Chapter Thirty-Eight
They made their way to the theater, which was packed. Most of
the women
looked terrified awaiting the news of what their fate would be. The men
of the crew looked bewildered. North wondered how many of them were
duplicates like North 2.
2 A podium had been set up on the stage. North walked up to it without
hesitation, and began to speak. "Quiet down!" he ordered, "Quiet down!"
There was almost instant silence.
3 "First of all," North continued, "I want all of you to know that none
of you will be harmed. We're not going to turn you over to The Lord's
Guard , no matter what you decide after you hear what I have to say.
4 You see, I'm a rebel, just like you. And all the men remaining on
this ship are rebels, too. We have been planning for years to overthrow
The Empire, just as you have. Among us men and women are equals. No man
owns a woman, or does any woman own a man, but they are partners with
each other….equals.
5 I am proposing that we combine our two groups, that we join each
other. We want women's freedom as much as you do. We want them to have
the same rights as any man. And if we work together, that will be
accomplished, but if we oppose each other, if we fight each other, then
neither of us may accomplish our goals.
6 But if we work together, if we stand together as equals, then we can
do it. We can break The Empire, crush it, make something better. "
North turned to the women's leader. "Well?" he asked. "Do you like what
you've heard?"
7 "What happens," the woman asked, "if we refuse?"
8 "I have secret stations," answered North, "that The Empire knows
nothing about. You will all be
sent to one, to live out your days. The Hashons have long