CHAPTER 20
Two more days of rain went by. With three people in it, the enclosure was crowded. Syd slept on the ground — he was used to it. Besides, he could lie on the bed when Monty and Alicia were on their shifts. All three were eager for the rain to end.
Syd, seated on the floor and leaning against the cave wall, related his adventures. Monty and Alicia were seated on the cot. Monty was particularly interested in how he had managed to kill so many of his pursuers.
“Their heads are their weak point — just like us. But I’d be dead without the special weapon. It really levels the playing field.”
“Yes,” Monty said. “That’s why the Warriors want the weapon, and the Guardians won’t give it to them. The question is if we broke away with the three special weapons we have, and some revolvers and rifles we can lay our hands on, could we succeed? Possessing the special weapon didn’t help Robert. The odds seem impossible. We need some of their airpower to be successful. We need some kind of breakthrough.”
“Well, there may be a breakthrough in the offing, “Alicia said. “The Warriors are unhappy with the Guardians’ insistence on retaining the special weapon. Based on stuff I’ve heard, there seems to be discontent on their home planet. The Warriors were not happy with the reversal of the local tribunal. If they come apart, that might give us the chance we’re looking for.”
Monty nodded. “It’s something to keep our eye on. By the way, Franklin Monroe, I have to give you some fatherly advice. Your future father-in-law insists that you ask for his daughter’s hand before you couple. I believe Rebecca has promised.”
“It’s ok, Monty, I want to do this the right way. I want the guy to like me. I’m sure it’s important for Rebecca that we all get along. Joshua must really love his daughter if he’s prepared to risk everything for her.”
On the morning of the third day, the rain slowed to a drizzle and soon stopped. The lower clouds had swept on down the valley towards the Guardian City. The clouds above the peaks scudded rapidly across the sky propelled by the Winds of Dawn and quickly disappeared. The yellow sun shone brilliantly, reflecting off the new snow that clothed the mountain tops. By the end of the shift, the warm air had dried the area and the slaves.
As Monty and Alicia walked from their posts, they saw a rocket ship arrive. They waited by the food wagon and watched as dozens of figures disembarked. They could just make out Joshua and Noah greeting them.
They took their food back to the couples’ quarters. Monty waited by the table, and Alicia entered the enclosure to warn Syd to get ready. Syd buried the special weapon in the dirt floor. He was worried. He had visited the latrine a few minutes earlier just as the shifts were changing. The latrine was at the busiest then, and the slaves did not loiter. He recognized some of his group, but they gave no sign that they knew him. He noticed one man, a large beefy fellow with a red face, looking curiously at him. Syd exited with a crowd of slaves and deftly slipped into the enclosure, hoping he had not been spotted. He waited anxiously, impatient for the convoy of slaves to come along.
Joshua timed the walk from the landing field so they would pass the couples’ quarters at the darkest moment of the inter-sun period. As he and Noah reached the food area with the slaves bunched up behind, Joe stopped him.
“You told me if a man can’t stick with his partner, then the couple can’t live together. Is that right?”
“Yes, it is.”
“What about three together?”
“What are you talking about?” Joshua snarled and started to move on.
Joe stepped in front of him. “Wait. Just listen. There are two guys sharing a woman in the couples’ quarters. Isn’t that against the rules?”
Joshua stood aside. “Noah, carry on to the new camp. I’ll be along shortly. Now, what are you trying to tell me. And be quick about it. I’ve got a lot to do yet.”
“I’m talking about Monty and Alicia,” Joe said.
“Just a moment, I want to make sure all the slaves are following Noah.” Delay, delay, delay, he thought. He turned to the slaves. “Hurry along now. You still have to raise the tents.” He watched for a moment then turned back to a triumphant Joe. “There’s another man in their enclosure, and I saw Alicia go in and she didn’t come out right away. What are you going to do about it? They’ve broken the rules.”
“How do you know there’s another man in there?” Keep him talking. Delay, delay, delay.
“I saw him. I watched him leave the latrine and go into their enclosure. If you go now, you’ll catch them.”
“Let’s go then. If you’re right, they’re out.”
Far in the twilight, Joshua could see the slaves passing the couples’ quarters. He walked quickly, Joe trotting by his side. Monty was sitting at the table.
“Where’s your woman?” Joshua barked.
Monty jumped up, stared at Joshua and Joe. “She’s in the enclosure. What’s going on?”
Joshua began to poke through the curtains.
“Wait,” Monty shouted. “You can’t go in. She’s changing into dry overalls.”
“Sure,” Joe chortled, “she’s changing alright.”
Joshua opened a rift in the curtains. “Woman, come out.”
Alicia burst through the curtains, securing the last strap on her overalls. “What’s going on? Can’t a woman dress in peace?”
Joshua pushed her aside, stepped into the enclosure and right out again. “There’s no one in here.”
“I don’t believe you,” Joe said angrily and poked his head through the curtains. “It’s empty. Where’d he go?”
Joshua growled in disgust, “Stop wasting everybody’s time. Get back to your men’s quarters and leave these people alone.”
He watched as Joe, grumbling loudly, left them. Joshua nodded to Monty and Alicia and walked off along the river to the new campsite.
The campsite was familiar ground to Syd. A short distance from the river, the trees began and climbed up the slopes to the mountain. Somewhere in those trees was the cave where he and Robert had killed the mushroom search party.
The slaves were put immediately to work. Tractors driven by Warriors hauled in cartloads of tent material as well as tall light standards that drove away the twilight shadows. The slaves unloaded the carts and erected the tents. Syd threw himself into the work, carrying tent poles, pulling ropes taut, hammering pegs into the soft ground. He saw Joshua wandering the site, supervising the work, helping here and there, frequently shouting out commands.
Syd tripped over a guy wire and fell heavily to the ground.
“Watch where you step,” reprimanded a young, gruff voice. He was pulled to his feet by a hand that pressed firmly into his arm.
“Sorry,” he said to Noah who pressed his arm again and walked on. I guess, thought Syd, given the circumstances, that will have to do as a welcome.
Joshua, working his way around the site, finally spotted Syd setting up a tent with a crew of slaves, watched over by a couple of Warriors. He hadn’t changed much, Joshua decided. His hair had lengthened considerably and lay loosely around his face and stubble beard. Despite living wild for many months, he looked in good shape and was more than holding his own with the other slaves.
A Warrior tapped Syd on the shoulder and motioned to a cart. Syd, returning from the cart, staggered under the load of tent and lodge poles, and Joshua went to his assistance. They were far enough away from the milling throng of slaves that they could talk as they struggled with the load.
“Thank you,” Syd murmured. “I’m sorry for the trouble I caused and that you were hurt.”
Joshua nodded. “Be prudent. A slave called Joe saw you enter your hiding place. You left just in time. Stay away from the other end of the site for a long while. I’m sure he’ll be looking for you.”
They had reached the others by this time.
“What’s your name?” Joshua asked loudly.
“Franklin Monroe.”
“Well, Franklin Monroe, get some muscle on you. I won’t help you next time.” Joshua strode off.
“I’m amazed he helped you at all,” said one of the workers. “Usually, he just yells at you.”
“It’s my good looks.”
The slaves chuckled and continued to erect the tent. The red sun was well above the horizon when the work finished and the camp site was ready. There were several tents for men and for women, as well as a tented latrine and wash area.
The camp commander arrived with the usual phalanx of six Warriors.
“Welcome to the new campsite,” the flat computer voice belted out. “You will live in tents until quarters can be carved out of the mountain. Food and drink will be brought here for your meals. The Warriors have staked out the positions. Joshua will assign you a shift and a post.”
Joshua decided it was best to keep Rebecca and Syd as far apart as possible for awhile. He posted Syd to the last digging down river and on the opposing shift. He cautioned Rebecca not to wander down river.
“Just be patient a little longer. We will find a time when you can be together.”
A few shifts later, Joshua caught Joe coming out of the latrine tent. Hilda waited nearby.
“What are you doing here at this end of the campsite?” Joshua demanded. “You’re to stay at your own end.”
“My former bride and I were just looking to see if some of our old friends were here, and I needed a piss. Nothing wrong with that, is there?”
Joshua motioned to a Warrior walking by, but Joe and Hilda had already moved quickly away.