* * *
"What was THAT all about?" Lara-Su asked Taun-We as they sat down to breakfast after their "class" ended.
"They have those kind of classes before and after breakfast, they last all day, then we have a Gathering, and then we get shut in our cells for the night." She shrugged. "I've been here for two months--I think--and I've never seen any deviation from that routine."
"Peachy." Teilani said. "But what is the point of this...this PLACE?"
"It's an indoctrination center." Aeryn said softly, as if talking about the weather; which was still freezing.
"What? Why?"
"What do you know about recent echidna history?" Teilani shrugged.
"I always fell asleep during history."
"Same here." Lara-Su added. "I take it you're a history buff?" Aeryn nodded.
"I am. Here's the short version: Albion was the original homeland of the echidnas. With the exception of Echidnaopolis up on the Floating Island, virtually all echidnas lived there. But after the war ended and Robotnik defeated, many echidnas grew...dissatisfied with reactionary and isolationist attitude of the Albion High Council, particularly of Councilor Gala-Na. They began to emigrate, settle in other regions and began to interact with other species." She paused to take in a mouthful of a bland gruel that served as breakfast.
"Go on." Teilani prodded.
"These echidnas settled all over Mobius particularly in Mercia, Downunda, the Kingdom of Acorn, and the SSSR. However, this did not go over well with some of the more extreme elements in Albion. They clamped down on all immigration and sealed their borders. It has been rumored that some elements have been funding echidna supremacist movements designed to encourage echidna ultra-nationalism. Some even encourage racial violence." Lara-Su nodded.
"Come to think of it, Dad DID mention that there was a rise in violence on the Floating Island. Most of it directed at dingoes; vandalism, harassment, even beatings. There was even an assassination attempt made on Councilor Namina Dingo."
"Sounds like their calling card." Aeryn agreed. "This entire center is just one big recruitment center, only it isn't voluntary recruitment. If you just listen to the accents of the echidnas here, you'll find that they come from all over the world." She turned to Taun-We. "If I'm not mistaken, you come from Crater City." Crater City was built in Downunda, in the very crater that the Floating Island made when it separated from Downunda. When the mass echidna migrations began, they filled in the crater with water and built a city in the middle of it; hence the name, Crater City.
"Yes, that's right. How did you--?"
"I have a gift for accents and languages. This whole mess hall," she spread her arms to indicate the large cafeteria where they and the rest of the prisoners were eating breakfast. "Is just one big display of languages and native dialects. I've heard accents everywhere from Mobotropolis to Mercia."
"So what you're saying is, that this is one big brainwashing camp?" Teilani asked.
"Da. Everything they've done to us since we've got here; the showers, the doctors, the Gatherings, they've all been designed to weaken our spirit. Humiliate us, so we'll be easier to mold into what they want us to be."
"Just terrific. I don't think I could stand listening to those racists for months on end." Lara said. "We have to get out of here. Then we have to shut this place down. For good."
"I agree, but how do we escape? We don't even know where we are!" Teilani exclaimed.
"Not at the moment, no." Aeryn agreed. "But Lara is absolutely right. We have to shut this racist factory down. And I think I may have a plan to do it..."
* * *
"What was THAT all about?" Lara-Su asked Taun-We as they sat down to breakfast after their "class" ended.
"They have those kind of classes before and after breakfast, they last all day, then we have a Gathering, and then we get shut in our cells for the night." She shrugged. "I've been here for two months--I think--and I've never seen any deviation from that routine."
"Peachy." Teilani said. "But what is the point of this...this PLACE?"
"It's an indoctrination center." Aeryn said softly, as if talking about the weather; which was still freezing.
"What? Why?"
"What do you know about recent echidna history?" Teilani shrugged.
"I always fell asleep during history."
"Same here." Lara-Su added. "I take it you're a history buff?" Aeryn nodded.
"I am. Here's the short version: Albion was the original homeland of the echidnas. With the exception of Echidnaopolis up on the Floating Island, virtually all echidnas lived there. But after the war ended and Robotnik defeated, many echidnas grew...dissatisfied with reactionary and isolationist attitude of the Albion High Council, particularly of Councilor Gala-Na. They began to emigrate, settle in other regions and began to interact with other species." She paused to take in a mouthful of a bland gruel that served as breakfast.
"Go on." Teilani prodded.
"These echidnas settled all over Mobius particularly in Mercia, Downunda, the Kingdom of Acorn, and the SSSR. However, this did not go over well with some of the more extreme elements in Albion. They clamped down on all immigration and sealed their borders. It has been rumored that some elements have been funding echidna supremacist movements designed to encourage echidna ultra-nationalism. Some even encourage racial violence." Lara-Su nodded.
"Come to think of it, Dad DID mention that there was a rise in violence on the Floating Island. Most of it directed at dingoes; vandalism, harassment, even beatings. There was even an assassination attempt made on Councilor Namina Dingo."
"Sounds like their calling card." Aeryn agreed. "This entire center is just one big recruitment center, only it isn't voluntary recruitment. If you just listen to the accents of the echidnas here, you'll find that they come from all over the world." She turned to Taun-We. "If I'm not mistaken, you come from Crater City." Crater City was built in Downunda, in the very crater that the Floating Island made when it separated from Downunda. When the mass echidna migrations began, they filled in the crater with water and built a city in the middle of it; hence the name, Crater City.
"Yes, that's right. How did you--?"
"I have a gift for accents and languages. This whole mess hall," she spread her arms to indicate the large cafeteria where they and the rest of the prisoners were eating breakfast. "Is just one big display of languages and native dialects. I've heard accents everywhere from Mobotropolis to Mercia."
"So what you're saying is, that this is one big brainwashing camp?" Teilani asked.
"Da. Everything they've done to us since we've got here; the showers, the doctors, the Gatherings, they've all been designed to weaken our spirit. Humiliate us, so we'll be easier to mold into what they want us to be."
"Just terrific. I don't think I could stand listening to those racists for months on end." Lara said. "We have to get out of here. Then we have to shut this place down. For good."
"I agree, but how do we escape? We don't even know where we are!" Teilani exclaimed.
"Not at the moment, no." Aeryn agreed. "But Lara is absolutely right. We have to shut this racist factory down. And I think I may have a plan to do it..."
* * *