. It was as though He the Master Himself, through these people, were looking after me, teaching me, walking through this with me every step: as though these people were His very hand extended to me in such a gracious needed way. I appealed to the Advocate just for advice and the Master sent him to me. I saw His hand in this, comforting, compassionate, and willing to suffer with me. I saw the heart of the Master for the first time, and I began to love Him.

We did meet again, but it was awkward now, having said our good byes. Things had changed and I realized that the client/counselor relationship had come to an end. Now, we were simply fellow prisoners by the same crime. I'd have to adjust and accept it. I shouldn't be placing my emotional attachments on him anyway, and in this understanding, I began to feel incredibly, even more alone.
Yet we had the common bond, beyond our crime. We were servants of the Master, and He loved us. We were not alone. No matter what happened in this life, this truth would not be changed.
I looked at him again and realized how exhausted he appeared. I wondered if he had gotten any sleep. He seemed smaller than in transport, even frail, not like I had remembered. I wondered if his strength was giving out. In my new confidence of the Master and His love for us His followers, I sought His help for the Advocate, to give him strength and wisdom. He was going before the Chancellor, as one of the guards said.
I would have no audience with the Chancellor. He had no interest in me. I was too small a fish for him. I took one last glance at the Advocate, as they turned to lead him to the Chancellor's Office, while I went on. "Yash subvaht het moishtah tohl," I heard myself whisper, "hish val mektoe," and we parted ways for the last time.

She did not know how much it encouraged him to hear her speak those words.

"Mr. Advocate," spoke the Chancellor grinning as he stood. "What an honor to meet you," he offered his hand as if to shake his.
The Advocate did not laugh at the ironic joke, as he stood before him undignified in chains and prison garb, and did not reach out to receive his mocking gesture.
The Chancellor ignored his silent protest, and picking up the papers on his desk, proceeded to read aloud the charges filed against him. "Causing public disturbance, inciting riots, conspiring to overthrow the peace of the Union- Advocate these are serious charges."
The Advocate remained silent. The charges were true. What could he say?
The Chancellor looked at him questioningly, "This is unlike you, Advocate: so extreme. What drives you to such disturbance? This isn't your protest over the Interstellar Protection Act."
The Advocate lifted his chin and looked directly in the eyes of the Chancellor.
"Oh come now, Advocate, you can't be serious. This is so childish. You agreed to the Protection Act of Indigenous Peoples of the Gjertan Quadrant. You even wrote the compromise. Why now, after all these years, have you come to protest in this manner?"
"A Cerai'i has fallen through the hole I left when I changed this Act for you. He has done no wrong except having left his traditional religion, to follow the Master. He has lived peacefully among you, and did not resist arrest. He has already received the Mercy Whips, and is about to be exiled to Oshkan. I have come that you may hear me once more."
"You went through all this just to get an audience with me?" The Chancellor gloated at his joke, sitting back in his chair. Then he leaned forward again. "Didn't you realize you could have just appealed to me?"
The Advocate shifted his weight with an exasperated sigh. It was all jest. Still, he kept his composure and stood firmly, in silence.
The Chancellor continued with what the Yeshmaht knew he would say, "Advocate, I explained it to you before. We cannot allow the Indigenous to leave their traditional religion. Our own people are not allowed religion at all. An indigenous must remain as he is, or become like us. There is no middle ground. We cannot allow him to have any religion he wants while the rest have none."
"You have determined that none should have religion. It is more convenient for you to toss it out."
"Advocate, we went over this before. If we permit one religion, we must permit all. If we permit all, there is vast diversity among religions. Diversity breeds distention, and strife. In order to have peace, we must be one. In order to be one, there must be no diversity. In order for there to be no diversity, we must do away with religion. It is a stumbling block to society."
"So you punish peaceful people who hold hope in their hearts."
"Yashna-"
The Advocate raised his chin noting the intended insult on his name.
"-why don't you go back to your own planet, to your own people, and live in peace? Why must you meddle in the affairs of other governments?"
Strength and words now came to the Advocate and he spoke, not on his own. "'Live in peace,' and close my eyes to oppression. There is no peace in that. True peace is not found in the absence of strife, He is within. I cannot rest with the cry of oppressed people longing to find Him."
The Chancellor was amused by his statement. It was nonsense to him. "You personify peace?"
"I do not. He is peace. He is love. He is just. He is Yashhan. He is 'The Master' as you call Him here. You deny He exists and oppress those who follow Him. I tell you He is.
My people have known of Him, and sought His truth, and light. You humans disregard the special revelation He gave to you while my people are dying with the hope of someday seeing it. Even now, there are those among you who follow Him in secret, fearing exile. You try to 'purge' them from your Union, but you will not succeed. He is greater, and His plans cannot be thwarted.
"My ancestors, long ago, abandoned Him, few remembering. My people committed genocide to cleanse Zador for ourselves, but Yashhan had mercy on us. He opened our eyes revealing His justice so that we cried to Him for mercy and put off the Sword. If we had not, He would have slain us in just wrath.
"He is not partial, so we sought to honor Him, and dedicated our lives to protect His creatures, and to ensure that they have the chance to know Him who made them.
"Even you, Chancellor, have the same chance to know Him. That is why I stand here. Now you have heard. You have your own choice. As for me, do what you will. I am decided."
Even as he spoke, he marveled at the revelation that came through him.
The Chancellor looked at him, rubbing his chin, all while a slight smirk grew upon his face. "Well Advocate, I think you've spent enough time among us," he pressed the intercom. "Our meeting has come to an end. Please escort the Advocate to his cell, until I give further instructions."
As they came in, the Chancellor changed his composure to one of sadness, and said, "It was an honor to have seen you again, Advocate. I'm sorry your journey has brought you to this. Good bye Sir."
The Advocate paused looking at the Chancellor for a moment, his countenance heavy. Then he turned as they led him away. He would appear next before the Council.

While the Advocate met with the Chancellor, I stood before the Council. When they heard my simple story, they dismissed me to interrogations saying that there had to be more: some secret movement to overthrow the peace.
They interrogated me with questions I didn't know the answers to, and threw them at me faster than I could think to intelligently and accurately answer. When I began to give up they demanded answers, slamming the table with their rods. Pressure rose. My mind began to retreat. I pled with the Master for strength. I hadn't eaten in so long. I couldn't think anymore. Their threats kept coming. One of them pulled me up from the table roughly and held me against the wall, but instead of being frozen with fear, a peace came over me, and suddenly I was able to think. "Why do you insist on being punished?" he was saying.
I looked at him without fear, and I saw the hopelessness behind his violent mask. The thought came to me and with clarity I spoke. "Why? What does it matter to you whether I believe in the Master or not? What harm does my belief cause. If I obey the Law of Love- to treat others better than myself, if I submit to taxes and give respect to our governors and rulers, what does it matter if I believe in the Master or not? Why do you want to take hope from people by punishing it out of them or removing them from among us? What hope is there in this life, if this is all there is?"
I began to see with new eyes and was amazed and comforted by what I said. A seed of light began to grow in me.
He appeared unchanged, but it was clear that there was no plan to overthrow the peace. There was only my faith and the true peace it gave.
"You will receive the Mercy Whips," he said, and he dropped me back to the floor.
"So be it," I said, still filled with peace. I felt sorry for him. I felt sorry for all of them and I was surprised that they didn't do anything else to me.
I was taken immediately to a 4'4' cage-like cell in the prison area, dark and cold, until they had filed the papers with my sentence, where it would be read to me in the Descending Judgment Chall.

After his brief meeting with the Chancellor, the Advocate was taken before the Council with his charges. As they reviewed them, the Advocate stood silently and did not say a word, leaving it fully to them to discuss among themselves.
"Fellow council members, consider carefully the punishment you will impose upon this man," one of them spoke carefully and turned looking sheepishly at the Advocate because he was indeed not Human.
The Advocate, however, showed no disapproval at the title, so the councilman continued.
"Keep in mind all that he has done to protect indigenous peoples throughout the Universe and how we have honored him as a hero. Consider the outcry of his arrest and how much disturbance it caused in the Union," (for Morshaht was able to get the information to every planet of the Gjertan Quadrant.) "How much more unrest should we expect from his exile? The Universe is watching. We are holding the Interstellar Advocate of Indigenous Peoples in our hands."
"What then, do you suggest?"
"Let him be banished and forbidden any contact with any citizen of the Union."
There was a sound from the Advocate as he broke his silence and the members turned, and looked at him.
"Mr. Advocate, is there something you wish to say?"
"Do not treat me any different from any other citizen of your own people. If exile is the just sentence, than so be it."
"You want to be exiled?"
He raised his chin in affirmation.
"Will you also receive the mercy whips?" one of them said in jest.
"I will," he stood unmoved.
They stared at him in disbelief. After having him leave, they discussed among themselves.
"Now he aims to make us look bad to the Union and the whole Universe."
The one who spoke wisely, asked, "Don't we? Can we really be considered heroes for even banishing the Great Advocate, let alone exiling him? If we banish him, he will surely speak of our partiality as admittance to unjustly treating our people. He could stir up other systems against us; but if we exile him, we can say that we honored his choice." They also agreed not to inflict the mercy whips, still in fear of Universal response. Since he had chosen exile, that should be enough.
To this they agreed, so they had him brought in.
"Advocate, for your crimes, you will be exiled, but you will not receive the mercy whips."
The Advocate spoke strongly, "I will not be treated different from your people!" There was such command in his voice, though thin and old, that they all seemed to stop and take notice of him, as if for the first time.
Finally they resigned, "Alright, he has chosen his punishment, let it be as he has said."
They called for the prison warden and gave him his orders. "The Advocate has chosen to receive the same punishment as one of our citizens. Give him the Mercy Whips."
He was then led to the whipping post of Bardekon, in the deepest level of the grounds; but after only a short time the warden sent a message to the Council saying, "He has already received them."
The council members sought to investigate and summoned the warden to question him further.
"What do you mean by this?"
"He has already received them."
"Not from us!"
"No, from his own people. He bears more marks than the standard 25, all over. I asked him what they were from and he told me how as a child he'd been taken captive by a different sect of his own people who tried to force him to deny his father, and his god. In our law, a citizen receives the mercy whips once, am I right? Then he is exiled. He has received twice that many in his lifetime. Unless you want me to proceed-"
"Thank you, Warden."
They sent him out, and not yet ready to believe his story, they sent two of their own council members, the one who had spoken wisely and the most skeptical among them, to investigate for themselves.
Upon their return, they looked bewildered saying they themselves had witnessed the scars and reported that the Advocate's explanation was what the guard had said. They decided he had indeed received the Mercy Whips and that it was unlawful to inflict more.