Short Story:The Morgartzi Rebellion © ............. Rated (PG)

Basic notes to my young teaching successor: from E of Farrovale County.

I had been a teacher for almost two decades before the invasion eleven years ago. At that time, if you are old enough to recall, everyone in the teaching profession and many others, became persona non-grata. Actually, it’s seems almost absurd that I use that phrase because knowing or speaking a few words in another language is liable to result in an instant death sentence should the wrong ears hear it. Though, if you are reading my notes, there is a possibility that I am already dead.

At the time of the invasion, compared to my contemporaries in the cities, I was quite fortunate. Most of the urban teachers didn’t survive the initial cleansing, and those that did had to change their identity or their trade. In fact it has been impossible to determine their survival rate though I suspect it is considerably higher than those found lecturing at the universities. As far as can be determined, the annihilation of university personnel was close to if not 100% absolute. I understand that the only other profession to have suffered such high mortality rates was the clergy. Our invaders did not want us to have hope.

What few are told in our present “education” programs is the sheer ruthlessness with which the invaders took over. For those whose livelihoods were based on the production of basic consumable goods, the transition was relatively easy, at least in comparison to their city cousins. Simply put, city dwellers were of little value and were speedily, though certainly not painlessly, wiped out.

[The methods used in the cleansing process are detailed in “J of Dansford’s ‘Historical Notes of the Morgartzi Invasion’ Part 1 and 2.” You should have already found a hand-written copy of those notes alongside my volume of notes, enclosed with a much treasured New Testament Bible, a thesaurus and a copy of an Esperanto dictionary]

The surviving residents from the outlying urban suburbs fled terrified into the country, placing an enormous strain on rural communities. Those initial human floods brought about the downfall of around 68% of the rural population. It then took a further seven years for the remaining country groups to struggle back onto their feet again. As a young man yourself, these last four years must have seemed almost bountiful to you. Believe me when I tell you that owning a pair of shoes was not always an indicator of profound wealth.

And so...

Now my young successor, let me begin to tell you about the inordinately high hopes and expectations that our community leaders have placed on your shoulders:

For you to be reading these notes means that you have already passed several levels of intense scrutiny, though you are unlikely to have been aware of most of them. By the time you reached the age of fourteen, community leaders had chosen you from among a small group of gifted though, not overly bright youngsters.

Please suppress any feelings of indignation because I use the phrase “not overly bright” in reference to you. It is not intended to hurt you, but is offered as an opportunity to educate. You see, if tests had proven that you were an outstanding scholar or an overly bright young man before you turned sixteen, our “caring” Morgartzi masters would have gathered you up, along with every other bright youngster at that time from villages from all over the country. They would have whisked you way on the pretext of educating you further.

This is a lie.

We became aware that intelligent young people were “educated” by the Morgartzi in one of two ways. The less common though simpler method is death. The second and more popular method for the Morgartzi, to ensure that villages are not negatively impacted by labour shortages, is to “educate” the young recruit until every original or intelligent thought in their heads is crushed. These recruits are then returned to a completely different village and are usually only good for labouring. Many of them never speak again. Some of them are returned barely functioning above the level of a garden snail.

This my young successor, is why you were chosen. You were clever enough to miss out on being “educated.” I am hopeful that you, as one of the next generation can make an impact on the Morgartzi’s “education” methods. To tell you our plan for this, I must digress a little into my own history to set the foundation for this part of our long-term plan.

During the five year period after the Morgartzi invaded, formalised education had been banned. It was at that stage our masters realised their error in outlawing education:

1. The next generation was growing up without simple education skills which are a necessity in farming and the creation of basic goods; and
2. By regulating education and issuing special tests, the Morgartzi could weed out the more intelligent in the community to ensure there would be less likelihood of future rebellions against them.

Though there may well have been other reasons, these two seem to us to be the most likely.

At that time I worked as a fishermen because my forbidden teaching background forced me to take on a new trade. The Morgartzi issued a decree that allowed teachers to resume their duties, though only a few and on a limited basis. Education would only be allowed under their complete jurisdiction. The construction of school buildings would be permitted only if they did not impinge upon precious farming ground.

We former teachers had to undergo intense scrutiny and it is not important nor helpful that you know the methods they used on us to determine this and our loyalty, though if you ever meet Miss Certis, a forcibly retired teacher living in Avonglade in Walsington County, you may get an inkling of their technique. I ask you ahead of time to prepare yourself not to flinch.

My short stint as a fisherman inspired in me an idea for school buildings which I understand has been instigated across the country. Having lived in a fishing hut on stilts in the river running through my village, I simply suggested using a similar concept for school-rooms. Our village leaders thought it had merit and passed along the suggestion to the Morgartzi. You are likely to have spent your short schooling in a similar building.

It was through these initial contacts and underground prayer meetings between the village leaders and myself that we forged a sense of comraderie and the glimmer of an idea began to burn in us about how we could plan for the future.

You will have already met three of the local leaders who have been involved in our long-term education planning. Until such time as it is necessary for you to know the identities of leaders in other villages, I can only tell you that a small network of leaders from across this and several other counties are already undertaking similar plans.

Our education aim is simple, though you are likely the only teacher who has been approached about carrying on this project in your own village. In the occasional larger village, if it is possible, perhaps two may be approached.

Those chosen for this role must have already demonstrated their abhorrence for the Morgartzi from an early age and have either been brought up to understand or had guessed at their masters’ duplicity.

These tendencies though are not enough. The child or young person must also show additional strength of character and moral reserve and undergone tests at various ages.

There is also the final test which you yourself took at the age of fourteen, one that tested your resolve in the darkest of circumstances. Each of these final examinations is modified to suit the specific individual, and no two tests are the same. It is only if a student passes their final testing that the leaders and yourself will know, that the now young adult, is suitable to carry on the role of special teacher into the next generation. This person may still at that juncture, choose not to carry the burden, for as you know, it carries great risks.

And finally...

My young successor - my bright and brave young person, go on with the knowledge that though you play but a small role in a plan that will take many generations to see fruit, and though your path will be fraught with danger, it will also be filled with great joy and promise, because God is on our side.

By the time they reach you, your students will have been winnowed from the best and the brightest in the village to those showing outstanding courage and moral fortitude. These final few you will teach to be discerning and clever enough never to gain the attention of the Morgartzi. You will teach them more than the fundamentals allowed by the masters.

Through you they will learn to question, to theorize, to study and gain knowledge with which we can arm our next generation. Together you will work and further extend our plans.

You will be fortified by the knowledge and the promise that some of these will become teachers that will take this knowledge and planning another step further, and that God is with us every step of the way.

Urging caution and always prayer...

Always use caution my young successor, teach, exhort, study and learn tinged with fine-tuned vigilance. Should an inkling of our plan become known to the Morgartzi, we will never again be given this opportunity.

We are aware of an alternate plan by the Morgartzi to educate mankind into utter subservience, each generation to be enslaved as unintelligent labour, condemned from childhood into a role of mindless labourers, as unthinking slaves. The Morgartzi will ensure this through their special “education” methods.

Do not mistake the current Morgartzi tactic to allow us to be educated as one of stupidity. It is more logical for them to allow man a reasonable level of intelligence because it means that they need leave only a small taskforce of their own people on earth to oversee us as we produce the food and resources necessary for their ongoing expansion.

It is a fine line upon which we teachers walk, my young successor, but one that is imperative if we wish to one day regain control of our own world, and ultimately resume the rights to our own minds and our own destiny.

Remember ... pray always and God be with you.

These I leave with you:

[Romans 8:26-30]

[Revelation 3:10]

[1 Timothy 6:11]

Joshua 1:9 "This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."