Free Bomb (9780547537641) by Theodore Taylor Page A

"Please let us listen to them."
    Abram shouted, "
Letao!
" Liar!
    Sorry echoed him.
    The governor raised his palms in a gesture of peace and then began to talk slowly, Azakel translating just as slowly. In another tongue, the governor sounded like Jonjen preaching.
    "You are like the children of Israel, whom the Lord saved from the enemy and then led into the Promised Land. We have saved you from the enemy by making the bomb, and now for the good of mankind and to end all wars forever, we must experiment with it. We've searched the world over and know that Bikini is the best place for the tests."
    Azakel matched the governor in word and tone.
    Chief Juda finally said to Azakel, "We will talk about it," and the interpreter motioned to the Americans that they should leave for a while.
    Abram snorted to the villagers. "'Children of Israel'? They have rehearsed that speech. They know the right words to use."
    Once the officers and Azakel had moved away, Abram said to the people, "They aren't telling you the truth. I've listened to the radio all these months and heard about the terrible sickness of Hiroshima that comes with the atom bomb. The scientists don't even know how long the poison lasts. It could be a thousand years."
    Juda reminded, "The governor said
several
years."
    "They don't know.
They do not know, Chief Juda.
The news broadcasts have said they don't know. Do you think I made this up?"
    Jonjen said, "I am against this atom bomb. It kills people and I am against any killing."
    Chief Jeimata said, "Do as the Americans ask. I order you to do as the Americans ask."
    Abram said, unafraid of the Ralik ruler, "You don't live here!"
    Jeimata's face darkened.
    There was argument for more than an hour, Abram saying, "You know from the Bible that there are animals in the white man's world called sheep. They are easily led and never resist. They do not think, they just follow. They even follow each other into death. Today, you are sheep. Don't you understand?"
    Sorry had heard of sheep and understood what Abram was saying.
    Tara said heatedly to those seated, "You were born here! This is your land! You don't have to give it up! Let them find a place in America to test their bomb!"
    Most of the time the people listened to the teacher. Abram glanced over at her with appreciation in his eyes.
    Leje Ijjirik said, "They just want to use the lagoon for a while. What harm is that? I think they will pay us much money, then we'll come back in two years and everything will be the same. They will give us many things, as they have already done."
    Abram shouted, "I didn't hear them offer to pay anything, just move us!"
    Chief Juda said quietly, "They will pay us, I'm sure."
    Abram said, "Ask them!"
    Finally, sighing, Juda said, "We must vote. They are waiting."
    Nine
alabs
voted for nine families to move. Sorry and Jonjen cast a vote against; one Makaoliej family, to which Abram belonged, voted against. It all occurred in less than an hour.
    Juda sent an Ijjirik girl to summon the Americans back to the meeting place and then said to them, "If the United States government and the scientists of the world want to use our atoll for further development which, with God's blessings, will result in kindness and benefit to all mankind, my people will be pleased to go elsewhere for a while."
    Sorry thought,
Poor Chief Juda. He is not accustomed to dealing with authorities.
    Abram said bitterly, "You've made a great mistake, Juda. You've made a great mistake."
    As Azakel translated, the governor congratulated Juda and thanked the people, saying he was certain everyone would like their new home, that the navy and the U.S. government would do everything humanly possible to help them resettle.
    Tara took Abram's hand and said, "You tried..."
    He sighed. "But I didn't win."
    Sorry looked at the faces of the villagers sitting there on the matting. They did not know what had happened to them in less than two hours. A few were frowning, but most faces were