The Signal

At last, Moses is able to press his way through the throngs of gawkers and cheering Mechified, shouted greetings and growled curses, thrown garlands and bottles. He is clutching a crumpled sheet of paper to his chest. Zipporah is nimbly slipping along behind him in the space that he makes like a gleaming metallic ship in a sea of pressing bodies and hammering sound. Her ears are pressed to her head and she has a fistfull of his coveralls so they aren't separated. He is always aware of her, and will reach back now and then to pull her forward or gently but firmly push people to either side.

He enters the telegraph station, creaking and tottering on its foundation, but only mostly rusted away, and still servicing underground cables. The technicians, all Mechified, are standing when he comes in, eyes wide, shifting from foot to foot nervously, looking at each other. The floor is knee-deep in coiled paper with endless messages printed on meter after meter of it.

Moses nods to the Mechified. "I have a message to send."

They start, and then all settle back into their seats and prepare to transmit. I don't know if I can send this everywhere, so I'll have to do this the normal way.

He clears his throat and reads from the crumpled piece of paper.

"Begin."

"My name is Moses, and I am the servant of the power of Karia that has brought Goshi low."

"Stop."

"I have done this to bring freedom to my people, and I have learned in the past months that all Cheldrun and all Karians are my people."

"Stop."

"Now I am leading all who will follow me to Stardown."

"Stop."

"We are going to Stardown to face the Enemy and to defeat them once and for all."

"Stop."

"Goshi is broken but not yet fully defeated, and they will make a last attempt at facing us in open war."

"Stop."

"We will defeat them once and for all, as we have defeated Katashi Blade, because they have been serving our Enemy all this time."

"Stop."

"Any soldiers or other employees serving Goshi should know this -"

"Stop."

"-that you have this chance, this final chance, to leave Goshi and start a new life for yourself."

"Stop."

"Because when you bring war to us, we are going to crush you utterly, so that nothing of Goshi will remain on the face of Karia."

"Stop."

"All who wish to join us in Stardown to fight for the fate of all Karia should gather there with all of the resources you can bring."

"Stop."

"All who don't want to join us should rebuild your lives, and choose new leaders for yourselves now that Goshi is broken and its power is coming to an end forever."

"Stop."

"If we win, then use your freedom to build better lives for yourselves and to become better people, Cheldrun and Karian together."

"Stop."

"If we lose, then this is goodbye."

"Stop."

"Never stop fighting for what's right."

"Full Stop."