E.I.G.H.T

Some days passed and I began to learn more of Zephyr’s camp that was apparently called the Honeycomb.

“Why is it called a honeycomb,” I inquired when the Bear called this settlement a honeycomb.

“Because that be its shape.” The Bear said. “I’ll show ye the map when we get to Zephyr’s base.”

I nodded in agreement. The day soon came where we had gone towards Zephyr’s main cabin.

Just like before I followed the Bear closely, never a pace or two behind him. I worried about being engulfed by the Rhoatian forest if I strayed too far away.

“Ye know I ’ave a daughter a bit younger than ye,” the Bear said seemingly trying to make idle conversation.

“Oh, where is she?” I asked. I of course knew that the Bear had a daughter it was in his biographical records.

“Them bastards locked ’er up for being a threat to the empire.” The Bear said bitterly. My subroutines noted his bitterness. It was like Rae’s bitterness earlier.

“Is that why you joined the rebellion?” I asked.

“Aye lass,” The Bear nodded. “That and I saw too many innocent folk get captured and ’eld wrongly by the Black Empire.”

“How so?” I inquired.

“Yev gotten close to Rae right?” The Bear asked and I nodded “Well I’m sure then that Rae told ye’ ’bout ’er brother.”

“She did,” I said.

“There are millions of people like Rae’s brother.” The Bear said. “My poor young Sasha is confined to a wheel chair because of a birth-defect that the empire deemed as dangerous to the empire.”

“Explain?” I asked.

“Didn’t ye know that birth defects could be a threat to the empire?” the Bear said. “That be the malicious nature of the Empire and its ridiculous laws they ’ave.”

This was the second time someone told me something that I could not compute in my subroutines. This accusation did not make sense. Even if The Bear was an enemy I could not see him making up such an elaborate story. Not to mention that my scans of his vocal and emotional tone only showed him in anger due to stress rather than a sensation of lying.

Aside, logic dictated that he had no real reason to lie about something like that. It could be that the political system was corrupt and corrupt members of the Empire were doing such a thing. I did not yet eliminate that possibility however if that was the case one would simply have to weed out the corrupt members of the empire and strengthen those who have nothing to do with it. A General with the known caliber of the Bear would know that. Then why was he with the rebels? I pondered over this several times using my subroutines.

“Yer wondering why I didn’t just weed out the corruption instead of joining wit’ the rebels?” the Bear said suddenly. I was a bit aghast at the question I did not think that he was that acute he could figure out I was thinking about this.

“The thought did cross my mind,” I said.

“Te be ‘onest wit’ ye I did try to do just that,” The Bear said.

I computed those words for several seconds before I could formulate an adequate reply. I did not know that the Bear had tried to end the corruption in the empire. I thought he had just lost his way and joined with the rebellion.

“What happened?” was all I could ask.

It was a legitimate question I did not have enough data to be able to formulate a logical conclusion.

“The corruption starts at the top,” The Bear said simply.

This is all he had to say about that it seemed.

We didn’t speak again until we reached Zephyr’s base of operation.