CHAPTER 26
Albert and Mullah (knowing a lot more about human history than I or any of the other animals did) agreed on the year 1111, which would be the furthest back in time we had ever gone in relatively modern history (I’m not considering our trip into ancient Germany during the time of the dinosaurs to be ‘relatively modern history’).
After all were aboard (as it was a short flight, Mullah shared a seat with Marmalade, putting her on his lap), Albert set the destination to a scant few miles away, in the middle of the jungle where Stripes had lived, and the year to the agreed-upon 1111. It only took a matter of a couple of minutes for the Zephyr to ascend vertically, hover momentarily, and then horizontally cover the short distance.
On touching down, descending gently onto the forest floor, Albert said there was no time like the present, and that we animals could begin with our educational work, coaching the animals to be protectors of the oppressed and downtrodden.
“Excellent!” Stripes said. “I will go and spread the call to fangs among the Tigers and Leopards and Panthers,” and off he trotted, jungleward, with his ward Marmalade at his side.
Mullah watched the Bengal Tiger stride away with an imperial strut, and commented, “Impressive animal, that Stripes! In more ways than one. You know, Mark Twain wrote of his tribe: ‘For style, look at the Bengal Tiger — that ideal of grace, beauty, physical perfection, majesty.’”
I was a little jealous of this praise given Stripes, as I considered my “tribe” (Labrador Retrievers) to be impressive in our own right, but I shook it off. After all, Stripes was, sartorially speaking, in a league of his own. What was I, after all, but an ordinary, everyday Dog.
Terri and Drako volunteered to meet with the Cobras and Scorpions to coach them. That left Rinky to coach the Crocodiles. Tubthumper, naturally, went off to meet with her cousins, the Indian Elephants, as well as the Sloth Bears.
Albert remained at the Zephyr to plan the operation, with Mullah as consultant. I remained there, too, so that I could communicate to the other animals what the overall plan and strategy would be once it was finalized.
When the animals felt their charges were ready for it, the various teams assembled to engage in joint exercises — to practice their maneuvers as a combined force. They had prepared separately prior to this due to thinking it would be too confusing and noisy to do so together, with each group being given instructions specific to it by its coach or coaches.
The joint sessions, which I oversaw, consisted both of classroom work, where the strategy and tactics were explained and discussed, and of field exercises, putting what was taught in the classroom into practice.
When all of the coaches agreed that the entire contingent was ready for it, we planned our first engagement. It would be a show of force to put India on notice that the animals had become a joint task force, were united in their goal to fight injustice, and were organized and unified. Also, that we outnumbered humans by a billion to one — and that overwhelming ratio is without counting the insects, of which there are a like number (an estimated ten quintillion), thus making the total mismatch in numerical strength of animals over humans two billion to one. And the insects should be counted, as they could be vital in winning the victory, as you will see.
As I, Albert, Mullah, Stripes and the others wanted our demonstration to be as impressive as possible, we staged a mock battle between a mere subset or sample of the forces that had coached together on one side and, on the other side, a team of humans, who had agreed to play the part of aggressors who needed to be stopped by the animals.
Albert and Mullah, in fact, were to play the lead roles in this; Mullah enlisted some friends and fellow villagers to make the human ‘team’ of a more realistic size.
All of India was invited to see the demonstration, and six million turned out. At the time (in 1111), it was the largest mass of humanity ever assembled in India — or anywhere else, for that matter. Those multitudes in attendance thereafter returned home and reported what they had seen and heard to their friends, family, and neighbors, who in turn spread the news still further, until everyone in India knew about what had taken place, and wished they had been there to see the thrilling extravaganza.
It turned out being even more exciting than we had anticipated.
Taterskin & The Eco Defenders (in paperback, kindle, or hardcover) is available here.