CHAPTER 3
The blast of the siren permeated the cave and dragged him out of a deep sleep. He reached over to touch Vivian and realized he was alone in the bed. Then memory flooded over him, and he sat up with a start. The cave was dimly lit by the last sunlight filtering through. All around him, men were stirring, some silent, some cursing.
“Damn it,” Syd said. “It’s not a dream.”
Monty sat on the edge of the bunk, despondent, sorrowfully remembering his typical morning with Vivian and the children. I’ve got to get hold of myself, he thought. He grabbed his towel, pulled on his overalls, and headed for the latrine. The previous shift was arriving from the beach, lining up for the latrine, or heading into the caves.
The food cart was waiting. Monty and his group gathered on the hillock below Joshua’s house. In the growing twilight, they ate and drank quietly, hardly speaking. Monty ached for a cup of coffee.
He glanced at Alicia. Her hair was still wet from the shower and dishevelled, her face was pallid, and her eyes still had a sleepy look.
Jokingly, he said to her, “Now I know what you look like in the morning.”
It was a poor joke, and she began to weep. Thelma put her arm around Alicia and hugged her. “Don’t do my act, Alicia. We need you. Stay strong. And see what he looks like in the morning. He needs a shave.”
“I’m sorry,” he said to Alicia. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Alicia stopped weeping. “This place is hard on us women,” she said despairingly. “They took my purse with my comb and makeup.”
“Who took your purse?”.
Thelma interrupted: “Emily. Whoever still had a purse had to surrender it. She insisted it was Joshua’s orders, in case there were weapons. I suspect the Joshua household is well supplied with personal care products and cosmetics. That’s probably the reason why Emily and the black girl seem so well coiffed. And why —”
Whatever else she was going to say was interrupted by the approach of one of the mushrooms, a dark coloured creature with the umbrella head. Monty, Ernie and Syd stood up and bowed. The creature inclined its head but did not move. They watched it uneasily, wondering what else was required of them. Then it became clear why it was there.
The white-smocked black woman came out of Joshua’s house and walked down the path. She looked at Syd, and smiled as she passed him, and bowed as she came up to the creature. It inclined its head, held out an arm which she grasped, and off they went.
“Great, Syd!” Thelma chuckled. “You were the only one she smiled at. You’ve made a conquest. I’m very jealous. I was hoping to make it with you although I’m old enough to be your mother.”
Syd blushed. “I kid you not,” he said earnestly. “You’re all very pretty, but she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
.Monty regarded him appraisingly. Monty guessed Syd was five or six years older than the black woman. Monty could understand why she might be attracted to Syd. Despite his thin, bony frame, Syd radiated virility. No woman could withstand the smile Syd had bestowed on her and his obvious admiration.
A red-bearded man, balding head covered by occasional wisps of hair, dressed in the ubiquitous grey overalls and boots, came up to the group, and called out: “Syd, you ready to go soon?”
“Is it already time?” Syd asked. “Come meet my gang. Hey, everybody, this is the man I’m paired with during the training week. He’s an excellent miner of gold and a gold mine of information.”
They crowded around the man, peppering him with questions. Jeff Leibovitz had been captured in the countryside southeast of Montreal some time ago. He had a family back on Earth. Despite his capture and enslavement, he remained cheerful and, unlike the other captives, talkative. He was short and wiry, although, he insisted, he had been rather chubby on Earth.
“That’s the nice thing about this resort,” he observed with a grin. “The work and the food keep you fit and healthy. The only thing I miss is a smoked meat from Schwartz’s Delicatessen.” There was a constant mischievous sparkle in his blue eyes.
“All the men sport beards,” Monty asked. “Are razors not allowed?”
“I once asked Joshua the same question,” Jeff replied. “Joshua doesn’t have a beard so I presume he shaves. Joshua said that if he allowed everyone a razor, they might cut his throat. The Doctor shaves — I guess he’s allowed a razor. Besides, he has a whole collection of surgical instruments, some very large, so he’s clearly trusted by Joshua and the mushrooms.”
“Who’s the black woman in the white smock?” Syd asked, feigning an air of nonchalance.
Jeff was not fooled. “Stirred up your testosterone, I bet. She’s the nurse. She assists the Doctor. She’s also Joshua’s daughter. Don’t mess with her. If you mess with her, you’ll mess with her pappy.”
Monty exchanged glances with Syd and nodded his agreement.
As if on cue, Joshua emerged from his house, shouting: “Start moving to the beach. The red sun will soon be rising.”
Monty looked towards the river and the horizon. The twilight was slowly lightening, the red dappled haze intensifying in colour. The moon began to fade. Again, based on his wristwatch, he judged the interval between suns about two hours.
Jeff and Syd sauntered off to their digging. Monty and Alicia walked together with Ernie and Thelma right behind. Monty thought: here we are about to begin a day of forced labour on a strange planet, and we look like two couples on a tropical vacation out for an early morning walk. He squeezed Alicia’s hand as they parted, hoping she had forgiven him for his thoughtless remark.
The shift passed without incident. Joshua’s son, Noah, stopped by occasionally, watched them for a moment, and then, nodding approvingly, went on to the next digging. Monty was still in considerable pain, but the swelling in his face had reduced and the bruises on his body seemed to be shrinking.
Ernie, too, reported that he was feeling better. “All we need to do is get used to digging and lifting, and we’ll be in good shape.”
Monty looked at Ernie and was torn between incredulity and affection. Nothing seemed to faze him. He sounded like he was accepting his new role. Yet wasn’t that my advice — try to fit in? He looked up and down the beach. All his group were hard at work. They were either following his advice or, at least, staying out of trouble.
He had stopped for a moment and saw a creature approach and unfurl its whip. Monty bowed. The creature hesitated, then returned the bow, but didn’t crack the whip. Monty slowly began digging again.
On the first full day of work, Monty and Ernie recovered significant amounts of gold and by the end of the shift had filled the gold sack.
“You know, Ernie” Monty observed, “I’m amazed by the richness of the vein we’re working. It must be something peculiar to this planet. I remember when I was investing in gold stocks back on Earth that a good mine produced tiny amounts of gold for each ton of ore processed. On my vacation in the Yukon, I panned a whole day and recovered only a grain of gold. We must have recovered close to an ingot today alone. Maybe we should ask for a cut or at least a salary increase.”
Emily came by a couple of times. She supervised the women but also brought water to drink, allowing them a short break from their labour. Monty thanked her and tried to engage her in conversation.
“Emily, can the women not have their combs?”
She smiled very sweetly and reminded him that Joshua gets angry when she talks too much.
Joshua also came by towards the end of the shift. He tested the weight of their gold sack, gave a grudging approval to Monty and Ernie — “You’re doing well for beginners” — and moved on.
The shift ended as the red sun dipped below the horizon, and the siren blasted its signal.
“My watch tells me each sun and therefore each shift is about ten hours and the interval between suns is two hours. That makes the total day about equal to an Earth day,” Monty told the group.
The next few days passed in a similar fashion. The routine was simple, and Monty and his group mastered it quickly. They were stiff from the constant work, particularly the men. They met as agreed every pre-shift and post-shift meal. They were the only ones who ate on the hillock. The other slaves took their food into the caves and generally ate in silence. Only the few children seemed happy as they played, but they disappeared into the couples’ quarters as soon as the meals arrived. There was a real danger, Monty thought, that in time, he and his group, too, would accept the hopelessness of their situation and give up. He would not let that happen. There had to be a way to escape.
When the siren announced the end of their first week of forced labour, Monty and Ernie sat for awhile, their feet dangling in the digging.
It was a beautiful evening. The horizon was a deep red, and the moon was becoming visible in the twilight. Monty was quite warm from the hard work. The cool river looked very inviting. He waited a moment until the women had left the beach and then stripped down to his underwear.
“I’m going for a swim,” he said. “You coming?”
“No, thanks, swinging my feet is the only exercise I want right now.”
Monty splashed past the shallow edge of the river and dove in. He allowed the cold water to glide over his body before surfacing and swimming lazily towards the other bank. He heard Ernie shout something, and he turned back, still swimming with languid strokes, thoroughly enjoying the flow of water. Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash and a bolt of lightning passed over his head and hit the opposite bank with a resounding crash. He lifted his head and saw the beach teeming with creatures. He swam rapidly to shore, and splashed out of the water, surrounded by the creatures.
Joshua came charging through the creatures, seized Monty by the throat, and shouted: “You some kind of fool? You wanta get yourself killed? Where were you going?”
Monty could not breathe, but he resisted the instinct to struggle. He realized he was thought to have been escaping, and he would have to handle the matter carefully if he were to survive. Joshua released him.
Gasping for breath, Monty said: “I wasn’t going anywhere. I just wanted a swim to cool off.”
His explanation seemed to satisfy Joshua who visibly relaxed. He bowed low to the creatures, and Monty and Ernie followed his example. The yellow creature that had fired the warning shot over Monty’s head made some gestures which Joshua understood. He turned to Monty and Ernie. “You’re in big trouble. We’ve got to go with them to the meeting building.”
Thelma and Alicia, exiting the latrine, saw Monty and Ernie surrounded by the dark coloured creatures, led by the yellow creature with Joshua in tow, enter the meeting building, and knew something was terribly wrong. Concern for the two men, and terror at the prospect of losing them, propelled them to the entrance door. They dared not enter, but they could see into the building through a small window set in the door. A yellow creature stood on the stage beside the loudspeakers; Monty and Ernie stood before it, with Joshua just behind. At least a dozen of the dark coloured creatures occupied the stage and the floor area.
Inside, Monty and Ernie anxiously awaited the next step. They guessed there was to be some kind of hearing, but they had no idea how just the procedure would be.
The yellow creature held a microphone close to its head, and the loudspeaker began broadcasting in its monotone computer voice.
“The human we fired at, what is your name?”
“Montgomery Dore, your Excellency.”
“The human who stayed on the beach, what is your name?”
“Ernest Mathews, your Excellency.”
“Montgomery Dore, we have observed an event in which you entered the river after the shift and proceeded to the other side. It is presumed you were trying to escape our control. This is a serious charge. Ernest Mathews, it is presumed you were aiding the human Montgomery Dore to escape our control. This is a serious charge. We will determine whether these charges are correct or not. To begin, we wish to hear from Joshua.”
Joshua stepped forward, bowed, and spoke into a microphone handed to him by one of the dark coloured creatures.
“Master, I do not believe Montgomery Dore was trying to escape. I believe he was simply enjoying a swim. Ernest Mathews was not helping him escape; he was simply waiting for him. These humans are new here and don’t know all the rules.”
The loudspeaker responded. “Swim? We do not understand the concept. We do not seek water in which to immerse ourselves. Can the human Montgomery Dore explain?”
Monty took the microphone from Joshua and bowed. He realized that all his ability to persuade, honed over many years in the business world, would have to be utilized now if they were to come out of this unscathed.
“Your Excellency,” he began, carefully enunciating his words, fearful of a mistranslation, “it is very common for humans on my planet, who live beside rivers or lakes or oceans, to play in the water by diving and by using their arms and legs to propel themselves. This is called swimming. This pastime is so popular that even humans who live far from water will travel great distances to enjoy it. In my case, I was warm from the sun and from my labours. While I could have cooled off in the shower which is generously provided, I found the river very inviting. Please believe that I was not trying to escape your control. I do not believe escape is possible. If I were trying to escape, I would not have removed my clothing since I would need my clothing in unknown terrain. I have been here only a short time, and I did not realize swimming was forbidden.”
Ernie picked up the theme: “Your Excellency, I was not aiding my friend to escape. He said he was going for a swim and I waited for him. It is common in our world that when one or more humans are swimming, another watches and is prepared to help should a swimmer appear to be floundering and in danger of drowning. This person is called a Lifeguard. I was acting as a Lifeguard.”
“Joshua,” intoned the loudspeaker, “on your planet, did you engage in swimming?”
“Yes, Master,” Joshua replied. “During the hot summer, on Sundays, when we rested on the Lord’s day, my pappy took the family to a creek, and there we swam. The creek was wide and deep at one point, and we could splash and play. My pappy taught us how to swim. It was a happy time.”
“And,” persisted the loudspeaker, “did you have a lifeguard?”
“Yes, Master, my pappy watched while us children were in the creek. Or my mammy watched, or another grownup. Someone always watched.”
“Joshua,” continued the loudspeaker, “the human has said that if he were planning to escape, he would not have removed his clothes. What is your view?”
“Master, we are not strong like you. Humans need clothes to protect their bodies from damage. I even put on more clothing when we go to the mountains.”
“It is correct,” agreed the loudspeaker. “When we go to the mountains, you do add clothing. Joshua, are you convinced that these two are telling the truth?”
“Yes, Master, they are telling the truth. They are also good workers. They filled there gold sack each shift.”
The loudspeaker went silent. The yellow creature seemed to be conferring with two of the dark coloured creatures on the stage. After a long while, the yellow creature turned towards Monty and Ernie.
“Montgomery Dore, Ernest Mathews, you are absolved of all guilt and the charges are rescinded. However, any further breach of routine, without prior authorization, will be treated with harsh measures. You may go now.”
With an exhilarating sense of relief, Monty and Ernie bowed low and began to turn away.
“Before you go,” the loudspeaker interrupted their departure, “we are curious about the term of address used by you. Joshua refers to us as ‘Master.’ You referred to us as ‘Your Excellency.’ The Doctor addresses us as ‘Your Highness.’ Can one of you explain the differences?”
Monty glimpsed a suspicion of anxiety spreading across Joshua’s face. “Your Excellency,” Monty replied, “each of the titles signifies that you and your position are worthy of honour and respect. ‘Master’ would have been the title in use in Joshua’s time and station.”
With that, the yellow creature turned and left the stage through the back door, followed by all the dark coloured creatures. Monty turned to Joshua and said sincerely and without sarcasm: “Thank you. This time I agree. You did save our lives.”
Joshua muttered: “Don’t do any more damn fool things.”
He strode towards the door through which they had come. Alicia and Thelma saw him coming and jumped out of the way as the door flew open, nearly hitting them. Joshua walked quickly up the path to his house.
Monty and Ernie stepped out into the accusing wrath, tinged with relief, of the two women.
“You promised me you would behave!” Alicia tearfully shot at Monty. “What did you do?”
Thelma added, angrily: “You’re supposed to be our leader! Yet you nearly got Ernie killed as well as yourself. How can you get into such trouble just walking from the beach?”
“Ladies, ladies,” Ernie interposed, gently, “give us a break. We’ve both been through a very rough time.”
Monty quickly described his swim and the creatures’ reaction to it. “Joshua supported us and helped convince the creatures that we were innocent. We owe him one.”
With the explanation, and the fact that the danger was over, the two women relaxed. Alicia smiled, and with a coquettish gleam in her eye, asked: “Are you going to stay as you are, or will you dress for dinner?”
Monty, still in his underwear; pulled on the overalls which Ernie had carried from the beach.
At their nightly gathering, Monty related the incident to the group. “The lesson I have learned,” he commented at the end, “is don’t do anything that seems to step outside the routine. Also, they did not seem eager to kill us. I thought the hearing was quite fair. We had a chance to defend ourselves.”
“Something else you should be aware of,” Ernie added. “There were no creatures in sight when Monty went for his swim. Suddenly, they were all over the place, including the yellow fellow. Don’t be fooled. They may not be obvious, but they’re watching us.”
Jeff Leibovitz, who had attached himself to the group, joined in. “The tower that holds the siren is also a watch tower. Some of the mushrooms are up there. There’s a troop of these boys near the kitchen where the food comes from. When I worked the food detail, I could see them practising their drills. I’m sure the guys in the tower sounded the alarm the moment they saw Monty dive in.”
They looked to the tower. A tall structure, it was wide at the base and narrowed towards the top, and ended in a roofed, enclosed platform. The siren hung just below it. An observer on the platform would have a full view of the beach and the area in front of the caves.
At that moment, Joshua’s daughter and her escort arrived. Syd Clark had placed himself close to the path leading to her house. He stood now and bowed to the escort, and remained standing as the woman walked up the path. She nodded pleasantly to the group.
“Hello,” said Syd, in a welcoming voice, “how nice to see you again.”
She stopped in some confusion, not knowing how to respond.
Syd continued: “You live around here?”
She pointed to the house. She understood he was paying attention to her, and she was flattered. “And where do you live?” she asked, the brown skin of her face darkening as she blushed.
“Oh, I live in the neighbourhood, not very far away.”
She laughed, clearly enjoying the exchange. The door to the house opened, and Emily stepped out.
“Rebecca,” Emily called, “pappy is waiting for you.”
Rebecca hurried up the path and went into the house.
“Dammit,” Syd moaned, “I was going to invite her out for dinner and a movie.”
Thelma mocked him. “ ‘You live around here?’ That’s got to be the oldest pickup line ever.”
“Was that a pickup line?” Alicia asked. “He used it on me when I joined PDG.”
“Syd,” Monty advised, “take care. You don’t know how Joshua will react.
You don’t want to get the girl into trouble with her family.”
“I’m going to work you harder tomorrow,” promised Jeff, “and get some of that testosterone turned into gold.”
There was laughter all around, and the evening ended in chatter and joking and generally good spirits. As he said goodnight to Alicia, Monty handed her a short comb. “This is a peace offering. I forgot I had it in my suit jacket.”
She snatched the comb, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. “You sweet man,” she gushed, “you have no idea what this means to me.” She rushed off with Thelma, talking excitedly about the gift.
“They’ll spend the whole rest period now combing their hair,” Ernie remarked,
Monty did not reply. He was still relishing the touch of Alicia’s body against his, and he was troubled by the thought. How many days had it been since their capture? A week? Yet, here he was, contemplating his feelings for another woman. True, he had felt attracted to Alicia on Earth, but there he would have contained his feelings to preserve the wife and family he loved. Was that constraint at an end, irrelevant in the present situation? If Earth were gone forever; then whatever ties they had were severed. Nevertheless, it bothered him that he was capable of so quickly putting aside the bond that once attached him to his family. What if he were successful and managed to find a way back to Earth? Until he could determine whether return was possible, perhaps he should follow the advice he had given Syd and go slowly — stay friendly but reserved, not always seeking her out, and pay the others more attention. With these thoughts in mind, he made his way to the cave and bed.