Eric went on evenly. “We must talk swiftly, since the Major has undoubtedly already sent his troops out for us. Citizens of Shalev, our intent is not to simply be free, but to free all of you, to overthrow this twisted, sick attempt at paradise that Major Denison and Dr. Gould and the others who stand with them have forced upon you. We hereby declare our implacable opposition to the Major and all he has done here. We do not expect you to come out openly to join us. You saw the Major’s reaction to opposition last week at the soccer stadium. We do not expect you to put your lives or those of your families in jeopardy. But you can help us. Let us move freely among you without betrayal. Let us strike at the Major from within the confines of Shalev and slip away undetected. We can hide from the eyes of the Guardians, but we cannot hide from you and still succeed. We ask only that you become blind for the next few days. For that we shall free you all. That is our pledge.”

“And I pledge to you it shall not be!” the Major shouted.

As though Eric heard the cry, his head suddenly lifted and he stared into the camera. “Major Denison, I know you’re listening, so let me close with a word to you. Hear me well. We feel it only fair that you should do more than simply sit on your orange and blue throne and pronounce lofty judgments upon us and the people who willingly help us. You are the cause of the war; therefore you should not be immune from its effects.”

The room had grown deathly quiet except for Eric’s voice, and every eye stared at his face on the screen.

“At first we toyed with the idea of sending a Punishment Mode to your wrist computer. That would be poetic justice, I suppose.”

The Major visibly started, and the eyes of the group swung to him.

“But strangely enough, what you deem necessary for your subjects, you yourself decline to share. You have no Punishment Mode in your wrist computer, do you, Major. And yet,” Eric went on, “you can’t be left untouched when it’s your claws that tear at the vitals of this people.” Eric brought his hand up in a mock salute. “So, Major, we bring the battle to you.”

Suddenly Eric disappeared, and for several moments the screen went dark. No one in the room spoke, but several glanced furtively in the Major’s direction. Then the screen flashed on again. It was obviously nighttime, and a huge, well-lit house, surrounded by what appeared to be acres of lawn and gardens, could be seen dimly. The camera was badly out of focus, and the details were heavily blurred.