>"I was sent to determine why you weren't recieving our tightbeams, since
> you seemed to have no trouble accessing the sattelite. [flick] I think the
> explanation is clear. I'm placing the two of you under arrest on charges of
> treason. [flick] Come with me."

"That would be a reeeeeeeally bad idea," Chit said, staring at the courier's
laser. It was pretty small. He wondered if it was even real... not that he
was about to find out. "Anyway, I'm not a traitor. Let me explain..."

"Explain it to the judge. [flick]"

"That would defeat the purpose. I went to Teral and signed up for this post
for a reason, you know."

"I know, I know," the courier said, in a slightly bored voice, "You were
bored with warren life and wanted to see the great outdoors, yada yada yada.
[flick] I've heard it a million times, and it's not working this time either."

"Actually," Chit said, shifting to a more relaxed posture, "It was for
Loren's sake."

The courier snorted. "Well, at least you've got an imagination. [flick]
Go on."

"Why is Loren warren leader?"

"Popular acclaim, after the rebellion. He was the architect of our freedom,
who saw the truth and shattered our bonds."

Chit looked at her strangely. "I *really* hope that was a quote." The courier
fumed. "Anyway, I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about something more
recent."

"What? Teral was never really the warren leader, he was only acting it while
Loren was away. [flick] His coup failed."

"I'm not talking about that either. Less recent. Do you remember... Sylvie?"

"No. Should I?"

"The election? Where Loren proved he wasn't above stuffing the ballot boxes
to hold his place?"

"He won that fair and square. [flick]"

"I just wonder if his 'constituency' was far enough along to ask which box
to check, or if you had to move their paws for them... but my opinion isn't
the issue. The fact is, there were a *lot* of squirrels that thought that
Sylvie deserved to win that election."

"And they left to follow her. And were never heard from again. [flick]"

"Only about half left... but I didn't realize how strongly the others felt
about it until I got back. They knew I'd been with her, you see. And when
I told them she was dead..." Chit paused, waited a few seconds, then sighed.

"They told me that *I* was her successor. They wanted me to lead a rebellion."

"This isn't helping your case, you know," the courier pointed out, gesturing
with her laser. "If I hadn't been sure you were a traitor before..."

"But I *wasn't* with her! I was *spying* on her! But I couldn't tell them
that -- they'd have killed me, and picked someone else to lead the rebellion
in my place. So I told them to wait... and signed up with Teral on the next
trip out.

"As long as I'm here, they'll wait. I send them a manifesto every month or
two to keep them busy. If you bring me back in chains to stand trial..."
Chit shook his head. "Enough of the warren was destroyed in the last
rebellion, don't you think?"

The courier smirked. "And I'm supposed to believe all this, right?"

Chit shrugged "Talk to Loren, he'll confirm it. What can be confirmed, at
least. I'm afraid the would-be-rebels didn't keep records... but he'll
confirm the election, that I left with Sylvie, and that I signed up to leave
the day after I got back."

The courier shrugged and put away her weapon. "Okay. I'll relay your message.
[flick] But in the future, you *will* answer our tightbeams, do you
understand?" She didn't wait for a reply. "Good. Be seeing you. [flick]"
With that, she turned and scurried away.

Chit was extremely confused until he turned and saw Kara, grinning
maniacally, laser rifle gripped in each forepaw... He grinned back at her,
then frowned as she turned to point the lasers at him.

"Why didn't you ever tell me any of this? [angryflick]"

"Because I hadn't made it up yet. [shudder] Thanks for backing me up, that
wasn't half as convincing as I'd planned... I must be losing my touch."

Kara pounced on him, giggling, and wrestled him to the ground. "Hmm... you
seem pretty touchable to me..."

==
Chit