�� I looked at the nine people standing in front of me. Some of their faces I could see and some of their faces I couldn't, but I felt the weight of all eighteen eyes heavy on me. � Of course I could count on Weslee and Perki following me at all costs. � But the rest of them not knowing me as well, had simply taken the word of Perki and Weslee. � That had been enough -- until now! � NOW I needed to prove to the rest of the group that I WAS the hero that Perki and Weslee had painted me to be. � So with all that in mind and despite the other doubts and misgivings and questions that were STILL insisting on pestering me I was not, COULD NOT let this group down. � I searched my mind for a few moments for a few appropriate words and then spoke.

�� "A long time ago when I was a child I heard a story about a man who died that others might live, a man that died so others could be free. � I was young and this sounded like a very romantic, inspiring story. � But when I became a little older I realized that this story WAS not as inspiring as I had thought. � In fact if anything it was the saddest story I had ever heard. � You know why?" I didn't stop to give them time to answer. � I wanted to make sure I had them in my grasp first. � "I'll tell you! � I came to realize that NO man should have to die to be free or set any one else free. � Unfortunately the Annunaki do not see it that way. (I had not actually seen any actual evidence of their violence first hand, but the fact that Perki and Weslee and the rest of the population was lving in fear was proof enough for me. � No one cowers when they have not been struck.) � Therefore we MUST put our lives on the line today! � I am not prepared to die, though, so we MUST win -- at all costs! � The Annunaki MUST be gone from the world!!"

�� Everyone just stood there and stared at me more a few moments. � It was so quiet and still there in the Banyan grove that a passerby could be forgiven for thinking that he was seeing nine statues. � But then Weslee blinked as if he was awakening from a spell and began clapping and cheering wildly. � In a flash the others joined in! � As I stood there basking in their approbation, I couldn't help thinking two things. � The first was that I hoped they all were as good at shooting as they apparently thought I was at giving a stirring speech. � And the second thing was that I had not thought it was that wonderful a speech -- for one thing it was rather short. � But then a third thing occurred to me. � Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address wasn't very long either. � And my speech HAD included a very fundamental concept -- those were the sort of concepts that stirred men's souls. � So now while the "fever" still ran hot there was only three things left to do. � Get in Edgar, go back to New Jerusalem and kick some alien butt!

�� There was plenty of room in Edgar for all ten of us. � The rest of the "army of resistance" would be traveling on foot and by wing (their own) and by water (under it). � In fact, if all was going well, they -- all two thousand of them -- would already be there and secreted in place when we got there. � Edgar closed his doors and we were off.

�� As usual it took very little time to cover the distance to New Jerusalem. � In fact I was getting another case of cold feet and wished that the journey was a little longer. � "What made you think this mad scheme would work, anyway?" I asked myself. � But it wasn't only that. � All my doubts, fears and questions had coalesced into one over riding concern: We were going to New Jerusalem to "kill" a bunch of sentient beings. � When it came time to "pull" the trigger, could I do it? � "Well, you've come too far to back out now, haven't you? � And time will only tell," was the scant comfort I could offer myself.

�� Edgar had, as usual, "parked" himself in the woods facing the more open area around New Jerusalem. � When we were all out of the cage and were standing there preparatory to making our move, I nervously took index one last time, looking for any flaws. � I scrutinized our costumes with an eye for anything that might look familiar to the Annunaki. � Perki was dressed as Alice, I was dressed as The Mad Hatter, others were dressed as the door mouse, the cheshire cat, the Queen of hearts, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, the Walrus, the White Rabbit and the Mock Turtle. � And then there was Weslee. � He was dressed as Winnie the Pooh. � I knew that was a bit incongruous, but I had excused it on the basis that he would make a perfect Pooh and that I didn't know what else to do with him. � Nope. � I decided, once again validating my idea to myself, it was highly unlikely that the Annunaki would have had any reason to research a children's tale from several centuries back. � What would have been the point? � We SHOULD be able to pass as a traveling troupe just like I'd thought when the idea first came to me. � And I knew our weapons were ready. � At this point people besides Weslee were fidgeting. � I figured that couldn't be a good sign so I ordered everyone to follow me and we set off towards glory or ignominy.

�� It was going to take us a few minutes to cover the distance to the city on foot since we did not want to appear to be rushing the place so I took the opportunity to ask Perki, "Tell me again what you learned from Hudzabee as you were, well, you know. � I mean, have you had any more time to think about it? � She gave me a sidelong glance. � I started over, "Of course, you have! � What I mean is does it seem likely that he was telling you the truth in light of what Weslee and I saw when we came here and in light of what you see before you now?"

�� "You mean that he might have been "telling" the truth when he communicated that this was the only garrison left on the planet?"

�� I nodded.

�� Perki frowned in contemplation. � "Well, as you know when we were discussing this aspect of it during the planning session I said that it was possible since people aren't usually able to lie under the kiss, but Hudzabee WAS an unusual person. � On the other hand, from what you reported when you and Weslee returned and from what verification I see now with my own eyes, I'd say it is possible. � And then there is the fact that they didn't stop you from traveling forward in time. � Perhaps they DID decide to cut their losses. � If all that is true then it still doesn't mean that it is going to be an easy task. � Just for spite they would have left behind enough soldiers to give us a good fight. � And of course the leaders wouldn't have told those left behind what it is about so when they find out they'll be not only fighting for their lives, but they'll also be fighting us as a sort of surrogate for those that left them as sacrificial lambs." Perki smile at me hopefully, "I hope some of that made sense. � What I am saying, in short, is I should have been able to tell if Hudzabee was telling the truth, but I am still not sure. � And yet at the same time it SURE looks like it."

�� While I appreciated her honesty it didn't help any more now than it had the day we first discussed this. � Still, I tended to agree with her assessment of the situation: It DID look like we would not have to fight every Annunaki in the universe. � If, however, I was wrong then my plan was not going to work. � We'd be hard pressed to escape with our lives. � And if it were not for Edgar we wouldn't even have that chance. � Of course we'd lose a lot of brave lives since Edgar would not be able to carry away the other two thousand troops. � Therefore -- IT HAD TO WORK!

�� As that thought crossed my mind we arrived at a spot very near the front gate. � It was show time! � Now we'd see if my plan had been a stroke of genius -- or a act of stupid desperation.

�� It might have been the same guard that Weslee and I saw the other day and it might not have been. � I hated to say this, but the Annunaki all looked alike to me -- especially now that there was no personal security field in evidence. � In any case a guard was standing there. � He looked at us in what I guessed was amazement. � Looking at Perki, he said something in what surely was his native tongue. � Perki, who understood the language, grabbed the hem of her pinafore and curtsied prettily for him before translating, "He wants to know who in the name of the Great Cosmos we think we are." So! � I HAD been right. � He was amazed! � In fact that's probably why he'd spoken in his native tongue. � He surely knew the local language! � It was a good start, I thought, towards vindicating my plan.

�� "My good man," I said, doffing my over large hat. (I almost blew it here by wincing when I'd called my good "man", but I knew I didn't dare, so I went blithely on as if I was totally oblivious of who he was or where I was. � "I would be most obliged if you would speak the local vernacular." � And I gave him a very ingratiating smile.

�� He obliged. Turning to look at me with those great big, green, almond shaped, sharply downward sloping eyes he asked, "What business do you intend here?"

�� This was the cue the White Rabbit had been waiting for. � Taking his huge, ornate, brass colored watch from his vest pocket and consulting it, he said, imperiously, "We're late! � We're late for a most interminable date." (I know. � I KNOW!! that was not the correct quote from the story, but did the Annunaki know that? � I thought it was more appropriate, given the situation this world had been in for so long.)

�� The Annunaki was looking a little less amazed and more bewildered. (It was amazing how I could read their facial expressions after such short exposure to them. � Perhaps some things ARE universal?) After a moment he spoke to me again -- as the ostensible leader of the group, "You're late for what?"

�� I did not keep him in suspense. "Why my worthy man, of course we've came to entertain the Prince of this most excellent city! � Will you lead us to him or arrange some such? � That is to say, if you are not allowed to leave your post!"

�� "Prince?" he looked at me blankly.

�� "Yes, um, well whoever is in charge, whether he be prince, potentate, pauper or, whatever. � Like my good friend the White Rabbit here says we're late!"

�� "Late?" Another blank look.

�� I wanted to choke him for being so dense. � This was the master race of the universe? � But in all fairness this WAS working to our advantage. � So I gave him an imperious look, turned and gestured grandly towards Weslee. "My good and faithful friend Winnie The Pooh, here, needs his Huny. � The quicker we are allowed to perform for his grace, your lord and Master, the quicker Winnie gets his Huny." And I gave the guard a very knowing leer, nudged him a bit and went wink, wink!

�� My over familiarity didn't antagonize him. �He just looked at me like I was a harmless nut. I didn't know if this was a good sign or a bad sign, but he also didn't seem to recognize me as the person that someone of his race had come back to the past looking for. � Either my costume was that good or else he hadn't been in the group at my house and my face hadn't been "posted" anywhere. � I found it hard to believe�that my face hadn't been posted so it HAD to be the costume. Without another word, he waved the bunch of us on in. � That was the signal for the others to wait for an hour and then to attack. � I hoped they saw it. Otherwise we were going to have to improvise like hell just to get back out alive. � I gave one quick look over my shoulder towards the open plain where I thought --HOPED -- I saw a hand signal flash briefly out of a clump of bushes. Then I followed the others into the city a little ways where we were stopped by another guard.

�� I had expected the interior of the city/ship to be a bustling place. � And I wasn't "disappointed". � After all, even if the inhabitants had been deserted by their fellows -- and just didn't know it yet -- still with a possible several thousand aliens in residence (and from the numbers moving about it looked like there could easily BE several thousand aliens here) there WOULD be plenty of activity. � But did the amount of activity tell me anything about what was REALLY going on here? � I didn't see how it could. � We were just going to have to play it by ear. � We would see where the other guard led us and what happened when we got there. � In the meantime it seemed like a continuing good sign that the second guard hadn't seemed to recognize me nor was anyone else raising a hue and cry. � Of course it might not be the costume throwing them off at all. � In fact the first guard might have just been pretending only long enough to get us inside. � But if that was the case why was the second guard waiting to arrest me? � Or why hadn't he excuted me on the spot? � Thinking that, I became a lot more optimistic that my plan HAD been a stroke of genius after all.

�� The second guard scrutinized us with amazement equal to the amazement expressed by the guard on the gate. � But it was obvious that he was a bit higher in the heirarchy than a lowly gate guard. � He was a bit more all business, not letting his curiosity get in the way of him doing his job. � "State your business, please." he said briskly, coldly.

�� I bowed to the Walrus. � He took "center stage", tugged on his mustache, adopted a thespian pose and began to declaim, "The time has come, my dears to speak of many things: Of ships and sails and sealing wax and of cabbages and Kings --"

�� "OH." The seond guard said, cutting the Walrus off, "Why didn't you say so? "So you've come to entertain the Triumverate?"

�� Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee stepped forward. � In sing song voices and dancing a little jig in duet they replied, "Yes we have! � No we haven't! � Of course we have! � Of course we have not!" � Then the whole thing degenerated into fisticuffs. � The guard actually made a sound that sounded like laughter. � I was getting more and more optimistic by the moment. � Still making that weird laughter like sound, he directed, "Follow me."

�� Because the "ceiling" o f the city was a substance that looked like black, smoky quartz (I was sure it WAS NOT -- it could not be made of something as brittle as quartz and survive the rigors of interstellar travel) very little sunlight came through. � Yet it was unusually bright in there. � I felt that was because the Annunaki still had a psychological need to bask in the sun, despite the fact that they had evolved beyond their reptile ancestors into warm blooded creatures. � More evidence of their reptile ancestry was the big, open, central area. � This area was filled with a sprawling jungle like swamp. � There were naked Annunaki sporting in the green/brown water, Annunaki lying on partly submerged logs, Annunaki reclining on mossy rocks at the edges of the many pools and Annunaki simply strolling among the thick vegetation surrounding the swampy area. � In perfect incongruity, there were buildings of every sort, shape and kind crowding right next to the swampy area, with just a narrow path of some sort of hard, road like surface to separate the jungle swamp and the city proper. � Those buildings, some of them interconnected with skyways, strectched off into the distance as far as I could see. � Unlike the cities of my time, the buildings were every shade and hue of pastel colors. � And the buildings were not all constructed at right angles. � Some were pyramid shaped, some were trapezoid shaped, some were round, some were cone shaped and some were even rhomboid shaped. � In color and shape it was vaguely, I thought, like a fairy garden turned to stone.

�� The guard was leading us towards a star shaped building. � That shape was discernible because the building was standing on two of it's points. � I guessed that was where the Triumverate resided and presided. � I didn't turn out to be wrong.