REC ON TRN ON ENC ON SYS GOOD -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Entry 2 -- Sister Hājar Sido, May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you. Our day comes at hand. Hawwa leads us well; may Allah be pleased with her. My love to you. We came aboard the Oleander only two cycles past and already I know my path is righteous. My sisters radiate joy at our mission. I wake each day and shout, "Ma Sha' Allah!" Our bread tastes of honey, Baba. Please do not worry for me. I've know this path was from Allah from the beginning, from the days in the krem refinery on Misha. We had nothing but each other and still they came to take from us, to beat us, to kill us. I saw my path in the face of that boy, Uzāir, at the well. Do you remember him, Sido? Do you remember that day? It was hot. They were all hot, but I remember the heat that day as special. It was late morning, just before first rest. I was with the women at the well-queue, ready to gather for washing. You had a cycle nearby you were tinkering with. I think it was the baker's--or Samir, that boy that was always following you. You had hoisted it up on a lifter and it was spinning in the sun, dust blowing all around. Anyway-- Uzāir was a runner, just a bit older than me. His brothers had all gone to ship and he was next, it was known. You remember him now? Always scowling at things to make him seem tough, but he was just a llenora in the den, mewling and soft. The women would laugh at his act and shoo him away. I can still hear Sara's taunts in my mind and laugh. You remember how funny she was. We were in the queue when Uzāir walked up, straight to the well. Sara was already opening her mouth to unleash her special blessings when she was struck dumb. Not just her. The whole square went quiet. I looked to see--I remember that cycle drifting in circles and you looking to the well with, Yes!, it was Samir, his smock covered in oil and krem. I saw you both squinting and then flinch before I heard the sounds. They had Uzāir on the ground already by the time I looked. He had gone to stop them from taking the women, from taking me and Sara and the others. Brave little coward, Uzāir. He put on his scowl and stood up to them before we even noticed the danger. And he did it, Sido! That idiot boy lying there on the ground as they beat him, tore at him, ripped him apart. His blood leeching into our dirt. His skull cracked, his mind and soul and--to Allah we belong and to Him is our return. He saved us that day through his own suffering and sacrifice. Allah granted me days more on these worlds, with you and with my sisters. Those days were with purpose, Sido. We go to that purpose now. My suffering will be short compared to that boy's. My sacrifice small. It is the sacrifice of a woman without worth to our people but spirit and love. I give them back to you, to all of you. My life will not buy days for a few women at a well, but for all of you on our worlds, from Misha to Doon. They will feel what it is like to be torn apart. Let their blood feed the soil. Do not worry for me, Sido. Do not mourn. We are at peace. Aathama allahu ajrakom, Amat al-Masih -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*