Joban had chained up the two front of the line guards. He and Wayne grabbed some more leg chains and rushed to the station house where they bound the last two guards. They gathered up all the whips and cattle prods and placed them in a pile near the entrance to the Gravel Pits.
Taking the whistle from around the guard’s neck, Wayne stood at the front of the line and blew twice. The slaves quieted down and turned their attention to Shasta.
“Great work!” he shouted. The slaves began clapping their hands. Wayne motioned for silence, and the applause died down. “We need to make plans on what our next move should be.”
“Let’s get outta here,” shouted a male slave from the middle of the line.
“Yes, that of course is our mission,” responded Wayne. “But we need to decide the best way to proceed.”
“We can just use our shovels to keep knocking out any guards that try to stop us,” another man yelled.
“It’s not only the guards that are our problem. We need to beware of the blue gas,” answered Shasta.
“You are right,” agreed Joban. “I had forgotten all about the gas.”
“For now, I think we should stay put here in the Pits. We can take turns going in groups to watch for the gas and for more guards. Once we decide that it is safe to go, then we can move forward,” directed Wayne Shasta. “Joban and I will take the first watch.”
The elevator doors slid open and Dave Andrews and Paul Loring stepped out onto the Conveyor Port. They were dressed in camouflage uniforms.
The four combat trained officers that were assigned to accompany Dave and Paul were already present and eager to get started. They were equipped with rifles slung across their backs and buck knives tucked inside their heavy black boots. Each had a zip gun hanging from their belt and satellite phones attached to their shoulders. Dennis Pearson handed zip guns and satellite phones to Dave and Paul.
The six crew members climbed into the James K and buckled their seat belts. The doors shut, and the space pod was ready to take off. Dennis Pearson stood behind the control panel and began pressing levers and switches. Everything checked out. He activated the final switch, and the James K was launched.
“I sure hope this goes better than the last three departures,” remarked Pearson. Jackson Greene was standing alongside him. “I don’t know why, but I have a bad feeling that I cannot shake off.”
“Sir, I think we have to remain positive,” responded Greene.
The elevator doors opened again, and Diane Pearson came rushing out. She appeared anxious.
“What is it, Diane?” asked Dennis with concern in his voice.
“Am I too late? Have they left?” Looking around she realized that the answer to her questions was affirmative. Cripes, she admonished herself. I should have taken the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator.
“Yes, dear, if you wanted to view the lift-off then you are too late. The crew took off without incident,” answered Pearson.
“I hope I am wrong, but they may be headed into trouble.” She handed two computer printouts to Dennis. He read them out loud, so that Officer Greene could hear them too.
“The first one says, ‘Let’s rendezvous at 0700 hours at BE. DP.’ And the second one says, ‘New info on DA. Camo. Briefs are… DP.’ A third one reads, ‘Attention all guards, possible disturbance in Gravel Pits. Investigate immediately.’” He lowered the papers and looked at Diane. “What do you think this means?”
“I think that Dave Andrews is leading Dr. Loring into a trap,” announced Diane.
“Why would you think that?”
“Here,” she said and handed her husband another sheet of paper. “Look at Commander Andrews’ full name, David Patrick Andrews. He could be the DP.”
“Now let’s not jump to conclusions,” said Dennis. “It could just be some thing meant to create a diversion. Jackson, what do you think of the newest loudspeaker transmission?”
“Sir, it sounds like the slaves may be causing some sort of commotion. Perhaps the Captain and the others are attempting to escape.”
“OK. Let’s head up to the Bridge and see if we can make contact with Commander Andrews. If we cannot, we may need to go directly to Admiral Wilcox.”
The very tall slave unlocked the apartment door and pulled it open. He was obviously surprised to see the two escaped slaves. He told them to come in, and he quickly closed the door.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“We need some information,” said the Captain. “We are hoping that you would have the answers to our questions.”
Salton hesitated before saying, “Since you are friends of Joban, I will try to help you. What is it that you need to know?”
“We spent last night in the Zoo where we overheard two guards discussing the Lake,” began Josh. “They were preparing some monkeys that were going to be sold, and they said that the monkeys needed to be taken to the Lake. Keith and I have traveled all around this city, but we have not come across any signs leading to the Lake. Can you tell us how to get there?”
“Come, let’s go into the kitchen. You must be hungry.” Salton led them down a narrow hallway and into a dark kitchen. He told them to sit down at the small round table.
“Colonel Flax is very observant. So I cannot give you much food as he would notice if anything was missing. This is my kitchen area. I don’t get a lot to eat, but I know it’s more than you get.” He poured two glasses of milk and handed them to the Gladiator officers along with two slices of bread. “I wish I had more that I could share with you.” He watched as Josh and Keith carefully chewed the bread and drank down the warm milk. “Now, tell me why you want to find the Lake.”
“I think that is the way out,” said Josh.
“You may be right, but even if you get out, where would you go? The planet’s surface is a giant forest. There is no way to leave the planet. Eventually you will be apprehended and brought back under the ground.”
“Not necessarily. If there are animals being shipped to another planet, we could stow away and escape to that planet.”
Salton shook his head and smiled. “That is certainly a long shot. I have heard that the Lake is filled with vicious poisonous sharks. The area is heavily guarded by the Tradians.”
Suddenly a loudspeaker mounted near the ceiling sprang to life.
“ATTENTION ALL GUARDS, POSSIBLE DISTURBANCE IN GRAVEL PITS. INVESTIGATE IMMEDIATELY.”
Josh and Keith looked at each other. Josh nodded and Keith nodded back. They both had the same thought. It had to be Wayne and Beverly.
“Where are the animals shipped?” Josh asked Salton.
“To many different planets,” Salton replied.
“Why?” Josh asked.
“That is how Brisula is able to survive. We make our money by selling livestock, fish, silver, and slaves.”
“Why do the Tradians have such a presence on Brisula?”
“The Brisulans are deeply indebted to the Tradians. At one time the Brisulans lived on the planet’s surface. The people and animals lived in the forest. Most of the Brisulans lived in tree houses. Some lived in huts. There is no winter on Brisula. Then there came a time when Brisula received word that they were going to be attacked by a neighboring planet. The Brisulan leader decided that they needed to flee underground in order to avoid the inevitable assault. A hidden escape path to the underground was constructed. All the people and all the animals passed through this entrance. It was supposed to be temporary, however they never returned to the surface. The entrance which is referred to as the Boulder Entrance has been sealed off.
“Before the escape to the underground, Brisula did business with the Tradians. The inhabitants bartered with animal skins and fresh fish for clothes and trinkets. Once the Brisulans were completely entrapped underground they became totally dependent on the Tradians for dealing with the outside world. The Tradians slowly gained control over the people of Brisula and instilled their laws and penalties over the citizens. They e
ven outlawed the Brisulan native language and established English instead. The Brisulans sell their goods to the Tradians who then resell them to other planets. The Tradians pay us in a combination of money and goods such as food, clothes, furniture, and machinery. The wealthy Brisulans own the stores in the market place which sell the merchandise received from the Tradians.
“It is actually the Tradians who capture the slaves and bring them to Brisula. Originally the slaves were brought here to work in the silver mines. They also were needed to gather the fish and tend to the animals. Now the slaves are also used for manufacturing the silver, building the tunnels, performing janitorial duties, and working as personal servants. There is good money to be made in the slave trade.”
“That helps answer many of the questions I had,” stated Josh when Salton finished his story. “I wondered why some aspects of Brisula are very high tech like the creating of the fake bodies, and yet other things are very outmoded like using whips and cattle prods to control the slaves.”
“What do you mean by fake bodies?” asked Salton.
“Um, when we first escaped we hid for a while in the Medical Lab. There was a fake body lying on a gurney,” responded Josh.
“Oh, that is odd,” said Salton. “But you must be tired. Please rest here, while I do my house chores. When I get done, I will tell you how to get to the Lake.”
Wayne Shasta and Joban walked to the intersection leading south to the Cages. The tunnels were quiet. They headed down the hallway. Halfway down they took a left. Tiptoeing carefully, they came upon a closed door. A wooden sign with carved purple letters which was tacked above the entrance way boldly said
Wayne peeked in the small window next to the doorway. He could see two guardsmen lying on some cots. He swung open the door. It made a loud thud as it hit the wall. The guards stared up at the two slaves holding shovels above their heads. Before they could react, the shovels struck them both upon their skulls. Wayne and Joban surveyed the Guard House. There was a small stove with only one burner. A bronze tea kettle sat on the burner. Against one wall were several bookshelves loaded with fresh vegetables, bread, and cookies. There were several square tables with chairs set around them. The back wall was lined with sleeping cots. Above the cots hung rows of cattle prods and whips.
“Let’s gather up the prods and whips,” ordered Wayne.
“What about the food?” asked Joban.
“Unfortunately there isn’t enough food to go around. It would only start fights among us,” said Wayne.
“I see your point,” said Joban. He looked hungrily at the food shelves. “It’s a shame not to be able to eat it.”
Wayne looked at Joban as he continued to eye the food. He realized that it had probably been years since Joban had eaten anything besides raw fish. “I won’t tell anyone if you want to sneak a bite,” he told Joban.
“What about you?”
“No, it wouldn’t be fair to the others.”
Joban turned away from the shelves. “You are right. It would not be fair. Come, let’s take these weapons back to the others.”
With their arms loaded down with weapons they returned to the gravel pits. They added these devices to the pile they had started earlier. The loudspeakers went off.
“ATTENTION ALL GUARDS, POSSIBLE DISTURBANCE IN GRAVEL PITS. INVESTIGATE IMMEDIATELY.”
The noise level rose in the Pits as the slaves started shouting out. Cries of “What now?” and “What should we do?” filled the air.
Wayne blew on the whistle. “Do not panic,” he yelled at the top of his lungs. The crowd quieted down. “Everyone grab some weapons. Shovels, prods, and whips. Let’s proceed down the tunnel to the intersection leading to the Cages. We can block the way. The guards will not be able to get past us.”
With Wayne and Joban leading the way the slaves marched out of the Gravel Pits and down the corridor.
The James K made a smooth landing a few yards away from where the original landing party had touched down. The four combat trained crew members exited the craft first. They inspected the area. Not finding anything out of the ordinary they issued an all clear. Dave Andrews and Paul Loring climbed out of the pod.
The day was just beginning. The dark blue sky was beginning to lighten. There was a very slight breeze causing the tree leaves to rustle. The air was filled with the sweet scent of flowers covered in morning dew. The tall cattails along the lakeshore were reflected in the clear water.
Paul Loring began giving orders to the combat crew. He told them what their job was, which consisted of standing guard around the perimeter of the area that he and Commander Andrews would be searching. If they saw or heard anything suspicious they were to alert everyone including Lieutenant Commander Pearson aboard the Gladiator.
As Dr. Loring and the guardsmen decided on the exact perimeter, Dave glanced around. How can some place so peaceful and beautiful be so evil, he thought. And how did I get to this point? Dave was feeling quite inadequate as the acting captain. He was feeling that he had lost complete control. The search and rescue team would be arriving shortly to take over the command. And here he was standing around and twiddling his thumbs while Dr. Loring was taking charge. Even though it wasn’t his ambition, he had always thought that one day he would become a captain, but now he doubted that would ever happen. Obviously he didn’t have what it took to be a leader.
“Ready to get started?” Paul slapped Andrews on the back. “I suggest that we retrace the steps that both Keith and Josh took.” He pointed to a path that led into the forest. The pair headed that way. One of the guards was posted at the start of the path. The path was lined with trees and bushes. At the end of the short pathway they came to a large boulder.
“This looks like something interesting,” said Paul referring to the huge rock. He walked over to the boulder. Dave followed behind. Paul turned to face Dave. “I think this is where Josh and Wayne were when they disappeared.” He leaned against the boulder and instantly he vanished.
Dave shouted, “Seaman Chase. Hurry.” Then he ran forward. His outstretched hands touched the rocky boulder, and he was gone.
“There’s a call coming in from Seaman Chase,” announced Diane Pearson. She was sitting at her communication center on the Bridge. Officer Greene and Dennis Pearson were standing by her side. They were reviewing the transmissions that Diane had discovered earlier.
“Put it on speaker,” ordered Dennis.
Diane pressed a button on her console. She said, “Lieutenant Pearson here. Go ahead Seaman Chase.”
“They are gone!” shouted Chase. “They disappeared.” Bonnie Shea gasped as she spun around in her chair.
“Who’s gone?” snapped Dennis.
“Dr. Loring and Commander Andrews.”
“What do you mean they disappeared?” said Pearson. “I thought we sent guards along.”
“Sir, they went down a short path in the forest. I was stationed at the beginning of the path just where Dr. Loring had ordered me to be. I heard Commander Andrews call my name. I ran to him, but he disappeared right in front of my eyes. One second he was there and then he was gone.”
“I want everyone back in the space pod immediately. I will have the James K brought back aboard,” said Dennis.
“Yes, sir,” said Chase. “I will relay your order to— Oh my word! Sir, I just turned around, and there’s a body lying on the ground. Oh, no! It’s Commander Andrews!”
Salton returned to the kitchen. He was carrying a dust pan, feather duster, and broom.
“I still have a few more chores, but I can do them later,” he said. “I promised to tell you how to get to the Lake.” He smiled as he put the cleaning supplies away in a narrow broom closet. He sat down at the table and began talking.
“The Lake is located in the northeast. It is off limits to most of the citizens of Brisula. To get there you must gain entrance to the 11 Passageway. All gates to this corridor are barred by locks and barbed wire. I think your best bet is to take the 7 Passage
way to the F Lane. You will need to pass the school at G-7. At the next Junction, which will be the F Lane, you will need to go left. At the end of this Lane you will come to F-11 which is the Blue Zone. Somehow you need to get through the gate and head north. The 11 Passageway ends at the Lake. This will be a dangerous tunnel for you as traffic in this corridor is heavy. Slaves and average citizens, including both the Wealthies and the Populaces are not permitted in this area without escort.”
“What is the Blue Zone?” asked Josh.
“It houses the controls for the Blue Gas that is used to stop intruders and runaway slaves,” answered Salton. He stood up and pushed in the chair he was sitting on, so it went under the table. “But, come. It is almost time for me to go to the market. I can walk you to the H-7 Junction.”
Josh and Keith stood up and also pushed in their chairs. Salton was staring at them.
“Wearing your soiled slave clothes will make you easy targets during the day hours. I wish I could give you some different clothes to wear,” Salton said.
“Sir,” said Keith, “do you think it would help if we wore the medical gowns?”
“Good idea,” answered the Captain. Salton looked puzzled. “We stole some white gowns from the Medical Lab,” he explained. He reached for one of the gowns that Keith withdrew from his canvas bag. Keith and Josh put on the gowns.
“I have an idea,” said Salton. “I will be right back.”
After a few minutes Salton re-entered the kitchen. He brought with him some multicolored scraps of ribbon, lace, and felt. Using a sewing needle he attached colorful pieces of material to their gowns.
“Now, you should blend in a bit with the Brisulans,” he announced.
Salton opened the door, and the three slaves stepped out into the hallway. He locked the door with a key that he wore on a string around his neck. With Salton leading the way they crossed the J Lane and went through the Traffic Corridor Tunnel. Salton explained that the Traffic Corridor was used to deliver supplies and was off limits to the Populace. They could only cross at the 7 Passageway. In fact the 7 Passageway was the only north-south road that the Populace was allowed to travel on. Likewise they were not allowed access to the A through D Lanes. Salton led them to the H-7 Junction and then stopped. He held out his hand.
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