CHAPTER 11
Alicia and the group watched the aircraft carrying Monty, Ernie, Syd and Jeff slowly rise into the sky and fly off. As the weeks went by, they maintained the meal routine and continued to meet at the foot of the hillock.
Alicia, Thelma and Sylvie became the leaders of the group and did their best to keep up morale. They still held the monthly rotation concert, and with Stu’s help, were able to provide sufficient entertainment to attract more of the slaves.
Joe, Hilda, Tommy and Johnny, showed up at a pre-shift meal a few days after the four men had departed.
“That’s what happens when you work hard for these mushrooms,” Joe proclaimed loudly, his lips twisted in a sneer of contempt. “Your reward is to work harder. Maybe now you’ll listen to me.”
“Why don’t you discuss it with Monty when he gets back,” Alicia replied, sharply.
“Don’t get sassy with Joe,” Tommy said.
Johnny stood up, menacingly. “Yeah, let’s see how tough you are without your big man.”
Thelma also stood up and faced them. “Bugger off, Joe, and take your friends with you. What’re you going to do? Hit us?”
“That’s no way to talk to my Joe,” Hilda objected. “He only means well. If Monty hadn’t been so eager to please the mushrooms, he might not have been sent off.”
“Sent off? He hasn’t been sent off. He and the others are assigned to an important mission.” Alicia spoke with a conviction she didn’t quite feel.
“Yes,” said Thelma. “Otherwise, Joe, you and your two buddies might have been selected. You owe Monty a debt of gratitude. Or are you jealous that he got to go?”
Joe threw back his head and laughed derisively, copied by Tommy and Johnny. “Stupid broads, when’re you going to learn?’
Deng Lee, accompanied by his two friends, arrived at that moment and quickly sized up the situation. “Hi, Joe, Tommy, Johnny.” He smiled at Hilda. “Anything I can help you with?”
“I hear you’re part of this gang,” Joe said. “I can’t believe you’re producing better. It ain’t like you. It must be the three broads now that their men are away. Which one you got your eye on?”
“Actually, it’s Hilda I’m after. I keep hoping she’ll get tired of you and go after a real man.”
Joe turned on him belligerently. “You leave Hilda out of this.”
Deng Lee didn’t even move. “You’re a tough guy, Joe. Let me tell everyone just how tough you are. Let’s see. When Joshua broke up our attempt to escape, just before he knocked me cold, I saw the three of you hightailing it. Yeah, you’re the toughest yellow bellies I know. Now, why don’t you just fuck off and leave us alone.”
“You can’t talk to me like that,.” Joe shouted angrily, but made no move towards Deng Lee. Tommy and Johnny edged away.
“You’re absolutely right, Joe. I mustn’t diss you. Why don’t you complain to Joshua. Here he comes.”
Joshua came rapidly down the path.
“Are they bothering you?” Joshua demanded, as Joe, Hilda, Tommy and Johnny walked rapidly away.
Deng Lee shook his head. “No, Joe was just telling us how tough he is.”
Joshua looked at him for a moment. “Don’t you go causing trouble here, too.”
“Don’t worry. I learned my lesson.”
Joshua went on towards the beach.
“Yeah, I learned my lesson,” Deng Lee said. “Don’t tell Joe your plans.”
During the fifth month after Syd’s departure, Alicia and the group were eating their pre-shift meal in the semi-darkness on the hillock when the sounds of a loud argument escaped out of Joshua’s house. They could hear Rebecca screaming hysterically and the angry roar of Joshua in reply. The noise went on for a few minutes and then came to an abrupt stop. A Warrior approached to conduct Rebecca to the clinic, but she did not appear. The Warrior waited a few minutes and then, grasping Alicia by the arm, gently propelled her in the direction of the house. Alicia dutifully walked up to the door and knocked.
“The Warrior is waiting for Rebecca,” she called out.
“Rebecca is sick,” came Joshua’s harsh reply.
Alicia caught a glimpse of the scene inside the house through the window in the door. Rebecca lay curled up on the floor sobbing, while Joshua, face glowering, strode up and down in front of her. Against the far wall, Noah sat at a table, white-eyed in fear.
Emily opened the door and stepped out. Tears streamed down her face as she made motions to the Warrior to go away. Alicia reached out a reassuring hand to her shoulder, but Emily shook it off, stepped back into the house and shut the door.
Some time later, when they were all at their shift stations, they saw Rebecca arrive at the beach carrying a gold pan. She stepped into the water between Alicia and Thelma and began panning. There was a bruise on one side of her face.
Everyone kept a discreet silence even when Rebecca entered the women’s cave and took over an empty bunk. Emily brought Rebecca towels and overalls. “Your pappy wants you back in the house,” they heard Emily say.
“I’m staying here.”
“Your pappy says you can’t do what you want. The camp boss man will punish you, even kill you.”
“Then I’ll die. My pappy’s already killed me.”
“Your pappy wants the best for you.”
“Humph!” Rebecca shrugged, and a distraught Emily left the cave.
Any other slave defying Joshua would be brutally punished, but Alicia did not believe he would harm his daughter further. It was obvious he had hit her during their argument. The bruise on her face was now a large puffed up welt that partly engulfed one eye.
The Doctor came shortly after and wanted to examine the wound, but Rebecca refused. “It’s pointless to defy the camp commander. You’re putting your father in a difficult position.”
“My father has put himself in a difficult position. He knew how I felt. The only man I will couple with is Syd Clark. I’m grateful to you for all you’ve done for me, but I will not couple with you.”
The Doctor flushed, but Alicia could see it wasn’t in anger but embarrassment. Rebecca had spoken out quite sharply and the Doctor knew the conversation had been overheard.
“That’s a discussion for another day. At least come back to the clinic.”
The Doctor’s voice was gentle and conciliatory, but the undertone of pleading was obvious to Alicia and to everyone listening. Despite herself, Alicia felt sorry for him. An older man, why wouldn’t he favour a charmer like Rebecca. As for Joshua, one would expect a father to choose for his daughter a life with the Doctor as his mate and nurse. “No, I will not come back. You may pick another nurse.”
“Don’t you understand,” the Doctor insisted. “You can’t leave your post at the clinic and become a panner without the camp commander’s permission. As soon as he finds out, he will demand your return, and you can’t refuse.”
“I will refuse, and I will explain why. The camp commander will understand.”
The Doctor looked at her in disbelief and loved her all the more. In pushing forward his suit with Joshua and the camp commander, he felt that by now, Rebecca’s ardour for Syd would have cooled. She would be disappointed but would ultimately accept her father’s decision. He had not expected that she would be so openly defiant, and he now worried that, in the process, she could be hurt.
At the next shift, the camp commander inquired about Rebecca. “We are told that she has left the clinic and has joined the other females panning for gold. We have not given her permission to do this. Why has this happened?”
The Doctor had trouble replying. Guilt and a profound sense of foreboding trapped his tongue. The hesitation did not escape the camp commander.
“We have asked a question.”
He felt the sweat in his armpits and forehead as he launched an explanation that he hoped would mollify the camp commander.
“Highness, young humans, particularly young female humans, are very impulsive. At the moment, Rebecca objects to coupling with me, and this has caused her to leave the clinic. I’m sure in time she will reconsider her rashness and will return to her duties here. She believes you will understand and will forgive her.”
“We understand that our control has been defied, and that a slave has acted without permission. She must return immediately, or she will be subject to grave consequences.”
Joshua was informed of the conversation. He marched down to where Rebecca was panning, lifted her up bodily, and, despite her screams of protest, carried her back to the clinic.
“They’re gonna kill you unless you stay here in the clinic and get back to nursing.”
“Rebecca,” the Doctor tried to calm her, “the camp commander made it clear that you will be hurt unless you return. All he cares about is that you acted without permission. He doesn’t care what the reason is. Believe me, I tried to persuade him to let you be.”
“I will not couple with you.”
“That’s not an issue at this time. Just stay here so you don’t get yourself killed. I’m sure we can eventually sort things out. Your father only wants the best for you.”
Rebecca placed her hand on the bruise on the side of her face. “A man who beats his daughter is no longer her father, and she need take no notice of his wishes.”
Joshua glowered but said nothing.
After their fifth rotation leisure break, Monty saw an aircraft arriving and noted it was earlier than usual. The four were summoned to the tent area and found the camp commander, surrounded by Warriors, waiting for them. Joshua was there as well and stood a little apart. The computer speaking system was already set up.
“Welcome,” the monotone voice said. “The assay results are very positive. A new camp will be established here and will grow as the old site diminishes. The Warriors tell me that you have laboured intensively and have made more progress than we anticipated. Both Joshua and the Doctor believed that if success were possible, the four of you would achieve it. We are pleased with the result. If it is within our power, we would like to reward you. Do you have any special requests?”
The four conferred among themselves for a moment, and then Monty spoke. “Your Excellency, we would be very grateful if we could rejoin our companions either at the previous camp or this one. Joshua is familiar with the humans we mean, but I could list all the names if necessary. Also, my colleague here” —and he pointed to Syd — “asks permission that he be allowed to couple with Joshua’s daughter, Rebecca. It is our belief that Rebecca would agree to such an arrangement.”
Joshua exploded in anger, forgetting protocol, and interrupting the camp commander. “I’m her pappy and I decide who she couples with.”
“Silence, Joshua,” the monotone snapped. “It is we who decide all these questions. We will be pleased to add your companions to this new camp. As for Rebecca, we have given permission to the Doctor to couple with her.”
“But, Excellency,” Syd shouted, “Rebecca doesn’t want the Doctor, she wants me.”
Several of the Warriors moved forward, truncheons raised. Monty put a restraining arm on Syd, and stepped in front of him. “Your Excellency, Syd and Rebecca are very much in love. This is a powerful emotion among humans which accounts for Syd’s outburst. Is there no way to reconsider the permission you have given? Is it not possible to ascertain Rebecca’s wishes?”
“You are under our control. We have condescended to allow you a favour. You ask too much. Your companions will join you. The meeting is over.”
Syd would have leapt forward, but Monty grabbed him and forced him down in a bow. The camp commander turned away and walked back to his aircraft, surrounded by his guards. Joshua followed them to the aircraft but quickly returned to the tent area. He glared at Syd.
“On account of you, I have to stay here and watch you. The camp commander is angry with you and” — turning to Monty —“with you too. What do you think you’re doing? You’re slaves. You can’t give the Master lip.”
“Tell your master he’s a pile of shit.”
Joshua’s hand shot out, slapping Syd hard across the face and propelling him backward. Dazed, Syd rolled over on his hands and knees and, as Joshua stood over him, raised his clenched fists hard into Joshua’s genitals. Roaring in pain, Joshua fell back, bent over. Warriors, still at the landing field, heard the commotion and raced back, truncheons at the ready.
Joshua was bent over, gasping in pain. “I’m gonna kill him. I’m gonna kill him.”
The Warriors surrounded Joshua, trying to help him. Joshua pushed them aside and made for Syd, but Syd was gone. Through a break in the trees, they could see him scrambling up the mountainside, heading for the snow line. Joshua and two Warriors gave chase; the others stayed with the three men.
Syd, slim, agile, and strong, slipped easily around the trees and through the underbrush. The three pursuers were more awkward, slamming into each other and tripping over low boughs. Syd kept his lead and reached the snow line, climbing steadily through the thickening snow drifts. The two Warriors paused at the snow line but Joshua charged on. As he crashed through the drifts, eddies of snow splashed away and rolled down the mountainside, leaving large gashes in the once pristine cover. They raced higher and higher, the thinning air caused both men to gasp for breath and to feel the fire in their lungs. Syd was no longer climbing but was running laterally across the mountain. Joshua cut diagonally towards him and slowly reduced Syd’s lead. Soon he was running in Syd’s track and began to bear down on him. Ahead he could see a mountain spring gushing out of the rock and the black entrance to a cave. Syd vanished into the cave, with Joshua just behind.
Joshua never saw the arrow until it landed with a loud thwack in his left shoulder. He screamed in pain, stopped, and staggered back, clutching at the arrow.
“Joshua, go away, or you’re dead,” a voice, which seemed strangely familiar to him, called from the interior of the cave.
Joshua struggled with shock and fear. There were no live humans in these mountains, and Syd had no time to shoot an arrow even if he possessed a bow. He remembered his father telling him there were spirits everywhere and ordinary men could not combat them. This one lived in a cave and would not allow him to go further, nor would he dare defy it. Its voice reminded him of someone he knew, obviously a voice of the dead. Obediently, he turned away. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he pushed unsteadily down the mountainside. The two Warriors met him at the snow line and helped him down to the river clearing.
“Jesus!” the three men exclaimed, almost in unison, when they saw the arrow. Two Warriors escorted them back to their tent.
“How in hell’s name did he get a bow and arrow?” Ernie said. “All hell will break loose.”
A half-hour later, they heard the roar of rocket ships. Two landed with a swoosh along the river, while the others shot up the mountainside and began a search pattern. From one of the two that had landed, Warriors sprang out, along with the Doctor and Rebecca. They ran to where Joshua was lying.
Rebecca screamed when she saw him, with the arrow embedded in his shoulder. Joshua had fainted from the shock and the pain and, sweat pouring down his face, was slowly coming to.
The Doctor said quietly but firmly, “Rebecca, we have a patient and you will behave as a nurse should in an emergency.”
Rebecca swallowed hard and buried her anxiety deep inside. Doctor and nurse unrolled a camp mattress on the grass, and, with the help of the Warriors, gently placed Joshua on it. They covered him with a blanket up to the shoulder. The Doctor requested hot water which the Warriors quickly supplied. Rebecca bathed the wound gently, softly intoning, “It’s going to be all right, Pappy.”
The Doctor examined the wound. The arrow had pierced the shoulder muscles but did not seem to have touched any major blood vessels. He would have to cut into the wound in order to free the arrow head. He had a small amount of ether, supplied by the Guardians, with which to dull the pain. He asked four of the Warriors to hold Joshua down.
“Joshua, this may hurt. Do your best to keep still.”
The Doctor cut into the wound with a scalpel. Joshua moaned but barely moved. The Doctor slowly levered the arrow, gradually lifting it clear of the wound, arrowhead included. He dipped a softened wad of the flaxen material into alcohol, also supplied by the Guardians, and gently packed the wound. Rebecca then bandaged the wound, and fashioned a sling to keep the arm from moving.
“How are you feeling, Pappy,” she asked, tears beginning to flow again.
He reached out his good hand to touch her, and she didn’t resist.
“Sorry,” he said, very faintly. “Wanted t’ kill your Syd… spirit stopped me.”
“Spirit?” the Doctor asked. “What spirit? What happened, Joshua?”
But Joshua had drifted off and lay sleep bound between layers of nauseating pain.
The Doctor inspected the arrow. The head was a stone, relatively flat and triangular, and was set in a notch in the wooden shaft. The feathers were thin, filmy pieces of bark, inserted in notches at the end of the wooden shaft. Could there be Stone Age beings here? the Doctor wondered. Surely, they would have been discovered by now. He remembered seeing pictures like this in an anthropology book his brother Robert had at his cabin. Robert frequently copied the tools he found in the book as part of his drive to eschew modern living. And unbidden, a strange thought arose from deep within the Doctor, set his heart beating and his hands trembling. A hope which he tried to suppress filtered through, impossible, and hovered in his conscious mind.
Rebecca noticed the sudden agitation. “Is something wrong, Doctor?”
He was saved from replying by a request from the Warriors that all the humans must report to the second rocket ship. Two of the Warriors picked up Joshua and accompanied the others to the aircraft. The camp commander was waiting for them in the open bay. The Warriors conferred briefly with the camp commander.
“Syd. Where is Syd?” Rebecca asked, looking at Monty.
A loudspeaker spat out its monotone voice. “A grave incident has occurred. A slave has disappeared, and a servant of our command has been attacked and wounded. Doctor, how fares Joshua?”
“Highness, we have removed the arrow which struck him in the shoulder. I believe the wound will heal. At the moment, Joshua is sleeping.”
“We will speak with him shortly. Can the other humans shed any light on this incident?”
Monty stepped forward. Syd had made his decision and, in so doing, had imperilled them all. His task now was to protect himself and the other two.
“Your Excellency, there was an altercation between Joshua and Syd. During the course of the altercation, Syd ran from Joshua, and we could see him racing up the mountainside with Joshua and two of the Warriors in pursuit. The trees then blocked our view. After some time, Joshua returned, assisted by the two Warriors, with the arrow in his shoulder. That’s all we know.”
One of the Warriors spoke: “Guardian commander, we heard the humans quarrelling and ran quickly to quell the disturbance. Joshua was bent over in pain and we tried to help him. While we were thus engaged, the human ran up the mountainside. Joshua chased after him and two of us joined the pursuit. The human was fleet of foot and was able to reach the snow line before we could catch him. Joshua continued after him. As they climbed higher, our vision was obscured by the Winds of Dawn blowing snow over the two humans. Then we saw Joshua descending and realized he was wounded. We were not able to witness how he incurred such a wound. We helped Joshua to the clearing and turned in the alarm.”
“An arrow is propelled by a primitive device called a bow,” the camp commander said. “The slave could not have fashioned the bow and arrow during his flight. Could the humans have made such a device and stored it?”
“Guardian commander, only two of the humans” — the Warrior pointed to Ernie and Jeff — “have worked in the area and they were watched from the snow line. They were panning for gold. We did not observe them make any such device as a bow and arrow.”
Ernie spoke up: “Excellency, we panned in that area at the source of the stream that flows to the river. We did not stay there long because of the cold and the Winds of Dawn. When we had ascertained there was gold in the stream, we moved on.”
Rebecca sat with downcast eyes, tears coursing down her face, awash in fear and anxiety. Her father hurt, perhaps dying, despite the Doctor’s assurances, her lover hiding somewhere on the mountain, as good as dead. How could Syd survive? If caught, he would be executed. She knew what her father and Syd had argued about. She felt guilty; her strenuous resistance to mating with the Doctor had caused all this.
Rebecca stroked Joshua’s face as he returned to consciousness, still very groggy and his forehead hot. “Pappy, the Guardian would like to know what happened. Are you able to talk? Can you remember?”
A microphone was held to his mouth. “A spirit…a spirit in the cave. A nananom. Spirit protects the boy. Nothing we can do.”
“What does he mean?” queried the monotone voice.
“I’m afraid he’s delirious, Highness,” the Doctor suggested. “He has a fever. It often makes humans delirious.”
“Is the reference to ‘spirit’ a belief that a supernatural event took place?”
“Highness, apparently that is what Joshua believes, although it may be just the ranting of a feverish man.”
“My father mentioned a nananom,” Rebecca added. “A nananom is the spirit of an ancestor. We believe that our ancestors watch over us and guide us.”
“This is nonsense. When Joshua has sufficiently recovered, we will question him further. The search for the runaway slave will continue. All the humans will leave now. The three slave prospectors will return to the previous camp under guard and with restraints.”