Eno Ergot the reformed nephew of the Zorollian tyrant Redbeard plunged himself into preparations for the invasion of Zorollia. He spent most of his waking hours at the Zortixian Defence Academy with top intelligence agents. Two hundred Zorollian exiles and 543 Zortixian Special Forces experts were to land in the Zorollian province of Huba on the shores of the Bay of Prigs. Here they would establish contact with local resistance forces. They would attack local military outposts and start rallying the local population around them for a later and more serious challenge to Redbeard. A date for the rendezvous with the local Zorollian resistance forces was established and frantic last-minute planning continued. Garth Reseudo would accompany the military force and conduct his own non-violent campaign where he would wander around the planet in the attempt to build a quick panarchist movement. Squid was making every attempt to join the mission but Zortixian authorities were dead set against the idea lest anyone perceived as an Earthling be associated with the invasion. Earth simply could not be dragged into a civil war on Zorollia.

The Jiber had long been executed and his crew “rehabilitated” but one last crewmember called Blintz languished in the rehabilitation centre refusing to renounce Oppositism. Blintz dreamt of revenge as life at the rehabilitation centre was boring with all its inmates suddenly turned into goody goodies incessantly discussing their rehabilitation and how it was helping them overcome their faults. He simply had to escape this brainwashing environment. Zorollia was his home and sanctuary. Now if he only had an escape plan. Then he remembered that old black and white film he had seen on Earth where a prisoner faked illness and his moaning brought a guard into his cell whom he knocked senseless, stole his gun and blasted his way out to freedom. That is exactly what he did grabbing the guard’s laser gun and zapping two guards at the exit station jumping into the warden’s space shuttle and set the controls for Zorollia. Another scum gone to where it belonged.

The escape occurred at an inopportune time as it was the moment the invasion of Zorollia began. The liberators landed on the shores of the Bay of Prigs where local resistance fighters whisked them off to secret refuges. Reseudo walked like some bizarre prophet towards the capital city uplifting the spirits of the repressed Zorollians prompting a growing wave of general strikes that was bringing the nation to a grinding halt. The population was joyous as the word spread of the invasion.

Redbeard as usual sent his blackbooters to shoot up the strikers but the general strikes were so large they feared being overpowered if they fired their ray guns. Huge surly mobs galvanized by Reseudo pushed through to the gates of the capital palace. Only the fanatical blackbooters and thick gates separated the mob from Redbeard. The armed invaders broke down the gates and a vicious firefight ensued between the invaders and the blackbooters.

Eno, aware of the layout of the palace hastened to Redbeard’s quarters where he discovered Fox Terrier, Redbeard’s mistress, dead zapped in the head by a ray gun. Had Redbeard murdered her or was it suicide? Out of the window he saw Redbeard running towards his private heliport but he was so overweight Eno caught up to him and switched the meter on his ray gun from stun to kill and walked over to his uncle who was blubbering for mercy. All Eno heard before pressing the trigger was “Pig traitor.” Eno wasn’t a killer. It was just that his pirate instincts overtook his rationality.

After delivering this poetic justice to his despot uncle he walked into the communications centre and placing a gun at the head to the technician said. “I want to speak to the nation.”

And that he did, “Greeting’s citizens of Zorollia. This is Eno Ergot speaking to you from Redbeard’s palace. Although there may be scattered fighting taking place your leader Redbeard has committed suicide and the nation is now free of tyranny of Redbeard and the Opposite Party. Soon you may elect your leader in free elections. Let all of us talk politics freely and openly instead of like criminals whispering in basements. Let us all celebrate this glorious victory.”

Zortixians and Zorollians were in the thralls of wild celebration. Hopefully the Opposite had been crushed for eternity. Zorollians and Zortixians could co-exist in peace. Eventually elections were held creating a truly democratic People’s Assembly. And Eno Ergot, the formerly misguided pirate, was elected as the new President of Zorollia. Reseudo was appointed Zortixian ambassador to Zorollia. Humpty Dumpty had fallen at last!