Betrayed (Cry of the Guilty – Silence of the Innocent Book 2)

by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

“We want people who will help, not some who want a free ride.” Marc paused, then said. “Do you want to join us?”

  “I’ll have to think it over.” Georg said. “I kind of like it here and I wouldn’t want to leave Jawn.”

  “He could come, too,” Marc said quickly.

  “What if I refuse?”

  “You mean will we try to silence you?”

  Georg grinned in answer.

  “No. I know you can be trusted to keep quiet about it.”

  * * *

  Gwin left her dormitory and walked to the building where Royd was staying. She glanced in and saw him lying on a bed with his hands behind his head. She went up to him.

  “We could do it if we worked together,” she said, standing over him.

  He didn’t even look at her.

  “One person couldn’t make the crew do their jobs and fly it at the same time. With two of us we could take over the command room, keep the captain hostage, thereby forcing the crew to run it. We could sleep in shifts.”

  “I’m not taking you back so you can ruin my life.” He finally looked up at her.

  “Ruin your life?” Gwin asked angrily. “What about my life? What do you think you’ve done to my life?”

  “You should be grateful.” Royd swung his legs over the bed and sat up. “I talked them out of killing you.” He rose and pushed past her.

  Gwin stood with her mouth open then quickly followed him outside. “So they kill an innocent man instead and framed me. You think that’s better?”

  “You’re not dead.”

  Gwin couldn’t believe this was Royd speaking. Never had she thought him so callous. “What’s happened to you? I’ve never heard you talk like this.”

  “Why don’t you just leave me alone?”

  They were walking in the direction of the meadow where the Federer and Treachen sat. When they came out of the trees and saw them, they both stopped.

  “Were the engines of the Treachen really as bad as I’ve heard?” Gwin asked.

  Royd nodded.

  “How much money did you make when buying it?”

  “None of your business.”

  “Even flying slow do you think it would make it back?” It wasn’t being guarded, so might be their best shot.

  “Not now, the governor had the engines stripped.”

  “Oh.” Gwin’s heart sank. “Could we repair them?”

  “I only know how to fly the ships, I know nothing about maintenance or repair.”

  “Do you think any of the prisoners would know?”

  Royd shrugged. “And where would we get the parts needed?”

  Gwin hadn’t thought about that. “Would they be stored on the Federer?”

  Royd paused a moment. “They just might.”

  “How would we find out?” Gwin asked eagerly. Maybe there was a way off this planet.

  “I know some of the guards.”

  “Can you ask them?”

  “I already have and none of them will tell me.” Royd laughed as he left her standing in the meadow.

  Gwin felt a deep disappointment both at the news and at the way he had let her get her hopes up. He really wasn’t the Royd she remembered. She watched him go. If he’d been thinking about the transport maybe he’d lied to her; maybe he’d gotten some information about the parts from the guards. She now knew that he wouldn’t tell her if he had. She’d have to watch him more carefully.

  * * *

  Marc strolled up to Georg one evening. “We’re doing it tonight,” he whispered. “Are you coming?”

  “No. I’ve decided not to.”

  “Okay.” Marc walked away.

  Georg watched him go up to another prisoner who nodded then the two of them headed into one of the dormitories. Although he wasn’t in on the attempt he wanted to watch. He lay on his bed trying to stay alert so he would know when someone left. It was a long night and he dozed occasionally, jerking awake in fear that he had missed the action.

  Early in the morning when it was still dark Georg heard some of the prisoners rise and sneak out. When it was quiet again, he got up and went outside. The half-moon overhead gave enough light that he was able to make his way to the trees. He stopped and listened, not wanting to come upon someone hiding. He followed the tree line around until he was away from the village and would be coming upon the ship from a different angle. Then he snuck through the trees until he reached the edge of the meadow where the two ships sat, dark hulks against the lighter sky. He stepped further back into the bush and waited.

  He had no idea where the wannabee escapees were going to meet. Occasionally, a branch snapped but he wasn’t sure if that was from a prisoner or an animal. When he hadn’t heard any noises for a while he began to wonder if they’d changed their minds. Then he spotted movement in the bush to his right. He scanned the rest of the trees and was able to pick out some prisoners standing at the edge. They were good, he thought. If he hadn’t known they were there he would never have seen them.

  He had heard that the guards didn’t come out until after they’d eaten breakfast so it was almost daylight before the door of the Federer opened and the guards emerged. They were joking and laughing as they headed to their stations. When the last one stepped out, the door automatically closed behind him. Georg saw a signal from the guy in the bush to his right.

  Suddenly, there was a whoop and a cry as the prisoners rushed out of the trees at the guards. The guards reacted in surprise then quickly raised their trance guns and fired. There were enough of the prisoners that they kept coming over the bodies of their comrades. Someone inside at the control panel opened the door and the guards formed a semi-circle in front of it.

  The prisoners pushed harder. This was what they wanted. Some of them just had to get through the guards and inside.

  Two guards took up a stance on either side of the door. They continued firing to keep the prisoners at bay as the others backed in. But the prisoners were desperate and rushed the guards, wanting to get inside before the door closed. They had to jump over the bodies of the ones hit by the guns. The guards were inside and the door was closing. One prisoner rush to hold the door open. The door closed. He let out a scream as his arm was cut off.

  When the prisoners still standing on the outside realized that their attempt had failed, they ignored their fellow conspirators lying on the ground and rushed into the trees to get back to their dormitories. Georg returned on the circuitous route to the village. The cooks were preparing the morning meal but there wasn’t much other activity. He was able to make it back to his bed without being seen. He wondered how many prisoners were dead and how many would be going in front of Judge Jym.

  Chapter Nine

  “Where are you going, Gwin?” Sari asked, coming up beside her.

  Gwin wasn’t sure if she should answer with the truth or say she was just going for a walk.

  “I’ve seen you leave the village on a number of occasions,” Sari said. “And sometimes you are carrying food. Are you setting up a cache somewhere?”

  “No, actually, I’m trying to find the people of this planet.”

  “What people?”

  As they headed into the trees Gwin explained how she was convinced she’d seen something standing upright when she and Royd had left the planet on their original visit. “I’m sure it was a planet dweller.”

  “And you’re looking for it again?”

  “We landed in a different place, so I’m not sure if they are even around here. I’ve been leaving food out in the hopes that if they are watching us they will know that we are friendly.”

  “Do you think they’re watching us?” Sari looked warily around her. All she saw were trees.

  Gwin laughed. “I don’t know. I guess I hope so. It would be nice to meet someone from this planet.”

  “What would you do if you did meet one?”

  “I really don’t know.”

  “How far do you go?”

  Gwin grinned. “Further than I should
. At the edge of these trees there is a meadow much like the one the village is in.”

  “Aren’t you afraid of the animals?”

  “Yes. But we haven’t been attacked since that first time, so maybe there was only the one pack.”

  “Don’t your feet hurt?” Sari asked after they’d walked a ways in silence. She looked from her shoes to Gwin’s bare feet.

  “They sure did the first couple of weeks we were here but now the bottoms have hardened so I can walk just about anywhere without feeling much.”

  They emerged from the bush and looked across a large meadow to another stand of trees. “I’ve already checked through those to see if there is a camp or a sign of habitation and I haven’t found any.”

  “So you’re going to extend the search?”

  “Yes. I’m going towards those hills. Maybe they live in a valley or a cave or something.”

  “It looks like a long ways.”

  “I know, but it feels so good to get away from the village for a while. Are you coming with me?”

  “Okay,” Sari said cautiously. “But only because I’m getting tired of listening to everyone’s story and this might be something interesting. If we hear any loud noise I’m heading back, fast.”

  “Me, too.”

  As they walked they watched the trees around them for any sign. When they came to an open area they scrutinized it before crossing. Neither one was prepared when a person stepped out in front of them just as they were entering another clump of bush. They stopped cold, staring at him. Gwin’s heart beat faster. After all the rehearsing she’d done for this moment, she couldn’t think of anything to do.

  “Wow,” gasped Sari from beside her. She immediately began whispering a description into her recorder. It was very disjointed as she tried to get in everything at once. “He is quite similar to us but in a bigger way. He walks on two legs. His body is larger than ours and his legs and arms are longer. He’s tall and very sturdily built. He’s got long shaggy hair on a large head and hair on his most of his chest, arms, and legs. He’s wearing something furry around his waist and it hangs halfway to his knees. He’s carrying a tool with a long handle and what looks like a pointed end made of rock. His face fills the whole front of his head but he has two eyes, a nose, two ears, and a mouth like we do. He is carrying a small animal that looks dead.”

  Listening to Sari, Gwin calmed enough to smile at him and hold her hand with the food in it towards him. He looked at it then back at her. Thinking he might not know what it was, she took some and put it in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed it, then offered him the rest. He made no move to take it.

  “What do we do now?” Sari whispered.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Should we invite him to come back with us?”

  “I’d rather see where he lives.”

  “How will we get him to take us there?”

  Before Gwin could answer, a woman stepped out behind him. Sari quickly described her. She was shorter and her skins covered her from shoulder to knee. The hair on her head was just as shaggy but she didn’t have as much body hair.

  They stared at Gwin and Sari. Neither of them made a sound nor moved their hands in any type of greeting. They turned and went back into the bush.

  “It looks like they’re on a path,” Gwin whispered. “Let’s follow it.”

  They’d just started into the trees when the man stopped and turned back. He shook his hand with the tool in it at them. They stopped.

  “I don’t think he wants us along,” Sari said.

  “I’m getting that impression, too,” Gwin said. “Let’s go back to the village and try again in a few days. That will give them time to get curious about us and maybe they will be friendlier.”

  They smiled and waved to the man then retreated from the bush. They headed back the way they’d come not looking over their shoulders to see if he was watching.

  * * *

  Lyla stepped out of the cave, a large weaved bowl in her hand. She was going into the bush to gather nuts for the winter. Since meeting the beings from the place with the square buildings she had changed the sites where she searched for food. Bane and Gar also went into a different wood to find fallen logs to bring near the entrance for their winter use. She could see them coming with a large one. She was about to wave when she saw them pointing. She looked to the hill across the valley and saw the others standing there watching her. She grinned and lifted her hand to wave also. It was fall and the rest of the clan had returned.

  She dropped the basket and headed down the hill to meet them. She had really missed going to the meeting this summer. She’d been attending them for most of her years and hated the thought that she was getting old. She wondered what stories they had of the meeting, who had shown up, who had new babies, who had died.

  Bane and Gar were not far behind her when she reached the small creek. The others had crossed it and dropped their bundles for the hugs that were given all around. They all looked good, tanned by the sun and well-fed. Thor, Talu, and Lorth each carried a dead rabbit for their supper.

  There were questions on both sides.

  “How did you fare alone here?’

  “How was the trip? Did you see Lema and Anen?”

  “Have you started gathering for the winter?”

  “How is Bega? He was sick last time.”

  Lyla, Bane, and Gar picked up some bundles to help with the carrying up the hill. They would sit around the fires tonight and listen to the others tell of the meeting.

  The women unpacked and began the meal preparations while the men skinned the rabbits and the children played. Outside the cave, after the meal, Lyla, Gar and Bane listened to Lorth tell of the strange sighting one of the members of another clan, Grod, had told about.

  “He described a huge bird that flew but had no wings, no legs, and no feathers,” Lorth began. “It landed on its belly. It opened its mouth and two people with bald heads and skin the same colour as cranberries came out. They dug some soil with some funny-shaped tools.” Here he drew a shape on the ground. “And planted some seeds. They watched the plants come up. Then suddenly the bird flew away with them in it again. When it took off it made a loud noise and shot out fire.”

  Lyla and Bane looked at each other.

  “We saw many birds with no wings or feathers,” Bane said. “And the same strange beings.” He described the beings and the squares they were building. “Could these be like the people Grod spoke of?”

  “If they came in a big bird then they might be,” Lorth said.

  “These were wearing some weird sort of animal hides so we couldn’t tell if their skin was the colour of cranberries.”

  “They do look a lot like us,” Lyla said. “But Grod said he saw only two. These are many.”

  “Where did the bird go that Grod saw?” Bane asked.

  “He says up in the sky.” Lorth pointed upward and everyone looked up. “Way up in the sky.”

  “The ones we saw were first in the sky and then on the ground. We were afraid they might discover us here and we were going to leave the cave,” Lyla said. “But we knew you wouldn’t find us. So we decided we would wait until you returned.”

  The next morning the men went to take a look at the strange people and buildings. When they returned, they talked about what they should do. In the end they decided to stay in the cave for the winter and move in the spring. To move in the fall would leave them without shelter and food and they would starve or freeze. The women began gathering nuts, berries, and seeds, and the men went down into the valley, where the herd of deer had also returned, to hunt for their winter meat. They had more important things to think about than the weird people. They had to make sure they had enough food to keep them going until the snows melted in the spring.

  * * *

  Sari continued to record all the events of the colony. She was in the courtroom when the prisoners were sentenced to a week in the cells for their attempt at stealing the Federer. She visi
ted them afterwards, noting that the cells were small, individual buildings set behind the police station. Each had a door and a little window. Since there were only ten, the prisoners were doubled and tripled up in them. They had to take turns sitting or lying down to sleep. The rest of the time they leaned against a wall.

  Other than that one rainstorm, the weather had been mainly warm and dry since they’d landed. The sun shone every day, but as the weeks passed she noticed that it didn’t seem to get as high in the sky. She mentioned the day the grain was ready to harvest. The cattle and sheep were enjoying the pastures under the watchful eye of the prison guards and the pigs and poultry were growing on what they were being fed.

  Then, she noticed a few yellow, orange, and red leaves in amongst the green ones on the trees and bushes. And each day after that she saw more that had turned colour. Sari thought the trees were so beautiful with their new colours but wondered, as a few others did, why they had changed.

  And there were other transformations. The tall grass in the fields and meadows turned a golden yellow. The birds that had been singing in the trees gathered in flocks and flew away. At times huge flocks of other birds passed over the village. The big change that had many talking was the lessening of the daylight hours and the cooler air.

  One day Sari saw dark clouds in the distance, just like the ones of the first rainstorm. She felt a cold wind as they slowly approached. Soon they covered the sky overhead and it began raining. This time it wasn’t a gentle rain like the last. The water seemed to pour from the sky. No one went out to enjoy the feel of it.

  It wasn’t long before there were large puddles in front of the buildings and the water flowed in a stream down the middle of the streets. The canvas roofs of the buildings sagged as the water gathered in them and it wasn’t long before they were all leaking. Water dripped on the governor, the judge, the police, and the prisoners.

  Governor Lind, Judge Jym and his wife and the police left their wet buildings and moved to the Federer where there was food and dry beds. Sari joined them feeling guilty about the prisoners left to fend for themselves. She doubted that anyone would be able to sleep in the constant dripping of the water on the hammocks and beds.