Chapter Three
One week later, they were feeling right at home. No one had refused them access to any part of the complex and they had explored every square metre of the place. They had learnt that the natives were very self-sufficient in their life style and that the complex was so old that no one knew who had actually built it.
Vague references to the Ancients were all they could get. The stories Hanna had heard were told in songs and were obscure and undetailed. Some were similar to the stories he had heard told by the indigenous people of the South Pacific Ocean. Stories of mother earth, forest spirits and nature’s bounty… that sort of thing.
They had no need to improve or expand the cavern complex as it served them well and had enough room for twice the current population. Ray had discovered an ingenious plumbing system that ran through the place. In addition, a waste recycling methane gas cooking system that he claimed to be proof of a more advanced civilisation in the past. Hanna had spent much of his time studying the hieroglyphics in the carvings to see what stories they could tell. However, he did not find much, these people lived the life described on the walls and as he studied them, he realised that life here could probably be sustained and remained the same as it was for hundreds, maybe thousands of years.
On the cycles of the moons, two groups of men would leave the village and forage for around six to seven days. This would coincide with the five full cycles of the moon Deimos. Another group of journeymen had come back to the village the day after they had arrived.
Every night these people would sing and dance. There was always some reason to celebrate and the festivities would not always be at the same place. More likely than not, there would be a number of different gatherings happening at once. These were mainly at night and ranged from quite little get togethers to full on party action.
They were uninhibited in their activities to the point of great embarrassment at times. Monogamy was also apparent among the tribe’s people as there were distinct family values displayed where the children were involved. They would sometimes drink a wine that had an intoxicating affect but it was something that you could not abuse. You reached a certain level of intoxication and if you continued to drink, you would actually begin to sober up. And, as George found out, if you consumed enough then it had a nullifying effect. The immunity would last for some days after.
Hanna had found a calendar in an astrologically aligned chamber at the top of the complex. There, the sun shone through an opening in the ceiling, pinpointing the date and time of day in detail. Once again, the walls were carved with pictures of the life of a tribesman. Defining trees and their fruit, different fishing and hunting techniques… it was a complete how to do list.
The summer and winter solstice were clearly defined as the two main yearly events. The Martian year being twice as long as an Earths and the planets having a similar tilt meant the each season was twice as long. The calendar was based on four points and each point was represented on the adjacent walls. Two of the walls were longer and semicircular.
The carvings were deep and integrally detailed with information such as maps indicating ripe fruit trees, animals giving birth, fish spawning and even the weather. Hanna found that his estimation of early summer had been correct and noted the creek camp and its attractions listed on the wall. The calendar showed electrical storms and evening showers to be the predicted weather for the coming month.
At one end of the camber was a staircase that lead to the roof level and Hanna spent many hours sitting here overlooking the expansive views. This was the pinnacle of the complex. From here, you could see for kilometres around. As Hanna admired the view, he realised that the complex would be almost impossible to see from the sky.
This high point was on the tip of the headland that the village labyrinth was built in. It sat in the centre of a spire of land that was around forty metres wide. Hanna could see that the complex had been designed to have the living areas overlook the ocean on both sides of the headland. It was a truly a beautifully designed piece of architecture.
On both sides of the headland were beaches that offered protection from the prevailing winds. One protected from the east and the other protected from the west. The sandy beaches at the base of the cliffs, inside each bay, were only accessible through the cavern system. Today with the wind from the east, there were children playing in the ocean on the western beach. Hanna watched as they caught the waves on surfboards made from carved pieces of wood.
This was an ideal life style but there were still many unanswered questions. Why were there no boats? Are there other tribes in the area? Why did the maps only show the surrounding areas? He had asked Warooka these questions and had received little response, nor any interest from anyone in his queries.
He could picture in his head the rough lay of the land as they had descended from space and remembered that there was another land mass further south over the ocean but how far away it was he did not know. As he lay back against the ground to stare at the clouds, he heard a noise behind him. He turned to see but no one there, then again, the sound of stifled laughter.
‘Well there’s no point in hiding if you want to know what I’m doing, so you should just come out and ask me,’ he said, pleased that finally somebody was showing an interest.
From around the corner of the doorway stepped the native girl Kadina. She gave him an innocent smile and stood there gently swaying with her hands behind her back. Hanna took a deep breath and sighed aloud, speaking in his own language so she could not understand him.
‘Holly snap girlie, you’d better be careful looking at me like that with those eyes, who knows what could happen to a nice girl like you,’ he said.
Kadina smiled as if she understood his words as she walked from the doorway to look at the view. She turned her head at the right time to catch his stare and then looked away as she smiled to herself confidant in her victory. Hanna felt defeated and confused, he had played into the trap like an amateur and he was not about to play games with this little minx.
He politely smiled and started the conversation.
‘It’s such a beautiful day and I’m sure you would like some time to yourself, so I’ll see you later,’ he turned to go.
‘Do you like the old stories Hanna York?’ she said.
Hanna stopped, they were the right words, she had him and he could see no escape, he turned to look at her. This time she held his stare and there was no smile on her beautiful face. Her hair flowed down her shoulders and over her ample breast. Hanna felt himself blush, as he stood there, speechless in her beauty; he had to break the dead lock between them. He looked away and spoke as he watched a flock of sea birds circle and land on the water.
‘I’m new to your land Kadina and I want to learn more about your people and their history,’ he said.
‘I have questions about your ancestors, and the lands beyond the sea,’
He waved toward the horizon. There was a short silence.
‘Lands beyond the sea,’ she repeated as she tried to digest the statement as she looked out over the water with him.
‘Why, Hanna York? What’s wrong with things as they are?’
‘Well, nothing, but I don’t like (he struggled for the translation of the word ‘mysteries’) unanswered questions,’ he said.
‘Why ask them then?’
Hanna did not answer and for a short while, he just looked at the view.
‘Where I come from we always ask why.’
‘When, where and what are the most common questions of my people and that’s how we learn to progress and develop our society, and ourselves.’
‘And what is it that’s so wrong with your society, and its people, Hanna York?’ asked Kadina as she placed her hand on his shoulder in a show of concern.
‘Nothing,’ quipped Hanna defensively as he pulled away. He realised his overreaction to her touch. She had stepped back and looked confused. He stared at her and thought hard on what she had just said.
‘Well, maybe you’ve got a point’ and he smiled at her reassuringly.
She smiled back.
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Hanna spent a lot of time with Kadina after that day. He enjoyed the bouncing thoughts of her unpolluted mind and often found her reactions to his questions interesting and amusing. She however, would sometimes get a little fed up with his continued inquisition.
She was a wealth of stories and old myth, and Hanna listened intently to them all. Yet he was still unable to draw anything other than a moral value from them. Sometimes there was a reference to the forest spirits but they were vague and unspecific.
Hanna could find no reference to any other tribe or foreign lands and after another week of long walks and conversation he realised she was concerned that she could not hold his interest any longer. She encouraged him try fishing and promised to teach him to surf. He did not let on that he had some experience there and he thoroughly enjoyed his time with her.
One day, he and Kadina were walking around the lower cliffs northwest of the headland of the village. They had collected a large bunch of roses along the way.
‘All the colours of ‘a rising sun,’ she had said.
He followed her lead as she walked along the edge of the rocks some three metres above the water. The cliff face here had been undermined and large portions of sandstone had broken out and fallen into the ocean. They passed through an opening of what looked like a small cave. It opened up onto an enclosed bay with a small entrance to the ocean. They climbed up and down the rocks and finally stopped on top of a large square boulder.
The waves rolled into the bay through a narrow gap in the headland and Hanna stood beside Kadina to watch as a large swell swept towards them. She stepped up to the edge of the platform they stood on and threw the bunch of flowers into the ocean. As the wave approached, it hit the base of the rock that they stood upon and a spout of water sprayed into the air behind them carrying some of the flowers. Hanna felt the rock vibrate and rumble. Kadina slipped her arm around Hanna's waist and looked up into his face, laughing at the surprise on his face.
‘This is Rumble rock,’ she said and ran off jumping from boulder to boulder tile she was on the sand. Hanna stood and waited for the next wave to hit and again, more flowers were carried into the air as the boulder rocked and rumbled. He looked to see were Kadina had gone and saw her down on the beach some distance off. The ocean current had swept the remaining flowers around to where she now stood. Hanna ran to join her and when he arrived, he found her swimming naked amongst them, laughing. He ran into the water to be with her.
They splashed and swam and he chased her out of the water, up onto the sand. Finally, he caught her by the foot and they landed. He placed his hand on her shoulder and turned her around, all the while, they laughed aloud. He held her still and looked into her eyes. They both stopped laughing and stared at each other intently. Those beautiful pools of mystery and warmth, he dove in, releasing his inhibitions and abandoning his will power. He kissed her. There, on the sand by the water, naked in the sun, they made love.
The following few months were the happiest of Hanna’s life.
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High above the cliffs, a large eagle hung in the breeze. It stayed motionless, listening to the sound of the air as it swilled around its vast expanse of wings. It surveyed the calm waters of the bay directly below. Two creatures sprang from the rocks and frolicked in the blue waters. Bright coloured dots moved about in the water around them. It watched as the large creatures left the water, embraced on the beach and began mating on the sand.
Then it saw a silver flash just under the surface of a turquoise swell that had just entered the bay. It arched its wings then tucked them in closer to its body as it entered into its decent. It arched again as it positioned itself to approach its victim from behind, careful not to be seen. Gliding closely above the water and using the air lifted by the moving swell, it approached its quarry.
Talons stretched out as its wings began pushing air forward, it stalled and once feeling its prey in its clasp, began working its wings to rise above the water. Turning into the breeze to utilise its energy, the massive bird worked hard as it flapped its wings and rose back into the sky. It screeched in victory, as its victim wriggled defiantly in its clasp. The bird then headed back to its cliff top nest to feed its young offspring.
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The summer solace was upon them and it started with a week of busy preparation. After the journeymen had returned with more bounty, they began preparing their dance outfits. Everybody took great pride in them and Kadina said that if the weather was good then the celebrations could last up to two weeks.
Hanna had made a cape and intended to be a vampire although as none of natives would understand, he did not intend to pollute their minds with the details. Nevertheless, he would have fun chasing people around anyhow.
As the event drew nearer, the excitement in the community rose. The atmosphere became electric and infectious as stories were told of past events. This was a time for different songs and rhythms. Tunes that was restricted for use only in the celebratory period of the summer solace. Hanna had discovered that the songs he had participated in while foraging for the village payed tribute to the forest and animals that they were harvesting. All the songs and dances had some special meaning or significance.
Hanna also noticed that now, even the men were on the ocean with their wooden surfboards. Kadina explained that this was an important part of the celebrations as the coming months brought a new prevailing wind and swell.
‘A time for boys to be men and the experienced to demonstrate their worth.’ She explained.
Finally, the time had arrived and at noon, when the sun breached the orifice in the ceiling of the ceremonial chamber at the top of the complex. Large drums and baritone didgeridoos sounded the start of the celebrations. People followed in a procession to the cliff face that over looked the eastern bay. After a brief ceremony, four men walked to the top of the headland and jumped into the ocean with their surfboards.
The sea seemed calm, yet on the horizon, distinctive undulating curves rose and fell against skyline. A large swell crashed around the headland and began to wall up along the point. The men started to paddle and one man, who was in just the right position, took off down the face of the wave.
As he dropped to the bottom, the crowd roared and three large drums thumped across the bay. The water loomed twice his height as he stood to his feet. If he fell, he would be dashed on the rocks. He turned his watercraft into the face of the wave and as the board rose up the wall of water, he turned it again to drop back down its face once more. He repeated the manoeuvre several times before pulling off the back of the wave and paddled out to where he started. Others were now riding down the line on the waves that followed.
‘Kowabunga,’ yelled George towards Hanna.
‘I’ll be giving that a go. I haven’t ridden a surfboard since I went to the Southern Cross Uni,’
There was a wait before another set rolled in as George bragged of some more youthful adventures.
Another rider took off and dropped down the face. This time, as he turned back up the face, he stalled his surfboard by placing weight on his back foot. The wave crashed down over him as he was swallowed up and just as suddenly as he disappeared, he emerged again, to the rapturous roar and cheers of the crowd. He aggressively pumped his board up and down, maximising his speed on the remaining wave before flicking out as it crashed on the shore. He flew high into the air, having time to acknowledge the cheers emanating from the crowd, before falling back down into the water
‘This is going to be a great solace festive,’ said Warooka to Hanna and George.
‘Later it will be my turn and you can watch as I will dance with the fish,’ he laughed.
A school of dolphins swam around the headland, heading toward the surfers, as another wave formed; three of the school shot off at speed and jumped from the face of the wave as two men dropped in together. All five rode the wave and twice, the dolphins simultaneously leaped from the water. The sight awed Hanna and his crew. The spectators yelled their approval and the dolphins, on completion of their ride, stood high in the water, working their tails hard as they slowly moved backwards, acknowledging the attention. This spectacle lasted all morning and the dolphins stayed for the show.
Later that day, the dolphins, and some fifteen board riders herded a large school of fish into the bay and onto the beach. Hanna had missed it but Ray told how the dolphins disappeared for a short time then, on an unknown signal, the board riders helped the Dolphin’s as a large school of fish rounded the headland.
‘There were Hundreds of fish, they chased them straight into a gutter and herded them into the shallows. Then we took over and literally chased them up onto the sand. Then we threw half the catch back to the dolphins and everybody gorged themselves. It was truly a remarkable sight. Man and wild beast, working together for a common goal,’ said Ray.
The celebrations continued until late as the sky filled with large storm clouds. Distant thunder boomed. Hanna lay with Kadina in his arms; he could smell the rain as it started to fall. Lightning flicked on the walls of his quarters and he realised that he was smiling. Then it came to him, he was happy, for the first time in his life; he knew what real happiness was.
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