months since the committee set up the exploration group and there were still vast plains to explore, Jack started losing hope of ever finding human life outside of their town with a population of two thousand men and wondered whether anyone even survived the worms and tentacle attack.
It was a Tuesday afternoon according to the calendar created by the town’s elected Mayor, Charles Whittle and Jack was sitting on the porch while Timmy was playing with the neighbour’s son, Shaun, on the grass next to their cabin and Jack had to count his blessings as he watched his son play without a care in the world. At least he had his son. They were no longer trapped in a fire-enclosed concentration camp with no idea when they’d meet their maker.
Richard came running up to Jack’s cabin and it was the first time he noticed that Richard ran a bit like a woman dashing towards a shoe sale.
“Jack!” Richard called out with a smile, “Jack! Come quick.”
“What is it?”
“They found something.” Richard panted, “Group 2 found something to the south-west about twenty miles from here.”
Jack sat on the edge of his chair with anticipation. What did the group find? Did they find other humans?
“Well.” Jack grew impatient, “Spit it out.”
“They found an alien scout.” Richard panted for air.
Jack had an uncontrollable need to see one of these aliens face to face – see what kind of creature abducted them and ask them why there were taken from their home. There seemed to be no reason as to why they were abducted
He asked Shaun’s father to look after Timmy until he came back and then followed Richard to the town’s centre where a large group of people gathered.
35
Jack and Richard pushed their way through a crowd that gathered in the centre of town to get a look at the alien life form that brought them to this foreign world. Once they made it to the front of the crowd, Richard was surprised to see that the creature looked quite similar to a human.
“It looks like one of us.” Richard said baffled.
“It’s hideous!” someone yelled from inside the crowd.
“I’ve seen one before.” Jack said.
Petrav lay bound in primitive ropes at the feet of the town’s Mayor Whittle whose pompous posture would suggest that he caught the alien and not the exploration group.
“Behold!” Mayor Whittle said, “This is the face of our enemy!”
A cheer rose up from the crowd.
“They might rule this world, but we rule this valley!”
Jack was the only one not cheering Whittle’s speech, but instead kept staring at the bewildered alien face at their feet. Petrav was chewing through his gag as he tried to say something, but nobody could hear him over the cheers and ostentatious speech.
“We’ve made this our home!” Mayor Whittle announced, “And we will protect it to the death from these alien monsters!”
More cheers from the crowd fuelled Mayor Whittle and Jack knew the speech was building up to an execution that he’d much rather avoid.
“They tried to steal our freedom!” Mayor Whittle continued, “They tried to kill our people! But we survived! This valley has been our home ever since we set up camp here. It’s safe! It’s a safe haven where our sons can grow up. They don’t know where we are… and that’s why we can’t let this one live. It will return to its people and bring reinforcements – reinforcements that will enslave us again!”
The cheering turned to boo’s from a displeased crowd that wanted to see the enemy executed, but Jack feared that it would be an unwise thing to do as the answers to their questions would die with him and could possibly start a vigilante riot amongst the spectators. As Mayor Whittle grasped a knife made from a sharpened rock, Jack made eye contact with the alien and knew instantaneously that it carried vital information – information that would die with it if they were to execute it.
“This is for mankind.” Mayor Whittle said as he grabbed the alien by the hair and lifted its head.
“Wait!” Jack called out.
Annoyed at the interruption, Mayor Whittle looked up at his interrupter and the crowd started booing again.
“Wait.” Jack repeated.
“Professor White…” Mayor Whittle said with distaste, “Why do you interrupt official government business? Can’t you see the people want to see this creature executed?”
The cheering crowd made Jack realize that they might’ve lost touch with humanity.
“Is this really what you want?” Jack asked the crowd, “Do you really want to see him slaughter this native?”
A less enthusiastic cheer came from the crowd as some of the people started to question themselves.
“Is this really what we’ve become?” Jack asked the crowd, “To kill first and ask questions later? We finally have one of the natives and you want to kill it instead of asking it why we are here? Don’t you have questions? Questions only it can answer? I know I have.”
“Professor White…” The Mayor was not impressed, “You’re interfering with my duties.”
“This isn’t earth.” Jack said, “There is no more government. We simply elected you because we needed a leader, but we didn’t give you the right to make life and death decisions for us.”
A man at the front of the crowd hesitantly said, “Let it live.”
“Yeah.” Another said, “I wanna hear what it has to say.”
One by one more people elected to spare the native’s life and Mayor Whittle had no other choice but to lower his weapon and comply with the majority.
Jack crouched down and removed the gag from the native’s mouth.
“Thank you.” Petrav whispered.
“Why are we here?” Mayor Whittle asked before Jack could speak, “Why did you bring us to your planet? What is it that you want?”
The native ignored the arrogance of the Mayor and turned to Jack again.
“You’re White?” Petrav asked, “Jack White?”
“Yes.” Jack said, “How do you know my name?”
“I was sent to find you.”
“Sent?” Jack was confused, “By whom?”
“Our Sovereign.”
The native tried to sit upright and when Mayor Whittle tried to push him to the ground again, Jack pushed the Mayor aside in protest.
“You’re not the only ones.” Petrav said almost inaudibly.
“What did it say?” A man in the crowd asked.
“Did that creature just speak English?” Another asked astonished.
“You’re not the only ones.” Petrav said loud enough for all to hear, “I came bearing a truce if you’re willing to accept it.”
Petrav turned to Jack and said, “But I will only speak to you.”
Jack glanced up at Mayor Whittle who rolled his eyes and gestured for the Sheriff to unbind the native. The sheriff complied with his instruction and led Jack and the native into the wooden constructed Sheriff’s office; it was the only place where they could speak in private and keep an eye on the native.
“What happened to Gargan?” Petrav asked as he rubbed his wrists where the constraints were.
“What?” Jack asked.
“The beast that lived inside this ravine?”
“We don’t know.” Jack said, “I think we scared it off.”
Jack pulled up a chair and sat across the table from Petrav and glanced at the Sheriff standing against the wall with his arms folded across his chest.
“What truce are you offering?” Jack asked.
“I’m here to reunite you with your people.”
“Who says we can’t do this on our own?” Jack asked snobbish, “Why do you need you for that?”
“Our world is much larger than you can comprehend. Without my help your youngest generation will die without ever finding the rest of your people. Our Sovereign wish for our people and yours to live in peace.”
Jack sat in contemplating silence for a moment and then asked, “What’s the truce?”
“You have to meet with our Sovereign to know the terms of the truce.”
“So where is this leader of yours?”
“Lagoon City.”
“How do we get there?”
“I will take you there.” Petrav said, “We will travel by light worm as it is too far to travel otherwise.”
The statement suggested that he was referring to the worm creatures Jack saw back at the concentration camp – the creature that transported him and Timmy to the beach in a blink of an eye. So that’s how the natives travelled the vastness of their planet.
“We need to get to an opening.” Petrav said.
Jack glanced at the Sheriff who didn’t budge and knew that the answer was no.
“I don’t think he’ll go for that.”
Petrav sighed and said, “This room will have to do. Step aside.”
Petrav closed his eyes and Jack watched as the native concentrated. The earth below them started shaking and Jack got up to join the sheriff up against the wall. A whirlpool opened up in the floor and consumed the floorboards, table and chairs and then a worm-creature stuck its head out of the burrow.
Petrav stepped closer to the illuminated creature and gestured for Jack to climb aboard.
“Let’s go.” Petrav said as he mounted the worm.
Jack hesitantly watched as Petrav took a hold of the reigns and then walked over to the creature. He remembered what they did back at the concentration camp and was cautious not to get eaten.
“I control it.” Petrav said, “It won’t do you any harm.”
It didn’t really look much like a worm, but rather a tube of light with two eyes and no mouth or nose. Jack took Petrav’s hand and climbed onto the worm.
“Hold on.” Petrav said.
Jack clasped his arms around the native’s bare, muscular torso and the
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