Back to Chapter 9
Chapter 10 � Solidarity
Maria Elena spent the remainder of her second week in Danubia settling
into her daily routine. In the mornings she gardened at the university,
then she met with Carmen and some of the other norteamericanos
for lunch, and later attended language class and physical fitness
training. Afterwards she went home to fix dinner and clean, and finally,
when Victor came home, she spent her evenings with him. She was busy
from the moment she got up until the moment she fell asleep, but in her
case being continuously occupied was what she needed. Her activities
varied enough that each part of her day gave her something to look
forward to.
In spite of her initial resistance to the thought of being a gardener,
Maria Elena discovered that gardening really was not a bad job at all.
She worked for people who were not particularly demanding and who left
her alone once it was clear she understood what needed to be done for
the day. The university grounds were attractive and peaceful, an
excellent place to enjoy the warm early autumn weather.
She often felt erotic, being naked outdoors in that park-like setting.
When she got on her hands and knees to pull weeds and grass out of
flower beds, she thoroughly enjoyed the feel of the morning sun on
her exposed bottom. When she spread her legs and leaned forward, the
sunshine and breezes caressed her bottom-hole and vulva, a sensation she
never could have experienced anywhere in Colombia. Her modesty had faded
and she actually enjoyed the looks she got from men passing by the spot
where she was working.
She enjoyed Carmen�s company during lunch and hearing about her life in
Los Angeles. Carmen was curious about Maria Elena�s life in Colombia as
well, but unlike many of her classmates, she had enough tact not to ask
anything about the prisoner�s legal situation or the circumstances that
brought her to Danubia. Carmen also had enough tact never to stare at
her companion�s collar or uncovered body. She put her at ease and always
treated her as just another classmate. There were times that Maria Elena
wished she had some free time so she could hang out with Carmen, but her
schedule only allowed her a few minutes around lunchtime. She hoped that
after she was convicted that she might have some more time to spend with
new friend.
She pushed herself hard during language class. She hoped she would
eventually surpass
many of the norteamericanos with her ability to speak and
communicate in her new home. Speaking and understanding the Danubian
language was vital to her future, because Kim had told her that she
needed to be prepared to take another job by the end of September, one
that would allow her to work indoors once the weather got cold. The law
required that criminals had work in places where as many ordinary
citizens as possible could see their nakedness and their public shame,
so the only indoor positions suitable for criminals were customer
service jobs. Already Kim was thinking ahead to what her client could do
after September, but the range of options depended on how well she could
speak and understand Danubian.
By the end of her second week, Maria Elena�s body was beginning to show
the benefits of her physical fitness training and physical labor. The
runs continued to be a challenge, but each day she experienced
improvement. She was eating healthy, sleeping well, and felt better than
she had felt in years.
----------
After language class had ended on her second Saturday in Danubia, Maria
Elena visited Spokeswoman Kimberly Lee-Dolkivna at the Central Police
Station, accompanied by her translator. The official informed her client
that she wanted to give her a final update on her legal status before
she went to trial. To have such a discussion during the weekly
hair-braiding ritual would have been inappropriate, because it involved
Kim talking to Maria Elena as a superior, something that was never done
when women had their hair unbraided.
The most important update was that German investigators, after
interrogating El Flaco, had located a few more of Maria Elena�s fellow
couriers and already had rescued several of them. �For better or for
worse, they�ll be going home. I don�t know to what, but I�d guess
they�ll eventually get deported back to their own countries.�
Kim also explained that, under ordinary circumstances, she already would
have insisted that Maria Elena call her mother to explain where she was
and what had happened to her. However, she understood that in her
client�s case to do so might put Se�ora Torres in danger from Alex or
someone else in the smuggling group. To that Maria Elena had no
response, because in her current situation she had no desire at all that
her mother know what she was doing or where she had ended up. Noting her
silence, the Spokeswoman commented:
�You�ll have to tell her eventually. Don�t think that I will let you
avoid that responsibility, because I won�t. When I feel that it would
pose no danger to your mother or anyone else in your family, I will pick
up this phone, hand it to you, and in front of me you will tell your
mother, in detail, why you are here.�
Finally Kim explained what was going to happen Monday morning. Cecilia
would bring her to the Spokeswoman�s office at 8:00 in the morning. Upon
entering the office she would kneel and be prohibited from speaking. A
police officer, most likely the dog handler who had arrested her, would
arrive, handcuff her, and then escort her across the plaza to the
Central Courthouse for trial. Kim and Cecilia would accompany her, but
she would have to make the trip across the plaza handcuffed.
�Couldn�t I just go straight to the courthouse, Spokeswoman?�
�No. There�s ritual with a criminal trial, and the walk across the plaza
is part of that ritual. Anyhow, I wouldn�t worry about the trip over.
The trip back will be a lot more difficult, after you�ve taken your
punishment, but that too is part of the ritual of trial.�
Kim explained something that Cecilia already had mentioned, that during
the switching it was extremely important that she try not to scream or
cry for as long as possible.
�You�ll find out that criminals have their own unwritten code for what
was considered honorable behavior. There�s a reason for that. Your
honor, along with everything else in your life, has been taken away from
you. It is your duty, to yourself and to those around you, to regain
that honor through your actions. How you face the difficulties of your
Path in Life as a convicted criminal is vital to your redemption. An
important part of that redemption is to always display courage and
stoicism, especially during times of pain or danger. The switching is
your first chance to show the world, and yourself, that in spite of your
situation, you are determined to regain your honor.�
Once Cecilia translated, Kim continued:
�It�s not likely you�ll make it through your punishment without crying,
but you need to do the best you can. You�ll have to remember that cops
have their own measurement of honor, and for that officer punishing you,
it�s as important for him to make you cry as it is for you to resist.
The point is for you to do your best. That�s all anyone can expect from
you.�
There was a final detail about criminal protocol that Kim needed to tell
Maria Elena. Normally criminals shaved their pubic hair 24 hours before
trial or before a scheduled punishment. The purpose of shaving was to
show everyone around them that their Path in Life was to suffer as a
result of their actions, and that they had accepted that as an
obligation the Creator had imposed upon them. Shaving was the ultimate
act of humility, because it completely exposed the criminal�s genitalia
to the rest of the world; the acknowledgement and acceptance of a life
in which modesty and hiding oneself from public scrutiny was not
allowed.
Maria Elena was grateful for the explanation. She quietly responded that
she understood and that she would be properly shaved when she presented
herself for trial.
----------
Upon finishing Prisoner # 101025�s final pre-trial interview, the three
women took a trolley to Victor Dukov�s house for the weekly ritual of
hair washing and re-braiding. Maria Elena reflected that the majority of
the women she was with had been convicted criminals, the only exceptions
being Cecilia Sanchez and Cynthia Lee. They had endured the switching
table and tried to face the public shame of being collared with courage
and dignity. Maria Elena understood that her Path in Life was to live up
to the high standard that her companions had set for her. She needed the
women around her to accept her and view her as an honorable person; the
only way she could achieve that goal was to understand and always
fulfill the demands that criminal protocol placed upon her.
After two weeks in her new home, her frame of mind was one of
acceptance. As much as she dreaded the horrific experience that awaited
her on Monday, she understood that it was the inevitable result of her
own misguided decisions. The only choice remaining was to live as
honorably as possible within her circumstances. She was determined that
she would do her best, and not only because she was worried about what
other criminals or cops might think. As important as what opinion others
might have of her, what mattered most was Victor. What her lover thought
of her mattered much.
That night Cecilia went with her fianc� to the Socrates Club, but Maria
Elena did not accompany them. She wanted to spend her evening with
Victor. She would make love to him as usual, but before they made love,
she had an important favor to ask of him. While he prayed, Maria Elena
rummaged through the bathroom of the master bedroom and took out his
shaving supplies. She put a fresh blade in his razor, filled a bowl with
hot water, and put a towel over a small piano bench that she felt would
support her weight. Once she had everything set up, she returned
downstairs and knelt with his tea.
When Victor and Maria Elena went upstairs, she handed him the razor and
pointed at her own pelvis. She still was not able to express what she
was feeling with Danubian vocabulary, but with her expression she made
it clear that it was important that he be the one who shaved her. He
took her hand and nodded.
�Doc-doc.�
Maria Elena lay on her back on the bench and spread her legs. Victor
dipped a washcloth in the hot water and soaked the area around his
lover�s vulva, before covering her with shaving cream. Slowly and gently
he scraped off the black hair from her body, exposing more and more of
her vulnerable womanhood. He was careful to get all of it, making sure
there was no stubble left around the creases of her labia. Finally he
instructed her to lift up her legs so he could shave around her
bottom-hole as well. When he finished, he dropped the razor in the
water, then took the wet washrag and cleaned off the remaining shaving
cream. He gently dried her and ran his fingers over her exposed skin to
make sure she was completely devoid of hair.
Victor gave Maria Elena his hand and helped her stand up. He led her to
the large mirror he had in his room so she could see herself. As a child
she had never looked at her body in the mirror, so seeing herself
stripped of her hair was totally new to her. How strange� to be so
completely exposed.
Maria Elena took Victor�s hand and placed it over her stripped vulva. As
she felt his fingers touching her bare skin she commented:
�Ya krimin�lika� ya krimin�lika��
Victor gently continued exploring her smooth skin. His only reply was:
�Doc.�
Yes, she was indeed a criminal, but he fully understood what she really
was trying to tell him. She had accepted who she was and what she had
become. He had helped her make that journey in her mind, which was why
it was so important that he should shave her. She lacked the vocabulary
to express her feelings, but still she was able to convey to him what
was going on in her mind. He understood perfectly, and only needed a
single word to respond.
----------
The following day was Sunday, the traditional day for family dinners and
get-togethers. Victor had invited his sons and their families to have
dinner at his house. Cecilia took charge of cooking dinner while Maria
Elena helped set up and cleaned pans that no longer were needed. Finally
Victor�s sons and their families showed up, along with Jason Schmidt.
Cecilia immediately ordered her fianc� into the kitchen to help serve,
while she changed into a formal dress. She returned to the dining room
and took her place at the table next to Victor and her nephew.
Because they wore collars, it was the duty of Jason and Maria Elena to
serve the rest of the household. They would be allowed to sit at the
table and eat, but if anyone needed anything, they were expected to get
up and attend to that request. However, the fact Jason and Maria Elena
were allowed to have plates at the table at all indicated that Victor
held them in high esteem, in spite of their collars. Ordinarily it was
customary that a collared member of the household should kneel during a
dinner while waiting to attend to the others� needs and would be allowed
to eat only leftovers once the meal had ended.
The dinner distracted Maria Elena from her impending trial, but she
noticed the guests glancing at her shaved vulva. She did not really feel
any shame, because she simply was trying to comply with protocol,
through a gesture of humility that announced her upcoming ordeal in the
courtroom.
Finally dinner ended, with Maria Elena and Jason tasked to clean up.
Cecilia accompanied them to �help out�, but the prisoner fully
understood that in reality she was watching over her fianc�. She was
bothered by the fact the Dominican still did not trust her, but she knew
that with Jason there was no way Cecilia was about to take any chances.
She watched over him constantly, especially if he was in the presence of
other women. She only felt confident allowing him out of her sight if he
was performing services for the Danubian Church. Later Maria Elena would
realize that Cecilia�s behavior was not so much a lack in confidence in
herself or distrust of Jason, but instead a result of her controlling
personality and desire not to have anything in her life out of order.
Much later, when Victor�s sons left the house along with Cecilia�s
fianc�, Maria Elena lay on his bed so that he could enjoy her body one
final time before her trial. For a long time the prisoner lay on her
stomach as her lover gently caressed and massaged her bottom. She
enjoyed his tender touches on her soft skin, knowing that within just a
few hours her entire backside would be brutally marked up, covered with
welts and blood blisters. She would spend the next day injured,
dispirited, and exhausted. It would take her days to recover, both
psychologically and physically. She knew that, as she unsuccessfully
tried to ignore the fear building up within her soul.
She was unable to relax. Finally she sat up. Victor sat up as well. She
took his hand and touched his fingers to her collar.
�Ya krimin�lika.�
�Doc�
With that he put his hand over her heart, which was beating rapidly. For
a long time he simply held her as he tried to comfort her.
----------
A few hours later Cecilia and Maria Elena walked to the university and
boarded a crowded commuter trolley heading downtown. The Dominican
explained the arrangement that Victor had made with the Spokeswoman;
that he was to go to her office during the trial and wait for her to be
brought up. She explained that he would not witness her trial or
punishment because of Danubian protocol. It was considered inappropriate
for family members or lovers to be present during a judicial punishment.
There was a concern that family members might attempt to disrupt the
proceedings. More important was the tradition that even a dishonored
criminal should not have to endure the humiliation of having family
members witness a switching.
Normally family members and lovers were prohibited from being present at
the recovery table as well, but Cecilia explained that in Maria Elena�s
case Kim had decided to make an exception. When she was brought back
from the courthouse, Victor would be in the office waiting for her.
When the two women arrived at the entrance of the Central Police
Station, they saw a small group of US exchange students, led by Carmen,
waiting for them. Maria Elena�s friend explained that they wanted to
�bear witness� to the inhumane treatment that she was about to endure.
They had come fully prepared with protest banners and an inflammatory
statement they had written up in both Danubian and English that they
planned to read to reporters. It was apparent they wanted to stage a
public demonstration and expected to be arrested.
Cecilia sighed, because the spectacle that Carmen was planning was
absolutely the last thing that either Maria Elena or the exchange
program needed. Protesting with banners and shouting slogans was not the
Danubian way of handling situations like the one facing Maria Elena.
Yes, the Americans would undoubtedly get arrested if they tried to
disrupt the trial of Prisoner # 101025, but it was unlikely anything
would happen other than the cancellation of their visas and expulsion
from the exchange program. Cecilia knew that she would have to try to
reason with her students, but she also knew that they were still
unfamiliar with Danubian culture and would not understand why protesting
Maria Elena�s trial would not do any good. Desperate for some advice,
she dialed Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna on her cell phone.
�Kim, you need to get down here. We�ve got a problem on our hands.� As
soon as Cecilia started explaining what was going on, the Spokeswoman
immediately hung up and rushed down three flights of stairs to the main
entrance of the police station. Cecilia expected Kim to tell the
students that they needed to disperse immediately and that the idea of
protesting a trial was idiotic. She also expected that the students
would argue and there would be an unpleasant scene. However what the
Spokeswoman did totally surprised her. Kim called the students to
attention with a loud whistle. She explained who she was and gave a
brief summary of what was about to happen to their Colombian classmate.
Then she added:
�If you don�t like what�s happening to Prisoner # 101025, I can
understand, because there�re some details about her case that I don�t
like either. Don�t think I don�t understand your objections to what�s
going on, because I understand perfectly. I�d also imagine that you
think I�m going to tell you not to protest. I�m not going to do that.
I�m not going to tell you not to protest, because in this case
protesting is perfectly legitimate. The problem I have is with the way
you�re planning to go about it. To have a bunch of foreigners shouting
slogans is not going to do your classmate any good, people are not going
to understand what you�re trying to accomplish, and all it�s going to do
to you is make you look like crazy foreigners. If you�re really serious
about showing solidarity with Maria Elena, you need to protest the way
Danubians would protest. If you protest in a way that people here would
understand, you�ll have a lot more impact, not mess up your own futures,
and make people understand that as Americans, you�re willing to respect
the culture here. There�s a way to do all that.�
As the students calmed down, Kim continued:
�I�ll tell you what protesting will accomplish, and what it won�t.
You�re not going to stop Maria Elena�s trial. Won�t happen, no matter
what you do. You�re not going to stop her from getting punished today.
She�s going to get her butt whipped, because that�s part of the trial.
Everyone who gets convicted gets their butt whipped. But if you�re out
there protesting, and protesting the right way, you might have an impact
on her sentence. I say might. I don�t know for sure, but I would
appreciate the support when I�m negotiating her sentence. But if you
really want to help my client, you�re going to have to protest like
Danubians. This crap you�re planning, with the banners, and chanting,
and disrupting the trial and getting yourselves arrested won�t help her,
nor will it help me argue her case in court.�
�So what do we have to do?�
Kim glanced across the street at the entrance to the Cathedral. The main
door already was open for penitents to report for their daily duties. She addressed the group.
�Which one of you speaks the best Danubian?�
One of the men raised his hand. �I guess I do.� The others seemed to
agree.
�OK. Then take everyone over to that Priest and tell him what you�re
planning on doing; that you want to protest the treatment of your
classmate. While you�re doing that, I�ll have to take her upstairs to my
office. I�ll call the trial judge to ask him to start the hearing an
hour late, to give you guys time to get ready. I�m warning you though,
if I�m going to delay the trial, I expect you to protest the way people
here would protest. That means, to show solidarity with my client,
you�ll have to make a major sacrifice in your own lives.�
The students looked at each other. Finally Carmen raised her hand.
�What�s the sacrifice, Spokeswoman?�
�You�ll have to wear Temple collars. If you�re serious about showing
solidarity with a criminal in this country, that�s how you do it. You
put on a collar. And to let people know you�re serious about how you
feel, you�d be expected to stay collared up through the Day of the Dead.
That�s a month from now.�
The students gasped and looked dismayed. No one said anything. Kim
became impatient.
�What�s the problem? You�re OK with making a spectacle out of yourselves
and getting arrested and getting kicked out of the country, but you
can�t wear Temple collars?�
�But� we�d� like� have to be naked?�
�That�s the rule. You can�t wear clothing if you�re collared.�
The man who had volunteered to speak for the group asked: �� and what
else are we gonna have to do?�
�The Priest will tell you. There�s a protocol for protesting, and
they�ll let you know when you�re over there.�
The Americans suddenly were quiet. Now that they knew the extent to
which they would have to commit their lives to protest a sentence in
Danubia, it was obvious none of them wanted to go through with it. Kim
snapped:
�Do you care about helping Maria Elena, or don�t you? If you do, then
get over to the Cathedral! If you don�t, then get yourselves, and your
banners, and the rest of your shit out of my sight!�
Carmen was the first out of the group to move. She was Maria Elena�s
best friend and the organizer of the protest, thus she was the one who
was most committed to continuing. She wondered why the idea of being
collared frightened her more than the prospect of being arrested.
However, she had started the day expecting to sacrifice for the benefit
of her friend and would stay true to her promise.
The guy who volunteered to translate was next. Of all the students he
was the one who knew the most about Danubian culture. He reflected that
he shouldn�t have been surprised that, when he got himself mixed up with
Carmen�s protest, things would take an unexpected turn. Had he known
were Carmen�s adventure would lead, he would not have gotten involved,
but now he felt committed. It was dishonorable for a Danubian to start
something and then abandon it, especially if it entailed supporting
another person. So, with Carmen signaling that she was ready to go to
the Cathedral, he knew that he would need to join her.
Under the harsh gaze of Spokeswoman Kimberly Lee-Dolkivna, the others
fell in behind Carmen. None of them actually wanted to wear a collar,
and certainly not for a month, but none of them had the nerve to back
out.
�Interesting,� commented Kim as she exchanged glances with Cecilia. �To
be honest, I didn�t think they�d have the guts to go through with it.�
With that she turned to her client.
�You�re lucky, to have classmates who�d make that sacrifice. I hope you
prove yourself worthy of what they�re doing for you.�
Maria Elena stared with dismay and guilt at the Americans as they
entered the Cathedral. She felt terrible about dragging them into her
situation, but also grateful, especially to Carmen, for caring so much
about her.
Kim didn�t give her client much time to think about what the exchange
students were doing. She ordered Prisoner # 101025 to accompany her to
the office on the third floor, where the dog handler who had arrested
her already was waiting with his female partner. The criminal�s mood
immediately changed, as the horrific memories of her arrest came back to
her in full detail. She trembled as she knelt, eager to put her face to
the floor so she wouldn�t have to look at her tormentors. However, the
cop, noting her discomfort, ordered her to kneel upright and to look at
him. He addressed her in Danubian.
�I�m pleased to see you again, Prisoner # 101025.�
�Yes, Officer.�
�Ah� so you speak Danubian now. How good. I�m sure the Inspector would
love to have another conversation with you. Wouldn�t that be pleasant?�
Before Maria Elena had a chance to answer, the Spokeswoman snapped:
�Officer, it�d be a good idea to skip the sarcasm with my client. If
you�d really like to push that point, I think I could have a pleasant
conversation with the Inspector; and maybe with the rest of you as well.
We can have all kinds of pleasant conversations, Officer.�
Maria Elena only understood a portion of what her Spokeswoman had said,
but she noticed the cop�s demeanor suddenly become more subdued.
Apparently Kim had said something that put him in his place. That small
detail gave her some courage and a small account of confidence that she
could endure what lay ahead.
The cop calmly cuffed Maria Elena and ordered her to stand up. Cecilia
told her what was about to happen:
�You�re gonna get marched in cuffs across the plaza to the courthouse.
It�s what everyone has to do before trial. Your Spokeswoman and I will
be coming with you, but until you get into the courthouse, you�ll be
under the control of the cop. Once he gets you inside, he�ll un-cuff you
and then I�ll be telling you what�s going on and what they want you to
do. Basically, as soon as you get over there, your trial�s gonna start.�
----------
While Prisoner # 101025 was in her Spokeswoman�s office, Carmen and the
other US exchange students were receiving a crash course in Danubian
culture. Out of the 60 students in the program, a total of 13 had
decided to demonstrate against what they considered a judicial system
that violated the human rights of prisoners such as their classmate.
Carmen had organized the protest with the idea of trying to disrupt her
friend�s trial, while the others were hoping to protest against the
Danubian justice system in general. They had just found out that the
public disruption they had planned would not be possible, because if
their goal was to change public opinion towards the treatment of their
classmate, disrupting the trial would only achieve the opposite.
The only option available to the Americans was to perform a public
display of solidarity with their classmate. The Priest explained how
that was to be done. The demonstrators would have to be collared and
perform Public Penance. Normally they would have gone first to the
Temple of the Ancients to undergo a formal induction ritual, but the
Priest understood that would have to wait. He ordered the Americans to
undress and kneel. They exchanged nervous expressions as they
reluctantly took off their clothing and stuffed it into a cloth bag.
Once they all were naked, the Priest produced 13 large collars. He
commented:
�We�re not supposed to do it this way, and when your friend�s trial is
over with I will expect you to go to the Temple and properly submit
yourselves for Public Penance. However, I understand that the point of
what you are doing is to support your friend in her time of difficulty.
Time is important, and I will not delay you.�
Carmen asked the question that the others wanted to know:
�Priest, we still don�t know what we�re supposed to do. Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna
told us that we had to come here if we were gonna protest the way we�re
supposed to protest. Well, we�re here. We did what we were told, but
we�re still gonna protest. So what is it that we need to do?�
The Priest passed out 13 legal-sized sheets of paper and a couple of
very thick magic markers.
�Each of you� write the prisoner number of your friend on the paper I
gave you. Write it well, so it can be seen from a distance. Write
nothing but the number, so the world knows who your friend is.�
The protesters complied, each writing �Z�k nom. 101025� on their papers,
making sure the letters were bold and clearly visible. The Priest then
took back the markers.
�You will go to the entrance of the courthouse, you will kneel with
these signs and in doing so, you will bear witness.�
�That�s it?�
�That�s all that is needed. Your classmate needs you to demonstrate your
solidarity. That�s all you can do for her, and that�s all you need to
do. Your sacrifice will be noticed, and you will be heard. I will go
with you, and if your efforts are sincere, the Creator will bless you.�
A few minutes later, 13 embarrassed, nervous, and naked US college
students filed out of the Cathedral behind the Priest. They approached
the entrance of the Central Courthouse and listened to a short prayer
given by their spiritual guide. Then they knelt in a row, each holding a
sign with Maria Elena�s legal name clearly written. The Priest knelt as
well. The group remained silent as two cops, two women dressed in white
linen, and one naked cuffed prisoner made their way across the Central
Plaza and towards the steps of the courthouse.
Maria Elena looked at her classmates with dismay, but also with deep
gratitude. Never in her life had anyone done such a thing for her. She
had always been alone, with no one to give her any support. She now knew
that in Danubia she had people willing to sacrifice their own honor for
her benefit. Kim gave the group an approving nod, because they had
listened to her advice and were protesting properly. The arresting cops
seemed to be uneasy about the latest development: the fact that thirteen
foreign exchange students thought that the prisoner was important enough
to demonstrate on her behalf. Maybe to the police she was nothing but a
dishonored liar, but to her classmates she clearly was much more than
that.
Maria Elena and her escort went up the stairs and disappeared through
the main court door, while the Americans remained kneeling in silence.
After several minutes, press photographers descended the stairs to take
pictures of the protesters. A television crew was next. A large crowd
gathered around and quietly commented among themselves, but it was
obvious that no one thought the Americans were out of line or doing
anything disrespectful.
To make their point, the Americans would have to remain kneeling
throughout the trial. The Priest remained with the group, to show the
nation that the protesters had Church approval for what they were doing.
He knew that the exchange students� resolve would be sorely tested, but
they had to learn that to protest in Danubia meant sacrificing one�s own
comfort, especially in a situation that involved objecting to something
the government was doing. As for the exchange students, each of them was
asking; how in the hell did I get myself into this? However, none of
them wanted to be the first to break ranks with the others, so they
continued to kneel in silence throughout the duration of Prisoner #
101025�s trial.
