by Jen Cole
Chapter 6
Over the next months Martin spent much of his time on two things – visiting the memorial garden and securing a bolt hole. The garden visits became an essential part of his day, a reminder that his wife’s death loomed ever closer, making all his sacrifices worthwhile. The bolt hole was necessary for when the Keggans stormed the palace. In sharka they would attack everyone inside, their hormone storm abated only by death. Therefore he needed a place to hide until things calmed down.
Eventually he found the perfect spot. At the back of one of the storerooms, screened by stacks of boxes, was a door, which opened onto a set of stone steps. These led to a small wine cellar. The main cellar he’d become quite familiar with, but this one looked long forgotten with its old dusty bottles. The key, which had been in the door, worked from both sides, and Martin pocketed it. Gradually he made the place comfortable enough to wait out two days, which he figured would be plenty. He would emerge as the Keggans were mourning the loss of the Governor who had mended their world, and would preside over his wife’s funeral.
From the eleventh month, Martin visited the war room regularly, keeping an eye on the mood of the population so as not to be caught unawares when the rebellion began. He noticed that Teti and Chi-chi, the only two Keggans to visit the war room, studiously avoided looking at the screens. Obviously the distress of their fellow Keggans affected them.
“Martin,” his wife announced one morning as he entered, “you are about to witness Step One of Operation Three-Step. I’ve done everything I can to help these people but will they assist in any way? No. I’m forced to take off the gloves. Over the next three days I will clear the last festering boils on Keggar.”
She nodded towards the screens displaying the canal settlements and picked up a microphone. “Would you care to do the honors?”
As she handed Martin a sheet of paper, he noticed the loudspeakers attached to lampposts around one end of the settlement. Taking the mike, he read the words she’d given him.
“Canal dwellers of Keggar, your homes are causing a problem to the health and wellbeing of Keggans all over. New improved housing has been built for you in the Governor’s satellite city, and bots stand by to hand out the keys.”
As he was speaking, Martin saw Keggans within hearing of the loudspeakers walk out of their homes to stand staring up at the places his voice was coming from. He read the final line. “Keggar requires you all to move out of your homes and relocate to the satellite city.”
The roar overwhelmed the planted microphones. Martin and Eileen pressed hands to their ears as a frenzy of Keggans hurled themselves at the speakers and then, after the inevitable collisions, at one another. In minutes the place was deep in blood and bodies, and a stunned Martin watched bulldozers move in to clear the dead, along with their houses.
“You knew this would happen,” he said.
“Naturally. Though I regret the deaths, it’s the only way to save Keggar. Hopefully the other two thirds of the settlement will get the message and move of their own volition. Otherwise I will instigate Step Two tomorrow.”
Martin staggered outside and threw up into a bush. Then he made for the memorial garden. As he stared down at the images of the four previous Governors, he wondered if they’d all acted so ruthlessly. Of course they had. That’s why they were here. The Keggans got humans to do their dirty work, knowing that a time would come when the population could stomach it no longer and would rise up against their Governor. However by the time that happened the planet would have been cleaned up, which was why the dead Governors were subsequently honored.
Martin went back to the palace and carted fresh water supplies to his bolt hole. It wouldn’t be long now.
The next morning he entered the war room in trembling anticipation. The screens showed a third of the canal settlement had been cleared away. Teti and Chi-chi were absent and Eileen informed him she’d gathered the staff before breakfast and told them they could have two days off to visit their families in the satellite city if they wished. They had all wished to do so. Martin was both astounded and thrilled. His wife had left the palace unguarded. She must be so intent on finishing her task she’d forgotten about her own safety.
He walked to the screens and saw the loudspeakers had been moved down to the next section of the settlement. Eileen lifted the microphone. “Care to do the honors again?”
This time he shook his head. “It’s your party, dear.”
She gave a wry smile and began. “Canal dwellers of Keggar, yesterday many lost their lives needlessly. I do not wish to see it happen again.”
Martin stared. Something was wrong. No one was coming out. His wife put down the microphone. “Humph, I thought that might happen.”
“What? Why aren’t the Keggans leaving their houses to gather around the speakers?”
“They’ve learnt from the mistakes of their neighbors. My guess is they’ve all stuffed their ears with wax so they won’t hear anyone telling them to move. Fortunately I’m one step ahead of them.”
She spoke an order and dozens of bots moved between the houses. On her next order they began pelting the walls with stones. When windows started smashing, Keggans came running out and the sharka took over. Once again the morning ended in a massacre and bulldozers moved in to clear another third of the settlement.
Eileen turned to him with a hard smile. “I’m afraid without our staff, the meal arrangements are up to you, Darling. Could you fix me a sandwich?”
Martin backed out and headed to the kitchen. His consoling thought was that the Keggans would now surely rise, and this would all soon be over.
Martin slept badly that night and woke at first light to see Eileen’s side of the bed empty. Racing to the war room, he found her twirling and laughing.
“It worked,” she said. “The rest of the canal dwellers have moved. Their houses are empty. The bots will clean up the area and install underground sensor-shockers alongside the canals to sting anyone pausing for longer than a minute. Waterways are now safe, and my road network provides clear access to their schools, hospitals and work places.” She dusted her hands. “Mission accomplished.”
Martin fidgeted. “Are you sure that last lot of canal dwellers went to the satellite city?”
“I’ll call up views from other cameras,” she said.
That was when they saw them – a huge crowd of Keggans moving up the hill towards the palace. They walked in silence, and though calm, seemed to emit a grim purpose.
“The trials of a leader,” Eileen muttered. “Your achievements are taken for granted but when you cause a few upsets, everyone complains.” She sighed. “I guess I’ll have to talk to them.”
Turning, she took his hand. Martin froze. He needed his wife to be out there when the mob arrived, but if he refused to accompany her, she might change her mind. He hadn’t put up with a year of being ‘Governor husband’ not to reap his reward.
Desperately casting his mind about, he walked with her into the hallway where a gleam from a side table caught his eye. There was a new ornament – a tray of pretty marbles. Fate was with him! As they passed the bowl, Martin squeezed his wife’s fingers, flashing her a supportive smile as he stealthily grabbed two marbles with his free right hand. Their cool hardness in his palm gave him strength and helped firm up his plan. When Eileen fronted the crowd, he would slip free and take a step back. To make sure she didn’t convince them to peacefully leave, he’d then hurl the marbles at the Keggans and run into the palace. As they exploded into sharka he’d already be locking the door, leaving his wife to face their fury. Even if they broke in after finishing with her, it wouldn’t matter. Safe in his bolt hole, he’d simply wait for their rage to run its course.
Eileen seemed calm. She stepped out gracefully, and together they stood on the porch as the Keggans drew close. Martin’s hands were sweating. It was easy to pull out of her grasp, but as he stepped back, robot arms seized him from behind.
His wife turned, smiling
at his struggles. “Sorry to do this, Darling, but you know all victories require sacrifice.”
Reaching into his pocket, she drew out the key to his bolt hole and walked back towards the doors.
“No,” he screamed, and battling to break free, saw his own image looking down from the palace wall. She’d replaced her picture with his. The bot turned him to face the mob.
“It’s not me! I’m not the Governor,” he yelled, and the crowd looked between him and the face on the wall. The bot raised Martin’s right arm and made a hurling motion with it, pressing hard on his tendon to force his hand open. The marbles flew out, hitting two of the lead Keggans. They roared and charged.
Eileen waited out the rest of the day and night in Martin’s bolt hole, pleased he’d stocked it so well. The next morning she stepped into a quiet palace. The mob had departed and her staff members, having returned, were already repairing the damage. Martin’s remains were scraped up and placed into a coffin. His burial, she knew, would be in the memorial garden, which she’d discovered months before, having followed her husband there. Clarity through leadership and the Keggans’ tea had brought Eileen to realize Martin’s true intent and even to understand his motivation. As she packed to return to Earth, she hoped he’d understood hers.
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About the Author
After years of enjoying science fiction, Jen Cole, an Aussie teacher, decided to try her hand at writing it and in 2007, she began her first novel, Play or Die.
Jen is currently working on a new novel – a science fiction adventure for Young Adult readers. Two of her children’s stories, Killer App and Swarm, appear in Penguin Australia’s 2013 Eerie series.