*
‘Hope, we have spoken to our Government and they agree that you may bring your Humans down five hundred at a time.’
*
THAT WILL NOT BE TOO MANY FOR YOU TO ACCOMMODATE
*
‘We are gearing up for those numbers; all our systems are ready to deal with them. Will you be safe bringing that many people down from the hill?’
*
NUMBERS WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM
EXCEPT ON THE LAST TRIP THREE ROLKILS APPEARED ALONG THE GREAT PLAIN
MOVING QUICKLY
*
‘You dealt with them?’
*
I DID
*
‘By using the weapon?’
THE WEAPON IS USELESS AGAINST THEM
I HAD TO USE STEALTH
*
‘You did very well.’
*
I AM PLEASED YOU CONSIDER THAT TO BE TRUE
I DO MY BEST FOR HUMANS
*
‘Yes, I know you do. Nobody is going to accompany you up the hill, Hope, will you be all right on your own?’
*
I HAVE WANDERED THESE LANDS ALONE FOR OVER 100 YEARS
I WILL BE FINE
*
‘Will you leave now?’
*
I WILL
GOODBYE
*
I turned and moved quickly from the cave and speeded up the hill stopping at the fallen RolKils to ensure that they were dead on the hill and I pushed them so that they rolled further down towards the great plain
The offended both me and the trees
I moved past the other dead RolKils outside the ingress to the facility and entered
Making directly towards where the Humans waited
THE CAVE HUMANS SAY I CAN TAKE 500
The committee began organising Humans immediately and as they did I patrolled the fortress and ensured that nothing was amiss
And discovered that all was well
When the 500 were ready to go I moved them out without incident
And 20 movements later I had emptied the fortress of Humans
It took two turns of light and darkness to move them and many
Many
Tears were shed both by the cave Humans and those from the fortress
The cave Humans were very
Very
Efficient
In moving the fortress Humans along from their village
On the little carriages
That ran on tracks
And fortress Humans disappeared along the passageways in great numbers
All the Humans I had watched grow to full height
All the children who had collected around my legs and waist whilst I was moving them down to the cave
All of them disappeared along the passageways
Children shedding tears when they said their goodbyes
Families moving on after saying goodbyes to those they had befriended in the fortress
A whole community being broken up with some efficiency
I considered that eventually they would be happy and I decided to try and help in that regard
*
JOHN
DO YOU KNOW IN WHICH DIRECTION THE NEAREST ALTERNATIVE CAVE TO THIS ONE IS
*
John turned to look at me
*
‘Why do you want to know, Hope?’
*
I WILL VISIT THAT CAVE AND ATTEMPT TO SET UP A SAFE ROUTE FROM ONE CAVE TO THE OTHER SO THAT HUMANS CAN PASS FROM ONE TO THE OTHER ON THE SURFACE AND BE ABLE TO ENJOY PLANET EARTH WITHOUT INJURY OR HARM
*
He stared at me for a moment before moving with speed to consult with other members of his community and with Leaders of the free Humans
After communicating
A small group approached me
3 woman and 2 men
And they asked me to repeat what I had communicated to the Leader
And I repeated the communication
They communicated more
Then John made sound
*
‘If you could do that it would be the most wonderful act you could do, Hope, it would be much more wonderful that simply reuniting two communities of Humans. We could have the safety of the caves with the freedom of the surface. Would you attempt to do it, Hope?’
*
THAT IS WHAT I COMMUNICATED
*
A Leader of the free Humans made sound
*
‘Okay, Hope, the nearest cave to this one is thirty miles to the north. I have been informed that a message will be sent and you will be expected. See if you can find a safe route.’
*
Another free Human approached carrying many white metal spikes which he made clear that I should take
I could not carry the LazExt66 and the spikes so
Once again
I passed the weapon to John and took the spikes
And set off to complete the task of finding a route from one cave to another
I turned north outside the cave
Staying close to the large lumps of planet Earth that I kept to my left side
And I planted the first spike
Following my understanding of the land
I discovered a route from one cave to another that did not include crossing water
Or negotiating any other obstacle that would prove troublesome to Humans
The route led across open ground rarely and passed through many large forests
All of which I had patrolled
The tress providing perfect cover in the event Humans espied other Machines
Preferably not RolKils
I planted the spikes at regular intervals
Until I arrived at another large hole in the surface of planet Earth
Two tall Humans stood almost concealed in the darkness of the cave and I approached them
When I entered
The Humans stepped forward and hugged me and I hugged them back
And they knew my title when the oldest of them made sound
*
‘Hope, we welcome you, and I see you have used all the spikes, did you find a safe route?’
*
I DISCOVERED A ROUTE THAT PRESENTED NO PROBLEMS THAT HUMANS COULD NOT OVERCOME
NO WATER TO TRAVERSE
NO HIGH PEAKS TO CLIMB
AND MANY
MANY
KILOMETRES OF FOREST THROUGH WHICH HUMANS COULD BOTH TRAVEL IN SAFETY AND MAKE THEMSELVES INVISIBLE IN THE EVENT OF ESPYING OTHER MACHINES
*
‘You are an absolute genius, Hope. Would you like to come down and meet our community?’
*
I WOULD
*
And I descended into the deep cave and met other Humans who gathered around me
The children again touching me and laughing and dancing around me
And for 2 years I did no other duty but discover safe routes from many caves to other caves
And I became astonished at the way the Humans had made life beneath the surface
Travelling far and wide
Meeting again some Humans from the fortress
Who came forward and hugged and shook my right palm
And I had many feelings of excitement inside me when I espied them
On occasion I visited the fortress which had been my place of employment for over 100 years and it seemed most odd to be vacant of Humans
Though the FoodTechs still operated and menials still kept the facility most clean and dead RolKils and Defgars still littered the facility and its surroundings
And I performed gymnastics often as I crossed plains that were greater than my original one
Joy
One of the emotions High Office had integrated into my systems grew within me as did the DNA of little Eve and I felt most happy
Much as little Eve may have felt had she lived to see the full results of her life
Until one day that was most inclement
And I returned to the first cave I ever entered and espied John
Who had taken up residence with that community?
And who had become a Leader
When we met he made sound
*
‘Hope, I have been waiting to see you again for a wonderful thing has happened.’
*
WHAT WONDERFUL THING
*
‘The Government has asked to meet with you. We believe it is to honour you for all the great things you have done on behalf of humans. The message arrived this morning at all villages and the first one to espy you was to pass it on.’
*
WHAT DOES IT MEAN
THE GOVERNMENT WISHES TO MEET WITH ME
*
‘It means just that, Hope. The Government, the overall power of the underground humans, has asked to meet you.’
*
WHERE DOES THIS GOVERNMENT RESIDE
*
‘They live and work in a very large tunnel beneath the seas surrounding England, one that connects the land to continents. You are to go there as soon as possible, now if you wish.’
*
I WILL VISIT THIS GOVERNMENT
HOW DO YOU WISH I SHOULD TRAVEL THERE, JOHN
*
John laughed
*
‘Oh Hope, we have a plan that you could travel by our train system, through many villages, allowing many underground humans to see the greatest hero of our time. I shall travel with you, as will many leaders from many villagers and many citizens too. It will be a great celebration, you will be greatly honoured.’
*
DO WE DEPART AT THIS MOMENT
I HAVE NO DUTIES TO DO AT THIS TIME
*
‘Yes, yes, Hope. As soon as we are ready we shall depart. Let me speak to other leaders and organise some food for us, for the trip may take some time. Will you remain here?’
*
I SHALL REMAIN HERE
*
John moved away and children began to gather around me and Susan and Ann, from my trip to the fortress, came forward and hugged me and brought young men along with them and informed me that they were to be married and I felt great joy for them
In not too long a time
John returned with 2 other leaders that I knew, Kenneth and Leonard, and they were carrying bags heavy with food stuffs
John made sound
*
‘Are you ready to go, Hope?’
*
I nodded my head
*
‘You remember Kenneth and Leonard do you not?’
*
I DO
IT IS NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN KENNETH AND LEONARD
*
They intimated that it was nice to meet me again
*
‘Then let us be on our way.’
*
John turned and led the way with me behind him and Kenneth and Leonard following me
We stepped into a passageway with long rails on the floor and wooden boxes upon wheels upon it
It took some time to manoeuvre through the crowd of villagers who were there to see us off
But
Eventually
We made it to the boxes
Where 2 large men stood by the lever that powered it
I touched Johns shoulder and her turned to face me
*
I CAN POWER THESE BOXES BETTER THAN HUMANS
I DO NOT TIRE
I DO NOT REQUIRE A STOP
FOR FOOD
OR REST
*
John, Kenneth and Leonard stared at me
Then at each other
Then they put their heads very close together and made quiet sounds
Eventually
John looked up at me with a wide smile on his face
*
‘Hope that is another wonderful gesture by you. If you would power the carriages we would be most grateful, but you must stop when we tell you to stop.’
*
OF COURSE
JOHN
*
While John and Kenneth and Leonard were facing me
Susan and Ann
Climbed aboard another carriage and sat with arms folded
Looking directly ahead
John and the other leaders turned to face them
*
‘Susan, Ann, you cannot accompany us. This is a trip for leaders only.’
*
It was Kenneth who made sound
But Susan and Ann turned to look at him and they had expressions of deep determination on their faces
*
‘If you try and remove us from this carriage, Kenneth, we shall make a noise that will be heard in the next village. Everyone wants us to attend Hope’s meeting with the Government so that we can report back what happened in layman’s language, rather than with the pontificated words that leaders would use. We are going with you, get used to it.’
*
Both women turned to face ahead again and John and the other leaders looked one to the other and decided that an argument with women of such standing was not in their best interest
John turned to me
*
‘When you are ready to take the lever, Hope.’
*
I climbed up on to the platform that held the lever and the two burly humans climbed off and I took hold of it and pressed it down and the carriages began to move forward
Many members of the human community shouted and cheered and waved their right hands and I lifted my silver hand in return
I powered the carriages forward and in quick time we were deep into the amazing passageways the underground humans had constructed
And we travelled from village to village and were received with much cheering and many palm shakes and many hugs and more carriages were added and more leaders climbed aboard and more women joined Susan and Ann and more arguments were won by them
Each link up of carriages meant a new lever that would be worked by large men but I easily powered the carriages forward until there were 100 Humans sitting in the little carriages
The mood was joyous
Humans laughed and sang and ate their food
And I saw wondrous underground waterfalls and rivers and many lighted villages full of happy free Humans
And to all
I was a hero
To all
Who stood and looked at me with smiling faces
I had become legend in their stories and tales
And this thought made me most happy
And we moved along their rail lines until we arrived at a great series of platforms at which stood many carriages and many
Many
Humans
It was
So John informed me
The terminus
All Humans climbed out of my carriages and many others gathered around me and shook my palm and hugged me and made great sound one to the other
Ahead of us stood a huge passageway
John informed me that it was a tunnel that linked the land of Gland to another land
Ance
And compared to the passageways we had travelled for so long
It was massive
And there were many walking into the tunnel that connected two lands
Susan and Ann came to me and held my hands and that made me most joyous
And together
The 3 of us skipped along the long platform
Skipping being a talent that children had taught me
And they laughed and laughed and the moment was quite wonderful
We entered the large tunnel and Susan explained where we were going
*
‘Our Government resides in this tunnel. They live down here, their quarters are down here beneath the seas and our parliament i
s here too. It is where great decisions of our people are taken, which are then communicated throughout the villages of the linked continents by radio signal so that all will know. It has been this way since humans decided to hide beneath the surface, but now that you have measured out safe routes for our people to move on the surface, those problems are being solved. You have achieved wondrous events, Hope, and we hope our Government gives you due reward.’
*
I DESERVE NO REWARD
SUSAN
FOR ALL THAT I DID
I DID FOR LITTLE EVE
WHO DID NOT DESERVE TO DIE IN THE WAY THAT SHE DID
IT MAKES ME GREATLY SADDENED TO REALIZE THAT SHE IS NOT HERE WITH US TO ENJOY THESE MOMENTS
THAT SHE NEVER GOT TO SEE THE SUN AND THE MOON AND THE STARS
OR SEE THE ANIMALS OF THE FIELDS
OR TOUCH THE TIPS OF THE GRASSES OR TO HUG A TREE
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME GREATLY SADDENED
*
‘But as compensation for that great sadness, Hope, look at all the happy faces on those humans you have aided, the ones you have helped to a better life. Please be cheered by that sight.’
*
HUMANS DO MAKE MY HAPPY
SUSAN
AND I LIKE TO SEE THEIR HAPPY FACES
AND I LIKE TO DANCE AS LITTLE EVE DID
AND I LIKE TO SKIP
AND I MUCH ADMIRE YOUNG
MUSCULAR
YOUNG MEN
MUCH LIKE THOSE MEN THAT YOU AND ANN ARE TO MARRY
*
And Susan and Ann gasped a loud noise and began to laugh
*
‘Eve really did infect you, didn’t she?’
*
HER DNA HAS TAKEN OVER MY WHOLE SYSTEM AND I OFTEN EXPERIENCE FEELINGS TO WHICH I CAN DISCOVER NO ANSWER
*
The women laughed again
*
‘That sounds just like a young woman.’
*
And Susan laughed greatest of all
Until John joined us and informed that we were approaching the great area of parliament and that they Humans should desist with all their tomfoolery
And so it was that many Humans stepped into a huge dome with many sitting positions and John and Michael and Leonard and Susan and Ann took their places and I stood alone on the great floor of the dome
Around a circular base stood 101 seats at which the Government would see
Though all the seats were vacant at that time
Many hundreds of Humans climbed into the seats that stacked up all around up to the top of the dome
One entrance being open for Humans to attend
The other side having only narrow passageways
Though some Humans did exit from them
All was orderly and calm
A Spit In The Eye - For The Benefit Of Mankind Page 21