 
### HEALF

### MORTALITY REVISITED

### Will Decker

### Book 1 in the HEALF SCI-FI Series

Copyright 1998 by WILL DECKER

Smashwords Edition

WILL DECKER has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased, or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law, or in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

MORTALITY REVISITED is a stand-alone work of fiction. The resemblance of any characters to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Names, characters, places, brands, media, situations, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

This eBook may not be re-sold or given away except with written permission from the author or as otherwise permitted through special promotions and programs.

A special thank you to everyone that has made this story possible. My beta reader, my proof reader, and to you the greatest readers. I sincerely hope you enjoy this work of fiction.

Will

More Exciting Stories by WILL DECKER:

DRIVEN

UNREQUITED LOVE

FIRE BABY

HYBRID KILLERS

The 'HEÄLF' Collection:

MORTALITY REVISITED

CLONE WARS

DAY OF NIGHT

REGENERATIONS

HORSPAW

The 'Mac" Collection:

THE WITNESS

TOXIC RAIN

BETRAYAL

RECORD KEEPER

DEATH IN THE DUNES

WIT-SEC FAIL

SIMPLY PERFECT BINDING 2ND Ed.

Every book is a stand-alone novel—NEVER A CLIFFHANGER HERE!

If you enjoyed this book, please take a moment to leave a review because as everyone knows, authors starve or eat based on reviews. Thanking you from the bottom of my stomach, WILL DECKER

Table of Contents:

Prologue

Hours Earlier

Return to Present

More Exciting Stories by Will Decker

### Prologue

In the beginning there was a planet called Healf that was colonized by men and women from Earth. This planet had twin moons and a single sun. And although it was a far distance from Earth, supplies arrived in a convoy of freighter ships every six months. Their arrival coincided with the planet's six month rotation around its sun. Because the planet was so near to this sun, only half of the planet was ever habitable at any given time. The near side of the planet reached temperatures well in excess of twenty-five hundred degrees, scorching everything in its path, while the dark side of the planet was a steaming jungle of dim-daylight from the reflection of the sun off its twin moons. This relatively dark side of the planet, though hot and humid, was still hospitable enough to support human life, so long as they remained ahead of the rising sun.

At first, when the supply ships arrived on schedule, there was structure and order; a hierarchy that maintained a government of the people that looked out for the weak and infirm. But when Earth self-destructed in a nuclear holocaust and the supply ships stopped coming, the hierarchy became anarchy and every man was out for himself.

Tribes formed; some comprised of ruthless killers and pillagers, some of righteous men trying to maintain civilization in the only way they knew how. Yet, despite their beliefs or lack thereof, they all had one thing in common; they were nomads struggling to stay ahead of the rising sun or burn to death in its heat.

Captain 'Rod' Rodick and his co-pilot Lipton flew one of the last remaining helicopters. Their job was performing rescue missions along the Eastern Fringe; plucking the aged and injured from the surface and transporting them a safe distance due west where they could heal or recoup before continuing their journey west. Despite knowing they were only buying these sorry souls a little more time, they did it with all the pride and fervor of any modern hero.

Because there were so few of these machines still flying, pilots and their crew members were treated like Gods. They were constantly rewarded with feasts, trinkets, and even delights of the flesh; some tribal leaders willingly offering up their daughters to gain favor with them.

Unfortunately, with the lack of supplies, parts, and fuel to keep the airships flying, the last vestiges of the ruling hierarchy were also coming to an end. The way of the pilot was over; Rod just didn't realize it.

Our story begins with the end of the last flying machine and the brave man that went down with it attempting to carry out his mission.

### **1**

With false confidence, I spoke into the mike, "It's going to be a tight fit, so hang on. We're going in!"

We were one branch away from crashing. Even if we made it through the jungle canopy without incident, retrieving ourselves from the hole with three extra bodies on board was going to be a difficult feat. Lipton, my copilot, knew this as well as I, yet he held his tongue, wisely refraining from arguing with me. This was a dangerous, almost foolhardy way to attempt a rescue, even with a healthy bird. Putting our craft down on the jungle floor went against everything that we'd ever been taught. There were just too many unknowns, too many dangers down there. And yet, because of the failing mechanical condition of our craft, it seemed like the most logical choice.

Maneuvering into position over the small opening in the jungle canopy, I backed off on the thrust and gently descended, easing into the dark hole. Lipton, speaking softly so as not to interfere with my concentration, said, "Just for the record, Rod, I don't like this."

His words had no sooner left his mouth than the steady thrum of the engine was drowned out by a tremendous explosion, followed immediately by the sound of frustrated metal being ripped and shredded apart.

The craft heaved violently to starboard, the controls flaying wildly in my hands; despite the strength in my heavily corded arms and chest, I could feel my control over her slipping away.

Yelling excitedly into the radio, I cried out to Lipton, "What the hell was that?"

Before he could answer, the entire craft gave a tremendous shudder, followed immediately by a lesser series of rattling tremors. Our bird was convulsing; she was dying in my hands, and I was helpless to prevent it! The last vestiges of control were quickly slipping away, nothing was responding. Warning alarms screeched madly in time to the flashing instruments. We were completely at the mercy of gravity!

Slowly at first, and then picking up momentum, we began a downward spiral. Twisting around, I looked into Lipton's face. Immediately, I understood the reason for his silence; he was already dead.

With tremendous centrifugal force, a sheared steering rotor had sliced through the flimsy fuselage material, entering the rear of the cockpit at a high rate of speed. With ease, it tore through the thin metal backing of his seat, stopping only after impaling him in place. Approximately one foot of the blade was protruding through his blood-splattered uniform, directly in line with his heart. The once bright-orange tail-rotor was now a much deeper shade of crimson.

Disturbingly, his eyes remained fixed on me, pleading as though he were crying out for my help; help that I could not give. In all my life, I had never felt so helpless. While I looked on, his eyes glazed over, the life force having left his body. All this had happened in less than a fraction of a second, and yet, it felt as though we'd stared into each other's eyes for all eternity.

Strapped into my seat with the world spinning dizzily out of control around me, I felt as though it, and not I, was on a merry-go-round. Through it all, I was vaguely aware of the blurry-green hue of the vegetation turning a darker shade with each rotation as we dropped lower beneath the jungle canopy, and ever nearer to the surface.

Though my consciousness couldn't deny the reality of the situation, I couldn't bring myself to believe that this was really happening to us. Having flown together for so many years, we had experienced our share of narrow escapes. Yet, as we flew through the hot skies, we'd always felt invincible in our girl. Now, suddenly, and without remorse, she had taken my closest friend's life. Yet, I couldn't tear my gaze from him. For the first time in my life, I tasted fear in its primordial form. Subconsciously, I knew that if I survived this, I would never fear anything so deeply again.

On a more conscious level, I didn't have the luxury of time to think about the future. The craft, suddenly pitching forward, nose-dived at the planet's surface directly below. The engine was screaming, the broken controls having ripped the governors loose. In a matter of seconds, it would disintegrate, sending tiny pieces of hot shrapnel tearing through my flesh.

Reflexively, I continued wrenching madly on the controls. Yet, my adrenaline charged efforts were to no avail; nothing was responding. The cockpit was quickly filling with an acrid smoke. Breathing had become difficult, and my eyes were burning. Everything was a blur of motion. In an effort to stop the world from spinning, and to shut out the pain, I squeezed my eyelids shut.

A spine-shattering convulsion ripped through the seat beneath me, slamming my head against the side of the cockpit and disrupting all conscious thought; the main rotor had contacted the side of the jungle canopy. Above the death scream of the engine, the blades striking the foliage added a surrealistic thrashing sound. With mere seconds to live, several possible scenarios tore through my mind. If the engine held together, she would probably break up in the tree limbs and drop me like an egg from its shell. If she made it through the tree limbs, and the engine still hadn't blown, she would surely explode on impact. Moreover, even if she didn't explode on impact, the force would be enough to kill me; no one drops from almost two hundred feet and lives to tell of it. Although the ground looked soft and welcoming, I knew it to be barely concealed igneous rock.

Thinking of my inevitable end, I began wondering if I would see Lipton when I reached the other side. Would he blame me for getting us killed? Or would he be all forgiving? Or maybe, I wouldn't have to face either him, or the guilt that I felt for insisting on this one last rescue, because there wasn't any 'hereafter' to worry about.

A sharp pain suddenly shot up my spine and exploded within my skull. I wondered if this is what it felt like to die. More thoughts of death and dying raced through my pain-wracked head. My eyes opened, but they refused to focus. The world was a dark green blurring swirl, and I was at the center of it. It was so damn painful and then, slowly, the pain was replaced by a calm soothing blackness. Coming from everywhere and yet nowhere, the feeling washed over and through me, totally engulfing me. It was warm and gentle, and I welcomed it with open arms. With utter abandon, I slipped into it, escaping to the past, to a safer time, to a time before the crash.

### Just Hours Earlier

The mission had been a bust, quickly turning into a lesson in futility. In addition, we were both growing bleary-eyed from the relentless light that penetrated through the thick plexi-glass canopy, flooding our cockpit with its scorching heat. Fortunately, it was nearing time to turn back. Our bird, as well as my copilot and I, were due for some much-needed rest. Our inability to find stragglers was becoming disheartening; fuel was a precious commodity and we'd already burned up more than half a tank without pulling up a single living being.

Without having to see them, we knew that we'd passed over the usual number of dead and decaying bodies, mostly of animal origin. Some, however, were human, as we'd learned to expect; we couldn't save them all. Despite our best efforts, the scanners hadn't detected any noticeable heat fluctuations to indicate the presence of life. Life, that is, besides the predators, the native creatures that inhabit the eastern fringe. Most were vicious scavengers, dangerous beasts that had learned a long time ago that there was an abundance of easy prey dying just beyond the shaded reaches of the dense jungle growth. Only the weak and abandoned inhabited the eastern fringe, and there was little competition for their flesh.

While the beasts were learning of man's plight to survive in the eastern fringe, man was learning that it wasn't feasible to send men and supplies into it in search of stragglers. Very few returned successful, while the vast majority never returned at all. This latter was an unbearable loss of both lives and precious resources. As long as there were airworthy craft and the fuel to power them, it was much more economical to continue the current method of rescue. Once the craft or the necessary fuel was no longer available, they, the pilots and copilots, like so many other facets of life on Healf, would cease to be; they would become nothing more than just bygone memories of a better, more prosperous era.

It'll be but a few days from now, a week in Earth terms at most before everything beneath us is reduced to molten magna. The scavenging beasts will have drifted westward, leaving little more than decaying carcasses behind as a sacrifice to the hungry heat of the rising sun. So too, will be the final fate of the lush green vegetation sprawling thickly just hundreds of feet below us. Of course, this is all just a small part of the life cycle on this godforsaken planet; this planet called Heälf. Though its technical name is 'IP-11-05', which denotes the eleventh inhabitable planet discovered in the fifth millennium, it was quickly nicknamed, 'Healf', for obvious reasons.

Considerably smaller than its foster planet Earth, Healf also rotates around a fiercely burning sun. Unlike Earth, however, Heälf maintains an equidistant rotation much nearer to its searing orb. Because of this equidistant orbital pattern, it experiences no seasonal changes. Instead, it faces only the drastic change of night to day which slowly takes place once every six earth-months.

As the planet slowly rotates into the sunrise, the surface temperature gradually swells to more than four thousand degrees, first singeing, and then ultimately melting the surface. In its wake is little more than a heavy layer of ash covering a hard, glass-like substance known as obsidian. Although relatively smooth, this newly formed material is predisposed to cracking and etching as it cools, leaving jagged, razor sharp edges and hidden crevices.

Meanwhile, the side facing away from the sun, commonly referred to as the 'dark' side, is the equivalent of Earth's tropical rain forest, maybe even a few degrees warmer on average. Of course, that's nearer to the central band or equator, where the main trail leads from east to west. If one moves farther to the north or south, the temperature grows steadily hotter, eventually rising to uninhabitable levels. It also grows progressively drier, prohibiting even the hardiest creatures from venturing too far in either direction. Thus, the equatorial trail running from the eastern horizon to the western, and spanning the entire dark side of the planet, is also the most densely populated region on the planet's surface.

In addition to the similar traits that Heälf shares with Earth, there exist many less similar traits, the most obvious of which, are its two moons. Although Heälf's physical mass is considerably less than that of Earth's, the two moons within its grasp are approximately the same size as that of Earth's Luna. However, unlike the waning and waxing cycles that Luna exhibits against Earth, both of Heälf's moons maintain an equidistant orbit. In effect, they offset any gravitational pull that one alone would exhibit on the planet while enabling both to cast a steady and uninterrupted reflection over the habitable side. This reflected light from the sun warms what would otherwise be a cold and barren wasteland, a desolate place incapable of supporting even microbial life, much less that of human origin.

An added benefit from this reflected light is that it provides the necessary ingredient for photosynthesis, thus enabling the extremely lush plant growth that quickly reclaims the scorched surface. Although it's never quite as bright as direct sunlight on Earth, it's never quite as dark as night on Earth either. In fact, too much exposure to this reflected light, especially when nearing the eastern horizon and it's possible to experience a severe burning of the skin, very similar to Earth-style sunburn.

Balancing the relentless approach of the consuming sun on the eastern horizon is a western horizon of phenomenal plant growth, literally sprawling ahead of the nomadic tribes. As the surface cools, a layer of moss quickly establishes itself, laying down a soft bed of green over the hard, crusty surface. This low-growing plant life is quickly shaded by an upward-reaching growth of taller trees and leafy vegetation, species and varieties that have evolved over the millennia to form a dense protective canopy. Included in this taller growth are many fruit producing varieties, the bounty of which plays a large part in sustaining the advancing civilization.

Although there are no physically distinguishing events on Heälf to signify a day, as Earth knows it, Earth-time is still the standard by which time is tracked. In essence, this means that if you're standing on the western-most edge of the jungle facing west, in the equivalent of six Earth-months, you will have an inferno scorching your ass.

When the first manned spacecraft landed here more than three thousand Earth-years ago, they christened the planet Heälf, after the old English spelling of the word half. During the early years of settling the planet, it was quite commonly, and with a good measure of fondness, referred to as half-baked. Then, after a catastrophic meteor shower left Earth almost devoid of its population, the supply, commerce, and passenger ships ceased to arrive.

Without the spare parts and fuel to keep the newly inhabited planet's population moving ahead of the inferno, the hardier pioneers discarded their less precious belongings and took to the jungle on foot. They had no other option if they intended to go on living.

These hardier men and women formed the essence of today's nomadic tribes, while the less hardy became the unfortunate slaves of those that would take advantage of them. It was either that, or they simply vanished.

As the existing aircraft wear out, salvageable parts are stripped from them in order to keep the remaining number in the air. What can't be salvaged becomes a part of the planet's surface. All that remains of the original fleet that once crowded the skies of Heälf are a few helicopter-style vessels.

They are designed with a sleek nose, barely large enough to hold the pilot. Seated directly behind him, with a console of instruments and gauges between them, is the copilot. They communicate through headsets.

Behind the copilot is the cargo compartment, or box, as it is commonly referred to. The box is just what it sounds like. Starting directly behind the copilot, the body of the craft flares out on either side, forming a square, open sided compartment. Unlike the cockpit, which is barely wide enough for one man, the box is wide enough for three people to sit abreast. In addition, it's long enough for three people to sit back to front. However, there aren't any seats, just a hard metal floor. The seats were removed when the cushions wore out, many years prior. But even if they hadn't been removed due to wear and tear, they would have been removed when the craft were converted to flying rescue missions. The main reason being: most of the passengers we retrieve from the surface below are too weak to sit upright.

The few remaining craft are responsible for the safety of the entire Eastern boundary of the jungle. Of course, although this sounds like a large area to cover, it is rare to find victims that have strayed very far from the equatorial trail. Most of our searching is done on an east to west and back again route with just the slightest deviation to the north and then south. The important thing is that we are constantly flying over this area bordering the uninhabitable side of the planet, always vigilant in our search for stragglers. When we find them, we transport them back to our base, or more preferably, back to their respective tribes, usually whichever is closer. It is quite a feat for such a small number of aircraft, and we take tremendous pride in our jobs. But more so, it is an even larger feat to become a pilot of one of these highly valued machines.

Every other year, roving bands and tribes get together and hold contests to determine the brightest and fittest braves of their respective groups. To fail in these contests sometimes results in a horrible death. To win only means that you will have an opportunity to compete in the world competition, a competition in which fewer contestants walk away from than enter.

To win in the world competition does not guarantee that you will be flying one of these valued aircraft. Nor does it even guarantee you a position as a copilot. It means only that you will have an opportunity to attend pilot training school.

Even then, to graduate from pilot training school might mean nothing more than to be put on a list with hundreds of others just like you. And being on this list guarantees you of only one thing, an even longer wait for an opening as a copilot.

To actually become a pilot, the most coveted position one can hold on the entire planet, may never happen. For every thousand-plus wannabes, there can be only one pilot. I, Rodick of the Fish tribe, am that one in a million; I am a pilot.

From the long, hot flights across the Eastern border, to the rescues that we routinely perform, I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else. Yet, all pilots know they're the last of a dying breed. Fewer and fewer aircraft are capable of being repaired due to the dwindling supply of parts.

There is also the problem of rapidly depleting fuel supplies. Distilling alcohol from the abundant green foliage isn't a problem. However, getting the aircraft to fly successfully on it has been more of a problem than getting the human population to fly on it. Nevertheless, even if this problem could be overcome, the poor aircraft themselves just aren't going to last forever; a situation that everyone is acutely aware of in the Heälf Air Services.

Because of the long hours we spend in our craft, we get to know them intimately. We name them, we baby them, and we grow to become much attached to them. Rarely do we leave them, often even sleeping in them. It is a well-known fact that if something detrimental should happen to our craft, we will never fly another. To most of us, the thought of losing our bird is paramount to death itself.

Many ruthless bandits and rogues roam the planet, mostly preying on the weaker inhabitants. However, occasionally a bolder one will step forward and attempt to steal a more worthy prize, one of our coveted flying machines. Fortunately or unfortunately, whichever way you prefer to see it, few of the bandits that try such brazen schemes rarely succeed. In fact, much to everyone's dismay, most attempts conclude with the craft and its thieving occupants crashing in the jungle, where the combination of high-octane fuel and impact with a barely concealed surface, leads to a horrible end for both.

Lipton, my copilot, has been with me for almost ten years. Thanks to a fluky coincidence where a pilot and his copilot both retired together, we were paired up in our own bird straight out of pilot-training school. Lipton, hailing from the Bird tribe, just naturally assumed he would be a pilot. I, however, by some greater degree of luck and skill, drew the much more coveted assignment. Nevertheless, we have come to know and trust each other even more so than most brothers. Because of our compatibility, we've never experienced the jealousy or animosity which most new pilots and their copilots do; we just felt fortunate that we'd been selected.

If a pilot can't adjust to his copilot, both are usually sent back to their respective tribes. The only exception to this is if the pilot displays something very remarkable to his teachers. The copilot never gets a second chance.

Despite the number of students that wash out, few actually return to their tribes of origin. Many, rather than face the shame of friends and families, turn to a more solitary life, much like a rogue bull, or worse.

Even fewer, feeling disgruntled and betrayed by their fellow man, turn to a more violent lifestyle, generally teaming up with others that share their dim view on life. Because of their greater intelligence, these men can be especially dangerous. They easily lure others into joining forces with them, usually with promises of great wealth. They use their talents, the same talents that garnered them positions in pilot-training school, until they have amassed a band of men worth fearing; a band of villains or, as they are more commonly known, rogues.

Although our craft had been originally equipped with air conditioning, it had long since been dismantled and removed to reduce weight and thereby conserve fuel. Now, getting near the end of our shift, Lipton and I were both beginning to feel the relentless heat through the thin Plexiglas canopy. Since we weren't governed as to how we patrolled our designated search areas, or for that matter, if we even attempted any rescues, we decided to do another pass over the southern-most leg.

Rather than the more direct route back to base, I put our bird on a heading of ninety-degrees, due west. A north by west route would have meant a shorter distance to our floating base, but we still had enough fuel on board to make the longer route safely. Besides, Lipton and I took our jobs very seriously, as did most of the remaining pilots, and the extra distance meant more chances to perform rescues.

Over the years, we had come to recognize a few of our previously rescued victims as familiar faces. It was sad and unfortunate, in a way, to know that eventually we wouldn't be there to rescue them, and they would just become so much ash. For the most part, the people we rescued were old, having become burdens on their tribes. In a society that has to remain mobile to remain alive, they had to be left behind. If a tribe is slowed down, the tribe becomes susceptible to attack by rogues or worse. By picking up these burdens on their respective societies, all we really accomplish is to give them another six months, at most, to live. Usually, they die before they need rescuing again. At least, that was the assumption we trained ourselves to believe. The sad reality of the situation was such that the next time they were left behind they were killed beforehand; essentially guaranteeing that they wouldn't be returned. Although this sounds harsh and cruel for a civilized society, it is unfortunately manifest for the survival of the majority.

As we banked to port and started the last leg, heading due north back toward the highly trafficked equatorial route, I gazed out at the inferno on our starboard side. I wondered at how beautiful this planet could be if you never lost your respect for it. We were less than a day from Hades, as Lipton preferred to call it. He said there was no such thing as beauty in Hades. However, from up here, where a person could see into the golden hues of continually erupting fire spouts framed by the shimmering crystal blue sky above, I felt I could make a good argument against him.

Generally, we maintained a one thousand-foot altitude, unless we picked up life forms on the scanners. When that happened, we would go in for a closer look. From this altitude, everything westward looked like a solid blanket of green for as far as the eye could see. To the north and south, the lush green eventually faded to a dull copper hue. In the few places where you could see through the jungle canopy, you would have sworn you were seeing grass growing. However, having lived the better part of twenty years in that jungle, I knew that it was little more than a thick, green moss over a solid obsidian crust. Few people realize how little ash and decaying matter it takes to support jungle vegetation, or how rapidly green matter will grow under the right conditions. If it wasn't for this fact, Heälf would never have become as populated as it has. That population, however, was hanging on by nothing more than a tenuous thread. They were also evolving, or rather, reverting, into what might be considered savages by their earlier ancestors from Earth.

Clothing, for the most part, had been discarded, due to the high heat and higher humidity. Very few women covered their breasts, except when wearing beads that signified their tribal position or marital status.

Pilots were the main exception to this trend. Pilots wore uniforms that, along with their respective aircraft, had been handed down through the generations. These uniforms were made of a metallic material that was very heat resistant. It was also durable enough to have lasted for more than three thousand years of use. One of these uniforms would bring a lord's ransom on the black market. If, for any reason a craft became less than airworthy, the pilot would be retired with his uniform. The uniform, more than his prior status as a pilot, would open many doors of opportunity, doors that would assure him of success through the remainder of his life.

Pilots also carry the few remaining handguns left on the planet. However, ammunition is so scarce that if you do have to use it, you will have a lot of explaining to do when you return to base. The standard issue is a full clip of nine rounds and a small leather pouch attached to the holster that holds ten more. Most pilots, however, have never fired their handguns and consider it a decorous item rather than a useful one. Even in firearm training, pilots are only walked through the motions of aiming and firing, and told what to expect in the way of recoil and noise; they never actually fire the weapon.

The real weapon of choice is the knife. Because the handle is designed to suit personal taste, it might be fashioned from almost anything, not excluding human bone. However, almost all blades are hammered out of the rare iron-ore found in the planet's crust. The ore is smelted by just a few tribes that have developed a reputation for their work in fabricating weapons and tools. Any flaw in the steel of a poorly fashioned blade and the weapon is liable to break when you need it most. Since our survival depends on it, we are very demanding of the quality of our knives. In addition, every pilot and copilot is proficient with one; if he weren't, he never would have qualified for pilot training school; a large part of the contests are geared toward the contestant's survival skills with available weapons.

As we straightened out of our turn, I sensed a small vibration coming through the controls. After noting our position and logging it into the aircraft's flight program, I did some quick calculations and estimated our distance at approximately twelve hours from base; the farther most point of our journey. Flipping the microphone on, I ask Lipton to run a diagnostic check to see if he could pinpoint the vibration.

After a moment of silence, he replied, "Coming back clean, Rod. Nothing showing on any of the gauges." Then, after another long moment, he added, "I don't think it's anything serious, the mechanics did a full service on her just the shift before last."

We had flown this bird long enough to know every little quirk she had. However, neither of us had ever felt anything like this before. Because I didn't hear any overt concern in his voice, I tried to convince myself that it wasn't anything serious. When I couldn't, I requested him to run the self-analysis sequence. Meanwhile, I informed him that I was putting her on fuel-conserve, autopilot mode; I also advised him of our distance from base, though I suspected he had already apprised himself.

When he didn't answer me right back, I added, "Let me know if anything comes up."

"Sure thing, Rod," he finally answered, and then added, "Beginning sequence runs on my mark, now."

We didn't need to say any more to each other. We were both concerned about our girl and whether the malfunction was going to be serious enough to ground her when we got back to base. Rather than allow a wounded bird to go out on missions, and run the risk of losing her entirely, we both knew the mechanics would be only too eager to get their hands on her salvageable parts. If that were to happen, there would be two fewer aviators needed.

The only highlight in that scenario was that our uniforms would also be retired, meaning we would get to keep them honorably and receive all the implied benefits thereof. At least we wouldn't be destined to the life of a common man, or worse, a slave.

I was letting my thoughts get ahead of the situation, however. For my own sake, I had to think more positively. It was probably just as Lipton had stated; it was nothing so serious that it couldn't easily be fixed when we got back to base. Maybe we wouldn't even miss a shift. On the other hand, we might get some much-needed time off. It was just like me to worry over nothing.

Unable to shake my anxiety, I spoke into the mike, "Anything showing up, Lipton?"

"Negative so far, Rod. It mustn't be serious enough for diagnostics to detect. It'll be finishing sequence in less than five minutes, I'll keep you posted if anything even remotely resembling trouble shows up," he audibly sighed into the mike, sounding as though exasperated with a bothersome child.

"I know you will, Lipton," I said, and then added in a more apologetic tone, "I'm just worried about our girl here, is all."

Although I did my best to sound calm, I was sure he could see right through me. You don't spend as much time together as we have, and not get to know each other intimately. Nevertheless, despite my best efforts to remain calm, it seemed as though the vibration was growing worse.

When I couldn't ignore it any longer, I grew even more convinced that it wasn't my nerves. As I was about to mention it to Lipton, he spoke through the radio, his voice slightly animated, "We got us a real problem, Rod! The screen is showing a vibration from the main gyro. Trouble indicated is excessive bearing wear, creating insufficient oil flow. If it continues to worsen at the present rate, we'll lose navigational control before we reach base!" He paused for a second before adding, "Hell, we might even lose the damn rotor! I know I'm not a mechanic, but it must have blown a lube seal. At the rate it's wearing, it will be running metal on metal very soon. It's heating up awful damn fast, and the lube pressure is dropping toward zero as I watch the gage!"

It wasn't my imagination or a case of nerves, after all. The vibration was increasing in intensity by the minute. If Lipton's projection is accurate, we're going down well short of our base. Our only option is to put as much distance between the eastern horizon and ourselves as we can before that happens.

"Turning fuel conserve mode, off, auto-pilot, off. Hang on Lipton, we're going to fly!" I yelled into the microphone, noting for the first time that I had to raise my voice to be heard over the increasing thrum of noise.

My fingers flipped the all-too-familiar toggle switches. Within a minute, we were flying at top speed on a direct course for base. Our airspeed, which was the same as our ground speed, since there was very little wind on Heälf, was in excess of two hundred miles per hour. At this speed, it will take us approximately ten hours to reach our floating helipad; a large wooden platform suspended above the jungle canopy through the use of lighter-than-air gasbags.

I was about to confer with Lipton regarding our chances of reaching base, when almost as if on cue, the infrared monitor started screeching into my ear, alerting us that we were approaching life forms. Out of reflex, I cut rotor speed and adjusted the scanners for definition. According to the monitor, we had just passed over a group of three bi-pedal life forms. I immediately recognized the familiar readings as those of human origin.

Without thinking, I banked hard, putting her into a one hundred and eighty degree turn, intending to go back and pick up the stragglers. My efforts brought a screeching sound from the craft as the worn gyro bushing protested against the extra 'G' forces being put upon it.

"What the hell are you doing?" Lipton yelled so loud, I could hear him without the aid of the radio.

"We're doing our job. We're picking up stragglers," I calmly stated into the microphone, not completely convinced that I wholly agreed with myself.

"Not and get this bird home, we aren't!" he yelled back, his abrupt outburst clipped with anger. "The way it stands right now, we're down to a fifty-fifty chance of reaching base in one piece, and that's if we run full out and limit our maneuvering to strict course corrections only! With the extra stress we're putting on her by maneuvering into position, not to mention the extra weight we'll have in the box if we succeed, we ain't got a prayer!"

"Lipton," I said calmly, "You have been flying this girl for as long as I have. You can feel her as well as I can. Neither one of us needs self-diagnostics, nor any other electronic gadgetry to know she isn't going to make it back to base. We might as well give that small band of people down there a lift for as far as she'll take us!"

Lipton fell quiet. It was understandable that he wasn't in agreement with my decision to pick up the stragglers. I wasn't so sure that I was in agreement with myself. But no matter how I sliced it, this was our job; I couldn't just let those people down there die. The temperature this close to the eastern horizon was at least thirty degrees warmer than it was at the midway point to the western horizon. In addition, the humidity was pushing close to one hundred percent down there. With that kind of humidity, coupled with such high temperatures, it had to be very damn uncomfortable for them.

Lipton may not have agreed with my decision, but he was going to back me up; the tone of his voice suggested as much when he soberly and softly spoke into the microphone, "This extra maneuvering could be the end of our ride, Rod. Maybe we should just look for a break in the jungle canopy where we can set her down." He took a breath, trying to stay calm, and added, "Hell, while we're at it, we might even check out that bearing." After taking another nervous breath, he continued again, "If nothing else, it would give the parts a chance to cool. Maybe we can swipe some oil from the gearbox and apply it to what's left of the bearing. It might not be of much help, but it might just make the difference."

Rather than hover and bring the party up one at a time in a basket, Lipton's suggestion made good sense, and I needed to tell him so. "Good idea. Keep your eyes open for a break where I can set her down. Who knows, we might even be able to fix her. Wouldn't that be something?"

Lipton suddenly cried out, his voice shrill with nervous anxiety and excitement, "Right there, Rod, about two hundred yards to the northwest! What do you think? Should we go for it?"

"I see it," I answered him, turning my own eyes toward the area and assessing it.

Looking over a solid sea of green, jungle canopy, the spot looked like a black hole, barely wider across than our rotor blades. As I approached it, we were able to look into the hole and see the softer green of the moss-covered jungle floor, easily two hundred feet below. If we succeed, this will be the first time we ever set our bird on the planet's surface. A knot tightened in my stomach.

"It looks good from here," I reaffirmed to Lipton. "I have the party of stragglers at three hundred yards beyond the clearing, if you can call it a clearing. After touchdown, we stay near the craft. Let them come to us. They should be able to pinpoint our location by the sound of our engine. It'll be much easier than if we go looking for them."

"I don't know about you, Rod, but if I were one of them, I'd already be heading in this direction," he said almost jovially. Little did I know they would be the last words he'd ever say to me.

### Return to Present Time

Gradually, as though swimming upward through a sea of tree sap, consciousness started coming back, slowly putting the pieces of reality back into place. We had crashed! And then, with sudden lucidity, I remembered that Lipton had been injured, possibly even killed. For reasons that I couldn't comprehend, it suddenly became important that I find him. Though I didn't know why or how, I sensed that he needed my help.

As suddenly as the pain had receded, it now advanced on my consciousness. I was alive, of that I had no doubts. Would I be feeling such intense pain if I weren't? My eyes burned as if I had stared directly into the sun for hours on end. Streaks of white pain seared into the depths of my skull. My mind was screaming in anguish, yet, I couldn't vocalize a sound.

Struggling against the pain, I willed my body into motion, but my efforts proved futile. Even in my delirium, I was aware of being restricted. Through the haze in my head, it dawned on me that I must still be in the wreck because my body refused to act on my will. On the verge of panic, a new thought made itself known; I must be paralyzed!

With tremendous effort, I reached deep into my soul, summoning all of my determination. Slowly, I forced my burning and watering eyes open. If I was going to be of any help to Lipton, I had to see.

There was nothing but bright white light. Not only was I paralyzed, but I was blind, too. The intense whiteness increased the pain in my skull, forcing my eyes to shut against it. The pain couldn't get any more severe.

I have to rest a minute, I thought, all the while squeezing my eyes shut with such force that I could feel the wet of tears running down my cheeks. With increasing lucidity, my training began to kick in. I needed to take stock of my situation, and learn which faculties were still available to me.

"Let's see," I uttered, not sure whether I actually vocalized the words, or just heard them in my head. "There are sounds coming from the jungle, a bird crying out; my ears are still functioning. If I can hear, that's further proof that I'm not dead!"

Just knowing for sure that I wasn't dead was a tremendous boost to my mental fiber. However, that fiber was being stretched to the breaking point. Nevertheless, I'd been in tough jams before and managed to escape; I would find a way out of this one too.

Summoning all of my remaining strength and resolve, I slowly raised my eyelids. Through an intensely bright white light, I could just make out a blurry green backdrop. Slowly, it took on more substance, as the white light gradually receded, taking the intense pain in my skull with it. As my vision cleared, I realized that I was looking into the jungle. Miraculously, I was on the ground, and I was still alive!

Slowly, and with great effort, I found that I could turn my head. But it was with only a limited amount of movement before the pain became too great to bear. It would be so much easier to just close my eyes and go back to the painless sleep. But an inner voice told me that I had to get out of this wreck and find Lipton.

The balls of my feet felt as if I had just jumped from a tremendous height. However, try as I might, they wouldn't move. With a returning feeling of panic creeping around the fringes of my consciousness, the very real fear of paralysis began to set in. With the fear to inspire it, the panic slipped an inch closer to my core. If I were going to make it, I couldn't let it get any closer; it was imperative that I keep the fear at bay!

Forcing myself to look down at my legs, I felt immediate relief when I saw that they were pinned beneath the control panel and not something worse. On impact, it had broken free, pancaking straight down on my lap. The canopy, likewise, had shattered. It was lying in shards about my feet on the floor of the cockpit, or rather, what was left of the floor of the cockpit. It looked as if someone, or something, had hammered at the cockpit floor from below with a large hammer.

Reaching under the control panel, I lifted straight up with all my might, innocently expecting the panel to move. Instead, my vision blurred, and my head felt as if a rocket had gone off in it. The effort made me nauseas, though I hadn't eaten for hours. Experience from dealing with the sick and injured made it simple for me to recognize that I was suffering from a serious concussion. Relaxing my grip on the control panel, I calmly waited for my vision to clear and the thundering in my head to subside.

After a moment of sitting in silence, I suddenly realized that I could hear voices. The sequence of events leading up to the present suddenly came back to me; we had crashed while attempting to pick up stragglers. What I heard was probably them, working their way toward me through the jungle vegetation.

"Some rescue attempt this turned out to be," I said wryly, though I couldn't hear my own voice.

Twisting my head around as far as the pain would allow me to, I searched the surrounding jungle for the source of the voices. For the first time since the crash, I could see the part of the cockpit that held me pinned. Surprisingly, it had been torn free from the rest of the fuselage. Because of my limited range of vision, I couldn't see the remainder of my craft, yet I doubted that it was very far away. In a haze, I thought of how Lipton must still be strapped in or he would have found me by now. Then the vision of his pasty, glazed expression came flooding back.

Slowly, I could feel myself slipping again, but not into a panic. This time, I was slipping into the darker depths of grief. A gnawing feeling of loss was eating at my heart; the realization that Lipton was dead was sinking in. Quickly, before I could slip any further into the inviting depths, I forced myself to shrug the feeling off; it wasn't going to help either one of us. What I needed now was help getting out of this wreck before the sun came up, or Lipton's death would have been for naught.

From my left, I could hear the sounds of brush being crushed beneath feet. The stragglers must be getting close. In the lush denseness of the jungle, though, they could pass within yards of me and never know it.

"Help!" I tried yelling, but only managed a rough crow.

From breathing the acrid smoke which had previously filled the cockpit, my throat felt raw, almost as if it had been singed by fire. My mouth was dry and I was suffering from an immense thirst. If I didn't get out of this cockpit soon and find some water, I wasn't going to have to worry about the rising sun. Even if the stragglers managed to find me in this dense jungle growth, the likelihood that they could help me was slim. They had probably been abandoned by their tribe, like so many others, because they were too old or sick to keep up. It was best if I didn't become optimistic; at least, I would have some company with which to die.

Doing some rough calculations in my head, I determined approximately how much longer it would be before the sun made it to the horizon. We were about twelve hours from sunrise when we crashed. Although it could have been longer, I don't think I was unconscious for more than an hour, so that left at least eleven hours; eleven hours before the inferno would be frying the hell out of this place. Granted, it would be much too warm to support an unprotected human body long before that, even with the aid of water.

Whatever happened next, I couldn't afford to sit around and wait for it. I needed to help myself. Somehow, I had to get out of this cockpit. After studying the situation for a moment, I determined that if I could just get my ankle knife free, I might be able to cut the cords to the harness and slide my legs out from under the control panel.

Gingerly, sliding my right hand down along the side of my right thigh, I felt between the bottom of the control panel and the top of the seat. Despite having feelings in my legs, I wasn't sure if I would find a bone protruding through the skin. When my hand reached the knife without coming across any nasty surprises, an audible sigh of relief escaped me.

Pulling the knife free, I straightened back up. Quickly, I cut through the straps and tried moving my legs to the side, to no avail. Although they weren't being crushed, they were pinned tight, slowly cutting the circulation off to my calves and feet.

Sitting back, I took a deep breath while the sweat continued to run down my forehead and into my eyes. The noises coming from the jungle were growing in intensity. Judging from the volume, it had to be all three of them. It surprised me, if my guess was right, that they hadn't separated in their search for me.

Although I found it hard to admit, even to myself, I concluded that if I was going to get out of this wreck, I was definitely going to need some help. Somehow, I had to get their attention and draw them to me.

As I looked around, assessing what was within my reach and what could be used to advantage, I heard a grunt from over my left shoulder. This was quickly followed by a dull thud as something landed hard on the moss-covered surface. Turning, I looked over my left shoulder, not sure what to expect. What my eyes beheld, I would never have imagined in my wildest dreams; at least, not everything they beheld!

### **2**

Standing just inside the small clearing, less than five yards from me, were two people dragging a third on a flat piece of split-rail timber. In the lead was a frail old man with an ancient, weathered face. His naked, shriveled body was adorned with nothing more than a sweat-stained headband. It was crudely constructed of a single piece of leather, measuring approximately two inches wide. Its only adornment was that of many, bleached-white teeth dangling on the ends of short pieces of cord tied through holes near the lower edge. Though I couldn't readily identify the origins of the teeth, they appeared to be that of a large carnivorous animal.

The man's eyes burned with a fierce pride, yet his stature was such that he would be lucky to reach five-feet in height if he were to stand straight up. However, because he had been dragging the timber behind him for so many years, he had developed an unnatural curvature in his spine. Due to his affliction, or abnormality, whichever the case might be, he was doomed to stand barely four-feet tall.

Strapped securely to the timber was a frail old woman. In contrast to the man's nakedness, she wore a soft leather skirt. Because she was flat on her back, she was forced to crane her head around to see me. From the angle of her face, I could see that she didn't have any teeth left, which was not terribly uncommon for the aged. Further scrutiny showed me the worn condition of the timber; clearly, this old woman had been dragged around on it for an awful long time. Yet, even more observable was the condition of her legs; they looked like mine felt, useless and in poor health. The old man didn't have much hair left on his wrinkled head, but the poor woman was sporting even less on hers. Strapped beneath her balding pate was a small pack, probably containing their few remaining possessions.

Although I'd seen many people like them in my line of work, I'd never seen anyone like the woman standing to their left. She was beautiful! She had long, straight, coal-black hair that flowed to her waist. Standing just a fragment shorter than myself, she was all of six feet tall, with a proportionately lithe and curvaceous build. Accenting her shapely hips was an unadorned, soft leather skirt; an item of clothing that few women still insisted on wearing out of a deep seated sense of modesty.

But what caught my attention foremost was the fact that unlike most women on Heälf, she wasn't wearing any beadwork over her firm, upright breasts. The absence of such beadwork, which would indicate her tribe of origin and marital status, could only mean that she had been banished from her tribe along with the elderly couple. Although I couldn't be sure without asking her, I found it impossible to imagine any man in his right mind letting such a lovely creature stray this close to the eastern horizon.

Of all her features, though, her eyes were the most striking. They reminded me of the black, bottomless blowholes sometimes found in the crust of the planet, and which we infrequently had the pleasure of flying over.

My heart abruptly skipped a beat when I noticed for the first time that they were trained on me. It was then, also, that I realized she was clutching a knife in her right hand. Because it looked so natural and comfortable in her grasp, I hadn't noticed it right off. But now that I did, I realized that it added an element of danger to her, greatly increasing her sensual persona.

The old man spoke to me, but I couldn't understand what he was saying. Though he spoke in a familiar tongue, the dialect was heavy and slurred; it would take me a while to understand that he spoke the way he did because of his lack of teeth. As I started to respond, the young woman cut me off.

Speaking with a melodic lilt, she softly stated, "Father wants to know if we can be of service to you, oh fallen one."

"Water," I managed to gasp. "Please, I need water."

Turning to the old man she'd referred to as her father, she relayed my request to him. Before she had even finished speaking, he was turning and heading back into the jungle. After watching his retreating back for a moment, she turned toward me and slowly, almost hesitantly, started forward.

As she drew near, she said in her soft, melodic voice, "Father will be right back. He went to get you some water. We passed a small pool just a few yards back."

"If he's your father, is she your mother?" I croaked, indicating with a nod of my head toward the woman strapped on the board.

"Yes," she simply answered, not giving me anything more to go on.

Almost immediately, I felt myself drawn to her. It was a feeling much more complex than mere lust. She was strikingly beautiful, of that there could be no doubt. But the feeling that overcame me wasn't just a physical desire, though it felt most physical in nature. It was much more.

Although she wasn't bashful, she didn't speak unnecessarily. In fact, she radiated with self-confidence.

"What happened to your mother?" I rasped, hoping to draw her out and keep her talking, as I found her voice not only beautiful, but also very soothing and comforting.

"She has been crippled for many years, ever since I was a small child." She hesitated for a moment, and then, as if she'd read my mind, she added matter-of-factly, "Yes, he has carried her ever since."

"How is it that you have fallen so far behind your tribe?" I asked, my voice failing.

"Father's health is not what it used to be. We took turns carrying my mother for many years. Now, however, Father cannot keep up of his own accord. If I could, I would carry them both. But I cannot. Father suggested that he and mother should be left behind to die. I could not bear it. When the tribe banished them, I left of my own accord to be with them." She paused for a moment, and then simply added, "They need someone to look after them."

"It cannot be easy for a beautiful woman like you to live in the jungle with two elderly people and no tribe for protection," I rasped through my parched throat.

"We need no protection!" she fired back, her prideful anger quickly transforming her beauty into something even more special. "We take care of ourselves!"

Unwittingly, I had slighted her pride, which I could see by her outburst; she had more than her share. Much to my amazement, I could actually see myself falling in love with a woman like her. In fact, I could see myself falling in love with her.

Just as quickly, as she'd flared up, she cooled down again. In her prior melodic tone, she said, "Let's see if we can't get you out of this thing."

Despite the melody in her voice, I sensed that the question and answer session was over, at least on her part. I, on the other hand, had one more question to ask of her.

"My name is Rodick, may I ask of yours?"

She hesitated for a moment, surveying my situation before answering, "Loté, (pronounced Low-tay). My mother's name is Leeta, and my father's name is Hig."

Just then, her father returned, carrying a leather flagon brimming full of clear tepid water. There was no such thing as cold water on Heälf. Greedily, I took the flagon and started drinking as fast as I could, literally pouring the water down my singed throat. Loté suddenly grasped the flagon and wrenched it out of my hands, causing water to spill down the front of my uniform. Embarrassed, and feeling like a fool, I would have crawled under the control panel if I were not already pinned beneath it; everyone knows what a waterlogged gut can do to a body in shock. Sensing my embarrassment, she refrained from saying anything; I was deeply grateful to her.

"We need to get me out of here," I said with a voice that sounded almost normal and definitely felt better.

Hig looked into the cockpit. After assessing the situation for a moment, he turned to Loté and said something in his strange, yet familiar dialect. After answering him in what sounded like the affirmative, he turned and headed back into the jungle. He wasn't gone more than a minute, when he came hurrying back. Balanced over his shoulder, he carried the broken remains of the tail rotor, still swathed in a thick film of Lipton's blood.

At first, I wondered why he hadn't taken the time and decency to wipe the blade off before returning with it. But when he slipped it easily between the mangled cockpit door and my right leg, the blood acting as a lubricant, I quickly refrained from commenting. With just the gentlest of force, he slid it downward until it rested against the metal floor, the blood having wiped off on my uniform, leaving an indelible stain that would later serve as a constant reminder of my failure.

Next, he instructed Loté to get in front of the cockpit and pull against the top of the blade. While she moved around to the front, he got into a position behind the blade and planted his shoulder against it. When she was ready, we all put our strength against it, forcing it forward. Although I couldn't put my weight to good use, I do have some powerful arms. By using the seatback as a brace, I was able to put the full strength of my arms against it.

With a concerted effort, we strained against the metal of the cockpit. Slowly at first, and then growing more intense, we could hear the metal protesting as it gave way beneath our combined efforts.

Without warning, the panel snapped free, and Loté went stumbling backwards, scrambling to maintain her balance. Just when I thought she had succeeded, her ankles tangled in the low-growing vegetation, and her feet went out from under her. With a thump, accompanied by an outward whoosh of breath, she landed hard on her posterior. Watching the blush of her embarrassment turn her face to a bright crimson shade, I couldn't refrain myself from laughing.

My laughter was abruptly cut off. With the renewed flow of blood to my feet, came the awakening of sleeping nerves. It was my turn to be embarrassed, as the pain took all my effort just to keep from screaming in agony. Like this woman on her ass before me, I too have more than my share of pride. With tears breaking free from the corners of my eyes, I gritted my teeth with determination; I wasn't about to show this woman any weakness, at least not a weakness to pain.

When the moment passed, Loté slowly rose to her feet and brushed herself off. Then, a little bit hesitant, she positioned herself on my left and Hig on my right. Together, they lifted me from the wreckage and dragged me over to lie on the ground next to Leeta. Checking my legs, I reaffirmed that nothing was broken. The waking process was painful, but fortunately, it was short-lived. Leeta smiled at me while I lay still, waiting for the pins and needles to subside. Close up, she looked even older than from a distance. After studying me for a minute, she said something in the same garbled dialect as Hig had used earlier.

Unable to understand her any better than I could Hig, I politely asked, "What did she say?"

"She says you are built like a hoarsen and that you have a good heart." After a moment, she added, "Mother is very good at reading people; she has been doing it for a long time."

The way she added that last part made my heart jump. She was, in her own way, agreeing with her mother.

"Please, tell your mother that I'm not feeling like a hoarsen. And as far as my heart is concerned," I suddenly hesitated, deciding against exposing that part of me just yet. "No, never mind about my heart. Just tell your mother that I accept and thank her for the compliment," I replied, bowing my head toward her mother as a sign of respect.

"She understands you, she just has a hard time speaking clearly," Loté said matter-of-factly. "I understand her, because I have grown up with her."

"Thank you," I said awkwardly, nodding toward her, and then her mother.

At the moment, I wasn't sure what I was feeling in my heart. Never having had any social time in which to explore my feelings toward women, the feeling I was currently experiencing toward Loté was strange, uncharted territory for me. Moreover, I couldn't in all honesty rule out the possibility that it was just lust. After all, she was the most beautiful woman I could ever remember seeing, much less meeting. At any rate, I wanted the opportunity to explore my feelings further, and the longer we waited around here, the less time we were going to have. Making a silent promise to myself, I swore that if it was within my power, I wasn't going to die here and neither were they!

"We need to get moving," I said, a growing sense of urgency in my voice.

"First we will eat," stated Loté matter-of-factly. "Then we will see how strong your legs are."

Hig undid the pack tied to the board beneath Leeta's head, and handed it to Leeta. The routine manner of their actions suggested that Leeta was apparently in charge of rationing their meager food supply. I wondered who was in charge of replenishing it. When she offered me some dried meat and several pieces of fruit, I politely tried to refuse the meat. Fruit was very abundant in the jungle. However, meat was much harder to come by, especially when there was only one among them that was capable of hunting.

Before I could put up much of an argument, though, Loté informed me that I would offend them if I didn't accept their hospitality. So, after taking the proffered food, I graciously thanked them. They were simple folk, and as such, were probably much in awe of me, being a pilot and all. However, I got the feeling that they would have made any stranger feel welcome, sharing what little they had with anyone that was in need.

When we'd finished eating, Leeta having taken the longest to eat the least, since she had no teeth with which to chew her food, Loté passed the flagon of warm water around and we all took a long drink. The temperature was rising fast and a sense of urgency was besieging me to get started. It was time to get moving.

Cautiously, I rose to my feet. Loté quickly put an arm under mine, giving me a hand. Though I found her touch both stimulating and comforting, it was also a bit embarrassing.

"I'm all right. I feel fine," I lied through clenched teeth. "Just give me a minute."

My legs were still weak, I could feel them trembling beneath my weight. Nevertheless, we had to get moving, we were quickly running out of time. My head started pounding and a wave of nausea passed over me. Thankful that nothing had been broken in the crash, I hobbled over to what was left of the cockpit. Looking around, I found it hard to believe that I was still alive.

With careful scrutiny, I double-checked to see if there was anything salvageable that we might need. Except for the gun, everything else was just valuable scrap metal; I wasn't so sure the gun was worth the extra weight it meant I had to carry, but it felt criminal to think of leaving it behind too. The twisted wreck was worth a small fortune to the people of Heälf, yet it was beyond saving. My only consolation was to look at it as a sacrifice to the hungry gods, and maybe they would look with favor on us; being this close to the eastern fringe would require more than stamina and skill alone, if we were going to survive!

Turning around, I saw that Leeta had been re-secured to the board and the pack refastened beneath her head. Hobbling over to them, I offered to help with the litter. However, both Loté and Hig made it quite clear that I was to follow behind it. In this respect, I think they were refusing my help, not because I wasn't able to help, but because I was a distinguished pilot. For the moment, I was grateful for this fact. However, when I regained my stamina, I would have to change their perception of me if we were going to outrun the rising sun.

Hig took the first turn at carrying the litter as he picked up the end with Leeta's head and started through the undergrowth of the jungle. He didn't need a compass to guide him; the instinct to travel west was ingrained into our genes. Loté, after quickly retrieving a large pack that they had hidden before making themselves known to me, fell in behind me. Noticing that she had retrieved it from beneath a dense clump of vegetation suggested that they were more concerned with bandits than they were with predatory animals. In addition, judging from the size and shape of the pack, it was clearly not foodstuffs. She had stashed their important possessions just out of sight until they could evaluate the situation. If they hadn't been before, they had grown to become very suspicious and cautious of strangers, and I couldn't say as I blamed them.

Upon offering to bring up the rear, Loté insisted that until she spelled her father, I was to follow the litter. Despite my status as a pilot, she was determined to keep me in her sight. Even her mother was keeping a watchful eye, smiling up at me occasionally when her head wasn't being jostled by the litter, as it bounced over the lower growing vegetation and rough surface.

With the litter constantly hanging up on the undergrowth, her father was rapidly tiring, and we were making lousy time. Meanwhile, the exercise had returned the circulation to my legs and I was feeling fresh and strong. It was time for me to assist. Using the argument with Hig that it would make for a much more comfortable ride for Leeta, if he would allow me to carry the trailing end of the board, he finally agreed. Loté never said a word one way or the other, except to translate her father's words. Without her needing to come right out and say it, I knew she felt it was the least that I could do after eating some of their precious food. Had it been in my power to do so, I would have done more, even if I didn't feel that I owed them my life for rescuing me from the wreckage.

With me carrying the trailing end of the litter, we were still making pathetically slow time. Although we were moving faster than the rising sun, we couldn't afford to stop and forage for food; to stop now meant losing what little time that we'd managed to gain thus far.

Though the physical exertion was making my head pound, all the movement was working wonders on my circulation; my legs were starting to feel like their old selves. Hig, meanwhile, was visibly wearing down. Between the extreme heat and the rough going, his weakened stature couldn't endure. After an hour of traveling, he stopped, saying we would take a rest. Despite the urgency of the situation, I didn't object, though Loté was visibly disappointed in our slight progress.

Sitting in silence while passing the flagon of water around, no one mentioned anything about the obvious. The ache in my head was slowly subsiding. Feeling better all the time, I tried thinking of a way to pick up our pace. Thinking quietly to myself, I finally came up with an idea that might help.

"Loté," I said, breaking the silence. "Tell your father that we need to abandon the litter. It is slowing us down and wearing us out too fast. We can't continue dragging it through this undergrowth. When we get farther west, where the trail is more pronounced again, we can replace the timber with a new one."

"Are you suggesting that we should abandon my mother also?" she fired back, aghast that I could suggest such a thing.

"No. I am suggesting that I should carry your mother in my arms," I said, adding quickly before she could protest, "I can feel the strength returning to my body as we sit here. And besides, she doesn't weigh that much."

Starting to protest again, she quickly changed her mind after seeing the logic in what I had said. She also knew, as well as I, that we couldn't continue at the feeble pace we were traveling. In just the short time that we sat recouping, we lost any advantage that we had previously gained. Turning to face her father, she told him of my proposal. Closely, I watched the expression on his face, looking for clues to his inner feelings.

My close scrutiny was unnecessary. Even before she had finished speaking, her father was jumping to his feet, yammering at her in a very heated, animated way. Not letting his outburst put her off, she spoke calmly back to him, soothing his ruffled feathers. Within a minute, he had calmed down, returning to his seat. With interest, I noted that he kept his eyes averted from mine. She was browbeating her father into civility, leaving him defeated and humbled. She was reminding him that he was an old and feeble man, and that I would be dishonored if he didn't accept my offer. What she was saying was clearly not easy for her; she was very proud of her father.

"What did he say?" I asked of her.

"At first, he insisted that he should be the one to carry his Leeta," she simply replied. "He changed his mind when I told him that if he did, we would all be dead soon!"

"Thanks. I was concerned that he didn't realize the urgency of our situation."

"He realizes every bit as much as you!" she coolly retorted.

"Good, then we won't have any more misunderstandings," I replied, equally cool. "Let's get moving. He'll take the lead, since he seems to have a knack for finding the easiest route through the undergrowth. You can bring up the rear, just don't fall behind!"

Flashing her eyes at me, she made no attempt to disguise her anger. Yet, all I could think was how beautiful she looked, and how hot the passion that lie just beneath that beautiful surface.

Bending over to untie Leeta's bindings, I noticed her smiling up at me. Whether she approved of my thoughts toward her daughter, which I highly doubted, or was looking forward to being carried, I wasn't sure. After returning her smile briefly, I started untying the ropes that held her to the board. As each one came off, she was quick to take it from me, adding it to the little pouch she had removed from beneath her head. Upon seeing her smile grow as I scooped her into my arms, all doubts regarding the cause of her smile dissipated. Looking hurt, Hig grunted and set off into the jungle. Hefting Leeta in my powerful arms, I carefully adjusted her until she appeared comfortable; I was silently thankful that she was lighter than I had anticipated she would be.

We hadn't traveled very far, when Hig suddenly started yelling excitedly in his lisping dialect. Stopping, I turned questioningly toward Loté, hoping she would tell me what he was saying. However, even before I had fully turned around, she had already drawn her knife and was pushing past me. There was no mistaking the fear in her eyes or the slight rush I got when her body accidentally brushed against mine. Leeta, gripping my arm to get my attention, motioned me to put her down. After doing so as quickly and gently as I could, I rushed after Loté, my own knife appearing in my hand.

Coming up beside Loté and her father, I immediately saw what made him so worked up. There, in the trail ahead of us, if you could call it a trail at all, stood one of the largest creatures to inhabit this world, the behemoth. It was facing Hig and stomping its massive front feet on the ground, challenging the small man. Obviously, it was very aged and arthritic to have fallen this far behind its herd.

Because of the cramped quarters provided by the dense jungle growth, if it decided to charge us, there wasn't anywhere to run. We would be trampled before we could get ten feet, while it had the strength and mass to crash through the undergrowth with ease. Despite its apparent age and arthritic condition, we couldn't possibly hope to outrun it.

Typically, behemoths weren't known to be very aggressive, generally preferring their own company while avoiding human contact. However, this one had picked up our scent and gone against all of its natural instincts, veering off its westerly course just to come and block our path. Although I didn't give the behemoth any credit for having a brain, or the ability to think, something made it come after us. And now, it had found us.

At one time in the past, it had been considered a great sport to hunt these creatures with nothing more than a knife. Many young men had died trying to impress their elders or potential mates before it became an illegal practice. But even then, the sport wasn't banned for fear of loss of life. It was restricted because the creatures were discovered to have a value beyond their tremendously tough hide and large volume of delicious meat; man discovered that they could be domesticated and used to replace slaves. However, not everything that I knew about them was getting us past the behemoth that was blocking our way, and time was running out. We had to either find a way around him, and fast, or go through him.

Thinking of only the time we were losing, I started forward, hoping to call the creature's bluff. My thoughts were such that, since we were all headed in the same direction, maybe we could just herd it along in front of us. Looking at the damage that it had done to the undergrowth just getting to where it now stood, I realized that it was a great trailbreaker. With it leading the way, we would make much better time than we had been, even with me carrying Leeta.

As I drew closer, it lowered its head and snorted, the stomping of its front feet vibrating through the soles of my own feet. It wasn't backing down. Yet, it wasn't charging either. When I was within ten feet of its massive head, it abruptly ceased its stomping and snorting, choosing instead to stare at me. It was then that something about the hide beneath its belly caught my eye. If I wasn't mistaken, what I was seeing was a band of calluses, running the width of its belly; calluses, which could only have been caused by the repeated use of leather straps. Considering the toughness of its hide, they could only have been caused by many years of wearing a harness of some type. Whether it had been used as a pack animal, or had been tethered to a floating domain owned by a wealthy, neither explanation explained what it was doing here.

It had either outlived its usefulness, which seemed highly unlikely, since it would have been killed for its precious meat and valuable hide, or gone rogue and escaped from bondage. This latter thought was much more likely. However, it also meant the behemoth could be much more dangerous to us. Having been domesticated once, it would have little or no fear of man.

"But do you desire to kill us?" I asked softly of it. All of my instincts were telling me that if this creature intended to kill us, it would have done so already.

Slowly, with my hand held out, palm up in front of me, I started forward. From behind me, I was vaguely aware that Hig had started chanting in his lisping tongue. What he was saying sounded a lot like a prayer. Loté, speaking softly, advised me to be careful, and then, all in the next breath, asked the Gods to protect me. For a moment, I almost forgot that there was a threatening beast standing less than ten feet in front of me, as I pondered the genuine concern that I detected in that pretty voice.

Pretending not to hear her, I began speaking softly and soothingly to the creature, slowly drawing closer to its massive head and large, heavily muscled trunk. If it so chose, it could easily scoop me up with its trunk and snap my back with the ease of snapping a dried twig. Fortunately for me, it didn't so choose.

Stopping less than four feet from it, I could feel every tendon and muscle in my legs tensing, getting ready to launch me out of its reach. As I prepared to inch forward again, it suddenly sneezed, blowing a thick wad of rank smelling spittle and snot into my face. Reaching up, I could feel it running down my chest, and inside the flight suit.

Despite the overwhelmingly strong smell, I blew outward to clear my mouth and nose, and then took a deep breath before continuing forward until I could reach up and pat the side of its head. Rolling an eye up at my touch, it let out a soft, moaning sound. It missed the human contact that it had known all of its long life; contact that it had come to take for granted.

Quietly, Loté came up beside me. Reaching out to pet the behemoth, it suddenly ran its long slimy tongue up her front, covering her from her head to her waist in the same rotten slime as me. Realizing that the beast was just displaying affection, she didn't pull away or protest, though she swallowed hard several times to keep her stomach contents in place.

"That's a good boy," I cooed softly. "With the help of this old guy," I said to Loté, "We can easily get far enough ahead of the rising sun to be safe. Tell your father to get Leeta. I'll try to figure out how we can improvise a saddle for it."

Looking up at its moss-covered back, I realized there wasn't anything for an able-bodied person to cling to, much less one with Leeta's disabilities. The next easiest method of riding it might consist of building a sling that could hang beneath its belly. However, I quickly dismissed the idea. There was much too great a chance that we would be crushed between the undergrowth on the jungle floor and the creature itself.

My eyes returned to the massive back that was just beyond our reach. I had no doubts that if we were going to make the beast work for us, we were going to have to find a way to strap ourselves to that slippery surface.

While I continued contemplating the situation, Loté had retrieved her pack and was busily uncoiling a thin braided cord she had removed from it. Despite its small diameter, I didn't doubt its strength. She had obviously kept it well oiled, preventing it from rotting in the humid climate.

Deftly, she threw one end of it over the creature's back. Then, slipping beneath its belly, she quickly returned with the opposite end. This, she tied in slipknot fashion to the length she was still holding in her other hand. Before I could question her intent, she proceeded to make a harness that encircled the creature's face and neck.

Throwing the loose end over the great beast's head, she went around to the front and tied it off to the harness on the opposite side. Passing closely in front of me, as she did so, I was forced to gasp. Despite the rotten green slime, which was drying to a crusty covering over her chest, the stench didn't seem to bother her in the least.

"Maybe we can stop at the next water we come to and you can wash that crap off," I suggested sarcastically while making a grimace and holding my nose. "After we refill our flagons, of course," I quickly added.

"And just maybe, you would care to lick it off!" she shot back, fire highlighting her eyes.

Turning, she strutted indignantly away from me. When she reached Hig, she assisted him with Leeta. Her walk, when she was angry, was a thing of beauty. Watching her, a smile crept over my face. "No, Leeta," I said quietly to myself. "My heart is not as strong and as pure as you think."

Unexpectedly, the behemoth gave me a sharp nudge in the back, knocking me off balance and sending me sprawling.

Getting up, I sheepishly patted it on the side of its mouth while saying quietly into its ear, "So, you know all about women too, do you?"

Still wary of the big animal, Hig hesitantly and cautiously used the braided cords to climb onto its back. When he was settled, I handed Leeta up to him. All the while, she was muttering what sounded like a prayer. Whether for her safety from the animal, or in thanks to the gods for sending it to us, I wasn't sure.

Since there wasn't enough cord to secure all of us to the creature's back, it was decided after some protest from Hig that he and Leeta would ride alone. By doing so, they would break a trail, which would make it easier for Loté and me to follow behind on foot. By all accounts, Loté appeared to be in great physical condition. In addition, my own strength had returned, so I didn't think we would have any problems keeping up with them.

Once Leeta was tied securely to the behemoth's back, she settled right in. Hig, however, remained uncomfortable, looking nervously down at Loté. Fortunately, despite his pride, he had enough sense to realize that he would slow us down by not riding on the creature's back. It was bad enough that Loté had to browbeat her father into submission once already, in my presence. A second time might be too much for him.

Taking up the trailing position behind Loté, we set out once again. Forced to keep my distance from her, not because the view from behind her was anything but good, but because the stench she was emitting was more than I could handle. It was definitely putting off any impious thoughts I might otherwise have had. And when I considered my previously lustful thoughts, I had to wonder if it wouldn't be more advantageous if she didn't wash when we reached the next water hole.

It didn't take long to realize that we were definitely making better time with the beast cutting a trail for us. Every now and then, I even noticed a few birds in the jungle canopy, screeching and flying about. This was a good sign that we were putting distance between the rising inferno and ourselves, even if the temperature was still obnoxiously hot.

Staring unconsciously at Loté's backside, my mind started wandering. With my feet on autopilot, my body trudged ceaselessly forward. Thanks to the behemoth, there was little in the trail with which to contend. And although we were a long way from safety yet, thanks to the behemoth's arrival, we were sharing a renewed sense of elation at catching up to civilization.

Eventually, my thoughts turned toward the possible prospects that lay ahead for Loté and her parents once we reached that civilization. In my mind, their outlooks weren't very encouraging, considering the circumstances.

The outlook for me was much more inspiring. Having been a pilot opened many avenues for me. However, having been a pilot, I wasn't sure there was anything that would interest me; everything that came to mind seemed boring or without purpose.

Nevertheless, my problem seemed minuscule, compared to Loté and her parents. Of course, there was the possibility that Loté would consider taking me for her mate. Then, by using my inherited influence, I could secure a good position, a position that would make it possible for me to take care of both her and her parents. That would give my life purpose and meaning. Thinking on it, it didn't seem like such a bad prospect, overall.

But whom was I kidding? Loté would no sooner take me for her mate than it was possible to fly to the moon, or back to Earth, for that matter.

Ducking just in time, I felt, more than heard, the swishing of a large branch passing over my head, barely missing the top of my skull. That she had let it go on purpose, I had no doubt. It was just her way of making sure that I was paying attention; paying attention that is, to more than just her exquisitely shaped backside. Despite not having much experience with women, I still felt quite sure that what I was feeling toward her was more than mere lust.

Without warning, they sprang on us, literally dropping from the jungle canopy high above our heads. Even before I could yell out to the others, we were engaged in mortal combat.

They were tall and wiry, almost nine feet from their taloned feet to their protruding teeth and hairless head. But even worse than their sharp claws was their vicious nature. We were being attacked by carrion eaters, the native inhabitants of Heälf, and they fought as demons possessed!

Despite having populated the planet long before man, they never evolved beyond their original carrion eating ways until man appeared. In the past, they had only attacked when an animal was obviously sick or injured and unable to defend itself against an aggressor. Many of the carcasses we came across, while flying rescue missions, were little more than skeletons; these creatures left little in the way of remains. Originally, their main sustenance had come from dead and decaying flesh; now they attacked anything and everything, including man!

It was our good fortune that they hadn't evolved to the advanced stage of wielding weapons. However, they had since learned how to use their long, sharp claws on their frontal pods for offensive attacks. And teeth that had once been used for tearing the dead flesh from a rotting carcass were now capable of rendering the hide of a behemoth.

Reeking of decaying flesh, I should have smelled them coming from miles away. If Loté was thinking that I hadn't been paying attention, she was more right than I cared to admit. But now wasn't the time to worry about it, as there were more pressing matters to address.

With a thump, one of the foul smelling creatures literally landed on me, his feet coming down hard on my shoulders. Instinctively, I crumpled beneath its weight, not giving it the opportunity to imbed its talons in my flesh. I hit the ground rolling, veering left while simultaneously drawing my knife. As the creature followed me down, with a deftness and grace of much practice, I buried my knife deep in its solar plexus. With a long whooshing sound, it exhaled its final breath, slumping forward and hitting me full in the face. Gagging on its foul breath, I suddenly realized that Loté didn't smell that bad after all.

Quickly pushing it off and to the side, I rolled to my feet in one smooth motion, my knife bloodied and hungry for more. Two of the beasts, having landed on their feet to my right, were warily closing in on me. As they approached, they kept looking from me to their dead comrade, where he lay unmoving on the ground to my left. Loté suddenly screamed, sending a shiver through my heart. Everything else faded in importance as pangs of fear for her safety coursed through me. Feeling only one burning need, the need to get to Loté, the two beasts that stood between us became nothing more than an impediment in my path.

Lunging at them knife first, I cut the one on the left with a slashing right arc. Blood started in a stream from its left forearm, just above the elbow joint. Screeching in pain, it lashed out at me with its right pod. However, because it had to reach across itself, its comrade, in its own haste to get at me, had crowded in too close, hindering both of their movements.

Taking advantage of the situation and my momentum, I shot forward, slashing out with my knife at the second one's throat as I went by. With an uncanny combination of luck and skill, I felt the resistance of its thickly corded neck against the sharpened edge of my blade. For the briefest of moments, my knife hesitated against the thick flesh, but then slid free, aided by the lubrication from a major artery.

With my momentum unimpeded, I continued forward, only vaguely aware of a slight tug on my right arm. Even before the creature realized that it was dead, I was already moving past it, driving hard toward Loté. Another of the creatures suddenly landed on its feet, less than two yards in front of me. Because of my momentum, I was unable to stop in time to avoid colliding with it, even if I had tried. Tucking my head low, I rammed into its exposed stomach, driving the point of my knife deep into its groin. Its arms flailed wildly over the top of my head, its talons raking viciously across my back, as my momentum carried it over backwards. Keeping my feet moving, I literally ran over it while it grasped futilely at my pumping legs, leaving it to die in my wake.

Looking for Loté, I saw with relief that she was still on her feet. Continuing toward her, I noticed what an exceptional job she was doing defending herself. One of the creatures was lying off to the side, its entrails spread out on the moss beside it. Another, mortally wounded with blood spurting from a gash to its upper thigh, was already convulsing in the grips of death. Meanwhile, having gained the respect of the remaining creatures, she was keeping several of them at bay with nothing more than her knife.

With my attention focused only on Loté and her immediate situation, I almost didn't hear the wounded one that I'd left behind me on the ground. He had regained his feet and was quickly coming up behind me. At the last moment, I dropped and rolled, spinning to my feet and coming up face to face with it. The creature, already incensed by the smell of fresh blood, was further enraged by the pain coming from the wound to its arm.

Like a pair of fencers, we stood face to face, parleying back and forth, slashing and stabbing, each trying to inflict damage to the other. Everything was happening in slow motion; the urgency I felt for Loté only making my efforts feel more sluggish. Though I was managing to slice its paws without getting myself raked, I was only keeping myself alive; I wasn't getting the job done. At any moment, Loté might slip, giving one of her opponents the opportunity to strike a lethal blow. If that should happen, I would never be able to forgive myself. I had to bring this to an end in a hurry.

With each swipe the creature took at me, my knife flicked off tiny drops of blood mixed with clumps of matted hair from its paws and forearms. Although I was causing it increasing pain, no single wound was serious enough to harm it; I wasn't killing it. Eventually it would wear me down; I couldn't continue to dodge its talons forever, and Loté too, was running out of time.

With my free hand, I pulled the gun from its holster and flipped off the safety, just as I had practiced a thousand times. Pointing it at the creature's face, I held my breath, and squeezed the trigger. Until you have fired that first shot for yourself, you can never be fully prepared for what happens next. As I instantly learned, it's something that just can't be taught or explained.

There was a deafeningly loud explosion that was immediately followed by a loud popping noise as the creature's head literally exploded before my eyes. Had I not been expecting the kick that accompanied the roar, the gun would have torn free from my hand. As the cloud of smoke cleared, I was aware of a ringing in my ears. For a moment, I feared that I might never hear again.

With the immediate threat to me eliminated, I turned toward Loté, preparing to fire again. However, I realized immediately that it wasn't going to be necessary. The remaining creatures, having heard and then seen what happened to their comrade, were hurrying and scampering for the protection of the jungle. Yet, I knew that once they had a chance to rationalize exactly what had happened and gotten over the immediate shock of the gun, they would be back. Though I seriously doubted that they would attack us again, since there was sufficient food readily available for them to cannibalize, we needed to be out of here before they returned.

By the time I reached Loté, she had crumpled to a heap on the ground, kneeling with her head hanging forward; she was utterly exhausted from so much killing. Grabbing her by the shoulders, I held her tightly for a moment before asking if she was all right. She nodded her head in the affirmative, too breathless to speak. After a moment, I helped her to her feet. While she stood, letting the lightheadedness pass, I fetched her pack from where she'd dropped it.

On my way back to her, I reached down and retrieved my own pack. After removing the water flagon from mine, I offered her some. As she took a long swallow, I studied her body closely, making sure she wasn't injured and unaware of it. Other than a few minor scratches over her left breast, I couldn't see anything seriously wrong with her.

The behemoth had bolted. It had been startled either by the carrion eater's attack or at the shock of the noise when I'd fired the gun. Whichever the case, it had taken Leeta and Hig with it. If I didn't seem overly concerned, it was only because, I didn't think it would get too far ahead of us, and we would catch up with it shortly. Loté, on the other hand, feared that the creatures might have injured her parents, or worse, before the behemoth could carry them to safety.

"If they're injured, they might die before we can reach them," she said uneasily.

"I wouldn't be too concerned," I said consolingly. "If they'd been injured, we should be seeing blood along the trail they broke. However, if you'll notice, there isn't any."

"Yes, I'm sure you're right," she answered, putting on a brave face.

"Let's see if we can find a pool up ahead and clean some of this grunge off. We also need to refill the water flagons before we go much farther." When she didn't respond right away, I nodded toward the nearest scavenger and added, "You know, we could cut a flank of meat off of one of those creatures for later. It might not taste as bad as it smells."

"I would rather starve first!" she haughtily replied.

"Let's keep our eyes open for some fresh fruit, just the same. All this fighting makes a man hungry!" I remarked, starting forward.

"Hold up a minute," she said suddenly. Reaching into her pack, she withdrew what looked like a small gray pebble. "Here, chew on this. It'll give you nourishment; keep you going until we find some real food."

Taking it from her, I said thanks, and put it in my mouth. Almost immediately, it started softening as it mixed with my saliva. Surprisingly, it didn't taste half bad. Within a few minutes, it was the consistency of soft rubber, with a taste similar to jerked meat. However, you couldn't actually bite through it. Most meat on Heälf was preserved by jerking, due to the lack of a readily accessible source of heat sufficient to cook it. However, I wasn't even sure it was meat.

"This isn't half bad," I commented. "But what is it?"

"It's an old recipe, actually more like a formula, which has been in my family for ages. If I told you everything that was in it, you might consider eating one of those creatures back there, instead," she casually replied. After a moment she added, "By the way, when you've had enough of it, I would like it back. When it dries, it's as good as new."

After a moment, she corrected herself, "Of course, after you've chewed on it, maybe you should just keep it!"

Turning toward her, I saw that she was smiling at me. I knew then that I was chipping away at the wall that she had built around herself. Smiling back at her, I wondered how long it would take before she could admit that she liked me.

The going was easy, due to the damage the behemoth had left in its wake. We were making good time. However, after several hours, it was becoming more obvious all the time that the behemoth had continued running longer than we had first anticipated. The jungle was already bouncing back, the smaller, more pliable vines and saplings standing back up. Within twelve hours, all evidence of its passing would be completely gone, due to the rapid growth-habit of the jungle. Racing along with Loté running abreast, I wasn't the only one having these thoughts. A quick glance at her face told me that she was thinking the same thing.

My legs were beginning to feel the effects of the exertion. Though I was determined not to let Loté know, I realized that I wouldn't be able to keep up this pace with her for much longer. Despite the fact that I had always taken pride in my good physical condition, working out whenever I was off duty, this was pushing the extremes; I was just flat pooping out. Fortunately, we were safely ahead of the sunrise, and could afford to take a long breather. However, Loté was getting more concerned for her parent's safety with each passing minute.

"I think we need to find water soon, and a place to rest," I said breathlessly.

"You aren't going to quit on me now, are you?" she fired back, equally breathless.

Pulling up short at her remark, I spouted exasperatedly, "We won't be any good to anyone if we run ourselves to death, least of all your mother and father!"

Slowing then, she stopped about thirty feet ahead of me, reasoning taking over her obsession to find her parents. Turning slowly toward me, the fire bright in her eyes, I couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked. Standing there facing me, her breasts rising and falling with each breath, I could feel a stirring in my loins, leaving me even weaker than I already was. There was a struggle going on within her. She was being torn between continuing the pursuit, and taking the time for a rest that we both direly needed. She didn't need me to tell her that we were losing ground on the behemoth, despite our reckless pace. For a fleeting moment, I worried that she saw me as a burden to her. Before I would intentionally slow her, I would run until I dropped from exhaustion. However, before she could mouth the words, I offered a suggestion that made it easier for her to decide.

"Why don't we continue until we come to the next water and can clean up and rest? We can also eat then, and be back on the trail in no time."

Sounding defeated, she said, "Only if we find a large enough pool to bathe in, do we stop. Anything less and we only take long enough to refill the flagons, agreed?"

"Fair enough. But we must pace ourselves more. We can't continue like this forever."

Following close on her heels, I let her find the easiest path through the recoiling maze left behind from the behemoth's passing. Feeling dog-tired, I was extremely grateful for the slower pace. The undergrowth was recovering fast and hiding the trail, almost before our very eyes. When we originally started after the behemoth, I remembered thinking that we would catch up to it in a couple of hours. By now, it should be moving at a leisurely pace, munching on the undergrowth and taking its sweet time, maybe even stopping occasionally to drink. But this trail, or rather what was left of it beneath the new growth, didn't give any indication that the creature was slowing. It didn't seem logical that the carrion eaters were still hounding it either, knowing their scavenger-type habits. Nevertheless, something was driving it forward, something unknown to us. But were we unknown to it?

### **3**

Much to our good fortune, we only had to travel another fifteen minutes before finding the next water. Off the trail to our right about twenty yards, we discovered a fair-sized pond. The water was clear to the bottom, being only about five-feet in depth, and approximately fifty-feet across. We would have missed it, running right past it, but for a sliver of reflected light that caught our attention. In the jungle, your senses are always attuned to your surroundings, especially for something that doesn't belong. If they aren't, you don't survive.

After working our way through the undergrowth, we emerged in a small, moss-covered clearing at the water's edge. The clearing had been created by the large number of animals that came to the pool to drink, thus keeping the vegetation trampled down. This single fact, which indicated increasing wildlife, bolstered our spirits substantially. Despite the shallow bank, measuring only ten-feet at its widest and extending barely six-feet back from the water's edge, it looked like the perfect place to rest.

As I glanced over the water and looked around at the surrounding jungle, I worked off the flight suit for the first time in days. Not surprisingly, I suddenly felt naked and exposed. Although it was quite natural for men to forgo clothing, because I'd worn the flight suit for so long, I'd never acquired the habit. Even before becoming a pilot, it had been my preference to wear a loincloth. It wasn't because I was ashamed of my body. Quite the contrary. However, I was self-conscious, especially when standing next to a beautiful woman that was obviously assessing my physical attributes.

Loté, dropping her pack to the moss-covered ground, quickly slipped out of her skirt, all the while not exhibiting the least bit of inhibition. With even less modesty, she dived into the clear liquid. Despite not getting very many opportunities to indulge in the pleasure of swimming, her dive was so gracefully smooth that her entrance into the water barely made a ripple.

With a quickening of breath and a tight stirring in my loins, I quickly jumped in behind her, purposely making a large splash to conceal my bulging manhood. The water was even more refreshing than I could have hoped for, and although it was tepid, it had an immediate cooling effect on my libido. As I stood up, putting my feet down on the bottom, the soft mud oozed sensually between my toes.

"Do you have any soap?" I asked, watching her intently as she slowly glided effortlessly to the far side of the pool and then back.

"I'll get it," she said, gliding by me, the coolness of the water making her nipples erect.

Nearing the edge, she stood up and gracefully walked the last few feet through the shallow water. Her hair was plastered to her back while tiny droplets of water, clinging to her smooth, well-tanned skin, sparkled magically in the moonlight that filtered through the jungle canopy. She was a very lithe and beautiful woman, and I could feel an erection throbbing hungrily for release from my loins. Unable to take my eyes from her, I watched in rapt fascination, entranced by her beauty as she bent over her pack, searching for the soap. Without her even being aware of it, she had me feeling as if I were on the brink of a nuclear explosion, and I was the atom that was about to be split.

When she finally found the soap, she straightened and turned to face me. She stood for a moment, gazing at me with an expression I couldn't fathom. Self consciously, I looked down at the water, wondering if she could see my manhood. Though I didn't understand her expression, I wasn't ashamed of my feelings, and I decided not to hide the way I felt.

Starting back into the water, she stopped only briefly to wet the chunk of soap she'd found. Working her way toward me, a small smile began to take shape at the corners of her mouth. There was also a sparkle in her eye, which hadn't been there earlier.

"I've heard that on Earth, there was once a saying that went something like this, 'If you'll scrub my back, I'll scrub yours'," she said ever so softly, her smile sensuously turning up the corner of her lower lip.

"I'm not familiar with that saying. However, I would be forever in your debt, if you would be so kind as to scrub my back," I gently replied, suddenly confident of where we were heading.

As she came toward me, I likewise, moved toward her. When we met, the water was just above her waist and right at my own. In the shallow water, it was impossible to hide my erection. She glanced at it only briefly, barely taking notice of it before asking me to turn and face away from her. But she had noticed it. As I turned my back to her, I watched her face closely; I didn't see any disappointment. Nonetheless, water does have a way of magnifying objects when looked at from above the surface.

Over the years, the moon glow had turned her naturally dark complexion a chocolaty hue. Although I didn't want to take my eyes from her, I ever so slowly obliged her command and turned my back to her. After lathering up the soap, she gently started caressing my neck and shoulders. Her touch was firm, yet soft, sending shivers down my spine. The tension flowed from my body, instantly relaxing beneath her touch.

"Don't ever stop," I whispered, my head lolling forward.

Instead of replying, she continued massaging the soap down my back and under my arms. Ever so slowly, she moved closer behind me, reaching under my arms and working the lather over my chest with her fingertips. Always massaging, always working my sore, aching muscles. Within seconds, I felt as soft and pliable as the mud between my toes. Softly and sensuously, her nipples brushed against my back, ever so firm, so hard and erect. With little more than the touch of her fingers, she had broken down the last of my defenses. In that moment of time, I felt as though I would do anything for her; I would do anything to keep her with me.

With a tremendous splash, my world was suddenly shattered. Just a few feet to our left, something large and powerful had just crashed down from above, sending a wall of water cascading over our heads and sweeping us off our feet.

Frantically, I clutched Loté's arm, trying vainly to keep us from being torn apart by the roiling water and swirling mud. But the soap had made her skin too slippery to hold. Despite my efforts, I could feel her sliding through my grasp. Opening my mouth in an attempt to yell to her, I managed only to suck in a mouthful of muddy water.

With no footing to be had, I could feel myself sliding along the bottom. Desperately, I rolled to my belly, trying to get my feet beneath me. But before I could plant my feet in the slippery mud, another wave sent me rolling and sprawling. In the violent turbulence, I lost all sense of direction. I was so disoriented that I no longer knew in what direction I would find Loté; I no longer even knew which way was up or down.

Suddenly, with my lungs about to explode from lack of air, my face was pushed into something soft and giving. Immediately, I recognized it as the moss-covered clearing that we had left our clothes and weapons on before entering the water. Grabbing at the moss with my fingertips, I desperately hung on, fighting against the pull of the backwash as it tried to suck me back into the pool.

Just as suddenly as it had thrown me up onto the bank, the water receded, leaving me lying naked and gasping on the water-soaked moss. Immediately, my first thought wasn't for my own safety, but for that of Loté. Where was she?

Frantically, my eyes searched the clearing and the immediate area, while I prayed to the gods that she'd been spewed out of the water as I had. Because I had no idea what had landed in the pool, it was urgent that I find her before she drowned or worse; I had to find to her!

Coughing up water and gasping for breath, I crawled along the edge of the clearing, looking vainly for a weapon. My search was suddenly interrupted by a tortured scream of fear from across the pool.

Entangled in the undergrowth of vines, almost directly across the pool from me, was Loté. She must have been washed up into the vegetation on the far side of the pool the same way that I had been washed up into the clearing on this side. From where I knelt, I could also see that she was flailing and kicking at something in the water directly beneath her. However, because the water had turned murky from being churned up so violently, it was impossible to see what danger lay just below the surface.

"Hold on!" I yelled, reassuring her that I was coming to help. Forgetting for the moment that I didn't have a weapon, I looked frantically for the quickest way to reach her.

"I'm coming!" I cried out to reassure her, while at the same time coming to the conclusion that if I were going to be of any help to her, I was going to have to swim across the pond; it would take me way too long to find a way through the undergrowth surrounding the pond.

"Don't go in the water!" she immediately screamed back at me, almost as though she'd sensed my intentions. "There's something in the water, Rod! It's terrible!"

Her voice faded off on the last few syllables as she struggled against the vines, trying to get farther back from the water that was just beneath her feet. As the pool started calming, I could clearly see the roiling action beneath her, sending ripples outward along the surface. It reminded me of a large fish, preparing to catch a defenseless insect that was unfortunate enough to land on an overhanging branch above the water's surface. What it was, I had no idea. However, if it could jump into the water, it could very well jump out of the water too, and Loté was its immediate prey.

For just a moment longer, I hesitated, suddenly torn between running into the water naked and attacking it with my bare hands, or continuing my search for a weapon. It appeared everything had been carried into the pool by the backwash, including our weapons. Finding them in the murky mud beneath the surface would be nearly impossible, even if I had the time to look. If the thing in the water didn't get Loté before I found a weapon, it might come after me!

That's it! Quickly following my train of thought to its conclusion, I realized that if the creature, or whatever it was out there, came after me, Loté would have enough time to get out of the vines she was entangled in, and away from the water's edge.

Without another thought, I took one last desperate look around the clearing, and then headed into the water. Pushing myself along the murky bottom with my hands, I continued deeper and deeper into the pool, frantically groping in the slimy mud along the bottom as I went.

Whatever form of being was out there, it should sense me in the water. When it does, it will determine that I am easier prey than Loté, since I am already in the water. As soon as it comes after me, I'll make a break for the bank, hopefully outrunning it before it can catch me.

Moving along as quickly as I could, I kept expecting a claw to grab me, or a mouth full of teeth to clamp down, impaling me in its jaws. In the murky water, I had no way of defending myself; nor could I see the danger coming. Yet, I continued forward, putting Loté's safety before my own.

When I couldn't remain under any longer, I raised my head above the water, and immediately gulped in mouthfuls of air while looking furtively toward Loté. With relief, I could see that she had managed to retreat farther up into the tangle of vines. However, she was still concentrating on the surface of the water directly beneath her. Much to my surprise, it hadn't detected me in the water.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and dove for the bottom again. Loté was safe for the moment, but eventually it would sense my presence. When it did, I wouldn't have any choice but to fight it with my bare hands; I desperately needed to find something that I could use against it.

Grasping desperately in the mud at the bottom of the pool, my hands suddenly came upon the holster that had previously held the forty-five-caliber gun. Clutching it, I again stood up, gasping for air.

My commotion had attracted the creature's attention; it was coming straight toward me! Its progress was made visible by the wake it made on the surface of the water. In the blink of an eye, I knew three things about the creature that I hadn't a moment earlier; it was larger than me, it was faster than me, and it would be on me before I could make it halfway back to the bank.

Although I abruptly knew all of that, I wasn't worried. In my hand, I held a weapon with intense power. I had recently used it on a native creature of Heälf, and I would use it on the being that was about to overtake me.

Feeling confident of the gun's capabilities, I calmly reached for the butt. As my hand came to rest on the empty sleeve where the gun should have been, my heart suddenly skipped a beat and rose into my throat. The holster was empty! Somehow, it had fallen free of the holster when it was dragged into the pool by the backwash. All this came to me in a split-second as I stood in the waste-deep water with no clothes on, holding the empty holster, and feeling like a complete fool. Meanwhile, some strange creature was heading my way with but one thought, food.

Since I'd already committed myself to this plan of action, I had but the one recourse, to fight it with my bare hands. It was either that, or succumbing to it willingly, which wasn't an option. To make things worse, I had entered what was in all likelihood its home turf. Even if it didn't live in the water, it used the handicapping ability of the water to slow its prey, namely me!

Suddenly, less than five feet in front of me, a large winged creature broke through the surface of the water, lunging upward, into the air. Using this height to its advantage, it looked down on me with bright, yellow-rimmed eyes. Now that it had me located, it intended to pounce on me! My limited options raced through my mind: once it got on top of me, it could easily hold me under the water with its dominating size until I drowned, or use the sharp talons on the ends of its wings to eviscerate me. Neither scenario was very appealing.

As it reached the apex of its lunge, I was given a clear, unobstructed view of it for the first time. According to the history of Heälf, a large bird once dominated all the skies above the jungle canopy. When man arrived, the bird had a hard time sharing its domain with the metal flying machines that quickly dominated the skies. When it discovered that man was edible, it became a nuisance that had to be eliminated, and a bounty was awarded for any carcasses brought in. Within a few short decades, the large bird had all but disappeared from the skies over Heälf. Coming face to face with this half-bird, half-reptile, suddenly seemed to explain the feathered birds disappearance. In order to survive extinction, the feathered bird had evolved. It had relinquished the skies for the swamps.

Yet, in all my thirty years, I had never seen anything quite like it. Although it was very similar in appearance to a large bird, its wings were not proportioned to the rest of its body; they were much too short and stubby to support the bird in flight. Yet, the most striking dissimilarity between it and its feathered relations was that it wasn't feathered; it was covered entirely in very tough-looking, reddish-colored membrane. The most notable characteristic of this membrane was its transparency, making it possible to see the creature's internal organs. The bird-like creature measured at least twelve feet from head to tail, with a wingspan of barely six feet. The end of its tail culminated in a sharp point, sporting a set of reversed tangs that kept whatever prey it jabbed from sliding back off. This impaling feature added another foot or so to its overall length.

As it looked down its long, nastily curving beak, I realized that its eyes were covered by a thinner layer of the same membrane. Moreover, in addition to the talons on the ends of its membrane-covered wings, the ends of its twin feet also culminated in sharp points, much like claws on a cat. By all accounts, they appeared sharp enough to penetrate the hide of a behemoth. But despite its array of sharp talons and elongated claws, it was the membrane that had the greatest effect on its prey, especially its human prey; the membrane made it very fearsome to look at.

Although I realized in my decisive moment that the creature wasn't capable of extended flight, since the membrane was more adapted to the water than it was the air, I couldn't see how I could use that to my advantage, considering the circumstances.

Before I realized what I was doing, my survival instincts took over. As it lined up to drop down on me, I pushed off against the muddy bottom and dove beneath the surface, hoping to glide beneath the beast, and thereby escaping the reach of its talons.

As I dove downward, kicking with all my might, my chin drove into the murky bottom of the pool, filling my mouth with mud. Out of reflex, I reached downward with my hands, trying to stop my forward momentum. As I did so, my right hand struck against the hilt of a knife. Before it could disappear in the muck, I quickly wrapped my fingers around it, feeling my first surge of hope since laying eyes on the ugly beast.

Judging by the turbulence of the water directly above me, I knew I hadn't been successful in passing completely beneath the winged creature. Suddenly, I was afraid to move for fear that its talons were poised directly above my naked back, waiting for me to give my position away. Though I had a weapon now, I was quickly running out of air; my lungs felt as though they were about to burst. Furthermore, I had to keep my mouth shut, holding the mud within it for fear of sending up air bubbles that might give my position away. I had to do something, and quickly, time was running out.

Desperately gambling that it would turn around and pounce on the place where it thought I should be, and probably would have been had I not hit the bottom as hard as I had, I pushed myself backwards with my hands, planting my knees in the muck beneath me as I did.

With my knees planted firmly in the muck, I tensed my body and drove the knife straight up, praying that I had judged the creature's actions correctly. If I misjudged and struck early, I would soon feel its beak in the back of my head. On the other hand, a late strike would put the creature's talons in the center of my exposed back. However, if I was right on the money, and the gods were watching over me with favor, the creature was going to get my knife buried deep within its see-thru belly.

With a feeling of triumphant glee and relief, I felt the knife penetrating the tough, transparent hide beneath its belly. Immediately, so that I wouldn't lose what little advantage I'd attained, I pulled backward on the hilt while pushing up with all the strength I could summon. Unable to hear or see anything but the roar of the water thrashing in my ears and the pounding of my laboring heart, I pushed upward from the bottom, dragging the knife along the creature's belly as I went. Having been raised in the jungle, I'd attained much experience with regard to the gutting of animals. Now, even under the water, I recognized the familiarity of entrails as they brushed against my arms. My timing had been true; the gods were in my court this day!

Suddenly, the knife came up against something hard and unyielding; in my zealous effort to stay alive, I had gutted the creature from stem to stern!

Quickly, I jerked the knife free before it could be torn from my grasp by the dying creature's forward momentum. Then, just as quickly as I could, I pushed myself along the bottom with my hands, trying to put as much distance between the dying creature and myself as possible. In its death throes, it was liable to strike me with one of its many pointed apertures. In my moment of elation, I had forgotten my need to breathe. Suddenly, my head was pounding from lack of oxygen; I desperately needed air.

When I had gone for what seemed like an eternity, but in all reality was probably less than five seconds, I planted my feet in the murky bottom and stood up, spitting the foul tasting muck out of my mouth. Choking and gasping, I could feel muck and water being expelled from my lungs, and the welcome relief as the fresh air poured into them. The semi-winged creature was floundering in the darkening red water, less than ten feet from me; lashing out at an enemy it couldn't begin to grasp. Screeching its life away in an ear-shattering cry, I found myself almost feeling sorry for it. Had it not been trying to kill us just moments earlier, I was sure I would have felt some remorse.

Pouring blood and entrails into the water around it, the creature quickly grew weaker. Within a matter of moments, it could no longer hold its head above the water, and the screeching abruptly stopped. Shortly thereafter, the thrashing subsided. In its wake was a motionless red island, floating face down in the murky red water.

Looking across the pool, I frantically searched the vines for Loté. With relief, I saw her climb down from the vines and reenter the water. She quickly swam the short distance to where I was standing. Watching her carefully, I could see that she was shaken, but not injured. I realized then that not only was she the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes on, she was also the most resilient.

Though I was still breathing hard and feeling weak in the knees, we needed to find the rest of our meager possessions, especially our missing weapons.

"Are you all right?" I anxiously asked of her.

"Yes, I'm fine," she answered with obvious relief. "It really scared me though, when I saw it diving for you. I thought I'd lost you!" She smiled, a flash of embarrassment passing across her face. Then, as if it made her uncomfortable to show her feelings, she turned her attention to the floating carcass and asked, "Do you have any idea what it is?"

"A forgotten relative of another species that has long since disappeared, I would assume," I softly replied, debating if I should follow up on her remark, or let it go. Opting to save her any more embarrassment than she had already endured, I said instead, "It must have been in the canopy above the pool all the time. It was probably just waiting to pounce on the next poor creature that came to drink. With wings that short, it couldn't possibly do much more than reach the canopy, and then guide itself as it glides down. My guess is that with expert precision, it belly flops into the water next to its prey, knocking them off balance before pouncing on top of them."

"But where could it have come from?" she persisted, silently grateful that I had diverted the conversation away from her feelings toward me.

"More than likely, it has evolved from the great winged birds that once flew in the skies above the canopy," I started slowly, not really concentrating on my words. While vocalizing my theory regarding the creature's origins, I scanned the circumference of the pool with my eyes, searching for our missing possessions. Not seeing anything that looked out of place, I reasoned that they had to be in the water somewhere.

When I finished dialoging on the creature's origins, I suggested, "We need to find our things before something else comes along." Seeing her eyes following mine, I added, "Let's start by searching the bottom. You start from where you are and I'll start here. We'll work our way along the bottom in an ever increasing circle to the right." I paused for a moment before asking, "That is, if you're up to it?"

"I'm up to it. But you'll have to look under that creature yourself, because I'm not getting any closer to it than I have too!" she replied with finality.

"As you wish, my precious one," I mockingly teased. Then, in a more serious tone, I added, "Let's get started."

We fanned back toward the edge, starting the slow process of feeling along the murky bottom with our hands. We had gone maybe a quarter of the way around, when Loté suddenly jumped up, screaming with excitement that she had found her pack; miraculously, everything was still in it. Gladdened by her find, I congratulated her. It definitely lifted our spirits. Now we were just missing Loté's knife and my gun. I had the holster, as it hadn't gone far after dropping it in the foray, and I had my own knife. The leather pouch of extra cartridges was still tied to the holster, too. However, without the gun, they were useless.

Moving forward again, my foot suddenly snagged something. It felt soft and pliable and I quickly reached down and grabbed hold of it. It turned out to be Loté's soft leather skirt, my luck. Fortunately, however, her knife was still intact in the sheath that was stitched into its side.

"I suppose you'll be wanting this back now?" I said tauntingly, waving it above my head as water ran out of the saturated material.

"Yes, I would, if you don't mind. Not having my knife leaves me feeling very naked and vulnerable!" she added sarcastically, her true joy at getting her knife back clearly apparent in her smile.

"Well, you do happen to look very naked and vulnerable without your knife," I continued tauntingly, imitating her tone of voice.

We both started laughing then, the soothing water melting the tension of all that had transpired since we first met. In a torrent, it began to gush out.

After laughing long and hard, it was only grudgingly that we stopped; we came back to reality when we were so out of breath, we couldn't stand it any longer. Barely able to stay upright, the water helping support us, we continued smiling at each other, much like a couple of kids that had just gotten away with a mischievous prank.

Handing her the skirt, I soberly suggested that we continue searching. We found the gun next and then my flight suit. After completely searching the pool's bottom, we were missing only the chunk of soap.

With the search complete, we treaded slowly back through the water to the clearing. When we reached it, we fell side by side on the thick soft moss, a heap of bone-tired weariness. Almost immediately, we were sound asleep.

We had been sleeping for almost three hours when I was awakened by a growling in my stomach; I was being assaulted by a barrage of hunger pangs. Although I awoke feeling groggy and sore, it was pleasurable to find Loté curled up in my arms, still sound asleep. Not wanting to move and end the moment, I continued to lie still, listening to the sounds of the jungle while relishing the feel of her body cradled in my arms. My better judgment warned me that I shouldn't lie here any longer than I needed for the grogginess in my head to evaporate, yet I was reluctant to let go of her. Stirring slightly, she snuggled in a little closer. Then her eyes slowly opened. With a start, she realized where she was. In that moment just before full wakefulness, her eyes reminded me of a small animal on the lookout for trouble. Though she felt compelled to pull away from me, her inbred survival instincts kept her from moving. Not until her eyes, nose, and ears told the rest of her that all was well with the world, would she allow herself to move.

"It's okay," I whispered softly, reassuringly. "I've just been lying here awake for a few minutes."

"We need to get moving," she mumbled, looking around uncertainly. "There's no telling how much distance the behemoth has already gained on us."

"Not before we eat something, we don't!" I sternly replied. "We can't live on your rubber rocks forever. Our bodies need some real nourishment, and not just more fruit, either."

"What are you suggesting?" she asked, gently pushing my arms aside and getting to her feet.

All in the next moment, she slipped her skirt on. Although it hadn't dried completely, it wasn't quite as soggy as it had been. Checking to make sure that her knife slid freely in and out of the sheath, she took a few steps toward the pool, only stopping when she reached the water's edge. Standing quietly, she pondered her next move.

"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking," I said disgustedly, "Don't even consider it."

"I was just thinking that since it ate meat, it must also be edible, right?" she concurred, without turning. "And besides, didn't you tell me that it's related to a bird? And we all know that birds are edible."

"Count me out! I don't even want to look at it, much less eat it," I said disgustedly.

"Then you go ahead and starve!" she pronounced determinedly. "I'm going to eat!"

Suddenly, whether it was intentional or not, she had raised the stakes; my manhood was being questioned, and I wasn't about to let her think that I was anything less than one. Besides, I sullenly thought to myself, if she can stomach it, then so can I, or so I tried convincing myself.

Begrudgingly, I resigned myself to the task. "Oh, all right. Hold on a minute and I'll give you a hand."

Slowly, procrastinating as best I could without being too obvious, I slipped back into my flight suit. Although it had dried fairly well, the murky water had left quite a large deposit of sand in it. When I moved, it felt as if I was wearing a garment made of coarse grit sandpaper. But since it would probably settle to the soles quickly enough, I didn't see any immediate need to take it off and shake it out. Especially since Loté had already entered the pool and was guiding the floating carcass around to the clearing. After checking the free movement of my knife in its sheath, I picked up the gun and took a quick inventory of it, noting that I would have to clean it just as soon as we finished butchering the transparent beast. Fortunately, the weapon was made of a rust resistant material, so I didn't need to worry about it rusting before I got around to it.

Stepping into the water, I reached out and grabbed the dead beast by the end of a wing. Dragging it behind me, I stepped out onto the bank, pulling it as far out of the water as I could. Before dropping it, I took a moment to study the sharp talon on the end. It didn't require much observation to see how deadly the wingtips might have been. Silently, I counted my blessings.

The water had cleared for the most part, having settled out while we slept. The suit was doing a fine job of keeping me dry. Except for the tear in the sleeve, caused by one of the carrion eaters, it was in fair condition. The suit was my ticket to nobility; I needed to take care of it.

Because the bird-like creature weighed nearly five hundred pounds, there wasn't any way for us to drag it completely out of the water. Even if we could have managed the weight, its bulk would have covered our little clearing completely. But with the dead creature half out of the water, it gave me a chance to study it further, and try to decide which part, if any, was the most digestible.

"Do you have any suggestions regarding what part of it we should eat?" I finally asked, unable to decide after being repulsed by every part that I studied.

Sounding unenthusiastic about the prospects too, she replied, "I'm not sure anymore. I had forgotten just how ugly it was."

"I'll tell you what," I start, trying to sound more enthusiastic than I felt. "Help me cut a slab from the wing here. It resembles meat more closely than anything else I've seen and we won't have to turn it over."

Despite the keen edge that I kept on my knife, it took an exceptional amount of effort just to slice through the transparent membrane. It was as tough as any hide that I had ever seen. Once we had a large-sized portion carved out of the wing, we gave the remainder of the carcass a heave-ho, sending it floating toward the middle of the pool. We had removed a large enough piece so that if it proved palatable, it would last us for several days; or at least until it went rancid and spoiled, since we had no way of curing it.

After rinsing the slab of meat off in the water, I sat down on the moss-covered clearing, placing the meat between my legs. Loté came and sat down opposite me, waiting expectantly to see what I would do with it. Carefully, I cut a small, bite-sized piece off the larger chunk, and gingerly put it into my mouth.

Despite the tough, rubbery texture, the flavor was quite enticing. With time, I thought, I might even develop a liking for it. Cutting off another piece, larger than the first, I offered it to Loté.

"It's not half bad," I said, still chewing. "It's a little tough, but one could get used to it."

Taking the proffered piece, she didn't waste any time cutting it into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Instead, after sinking her teeth into it, she ripped off a mouthful, and started chewing. Looking at me, her mouth too full to speak, she nodded her approval. And then, not taking time to swallow the first mouthful, she tore off another chunk in the same manner, adding it to the half-chewed amount she still had in her mouth. Although I didn't think it tasted too bad, it surely wasn't as good as she seemed to feel. Unless she was hungrier than I had realized.

Eating until I couldn't stomach any more, I flushed it down with a long, slow drink of water. Loté, having finished the piece I'd given her, took the remaining piece from between my legs and cut off a fist-sized hunk. When she finished that and couldn't eat anymore, she carefully wrapped the remainder in moss and tucked it away in her pack. Because it was raw, we needed to eat as much as we could whenever we could, or we might lose it to spoilage due to the high heat and humidity. However, we would definitely get another meal from what remained.

While she was busy packing her possessions away, I refilled the water flagon and did a quick cleaning of the gun. We were both sated and would have enough energy to go a goodly distance before needing to rest again. With luck, maybe even enough to catch up to the behemoth and her parents.

With my pack in place, I turned toward Loté. I was about to suggest that we get moving. However, she was already one step ahead of me. With her own pack in place, she was moving back through the underbrush, heading toward the spot where we had veered off from the behemoth's trail. After our stay at the pond, it was impossible to see where the trail had been. Fortunately, we had kept track of how far the pool was from the trail, or we might not have found it again. But knowing where we had left the trail was the least of our problems. Due to the dense undergrowth that sprang up during the few hours that we rested, even in our refreshed state, our pace was going to be much slower. Fortunately, the behemoth's instincts would only let it go in one direction. Thus, there wasn't any question regarding the direction we needed to go. Like all of Heälf's creatures, its survival instincts dictated that it go west.

"I'll take the lead and set the pace," suggested Loté, before playfully adding, "Don't fall too far behind."

Accepting her challenge in the mood she intended it, I quipped back, "You should be less concerned about losing me then you should be worried that I might catch you!"

At that, she hurriedly set off. Not hesitating, I quickly fell in behind her, following at a distance of barely five paces. Despite the grueling speed with which she moved through the dense undergrowth, I was determined not to let her out of my sight, not now, not ever. In more ways than I had ever imagined a man could want a woman, I found myself wanting her; for a friend, a lover, a partner. But most of all, I wanted her forever. She was more than I could ever hope to have for a mate, and yet, I knew I would have her or die trying.

Following her through the jungle, my mind put my alertness on autopilot; I was subtly attuned to the surroundings and anything that might be out of the ordinary. Meanwhile, my conscious thoughts were on Loté and our possible future together, if she would have me.

It was also on finding her parents, and what a good impression I would make on her when we did. Until we could put this episode behind us, and rejoin civilization, a marriage proposal was completely out of the question. Once we catch up with the rest of the planet's inhabitants, I will provide for both her and her parents, if they're still alive and she'll have me.

When we stopped at the pool earlier, the behemoth had still been running scared. Something was still chasing it or driving it forward. In either case, it spelled trouble for Hig and Leeta. Even before we had stopped to rest, the behemoth had kept up its rampaging pace for more than three hours. Being an old animal, it was almost physically impossible for it to continue at that pace for much longer and not succumb to exhaustion. Unfortunately it had kept up the pace long enough to terribly outdistance Loté and me. Even if it had stopped when Loté and I had, it would take us many more nonstop hours at our current pace to overtake it. Moreover, that was only if it stopped and stood still until we overtook it, which wasn't very likely unless it was dead or seriously injured. And if that's the scenario lying up ahead for us, it's not very encouraging for Hig and Leeta.

Our westward progress was becoming gradually slower as we encountered increasingly denser growth, forcing us to make many slight detours to the north and south. At one point, we were able to make up for some lost time when we encountered a clearing comprised of an area paved over with a hard, opaque alloy. Impervious to the jungle's vegetative growth, the material was very similar in strength and density to the Plexiglas used in the windscreen of my prior aircraft, but not transparent. Though I'd rarely seen it before, I immediately recognized the dull gray substance as a byproduct of the limited mining activities on Heälf. I knew also that unlike the windscreen in my bird, this material was too brittle for any practical applications.

Where the jungle growth refused to relinquish itself to the alloy, large chunks of it, some weighing many tons apiece, had been literally lifted into the air by the determined growth beneath. In some places, the alloy chunks were so large, they virtually blocked out the moonlight from above. Though it was eerie, trekking beneath these larger suspended pieces, the alternative was to detour around them, literally adding hours, possibly even days, to our quest.

We had been hiking through this forest of alloy chunks for approximately four hours, when we approached a piece that dwarfed all the others we'd seen yet. Measuring more than a mile across, it was at least two hundred feet thick from the visible bottom to where the top disappeared into the jungle canopy above. Coming across this monstrous slab dispelled all doubts that we had been hiking through an old mining site that had been abandoned as it neared the eastern border of the habitable jungle. This tremendous amount of alloy, now raised into the air by the growth beneath it, had been left behind as the operation packed up and moved westward. The sight of an abandoned mining operation also reaffirmed exactly how far east of civilization we were. The company mining here wouldn't have left any sooner than they necessarily had to.

As we neared the massive piece, I suggested to Loté that we should take a break before continuing. The area directly beneath the suspended island blocked out all traces of the reflected moonlight, making it a dark and foreboding place to enter. Although I didn't relish the thought of traveling beneath it, the alternative, which was to circumvent it, was completely out of the question. This was a decision that needed discussing, since Loté might prefer traveling beneath it to save time. Yet, even if she decided to venture the shortest path to the other side, I didn't want to be under it any longer than was absolutely necessary.

Just peering into the darkness beneath it, I could feel the oppressiveness generated by its sheer size and mass. The jungle growth, or what could be seen of it in the increasing darkness, quickly thinned out once beyond the reaches of the moons' glow. Moreover, the air flowing out from under it was cool, exhibiting a damp, musky smell, intermingled with something stronger, almost repulsive. Though there was something familiar about it, I couldn't quite place it. In addition, there was no telling what multitude of creatures had retreated beneath it to escape the heat. Hopefully, we wouldn't find out.

"This is close enough," I said. "We'll make camp here and take a quick break before heading for the other side."

"I'm not looking forward to that trek," she replied nervously, peering into the darkness. "It feels like death lives in there, and it's just waiting for us. No, I don't like that one bit."

"Well, there is an alternative to going under it," I said halfheartedly.

"We would lose way too much time if we went around it," she flatly countered. "That's not even an option."

"No, that's not an option," I dispiritedly agreed. "I was thinking instead, that we could climb one of these vines growing up alongside it. Once we were even with the top, we could jump over to it and run across to the other side. I'm sure we could find a vine or limb on the other side to climb back down."

"Let's think about it while we eat," she replied, circumventing the choice for the moment. "I'm not really crazy about going under it, but I'm not sure going over the top is the answer either."

She abruptly dropped her pack on the slight incline leading into the darkness. When the alloy was lifted by the jungle growth, a portion of the planet's crust had adhered to it, leaving a bowl-shaped cavity beneath. The incline was just steep enough that as we sat facing the cool air escaping from beneath, we had a natural tendency to slide forward on our haunches. It almost felt as if it were trying to draw us into its lair. But that was a crazy thought, one without merit, and I quickly put it out of my head.

Since I wasn't sure myself, which route I preferred, I didn't push the subject. If it wasn't that time was against us, I would gladly choose to go around, not even considering the other alternatives.

Loté unpacked the last half of the wing-meat and offered me an equal portion of it. Taking it from her, we ate in silence. It tasted every bit as good as I remembered; I suddenly wished that we had brought more with us.

When I finished eating, I stood up and stripped out of my flight suit. Before we went anywhere, I was definitely going to shake the sand out of it. Not only were my feet raw and blistered from the rubbing action of the sand between my skin and the bottom of the suit, my calf muscles were sore from the extra weight they had to lift with each step.

Loté, in the meantime, stretched out on her back to relax and let her food settle, all the while keeping a watchful eye on me. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have felt nearly as self-conscious as I did, even though she wasn't aware of my inner feelings.

Looking down at her, with her firm, erect breasts pointing skyward, and her skirt hiked up to her waist as gravity pulled her down the incline, I suddenly realized that I was sexually aroused. It wasn't that she was doing anything consciously or intentionally; I don't think she even realized how I felt. At least, I don't think she realized the extent of my interest in her until my manhood was standing at full attention, hovering directly above her.

Having stepped toward the darkness before turning to take my flight suit off, the downward slope of the incline had positioned Loté almost directly beneath me; I was now standing between her spread legs, looking down on her with animal longing. Her long dark hair fell back, away from her face, accenting her full lips and large, coal-black eyes. When she saw me looking hungrily down on her, her lips subconsciously turned up at the corners, forming the faintest of smiles; she was taking great pleasure in the effect she was having on me.

Slowly and sensually, she spread her legs wider for my visual pleasure. Then, with that wisp of a smile still pasted on her beautiful face, she leaned forward and gently took my stiff member in her hand. Stroking it softly, her hand moving in rhythm with my now rocking body, I could feel my breaking point quickly nearing. Just when I thought that I couldn't handle any more, and I was on the verge of exploding, she leaned into me, all the while maintaining the rhythm of my driving momentum. Grabbing her head in my hands, she reached behind my buttocks and pulled us closer together. Screaming like a wild animal, I gave in to my ecstasy, and exploded violently. As stars suddenly clouded in upon my vision, an overwhelming sense of spent excitement abruptly washed over me. As suddenly as it had started, it ended, leaving me momentarily spent and exhausted.

Laying down beside her, my breath coming in ragged gasps, I noticed that I wasn't the only one that was breathing hard. Once she had finished satisfying me, she lustily set about working herself into a climactic frenzy. Within moments, she also spent herself, having come in a multitude of orgasms.

Lying beside her, watching her every move with keen interest, I found myself growing excited again. Rolling over, I got into a kneeling position between her legs, intending to do what a man in love with a woman does when he claims her for his mate. As I drove my once-again-erect manhood toward her womanly area, she unexpectedly, and brutally, grabbed me by the balls, screaming at me to stop. Catching me completely off guard, my twice-hard penis instantly went limp above her clenched hand.

Even then, though she knew the immediate threat was past, she refused to let go. Instead, she hung on, purposely inflicting pain that was intensified by the abrupt change in her demeanor.

"Let go!" I pleaded with her, while tears formed in the corners of my eyes from the excruciating pain.

Slowly, she released my reddened and humiliated balls, cautiously squirming backwards up the incline and away from me. Her once beautiful eyes looked back at me with a mixture of fear and loathing.

With stunning vehemence, she half whispered, half growled, "If you ever try that again, I swear, I will cut them off and leave you to bleed to death!"

Stunned and confused by her sudden change, I cried out, arguing feebly with her, "I thought you wanted me!"

It had never been my intention to hurt her, and I wasn't sure just how I had. When she didn't answer me, I continued pleading with her. "You came on to me! For Christ's sake, Loté, don't you know that I love you?"

By just a fraction, I saw the look in her eyes soften as she hesitantly replied, "Maybe it isn't your fault. Maybe, I could believe that you're not aware of what you tried to do. But in my tribe, only a husband and his woman are allowed to make love. To do so out of wedlock is a mortal sin, punishable by death. We are not heathens! If this is how the men of your tribe treat their women, then we have very little in common!" she added contemptuously.

Though I was hurt and confused by her outburst, she had satisfied my sexual needs for the moment. Through my ignorance of her tribal customs, I had lost a lot of ground in our relationship; ground that I wasn't sure if I could ever make up. What made the situation unbearable was that I had done nothing that wasn't natural and honest on my part. It was never my intention to hurt or dishonor her, though she seemed to feel that I had done so. Moreover, in any of the tribes that I was familiar with, it wasn't considered taboo for a single woman to sample all the available men, including the not so available.

Suddenly angered by her discount of my familial tribe, I sharply retorted, "My tribe is considered very socially mature. It would seem to me that your tribe should be considered the heathens, with your archaic taboos and outdated beliefs!"

Though I wanted to hold her, comfort her, and tell her how sorry I was and that it would never happen again, my own hurt and pride wouldn't let me. A tremendous need was building within me. A need to strike out and hurt her; I wanted to make her hurt the way I was hurting.

"My beliefs are none of your business!" she angrily shot back. "For your information, it is a common practice for our women to sexually relieve the men of the tribe, and we are taught many ways to do just that! But it is not acceptable to give away our virginity until after marriage. That is reserved for motherhood, and I would never conceive with you!" she heatedly added.

"Good!" I shot back, my anger taking over my judgment. "My baby would be too good for your womb anyway!"

My blood was boiling. I hadn't felt anger like this in years. Common sense told me to shut up and cool down, but my damn pride was bound and determined to have the last word. Unprepared for what happened next, I was taken completely by surprise; she began to cry.

As quickly as my anger flared, it fizzled. Suddenly, all I wanted was just to hold and comfort her. Reaching out with my arms, I started consoling her, telling her how sorry I was. Not surprisingly, she jerked away from me, her own pride too much of an obstacle for either of us to overcome. While I stood helplessly by, she curled into a fetal position on the ground in front of me, trying to smother her sobs against her chest. Never before had I felt such an overwhelming regret for my actions as I did then. In the heat of the moment, I swore that I would never let my temper or pride get the better of me again.

Softly and gently, I said to her, "Maybe we should get moving. The longer we remain here, the farther your parents are getting ahead of us."

She stopped crying and nodded her head in agreement, all the while wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. Her hair was hanging over the right side of her face and her eyes were wet and puffy. She looked so weak and defenseless, I couldn't help wondering if this was the same woman that I had been traveling through the jungle with just a short while before. She made me feel unworthy just by her look of helplessness. My heart went out to her as I silently vowed that I would never be so thoughtless toward her again.

"So, what do you think?" I asked, hoping she was as eager to put the last few moments behind us as I was. "Do we go up and over, or down and under?"

Looking at me as she got up, she said in a weak, lost voice, "You decide. I'll follow either way." Then, after pausing for a moment, she added in a clear, strong voice that was so different from the one I'd just heard. "However, when we do finally catch up to my parents, I think it would be best if we were to just part company and go our separate ways."

She said it with such finality that there wasn't any room for arguing, though this wasn't the time or place, anyway. Although I would eventually prove my intentions to her, I needed more time. Now, she wouldn't take anything I told her seriously. However, with time, my actions would speak for me. We still had a lot of ground to cover before we even hoped to overtake her parents. For the time being, we were stuck together.

Picking up her pack, she brusquely slung it over her shoulder and proceeded down the incline toward the dark crevice. Although she was hurt and confused emotionally, her pride still showed in her walk. Her determination not to let the dark, unknown, frighten her, was more than obvious. And though she had told me that she would follow me either way, I couldn't help but notice that I was doing the following, and she had chosen the way.

There weren't many places in the jungle where a person could really walk. You either climbed over the moss and vines, or you fought your way under them, whichever provided the least resistance. To just stretch out your legs and walk was a luxury reserved for the elite, those that lived in the expansive floating homes tethered above the jungle canopy.

Generally, the floating homes were tethered to slaves, working their way along the jungle floor. However, in rarer instances, and then only by the wealthiest of the wealthies, they were tethered to behemoths, similar to the one now carrying Loté's parents. These wealthies usually didn't keep any more slaves on the ground then were necessary to care for the animals and to do occasional maintenance on the tethering strips. This latter, however, was rare, since the strips were comprised of a rust-resistant alloy very similar to a high quality knife blade. These elongated blades were capable of cutting through the jungle canopy as it constantly moved westward.

To this day, though, the poorer of the wealthies still used slaves almost exclusively for the towing of their floating domains. Slaves were much easier to come by and had the ability to think and ask instructions in the event an emergency should arise. Fortunately, there are very few emergencies involving the movement of the domain, since the weather rarely changes, excepting an occasional freak rainstorm. Strong, or even light winds, would wreak havoc on the floating homes because of the way they were precariously balanced and secured atop large sacks inflated with a variation on swamp gas, a lighter-than-air substance. Once aloft, they were quite a remarkable sight, leaving the average citizen of Heälf looking on in wonder.

The wealthies were wealthy mostly because they ran the planet like one large dictatorial country. It was hard to collect taxes and such from roving bands and tribes, especially when the roving bands and tribes needed nothing that the wealthies had to offer, or so it was thought. However, unbeknownst to the planet's minions, the wealthies controlled the flow of contraband, in addition to all structured business. These enterprises included the mining operations, manufacturing, and even entertainment.

Although politicians were elected by an open ballot with every citizen of Heälf eligible to vote, except for the wealthies, no one voted; no one actually cared who held what office. As a pilot, I had cultivated few friends that would fall into the wealthy class. However, it was openly understood by all that, as an ex-pilot of the Heälf Air Services, a political career was open to me. Yet, even more likely, I would land a job as head of security on some wealthies domain.

If that scenario should befall me, I'm sure my duties would consist of little more than walking the decks on some wealthies floating domain while taking in the scenery and drinking fermented beverages all day. Of course, there were definitely more dangerous and distasteful positions to hold in one's life.

Falling into step beside Loté, I furtively glanced over at her lithe step and graceful beauty. Almost casually, I wondered what my life would be like with her in it. With sudden abruptness, I realized that I didn't want to know what it would be like without her in it.

Pushing the troubling thought aside for the moment, I headed into the crevice, proud to have her at my side. The foreboding feeling grew stronger with each step, causing me to worry what creatures the dank and chilly dark held in waiting for us. Even before the cool damp air could close in around us, I felt goose bumps popping out on my exposed flesh.

Because of the gradual decline of the crevice, it would be impossible to see to the other side until we reached the halfway point, which was also the lowest point. At that point, we should be able to see moonlight ahead of us and behind us, as we start the final ascent out from under this preponderous thing.

When we first set out on our gradual descent, it was possible to walk upright. However, the farther we progressed, the closer to the ground the alloy sloped. Furthermore, we had barely traveled a hundred feet when the dark became so intense it was impossible to see beyond the reach of our hands. In order to keep our bearings so that we wouldn't wonder adrift of the most direct route, we were forced to turn and look back at the diminishing light to our rear.

When the light behind us faded to almost nothing, I suggested that we tie ourselves together. "If we don't tie ourselves together, we might come out in different places on the other side. We could lose valuable time searching for each other in the dense undergrowth."

My voice sounded louder than I intended it to as it echoed off the solid rock beneath our feet and the crystal-like alloy above our heads.

"I think I still have a short piece of cord in my pack," she whispered in response. "Wait up while I get it out."

"Good. You wouldn't also have a torch in there, by chance?" I asked lightheartedly, trying to alleviate the mounting tension in the air surrounding us.

"Don't be a smartass!" she hissed back, subconsciously keeping her voice low. Then, quickly adding as she pulled a thin piece of cord from her pack, "Here, this should do, just don't pull too hard on it, I'm afraid it's not very strong."

"It'll do just fine," I replied softly, taking the proffered cord. Then, without thinking of what I was saying, added, "It won't take much to hold me to you..."

Sensing my embarrassment, she quickly intervened on my behalf, "That's okay, I have no intention of letting you out of my sight till we reach the other side."

"And what then, after we reach the other side?" she asked, catching me off guard.

Suddenly, we broke out laughing, nervously at first, and then harder. We could barely see each other now and it was getting darker with each step we took. There really wasn't any reason to keep our voices low, at least none that we were aware. However, we both shared the feeling that we had entered another person or thing's dwelling. Being uninvited and unannounced left us feeling like intruders. The sooner we got out from under this chunk of alloy, the better we would both feel.

Running the cord through my fingers in an effort to guesstimate its length, I was pleased to find it longer than Loté had impressed on me. After tying it securely to her left wrist and my right, we could get maybe eight feet apart. I considered tying it a little shorter, but opted instead for the length so that we could maneuver better in an emergency.

"Well?" I said, trying to sound my bravest, "Shall we get on to the other side before this chunk of alloy decides to fall from its perch?"

"I'm going to be chilled to the bone if we have to stand here much longer," she answered, trying to sound lighthearted, but unable to disguise the nervous tension growing in the pit of her stomach.

Taking another look at the fading light behind us, I wondered briefly if it was too late to retreat and climb over this thing, instead. Just as quickly, I dismissed the idea, knowing it was too late to turn around and still retain my pride. Until we caught up with her parents, I was in command. That meant keeping up a brave front; if not for Loté's sake, then for my own peace of mind!

### **4**

The going wasn't as fast and easy as I had thought or hoped that it would be. Although the planet's surface beneath the alloy was bare of most everything from plant life to dirt, it became increasingly rougher and more treacherous the farther in we went. It would only take one careless step in the darkness surrounding us, and one or the other of us could end up with a sprain, or worse yet, a broken leg. To suffer either of these maladies could prove fatal.

"Wait a minute," I whispered softly. "I think I hear something."

"I thought I did, too," she softly concurred, her voice floating airily to me from the dark. "Listen."

Straining against the blanket of darkness that buffeted us, I found myself suddenly unsure whether I was actually hearing something, or if it was my mind playing a trick on me. My heart was thumping in my chest and cold beads of sweat were breaking out on my forehead. Holding my breath, I forced my concentration outward, trying desperately to probe into the depths of the darkness.

"There!" I whispered excitedly. "Do you hear it?"

"Yes, I do," she answered tensely. "It sounds as if it's coming from in front of us. But I can't really be sure. What do you think it is?"

"I'm not sure, either," I answered hesitantly. "However, it does seem to have a mechanical sound to it. Actually, I think I feel it more than I hear it. I'm going to take some slack out of the rope," I added softly as I started winding up some of the slack around my wrist.

With even more caution than we had used prior, we started forward again. Taking what seemed like an eternity, but was in actuality less than thirty minutes, we covered another three hundred feet. The temperature was already more than thirty-degrees cooler than in the jungle, and it was continuing to drop with each step that carried us farther into the abyss. The air was also acquiring a bitter taste. However, I hastily ignored this latter detail for being nothing more than the effect of the temperature acting on our taste buds; cool air was, after all, a rarity on Heälf.

With each step forward, the sound grew steadily more pronounced. We also couldn't ignore the fact any longer that its origin came from directly ahead of us. Although we didn't like the conclusion that was suggested by this fact, we were forced to concede that the noise was being made by some type of modern machinery, and that it wasn't a natural phenomenon. Priding myself on being familiar with most modern day machinery, or at least the machinery that was still in operation since the early days of Heälf being settled, it was with some dismay that I couldn't recognize the sound. In addition to its other perplexing properties, the closer we got to what should have been the source, the more it reverberated from all around us.

Since neither of us had ever experienced anything cooler than the shade provided by the jungle canopy, we were very susceptible to the cooler air beneath the alloy. Already, we could feel it penetrating to the core of our very being, causing our joints to feel stiff and sore as it bored into our bone marrow. Since I still retained the suit, I was sure Loté was feeling the effects of the cold even more so than I was; she was practically naked, after all. The vibration coming through the ground beneath our feet, combined with the frigid air, set our teeth to chattering. The tart bitter taste that caressed our palettes with each intake of breath was also growing stronger at the same proportion as the sound level. The tartness was reminiscent of that attained by biting into a sour fruit, almost as though it were of an acidic origin.

Giving a slight tug on the cord to get Loté's attention so that I could tell her to hold up for a minute, it was with a mixture of shock and alarm that I discovered the cord wasn't tied to anything or anyone. With my heart suddenly clambering up my throat, and a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead, I sensed immediately that something terrible was happening.

"Loté!" I cried out, feeling a blind panic crushing down on me with more weight than the alloy above my head. "Loté, answer me!"

Stricken with fear and a strange sense of confusion, I tried desperately to estimate how long ago the cord might have broken. Frantic, I tried to remember how long it had been since we last spoke to each other. Although, I knew it couldn't have been more than just a few minutes, I wasn't sure. Time suddenly seemed distorted, and though I tried to focus, I couldn't get a perspective on the immediate past.

Yet, I didn't see how she could be more than a few feet from me. Or could she? For some incomprehensible reason, my mind refused to cooperate. Although the questions were easy enough, I couldn't grasp the answers; they completely eluded me.

"Loté!" I called out, my throat rasping and sore from the effort.

Still no answer; my cry was returned only by the reverberating thump of unknown machinery.

"Loté, where are you?" I screamed madly at the top of my lungs, the effort literally tearing something loose in my throat.

From a foggy distance, almost as if I were feeling the pain through someone else's body, I grew aware of a rapidly increasing sensation of burning in the bottom of my throat. Briefly, I wondered if it could be from having screamed so loud and hard. But that didn't make any sense, either. So why did it hurt worse with each breath I took? It felt more as if I were inhaling fire than air. It was quickly becoming increasingly difficult to breathe.

In a more lucid moment, I questioned the possibility of there being something in the air. Then, just as quickly, I was sure it was from screaming so loudly. Although it seemed like such an easy problem to solve, my mind wouldn't cooperate. Instead of staying focused on the question and giving me the answer, it kept wondering and drifting.

The bitterness, I thought in a clearer moment, had to be at the core of what was happening to me. An organic, acetyl-based vapor would explain this feeling of drunkenness and lethargy that was taking hold of my senses. It would also explain the rapid disintegration of the cord that had bound Loté and me together.

"Loté, answer me!" I cried ever more hoarsely into the darkness.

Suddenly, adding to my increasing dilemma, I realized that my face was on fire. As the vapor mixed and mingled with my perspiration, the acid leached into my pores, singeing my exposed flesh and nerve endings. Unbeknownst to me, the suit had been protecting my body all along. With growing dread, my thoughts returned to Loté. Wearing nothing but a short leather skirt, I feared the pain she must be experiencing. Fighting desperately to overcome the debilitating effects of the acid, I realized with mounting anxiety that it was imperative to find her quickly, and get her to fresher air.

Fighting against the growing dizziness, my mind swam in and out of lucidity. Falling to my knees, I started crawling in an ever-widening circle, the vertigo in my head making it too difficult to stand. The surface was rough and coarse, much like a glazed-over lava flow. Repeatedly, as I ran my hands along the rugged ground in front of me, I scraped my knuckles. Soon, I was feeling the soft warmth of my blood as it flowed freely over my hands. Although the uniform that I wore was resistant to many things, the combination of the jagged surface mixed with the acidic fumes was more than it could stand up to. The knees in the suit tore and shredded within minutes, as the fumes ate at the individually woven fibers that constructed it. With the bare flesh of my legs now exposed to the vapor, and my knees scraped open by the treacherous surface, the burning pain of the acetic vapor gave my mind another focal point. Yet, despite my painful and disorienting condition, I had but one conscious thought, I had to find Loté. "Loté!" I called out ineffectually. To my dismay, the sound of my voice was little more than a far off moan.

My mind was reeling and throbbing, making it increasingly difficult to concentrate. Whether it was from lack of oxygen, exertion, or the acidic fumes in the air, it didn't seem to matter. Although my thinking was becoming less coherent by the second, I was still conscious of moving forward. Nevertheless, though I drifted in and out of coherency, I remained focused. Somehow, because it hurt so terribly, I knew that what I was doing was important. Maybe, if I just stopped for a minute, the pain would go away.

As quickly, as I had the thought, I reprimanded myself; such an action would be paramount to giving up! I must keep looking!

That's right, I was looking for something. I must have left it here somewhere. What was I looking for? Maybe I need to take a break. It sure would feel good to just lie down here and rest awhile. The moss is so soft. I'll just take a short break. Before anyone even notices where I've gone, I'll get back up. But right now, I just want to sleep. I have to sleep. The jungle is so green and peaceful. This is such a lovely place to take a nap. I'll only be a minute.

"Captain Rodick! Get up! You have to keep moving!"

What was that? Did someone call my name? Or did I just imagine it?

"Who's there?" I croaked, or did I? It sounded like my voice, yet I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure of anything anymore. It sounded so unreal. Everything was surreal.

"Get up Rod! You have a mission to fulfill and you're not getting it done by just lying there!"

There, that voice again. I must be dreaming, or I'm delirious; it sounded like Lipton, and he's dead. He's dead! I saw him die. I know I saw him die!

"You're dead!" I screamed defiantly, unwilling to believe that it could be my co-pilot Lipton.

"It's me, all right," came the voice again, only softer and less urgent than before. "It's I, your old friend, Lipton."

"It can't be you!" I screamed again, though no words actually came out of my mouth. "I saw you die. I was there and you're dead! Now go away and leave me alone."

Soothingly, more words floated to me out of the darkness, not really having a point of origin, "I'm sorry Rod, but you have to listen to me. You will be dead very soon." The voice stopped for a moment, letting the balmy effect of its sound soak into my tender nerves. When he sensed that he had achieved the desired effect, he gently continued, "There isn't any time for you to rest, my friend, you have a mission to fulfill."

"I, I," I stuttered, not quite willing to believe that I was conversing with the spirit of a dead man. "What do you mean?"

"You have to keep moving, Rod," the voice replied. "Now, quickly, come toward my voice!" it suddenly demanded, shattering the sense of peace that had settled over me.

"I can hear you, but I don't know where you are. Tell me, how can I come to you if I can't see you?" I begged.

"You know the way, Rod. I can't take your hand and lead you. You must find the inner strength on your own. I know you possess it, now reach down into your soul, and grab it! Come toward my voice, or you will die as surely as I have. Remember, you have a mission, don't let us down, my friend!" the voice said sternly, coming from every direction, and yet, only one.

Then, suddenly, I knew! With all the impact of an epiphany, I knew where the voice was coming from. Just as surely as my instinct to move westward, so was the instinct that told me which way to go now.

Summoning reserves of strength that I didn't know I possessed, I slowly started to crawl in the direction that I had to go. It must have been more will, than mere strength, as the renewed efforts brought on new waves of pain. My eyes were burning with all the intensity of having red-hot pokers jabbed into them, blinding me even more so than the dark alone could have done. The raw and bruised flesh of my open wounds was screeching for relief. Every square inch of exposed skin was on fire; a fire that I could see burning clearly behind the pupils of my ravaged eyes.

With a clarity that I couldn't attribute to my tortured mind, I knew not only which way to go, but also why I had to go there. With this clarity of mission, I realized that it was imperative for me to remain alive. Above all else, I had to remain so in order to fulfill my mission. Yet, his words didn't make any sense. Clearly, I heard him tell me that I was going to die. But that couldn't' be! I must have misheard him. How could I fulfill the mission that he came back from the dead to encourage me to do, if I'm dead? He must have meant that if I don't succeed, I will die.

Although I couldn't breathe, I couldn't stop, either. Almost surreally, I was aware of my knee connecting with a jagged clump of rock that jutted upward from the surface. Following a delayed response, the pain shot up my thighs, eventually exploding with a white intensity in my groin before traveling to the pit of my stomach. Retching from the gut wrenching agony, I doubled over; my forehead pressed hard against the cold rocky surface. With each wheezing breath, I could feel the singe of fire within my chest.

Not waiting for the spasms to pass, I begrudgingly crawled forward. Urgency was building within me, prodding me to get up and run. However, even in my untenable state, I had enough wits about me to realize that such an attempt would be foolhardy, at best. If I fell here, there was a very good chance that I would be injured, possibly incapacitating myself completely.

Easily resisting the urge to get to my feet, I continued my agonizing crawl along the rough, rocky surface. With an unwavering intent, I continued my laborious struggle beneath the alloy; a gigantic hunk of waste that was destined to melt and burn when this part of the planet eventually came around to face the unrelenting sun.

My thoughts were not tuned to the ultimate destiny of the oppressive chunk of alloy that hung precariously over me, though, as I slowly crawled forward. Instead, I was thinking of only one thing, the all-important thing, to find my Loté. Without her, there was no mission. Moreover, if there was no mission, then I had failed. And if I failed the mission, then Lipton had died for naught. I couldn't let that happen!

After crawling for what seemed like an eternity, my entire body felt as if it had been dipped in hot grease. Although my eyes had refused to open at some point past, I had ceased to put any relevance to it, since they would have been useless in the black envelope that surrounded me anyway.

Although, I was no longer aware of the passing of time, at some point, I thought my imagination was playing tricks on me. At first, I wasn't sure. But I thought that I felt a draft against my recently burnt head. It was definitely not a fresh breeze, but rather, it felt as if it carried an even stronger dose of the acid than I had previously been exposed to, if such were possible. Somewhere, from deep within my subconscious, I prayed that my conscious mind was mistaken. If my fried senses weren't playing tricks on me, then it could only mean one thing, I must be getting close to the source!

With my body suffering from shock and close to shutting down, my arm suddenly slipped over the edge of a hole. Emanating from the hole was a strong updraft, flowing outward, and over my body. Immediately, I knew I had found the source of the acidic fumes!

In my mentally and physically maimed state, I could imagine, more than actually feel, what was happening to my body as I lay there. Panic finally gripped the last vestiges of my sanity, when I imagined Loté stumbling into this infernal gateway to Hell. My mind screamed for it not to be so! Yet, I knew it had to be so, or I wouldn't be here.

In a moment of lucidity, I gingerly worked my way around the edge of the hole, quickly determining that it was approximately six feet in diameter. When I had almost reached the far side, I came across what felt like the rusty remains of a steel bar protruding above the edge. Working my hands along it, I quickly discovered the rusted and ruined remains of a metal catwalk. The bar was connected to others, forming a ladder that led down, into the hole. Imagining that if I could open my eyes and look up to where the shaft continued into the alloy above, I would see the continuing remains of the catwalk, leading upward to the surface, as well as fresh air and moonlight. Even to my tortured mind, it seemed far-fetched. But I was suddenly certain that I had just discovered what had to be an attempt at the construction of a permanent, non-migrating settlement. Unfortunately, for whoever started this project, something must have gone awry. Maybe their air source became contaminated, killing everyone involved before they even had a chance to test it against the heat of the planet's sun.

Whatever the origin of the catwalk, it was irrelevant to me. For all intents, I had come to a crossroads. Either I continue past the shaft and away from the source of the burning fumes, which means that I might be leaving Loté behind, or I enter the shaft, and pray that I find Loté alive at the bottom. The decision was made even before it entered my mind; I was going to scale down the remains of the ladder. If I didn't, and continued on toward the fresher air, I might as well be dead anyway. Not knowing if I had left Loté behind to die, I would never be able to live with myself. I had to descend into the hole and find out, one way or the other.

Grabbing the torn and mutilated end of the pipe, I tortuously dragged my burnt and bruised body closer to the gaping hole, stopping to rest only when I was dangling headfirst into it. Finding no relief in the short respite, I continued with my quest. Reaching over the edge, my outstretched fingers found what had to be the top rung of the ladder, approximately two feet down.

Not sure whether my scorched and burning hands could even hang onto the rungs, I clumsily lowered myself over the edge feet first, while laying flat on my belly. Like a fish out of water, I flailed my feet wildly about, searching blindly for the rung that I knew to be there. After a moment of panic, they landed on top of the rung. Slowly and painfully, I started working my way down the shaft, one rung at a time. All the while that I continued downward, I was plagued with the vision of finding Loté's twisted and broken body in a heap at the bottom.

The draft was growing considerably stronger the farther down I went, flapping the tattered remnants of the flight suit, and burning the bare flesh exposed beneath.

After descending thirteen rungs, or close to twenty-five feet, I reached the source of the fumes. They were coming from a broken conduit a foot in diameter and being carried upward by a draft that originated below me. Working my way past the broken conduit, I immediately felt a change in the air. Unlike the burning sensation of before, the air now exhibited a cooling effect. My scorched and peeling skin quickly turned cold.

Hooking my arms over the first rung beneath the broken conduit, I slowly sucked in the fresher air, taking deeper breaths with each painful lung-full. Although my lungs had been severely burnt by the fumes, I could actually breathe again.

With much pain, I crudely peeled back the crust that had formed over my eyelids, forcing my eyes open. Though they watered profusely, blurring my vision, there was no mistaking the fresh yellow paint still adhering to the rungs of the ladder from this point downward. The walls, which I had previously assumed to have been carved or bored through the rock, were actually constructed of a shiny black material. It was like being inside a large black exhaust pipe.

Starting at the broken conduit, the shiny black material changed to a dull gray, as the emanating acidic fumes slowly ate away at it. There wasn't any evidence of what the adjoining conduit had broken loose from, so I assumed it had been connected to a ninety-degree elbow, which in turn was connected to another straight piece of pipe. This latter piece of pipe had probably led up the shaft and vented into the jungle above. Without needing to look down to verify it, I was certain that I would discover a pile of broken conduit in a heap at the bottom. Lying atop that pile of rubble, I also feared that I would find Loté's burnt and broken body. Though the need to look was strong, the dread to do so was even stronger.

Lowering my feet to the next rung, I painfully followed them down with the rest of my body. The air felt even fresher yet, as I got farther away from the broken conduit. Slowly, as I overcame my apprehension and fear of what I might see, I turned my head to the side and, with my arms hooked over the rung for support, since I couldn't trust my hands to hold me any longer, I forced myself to look downward.

What I saw both confused and startled me. Emanating from the bottom of the shaft was a bright white glow. After studying it for a moment, I realized that it wasn't a glow so much, as it was a reflection of light bouncing off bright white walls. The source of the light was coming from beyond my line of sight, which was very limited from this incredible distance. Despite the daunting distance to the bottom of the shaft, it was clearly obvious that there wasn't any pile of rubble. Even more obvious, there also wasn't any body lying down there. In fact, the floor at the bottom of the shaft appeared to be as clean and white as the walls.

Feeling nauseated and vertiginous from shock and the strain on my eyes, I was suddenly racked by dry heaves. My guts started wrenching inside me. With a rush, a foul yellowish pink bile of churning stomach acids and phlegm shot upwards from the pit of my stomach, spilling forth from my mouth. Though the acidic air had singed the interior of my mouth, as well as my throat and lungs, it still tasted bad. With numb disgust, I looked at the slimy, blood-tainted bile dribbling from my mouth.

Feeling my grip on the rung loosening, I readjusted my arms, feeling my blistered skin peeling away in great flapping strips when I did. It suddenly became imperative that I get off this ladder and tend to my burnt body before shock and dehydration could set in. Although infection in all the open burns and raw exposed flesh was a very real possibility, dehydration was my foremost threat; it would kill me long before infection could ever set in.

Although, I hadn't seen Loté's body below me, I also didn't have the strength to go back up and face those burning fumes again. I was even less sure, whether I had the strength left in me to reach the bottom of the shaft or not. But it was my only chance at surviving.

With grim determination, I slowly worked my way down the ladder, one rung at a time. Most of my body was covered in burns that were turning into water-filled blisters, further robbing my internal organs of their precious fluids. On my arms and legs, the blisters had burst forth their watery contents from the continual rubbing against the metal rungs. Feeling sick to the pit of my stomach, I nearly fell several times, only catching myself at the last moment before succumbing to unconsciousness. Though my skin, or what remained of it, felt as though it were on fire, the rest of my body was being racked with chills. My body was suffering from the effects of shock; determined or otherwise, I was quickly running out of time.

Just when I thought that I'd reached the end of my endurance, I was startled by the sound of voices in the far distance. With renewed strength and determination, I risked a look down, even though I was certain that the effort would send me spiraling into the planet's depths.

Slowly, craning my head around, breaking the blisters that had formed on the sides of my neck as I did, I looked down into what appeared to be a well-lit hallway.

With some surprise, I realized that I must have been climbing for a longer period than I realized. Looking down now, the bottom of the shaft was within fifty feet of me. Although it was apparent that there wasn't anyone waiting there for me, namely Loté, I felt renewed hope at reaching the bottom, just the same.

As I hung on the rung, trying desperately to catch my ever-more-elusive breath, I considered the original intent in building this shaft. From all appearances, I deduced that it was originally intended for use as an emergency exit, while the main construction went on below. It probably held no significance anymore, and unless a person was prepared for the toxic fumes above, it wasn't going to be used for an escape route.

Straining my ears against the dull, unsteady beating of my heart as it hammered through my head, I could no longer hear anything that sounded like human voices. Maybe I had just imagined them. Maybe, in my delirium, I had wanted to hear another voice so bad, my mind fabricated them. My body had been through so much that I was no longer sure of what was real, and what was happening inside my head. Of one thing, I was certain, there wouldn't be any people down here just waiting for Heälf's rotation to bake this side of the planet.

Convinced that the voices were only in my head, I resumed my downward descent, promising myself that I wouldn't stop again until I reached the bottom. Although, I wasn't sure what, if anything, I would find when I got there, I determinedly promised myself that I would find what there was to find.

After what seemed like an interminable length of time, I finally reached the last rung. No longer able to bend my neck far enough to look down, it was with dumbfounded surprise that my foot suddenly struck a flat surface.

The bottom of the shaft opened onto the intersection of two identical hallways, both constructed of the same material as of that in the shaft. The striking difference, though, was the milky-white color versus the shiny black of the shaft. The ceiling, walls, and floor were all identical, with no seams to indicate where they were joined. Even the joint connecting the shaft to the hallways seemed to flow together. The light that I saw from above was emanating from tubes embedded in the milky, crystalline material. There was one tube, approximately waist high, running the length of either wall for as far as the eye could see. Adding to their luminescence were two more tubes in the ceiling that ran parallel to those in the walls as well as each other.

Dully at first, and then with increasing intensity, my feet started screaming in protest at the pain of supporting my weight for the first time in what had to be hours. Although, I had lost all track of time since first entering the crevice beneath the alloy, it was with a panic-stricken urgency that I realized my need to find water; I was seriously dehydrated. My body was no longer sweating, and I feared that my kidneys had shut down. It wouldn't take long for poisonous toxins to build up in my system.

As I looked anxiously in both directions, I was dismayed to discover that I couldn't see beyond one hundred feet, due to the natural curvature of the hallway. My first impression was that they wound around a large curve, and that if I followed either one, I would eventually end up back here, where I'd started. After studying them a moment longer, though, I realized the curves went off at opposite angles. In addition, one seemed to be ascending, while the other was clearly descending.

Even in my clouded mind, I could see Loté continuing in the direction of least resistance. If for no other reason, she would take it so that I would know which way to follow her. In this case, the path of least resistance was the hallway with the downward slope, leading off to my right.

Fighting to ignore the pain in my bleeding feet, and to push my troubled thoughts from my mind, I quickly set off down the hall. Using the walls for support, I couldn't help but wonder why Loté wouldn't have waited at the bottom of the shaft. The only answer that made any sense was that if she were still alive, she wasn't operating on free choice. Something, or someone, had seen her coming down the shaft and lay waiting for her. Yet, if that had been the case, where were they now? I wasn't far enough behind her that someone wouldn't have seen me coming, too. Then, again, she may have been delirious when she reached the bottom. She might have crawled off down the hallway, oblivious of her actions, and not realizing that I was looking for her. Between her feeble condition, and having lived her entire life in the jungle, she might have become disoriented in these strange surroundings. If she is still alive, and she must be, or I would have found her body at the bottom of the shaft, she will need me now more than ever.

I simply refused to believe that she hadn't entered the shaft in the first place. After all, would Lipton's voice come to me in my delirium just to steer me in the wrong direction? I refused to believe that; I had to. If I allowed any doubts concerning my choices to penetrate my feeble armor, I was doomed.

Subconsciously, I checked to make sure that my knife was still in its sheath, and was surprised that it was. The toxic air had eaten through the sheath, even rusting the fine steel of the weapon. But it was still there. With luck, that meant Loté might still have hers, also. That simple thought gave me renewed hope, though I didn't know why.

While checking for my weapon, I discovered that I had lost most of my flight suit, short of a few tattered remnants flapping loosely around my waist, and an uneven length that hung in shreds down either leg. Although I was barefooted, and the blisters on my feet were weeping blood even as I walked, I managed to move along the smooth floor of the hallway at a fair pace. Pretty fair, that is, for a man who is more than half dead, and leaning precariously toward his grave.

Although I was moving along at a hurried pace, everything considered, I found myself taking many short breaks. It was during one of these short breaks that I noticed the wall that I was leaning against was considerably cooler than the surrounding air. It was this coolness that was giving me the strength to continue, while the rest of my body was screaming to lie down and sleep. If I weren't so dehydrated, I would cry, while praying for the pain to go away.

Leaning against the wall, an old memory floated to the surface of my consciousness, a memory that I had completely forgotten. Many years ago, when I had just entered the Heälf Air Services, I was given the opportunity of entering a small room called a walk-in cooler. Having been invited to a wealthy's home in celebration of my recent graduation and promotion, he invited me to experience something that very few people ever get the privilege of experiencing. I was young and inexperienced, having only lived in the wilds of the jungle prior to winning my place in the Air Academy. Just being on a floating home was more awesome than I could have imagined. However, when he led me into that cooled room, I suddenly resented him. For as long as I should live, I knew then that I would harbor resentment toward the wealthies and their extended privileges. In years to come, it would finally dawn on me that it wasn't the wealthies that I resented, but the whole concept that so few should be given so much at the expense of the less fortunate.

As I lingered against the wall of the subterranean hallway, I was reminded of that time. The coolness was reaching out to me, imploring me to climb in with it, to leave this burnt and blistered body behind. Forcing myself to push on, I constantly rubbed the wall with my shoulder, trying to remain close to the coolness within. When I glanced back at the distance that I had covered, I was stunned to see a trail of my blood emblazoned on the wall. With a start, I worried that I was leaving a trail that could be followed. Then, just as abruptly, I realized what a foolish thought that was; who could be following me? Except for Loté, I was alone down here! Moreover, if I wasn't alone, why should I fear that someone might find me? After all, didn't I need help?

When I had gone approximately one hundred yards, I came to a branching hallway to the right. This one also sloped downward. However, it ended abruptly at a closed door, approximately one hundred feet distant. Looking back over my shoulder, I noted that the point where I'd entered the hallway was beyond my range of vision. Turning back in the direction that I was headed previously, I mulled over my new options. However, I didn't have to give the decision much thought, since this fork had a definite end in sight; I decided to follow the new branch. If it turned out that I couldn't get past the door, it wasn't going to matter much longer anyway. Unless I found water very soon, I was as good as dead.

Staggering up to the door, a trail of blood and puss behind me, I saw and recognized an intercom speaker mounted on the wall to the right. Recognition was easy; it looked very much like the ones used back at my airbase.

The airbase, now there was a laugh. When I get back there, if I ever do, will they believe me when I tell them about this underground place, and will it matter if they don't? Everything that had happened to me in my life suddenly seemed irrelevant without Loté to share it. The only thing of relevance left to me was finding her.

With my attention focused on the door, I noticed that there was neither a handle, nor an obvious button to push for the intercom. Without one or the other, I had come as far as I could go. Feeling the last of my will and strength ebbing out onto the floor, where it quickly fused with the pus and blood of my wounds, I fell defeated against the door. Everything suddenly felt hopeless, and I was dying. Loté had obviously not come this way. In fact, I was beginning to doubt whether or not she had even come down the shaft. But it was too late to go back. I had made my decision, and now I must bear that choice.

Sprawled out on my back, I stared up at the parallel lights in the ceiling, waiting to die. Suddenly the door slid open and a man stepped out. He stood over me, and our eyes met for just the briefest of moments, and then he turned back toward the opening and started shouting. There was a ringing in my ears, making it increasingly difficult to hear. Yet, vaguely, I understood what he was saying as he yelled to his comrades within; he was shouting that he had found 'another one'! The gray cloud encroached upon me, the ringing in my ears reaching a crescendo that shut out all further sound, but not thought. One dying thought remained behind. The man had definitely said 'another one'. That could only mean that they had already found 'one', my Loté. She had to be alive! She had to be!

### **5**

"Where am I?" I croaked, my voice resisting my best efforts to be heard. Although my throat felt as though I'd eaten sand, I was alive! Now I just had to figure out where I was. Laying flat on my back, I could see that I was inside a coffin-shaped container with a clear glass canopy. Furthermore, by craning my head to the side, I could see that the container was just one of many in a long, well-lit room. Although my range of vision was extremely limited, due to the arrangement of the other containers, I could see at least fifty more; all identical to the one that I occupied, and all in neat orderly rows. As I studied what I could see, I noticed also that each one was had a multitude of cables and hoses connected to it.

Abruptly, my wondering eyes came to rest on several men. At first glance, their actions seemed random, as they wondered among the many rows of capsules. But after watching them for a short period of time, it became apparent to me that they were checking various dials and gages before conferring with each other over the readings.

Rolling my head in the opposite direction, I was startled to see a man looking down at me. Judging by his expression, I quickly drew the conclusion that he was pleased by what he saw on the gages connected to my capsule.

"Where am I?" I whispered hoarsely, the sand grinding fiercely against my vocal cords.

Without saying a word, or even acknowledging my somewhat feeble attempt to speak, he continued to study me. His behavior was maddening, and I could feel my anger rising.

"I said, where am I?" I gruffly repeated, feeling tempted to reach up and grab him by the throat so that I could throttle some respect into his condescending manner.

Yet, again, he stared mutely back at me, the smug smile adorning his face never wavering.

"I know you can hear me. Now tell me where I am!" I demanded weakly before falling into a fit of coughing from the effort.

Though my voice was growing louder each time, it had a hollow, almost echoing quality to it. Then I realized that maybe he couldn't hear me, after all, because of the thick Plexiglas cover between us. Still, I knew he could see me looking back at him! He couldn't possibly have missed the anger and frustration in my eyes!

Frustrated by my ineffectual attempts to get his attention, I tried raising my fist to strike against the clear bubble separating us. To my further dismay, and increased frustration and anger, my arm wouldn't move. On the verge of panic, I discovered that my entire body was immobilized in a dull grayish substance, very similar in consistency to thick, wet clay. My head was the only part of my body not immersed in the stuff. The air inside the capsule was fresh, and since my breathing was not fogging up the canopy, I figured it was a safe bet that they had me hooked into some type of life support system. Because I couldn't see or feel my burnt skin beneath the gray substance, I had no way of knowing my condition. However, it wasn't necessary to see myself to know that the pain had receded. Whatever these men had done, I felt that I owed them that much. Tempered by my feeling of gratitude, my anger subsided a little.

The man with the unwavering grin stepped back and made notations on a clipboard before turning and proceeding to the next capsule in line. Watching his profile while he went about his business, I began to wonder how long I had been here and who these people were. I had no doubts that Loté must be here too, probably undergoing the same treatment as me. The thought of seeing her again quickly perked up my spirits, waylaying even more of the previous anger that had been growing in me previously.

Anxiously, I tried raising my head higher above the rim of the capsule so that I could see more of the room, and get a better look into the adjoining capsules. However, I quickly realized that it wasn't going to happen. My efforts only increased my frustration level, as my body simply refused to obey its mental commands; I was paralyzed from the neck down! Except for my throat, I couldn't feel anything, and even it didn't hurt, it just felt terribly parched and coarse; nothing that a long drink of water wouldn't fix!

The men tending to the capsules must have finished their rounds then, because, almost as if on cue, they started filing out of a door on the near side of the room. It surprised me that I hadn't noticed the door earlier, when I first looked inspected the room. It irritated me to no end that I had missed it. It was so close to my capsule, well within my limited range of vision.

Watching intently, as the last man exited through the doorway, I was both amazed and startled when the door silently slid shut, literally vanishing before my eyes. While I was still staring at the spot where it had once been, the lights suddenly went out, dropping the room into darkness so absolute that I wasn't even aware that I had fallen back asleep.

When I awoke next, there were several men dressed in differing styles of clothing, each looking in on me. Instinctively, I knew that I was the topic of their conversation. Unlike the man that had looked in on me earlier, these men were devoid of expressions; their individual features appearing to have been carved from stone. Yet, even more demeaning than their stoic features, was their air of authority. Although they could see me looking at them, they didn't acknowledge the fact that I was conscious. Their attitude of superiority was beginning to get under my skin. Although I felt a debt of gratitude for my life, their indifference grated on my humanity; I felt as if I were being treated with the same respect and attitude awarded a lab specimen in a scientific experiment.

After an interminable amount of time passed, during which, not a single word had been exchanged between them, one finally nodded to the others, signaling acceptance of an agreement. They then headed in unison toward the far side of the room. However, before they moved out of my field of vision, I was able to see their clothing more descriptively.

Of the three men, one wore a finely woven shirt in combination with calf-length leggings, all of a dark blend of fabric. Because he wore his knife strapped near the small of his back on a narrow waist band, I determined that it was not intended for hunting or skinning; positioned where it was would make it too inconvenient for everyday use, it was strictly a weapon. The man was tall, approximately six-feet two-inches, and well proportioned, if not a bit on the thin side. His hair was short, black, and greasy. Except for a long-flowing mustache of the same shade and condition as the hair on his head, he was clean-shaven. Although I'd never met the man before, I took an instant dislike toward him. He might have been my savior, but I didn't think so. His demeanor suggested that he was too caught up in himself to recognize another soul in need.

The second of the three, and also the largest, was overweight by at least two hundred pounds, a very uncommon sight on Heälf. Yet, his most outstanding feature was his choice of dress. His robes consisted of a knee-length, metallic-blue fabric, exquisitely adorned with intricate lacework and bright pink and white embroidered patterns that matched his footwear. In addition to the flamboyant outfit, he further adorned himself with an excessive amount of jewelry. He wore crystal beads in long strands that hung loosely around his neck, while shiny metal bangles were secured to his chubby wrists. Moving with the awkward clumsiness that comes from inactivity and over indulgence, I noticed that he was doing most, if not all, of the talking. As he animatedly waddled around, waving his arms exaggeratedly, I was reminded of the traveling salesmen that frequented the campsites selling snake oil and herbal remedies. He was clearly a man that was much more interested in entertaining, than he was in making money.

The third man, though he may have weighed as much as the second, was well proportioned for his height, sporting a very muscular build. His clothes were all of leather, coarse and heavy in nature. They also showed signs of stone dust, indicating that he worked as a mason or a miner. He wore a close-cropped beard with a matching mustache. His hair was blondish-red in color, and tied in a ponytail at the back of his head. Unlike the first man with the clean-shaven face and close-cropped dark hair, this burly man sported more than just a single utilitarian knife. In addition to the standard fare, strapped over his left hip in a leather sheath was a knife unlike anything I'd ever seen before. Hanging down from his waist almost to below his knee was the longest bladed knife that I had ever seen. On a planet where iron was both rare and coveted, such a weapon was a clear indication of wealth. Such a weapon also left no illusions regarding its purpose.

But what caught and held my attention even more than the fabulous long-knife was the fact that he was also wearing my holster and gun! Although, I didn't recognize the holster immediately, because he'd had it re-oiled and retooled since I'd seen it last, there was no mistaking that it was mine. Almost absently, I wondered where he had gotten it, as I couldn't remember if I'd lost it beneath the alloy, or if I was still wearing it when I collapsed in the hallway. At any rate, he had my gun, and I didn't get the feeling by the way he was wearing it that he was just keeping it safe for me until I could reclaim it.

On his left arm, just above the elbow, was a blood red tattoo of what resembled a recoiling mole with a snake's tail. Straining my eyes against the bright lights, I could feel the burning sensation creeping back into them. Just when I was about to close them in frustration, I realized what it was that I was seeing on his arm; it was a snake eating a rodent-like creature.

With this image emblazoned on the forefront of my mind, I closed my eyes and took stock of my present condition. Excluding the dryness in my throat, I hadn't felt any discomfort until my eyes grew irritated from the bright lights. With that thought in mind, I began to wonder how long I had been here in order to heal so thoroughly. Another thought, one that I found even harder to grasp, had to do with the numbness in my body. Is it possible that the stuff that I'm embedded in produces a numbing effect on my nerve endings?

As quickly, as the thought came to me, I just as quickly disregarded it. When I though more about it, it didn't make any sense. My face, which was burnt just as severely as the rest of my body, wasn't feeling any pain either. In fact, it wasn't even displaying any symptoms of having been burnt recently!

While still puzzling over it, I tenderly opened my eyes again, and looked across at the three men. The big burly man noticed me looking at them, and with all the casual disdain afforded a dumb animal, he returned my glance, his own eyes penetrating into mine. Although I was embedded in muck, I could feel the small hairs rising on the back of my neck. Determined to show him that I wasn't intimidated, I continued staring back at him, levelly meeting his cool gaze. After a long moment, in which I got the distinct feeling that he was aware of our mutual dislike, he turned to the obese man and nodded his head in agreement to something being said to him. Their actions indicated that they had just struck some sort of deal. That I was at the center of that deal, I was even surer. Never before had I felt as if I was the meat on the butcher's block. But I felt that way now.

The fat man acknowledged the big man's nod with a smile of his own before leading the way back to the sliding door. Without so much as a glance over their shoulders, they left the room. In unison with the closing of the door, the room was bathed in darkness. Before I could even begin to ponder what had just taken place, I drifted off to sleep.

Although, I had no idea how long I slept between being awakened, I was positive that I had no control over my sleep cycles. When the lights went out, I slept. It was probably a safe assumption that one of the myriad of tubes connected to the capsule also injected my system with a drug to make me sleep. Yet, because I never saw anyone else ever look back at me, I felt sure that the occupants of the other capsules weren't waking at the same times as me.

Starting with a tingly feeling in my lower extremities, I gradually realized that I was regaining consciousness again. This time, however, I wasn't in a capsule. Instead, I was lying on a stiff little cot without even the luxury of a blanket. Slowly, I lifted my head and looked around. I was in a large white room containing approximately one hundred other similar cots. Each of these cots in turn was occupied by people in various stages of wakefulness. We were all equally naked, which didn't come as any surprise. Yet, we also seemed to be of the same general age group, somewhere between twenty and thirty years of age. However, not to my dismay in the least, the eldest looking woman that I could see from where I lay didn't appear to be a day over twenty-five.

Looking down at my tingling body, I was rather mildly surprised to see that except for some almost indiscernible scars, which I couldn't swear to not having been there before the crash, there was no evidence of ever having been burned. Yet, what struck me as even more surprising was that my body had not lost any of its former muscle tone. After spending an indeterminable length of time in that capsule, without so much as a hop, skip, or a jump, my muscle tone should have been almost nonexistent. In fact, by now, I should be in need of at least six month's worth of intense, physical therapy. Looking at me, I couldn't remember a time in my life where I had ever looked or felt to be in better shape.

With relative ease, I sat up on the cot and took another look around the room. My joints resisted only slightly, and my vertigo flared as the blood rushed from my head. But these things were normal, and not symptoms of any known malady. If any of these other people had been injured prior to waking up here, they likewise didn't show any evidence of it. Everyone appeared to be in the prime of their lives.

Looking around the room, my heart suddenly started racing, as it dawned on me that Loté might be here among these people. Forcing myself to sit up straighter on the edge of the cot, I strained to peer between and around the others in the room, hoping to see her beautiful and familiar face. Although my muscle tone looked good, there was a definite stiffness in my joints that would need some stretching out. Already, many of the other occupants were already getting to their feet, moving around, and asking questions that only netted them dumb stares in reply.

With a growing urgency to find Loté, I couldn't wait for the tingling in my legs to subside before pushing myself up off the cot and rising to my feet. With the advantage of my height, I was able to see over most of the other people.

As more and more of them found their voices, the noise level rose sequentially, until I could understand some of the questions being asked. The most prevalent question that I heard was, "Where are we?" The next most frequently asked question was, "How did we get here?" Both questions were disturbing, especially when no one was forthcoming with a logical reply.

Despite the dryness deep down in my throat, and the undeniable thirst that I was experiencing, it was time to try my own vocal cords.

"Loté!" I squeaked out, my voice even weaker than I'd expected.

She had to be here somewhere! It only made sense that if I was here, she should be, too. Standing on my toes, I looked out over the heads of the milling people, hoping to catch a glimpse of her shiny black hair. Disappointed, I set off into the crowd, realizing that if I were going to find her, it wouldn't be without a struggle.

Gingerly, I took a step forward. Despite my stiffness, I was delighted to note that my gracefulness hadn't deserted me. At least, I was back to my old self. With renewed vigor, I began pushing my way through the milling people, turning a silent ear toward the questions being thrown at me. I didn't mean to be rude or inconsiderate. After all, we were in this situation together. But until our rescuers, or maybe captors, were ready to tell us where we were and what had happened, it was just conjecture and bullshit that was being exchanged, neither of which was of any real value. Once I find Loté, I'll worry about finding a way out of here and back to where we belonged.

After searching from one end of the room to the other and back again, I felt my first premonition of impending failure. The effort of pushing my way through so many people was beginning to tire me, so I decided to sit on a cot for a minute and catch my breath. Even though, I may look to be the perfect specimen of health, my body was not up to one hundred percent of its former self. Maybe after a good meal and some fresh water, I might beg to differ on that opinion.

While I was sitting, catching my breath and staving off the first pangs of disappointment, I noticed a man of medium height and build working his way toward me. Immediately, my eyes wondered to the woman following close behind him. I was not alone, as the woman was drawing the looks of almost all the other men in the room, too. Although her diminutive height and petite build wasn't much above average, at least not in comparison to the other occupants of the room, her short blonde hair and full sensuous lips decidedly accented her strikingly beautiful features. From behind, she looked as desirable as all the other women in the room. But from the front, she was definitely the most exceptional. Under different circumstances, I would have been instantly attracted to her.

As they drew nearer, I couldn't help but notice how the man appeared to be overly conscious of the other men in the room, and the way they were leering at his woman. Despite being more women in the room than men, none could hold a candle to her. What made this all the more profound was that all the women in the room appeared to be in the prime of their lives, too; I wasn't comparing her to a village of old and decrepit hags.

When they drew closer, I deliberately averted my eyes, pretending not to be noticing of them. In my peripheral vision, however, I noted that their path was unwavering; they were deliberately working their way toward me. Never one to avoid a confrontation, I waited until there wasn't anyone between us, and then I looked up unwaveringly at the man from my sitting position on the edge of the cot. After making eye contact with him, I casually nodded a greeting. The woman stayed close behind him, looking nervous and just a bit afraid as she kept glancing furtively around her, timidly averting her eyes from the lustful stares directed at her.

Like the others in the room, the man, with his broad shoulders and narrow hips, appeared to be in good physical condition. When they were less than two feet from me, they stopped. Not saying a word, he silently looked down, studying me. There was an anxious glint in his eyes as if he were expecting something.

When I couldn't take the silence any longer, I finally asked him, "Do I know you?"

"I don't believe you do," he responded politely, almost reverently. "We have never actually met. However, I believe we know of each other."

"Then you obviously have the advantage," I casually replied, trying to sound relaxed, while my brain shifted into high gear.

"Your hair is shorter now than it was then, and you appear to have aged a few years, to your benefit, I might add. When I last saw you, it was at the finals for the air academy competition. I will never forget the performance you gave us. You beat out all the other competition hands down!" he continued, his demeanor growing more confident by the minute.

"You weren't in the competition, or I am sure that I would remember you," I countered, still not sure where this was leading.

"Oh no, that came several years later. I was among your stoutest fans, cheering you on," he said proudly without sounding belittling of himself.

"My full name and title would be, 'Co-pilot Wary Osgood'." And then, his voice turning solemn, he hesitantly added, "That is, until we crashed and lost our bird." After a brief pause, and feeling a bit embarrassed by his thoughtlessness, he abruptly turned and introduced the woman behind him, "And this is Brae Singh, my woman."

"Captain Rodick, call me Rod. It's a pleasure to meet you, Co-pilot Wary Osgood. And ma'am," I added, bowing my head to her as a sign of respect.

"You can call her Brae, Captain Rodick. And feel free to call me Wary, it's not as if I have a craft to navigate any longer," he said lightly. And then, in a more serious tone, he added, "Do you have any idea where we are or what this is all about?"

"I hate to say it, but I don't know any more than you do. I do have a few suspicions, but I'm afraid they aren't very pleasant," I soberly replied, all the while looking him straight in the eye to avoid staring at his woman. "And you're right; we don't have birds to fly anymore, so please, I insist that you call me Rod, both of you."

"We'd be willing to listen to any ideas you may have, Rod. If memory serves me, you were favored to win because of your quick thinking and natural survival instincts. I'd be interested to know what your instincts are telling you now," he respectfully pried.

I had always prided myself on being a good judge of character, so I was not surprised that I was getting a good feeling about Wary. My instincts told me that if needed, I could trust him; even rely on him in a pinch. Without any further ado, I decided to bring him into my confidence and tell him what I had surmised so far. In return, maybe he could answer some questions for me. Particularly, how did he end up down here, after crashing up there?

"If you don't mind, before I tell you what I know or what I've surmised, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Go ahead," he quickly replied, eager to be of help.

Starting slowly in order to give me time to sort my thoughts, I asked, "Is it your belief that we're beneath the planet's surface?"

Since I wasn't sure exactly how he would react to the question, when he did reply, it was I that was the more surprised.

"Well, of course we are!" he quickly proclaimed, a look of puzzlement alighting on his face.

Not wanting to show him that his response had caught me off guard, I hurriedly pressed on with my next question. "Then how is it that you came to leave the surface? I know you said you crashed, but do you have any idea how long ago that was, and what happened afterwards?"

"Well, the last bit leading up to when we awoke here, in this room, is a little fuzzy, but I'll tell you what came before." He took a deep breath, and then started. "It all began during a routine rescue mission. We had reached our most eastern co-ordinate and I was logging the return co-ordinates into my pilot's navscreen when the engine started sputtering. The system diagnostics pinpointed the problem as being fuel filter related. Because of the ever-increasing problem with water and dirt showing up in the fuel, it happens frequently; we weren't overly concerned at first. As we'd done in the past, I flipped over to the secondary filter, rerouting the fuel through it, and taking the problem out of line. It was a fairly routine operation. Once we returned to base, we would get the mechanics to clean the filter out, and then be on our way. Of course, this is nothing new to an experienced pilot like you," he apologized.

Although Lipton and I had shared similar experiences, much to our good fortune, we'd always managed to make it back to base, even if it was spitting and sputtering the whole way there. Despite his apology for sounding long-winded, I enjoyed listening to his tale. Yet, since we didn't know what was going on, or how long we would have to figure it out, we couldn't waste time on recollections that weren't going to give us the knowledge we desperately needed.

Cutting him off in an effort to speed up his story, I simply stated, "Yes, I know exactly what you're talking about. We also had many problems with the fuel. So, you switched filter lines; what happened next?"

"The problem got worse and the engine quit altogether. In a panic, my pilot reversed blade pitch to slow us as best he could, and then we hit the canopy. The next thing I remember is waking up in Brae's care. She had been assigned to take care of me after a hunting party from her tribe rescued me from the wreckage. When I started feeling better, I was allowed to go on food foraging trips with the women and children. I don't mind telling you, they treated me like a king!"

"Do go on," I softly prodded, growing anxious to hear how they came to be down here.

"During one of our foraging trips into the surrounding jungle, we came upon an opening in the ground. At first, I didn't know what to make of it. But upon a closer inspection, we quickly discovered that it was a manmade shaft, penetrating down through the planet's crust. Even without an intimate knowledge of manmade architecture, I recognized it for what it was. Unlike a dead fissure, with walls that would have been burnt and scorched from hot escaping gasses, these were a smooth, shiny black, very similar to the hard, plastic-type material used in some of the components on our birds. We were so excited by our discovery that despite my weakened condition, we ran all the way back to camp. However, when we told the elders of our find, rather than share in our excitement, they quickly insisted on moving the tribe and leaving the area immediately."

Slowing for a moment, he took a deep breath before continuing. "In vain, I argued with the elders, trying to convince them that we needed to explore the origins of the shaft. At that point, they must have thought that I'd gone mad. There wasn't any reasoning with them. Instead, they relayed old stories and superstitions describing strange things that happened whenever they came across these gateways-to-Hell, as they referred to our find."

"Did they describe exactly what kinds of strange things happened?" I pressed, my interest suddenly piqued.

"Unfortunately, they could only pass on what had been handed down to them, and what there was of it was very skimpy and incomplete, at its best. One thing did stand out, though; they didn't come across these tunnels very often." He paused for a moment to mull over his experience with Brae's elders.

Growing impatient, I furtively glanced at Brae to see if she would add anything. When she remained silent out of respect for Wary, I gently urged him to continue. "Do go on."

Startled from his reverie, he quickly said, "I'm sorry. Anyway, after listening to their individual tales, one thing became prevalent in all of them; all the tales involved the mysterious disappearances of men and women, never children. In every tale relayed to me, each one hinged around the mysterious disappearance of one or more people from the tribe. It was as if they had vanished into thin air, never to be heard from again."

"It was only natural that they would want to get as much distance between themselves and the tunnels," I interrupted. "Especially after you consider the role the tunnels have played in their history. In addition, as I'm sure you've learned through your experiences with all the different tribes you've come across while flying rescue missions, Brae's tribe has many different beliefs and taboos from your own."

"Oh yes," he quickly and emphatically agreed. "Unfortunately, after hearing all of their accounts, I was even more determined to see what that tunnel was and where it led. All their diatribe did was stimulating my interest."

Then, just as quickly as his excitement had flared, it died, his face taking on a somber look before he continued. "To my dismay, I hadn't realized to what extent, Brae had come to believe in me. Instead of letting me explore it on my own, she insisted on accompanying me. It wouldn't be fair of me to continue without adding that I had grown very fond of her, too. Having made up my mind to investigate the tunnel, I wasn't relishing the thought of leaving her behind. So I gave in and agreed to let her come; I said that she could accompany me as long as the going was easy." Looking chagrined, he added. "I realize now that it was a very selfish act on my part. I never should have allowed her to join me, it was much too dangerous!"

"What happened next?" I pressed, not intending to belittle or demean his open display of emotions, but anxious for him to continue, as he was nearing the part of his story that held the most importance to me.

"After traveling nonstop for two full days in absolute darkness, we started running low on supplies, especially torches. After taking a brief respite, in which we sat silently in the dark, I decided that we should turn around and return to the surface. It wasn't easy, having gone so far, only to admit defeat. Yet, for Brae's sake, that was what I was going to do. Unfortunately, we never got the chance. While we rested, unseen forces moved in and took up positions on either side of us. Silently, they laid in the dark, waiting for a signal. Unwittingly, I lit our last torch; that was their signal to attack."

"Attack!" I blurted, unable to contain my excitement. "By who?"

"That's the funny part, we have no idea. One minute, it feels as though we're being shot through with arrows. The pain is intense, and I can hear Brae screaming, so I am sure that she is experiencing the same as I. Then, the next thing we know, we're waking up here. And the strangest part is that there aren't any holes in us!" he cried out, unable to hide the astonishment of his own reply, as he holds his arms out from his sides, looking himself over for wounds.

He mentioned the word attack. That could only mean that he felt the people that had brought them here, were their enemies. With a conscious effort, I studied him anew, trying to determine how much weight I could give his comment. It was only one word, yet it was enough. Attack. Was the choice of that word cognizant on his part, or was it intuitive?

"Do you have any idea how long ago this 'attack' took place?" I asked. And then quickly, before he could answer me, I added, "Are you also positive that you never woke up at any time between then and now, not even for a moment?"

Brae, clearing her throat, and immediately feeling conspicuous by the attention her action drew, said softly, "I think, I woke up once before coming-to here. But I can't say for sure, I might have been dreaming."

With renewed interest, I focused my attention on her. But this time, I was looking beyond the soft, inviting sensuality of her lips. If her awakening was similar to mine, there was a good chance that we weren't going to be seeing the topside of this planet for a long time to come, if ever. Putting the importance of Wary's impression of their capture to the back of my mind, I concentrated instead on the beautiful blonde standing next to him.

"Can you remember any specific details during the time that you woke up before coming-to here? Anything at all?" I asked, waiting anxiously for her reply.

"Well," she started slowly, her nervousness and discomfort increasing by all the attention that was now being directed toward her. "I know this is going to be hard to envision, and it's going to sound even stranger, but I felt as if I was in a womb of some sort. Although, I could see clearly, despite the bright lights, I was unable to move. It was almost as if, I were stuck in a thick bed of mud."

Excited by her description, I prodded her to continue. "Try real hard now. Can you remember anything else?"

"Just that the room looked a lot like this one," she slowly continued, while turning her head to look up and around at the ceiling.

"Yes, exactly what I thought," I softly muttered to myself.

"Thought what?" asked Wary, overhearing me mumbling to myself.

"Oh," I replied, taken aback, "I was just thinking. Give me a minute to chew on it."

Even though I continued to mull over the information that Brae had just put forth, I had already decided that if I were going to find Loté and get us out of this mess, I needed their help. With my gut instinct telling me that I could trust them, it was important that I tell them everything that I know. Maybe, together, we can make some sense out of it all.

Having determined to share my thoughts with them, and sensing their growing impatience with my continued silence, I started, "I have a feeling the attack on the two of you wasn't just a coincidence. In fact, I have a hunch that it's part of a much more elaborate scheme; a scheme with only one purpose, and one goal; to capture men and women!"

While mentioning this last to them, I intently watched the expressions on their faces, looking for a clue that would indicate something to me. What exactly I was looking for, I couldn't say. However, the lack of surprise on Wary's face told me one of two things: either he was already thinking the same thoughts as me; or he had prior knowledge of the circumstances. The latter thought was too unbelievable, and I quickly dismissed it. Thinking on it would prove to be nothing more than a waste of time, eventually leading down pathways that were better left unexplored. My instincts had never led me astray before when it came to people, I determined that they wouldn't this time, either.

Brae, on the other hand, was clearly in denial. Whether she disbelieved my theory, not willing to accept that fellow humans could be so cruel, or if what I'd said was beyond her realm of comprehension, I couldn't be sure. However, I was sure of one thing: whether she believed it or not, she would always remain loyal to Wary. It was obvious that she was deeply in love with him, and he, I had no doubt, felt just as strongly about her.

Quickly, I told them my own story, recapping the events from the time of the crash, until waking up here. Because it might have some relevance to Wary, I was careful not to leave out a description of the material that I'd encountered in the broken shaft. As I concluded my account of the events leading up to this point, I conveyed to them my suspicions of why we were here. Hanging on my every word, Wary was quick to absorb everything I said, never once interrupting me. When I finished, he stood silently rubbing his chin, slowly digesting it all.

After an interminable length of time that in all reality lasted less than ten seconds, he looked me straight in the eye and, taking my hand in his, calmly and emphatically said, "Okay, Captain, you're in charge. Let's find your woman and get the hell out of here. And may God have mercy on anyone that gets in our way!"

Accepting his proffered hand in mine, I returned his gaze, adding a small grin to show my appreciation for the commitment he was offering. "Thank you," I said as sincerely as I could, while grasping his hand with firm pressure. "But she's not here. I've already searched the entire room to no avail."

Releasing my hand, he returned my grin with a confident smile of his own. A secret exchange passed between us that only like minds with a common bond could know. In a manner of speaking, we were both fallen brothers.

Not sounding the least bit resigned, he quickly suggested, "Maybe we should spread out and mingle with some of these other people. There's always the chance that someone will know more than we do about what's going on here."

"Good thinking," I complimented him, understanding that he was doing his best to sound optimistic for my sake. "It's worth a try. Take Brae with you and work your way around to the left. Meanwhile, I'll work my way around to the right. We'll meet on the far side."

"Come on Brae; let's see what we can come up with."

Setting off in our respective directions, I had barely taken two steps when I already heard Wary asking the same two questions everyone else were asking; 'Where are we?' and 'How did we get here?'

In no time at all, I was on the far side of the room, having quickly asked my questions and consistently received the same answer, 'I don't know.'

As I debated whether to remain where I was or continue working my way along the wall, and eventually to a rendezvous with Brae and Wary, they suddenly broke out of a small group of people. Hurrying toward me, excitement clearly lighting up their faces, I felt my heart flutter with anticipation. Was it possible that I had somehow missed Loté in my search and they had found her?

Just as quickly, as my hope had sprung to life, it was squelched; neither Brae nor Wary knew Loté. They could have spoken with her face to face, and would not have been aware of who they were speaking with.

Watching them, I suddenly realized that they had another person in tow, even though it wasn't Loté. Brae was holding tightly to a man's hand, literally dragging him along behind her. Although this new man was taller than she was, he was considerably shorter than Wary. Nevertheless, he shared an instantly recognizable resemblance with the lithe, sumptuous blonde, and it went beyond the striking shade and luster of their hair. Looking flushed and excited, Brae animatedly started talking, even before they were close enough for me to hear her over the din of the milling crowd. Though Wary followed close behind, his own excitement was equally obvious.

"Rod!" yelled Wary excitedly, all but drowning out Brae's animated ramblings.

Oblivious of the looks and attention that he was drawing to himself, he breathlessly continued, only marginally lowering his voice as they drew nearer. "Rod, look who we found! It's Brae's brother, Cos!" Not hesitating to breathe, he hurriedly continued, "He says he followed us into the tunnel to keep an eye on us. Like us, he too was attacked and captured."

Having reached me, Brae reluctantly released her brother's hand, and only then, so that she could cling tighter to his broad, muscular torso. She hung onto him as if it were a matter of life and death. In addition to her normal brotherly-sisterly affection, she was beaming with pride at the way that he had gone against the elders of their tribe; he had braved the perils of the tunnel to be her protector!

Standing nearer to him, I could see that he was a good six inches shorter than I was. Yet, he weighed in at more than twice my own weight; he was built like an ox. Like everyone else here, he had little body fat, just a heavy layer of muscle mass. My first impression of him was that he would make a very formidable opponent; I was immediately glad that he was going to be on our team. On a lighter note, I couldn't help but notice that the leering looks that Brae had been receiving prior to meeting up with Cos were being made much more discreetly, and the off-color remarks had stopped altogether.

"I'm glad to meet you, Cos," I said, offering him my hand.

With little more than a grunt, he took my proffered hand in his and squeezed. He didn't shake it, as was customary on Heälf, he just squeezed. Immediately, I realized that the only way that I would make an impression on this hulk of a man would be if I squeezed back. However, with each increase of pressure that I applied, he obligingly increased the pressure of his own grip. If it became his intention, he would easily break every bone in my hand. Yet, he applied only enough pressure to impress me with a little pain.

"Did you learn anything that we didn't already know?" I asked, releasing Cos's hand and turning my attention back to Wary, all the while trying hard not to show the pain that was emanating from my discolored fingers.

"Only that I think your theory is the most sound one that I've heard yet. If we're going to make a break for it, we need to find a way out of this room first." Turning in a half-circle, he added, "Hell, I can't even tell where the doors are, if there are any!"

"They're sliding doors," I quickly informed him, realizing that I hadn't conveyed as complete a tale of my misfortunes as I'd believed. "They're built into the walls. There are probably switches to control them, but I'm not sure where or how they work. Nevertheless, if we feel our way along the walls, we should be able to find them; there must be a small fracture where the door adjoins the wall. If we split up into two groups, we can cover twice as much area in the same amount of time. Also, we'll work in opposite directions. That way we won't miss any of the walls," I hurriedly suggested, suddenly feeling optimistic. As an afterthought, I added, "By the way, if you can help it, don't let on to what you're doing or draw any more attention than is absolutely necessary. If you see anything at all, stay put until we can work our way around to you. We'll do likewise. Cos, you come with me."

Cos didn't budge. Instead, he turned to Wary for instructions.

Seeing the discomfort on his face, Wary quickly responded, "It's all right, Cos. Go with Rod. We'll meet you around the other side. I won't let Brae out of my sight, I promise."

Though he was still uneasy, Cos reluctantly sulked along behind me as I set off to the right. Working slowly, I meticulously searched the wall, checking it from floor to ceiling. We had almost reached the far side of the room when I noticed something that looked like nothing more than a mar on the otherwise perfectly smooth surface. Stopping suddenly, Cos bumped into me from behind, almost knocking me off my feet. Grunting what sounded vaguely like an apology, he continued standing on his tiptoes, trying vainly to see his sister through the milling throngs of people.

Although the hum of conversation was steadily growing louder as more people got over their initial shock, the milling about was slowing down, as small groups of people were beginning to take shape. It was a natural progression of things; individuals were flocking together in search of answers and support, and maybe even a little leadership.

With mounting excitement, I quickly refocused my attention on the wall, and the unmistakable mar in it that had caught my attention. To the naked eye, it looked like little more than a run in the paint. However, unlike the components in my late flying machine, these walls were made with the color molded directly into them at the time of manufacture; they didn't have any paint on them that could run. What's more, there weren't any visible seems where the floor or the ceiling met the walls. Even the corners were devoid of joints. It was almost as though the entire room had been constructed in a giant mold. However, I quickly dismissed that train of thought, as the likelihood of such manufacturing was remote.

More likely, the cavern had been excavated first. Then, while the white plastic resin was still soft and pliable, it had been sprayed onto the walls, floor, and ceiling. In addition, this construction theory also explained the recessed lighting, similar to what I had encountered when I first entered the hallways. Fleetingly, I wondered how long ago that had been.

Running my hand over the imperfection, I immediately noticed something that couldn't be seen by the naked eye; the surface to the left of the mar was considerably cooler than that to the right. This had to be a door, and it probably wasn't going to be long before someone came through it. Even before I could savor the excitement of my discovery, a plan was already taking shape in my mind. It wasn't much of a plan, but with nothing more than our naked bodies and a multitude of lightweight cots, I had a hunch that Wary and his friends weren't going to be coming up with anything better.

Unable to reign in my anxiety, I turned to Cos and, in a hushed toned so as not to draw attention, whispered, "Go get the others. And Cos, tell them that unless they found something, to hurry, we may not have much time left."

With little more than a grunt of acknowledgment, he hurried off through the crowd, his anxiety over being separated from his sister, having become almost unbearable to him.

Taking my eyes from his departing backside, I slowly looked around at my fellow prisoners. Immediately, I was struck by how few of them had remained standing after their initial shock of waking up in this strange room. The majority had dragged their cots together in small groups, resigning themselves to waiting for our captors to make their inevitable appearance. If our captors and I preferred to think of them as our captors, were waiting for everyone to recover from their sleep, their wait was over. Looking around, I could tell that everyone was now awake. At any moment, they would be here.

Growing anxious, I quickly returned my attention to the wall. It wasn't enough that I had found the imperfection and discovered the variation in temperature, it was important that I know more before the others arrived.

Being careful, so as not to attract attention to myself, I slowly turned back to face the wall. With an act like that born of frustration, I savagely slammed my fist against the drip mark, pulling up at just the right moment to avoid breaking bones. Despite my effort, pain shot through my knuckles, exploding with a terrible ferocity in my wrist. Though my hand hurt like hell, it was worth every agonizing second of it.

In order to get a closer look at the mar in the wall to determine if my pain was truly justified, I slowly sank to my knees while placing my palms flat against the surface just above my head. It was the best act of utter discouragement and defeat that I was capable of portraying.

Upon seeing the hairline crack caused by the blow of my fist, I almost cried aloud with joy. A hairline fracture, running perfectly perpendicular to the floor, now clearly marked the imperfection. I had found a door, or at least a possible exit!

"Rod! What's wrong?" Wary cried out upon seeing me hunched down with my face pressed against the wall.

"Are you all right?" he asked again, leaning down beside me, worry and concern all but hiding his natural good looks.

Taking care not to turn my head, I whispered so that only he could hear me, "Don't stand up, and don't say anything, but when I move my right hand, take a close look beneath it."

When I was sure that he understood what I was trying to convey, I casually moved my hand to his back, a motion that looked as if he were consoling me. Almost immediately, I heard a slight exclamation escape his lips.

Having seen what I wanted him to see, he helped me to my feet like a fallen comrade, nobody being the wiser. The few prisoners standing near us assumed that I was suffering from a nervous breakdown brought on by all the stress. After a few noncommittal looks in our direction, they quickly went back to their own concerns while turning away and giving us room. It's the same in every society; nobody wants to know the mentally feeble.

"Let's find a place to sit," I suggested, nodding toward the nearest group of deserted cots.

As we approached them, other prisoners sitting in the vicinity smiled nervously at us before hurriedly getting up and moving farther away; no one wanted to get involved with the man that was going nuts, namely me.

With Cos and I sharing a cot, Brae and Wary sat facing us from another. We were surrounded by at least one empty cot on every side, giving us ample privacy as long as we kept our voices low.

"I have a plan to get us out of here," I said softly, stressing the urgency that I could feel mounting within me. "It's only half-baked, and it's very risky. Moreover, it's going to take all of us to pull it off. Are you with me?"

Wary looked to Brae first, and then to Cos before answering, "If the options are what I think they are, we're in this to the end."

"Good," I replied, nodding my head and making eye contact with each of them in turn. If we had any inclination of where our bond would take us, would we still make it so willingly? I didn't know the answer to that, because I didn't know where we were heading. But I knew it was important to show them my appreciation of their commitment. We had just formed a pact with each other. It was informal, spontaneous, and unceremonious, but it tied us to each other with a bond stronger than the strongest iron chain. "Here's my plan. The beauty of it lies in its simplicity."

With the growing feeling that we were running out of time, I quickly outlined my idea. Due to our obvious lack of weapons, the whole thing hinged on what we did possess, the element of surprise. The plan was simply to take up stations on either side of the door, or what we believed to be a door, and act casually until it opened, if it opened. There was always the possibility that there were more doors, and our captors would enter through another, leaving us with no option except to wait for another opportunity.

However, we were gambling that it would open, since we had nothing to lose. When our captors enter, we plan to jump them, hopefully overpowering them before they can react. Though we didn't discuss it, we fully expect them to be armed. Although we couldn't predict their weaponry, we knew that the difference between our success and failure, hinged entirely on our speed and agility. Fortunately, we were all in the prime of our lives.

Unsure whether Cos would leave his sister's side for a second time, I paired him up with Brae and positioned the two of them on the right side of the fracture. I would have preferred Wary and I on opposite sides of the door, since I viewed him as an equal in both fighting ability and quick thinking. But that wasn't going to be.

Next, I felt along the surface of the wall until the temperature changed, thereby determining the approximate size of the opening; it was just less than six feet across. With that done, all we could do was wait; wait, and pray the gods were with us down here.

We didn't have a long wait. No sooner had we taken up our positions then the wall started sliding back in on itself. Looking on with a racing heart, I realized that even if we'd been blessed with a cache of weapons, we couldn't fully prepare for the unknown. Whatever was going to happen next was going to happen. Either the gods were with us, or they weren't!

### **6**

Since the cord securing me to Rod had been slack from the start, I was not concerned by the amount of tension, or rather the lack thereof, that I was currently experiencing. Soon after entering the sloping cavity beneath the giant chunk of 'alloy', at least, that is what Rod had called the dense material suspended over our heads, the eerie moonglow that normally swathed the habitable side of Heälf quickly dwindled into nothingness. We hadn't gone very far, when the darkness grew so intense, it was impossible to see your hands, even when you held them right in front of your face.

And, although I was still feeling hurt and infuriated by Rod's callous and uncaring actions that he'd displayed toward me on the bank, I knew it wouldn't be long before I'd find it in my heart to forgive him. After all, it wasn't his fault that he was the child prodigy of heathen parentage. Even if they had any respectable or moral beliefs, he couldn't help having been raised according to them. In a rather sad sort of way, he didn't really do anything that his ungodly upbringing found morally wrong. Furthermore, in his defense, when I insisted that he stop, he did.

Despite the cold, clammy sweat beading on my forehead, and the loud hammering of my heart in my chest, I was determined to keep my fears to myself; Rod wasn't the only one around here with an over abundance of pride. Just as surely, as I was grateful that we had tied ourselves together, I was equally sure that he was having his own second thoughts about using this route. However, in the same way that I was determined not to let him see my fear, he was equally determined not to admit to his own. His pride was such that it would never allow him to turn around and back out.

Maybe if I pleaded with him, even going so far as to apologize for my earlier behavior, maybe then he would change his mind. Or maybe, if I showed him how truly frightened of the place I was, he could suggest that we turn around, and his pride and courage wouldn't be drawn into question. This show of bravery on his part had gone on long enough. It was time to put an end to it, we couldn't afford for his stupid pride to continue getting in the way of common sense and better judgment. After all, if I weren't with him, would he have embarked on this cold and dreary path? Answering my own question with another, I thought silently to myself, if I weren't with him, would he even be in this dangerous place?

He is in love with me; I can see it in his eyes and in his clumsy, yet cute way that he moves when I am near him. But even more important, I know it is safe for me to trust in that love, even if I am not yet ready to show him just how much I genuinely care for him in return. Soon, though, my heart tells me that I will reciprocate his feelings toward me.

But first, we must find my parents. Only then, will I be ready to settle down and rejoin society. Dare I let myself imagine what it will be like having an ex-pilot for a mate?

Although we barely know each other, my intuition tells me that I can trust him. In fact, I have no doubts that he will willingly lay his life down for mine, that is just his nature. Nevertheless, I will never allow that to happen; I will kill myself first.

As we slowly proceeded forward, I couldn't help but notice a strange taste developing on the tip of my tongue, and then slowly growing sharper as it spread to the back of my throat. My first thoughts turned toward the last food that I had eaten, and if I might be suffering from a bad taste that it left behind. Thinking back to the creature that we killed in the pond, I started second-guessing our decision to eat of it. Yet, while I wondered if we had done the right thing in eating from the ugly creature, my common sense was telling me that the taste in my mouth wasn't from bad meat. Instead of the burning sensation that emanated from deep within the throat, this taste had started in my mouth, and was only now working its way down my throat, not the other way around. It was also, much more reminiscent of bitter fruit, something that might not be ripe, for instance.

Discarding the notion that the discomfort in my throat was being caused by the strange food that we had eaten, I noticed for the first time that my eyes were also burning. Swiping at them with the back of my arm, my breath suddenly caught in my chest. With a racing heart, I realized that it was quickly becoming harder to breathe. Fighting down a rapidly rising panic, I consoled myself with the thought that Rod would have pulled on the cord and alerted me if anything were seriously wrong. However, since the cord was still slack, he must be keeping pace with me.

Besides, I thought quietly, trying hard to convince myself that I wasn't in any real danger so long as the suspended alloy didn't collapse on us, we had to be awful damn close to the midway point by now!

"Ouch!" I suddenly cried out, jamming my foot against a jagged piece of rock protruding upward from the floor. Unable to stop my forward momentum, I barely got my hands out in front of me in time to break my fall. Quickly, I rolled over into a sitting position and examined the source of my pain. With a moan escaping my lips, I felt the telltale signs of blood; a warm stickiness oozed through my fingers. Even without benefit of seeing the damage to my foot in the dark, I knew by the amount of fiery pain that it was serious. And although, I held the affected area in my hands, the wound continued to burn as if it were on fire. The tender flesh now exposed to the open air was reacting much more as if burnt, than stubbed.

Despite the pain in my foot, a new pain began to register on my numbed senses; where my hands and knees had been scraped raw in the fall, a terrible fire was beginning to work on the exposed nerve endings.

Rolling over onto my side, I pulled the loose end of the cord toward me, noting with mounting anxiety its frayed and disintegrating condition as it practically crumbled in my hands. It was as if I had left it unprotected, exposed to the rotting humidity of the jungle; I knew better.

Slowly, fighting down a rising sense of panic, the realization that I wasn't tied to Rod any longer began to sink in. With it came a new and terrible fear, one that quickly diminished my prior trepidations concerning the precarious perch upon which this mammoth chunk of alloy sat poised. No longer did the cool darkness or what evil creatures might be lurking in it seem important. Suddenly, the only thing that mattered was Rod, and where was he!

"Rod! Rod!" I cried out, barely able to generate more than a raspy whisper through my parched and cracking throat.

Panicked thoughts suddenly raced through my head. Thoughts such as Rod telling me he was turning back and not realizing that we weren't tied together anymore.

Fueled with an anxious resolve, I set out to find him. At this very moment, he might be stumbling around in the dark, possibly even injured, while frantically searching for me! He would never have knowingly left me behind; he cared too much for me to leave me here alone.

A new thought suddenly blazed across my mind: was it possible that he had passed me in the dark without realizing he had? But if he did, should I go back the way we came? No, that wouldn't be right. I must keep moving forward, it's what Rod would expect me to do. If I keep going in this direction, we should come out near each other on the far side. Surely, that is where he'll expect me to be. I must keep moving forward.

With my mind reeling in and out of focus, and my eyes completely useless in the dark, I began struggling forward with renewed effort. The pain in my foot was gradually becoming a distant abstract distraction of less and less importance, as conscious thoughts flashed randomly in and out of focus.

One thought, however, became a steady obsession: I wish we had made love when we'd had the opportunity. I never should have stopped him when I did! If only, I'd had the sense to void myself of my archaic beliefs, and told him just how much I loved him. I never should have stopped him from doing what came so natural. Why did I stop him when it felt so right at the time? Why? I have never felt this way about a man before, nor have I ever wanted a man as badly as I want him. Where are you Rod?

Just as quickly, as I'd castigated myself, a new thought jumped to the forefront of my mind, instantly vanquishing the one before it. Now my mind is flashing to the far past, all the way back to a time when I am just a small girl.

Almost as if I am dreaming it, I can see myself playing beneath a canopy of low, overhanging branches, each limb adorned with large, waxy-green leaves. Clearer than a dream, I am seeing through the innocent eyes of my childhood. My heart is pounding in my chest as the fear of prior knowledge of what is coming starts drowning out my other thoughts, literally flooding over them. "Please, Rod, for God's sake, you have to get me out of here! Please, don't let me remember this!"

My pleading is of no use, as the scene continues to unfold before my eyes. From my vantage place beneath the limb, I can see the rest of my tribe going about their normal routines and duties. Some are preparing food and dressing meat for our continual journey west, while still others patch the hides that cover our lashed-together-sticks, which serve as the frameworks for our homes. As it is our custom, we have stopped for a few days to make provisions and rest up before continuing. These few days of rest are always a welcome respite from the continual trek westward. If the hunting is good, there will be much celebrating and gorging. Everyone is aware that when the trek starts again, there won't be time for anything else. When the respite is over, an occasion that always seems too fleeting, we will return to our forced march until we are once again well ahead of the rising sun. Then, we will stop and repeat it all over; it is a never-ending cycle that all the inhabitants of Heälf have to bare if they wish to survive.

While I watch the activities with dreamy calm, the tranquility is suddenly shattered! With a racing heart, the apprehension of what is to come becomes almost more than I can bear. A loud rumble swiftly erupts from the jungle directly across the camp from me. Without warning, a pack of wild, dog-like creatures come storming out of the undergrowth, leaping upon anything and anyone that moves. Instinctively remaining quiet, I crouch even lower against the moss-covered ground, watching in horror as my friends and fellow tribe members are caught off guard by the ferociousness of the attacking beasts.

My father is among the first of the warriors to reach their weapons. However brave, though they are, they are sorely overwhelmed. Despite their valiant efforts to save the unarmed and defenseless members of our tribe, the doglike creatures quickly exact a heavy toll, leaving many of the camp's inhabitants maimed, dead, or dying.

Fortunately, the battle is short lived, as more warriors retrieve their weapons, and by sheer courage and fortitude, beat the creatures back into the jungle. Many lives are lost that day, but my father stands without so much as a scratch. All the blood he wears was exacted from the marauding creatures.

My mother was not so fortunate. One of the creatures had pounced on her from behind as she ran for safety, breaking her back on impact. My father never forgave himself for allowing harm to come to her, his wife, and lover. Without his knowing it, I watched him make a secret vow to the gods that day; if he should ever leave my mother unguarded or unattended again for as long as he should live, may the gods strike him down without pity on his soul!

He didn't have to leave the tribe when he did; nor did I. But my mother needed us. Now, I need Rod!

Barely conscious, I was finding it increasingly difficult to maintain my bearings. Bearings that normally came as natural as breathing were deserting me when I needed them most.

Suddenly, the ground fell away before me. Before I could catch myself, I was free falling into nothingness. Surely, I must have lapsed into another dream. There was a brief feeling of vertigo followed by a complete absence of sensation. There was no trauma associated with landing, or a crushing impact. There was just nothingness.

Waking came slow. Groggily, I tried turning my head, but I couldn't move. There was a bright light shining down on my face, glaring directly into my eyes. It was neither possible to see beyond the brightness of the light, nor could I turn my head away from it. Reflexively, I tried to raise my hand to cover my eyes, but they were too heavy, I couldn't move them. Almost immediately, my eyes began to water and blur from the sheer intensity of the light.

"Please, the light, it's hurting," I complained, but nothing came out, not even a whisper. Determined to make myself heard, I tried again, asking, "Where am I?" Yet, again, nothing came out. Was it possible that I was deaf?

Someone touched me; though I was unable to move, feeling was returning to my extremities.

Again, I felt it; someone was definitely touching me below the waist. They, or he, were inspecting my feet. It was then that I realized my foot didn't hurt anymore. In fact, to my amazement, nothing hurt anymore; neither the bruised, burning skin on the front of my knees and shins, nor the bloody wound on my foot. None of it hurt anymore! A brief wave of panic washed over me as the thought that I might be paralyzed crossed my mind. Just as swiftly, I admonished myself for being so silly; how could I have feelings in my body if I were paralyzed? My mother didn't, of that I was certain.

Even with the return of such rational thought, I couldn't wholly put the fear to rest. Each case could be different. Couldn't it?

My thoughts came bounding back to the present when the person deliberately touched the soft delicate folds of skin between my upper thighs. While I was worrying over whether or not I was paralyzed, they had slowly worked their way up to my vagina. Unable to move or protest their intentions, I was resigned to lying passive while they did what they did.

Much to my dismay and irritation, I was finding their inspection to be very thorough. In fact, their inspection was getting much too thorough. If I could have moved, I never would have lied still for it, even if it were for my own good. Yet, though I found myself unable to move, my concern about being paralyzed was quickly being supplanted with a more intense concern for my dignity. After using what I believed to be their fingers to inspect the exterior, they were now using an instrument of some nature to probe within, or at least, I prayed it was an instrument of some nature. However, because the size of it so closely resembled that of a large male penis, I forced myself to believe that it was an instrument of some sort; it had to be an instrument of some sort! I stubbornly refused to allow myself to believe that it could be anything else.

With a slow, steady rhythm, they moved the instrument ever deeper, using a gyrating motion and working it from side to side and around, always being careful not to force it. The motion was very exhilarating, and I quickly found myself growing excited, though I sensed this wasn't the perpetrator's intent. After having endured so much pain, this new sensation was very welcome. Briefly, I wondered if Rod would have made me feel this good.

Then, very slowly, in sharp contrast to my breathing, it was gently removed and the inspection continued, a combination of hands and instruments running over the rest of my body. Before the feeling had even begun to subside, I was already admonishing myself for allowing my animal drive to get the better of me. How could I have let myself go so easily? What would Rod think of my weak resistance, or how I'd just reacted?

I know what he would think; he would think that I was a wanton whore, easily succumbing to everything that was easy and felt good! Was it possible that I had become a veritable slave to my flesh?

Although I was slowly and groggily waking, the light suddenly went out, plunging me into darkness. Almost immediately, I returned to sleep, the last few minutes having left me weak and exhausted.

I awoke with a start! Shooting upright, my eyes spinning out of focus from my sudden movement, slowly settled into place. The first question that came to mind was, "Where am I?" They must have moved me while I slept, because the bright, blinding lights had been replaced with soft, recessed lighting that illuminated a large, all white room. Looking around, I quickly observed many rows of cots. Each cot held a person, some sleeping, some in varying stages of wakefulness.

Looking down at my foot, I expected the worse. To my surprise, there wasn't any sign of my prior wound; no evidence whatsoever that I'd ever injured it. In fact, my whole body looked and felt as fresh and healthy as it ever had before. Nothing remained of the bumps, bruises, and scrapes that I knew were there, or any evidence they ever were. My mind quickly posed the question, what was going on here.

Looking around, I noticed that others in the room were also checking themselves over as they awoke. The looks of confusion and bewilderment on their faces were obvious, as they too seemed to be discovering that none of their previous injuries existed any longer.

A sudden insight shot through my mind, was it possible that we'd all died and were now experiencing the afterlife?

Sitting on a cot next to my own, I noticed a man staring back at me. His stare made the small hairs on the back of my neck stand on end; I suddenly felt uneasy.

"Do you know where we are or how we got here?" I asked of him, not really expecting him to know or even give me an answer, but only wanting to show him that he didn't intimidate me.

"For my part, I think I've died and gone to heaven," he replied, his eyes visually devouring me.

The intensity of his gaze made my skin crawl. I'd seen his kind before, always with the same black thoughts on their perverted minds. Determined not to let him feel superior, which he wasn't, I met his gaze, all the while studying his large, flabby body, evermore convinced that it belied his true strength. He was very well endowed, sporting a penis that was overly large, even for a man of his size. It was also erect, adding to its already grotesque nature. Moreover, it was aimed right toward me, almost as though it were daring me. Reading his thoughts with ease, I knew immediately what he had on his mind.

"You couldn't get so lucky," I said, nodding toward his swollen member.

He gave me the heebie-jeebies, and I needed to get away from him before things got out of hand. Glancing around the room, I quickly ascertained that it held approximately fifty people, all in varying stages of wakefulness. Some were already milling about, breaking into small groups, and creating a low din of noise as they voiced their questions. Most, however, were wearing blank stares on their faces as the shock of their new surroundings sank in.

Looking for a friendlier face than the one that was currently staring at me, I was quick to notice three women standing separate from everyone else. Without any hesitation, I decided to join them. Maybe, I could learn something new. This guy wasn't going to shed any light on our circumstances, of that I was sure.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to see if anyone else around here knows what's going on," I stated flatly while starting to rise.

"I don't think you understand my intentions, woman," he growled, also rising to tower over me.

With his right hand cradling his penis, he reached out with his left and grabbed my shoulder, digging his thick fingers into my flesh and forcing me back down to the cot. I hadn't overestimated his strength in the least. The large rowels and flab concealed an infrastructure of solid muscle. He was a man that was used to getting his way through the use of brute force.

"I'm sorry, I misunderstood you," I said, using my best 'meek' voice. "Let me make it up to you," I continued, pretending to be overwhelmed by his manly prowess.

Taking his now throbbing member in my hands, I slowly and gently began to caress it. Confident that he had put me in 'my place', he let go of my shoulder and reached for my head with both of his large, beefy paws, unwittingly playing right into my little plan.

Moving quickly, before he could pull away, I inserted the tip of his cock in my mouth. Before he realized what I was up to, I snapped down on it with my teeth.

Screaming like a baby, he instantly let go of my head, grabbing his quickly diminishing, and blood-spewing member with both hands. Casually, I rose to my feet, and looked him in the eye. Then, just as casually, I spit the tip of his bloodied cock into his face. Turning, I slowly, and with deliberation, walked toward the three women standing by the wall. Like everyone else in the room, they too had turned in my direction, their attention drawn by the slob's bloodcurdling scream.

"You know how to make an impression," said the one in the middle.

She was a tall, beautiful blonde, with full, shapely hips, and a pair of the largest, firmest-looking breasts that I'd ever seen on a woman that wasn't lactating. The escapade between the fat man and me must have sexually aroused her, judging by the erectness of her large, pink nipples.

"My name is Rhone," she continued, a clear introduction, though she didn't extend her hand.

Although it wasn't customary for women to shake hands, I still sensed an underlying hostility in her voice and overall demeanor. Here was a woman that was used to being the center of attention, and I had just stolen the scene. Judging by the venom in the look she gave me, I'd already made more than one enemy here, and we had just arrived.

"I'm Loté," I replied, matching her cool tone of voice.

No one had ever intimidated me before and this woman wasn't going to be the first. Coolly, I nodded to the two women standing to either side of her. They were shorter, and not as well endowed as either Rhone or I, yet pleasing to the eye in their own way. Both were mousy-colored brunettes with nondescript eye color; they put me in mind of a couple of henchmen. It was of no surprise that their types would be drawn to the stronger personality of someone like Rhone. Their insecurities demanded that they follow someone with a take-charge type of personality, since they had an inability to make decisions for themselves. Because they would do her bidding without giving it a second thought, I would have to watch my back around them.

"Any idea as to what's going on around here?" I asked, trying to sound subservient and friendly, since I didn't want to instigate any more trouble than I already had.

"My guess is that we were either rescued or captured, and judging from the lack of doors in this room, I'm leaning toward the latter," answered Rhone, sounding very nonchalant. Her tone of voice was meant to say that it wasn't worth worrying over. Yet, I knew this act of bravado was just a defensive mechanism that belied her real concern; she was just a damn sight better at concealing it than most.

Catching Rhone and her two friends off guard, the wall directly behind them suddenly slid into itself, making a slight swishing sound as it did. If it hadn't been for the immediate barrage of soldiers that came charging through, all three of them would have fallen backwards through the opening.

Hurrying to step aside and avoid the onslaught, I was quickly prodded with the blunt end of a spear, brutally forcing me away from the wall, and back toward the center of the room. While moving quickly to stay ahead of the soldiers, and avoid tripping over the scattering cots, I managed hurried glances over my shoulder. I was immediately stunned by the sight of so much iron. All of the advancing men were adorned in brightly polished metal breastplates, each of which bore the same insignia. Although the crest made no impression on me one way or the other, the mere fact that they possessed such a lavish amount of metal was more than breathtaking.

Unfortunately, there was too much commotion and confusion for me to give it much thought, as I dodged the blunt end of their spears while trying to discern the cacophony of their commands. In the bedlam, it was all that I could do, just to stay on my feet. Spreading out as they came in, the ruffians, as I'll call them for lack of knowing more, quickly herded the room's occupants together near the center, many screaming, and falling over cots in the chaos. Those that fell or tripped were immediately kicked and prodded back to their feet by the ruffians. It was obvious from the onset that they were being careful not to do any real harm.

Cots were being scattered and thrown in every direction as the soldiers made threatening gestures and herding motions with leveled spears. In a flash across my mind, I sensed that this was a routine operation for them. In truth, we were nothing more than a herd of animals.

They were doing much too good of a job at keeping everyone confused and off balance until they had us bunched together in the center of the room. In less than a minute, the ruffians had done their job, leaving us scared and intimidated at the center of the room. In addition, though the cots were scattered in what appeared to be a random array of disarrangement, they were discriminately arranged so that they left no clear aisle leading back to the opening through which the ruffians had entered. Huddled together, a tangible anxiety mixed with nervous tension befell us as we waited for what was going to happen next.

To our somewhat troubled relief, the wait turned out to be a short one. With everyone now bunched together in a tight group, the ruffians hurriedly cleared the tangle of cots aside to make room for a small entourage of men that was entering through the same entrance.

Leading the group was a pompous-looking, obese fellow dressed in a shiny blue, calf-length robe. This, in and of itself, would have been enough to draw attention to him, simply because of the finely woven fabric that it was made of. But in addition to the fine robe, he was further adorned in precious gems and beads, many of which, I was unable to identify, having never seen anything like them before.

Where the affluence of the robe ended, the striking shine of heavy metal bangles secured to his wrists and his ankles began. Although I couldn't name most of the gems and stones that were embroidered into his robe and hanging from his pierced ears, the bangles were clearly fashioned from one of the rarer, more precious metals to be found on the planet. Here was a man that was most definitely of the wealthy class, despite the savage company that he kept.

Two very unsavory looking men with an air of authority were following close on his heels, studying us as if we were nothing more than livestock. While the first man had been flamboyant and obese, these two were much more practical.

The first man, though of medium build and stature, was dark and swarthy complexioned. Across the oily features of his face was a broad, extruded nose. Some would have been quick to describe it as hawkish. Yet, in my opinion, it only made him appear as a vulture, a creature that ate carrion and excreted feces through its skin. This look was further enhanced by his slicked down mat of dark hair. From either side of his upper lip dangled a thick strand of oily black hair. The remainder of his face was cleanly shaved.

The second man, unlike the first, was much more athletically built, carrying considerably more mass and several additional inches in height. Unlike the swarthy man, who was dressed in dark, silky fabrics, this man wore soft leather leggings with a closely matching leather shirt. Both garments were adorned with leather cords tightly braided throughout to add to its overall thickness and durability. His clothing was a distinct compliment in both color and texture to his flowing, blondish hair and chest-length beard.

However, it wasn't his fine array of clothing that instantly caught my attention. Although, compared to the few garments that I'd seen in my life, these three totally outshone them all. No, what was of even more interest and import was the fact that the big man wearing leather was also sporting a gun. Never having seen but one gun in my entire life, I couldn't be sure, but I had the intuitive feeling that the gun strapped to this man's hip had once belonged to Rod.

My heart instantly leaped into my throat at this thought, as I realized that it could only mean one thing; Rod was here! Somehow, he must have followed me.

Just as quickly as the excitement set in, so did the dread. If that is indeed Rod's gun, did he kill Rod to get it? As quickly, as this new thought entered my mind, I extinguished it. I wouldn't let myself believe that this man, despite his extreme size and build, was capable of killing Rod, not now, not ever!

"Listen up, my friends!" yelled the fat man in the outlandish robes. "My name is Keazar. As you have probably figured out by now, I've had the pleasure of saving your lives. It was no big deal, and I am sure that you will understand exactly what I mean soon enough. But I am not here to enlighten you on that aspect. Instead, I am here to explain what you owe me in exchange for this small favor that I granted you. To be blunt, you will be indebted to me for a period of ten earth-years." There was a group inhalation of breaths, and he paused for a moment, while his words sank in. When silence returned, he quickly continued. "Now that might seem like a long time, but I am sure that you will find it to pass very quickly. Since I don't have need of your services myself, these two gentlemen have purchased those ten years from me, and will be taking you to your new homes. What they wish of you is none of my business, but," he paused briefly for effect before continuing, "If you do not obey them, and shall we say, satisfy their every need, they can and probably will return you to me. If that happens, and I pray for your sakes that it does not, I will judge you to determine whether you can be retrained or not. If I deem that you cannot be retrained to fit into another environment, I am afraid that you will be disposed of."

He left that last thought lingering in the air for a moment before going on. In essence, what he had just told us was that we had been indentured into slavery.

After waiting for the murmurs to die down, he continued by gesturing toward the dark swarthy fellow. "This gentleman to my right is Lord Balzar. He has been generous enough to purchase several of you for work in his domain. The gentleman on my left is Lord Thar. Lord Thar has purchased the remainder of you for work in his lucrative metal mines. I am sure that you will adjust quite well to your new homes, but please, don't forget what I told you about being returned."

While he was speaking, several more men entered carrying iron shackles draped over their arms. While the first group of ruffians stood at the ready with their spears leveled, the latter began shackling the men together. When they were finished with the men, Lord Thar pointed toward several of the women, which they then proceeded to shackle with the men. It didn't take long to see the pattern that had formed; all the men, and now all the larger, stronger-looking women, were shackled together. The use of iron to bond people together seemed like a lavish use of iron, when there was an abundance of cord to be had.

When the sound of metal clanking together and the bound captives fell into a hush, Keazar went on to say, "These soldiers will see to your needs along your journey. Please obey them and do as they ask."

As he spoke, a column of men wearing metal breastplates and bearing spears entered the room. Their crests matched the small metal crest stitched into Lord Thar's shirt. Yet, even more astonishing than the fact that they belonged to an organized military force, were the sheathed weapons strapped uniformly over their right hips. The protruding hilts were most definitely that of a knife-type weapon, while the concealed blades appeared to reach all the way down to their knees! If they were indeed long-knives, they would be the ultimate weapons. She could feel herself drooling at the thought of possessing such an extravagant piece of iron.

Her thoughts quickly came back to reality, and the realization that they were captives of an army of soldiers.

Lord Thar, after nodding his approval and briefly shaking hands with Keazar, turned and led the way from the room with his soldiers herding their charges along in a single file column behind him.

After they'd left the room and were marching down the hallway, only ten women remained behind, standing huddled together in the center of the room. No sooner had the last of Lord Thar's procession moved out of sight, than two more soldiers bearing a different emblem on their breastplates, entered the room. Between them, they were carrying just the right number of shackles to accommodate the remaining ten women. Without delay, they proceeded to chain us together in like fashion.

During all this, Keazar stood off to one side, guarded by the original contingent of men with spears. While he looked on at the proceedings, an unwavering smile adorned his cherub face. When the soldiers had finished chaining the last of us together, Lord Balzar nodded to Keazar, turned on his heel, and led the way out through the door with his new entourage. Keazar silently turned to follow our progress with his eyes, watching intently as we left him behind.

Meanwhile, his soldiers let down their guard, some already reclining at his feet. They could have been well-trained dogs for all the emotion and intelligence they displayed. They had just done their duty, and would now be rewarded in some fashion.

The shackles seemed like an immense waste of such a valuable material, when braided cords would have been equally effective. Of course, the sight of such vast amounts of iron was more than enough to offset their dour purpose, and I'm sure that little tidbit wasn't lost on our captors.

We were hurriedly shuffled along, being led down well-lit hallways constructed of the same material as the room we had just left. After several hours of shuffling along the hallway, Lord Balzar suddenly stopped and inserted a small flat disk into a slot in the wall that was invisible to the naked eye. With a whoosh, a smooth white panel slid aside, revealing a small white room beyond.

Standing aside and studying closely us as we passed in front of him, he allowed the soldiers to lead us through before entering himself. No sooner did he enter then the panel slid shut behind us. This was immediately followed by a brief sensation of vertigo and then a slight downward pressure.

With the same whoosh, the panel slid back into itself again, this time revealing a large underground cavern. The small white room had somehow moved us. Although I couldn't be sure whether we had started out underground or not, we were definitely underground now.

Lord Balzar, still standing nearest to the opening, led the way into the cavern. Slowly, we stepped out behind him, each of us in awe of our surroundings. The floor and walls were of a finely polished, black obsidian rock, the walls extending into the darkness above.

When the visual shock of our new surroundings had settled in, I noticed how much warmer it was here compared to the white rooms and hallways that we had been in previously. The cavern measured approximately three hundred feet from wall to wall. The only other visible entrance was a massive doorway that appeared to have been carved out of the opposite wall.

Moving slower now, we were led across the cavern and through the massive doorway. The soldiers secured several torches from a stash just inside the alcove, and lit them, instantly revealing several smaller entrances. With a soldier lighting the way, Balzar followed close behind, constantly whispering commands to guide him into the correct branches. We were being taken through a maze of tunnels, and try as I might, if an opportunity to escape should present itself, and it was only a matter of time until it did, there wasn't any way that I could possibly remember the path that we were being led down. Furthermore, even if I could remember it, I'm not sure it led back to anywhere that I wanted to be.

We continued moving through man-made tunnels carved out of solid rock, constantly dipping up and down with many branches leading off in different directions at every turn. The farther into the tunnels we progressed, the warmer and drier the air became. Although it was still very comfortable for a surface dweller, it was obviously becoming uncomfortable for our escorts. While we continued in relative comfort, they were starting to sweat and smell profusely, stinking up the already stagnant air in the narrow passageways even worse than it already was.

Only one attempt had been made at vocalizing, and that was when one of Rhone's friends complained that the iron shackle was rubbing her ankle raw. Her complaining only rewarded her with a ringing slap across the ass by the nearest soldier, instantly humbling the rest of us into silence. We all knew then that we were not to speak unless spoken to.

After several long days of traveling through the maze of tunnels, we finally emerged into another, larger cavern, even larger than the one we had been led through previously. Unlike that cavern, which was dark and gloomy, this one was festively decorated with brightly colored paintings illuminated by many large torches. Some were suspended from the high ceiling, while still others were painted right on the smooth stone of the walls. Set on pedestals throughout the cavern, were intricately carved busts and statues, each comprised of a different, precious metal. To the far right was a clear pool of water. Surrounding the shallow pool of water was a knee-high bench carved from the existing stone. Measuring approximately two-feet wide, this bench retained the water in the pool, while serving as a seat. Rising out of the center of the pool was a geyser of water, shooting almost twenty feet into the air.

Lounging around the pool were several young women. They were comfortably seated on tanned leathers that had been thrown together in piles to absorb the hardness of the stone floor. Upon seeing Lord Balzar enter the cavern, they quickly got down on their knees and bowed their heads in a show of subservience.

Just to the right of the pool was a small opening carved into the wall. Beyond the opening was a small, hand-carved room just large enough for one person to enter at a time and take care of personal business. Its purpose was clear, due to its lack of a door. However, modesty had never been a concern on Heälf.

With a snap of his fingers, the prostrate women jumped from their subservient positions, only to reassemble in a line on their knees directly in front of him. Their attitude clearly showed that they were waiting for further commands from their master.

Indicating us, he barked out the following orders, "Unlock these heathens and teach them the manners of good slaves. Make sure they are fed and washed. We will be having guests later and I want to make a very favorable impression. Anyone who disappoints me will be answering to me later. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lord," they answered in unison, the fear and humility unmistakable in the tone of their voices.

"Good! Now get to it!" he brusquely concluded, as he turned and strutted back the way we had just come.

Waiting reverently until he passed through the entrance and out of our sight, the soldiers then turned their attentions to us. Unhurriedly, they removed our shackles. When they finished, they turned us over to the women, and then casually took up positions of leisure around the only visible doorway leading into the cavern; the one by which we had entered. Despite their relaxed posture, I had no doubts that they would be as faithful as well trained guard dogs in keeping us here.

Slowly turning around as I examined the place with my eyes, trying to take in all the beautiful paintings and sculptures, I overheard Rhone berating one of her friends. In a voice filled with contempt and disdain, she ordered her to shut up and quit her sniveling. Listening to the poor girl's complaints, I quickly concluded that one of the soldiers had over-tightened her leg shackles, causing it to dig in and chaff through her skin. Glancing in her direction, I could see that it was bleeding quite profusely. Although, I wasn't fond of Rhone, I didn't have anything against her friends. Out of concern, I decided to walk over and have a look at it; there might be something that I could do to help.

When I approached her, I found her sitting on a thin skin rug with her knees pulled up to her chest. She was holding her bleeding ankle tightly with both hands, trying to stem the flow of blood. Although her eyes were wet and puffy, she had stopped crying. Turning to the nearest slave, presumably the one in charge, judging by her advanced age, I politely ask if she would fetch some cloth that we could use to make a bandage with. She started to protest, but quickly changed her mind when she saw the determination in my eyes. With a huff, she hurriedly retreated through a doorway near the back of the cavern.

While she was gone, another young girl approached us, instructing us to use the pool for bathing. She also told us where we would find essential soaps and body oils. "Once you are clean," she added, "you will be fed and made ready for the festivities."

About that time, the old slave-woman returned with a role of bandages and some scented salve to dress the wound. As I reached for the supplies, she pulled away from me, motioning for me to go bathe, and prepare myself for our master's return.

"The Lord doesn't like smelly women in his domain," she said matter-of-factly, while getting down on her knees and inspecting the shackle wound.

Looking back at the girl, I gave her a comforting smile. She responded by smiling back and saying thanks. With no more to be done, and feeling confident that the old slave-woman would take care of her, I headed toward the pool. "After all," I thought to myself, "I really can use a bath."

Although I wasn't very dirty, we were all emanating a strange odor. It was very reminiscent of the lingering scent after engaging in sexual activities; not awful, but not entirely pleasant, either.

The water was warm and inviting. It was only about two feet deep, with soft pads on the bottom that fit the contour of a prone body. The pads made it possible to stretch out and totally relax while suspending your head above the water's surface. Slowly and luxuriantly, I lathered myself up with a sweet smelling soap, the fragrance of which, I was unable to recognize. It was soothing and relaxing, making me tingle on the surface, while the warm, flowing water drew out the tension in me. A new thought briefly crossed my mind, if this was the life of a slave, I wasn't sure that I was ready to complain.

After we'd all bathed and rubbed each other's bodies with the extravagantly scented oils, we were led through another doorway leading into a large room used for food storage and preparation. Running down the length of the room was a large stone table with enough space for at least twenty people to sit comfortably on each side. It was currently laden with bowls of fruit and platters of cured meats. After taking up random seating positions on the stone benches that ran down either side of the table, a few of the slaves performed pre-meal rituals. Out of respect for them, the remainder of us sat in silence and waited. When they were finished, we were told to eat, but to eat lightly. When the festivities are over, it was explained earlier; we could come back and eat our fill. It appeared that the Lord didn't like bulging tummies.

While we ate, I noticed that the old slave-woman had rejoined us. However, I didn't see the brunette with the shackle wound anywhere.

Feeling just a trifle concerned, I asked of her, "How is the girl with the shackle wound doing?"

"She is gone now," she answered sharply. "And you will learn soon enough to mind your own business and look out for yourself if you want to get along here!"

Rhone heard me inquiring of the girl and pushed the matter further, "What did you do with her?" she angrily demanded of the old slave-woman, as she pounded her fists down on the table top. Her raised voice and theatrics drew everyone's attention, though I couldn't say for sure whether the others were approving or not.

"She is no longer of any concern to you!" the old woman harshly replied. Then, noticing that everyone was looking at her, she quickly admonished them with, "Or anyone else in this room, for that matter!"

A hush fell over the length of the table, and during it, the old slave-woman added, with heavy underlying tones of dread, "And if any of you know what's good for you, you will drop this now and forget there ever was another girl. Do you understand me?"

A soft murmur started among the new arrivals. It was quickly squelched by the sudden and breathless entrance of another young slave girl. As she leaned against the table, trying to catch her breath, she blurted out that the master was on his way.

Startled, the old slave-woman jumped to her feet, a quick but clear expression of fear, or maybe terror, briefly passing across her face. Then, just as quickly, it was gone, and she regained her composure.

"How long before he gets here?" she sternly asked of the young girl.

"He is only minutes away. Three at most," she gasped out between breaths.

"Hurry now! All of you," commanded the old slave. "Into the ball room. And stand up straight. You must look your best for the Lord. He is coming to preview you before his guests arrive."

Hastily, we rushed out of the dining area and back into the cavern, doing exactly as we were told. As we ran, the old slave-woman barked orders for us to stand in a straight line so that the master could inspect his new property. Deliberately, I hung back, hoping that I would get the opportunity to question the young girl. I wanted to find out more about what was going on here, and where exactly we were. Though no one saw me, or suspected my intentions, my effort was dimly rewarded as she only responded by looking frightened and alarmed. She was clearly afraid that I would be late for the master if I didn't hurry and rejoin the others. Above all else, she frantically replied, if not a bit conciliatorily, that I was never to disappoint the master.

"Just tell me this, then, who is the old woman?" I pressed her, determined not to move unless she gave me an answer.

With much reluctance, she hurriedly replied, "She was the master's lover for many years. He keeps her out of loyalty to an age-old promise that he made to her."

She spoke quietly, her eyes constantly darting to the door out of fear that someone would enter at any moment, catching her in the act of talking to me. "Now go," she anxiously added, giving me a push toward the door, "before it is too late."

"One more thing," I asked, not letting her move me. "Tell me where we are."

She looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face, almost as if she didn't understand the question. And then, afraid that we were running out of time, she gave me the only answer that she could, even though she was perplexed by it. "Why, we're on level ninety nine of Lord Balzar's domain. Where did you think we were?"

"Level ninety-nine," I slowly repeated. "You mean to tell me, we are ninety-nine levels beneath the planet's surface!" I said incredulously.

"That depends on how you want to get to the surface," she replied, that look of bewilderment still on her face, and then added, "We are farther than that if you are going through Lord Thar's domain. But no one would be silly enough to try that. To go into Lord Thar's domain would be like volunteering to work in the mines." Then, adding in a more conciliatory tone, "That's where Lord Balzar sells his slaves when he is through with them. Nobody knows that, but I have friends in Lord Thar's lower levels where they adjoin to these levels. They tell me about the new slaves they see being sold to Lord Thar all the time."

"What is your name, girl? I would like to talk to you some more," I said, allowing her to move me toward the door as we spoke.

Even though we had just met, I felt as though we'd been friends for a long time.

She hesitated only a moment before answering, "Elsa. Now hurry, get out there. Lord Balzar will be here at any moment."

"Thanks, Elsa," I said sincerely, truly thankful to her for the risk she had taken on my behalf as I hurried out to the main cavern.

Although, I wanted to ask her many more questions, this was obviously not the time. The first thing that I wanted to know from her, and wished that I'd had the presence of mind to ask, was if her friends in Lord Thar's domain were free, or if they were slaves? Something told me that if there was a way out of this place, Elsa was holding the key. For now, though, I could do nothing but go along with the preordained agenda while making the most of it. My opportunity would come. Of that, I was certain.

In the bustle of activity, I hadn't been missed. However, I had just barely gotten into line beside Rhone, when Lord Balzar came striding through the entrance. Judging from his fresh appearance, he had gone to his private quarters to shave and bathe himself. With a slow, confident stride, he crossed the cavern and strode up to stand beside the old slave-woman, who now stood directly in front of us with her back to us. They briefly exchanged glances before she turned around to face us, not looking at anyone in particular. With all of his attention now focused on the new arrivals, he slowly looked from one to the next, making mental notes in his mind. When his eyes came to rest on me, I literally felt my flesh crawl. Having seen his kind before, I knew immediately what he was, a demented pervert. Being Lord and ruler of his own domain only made it easier for him.

"As you already know," he started by addressing us as a group, "I am Lord Balzar. You, my pretty girls, are my new toys. Just so there is no misunderstanding, I am your divine Lord and ruler. As with any toy, if I lose interest in you, you will be discarded. If you displease me or any of my friends, you will also be discarded. You must trust me on this matter; you do not wish to be discarded!"

He spoke slowly and smoothly, constantly looking from one nervous face to the next. Even from this distance, his cologne was overpowering. Yet, I felt certain that he wasn't even aware of this little fact. A small grin crept into the corner of my mouth, as I considered the very real possibility that it was his cologne that warned Elsa of his arrival.

He continued talking in his smooth, deliberate way, telling us what he felt we needed to know in order to get along here. Constantly, he reminded us that we could easily be discarded. My mind wondered, while he droned on, about the girl that had arrived here with us, and if she had been 'discarded'. I was so preoccupied with my thoughts that I wasn't aware that he had moved closer to me. Not until he was standing right in front of my face, and I was having difficulty breathing, did I realized that he was staring at me.

"Did you have something on your mind, my pretty one? Or were you just taking a nap while I spoke for the benefit of the rest?" he purred, the tone of his voice belying the true depth of his anger. He was insulted by my lack of rapt attention to his every word. However, he had seen something in me that he wanted to explore further before he 'discarded' me. Or surely, he would have quickly, and without any further ado, 'discarded' me for my insolence.

"I am truly sorry, my Lord," I quickly responded, bowing my head out of mock respect. I knew that I was dangerously close to the edge with him and I couldn't risk going over it just yet. That, however, would surely come later.

"I beg your forgiveness. I don't know what came over me," I continued, sounding as humble and servile as I possibly could.

There was just the slightest hint of a grin turning up the corners of his mouth. Of a sudden, I knew that he could see right through my thin veil of humility. He knew that I was feeding him a line of crap, and he found it intriguing. Yet, I would not have detected his knowledge of my subterfuge, if he hadn't been standing so close to me.

"I think I would like to see you later, alone. There is potential in you that I need to investigate more thoroughly," he continued purring, his voice so soft, I was sure that I was the only one who could hear him.

"As you wish, my Lord," I meekly replied, not daring to look up and risk making eye contact with him.

He fully smiled then, as he licked his lips subconsciously; if he only knew how pathetically he was acting. Yet, he could be very dangerous, too. If he didn't have my life in his hands, things would be quite different.

Turning toward the old woman, he whispered something in her ear. While she was listening to him, she glanced in my direction, leaving no doubt in my mind as to whom or what was being discussed. When he finished, he abruptly strode back out through the entrance by which he'd come. I had a sinking feeling that this was going to be a long night.

The old slave-woman quickly started hustling everyone back to the dining area to finish our meals. Hanging back a moment, I studied the one and only entrance through which the Lord had just retreated. Watching the soldiers, but not really seeing them, I noted how they quickly resumed their comfortable positions around it.

Feeling a hand on my arm, I turned to see the old slave-woman standing silently beside me. With just the slightest of pressure, she turned me toward the pool and away from the others. I instantly came out of my reverie, yielding to her guiding hand, as we crossed the cavern floor and came to be standing by the pool. She motioned me to sit, and then silently followed suit.

"Many years ago," she began very softly. "When I was a young woman like you, I saw the same look in our master's eyes as the one that I saw in them today. That look was directed at me, back then. But today, I saw that look when he looked at you." She turned and faced me, looking deep into my eyes. I could feel their penetration clear to my soul. "I know that you are thinking of just one thing, and that is to escape. My thoughts were exactly the same back then as yours are now. However, there wasn't anyone to guide me, then. No one reached out to give me advice. Yet, even if they had, I wouldn't have been open to it. Nevertheless, I want you to know a few things before you do anything to jeopardize what you may have here. If you treat him right, he will make life very comfortable for you."

"How is it that he is so much younger than you?" I bluntly asked of her.

Without any hesitation, she replied, "He is recycled on a regular basis, just as you will be, if he wants to keep you around."

"I don't understand. What do you mean by 'recycled'? I have heard that word before, but no one has explained the meaning of it to me. Is that why you are considerably older than he is?" I brashly asked of her, not sure whether I would or could understand the answers that she seemed so willing to give.

Solemnly, and unabashed by my questions, she said, "I am an old woman because I have chosen to be. You must understand that what the Lord's do, is not a natural thing. To many, such as me, it is considered sacrilegious. Unlike those that favor recycling, I look forward to the day that I die. I have many good friends that have gone on before me, and I am ready to rejoin them, to see their faces again. They are the ones that have gone on to be with the real Gods." She paused a moment to catch her breath. "You can stay here for as long as you like, if you continue to please our master. Many of these girls are doing just that, but this cannot go on forever. You may not understand everything that I am telling you, but understand this; I have made the most of my opportunities here, and you can too." Her voice softened before she added, "Think about what I have told you. We will never have another conversation like it."

With that said, she rose and headed toward the dining area.

"Wait! I don't understand."

"In time, all will be explained," she said over her shoulder without stopping.

Confused, more than enlightened by our little talk, I decided to use the time alone to sort out and digest everything that had happened to me. It was all happening so fast, I was having a hard time keeping it all in perspective. Of one thing, I was certain; this was going to come to a head soon, as I had no intentions of living out my days with that slime, Lord Balzar! And that was a certainty you could chisel into the stone of these godforsaken walls!

### **7**

The wall slid back with a hiss, opening barely wide enough for two men standing abreast to pass through, when they started pouring in. They entered in pairs, their spears held out levelly in front of them; I realized immediately that it was a well-rehearsed routine.

Clad only in breastplates bearing an unfamiliar insignia, they charged through the opening, raising their voices and yelling words that long ago ceased to have any meaning beyond creating chaos and confusion among the room's inhabitants. Their short statures and broad builds were the first things impressed upon me in the adrenaline charged moment before entering battle; although the tallest in the group was at least a foot shorter than I, thanks to their massive body structures, they easily outweighed me. Their similarities made me think that they'd been selected just for this detail. We were dealing with an elite group of soldiers that had been assigned to retrieve the inhabitants of this room. These men, like all creatures of habit, had fallen into complacency from the familiarity and repetition of the routine. Because of their complacency, they had wrongly assumed that the inhabitants of this room would react to their arrival the same way so many inhabitants before them had; they couldn't have been more sadly mistaken!

As their rehearsed shouting changed to shrieks of surprise, I leaped forward, snatching the outthrust spear from the hands of the lead soldier. Without hesitating, I twirled the spear around in my hands and struck the next soldier through the door a smashing blow to his head with the blunt end of it. The blow knocked him backwards, literally lifting him off his feet and slamming him into the soldier behind him. Unconscious, and no longer a threat, his body crashed to the floor, impeding and slowing those behind him.

The soldier whose spear I now possessed, suddenly realized his loss, and turned toward me as if to complain. As he turned, I swiftly swung the butt of his spear around and up, striking him under the chin with enough force to crush his windpipe. Falling to his knees, he doubled over in agony, gasping for air and grabbing at his throat while his eyeballs bulged from his face.

In the flurry of action, I noticed with relief and pride that Cos had dispatched of the first two entering on his side with the same direct swiftness, if not with a little less grace, and a sight more brutality. As they entered, he had likewise grabbed the first soldier's spear. However, instead of using it as a club, he had broken it off in the second soldier's stomach. Then, after flipping the stub to his sister to use as a weapon to protect herself, he turned back to the first soldier. Unarmed now, the soldier stood ready, almost as if he was looking forward to the fight and the chance to prove his prowess with his bare hands; Cos swiftly beat him to a bloody pulp.

In the commotion and chaos of the furious battle, Wary slipped through the doorway unseen, sliding past and over the fallen soldiers with lightening speed. With the dead and unconscious soldiers laying half in and half out of the room, there wasn't any danger of the doors re-closing and securing us within.

As he passed over Cos's first fatality, he easily retrieved the sharpened half of the spear protruding from the soldier's stomach. Bursting into the hallway, he found himself confronted by two men. One was a tall muscular man with reddish-blonde hair and soft leather clothing, whom stepped back only slightly at his approach. Standing next to him, and not appearing immediately threatening, was an extremely obese man wearing a bright blue, calf-length robe adorned with shiny trinkets and gems. This latter man quickly turned around, stumbling over his own feet in his haste to get away.

Wary, sensing that the immediate threat was from the well-built man wearing leather, leveled the broken spear at his mid-section, and stepped toward him. Not in the least bit intimidated by the weapon, the man slowly backed up to the far wall of the hallway, his arms held out to his sides, palms facing forward. Because Wary couldn't see any visible weapon, he assumed the man was unarmed. Yet, he was wearing a gun draped over his hip, my gun! It was Wary's good fortune that the man had no idea what the gun was used for, or Wary, and probably the rest of our little group, would have been struck down immediately.

Moving with adrenaline-induced speed and agility, I went swiftly through the opening, close on Wary's heels. As Wary moved in on the tall man to the left, I looked for danger to the right. The hall was empty except for the portly man trying to escape. Though he was running for all he was worth, he hadn't gotten very far. He was a rotund fellow wearing a loose fitting, calf-length robe that was flapping wildly about him. The sight of him running down the hall was punctuated by the sound of metal clinking and clanging together as his overabundance of necklaces and precious metal bangles bounced jollily up and down, and striking noisily together. To my relief, he was moving extremely slowly, due to his tremendous bulk and encumbering clothing; he was no match for my fully recovered body and finely tuned physique.

In less than twenty strides, I caught up to him. Reaching out, I grabbed hold of his robe, intending to rein him in. With a ripping sound, it tore free from his body, barely slowing his progress. Unfortunately for him, his many strands of beads snagged in the collar of the robe. Breaking apart, the individual beads bounced off the floor, and scattered in every direction, including beneath our feet. Although it was a struggle, unlike him, I managed to maintain my footing. He, however, was no match for the rolling beads as they covered the hard surface of the hallway. With a plopping thud, he landed hard on his ass.

Not accustomed to seeing obese people, I quickly grew aghast at the sight of him. It was increasingly difficult to control my feelings of disgust, as I watched him struggling to regain his feet, only to repeatedly fall back to the floor in a grotesque heap. Though I didn't move toward him or threaten him in any way, all the while he continued struggling, displaying his uncoordinated antics, he begged for my mercy and pleaded with me not to hurt him. He promised me riches beyond my wildest dreams, including more women then I could ever want or handle. I was about to dismiss his pitiful blubbering when he said something that got my attention. It wasn't the beautiful women or the unimaginable wealth; it was his promise of eternal life in which to enjoy all of my otherworldly desires.

Flushed a bright, rosy pink, he spoke all this to me between gasps of air. Whether or not, his condition had arisen from the surprise and shock that he had just suffered, or the brief physical exertion that he had just undergone, I wasn't sure. For a brief moment, as I continued watching him, I almost felt pity for him. However, when I thought back to the part that he had played in my current set of circumstances, I hurriedly looked away in disgust.

Taking a quick glance up the hall to be sure Wary and Cos didn't need a hand, I noticed that the large man was handing Wary the gun. Although the man could tell by the intricate metalwork involved in the manufacturing of the weapon that it held some significance, he probably thought it was nothing more than a religious icon. Or more possibly, he might have mistaken it for a sophisticated tool that had little importance here, yet kept it for the novelty of it.

Noticing that Wary was instructing the man to return to the room, I turned back to my portly captive and ordered him to do likewise. With truthful intentions, I added that if he didn't give us any problems, we wouldn't hurt him. Heeding my words, he hurriedly scrambled over the beads on his hands and knees. In his fear-induced panic, he forewent any more attempts to regain his feet as he made his way back to the room before I could change my mind about not hurting him.

Upon entering the room, he took one look at the brutality we had inflicted on the dead soldiers, and turned from a rosy pink to an ashen gray. Before he could turn away, he vomited over the prostate feet of the soldier Cos had beaten to death with his hands, the most disfigured of the corpses.

Wary was standing next to Brae, checking her over and satisfying himself that she hadn't been injured in the fray. When he saw me, he smiled and handed me the gun, not aware that it had been mine originally, but only out of respect.

"You're the leader," he said, holding it out to me. "You deserve this more than I do."

"Thanks," I replied, taking the proffered weapon.

Although I secretly wished that it were my knife instead, I had to concede that the gun might prove to be more effective in the short term.

Not willing to touch the corpses myself, I motioned for the two remaining soldiers under Cos's guard, to move them out of the doorway. When they looked toward the muscular man for affirmation of their orders before doing my bidding, they effectively removed any further doubt about which of the two men was their leader. They were caught in a quandary. Although they were afraid to disrespect the big man by doing my bidding, when they looked at their dead compatriots, they became equally afraid not to do what I had asked of them.

Seeing the fear in their eyes, he reluctantly motioned for them to do as they'd been told, though it clearly galled him to do so. It wasn't out of any concern for their well being, that he gave in. But rather, he wasn't sure what my reaction would be if they didn't obey me. It was better to let them carry out my wishes, then to let them be killed. That would accomplish nothing more than to reduce his forces to one, himself, and he might still have a need for them.

Glancing around the room, I noticed that the rest of the people had cowered together on the far side, afraid to get involved in case the outcome was not in our favor. Because we had succeeded, at least for the moment, they slowly started toward us. Though they posed no danger to us, I found myself resenting them, especially since they were benefiting from our risk, and none of their own.

Turning back to face the big, redheaded man, I asked him, "Who are you?" And then, before he had time to answer, I added, "And who is your sick friend here?" motioning toward the obese man that was sitting on the floor with his back to the wall, trying hard not to vomit again.

"I am Lord Thar!" he answered threateningly, not the least bit intimidated by his situation. "I am the man that will see you die in shackles for this blasphemy!"

Before I could reply, Wary struck him in the midsection with the blunt end of a spear, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to double over, gasping for air.

"You will answer his questions civilly or you will meet your maker sooner than you'd planned!" Wary warned him, while still holding the butt end of the spear in a threatening manner.

He had reacted before I could stop him; I didn't approve of such tactics. It was one thing to kill a man in battle, but quite another to inflict pain without justifiable cause. Moreover, we hadn't even had an opportunity in which to establish who was our friend and who was our foe.

"That's enough, Wary," I said calmly, carefully treading the thin line between standing up for the prisoner and risking the alienation of my newfound allies. "We will get our questions answered without the need for any more violence."

Turning my attention to the obese man, I asked, "Do you want some of that, or do you feel like answering our questions?"

"I will tell you anything you want to know, just, please, don't hurt me. I'm not a strong man," he spluttered.

"Tell me, then, what is your name, and where are we?"

"I am Keazar, at your service, sir," he quickly and nervously responded, anxious to please and avoid any discomfort that might be inflicted upon him.

"Where are we, Keazar, and how did we get here?" I asked.

While we spoke, the others in the room had gathered closer to hear what was being said. Until I knew where we were and how we had arrived here, I was unable to devise an escape plan. When I did come up with one, though, everyone in the room could decide on an individual basis whether they wanted to join with me or not, unless they proved to be a burden.

Wary, Cos, and Brae already knew of my original intent to find Loté before returning to the jungle, and our subsequent homes. However, now that we'd actually turned our situation around to where we were the captors, and not the captives, I couldn't blame them if they reconsidered. First, they would listen to what Keazar had to say.

"We are on the border of Lord Thar's domain. His rule is supreme from here, the ninth level, downward to Lord Balzar's domain. Lord Balzar, in turn, rules the other half of Heälf, out to the ninth level. Extending from the ninth level all the way to the surface, and comprising the entire circumference of the planet, is my domain, such as it is. Do not take Lord Thar lightly, though, my friend. He demands supreme loyalty in his domain, and is a close friend to Lord Balzar."

Pausing for a moment to catch his breath, he glanced at Lord Thar, almost as if he was asking Lord Thar for his forgiveness for being so weak.

"Do continue," I prodded him, hoping to keep him talking before Lord Thar could influence him otherwise.

"I will assume that you are here because my assistants saved your corpse from the fiery rays of the sun upon the planet's surface," he continued.

"Your assistants," I gently urged. "They wouldn't be the men that I saw when I awoke in that capsule-type box, would they?"

"Yes. But it was not my idea that you should be awakened. It could have caused serious damage to you, setting you back another six months! But Lord Thar was curious about your cells," he said, casting a sideways glance at the big man. "I think his curiosity is because of that," he nervously added, pointing toward my gun. "He asked me to wake you. He wanted to question you about it! He can be so damned impatient sometimes! At any rate, before you were fully conscious, we had more pressing matters to attend to." Then, speaking with finality, he added, "So we gave you back your peace."

"How do we get back to the surface from here?" I asked, speaking for the benefit of the others in the room, since I didn't intend to leave the sub-surface until I found Loté.

"We are on level nine, adjacent to Lord Thar's domain," he casually replied, clearly assuming that he'd answered all of my questions.

"That means nothing to me!" I said, subconsciously raising my voice out of frustration. "Explain where we are so that everyone can understand, and especially explain how they can find their way home."

Unabashed by my manner, he actually sounded apologetic for having forgotten that we were not from this place, and wouldn't understand what was only second nature to him. After reassessing our lack of knowledge regarding our situation, he slowly explained, "That means that we are nine levels from the surface, provided one could go straight up, which one can't. Then again, it might be shorter to travel through Lord Balzar's domain. However, the sun's position over the planet's surface dictates where you can and cannot gain access to it. Of course, I wouldn't recommend trying to get through Lord Balzar's domain. Not without his blessing or a large army to accompany me, I wouldn't," he added with a chuckle, his earlier tension melting away.

"Then tell me, Keazar, how do we get through your domain, assuming, of course, that you really do control the first nine levels?" I teased, sensing that he had an ego to match his great physical size.

"I rule the third domain!" he heatedly fired back. "And, I might add, it is the only domain that encircles the entire planet! Nothing comes or goes from the surface without my knowledge or blessing," he began bragging. "Furthermore, I am in charge of all the recycling machines. All living things beneath the planet's surface are here because of me! My friend, it is I that controls immortality, and it could be yours, for a price, anyway," he quickly added, his momentary spurt of anger quickly giving way to his far greater appetite for deal making.

"So that is what happened to us, then?" I remarked, feigning awe for his benefit.

"Yes, indeed," he boasted, beaming with pride. "You and all of your kind are the results of my expertise. Nothing should be wasted, you know."

"No, indeed not," I absently replied, my mind busily digesting everything he had just told us.

Meanwhile, Lord Thar was not impressed, if not the least bit agitated. Here was a man that was used to being in charge, and having people jump at his every whim. This situation was entirely new to him. I couldn't help but think that he was feeling more than a bit bewildered by the sudden turn of events. To control so many subjects and slaves, suggested to me that he was a very dangerous man; we would do well to keep a close eye on him.

Before I could proceed with a plan, I needed to find out what had happened to Loté. If what Keazar had just said was true, the odds of him remembering every individual that he had 'recycled' were probably very slim to none at all. There was a chance however, that he would remember how he'd disposed of earlier batches of his 'recycled' subjects in the recent past. Or better yet, there may even be bodies in the capsules now, slowly growing healthier by the minute. Maybe, Loté is among them!

"How long has it been since you conveyed, for lack of a better word, your last batch of people to the Lords?" I asked, trying hard not to show my apprehension, or disgust.

"My friend, I am conveying people to the Lords all the time. It's simply a matter of when they need replacements, for the most part," he calmly replied, giving no indication that he sensed my anxiety.

Despite controlling so many lives and destinies, he was a very lonely man. Even under the current circumstances, he was unable to resist the opportunity to boast on his past exploits and feats, quickly seizing the chance to take center stage.

"Once they reach their peak physical condition, they are kept in a state of suspended animation. With my sophisticated equipment and techniques, I can hold subjects in this state for as long as I need, pulling them out only after I have consummated a deal that warrants doing so." Then, with a smile, he coyly added, "It's all quite simple, really."

Much to my chagrin, I suddenly realized that if I was going to find Loté, I was going to need his help, willing or otherwise. With a mental shrug of resignation, I decided to lay my cards on the table and see if I could get any cooperation from him. My gut told me he wasn't a bad sort, just a bit misguided, was all.

Looking him straight in the eye for effect, I said, "Keazar, I'm looking for a woman..."

"Is that all you want!" he quickly interrupted me. "Look around, can't find one you like? Tell me what turns you on. I've got many more from which to choose. I'm sure we can find the right one for you."

"I'm looking for someone in particular, not just any woman!" I fired back rather harshly, cutting him off before he unwittingly made me angry.

"My apologies, my friend," he replied abashedly, bowing his head as though he were embarrassed.

"The woman that I am looking for is a tall brunette with long flowing hair, and very dark, beautiful eyes," I started. "She would have been found at or near the same time and in the same vicinity as me. In case you don't recall, I came down what appeared to be a long, black shaft that originally led up to a large alloy mine."

My voice was beginning to change in intensity, and I didn't want to reveal just how desperate I really was, to him or to Lord Thar. Taking a breath to compose myself, I calmly continued, "When I was found, I would have been covered with acid burns. Chances are she probably had the same type of wounds."

The thought of Loté burnt and suffering the way that I had, elicited an involuntary cringe from me. On top of that was the guilt that I felt for getting her into this mess. Why hadn't I listened to her, and gone over the top of that damn piece of alloy, anyway? If I couldn't do it for myself, I should have done it out of respect for her. It wasn't as if I didn't know that she was afraid to go under it. I was just too damn pigheaded and self-centered to care. How could I ever expect a woman as beautiful and loving as her, to fall for someone as self-centered and egotistical as me? She deserved so much more in a man. But it was too late to go back, what had been done was done. All I could hope to do now, since I'd gotten her into this, was to get her out of it.

"My good man," he said, attempting to sound compassionate. "I have seen many beautiful brunettes, and as to where you were found, I would have no idea. My servants are collecting bodies for recycling all the time without my knowledge of their whereabouts. What you have told me describes far too many of my subjects for me to single out any specific one of them."

Lord Thar, suddenly speaking up for the first time since his capture, said, "I may be able to help you." He possessed a deep, commanding, baritone voice that instantly drew all attention to him; I suddenly started to see the inner strength lying just beneath the heavy layer of sinew and muscle. "This woman you are describing, she might just be the one that Lord Balzar took a special shine to recently. He was so captivated by her beauty, he insisted that I go with him and have a look. This was before Keazar had even finished with her, and yes, she was a fair beauty. We would have argued over her, but Lord Balzar said that I could sample the wine after he had his fill. Hence, you will agree, I saw no need to ruffle his feathers. I am a very patient man, after all," he chuckled. Then, looking me in the eye, he added, "There will always be others that are just as interesting to sample. Don't you agree?"

"How long ago was that?" I quickly asked, not daring to get my hopes up that it might be Loté.

"That was earlier this month," he answered, and then turned toward Keazar before continuing. "As a matter-of-fact, Lord Balzar has invited us to a small social gathering in his domain later this week." He chuckled again before adding in a credulous tone of voice, "And all because of this woman you are so interested in. He wants to celebrate his good fortune and show her off to everyone that he knows."

Throwing a quick glance in Wary's direction, he caught my eye and, with a slight bob of the head, nodded back in the affirmative. Despite the short period of time that we had known each other, already we were able to communicate with the efficiency of old friends. He would be a good substitute for Lipton, and I don't think Lipton would object to my thinking this way.

While I was conferring with Lord Thar and Keazar, several others had wandered out into the hallway. Now that they were free, they cared little about our plans. Although they wouldn't have attempted an escape on their own, they were independent enough to search for their own way back to the planet's surface. Their future was their responsibility, not mine. If they felt they could do better on their own, then I could only wish them the best of luck.

Meanwhile, the rest were still standing together in a tight little group, anxiously looking on, while hanging on our every word. Their only concern was to make it back to their respective tribes and families. However, if they were going to follow me, they would be expected to fight along with me, and some might even die. In addition, I did not intend to leave Loté behind. Either she made it to the surface with me, or we didn't make it at all!

Although I wasn't warming to the idea of playing nursemaid to such a large group of people, at the same time, I couldn't just leave them to fend for themselves down here. The only viable option that I could see was to make my intentions known, and then let them decide their own fates.

"How long before Lord Balzar expects guests to arrive for his social gathering?" I asked of Lord Thar. Then quickly added, "And how long will it take us to get there?"

The questions gave him reason for pause as he hesitated, looking first toward Keazar and then at the floor. It was the first chink in his otherwise pristine armor. If he answered my questions, it was paramount to betrayal of Lord Balzar's trust. Moreover, as he looked uneasily about him, a small murmur erupted from the bystanders that had remained behind. Without needing to be told, they realized where the conversation was going, and they didn't like it. The implications of my questions suggested that I wasn't ready to go back to the surface, and they were.

Silently, not taking my eyes from him, I waited for an answer. He knew I was determined to have one from him, one way, or the other. He also knew that it was my intention for him to lead us to Lord Balzar, willingly or otherwise.

"Six days," spouted Keazar, and then, just as quickly fell silent again, realizing too late that he had just made either himself or Lord Thar expendable.

After reflecting on what he had just done by speaking up, he quickly came to the conclusion that he had a better chance of surviving if he were the one to tell us more.

"I know, because I have been invited too. However," he paused, giving Lord Thar a sidelong glance before continuing. "Unlike some, I only go for the fine food, the exquisite wines, and the extravagant entertainment."

"Then maybe," I said slowly, looking into his eyes, "You will be willing to lead us there."

"If I must, then I suppose that I will," he said, feigning resignation. "But first, I must insist, I will need my robe and other fine accoutrements, if you don't mind. Heaven forbid that I should be caught dead looking like this. It is unthinkable that a Lord, such as me, should resemble you heathens in your nakedness."

He abruptly stopped, his face turning bright red, when he realized his blunder of words. Yet, instead of feeling angry or insulted, Wary broke the momentary tension by quipping light-heartedly, "You should be so lucky to resemble any one of us."

Then, as if it were his intent all along, he strode toward me, passing by the cringing Keazar who feared a blow to the face from his hand.

In a hushed tone of voice, he asked, "What are we going to do with him?" nodding toward Lord Thar.

"I'm not sure yet. We can't just turn him loose now, can we?" I answered, turning the dilemma over in my head.

"You're not suggesting that we take him with, are you?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes, I think we should," I replied, unable to put much conviction in my voice. "He might just come in handy, as we don't know where we are going, or what forces we might meet along the way."

The underlying tone in Wary's voice wasn't suggesting that we should kill Lord Thar and the two soldiers. But rather, he was hoping that I would have a better solution than the one being proposed. Yet, even more troubling was that he never mentioned the rest of the people still gathered around. Without a doubt, he wasn't going to be very open to the idea of allowing them to tag along with us, either. As with Lord Thar, I had to consider their usefulness in a confrontation; it was within Thar's power to clear any obstacles that might present themselves, and as such, he could be a real asset. Yet, the others...

Almost as if her were reading my mind, he uncannily added, "Well, at least with all those people tagging along," he nodded toward the crowd that remained gathered by the door, "there won't be any shortage of guards with which to keep an eye on our prisoners."

"A good point," I said, subconsciously sighing with relief as I turned my attention back to Keazar.

"How long will it take us to get there, Keazar?" I asked again, knowing that if he were lying to us, he might not remember what he'd said earlier.

He hemmed and hawed for a moment before giving his answer, "Less than six days, I should imagine, if we stay to the main route and don't run into any resistance from Lord Thar's people."

"Since Lord Thar will be accompanying us, we shouldn't have any problem with his soldiers," I said half-heartedly before turning toward the group of people that were waiting for some kind of statement.

After doing a quick headcount, a tally that reached almost twenty-five, I noted for the first time that they were mostly women. Evidently, the men were more eager to set out on their own. Looking them over for a moment, I was glad to see that there weren't any old, frail, or young children among them. Clearing my throat, I prepared to address them. It was time for everyone to know what my plans were, and for them to decide if they still wanted to come along or not.

"Listen up everyone," I said loudly. The silence was overwhelming, as they immediately turned their attention toward me. "My friends and I are taking these four men along with us into Lord Balzar's domain. As you have probably overheard, that is neither the most direct route, nor the safest route, back to the surface where your homes and families are. We are going there in search of a dear friend of mine that we believe Lord Balzar is keeping captive. If our suspicions are correct, and the woman in question turns out to be my friend, we will use whatever means are necessary to exact her freedom. Only after I accomplish that, will we be returning to the surface!

"If I am unfortunate, and this woman turns out to be another, then I cannot tell you what we will do. However, you will be free to go your own way at any time. None, with the exception of these four, are our prisoners. And if they cooperate, they will be set free once we have guaranteed our own freedom.

"The journey, if you decide to join us, will be a dangerous one. We have no idea what obstacles, if any, we will encounter along the way. You are welcome to join us, individually, or as a group. Or you may go your own separate ways." Then, in a more forceful tone of voice, I added, "But let me make it perfectly clear up front. If you come with us, I am in command! You will be required to do whatever is asked of you for the good and safety of the majority. If that is unacceptable to you, go your own way now! Is that understood?"

Without fail, they broke into a loud raucous cheer, nodding and clapping, crying out their oaths of loyalty. Abashed, I could only hope in their sincerity when the going got rough, and I had a deep-seated feeling that it would.

"Then let us be off, and quickly, time is being wasted here!" I yelled over the tumult. Turning toward Wary, I said, "Cos will take the lead, you and Brae behind him, followed by the prisoners. I'll bring up the rear so that I can keep them covered with the gun." Turning back toward the group of people, who had quickly quieted down, I barked, "The rest of you will follow me! Okay, let's go!"

Filing out through the door and into the hallway, we looked not unlike a small army, marching off to battle in a double-file column. I positioned Keazar directly in front of me so that I could easily get directions from him. In addition, I enjoyed talking with him. He enjoyed talking about himself and did so incessantly, reaffirming my earlier perception that he was a very lonely man, despite his gregarious personality.

When we came upon branches in the hallways, he was very quick, almost too eager, to advise us of which direction to take. He either was leading us into a trap, or genuinely excited by the prospect of actually living life, not just creating it. It slowly occurred to me, too, that this might just be one big adventure to him. While listening to him talk, I soon learned what an exceptional judge of character he was. He possessed an uncanny way of seeing through people. He probably acquired this skill due to his vast dealings with people; because of the variety and varied natures of the people that came through his recycling chambers, he was exposed to a much wider rainbow of characters and their subsequent personalities than the average person was. Moreover, just because his obesity and gaudy way of dressing made him a hard character to take seriously, he hadn't attained and held his position beneath the planet's surface by being a lazy slouch.

As much as I hated to admit it, he was on me. However, I wouldn't allow myself to trust him. He had an ability to see opportunities that others didn't, and I wasn't sure whether he would take the opportunity to escape or not, if one arose; or maybe even the opportunity to turn the tables on us, if he could.

We had been keeping up a brisk pace for little more than three hours when Keazar began complaining. His poor physical conditioning was getting the better of him. He was quick to point out that if we didn't stop soon, his death would be on our hands.

"It must be obvious to you," he panted between breaths, "that I don't share your great physical attributes. If we don't stop soon, I am afraid that my heart will simply explode."

"We'll stop in a minute," I said reluctantly, not wanting to waste the time, but knowing there were others in the group that could probably use a breather also.

"No! Now," he gasped, stopping and leaning heavily against the wall to keep from falling to the floor. "I am sorry, my friend, but I cannot go on. I have been trying for your sake, but now I am done."

"Hold up, Cos!" I yelled ahead. "Take a breather."

Without further ado, Keazar slid to the floor, turning his back to place it against the coolness of the wall as he did so. He was sweating profusely and his skin was flushed a bright crimson color. Lord Thar stood where he stopped. If the man was tired, he wasn't showing any signs of it. For a brief moment, I contemplated taking his clothes for my own use. However, there didn't seem any real need for them. Everyone else was naked, and no one seemed concerned by it.

The only explanation that I found for my discomfort was that I had spent an excessive amount of time in my flight suit, and not nearly, enough time with the opposite sex. Much to my chagrin, it seemed as though every time I turned around, I was getting aroused and fighting an erection. Unfortunately, there were some extremely well endowed women in this group, any one of which would make for a very memorable experience.

"Is there any place along these hallways where we might find something to drink?" I asked of Keazar.

"Why yes, my good friend. If you would just be so kind as to give me a hand up, I would be more than glad to show you," he quickly replied, his enthusiasm to help only making me more suspect of his true motive.

Helping him to his feet, he led me a short ways back in the direction from which we had just come. He abruptly stopped, and rummaged through the folds in his torn and tattered robe. After a moment, he produced a small, shiny card, not much larger than the flat end of his pinkie finger. Holding it against the surface of the door with only his thumb, he suddenly stepped aside and mimicked a gracious bow, allowing me to enter first as a door suddenly slid aside with a hiss. Grabbing him by the arm, I quickly drew the gun, not sure what would come bounding out of the open doorway.

"Please," he said quickly, turning to smile at me. "Allow me to enter first. I am sorry if I startled you, it was silly of me to forget that I haven't earned your trust just yet." As he stepped through the doorway, I looked past him at an empty hallway that continued for another ten feet before stopping abruptly in a dead end.

"What is this?" I asked suspiciously, not seeing anything but bare walls.

"Here, my friend," he said, putting the little metal card up to the wall. "It's easy when you know what you are looking for," he added with a smirk, now feeling comfortable enough in my presence to teasingly chide me.

With a slight swishing sound, another panel suddenly slid open revealing a selection of foods and drinks, all hermetically sealed for long-term storage. Reaching in, he withdrew what appeared to be a bottle of fermented spirits.

With a large smile on his face, he said, "Come, my friend, let's drink a toast to our new partnership, and the adventure that it may bring."

A few from the group had followed us to the short hallway and were looking in. Without hesitation, I instructed them to grab what they could carry and to tell the rest to do likewise. However, no one was to have any distilled beverages, or to bring any along. If anyone were caught consuming or carrying distilled beverages, they would be sent on their own way immediately.

"Sorry, Keazar, but that goes for you too. I suggest that you get used to the taste of water."

With that said, I grabbed his fine bottle of fermented spirits and threw it against the far wall to make a point. My point was made, but not with the impact that I had hoped for. Instead of shattering and breaking with a crash, the bottle bounced around the room like a rubber ball. Feeling like a fool, I turned and headed back to the main hallway. Keazar, however, returned to the room and procured a large bottle of water for himself before hurrying to catch up to me.

"I'm still of a mind for that toast, if you please," he panted from beneath the strain of the heavy bottle.

"Yes, I do please. Thank you," I said sincerely, taking a new look at the portly man standing in front of me.

He took a long drink straight from the bottle and then passed it to me. Turning up the bottom, I too drank deeply of the refreshing liquid. Never before, had I tasted such cool water; without a doubt, I was sure that I could get used to it.

"How is it that everything is so cool down here?" I asked, handing the bottle back.

"We owe our climate in large part to a tremendously powerful air conditioner. You do know what an air conditioner is, don't you?" he asked, suddenly aware of his patronizing attitude, and feeling ashamed by it.

"Yes, I am familiar with air conditioning," I responded, not bothered by his condescending attitude, and yet grateful for his abashed demeanor.

"Well, it is the same thing throughout the interior of the planet. I'm afraid that I don't understand the technical side of it nearly as well as I should. However, I do know that cooling pipes run throughout the walls, keeping the temperature constant no matter what side of the planet might be facing the sun. It's all automated, I am told, and Lord Balzar is in charge of maintaining the system." And then, with a smirk, he added, "But from what I hear, it's pretty much self maintaining, as well as self controlling. In fact, rumor has it that Lord Balzar just uses it to maintain his control of the domain. Because it was built to be self-perpetuating like everything else down here, it has probably been such a long time since he's had to actually do anything to it, he probably doesn't even remember how to get to it."

"Can I see that thing you use to open the doors?" I asked timidly.

"Of course," he said easily, never suspecting that I might covet such an item. "It's called an inex card. It will open any door connected to the hallways, from either side."

Taking the card, I studied it closely, though I couldn't tell what it was that I was even looking at. It was a small flat shiny piece of metal. Since I didn't know how to use it, I returned it to him, asking, "Where do the supplies come from?"

"The closets are restocked by the lords whose domains they're located in. It's a mutual thing in which we all participate for the benefit of all."

Although I didn't really want to change the subject, since I felt it was important to learn everything that I could about the sub-surface, there were more pressing issues that needed to be addressed. When time permitted, I would get him to tell me more about the infrastructure. Sadly, I already knew more about the hierarchy than I cared.

Innocently, I changed the subject, "Earlier, when you thought that I was going to hurt you, you offered me eternity. If you can recycle people into new again, why don't you recycle yourself?"

"Let's not get offensive, my good man!" he replied, feigning hurt pride. "I have recycled myself many times. How do you suppose it is that I have remained so young and boyish? After all, I am more than three thousand years old!"

"I don't get it," I stuttered, taken aback by his claim of age. "How is it that we all look so fit and trim and, well, frankly, you look like a fat slob?"

"In the recycling process, I'm afraid," he exaggeratedly sighed in resignation, "It is impossible to make something better than it ever was new. Although I have made tremendous improvements in the process, I am still limited to restoring a human body to the peak physical condition that it once held. If the body in question was never athletically inclined, or the person was sickly their entire life that is what they will be recycled to." Understanding the inclination behind my question, he unashamedly added, "However, you must understand, I am not nearly as disappointed with my outward appearance, as you seem to be offended by it."

"My apologies, your immenseness," I said jokingly, bowing my head out of mock respect as I broke into laughter. I can be so naïve!

It felt good to laugh. Ages had passed since the last time that I could remember having such a stimulating conversation. So, it was understandable that I regretted the need to ask him more questions of a serious nature.

Turning serious, I looked down the hall at where Lord Thar had taken a seat beside the other prisoners. He didn't share Keazar's enthusiasm for being here. "Where does Lord Thar fit into the scheme of things down here?"

"He controls the mining operations that are continually expanding the habitable area of our domains," he answered, followed by another long pull on the bottle before continuing. "He is my best customer for male workers. Lord Balzar hasn't needed male bodies for years, but Lord Thar takes everyone that he can get his hands on."

"What happens to them if you are able to keep recycling them?"

"Many inhabit the new territories that he has added to his domain. Some, the less fortunate as I prefer to call them, are lost in cave-ins and other such accidents and catastrophes. If the body is totally destroyed or lost, there is nothing to recycle." Sounding sad, he added, "It can be such a waste."

He added the last with a true touch of sincerity in his voice, not even fully aware that he had said it. It was because of these subtle insights into his mind that convinced me, little by little, that I could trust him. Such words wouldn't come naturally to him if he didn't honestly believe them.

"Don't lose that little card you carry for eating on the run," I instructed him. "I have a feeling we will be in need of it again."

Briefly, I considered confiscating it from him. However, I knew if food were as important to him as it appeared to be, he would resent my having control over his meal ticket. Our newly developing trust was much too fragile to risk that.

With a quick glance around for Wary, I wasn't surprised when I didn't see him or Brae amongst the others. Seeing the stout build of Cos sitting with another man from the group watching the prisoners, I knew that there wasn't any need to worry. Because Cos had lost his sister once before, it wouldn't be in his nature to let her get that far from his sight again. Moreover, I had a hunch that I knew where to find Brae without having to ask Cos, and I was even more certain that Wary would be with her.

Getting to my feet, I headed toward the open door leading into the food closet. Halfway there, I was intercepted by a short, petite, redheaded woman from the group. Stopping directly in front of me and barring my way, she coyly smiled up at me, not saying a word. Although she stood a good eighteen inches shorter than I did, it was easy to judge from the size of her breasts that she was definitely a young woman and not a girl. Looking down into her big, blue eyes, I felt that old familiar tightness taking hold in my groin.

Glancing at her erect nipples, surrounded by a light golden-brown aureole and riding high on her firm breasts, a bright crimson flush spread over my face. In the peripheral of my vision, I could see the tip of my penis. To my chagrin and embarrassment, it was staring directly at the young woman's navel, and mere inches from touching her.

"You might want to inform the rest of the group that we are getting ready to move on," I said, trying to hide my discomfort.

Without a word, she wrapped her fingers around my penis, and very gently started to stroke it. Grabbing her wrists firmly in my hands, I sternly told her that we didn't have time for such antics. She abruptly released her hold on me, and quickly averted her eyes to the floor, staring downward intently to hide her humiliation.

"I'm sorry if I offended you," she said softly, a profound sadness in her voice. "I was only trying to thank you for all that you have done for us."

"Your thanks are gratefully acknowledged and appreciated. Now go tell the others that we are getting ready to move on, please," I gently ordered, sympathizing with her embarrassment.

She turned back to the others, and I continued on toward the food closet. I wasn't even slightly surprised to find Wary lying on his back while Brae gyrated wildly on top of him. Moaning and groaning loudly, they were oblivious to the world. Clapping my hands to get their attention, Brae slowly turned her head and looked dreamily up at me, all the while not missing a beat. The pleasure that I could see in her eyes made me long even more for Loté.

"Whenever you two are ready," I started to say, when I was suddenly interrupted by an outbreak of yells and screams echoing into the close confines of the closet. Turning on my heel, I swiftly ran back out the door while Wary scrambled to his feet behind me. Out in the hallway, everyone was afoot, adding to the mayhem. Most were unsure whether they should make a run for it or wait and see what transpired. Upon seeing Wary and me approaching on the run, they hurriedly spread apart, forming a path down the center of the hallway for us.

Even before we cleared the initial crowd of people, I could see what was happening farther ahead. Cos was on his hands and knees, his head hanging over a rapidly growing puddle of blood on the floor. It appeared that he was bleeding from a gash in the back of his head. The man that had been sitting with him just a moment before was laying off to the side, a gaping spear hole in the center of his chest, and an even larger puddle of blood spreading out from his prostate form.

Less than five feet from Cos lay the body of one of our prisoners. Judging from the awkward angle of his head, I hastily assumed that he had a broken neck. Lord Thar and the last soldier weren't anywhere to be seen.

"Keazar!" I yelled, only half expecting him to answer. In a moment, I suspected someone would tell me that he was gone, too.

"Right here, my good man," came his voice, still sitting in the same position on the floor where I had left him just a few moments earlier.

"What the hell happened?" I asked of anyone that may have seen the events that had transpired in my brief absence.

Someone from near the front timidly spoke up, "It was Lord Thar's soldiers. They came out of the wall and overpowered us before we had a chance to fight back. Before we even knew what was going on, they just as quickly disappeared back into the wall."

"Cos! Oh Cos! Are you all right?" screamed Brae as she ran past us and knelt down beside her brother, consoling him as only a caring sister could.

He quickly grew embarrassed by her affectionate attention, as he tried vainly to tell her that he was all right, it was only a nick on the head. Although he may have been injured a bit more serious than he was letting on, he didn't want to upset her any more than she already was.

Someone produced a roll of bandages from somewhere, while another woman knelt across from Brae. Together, they tenderly washed the blood from his head. In a moment, they had the blood cleared away from the wound, and I could see that it wasn't serious; it hurt his pride more than his head. Within minutes, they had his head tightly wrapped in a turban. Thankfully, he was going to be all right.

Turning to Wary, I suggested, "We better get a move on before Lord Thar returns with reinforcements. He's not just going to leave us alone to go our merry way, you can be sure of that."

When Wary helped Cos to his feet, he furtively glanced back at me, looking to see if I had noticed Cos's woozy condition. Although his injury wasn't very serious, he still suffered from a mild concussion. It would probably be awhile before he was feeling like his old self again. In the meantime, Wary suggested that he and Brae should take the lead. Before I could comment, one way or the other, he started down the hall, Brae close on their heels.

As they headed off, I turned to offer Keazar a hand up only to discover that two nice looking women had already done so. After thanking them graciously, he threw me a wink before suggesting that we keep up with the leaders.

"If I might make a suggestion, my friend," he said in a conciliatory tone of voice. "I think that maybe I should show you a less obvious way than the one we are currently taking. Lord Thar will know your location and every move if we stay on this route. Furthermore, he has the advantage of knowing your ultimate destination. Let me show you a way that is less known, and possibly even quicker."

Chastising myself for not having considered it earlier, I quickly agreed with him. "That's not a bad idea. But how do I know that I can trust you?"

"How can you afford not to trust me?" he countered. "For all you know, I could be leading you into a trap right now." Then, he quickly added, almost as an afterthought, "Besides, without me to guide you, you and your group of surface dwellers will probably end up wandering these passageways until you die of starvation or thirst, or worse."

He had a good point there. Without his help, we were doomed to wander these hallways forever. Not only did they all look the same, but also being inside a planet meant there weren't any directions; at least not the kind of directions that I was familiar with. One didn't just keep heading west, as one did on the surface. There wasn't any west, or east or south or north. In fact, for all we knew, the shortest route to the surface might involve going deeper into the planet, and not up.

There wasn't any doubt about it; we needed him more than he needed us. The scariest part was that if he got bored with this adventure, he might just leave us to be found by Lord Thar or Lord Balzar anyway. Moreover, if we're already dead by that time, he'll just recycle us and strike up a new deal. I couldn't even begin to imagine how we would be treated the second time around; especially after the way we treated them this last time!

After glancing up and down the hallway, and seeing what we had for weapons, I resignedly agreed. "Okay, tell us where we go. But don't be mistaken, my friend," I said fatally, while holding up the gun for him to see. "If you mislead or betray us, you won't live to see your results as a traitor. This weapon can kill you from a long distance, and I assure you, no one will find your body when I'm done with it! If I can guarantee you one thing, it's that you won't be recycled."

By 'long distance', I hoped he didn't realize that it couldn't reach him through the walls. Besides that, I hadn't even checked to see if there were any bullets in it. Oh, what I would give to have my trusty old knife about now; that was a weapon that you could count on.

"Wary! Hold up a minute," I shouted, adding as we got closer so that our voices wouldn't carry too far down the hallway, "Keazar and I will take the lead. He's going to show us a different route to Lord Balzar's party."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea, Rod? After all, how do you know we can trust him?" he quickly asked, his concern clearly expressed in his eyes.

"We can't, I'm afraid. Considering the circumstances, though, I don't see that we really have much choice. Besides, he did show us to the supply closet, didn't he?"

"If you say that we trust him, Rod, then we're with you," he said, speaking with forced conviction. Although he was clearly opposed to the decision, he knew the alternative; without Keazar, we were already lost! Lord Thar has more than enough well armed soldiers to recapture us, as long as he can find us.

"If that's settled then, my good people," piped up Keazar, relishing his newfound position of importance and the opportunity to contribute in such a big way. "Please, follow me."

With much flair and dramatization, he extravagantly pulled out his inex card and placed it against the wall. As another doorway materialized out of nowhere, he smiled broadly and took a bow, soaking up the hesitantly given praise and adoration of the group. There could be no disputing the fact that he was truly enjoying himself.

As we went through the opening, I said a silent prayer. For all of our sakes, I prayed that he didn't get bored with his new adventure.

### **8**

The time of the party was rapidly drawing near. Although I had spent the time searching about the cavern for a means to escape, nothing presented itself. Just as I was about to investigate the latrine for a second time, several soldiers came marching through the entrance carrying armloads of garments. Bundled over their outstretched arms was an array of fabrics and materials, the likes of which I had never seen before.

Directly behind them marched another platoon of soldiers carrying shoes, stockings, and even ornately decorated headdresses. The latter were very reminiscent of a type and style that I quickly recognized from having observed various rituals performed by tribal chiefs and medicine men on the planet's surface. So closely did they resemble the ones from my memories, there wasn't any doubt with regard to their origins.

Following the soldiers bearing garments were more soldiers. These in turn were carrying magnificent displays and arrangements of flowers and fancy feathers.

Finally, bringing up the rear and sweating profusely from their efforts were the last of the soldiers to arrive. Suspended between them on stout, steel posts, were ornately carved and intricately adorned wooden chests. Although I would discover later that the chests contained many exotic pieces of jewelry, what struck me most at the immediate moment, were the flowers; they could only have come from the jungles of the planet's surface. And since I was sure that fresh flowers didn't keep for very long after being cut, and these were most definitely fresh, we had to be close to the surface. What hope I'd previously lost was quickly renewed.

Immediately upon the soldier's arrival, the old woman started clapping her hands and motioning for everyone to gather around her. Her efforts were not required though, since most of the newly arrived women, and all of the prior slaves, were already doing so. Despite the shock of our new surroundings, along with everything else that had transpired within the last few days, the draw and allure of such exquisiteness was still more than we could resist. Clothing, especially that of such a fine and striking nature as these garments, had a way of making women giddy. Already, I could feel a change in the air; something heady was growing in the atmosphere of our surroundings.

Slowly walking over, I joined with the others that were already sorting through the trunks and mounds of differing fabrics. The air took on a festive nature as they grabbed first one piece of clothing and then another. They would barely hold it up in front of themselves and look to their counterparts for approval, or more rarely, disapproval, before discarding it in hopes of finding something even more elaborately embellished. For the most part, it appeared the disapproval came only from the one holding up the garment, and then simply because she felt that the next one she grabbed might be more stunning than the last.

"Listen girls!" interrupted the old woman, bringing calm and order back to the surroundings, as she demanded their attention. "Before you damage any of these fine garments, select something that you like, and then find the footwear to match it. If you're not sure, ask! When you have assembled your outfit to your own individual taste, come and see me. If I like what you have done, I will adorn you with the proper gems and baubles to accent your particular style. If I don't approve, I will assign someone with experience to assist you. However, please feel free to ask for our advice."

Before the giggling and squealing could pick up a tempo again, she sternly added, "Take note, all jewelry that you are given to wear will be solely your responsibility for the duration of the party! Any missing pieces and you will be sorely punished!"

With that sobering message said, the giggling frenzy began anew. Hastily, not caring what kind of an impression I might make, I selected a blood red satiny dress with a matching black cape and black, patent leather, knee-high boots. Digging a little deeper, I also found a matching red hat with a long, deathly black feather protruding from the side and trailing down the back. Since the dress went clear to the floor and the boots came up to my knees, I forewent the notion of wearing stockings.

The dress had a low-cut neckline enhanced with a piping of black velvet that matched the black satin cape. The bosom offered a stiff support bracket intended to hold the breasts in an upright position. However, I soon found myself reaching in past the material and removing the hard brackets, as they were already beginning to chaff my nipples. With them removed and hastily discarded beneath the remaining heap of clothing, I found the dress to be much more comfortable, and there wasn't any discernable difference in the silhouette of my breasts. The only difference that was notable, and not in keeping with the original design of the dress was that without the support bracket, my nipples were visible through the thin material. For just a brief moment, I considered digging out the supports from the bottom of the pile, and then quickly reinstalling them before the old lady noticed. But just as quickly, as I had the inclination, I dismissed it. After all, what did I care what these slave traders and their loyal slaves thought of me, one way or the other?

The dress was also pleated all the way around giving it fullness at the bottom that gave way to a sleek velvet hem. Looking down at myself, I couldn't help but think of how beautiful I must look, if only Rod could see me. Although very few people wore clothes on the planet's surface, due to the high heat and higher humidity, I suspected that Rod would approve.

Adorned in my new clothes, all thoughts of Balzar and what was to come were momentarily out of my mind, as I joyously headed toward the pool area. Several of the others had already gathered there. Everyone was busy helping each other primp or strut in their new clothes, while excitedly toying with different arrangements for their hair. Many in the group had never seen such clothing, much less, ever worn clothes of any kind. Some were strutting around only half-dressed and looking silly, but feeling as though they were Goddesses. If given half a chance, this life may truly be suited for some of these girls, but not for me! I was born and raised as free as a wild animal, and when the opportunity arose, I would be free once more!

As I worked slowly, turning my hair up into a coiffure by wetting it and using large, hollow wood rollers, Elsa approached me. She was carefully carrying something in her hand.

"The old woman asked me to bring this to you and to help you with your hair," she said demurely, yet continuing to nervously fidget. She wanted to say more, but she didn't know where to begin. Also, though she was trying her damnedest to hide it, I could easily see the hurt in her eyes.

"Thanks, Elsa. How come you're not getting ready for the party?" I asked enthusiastically, hoping to get her talking, and maybe open up to me about what was troubling her. Even if I wasn't in much of a position to do so, I honestly liked her, and I sincerely wanted to help.

"Only the new girls are invited to this party," she hissed, her anger quickly bubbling to the surface. Then, it just as quickly submerged again, but not before I caught a glimpse at what was bothering her. In a lighter, wistful-sounding tone of voice, she added, "I remember the party that was thrown for our arrival. All the dignitaries from throughout the planet were here, including many wealthies from the surface."

"How long have you been here, Elsa?" I gently pried, while she adjusted the piping in the neckline and patted out some imaginary wrinkles in the back.

The clothing was well taken care of between parties and was totally devoid of any wrinkles. However, Elsa's mind was not on getting me dressed or making sure the fabric lay smoothly.

"I'm not really sure, anymore," she slowly replied, a deep look of concentration on her face. "Lord Balzar took a shine to me when I first arrived." And then, almost too quickly, she added, "But not in the same way that he has toward you, if you know what I mean."

"I'm afraid that I do know what you mean," I reluctantly answered her, though she didn't need or expect an answer. What she did say, though, confirmed my suspicions; she loved Balzar, and she was extremely jealous of the attention that he was bestowing on me. Somehow, I had to convey my true feelings about the man to her. Maybe, if she knew that I was in love with another man, she wouldn't let her jealousy get in the way of our budding friendship. Speaking bluntly, I said, "To be quite frank with you, he gives me the creeps. And besides, I'm in love with another man; a man that is on his way here to rescue me, even as we speak!"

Why, I had said that latter part, or even if I dared to believe it, I wasn't sure. However, I was sure about the first part, I did love another man. I just hope he knows it and is still alive to feel my love for him. If I ever see that ugly mug of his again, I swear, he will definitely know how I feel about him. Dear Gods, if only I hadn't argued with him, goading his ego the way I had. He never would have felt so strongly about going under that chunk of alloy, and we might have caught up to my parents by now. At the least, I wouldn't be here. And the gods only know where Rod is.

"You said that there were wealthies here from the surface," I blurted, suddenly realizing what she had said just a moment prior.

"Oh yes, they come to most of the parties that Lord Balzar hosts. Although I may not be right about this, I'm fairly certain that most of the wealthies are who they are, simply because of their connections with the Lords down here. Through friends of mine that know of it firsthand, there is a lot of trading going on between the Lords and the wealthies; including, but not limited to, slave trading."

"How can it be that no one on the surface is aware of this underground world when everyone seems to have friends both above and below the surface?" I asked incredulously of no one in particular as I thought aloud.

It was too much to believe that I had never heard of the underground domains. How can it be such a well-kept secret? The thought seems almost too incredulous to believe, and yet, here I am! If I take this tale to the surface, will anyone believe me? Or will they believe instead that it is nothing more than the fabrication of an overly active mind? Yet, there are those that know. Will they silence me, if I blurt what I know to the masses?

"Oh, but many people do know about the underground domains," she said, bewildered that I could be so naive. "When I was a child growing up on the surface, it was woven into our folklore and legends. Surely, you remember the bedtime tales about the creatures that would swallow you up and take you deep into the depths below the planet's surface. How they would enslave you in dark, steaming-hot tunnels, and force you to do their bidding for all eternity. Don't you see what our legends were telling us?" she asked incredulously. "It's so obvious that we knew it all along. We just failed to believe, is all."

Rhone walked up with an armload of clothing just as Elsa was finishing her sentence. "What was so obvious, and yet we failed to believe it?" she belligerently asked.

"Nothing," I said quickly, shooting a meaningful glance at Elsa to be quiet. "She was just helping me get ready for the party, is all."

"Well, maybe if she were to speed it up a little, she could give me a hand too. I really don't have a clue, as to what to do with all this fabulous material. Where I come from, we never really had much need for clothing," she said contemptuously, nodding toward her armload of clothing, but clearly meaning to include everything else that might be nice in the world.

"I would be honored, my lady," replied Elsa while making a deep bow in a display of mock respect. It was apparent that Elsa had taken an instant dislike to the bossy, overbearing Rhone, as she continued, "But first, I was instructed to help my lady here with her jewelry."

Turning back to me and picking up the package that she had brought with her, she carefully folded back satiny flaps to reveal the finest pieces of jewelry that the planet could produce.

"Oh my!" I gasped. "It's beautiful."

"Huh," chided Rhone sarcastically as she looked on, an expression of disdain on her face. "Looks like nothing more than big colored rocks to me."

"Well, I just happen to think that they are the most beautiful jewels that I have ever laid eyes on, and I look forward to wearing them," I quickly countered, though I wasn't sure if my words expressed my true feelings. Mostly because, I wasn't sure exactly what my true feelings were. Under normal circumstances, I would have been ecstatic to have the opportunity to wear such fine gems. However, everything considered, especially the part about who owned them, I was having a hard time feeling anything. But I was more determined that Rhone wouldn't know what I truly felt inside.

"The old woman picked these pieces out especially for you," she quickly went on, not sure if she really believed me, or if I was just speaking for Rhone's benefit. "Here, let me put them on you."

Reaching around my neck from behind, she deftly secured the clasp of a necklace that was comprised of many smaller gems and one large, brightly colored pendant dangling in the center. Then, stepping around to the front, she positioned it so that it hung directly between my breasts. It was at this moment that she noticed my nipples were not only visible through the sheer silk, but also standing erect. Guessing immediately at what I'd done, she quickly recomposed herself, and then went on to explain that the necklace consisted of many different colored gems, each of which had been mined from deep within the bowels of the planet. With regard to the missing breast-support, I had a feeling that she would reprimand me later, after we were alone.

Next, she clasped matching bracelets around my wrists. Then, she reached above my head, and carefully clipped a gold-toned beret into my hair, securing the coif in place. In her hand, she held two more shiny bands for my ankles. Standing back for a moment, she surveyed me with her eyes, and then contemplated a moment before saying that she would be right back. She suggested that while she was gone, I should remove the knee-high boots. When she returned, she assured me that she would find me something more appropriate to go with the remaining anklets.

"You think we can work this party to our advantage?" Rhone asked of me the minute Elsa was out of earshot.

"I don't have a clue as to what you are talking about," I haughtily replied, though I knew precisely what she meant.

Questioning Elsa to the degree that I had was taking an extreme risk. I couldn't increase that risk unnecessarily by taking anyone else into my confidence, particularly Rhone. As far as the others were concerned, like them, I was just making the most of a bad situation. And although Elsa didn't appear to be talking to anyone else, at least not as openly as she was to me, I wasn't about to take her into my complete confidence either. Maybe, when the time came, she would put me in touch with her rebel friends who roamed freely throughout the domains. But I wasn't going to count on it. When I saw my opportunity to run for it, I was going to be doing it on my own. First, though, I was going to glean all the information that I could from anyone that knew anything, including, and especially, Elsa.

"Don't give me that holier than thou attitude, girl. You're no more a virgin than I am," she snippily countered. "I know as well as you do that you will do whatever it takes to get by down here. But what's more important, I know that when the opportunity presents itself, you're gone." Then, in a more conciliatory tone, she added, "I just want to go with you, is all. The two of us stand a much better chance of escaping together than we do alone."

She may have made a good point, but I still did not intend to consider her in my plans. She put me in mind of the type that would shit on you in an instant, if it would better her own situation in the slightest. Before I could respond to her, Elsa returned with a pair of shoes, cutting off our conversation.

"Here, try these," she said, setting a pair of shiny black, open-toed thongs on the floor in front of me.

Slipping my feet into them, I stood for a moment looking down at them, trying to accustom my feet to the strange feeling of confinement.

Elsa, taking a step back and holding her arms out to the side, proclaimed, "You look beautiful, Loté. Let me just put a few of those stray hairs back into place, and you will be all set." She stepped forward and carefully tucked a hair here and there. Then, standing back again, she admiringly added, "If you will put the stockings on now, that'll be the icing on the cake."

"Yeah, she'll get the icing all right, when Lord Balzar and his cronies are cumming all over her," sneered Rhone spitefully before turning on her heel and striding over to join another group of girls with her armload of clothing.

"I don't like that bitch one bit!" Elsa hissed softly in my ear as she stood behind me, brushing and pulling on my hair.

"Yes, I know what you mean," I soberly agreed.

Elsa and I seemed to have created a bond, though I couldn't fathom why. However, since it existed, I resolved to make the most of it. Speaking softly, I said, "Elsa, I have to ask you something."

"Sure."

"Why are you being so kind to me? It's obvious that you have some deep seated feelings for Lord Balzar, or you would have left here a long time ago."

She thought for a long moment before replying, and when she spoke, it was very slowly and deliberately, chewing over each word before pronouncing it aloud. "You're right about my feelings for Lord Balzar. And I know how you feel about him, too. It's only because you don't care for him that I can allow myself to like you. You must realize that it's hard for me. Because even though you don't care for him, even despising him, he has a thing for you. At least, for now he does."

She paused for a long moment before gathering her resolve and going on. "He's a very fickle man when it comes to women, and he's not a very gentle lover, believe me, I know. But there's something about him that I can't resist, no matter how illogical it might seem to you."

Thinking that I could coax her to continue, I started to say something, but stopped abruptly as she continued of her own accord, speaking in a far off voice, "When I first arrived here, I was the center of his attention. He favored me with the same looks and affection that he is now showing you. At first, I thought, when the opportunity presents itself, I will escape and be done with this place. However, the opportunity was long in coming, and with time, came complacency. Eventually, I came to realize that I had fallen in love with him. Unfortunately, for me, he knew instinctively when my feelings toward him had changed. Almost overnight, he started treating me differently. Our sex became less frequent. And when we were intimate, he was much rougher with me. He began experimenting with me sexually, trying out new and bizarre techniques and paraphernalia." She subconsciously shuddered before continuing. "Before I was even aware of how drastically the change in his behavior toward me had gone, I'd been reduced to something less than human in his eyes. When the sex stopped completely, and I became the one assigned to prepare his new sex toys, you can't even begin to imagine the relief that I felt. That's all we are to him, you know, toys."

"That may be his opinion of me. However, my opinion of him is much lower than that of a mere toy," I said indignantly.

"You'll know that he has lost interest in you when he starts insisting that you treat his friends the way you use to treat him. And if any of his friends complain about the treatment, you will be disposed of, more than likely to Lord Thar's mines."

"That would be one way out of here, wouldn't it?" I said lightly, trying to lift her out of the somber mood into which she'd slipped.

I needed to keep her talking openly. If I was going to recognize my opportunity for escape when it presented itself, I needed to garnish all the information about this place that I could.

Before I could think of something to say, the old woman started yelling from across the cavern. "Hurry up girls!" she cried. "Our guests will be arriving soon."

"We'd better hurry," said Elsa quickly, a nervousness cropping up in her voice that I hadn't detected before.

We all started shuffling toward the center of the cavern, checking each other over while trying to hide our anxiety. It was quite evident that most of the women had never worn clothing before, but it didn't prevent them from shining now. Rhone was no exception, as she stood out beautifully from the rest. The old woman was getting us organized in a row when I noticed that Elsa had joined several other slaves and was busy laying out a banquet on a heavy timber table set up by several soldiers. The table looked resplendent with its displays of fruits, wines, and flower centerpieces.

There was also a band of men with instruments setting up across the cavern from the pool. Some of the instruments were of a string type and some were of a wind variety, none of which I recognized. But that was probably due to my lack of exposure to such things, and not because the instruments were indigenous to the subsurface. They were warming up and tuning their individual instruments, sounding much like a catfight in a howling wind.

Several more slave girls arrived bearing heavy, thickly woven mats, which they placed in various positions around and near the pool. As it drew nearer to the time that the guests were due to arrive, the tension in the air grew likewise. Except for an occasional whisper, a heavy silence had fallen over the entire cavern. Even the guards had ceased talking among themselves and were standing ready to jump to attention.

Without uttering a word, the old woman came over and began positioning us in the order that she wanted us to be standing when Lord Balzar arrived with his guests. Her reasoning behind our positioning was unclear to us, since none of us held any more or less status with respect to each other. However, she was definite about where she wanted us to stand.

When she was satisfied that we were in line according to her predestined order, she slowly strolled along in front of us. With careful scrutiny, she inspected each of us in turn, casually pushing a loose hair back into place, or picking off a minute piece of lint. When she was finished with her inspection, we could rest assured that we were spotless. Turning her back to us, she proudly strode to the main entrance and stood at the head of the soldiers, putting her in position to be the first to greet the Lord and his guests when they made their debut.

She didn't have long to wait before two soldiers, marching abreast with long-knives held out in front of them and wearing brightly polished breastplates, strode through the entrance. Following close behind them in a loose-knit group were Lord Balzar and approximately a dozen men. Some of these men were dressed in uniforms, probably signifying their rank and position in a mock military establishment that was sanctioned, funded, and for the sole benefit of the wealthies. In essence, they were nothing more than hired security guards were, their power extending only to the amount of control that they wielded over the slave population that lived directly beneath them.

Mingling with these puppet soldiers were others that were wearing typical clothing of the wealthies. Stopping briefly, Lord Balzar whispered something in the old woman's ear. Judging by the hint of a smile that came to the corner of her mouth, what he said must have been a complement to her efforts. Without any further ado, he proceeded forward until he was standing directly before us while his guests looked on hungrily.

The cavern was in complete silence as all waited for the Lord to address his new properties. Without taking his eyes from me, he said, "Take in the delights, gentlemen." Then walking up to me, stopping only when he was less than two inches from my face, he added, "There are refreshments and seating near the pool. Please feel free to choose a companion. Several if you so desire. But this delectable morsel is mine."

Holding out his arm, I felt that I didn't have any choice except to hook my own in his. Looking pleased that I didn't resist his offer, he led me to the largest array of cushions on the floor near the pool.

Anxious to get the festivities underway, the others were much less formal than Lord Balzar in their inspections and selections. While some began groping the girls to feel the firmness of their breasts and buttocks, others just yanked up their dresses and performed gross, visual inspections before leading their choices away. The earlier air of fantasy among the girls was quickly replaced by a mass feeling of humility and embarrassment. All doubts concerning their rank in this new life beneath the surface were swiftly replaced by reality, as their temporary possessors led them to the cushions of their choice. Not having been put through the embarrassment of my fellow subjects, I was careful to keep my eyes averted. The lack of scrutiny that I had received was much too gratuitous on my part, and I knew that the other girls would harbor feelings of resentment toward me because of it. In so far as there were many crude remarks leading to embarrassment and humiliation among the girls, not a single girl was turned down by any of the men.

The selection process was over in less than two minutes. With many ribald remarks and the occasional sound of tearing material, all eventually found themselves sprawled around on the cushions, listening to the soft music coming from the band across the cavern. The acoustics of the cavern enhanced the sound of the music immeasurably.

Slave girls, dressed in one-piece shifts so as not to distract the guests from the new girls, were busy flitting among us with bottles of fermented wine and baskets overflowing with sweet fruits. Although the fruit looked delectable, unless it was offered by a guest, it was off limits to the girls.

Almost immediately, the men started loosening up from the effects of the alcohol, as became apparent by the increased vulgarity of the jokes, in addition to the raising of voices.

One of the men, clad only in the remnants of wealthy-style clothing from the surface, was having his selected girl remove the remnants with her teeth. Having tied her hands behind her back beforehand, he was thoroughly enjoying himself, as she buried her face in his crotch, futilely attempting to remove the drawstring in the front of his pants. All the while, he remained sitting in them, making it impossible for her to remove them. And yet, every time that she began to make any progress, he would grab her by the breasts, squeezing hard enough to elicit tears from her eyes, while pulling her roughly against his groin. Meanwhile, he kept up a sharp tirade, criticizing and debasing her for what a lousy job she was doing.

Shockingly, though, and despite her obvious pain and red, swollen breasts, she was laughing right along with him. With each swill of wine he poured down her throat, she laughed ever harder. Unable to balance herself on her knees any longer, she collapsed face-first into his lap where, just moments before, his swollen member was unveiled. His pleasure, despite her semiconscious state, was disgusting, and I had to look away before I made myself sick to my stomach.

There were similar acts going on all around me, with men and women alike. All were equally undressed and in varying stages of intercourse or the close proximity of such. One man, covered in spilled wine and fruit pulp, was busily trying to see how many different fruits he could hide on an almost naked girl. Every time another one mashed against her naked skin, he would turn to the man nearest him, urging him to guess the new total. When those nearest to him failed to show any interest, he positioned her on all fours and made her guzzle wine from a flask. In a matter of moments, the wine reacted with the fruit she had eaten, making her violently ill. Just at the moment of expulsion, he turned her to face the man that had just recently showed a lack of interest in his activities. Before the man could react, due to his own advanced bibulous state, he was covered in sticky, rank-smelling, bile.

This so enraptured him that his own erotic elation came in a torrent unheeded, as he spewed his viscous slime on the surrounding cushions. Turning back to him, he forced her to lick his limp-pride clean while he sat back and sucked down more wine.

The whole scene around me was growing more bizarre by the second, and I realized with mounting dread that it wasn't going to be long before Lord Balzar started turning his attentions toward me. For now, he was thoroughly enjoying himself, drinking wine, eating fruit, and telling jokes. He hadn't even put a hand on me up to this point. Instead, he was completely captivated by the spectacle of all that was going on around him. For the moment, he was entertained.

Most of the guests, and women too, were inebriated, excluding Rhone. She was putting on a good act, but I could tell that she was cold sober. Most of these girls never had alcohol before, and didn't have any idea why they were doing the things they were doing. Their inhibitions had abandoned them.

Thankfully, Lord Balzar didn't offer me any wine, so it hadn't become necessary for me to find a way to decline. However, judging by how quickly it affected the others, and how extreme their actions, I had to wonder if there wasn't something just a little more potent in the wine than mere alcohol.

Suddenly, from over by the pool, came a sharp scream. One of the men was holding a wildly struggling girl beneath the surface of the water while he forced himself upon her. Splashing and gasping for air, he reluctantly let her up. He had either come very quickly, or even in his drunken state, he was lucid enough to fear that she might drown beneath him. Although we were considered nothing more than mere playthings for Lord Balzar and his guests, it was still considered in bad taste to kill one of us.

Unexpectedly, even before she had gotten her wind back, she lit into him with a vindictive train of words, lashing at him with everything that was pent up inside her. Just as swiftly, he slammed his fist into the side of her head, knocking her unconscious. As she slowly slid unconscious beneath the surface, a small train of red bubbles gurgled up from her nose. The outburst had momentarily captured everyone's attention, and the response was renewed laughing and the throwing of fruit and empty goblets at the man for creating such a raucous distraction.

Lord Balzar, however, jumped to his feet, outraged at his guest. With a snap of his fingers, two soldiers jumped into the pool and pulled the unconscious girl out. Without waiting for orders, one of them threw her over his shoulder while the other led the way out of the cavern.

A girl wearing a brown leather top with long fringes embroidered into it had consumed too much wine and had passed out. Taking advantage of her unconscious state, two guests had used the fringes on the outfit to bind her ankles and wrists. While they took turns repeatedly sodomizing her, the other poured even more wine down her unresisting throat. At this point, I couldn't tell if she were dead or alive. But I had no doubts that if they left her tied there when their interest waned, she would surely drown in the pool.

Now, with all the attention focused on Lord Balzar, the two guests slowly sat back, afraid he would turn his attention to their girl next. However, before that could happen, the girl moaned softly and then emitted a loud belch while simultaneously emitting a horrendously loud fart.

If Lord Balzar were furious a moment prior, he showed no evidence of it as he suddenly burst out laughing. Uneasily at first, and then slowly with more meaning, everyone joined in, laughing and cheering until Lord Balzar slowly sank back to the cushions beside me. If I hadn't realized it before, I did now; with the ability to recycle people, the human body had become a disposable item to the Lords and wealthies.

Feeling sick to my stomach and ready to vomit, I was almost relieved when Lord Balzar suggested that I should follow him to a private chamber. Somewhere that we can get away from these animals, he said. Standing, he reached down, offering me his hand as though there wasn't anything out of the ordinary going on around us. With no other option, I took his hand and hooked my arm in his.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Rhone watching us; she wasn't missing a beat. Playing along with the rest of the drunken and drugged, no one was aware that she hadn't even undressed yet. More power to her, I thought to myself, all the while allowing Lord Balzar to lead me through a small doorway carved into the cavern wall that had been concealed by a large ornamental tapestry.

The room was well lit by candles, revealing only the barest of furnishings: mainly a large, four-poster bed with shimmering, green silk sheets, and coverings.

Stopping at the edge of the bed, he turned to me and said, "I could tell from the expression on that pretty face of yours that you weren't enjoying yourself at my party. Maybe I can make it up to you."

"Why the concern for me?" I asked, attempting to keep him talking and thereby stalling the inevitable, namely, getting on the bed with him.

"There's something special about you," he said, speaking as smoothly as the sheets on the bed looked. "I can't quite figure out what it is, but I feel it every time I look into your dark, mysterious eyes."

Yeah, I thought to myself, I bet you get a feeling all right, and it isn't from looking into my eyes!

"Come here," he softly ordered. "Let me touch you, let me show you how kind I can be."

"I need to relieve myself first, if you don't mind," I said quickly.

"Why, of course. Let me call one of the girls to escort you," he said with just a hint of annoyance. "After all, I wouldn't want you to take a wrong turn and get lost."

He turned to a gold braided cord hanging near the head of the bed and gave a soft tug on it. Within a minute, Elsa entered the room and bowed before him, clearly surprised to see me still dressed.

"Yes, my Lord," she said.

"Take this fine lady and escort her to the room and help her freshen herself. Do not let anyone near her and do not be too long. I will be waiting here for her return!" he sternly added.

"Yes, my Lord," she obediently answered, before turning toward me and motioning me out the door ahead of her.

We were barely out the door when she turned to me and said sharply, "You are trying to stall the inevitable! If you would just give him what he wants, he will treat you better than you have ever known!"

Then, in a more hurried tone, she said, "Now follow me. If we are gone very long, he will miss us and send others to find us. That will only make him angry, and then you will pay, believe me."

"Elsa!" I said with conviction. "I am not going back into that room. You can help me, or I will find my own way out of here. Whichever you decide, I will not go back into that room, or any other that he is in. Ever!"

She stopped and, slowly turning to face me, said, "Do you know what you are asking of me? If I don't return you to him, he will surely have me disposed of. Don't you understand that my life is here?" Tears sprouted in the corners of her eyes. Then solemnly and softly, she added, "And despite everything that you might think, it's been a good one."

Looking straight into her eyes, I emphatically exclaimed, "How can you possibly call this a good life, Elsa? It may be your life, but don't try to convince me it's a good life! The problem is that you've been here so long that you have forgotten how good life can be! Don't you see that you're not free here to experience love, or the joy that life has to offer? No, Elsa, this is not a good life. Not a life as it should be."

She hesitated only a moment longer before saying, "Follow me, and be quick. We haven't much time before he sends someone to come looking for us."

Quickly, I glanced behind me at the tapestry that hung over the doorway leading into the room containing Lord Balzar. Seeing no movement, and hearing no sounds coming from within, I turned my attention toward the orgy that was picking up steam in Lord Balzar's absence. Staring back at me, and quickly drawing a conclusion, was none other than Rhone.

Elsa, unaware of Rhone's attention, was already heading off toward the entrance. Even before I could turn and give chase, Rhone, likewise, started running our way. There was nothing that I could do to stop her. I could only hope that it wouldn't change Elsa's mind about helping me escape when she realized that Rhone was hot on our trail. Hurriedly, I fell in behind Elsa, figuring that I would just have to cross that bridge when I came to it. Maybe Rhone would hang far enough back that Elsa wouldn't be aware of her behind us.

As we approached the soldiers standing guard at the main entrance, they promptly jumped up, blocking our path with their long-knives.

"Halt!" cried out the lead soldier. "State your business and destination!"

On the verge of panicking, I realized that if Elsa could get me past these soldiers, I wouldn't have to worry about Rhone following; without a known escort, they would never allow Rhone to leave.

"We are on an errand for the mighty Lord Balzar himself!" she replied, speaking with authority. "Let us pass now or face the master's wrath for impeding our progress!"

They stood their ground, unsure how to handle the situation. The girl that stood before them was a well-known and trusted slave. But that didn't explain why she would be taking one of the new slaves out of the cavern with her, especially during a party that the new girl was dressed to attend. However, they knew better than to contact Lord Balzar over such a trivial matter. Instead, they would detain us until the party was over or their master sent an inquiry regarding the slaves.

Just when it looked as though they weren't going to let us pass, a man approached from outside the cavern. Now the soldiers weren't sure which way to face and who to stop. Clearly, they didn't recognize the man or they wouldn't be acting so indecisive.

The man had just run from a great distance, and he was too out of breath to speak clearly. While he was bent over and trying vainly to catch his breath, Elsa decided to take advantage of the situation. In the confusion, she demanded instant passage by them. Startling the poor soldiers and rattling them even more, they hesitantly stepped aside and ordered us through while turning their full attention to what the new arrival was trying to tell them. It was our good fortune that Lord Balzar controlled his men by his use of fear, rather than by winning their respect and ultimate loyalty, or they never would have allowed us to leave.

Hurrying past them, we ran through the exit before Lord Balzar or any of the others in the cavern realized what we were doing. By now, the winded man was regaining his ability to speak. However, rather than wait until he was granted a showing, he was heedlessly spouting to the soldiers what he was supposedly sent to convey to Lord Balzar.

Catching a few phrases of what he was saying as we passed, there was no mistaking the gist of his message. Somewhere, deep within the bowels of the planet, a batch of recycled slaves had escaped, taking Lord Thar and a slave trader, named Keazar, hostage. The man was further pronouncing that it was imperative that he be presented to Lord Balzar immediately, in order that they could catch the slaves and rescue Lord Thar and Keazar before they were lost.

Moving quickly through the entrance and down the hallway, trying to put as much distance between this godforsaken place and myself as possible, and as quickly as possible, I was unable to catch any more of what the man said.

Except, that is, for one sweet, tiny little bit that set my heart to racing, giving me renewed faith that I might still be reunited with Rod. According to the winded man, the escaped slaves were being led by none other than an ex-pilot from the surface. Although I didn't dare to let myself believe that it could be Rod, at the same time, I knew that it had to be him. He was still alive!

Constantly, I kept looking back as we ran down the well-lit hallway. At any moment, I expected to see either Rhone or the soldiers coming up behind us in hot pursuit. Yet, with each nervous glance over my shoulder, the hallway stretched away empty and silent behind us.

After thirty minutes of nonstop running, Elsa suddenly came to an abrupt halt. Turning to face me, a deep sadness in her eyes, she breathlessly said, "This is as far as I can take you, Loté. I wish you luck in finding your man, and I hope you make it back to your home on the surface."

"Please, Elsa, won't you reconsider, and come with me," I begged of her.

"Your place is elsewhere, Loté, and Godspeed to you. But my place is here." She paused for a moment before adding, "And so is my man, even if he doesn't realize it anymore. Now go, and may the gods guide you always and keep you safe."

With that said, she removed a small, shiny metal disk from a hiding place on her body. Holding it flat against the wall, a doorway suddenly slid open, revealing another hallway identical to the one we were standing in. At the same moment, we both jumped, startled by a voice from behind us.

"I'm going with you, Loté!" cried Rhone from down the hallway.

"Hurry!" said Elsa. "I can shut the door behind you and she won't be able to follow."

"No," I declined. "She has as much right to her freedom as I. Just like you, she can come with me, if that is what she desires."

"You're damn right, I can!" she said huskily before adding, "As if you could stop me anyway."

"Then go while you can," said Elsa quickly. Unable to maintain control of her emotions any longer, tears started sprouting from the corners of her eyes, turning them red and puffy before running down her cheeks. With emotional determination, she said, "Now go, before I change my mind!"

"Thank you, Elsa," I said sincerely. "I will never forget you or what you have done for me. But before I leave, tell me, what became of the girl with the injured ankle?"

"She is fine. When her injury is better, she will be trained along with all the others. In a way, her injury was a blessing in disguise. She, at least, isn't suffering through the humiliation and degradation that the others are going through. Now hurry!" she urged. "Go before Lord Balzar's soldiers arrive. If they see which hallway you have taken, you won't stand a chance at escaping them!"

Giving her a quick hug, I refrained from begging her to come with us again. Although she appeared younger than I, she was in fact many years older and thus much wiser; for the time being, I could only hope that she knew what was best for her. Regretfully, I let go of her and entered the hallway that she had opened for me. With Rhone close on my heels, I set into a mile-eating trot. Unable to look back, I never heard the door as it slid shut. Elsa had made her decision to stay, long before I had come along. I just prayed that Lord Balzar wasn't too hard on her for letting, or rather helping, me to escape. Maybe, in the confusion of setting up a search and rescue party to go after the escaped slaves, he wouldn't find out about Elsa's assistance in my escape. For some strange reason that I couldn't explain, I didn't think Rhone would even be missed. However, along that same line of thought, I had a strong feeling that I would be.

### **9**

After traveling several miles through the myriad of halls, we had yet to encounter another soul. We passed through several more sliding doors, always being cautious when we opened them, because according to Keazar, although we hadn't run into any other travelers, we were still following a main thoroughfare. Thanks to the air-conditioned state of the hallways, I felt as though we could keep this mile-eating pace up forever. Unfortunately, Keazar's obesity, combined with his poor physical condition, dictated when we took our breaks. Watching him sweat, and listening to his labored breathing, my heart went out to him. What was an easy lope for the rest of us was a heart wrenching, man-killing pace for the large man.

Unable to watch him suffer any longer, I was about to call a halt when he suddenly slowed to a stop and pulled me aside.

Breathlessly, he gasped, "We need to talk."

"Can we find another food closet first?" I asked, hoping to accomplish more than a mere rest break for the poor man.

"Yes. There should be one just ahead. But then, please, we must rest," he said, struggling for each breath.

After taking out his little inex card, he proceeded another hundred yards down the hall before stopping and opening a door. Like the first pantry we'd ravished, this one too was well stocked with food and beverages.

"We must talk before we go any farther," he said breathlessly, as he stood back from the open doorway to make room for the people entering. "We have come to a crossroads in our journey."

Stepping to the side and letting Wary take charge of the distribution of supplies, I turned to Keazar and said, "Step over here my friend, so that we are not in the way, and explain what you mean."

Since I wasn't sure of what he was going to say, I decided that I had better hear it first, before the others. If I was going to lead these people to safety, it was important for me to have an opportunity to put my slant on it before it was put up for discussion.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly started, "My friend, I am afraid that we have come to the end of our relatively safe passage. If we continue on this route, we will surely encounter trouble with Lord Thar. You must remember that it isn't any secret as to where we are heading. By now, I am sure Lord Thar has figured out the route that we are traveling, despite our attempts to change course frequently. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he has already set traps up ahead for us." He paused for a moment and took several deep breaths before continuing. "In addition, not only will he have the element of surprise, he will have us totally outnumbered with well-trained and well-armed soldiers. The best we could hope for is a swift and painless death at their hands. I assure you, my friend, anyone that survives his trap will be tortured at length, if not to save face in front of his soldiers, then just for the sheer pleasure of it."

"You sound awful sure of that conclusion. Isn't it possible that he doesn't have a clue to our whereabouts, and at this very moment is expecting us to be trying to make it to the planet's surface? Or maybe even to your domain?" I asked of him, knowing in my heart that his conclusions were correct.

"I wish that I could tell you otherwise, my friend. But alas, I have seen evidence of his scouts all along the way," he soberly replied.

"What do you mean you have seen evidence of his scouts?" I fumed, suddenly furious that he'd been holding out on me. "Why haven't you mentioned this earlier? And what kind of evidence have you seen? I haven't seen anything but clean white hallways. If this is a trick of yours, let me warn you right now, you will be the first of us to die! Moreover, if time permits, it will be a long, drawn-out affair!"

"Please, do not get upset with me, my friend. If it would have made any difference, I would surely have brought their presence to your attention earlier." He paused for a moment while my anger waned. Then, ever so delicately, he added, "You mustn't forget, my friend, that I have lived many lifetimes within these surroundings, much as you have lived less than one in your own. Yet, I would not question your conclusions or judgment with regard to our safety if our roles were reversed, and we were on the planet's surface. So, please, do not attempt to undermine my judgment down here, my dear friend."

"Please accept my apology," I tactfully replied, not sure whether I really believed him or not, but afraid of putting him on the defense and getting his guard up. "Although I understand your reasoning, you must likewise remember that I am a newborn here. Everything that I see and experience down here, I am seeing and experiencing for the first time. I say again, I am sorry if I have offended you. Please, tell me how you have come to know what you know so that I might also learn to see these things for myself."

"There is no need to apologize, kind sir," he said, bowing to emphasize his seriousness. Then, his tone of voice climbing several octaves due to his growing excitement, he went on to explain, "I have seen them watching us with a concealed eyepiece inserted in the crack of the doorways. There has also been evidence of their presence in the halls before us."

"What kind of evidence?" I quickly pressed him, neither having seen evidence in the pristine hallways, nor understanding what concealed eyepieces were.

Smugly, he replied, clearly taking great pleasure in his newfound importance. "Little things, really; a dried spot of sweat on the wall where a shoulder might have rubbed up against it in passing. Or something as obvious as an off-color smudge on the floor from a loose stool that dribbled down a leg. These are just a couple of the many little things that you wouldn't even know to look for, my friend. Yet, to me, they stand out radiantly, begging to be noticed."

"Then what do you suggest?" I asked of him, further inflating his sense of importance.

"Well," he started slowly, pretending to be conjuring up a plan spontaneously, though I suspected that he'd been working on one for some time now. "If you seriously want my advice, my suggestion is to change routes." He paused a moment for impact before continuing. "Instead of staying this course and waiting for Lord Thar to spring his ambush, we should go through the burning mines."

He hesitated, studying me closely. He was suddenly not sure whether I was taking him seriously or not, or if I was just toying with him, leading him along. Then, with a subtle sigh, he continued in earnest, his newfound sense of importance outweighing his harbored doubts.

"It will be much more treacherous, not to mention a lot hotter. It will also increase the amount of time that it will take us to reach Lord Balzar's great cavern. Nevertheless, we should still be able to get there in time for the party. Also, by doing so, we can lose Lord Thar's scouts and increase our odds substantially of making it there at all. However, my good friend," he added with a wry chuckle, "I doubt that Lord Balzar will welcome us with open arms, if and when we do arrive. There is, after all, a very strong possibility that Lord Thar has sent his fastest messengers ahead with instructions to set up a trap for us. You have insulted Lord Thar with your insolence, and he will pay any price that Lord Balzar asks of him to guarantee your return."

Catching a glimpse of Wary out of the corner of my eye, I motioned him to join us. This was a decision that would have an effect on everyone, and thereby, all were entitled to voice their individual opinions.

If what Keazar said is true, we will be encountering much danger ahead. What form this danger will take was anyone's guess. If the others decide to stay the course with me, and I hoped for the most part that they do, they need to be aware of this. They also need to be aware of the fact that Lord Thar's vengeance is directed toward me, and they will only suffer unduly at his hands if they are caught aiding me in my cause. It makes more sense for them to set out on their own and distance themselves from me. But it has to be their decision.

"We need to have a conference regarding the route we are taking," I said to Wary as he joined us. "It is Keazar's belief that Lord Thar has scouts following our every move, possibly even reporting back to him on a regular basis so that he can set up a trap for us. Moreover," I paused momentarily for effect before going on. "Keazar believes that Lord Balzar will take Lord Thar's side, and that he'll be waiting for us when we get there."

"How is it possible that Thar's scouts have been following us without our knowing?" Wary argued, ignoring the part about Balzar lying in wait for us.

"Although I haven't personally seen any sign of them, I believe Keazar knows what he's talking about." Pausing to glance at Wary so that I could see his reaction to what I said next, I continued. "He's suggesting that we leave the well-traveled hallways for a more inconspicuous route; a route that will take us through the uncharted bowels of Heälf herself."

"I thought we were already changing our course on a constant basis to throw Thar off," Wary said irritably.

"It's not enough," Keazar quickly volunteered.

Wary, not answering immediately, gave the situation considerable thought before rendering judgment. Several times, he glanced sideways at Keazar, clearly weighing the man for his honesty.

Seeing the indecision on his face, I knew that I had to say something before he spoke, something that would clearly give him a push in the direction that I wanted him to take. It was time to give it 'my slant'.

"Although I can't ask you or anyone else among us to come with me, I want you to know, I have every intention of adhering to Keazar's advice. That is, if he will lead me through this no-man's land. Considering the increased danger that we now face, in addition to the known discomforts that lie ahead on this route, I wouldn't blame you if you were inclined to set out on your own. There isn't any doubt that it would be a lot easier to simply set a course for the surface, and forget this dangerous mission that isn't anyone's concern but my own. I would understand completely if you chose to take your charges and go your own way, my friend; I wouldn't think any less of you if you did. In fact, if I were in your position, that is exactly what I would do. And believing now that Balzar will be setting a trap for us..." I let my voice trail off, showing my desperation.

Although I desperately wanted him to come along with me, I suddenly feared that I had said too much. If he felt that he was backed into a corner or worse yet, if he felt manipulated, I wouldn't only lose him as an ally, but also as a friend.

Looking me straight in the eye, he stoically, yet passionately, said, "I told you that we were in this to the end. You are our captain, what you say, goes. Of course, I can only speak for myself. However, I am sure Brae and Cos will feel the same as I do. As for the rest, I suggest you put it before them and let them decide for themselves."

"Thanks, Wary," I said, a wave of relief flooding through me as I took his hand and gave it a firm and sincere clasp. "I would have been proud if you had been my co-pilot." Before turning to face the rest of the group, I caught a slight tinge of pink flash across Wary's face; he was embarrassed by my compliment. Speaking loud enough for everyone to hear, I said, "Listen up everyone, I have something to say, and I think you should hear it."

Speaking quickly, I briefly outlined my plan about taking a route through the uncharted tunnels. Empathizing the increased danger, and lack of human comforts that we'd find. I almost wished that they would decide to abandon us in favor of striking out for the surface on their own. It was going to be difficult enough looking out for the four of us; I wasn't relishing the thought of playing nursemaid to almost thirty more bodies.

After a moment of open discussion, one without much arguing, I might add, it was unanimously decided that they would stay the journey with us. Although I was flattered that they had such faith in me, I was also overwhelmed at the prospect of keeping them safe. In a small way, I even resented the responsibility.

Yet, I realized that what I resented more than the actual responsibility was the way that it had been thrust upon me. If their helplessness wasn't so obvious, I probably wouldn't have felt so pressured by it, maybe even enjoying my status among them. Of course, it wouldn't be fair of me not to mention that I did find some consolation in the fact that Wary had declared his loyalty to me. If I had any hope of finding Loté and returning safely to the surface, I was going to need a comrade like him.

At Keazar's urging to hurry, I suggested that everyone pack up as much food and water as they could physically carry. With bandaging material found in a first aid kit, several women made slings that could be filled with supplies and carried between them, thus increasing their individual capacity. If it gets as bad as Keazar's dire prediction, we were going to need everything that we could carry, and then some, to get through what lay ahead.

When everyone had refreshed their selves, and the supplies had been meted out, I did a quick visual inspection just to make sure that everyone was carrying their fair share. As I soon discovered, though, I needn't have bothered. Most, if not all, were carrying more than their share.

Upon seeing this, I felt a sharp pang of guilt creep up my spine, shaming me for my earlier feelings of resentment toward them. After all, the predicament that we found ourselves in wasn't anymore their fault than it was mine. It was only because they believed in me that they forced me into the role of their leader. How could I fault them for feeling such? Their motivation and desire to please me, in addition to their deep-seated desire to succeed, elicited a feeling of pride from me; they made me proud to be their leader. Although they weren't the equivalent of the soldiers that Lord Thar had at his disposal, I had no doubts that they would prove to be equally loyal.

"You lead the way, Keazar. We'll be right behind you," I said huskily, my voice betraying my attempt to hide my emotions.

Keazar, reaching into the folds of his robe, produced the small metal inex.

"Right this way, my gentle friends."

Moving briskly for his size, he hurriedly trotted down the hallway, the rest of us close on his heels. After traveling less than a hundred yards, he came to an abrupt stop. Having watched him several times before, we all knew to expect a doorway to appear when he held the inex against the wall. However, we were not prepared for what lay on the other side of this particular door.

Even before entering the opening, I could hear the sound of wind whistling threw a cavern. Beyond the opening, which was barely wide enough for one person to traverse, was a small rocky ledge, barely large enough for three people to stand on. Leading off to the left at a forty-five degree angle, and appearing to be chiseled out of the solid rock face, was a frighteningly narrow pathway. While it fell away to nothingness on the right, on the left it abutted the sheer rock wall that ascended into the darkness above.

As I ducked through the opening, which happened to be considerably smaller than those previous, I was immediately struck by the intense dry heat that washed over me. Going straight to the edge of the ledge, I carefully leaned over and looked down. Before I could react, I was struck in the face by a blast of hot air and heated gasses, instantly bringing tears to my eyes. Fighting a feeling of vertigo, and squinting against the upward rush of hot air, I found myself looking into an abyss of dismal semidarkness. Way off in the distance, I could just make out the flickering of what appeared to be a small campfire. Without needing to be told, I realized that the fire burning wickedly in the distance was much more than a simple campfire. It was the source of the heated air and gasses rising rapidly past the ledge. Its size was deceiving from this distance; it was much larger than it appeared.

If someone went over the edge, there would be no saving them.

Turning toward the group, most of which were still in the hallway trying to look past the ones that had ventured out onto the small ledge, I instructed everyone to line up in a single file.

"You will all get a chance to see!" I shouted, raising my voice to be heard over the howl of the rising air. "Keazar, are you sure this is the right way?"

"It is, my friend. If we want to get out of the main hallway, I'm afraid we don't have much choice," he yelled back, looking sorrier than his words could convey. "I immediately suspected that this wasn't what he expected. But the next entrance might be several hour's farther down the main hallway. By then, Lord Thar will surely have sprung his trap on us."

"Yes, you're probably right," I agreed. "You go first, if you don't mind. I'll go next. After me, the rest of you pick whatever order makes you feel the most comfortable. However, Wary and Cos will bring up the rear. If you get tired, pass the word and we'll stop. Whatever you do, don't take any chances. Just take your time and stay up tight against the wall."

The words of advice weren't necessary for our safety, so much as they were meant to calm everyone. Keazar quickly took his place in the lead and started moving slowly along the path, his back pressed up tight against the wall. The going was excruciatingly slow, and I realized that the path was very warm beneath my feet. It wasn't long before everyone was covered in a heavy layer of sweat, despite the dryness of the heated air. The air rushing past us had the effect on us of being inside a heated oven. I had to wonder how Keazar was handling it beneath the remnants of his heavy robe.

"Maybe you should take your robe off and carry it," I suggested to him.

"Maybe that would be a good idea," he answered back, already sounding exhausted and done in.

Without saying another word, he pulled his robe off and tied it around his waist. His cherub body was flushed a bright pink glow from the combination of heat and physical exertion. If anyone was going to fare poorly during this trek, I had a feeling it would be him. After living for so many centuries in an air-conditioned environment, his body had grown accustomed to the artificially cooled air. As the tremendous heat combined with his obvious lack of physical stamina, it could only mean disaster. Since we would be lost down here without him, it was doubly important that I keep a watchful eye on him; his well-being was paramount to all else.

"Let's stop for a minute to quench our thirst," I suggested out of concern for Keazar as I watched him struggling along the dangerous ledge. "Just lean back against the wall. I'll hand you a flagon."

Stopping in his tracks, he planted his sweat-covered back against the wall and leaned into it. The ledge was too narrow to do anything but stand upright. Looking at his tremendous profile, I was amazed that he didn't just fall off; more of his tremendous bulk hung out over the abyss than not.

He was breathing hard, so I refrained from saying anything, preferring that he just catch his breath while he waited for the water to arrive. I was about to ask what was taking so long, when the person beside me passed along a flagon.

"Here, drink some of this," I said, opening the flagon and offering it to him. "It'll make you feel better."

"I have never felt better, my good man," he said with a big smile and forced bravado. "Until you came along, I never knew how much fun I was missing out on. When I get back to my domain, I am going to start a workout program that will have me in better shape than anybody I have ever recycled, including yours!" And then, in a more somber tone of voice, he added, "If I ever get back to my domain, that is."

"You'll get back. Just as surely, as I'll get back to the surface, some day," I confidently concurred.

"In that case, may I wish you all the luck and Godspeed on your journey, my good friend," he laughed with genuine humility.

"Thanks. But I won't need your luck. Not as long as I have you, I won't. Now come on, let's get going before we die of old age here," I said jovially, sensing that he felt refreshed.

Taking the flagon from him, I decided to add it to my own burden of supplies, rather than pass it back down the line. At the steady rate we were losing body fluids, due in large part to the extremely dry heat, it would only be a matter of time before we needed to drink again, so it only made more sense to keep the flagon with us.

The path widened in some places, and then narrowed at others. Nevertheless, we were all negotiating it without incidence of catastrophe. Following a definite downward grade, I was sure that the heat was getting hotter the farther we went.

After several more hours of nonstop traveling, we came to a branch in the path. While the main path continued along the steep wall, gradually angling off to the left, a small footbridge, less than a foot wide and with no handrails, forked off to the right. Across the footbridge, which spanned a distance of approximately fifty feet was another small ledge, measuring approximately twenty feet out from the far wall and just as wide.

At the far side of the ledge was a small opening in the rock wall, barely large enough for an average-sized man to squeeze through; there weren't any trails leading to the left or right.

"Which way do we go, Keazar?" I asked, not relishing either choice, but thinking that once we traverse the bridge, we will be off the ledge.

Pointing across the bridge toward the small ledge, he said, "We go through that small passage across the bridge, if they will let us."

Looking back across the bridge in the direction that he pointed, I was both surprised and dismayed as I watched a horde of humanoid-type beings pouring out of the opening. In no time, the ledge was overcrowded with them, and still more were trying to push their way out of the opening.

Although they didn't appear very dangerous at first glance, and were probably just curious about us, they were in our way. Furthermore, if they proved to be dangerous, we would be very vulnerable to them as we crossed over the footbridge.

At first glance, the creatures didn't appear dangerous, just very formidable. They stood less than three feet tall, with thick, stocky bodies and short, heavily muscled arms that ended with five stubby digits on each. If my attention hadn't been drawn to their extremely wide, flat feet, I might have noticed sooner that they didn't appear to have any eyes. Although their heads were very large in proportion to their torso, they lacked the obvious feature that most humans share, the ability to see. And yet, despite lacking ocular vision, they appeared to be studying us. Even from this distance, I had no doubt that they could see us without benefit of eyes.

Approximately twenty of the short-stature humanoids had already emerged and more were crowding through the opening as we watched. The small ledge was quickly overcrowded with the creatures, and yet they continued cramming through the opening to get a 'look' at us.

"Do you think they're just curious about us, or do you think they want something from us?" I whispered to Keazar. "And just what the hell are they, anyway?"

"I would guess they are probably assessing us, my friend, trying to learn what things of value we may have to offer," he whispered back, not sounding at all sure of himself. Then, in a more confident tone, he continued, "They are, I am sad to say, descendants of early recycling experiments. Their heritage stems from a time when we were still learning how to recycle the human body. These cavities are probably crawling with such mutations." He paused, looking intently across at them, then added, "I am amazed at how well they have adapted to their surroundings. One would find it hard to believe that they were even human at one time."

"Are you sure this way is our only option?"

"It is the most direct way that I am aware of. But if you would prefer, we can stay on this path here to the left, and eventually work our way back to a main hallway. Of course, there is no guarantee that we won't encounter more of these creatures, or maybe worse, by staying to this route. Of one thing I am certain, though, my friend, if we stay on it, we will definitely lose much time, maybe even days. There isn't any way that I could possibly get you to Lord Balzar's party on time."

"Wary!" I called, frustration slowly setting in. Loté was in danger and rapidly running out of time. My options were severely limited. There was no telling what atrocities she might have to suffer at the hands of such a savage deviant, if given the time. In addition, Lord Thar had mentioned something about Lord Balzar taking a special interest in one of his new slaves. What if it turned out to be Loté? She was, after all, a very strikingly beautiful woman. What man wouldn't find her irresistible?

No, I don't have any options. Time is running out even as we stand here. If we can't negotiate something quick and agreeable to all, then we will force our way through them, and live with the consequences that are the result!

"Yes, Rod, I can hear you!" he called back.

"I'm going out on the bridge and meet with them. If something happens to me, you're in charge!" I called to him. "You know what my agenda is," I added, letting it hang there with all of its implications.

Though I didn't expect a response, he quickly and unhesitatingly called back, "I understand, Rod!"

Turning toward Keazar, I looked him straight in the eye and said, "If something happens to me, you can't let these people down. They'll be depending on you to lead them back to their homes."

In the same manner as Wary, he solemnly replied without the slightest hint of hesitation in his voice, "I promise you, I will do the best that I am capable of."

Drawing the gun and hefting it in my hand, I found myself wishing that I had a knife. Slowly, I started toward the footbridge. Even without the crowd of mutated freaks staring at me from the other side, this was going to be hairy.

After Keazar had worked his way beyond the fork to the bridge, I moved into position at the start of it, slowly getting down on all fours for stability. Putting the gun butt-first into my mouth for safekeeping, I grasped either side of the bridge with a firm grip, and tried to sway it. Not surprisingly, it was every bit as rigid as the virgin rock of its origins; whoever carved it had not flawed its naturally stout integrity.

Satisfied that it would safely support my weight, I gingerly moved out onto the bridge. Under normal circumstances, the object in my mouth would have caused me to drool profusely. But because of our slightly dehydrated condition, it remained dry, if not a bit salty from having been handled previously with sweaty palms. It would have been less cumbersome to secure the gun within the supply pack that was tied to my midsection, but since I didn't have a knife, I felt that I should at least keep the gun accessible. The surface of the bridged was worn smooth from heavy foot traffic, and the sides sloped off dangerously; it took a solid grip with both my hands and my thighs just to prevent myself from sliding over the edge.

My actions brought an immediate bout of screaming gibberish from the far side, while everyone behind me remained intensely silent. My hopes that the creatures were turning and retreating into the opening were quickly diminished, as I pried my eyes from the narrow expanse directly in front of me, and glanced up at the ledge ahead of me. Clearly, they were excited about something. However, much to my chagrin, there wasn't any visible fear in their behavior. Instead, their actions seemed more indicative of acute anticipation. Although I couldn't see anything blatantly standing out, shouting for my attention and concern, I found their current behavior very unsettling.

Putting my nerves and growing anxiety into perspective, I took a deep breath and concentrated on the part of the bridge directly ahead of me while cautiously continuing forward. When I was a little more than ten feet out on the bridge, an exceptionally well-muscled one separated from the crowd, and stepped easily out on the bridge, clearly blocking my way. He, like the rest, didn't appear to be carrying any weapons. In addition, much as the others were, he also wore a mask of grinning anticipation, further enhancing the ugliness of his bigheaded, no-eyed face.

With apparent ease, he strode forward on the bridge, stopping when he had covered approximately the same distance from his end as I had from mine. Despite the obvious goading that he was receiving from his comrades, he carefully matched my slowly moving pace, holding himself in check so that he wouldn't reach the center of the bridge before me. Because of his low center of gravity and broad flat feet, he could easily walk upright across the bridge if that were his intention. But clearly, it was not. Rather, it was the creature's intention for us to meet in the middle!

This creature, with his broad feet and low center of gravity, had evolved over a great many centuries. While he had almost no difficulty in standing upright, I was forced to remain on all fours, holding on tensely to the smooth stone surface and sides. Already, I could see the whiteness in my knuckles and feel the cramping in my joints. If I didn't relax, I wasn't going to make it to the center of the bridge!

Furthermore, in the short time that I had to study the creatures, I ruled out the possibility that they couldn't see. Although they had no apparent ocular vision, they turned their heads and followed movement like any creature with two functioning orbs. In the absolute dark of the tunnels, they probably saw with the same clarity as I did in the lighted hallways. They might be unique, but they weren't blind.

Any questions concerning the creature's intent had quickly evaporated; he wasn't coming out to greet me or to discuss bartering for a safe passage. This creature had been elected by his fellow mates to challenge and destroy the strange foreigner in their midst. It was strictly for sport and entertainment, something that must be sorely lacking down here.

Whether he was their leader, or just their most fearsome, or maybe even both, I didn't know or care. Whatever he was, I had already determined in my mind that these creatures weren't going to keep me from my Loté, no matter what the ultimate cost.

Stopping for a brief moment to let the cramps in my thigh muscles subside, I cautiously glanced back at the straggly group lined up against the wall behind me, half wondering what would become of them if something should happen to me. I wanted to believe that Keazar would do the right thing by them. But would he? Or would he get bored with the whole situation and just sell the poor souls to whoever offered him the best deal and safe passage back to his domain. Even though they'd chosen of their own free will to be here with me, subconsciously, I felt responsible for them. It certainly wasn't of their choosing to be down here inside this godforsaken planet.

When I looked back across the footbridge, I noticed that the creature had likewise stopped his forward progress. Like me, he too was facing back at his scraggly group, maybe even for the same reasons that I had. For the briefest of moments, I found myself empathizing with him. Then, just as quickly, I reminded myself that he was coming out on the bridge of his own free will; that was a luxury we didn't share!

Taking a deep breath, I gingerly started forward again, when suddenly my right knee slipped. Gripping the sides even tighter than I had thought possible, I involuntarily gasped, almost losing the gun from between by teeth.

Louder than my own gasp, came a concerted one from behind me, as everyone subconsciously sucked in their breath and held it. The creature also stopped. But now, instead of looking on in anticipation, he was grinning from ear to ear, clearly enjoying the show as he watched me struggle against my clumsiness. It was quickly becoming evident that I wasn't going to be any match against the creature as long as we were on this bridge. The odds might be tilted a little less in its favor if I were in possession of a knife. But I wasn't! He had all the advantages that evolution afforded him; I had but one. It was time to end this.

Squeezing my thighs tightly against the sides for support, I slowly sat upright on the bridge, much the same as I would if I were riding a beast of burden. Now that my hands were free, I took a moment to stretch and limber the fingers, shaking them briskly to return the flow of circulation. Only when I was completely confident that I wouldn't drop it, I took the gun from my mouth, and then slowly and deliberately wiped the handle clean on my supply pack. When I was satisfied that there wasn't any slippery saliva left on it, I grasped it securely in both hands, holding it out in front of me. Using the same calm and deliberation, I did exactly as I had been trained to do. Almost casually, I pointed the barrel at the creature's forehead, and held my breath to steady my hands.

Although the grin evaporated from his face, further proving my theory that they could see without the aid of eyes, he was ignorant of the gun and its deadly capabilities. His face took on a look of curiosity, his mouth forming a circle, questioning what the device was that I held before me. Since he was so sure of his supreme dominance over me, he exhibited no outward signs of fear.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly exhaled, just the way that I had been taught in pilot training school. Then, holding the end of my breath, I gently squeezed the trigger and waited for the blast that I knew was coming; a blast that would send a heavy lead projectile tearing through the creature's over-sized head. In all likely-hood, at such close range, the slug wouldn't stop there. Rather, it would continue on, passing through the front of the creature's skull and carrying most of its brains with it as it exploded out the back. It would be messy, but it would be quick.

The sweat was pouring from the pores in my forehead, while the gun felt uncomfortably cold and clammy in my hands. This act of taking a life, especially in cold blood, wasn't sitting well with me. If I had a knife, things would be different. But I didn't have a knife, and it didn't appear that I was going to be given one, so it was time to get over it!

Yet, I hesitated, arguing morality within my mind. Even with the creature's obvious advantages, if I had a knife, I wouldn't feel the slightest hesitation at joining him in hand-to-hand combat, even on a battlefield as treacherous as this bridge.

However, there was much more at stake here than just my pride. Not only did I have the responsibility of all these people standing behind me, but also that of Loté. She was depending on me to find her, while I am sitting here fighting with my morality. I was wasting valuable time while the sick deviant holding her captive could be doing all manner of immoral injustices to her. So why was I having such a difficult time of it? After all, this wasn't a human life that I was dealing with. It was nothing more than a savage animal. In less than the blink of its missing eyeballs, it would be all over for the poor creature.

Suddenly, from across the bridge, a frantic voice screamed across the void, "Wait! Wait! Don't kill him!"

The sound of another man's voice emanating from the center of the mob of creatures left me momentarily dumbstruck, as I was sure that one of the creatures had yelled the pleading cries. However, as I looked past the squat form standing ignorantly on the bridge in front of me, I noticed a commotion near the opening in the wall. With much difficulty and shoving, bodies were attempting to make room for one more on the small, crowded shelf of rock.

To my amazement, as well as that of my friends behind me, a man suddenly emerged from the opening. Straightening up to his full height and waving his arms wildly, he screamed hysterically, begging me not to kill the creature on the bridge.

"Who are you?" I called to him, shifting my aim to cover him and the creature on the bridge at the same time. Although I kept them covered with the gun, I was profoundly relieved that I didn't have to take the poor creature's life.

From behind me, Keazar suddenly called out, "Sald! Sald, is that you?"

"Yes! Yes, it's me!" the man yelled back excitedly, as he too, recognized the portly man standing across the chasm from him. "Why Keazar, my old friend, what could you possibly be doing in these godforsaken depths? This is much too far from your usual haunts, is it not? And my god, man, what happened to your clothes?"

Turning to Keazar, I quickly asked of him, "Do you two know each other?"

"Oh yes, I'm afraid that we do," he proudly replied. "You see, my friend, you are looking upon my first successful attempt to recycle a human body."

"What the hell is going on here?" came Wary's voice, sounding as confused as myself by the turn of events.

"Yes, explain, Keazar," I ordered.

"Why, there is nothing to explain," he innocently replied.

"Who are all those people with you, Keazar?" yelled the man from across the bridge, now known as Sald.

"They are my friends, my good man," he answered him. "My clothes are right here," he said, holding up a corner of his robe. "If you would have done something about conditioning the air in these parts, I wouldn't have to be suffering the indignity of not wearing them," he added with a chuckle.

"So tell me, Keazar," he said, ignoring Keazar's attempt at joviality. "What is it that brings you down here?"

Keazar, oblivious to Sald's sudden brusqueness, replied, "We would like safe passage across this so-called bridge so that we may be on our way. We don't mean any harm to anyone, but it is imperative that we continue at once."

"How can you stand there and innocently profess that you mean no harm, when just a moment ago, it appeared as though you were about to kill my good friend, Study!" he fired back, no longer able to hide his anger from us.

While Keazar engaged him in conversation, I took the opportunity to study him closer. The first thing that stood out was his height. Upon first glance, standing among the humanoids, he had appeared much taller than he actually was. Although he stood almost two feet above the heads of the creatures surrounding him, he was at least two feet shorter than me. In contrast to the stout build of the humanoids, he was very wiry. Even though I didn't know the man that was standing across the abyss from us, and wielding a profound influence over our immediate destiny, I felt an immediate dislike for him growing within my chest.

"What would it be worth to you if my people gave you safe passage, not only across this deplorable bridge, but throughout my entire domain?" he asked slyly.

"What do you mean, throughout your domain?" Keazar indignantly asked of him, all earlier manner of friendliness evaporating. "You neither possess, nor do you control a domain!"

"You are mistaken, my fat and foolish friend. This is my domain that you are so insolently asking my permission to enter!" he fired back. Then, he calmly added, "Quite frankly, I'm not sure that we want your hostile kind down here. Maybe you should take your friends and go back to where you came from."

"Why, you just wait, you ungrateful, impudent bastard!" stuttered Keazar, unable to control his raging anger. "When the true Lords hear of this blasphemy, they will scour you and all your 'people' right out of their hiding places. There will be no recycling! When they're done with you, there will be no trace left behind; you will cease to have been!"

"Ha! You talk big for a man that needs us, and not the other way around," he blithely retorted.

"Your 'people' will make very fine miners in Lord Thar's mines," Keazar fired back, when he didn't get the expected response from threatening not to recycle them.

"Both of you hold on a minute!" I yelled at neither in particular. Having both of their attentions, I turned toward the man called Sald and asked of him, "What is it exactly that you are wanting in exchange for our safe passage through your domain?"

"He has no domain!" Keazar shouted angrily.

"Quiet, Keazar! I will deal with this," I said softly, not wanting to get his emotions flaring any hotter than they already were.

"Now, finally, someone is talking some sense around here," Sald said agreeably. "What do I want? Hmm, let me tell you," he started slowly, while animatedly rubbing his chin and pretending to be thinking deeply on it. When he could see that I too was growing impatient with him, he finally disclosed his outlandish terms. "Would you find it preposterous of me if I said that I wanted all of your provisions and three of your women?" he flatly inquired, an underlying seriousness in his voice that contradicted the outrageousness of what he was saying.

When we failed to respond fast enough for him, he added with a smirk, "That would be three women of my own choosing, of course."

"Those demands are ludicrous and asinine," I responded, using the same flat, tone of voice that he had.

"I could say that your demands are ludicrous also, my good man," he casually replied. "But I don't see how you have a whole lot of choices, considering that you need something from me, and not the other way around."

"It is apparent that you are familiar with this weapon that I carry," I said, trying hard to regain the upper hand, while simultaneously showing him that I wasn't afraid to use it. "What makes you think that I won't just kill you right now and be done with you?"

"You could," he answered coolly, either not falling for my ploy, nor doing a good job of bluffing. "But what makes you believe that you can kill all of my people before they can get to you?" He paused for a moment while he reconsidered the situation. "However, you are correct; I am somewhat familiar with your weapon; familiar enough to know that it is limited to how many times it can be fired. Can you fire it often enough to prevent them from throwing you and all of your lovely companions into the fires below?" He paused a moment, and when I didn't respond, he quickly continued. "I didn't think so. Besides, you have no idea how many more of us are waiting just beyond this opening. I know, and I can assure you, you don't have that many bullets. They were a scarce commodity even back when I was a pilot," he chuckled, his confidence soaring.

"Whatever happened to honor among pilots?" I screamed at him, my anger winning out over my better judgment and reserve. "How dare you call yourself a pilot?"

He laughed, realizing how easy it was to anger me. If he only knew just how close that I was to putting a bullet through his head, he would be treating me with much more respect than he was showing. There was much truth in his statement; I couldn't kill them all. Nevertheless, he would be the first to die.

"I will tell you what, Pilot," he arrogantly announced. "I will settle for female volunteers. In fact, just to show you what a reasonable man I can be, I will even let you keep your water supply."

"No deal," I said flatly, my anger now under control as I realized how easily he had toyed with my emotions.

"Wait!" cried a small voice from behind me. "I'll volunteer!"

Turning to see who could be so brave, or naive, I wasn't overly surprised to see that it was the same redheaded girl that had offered herself to me back in the hallway. Now she was offering herself up so that the rest of us would not be harmed. It was out of the question, even if I had the slightest inclination to trust this man, which I didn't. It was not her choice to make. As the leader of this group, I had already decided; it would be all or none of us that made it out of here!

"Good," he crowed with delight. "There is actually someone amongst you with enough sense to know that you haven't any other choice!"

"I said no deal, and I meant it!" I flatly fired back, totally disregarding her offer to volunteer.

"Then prepare to meet your maker!" he cried out, while simultaneously signaling the creature on the bridge to attack.

"I have met my maker, and he stands behind me!" I yelled back defiantly, while taking a calm, controlled aim at the big head coming toward me. After slowly exhaling, I held the end of my breath, and gently squeezed the trigger.

There wasn't any need to waste time watching the aftermath. Having used the gun before, I knew that the bullet would mushroom as it entered the skull cavity, gathering what few brains the creature had before exiting through the rear. Carrying the bulk of soft tissue and gore with it, those creatures on the platform directly behind Study, would be splattered the heaviest.

Instead, I was already adjusting my aim to cover Sald, intent on stopping him, as he stood amidst his army of non-optical mutants. As I leveled the weapon, he hurriedly shouted instructions to his army of humanoids. Using their guttural dialect, he instructed them on how best to deal with us, while simultaneously concerned with preserving as many of the women as possible.

Unfortunately or otherwise, I never got the shot that I was going for. As Study's brains and bone fragments hit the onrushing mob, they turned as if one, and raced wildly for the small opening at the back of the ledge. In the panic and chaos that followed, Sald was inadvertently knocked over the side by his own comrades. Within seconds, a small battle broke out as the humanoids fought each other to get through the opening. And yet, others that were still in the opening and unaware of what was happening were trying madly to make their way out onto the ledge.

Although Sald may have been among the first to be knocked over the side, he was by no means the last. Shortly after Sald's demise, I looked on in rapt fascination as a male creature, in his haste to escape, accidentally knocked a female creature over the side. There wasn't any chivalry among the males, only fear and blinding hysteria.

For a mere fraction of a second, I found myself feeling remorse for having shot Study. This feeling of remorse was quickly followed by one of sympathy for the poor creatures and their mindless plight. Without Sald's influence over them, there wasn't any telling what type of creature they might be. Of course, even without his influence, they might still act as though they had been born without souls, or at the very least, a moral compass.

When the bedlam was finally over, and the last of the non-optical creatures had disappeared through the opening, I had witnessed at least six more of the creatures falling to their deaths. Yet, despite the small amount of physical exertion that I'd expended since climbing out on the bridge, the ordeal left me feeling spent and exhausted.

Now that Sald was dead, I didn't feel the humanoids would give us any more trouble. This feeling was bolstered by their fearsome reaction to the gun, and now they were familiar with the devastation that it could wreak.

Satisfied that it was safe to continue forward, I suggested to the others that we all get across to the ledge before taking a break. There was a murmur of agreement to my suggestion, so after taking a deep breath, I returned the gun to between my teeth and started for the stone ledge.

When I'd gone less than fifteen feet, I came to the blood and gore that had erupted from Study's head. Considering how slippery it made the top of the bridge, I didn't have any choice but to slide along in it; there wasn't any way that I was going to stand up and walk over it, even though, I wanted to keep as much distance between it and myself as possible.

Moving slowly through the gritty slime, I took a second in which to chance a look over the side. Not surprisingly, there wasn't any sign of the creature's bodies that had fallen from the ledge. However, I hadn't really expected there to be, since they would have fallen too far to see or been consumed by the fire.

After what seemed to take all of eternity, I finally reached the ledge. After wiping the sticky mess off my hands and from between my thighs, I turned to monitor Keazar's progress. Although I would have preferred Wary to come across next, since we needed desperately to confer, it wasn't going to be; Keazar, upon seeing Sald, had started negotiating the bridge even before I was forced to shoot Study, and was already started out on it when the commotion erupted. Moreover, because of the narrowness of the ledge, and because of my earlier suggestion that Wary bring up the rear, he was going to be the last to cross.

Rather than let myself grow disheartened with the situation, I reconciled it in my mind that what I needed to discuss with Wary could be discussed openly, as it would affect everyone in the group. When everyone got across, we would take a break and have an open discussion.

While keeping an eye on Keazar's progress across the bridge, I took the time to look around the tiny ledge. To my surprise, I came across several weapons that had been dropped during the creature's hasty departure. Of the most important, aside from a broken spear and some stones of a good throwing size, was a rusty knife that still brandished the dried blood of a less fortunate beast.

After gathering the few objects together, I decided to retain the knife for myself. Although the blade was of a low-grade ore with many deep rust-pits, after hefting its weight and feel, I determined that with a bit of work it could be made into quite a serviceable weapon. Since I had time to kill, and it was going to take the others quite a while to get over here, judging by Keazar's slow progress, I set to working the blade against the stone lip of the ledge. With much rubbing of the metal against the stone, I would eventually succeed in removing the rust, and putting a usable edge on it.

Using small drops of Study's splattered blood for a wetting agent, it took relatively little time before I had the knife looking like new. It would never compare to the weapon that I had lost, but it was sharp and serviceable, just the same.

Tending to the knife had taken all of my attention, as I found the chore both relaxing and invigorating. By the time that I was satisfied with it, Keazar and six others had made their way over and were busying themselves preparing food in anticipation of the other's arrival.

With my confidence renewed, thanks in large part to having a decent weapon again, I decided to explore the opening in the wall and make sure that all the creatures were gone. Although it was unlikely that any had hung back to ambush us, one could never be too careful.

Once inside the opening, I was immersed in absolute darkness, as the feeble light from the fire below was blocked out completely by the rock ledge. Feeling with outstretched hands, I quickly determined the height of the ceiling and the general direction of the tunnel. The ceiling wasn't much taller than I. In addition, there were many jagged projections hanging downward, forcing me to work my way along by dragging one hand against the wall, and holding the other out in front of my vulnerable head.

Moving slowly, I went almost fifty feet without finding any sign of the creatures, and was about to turn around, when I heard a slight rustling sound approaching from behind. Holding the knife out in front of my body, I quickly dropped into a low, defensive crouch. While I silently waited, holding my breath for fear of making a sound, I relished the feeling that I got from having such a reliable weapon. Don't get the wrong idea; the gun had definitely come in handy, doing its part in protecting me on more than one occasion. However, nothing could beat the comfortable feel of wielding such a personal weapon as a knife! I couldn't help but wonder if the situation on the bridge wouldn't have taken an entirely different direction, if I had just possessed this weapon.

Listening intently, I heard another soft scraping sound, much the same as the noise that I had made while feeling my way along the wall with my hand. Though there wasn't any light to see by, I sensed another being stealthily advancing toward me. Someone was moving toward me in a low crouch. Yet, it couldn't be one of the humanoid mutants; I hadn't passed any inlets into the tunnel since leaving the ledge behind. It had to be someone from our group. But who would sneak up on me in the dark?

"That's close enough," I said softly, not wanting to startle them.

"It's me, Boti," came a small, timid voice from out of the dark. "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. If you would prefer, I will go back and rejoin the others."

"No. It's all right," I stammered, not sure why I was suddenly feeling the way that I was. But I was glad of her presence, nevertheless. "I didn't mean to sound so harsh, but I thought you might be one of those humanoid mutant creatures waiting to ambush us," I quickly lied.

"Oh no," she said sweetly, a tender shyness coming through in her voice. "I saw you leave the ledge and come in here by yourself, and I, well," she hesitated, her voice suddenly growing nervous. "I wanted to thank you for once again saving our lives."

"No thanks are needed, I assure you. I would have done the same for anyone," I said gruffly, feeling more like a clod by the minute, and not understanding why she had such an effect on me.

"I understand that you're in love with another woman," she suddenly blurted, throwing me completely off guard. Before I could respond, her voice took on a determination that wasn't there earlier, and she hurriedly continued. "She is a very lucky woman, and I wouldn't want to come between the two of you. However, I must insist on thanking you for saving our lives, especially mine!"

Although I couldn't see her moving closer, I could smell her womanly scent in the heated air. The combination of seeing her in my mind's eye, together with the cloying scent of arousal, created an immediate stirring in my loins. Before I realized what I was doing, I was thinking of how long it had been since I'd had a woman.

Such thoughts only further aggravated my moral collapse, opening the floodgates of doubt. Much to my dishonor and shame, I started questioning whether Loté was even alive any longer. Was it possible that I was saving my virtue for naught? Or was I only trying to convince myself that I was, because I was trying to justify the turmoil of emotions that were flooding through me? What was happening to me? Just a short while ago, I was openly proclaiming my love for another woman. And now, here I was in a quandary and losing ground to a woman that I barely knew, simply because she was willing and available. Everything was happening too fast!

Before I could decide what to do, I felt the warmth of her hand as it closed around my rigid manhood. Slowly, her essence slid silkily down my thighs as she went to her knees on the rocky surface before me. With all the impact of an epiphany, I knew that I was powerless to stop her. Displaying a combination of knowledge and experience, her tongue flickered wickedly over the tip of my manhood, sending a rush of shivers through my being.

Within moments, the quickening frenzy was over, and I was left with an overpowering sense of guilt. Grasping her head in my hands, I angrily shoved her back and away from me, trying vainly to distance myself from her. As she slammed against the hard rock wall, I was vaguely aware of her long, soft hair as it twined delicately through my fingers, brushing sensuously against the insides of my legs. Immediately, I was overcome with remorse. This was wrong! My anger was misdirected. It wasn't this poor girl's fault; it was mine! She had done nothing wrong! She was trying to thank me in the only way that she knew how; it was my fault for taking advantage of her.

Upon impact with the wall, she emitted a small cry of pain that quickly degenerated into a weak, whimpering sob.

"Why?" she softly moaned in the dark. "What did I do to offend you?"

With exaggerated awkwardness, I managed to sidestep her outstretched arms and slide past her in the dark. Suddenly, I was overcome with an irrational need to get away from her; I needed to find a place where I could sort out the confusion racing through my mind.

"Rod, please, tell me what I did?" she cried out.

Although I knew that she could be heard by the others, I was well beyond caring. There was no going back in time and undoing what I had done. Moreover, even if I could, was that what I really wanted? After all, she's a very beautiful woman. With that thought foremost on my mind, I found myself wondering what I would do if I found out that Loté was no longer alive. Could I make a life with Boti?

I'm so confused. What am I thinking? Loté deserves better than this! Yet, now, after what's happened, how can I ever face her again? Still, I love her. When I find her, I want to make a life with her. More importantly, I want to make an honorable life with her! Somehow, I will find a way to tell her about my moment of weakness, my infidelity. Then, if she can't find it within herself to forgive me, I won't blame her. It will be within her right to banish me from her life. Oh Loté, how did I ever let myself make such a dire mistake? Even if Loté finds a way to forgive me, how can I forgive myself?

Suddenly, Wary's bellowing voice shattered through my anguished thoughts. Immediately, I sensed by his tone that something was wrong! Before I could force myself to move, I realized that my lascivious behavior had farther-reaching consequences. Had I returned to the ledge by now, I might have been in time to avert whatever disaster had befallen my charges. They had depended on me to protect them. And how did I treat their faith in me? I let them down like the pathetic creature that I am. They, like Loté, deserve someone better.

As I sank deeper into my despair, I suddenly felt rough hands grabbing my shoulders and spinning me around. A miniature torch flared to life, blinding my dark-adjusted eyes. Almost immediately, though, they adjusted enough to see that it was Brae's brother, Cos, holding it. Standing on his right was Wary, suspiciously looking me over. Glancing back at Boti, I saw her leaning against the wall, breathing hard and wringing with perspiration. With relief, I couldn't see any serious harm done by my rough treatment of her.

"What is it?" I asked irritably, turning back to face Wary.

"There's a problem, Rod," he answered, the suspicious look gone from his eyes. "Come quick, I'll show you."

"Will you be all right, Boti?" I asked, putting as much sincerity into my voice as I could muster.

"I'll be fine," she softly answered, a weak smile of understanding coming to her pretty face. "Go, hurry. They need you more than I do."

Turning to follow Cos and Wary's retreating forms, I wondered just what I had allowed to happen, and was it so wrong that I had to chastise myself this way?

### **10**

For as long as I could, I kept up the heart wrenching pace; half hoping Rhone would fall behind. But as luck would have it, she kept up admirably, her long, well-muscled legs moving in rhythm to my own. Despite needing desperately to catch my breath, I determinedly forced myself to continue. Although I had originally hoped that I could lose her simply by outrunning her, I was even more afraid that Lord Balzar might have dispatched soldiers in search of us by now, mostly because of her. I'd no idea how she had managed to get past the guards posted at the cavern's exit, but I feared for both of us that in doing so, she had created a scene, alerting Balzar to our escape even before he realized that I wasn't going to return to his bed. Moreover, though we continued pushing ourselves hard, running all out, there didn't seem to be any end in sight to the bright, well-lit hallway, nor had we passed any branches leading out of it.

Knowing that I couldn't keep this hurried pace up forever, even if Rhone could, I slowed until she drew abreast of me. Glancing over, I ask if she was ready to take a break. Much to my satisfaction, she appeared every bit as winded as myself. So much so, in fact, she could only nod in agreement. However, there was no denying the fire in her eyes; she wouldn't have stopped before me, even if it killed her.

Leaning against the wall to let the coolness from it soak into my back, I managed to ask between deep gulps of air, "You haven't seen any way out of this hallway, have you?"

"No, but there must be one or Elsa wouldn't have sent you this way," she answered, equally breathless. Then, sounding more confident than me, she added, "Maybe we just haven't reached it yet."

Surprisingly, she was speaking to me as an equal and not talking down to me as she had in the past. Until this very moment, I hadn't believed that she was capable of acting civil. Having kicked off the shoes soon after leaving the cavern, I now noticed that Rhone had done likewise. Drawing the coolness out of the walls, our sweat-covered bodies quickly dried, leaving us almost refreshed.

When our breathing returned to normal, the silence between us grew awkward. Not knowing what to say, I blurted, "Well, we've come this far, there's no turning back now, that's for sure."

"And unless we get a move on it, we're not going forward, either," she finished for me, clearly not anxious to indulge in any further conversation.

We were not friends, and we both understood that. Because we'd been thrown together, due to circumstances that neither of us could control, we would remain civil to each other. However, once we were out of danger, we would go our separate ways.

In silence, we set off at a slightly less exhausting pace than we'd previously maintained. At our new, slightly slower pace, we would be able to persevere for hours, at least until dehydration became a factor.

A few more miles into the hallway, we came to an open door on the right-hand side. Upon inspecting it, I noticed that it had been intentionally damaged to prevent it from closing. Feeling confident that this was the exit that we'd been looking for, I cautiously stepped through. Rhone, not hesitating in the least, followed close behind me.

The light was very dim in this new passageway, and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust. Meanwhile, feeling the urgency that came with being hunted like a wild animal, we continued forward. With a mixture of caution and fascination, we moved through the semi-darkness, finally reaching a point where the light from the opening behind us could no longer penetrate. Slowing further, we were forced to use our hands to feel the way in front of us so that we wouldn't walk into any low-hanging obstructions. We also had to be careful not to cut ourselves on the jagged edges of stone that protruded from the surface of the walls.

Despite the darkness, there was no mistaking the origins of the tunnel. It wasn't a naturally formed fissure or break, but rather, had been carved by hand. The sharp filigree edges of the chisel were well defined beneath my fingers. As if I were feeling the presence of the men that had labored in its construction, my skin began to tingle. If I listened hard, I could almost hear their tormented cries, as they begged for mercy from the cruel overlords that tortured and abused them. Meanwhile, their hammers continued to beat out a steady cacophony of sound, making up the background music to the scenario in my mind. Many of the men that labored here had also died here from the extreme work and lack of food and water. Hopefully, we wouldn't be joining those unfortunate souls; it didn't enter my head to consider the possibility that those who had died laboring in this tunnel, had been recycled in the same manner as those of us using it now.

To avoid stubbing a toe or worse, we were forced to proceed even slower than if we had to contend with merely the darkness.

"Notice how rough and jagged the floors are, they're not even worn smooth, yet," I said in a hushed voice. "Either this tunnel is very new, or it hasn't seen much traffic."

We were suddenly blinded by torchlight flaring to life directly in front of our faces. Gasping, I reflexively reached out and grabbed Rhone.

"Stand where you are or be run through by my spear!" came a deep, gruff voice from out of the darkness behind the light. And then, when his eyes adjusted to the brightness and he could see Rhone and me, he asked, "Aha. What have we got here?"

Without thinking, I said the first thing that came to my mind, never even considering the jeopardy that I might be putting my friend and our rescuer in. "We are friends of Elsa. She promised us sanctuary and safe passage through here." And then, with a show of false bravado, I added, "And we expect nothing less from you!"

Even before the words had left my mouth, I wished that I could take them back. How could I have so foolishly put Elsa's life in danger? Sadly, I realized that when it came to self-preservation, I wasn't any nobler than Rhone.

"You!" he laughed. "Expect nothing less from me!" He was on the verge of hysterics, as he added, "Why, I have half a mind to take you for my own and make you my personal slaves!" He moved the torch a little lower as he took a better look at us, yet he was careful to keep it high enough that we couldn't see past it. "If I so desired, and I just might, now that I've had a better look, I might take you for my wives!"

After a moment of chuckling, his voice sobered as he gruffly added, "Elsa is a fine woman. If she has promised you safe passage, you must mean something special to her. I will give you safe passage, but first, you must join my family and me for some food and drink. It isn't very often that we get the opportunity to put on a feast for such beautiful guests. And it is even less often that I get an opportunity to hear what is going on in the rest of the world."

"I am Loté, and this is my, ah, friend," I stuttered, lacking a better word at the moment, "Rhone. I am sorry, but I'm afraid, you may be disappointed with what little news we have to share with you."

If he sensed my hesitation over calling Rhone my friend, he didn't let on. Instead, he quickly continued, "Do not fret, my dears, I am sure you have something of interest to tell me. After all, there is the story of where you come from, and how you come to know the sweet young Elsa. That, in and of itself, should prove a long and interesting tale."

His demeanor was pleasant, yet powerful. He made me feel at ease without his even trying. So, it was with little hesitation that I asked of him, "And who might you be that we have the pleasure of this acquaintance?"

"I am Sheesa. King of all that is good and true!" he said loudly, speaking with pride, and even a touch of arrogance. "I am the true ruler of this planet and all the beings that inhabit it!" Then, tilting the torch away so that he could throw us an exaggerated wink in the flickering light, he added, "Both above and below."

Although I was taken aback by his comment, I held my surprise in check while sincerely remarking, "You are a kind man. It is with pleasure that we accept your gracious offer of kindness."

"Good! Now come, quick!"

"Before we go, there is something about us that you should know," I suddenly blurted, feeling a need to be honest with him.

"If you are concerned that I am not aware of your origins, fret no longer. If Elsa sent you this way, then you are running from Lord Balzar, and with good reason. You can fill me in on the details later. Now, we must hurry. Already, he would have dispatched his unholy soldiers to bring such beautiful women back to him, posthaste." Then, in a half joking, half snide tone of voice, he added, "If I know Lord Balzar, he will not give up very easily on such fine looking women as the two of you!"

Unable to respond to his flattery, we silently fell into step behind him. Although I hadn't seen his face clearly, the profile cast by the flickering torch displayed a very large, rotund man sporting a paunch of a stomach that hadn't missed many meals. With shoulder-length, dark curly hair shot through with silver strands, he stood every bit as tall as I did, but weighing closer to four hundred pounds. Judging by his ungraceful lumbering stride, I had to wonder what old injuries he had suffered in past battles. He didn't put me in mind of a large, powerful cat, but rather, an enormous, stalwart bull; he would be a formidable foe on any battlefield. My intuition told me he had a heart to match his physique.

While carrying the torch in his left hand, he kept his spear poised and ready in his right. Hanging in a sheath over his right hip was an ornately decorated, long-bladed knife, reaching almost the length of his thigh. It was a strange, extravagant weapon by surface standards. Under most circumstances, it would prove to be much too cumbersome in place of a standard knife; it would be almost useless for skinning or butchering. Yet, for those very same reasons, in a battle against a man wielding a standard-length knife, it afforded a distinct advantage.

As we hurried along, an unending epitaph of curses regarding the roughness of the tunnel floor and the pain it was causing his unprotected toes spewing from his mouth, I made a mental note to question him further when the opportunity presented itself with regard to his specific choice of weaponry.

Since leaving the original tunnel, he led us through several more branches, some veering to the left, while still others veering to the right. And although I was completely lost, since each new tunnel we entered looked exactly like the one that we had just left, I could tell that he was maintaining the same general direction, never wavering from his predetermined destination.

It was with some apprehension and surprise, when we finally entered what appeared to be a short stretch of tunnel, terminating in a brightly illuminated opening.

"We are almost home now!" he said excitedly, increasing his pace to match his anticipation as we approached the light at the end of the tunnel.

When we were within fifty feet of the opening, I could distinctly hear the sounds of babies crying and children playing. It was a most joyous noise, one that brought back many nostalgic memories from an earlier time.

The tunnel emptied out into a large, well-lit cavern, very similar in size and shape to Lord Balzar's grand cavern. However, the scene here was one of pure domesticity, unlike the gruesome one that we'd left behind. There were mothers carrying babies in straps on their breasts while cooking and tending to food preservation chores. Meanwhile, in other areas of the cavern there were adults tending to groups of adolescents, teaching them the different trades relevant to this micro culture. It was all very quaint and homey, and immediately made me wish that I were back home with my own parents.

My parents! It seemed like a lifetime ago since I'd seen them. In a way, it was more than a lifetime ago.

Upon seeing us enter, one of the women stopped what she was doing and hurriedly came running forward. She was young, at least not any older than I was, with wide hips and full breasts. Bouncing atop her head was a curly mop of short, black hair; very similar to the man's own that had led us here.

"This is my beautiful wife, Kite," he said proudly, grabbing the younger woman by the waist and giving her a quick kiss on the lips before adding, "Look at what I found in the tunnels!"

"It figures," she said with a smirk, pretending to be upset. "Send a man to do a simple task and he miraculously finds two beautiful women to bring home." With a big grin showing her wonderful good nature, she turned toward Rhone and me and said, "I hope he hasn't been a nuisance to the two of you. He can be as bad as an old dog with a hard-on when it comes to pretty women." Then, changing the subject abruptly, she added, "I hope the two of you are hungry, we're just getting ready to eat."

"Yes, thank you, we're starving," I said gratefully.

Sheesa, meanwhile, took the opportunity to slink away while his wife's attention was focused on Rhone and me. From the corner of my eye, I saw him meet up with several younger men, also heading toward the tables to get something to eat. From the furtive glances that they kept throwing our way, they were obviously enjoying themselves with a few private jokes made at Rhone's and my expense.

Kite, having led us to a table, instructed several younger girls that weren't quite yet women, to fetch us something to drink. It was relaxing, exciting, and a joy to be surrounded by such innocence for a change. Yet, despite the good feelings that overwhelmed me, an undercurrent of urgency remained.

"You know, Loté," whispered Rhone quietly from across the rough-hewn, stone table. "I could be quite happy taking one of those young bucks for a mate and settling down here."

Having just taken a swallow, her comment caught me by surprise, and my food caught between my windpipe and throat, causing me to involuntarily gag. After coughing to clear my throat, I roughly replied, "I'm sorry, Rhone, but you don't put me in mind of being very happy anywhere, least of all here."

"You don't know me!" she fired back, her fiery passion boiling just beneath the surface of her tactful composure. "I've never had anything that I didn't have to fight for! And then, when I got it, it always turned out to be for the worse. If they would have me, I think that I could really be happy here." Then, turning her full attention on me, she emphatically stated, "Don't even try to get in my way, if you do, I'll tread right over you!"

"Far be it for me to stand in your way," I calmly replied. Then added, "But these are good people and they don't need any more trouble than they already have. I won't stand in your way, if you decide to stay, but give it a lot of thought beforehand. It won't be an easy way of life for you to adjust to."

"I've been adjusting to changing situations my whole life," she said, unruffled. "I think this is one adjustment that I wouldn't mind making."

While we were talking, several of the young men had worked their way over to the table we were seated at, bringing our conversation to an abrupt end.

Not waiting to be invited, they promptly sat down next and across from us, closing us in. Rhone, quick to seize any opportunity, started batting her eyes and smiling at them. One in particular, a tall, lithe blonde, appeared to capture her attention almost immediately. It was most entertaining, watching the flirting process between them. I couldn't help but wondering if the young man knew just what kind of fire, he was playing with. And when he learned, would he take to boring a new tunnel out of here with his bare hands. But like love, lust can be equally blind, if not more so.

Kite arrived, lugging steaming pots of food. Setting them down with a bang, she immediately shooed the young men away. Laughing and cackling good-naturedly, they jumped up, feigning fear of her waving hands. All of them slowly meandered away, leaving the lithe young blonde standing alone, across the table from Rhone. After a few quick and fervent words were exchanged, a rendezvous for later had been set. Furthermore, as he stood exchanging words with her, she was being more than obliging, as I couldn't help but notice her hand stroking the length of his thigh beneath the cover of the table. She was a cool one; she would go to any length to get what she wanted, and I would be a fool to forget it.

Hesitantly, he pulled himself free of her touch, and hurried over to rejoin his friends. With a lot of backslapping and good humor, they greeted him, anxious to find out how far he had gotten with her on their first meeting, and no doubt, bragging about his intentions for their second meeting.

My attention was diverted before I could tell if he was going to spill his guts to them or not, as the young girls returned amidst a clamor of giggling and whispered remarks. With casual care, and nary a drop being spilled, they managed to place tall mugs brimming with juice on the table in front of us. Several others were bearing bowls and utensils, which were also placed before us.

Within moments, others started arriving, quickly taking up seats along the tables according to their individual position and rank in the tribe. Sheesa, taking the seat at the head of our table, made a great show of introducing us to the rest of his followers. This set off a cacophony of hoots and howls from the table where the young bucks were seated. They were instantly quieted, though, by the look thrown over them by Kite.

We ate heartily, drinking the juice with zest to replace the lost fluids in our bodies. All the while we ate, Rhone threw smiles and acted coy with her new love-interest across the room; she was either not concerned that she was making a fool of herself, or she wasn't aware of it. However, everyone else was aware of what was going on, and the young man's friends weren't giving him any peace over it.

When we finished eating, Sheesa came over and said that he would like a word with us in private before we were on our way. Leading us through one of the many openings in the cavern's walls, he took us to a small room that was used as the private home for the leader of the tribe. Due to the extensive amount of labor involved in excavating rooms out of solid rock, all the other members of the tribe shared the remainder of the rooms communally.

Upon entering, I was immediately struck by how sparsely furnished it was. Yet, it was well appointed to meet the needs of smaller, more private meetings that were probably held here by the tribe's elders. Motioning us to have a seat on one of the few cushions that were placed strategically around the room, he casually plunked down in the only chair, situated such that it was backed up to the farthest wall from the doorway. From his place on the chair, he not only sat higher than we did, he also faced the door; both were distinct advantages that weren't lost on me.

Within moments, drinks of a higher order were brought in by the pubescent girls. Whether of drug or alcohol in origin, they tasted very sweet, exhibiting just the slightest hint of spice. As was customary on the surface, and so too down here, we all took a long drink, toasting each other's good health and long life.

With the formalities aside, he set his drink down and crossed his arms, striking a pose of reflection before starting the conversation. "It has been brought to my attention that one or both of you are interested in joining our tribe," he started, speaking slowly, emphasizing each word. "It is not lightly that we take on outsiders, allowing them to breed into our superior race. But as you probably already know, recycled people are also sterile, and I can only assume that the two of you have been recycled, or you wouldn't have come from that deviant Balzar's domain. Under normal circumstances, specimens as fine as either of you would be eagerly encouraged to join us, if for no other reason than to limit the inbreeding amongst our own blood relatives."

Rhone was sitting silently, a deep look of shock and incomprehension on her face. How could it be that we looked and felt so healthy, and yet we'd been unknowingly sterilized? Although, I wanted to believe that he was mistaken, if not for my own sake so much as for Rhone's, I knew in my gut that he wasn't; it wasn't his style to pull punches or beat around the bush. He was a man that told you the truth, no matter what, and to hell with your feelings and the ultimate consequences!

With both of us sitting silently in shock, mulling over the far-reaching consequences of what he'd just told us, he calmly continued, "So you can understand why we would be hesitant to allow someone such as yourselves into our family. Even though you might make a great concubine for one of the young bucks, that in and of itself would not warrant your room and board." He paused for a moment, giving each a chance to speak. When he realized we were both at a loss for words, he gently continued, speaking more to quench the silence than to deliver information. "As you have probably noticed, there is little game to hunt in these tunnels, and even less fruit to harvest. Even our water must be hand carried from a great distance. So you can understand why we don't view the addition of a new member to our tribe lightly."

When the shock of his words wore off, Rhone was unable to hold back any longer, and piped up in a tone that was not of her normal standing.

"Your Highness," she started, speaking plainly and unassumingly. "I highly respect your opinion, and it might even be true, I may not be worthy of your tribe. But all of my life I have been a survivor, instinctively outwitting superior foes in their attempts to keep me down. It is with great respect for you and your tribe that I humbly request the honor of being allowed to remain amongst them. But if you cannot find it within your graciousness to openly accept me, then please, let me stay on a trial basis. Let me prove to you that I can carry my share of the load. You will quickly see that I am not a burden, but a blessing."

Man, when she wanted to, she could really lay it on! Without a doubt, if she thought it might further her case, she would offer him her body. Yet, her outcome in this matter held little interest for me, unless it meant that I'd be leaving without her. All I wanted, if the king would be so kind, were a few supplies and to be sent in the right direction. If she could convince this mighty old man that she would be an asset to his tribe, then more power to her; I didn't particularly want her tagging along with me anyway.

"Your Highness," I said, not wanting to confuse the issue, but feeling a growing urgency to be on my way. "If it pleases you, on my own behalf, I would simply appreciate some meager supplies and an old knife. I don't need much, and I would be extremely grateful for even a rusty old discarded blade, one that has outlived its usefulness to your tribe of brave and generous people." I paused for a moment, suddenly abashed by my own outburst. With complete sincerity, I added, "If there is anything that I can give you in exchange besides my promise to repay you someday, I will gladly oblige. However, of even more importance, if you could give me directions to where I am headed, I would be eternally grateful." I hesitated another moment, feeling as though I'd overstepped my bounds. When he continued to sit in silence, I hastily added, "Forgive me, Your Highness, if I have asked for too much. If it were within my means to pay, I would ask for nothing more and gladly pay what you require."

"Ha!" he suddenly cried out. "I like you, Loté. You tell it to me straight with no bullshit!" He chuckled for a moment before his face turned serious. Then, turning toward Rhone, he said, "You, I don't trust any farther than I can throw a boulder, which, in this day of my life, is not very far. However, my one and only heir, my stepson, Lick, has taken a very keen interest in you, despite having shunned most of the other girls in the tribe.

"Speaking bluntly, I had all but given up on the prospect of him siring me an heir, anyway. Yet, I look at your fine physical condition, and those wide firm hips, and I feel a stirring in my own loins; I think you would make a great bedmate!" He paused for a moment, letting his statement have an effect on her before continuing. "There will be one condition that I must impose, though. Since it is imperative for Lick to carry on my strong bloodline, I must continue to require him to bed other women, at least until he has provided me with an acceptable heir." Leaning forward for emphasis, he added, "This tribe could use some of your hutzpah, and I find it to be a real disappointment and shame that your blood line won't be mixing with mine. But let me warn you this one and only time, if you are ever out of line, you will be turned over to Lord Balzar in so many little pieces that only the rodents will care to have you."

"Thank you, my Lord. Thank you with all my heart. I will make your son very happy. Moreover, I will gladly stand aside so that he may father you many fine heirs," she excitedly answered him, not letting the warning or anything else he said upset her.

"For you, my dear," he said, turning his attention back to me. "You shall have all the supplies that you might need. In addition, you will get an escort for as far as you shall need him."

"Your Highness," I started to protest. "I am thankful for the supplies, but I don't need, nor do I desire, an escort. As much as you feel otherwise, I am afraid that he will only get in my way. If I could just have an old discarded weapon, or even a dull table-knife, I would be equally grateful."

"Nonsense!" he bellowed, slightly angered that I dared argue with him. "You will have your knife, and a fine one at that. But you will also have my best young warrior for your guide and counsel! Without your telling me, I know that you are new to the subsurface, and thus have many questions, most of which will result in a difference of life and death. Now, please, don't disrespect me, it is settled!"

"Yes, Your Highness," I humbly replied, not wanting to upset him anymore than I already had and possibly lose his graciousness. "Thank you."

"Good. Now, will you be staying for your friend's vows to my stepson, or must you be leaving immediately? I can understand your haste, but I must warn you, you will be missing a superb party following the ceremony."

"I am truly sorry that I cannot stay," I said sincerely, half for his benefit and half for Rhone's, though I suspected that she didn't really care what I did, now that she had what she wanted. "But time is of the essence. And besides, I feel as though I have attended enough parties to last me a life time."

With that said and done, he motioned to one of the young girls that had positioned themselves just outside the doorway. When she was close enough, he reached out and pulled her head next to his so that he could whisper something into her ear. When he released her, she turned and hastily departed, but not without first throwing a quick glance toward Rhone and me.

"I have ordered the necessary supplies for you and Fird to make your journey more comfortable," he said, rising from his chair. "Fird is the best warrior that I have. I trust that you will see no harm come to you, so long as you are in his company."

"As I have stated before, Your Highness, I do not feel the need for a guide, if you will just point me in the right direction."

"And, as I have stated before, this conversation is over!" he bellowed with more than just a slight amount of irritation in his voice. "Rhone," he said more calmly, "If you'll just wait here for a moment, there'll be a few ladies coming to help you prepare for your ceremony, as I am sure you and Lick are both impatient to begin your lives together."

Standing up, he lumbered out through the doorway, not taking as much as a sideways glance at either of us. Looking at Rhone, I was surprised to see her glowing with internal happiness. I wished her the best of luck in the path that she had chosen; I was truly happy for her.

"May you be blessed with such good fortune and happiness at the end of your journey, too, Loté." She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "If I may, I would also like to thank you for letting me come along with you. It would have been easy for you to leave me behind back there. If our roles had been reversed, I'm not so sure that I wouldn't have..."

"I'm sure you wouldn't have any more than I did you," I quickly rebuffed. "I must be going now." Standing, I paused for a moment before hesitantly adding, "You will make Lick a good wife."

"You don't have to lie to me, Loté, you have your doubts. But thank you just the same. Maybe we will meet again sometime in the future," she quickly added, speaking to my back as I headed through the doorway.

There wasn't much chance of that happening, but more unexpected events have been known to take place. Looking up, I saw a young girl waving for me to join her. She was standing next to a tall, well-muscled young man that couldn't have been much younger than I was. Lying at their feet were two heavily laden sacks of supplies. He was obviously my escort.

As I approached them, I noticed that the young girl kept looking nervously up at the young man, and then back at me, there was no mistaking the daggers in her eyes. Something told me that she was more than just a little fond of him, and extremely jealous of me. She was still pubescent, which meant that she couldn't take a mate yet. However, she was clearly not above marking her territory beforehand.

Glancing around the cavern, I noticed that Kite and a small entourage of women were entering the quarters where I'd left Rhone waiting. For her sake, I hoped that she realized what was going to be expected of her. More importantly, what her new way of life was going to bring her in return.

"These are your supplies, as ordered by my king," the young girl spoke up defiantly as I approached. "I am sure that you will find everything necessary for your journey within these packs." Then, not even trying to conceal the hostility in her voice, she added, "This is Fird. He'll be showing you the way to Lord Thar's domain. Once he gets you there, he'll quickly return here to us." She added the latter with a note of finality in her voice, clearly stating that he would return and there wasn't any room for discussion with regard to it.

"Hi, Fird," I said calmly, trying to sound congenial. "King Sheesa highly recommended you."

Blushing at the compliment and staring at the ground, he simply stated, "If you are ready, we should probably be going, my lady."

The girl instantly kicked him in the shin, drawing an even deeper shade of red from his blushing face. Turning toward her before she could kick him again, he hastily bid her goodbye.

Then, realizing too late the error of his ways, she caught him on the shin again. Before she could wind up for a third strike to his shin, he said to her, "Please, wait for me, I shan't be gone long."

Although I heard little sincerity in his voice, she was satisfied, and endowed him with a mournful look of sorrow as she turned to rejoin her young friends. Glancing back briefly, she bestowed me with a look of pure hatred.

Another group of young men was snickering and making gestures toward us, suggesting to Fird what a lucky man he was going to be. Although none of them knew me, they were already envious of the tales Fird would be able to tell upon his return. It wasn't every young brave that was afforded the opportunity to venture into a strange territory with a strange woman; Fird's tales would be worth their weight in gold, whether they be true or exaggerated.

"My name is Loté, Fird," I said softly, sensing his shyness. "You don't have to be intimidated by me; I'm just a person that wants to get home. Surely, you can relate to that."

I paused for a moment while I searched for the right words that would make my position clear to him, yet not offend him. The only strategy that came to me was the same one that I always relied upon, the direct approach.

"Before we get started, I want to thank you for being my guide. But let's get something straight right up front; your services were not of my choosing. If Sheesa hadn't insisted upon it, I would be going alone, the way I'd prefer it."

"Thank you for being honest with me, my lady," he bashfully replied. "I will try not to get in your way."

"Don't call me, 'my lady'. Loté will do just fine."

"Yes, my, excuse me, Loté," he stuttered.

Hefting the heavily loaded packs to our shoulders, we headed across the cavern toward the largest of the doorways. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw the smirk he threw his comrades. Aside from a few more catcalls from his friends, and a few more spiteful stares from the young girl, we left without any fanfare. Most of the tribe members were already busying themselves with the preparations for Lick and Rhone's celebration, which was going to be a much bigger event in their lives than my departure. This tribe was very family oriented and, as such, was much steeped in tradition when it came to the union of a man and a woman; even if the woman was openly known to be sterile, and she was only marrying the king's stepson, and not his natural heir.

I still hadn't gotten over the shock of finding out that I had been sterilized by the recycling process. It seemed like a cruel trick to offer someone eternity at the price of ending their lineage. Yet, in the moment, it seemed like a small price to pay if it led to a second chance to be with Rod.

We were barely through the exit, and already, I had put Rhone's business out of my head. There were much more pressing matters to contend with. First, I had to hope that Fird would not be more of a nuisance than so much as that of a helpful counselor, advising me in the ways of the subsurface. He was a fine looking young man, and under different circumstances, I might even have found him sexually attractive. However, under the current circumstances, I had more to worry about than a tumble on the ground with a handsome young stud. Besides, Rod might still be out there somewhere, maybe even looking for me. I couldn't give up hope so easily.

When I thought about Rod, I thought about my sterility again, and what effect it would have on him. Would he still want me after learning that I couldn't have his babies? Or would he look down on me as something less than desirable, because I wasn't capable of producing offspring, the main purpose of a woman? The answers to my questions might be a while in coming, but someday, hopefully, they will be answered.

The packs were heavily weighted with food, water, and basic medical supplies. However, what really got my interest was the sheathed knife that was fastened to the back of mine. Since there hadn't been any mention of a weapon for me, I didn't feel it was my place to press the issue. After all, King Sheesa had already been more than generous, and I had made my desire for a weapon obvious to him prior. If he didn't see his way to supplying me with one, then that was his privilege. Although I had seen abundant proof that iron was much more readily available down here than on the surface, I held no doubts that it was still a valuable commodity, and not one to be lightly given.

Not having seen the knife until I had hefted the pack off the floor, I waited until we were well into the tunnel before stopping to remove it for a closer inspection. Immediately, I was awestruck by its beauty. The blade, measuring approximately twelve inches from hilt to tip, possessed the sheen and feel of a high-grade ore. It was of a much better quality than any metal that I had ever seen before, especially on the surface. But the quality didn't end there. The fine steel blade had been well seated into an intricately carved bone handle. Inlaid in the bone, were some of the finest cut gems, each emanating with a light of its own. Even in the dim confines of the tunnel, they sparkled and glittered. To my astonishment, the gems were arranged in the hilt so that they created a unique grip, one that held the fingers securely between them, rather than hinder them. Despite the beauty of the weapon, the craftsman that fashioned it, held true to its main purpose. With the weapon resting easily in the palm of my hand, I could feel the perfect balance that had been so intricately worked into it. It was definitely the finest weapon that I'd ever had the pleasure of holding. There was no way that I could possibly accept such a gift; I simply didn't deserve it. Someday, when I no longer had need of it, I would return it to its rightful owner.

Fird, silently watching me examine the knife, waited for the full effect of my appreciation to sink in before speaking. "Sheesa told me that a gift is only as great as the recipient's appreciation of it," he stated, all hints of his prior shyness gone. "If you would have remained with our tribe for any length of time, you would have seen what a great judge of character he is. But that is just one more of his many natural traits that makes him such a great leader. He wouldn't waste such a valuable gift as that weapon on just anyone, unless he felt certain that it would be appreciated for what it was. He knew you would treasure it and not take it for granted, and that is why it is now in your possession." He took a breath before soberly adding, "It was his own."

There wasn't any hint of envy or jealousy in his voice, but only respect for his king and his king's judgment. It was more than I could comprehend. Not only had King Sheesa given me such a valuable item, but it was also one of his own treasured possessions. With a firm resolve, I swore that nothing would ever separate me from this weapon, not until the day came when I could personally thank him for its use, and then return it to its rightful owner. Although I realized with a saddened heart, that day might never come, the resolve would remain with me forever.

"Thank you, Fird," I softly replied, still in shock. "Thank you for telling me. I will do my best not to disappoint him."

"Well, I'm not as great a judge of people as Sheesa, but I don't believe you ever could," he said sincerely. He hesitated a moment before adding, "Now, we must be on our way, Loté. I will set a good pace, but if you want to go faster or slower, just let me know."

Numbly, I set off after him. He wasn't kidding when he said that he would set a good pace. Although I could have slowed him down, the urgency was still growing within me, an urgency that grew larger with each step that brought me closer to Rod.

We continued through the maze of tunnels for what seemed like an eternity, but were in all actuality, less than eight hours. Unlike the lighted hallways, the air in the tunnels was neither cooled, nor purified. Between the demanding pace that Fird had set, the extreme heat, and the cloying air, I was covered in a heavy layer of perspiration. Even though it was barely more than eight hours since leaving the cavern, I was already in danger of becoming dehydrated. Fird, sensing my rapidly deteriorating condition, suggested that we stop for a breather and take in some fluids.

Fighting my inner sense of urgency, I begrudgingly agreed with him. Logic dictated to me that if I became dehydrated, it would only slow us, further prolonging the time before I was reunited with Rod.

It felt wonderful to stop and take a minute to feel the moistness of the water as it trickled down my throat. I was thankful for the rest, and the water going down my parched throat was a real blessing. Fortunately, Fird was a veteran traveler of these crude tunnels and had the foresight to bring along a good supply of mini-torches. If he hadn't, the going would have been treacherously slow and painful.

With his back pressed up against the coarse rock of the tunnel wall, he casually eyed me over; he was clearly appreciative of what he saw, and I took it for the compliment that it was intended. The last traces of his former shyness were completely gone.

Leaning away from the wall and handing me the flagon, he matter-of-factly stated, "You're a very beautiful woman, Loté."

"And you're not shy and naive," I sarcastically retorted.

"No, I'm afraid that I am not," he resignedly agreed. "I'm also not interested in the girl you met back at the cavern. You remember the one that persistently hung on when we were leaving."

"Yes, I know which one you mean," I hastily replied, irritated at the direction the conversation was going.

It wasn't that I found his attraction for me offensive, but his outward display of it coming so soon after having just met me. If he would only give himself enough time to get to know me, I might be tempted to reciprocate.

"Or for that matter, any of the other women in my tribe," he continued, taking my silence for consent. "I find them boring, with no sense of adventure. But you, now, you're an adventure all unto yourself. If I were your man, I'd never have let you gotten out of my sight. You would never have fallen into the dangers that you have! I would not have allowed it! Even though I've never met this man that you profess to be in love with, and are willing to risk your life to find, already I have lost all respect for him."

Angrily, I shot back without thinking. "He is ten times the man you will ever be! It's not his fault that I'm here alone! If I'd never goaded him the way that I did, we would still be on the surface, safely away from that damned piece of alloy!"

Calming down, my anger spent, I suddenly regretted my outburst; it wasn't Fird's fault that I was here. If anything, he was trying to help me. When he meets Rod, he will immediately change his opinion of him. That is, if he ever gets the opportunity to meet Rod.

"I'm sorry, Fird. I had no right yelling at you like that. For all I know, I might not even have a man, anymore. But if you get the chance to meet him some day, you'll change your mind about him. You'll see what a great man he is," I added confidently.

I was surprised by how quickly it became easy to talk with Fird. His openness and frankness were most unarming, and I wasn't exactly sure why I had said what I did. It was true though; I didn't really know whether I had a man or not. For that matter, I wasn't sure whether or not I'd ever had a man. Yet, if he was still alive, I was sure that he was in love with me. And I had little doubt that he wanted me for his mate. If only he was still alive.

"Well," he said hesitantly, "if it turns out that you don't have a man, I would be extremely honored if you would consider me."

He was blushing again, only this time, I didn't think that he was putting on an act. There really was a sincere side to him. I made a mental note to myself to watch out for him; he could prove to be a very dangerous escort.

"Fird," I said as gently as I could. "We come from totally different backgrounds and worlds. You have no idea what life is like where I come from."

"You could stay here!" he said excitedly, cutting me off before I could finish. "Why, we could turn around right now! No one would be surprised if we went back and joined Lick and Rhone in a joint mating ritual." He paused to catch his breath, before emphatically adding, "King Sheesa would be more than pleased if I were to bring you back."

"You don't understand what I'm trying to tell you, Fird," I said equally emphatically. "I can't live down here beneath the planet's surface. Not only do I need to be on the surface, I belong up there. And besides, until I know for sure whether or not Rod is alive, my heart is tied to another man. And if he is alive, you'll have to wait even longer to see if he'll have me for his mate, or not. Until all of that has been resolved, I can't even begin to consider a life with you, or anyone else, for that matter.

"If you're really interested in me, Fird, you will have to help me find him, if for no other reason than because you have my best interest at heart. I guess, I am asking you to be my friend." I hesitated for a moment while he considered what I was asking of him. When he didn't answer, I softly continued, "If it turns out that he is still alive and will have me, then I think you know the rest. I can't be any more honest with you than that, Fird. I hope you understand what I have said."

"Yes," he said quietly, his head hanging. "I understand."

"Good. Then maybe we should be on our way," I suggested, squeezing his shoulder affectionately.

Instead of turning away from me and setting off down the tunnel, he grabbed my extended arm by the wrist, pulling me close to him with such swiftness that I was jerked off balance, literally landing against his well-muscled chest. Reaching behind my head with his free hand, he pulled my face to his and kissed me forcefully on the lips. It was an awkward, yet passionate play for my affections. Under different circumstances, I might have given in to him. Instead, I pulled back, hurriedly pushing him away as if afraid that we might be seen.

Seeing the mixed emotions playing behind his eyes, I wasn't sure what he was going to do next. Before he embarrassed himself further, though, I needed to say or do something that would nip his actions in the bud before they got out of hand. However, much to my surprise and dismay, I couldn't bring myself to do it. Instead, I discovered that I wanted him, too. In fact, I wanted him almost as badly as he wanted me.

Feeling the hard, rippling muscles lining his chest and stomach beneath my fingers, I pushed even harder, while simultaneously digging my nails into his flesh. Torn between raging emotions, I asked myself why I was fighting the urge, and why he had to be so damned attractive! Maybe, I'd been away from my own tribe for too long. Maybe, my lifelong taboos were wearing down. Yet, in this moment and time, I was sure of only one thing; I wanted this man, and he wanted me!

With pounding heart and frenzied breathing, I dug my fingernails deeper into his tender flesh. Passionately returning his kiss, I bit into his lip, tasting the sweetness of his blood in my mouth. I could feel the rough touch of his hands as they slid ever lower down my back, further fanning the flames of passion that were rapidly flaring out of control.

Reaching behind his back, I grabbed his flexed buttocks, pulling him into my groin and wrapping a leg behind his knee to prevent him pulling away. His rock-hard body was pressed cruelly against my breasts, crushing my nipples, and tingling down my spine.

As my tongue explored the depths of his hungry mouth, my hands moved around to the front of his body, savoring every sweat-covered inch of it. More than anything else, I wanted him. Our hearts were racing in tune to our breathing, picking up speed with each hammering beat. Throwing our supply packs to the stone floor of the tunnel with abandon, we quickly followed, as he carefully laid me down. With unbridled passion, we made love, immune to the sharpness of the hand-hewn stones against our backs.

Spent and exhausted, he slipped from my grasp, and roll onto his back on the warm floor beside me. He was staring straight up at the tunnel ceiling, not saying anything. Despite my inner feelings of loss and regret, I found much comfort in the fact that without a doubt, I would be having this man again. Lying on my stomach and silently watching him, we lay together, savoring the moment. We had created a bond; a bond that would last between us indefinitely, no matter what developed down the path of our chosen lives.

Finally, our breathing having stabilized, I pulled my feet up under me and slowly stood, feeling the subtle pain from many small bruises lining my backside for the first time. Hefting a pack to my shoulder, I anxiously suggested that we needed to be on our way. "We've lost time that needs to be made up."

While he sat unmoving, I took a drink from my flagon. Without offering him any, I returned it to my pack.

Looking at me with a mixed expression of sadness and confusion, he asked, "I'm sorry, Loté, I don't understand. I thought we were returning to my tribe. When you gave into me, were you not giving into me completely? I know very little about your tribal beliefs, but I understand that you have just paid a high price, both physically and emotionally. Wasn't this your way of answering me?"

"You're right!" I shot back, an intense rage suddenly boiling up in me. I was suddenly angry with Fird for having taken advantage of me, and I was angry with myself for giving in to my primal desires. "You don't know anything about me or my beliefs. But let me tell you this; if you believe that I could ever completely submit to you, than you are badly mistaken! We didn't make love! You had me! I had you! I'll admit the sex was good, but that's all it was, sex! So now that you've had me, maybe you can get me out of your system and we can get going!"

Mad and frustrated, I was screaming at the top of my lungs. Jumping up, he grabbed my arms and pulled me close, our lips hungrily searching for each other.

When he finally let me go, I was struggling for air, unable to utter even a small protest at his actions. "Don't ever scream like that again," he said gently. "There isn't any telling who or what might be coming through these tunnels, and we don't need you warning them of our presence. As for our lovemaking, I enjoyed it more than you will ever know. I've wanted you since the first time that I laid eyes on you, and I still do. In fact, I'm sure I'll always want you."

I couldn't deny it, even to myself; I still wanted him, too. Yet, at the same time, I couldn't deny the feelings that I still harbored for Rod. It was all too confusing, and I couldn't deny the guilt that was tearing me up inside for giving in to him. Suddenly, I had to be moving. I couldn't think about this anymore, because the more I did, the more my guilt grew.

"Let's go," I stated, starting into the darkness, knowing that Fird would be right behind me in a minute with a torch. Although I needed to be moving, my prior feeling of urgency had diminished substantially. Was it possible that my feeling of urgency was based on nothing more than a sexual urge, a raging of female hormones? And now that Fird had satisfied that urge for the time being, my hunger for Rod wasn't nearly as fierce or demanding!

These were disturbing questions. Questions that I feared there weren't any easy answers to.

Fird set a brisk pace and we were making good time when he came to a sudden halt, pulling up short in front of me. If my mind had been on the journey and our immediate surroundings, I may have been able to stop in time. As it turned out, in my attempt to avoid running into him, I snagged on his pack and jerked him off balance. Together, we fell in a heap to the rocky floor, our bare flesh absorbing the impact with barely a sound.

Although I didn't know why he had stopped so suddenly, I knew there had to be an important reason behind it. The torch went out upon impact with the floor, leaving behind a heavy odor of smoke that mingled with the stagnant air of the tunnel, possibly giving our position away. Bathed in total darkness, I waited patiently for him to explain the sudden stop. When he didn't say anything for a moment, I carefully started untangling myself from him.

"Wait!" he hissed.

"What is it?" I asked, whispering softly in his ear.

"Someone's coming."

"Are you sure?" I asked quietly, not hearing anything myself.

As we lay together on the floor, the implications of encountering someone in the tunnel suddenly dawned on me; there wasn't anywhere to hide. If we were forced into backtracking now, it would mean a great deal of lost time. The last branch we passed was more than two-hour's traveling time back, and that was at a grueling pace.

"Yes, I'm sure," he said curtly, frustrated that I couldn't hear them.

Slowly, I could hear the sound of many footfalls approaching. Judging by the steady rhythm, I could further tell that they weren't approaching very fast. Instead, they were coming at a slow steady pace. Although we could turn around and easily stay in front of them, we would lose all the valuable progress that we had made by pushing ourselves so hard. The alternatives weren't much more appealing. Either we found a longer route, or we sat silently and waited for them to pass, hoping that they didn't see or smell us in the dark.

"Fird, I have an idea," I said softly.

"Let's hear it," he answered, so close to my ear that I could feel the warmth of his breath over the heat of the tunnel.

"Why is it, if they're as close as they sound, we can't see the light of their torches yet? They're not traveling nearly as fast as we were, but they're traveling much too fast to be traveling in the dark."

"That depends," he said cautiously. "Men and women aren't the only forms of creatures to travel these tunnels. Some of the lesser-known kinds can see just fine in the dark. Unfortunately for you and me, that don't mean they're any less dangerous, trust me."

Trust him, I did, there wasn't any doubt in my mind about that.

"What I was thinking was that maybe we could hug the wall of the tunnel, down here where it meets up with the floor. Because of the way the wall tapers outward near the bottom, if we push ourselves in really tight, they might just pass us without even sensing that we're here," I said anxiously.

"I think you're crazy," he said matter-of-factly. "If they can move as fast as they appear to be moving without the benefit of light, they'll see us with ease. In addition, even if they don't see us, surely they'll smell us."

"That's a chance I'm willing to take, are you?" I asked, sounding more confident than I felt.

"It's too late now to do anything else, they're almost upon us," he said, sounding calm and equally confident. "Loté, whatever happens, don't stop trusting me. As long as you believe in me, I won't disappoint you, I promise. Now keep your weapon handy."

I started to say something when he cut me off with a soft hiss, "Quiet!"

It was a gutsy call, but because of my urgency to find Rod, it was the only one that I could make. If Fird was any less of a man than I had given him credit for, he would have left me behind. It would have been easy for him to turn and run, while leaving me behind to serve as a distraction in order to buy him time.

But then, if he were any less of a man than I had first judged him to be, I never would have fallen in love with him. I certainly wouldn't have made such, oh, passionate love with him. Tingles ran up and down my spine at the memory of the precious few moments that we had, locked in each other's warm embrace.

Maybe life in his tribe wouldn't be that bad after all. Despite the inability to have children of my own, I'm sure there are orphans that I could take in and mother. Even without children of my own, I have no doubt that someday I will take a mate, serving him and loving him. It was the natural way of things.

The sounds of bare feet, rhythmically slapping down on the solid, unforgiving stone of the tunnel floor were almost on top of us. Because of the fear and anxiety of the situation, my heart had climbed up into my throat, making it hard to breathe. Blood was pumping thunderously through my ears; the sound of which I was sure could be heard all the way back to Sheesa's cavern. My confidence in this plan, if I ever had any in it to begin with, was quickly dissipating. We smelled of perspiration and sex. Yet, that was such a common fragrance of all peoples, it was rarely noticed.

Lying perfectly still, my breath held tightly against pursed lips, my new weapon poised close to my heart, I was ready to strike, if they should happen upon us.

The tunnel was approximately eight-feet wide, but because of the roughness of the walls, unless you were traveling two abreast, it was a common practice to stay near the center. If those approaching were traveling in any fashion but single file, they would literally trip over us.

When the first ones were past us, moving along in the dark without so much as a grunt, I slowly let myself breathe again. Slowly at first, letting out just a little, and then quickly sucking it back in. With each successive breath, I allowed myself to relax just a little more, and my heart slid just a little farther back down my throat. Could I let myself believe that we were going to pull it off? Was my idea actually going to work?

Just as I was beginning to let myself believe that they'd overlooked us, the walls lit up, reflecting the glare of a multitude of torches springing to life almost simultaneously. With all their brilliance concentrated on our faces, we were effectively blinded, our weapons made ineffectual by our inability to see. In the blink of a torch, my hopes were dashed!

### **11**

Hurrying back to the ledge, I caught up to Wary and Cos just as they reached the opening. Bursting out onto the ledge behind them, I was instantly aware of everyone on their knees, peering over the side. Seeing Keazar in a like position, his wide ass immediately jumping out from the others, I felt a moment of anxiety. Upon hearing our return, he glanced in my direction, his face pale and drawn; whatever was drawing everyone to the edge was especially distressing to him.

"What is it?" I asked, rushing to his side.

"Trenchens," he said, speaking as though I would understand.

"What do you mean by trenchens?" I asked, turning my attention over the side with the rest of them.

There wasn't any further explanation forthcoming, nor was there any required as I saw what everyone's attention was focused on. My first impression was that they resembled large jellyfish, at least insofar as they possessed transparent bodies. However, they were extremely large, measuring ten-plus feet in diameter. Protruding out of their backs were many flexible tentacles ending in sharp points, almost resembling tiny, transparent spears.

Their internal organs were visible through the transparent covering. Yet, the most sickening aspect of them wasn't their unusual anatomy; it was the contents within their stomachs that had everyone mesmerized.

Looking like a rising cloud of bubbles, many of them, and their numbers were literally uncountable, contained entire bodies within transparent sacks of viscous fluid. The first one that floated near enough for us to recognize the contents of its abdominal sack contained Study, complete with his fragmented skull.

As they rose nearer to the ledge, we recognized even more of the unfortunate victims that had fallen over the side. One, containing Sald's body, was farther out from the edge. As it drew nearer, I could see Sald's face clearly through the membrane, twisting and contorting as if in extreme agony. With a sickening gasp and a clenching of my stomach, I realized that he was still alive!

Immediately, I questioned what it was that I was seeing. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? It was impossible to survive such a fall. And then, just as quickly, I realized that he might not have reached the bottom of the chasm, nor the ferocious fire burning there.

With a shudder, I imagined the excruciating ordeal the poor souls would have gone through. They lived through the horrific fall only to be consumed alive by the same creatures that had saved their lives.

Sald was still alive! All doubts to the contrary were shattered when I saw his eyes looking pleadingly back at me. In his anguish, he was crying out for our help, pleading with his eyes for us to do something. Although he would have laughed at us, if the situation had been reversed, I couldn't help but feel that we needed to do something. Somehow, we had to help them. Study was beyond help, for sure, but there was Sald, and possibly others that were still alive. We needed to act fast, though, or it would be too late for them. Even as we looked on in shock and fascination, they were slowly and painfully, being dissolved by the creature's stomach fluids.

My voiced cracking with anxiety, I asked again, "Keazar, what are those things?"

They were quickly drifting higher, drawing nearer to the outcropping, and the many faces peering over the side.

"Although I have never actually seen one before, if memory serves me right, they are inhabitants from the farther reaches of the planet's bowels; or the deep, as it is more commonly referred to."

"What do you mean by inhabitants from the deep? You need to be more specific, Keazar! Can't you see that there are lives at stake?" I screamed excitedly, barely able to control my growing impatience with him.

"I am afraid, my good friend, that I cannot impart any more knowledge to you than what I remember from the stories that I have been told. It has always been a general assumption, you see, that they were just mythological creatures, not real entities. Surely, you've experienced such things before, where great stories are based on nothing more substantial than wildly exaggerated tales being spouted by some poor sap that's just desperate to be heard. Now though, as I have seen them with my own eyes, and you are my witness, they do exist!" he almost shouted, no longer able to control his own growing excitement.

"Come on Keazar, quick, tell me more! Tell me everything you know! It's not too late, we can still help those poor devils," I shouted, pointing toward the nearest trenchens containing humanoids.

Keazar's slow and uncaring responses were rapidly fueling my anger and frustration with him. He was more excited by the discovery of the trenchens, and having learned of their actual existence versus their mythological one, than he was concerned with saving the lives of the humanoids that were suffering terribly within them. Whether he sensed my anger directed toward him or not, he suddenly turned and faced me, his expression growing serious.

Speaking matter-of-factly, he said, "You can no more help those poor souls than you can fly straight to the surface through this interminable rock!"

Then, seeing the determined set of my face and the fire that flared in my eyes, he quickly added, "But I will tell you what I know. You must remember, though, that I haven't any actual hands-on experience with them. Instead, what I am about to tell you is based solely on mythological tales, rumors, and my own blend of conjecture."

"I don't care where you got your knowledge, just share it with me, and hurry!"

"First off, those transparent spears projecting from the outer shell are not really a part of the creature's body. Rather, they are projectiles that they use to harpoon their quarry. Each harpoon is loaded with a hallucinogenic drug. If you are injected with this drug, you will become powerless to resist them. Whatever weakness or craving you would normally be able to resist, will be foremost in your mind. Within seconds, you won't see them as they are. Instead, you'll believe that you are gazing upon your quest, whether it is a beautiful woman, or a long lost friend. They will entice you ever nearer to them, until you are close enough to be sucked in by their powerful, balloon-like bodies. Once inside, the drug is counteracted by their stomach fluids. Long before you die, you will regain all of your senses, having full realization of where you are and, worse yet, what is happening to you." He paused for a moment to catch his breath and turn back to check the progress of the nearer trenchens. Satisfied that we were still a safe distance from them, he turned back and continued, "It is impossible to attack them, for even though their bodies look transparently thin and frail, it is comprised of a very tough membrane. So tough, in fact, that they can survive the extreme heat of the fires that burn continuously within the deep. Even that thing you call a gun, won't penetrate their external membrane. But if it could, it probably wouldn't hurt them anyway."

He paused to catch his breath again and steal another quick glance over the side before adding, "They live in the fires that burn continually within the bowels of this godforsaken planet, using the lighter-than-air gasses created in those fires to generate the lift that brings them to us now. My friend, if legend holds any truth for us, then believe this, those creatures come out of the bowels of Hell for one reason and one reason only, to feed!"

"In other words, when Sald and his friends landed on them, they just woke the bastards up, and now they're coming up here to feed. Is that what you are telling me?" I asked excitedly, noticing how close the creatures had drifted toward us.

Wary, kneeling next to Brae as they looked over the edge, overheard Keazar explaining about the hypnotic darts. Not wanting to take any chances, he led Brae over to the tunnel entrance and told her to stay there with Boti, who had just come out of the opening and wanted to know what was going on. Telling her that Brae would fill her in, he turned and came over to stand beside me, not really sure he wanted to look over the edge again.

"If Keazar is right," he hesitantly started, not relishing the next words that he had to say. "Then there isn't much we can do for those poor bastards. Maybe we should get out of here before they get any closer."

He had a good point; yet, I was having a hard time dealing with the fact that we were helpless to do anything for them, especially now that we knew they were still alive.

"Are you sure there isn't anything we can do?" I asked Keazar again, torn by my feelings of helplessness and desperation, and the need to get everyone away from the approaching danger.

"I assure you, there won't be enough left of them in a few minutes to make it worth my time recycling them," he calmly answered.

Suddenly from behind us, Boti let out a bloodcurdling shriek. Spinning around on my heel, I saw Wary pulling a dart out of her shoulder. While we were busy discussing our options and keeping an eye over the front part of the ledge, a trenchen had come up on the side near the wall, away from the bridge. With extreme patience, it was slowly drifting over the surface next to our only exit.

Glancing away from the creature and back at Boti, I was surprised to see that her eyes were already glazing over as the hypnotic venom went to work on her mind. She was completely oblivious of Wary, as she looked past him, aware only of the creature that had just flung a dart into her. The creature, meanwhile, had stopped moving. Having risen above the ledge, it had expelled any excess gases to prevent it from rising higher, and was now simply waiting for its prey to approach within range of the projectiles. Boti, a smile on her face, was seeing the creature as someone or something that she was extremely fond of, and with a smile upon her face, she started toward it.

Unable to reach her in time, I cried out for Wary to grab her. The sound of my panicked voice set off a chain reaction on the ledge, sending everyone scrambling for the exit at the same time. Watching in stark disbelief, the panic quickly turned to mass hysteria. If I had previously accused Sald's mutants of being absorbed with self-preservation when they tried escaping from the gun, I owed them an apology, as my own group was rapidly putting them to shame.

Wary, while reaching for Boti, was knocked sideways by a hysterical woman who thought he was trying to get through the exit ahead of her. Losing his balance, he fell against Brae instead. The inconsiderate act probably saved his life. At the same moment that he fell, a dart struck the woman in the back that had just thoughtlessly shoved him aside.

The creature, seeing a smorgasbord of human flesh before it, forwent its opportunity to suck in Boti. Instead, it turned its attention to launching another dart; this one striking a woman that had seen what was happening and was trying to help Wary get Boti to safety. Having grabbed her by the shoulders, she was pushing Boti ahead of her and into the melee of people, all of which were trying to get into the tunnel at the same time.

Thanks to the woman's attempt to help Boti, she had given me enough time to reach them. Grabbing Boti by the arm and the woman by the hair, I jerked them backwards, away from the opening. There wasn't any point in trying to get through the maddened crowd that had bottle necked at the exit, as they kicked and fought amongst themselves for their lives. Although I was disappointed by their terrified actions and sudden onslaught of thoughtlessness toward their fellow comrades, I could hardly blame them. After all, they weren't soldiers; they were simply villagers that woke up in a strange and deadly place, the shock of which they may never get over.

Keazar was definitely several shades paler than normal. Yet, he maintained his wits about him as he yelled for me to turn around and head back across the bridge. Shoving the woman that I was holding by the hair at him, I shouted loudly for him to get started. "I'll be right behind you!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

Turning, I saw Cos standing protectively over his sister who was kneeling by Wary. He was doing everything he could with his massive strength and bulk to prevent Brae and Wary from being knocked off the ledge. Waving my arms and yelling at the top of my voice, it was everything that I could do to get their attention and signal them to follow us. Wary wasn't moving. I quickly assumed that he'd hit his head when he was knocked over. Cos, picking him up in his massive arms, ushered his sister in front of them and came running after us.

With Keazar almost across the bridge, I wrapped Boti's arms around my neck and told her to hold on to me. Although I wasn't sure whether she understood the seriousness of the situation or not, she obeyed me willingly enough. With her arms around my neck, and her legs straddling my waist, we set out onto the narrow bridge. Using both hands to maintain my grip and balance, I swiftly crawled over the expanse, while Boti clung tightly to my back.

When I was more than halfway across, I looked forward and noted with relief that Keazar was standing on the narrow ledge, the woman still holding tightly to him. Though I was unable to look behind me, I could hear Cos's heavy breathing close behind. Since I knew him well enough to know that he would never cross the bridge without his sister, I readily assumed that she had to be between us.

By the time that we all made it across the bridge, the trenchens were covering the small ledge. As I looked back in horror, I watched the feeding frenzy. Many of our group had been sucked into the creature's bellies, as they were unable to get through the opening before being struck by the hallucinogenic darts. It was eerie and unnerving, watching them while they looked hauntingly back at us, crying out vainly for our help. Although we could see the pain and anguish in their silent cries, there wasn't anything that we could do for them.

Boti, though she was completely unaware of the events unfolding around her, still hadn't released her grip on me, though she had allowed me to stand. At first, I had just assumed that she was holding on to me out of fear and shock. However, when I looked into her face and saw the glazed look in her eyes, I realized immediately that she was still under the influence of the drug. But she had fixated on me instead of the trenchen! If she had any feelings for me prior, which she had seemed intent on demonstrating to me in the tunnel, they had just grown ten-fold.

Unable to watch any longer, I picked her up in my arms and followed Keazar, who was leading the woman that had saved Boti by the hand, keeping her close to him. Sick to my stomach from the scenes that had burned into my mind, we headed back the way we had come. It was slow going with our backs pressed tightly against the wall. But eventually, we finally made it back to the lighted hallway.

On the way, I noticed that the woman Keazar was carrying had fixated on him, much the same way Boti had fixated on me. Fortunately, the drug in the trenchen's darts wasn't discriminatory. Keazar could add another note to his file regarding the mythological creatures; their hallucinogenic drug was generic. It didn't have the power to draw its prey to it, unless they were the first things their prey saw after being struck by the little harpoons.

Wary had regained consciousness and was walking under his own power. He claimed to have a terrible headache, but no permanent damage.

Curious, I asked Keazar if he had any idea how long the drug would last on the girls.

"I have no idea," he answered almost cheerfully. "I have never heard of anyone living to talk about it."

Boti, seeing me glancing at her, smiled coyly and batted her eyes. "Well, for our sakes, I hope it isn't permanent," I stated, not sure whether I found their reactions to it as amusing as Keazar did.

"There are much worse things in life, my good friend," he happily replied, all the while continuing to smile and make faces back at the woman that he had saved. Who in turn, was acting in the same preadolescent fashion that Boti was acting toward me.

"Do you think you can find us a supply closet before you make us all sick with your pathetically childish behavior?" I teasingly asked of him.

His upbeat attitude was proving to be contagious, and it was probably a good thing. Unlike the rest of us, he didn't see death as a permanent state of being. Because of this attitude toward death, he didn't lose his unique perspective on life and the living of it. Instead, from having lived so many lifetimes, he'd begun to take life for granted. To him, it wasn't so much that one died, but rather that one was recycled. Yet, I found it disturbing to think that it might be easy to overlook the fact that more than two dozen people had just died and were beyond recycling, simply because you have recycled millions.

"Yes, right this way, my good man," he answered absently, continuing to make eyes at his newfound interest.

With Keazar and the woman leading the way, we backtracked past the supply closet that we'd ransacked prior to entering the tunnel. Less than fifteen minutes later, he came to a halt and, using his inex card, opened another closet. Since we'd lost all of our supplies in the melee with the humanoids and then the trenchens, we needed to replace everything. But first, we needed to drink. We were all suffering to some degree from thirst and dehydration brought on by the excessive heat in the un-cooled tunnels. Before we passed out the new supplies, we passed around the water flagon, each taking a turn to drink long, and deep. With our initial thirsts quenched, Brae returned to the supply closet in search of bandages.

Returning shortly with her finds, she gently applied them to Wary's blood-clotted head. She also found some painkillers, but those, he flatly refused to take. When she put up a fuss, he quickly reminded her that we had already lost valuable time. If he was under the influence of a pain reliever, he would probably slow us down, and we needed to make up lost time before Lord Thar's scouts discovered that we were back in the hallways.

When Brae had finished arguing with him, he came over and asked, "Where do we go from here, boss?"

"Let's see what Keazar suggests. After all, he is the resident authority down here.

"Keazar!" I hissed as loudly as I dared, though I knew it was highly unlikely that anyone might hear us.

"Yes, my good man," he answered distractedly, not taking his eyes off his new interest.

"We need to have a quick meeting and decide which way to go from here. We would like to hear what you think," I said lightly, masking a serious undertone to get his attention.

Begrudgingly, he stood and came over to join Wary, Cos, and myself in a small circle. Wary gave a knowing nod to Brae, silently instructing her to keep an eye on our two childish charges for the moment. The last thing that we needed was for them to wonder off. I didn't fancy the prospect of having to leave them behind when it came time to go, simply because they couldn't be found. Also, Keazar would probably insist on staying behind to search for them until they could be found, and we couldn't afford to lose any more time than we already had!

If I didn't know any better, I would have suspected that the old boy was actually falling for his new charge. Was it possible that after recycling so many people, a goodly number of whom would have been exceptionally attractive women, he had never latched onto one before? When we had more time, and less pressing issues, I would have to discuss it with him.

For the time being, though, things weren't looking very bright for Loté or me. Every extra minute that it took us to get to Lord Balzar's party was one more minute of Hell that she was enduring at his hands. Each additional minute added to the guilt that I felt for having let her down, as it slowly gnawed away at my insides. It also made me more nervous and afraid that I might have another moment of weakness, especially with Boti under the influence of the trenchen drug.

"We obviously can't continue the way that we're going," I stated impatiently. "Unless we plan to wait for the trenchens to go back to their depths and something tells me that might be a long wait. I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to concede to that just yet. We also don't have any idea where Lord Thar's men are. For all we know, they could be marching toward us as we sit here!"

Since I had the floor and with it their attention, I determined to continue until I needed their input.

"On the plus side, we do have plenty of supplies. Moreover, as unfortunate as it was for the others, we now have a much smaller, tighter-knit group of people, which means we can make better time."

Pausing for effect, I took a deep breath. We hadn't gotten over the scene of the trenchens swallowing our friends and comrades, and I didn't want to sound heartless and uncaring, just in command.

"The dilemma that we're faced with now, is which way do we go so that we can avoid Lord Thar's soldiers, while still arriving in time for Lord Balzar's party, if that's still possible? I'm hoping that you can help us, Keazar."

"Yes, my good man, I do believe that I can be of some help with that," he responded unenthusiastically. It was clear to the others, as well as to me, that his mind was preoccupied. It was everything he could do, just to listen to me. How serious our situation had become was the furthest thing from his mind. Continually, he kept glancing over to where the girls were sitting facing each other, playing in much the same way that two toddlers might play, only more impishly; they did, after all, possess the mature bodies of vibrant young women.

"If you can concentrate on our predicament for just a moment, Keazar, we really would appreciate hearing what you have to say," I calmly stated, while desperately fighting down the urge to reach out and slap him alongside the head to get his attention.

In a huff, he jumped to his feet. Without saying a word, he grabbed his new charge in the crux of his right arm and, slinging a pack over his left, headed down the hall. Unsure of what was going on, we grabbed our new packs of supplies and, I doing likewise with Boti, hurried down the hallway after him. Although he wasn't acting like the Keazar that we were just getting to know, we were literally lost without him, and he knew it.

As we chased them down the hallway, I reflected on the circumstances leading up to his childish outburst. It surprised me that I mentally referred to his outburst as childish, but that was exactly what it was, a childish outburst. Even though he hadn't literally cried out and made idle threats, he was acting out and pouting because his ego had been bruised. By running off without saying anything, he knew that we would follow him, thereby succumbing to the advantage that he held over us. Unfortunately, though his actions were childish and inappropriate for a grown man, they had the exact effect on us that he was hoping they would. In the future, I will have to be very careful not to bruise his ego, and watch what I say to him. Even if he is the equivalent emotionally of a small child, I needed to make a point of never speaking to him like one, unless it is in my best interest or my intention is to upset him.

It didn't take long to catch up to him, even though he was deliberately trying to outpace the rest of us. He probably needed some time to himself. But under the circumstances, I couldn't afford to give him any, not just yet.

As we trotted along behind him, I could tell by the sound of his labored breathing that he wasn't going to be keeping up this pace for much longer. Further adding to his embarrassment, the woman hanging tightly to his arm hadn't even broken into a sweat; she was happily trotting along beside him like a well-behaved pet, just happy to be close to her master.

"What's her name, Keazar?" I asked, trying to break the ice that had formed between us.

"Linit," he wheezed.

"That's a pretty name for a pretty woman, my friend."

"She is a beautiful woman!" he fired back, expelling his precious breath in one loud outburst. When his fit of gasping subsided, he angrily continued, "She is mine; keep your grubby paws to yourself!"

"Friends don't steel each other's women, my friend," I remarked, trying to sound casual and unstrained. "I thought we were friends. Was I mistaken, or was our friendship one-sided?"

Stopping suddenly, he stood hunched over, his right hand held out flat against the wall for support as he wheezed and gasped, but not putting down his pack or letting Linit off his arm. Impatient with his own inability to catch his breath, he looked up into my eyes and hoarsely croaked, "Friends don't talk down to their friends, either!"

"You're right. I apologize for my inconsiderate behavior. It was rude of me to treat you the way that I did. Do you think we can find a way to put this behind us and renew our friendship? Just tell me what I can do that will set things right."

"That depends," he said levelly, his gaze steady. "Will you carry my pack for me?"

Before I could comprehend his strange request, a broad grin erupted on his face and he broke out laughing, doubling over with pain as he gasped for air. Putting my free hand out to steady him, he took it in his own and affectionately squeezed it.

When his heavy breathing subsided somewhat, he ashamedly confessed, "I have acted very foolishly, my good friend. You have every right to be upset with me."

"Forget it; we're talking about past history. Now, how do we get out of here before Lord Thar arrives?"

"Follow me," he said with a smile, before turning and taking off down the hallway at a brisk walk.

We hadn't gone very far when he stopped and started feeling along the surface of the wall. After a moment, he got a puzzled expression on his face.

When he continued feeling the wall, I asked, "What's the problem?"

His actions were both disconcerting, and a little bit bewildering.

"Oh, it's nothing," he replied, trying to sound casual. "We just need to go a little farther, is all."

He set off again at a brisk walk, but keeping his hand against the wall. Sometimes he would feel lower to the bottom, and then sometimes as high as his arm could reach. Something was bothering him, and I wasn't sure if I should press him for an explanation, or just trust to his judgment. After another hundred feet or so, he stopped again. This time, there was no denying the worried expression on his face.

Concerned, I asked of him, "What is it Keazar? I am getting the feeling that something is bothering you. We would appreciate it if you'd share it with the rest of us!"

Slowly, speaking deliberately, he replied, "My life within these hallways equals more years than all of your lives combined. Because of my vast amount of experience within this world, I am quite sure that it's not my imagination playing tricks on me. Nevertheless, I feel temperature fluctuations in the walls where there shouldn't be any. There are very few reasons that explain such phenomena. Either the refrigeration tubes are failing in places, which could mean that we are on the verge of a major disaster, or the rebels have added more tunnels to these parts in the years since I have roamed these corridors."

"Why do you say that the rebels have added more tunnels and not the Lords? Isn't it possible that they're responsible? After all, doesn't Lord Thar control all of the mining operations in the sub-surface?" I asked, confused by his statement.

"Why yes, of course!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of that? How silly of me. My brain must be suffering from all the exertion. Or more likely, it's this interminable heat; it makes it difficult to think straight. Yes, of course, the Lords would be adding new supply routes, as they are constantly expanding the habitable space of their domains."

For a reason unbeknownst to the rest of us, this explanation seemed to cheer him up immeasurably. But in the same breath, I got the feeling that he was holding back from us. Obviously, any new tunnels might mean a shorter route to Lord Balzar's main cavern, and that would be cause for elation. Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that that there was something less obvious about the fluctuating temperatures of the walls, and Keazar wasn't telling us. Whether it was detrimental to our cause, and thus he was keeping it to himself to prevent us from more concern, or if he had deeper, darker motives, I couldn't say. But he clearly wasn't being completely open and honest with us, not yet, anyway. Carefully, so as not to upset him, I would have to find out the truth, the whole truth!

"You seem quite delighted by the prospect that Lord Thar's whole army could be waiting just beyond these walls," I said jokingly. "Would you mind sharing your ecstatic thoughts with the rest of us?"

"Don't you see, my good man, what this means?" he asked innocently, clearly excited by something that he thought should be obvious to all of us.

"No, I'm afraid that I don't," I answered him flatly, and a bit exasperated. "But I'm sure that you would be glad to explain it to us."

"It means, my good man," he started slowly, speaking as though he were addressing a slow child, "that the Lords have created shortcuts to each other's domains in order to carry on secret trading between them!"

"I don't mean to burst your swamp-gas bubble, but is it possible that they just wanted short cuts to each other's domains for socializing purposes?" I blurted, at the risk of sounding stupid.

"When the Lords have all the time in the universe at their disposal, thanks to my wonderful recycling efforts, what would it matter how long it takes to get from one to the other's domain?" Then, with a broadening grin on his face, he added, "But when you are using slaves that quickly grow old, become sick, or maybe even suffer a mortal injury, the shortest route is also the least expensive route." His thoughts turned inward, and he spoke more to himself, than for our benefit. "That would also explain why the demand for male slaves has been tapering off, as of late, while the demand for beautiful women has been on the increase." He looked at me, smiling, and continued almost animatedly. "The demand for women has grown so rapidly, that I've had to hire bounty hunters from the surface in order to keep up."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, or the way he could tell it with such naive innocence. How was it possible that he wasn't even aware of the far-reaching implications of his actions? Here he was, standing less than two feet in front of me, telling me how he had to hire people to kidnap other people, and he could tell it with a complete lack of concern for the unfortunate people being abducted! Was it possible that he was a major player in such an atrocious and deplorable program and not even fathom his part in it?

Blinded by rage, I suddenly realized that if I didn't calm down, I was going to kill him. It wasn't right for me to direct all of my anger and frustration at him alone, when it was the whole scheme that was fueling my fury. No man had the right to profit at the expense of another human's dignity and suffering! Didn't he understand that it wasn't right to tear innocent people away from their homes and families, and sell them over to slavers that treated them with less respect than the dirt beneath their feet? He didn't look or act like a vicious monster, and yet, he was every bit as evil as the Lord's Thar and Balzar.

Feeling the fire of passion burning within me, a vague memory broke through the red haze. Back when I was in pilot training school, I read something similar to this in a 'Real Earth' history book. During the early years of civilization, a certain class of people thought they were better than the other classes were, simply because they lacked a specific skin pigment. The people with this skin pigment, it appeared, were darker complexioned, thus making it easy to identify them. Fortunately, wiser men prevailed, and in time, all men were treated with the same respect. It was an unfortunate and dark time in Earth's history. Was it possible that Heälf was going through a similar dark time in its history, and I had just been too wrapped up in my own life to see the larger scheme of things?

When I had studied Earth's early history, I remembered thinking that I didn't believe such a society could live with itself, and here it was going on right beneath my feet! When it started doesn't seem nearly as important as when I will finish it!

"Keazar," I started slowly, speaking through clenched teeth and fighting the urge to bang his head against the wall until some sense filtered into it. "I'm trying really hard to believe that you weren't aware of what you've been doing. Moreover, that you were paying money-grubbing mercenaries to do a job that goes against everything a free society stands for!"

My voice, growing strident with the tension of the situation, forced me to stop and calm myself. When I continued, I spoke levelly and calmly, emphasizing each word. "I'm going to tell you something, Keazar, and you had better listen well, because I am only going to tell it to you this one time: If you send scavengers to the surface to pick up dead and decaying bodies, that is your business, so long as they are given the choice of their individual indenture for your services. But when you send bounty hunters, savages that literally rip innocent women and children from their friends and families, tearing them away from all that they know and love, then you, my friend, will have me for an enemy, just as surely as I am your friend here and now!"

Pausing to catch my breath, I quickly added before he could respond to my outburst, "Furthermore, let me promise you this, Keazar: I'll stop you, and all the rest of your kind, if it's the last thing that I ever do!"

"I understand," he solemnly replied, his eyes averted toward the floor. Then, looking up, he met my gaze and staunchly stated, "My good friend, you must believe me when I tell you that I was not aware of what the bounty hunters were doing. I was always of the impression that they never kidnapped anyone. Their mission was simply to retrieve corpses from the Eastern fringe, never from the west, or the equatorial trail, and never alive. If I had known that the corpses were coming from anywhere than what I had thought they were, I never would have allowed it to happen. Now that I know, however, let me assure you, their practices will change!"

Keazar, pausing as he looked over at Linit for a moment, finally continued, his voice sincere, "I've never had anyone to really call my own, or to feel responsible for. I think I have that now. With this feeling of responsibility and caring, I also realize what it must be like to lose someone special. For the first time in centuries, I think I am as close to that elusive feeling commonly known as love, as I am ever going to get." He paused, turning his eyes from Linit and meeting my gaze levelly. Speaking firmly, he continued, "Yet, even if that special feeling of love continues to elude me, thanks to all of you, I will have enjoyed the feeling of being needed. Although that isn't nearly the same as love, it's a feeling that I can truly appreciate, if for no other reason than because my life has been so devoid of emotional experiences.

"I do not mean to be so long-winded, my friend. But I don't know how else to put it so that you will understand me when I say that I now understand how devastating it must be to lose someone." He paused again, and reaching out to take my hand, he added, "You have my word from this day forward, as a friend and fellow man, that I will help you in any way that I am able. Also, I want it to be known that I will do whatever I can to bring an end to this human suffering that I have unknowingly wrought upon so many. For that, I am truly sorry."

"It is good to have you along as a friend, Keazar," said Wary compassionately, reaching to take his hand.

"Thank you, Wary, and all the rest of you, my friends," he replied emotionally, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

"Now that we're clear on where we stand," I said, sounding brusquer than I had intended. "What say we put one of these shortcuts to work for us?"

"They may not be shortcuts to where we wish to go, my good friends, and they also might not be finished, yet," Keazar quickly stated, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "But they should be passable. Provided, that is, we don't get lost or run into the workers or their supply columns."

"We'll never know if we don't get started," added Wary, anxious to be on the move.

Having shared similar experiences as a pilot, and knowing the freedom of flying through the air, I wasn't surprised by his impatience to be on the move. Not only was he anxious to return to the surface, but he was also suffering from the same apprehension as me; the claustrophobic feeling induced by the close confines of the tunnels. Keazar was probably the only one among us that wasn't experiencing it to some degree.

After traveling several hundred feet farther, Keazar suddenly stopped and, using the flat palm of his hand, felt along the surface of the wall again. Grinning from ear to ear, he briefly glanced at me, almost as if to say, 'see how helpful I can be'. Retrieving his inex card from its place of concealment, he grandly held it up against the wall.

As the panel slid back, three soldiers sitting on their haunches in the mouth of the tunnel looked up in surprise. Though they had been assigned the duty of guarding the tunnel entrance, they obviously did not suspect that it would be their particular tunnel that we happened upon. Much to their chagrin, they had been sorely mistaken, and their lax attitude toward their assignment was about to cost them their lives.

Instinctively, I moved forward, gracefully sliding past Keazar's bulk. In one fluid motion, I slid the pack from my back while simultaneously drawing my knife. Because the soldiers had been sitting in the dark for such a long time, they were temporarily blinded by the bright light showering in on them from the hallway. Closing in on them, I could see the mixture of shock, fear, and utter surprise in their widened eyes.

Even before they could gain their feet, I was on top of them. With a vicious swipe of the knife, I caught the nearest one cleanly across the front of his throat, instantly severing his main arterial vessels and opening his windpipe to the world. As blood sprayed the area, my instincts took over. Without wasting any movements, or taking the time to turn the knife in my hand, I slashed backwards, swinging the blade from right to left and catching the second soldier in the side of the throat as he started to rise. Gasping for air, he stumbled past me and into the hall. Since he was no longer a threat, I let him go; he would be dead within seconds.

Before I could reach the third soldier, he was on his feet and grabbing his weapon from where it leaned against the tunnel wall. However, to my continuing good fortune, he had made a poor choice when he chose the unconventional halberd for a weapon. The long shafted spear, with the small hatchet-head secured near the point, had been reduced in length to compensate for the narrow confines of the hallway. Yet, it was not nearly short enough to be effective in the much narrower confines of a hand chiseled tunnel. Spinning to face me, the spear-type weapon struck against the wall of the tunnel, throwing him off-stride and hampering his movements. As he tried to bring it to bear on me again, the sharp metal head scraped against the jagged tunnel wall with a metallic clang, slowing his swing and affording me the extra fraction of a second that I needed. Lunging forward, I dived headlong over the dead soldier, landing hard with my head against the man's chest, my momentum driving him backwards. My feet were moving, wildly driving me forward as they found traction on the stone floor. Pinned against him, I was too close for his longer weapon to be effective.

With a thud, he crashed against the wall behind him, my forehead driving hard into his solar plexus, and knocking the wind from his lungs. With the knife held firmly in my right hand, I quickly pushed away, opening a small gap between our bodies in which to plant the point of the knife where my head had been just a moment before. Then, my feet grabbing against the rough surface of the tunnel floor, I pushed forward, driving the knife deeper, and stopping only when it met resistance and wouldn't go any farther.

With his face next to mine, the smell of stale meat permeating his final exhalation, the look of fear slowly melted from his features, leaving behind a look of peace and tranquility.

Pulling my knife free, I hastily bent over the first and nearest soldier and wiped it off on his leather breastplate. What had just transpired couldn't honestly be called a real battle; it was over almost before the soldiers even knew they were under attack.

Looking back on it, I had to wonder at our good fortune. In the future, we would have to be much more careful. The next time, they might be ready for us. Furthermore, the next time, they might not be armed with such clumsy weapons. Instead, they might be armed with knives, putting them on an equal footing with us. It was very fortunate that I had acted without thinking, or the outcome might have been completely different.

After reasoning it out, we determined that the soldiers had not been stationed at the tunnel's entrance to intercept us. It was impossible for Lord Thar to know that we would discover his secret passages. Hence, we quickly concluded that they must have been waiting for someone else. Yet, even if our assumption was correct, we didn't have time to worry about who it was they were waiting for, we had our own problems to concern us.

Nevertheless, because of the poor armament they were carrying, it was a safe assumption that whomever they were waiting for, they were merely to act as guides. This thought further bolstered my inner suspicion that we must be heading in the right direction, since it seemed logical to leave escorts for his party guests if he expected them to use the shortcuts. However, if he had left escorts here, that might mean that there were more up ahead.

After instructing the others to leave the bodies where they lay, and to simply step over them, it was decided that I should take the lead, at least until we reached a fork in the tunnel. It was further agreed upon that Keazar come next, followed by the girls, and then Wary. Because of Cos's brute size and strength, it was determined that he should bring up our rear. Before starting down the tunnel, we made certain the panel slid solidly shut, and that it wasn't blocked by any obstructions. There was a strong possibility that soldiers were traveling the hallways, even if they weren't intentionally looking for us, as hard as that was to believe. Our actions had embarrassed and humiliated one of the most powerful lords within the subsurface. By now, we were wanted individuals, and I wasn't looking forward to being captured. The longer the bodies went undiscovered, the better.

Although we had only one torch left amongst us, I decided to light it, since there didn't seem to be any point in saving it. Before we started our journey, I took one last look around. Judging by the evidence of scattered food scraps, and an obvious lacking of supplies, I determined that they were being brought fresh food and water on a regular basis. Furthermore, based on the age of the freshest remnants to be found, their supplies were due at any time. This little bit of knowledge only meant that it wouldn't be long before the bodies were discovered, not that we would encounter their replacements in the tunnel, since they were more than likely using the hallway.

Fortunately, except for torches, we didn't need any more supplies. And with a quick snap between Cos's powerful forearms, the unwieldy halberds were made considerably more manageable. With Wary and Cos each taking one of the modified weapons, we were quite formidable foes, considering the close confines.

Knowing that it would be slow going when the single torch burnt out, I set a brisk pace, hoping to put as much distance between the dead soldiers and ourselves before being curtailed to crawling along in the dark. Unlike the first tunnel that we had chosen, this one was considerably wider, almost eight feet, with a ceiling height that was close to the same. It was obvious, even to a surface dweller like me that these tunnels weren't built with solo passage in mind. Instead, they were designed to handle man-powered caravans moving large quantities of supplies, along with mass movements of bodies. The influence of a logistician dictated their construction.

Every now and then, we passed openings in the tunnel walls that revealed large caverns, all clearly hand-dug with primitive tools. There wasn't any doubt that these caverns were spread out along the tunnel for the single purpose of storing goods and commodities. The product manufactured in one domain could be stored in these huge caverns for as long as was necessary, only to be transported to another domain after a deal was negotiated. Most were empty and appeared to always have been, probably waiting on the completion of all the remaining trade routes that would eventually connect this network of tunnels to the rest. The occasional cavern that held anything within it usually contained only extra mining tools and food supplies, items that had been left behind as the worker's progress carried them forward.

"What do they do with all the material that's removed when digging these tunnels and caverns, Keazar?" I asked, suddenly feeling optimistic. If they transported it to the surface to be melted down as the sun came around, then maybe there was a direct route leading there.

"Most of it is smelted into tools and refrigeration pipes," he replied between breaths, not even slightly aware that he was crushing my hopes for a quick return to the surface. "The rarer materials are turned over to artisans and craftsmen, who transform it into the most fabulous works of art and jewelry. Not unlike my own," he solemnly added, feeling the loss of his ornaments anew.

Although I knew better than to be asking questions of him when he needed all the oxygen that he could possibly suck into his lungs just to keep that massive body of his moving forward, it could have been important to know. The torch was quickly burning down, we were going to be in the dark shortly, and I could save my questions until then. It was stupid of me to let myself believe that something might even work out for us. If it hadn't been for my stubborn pride in the first place, Loté and I wouldn't even be down here. Even more importantly, she wouldn't be suffering through the indignities that I'm sure Lord Balzar is exposing her to.

Of course, I consoled myself, if there is one good thing to come out of this, it is that I have met some very terrific people. People that I am proud to count among my friends.

"Rod," came Wary's voice from behind us. "Maybe we should stop and take a breather while we still have some light left."

Putting my hand out to warn Keazar, I slowed to a stop. A few extra feet, one way or the other, wasn't going to make any difference. If Lord Thar's soldiers were advancing toward us, we would eventually meet them head on. If we were rested, it would only be to our advantage.

"Those airbag creatures won't get us in the dark, will they?" Linit nervously asked, as we opened our packs and broke out the water flagons.

"Do not worry, my little peach," Keazar affectionately consoled her. "I will protect you."

Keazar, selecting a few items from his pack and a flagon of water, led Linit farther down the tunnel, stopping only when they were just visible in the fading light of the torch. With a grin, I realized that if what he had told us was true, he hadn't been with a woman for quite a few decades, maybe even a century or more. In all likelihood, he probably had some catching up to do.

Wary and Brae, on the other hand, seemed more interested in getting a little rest than they did a little tousle. Boti interest in me also seemed to be waning. Although she was still affectionate and kind, and always eager to help, I couldn't help but notice the blossoming interest that she was bestowing on the hulking figure of Cos.

Clearly, the drug had worn off. With an unconscious broadening of my grin, I suddenly thought it would be interesting to see what Linit's attitude toward Keazar was without the benefit of the drug. Since Boti wasn't paying me any mind, I decided to mosey on down the tunnel when I finished eating and check on the two lovers. Although I was well aware that their relationship wasn't any of my business, I couldn't help myself.

With the torch doing little more than smoldering, it was impossible to see beyond the end of my outstretched arm. Having eaten my food, I decided this would be a good time to take a stroll. Crouching down low, more out of habit than necessity, I stealthily worked my way deeper into the smoke thickened blackness, staying to the right-hand wall as I went.

When I had worked my way to the point where I should be hearing them, I was suddenly concerned by the silence that confronted me. As the small hairs on the back of my neck started to raise, an uneasy feeling fell over me. Even if the drug had worn off, and Linit had come to the realization that Keazar wasn't the man for her, I should still hear them talking. Or, if they had fallen asleep, like Wary and Brae, I should still be able to hear them breathing.

Turning around, I cautiously worked my way back up the tunnel to where I had left the others. During my absence, Cos and Boti had breached the hurdle of shyness. As I drew nearer, I came across them on the floor, moaning and breathing hard. Reaching my hand out toward the muffled noises, I gently patted Boti on the shoulder, hoping not to startle them.

She flinched beneath my touch, quickly alerting Cos beneath her. With a grunt, I knew he was out from under her and standing in a defensive crouch, ready to attack or defend, whichever the situation called for.

"Cos, it's me, get the gear together, we're moving out," I whispered quickly, the urgency unmistakable in my voice. "Keazar and Linit went up ahead and they've disappeared," I added, wanting to make sure he grasped the severity of the situation. "I'll find Wary and Brae. Now hurry!"

"We're right here," came Wary's voice from just a few feet away. "We couldn't help but hear. Are you sure Keazar and the woman disappeared?"

Feeling a little foolish, I hurriedly explained that I had gone to check on them, and how I couldn't find them. I expected someone to comment on my adolescent behavior, especially Brae or Boti. But no one said a word; they were just as curious as I. Wary and Brae had their gear and were ready to move by the time Cos and Boti had caught their breath.

"I'll lead the way. Wary, you and Brae follow me. Cos and Boti will bring up the rear. Stay tight; we don't want to lose anyone. At this point, we're not sure what happened to Keazar and Linit, so let's not take any chances. They may have just wondered a little farther down the tunnel, or they may even have run off and left us. But they might also have been captured by Lord Thar's soldiers."

"Keazar wouldn't run off and leave us of his own choosing, Rod," said Wary defensively.

I didn't want to argue with Wary, but I cared even less for the alternative of Keazar and Linit having been captured.

"I'm afraid that I couldn't agree with you more, Wary, so keep your senses tuned for trouble."

Moving through the tunnel in absolute darkness proved to be even slower and more arduous than I had previously feared. It was also much more dangerous. Something as simple as tripping over an old and abandoned pick handle could result in a twisted ankle making the difference between life and death.

Compounding the problem was the fact that the tunnel wasn't finished. Not only did we have to maintain a constant vigil to avoid obstacles on the floor, but we were also forced to walk in a crouch, always keeping one arm above our heads to protect us from low hanging obstructions. In several places, debris that had fallen from the ceiling was mounded to depths of several feet, forcing us to crawl over them on our hands and knees.

We had traveled almost six miles, and still hadn't found any sign of Keazar and Linit, when we suddenly heard scraping and hammering noises filtering down through the tunnel to us. At almost the same time, the smell and taste of rock dust grew heavy in the air.

"We must be nearing an area of active mining," I whispered, just loud enough for the others to hear. "Keep your voices down if you have to speak. Otherwise, no more talking, they may have sentries placed in the tunnel ahead."

No one so much as whispered a sound as we continued forward, our pace being reduced even more by the need for stealth. Even if we had torches available to us, we would've had to extinguish them for fear of being seen or the smoke carrying ahead of us.

As we continued forward, the excavation sounds grew more distinct. Then, as we rounded a bend in the tunnel, we came upon a shaft of light, filtering through a dusty haze as it cascaded across the floor. Its source was somewhere beyond an opening in the right hand wall of the tunnel. From this distance, it was impossible to tell if the opening led into a cavern or another tunnel. We needed to get closer.

When we were within fifty feet of the opening, Wary suddenly gripped my shoulder, bringing us all to a stop. Just up ahead, crouching near the side of the tunnel, were the silhouettes of two people. If it hadn't been for Wary's sharp vision, I probably wouldn't have been aware of them until I was close enough to smell them. Now that I knew they were there, I could see that one was an overweight individual, and the other had long hair and the wide hips of a woman. We all knew the instant we saw them that it had to Keazar and Linit. But what were they doing this far ahead of us? It didn't make any sense. And because it didn't make any sense, my intuition told me to expect the unexpected.

Without speaking a word, we slowly continued forward, stopping again after we'd cut the distance by half. They still hadn't moved. Considering Keazar's keen sense of smell, they should have picked up our scent by now. Judging by the lazy movement of the dust particles in the dim light, there wasn't much air movement, so our scent wasn't being blown away from them. Why weren't they moving? It was almost as if they were mesmerized by something in the light ahead of them.

We were so close now, even though the light was weak, when I glanced back over my shoulder, I could see the expressions on the faces of the others in the group. Like me, they too were perplexed by Keazar and Linit's lack of movement.

With a silent nod to Wary, we crept stealthily forward, cutting the distance down to less than five feet from them. Stopping, I put my hand up, indicating for the others to remain where they were. Then, moving up behind Keazar, I gently whispered his name. When I didn't get a response, bells and whistles went off in my head, yelling for me to turn and run. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't just turn away and leave a friend.

Reaching out, I grabbed him by the shoulder. With sudden alarm, I knew we'd been had! What I grabbed was neither Keazar nor Linit. Instead, it was two piles of sandbags and loose rags, mounded up, and sculpted to resemble them in the dim light.

Before I could pull my hand back from the dummies, soldiers were swarming in on us from in front and behind, neatly boxing us in between them. Amidst the noise of weapons clunking against leather armor and the shuffling of bare feet on stone, torches sprang to life, bathing the area in light.

Standing to my full height, I intended to show them that we wouldn't be intimidated. With a sinking feeling, I looked around, meeting the stares and seeing the blood lust in the eyes that looked hungrily back at us. We were overwhelmingly outnumbered; there was no seeing beyond them in either direction, there wasn't going to be any fighting our way out of this one.

The look of victory and contempt was written on their faces. It was as easy to see as the insignia on their leather-clad breastplates. They were wearing the armor of Lord Balzar's domain! The irony of our situation didn't escape me. We'd escaped from Lord Thar, only to be captured by Lord Balzar!

There was a shuffling and slight commotion near the lighted opening. After a moment, Lord Balzar stepped out from behind his soldiers, placing himself before us. Even before I could size him up, I saw an open display of disappointment and confusion pass across his face as he looked upon us for the first time. Then, just as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared. It happened so fast, I briefly wondered if I had seen it at all, or if it were nothing more than a trick of the lighting on my eyes.

It came to me suddenly, and I realized that my eyes hadn't played tricks on me at all; he was expecting someone else! To our misfortune, and his good fortune, we selected the wrong tunnel in which to make our escape. When we came across those soldiers at the entrance, I should have realized that we were heading into the lion's den. After dispatching with them, we should have turned around and found another route. But enough of that; hindsight is always the most accurate sight. We chose this path, and now we were committed to follow it to its end.

"Well, well," he said, quickly taking charge of the situation. "You are not what I expected, not at all."

"And what did you expect?" I demanded, my voice not betraying my deeper feelings of despair.

"What I expected is none of your business! However, since it appears my efforts weren't completely unproductive, I will tell you." His eyes had strayed to Brae and Boti. Seductively, he continued, "I was hoping to catch two beautiful women that have eluded my men, and indeed, it appears that I have done just that! In addition, it would also appear that I caught more than I had bargained for. Although the value of a strong male slave is never quite as high as that of a beautiful female, the three of you will offset the expenses of the hunt. Under normal circumstances, I would be quite pleased with this trade off." Then, his voice growing strident, he screamed angrily, "But these aren't normal circumstances!"

Knowing our fates were sealed, no matter what I did or said, I felt compelled to ask. It would have little bearing on our future, whether I offended our captor or not. Though I felt strongly that I was correct, I had to know for sure.

"Lord Balzar," I humbly asked, fearing that I might upset him before he gave me an answer to my question. "If I may address you, I would favor the answer to a question that I would like to put to you."

Not waiting for an answer, I quickly hurried on. "These two women that you seek, one of their names wouldn't be Loté, per chance?"

Immediately, I knew that I had struck a nerve. His eyes literally lit up at the sound of her name, and his mouth started moving without the benefit of sound.

Finding his voice, he excitedly demanded, "You know this woman that I am hunting! How can that be? How do you know her? Did you meet them in the tunnels? Tell me, slave, have they reached Lord Thar's domain yet? You will be greatly rewarded for your information, I assure you!"

"I would rather die, than help you capture her!" I hissed, catching him off guard with my rude boldness. He was a man of power and not accustomed to being affronted in this manner. It was unthinkable that a lowly slave would have the nerve to speak back to him, and with such emotion.

After regaining his composure, he almost casually replied, "Very well. When Lord Thar captures them, I will just have to pay a higher premium to get her back, is all. In the meantime, I will have to amuse myself with what I have here." Emphatically, he added, "From what I see of your women that might be very amusing, indeed."

Just as quickly, his tone changed to that of commander, as he ordered his soldiers, "Take the men into the cavern, and get them ready for work! Whatever you do, don't let them out of your sight! These slaves have tasted freedom; they will not be as docile as they would otherwise. Meanwhile, bring their women to the staging cavern."

"Yes, my Lord," acknowledged the soldier standing to his right.

As the soldiers advanced to carry out their orders, Cos, unable to control himself, rushed at the first soldier to approach his sister. Before he could put a hand on the man, another soldier quickly drove him to the ground, a spear imbedded deeply into his back. Cos, his mouth moving open and shut as he gasped for air, was stopped in his tracks, but he wasn't dead. Slowly, he turned to face the soldier whose spear was in him. The man, having released his spear, was unarmed, and suddenly very afraid. While the other soldiers looked on, both amused and impressed by Cos's inner fire and drive, he slowly planted his hands on the tunnel floor and pushed himself back to his feet. Slowly, almost mechanically, the shaft of the spear still protruding from his back, he took a step toward the unarmed soldier. The soldier's nerve suddenly shattered, and a strangled cry escaped his lips, as he turned to run. Before Cos could take a second step, his heart gave out and he fell in a heap on the ground, the spear standing upright like a flagpole.

Balzar, having witnessed the cowardice of one of his soldiers, angrily demanded his capture. Meanwhile, Brae, unable to restrain herself, ran to Cos's still form. Screaming and crying hysterically, she yanked the spear from his back and held the advancing soldiers at bay. Unable to do anything without bringing an instant rain of death down upon myself, and possibly the rest of us, I watched helplessly as soldiers overwhelmed her. Tearing the spear from her hands, they dragged her, kicking and screaming, away from her brother's lifeless body.

As bad as I felt for her, there was nothing to do; there wasn't any sense in all of us dying. We would do better to stay alive to fight another day. At least Cos suffered a clean death. He died fast, fighting valiantly for his sister's honor. I wasn't so sure that I would get the same eulogy when I died. Dying as a slave from lack of food or water was anything but.

### **12**

"Well, what have we here?" boomed a loud, threatening voice from out of the darkness behind the light.

Unable to see beyond the bright glare of the many torches, I suddenly knew what a trapped animal felt like. Fird, seemingly unabashed by the surprise, calmly rose to his feet and, reaching under my elbow, gently urged me to mine.

"Lord Thar," he casually addressed the man with the booming voice, catching me off guard and taking me aback. "What brings you this far from your domain?"

Judging by the calmness in Fird's voice, I couldn't help but feel that this was more than just a chance encounter with Lord Thar. With a sickening tightness in my stomach, I suddenly wondered if it was possible that Lord Thar was expecting us. Or, at the least, Fird was expecting to run into him?

Yet, I couldn't help but feel that it was already too late for me to start doubting Fird. I had already given too much of myself to him, both physically and emotionally. Just the thought of doubting him made me feel like an even bigger fool than I was ready to admit. Anyway, such a lack of faith in him wouldn't serve anyone's interest, least of all, mine.

With a sudden force of will, I put the troubling thoughts out of my mind, and stood tall. Fird was a veteran survivor in these God-awful tunnels, I would just have to follow his lead and keep the faith. After all, my trust in him was all I appeared to have left. Though I couldn't see beyond the glare of the torches, there were clearly more soldiers than Fird and I could possibly hope to slay and come out the victors. As hard as it was going to be for me to remain cooperative with our captors, my life and possibly Fird's, depended it. In the meantime, though, I would keep my eyes open and my wits about me. If an opportunity to escape presented itself, I had to be ready for it!

"Who the hell do you think you are, putting questions before your Lord without permission?" the booming voice angrily demanded, causing me to involuntarily cringe before it.

"I am Fird, your highness. Warrior and liege to King Sheesa, the ruler of all!" he unwaveringly replied, displaying all the dignity and pride befitting of such a brave man. "And this, my Lord, is Loté, my charge to be delivered to you. She is a gift from King Sheesa!"

My heart missed a beat! Surely, I must have misheard him. It sounded as though he were betraying me! Would he really stoop so low to save his hide? No, it couldn't be, I couldn't have been so wrong about him! Or had King Sheesa put Fird up to this?

No! I absolutely refused to believe that King Sheesa was behind this betrayal! It had to be Fird, acting on his own behalf! When he had been given orders to escort me, he had not been given orders to deliver me to Lord Thar. I couldn't accept that! Fird was instructed to provide me with safe passage and guidance to Lord Thar's domain, not to Lord Thar. There wasn't any way that I was going to let myself believe that King Sheesa and his tribe was a farce! I absolutely refused to believe that King Sheesa had seen an opportunity to give homage to Lord Thar, thus gaining a few points in his standing with him, at my expense!

Yet, if that was the case, though I still refused to believe it, King Sheesa probably couldn't believe his good fortune at my arrival, especially when I told him where I wanted to go. All he had to do was guarantee my safe arrival here, and he got the credit for delivering me.

Although I wasn't convinced of King Sheesa's part in my betrayal, I couldn't erase the humiliation that I felt because of Fird's part in it. I had put my trust and faith in him, and he had betrayed and humiliated me in return. Slowly at first, and then with increasing vigor, my feelings of humiliation and helplessness turned to anger and then rage!

Through the ringing in my ears, I half heard the rest of the conversation going on around me. All I could think about was how I had allowed him to make love to me when no man ever had before. He cheated me out of the most precious gift that I had to offer! It wasn't enough that he had used me for his own pleasure before turning me over to this barbarian, but that I had let myself enjoy it. Sadly, I had to admit to myself that I had enjoyed both the act and the man. In fact, I went so far as to let myself feel something stronger toward him. Oh Rod, please forgive me, how could I have been so wrong and so stupid, I whined quietly to myself. Because of my ignorance and pride, I'd turned away the only man that had ever honestly loved me, just to give it to Fird in the heat of the moment.

"A gift from King Sheesa? Well, let me see what he feels that I am worthy of, shall we? What could be so special that King Sheesa would see fit to bestow it upon me?" he asked, sounding skeptical, yet a bit amused. Then, suspecting foul play, he provided the following caveat as he moved closer to me. "This better not be a trick on his part! I do not take kindly to tricks. It is only because of my unending generosity that I even allow him and his mangy band of thieves to continue living so close to my domain."

Almost too casually, Fird replied, "I assure you, your Majesty, this is no trick or act of deceit. My sire only wishes to thank you for your continuing generosity. Please, take his offering in the generous spirit that it is given and do with her, as you desire. I am sure, she will not disappoint you."

Lord Thar was more suspicious of Fird than he was of either me, or the knife that I still held. Though he could clearly see it in my hand, he obviously felt secure in the knowledge that I wouldn't try anything rash with so many of his soldiers waiting to stick their spears in my belly. Such an attempt to reach Lord Thar would have been the equivalent of committing suicide.

Nevertheless, would they expect me to stick the knife in Fird? Or would they wonder why Fird had allowed me to retain it? If I returned the knife to its sheath, the gem encrusted handle would protrude, and the flickering torchlight would glance off the many jewels embedded in it. Once they realized its value, it would quickly be taken from me, and I highly doubted that they would provide me with another, even if of lesser value. Furthermore, I was much too indecisive about sticking it in Fird to be effective in a fight, which could only mean that I wasn't ready to die just yet.

Moving casually, so as not to draw any attention to either the knife or me, I slowly slid the knife back into its sheath. If I posed defiantly with my hands on my hips, I could effectively block it from everyone's view. Of one thing I was certain; no one was going to take it from me without a fight, even if I wasn't ready to use it on Fird just yet!

"My, my," sneered Lord Thar, stepping in closer until he could touch my breasts with his rough, work-hardened hands. He was close enough now that I could see his face; he was standing inside the glare of the torches. "Your king has a very fine taste when it comes to female flesh. Yes, indeed, I will enjoy this gift most heartily."

With his bulk standing less than two feet from me, his odor was less than pleasant. Towering over me by a good foot, I looked up into what could have passed for a strong, handsome face. But due to the full, red beard, and long, dirty-red hair, most of his facial features were covered, leaving only his muscular bulk as his most distinguishing trait.

As Fird silently slinked away, Lord Thar continued to openly admire the firmness of my breasts, while fondling his penis with his other hand. Staring back into his eyes, I was determined not to show the fear that I felt welling up inside me. If I squirmed or tried to run, his soldiers would only grab me, forcing me into submission. It would be impossible for me to stop him from taking what he wanted. Yet, I was determined that even if he took the rest of me, he would not get my pride!

Abruptly, he grabbed me by the shoulder and spun me around until I faced the wall. With a brutal shove in the back, he forced me toward the hard jagged stone. Reflexively, my hands shot out in front of me, stopping my head from crashing into the solid rock. As I shifted my feet to regain my balance, he swiftly stepped in close, putting his hips between the backs of my legs. Sensing the inevitable, I struggled to get away from him.

With me off balance and frightened, he kicked outward, striking the insides of my ankles, roughly knocking my feet wider apart and farther from the wall. To assure himself that I wouldn't move, he planted his hand firmly in the small of my back and pressed me forward, effectively preventing me from squirming away or even standing upright. His tactics had put me in an uncomfortable and humiliating position, and I was powerless to do anything about it. If I tried to move my hands, I would fall hard, face-first against the wall.

Since I wasn't ready to upset him, or make him angry at me just yet, I humbly complied with his forceful hands on my hips, arching my back and preparing myself for the worst, hoping he would be quick about it. Silently, I made a vow to myself; if I ever got the opportunity to kill Fird again, I wouldn't hesitate!

While I waited for the worst, biting my lip and holding my breath, a multitude of thoughts passed through my head. Not so long ago, I refused to make love to a man that had nothing but the best intentions toward me. Then, even a shorter while ago, I made love with a man simply because he excited me physically. Now, I'm standing here, letting a foul smelling man that I loathed have his way with me, and I wasn't even drawing my weapon to prevent it. Where was I headed next, I had to wonder?

What was taking him so long, anyway? Why couldn't he just get it over? His large meaty hands were grinding into the softer flesh of my hips, hurting and bruising me, and his breath was coming fast and hot on my back, yet he hadn't penetrated me.

What is that? Something's dripping from the roof of the tunnel. I can feel it striking me on the back. It feels warm, almost fluid. But it's not running down my back. Why doesn't Lord Thar notice it? And what is he doing behind me, anyway?

Suddenly, it dawned on me; he was jerking himself off, his hot viscous spew landing on my bare back. Although I didn't dare turn around for fear of upsetting him, I inwardly breathed a deep sigh of relief. I've met some weirdoes in my time, but this giant just topped them all. When he finished relieving himself of his pent-up, sexual anxiety, he wiped the sticky juice off by rubbing it up and down on my exposed backside.

"Turn around, bitch," he said angrily, his breath hot and ragged.

Slowly, I turned around and saw the anger burning in his eyes. There was no mistaking that look; he still wanted me! But what was keeping him from taking me? A man of his power and stature didn't answer to anyone. So, what was holding him back?

The only thing that made any sense to me was that he had given his word to someone else that he wouldn't soil me. But what could someone else have that would elicit such restraint from him? It had to be more than casual trading stock. And I didn't believe for a moment that he was afraid of anyone. Although I hated and detested him, I had to give him his due. He didn't put me in mind of fearing anyone or anything; he was a brave, if not slightly demented, man.

So, if it wasn't fear, and it wasn't everyday trading goods, what could be worth more to him than having his way with me? Such restraint didn't come easy to the likes of this man. My value to him was higher if I was in good condition, and the bruises he'd inflicted would heal within a matter of a day or two. That led me to believe that he already knew what he was getting in return for me. In fact, I was willing to stake my life on it!

Then it dawned on me! Suddenly, it all made sense! Lord Balzar had put out a bounty on me, but it would only be honored if I were returned to him in the same condition as when I left him. King Sheesa, aware of the bounty, since nothing went on near his domain that he wasn't privy to, suckered me in with the promise of a guide to get me to my destination.

Yet, when I ran the entire scenario through my head, not all the pieces fit together. For one, there wasn't enough time for King Sheesa to have heard about any bounty or reward for my return. Rhone and I ran into him almost immediately after leaving Balzar's cavern. And second, Fird damaged the merchandise!

After being recycled, all were returned to their original virginity, such as it were. When Fird had me, I lost my virginity, and until I was recycled again, I couldn't have it back! Fird would never have done what he did if there was even the slightest chance that my damaged condition would be discovered and he might be held responsible.

And then there was the question of the knife. Was it given to me out of guilt, or intended as a bonus for Fird? Yet, though he had the opportunity, Fird hadn't taken the knife. I would have to give this more thought when I had the time. The greater significance of my deduction meant that Lord Balzar was involved in this deal. By jerking off on me in front of his soldiers, word would get back to Lord Balzar that he hadn't raped me, and that I was still in the same fine condition that I had been when I escaped from him. Briefly, I wondered what Lord Thar would do to Fird if I told him of our little tussle on the rocks. That might just be the most fitting way to get back at him for his betrayal of me! However, I couldn't be sure whether Lord Thar would be content with silencing Fird, or if he would arrange for my silence as well? After humiliating himself in front of his soldiers to make a statement regarding my pristine condition, how could he let me denounce him? It would be almost more than any man could withstand.

As I followed this train of thought further, another picture started coming together in my mind. If Lord Thar was trading me to Lord Balzar, what did Lord Balzar have that was so important to him?

Then a new thought struck me! Was it possible? Could I even let myself imagine it, less believe it? Or was I setting myself up for a terrible letdown?

"Yes," Lord Thar whispered softly into my ear, careful so that only I could hear what he was saying. "I can tell by the look in your eyes that you have already figured out what's going on here, or at least you think you have."

"I just wonder what could be so important to you that you would willingly pass up such a fine piece of womanly flesh," I whispered back, speaking with all the spunk and bravado that I could muster, considering the situation.

"Oh, you do have hutzpah, all right," he said, a grin spreading across his face. "I see now why Lord Balzar finds you so intriguing.

"Take her to my lair!" he suddenly roared, his eyes never leaving mine.

Rough hands grabbed me, forcing me forward. Lord Thar, waiting until I was out of earshot, turned to where Fird had been standing. For the first time since our capture, I realized that Fird was no longer standing there. In fact, Fird was no longer standing anywhere. During my brief exchange with Lord Thar, Fird had calmly picked up our packs and retreated down the tunnel, heading back in the direction from which we'd came. Lord Thar seemed disinterested in the fact that Fird had left. He had what he wanted; the messenger was irrelevant.

The soldier directly behind me, noticing me looking backwards over my shoulder, jabbed me wickedly in the small of the back with the blunt end of his spear.

"Keep your eyes to the front!" he threatened. "Or next time, I will hit you in the head."

With an oath, I swore beneath my breath; if I ever set eyes on Fird again, I will kill him on the spot!

Before I could consider my chances for escape, the soldiers led me to a small cavern crowded with pale, skinny, overworked slaves. Taken aback by the sight of their dire physical condition, a small amount of humility replaced my burning anger. With the return of my senses, came the return of my thirst.

"Please, can I have some water?" I asked of the nearest soldier.

"Here," he said, carelessly throwing a battered flagon of water at me.

Catching it, I pulled the stopper and drank deeply. Having slaked my thirst with the tepid liquid, I nonchalantly slung it over my shoulder, hoping that it wouldn't be noticed. No one had paid any attention to the knife strapped over my hip; maybe they wouldn't care about the old flagon, either.

I was almost correct; none of the soldiers cared what I did with the flagon. However, much to my embarrassment, a poor, overworked slave came to claim it. In my selfishness, I had almost stolen the only possession the poor man owned. Sadly, his very existence might be dependent on the water in the flagon, and I had just greedily and uncaringly drank my fill from it.

As I handed the flagon back to its rightful owner, I glared at the soldier that had thrown it to me; he only laughed sadistically in response to my humiliation.

When we left the cavern, they led me back the way that Fird and I had come earlier. After traveling for almost four hours, we finally stopped for a brief break. With just enough time to drink a ration of water and relieve myself, I was roughly lifted from the floor where I had just sat down, and prodded into continuing. All this time, not a single word had been spoken amongst the soldiers. If they knew anything about where they were taking me, or what my ultimate fate was to be, I wasn't going to learn it by eavesdropping. Although I had no idea where Lord Thar had gone, I suspected that I knew the reason why; he had gone to arrange a very important trade.

Eventually, I was led into a large cavern and taken to a small room at the far end. Upon entering the little room, I saw only a bed and a crude stand with a pitcher of water sitting on it. As soon as they released me, I went to the stand and drank long and deep from the pitcher. With a guard left standing in the doorway, I went to the bed and lay down. Every bone and joint in my hip area felt swollen and aching from Lord Thar's rough handling. If I were lucky, they would let me relax for a while so that I could collect my thoughts.

So much had happened so fast, I was lost in all the confusion, my mind unable to absorb everything. Although I realized that I should be looking for a way to escape, I just couldn't seem to muster the motivation. For the moment, I was content to just lie down with my eyes closed; a comfort that I was acutely aware might be the death of me.

It seemed as though I had barely closed my eyes, when I was abruptly awakened. I had no idea how long I'd been asleep. But after rubbing the crusts from my eyes, I noticed a young girl with a large flagon of water and an armload of towels standing before me.

"I didn't mean to startle you, my lady," she hastily apologized. "But I am supposed to clean you up and get you ready for a very special guest."

"That's all right," I murmured, forcing myself to sit up despite my protesting hips. I was pleased to notice that my former feelings of apathy had dissipated. "I wasn't sleepy anyway."

Twisting to the side and putting my feet down on the floor, I subconsciously felt for the knife. Expecting to find an empty sheath, I was rather surprised when my hand closed around the already familiar hilt.

The girl, after gently scrubbing the bottoms of my feet, coaxed me to stand. After soaking a cloth in scented water, she began scrubbing me from head to foot. It felt so good, I didn't even object to her cleaning my private areas; something my pride never would have allowed in the past.

When she finished with the moistened cloth, she dried me off with a stiff, coarse towel, using a brisk rubbing action. When she was satisfied that I was a bright enough shade of pink, she continued by rubbing scented oils into the open pores of my skin. Afraid that I was going to suffocate before she finished, I finally had to ask her to stop.

"I will bring you some food now," she said, taking her leave with the empty flagon and scent-drenched towels.

Except for the time in the pond with Rod, I couldn't remember ever having felt so good. All of my prior confusion and fatigue had been scrubbed away and replaced with energy and optimism. Now, I thought secretively, if only I could get someone to tell me where Rod was, and even more importantly, if he was still alive. Dare I let myself believe that he was the property Lord Thar wanted so desperately? It had to be Rod! Only Rod could have made such a dire enemy in so short a period of time.

The young girl returned shortly, carrying a large platter of fruits and delicacies, items that could only have come from the surface. Taking a large bite from a sweet, juicy fruit, I closed my eyes and imagined that I was back on the planet's surface. With very little effort, I dreamed that I was sitting on the soft, moss-covered edge of a warm, limpid pool of water. With a three-month lead on the rising sun, I had nothing to do but relax.

"You must hurry and eat," she said anxiously, startling me from my daydream and bringing me crashing back to reality. "They will be coming for you any time now."

"Do you know where they'll be taking me?" I felt compelled to ask of her. There was always the off chance that scuttlebutt had made the rounds between the soldiers and slaves, even if what went around wasn't true.

"I cannot say," she answered, almost too quickly.

"You say that you cannot say, but you don't deny knowing. Are you afraid to tell me? I promise, I won't breathe a word to anyone else. Besides, I don't even know your name. What harm can come of sharing a few whispered remarks with me?" I desperately pleaded, longing almost hungrily for any tidbit that she might give me.

"You must promise that you won't repeat this to anyone. If Lord Thar should find out that I so much as spoke with you, he will send me to the mines."

"I promise," I said sincerely, and meant it.

"Rumor has it that you are going to be traded for a man..."

"A man!" I interrupted her, realizing that my suspicions must be correct, after all.

"Yes, a man," she continued, her eyebrows raised a notch by my reaction. She suddenly seemed nervous to continue.

"Please, go on," I gently urged.

She hesitated a moment, and then said, "It is rumored that this man has slighted my Lord and master. When my Lord is not pleased with someone, he can be very cruel. Yet, it is being said amongst the soldiers that my master will find new ways to be even crueler to this man. He is obsessed with punishing him. I have never seen him so angry."

Unable to control my excitement, I asked her, "You wouldn't, by chance, have heard the man's name mentioned, would you?"

"No, my lady. Only that when my Lord gets his hands on him, his life is not going to be one to envy," she replied with a chuckle.

Although I had my own suspicions about who the man might be, I didn't want to get my hopes up any higher than they already were. It would probably be better if I just assumed that Rod was dead and gone. Even if it does turn out to be Rod, I will be better off if I just look out for myself. Because when Rod finds out about Fird and me, he won't have any more to do with me, anyway. And he will find out about Fird and me, even if I have to tell him myself, because I absolutely refuse to live a lie!

"On your feet, woman!" a gruff sounding voice ordered from the doorway, as two soldiers entered, their spears once again leveled at my belly.

"Where are you taking me?" I demanded, feeling recharged and energized, almost like my old self.

"No more talking! Just come with us and shut up!" ordered the one in charge.

Following the leader, while the other prodded me along from behind with the blunt end of his spear, I was led out into the tunnel. Once again, I was traveling in the same direction as Fird and I had been traveling. We hadn't gone very far, when the leader suddenly turned to me and ordered me up against the wall. Not sure what to expect, I was surprised when he stood against the wall beside me. Just as quickly, the soldier behind me took up a position against the wall to my left. Each held their spears pointed toward the ceiling, with the shafts crossing each other against my back. If I moved away from the wall, they would feel the movement in their spears.

The reason for their actions became self-evident, when a caravan moving supplies passed by, traveling in the opposite direction. Although I was standing upright, my back against the wall, I could still make out most of what was going past in the dark by watching out of my peripheral vision.

Traveling two abreast, most of the people were either carrying heavy burdens upon their backs, or holding up an end of a travois loaded down with goods. No one looked up as they passed us, but instead, kept their eyes riveted on the back of the person directly in front of them. They looked exhausted, their bodies covered in perspiration and stone dust. Understandably, I found myself feeling pity for them.

The last person in the procession carried a long, willowy stick with a ball attached to the end of it. The ball contained many sharp, little points, approximately half an inch in length. The points weren't long enough to seriously injure anyone that was struck by them, but there was little doubt as to the pain they could inflict. Furthermore, the sharp little points drew blood, as I was sure I'd seen evidence of during their passing.

When the last man had gone by us, we started down the tunnel at a faster pace than we had prior, trying to make up for the lost time. My escorts (captors) were seriously worried about being punished for being late to wherever it was they were taking me.

After traveling for approximately two hours at this new and frenzied pace, they steered me into one of the empty caverns, similar to the many that we had passed along the way. This one, like the others, was also empty, but very well lit. Near the center was a large cage constructed of thick steel bars and a solid steel floor. Its position near the center of the cavern was clearly not by accident.

Leading me to the cage, the soldier in charge opened the door and ordered me to enter. I did so, hesitantly, and not nearly fast enough for him as he gave me a rough shove, slamming the door shut loudly behind me. After making sure that it was secure, the two soldiers positioned themselves near the entrance of the cavern, and silently watched the comings and goings in the tunnel. Judging by their stances, they were obviously waiting for someone of importance. I dreaded to think, who it might be.

Deciding to make the most of the wait, I sat down in as comfortable of a position as I could on the warm steel floor, and quickly lapsed into a shallow sleep. The run through the dust-encrusted tunnel had brought sweat to the surface of my skin and I was a pale gray color. The scented bath was all but buried beneath a heavy layer of grime; I didn't smell fresh any longer.

I had barely closed my eyes, when I felt a soft touch on my arm and a voice whispering in the darkness, begging me not to make a sound. I must have been asleep for longer than I realized, because the torches had burned low, leaving the cavern in muted shades of gray. I was more than just a little bit surprised that someone hadn't refilled the oil reservoirs.

"Who are you?" I whispered into the darkness.

"Never mind," came a soft reply. "Just take my hand and follow me. Don't talk, and don't make any sound. We have very little before someone notices what's going on!"

To my surprise, the voice hadn't come from outside the cage. But rather, my savior had already opened the door, and was inside with me. Extending my hand into the darkness, I involuntarily flinched when another hand firmly closed over mine.

As quickly, as I could without making a sound, I worked the circulation back into my legs and hurriedly kept pace with the mysterious stranger, being careful not to step on his heels in my excitement. Without hesitating, he led me out of the cavern and back into the tunnel. The tunnel was a dark inky blackness, and just as silent. For the briefest of moments, I wondered what had become of the two soldiers that had brought me here. Then, just as the thought struck me, I knew they were dead. They never would have left their post, and I should have heard them breathing, if they were asleep.

In that same thought, I realized that my liberator had taken the time to turn down the torches before releasing me from the cage.

Pulling me along behind him, we broke into a swift run. It was impossible to see where we were going, especially at such a breakneck pace. All I could do was put my trust in him, and let him lead me. He seemed to know the tunnel and its obstacles by heart, as I could feel myself being pulled to the left and then to the right as he negotiated turns without breaking stride.

Just as I was beginning to wonder how much farther he was going to take me, he slowed almost to a stop before veering through an opening and into another cavern. Leading me straight to the farthest wall from the opening, he swiftly and quietly instructed me to stay put until he returned. In the warm dark silence, I sensed him working his way back to the entrance, and then he was gone, his presence fading into the tunnel.

Lying perfectly still, I tried to figure out who could possibly care enough to risk their own life to save mine. When no easy answer came, I slid the knife King Sheesa had given me from its sheath, and held it against my chest for comfort.

I was suddenly roused from my thoughts by an outburst of yelling and swearing. The sounds were coming from the tunnel, leading off from the same direction that we had just come. Someone must have discovered that I was missing and was raising the alarm. Knowing the value Lord Thar had put on me, he was probably creating all kinds of hell over my escape. Despite the ruckus going on farther down the tunnel, I wasn't overly worried about being discovered any time soon. Because of the vast number of caverns connected to this tunnel, it would take Lord Thar's soldiers a long time to search them all.

Again, I idly wondered what had become of the two soldiers that had been guarding me. If my benefactor didn't kill them before leading me out of the cavern, I'm sure Lord Thar will soon be punishing them severely, probably to the point where they would rather have been killed during my escape.

Although I wasn't concerned about being discovered, I continued straining against the black, trying hard to keep an eye on the entrance. Occasionally, a soldier would run by, bearing a torch above his head. On the off chance that I should hear something of importance, I kept my ears tuned to the yelling and screaming.

It was just after the passing of a small group of soldiers, many of which were bearing torches, when I discerned the silhouette of a lone man standing near the opening. Cautiously, drawing my legs up under me in a crouch, I prepared to pounce. The silhouette lingered there a moment longer before suddenly diving deeper into the darkness; he was coming straight toward me!

Readying the knife in my hand, and drawing strength from the well-balanced feel of it, I waited silently, holding my breath for fear of giving away my position. It had already dawned on me, there was probably a handsome reward for my capture; I couldn't rule out the possibility that my benefactor would turn me over to Lord Thar, if the price were high enough.

With that thought in mind, I cursed myself for being a fool for having remained here where I'd been left. If my liberator returned now, only to return me to Lord Thar, I couldn't even recognize him as my original rescuer.

All this and more was going through my mind. Silently holding my breath, I crouched low, ready to defend myself. Suddenly, a whisper so close to my ear that I could feel the warmth of the speaker's breath, said, "Don't judge me until you hear my story."

Fird! It was Fird, of all people! I wanted to kill him so badly I almost lost control.

"You!" I hissed through clenched teeth. "Of all the nerve! You dare to come back, after what you did to me! When I get the chance, I'm going to cut your balls off and stuff them down your throat where they belong!"

"I love you, too, my dear Loté," he softly whispered in my ear, his voice caressing my anger into submission. "This isn't the place, nor do we have the time, but trust me, I will explain it all to you very soon."

"I can't trust you any farther than I can see you, which by the way, isn't very far under the circumstances," I hissed back at him, keeping my voice low. I suddenly realized that I wasn't nearly as angry with him as I wanted to be. He had betrayed me, and yet, I found myself wanting to hear his explanation; I needed desperately for him to offer up a plausible excuse so that I could forgive him.

"Please, until I can explain," he pleaded more earnestly. "Follow me. Stay close, and don't make a sound."

"How do I know that you aren't just taking me back to Lord Thar? He is probably offering a very considerable reward for my capture."

Sounding almost frantic, he pleaded with me. "Please, Loté, we don't have time for this now."

Considering my options, I decided to go along with him, at least for the time being. Staying close, I followed his lead. Although I would never admit this to another soul, I was forced to admit it to myself; in a small way, I was truly glad it was Fird. There were fewer, less obvious reasons that made me feel this way, but mostly because he had already betrayed me. He wasn't a dimwit; he wouldn't be so foolish as to pretend to recapture me, hoping to milk Lord Thar for more gratuities. He had left Lord Thar without so much as a by your leave and should be almost back to his tribe by now. He could never explain to Lord Thar just what he was still doing here, especially not convincingly enough for Lord Thar to believe him.

Once we were back in the tunnel, I found it much easier to follow him. Thanks to the soldiers that were bearing torches, it was possible to distinguish the outline of his back against the intermittent shadows. Thus, I could stay close to him without stepping on his heels.

More than once, the thought of plunging my knife into his back still crossed my mind. Yet, for the moment, I was giving him the benefit of the doubt. But the moment that he did something suspicious, something that couldn't be easily explained away, I'd plunge my knife in his back. He will not get the opportunity to betray me a second time!

With no warning, he made a quick move, throwing himself sideways through another opening on the right. If he hadn't reached back out and grabbed me, I would have gone right on past him. My first thought was that he was just randomly seeking a way to escape the searching soldiers. Now, however, I was sure that he knew exactly where he was going.

Pulling me along behind him, we went approximately fifty feet into the cavern before veering sharply to the right and heading straight toward a solid rock wall. He stopped suddenly as we came to the base of the wall. Getting down on his knees, he frantically scraped his hands over the surface, almost as if he were searching for something that he'd dropped there earlier.

After a brief moment, the scraping noise ceased. It was followed immediately by the sound of stone grating over stone.

"Quick!" came Fird's voice as he grabbed my shoulders and guided me to a hole in the floor. "Put your feet over the edge and feel for the footholds, they're carved into the side of the shaft. Don't worry, I'll hold onto you until you find them. I promise, I won't let you fall."

Trusting him, knowing he wouldn't rescue me just to let me die, I did as I was told. The footholds were where he said they would be, and I quickly started descending into a narrow shaft, barely wide enough to allow passage of my shoulders. As I hurriedly worked my way down, scraping my shoulders on one side and then the other, I wondered how Fird, with his broad masculine shoulders, would ever manage it.

Having gone down almost one hundred feet, I was beginning to wonder if I would ever reach the bottom, when my feet came down hard on a flat surface. The shaft had emptied out into a small cavity, just barely large enough for four people to turn around in.

With my hands, I frantically searched around in the dark. Almost immediately, I discovered an opening leading off in either direction. With further groping around the openings, I learned their size; they were small. By reaching into them, I could tell the tunnels beyond were equally small. How did Fird expect us to ever manage them?

During my descent, I heard him slide the slab of stone back over the opening at the top before following me down. Now, hearing him near the bottom, I moved back against the wall, giving him as much room as I possibly could. With a grunt, he slid down into the cavity, his chest pressed against mine. Somehow, he had negotiated the narrow shaft. However, I knew it was more than mere sweat that I felt running down his chest; it was a mixture of dust, sweat, and his blood.

Despite the excruciating discomfort that he was feeling, I found the touch of his flesh against mine sexually arousing. With my hardened nipples pressed up against his bloodied chest, I was sure that he felt the same as me.

Putting his hands on my bruised and lathered hips, he slowly lowered himself to his knees. As he slid his hands down the sides of my legs, sensual chills ran up my spine; I was outright disappointed when he started scratching around on the floor at our feet. Within moments, he had uncovered a small stash of torches and was lighting one. It was a much smaller torch than those used earlier in the larger tunnels by the soldiers. Although it cast very little light, and even less smoke, I could see his face clearly again and immediately remembered why I had fallen for him the first time.

Smiling, he gave me a thorough going over. I wasn't so naïve that I thought he was just making sure that I wasn't injured or hurt. Satisfied, he said, "Follow me."

"Wait," I stubbornly blurted out. "You said that you would explain. Before I go any farther with you, I want to hear what you have to say."

"It will have to wait just a little longer, my love," he said apologetically. "We aren't out of danger just yet. There's no telling who knows about this shaft, and they could be telling Lord Thar about it this very minute." Then he quickly added, "You do have a pretty high price on your head, after all, there is no telling who might give us up."

"Okay, I'll follow you for now," I begrudgingly conceded. "But don't jerk me around unless you want to be eating your balls for lunch!"

Without commenting, he turned and, hunching over to avoid the low ceiling, began a brisk pace down the tunnel to my left. For just a second, before his back was turned to me, I saw the makings of a smile.

Compared to the tunnels of my previous experience, this tunnel wasn't much more than a narrow crevice in the rock. Measuring less than three feet at its widest, and so low that we had to maintain a constant crouch to avoid hitting our heads, the traveling was extremely uncomfortable and dangerous.

We traveled approximately one mile before coming to our first intersection. Unlike the larger tunnels above that we'd traveled through before, this one didn't appear to have any caverns or rooms leading off from it. While I peered into the darkness of the tunnel leading straight through, Fird knelt with the torch, silently staring down at the floor, almost as if he were looking for something again.

When more than a minute of this silence had passed, curiosity got the better of me, and I had to ask of him, "What are you doing?"

"Look," he said calmly, dragging his foot from side to side across the powdery dust. "Do you see the symbols? I'm trying to decipher them."

"What are they?" I humbly asked, noticing them for the first time.

"They represent an encoded map. If you know how to read them, they explain where these branches come from and where they go. Because these tunnels were dug over a long period of time by differing bands of rebels, it was determined that a record of their destinations needed to be kept for future referencing. Then, as each tunnel was completed and connected to an existing one, the encoded map was updated. Theoretically, the Lords have no knowledge of them, or supposedly not. There isn't really much that goes on anymore that the Lords don't know about. They've been alive for so long, and can be very generous when it comes to buying information, they just naturally know everything," he summed up, just a hint of disgust in his voice.

"So where are you going to lead me this time?" I asked sarcastically. "Maybe to Lord Balzar. He would probably pay you very highly for my ass."

"All right," he started impatiently. "I'll tell you what happened back there. But let me finish before you jump to any more conclusions. When they trapped us in that tunnel, it would have been sheer suicide to try fighting our way out; they had us dead to rights. You thought that I was betraying you, but what I did was the only thing that I could think of. You see, Lord Thar and King Sheesa do a little trading now and then; all the rebels do. It usually works in Lord Thar's favor. However, since we don't have the manufacturing capabilities of the Lord's, we don't have a whole lot of choice regarding who gets our business." Cutting off my query before I could voice it, he said, "I know, you're thinking that there are surely others that we could trade with, maybe even Lord Balzar, but they don't have the items that we need or desire, only Lord Thar does."

He paused for a moment to catch his breath before continuing. "But let me get to the point, since I'm sure that you're not interested in my tribe's petty problems, and we need to get moving. When they descended on us, there wasn't time to let you in on my plan. If you remember correctly, it was your idea to hide and let them pass. Well, we saw how great that worked, didn't we? With the situation spinning out of control, I quickly realized that I had to get away so that I could use my knowledge of the tunnels to my advantage. It wasn't easy, pretending to betray you, Loté. It's important that you believe me."

"I believe you, now," I softly answered him.

"It was easy for him to believe that you were a gift. His ego is so large; he would expect a king to present him with the most beautiful and precious of gifts. He could never understand that a lowly man like me could appreciate the magnitude of your beauty."

I stopped him with my hand on his forearm. Looking into his smoke-glittering eyes, I softly admitted, "That is the nicest compliment that anyone has ever given me."

"If you stay with me, I will rain compliments on you every day. But more important than the words themselves, is that I will mean each one." His voice growing husky with emotion, he quickly continued. "Pretending to bring you to him as a gift of my king almost assured me of safe passage home, though that wasn't what I sought. Since I know all the secret passageways in this area, I figured that I would be able to come back later, after they thought that I had left. Then I would help you escape, and you would be eternally grateful to me!"

"You know," I started, a giggle in my voice. "I almost put this knife in your back when I heard you tell Lord Thar that you had brought me to him as a gift from King Sheesa."

Even if he was telling the truth, and I believed he was, I was still a little upset with him. I wanted him to know how close I had come to putting my knife in his back.

"If I had been you, I probably would have done it," he said sympathetically, before adding, "This may be a lot for me to ask, but can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

"I'll give it some thought," I casually replied, knowing in my heart that I already had. Then quickly, hoping to change the subject, I asked, "Where are we headed from here?"

"I thought we would find Lord Balzar. Maybe see if the man that he is supposedly bringing to Lord Thar to trade for you is the same one that you're looking for. Unless, of course, you're ready to write him off, and consider me instead." He hesitated for a moment, not sure how to continue. Then, taking a deep breath, he blurted, "You know that I love you, Loté, and if you give me half a chance, I will gladly give you a full life. King Sheesa has already shown how much he respects you. There is no doubt that he will welcome you into our tribe with open arms!"

Although I knew he had feelings for me, I hadn't realized their depth until just this minute. To make matters worse, I was tempted by his offer. Nonetheless, I couldn't consider it; unless I followed this to the end, it would haunt me until the day I died. What I felt for Fird wasn't the same as what I felt for Rod.

Until I saw Rod again, if he was still alive, I could never settle down with Fird, of that much, I was certain. In addition, Fird didn't know me like Rod did. Would he be willing to venture to the surface to resume my search for my family? Did I even have the right to make such a request of him, if I wasn't ready to make the commitment to him that he desired of me?

For once, the answer came easy. I couldn't ask him to commit to me, unless I was equally willing to make that same commitment to him. At this time, I couldn't do that. There were still too many unanswered questions for me. Once I got the answers that I was looking for, who knows, maybe?

Instead of giving him an answer, I said, "Let's go find Lord Balzar, and see the man that he's bringing to Lord Thar." Then, speaking so there would be no mistaking my intentions, I emphatically stated, "But I'm warning you right now, Fird, if you ever pull a stunt like that again, next time, I'll kill you."

"If I truly betray you, my love, I won't expect anything less."

After taking another quick look at the encrypted map on the floor, he turned to his left and, hunching over, headed into the tunnel. The torch, even after burning continuously since reaching the bottom of the shaft, was only a fourth of the way down, so I figured that we shouldn't have any problems running out of light. The torches might be smaller, and they put out considerably less light than their full-sized counterparts did, but they last considerably longer.

Something I had noticed, and intended to question Fird about the next time he stopped, was how much warmer it was down here than in the tunnels where we had just been. Even though it hadn't been that long since our last stop, I was already feeling the symptoms of dehydration. In addition, I'd been unable to procure any of my rubber rocks. In fact, nobody seemed to know or understand what I was talking about when I mentioned them.

We had traveled for almost an hour, when Fird suddenly stopped and, handing the torch to me, got down on his knees and began swiping at the surface of the floor again. Assuming he was just looking for another encrypted map, I didn't pay him any mind. Shortly, and much to my surprise, he uncovered a loose stone in the floor that slid easily to the side. With my full attention now focused on what he was doing, I held the torch low, just above his head, enabling him to see into the opening.

Reaching in, he quickly retrieved a flagon of stale water and a small package of food. As he handed me the flagon, I quickly laid the torch to the side, being careful not to smolder it. Then, delightedly taking the flagon from him, I drank piggishly of the stale fluid.

While showing no apparent concern that I might drink his share also, he slid the stone back into place, and then carefully unwrapped the package of food. It consisted of dried breadstuffs and a chunk of molded-over cheese.

"Here," he said, offering me up a generous portion of the bread. "You better put some of this in your stomach before all that water makes you sick."

"Thanks," I said, taking the proffered food while noting that he had indeed taken exception with my piggish behavior with the water. Feigning ignorance, I sat down across the hole from him, and nonchalantly added, "I'll pass on the mold, though, if it's all the same to you."

"Think I'll do the same," he said, dropping the moldy cheese at his feet.

The water was quickly refreshing me, giving me new life and optimism. I was beginning to feel much better. I felt as if I were thinking clearer than I had for some time. With my renewed optimism came a euphoric feeling of giddiness. Suddenly, I felt that I should apologize to Fird, that I should make it up to him for having doubted him.

"I'm really sorry that I ever doubted your feelings toward me, Fird," I said sheepishly, feeling excited. "I should have known that you would never betray me."

"It's all right. Don't worry about it."

After a minute, he added, "We're going to be coming to a shaft in a little while that will lead us back up to the Lord's secret supply tunnels. If memory serves me correctly, it will bring us up in a small cavern. That cavern should open onto the same tunnel that Lord Balzar will be using when he enters Lord Thar's domain. We'll be able to keep watch there, and see if you recognize the much touted prisoner when he passes."

He stood then, and after stretching the kinks out of his back and neck, he leaned over and lent his hand to me. Taking it in mine, I allowed him to help me to my feet, while at the same time, slinging the almost empty flagon over my shoulder. Self-consciously, he tenderly held onto my hand for a moment before releasing it. Then, suddenly embarrassed by his own emotions, he hurriedly stooped over and retrieved the torch. Though he didn't say anymore, in the briefest of moments while the smoldering light shone across his upturned face, I saw the faintest hint of a glitter in his eye

Because my mind was being pulled in a hundred different directions at the same time, I temporarily lost track of the time. It seemed as though we'd just left the ravaged supply cache behind when we came to an upward leading shaft. According to Fird, the shaft would lead us back to the tunnels that we'd been in prior.

Although he was risking his life so that I could get a glimpse at the man being transported to Lord Thar, when he could just as easily take us back to his tribe, I sensed that he wasn't doing it solely for me. He had an ulterior motive. What's more, I suspected that I knew what his motive was; he felt certain that if he brought Rod and me back together, I would have to make a decision between the two of them, and he was confident that I would choose him. For some reason, he believed that I'd grown fonder of Rod because of his absence, and that I was in love with a memory. Surely, when he brought us together, he believed that I would see the real Rod, and not the one that my memories had embellished. The truly sad part of my revelation was that I wasn't so sure that he was wrong.

After pausing at the base of the shaft for a minute to catch our collective breaths, Fird suggested that he would go first, and make sure that it was all clear above. Not in a mood to argue, I followed a few steps below him. After several long minutes of climbing, he stopped and whispered for me to be silent. Then, ever so slightly, I could hear him sliding back the stone slab that covered the entrance above. The light flickered and sparks rained down as he rubbed the torch out against the wall of the shaft. Darkness suddenly enveloped us.

Moving with cat-like quickness, he threw himself up, and out of the shaft. Crouching low, he cautiously looked around before turning back and offering me his hand. Taking it in mine, I quickly glided up and out of the shaft. Turning back to the opening, he bent over and silently repositioned the slab over it. Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to stand erect and stretch my cramped back. With any luck, we wouldn't be forced back into those tiny shafts any time soon.

When he was satisfied that the slab was back in its original position, he took my hand and guided me across the cavern. When we reached the entrance, he positioned me on the left.

Whispering, his mouth pressed against my ear, he said, "From here, you will be able to see everyone and everything that heads into Lord Thar's domain. I'll be just across the opening from you. Stay alert, and stay back from the torchlight when they pass. As long as you remain in the shadows, they won't see you."

From his position, he had a view of all the traffic leaving Lord Thar's domain and entering Lord Balzar's. He couldn't afford for Loté to be captured by any of Balzar's soldiers. If that should happen, he might never get her back!

We were approximately fifty feet from the back of the cavern, where the stone slab covered the shaft and our escape route if we should need it. I couldn't seem to get that distance out of my mind. Fifty feet to safety! Fifty feet suddenly seemed like a long distance. If we were discovered, could we reach the shaft, uncover it, and be safely into the tunnels below before they could throw spears down on our exposed heads? It was, after all, a long ways down the shaft, and the whole time, we would have no place to hide, and no way to defend ourselves. If we were discovered, we were as good as dead. I had no doubts that Fird was well aware of our situation. Furthermore, he was taking this risk for me. How could I not love him?

We didn't have a very long wait before we could hear the patter of many calloused feet marching our way, and they were coming from Lord Balzar's domain! Judging from the level of noise being generated, I had to wonder if Lord Balzar's entire army was coming. Although I was afraid of being discovered, I was almost more afraid of what, or rather who, I might see. Dare I let myself hope, for the first time since being separated from him, that they were escorting Rod? And am I ready to handle the disappointment, if it turns out to be a complete stranger?

My heart was fluttering wildly in my chest as the first soldiers marched into view. They were bearing torches and running two abreast. The tunnel was brightly lit as smoke and light drifted into the cavern, forcing me to stay well back from the opening. In the flickering shadows, directly across the opening from me, I was unable to see Fird. For a brief moment, I wondered if he had abandoned me, preferring instead the safety of the shaft.

Then, almost as if he was reading my thoughts, he moved into the lighter shadows, making his presence known to me. Just as quickly, he disappeared again, moving deeper into the darker shadows. Why do I continue to doubt him, when he has shown me nothing but loyalty and courage?

After approximately fifty soldiers had gone by the entrance, the first of their prisoners came into view. There were two women, chained together at the wrists. One was a small, petite blonde, while the other was a larger, yet well proportioned, brunette.

Following the first prisoners, was another fifty or so soldiers with torchbearers spread out amongst them, fairly illuminating the whole procession.

Behind this group, came two more prisoners, also chained together at the wrists. Unlike the first two though, these were men. While one of them was very tall and handsome, the other was overly obese, and visibly showing the strains of the forced march.

With a sinking feeling, since I hadn't recognized any of the prisoners, I slowly resigned myself to the fact that Rod was probably dead and gone. Even though I had fought the temptation to let myself believe that I would see Rod among the prisoners, the letdown was almost more than I could bear. In addition, I couldn't console myself by pretending that this might be the wrong column of soldiers, when they were clearly bearing Lord Balzar's insignia on their breastplates; that is one symbol that I will never forget, not for as long as I shall live.

With much less enthusiasm, I continued to watch the procession of soldiers, expecting to see Lord Balzar appear at any moment, when suddenly, my heart leapt into my throat. Even though I had been hoping and praying that Rod would be the much-touted prisoner of Lord Balzar, I had resigned myself to accepting that it wasn't going to be. This was especially true after witnessing the prisoners go by first hand. Yet, there he was, and looking better than ever, considering his situation.

Unlike the prior prisoners that had gone past, they weren't taking any chances with Rod. Although he was surrounded by more than two hundred well-armed soldiers in a tunnel less than eight feet wide, they further guaranteed he wouldn't escape by chaining him to four, unarmed men.

Balzar had secured each of his wrists individually to a waist chain around a separate soldier running side by side in front of him. Then, bound to a heavy waist chain riding tightly around his middle, were two more chains secured to two more soldiers, also running abreast, but behind him. Fortunately, for Rod's sake, they hadn't determined the need for leg-irons. Yet, even so, Lord Balzar wasn't taking any chances with his prize prisoner.

Desperately, I wanted to signal to him, to let him know that I was near, and that like him, I was all right. But it was too risky. I would have to content myself with waiting for a better opportunity. For now, it was enough to know that he was still alive. However, with my newfound knowledge, something even more troubling was descending upon my heart; the moment that I saw him, I knew that I was still deeply in love with him.

Seeing him again, I asked myself how I could have been such a fool; how could I let myself fall in love with another man? Because of everything that had happened, I let myself fall in love with Fird. Though I didn't feel the same way toward him as I did Rod, I still had deep feelings for him. Fird represents a home, a family, and resigned contentment, both sexually and domestically.

Rod, on the other hand, represents action, excitement, and eventually, a home and a family. But with Rod, these things will come later, when I am more sedately ready for such things in my life. Right now, I just want to live, and that's what Rod represents to me, life! Why didn't I see this before when it was always so blatantly obvious!

Longingly, I watched him for as long as I dared, regretting when he moved beyond my line of sight. In a stupor, I turned back toward the advancing procession; all interest in it vanished with the passing of Rod. Resigned to waiting out the remainder of Lord Balzar's passing army, I was suddenly shocked back to reality when none other than Lord Balzar himself came into view.

At the sight of him, my anger reared back to life. Just the sight of him evoked an uncontrollable urge in me, both maniacal and suicidal. The irrational side of me imagined myself lunging into the tunnel, and while savoring the thought of it, plunging my knife into the side of his throat. However, the rational side won out. Even if I were successful, killing Lord Balzar would gain me nothing, and possibly ruin any chance of escape that Rod might otherwise have.

Instead, I slowly turned away, sinking to my haunches, and putting the warmth of the stone at my back. Raging emotions were roaring in complete disorder through my system, rending me from limb to limb. Over the roar, only one question remained: what do I do now?

Not only was I being torn between Rod and Fird, a decision that I wasn't relishing, there was also my anger toward Lord Balzar, which could be just as difficult to extinguish. There was no way that I could possibly live with myself, while knowing about the horrendous atrocities that went on down here! Lord Balzar had to be stopped! No man should be allowed to have such power over his fellow men. It wasn't right. It was time that he was taught a lesson in humility.

I was so deep into my thoughts that it wasn't until Fird signaled for me that I realized the procession had passed. After taking a quick look out into the tunnel to make sure it was clear, I retreated through the darkness, and back to the shaft near the rear of the cavern. Fird was silently waiting for me in the dark. Although I couldn't see him, I sensed a change in his demeanor. Even before I could speak, I knew that he had seen my reaction toward seeing Rod again, and had determined my feelings. Confident that there weren't any stragglers coming along behind the procession, he relit the little torch. As it flared to life, he consciously kept his eyes focused on the floor, almost as if by not looking at me, he wouldn't be hurt by my words, the truth.

After a moment of awkward silence, he looked up, his eyes searching for mine. Although I felt that I owed him something, I couldn't bring myself to mouth the words; he deserved better.

Breaking the silence, he asked the inevitable, "It was him, Rod, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was," I answered him, knowing that I was crushing him with my response.

"Do you still love him?"

"Yes, I do, Fird."

"Then I guess we better figure out how we're going to get him away from Lord Balzar, huh?"

Right that minute, I loved him more than he would ever know. How could a man, knowing the way that I felt about another, continue being so understanding? Suddenly, more than anything else, I wanted to kiss him. Grabbing him by the shoulders, I pulled him to me and gave him a big, soft kiss on the lips.

"Thank you, Fird," I whispered breathlessly, feeling the tears welling up in my eyes.

"For what?" he asked in total bewilderment.

"Just for being you, and understanding me the way you do," I answered him, wiping the tears from my face with the back of my hand. Then, swallowing back the emotions, I asked, "Do you have any ideas how to go about rescuing him? After all, he is being held by what must be the better part of Lord Balzar's entire army."

"Well, I was thinking, they'll have to keep the prisoners somewhere while the Lords work out the details of the exchange. Of course, things will change drastically once Lord Balzar discovers that Lord Thar doesn't have you in custody any longer."

"You're right, Lord Thar doesn't have me anymore," I absently agreed, my mind racing. "In addition, Lord Balzar isn't aware of that yet. In fact, he probably won't find out about my escape until he meets up with Lord Thar. In the meantime, Lord Balzar still has to keep his prisoners somewhere until they decide what to do with them. Now that Lord Thar doesn't have his bargaining-chip, you don't think Lord Balzar will just turn around in a rage and head back to his lair, do you?"

"Not a chance," he said with confidence. "When the Lords take the trouble to leave their domains, they always stay and partake of the other's hospitality. Even though Lord Balzar will be in a sour mood at Lord Thar for having lost you, he will still remain as a guest of Lord Thar's and partake of the proffered generosity. He will certainly put his soldiers at Lord Thar's disposal to help in the search for you. However, I'm not sure Lord Thar will accept such an offer, when and if it's made. He probably wouldn't feel comfortable having Lord Balzar's soldiers digging through his territory. But, at any rate, you can bet the prisoners will be heavily guarded, at least until their fate is determined. Our best chance is if we act quickly, before they have a chance to get settled in."

"And how do you plan for us to get close to them? Unless you know of a way for us to move through solid rock," I said in frustration, though I suspected he had already arrived at a plan.

"No, not through solid rock, but the next best thing. What I have in mind will still be dangerous. But if we move fast, and my hunches prove correct, you and he will be reunited before too long. Are you ready?" he asked.

"What are we waiting for?" I asked anxiously, jumping to my feet and feigning impatience with him.

"Are you ready to go back into the smaller shafts?" he asked, a sincerity in his voice that I hadn't heard prior.

Hesitantly, afraid to wish for an alternative, I asked, "Do I have a choice?"

"Well, we can follow them in the tunnel until they reach their destination, or we can go back down the shaft here, and follow them from below. It will be more arduous to follow them from below. But it will be much safer, since we won't have to watch our back side or worry about running into sentries."

Although I didn't relish the thought of returning to the hot little tunnels below, my greater fear of being recaptured swayed me. Reaching out, I laid my hand on his forearm. Speaking softly and sincerely, I said, "I am really sorry that you are having to go through this, but please, understand that it was never my intention to hurt you."

"It is not too late to return to my family, Loté," he stated, no hint of pleading in his voice. "But if we don't decide which way to go soon, it will be too late to save Rod."

"Down. We will go back down the shaft," I stated. Then, softly, I added, "Thank you."

"Before we go, this is the rest of my plan. When we find the cavern they are keeping him in, we will wait until the partying begins. When soldiers from the different domains get together, there is always a lot of competitive drinking and gambling. It isn't very often that they get the opportunity to enrich themselves at a stranger's expense. And once the money has exchanged hands, the drinking will start in earnest; it won't be long before every one of them is too inebriated to stand. In the meantime, we eat, drink, and rest. Unless, of course, you can think of something else that you would rather be doing with me," he said softly, a grin forming at the corners of his mouth.

As much as I loved and missed Rod, it was hard to resist his boyish playfulness and soft, gentle touch. Begrudgingly, I reminded myself that I wouldn't be separated from Rod for much longer; I would just have to wait.

Then again, what would it hurt if I satisfied Fird's hunger this one last time? He was a good lover, after all. And besides, I argued with myself, hadn't the damage already been done?

"We'll see," I said coyly.

### **13**

They escorted Wary and I to a small room at the end of a short corridor. Upon first glance, it appeared to hold little more than a few broken and discarded mining tools. A closer look revealed that there were several pairs of dried-out, sweat-encrusted leather chaps, all of which exhibited a severe wear pattern just above the knee. More importantly though, and much to my surprise and delight, chained to the far wall was none other than Keazar. He looked up as we were forced violently to our knees and iron chains were padlocked around our wrists and ankles, the other end of which was anchored to the same wall as Keazar.

Upon seeing us, his eyes lit up and he started to say something. Before he could get it out, though, the soldier standing nearest to him slapped him across the face with the back of his hand. Another soldier, not wanting to miss-out on the fun his comrade was having, drew a long-knife and pressed it up against Keazar's throat. While threatening to slice his throat open if he made another sound, he informed the rest of us that no talking would be allowed. Threateningly, and using exaggerated gestures with his hand gripping his crotch, he added that if anyone spoke again, we would find more than just our throats slit.

During all of this, Wary wasn't even aware of what was going on around him. He had retreated into the far reaches of his mind, effectively shutting out the rest of the world. Between the loss of Cos, and what he knew was inevitably going to happen to Brae, he had been dealt a blow that was more than his mind could handle. He was a man of action, and being restricted by captivity, his mind had turned inward on itself. If we didn't break loose soon, he would eventually retreat so deep into himself that we would never be able to retrieve him.

Although Keazar's face was red and swollen from the blow that he just received, his spirit was intact. Making brief eye contact, I threw him a wink, reassuring him that we would talk just as soon as the big apes left. He acknowledged his understanding with an almost imperceptible nod of the head. He was being extremely careful not to draw the soldier's attention again, and possibly receive another blow to the head, which looked as though it had seen quite a few such blows already.

To our disappointment, the guards took up positions inside the cavern, instead of in the tunnel. Despite being physically impossible to overpower them, due to the shackles binding our wrists and ankles, they positioned themselves just beyond our reach. This rankled me even more since, due to their proximity, it was impossible to even whisper without running the risk of being heard. There was nothing to do but wait.

An idea suddenly came to me. "Hey!" I yelled loudly, hoping to throw the guards off. "I'm thirsty! Can you get us something to drink?"

"Shut up!" one of them yelled back. "You'll get something to drink when I feel like it. Now shut up. One more sound out of any of you, and the last thing that you'll need is something to drink!"

Instead of accomplishing what I had hoped for, mainly a diversion that would give me time to exchange a few quick words with Keazar, all I was heading for were a few hard knocks on the head. Deciding that I didn't need any more bumps on my head either, I put my back against the wall and studied the cavern in silence. Eventually, they were going to put us to work with the other slaves. In the meantime, it would probably be to my advantage to get as much rest as possible. Once they turned us loose from these shackles, we could blend in with the other slaves. Although I suspected that they were going to put us to work in the mines, I was sure of one thing; at the first opportunity that presented itself, I was going to escape this place.

Although I was confident that Loté was still alive, I was equally confident that she had probably forgotten all about me by now. Or, if she still remembered me, she had come to the conclusion that I was dead, of which I couldn't say that I could blame her.

At some point, I drifted off to sleep. Though it was a nervous, fidgety sleep, I was able to rest. With thoughts of Loté drifting around in my head, I was dreaming of a time in the future when I would have to tell her about my indiscretion with Boti. The guilt was eating me up inside, even though we hadn't promised ourselves to each other. How could I have been so weak?

With visions of Loté screaming and cursing at me, my dream world was suddenly shaken. I snapped awake to the sound of chains being wrenched taut, and then my shoulders nearly torn from their sockets, as I was hauled roughly to my feet by the chains binding my wrists. The sharp edges of the metal cuffs quickly cut through the skin, digging into the tender flesh below, and sending sharp wrenching pains shooting through my hands and arms.

Instantly angered by this callous treatment, I swung my arms about wildly, lashing out at my unseen tormentor. As my eyes came into focus, however, my futile efforts quickly fizzled to a stop. Looking about me, I took notice of at least twenty soldiers, their spears leveled at our midsections. In a hurried decision, I kept my anger and frustration to myself, opting instead to oblige them and their instructions without protest.

It was obvious almost immediately that we were going on a long journey as the soldiers were wearing travel packs with extra flagons and rations strapped on the outside. One of the soldiers, noticing me looking longingly at a water flagon, ordered another to give us water so that we could drink before the journey began.

"But be quick about it!" he snapped. "I don't want any delays before our Lord arrives."

The soldier returned quickly, as instructed, and held the flagon to each of our mouths in turn, not letting us drink our fill, but enough to slake our thirst. Wary, oblivious to his surroundings, made no effort to drink, but instead, let the water run out of his mouth and down the front of his chest. Keazar, keenly aware of the seriousness of not taking in enough fluids in these hot tunnels, glanced quizzically in my direction. All I could do was shrug my shoulders in response. Any exhibition of sympathy toward him might be acknowledged with a painful response from the soldiers. For now, there was nothing we could do for him. Hopefully, our circumstances would change before his situation reached an irreversible stage of despondency.

Out of pride, I felt a responsibility toward him and Brae. After all, if it weren't for me, and my need to find Loté, they wouldn't be in this predicament. Furthermore, Cos might still be with us.

It was ridiculous to lay all the blame and responsibility at my feet, though, since there would have been some inherent risk involved no matter which path the others took. Or they might not have taken any path, preferring to remain as slaves, working in the tunnels until their bodies were used up. No, I wasn't going to lay all the blame for their predicament at my feet. They would have to take some responsibility for their actions, just as I would for mine. Yet, in the same breath, I knew if it came to their safety over mine, I was obligated to put them first, as they had done for me by volunteering to help me find Loté.

Chaining Wary and Keazar together at the waist, they led them out into the tunnel first. Then, they chained me to four soldiers in the same fashion as earlier.

While they were fastening the chains between the soldiers and me, I noticed Brae and Linit being led by the tunnel entrance. Unlike my double chains, they were secured in the same fashion as Wary and Keazar. In addition, it appeared that there were many more soldiers in the tunnel. It looked as though Lord Balzar had brought his entire army out for the occasion.

Wary, seeing Brae, suddenly perked up. For just a moment, he seemed to come out of himself, his eyes flashing like the Wary of old, once again.

Keazar, who didn't seem too depressed to begin with, also perked up at the sight of the women. Their actions quickly restored my optimism. As long as they showed an interest in life, there was hope. If Wary falls back into his mood of depression and re-immerses himself in his despondency, it could prove to be a very difficult situation if we have to depend on each other. If he started showing signs of slipping backwards, all I could do was remind him that Brae was still alive, and that she needed him. As long as he clung to that belief, he should be all right. And right now, we needed him to be all right, more than anything else.

Because of my good spirits regarding Wary, I failed to notice if Boti had gone by. But then, because of the rough handling they were dishing out to me, I missed a lot of the action going on in the tunnel. One minute, I could see soldiers passing by two abreast, and the next, my face was being slammed against the wall. Yet, despite the pain and discomfort, I continued to wonder whether I'd missed her, or if she hadn't gone by.

If I hadn't missed her, there could only be two reasons why she wasn't going along with the rest of us. The obvious reason being, she was either dead or in the recycling process. The only other explanation for her absence that made any sense was almost as obvious; she was staying behind to be a slave to Lord Balzar.

Having satisfied themselves with the security of the chains, the soldiers led me out into the tunnel and got into formation with the rest of Lord Balzar's army. Although I was too far behind Wary and Keazar to see where they had been positioned in the column, I was certain that it was a considerable distance in front of me. Lord Balzar wasn't taking any chances; he was keeping as much distance between the others and me as possible.

While being jostled and pulled in different directions by the soldiers secured to the other ends of the chains, I was suddenly aware of a mild commotion breaking out a short distance behind me. Within moments, I heard Lord Balzar shouting commands to his generals; their great leader had arrived. They, in turn, relayed the commands through a series of officers that were spaced along the length of the column. Eventually, Balzar's commands reached the men at the head of the column, where they were put into effect. It was a slow, yet reliable method of controlling a long column within the confines of the tunnels. But it was not without its failings.

Judging by the fading sound of the voices as the commands were relayed to the front, I estimated there had to be at least two hundred or more men strung out two abreast. The air in the undeveloped tunnels, unlike the clean white hallways that we'd been in before, had no fans to circulate it. Because of the large number of smoking torches in combination with the close proximity of so many hot, sweaty bodies, it was quickly turning foul, making it difficult to breathe. There was also an additional odor permeating up from the urine-drenched floor, as a result of so many men having just recently drunk their fill of water. The biting stench of feces was quickly permeating through the blend of smells too. Once the column got underway, due to my proximity near the rear, it would only get worse. Soon, the dust kicked up by so many feet, would make it unbreathable.

After a minute or two of advancing sounds, the front of the column started stretching forward, much like a spring being pulled taut. As a space opened between the soldiers in front of me, they quickly stepped into it, jerking me forward by my wrists, while the soldiers behind me were simultaneously jerked into motion by the chains surrounding my waist. Before the pain could even begin to register, though, we were jogging forward through the tunnel, carefully planting one foot in front of the next; any misstep, no matter how slight, could prove fatal.

As I had expected, breathing quickly became more difficult. To add to my misery, the chafing of the chains against my bare skin quickly deteriorated into raw, weeping blisters. Under normal circumstances, such wounds would have been painful on their own. Under these circumstances, however, my misery was swiftly compounded with the addition of salt-laden sweat, running down my body, and further inflaming the open sores.

Unable to deal with the pain, and remain focused on what was happening around me, I soon lapsed into a daydream. While my legs kept pumping up and down, keeping pace with the rhythm of the column, my mind escaped to the time that Loté and I were playing in the limpid water of a jungle pond, shortly after killing the winged beast. It was a peaceful time, one of hopes and dreams. We never suspected that the behemoth would run for as far and long as it did. We knew only that the time was ours, and somehow, I had squandered it.

My daydream came crashing back to reality with a command from Lord Balzar as he ordered the column to a halt. His command was issued from behind, and then relayed toward the front as the rear came to a rest. The raw, burning pain came back in an onslaught, reminding me instantly of where I was. Because my legs were in such fine condition, I was unable to tell for how long, or how far, we had traveled. Likewise, the pain in my chest was just a sign of the lack of oxygen in the air, not because I had been running for any length of time. My legs, too, were aching for the same reason my lungs hurt.

Since Lord Balzar's orders didn't include permission for the soldiers to break out of formation, we remained on our feet. Slumping against the wall, I drank greedily of the warm water being passed around while wondering how Keazar was holding up. He had an advantage, in that he was closer to the front of the column. But his greater weight and lack of physical conditioning surely had to be taking its toll on him. Even though I felt confident that he could take care of himself, I found that I was concerned about him. He had a lot more hutzpah than the average man did. But I wasn't sure that hutzpah alone would be enough to carry him through this.

After less than ten minutes, we were back up to speed, moving ever closer to Lord Balzar's destination. This, if I overheard the hushed chatter during our brief rest correctly, was none other than Lord Thar's domain. There could only be one reason why Lord Balzar would be taking us to Lord Thar, and that was to return us to him. Why returning us to Lord Thar could be so important as to require the bulk of his army and he personally, could only mean one thing; Balzar was getting something mighty important in exchange for us. I had a hunch that I knew what it was. Or maybe, I should say, who it was.

We hadn't gone much farther, when confusion suddenly broke out in front of us. A soldier, having passed out from the heat and lack of oxygen, caused several more soldiers directly behind him to trip and fall, their forward momentum driving them over the top of him. Despite the yelling and screaming, more soldiers were being driven onto the fallen soldiers by the sheer numbers pressing them forward from behind. This, in turn, added to the growing level of noise and confusion, the screams of agony, broken and splintered bones, effectively drowning out any orders by the generals to restore order.

It became apparent to me all of a sudden, why Lord Balzar brought up the rear of the column. Although it had to be the most uncomfortable of places to be, all orders affecting the column's movements had to be issued from the rear. This was especially true of any orders to halt the column. It is of utmost importance that the rear of the column understands what is going on, and doesn't drive over the front of the column.

When the procession finally came to a halt, Lord Balzar pushed his way toward the front, intending to inspect the situation. As his soldiers saw him coming, they would immediately step aside to make a hole for him to pass through. When he reached the area of devastation, order was quickly restored. After making a quick count of the soldiers that had been incapacitated in the mishap, and were no longer able to travel, he issued orders to break for food and rest.

Almost as one, the column settled down to the floor, while simultaneously breaking out water flagons and packages of meats and cheeses. It had never felt better to get the weight off my legs. Also, the air felt much fresher nearer to the floor. Within moments, my headache faded and the burning sensation in my chest was just a faint memory.

Having satisfied my thirst, I was busy chewing on some tough, unrecognizable meat, when several soldiers went by carrying stretchers. Apparently, a few of the soldiers involved in the accident had suffered broken legs. Rumor had it that two of the soldiers were so badly injured that Lord Balzar had them run through, instantly putting them out of their misery. Theoretically, this was for their own good, and thus wouldn't have to suffer through days of agony until they could be recycled. However, with Keazar being a captured prisoner among us, many of the soldiers were openly questioning the truth amongst each other of their Lord's actions. They were openly wondering if Lord Balzar hadn't killed them just to be done with them. That way, he wouldn't have to waste the valuable time of healers seeing to their care.

This was all being said openly and brazenly as the soldiers bearing the stretchers began their journey back toward Lord Balzar's domain. However, as Lord Balzar approached, a pregnant silence among the men immediately preceded him. When he came abreast of where I was seated, he stopped.

"I understand that the woman who calls herself Boti is yours," he said with a smirk.

Staring back at him with a burning hatred in my eyes, I kept my silence. He didn't deserve the satisfaction of an answer. Not giving any indication that my attitude of contempt toward him had annoyed him in the least, he slowly continued on his way, the smirk never leaving his face.

When it appeared that he was going to let the matter rest for the time being, he suddenly turned back and added, "When I was finished with her, she didn't need for another man, and probably never will again."

My rage got the better of me then, and I heatedly shot back, "If you've killed her, it's just one more reason for me to see you in hell!"

"Killed her?" he asked, feigning incredulity. "Why would I want to kill her? Just because she's the first woman that ever came close to completely satisfying me, you think that I'd kill her."

He made a show of contemplating for a moment before adding, "I have to admit, I did think about turning her over to my soldiers when she pretended that I wasn't enough of a man to satisfy her. But don't you worry, none, I managed to satisfy her," he laughed.

"What did you do to her, you bastard?" I demanded, hissing at him through clenched teeth. "If you hurt her..."

"She'll live to make love another day, even if she is a tad bowlegged," he said, bursting out laughing at his own joke.

His tone suddenly turned serious, when he continued, "But this woman called Loté. Now she has made a real fool of me, and for that she will have to pay dearly. The same as you will pay by Lord Thar's hands for making a fool of him. Of course, that was probably an easy task. Lord Thar spends too much time inspecting his mines, and not near enough enjoying the finer things in life. He is a droll fool. But he has what I want, and in turn, he will get what he wants."

"So that is your plan, then, to trade me for Loté?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"Time to move out!" he curtly ordered, not dignifying me with a response.

A smile crossed my lips as I watched his back disappearing among the scrambling soldiers. It was a small win, but I knew that I had won a small concession, even in my shackles.

Jumping to my feet before the soldiers chained to me had a chance to jerk me to them, I obediently took up my former position in the column. Where the shackles ground into my flesh there were large, swollen patches of exposed, raw-looking, red meat encircled by loose flaps of dead white skin. Even before we started, the pain was almost overwhelming. With a resolve that surprised even me, I put the pain out of my mind and fell back into my former trance. I would never grow tired of the image that I had in my mind of Loté by the pool in the jungle.

That turned out to be the last rest period that we would get before reaching the largest underground cavern that I have seen yet. This cavern was large enough to house the whole procession comfortably with room for many more. Judging by the reactions of many of the soldiers, they weren't surprised, but only glad to have arrived and finally able to leave the tight confines of the tunnel behind. Branching off from the main cavity were many smaller cavities. Several corridors also led off from the main cavern. One of these corridors most likely opened onto a main hallway.

This cavern represented a substantial investment of labor and tools, an investment that could easily have been fronted by a single lord, such as Balzar. However, my instincts told me this was a joint effort. It was much more reminiscent of a hub near the center of a wheel, a busy metropolis where traders could get together and peddle their individual wares. Judging by the freshly glistening chisel marks on the walls, it was recently carved. Within a few days, the torches will lay down a fine layer of soot, transforming the walls and ceiling to a flat black hue. There could be no mistaking that Loté and I were intended to be the first major business conducted within this centrally located cavern.

As the soldiers broke off and regrouped with their friends of choice, I was led to a small room with steel bars across the opening. Set in the bars was a crude door fashioned from the same heavy steel, pivoting on forged iron hinges. After undoing and removing my shackles, they opened the door and threw me bodily into the room, slamming the door shut behind me. They didn't see a need to chain me within the confines of the room, since the entire army could watch my every move like a fish in a bowl of water.

Much to my pleasure, since there was only the one room designed to hold prisoners, they turned all of us loose in it together. I could only assume that they figured our stay was going to be of such a temporary nature, no harm would come of it. They had no idea how much it would boost our spirits, something they could ill-afford.

By the time they had put me in with the rest, Wary and Brae had already embraced and were now wiping at each other's tears. Keazar and Linit weren't quite so emotional over their reunion. However, it was obvious that they were glad to be back together, just the same. For a brief moment, I almost wished that I had Boti with which to share my elation. Not having anyone to share the moment with left me feeling like the odd man out. But then, in a way, I was.

Lord Balzar left in a hurry with his usual entourage. Supposedly, he had gone to meet Lord Thar to inspect the goods that he was intending to trade for us. According to Keazar, we were on the verge of both Lord Thar's and Lord Balzar's domains; the place was constructed through an equal effort from both men and considered neutral territory. When Keazar learned of this, he was both surprised and concerned. It also hadn't escaped my attention that there were soldiers of both Lords mingling together in the cavern. It was interesting, watching while they exchanged the latest news, which mostly concerned us, and did a little trading of their own. The mood among the soldiers was festive, and except for an occasional curious glance, we were soon forgotten.

Food and water had been brought in by slaves of Lord Thar's, and for the most part, everybody was lounging around and enjoying the change of diet and relaxation. Because the soldiers accompanying us were exhausted from the journey, and the cavern was only dimly lit, many quickly nodded off to sleep. No one had seen it necessary to assign an actual guard to watch us, and hence, no one was paying us any mind. When Wary and Keazar had finished with their reunion antics, I suggested that we take stock of the situation that we found ourselves while we had the opportunity to talk freely.

Keazar wanted to fill us in on all the details of Linit's and his capture, but I didn't feel that it was very pertinent just now. He seemed a little disappointed that he couldn't tell his exciting story, but also seemed to understand that it could wait.

There was something in the back of my mind that was eating at me, and I felt compelled to get it out first; mainly, I wanted to know why they had captured him. My first impression of Keazar was that he was one of them. Hadn't he been responsible for recycling them all these years? And didn't he keep them supplied with fresh bodies, trading with them excessively and exclusively? More importantly, wasn't there something that he could offer them in exchange for our freedom?

"I wish it were that simple, my friend," he started apologetically. "But you see, because I have joined with their enemy, namely you, they have taken control of my domain by default."

"But what will they do when they get old and need recycling?" I asked. "To whom will they go, when they need replacement slaves?"

"Ah, but you don't understand," he said soothingly, speaking as though he were talking to a simpleton. "I have a vast army of technicians running the recycling machines in many different labs throughout my domain. Today, I am nothing more than a figurehead and mouthpiece with which to conduct business. In other words," he sighed resignedly. "I am easily replaced. Also, with these new tunnels that they have been building in secrecy, they will be needing considerably fewer slaves in the future to move their trade goods and commodities."

He sat in silence for a moment before continuing. Then, sullenly, he added, "With inflation climbing on the surface, and their overhead costs plummeting down here, they are probably amassing fortunes that would boggle a man's mind."

"Well, that blows that idea," I sighed. "I had planned on having you threaten not to recycle them, or hold back new slaves from them, if they didn't give us sanction. But I can see now that I would have appeared very foolish and naive. So much for my ace in the hole."

We had been sitting talking quietly for some time, while the torches had slowly burnt down to smoking yellow smudges along the walls. Almost all of the soldiers were asleep, leaving just a few here and there still chatting softly. Except for the occasional murmur, it was as quiet as it was going to get, if you could ignore all the snoring. Taking one last look around within the confines of our cage, I begrudgingly resigned myself to the fact that there wasn't any means of egress from it.

Just as I was about to suggest that maybe we should take advantage of the situation, and catch some shuteye of our own, all hell broke loose out in the tunnel. Someone was screaming in agony, while still others were frantically yelling. Yet, above the din, a singular voice stood out from all the rest.

Jumping to my feet, I ran to the bars for a better view, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was happening. It suddenly seemed imperative that I know what was going on.

Most of the soldiers were now awake and were adding their own brand of noise to the melee with a barrage of questions and loud curses. Some wanted to know what had disturbed their precious sleep, while others wanted to know what was going on. It took only a moment to realize that it was Lord Balzar returning, and with him, the deep-throated Lord Thar.

Lord Thar was doing most of the yelling and screaming as he led the way into the cavern, pushing still-groggy soldiers aside that weren't getting out of his way fast enough. He was making a beeline directly for me!

Turning to inform the others that our day of reckoning was upon us, I was shocked to discover that I was alone in the cell. Staring in bewilderment, it suddenly dawned on me that I was looking at a hole in the floor near the back wall. Lying next to it was a round slab of flat stone. My mind was grinding gears for just a moment as it adjusted to the realization of what was happening.

Before I could make my feet respond to my brain's impulses to move toward the hole, I was struck with another shock. A woman's head appeared out of the hole and smiled back at me in the dim light. No matter the dim light, though, in any light, I'd recognize the beauty of that smile; it was none other than Loté!

From far off in the distance, I heard someone yelling that the prisoners were escaping. It took a moment before the realization that we were the prisoners, suddenly came crashing down on me, yanking me back to reality. Sprinting for the hole, I was aware of Lord Thar's voice, booming above the roar of the others, shouting madly at his men to kill me with their spears before I could escape.

To the sound of spears glancing off the metal bars and splintering against the solid rock wall ahead of me, I dove for the hole in the floor directly before me. Loté's head disappeared back down the hole just as my own went face first into it. Although I didn't know how far down the shaft led, there wasn't any time to turn around and descend feet first. If I was lucky enough not to be struck by a spear, I still had to be out of reach of the knives and swords that would soon be inside the cell.

Loté was waiting just a few feet below grade. By wedging her back against the side of the shaft and bracing her arms against my shoulders, she effectively broke my fall. With my hands braced against the tops of her shoulders, she hurriedly backed down the steps that had been carved into the stone. Although it was both difficult and painful for her, she knew the alternative was worse, and risked it all to reach the bottom as quickly as possible.

When we finally reached the bottom, there were eager hands waiting to catch her. As I held myself suspended upside down in the shaft so that Loté could be helped down, I didn't miss the gentleness with which a tall dark youth handled her. Even in the dim light of a single mini-torch, I could see the well-sculpted physique and handsome features of the young man; I could also feel my jealousy quickly clouding all other thoughts. Only later, I would learn his name was Fird.

Growing impatient with them, and a little more than jealous, I struggled to reposition myself rather than wait for his assistance. As I moved my right hand out of the foothold, my left slipped free and I dove straight down to the rocky ground below. Barely able to cry out a warning, Fird quickly pulled Loté up against him and out of harm's way. Falling past them, I fell unimpeded to the bottom of the shaft. With a loud crack, I landed hard on my right shoulder, and then slumped over to the side where I lay unmoving. Something had broken, and I was immediately engulfed in searing pain.

Despite the incredible pain mixed with the joy of having just escaped, or the even greater joy of having found Loté, all I could see was Fird holding on to Loté.

Ignoring the pain, I tried vainly to roll to my feet, anger dictating that I should confront this young stud and put him in his proper place. Instead, I couldn't even raise my head off the tunnel floor. Just the effort was enough to cause my sight to blur. Waves of nausea roiled up my throat in fiery torrents, my head feeling as though it were being split open with a hammer and chisel.

Loté, struggling free from Fird, dropped down beside me. Lifting my head and cradling it in her arms, she crooned how much she missed and loved me. Although I wanted so badly to take her in my arms and hold her, my right arm wouldn't move. A great weight pinned my chest to the floor, and my arm lay limply on the floor beside me.

"I've never stopped loving you," she cried, rocking my head back and forth, sending new waves of pain shooting down my back.

"Please, stop," I grimaced through clenched teeth.

Slowly, she stopped rocking me. Releasing my head, she sat looking dumbfounded at me. Unaware of the seriousness of my condition, she misunderstood my intent; for whatever reason, she thought that I was trying to put her off.

"I love you too, Loté, but I think my neck is broken," I gasped through the pain.

The opening at the top of the shaft grew dark, and I feared that I was going to faint. I had finally found Loté, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was losing her already. Fird, giving credit where credit is due here, took her by the shoulders, and guided her away from me, thereby making more room to inspect my injuries. After poking and prodding me, none too gently, I might add, he turned to the others and said, "His shoulder is separated; it may even be broken. He also has a severe bruise at the base of his neck. Fortunately, it isn't fractured or broken. Unfortunately, though, we'll have to carry him. At least until we can find the proper bandaging material to strap his shoulder in place to keep it from moving."

"I'll carry him." It was Wary speaking now, but the voices seemed faint and far away.

"Fine," acknowledged Fird, his voice curt. "Let's get moving. There'll be soldiers coming down the shaft any time, and we can't hold them off here."

Despite my immediate dislike of the young buck, he was a born leader, and he was taking charge of my group when they needed leadership. Wary must have agreed with him, because I didn't hear any objections.

Wary suddenly stooped over me, and with Keazar's help, slung me over his back like so many pounds of meat. The pain was unbearable, but there weren't any other options. Even if we had been in the jungle, there wasn't enough time to build a travois. Also, to keep my joints from compressing together, according to Fird, I had to be carried with my head hanging down toward the ground.

From my uncomfortable position, I could see the feet and legs of the person directly behind me; it was Loté. She was staying near to me. Fird must have taken the lead, which was only logical, since he was the one that knew the way through this maze of tunnels.

With each step Wary took, I thought that I was going to black out from the pain. However, I managed to remain conscious as we swiftly wound our way along.

After a while, I felt a tingling in my legs due to the circulation being cut off. An incessant ringing in my ears had long since replaced the sound of footsteps. If we didn't stop soon, I was going to lose consciousness. Not only were my back and neck throbbing with intense pain, but my chest also felt as though it had been kicked in from bouncing atop Wary's muscular shoulders.

To my surprise, Wary was gently setting me down, leaning me back against the wall of the tunnel. "Hang on, Rod," he said softly, realizing my pain. "Fird went on ahead to get some medical supplies for you. They're in a cache down one of the side tunnels that we aren't taking. Fird felt that it would be better if he went alone, and give us a chance to catch our breaths." He paused for a moment before adding, "We need the rest." It was almost as if he were trying to justify their actions.

"Thank you for carrying me," I said with genuine feeling. "I'm no lightweight, you must be exhausted."

"It's the least that I can do," he said awkwardly.

Loté approached with a water flagon and sat down beside me. Taking my left hand in hers, she guided the water to my lips and supported it while I drank. Wary, sensing that we wanted to be alone, hastily retreated to where Keazar and the women were sitting, just a short ways up the tunnel from us.

"I really missed you, Rod. I owe you an apology," she started to say, before faltering and bursting into tears.

Despite the excruciating pain the movement caused, I put my left arm around her shoulders and pulled her as tightly against me as I could. Softly, I murmured in her ear, telling her that if anyone owed anyone an apology, I owed her one. Her tears slowly abated, and looking into her eyes, I saw something there that I hadn't seen before. Something I didn't recognize. Could it possibly be guilt? Or was it uncertainty? Could she be uncertain about her feelings toward me?

Before we'd been separated, I'd felt sure that she loved me, and that she had been restricted in her showing of it by her old tribal taboos. Was it possible that she didn't feel those constrictions anymore, yet wasn't sure how to approach me? Women could be so damn confusing, especially when compared to the simple and straightforward drives that men possessed.

"If you're wondering whether I still love you or not," I started, hoping to assuage her fears. "You must know that I do. I always have, and I always will."

Still not sure exactly what she wanted to hear from me, I hesitated before continuing. Although I had just finished pronouncing my love to her, something continued to distress her. Was there something she needed to tell me, but couldn't find the right words?

Was it possible that she was harboring a secret much like my own? Could the guilt of her actions be eating at her, the way mine was eating at me?

No! I refused to believe that! Loté didn't and wouldn't, do anything that would leave her feeling guilty. It just wasn't in her nature. Loté lived with no regrets! That was one of her main character traits that I found so enduring.

I, on the other hand, had confessions that I needed to share with her. There were things that happened between Boti and me that she needed to know about. The guilt was almost more than I could bear. Yet, this wasn't the right time or place to tell her. When I do tell her about my infidelity, I will have to make it clear to her just how little Boti really meant at the time. Surely, she will understand that I was suffering from needs of a physical nature, and that my heart was always and unquestionably with her.

It won't be easy, breaching the subject. Yet, I know eventually, I won't have a choice. Even at the risk of losing her, I will have to tell her about my moment of weakness and indiscretion. There isn't any other way that I can live with myself.

Fird returned carrying a small pack, which he brought straight to Loté and me. Kneeling down by my side, he took the proffered flagon from Loté and drank deeply. Even in my pained and feverish state of mind, I couldn't help but notice the look that passed between them. Some secret little communication that I wasn't privy to, and I weren't sure that I much cared for it. Of course, I was probably just imagining something that wasn't there. Because if there was something there, whatever it was, its very innocence would only compound my feelings of guilt.

Fird, after handing the flagon back to Loté, reached behind my back, and propped me forward. Next, with Loté helping to hold me in place, he unraveled a length of cloth from the roll of bandage material, and wrapped the ugly abrasions on my wrists and ankles. Next, he tightly wrapped my right arm against my ribcage, effectively restricting its movement. The increased pressure against my ribs made it even more difficult to breathe. In addition, there were several missing moments when I must have passed out, because I had no recollection of them.

When he and Loté finished wrapping me, he asked if I could still swallow.

"Yeah," I answered weakly.

"Here then, swallow this," he said, placing a large round capsule in my mouth.

It tasted faintly of animal tallow mixed with some indefinable herbs. After swallowing it, a warm sensation crept outward from my chest, slowly extending all the way to my fingers and toes. Within minutes, all sensation of feeling had abandoned my arms and legs. Yet, even more impressive, I wasn't feeling any pain in the rest of my body. The potent drug worked like an anesthetic, but didn't seem to be affecting my mind or mental alertness in any way.

At first, the sensation of helplessness was rather unnerving, just lying there, unable to move. Feeling helpless and vulnerable did not sit well with me. Instead of taking charge, being the leader, and looking out for everyone else, I would have to learn to put my faith in my friends. Still, even resigning myself to my fate, it was eerie to hear everyone talking around me, while I couldn't even turn my head to look at the speaker.

"We need to get moving," came Fird's voice clearly to my ears. "The Lords' soldiers are probably down in these tunnels by now and following our scent. Before we rest again, we'll need to find a position that's defensible."

Although I couldn't speak, and I still wasn't sure whether I liked Fird or not despite his kindness toward me, I had to agree with his logic. If we were caught between two forces in this narrow passage, they could easily wait us out, or overwhelm us with their sheer numbers. Whichever option they took, the outcome would be the same; we lose!

"I'll carry Rod," said Wary, sounding a bit tired.

"No, we'll take turns," interjected Fird firmly. "And since you had him last, I'll carry him first this time."

"Wrong. I'll carry him first this time. You both have been doing more than your share, and it's about time that I did mine," came Keazar's determined voice.

"Okay, since we don't have time to argue, and I'm sure we'll all get our chance soon enough," Fird quickly agreed, too eagerly for my liking.

With Fird's help, Keazar managed to get me positioned on his back in much the same fashion that Wary had. Loté, once again, took up her position directly behind me. Although I wasn't feeling any physical pain, I was feeling immense guilt for not being able to carry my own weight, literally.

From my position on Keazar's back, I could see from Loté's belly button to the ground at her feet. My eyes were first attracted to the smoothness of her skin and the firmness of her thighs. For the first time, as I caressed her luscious thighs with my eyes, I happened upon the extravagant knife strapped to her hip. It had to be one of the finest weapons that I'd ever laid eyes on. Even in the sheath, I could see the fine temper of the silky smooth steel, and the delicate craftsmanship of the bejeweled hilt. When my voice returned, I would have to ask her where she had obtained such a fine weapon.

A light suddenly went on my head, and I wondered if the knife was connected with the strangeness in her eyes. Was it possible that she had paid a high price for the weapon, and now she was embarrassed that I would find out?

The tunnel walls were narrow, but the ceiling was even lower, forcing Keazar, because of his height, to crouch over at an extreme angle. Under regular circumstances, this would have been painful enough. However, with my dead weight on his back compounding the aggravation, he had to be in agony. Feeling sorry for him wasn't going to ease his burden. I was amassing a debt to Keazar, and the rest of them, for all they had done and were doing for me. It was happening again, I could feel the guilt building up in me. Maybe that drug did play on the mind after all. Never before in my life did I ever remember feeling such guilt. I always tried my damnedest to live a righteous life. And yet, since meeting Loté, my life was becoming a compound structure of lies. It was going to end. It had to end!

Of a sudden, I felt a tremendous urge to shed it. To be rid of all the guilt, once and for all!

"Loté!" I screamed madly. "I made love to another woman, and I am so sorry! Will you ever forgive me?"

If I expected a response, I was quickly disappointed; none was forthcoming. The march continued, going on as though nothing had happened. It was almost as if I hadn't said a word, or maybe no one had heard me.

With an intense effort of will, I tried to turn my head so that I could look up into Loté's face. But despite my best efforts, my body refused to respond to my will. Instead, I remained as limp as a wet rag. Was it possible that I had just imagined screaming out my faithlessness? Indeed, was it only in my mind? Could this be nothing more than a side effect of the drug that Fird gave me? I was hallucinating now, I was sure of it. Loté wouldn't ignore my cries, even if she hadn't heard me clearly enough to know what I'd said.

Bouncing along on Keazar's back, I could only tell when we changed courses by watching Loté's feet. Since we were moving at such a brisk pace, every time we changed direction, her legs would lean into it. We had been traveling at this pace for some time, and I knew that despite Keazar's drive and determination, he wouldn't be able to keep it up much longer. And then slowly at first, I could feel the pain returning to my shoulder as the drug started wearing off.

Much to my relief, Fird finally called a halt, stopping beneath the bottom of a shaft. Clearly, he intended us to ascend it. A water flagon was passed to Keazar first, who drank lustily of it, and then passed around for all. When it was held to my mouth, I quickly declined of it. Water was in short supply and Keazar had drunk my share, and rightly so.

"Where are we headed?" I asked of no one in particular, but more, just to see if my voice was working.

"The safest place right now is probably with my tribe," answered Fird. "We can hide out there until it's safe for you to move on."

"Why can't we just head for the surface?" I asked. "Or maybe hide out in Keazar's domain, until we can make a run for the surface?"

Keazar answered this time, "Because that is what they are expecting us to do, and will be waiting at every turn, my friend. I am glad to see that you are feeling better, and that you have gotten your voice back."

He hesitated for a moment, allowing each of the others to glance and nod their well wishes to me before continuing. "By now, they have probably joined forces, in addition to levying one of the largest bounties on us that has ever been heard of down here. However, they don't know of Fird's involvement with us, and thus won't know that we are heading toward King Sheesa's little pocket of the universe."

"That may be," I interjected, "but they know someone has to be helping us. Someone that knows their way around these tunnels better than the average slave, I might add."

"I'm sorry Rod, but I have to agree with Keazar," chimed in Loté. "They're expecting us to head for the surface, or at least Keazar's domain, and will be waiting for us to do just that. Fird's people are good people; they will take care of us. Besides, you need medical attention for that shoulder, and a place where you can heal."

Oh great, it's not bad enough that I feel betrayed, because she's taking their side against me, but she's going so far as to use me as the excuse for agreeing with them! Even if my suggestion isn't the wisest, she is really hurting me.

It was unanimously agreed that we were going to seek refuge with a rebel tribe led by a King, so I might as well resign myself to the fact, and quit moaning about it. It was settled then, we would continue on to Fird's tribe for lack of any place safer to go. However, just because I had resigned myself to the situation, it didn't make it any easier to swallow. In addition, I didn't believe that Loté had told me everything about her and Fird. I was confident in my assumption that something had passed between them during their time together; they acted toward each other as if they were people with a history. I wanted to know what that history entailed in all of it details. And then, when the opportunity presents itself for us to leave Fird behind, that is exactly what we will do. However, in the meantime, I'll keep an eye on them. For some reason that I can't grasp, call it instinctual, if you will, I have to keep Fird and Loté apart. If the two of them spend any more time alone together, there will be no future for Loté and me!

As I was sitting on the floor with my back against the warm stone of the tunnel wall, cursing my damn luck at having injured myself, Loté came and sat next to me. We sat in silence for a moment, watching the others pack up the few meager supplies, while pretending not to pay any attention to us. Her nearness set my heart to beating faster, and when she put her hand on my thigh, all doubts regarding her relationship with Fird became clear; I was simply jealous of the man!

Like a puberty stricken boy in an all-boy's school with only one female teacher; I was insanely jealous. Never before in my life, have I experienced feelings as intense as the ones that I am feeling this moment. This was all new to me. I didn't feel right. Common sense insisted that Loté was a woman, and as such, deserved to be treated as a woman. If she felt the same way toward Fird as he felt toward her, then she was entitled to pursue those feelings. What right or claim did I have on her? She isn't a slave that I own and control! If anything, I should be feeling grateful to Fird for all that he's done for her. And all I can think about is how soon, before we leave him behind, and extricate him from our lives.

Nevertheless, it didn't make it any easier to digest the fact that he and Loté have been in each other's company longer than she and I ever was. More time has passed since King Sheesa gave his stepson to Loté, than we knew each other on the surface. If I was going to find a way to deal with these feelings, and put them in their proper perspective, I needed to get a handle on them in an adult fashion.

"I missed you, Rod," she said softly. "I wish I could say that I never gave up on you."

She hesitated before going on. She was trying to tell me something that was very important to her, and I suspected that I already knew what it was. There was a tension building up inside her, instilling a quivering quality in her voice. She needed for me to make it easier for her, but I couldn't find it within myself to do so. Instead, I wanted to make it harder. The anger growing inside me was screaming out for revenge, wanting terribly to punish her for the same reasons that I needed to punish myself!

"There was a time when I thought you were dead," she said slowly. "I wanted desperately to believe otherwise, but I couldn't be sure, and I was afraid. And then Fird..." she faltered and stopped, her eyes concentrating on the floor.

"The first time that I saw the two of you together, I knew," I hissed, trying hard to keep my growing rage under control.

"I may have doubted whether you were alive, but I never stopped loving you!" she wept.

Her confession immediately squelched my anger, leaving me weak and vulnerable. It was time to cleanse the soul. If we had any chance at a future together, it wouldn't survive on a foundation of lies and deceit.

"I have a confession, too," I said hesitantly, searching for the right words. "Although it doesn't make it right, I too, thought you might be dead. And while believing that you were, I also had a moment of weakness."

"I'm so glad, Rod!" she burst out, throwing her arms around me.

The guilt had been lifted from us both, and it felt so good.

"We'll just start over, putting all this behind us, Rod!" she cried, tears streaming from her eyes and running down her dust-laden cheeks.

"I will do my best. But you must understand and find patience with me, if I appear upset when I see you and Fird together."

Grimacing with pain, I slumped back against the wall; the last of the drug Fird had given me was wearing off. Fird, meanwhile, sensing that he had lost the battle for Loté's affections, announced that it was time to be moving again. Casting sidelong glances toward Loté, he got to his feet, the others rising around him. Wary stepped over and hoisted me onto his back, but not before Loté could reach over and give me a hard, passionate kiss. It tasted salty, because of her tears, but oh so sweet. The memory would stay with me forever.

With Fird in the lead, followed by Keazar, and then Linit and Brae, with Loté bringing up the rear behind Wary and myself, we headed through the tunnels toward the rebel encampment. Slung over Wary's back, I had a lot on my mind, mostly about the future that Loté and I were looking forward to sharing. Someday, when we managed to find our way back to the surface, there was still the matter of Loté's parents to find. Before we could settle down to a quiet life of our own, that obligation would have to be resolved. And then there was the matter of a 'quiet life'. Something told me, such a life just wasn't in our future.

### **14**

The going was slow and arduous with many low outcroppings protruding downward, many hanging so low that Wary was forced to unload me from his back and literally drag me along the ground in places. The rock formations were purposely left by the artisans that originally carved the tunnel to frustrate the unknowing and slow any pursuit that might have followed them into the tunnels. The experience was very humbling, especially since I was used to being the man in charge. My pride was further bruised by the fact that I was taking a back seat to a man that had to be at least ten years or more my junior. It was of little consolation that years of age were irrelevant down here.

Giving credit where credit was due, I had to admit that he was proving to be quite a capable leader. Under different circumstances, I might even have warmed up to him. However, unless our current situation changed dramatically, Fird and I were going to remain antagonistic toward each other.

On the other hand, Keazar and Linit couldn't seem to get enough of each other. If I didn't know how old Keazar actually was, I would have sworn that he was a virgin up until recently. Having just discovered the pleasures of sex and intimacy, he was unable to get enough to satisfy his appetite. At every rest stop, the two of them would quickly volunteer to scout the trail up ahead. We knew that this was just a ruse to put distance between themselves and the rest of us so they could spend more time alone. Much to our chagrin, though, it was never quite enough distance. Shortly after their departure, the sounds of their passion could be heard echoing within the confines of the tunnel.

Even with my injured shoulder, I was feeling a little more amorous myself. And while I was equally sure that Loté wanted me, too, I sensed a hesitation on her part. The need and desire was there, but she was holding back. At first, I assumed that it was because of my injury. However, as I studied her reactions to my limited advances, I soon came to realize that her hesitation had more to do with Fird, than it did with me. I could only assume that she was afraid of hurting him more than she already had.

Although I understood that we couldn't slip away with the ease that Linit and Keazar did, unless of course, she was to drag me behind her, it would have been nice if she had offered. With the slightest hint to the others that we needed a little privacy, it would have been forthcoming. Any effort to be alone with me, no matter how innocent, would have gone a long way toward reaffirming her love for me. In a small way, I guess I wanted her to openly shun Fird. If she could have shown me intimacy with Fird present, it would have done much for my sanity, and it would have put my jealousy issue to rest.

Unfortunately, Loté didn't feel the same way as I did. She didn't understand my petty jealousy, or my need to feel as if I am the only one that matters to her; she was much too kind and considerate of other's feelings to comprehend my selfish needs. She was much more mature than I, and thus didn't fall into my juvenile conflicts. For reasons that she wouldn't or couldn't explain to me, she felt that she owed Fird something more. Even though she wouldn't openly reject him, she had made her decision, and in her opinion, that should be the end of it! Now, it was up to me to accept the fact that she was giving me all that she could.

It would only be a matter of time before my shoulder healed, and then, if she were still harboring feelings for Fird, I would do my damnedest to make her forget him. It didn't help to know that where Fird was concerned, the whole problem that I faced boiled down to nothing more than childish insecurities.

We were all lying around near the bottom of a shaft that we'd just descended, taking a quick breather because of the extra work involved in lowering me, when Keazar and Linit suddenly came racing back from their scouting expedition. Excited and out of breath from the run, it was impossible to understand what they were trying to tell us. Fird, jumping to his feet as they approached, sensed immediately that something was terribly wrong.

"What is it?" he impatiently demanded of Keazar as they drew near.

"They're coming," he spluttered breathlessly, frantically pointing behind them to indicate the direction from which they'd just come. Staggering from exhaustion, he pushed past Fird, and then leaned against the wall for support.

"What! Who is coming?" Fird repeated more firmly, agitated by Keazar's breathless and incomplete response.

"Soldiers," Linit replied defensively, while Keazar caught his breath. She was much less winded than Keazar, allowing her to speak more lucidly.

"How far?" I asked of either one.

"Fird shot me a quick scowl, almost as if to say that he was handling the situation and for me to stay out of it. The question quickly became irrelevant, as the sound of many feet, echoing down the tunnel, rapidly grew louder as they came toward us. With longing, I looked up toward the shaft that we'd just descended. However, it offered no hope. Even if I was healthy, we didn't have enough time to escape back the way that we'd come.

As the others looked anxiously at each other, I calmly suggested, "You're going to have to leave me here. If you hurry, there is still time to get away. Without me slowing you down, you can outrun them. With Fird guiding you, they will be easy to lose in the tunnels. I'll stay here and hold them up for as long as I can."

"No!" cried Loté passionately. "If you stay behind, so do I!"

Without hesitation, Wary defiantly added, "That goes for Brae and me, too,"

Although I could have been mistaken, when I suggested that they leave me behind, I thought that I'd seen an anxious flash in Fird's eyes. Could it have been a flash of joy, at the prospect of having Loté to himself again? Whether he remained with us or abandoned us, I didn't care. However, I suspected his pride would no more let him leave, than my own would allow me to. Whether he wanted to or not, he was staying behind with us for fear of losing face in front of Loté.

Breaking the tension, Fird suddenly started barking orders; he was taking charge. Indicating me, he yelled to Linit and Loté, "Move him farther back down the tunnel and then stay with him!"

Without hesitation, they each grabbed one of my feet and dragged me away from the shaft, into the darker shadows. The flesh on my back was scraped raw and bleeding in a thousand different places from all the dragging that I had been subjected to lately, but I was determined to ignore the pain.

After moving me to a safe distance from the junction of the shaft, they redropped my feet, and set the packs containing our meager supplies next to the wall by my head. Disregarding Fird's orders to remain with me, they turned back toward the junction. With steely determination, I got my feet under me, and quickly scrabbled upright, using the wall for support. The effort brought tears to my eyes and beads of sweat broke out from my forehead. Hurting like hell and feeling faint, I pushed off from the wall; I was damned, if I was going to let someone else fight my battles! With a determination that over-rode my physical limitations, I remained standing.

"Loté, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't really important, but I need to borrow your knife," I said, standing shakily behind her, the sweat starting to run down my face and drip from by chin.

At the sound of my voice, she spun around, immediately torn between her joy at seeing me standing, and concern that I was trying to do more than I should. Her mothering instincts taking over, she moved toward me with her arms held out in front of her, almost as though she was waiting to catch me. She insisted emphatically that I should lie down before I fall down. But having made it to my feet, nothing was going to keep me from a good fight!

Sensing my determination and desire, she emphatically stated, "I can't allow you to fight, Rod!"

"I'm sorry Loté, but I'm going back there whether I have a weapon or not. I love you with all my heart, and I would do anything to keep from upsetting you, but I can't just leave my friends to fight my battles!"

"They're our battles, Rod," she answered more softly, as she moved in close enough for me to lean on her shoulder. "If it wasn't for you and me, these people wouldn't be here. In fact, they would probably have made their way to the surface by now, if it wasn't for us!"

I smiled at her, even though, I knew that she couldn't see my face in the shadows, and said, "We do know how to piss off certain people, don't we?"

"And we know how to kick ass, too!" she added with finality.

"Then let's go kick some ass," I heartily suggested, as she took my arm, and helped me back toward the others.

"I think you're both fucking nuts, but I'm in," said Linit, handing me her knife. "Here, even in your sorry condition, you can probably do more with this than I can."

"Thanks, Linit. I promise that you'll get it back."

"I'm not worried."

By the time we reached the others, Fird had already positioned them according to their ability, leaving Brae near the rear. She turned when she heard us approaching, a look of surprise on her face at the sight of me walking, albeit, thanks only to Loté and Linit's shoulders.

"Look!" she cried out for the other's benefit. "It's Rod, and he's walking!"

They all turned their heads in unison and looked in my direction. Their delight, excepting for Fird's, was both obvious and impassioned; they were truly glad for me, and I was touched.

After quickly assessing the layout, I found myself immediately impressed with Fird's battle strategy. He had placed Wary against the left-hand wall with Brae backing him up. On the right-hand wall, he had placed himself with Keazar behind him for backup. His only weak point in the stratagem was that he didn't have anyone to fill in the gap down the center of the tunnel. Although the tunnel was barely wide enough for two men to walk abreast, it would feel much wider, when it came to defending it. If we were going to have any chance of fending off the approaching army, he needed someone to take up the deadly slack in the middle of the tunnel. Slowly, gritting my teeth against the pain, I walked up between Wary and Fird and filled in the open slot. There was just time enough to nod at Wary before the first soldier materialized out of the shadowy darkness.

Under Fird's instructions, someone had laid the still-lit torch on the tunnel floor several yards in front of our position. It gave us a brief warning, allowing us to see our enemy just a fraction of a second before they were upon us. Unfortunately, we saw only the one soldier approaching our position, and he was wise enough to the strategy to purposely step on it, instantly extinguishing it in a shower of smoky sparks.

With the knife held out weakly in front of me, I tuned my ears to the sound of footsteps, swiftly gauging the distance to the advancing soldier. When I was confident of his position, I lunged forward with the knife, summoning all of my reserve for the thrust. Since I didn't have the strength necessary to penetrate the heavy leather breastplate that he was wearing over his chest, I went in low. In a flurry of movement, I felt/heard the soldier's weapon slash past my head. He was only striking blindly in the dark, not aware that he was almost on top of me until I brought my borrowed knife up from below, the tip forming a radius of death.

My aim was true. As I raised the knife with all the strength left in me, I could feel the tender flesh part before its lethal edge. Through skin, muscle, and arteries, the blade sliced unimpeded, stopping only when it lodged against the bones of his pelvic girdle. Hot blood spurted madly from the wound, striking my face and washing over my back as I continued forward, sliding to the tunnel floor. Screaming in pain and searing agony, the soldier tried frantically to reverse his momentum and escape. But he was losing too much blood too fast. He was too weak to fight, and too weak to turn and run.

When he first came at me, he was carrying a long-knife, holding it out straight in front of him. If I had not moved forward and dropped low when I had, he would have impaled me upon it before I could have reached him. Instead, the long-knife sliced through empty air, barely missing my ear before falling harmlessly from his failing grasp. His momentum continued carrying him forward, though his legs were too weak to support his weight any longer, and he collapsed, dropping bluntly on my injured shoulder. He slid off my back and landed in a squirming heap on the floor.

The pain of his weight striking against my shoulder sent white-hot streaks across my vision as I rolled to the right, glancing away from the force of the soldier's forward momentum. Fird, hearing the struggle and finding the wounded soldier, grabbed him by the hair, and with a quick slash across the throat, put a stop to his anguished screams and death throes.

Gasping for breath and fighting against the incapacitating effects of the pain, I suddenly found myself on all fours, facing away from the oncoming soldiers. Although I was already hurting and fatigued from my small part in the battle, I needed to regain my feet. So far, all that we'd managed to do was kill the enemy's scout. His screams and cries had only accomplished to warn the remainder of the force as to our position, and that we were deadly. The next to arrive would be increasingly difficult to kill!

With renewed determination, I planted my hands on the tunnel floor beneath me, and to my amazement, felt the long-knife beneath my fingers. Overjoyed with my find, I quickly threw Linit's knife back across the floor to where I knew them to be crouching in the dark, and picked up the long-knife for my own.

With the treasured weapon grasped securely in my right hand, I hurriedly crawled back to Fird and Wary's position, scraping the skin off both of my knees in the process. Just as I was about to turn back to face the oncoming soldiers, a body crashed down on top of me, knocking me flat and pinning me to the floor. It was a limp body, and I was immediately soaked with hot blood, running down the back of my neck and covering my upper torso. He must have charged up the middle, only to have his throat slit by Fird or Wary as they let him go by.

Someone, Loté or Linit, pulled the dead body off me, laying it next to the first one that had been killed. Under Fird's instructions, they were laying the bodies widthwise across the tunnel floor. It was a brilliant idea, and I felt humiliated for not having thought of it myself. Fird was proving to be a very intelligent battle strategist. By assembling the corpses in such a manner, they were literally building a barricade. Once the corpses reached a sufficient height, we'd retreat to the backside of it, using it much like a dam to impede the flow of oncoming soldiers.

Crawling forward once again to take my place in the middle of the tunnel, I silently prayed that Linit and Loté wouldn't have to include any of us in their barricade.

Just as I drew abreast of them, Wary let out a curse. In the dark, a soldier had slid by his knife, and Wary had lost track of him. Without thinking, Wary lashed out with his feet, entangling the soldier just as he turned back. Tripping in Wary's feet, he lost his footing, and sprawled helplessly toward the floor. As he was coming down, I was getting up, and his weight impaled him on my long-knife. He was dead almost immediately, and his body slumped forward, his chin coming down hard on my forehead. Knocked back down by the blow, I was momentarily dazed, and struggling to remain conscious.

As my head swam from the pain, I fought madly to pull the long-knife from the soldier's chest. To my relief, Loté crawled up beside me, and easily slipped it free. Without a word, she handed it over to me, and then retreated back to the barricade with the body in tow.

The sound of fighting became more frequent as the soldiers changed tactics and started moving along the edges of the walls, hoping to avoid the demon in the center. It was a strategy that they never would have undertaken, had they only known that the center of the tunnel was being manned by one very lucky, and very injured, man. By moving along the walls, they ran head on into Wary and Fird. The battles were quick and furious, and the outcome was always deadly.

Then, just as suddenly as it began, it ended. In the silence that followed, Wary and Keazar helped me over the carcass barricade. Thanks to the ingenious stacking methods employed by Loté and Linit, it now stood almost as high as my chest. Furthermore, they had interwoven the arms and legs in such a fashion that it couldn't easily be pulled apart. In the short time since the soldiers had arrived, we'd supplied them with ten bodies.

Breathing hard, we checked each other for injuries. Apart from being covered in wet, sticky blood, I had fared well. Although my head hurt terribly, the only blood on me was from dead enemies, none of it was mine. Wary, meanwhile, was suffering from a swollen toe that he received when he tripped the soldier with his foot. Fortunately, those were the most serious of our injuries.

Having taken stock, we were sitting in the dark passing around the water flagon when a voice suddenly broke the tenuous calm.

"Rodick! This is Lord Balzar. It is time for us to talk as men!"

"Help me up, Wary," I whispered quietly, so as not to be heard down the tunnel. "He mustn't know that I am injured."

"Rod, I have your old friend Lord Thar, with me," came the voice again. "We desire to make a deal with you. There isn't any point to all this futile blood shedding, since you must surely realize that I will never let you escape."

Propped up against the pile of bodies, I was suddenly nauseous. Whether this was stemming from my injuries, or the touch and feel of still-warm bodies beneath my bare flesh, I couldn't be sure. At any rate, I was thankful that I couldn't see their faces in the darkness.

Balzar was playing on my sentiment as a surface dweller. It was a tactic that he probably used repeatedly to intimidate the uninitiated. Everyone that has lived beneath the surface for any length of time gradually loses the inherently high regard for life, as it is so easily replaced. But an individual from the surface that is unfamiliar with the popularity and ease of recycling terribly fears the loss of their life. This fear makes it relatively easy for someone of little scruples to control them through the use of threatening to take their life.

Although I valued my life and the lives of my friends very highly, I wasn't easily intimidated.

"I'm not in the mood to make any deals with the likes of you two," I spoke up, speaking with all the bravado that I could still muster.

"Rod!" It was Lord Thar's booming voice this time. "We have someone here that I understand is of interest to you."

"Please help me, Rod!" a woman suddenly wailed, her voice easily recognizable to my ears.

Boti!

"Let her go!" I demanded, suddenly oblivious of my weakness. "She hasn't done anything to you!"

"No, she hasn't, at least not in the way that you mean. However, I have done a few things to her," he laughed sadistically. "And now I understand why it is that you found her so attractive." He paused for a moment, letting his words register before he continued. "Listen to this, Rod! And remember, you can stop it at anytime."

Although it was impossible to see, it wasn't impossible to know what they were doing to her. She was sobbing loudly, her voice an eerie, almost haunting sound in the acoustics of the tunnel. As they continued with her torture, her wailing sobs slowly turned to shrieks. The cruel bastards were pushing the limits of her pain!

"She's only felt the beginning of what I will do, Rod, if you don't surrender yourself and your friends over to me," he stated emphatically, speaking loud enough to be heard, yet not so loud that he would drown out Boti's low moaning cries and whimpers.

He wasn't kidding about his intentions, of that much, I was certain. However, I was equally certain of what he would do to my friends once he got his hands on them. Yet, I couldn't just let him continue torturing Boti because of me. If I didn't do something, she was destined to suffer a long, slow, and very painful death. But what could I do?

"That's the same woman that you referred to earlier, isn't it?" Loté asked softly from the dark beside me.

Under the tension of hearing Boti's pain, I had been unaware of her moving up beside me. Now I wondered what was going through her mind.

"What exactly would you agree to, Lord Balzar?" I yelled angrily into the darkness, trying to hide my frustration and helplessness.

"Because I am a generous man, I would be willing to make a simple trade. You give me Loté, and I will give you Boti," he nonchalantly replied.

"And I thought you wanted to make a deal," I mockingly laughed.

Boti suddenly let out a sharp scream of pain, as he inflicted punishment in response to my flippant remark, clearly reminding me that we were dealing with lives, and that I couldn't afford the sarcasm.

"There must be some other compromise that can be reached," I said quickly, hoping to buy Boti time.

There was a moment of silence, and then a few whispered words drifted down to us, before Balzar said, "Lord Thar has agreed to turn Boti over to your comrades in exchange for your willing cooperation and surrender. However, I must insist on getting something in the bargain for myself. After all, your antics have cost me a great deal." He paused for a moment as if giving it considerable consideration, before continuing. "Now, I might find it agreeable, if it could be arranged for Loté to serve out the remainder of her indenture to me. After all, that was agreed upon originally."

"We're not making much progress here, are we?" I said belligerently, suddenly fearful that I had caused Boti more pain.

As another scream echoed down the tunnel, I silently chastised myself. Too slowly, her scream disintegrated into a long wailing cry. Somehow, I couldn't let the torture continue, and yet, I couldn't give up Loté, or anyone else for that matter, either!

"Fird," I whispered softly, having a hard time catching my breath. "Can I trust that you will take good care of Loté? I know you love her, and I'm pretty sure that she has feelings for you too."

"No! I lost you once, I won't lose you again!" Loté abruptly and determinedly cried out.

"I have to Loté. Don't you see? If it wasn't for me, that poor woman wouldn't be in this predicament," I pleaded, trying hard to convince both her and myself.

"Don't be a fool, Rod. Boti stayed with him of her own volition," Keazar softly interrupted. "She may suffer for a short while at Lord Balzar's hands, but she isn't being subjected to any worse than all the other slaves under his control. When Lord Balzar is finished with her, he'll just have her recycled. She'll be returned to him as good as new, and she won't be any the worse for wear. He is only trying to play you for a fool from the surface, my friend. And, if I might be so bold as to add, he is doing a damn good job of it!"

Keazar was right as usual. Why didn't I see it for what it was from the beginning?

Taking a deep breath that rattled within my chest, I yelled into the waiting darkness, "Go ahead, Balzar! Make her pay for your shortcomings! I have given you all the time that I intend to, and so have the rest of these fine people!"

"You will regret this!" he screamed back, livid that his little trick hadn't worked.

There wasn't any more screaming or moaning from Boti, a sure indication that he had decided not to kill her after all. I was immediately relieved by the silence. Because this siege could go on for quite some time, it wasn't surprising that he decided to keep her around for his entertainment, rather than have to send her somewhere for recycling.

"See if you can keep him talking, Rod," Fird whispered quietly from my left.

Before I could question either him or his motives, he slipped over the mound of bodies, moving stealthily through the darkness toward our enemies.

"Hey, Balzar!" I shouted breathily, my chest and lungs burning from the effort of speaking. The act of appearing healthy was taking a lot out of me, and I wasn't sure just how much longer I could remain on my feet. Each time I yelled, it felt as if something were tearing deep down inside my chest. Yet, I had to keep it up, at least until I knew what Fird was doing.

"It's 'Lord' Balzar," he commanded at the top of his lungs. "Lord of all that is and ever was!" he continued, noticeably agitated. "What is it that you want, to reconsider, maybe? You don't stand a chance against our combined armies. It is only a matter of time before my scouts find a way to come at you from the other side. You cannot watch your forward and rear positions at the same time.

"If you negotiate with me now, I will go much easier on you, especially you, my old friend, Keazar. We can iron out our differences; there isn't any need for you to be further inconvenienced by all this nonsense. If you'll just do me the honor of turning over Loté and that heathen Rod, I will even be so kind as to let you take the others out of here with you. If you so desire, you can even return them to the surface, though, I think that would be a large mistake." He paused for a moment, before casually adding, "Think about it, Keazar. We have a long history together, we can get past this."

"I was wondering, Balzar, if you would be so kind as to ask Lord Thar just what he had in mind for me, if I did decide to surrender," I replied into the darkness.

Waiting for him to answer, I thought I heard a sound very reminiscent of a knife, slicing through the tender flesh of an unprotected throat. The sound was followed immediately by the unmistakable gurgling noise of air bubbling through blood as it escaped from a set of lungs.

Lord Thar, oblivious of the sounds, responded to my query. Speaking vehemently, he bellowed in his deep voice, "I assure you that I will not let you die for a long while. Your pain and suffering will be prolonged all the while the blood of your soul runs unchecked from between your legs. It is with great pleasure that I would render your testicles free from their moorings with my bare hands, only to shove them down your throat while I fucked you in the ass!" Stopping to take a breath, he continued, "But your deaths will be short and unmerciful, because the minute your life escapes you, I will have you recycled so that we can start all over again."

Hurry back Fird, I though feverishly, feeling my strength dwindling fast. Being fully aware of my weakened condition, surely he didn't expect me to keep up the pretense forever.

"And what did you have in mind for me, Balzar?" asked Loté, sensing my faltering stamina and coming to my rescue.

However, I wasn't sure if she was stepping in for my benefit, or because she realized that Fird's life depended on forestalling the next battle.

"You, my beautiful woman," Balzar smoothly replied. "You were going to be my queen. You were destined for great things. But that wasn't enough for you! You and your superior, self-righteous attitude! All that was asked of you was a little cooperation! If only you would have voiced your misgivings to me, we could have worked on them. I can be a very obliging man, when it suits my purpose." His voice was growing angrier by the second, as he continued, "For your sake, I was willing to try! Now, however, I'm sorry to say, there is nothing that I would like better than to have you over here instead of Boti!"

He ended his tirade on the verge of hysterics, followed by a long, mirthless laugh.

"Maybe your problem is you've never had a real woman! Without all your artificial aids, you wouldn't even know how to satisfy one!" Loté retorted.

I was grateful, but I was not surprised at her jumping in and bantering with Lord Balzar; she had hutzpah!

Suddenly, Lord Thar's startled exclamation came echoing down the tunnel, "What the hell!"

This was immediately followed by several painful screams, and then all hell broke loose. The sound of many feet charging our way was suddenly unmistakable. For Fird's sake, I hoped that he was in the lead. Because he was the only one among us experienced in tunnel warfare, we were following his battle strategy, which dictated that we let only the first one to reach the grisly barricade over it. All that came next would be met with the cold steel of our weapons, which had been fortified with long-knives from our fallen enemies!

He came hurling headfirst over the barricade. Without slowing, his body brushed against me as he sailed past. Landing in a heap on the tunnel floor, he quickly sprang back to his feet, while spinning to face his heated pursuers.

The first soldier was directly behind him, charging full speed in the dark, his weapon held out in front of him like a battering ram. To his misfortune, unlike Fird, he wasn't expecting the cadaver barricade, and slammed head-on into it. Because the barricade was well constructed, it easily deflected his forward momentum backward. Unfortunately, for him, the next soldier in pursuit wasn't aware that he had suddenly stopped, and ran him through from behind with his long-knife, effectively impaling him against our barricade.

Before the second soldier could react to what had happened, Wary reached over the barricade, and grabbed him by the hair. Using the tremendous strength in his left forearm, he pulled the soldier's head up and over the top of the bodies. Struggling against the hold on his hair, the soldier reached forward with both hands, abandoning his weapon where it was still embedded in his comrade's back. With one forceful, downward stroke, Wary severed his head from his body as cleanly as if he were getting ready to butcher a varmint. The soldier was dead immediately, his decapitated corpse sliding down the front side of the barricade.

The smell of blood was strong in the stale tunnel air, and it wouldn't be much longer before the mound of carcasses started bloating, eventually expelling a much riper gas. Hearing the death throes of their fellow comrades, those following abruptly broke off their pursuit. Even though they didn't fear death or dying, it was wasteful to charge an unknown enemy in absolute darkness.

Feeling weak, faint, and more than a little relieved, I slowly slid down against the wall behind the grisly barricade, safe for the moment against further attack. Loté came over and knelt down beside me. In the background, Wary could be heard asking Fird what he had done to cause such a commotion. The awe and respect in Wary's voice was unmistakable. Sounding much like a braggart, at least to me, Fird related the high points of his excursion to him, speaking loud enough for all of us to overhear.

"I figured that if I could kill one, or maybe even both of the Lords, the rest of the troops wouldn't have a leader. Without a leader, they might just disband, and go their own ways," he started, his voice full of himself. "However, in the dark, I couldn't tell who was who and I ran into your woman, Boti. Before I realized who it was that I had grabbed, I almost slit her throat open." He paused for a moment, letting his words work on us. No one missed the point of him calling Boti my woman. When he didn't get the response he was looking for, he added, "I must admit, Rod, you have a fine taste in women."

He had to throw that in, whether he actually ran into Boti or not, just to get a rise out of Loté and take a jab at me. It had worked, too, as I felt Loté tense beside me.

Sensing that he'd touched a nerve, he quickly pushed the subject further. "She was a wild thing. I don't know how you handled her on your own, Rod. Before she would let me get on with business, she wanted to thank me for something. I'm not sure what I did to deserve it, but she has one hell of a way of saying thank you! Of course, you probably know all about that, huh, Rod? When she finished with me, I'd almost forgotten what I was doing over there. In fact, she left me so weak and dazed, I almost aborted the mission and just brought her back, instead. Unfortunately, Lord Balzar picked that moment to send one of his dogs to fetch her. By the time that I finished with him, she was gone, and then all hell broke loose. In the melee, I must have killed at least six soldiers before escaping."

Though I sat silently by, in the back of my mind, I wondered if his tale didn't hold more truth than I was willing to admit. It bothered me that he knew about Boti's explicit way of saying thank you. Of course, there was always the possibility that he spoke with Wary at some time that I wasn't aware. I couldn't ignore the fact that Wary seemed overly impressed with Fird and his antics.

"So, where do we go from here?" asked Wary, speaking in a subdued voice.

Everyone was aware of the tender situation between Loté and me, and Fird's bragging about his questionable exploits with Boti wasn't winning him any favorable points with the others. Unfortunately, the damage was already done, both between Loté and me, and insofar as Fird's reputation. Self-promotion had a way of tarnishing the best of characters. No one was interested in hearing anymore. Wary, at least, had the good sense to change the subject to one of imminent matters, namely, how do we escape that army out there that is trying its damnedest to kill us.

Fird was the first to speak. Because he hadn't received any congratulations for his brave efforts, he was unable to keep an agitated and domineering quality from his voice when he spoke. "We wait until they change tactics. At some point, they will determine that it is more advantageous to sit back and let us die of thirst or starvation. In the meantime, their scouts will be looking for a way to get behind us. If that happens, we'll be trapped in the middle. But if we're smart, we'll be long gone by then. As soon as we're sure that they have switched to a waiting strategy, we move out. We'll sneak back the way we came from."

"We can't wait long," said Wary wearily. "We don't have the supplies for a lengthy siege. Furthermore, we need to get Rod medical attention soon. For all we know, he has a collapsed lung, or worse."

"When word spreads through their ranks with regard to what we've done with their dead comrades, I'm sure they won't be in any great hurry to rush us again," Fird acknowledged, speaking with conviction, and almost friendliness toward Wary.

While the pain was slowly ebbing from my shoulder, I sat in silence, listening intently to their discussion. While I was slowly feeling better, I still felt as weak as a newborn. I wasn't sure that I was up to a hasty retreat, even with assistance.

Unfortunately, I had to agree with Fird. Once again, his strategy seemed to be the soundest. Pain or not, I'd just have to do the best that I was capable of for as long as I could.

We sat around in silence for close to an hour without a sound coming to us from the soldier's side of the barricade. My arm and shoulder had almost stopped hurting, and I even felt good enough to try making it a short distance on my own. If we were going to make a run for it, we had better get a move on before the soldiers attacked again. Or before they found a way to get around behind us and box us in. The longer we waited, the less time we would have to make our getaway before they discovered that we were gone. We may have waited too long already. At any moment, soldiers could be coming up behind us. Or one of the Lords might decide to strike up a conversation with us again. We'd sat here long enough; it was time to get moving.

"The time has come to go," I said, managing to make it to my feet with a small bit of assistance from Loté. Having risen to my feet, I could feel the blood drain from my face. Thankfully, it was too dark for the others to see how bad I looked.

"Fird, if you would, take the lead and get us the hell out of here," I said quietly.

If we were going to make it, I needed to take charge before Fird went off and got us all killed. He was a strong, capable leader, and under any other circumstances, I would have been proud to follow his lead. However, he was still young, he was a hothead, and what's worse, he was jealous of me. Any one of these traits alone might not impair his judgment or ability to lead us, but all three of them made him deadly, especially to us.

We didn't have any supplies left to speak of, so we were traveling fairly light for the time being, excepting of course, for the few extra long-knives that we had managed to confiscate from the dead soldiers.

With Fird in the lead, we set off silently down the tunnel, away from the soldiers, and away from the shaft that had led us to this confrontation. We were careful not to make any sounds; it was imperative that we not alert the soldiers to what we were doing. We didn't move as fast as we would have cared to, under the circumstances, because of me. But we did move at a steady pace, nonetheless. Sweating profusely in the muggy heat, I kept giving it my all, refusing to give in to my body's limitations.

Loté kept giving me encouragement from behind, almost as though her thought waves were tied in with mine and she knew what I was going through. With regard to Boti, I felt sorry for what I had caused Loté to be put through. Even though she hadn't given any outward indication of it, what Fird had said about Boti being quite the woman, had hurt her. Fird made it easy for me to hate him, despite saving all of our lives. Maybe that's what he wanted, for me to hate him. At any rate, whatever his plans were, I would get even with him in due time. For the time being, however, we still owed him our lives, and for that reason alone, we owed him our respect.

How he did it, I wasn't sure. Yet, even in the dark, Fird managed to set a pace that swiftly ate up the miles. It was with much relief when he stopped suddenly and suggested that we take a short break. He quickly informed us that we would be coming to another shaft soon, just a little farther ahead. When we got there, we would be descending to another level.

"How far down will this shaft take us?" I asked between breaths, still keeping my voice down to emphasize to the others that we never knew how close the enemy might be.

"It's quite a distance down," he answered, speaking normally, and not making any effort to keep his voice down out of defiance at me for having taken charge. "If I remember correctly, it descends for at least a thousand feet or more." When I didn't say anything immediately, he pointedly added, "If you don't think you can make it, there is a longer route that we could take. The shafts connecting it to the next level are much shorter. They would be a lot easier for you to negotiate."

He was trying hard to push my buttons, to goad me into saying or doing something stupid. Yet, that was only a part of it. Another part of his bluster stemmed from trying to impress Loté with his knowledge of the tunnels. In either case, I brushed it off and ignored the sarcasm, knowing Loté would see through his childish behavior the same as I had. He may be a capable enough young man, but he still had a lot of growing up to do. Unlike many inhabitants of the subsurface, he hadn't been recycled, and was not more mature than his years.

"I can make it just fine," I answered him mildly. "Let's just give everyone a minute to catch their breath."

Sitting with my back to the wall, Loté lowered herself down beside me, then reached over and took my hand in hers. Clearly, she wasn't letting Fird get her riled any more than I was. Unlike Fird, we'd grown beyond those childish antics many experiences ago.

My mind had wandered for a minute, and until I felt Loté's gentle caresses, I hadn't even realized that she had let go of my hand. She was kneeling in front of me and gently messaging my chest, carefully working out the residual pain there. Cradling her face in my hands, I gently lifted it to mine.

While softly kissing her, I whispered next to her ear. "As much as I would appreciate what you are about to do for me, I think we better save my strength for the climb down."

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I only wanted to make you feel better, reassure you of my feelings toward you. Until just recently, I have to admit, I've been afraid of hurting Fird's feelings by showing you mine. But after the way he's been acting lately, I decided that he didn't deserve my consideration any longer." She paused for a moment, and then softly asked of me, "Can you forgive me for how I've treated you?"

"You don't need to ask such a question. I've never doubted your feelings toward me," I answered her softly, consolingly. "Just being here with you, feeling your love for me, is all that I need from you right now."

"You will always be with me, and you will always feel my love for you," she gently avowed, laying her head in my lap.

Softly stroking her long, dark hair, I was only semiconscious of it tickling my thighs. I was much more conscious of her overall nearness.

Fird, sensing Loté's change toward me, rose to his feet and announced that it was time to get started. Suddenly, he was concerned that we were going to lose too much time descending the shaft. Clearly, he was just upset because of Loté's open display of affections toward me, and the realization that he had lost any chance with her that he might otherwise have had.

Allowing Loté to help me to my feet, I was quick to offer with the carrying of the extra weapons. Since I'd been a burden on the others to this point, I felt a deep-seated desire to make up for it. I was also feeling renewed by Loté's open display of affections toward me. However, our supplies were so meager, my request was quickly brushed off. Looking through the dim light and into their eyes, I could see the gladness they were feeling for not having to carry me any longer. For the moment, that was more than enough to lift their spirits.

Falling into the same order that we had been in prior, we set off toward the shaft that would take us down to the next level. We moved at a good pace and reached the shaft within the hour.

As we bunched up around the hole in the floor, our gazes facing downward, Fird stepped aside and suggested that I should go first. It seemed that he was concerned that I might not have the strength to reach the bottom, and that if I should fall, he didn't want me taking anyone else down with me. He sarcastically added that we didn't need any more cripples slowing us up.

Shirking off his sarcasm, I agreed to lead the way. By being in the lead, I would have the opportunity to set the pace and show the others that I wasn't slowing them down any longer. It would also give me a chance to see what lie down below before the others, and possibly come up with a plan of action. Wary volunteered to bring up the rear, just in case the Lord's soldiers arrived before we were safely down.

Lowering my legs over the edge, I gingerly felt with my toes for the first toehold. It was farther down than I'd anticipated, causing me to almost lose my feeble grip on the edge. Planting my weight in the toehold, I made a silent prayer that the rest wouldn't be spread quite so far apart, or Fird might get his silent wish after all. Fortunately, the shaft was narrow enough to allow me to lean back against the opposing wall. And though this caused renewed pain in my shoulder, it did give me some respite, allowing me to loosen my grip with my hands.

In order to reach the bottom before my strength gave out, and to keep Loté from stepping on my fingers, I descended dangerously fast for my tenuous condition. Fird had been right, with regard to sending me down first; my descent was precarious at best. It would have been dangerous for someone to be below me, and I realized that even more each time my hand slipped loose and I fell back against the opposing wall of the shaft. At least my prayers had been answered, the rest of the footholds were closer together. However, the descent was still painstakingly slow, despite my best efforts at haste.

When I had traversed approximately half the distance to the bottom, that is, if Fird hadn't lied about the actual distance to the next level, I noticed that the air was growing increasingly warmer. At first, I believed that I was just perspiring more heavily because of the extra strain and constant hammering that I was putting on my fatigued body. But there wasn't any mistaking it, the farther down I progressed, the hotter the air grew. Once we reached the bottom, our first priority would be to quickly find water, or risk dehydration. Because of our dwindling supplies, combined with the increasing heat, water was once again a priority for our continued survival.

Compounding the problem of maintaining my precarious hold in the rough, hand-carved holes in the wall of the shaft was the fact that my fingers had grown raw, and were starting to bleed. As the sweat ran down my arms, mixing with the blood on my palms and fingertips, the open blisters started burning. The increased flow of sweat was also running into my eyes, causing them to blur and sting. Using the backs of my hands, I continually swiped at my eyes. My actions were futile attempts, unable to stem the burning and blurring brought on by the suffocating heat. Except for the pain in my shoulder, I knew the others were experiencing the same discomfort as me.

When I couldn't go any farther, and probably would have dropped off into space were it not for my need to show up Fird, my foot came down on solid rock; I had reached the bottom! I was almost overcome with elation.

Before releasing my precarious hold, I quickly and gingerly felt around the floor with the tips of my toes, making certain that there was enough space to stand without falling into yet another shaft. After confirming to myself that it was safe to let go, I planted both feet firmly on the ground, and then dropped to my knees. Feeling around with both hands flat on the ground, I surveyed the immediate area, making certain that we would all fit without stepping off into an abyss.

My cursory inspection led me to believe that we were in a tunnel considerably smaller than the one that we'd just left. There was barely room for two people to squeeze past each other, and it was impossible to stand up straight, unless you were directly below the shaft. Adding to the overall discomfort was the fact that the air was stagnant. It was also hotter than anywhere that we had been prior. Much to my immediate dismay was the fact that the walls were extremely hot to the touch; it was impossible to lean against them for any for length of time. If it were not for the thick, heavy calluses on the soles of our feet, we would be hard put to remain on this level for any length of time. Unfortunately, our bodies were not covered with the same heavy layer of calluses as those on our feet, which would make resting on the ground very difficult, if not impossible. We would be unable to sit or lay down without protecting our exposed flesh from the heat of the floor.

Loté came down next. Grabbing her around the waist, I deftly guided her to the floor, and away from the bottom of the shaft. As I did, I noticed that the blood was already dry on the palms of my hands.

"It's terribly hot down here," she said quietly, between gasps of air.

"Yes, it is. We'll need to find water soon, or we're going to dehydrate."

When the others were safely down, we gathered in a stretched-out sort of pattern, due to the narrow confines of the tunnel, and the lack of space at the base of the shaft.

"Our first priority should be to find water, Fird," I suggested quietly, but loud enough for all, especially Fird, to hear.

"If memory serves me," he answered in a subdued tone, "there should be a supply stash approximately one hour's distance from here, if we aren't forced to detour. For what it's worth, there are several other accesses leading into this tunnel, all of which originate from the same area as that we just left. If any of the Lord's soldiers know about them, we could run into trouble before we're ready for it. Of course, there's the possibility that they won't know that we've left until it's too late for them to cut us off," he added with more confidence.

"Then I suggest that we get our asses in gear and get to those supplies before they figure out that we're gone," I said with bluster, attempting to motivate the others.

The motivation wasn't necessary, I soon realized. Everyone else was just as thirsty as I was, and the promise of water at the next supply stash was all the motivation anyone needed.

With Fird in the lead, we set off at a brisk pace. He had a knack for making good time in the dark, and if we were going to get to those supplies in a hurry, we needed that ability more than any other.

While we hurriedly moved along, our heads bowed out of respect for the jagged roof just inches above us, Keazar explained why the tunnels were getting warmer each time we descended. As it worked out, we were descending through tunnels that wound their way through solid rock separating large pockets of molten lava. Before it would get cooler, we would have to pass near the axis of the planet. This also meant that for us to escape to the planet's surface, we were going in the wrong direction, unless we wanted to wait for this side of the planet to rotate away from the sun. Unfortunately, we didn't have any say in the matter of which direction we took; we were moving in the only direction that was open to us, at least for the time being.

We had covered half the distance to the supply stash when we noticed a faint scent of smoke in the air. At first, it was barely discernable, but it grew stronger with each step that brought us closer to the supplies. Despite our growing feelings of ill boding, we kept up the brisk pace. To slow down, would only prolong the inevitable. Although we suspected that the smoke was coming from torches that were being carried by the Lord's soldiers, we'd gone too far, and expended too much of our dwindling energy, to turn and retreat now. We could only hope that it was a scouting party and that with the element of surprise on our side, we could take them before they knew what hit them.

"Hold up a minute," Keazar suddenly whispered.

"What is it?" came Fird's annoyed response from farther up the tunnel.

"I think maybe, I should take the lead, if it's all right with you," he started. "Because of my greater bulk, I can effectively block the tunnel and slow down any pursuit, which will give you more time to escape."

He had a good point, and from the safety aspect of the greater number, it made a lot of sense. Fird, I felt confident, wouldn't go along with it, though, if for no other reason than he wanted to be the leader, especially if we might be going into battle.

"And how exactly do you propose that we change positions, Keazar?" he asked sarcastically.

"My good man, I will simply spread my legs as far apart as these narrow walls will permit, and you will crawl beneath me," he replied, and then chuckled at a secret joke.

Much to Fird's chagrin and embarrassment, a murmur of chuckles broke out at Keazar's suggestion. Angered, he fired back, "I'll crawl beneath your spread legs, all right, while I'm castrating you!"

Although Fird was angered and humiliated by the reaction to Keazar's comment, he surprisingly surrendered to the suggestion. Turning to face Keazar, he got down on all fours and crawled beneath Keazar's spread legs, a few lewd remarks slipping from his tongue as he went. Yet, overall, the changing of positions went very smoothly. Keazar, now in the lead, set out at a slower, more cautious pace. An uneasy feeling settled over me, and I was sure that Loté sensed it too. Why did Fird give in to Keazar's suggestion? It didn't make any sense. With the increasing odds of going into battle, I couldn't imagine Fird giving up his position in the lead so readily. Unless I was mistaken, Fird was up to something. Hopefully, Keazar wouldn't be the one to pay the price for it.

Suddenly, a torch flared to life, catching us by surprise, and blinding Keazar. Surprising me with his catlike quickness, Keazar would have gutted the man standing before him, if not for the man's cries. Yet, even more surprising than the torch's flare to life, were the words we heard next.

"Keazar!" cried the torchbearer, a combination of surprise and excitement filling the voice.

Keazar, frozen in his stance at the shock of hearing his own name called out, looked timidly past the glare of the torch before replying. In a voice filled with disbelief, he stuttered, "Jontue! Jontue, is that you?"

"In the flesh, my good man!" came the answering reply.

Although I couldn't see the newcomer beyond the others standing in front of me in the narrow tunnel, just by the likeness of his voice to Keazar's, I knew that we were in trouble; he sounded as if he might be Keazar's twin!

My fears were instantly confirmed, when Fird hissed, "Oh my God," beneath his breath. Aside from Keazar, Fird alone could see the newcomers blocking the tunnel ahead.

### **15**

Despite the smoky, flickering light being given off by the torch held just below the tunnel ceiling, I still couldn't see the man in the tunnel ahead of us. However, the familiarity with which Keazar greeted him, quickly dispelled all doubts with regard to his intentions, he was clearly not our enemy.

"Jontue," cried Keazar again, still not believing his eyes. "I had assumed that you would be working for Lord Balzar by now."

"Well, that is partly true, I'm afraid," he solemnly confessed. Then, in a more conciliatory tone, added, "But only in so far as Lord Balzar believes."

"My dear man, we must get out of this damn confining tunnel and find a place where I can properly introduce you to my good friends here. You wouldn't believe all the things that I have to tell you. But first, you wouldn't happen to have any spare water on your person, by chance? We are dying of thirst, I'm afraid."

"I have just this half-empty flagon, my friend. But you and your friends are more than welcome to it," he graciously replied, handing the flagon to Keazar without hesitation.

Keazar quickly seized it from him and put the rim to his lips. After a sparing drink, barely enough to wet his lips, he passed the flagon behind him to Fird. Because of his immense size, the bulk of his body rubbed against the heated rock walls of the tunnel as he turned to pass the flagon, eliciting a small cry of discomfort from him. Furthermore, in the moment that his side was facing toward me, I noticed that he was suffering from several more severe burns down the sides of his arms, where they were in almost constant contact with the tunnel walls. Although he had to be in extreme agony, he never once complained about the pain. In my haste to judge him, I had not given him nearly enough credit. There was much more depth to his character than I had previously accredited to him. My respect for him was growing all the time.

Unfortunately, I couldn't say the same for Fird. Having taken the flagon from Keazar, he greedily drank his fill, not giving any thought to those of us waiting patiently in line behind him. Although, we all took notice of his selfish behavior, we each kept our individual thoughts to ourselves. When the flagon was finally handed to me, I realized how precious little water remained in it. Feigning to drink, I only moistened my parched lips before quickly passing it on to Loté behind me. Since I had been carried a goodly part of the way, I was sure the others were in more need of it than I was.

Loté, realizing there were others who needed the water more than her, did likewise, and only simulated taking a drink. Hurriedly, the water not even wetting her lips, she passed the flagon on to Brae, the next in line behind her. Although I was proud of her at that moment, I was also worried for her.

Jontue, having turned around, was leading the way back from which he'd come, chattering all the while like a child that had just found his mother after being lost and alone in the jungle for a month. Despite having suggested that we should find a suitable place to stop and rest before relaying our individual tales, his impatience quickly won out. Moving along through the narrow confines of the tunnel, we were continually regaled with all the experiences that he'd had during Keazar's absence.

To our good fortune as it turned out, word had spread like wildfire about the battle between the rebels and the Lords. Jontue, after learning that Keazar was fighting against his former business clients and on the side of the rebels, felt confident that he could recover Keazar's body without anyone being the wiser. He based this on the fact that most of the bodies would probably just be piled up in unused caverns, and left for sorting at a later date. Especially since the demand for soldiers and slaves was on the decline, a fact that was common knowledge and used to further intimidate both soldiers and slaves into obeying their superiors. He had assumed that once he found Keazar's body, it would be a simple process of returning with it to the labs, and then recycling it. He never actually expected to find Keazar still alive. Rumors had it that all the rebels had been wiped out to the last man. We all got a wry chuckle out of that one. Clearly, no one figured that we had much of a chance at escaping, and the rumors took off before the battle was over.

Jontue was having a hard time believing that he had actually found Keazar alive. It was such a shake of good fortune.

Keazar, on the other hand, couldn't believe that someone cared enough about him to risk their own life to save his. As Jontue's story unfolded with our progress through the tunnel, we could hear him explaining to Keazar how he came to be here. According to his explanation, he had obtained a map of this sector from a slave that he'd recycled who once worked in these tunnels. By diligently using the map in conjunction with a powerful dose of common sense, he'd been able to avoid detection by the Lord's soldiers. When Keazar asked him about the supply stash up ahead, he responded that he hadn't been in need of supplies, so he hadn't taken the time to raid it. Chances were good that there would still be sufficient food, water, and medical supplies for all of us just waiting there.

Because of the smoking torch that Jontue carried, the air behind him grew heavy and pungent, bringing tears to our eyes, and further parching our dry throats. No one was complaining, though, as we were making much better time with the aid of the light. The better time we made, the sooner we would be drinking and resting, and out of this damn tunnel that was as hot as hell.

So that she had an easier time negotiating the unexpected twists and turns of the tunnel, Loté had lightly rested her hand in the small of my back. Although she wasn't aware of it, I found myself taking a great amount of comfort in her closeness. Much to her chagrin, she had clearly misjudged Fird, and she would have to deal with that in her own way. All I could hope for was to reinstate her faith in her future judging of men. In order to do that, I would have to live up to her expectations, maybe even surpassing them.

Resting her hand on the small of my back was a good idea. It kept us spaced at just the right distance from each other and helped alleviate the feeling of loneliness brought on by the dingy darkness and closeness of the walls. If I had been thinking more perceptively, I probably would have thought of it myself.

Reaching forward, I softly rested my hand in the small of Linit's back, while suggesting that the others do likewise. If we could have been seen from above, we would have resembled a caterpillar with many legs, and a multi jointed body.

Because of the excellent time that we were making, it didn't take long to reach the shaft that Jontue had ascended earlier, bringing him up to this level. After stopping briefly to warn the others of the opening in the floor, he continued on past, allowing Keazar to descend first. Then, as each of us stepped up to take our turn, he introduced himself before lending us an assist in starting down the shaft. In the dim light, he closely resembled Keazar, especially in size.

Once we'd all reached the bottom, which was barely a fifty-foot drop, we stretched up straight and luxuriated in the excess space that we had at our disposal. The tunnel that we now found ourselves in was at least eight feet high at the center, and twice as wide as it was high.

"People!" cried Keazar, still excited at having been found by Jontue. "I would like to formally introduce you to my right-hand man, Jontue. Without this good man, recycling wouldn't be what it is today."

"Keazar, my dear friend, you are much too kind," replied Jontue embarrassedly, his pudgy face turning an even brighter pink than it was normally. He was a man who did his job to the best of his ability; he never received praise for his work, nor did he expect any. "Everyone knows that it is you, my friend, that deserves all the praise for bringing the recycling process to the high level of success that it operates at today."

Now that we'd met and seen Jontue in the unimpeded light of the torch, I wondered if maybe Keazar hadn't been doing a little research in cloning also. The man standing before us was almost the spitting image of Keazar, right down to his mannerisms and the pitch of his voice. In addition, like Keazar, he was also showing an acute interest in Linit. Was it possible that their similarities extended beyond their physical attributes? I had to wonder.

"I do not wish to sound impatient," I politely ventured. "But now that we all know one another, maybe we should find that supply cache that's supposed to be near here." Then, after throwing a sharp look in Fird's direction, I added, "Before we all dehydrate."

"I will lead you, my good man, since I have just come from that direction and know the way effortlessly," offered Jontue, clearly enjoying his role as our rescuer.

"That will be fine," I hastily agreed, my stamina growing weaker with each passing minute. "Let's get a move on then, shall we?"

Loté, sensing my pain, put an arm beneath mine to assist me. Wary, noticing Loté's assistance, assumed that I was nearing the end of my second wind, and hurried over to my other side, doing likewise. Between the two of them, I was supported very well. Yet, I felt guilty, knowing that their level of exhaustion was nearing my own.

Fortunately, we were less than a mile from the supply cache. After turning into a few different branches here and there along the way, Jontue suddenly cried out, gleefully announcing that we'd arrived. The tunnel walls down here were warm, but not warm enough to be uncomfortable. Loté and Wary set me down with my back against the stone. Before long, the heat was penetrating into my shoulder, and driving out the pain. With the pain subsiding in my shoulder, my mind was better able to focus on things of more importance. Yet, it didn't cease to amaze me at how the heat could be so detrimental one moment, and comforting the next.

Meanwhile, having found the stash of supplies, Keazar was busy passing around water flagons. With each flagon of water, he included a small white tablet, instructing everyone to take the tablet before drinking the water. He further explained that the tablets were meant to counteract the effect of salt-loss in the body brought on by extreme perspiration. Taking my tablet, I quickly chugged my thirst away.

At first the water sat heavily in my belly, making me feel bloated and distended. Soon, however, the tablet went to work, allowing my body to absorb the liquid into my dehydrated cells. Before long, instead of feeling as though I'd swallowed a bulging flagon whole, I felt satisfied, my thirst and my discomfort having dissipated.

Loté, after searching through the supplies, came and sat next to me. Keazar had pointed out a salve among the many health aids, explaining how she should apply it to my injured area. Without hesitation, she started rubbing the salve over my arm and shoulder. At first it simply burned, turning my body a bright shade of red. But after a moment, the pain killing properties in it began to work. Within a matter of minutes, I was feeling no pain. Needlessly, I suggested that she be sure and bring more of the salve with us. Instead of answering me, she leaned over and gave me a long, lingering kiss on the lips.

"Thank you," I said appreciatively, smiling back at her.

"You're welcome. Now get some rest, I'm sure that we have a long way to go, yet," she whispered sweetly in my ear.

Not only was the salve a great pain reliever, it left me feeling refreshed and invigorated. Although we were taking a break, confident that none of the Lords' soldiers would stumble on us here, I didn't want to fall asleep. Even if I was just eavesdropping, I wanted to hear everything that was being said; I didn't want to miss any of the conversations going on around me, especially that of Fird and Jontue.

Loté began breathing slowly and evenly the moment her head came to rest on my shoulder. Carefully, I shifted beneath her, knowing the slightest disturbance would have her on her feet like a wild animal.

Farther away, I could hear Wary and Brae talking softly, making plans for their future together once they reached the surface. Despite the sterility brought on by the recycling process, it sounded as if quite a number of children were going to be in their future.

Keazar and Linit had quietly wandered away to have a little time alone. However, because of the way sound traveled through the corridors, their actions were both obvious and humiliating.

Meanwhile, Fird was sitting facing Jontue. They were discussing the best route that would put us in the least amount of danger from either of the Lord's soldiers. As they conversed, they passed a smoking pipe back and forth, a bonus they'd found in the supply cache. The aroma was quite pleasant. It reminded me of a fruit that I hadn't had the pleasure of experiencing since I was a small child. Relaxing against the warm stone of the tunnel wall, my mind drifted back to that time so long ago. While I was too young to assist in the foraging of fruits and berries, I'd been left behind with the other kids of my tribe. When my mother returned, in addition to the normal fare of berries, nuts, and assorted roots, she had several strange looking things. Since my father was away on a hunting expedition with the other young men from our tribe, there was just my mother and I.

After making a huge fuss over the strange fruits, and explaining to me that they were a rare and wonderful find, she set them aside and went to work on her more common finds. After putting up the other foodstuffs that she'd scavenged, she went to the center of the camp with only her precious find and a knife. With a lot of fanfare and extravagance, she carefully sliced the precious few that she'd found, and gladly shared them with everyone in camp. Her only regret was that they wouldn't keep until my father returned with the other tribesmen. Instead, they needed to be eaten quickly or they would spoil. Even though I had but only a small taste, it has remained the sweetest memory of my childhood. It literally melted in my mouth, gently caressing my tongue with its effervescent flavor.

Despite the meager portions, everyone except the absent hunters suffered from dysentery for the next week. Nonetheless, I swear there wasn't a soul in that camp that wouldn't go through it again for just another taste.

That's what the aroma, gently wafting through the still air, reminded me of as I lay there, my back against the wall, and the woman of my dreams sleeping peacefully, her head resting gently against my shoulder. Between the effects of the salve, the heat, and the aroma, I was so content that I could hardly keep my eyes open.

Out of the corner of my eye, I took notice of Keazar and Linit. They were slowly strolling back down the tunnel, their voices sounding like those of a couple of children, giggling and laughing at each other's jokes.

As they approached Fird and Jontue, Keazar amicably asked, "Jontue, my good man, have you and Fird decided on the best route out of this place yet?"

"We seem to have a small dilemma, my friend," started Jontue, mimicking Keazar. "It seems that each one in this party has their own idea of where 'home' is. You, for instance, would like to return to your labs, though I doubt that either Lord Balzar or Thar would ever allow you to continue as if nothing has happened. Meanwhile, Fird would like to return to his tribe near the far reaches of Lord Thar's domain, and possibly the safest place for everyone just now. However, the others are from the surface, and thus feel that their home is there." He paused for a moment to catch his breath and draw on the pipe before concluding with his question, "You wouldn't have any suggestions, my dear friend, would you?"

"Is it possible that we will pass Fird's tribal home on the way to my labs?" asked Keazar, unable to conceal the excitement in his voice.

"Yes," answered Jontue, after giving it some thought. "Yes. Why didn't I think of that? We can plan a route that will take us there first." He looked at Fird and asked, "Do you think King Sheesa would be willing to sell us the necessary supplies that we will need for the remainder of our journey to the labs?" Before Fird could answer him, he excitedly went on, "By staying to the tunnels, we wouldn't have to approach the main hallways for supplies at all, since the hallways will undoubtedly be heavily patrolled. Once we reach the labs, it will be a simple matter of laying out a map for the rest of our comrades here, so they can find their way back to the surface without our help. What a splendid idea, my good man!" he said excitedly.

"My King Sheesa will be more than glad to outfit your party with the necessary supplies for the remainder of your trip, my friends," affirmed Fird. "I am sure that he would decline payment for your simple needs and consider it a small price to pay for the opportunity to rest his eyes on the lovely Loté, once again. Although I speak brazenly of his generosity, I am sure that if you were to offer him payment, he would take it as an insult!"

Considering Fird's feelings toward Loté, I wasn't sure how I felt about going to his tribe. Yet, I couldn't ignore the merits of the plan, especially the part about re-supplying before attempting the remainder of our journey to the labs. If we were able to use the main hallways with their abundant supply closets, such considerations would have been negligible. However, since we were being forced to remain in these undeveloped passageways, food, and especially water, would prove to be very scarce. Even with an experienced guide to show us to the supply caches buried beneath the slabs, it was risky traveling, at best.

The one part of their plan that I did find to my liking, with regard to going to Fird's tribe first, though, was the part that involved being free of Fird, or rather, the part where we leave him behind.

"I'm in agreement," I said, speaking loud enough for all to hear. "I think you have come up with a splendid idea. If Fird is correct, and his King Sheesa can see fit to re-supply us, I think it's an excellent idea."

Loté, startled awake by the sound of my voice, drew her knife while effortlessly rising to her feet. Quickly, I reassured her that everything was all right. After looking around and only seeing the others still sitting casually, she quickly relaxed, and returned her long-knife to its sheath over her hip. While she listened intently, I hurriedly explained the plan to her that Keazar and Jontue had arrived at. Much to my ire, she became particularly interested when I mentioned that we were going to continue on to Fird's tribe. Her enthusiastic response at the prospect of seeing King Sheesa again sparked a jealous nerve in me. With newfound insight, I took note of my jealousy, a trait that I wasn't even aware that I'd possessed until after meeting her.

"It's settled, then," bellowed Keazar emphatically. "We are off to visit the mighty King Sheesa!"

Gathering the necessary supplies for our journey from the cache in the floor, we set off down the tunnel. With Jontue and Fird walking abreast in the lead, the rest of us followed like a group of misfits, looking unkempt and exhausted. Thanks to the application of salve, my shoulder had stopped hurting altogether; already I could feel strength returning to it. We had plenty of water and rations with us to make it to Fird's tribe, plus extra salve that Loté stashed in a makeshift pouch, just in case the first application wore off. If we didn't run into any soldiers or suffer any more misfortunes, we had everything necessary to reach King Sheesa, with rations to spare. Spirits were high as we looked forward to the journey and our eventual return home.

As we moved silently through the tunnel, my thoughts turned back to the moments just before we had started out. Taking advantage of the light thrown off by the large torch, I took a moment to examine one of the long-knives that we'd taken from the dead soldiers. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that it was hammered out of an extremely hard, brittle iron. It was very unlike the softer, more malleable iron that was usually found in a custom-made weapon. Because of the hardness of the iron, it would hold an edge very well. Unfortunately, this hard quality also lent it to fracturing and breaking under stress.

As I studied it further, I was dismayed to find that, like all weapons of mass production, it didn't bear any trademarks to signify the name of the smithy, or the even the location of the pit that smelted the iron. It was just a disposable weapon, by subsurface standards, mass-produced for the armies of the Lords. Hefting it before returning it to its scabbard, which was also retrieved from a dead soldier, I was pleasantly surprised by its balance; whoever designed the weapons, though he remained nameless, was an artisan of the highest order. Although it wasn't what I was used to, or would have preferred, it did have a nice reach. That is, if one wanted to keep their opponent from getting too close.

Everyone else, except for Fird, was also wearing a newly acquired scabbard and long-knife. Even Jontue, seeing the extras among the supplies, had availed himself of one. Wary, not trusting in the high-carbon steel, wore one on each hip. Loté, wearing her jeweled knife on her favored side, also carried a long-knife in a sheath over her left hip.

Holding hands, we walked in silence, the conversation of earlier having died away until it was almost nonexistent. When we did speak, it was in hushed whispers. It wasn't that we didn't have anything to talk about, but rather, we never knew if we were going to run into the Lord's soldiers or scouting parties. If we did, and they heard us before we heard them, it could mean the difference between life and death; a fact with which we were all too familiar.

Out of curiosity, and to confirm my own suspicions, I did ask about using the well lit, and temperature controlled hallways with their endless supply caches. Despite it being common knowledge that the Lords would have them heavily patrolled, I questioned the possibility of hopping in and out of them. Although they didn't openly laugh at my question, they were quick to explain that the main hallways were loaded with security devices that could track both caravans and individuals. The Lords would have much too easy of a time tracking us in them. At least in these undeveloped tunnels, there weren't any monitoring devices; all searching had to be done on foot, which required using many soldiers. Additionally, if luck should fail us and we happened to run into soldiers, chances were that it would only be a small scouting party. Not to mention, if we succeeded in killing them all, there wouldn't be any alarm sent back to the Lords. The Lords wouldn't be any wiser of our location until their scouts failed to report in. By that time, we would be long gone from the area.

With ample supplies and easy going, there didn't seem any reason to hurry, at least not any more reason than just to stay ahead of the Lord's scouting parties. We were all looking forward to getting to our prospective homes, but the urgency to escape, seemed to have abandoned us for the time being. Filling in the void left by the lack of urgency, was a feeling of complacency. We all felt that we were on a journey. But unlike the hurrying hustle of eluding a vast and deadly enemy, this journey was much more reminiscent of the type of constant traveling that one did on the surface; it was little different from the steady journey westward. As surface dwellers, after all, we were mentally conditioned to a nomadic lifestyle, one that required us to be on the move constantly.

To our subsurface counterparts, traveling through tunnels was the norm. Fird had spent most of his young life on exploratory scouting missions for his tribe. Keazar, meanwhile, had traveled constantly, both as he played emissary, and while working as the salesman for his recycling business. To them, this trip had become nothing more than a homeward journey at the conclusion of an extended trip abroad.

So, you can understand what a relaxed attitude it was that we had acquired in the last few hours, believing that we were finally out of danger. It came as quite a surprise when the ground started shaking and the shock and rumble of heavy explosions rocked us. Small pebbles and rocks pelted down on us as the ceiling fractured apart and crumbled above our heads. It felt as if the entire planet was literally coming apart, raining all manner of hell down upon us!

Total pandemonium broke out as we lost sight of each other in a blinding cloud of dust. Rising above the deafening roar of breaking stones and smashing rocks, echoed a terrified scream. With the floor moving beneath my feet, I was suddenly pitched forward. As I lurched toward the floor, the ground rolled and shifted beneath us, suddenly slamming me broadside, and knocking the wind out of me. Afraid of losing Loté in the melee, I hung on to her hand with a grip that I knew was causing her pain. Though I didn't want to hurt her, I would be damned, if I would let her go. I was going to lose her again!

The ground was shaking so violently, rocks were being jarred loose from the walls, and it felt as though the tunnel was going to collapse in on itself at any moment, crushing us inside like inconsequential insects.

Lying flat on the ground beside Loté, I was still holding on to her hand when suddenly, we were flung sideways with bone crunching force. It actually felt as if we were stationary, while the ground moved rapidly sideways beneath us, slamming the wall against us, and not the other way around. Either way, it hit us hard. Luckily, for Loté, I was between her and the rough stone of the wall, my body absorbing most of the impact. Stunned, I weakly crawled on top of her, feebly using my body to shield her from the accumulation of falling rocks and scree.

Suddenly, just a few feet from us, there was a tremendous crashing sound, sending new shockwaves reverberating through the shifting stone floor. Even before the sound of the crash subsided, I could hear a low moaning sound. With a sinking feeling, I knew without having to see through the dust that someone in our party had been struck a serious blow.

As abruptly as the quake and chaos started, it ended, leaving the air thick with dust and the floor strewn with everything from large rocks to heavy gravel and debris. Everywhere I looked, I saw more rocks. It would be a miracle if they didn't block off the tunnel completely as they ranged in size from pebbles to four or more feet across; some were so massive, they literally stretched to opposing walls. Numbly, I realized that we were going to have to climb them, making the going much more arduous.

The ensuing silence was deafening. Except for a low moaning cry, and an occasional coughing fit brought on by all the dust in the air, it was deathly silent, almost too silent. Rolling off Loté, I quickly checked myself over for injuries. I was both surprised and elated that I had somehow avoided serious injury.

"That was close. Are you all right, Loté?" I asked, never suspecting that she wouldn't answer me.

Although she remained quiet, leaving my question unanswered, I wasn't overly concerned. After all, she had been safely tucked beneath me. If either of us would have suffered any injuries, it was only logical that it would have been me. When I was clear of her, she remained unmoving, her body too still.

"Loté! Are you all right?" I asked, feeling the first pangs of fear and panic starting to build within me.

Leaning over her, I put my ear to her mouth, listening for the telltale signs of breathing. Nothing! Putting my hand on her chest, I felt for a pulse. Again, nothing!

"Loté!" I cried out, not believing that she could be injured, or worse!

Someone lit the torch that had been snuffed out by all the falling rocks and dirt. In the light, I saw a growing, crimson stain on the ground beside Loté's head. With growing apprehension, I realized that the stain was blood. Something had struck her in the side of the head! But was she merely unconscious, or was she dead? Although I couldn't find a pulse, I refused to believe that she was dead. I couldn't accept it; she had to be alive!

Slowly, the others collected themselves and stood up. Wiping off the heavy dust, they moved toward me, their individual faces an ash-gray with white eyes peering out. For a moment, I saw them as the spirits that had come to collect my Loté!

I was in shock. How could this happen to my Loté? We had just found each other, and now, I was to lose her forever!

Keazar came over beside me and examined her limp form with a critical touch. All I could do was sit by and watch, unable to comprehend exactly what was going on. Though the rocks were no longer falling around us, the world continued to move around me. I grew dizzy and nauseous.

"I'm sorry, Rod," he said slowly, his voice filled with remorse and regret. "She's dead."

"No!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, anger already replacing my anguish. "It's not fair!"

"You need to get a hold of yourself, Rod," he said softly. "We have to get moving. This tunnel isn't safe; there are cracks and fissures running everywhere."

"How can I leave her here, when I don't even know where here?" I spit back at him, seething with anger.

Why were these tunnels so cruel to Loté and me? What had we ever done to make us deserving of this? Everything and everyone down here was cruel! Why couldn't the lords just let their fellow men live in peace? Why did they have to rule the less fortunate, using them for their own sordid pleasures? And why couldn't they just let us be?

My anger was quickly growing into rage, while my mind raced out of control. It was unreasonable and unjust to hate everything and everyone, simply because they lived beneath the planet's surface. Loté would have been the first to point out all the good down here. She wouldn't allow me to become angry like this. The first thing that she would do is point out all the good people that we've met since finding ourselves in the subsurface. She would also point out to me that there weren't just surface dwellers that were as unfortunate as we were, but people like Keazar, Fird, and now Jontue; all people that didn't have to share in our problems and concerns, but chose to do so out of a higher sense of good toward their fellow man.

Although I wanted to lash out, my better senses guided my anger away from my friends, especially Keazar. He was a friend that I felt I could lean on. In fact, I could lean on all of my friends here, even Fird.

Keazar, seeing the turmoil that I was suffering, consolingly said, "We may know the way to our destination, my friend, but you give us the guidance and the moral leadership that makes what we do righteous. Don't underestimate your importance to this group of misfits," In a more serious tone, he added, "If it wasn't for you, we might all be slaves to Lords Thar and Balzar, knowingly or otherwise."

Just then, as if to accent Keazar's last remark, a low rumble emanated from the ground, sending eerie vibrations up through our feet, and into the pits of our stomachs. When it subsided, I looked down at Loté's limp body, and then pleadingly up at Keazar. He knew what I was going to say even before the thought had fully formed in my own mind.

"You can save her."

"Yes, my friend, I can," he answered seriously. "But it will not be an easy task getting her body back to my lab. And then, once we're there, we have no guarantees that the lab will still be in functioning condition for recycling purposes. It is not my intention to discourage you, my friend, but only to prepare you for the worse possible scenario."

"If I must, I will carry her the entire way myself," I said angrily, my rage boiling just beneath the surface of my words. "And when we get there, if the equipment is broken, you will fix it!"

"Yes, my good friend, I will fix it," he said without enthusiasm. Then, as he continued, I was to understand why he lacked any enthusiasm. "As for Loté, it would be much easier on us, especially you, if you would just allow me to section off a piece of her flesh. Even if we take turns carrying her entire body, she will be awkward and heavy, easily tiring out the stoutest of us. As hard as this is to accept, you must understand that it is much more practical to simply take a small piece of her. It is only necessary to take a pound of her flesh for recycling. If you want, I can wait while you distance yourself before extracting it, and then wrap it up in a pack so that you don't have to see it."

"What the Hell are you suggesting?" I asked incredulously of him, not sure that I was hearing him correctly.

Jontue, understanding that Keazar was a friend of mine, moved himself closer while offering to explain. Using a more analytical approach, he said, "You, see, Rod, what Keazar is trying to tell you, is that it is not practical for us to carry all of Loté's body when we need only a fragment of it. A pound of her flesh is more than sufficient to bring her back, body and soul. If you're concerned that Lord Balzar might find her remains, and recycle them for his own selfish purposes, we can cremate the remainder of her body before we leave. Without a complete DNA ribbon, there is nothing to recycle."

"No!" I whispered between clenched teeth, not willing to listen to any more of their reasoning or logic. Just the thought of cutting her, tied my stomach in knots and made me want to vomit. "No! I will return her body to your labs intact, or I will die trying. That is the end of this discussion!"

Consolingly, Keazar quickly changed his position on the matter. "I am sorry, my friend. It was inconsiderate of me to forget the attachment that surface dwellers have for their material life forms. Please forgive me for being so callous. It would be my honor and privilege if you would allow me to take a turn carrying her."

Jontue, sensing the change, quickly agreed with his friend Keazar. "We will all take turns carrying her, it is the least that we can do for a friend."

"Wary," I said with authority, feeling renewed hope and optimism. If the others were willing to help, then I would let them. But Loté was ultimately my responsibility. She came first. If I had to, I was still determined to carry her single-handedly to Keazar's labs. Yet, I wouldn't shy away from a fight if any of the lord's people got in our way. "Check everyone for injuries and give me a report on the current status of our supply situation."

"Yes, Rod," he answered smartly, before turning away to begin his check on each of the others.

"Keazar, I want you to lead. Jontue, if you don't mind, you'll bring up the rear," I ordered briskly, a growing urgency within me. The most important thing was to be moving and doing something, something that could save Loté.

"Fird, you are welcome to accompany us for as far as you care to, and we will be honored to have you along. However, we will understand if you leave us when we are no longer heading along the same paths," I said matter-of-factly.

"I thought we were heading to King Sheesa's tribal cavern, and my home?" he asked, perplexed. "I don't understand why that should change."

"It's changing because we are going to take the most direct route possible to Keazar's labs! We're going to get out of these damn tunnels and back into the hallways," I fired back. "We can't take the time to visit King Sheesa, or to restock supplies, thanks to his generosity. Right now, it is imperative that we get to Keazar's lab in the least amount of time! Like I said, you are welcome to come along, but there will be no more discussing the route. The supplies that we have will have to be enough until we reach the hallways."

"Rod."

"Yes, Wary."

"Other than some minor bumps and bruises, no one else has suffered any serious injuries," he formally replied.

"And our supply situation?"

"Three days' worth; four on the outside, if we start rationing immediately."

"We won't need but two, maybe three day's worth of supplies at the most," broke in Keazar. "Furthermore, if you're serious about using the most direct route, we'll be in the hallways, as you prefer to call them, where supplies are never more than a few hours away."

"I'm dead serious!" I said hotly, before thinking better of my tone. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be short with anyone. Please, if you can find it in your hearts to forgive my behavior."

"We don't blame you for being upset," piped up Brae. "We're all troubled because of what's happened to Loté."

"Don't worry, Rod," added Wary. "We'll get her to Keazar's lab."

"Thank you. All of you," I said humbly, looking from one to the next. "Let's get a move on it, then, shall we. Time isn't on our side today."

Picking Loté up in my arms, I fell in behind Keazar. It was suddenly important to me to keep an eye on him, assuring that nothing bad happened to him. Even as I considered it, the idea sounded overly anxious. Nothing was going to happen to any of us, especially Keazar. To even think along those lines, was to admit that I was letting paranoia cloud my better judgment.

My arm was a dull throb, but the medication seemed to have restored the strength in it. Although I realized that I couldn't possibly carry Loté all the way to Keazar's lab without assistance, I was equally determined that I would die before I would leave her behind, or any part of her!

The pace was grueling, yet I continued urging Keazar to move faster. We stopped only once before reaching the lighted hallways, and then just to catch our breath and replenish the fluids in our bodies before resuming the pace. We were all near the point of exhaustion, but no one complained or lagged behind. During the brief rest that we took, I asked Keazar what might have caused the quake.

"It would only be speculation, my friend, but I believe that it had to be one of two things," he started. "The first and most likely cause that comes to mind is the tremendous stresses that are constantly at work within our lovely planet. These stresses can cause massive shifts beneath the planet's crust, totally realigning whole sections of stone plates many miles across. Generally, this is expected to happen only nearer to the surface that is currently facing the sun. You see, my friend, the sun not only heats the surface, transforming it into a volatile liquid, it also exerts tremendous gravitational pull."

He paused for a moment to catch his breath. While he did, I considered suggesting to him to wait on answering my questions until we reached his lab; he was very short of breath, and it wasn't fair of me to steal it with inconsequential conversation. However, he seemed appreciative of the opportunity to discuss something that he found extremely interesting, so I decided to let him continue. There was always the possibility that he would drop a pearl of wisdom that might mean the difference between life and death for us.

"Of course, my friend, that is the less plausible theory. The more obvious one that I've been considering, and the most deadly, I'm afraid, is that one of the many power plants under Lord Balzar's supervision has malfunctioned. I say this is the more deadly theory, because we rely on the reactors to power the great refrigeration system that runs through the same arterials as the main hallways. Furthermore, such an explosion would be indicative of a major melt down. In which case, we will know soon enough, once we reach the main hallways. If they're warm, my friend, then I'm afraid my second theory would seem to be correct."

"If it is a reactor failure," I ask hesitantly, fearful of the answer. "How will that affect our chances at recycling Loté?"

My question seemed to catch him off guard, but I knew by the expression on his face, even before he opened his mouth, I wasn't going to like what he said. Speaking solemnly, he replied, "I'm sorry, my friend, but I can't answer that until we reach my lab. It may not affect them at all," he hesitated before continuing. "But then again, the reactor that supplies the labs may have been the one to fail. Or, they may be diverting power away from my labs in order to keep the refrigeration unit going, in which case, we won't have enough power to recycle bugs!"

"Is it really that important to keep the refrigeration unit running?" I asked.

"If the refrigeration unit fails, the tunnels will quickly become escape vents for steam, burning and cooking any and all living things that are caught within them. If we're still in them when that happens, we'll literally be vaporized!"

"In other words," I said, an idea suddenly coming to me. "Whoever controls the refrigeration unit controls the planet!"

"Precisely, my very intelligent friend," he replied, speaking as if talking to a child that just now understood the relevance of its assignment. "Now, maybe, you understand why the Lords have so much power over the rest of this planet's poor inhabitants. They are, after all, the only ones that know how to keep the reactors running, and only their predecessor will ever be taught the secrets."

"I could keep the units running," I suddenly lied. "I understand the basics of compressing gases and drawing the heat out of the surrounding air. My rescue craft had a portable refrigeration unit in it that I had to maintain in order to survive the heat of the skies."

Although I didn't feel good about lying to my friends this way, I felt that it was crucial that I set the groundwork for a much more elaborate plan. The time was going to come when I might need to call on them to help me depose of one or all of the Lords. If there was any doubt about who would maintain the units when the Lords were gone, I wanted them to believe that I could. If it came to actually having to work on one, or I was confronted with having to repair one, I would cross that bridge when I came to it. After all, it couldn't be that difficult, not if Lord Balzar was capable of it. Wary, however, was experienced with our rescue craft, he realized that I was bluffing and why.

"Why would you be interested in repairing the unit anyway?" Keazar asked, a sly grin taking shape at the corners of his mouth. "If the shallow plates in this section of the planet have shifted, we might all die anyway. We might follow this tunnel for miles, only to come to a dead end. If it has separated from its conjoining hallways and tunnels, we might never find a way out of it!" He paused to take a drink from the flagon before continuing. "Even if it turns out to be a failed reactor, it will only be a matter of time before others fail from the extra strain and burden of trying to carry the load. If we don't get out of these tunnels, sooner or later, we're all going to die, my friend."

"If it is a shifting of subterranean faults, couldn't it take a thousand years or more before these tunnels become uninhabitable? That is, if we aren't separated from the rest of the planet," I asked.

"Yes, my friend, but what is a thousand years to a person that has an entire eternity with which to look forward to living? I'm sorry, Rod, but until you have lived for a thousand years, and have the prospect of living for many thousands more, you will not understand." He hesitated only a second before saying, "I will explain it to you anyway. You see, my friend, when you have an eternity in front of you, a thousand years becomes nothing more than the blink of an eye." His voice belied the sadness that he felt, as he added, "Is that the legacy you want to leave for future generations, that they are here for just a fixed span of time? Well I'm sorry, my friend, but eventually that final day comes, and with it, much sorrow and regret."

"Then we have to take it one step and one day at a time, Keazar. First, we must get Loté's body to your lab. Then, if it is indeed a reactor, we will find it and fix it, if Balzar doesn't beat us to it. If the problem lies with the shifting of ground plates, then we will find our way from the lab to the surface, and go from there. But only after we have recycled Loté, and not before!" I said, picking her limp body up and juggling it into a comfortable position across my arms.

With each drop of my foot, I felt that I was one step closer to getting my beloved Loté back. Even though I was carrying her body in my arms, I didn't feel as if she was really with me. Only after the recycling machines have finished with her, and have returned her life and spirit to her body, will I feel that she is truly back with us.

Keazar, stopping suddenly, looked around on the floor, and then turned his attention more closely to the wall. Fird, also experienced at finding concealed passages, joined in the search by applying the palms of his hands to the walls. Like Keazar, Fird also concentrated on the section of wall nearest to the floor. Confused by their actions, since I couldn't see any visible differences between the places where they were studying, and any other that we had passed since first entering the undeveloped passages, I turned toward Jontue. Knowingly, he was standing back, staying out of their way.

"Why is it that they keep studying the floor while feeling the wall?" I quietly asked of him.

"They are looking for signs of dust that might have been tracked into the tunnel from the hallway," he replied softly, not wanting to disturb their efforts. "By locating the exact place where other people have gone through, they can find the inex receptacle and open the doorway so that we can pass back into the main hallways, my friend."

Slowly, running the palm of his hand over the rough stone, Keazar suddenly froze in place. Then, excitedly, he cried out, "Here it is!"

"Are you sure?" I asked, as I got down next to him and felt the same area as he with my own hand. Try as I might, I couldn't detect any differences in the temperature of the tunnel's wall.

"This, my friends, is where we enter the main passageways," he replied, a note of reserve coming into his voice. "We must be careful, since I can't even begin to speculate on what we will find on the other side."

"Why should we find anything different from what we saw the last time that we were in the main hallways?" I asked, suddenly feeling as though I was out of the loop.

Just as Keazar was about to speak, the walls started shaking, followed by a tremendous, rumbling sound. It was starting again, growing louder and louder with each passing moment. Although the sound seemed to emanate from nowhere and yet everywhere, there was no mistaking that it was moving rapidly toward us.

With a deafening roar, and immense pressure against our eardrums, a heavy wall of dust came rolling down the tunnel. As it flowed heavily over us, we were instantly covered in a smothering layer of dull gray. As the deafening pressure relented, the floor began reverberating, and the walls started crumbling around us, breaking apart in huge chunks that crashed to the ground, sending smaller showers of chips and debris flying everywhere. Although we were fortunate enough for the time being not to be struck by a large boulder, we were still being pelted by tiny bits of flying rock. It felt as if we were being stung by swarms of insects, but the bites were penetrating our skin, creating many little rivulets of blood. With the first semblance of panic closing in, I knew that it was only a matter of seconds before we were buried alive, or crushed to death beneath the collapsing tunnel.

Holding Loté's body tightly in my arms, while struggling to stay on my feet, I yelled at Keazar, "Open the door, now!"

Although I wasn't sure whether he heard me, or if he was acting of his own volition, he immediately started punching wildly against the wall. For all our sakes, I prayed it was the correct spot to be the key to the door.

The others, recognizing his intentions, hurriedly closed in on what they hoped was going to be an open doorway, and our means of escaping this tunnel. Crowding into the area surrounding Keazar and Fird, everyone started hammering at the wall with their fists, madly hoping to jar the door into motion. Briefly, I debated setting Loté's body down and joining in with the others. However, I quickly decided that there were plenty of hands already on the wall; one more pair wasn't going to make enough of a difference.

Suddenly, a deafening roar accompanied with a rush of dusty wind came charging down the tunnel, overtaking our position. Spinning around to face the oncoming peril, my heart leaped into my throat! Breaking loose from the ceiling and coming straight toward us was an avalanche of solid rock! There was no place to hide, and nowhere to run. As it came, it literally filled the tunnel with boulders and rubble, and it was bearing down on us with frightening speed.

Turning to warn the others, the door suddenly slid open, revealing a hallway that should have been brightly lit. But instead, only glowed in a dull gray.

Yet, it was sanctuary!

Caught off balance by the unexpected opening, several of the nearer people fell through to the hallway, landing on the floor in a heap. Those directly behind them, scrambled through, climbing over those already on the floor. Everyone that is, except Fird. Instead of fleeing through the opening and the safety beyond, he hesitated, aware that he wasn't the last one through. Stopping, he turned back to see if he could help. His eyes flew open as he saw the source of the tremendous noise bearing down on us. In that briefest of moments when his eyes were wide open, I saw beyond the youth and the adolescent behavior, and even the petty jealousy. Looking deep into those crystal clear eyes, I saw a brave young man. Even more than that, I saw a wildness, an excitement beyond imagine. What I didn't see was any fear.

Without thinking of his own safety, he started back toward Loté and me, into the mouth of the roaring monster that was bearing down on us. Frantically, I clambered forward, trying desperately to pass Loté's inert form to him, hoping he would get her out of the tunnel before it was too late.

However, instead of grabbing Loté's body, he ran past me, totally ignoring my efforts to push her toward him, and the questionable safety of the hallway beyond.

Once past me, he spun on his heels, grabbing me from behind. Without explaining his motives, he literally picked me and hurled me forward. Still holding Loté in my arms, I fought to maintain my footing over the shifting debris while Fird hoisted and heaved from behind. Yet, I could hear the sound of our death quickly closing the gap, I could see myself falling short of the opening, and I could see tons of rubble and scree burying all three of us.

Then, as if he had read my mind, I felt another surge from behind, lifting me off my feet with almost inhuman strength. Feeling his hands grasping my buttocks, I was suddenly pitched upward and forward, my momentum carrying me through the opening and into the hallway.

Landing hard on the smooth white floor, I instantly rolled to the right, holding Loté's body tightly against my own. Rolling clear of the opening, so as not to impede Fird's escape, it was with a mixture of shock and dismay that I realized he was no longer behind me. Instead, loose rocks, debris, and massive amounts of dust were pouring through the opening, threatening to block the hallway and separate the party into two groups.

Keazar, the first to regain his feet and take stock of the situation, reached the concealed controls, forcing the door to close. The thunderous sound of falling debris, and the total collapse of the tunnel, was replaced by the screeching sound of metal scraping against rock.

Watching in horror, I realized that Fird was still in the tunnel, and that he wasn't going to make it! In his effort to help me, and his effort was just that, to help me, for he could have easily taken Loté's body and left me behind, he had made the ultimate sacrifice. He was so close behind me, how could he not have come through? The only explanation that made any sense was that he was struck by a falling rock, either knocking him unconscious or killing him outright. With that thought, I suddenly worried that he might be buried alive, and struggling futilely just beyond the door. If we opened it, would we find him? Or would we just let an avalanche of stone and debris into the hallway, possibly even causing the hallway to collapse and bury us?

It was to believe that he could have saved Loté's body for recycling, while leaving me to die, but had instead given his life in exchange for mine! In death, he had accomplished what he couldn't in life; he made me feel like a real jerk! By dying as a hero, he had effectively left me to bear the guilt of all the terrible thoughts that I'd been harboring toward him; it was too late to take them back now.

Although I am confident that I will learn how to live with the guilt, I can only hope that Loté will come to understand why I couldn't leave her behind, and why Fird died because of that.

Setting her body down against the wall, I looked around at the rest of the group. Although everyone was covered with a heavy layer of dull gray stone dust, no one appeared to be seriously injured; we'd been very fortunate.

Though the tremors had subsided, the dust was still settling around us, when I noticed the temperature for the first time; the air wasn't as cool as I remembered it being. Also, except for an occasional flicker, the lights were a dull off-white, adding a sickening pallor to everything and everyone. Wary was on his feet and helping Brae up. Keazar, having leaned against the wall to catch his breath, bent over and helped Linit to her feet. Jontue was already moving down the hallway in search of a supply closet. Silently, amidst much coughing and hacking, I wished him luck, as I was sure that everyone else needed something to wash down the dust as much as I did.

"Keazar," I croaked. "Did you see Fird?"

"I'm sorry, Rod, I couldn't wait. I had to close the door. If I hadn't closed it when I did, the entire hallway might have collapsed! You understand, don't you? I couldn't wait!" he cried, tears forming little rivulets through the dust caked on his face.

"It's okay, my friend," I said consolingly. "No one is going to blame you for saving the rest of our lives. He knew the danger when he came back to help me. If anyone is to blame, it should be me."

Hesitating a moment to collect my thoughts, I reached down within myself, looking for the strength to continue. "If you don't blame yourself, I promise you, none of us will either. Let's just remember that he was a hero."

"Yes, he was a hero," chimed Wary, affirming that we needed to put it behind us and move on.

"So Keazar, now that we're here in the hallways again, what can you tell us about the situation? Even I can tell that the air conditioning isn't working to full capacity," I dully added.

"It would appear that at least some of the reactors are functioning. If they weren't, the lights would not even exhibit that faint, dull glow. But you are right, they are not at full capacity," he replied, while gently wiping the dust off Linit's face.

"Are you saying then that it's a viable possibility that at least one and possibly more, have failed?" I asked.

"Not only would I be willing to say that, but it would be my further assumption that maybe more than one has already failed," he gravely conceded. "It is probable that only one reactor failed originally. However, because power demand wasn't rerouted in time, a second reactor was drawn in and overloaded. That would seem to explain the reduced lighting and cooling, plus account for the multiple quakes. Of course, it is just as possible that a quake was originally responsible for the reactor failure. Until we get to my lab, I won't know for sure."

Jontue, having returned with several flagons of water, silently listened in on our conversation while he studied the lights. Having made his mental calculations, he added, "Despite the cause of the situation, if we can reach Keazar's lab, I feel confident that I can divert enough of this residual power to recycle at least Loté." He hesitated for a moment before adding, "But as Keazar already understands, and has failed to inform you of, the more tissue of hers that we can salvage, the quicker the process will be, and less time equates to less power."

"He is absolutely correct, my friends," concurred Keazar. "It wasn't my intention to withhold any pertinent information from you, but it seemed irrelevant to explain the finer details of the recycling process, especially since you'd already made it clear that you were intent on bringing Loté's body back intact."

"No one is questioning your motives, Keazar. We believe you have only our best interests at heart," I said sincerely, cutting off any further discussion regarding loyalties. "There is another question that's been bothering me, though."

Keazar and Jontue both turned to look at me, equally eager to be of help.

"Please, all you have to do is ask, my friend," said Keazar quickly.

"If it was a reactor failure, what are the chances that it did damage on the surface of the planet?"

Jontue was the first to answer. "There is very little chance that the failure even happened on the cool side of the planet. For us to have felt it with such intensity, it had to have taken place somewhere near here, and we are currently in the quadrant nearest to the sun."

"Are you sure?" I pressed. "I don't mean to sound as if I am questioning your knowledge, but the answer is important to me."

"He is correct, my friend," confirmed Keazar with no trace of doubt in his voice.

"Then, if I may suggest it without sounding callous, let us say a quick eulogy in honor of our fallen friend so that we may be on our way."

Afraid that I might say the wrong things, I conceded the honor to Wary, whom I felt had made a more personable connection with Fird. Because he'd saved my life, I would look much more selfish and uncaring if even a small part of the way that I'd originally felt toward him came out. Aside from whispering a silent thank you to his spirit, I listened quietly to Wary.

When he finished, I asked Keazar to lead us. With Loté draped across my arms, we solemnly started our journey toward Keazar's lab, and Loté's re-embodiment. While we moved silently along, my thoughts strayed to the reactor failure, and Keazar's reassurance that we were on the warm side of the planet. If they were correct, the reactor failure would be little more than a burp, an exploding gas bubble that would quickly be consumed by the immense heat. However, if they weren't, the effects could be catastrophic, especially with regard to human life.

Nevertheless, I couldn't worry over the consequences or the devastation that such an event would unleash on mankind; it was easier to believe that Keazar knew of what he was speaking. I steeled myself to believe that the catastrophe had taken place on the hot side of the planet, and refused to worry that it hadn't. As harsh as it seemed, we had our own plight to deal with before worrying about others and their problems.

### **16**

Carrying Loté's limp and lifeless body in my arms, I stayed close behind Keazar as we hurried through a multitude of passageways. We hadn't gone very far, when he slowed to a walk, and then finally, a complete stop. After another moment, a door slid open. Even before the opening was wide enough to allow Keazar, Wary pushed past him and ran through, heading straight for the water flagons. He had barely entered the supply closet, when the door suddenly stopped dead; it was jammed solid. But we were too desperate for water to give it much concern as Wary started handing flagons out through the narrow opening.

After carefully placing Loté's body on the floor, I accepted one of the proffered flagons of water from him. When we finished drinking our fill, he handed out the supplies that we deemed necessary. As we each took what was allotted, or what was specifically requested according to personal taste or need, we moved off to be with our own thoughts. Because of the loss of Fird, the group had grown solemn and subdued. In fact, the mood of the group was downright depressing, and despite carrying the deceased corpse of the woman that I loved, I didn't like it.

What bothered me even more, though, than even their despondency, was their total disregard for our safety. In their current frame of mind, they were leaving us vulnerable to attack from the Lord's soldiers. Although I both understood and related to their currently depressed state of mind, we weren't in a situation that was very forgiving of carelessness. We'd been through a lot together, and we would find a way to get through this, too. Nevertheless, their collectively miserable attitude wasn't doing anyone any good. Everyone needs time to grieve, including me. But time is a luxury that we can ill afford to waste just now. We need to pull ourselves together and move forward. Not just for our sakes, but for Loté's also.

With my share of supplies slung over my shoulder, I lifted Loté's body from its resting place and followed Jontue. He went a short distance down the hallway before plopping down tiredly beside Linit and Keazar. After gently setting Loté's body against the passage wall, I placed myself on the floor within speaking distance of them. Although they considered Loté their friend, I considerately assumed that her presence would make them uncomfortable. If they had their druthers, they would much prefer that I allow Keazar or Jontue to remove a pound of her flesh, and wrap it up so that it would be out of their sight.

By the time that I joined them, they were already busy discussing the different possible causes for the quakes.

"It's very possible, my dear man," Keazar was saying to Jontue. "That the first quake was in all probability, the result of a reactor failure. It's even more probable that the second quake was the result of a second reactor failure, simply because no one was at the controls to shift the power demands to the reactors that still had power to spare."

"Yes, yes, that is very possibly at the heart of the matter," responded Jontue. "But isn't it also possible that there wasn't anyone at the controls, because of the massive manhunt that has been mounted to find your friends, here? We are both aware Lord Balzar's single-mindedness. It would be just like him to enlist every last one of his subjects into this search, including the men in charge of monitoring the power grid."

"Yes, yes, it would be just like him. But now, because of their haste and selfishness, they will be much too busy dealing with the ensuing chaos and destruction to waste anymore time hunting for escaped slaves. Don't you agree?" Keazar asked of Jontue, looking for confirmation.

I found myself mentally concurring with Keazar; considering the recent chain of events, it was very unlikely that we would run into any more soldiers. Before Jontue had a chance to respond to Keazar, I broke into their conversation, directing my comments toward Keazar in particular. "Then I suggest that we stay with my original plan, and continue in the most direct and shortest route possible to your lab. If the lord's soldiers are indeed busy dealing with all of the destruction that Balzar's over exuberance has caused, then they won't have the time or manpower to continue searching for us. But even if they are still searching for us, their search will be drastically hampered by everything that has happened. We need to throw caution to the wind and make a run for it!"

"I agree, Keazar," Jontue concurred. "We need to take advantage of the situation. The sooner that we can get back to the lab, the better will be our chances of taking advantage of the confusion that must be reigning over Lord Balzar's technicians, and reroute sufficient power. You mustn't forget that I know a thing or two about diverting power, if you know what I mean! As long as there's a reactor up and running somewhere in this planet, I'll find a way to get that energy to the lab. We'll be able to recycle, even if it is on a limited scale!"

"Then we must be on our way now!" I urgently suggested.

We were wasting time, sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves. Whether it was the beginning of the end, or a nuclear meltdown of catastrophic proportions, it was still a beginning for us. And like all beginnings, it must start with a first step. Later, after we learn the details of the situation, we can make our plans accordingly. No matter what happens now, there isn't anything we can do about it! Our course in destiny had already been cast; it was only ours to accept.

We still had Loté to save!

With that thought in mind, I picked up her lifeless body, and draped her across my forearms. We had a long journey ahead of us, and since I was unable to carry my fair share of the supplies in addition to her dead weight, I was determined that the others wouldn't have to worry about us. They had their own burdens to bear; namely, my share of the supplies!

While we were talking, the others were busy coming up with makeshift ways of carrying the necessary supplies that we would need. After everyone finished packing as much as could possibly be carried between them, we set off, Jontue taking the lead. Wary brought up the rear with the women between him and me. Keazar fell in behind Jontue, so they could converse more easily, since they would be constantly discussing the route ahead of them. This was in total agreement with me, as I still felt that it was important to keep a close eye on Keazar. Even though I knew that Jontue was more than capable of recycling Loté, should something happen to Keazar, I still held more faith in Keazar's abilities. Plus, from my position directly behind the two of them, I had the added bonus of being able to eavesdrop.

We had barely set out, when we were suddenly buffeted by a harrowing tailwind. With it, came a faint, acrid smell, very reminiscent of the burning air that I'd experienced on my descent to the planet's interior, such a long time ago. The temperature rose appreciably with the rising wind, drying our increasing perspiration faster than it could cool us. In addition to drying our skin, it burnt the tender tissues in our nasal passages, forcing us to breathe through our mouths.

This in turn inflamed our throats and lung tissues, making it even more difficult to breathe the overheated, acrid air. We were literally being burnt alive. Was this what Keazar meant when he said the tunnels and hallways would become insufferable hot air vents, allowing the planet's pent-up internal gasses to escape to the surface?

"What's going on now?" I yelled hoarsely over the wind, trying to make myself heard.

"If I was to venture a guess, I would have to say the quakes have broken the refrigeration conduits that run just on the other side of these walls," he answered with difficulty.

Not only was it becoming harder to vocalize words, it was also becoming a painful task.

Jontue, yelling loudly to be heard, added, "The conduits must be leaking into the passages, adding their gasses to the heated air. As the cooled passages warm up, the air within them is expanding, creating the strong winds that we're experiencing."

"Is there anything we can do before it burns our skin off?" I asked worriedly, fighting back a growing fear that stemmed from remembering how I'd been burned by similar gasses once before.

Jontue, his voice little more than a hoarse whisper over the howling wind, croaked, "There should be a branch just a little farther up ahead. Hopefully, we can reach it in time. When we get there, if we're lucky, it won't be contaminated like this one."

There wasn't any need to answer him, and it would only hurt like hell to try. We struggled forward, our skin drying and chaffing faster than our bodies could absorb the water that we caught in swallows while keeping up with the others, futilely trying to maintain enough body fluids to stave off dehydration. Wary had taken a piece of bandage and tied it over Brae's face. Between swallows from the flagon, he doused the material, forcing her to breathe through the cloth. However, as quickly as he soaked it, the material dried.

In addition to dehydration, we were also in danger of hypoxia, due to the refrigerant gasses in the air restricting our blood's ability to absorb oxygen. The cloth Wary placed over Brae's face would not prevent hypoxia. The danger was equally serious to that of dehydration, if not more so. With dehydration, we were aware of its symptoms. With hypoxia, we wouldn't know that we were suffering from it until it was too late; it could literally sneak up on us, killing us without warning! The main symptom of hypoxia was an unassuming sleepiness. We couldn't afford to stop, not until we reached the branch leading off this one!

The acrid air was also burning our eyes, making them water excessively, and further blurring our vision. In a moment of panic, I worried that Jontue, experiencing the same symptoms, would miss our branch. In my moment of weakness, I wondered if it was possible that he already had, and that we were doomed to follow him blindly down this hallway, not stopping until we were overcome by the tortuous elements.

Try as I might, I couldn't put the fear out of my mind. Though I was able to rationalize it, and see it for the silly thought that it was, it didn't make it any easier to deal with. Finally, I couldn't take it any longer. Instead of dissipating, the fear and irrationality were growing, driving me insane with worry. Until I resolved this dilemma, I couldn't continue. It had become all too possible that each step that I took was taking us farther away from our goal, and farther from sanctuary.

It suddenly became imperative that I confront Jontue before we went any farther, and put my fears to rest. In a voice that barely sounded human, I cried out, "Jontue!"

Responding with scarcely more than a hoarse whisper, his voice quickly swept away in the wind, he cried, "We're almost there! Hang on just a little longer."

To say that I was relieved would have been an understatement. Even if he missed the branch, but believed that he hadn't, it didn't matter. Just knowing that he believed that we were almost there was good enough to put my worries to rest.

The others, having heard Jontue and understanding his words, breathed their own collective sigh of relief, their renewed optimism being carried forward and past me by the scorching air.

"There it is!" Jontue suddenly cried out, his excitement and relief unmistakable, despite his parched and strained vocal cords. "Quick, I will open the door. When everyone is through, I will close it behind us."

With everyone gathered outside the doorway, he pressed his inex card against the reader, engaging the automatic opener. In unison, we lurched forward; we had instinctively taken it for granted that the door would open, and in our distressed state, realized too late that it hadn't. Furthermore, we had determined in our minds that whatever lay on the other side, couldn't be as bad as what we were experiencing on this side.

However, to our mortification, nothing happened.

Jontue, turning back to the reader, pressed his inex against it while hammering with his fist. Again, nothing happened. Frustrated, he slammed it several times with his fist, before Keazar restrained him. When he turned and faced us, he looked like a different man, a broken man. His features had fallen with his spirit, leaving only a shell of the former person. He looked completely beaten.

Simultaneously, we looked to Keazar for answers. Turning away from our despairing stares, he applied his own inex card to the mechanism, also to no avail.

"It is either broken, or the door has been sealed off to prevent the gases from contaminating additional passageways," he said, also sounding defeated, with all traces of hope gone from his raspy voice.

Putting Loté's limp body down on the floor next to the spot where we should have gone through, I straightened up and drew my long knife from its scabbard. Wary, stepping up beside me did likewise.

"No! You cannot do that, my friends!" cried Keazar. "If you do, we'll have no way to seal it after we go through!"

"Then we will just have to be careful not to damage it too badly," I stated flatly, more for Wary's benefit than Keazar's concern. "If we don't get out of this passageway now, we are as good as dead, and I don't see anyone coming along to recycle us."

After a quick glance at Wary to be certain that he understood my meaning, I started scraping my blade along the surface of the wall, searching for a crack that I could use for leverage. Just when I thought that I had gone too far to the side, I heard and felt a distinct 'clink', the sound of the blade skipping over a defect in the wall. Exhaling sharply, I was almost unable to contain my excitement. Barely visible to the naked eye was a minute fracture running vertical to the floor. Backing the blade up until I heard the 'clink' sound again, I placed the honed edge of the blade hard against it. Then, after repeatedly rocking the edge along the length of it, all the while my anxiety level continuing to rise, I slowly forced it into the crack.

Wary, seeing the burgeoning crack, placed his own blade immediately beneath mine, and started doing likewise. Within a matter of minutes that seemed to crawl like hours, we had created an opening just large enough to insert another blade in. With a third blade placed between ours, we applied sideways pressure, using them in unison as a pry bar.

With a loud snap, the brittle metal of the third blade broke. However, before it did, it opened the crack a fraction of an inch! The opening was just large enough for Wary and me to slip our fingers in and get a handhold. Together, our muscles straining and bulging, we pulled and pushed until slowly, the door started moving.

Although our progress was slow, since we had to fight the resistance of the non-functioning motors, we finally created an opening large enough for Keazar and Jontue. At my insistence, Keazar went through first. Behind him came the women, followed by Jontue. After handing Loté's body through to Keazar's waiting hands, I helped Wary with the supplies, passing through only the necessities. Seeing Wary turn back to retrieve several items that had fallen out of a pack, I yelled at him to forget them, urging him instead to jump through the opening. Giving him a hand, followed by a gentle push on the back, I quickly hurried through after him.

Once through, we turned our attention back to the door. After much grunting and groaning, we managed to successfully push it back into place. Keazar, standing impatiently with Jontue, quickly rushed up to it, feeling along the edge of the seal with his hands. When he turned back to us, the smile on his face spoke volumes.

With the door closed and the hot, acrid air held at bay, it was time to tend to our immediate needs. With overwhelming relief, we fell to the floor, breathing deeply of the slightly cooler and extremely fresher air.

Brae, having removed the material from her face, was thinking ahead. While everyone had slumped to the floor, she had begun a search through the jumbled heap of supplies, looking frantically for the spare salve. Linit, watching her search in vain, moved over and started going through the packs a second time. By now, everyone was watching with a keen interest, each debating if he or she should lend a hand in the search, or stay out of the way. Just when they were about to give up, and concede that the salve had been left behind in the hall, Brae let out a small whoop of joy. Looking through a loosely tied bag for the second time, she came across the leather pouch containing the anointing salve.

"I don't know how I missed it," she said, fighting back tears of joy. After squeezing out a sufficient amount in the palm of her hand for both her and Wary, she handed the pouch to Linit, saying, "Here, you pass it out. I don't think I have the strength, anymore."

Taking the salve from Brae, Linit distributed the rest out evenly between us, giving me an extra generous amount so that I could also treat Loté's corpse. Within minutes, we had rubbed the elixir cream over our more severely burned patches of skin, enlisting the aid of each other for the hard to reach places. As with my earlier experience regarding the salve, it wasn't long before we were all feeling much better. Our elixir treatment was followed by a quickly thrown-together meal of dried fruit and more water, after which we all laid down and took a quick nap. Although no one actually slept, the rest was desperately needed.

Except for an occasional murmur or a whisper between lovers, we were all resting quietly, deep in our individual thoughts, when suddenly, we were brought crashing back to reality by the sound of running feet! Someone was coming our way!

Jumping to our feet, we simultaneously drew our weapons. There wasn't any need for words; we all knew what was expected of us. Crouching forward, Wary took the point. With Brae standing on his left, and slightly behind him, I took up the wing position to his right, placing myself abreast of her. This formation gave Wary room to maneuver without fear of striking one of us by accident. In addition, it gave him the psychological advantage of knowing that in order to reach Brae they would have to get past him.

Keazar, Jontue, and Linit took up positions directly behind Brae and me. By positioning ourselves in this manner, it was possible for the enemy to see our numbers; this was more for psychological effect on the enemy, than for practicality or effectiveness. If the enemy succeeded in getting past Brae and me, then our position had been overrun, and that meant that we'd lost the battle.

The sound of advancing footsteps suddenly grew fainter as the runner slowed to a walk. Straining intently, I could still discern a slow, more cautious advance. While one part of my mind was attuned to the slightest sound, another part was racing with the possibilities of whom it might be that was approaching. Almost anything was possible. There was only one thing that I was currently sure of, it was only one person. Of course, that didn't preclude the possibility that the approaching person was a scout, possibly leading a large contingent of soldiers that weren't far behind. Or, and this thought made the most sense to me, it was a soldier that had been sent to investigate the sudden draft that would have blown through the passageway while the door was open? Because of a slight bend in the passage, the runner would be visible to us when he was still fifty-feet away; giving us ample time to respond to whatever situation presented itself.

One thing that worried me, though, was why the runner slowed when he did. Was it possible that he knew we were just ahead? Or was he being cautious at all the blind turns in the tunnel? Logic dictated that if he knew of or suspected our presence, he would retreat, possibly getting reinforcements before continuing. Unless, of course, it turned out that it wasn't a soldier approaching at all; it might be a lone refugee searching for help.

The lights in this hallway weren't any different from the one that we had just left behind. However, our eyes had adjusted to it, just as surely as the approaching person's had done likewise. There wasn't anywhere to hide in these barren hallways, except for squeezing into a supply closet, and only then if you happened to be lucky enough to be near one when you needed it.

We were crouched down low, ready to spring into action, when the interloper came slowly around the bend. Upon seeing us, he froze in his tracks. The look of surprise on his face dispelled all prior notions that he was expecting us.

However, the surprise quickly left his face as he drew his weapon, a long-knife similar to the ones that we'd seized from the dead soldiers. To further complicate matters, he was wearing the breastplate and uniform trappings of a high-ranking soldier, less the insignia, which appeared to have been recently torn off.

"Stay where you stand and state your business!" I called to him.

"I am Pate, formerly of Lord Balzar's domain!" he calmly called back without hesitation.

"You say you are formerly of Lord Balzar's domain, tell us why you were discharged and where you are heading?"

"I was not discharged, and my destination is the renegade tribe of King Sheesa," he easily replied, no hint of fear in his voice.

"If you were not discharged, then where is your insignia, and why are you traveling alone?" I asked bluntly, accusingly.

Incredulously, he asked, "Haven't you heard?"

"Heard what?" I demanded of him, my interest suddenly piqued. "Maybe you would be so kind as to fill us in," I suggested, sensing that he meant us no harm. "I am Captain Rodick, formerly of the Heälf Air Service. This is Lieutenant Wary, also formerly of the Heälf Air Service. It would be my pleasure to introduce you to the others," I continued, waving my hand to indicate my traveling companions. "If you would be so kind as to explain yourself first. You could start with a show of faith by sheathing your weapon. Then maybe we can sit, and you can tell us of what we appear to be so ignorant. Rest assured, we mean you no harm. We will gladly allow you on your way, once you are kind enough to tell us what you know."

"Do you have any water?" he asked, slipping his weapon back into its sheath.

"Yes, and you are welcome to it. Please, come and join us," I said animatedly, intending to put him at ease.

Slowly and cautiously, yet not afraid of us, he proceeded forward. As he drew nearer, we saw dried blood stemming from a shallow knife wound to the side of his thigh. In addition, his breastplate was splattered with an opponent's blood, after the crest had been removed.

With unmistakable respect in his voice, he stated, "Your reputation precedes you, Captain Rodick. Your exploits are almost legendary. It's no secret that we've been hunting you. At least, we were until the first of the reactors failed. Much to Balzar and Thar's frustration, you have proven to be a very elusive and deadly quarry."

"That is all very flattering, but..."

Jontue quickly cut me off with his own question. "What can you tell us of the reactors?" he asked, his interest suddenly piqued by Pate's mention of them.

"Do you mind if I sit, and we have a drink while we talk?" he asked respectfully, his voice parched.

"By all means. You must forgive our poor manners. As you know, we have been on the run, and thus we are unaware of what has been happening. We know only that there have been some massive quakes resulting in much damage to the tunnels. Anything you can tell us will be enlightening," I said, trying not to let my impatience overrun my manners again, and with it, my better judgment.

After hasty introductions all around, we broke out the water flagons, and sat as close together as the confines of the hallway would permit. After passing the warm containers around, giving everyone a chance to drink their fill, we left them sitting within easy reach, scattered among us. Although I couldn't shake the feeling that time was wasting and we needed to get moving again, I knew this was necessary, and for the moment, more important. With the utmost of restraint, I sat patiently, allowing Pate to disclose what he knew.

"Many of us knew that something bad was going to happen before it ever did," he started solemnly. "Simply because certain things cannot go wanting. None of us had ever seen the lords so preoccupied before, and never at the same time. They were so intent with capturing you and the woman, they were neglecting everything else, and something finally gave. Some of us thought the slaves would take advantage of their lord's inattention and revolt. Many had already escaped, their absences going unnoticed by the few soldiers that were left to overseer them. When you escaped from Lord Thar, and then that woman escaped from Lord Balzar, it was almost like an omen; an epiphany to those that believed a savior was coming!

"You have to understand, even before the destruction brought on by the failing reactors, the lords' holds over their respective subjects was a very precarious one. When the rumors spread that a couple of ordinary people could so easily upset them by simply defying them, they lost a lot of respect from their generals and advisors. Then, when the reactors failed, well, I think you can figure out the rest."

He paused, almost as if to say, "There, you have your answers." But we needed details, and it suddenly looked as if the only way that we were going to get any was by asking detailed questions.

"Why are you going to King Sheesa's when the Lords need all the loyal men at their command, now so, more than ever?" I asked pointedly of him, intending to judge his discomfort level.

"Well," he started, and then hesitated before continuing, thinking through his next statement before committing to it. "I'm not proud to say it, but I'm afraid that I have deserted from Lord Balzar's command. Of course, you probably already knew that," he added, glancing down at the missing crescent on his breastplate. "Only a small handful of Balzar's men have remained loyal to him, and they tried to kill us when we cut rank from them. It was a bloody battle, but it was short-lived when they didn't pursue us. We didn't begrudge them their decision to stay with Balzar; it just wasn't our choice. And although I realize that just because most of his army left him doesn't make it right, I feel good about my decision to desert. Just because I ordered men to carry out Balzar's tactics and policies, didn't mean that I agreed with them." He paused for a moment, and then quickly added, speaking as though he had a foul taste in his mouth, "It isn't easy taking orders from someone that you don't respect, especially when those leaders have no respect for you or anyone else!"

Jontue, growing impatient and unable to refrain himself any longer, jumped in at this point. "What is the power situation now? We've noticed the obvious, the dimmed lights, and that several refrigeration tubes must have burst. But who ordered the lockdown on the passageway doors to prevent the coolant from contaminating the whole core of the planet?"

"Well, as far as I know," he started slowly, thinking through his answer carefully before continuing. "There have been two reactor failures near the main core. If they had been nearer to the surface, they would have erupted through the crust, allowing the heat from the surface to penetrate quite a few levels down. That would have killed everything, and everyone, in the affected areas. Everyone knows there isn't enough refrigeration capability to control that kind of heat influx. But then," he paused, his gaze meeting mine before he finished. "Being from the surface, you're probably aware of that."

"So tell me," urged Jontue impatiently. "Who issued the orders to lock-down the passageways?"

It suddenly dawned on me why this question was so important to Jontue; whoever had the knowledge and authority to achieve the lock-down, was also the closest person to being in charge of the planet! Of course, if the Lords' armies were disbanding, and the slaves were scurrying, there wasn't anyone to carry out orders, even if there was someone to issue them.

"That I can't answer. However, I can tell you this, it wasn't either of the lords!"

"How do you know this?" pressed Jontue excitedly, both his patience and mine beginning to wane.

"Because I saw the two of them together, heading for the surface shafts located on the cool side of the planet," he said unpretentiously, pausing only slightly before going on in a more animated tone. "The way they were running, with their dicks tucked between their legs, they weren't interested in anything but escaping."

Jontue, turning to face me, had a strange expression on his face. Although he was looking straight at me, his thoughts were so deep that he wasn't seeing me. In the interim, Keazar took over with the questioning of Pate.

"My good man, you do not look or carry yourself as a fool. You know much simply by keeping your ears open and your mouth shut, so I will ask you again, are you sure that you don't know who has taken over control of the planet's power and cooling systems?" he pressed, a mixture of concern and worry lining his face.

"Well, there was a rumor going around just before I left. Though, I personally have never found it prudent or commendable to put any stock in rumors. Nevertheless, if you want me to tell it to you, I will do so."

"Yes, my good man, by all means tell us of this rumor!" pressed Keazar impatiently.

Taking a drink from the flagon nearest to him before answering, he slowly replied, openly reluctant to be taking part in the exchange of gossip. Here was a man of his word. It went against his very grain and character to be passing on a rumor that couldn't be substantiated. But feeling pressured, and not understanding the importance of what he had heard, he would tell it the way he heard it. It wouldn't even cross his mind to embellish it with conjecture, for that would be paramount to telling a lie.

"The rumor was that a rebel band had infiltrated the control area located in Lord Balzar's domain. It was said that they simply marched in and took over while the lords were preoccupied chasing you guys. I don't know if there's any truth to it," he hesitated before adding, "But that is why I am heading for King Sheesa's. I figure if anyone has the hutzpah to pull off a coupe of that nature, he's the one."

Keazar spoke up again, "If the Lords were indeed heading for the surface, and you seemed to feel strongly that they were, then it's possible they know something further is yet to happen."

"I wouldn't know anything about that," he said defensively. "But think about this. If your soldiers had just deserted you en masse, would you feel safe anywhere there were slaves that might be holding a grudge?" he asked, chuckling as though he found the idea humorous.

When I thought about, and put myself in his place, it was easy to understand why he felt the way he did. If I had been a soldier for one of the Lords, and had been treated the way he professed to have been, I would have found the thought of my superiors on the run humorous too.

There was a lot more that we desired to know, but I had a feeling that we had learned all that we were going to learn from this man. If he knew of anything else, he wasn't feeling inclined to share it with us. However, I honestly didn't feel that he knew any more than what he'd already told us.

With each passing minute, I felt the urgency to be moving growing stronger. Even though I believed in Jontue's confidence that he would be able to recycle Loté under any circumstances, it was also possible that more reactors were in the process of failing while we were wasting time sitting here.

"I want to thank you for the information you have bestowed on us," I said, rising to my feet. "But we must be on our way now. If we can give you any supplies that you may need for your journey, you are welcome to what we can spare. Please accept my apologies that we can't give you any more."

Rising with the others, he graciously thanked me for my offer, but refused to take anything more than a half-filled flagon of water. Draping it over his shoulder, he headed down the hallway, eventually going around a bend and out of sight.

Feeling the need to get moving, I didn't watch his departure. Instead, I gently picked up Loté's body, whispering a short promise in her deaf ear. Although she couldn't hear me, I promised her life, one with me always at her side. Somewhere, her spirit lived, and it could hear me, even if this lifeless shell couldn't.

Heading in the opposite direction from Pate's, we made good time. Along the way, we met many more soldiers, also heading for King Sheesa's tribe. Although we ask many questions of them, we didn't garner any new information or knowledge. Several, not sure if they should be risking their lives on a rumor, asked if they could join us, eager for the security of belonging to a group with a clear purpose and goal.

We willingly let any that desired so, to tag along with us. Our only stipulation was that they had to rely on their own resources; our supplies were off limits to them. Even without any extra demand on them, our meager supplies were going to run out before we reached Keazar's labs. Several that joined us, when their own supplies ran low, opted to leave us, preferring to go their own way in search of supplies and sanctuary. While they were with us, though, we had the added bonus of safety that came in numbers. And even more importantly, they recognized many of the soldiers that we ran into as former friends and comrades.

Since only those soldiers with sufficient rank were authorized inex cards that gave them access to the supply closets, many of the doors that we passed had been beaten down with clubs, the supplies ransacked, and the remains spoiled. Because of the breakdown in the hierarchy, the closets would probably never be repaired or restocked. However, since we did not intend to ever travel this route again, it made little difference to us one way or the other.

We were currently a party of twelve. Jontue was in the lead, followed by the soldiers that had joined us along the way. Keazar was behind them, with me behind him. The rest were still in their former order, bringing up the rear.

We had been traveling for some time; the freshness of our rest had become little more than a vague memory. According to Jontue, we were getting close to the shaft that would lead us directly into Keazar's labs. Although we were excited to be so close to our final destination, none of us looked forward to leaving the relative comfort of the hallways behind. According to Jontue, though the shaft was a relative shortcut between this hallway and the lab, it was also the longest shaft in all of the subsurface that he knew of. This meant that, in addition to the ascent being an arduous one, it would also prove to be an extended one.

As we traveled, I kept a close eye on our supplies, especially the water. Although we made it clear up front to any and all that wanted to join us that our supplies were off limits, several were in dire need of water, and we mercifully tended to their needs on a sparing basis. Because of these kind attentions to those in need, our supplies were dangerously low; and we knew that the toughest part of the journey still lay ahead.

Without warning, we were suddenly buffeted from behind by a savage blast of scalding hot air. Unlike the superheated blast of air that we had suffered through previously, this one, fortunately, wasn't contaminated with refrigerant gases. Of course, that was little consolation. Because of the high temperature of the air, breathing once again became a painful chore. It suddenly became more important than ever that we reach the shaft to the labs quickly, or find another way. We couldn't remain in this hallway any longer without fear of being cooked alive!

Moving as fast as we could, I silently chastised myself for having taken the time that we had, questioning soldiers along the way. My instincts had been telling me all along that we needed to hurry. Why wasn't I listening to them? They'd never been wrong before. Those lost minutes might mean the difference between life and death, and there wasn't any way to get them back.

"Keazar!" I yelled. "How much farther?"

"Hang on, everyone, we are almost there!" he yelled, straining his lungs so that all could hear and take hope.

A soldier stumbled and fell, a trickle of blood running from the corner of his mouth. Forcing myself to keep going, I briefly glanced over my shoulder at him. He gazed up at me, his eyes pleading for my help. Yet, there was nothing that I could do for him; it took every ounce of my stamina just to keep up with the others while carrying Loté's corpse. Unable to look away, I watched him crawling, half dragging himself after us, a small trail of dried blood in his wake. Suddenly, I knew that I couldn't leave him behind.

Turning, I ran back to his side and knelt down. While still holding Loté's body draped across my arms, I stretched out my right hand and offered it to him. Wary, coming up beside me, yelled over the escalating roar of the wind for me to go on, indicating that he would assist the young soldier.

The soldier, who appeared to be barely fourteen years of age, started hacking up blood as he fought to breathe. Hesitantly, I stood up and, with a parting glance at Wary, hurried after Keazar. Worried about the boy, I threw a quick glance over my shoulder. Wary had the boy on his feet and was helping him run along with an arm locked under his. Brae, stopping to help Wary, had un-strapped the boy's sheath and was carrying it in a free hand as she loped along behind them.

Suddenly to everyone's delight, we heard Jontue's ecstatic cries of joy buffeting against the wind, and carrying down the passageway to us. We'd reached the shaft! By the time I got there, Jontue had already started climbing, followed in turn by the soldiers. Looking up the shaft, I felt an involuntary constricting in my bowels; I suddenly wasn't sure that I could make it. The toe and handholds, hewn out of solid rock with the coarseness of hand tools, went straight up, eventually disappearing into the darkness beyond. With mounting concern, I realized that it might be several more miles to the lab, and the hot, fiery winds were rushing up the shaft like a chimney flue!

It suddenly dawned on me that I was a fool to think that I had any chance of reaching the lab with Loté's body in tow. The heat was sapping our meager energy supplies while sucking the fluids from our bodies faster than we could replace them. In addition, I felt dizzy just looking up the shaft, and we hadn't even begun the climb yet.

"Keazar," I gasped through parched lips. "I won't make it up there."

"Yes, you will! If I have to carry you and Loté both, so help me, I will!" he angrily fired back, trying not to show his disappointment at my display of weakness.

Wary and Brae joined us with the young soldier supported between them.

"And who carries him?" I asked, glancing up the shaft at the quickly ascending soldiers, several of which had partaken of our meager water supply. I was suddenly angry and disappointed, but there was nothing that I could do about them. "I can't leave Loté behind. You guys go on ahead, I'm staying here."

Keazar, turning away as though he was going to start climbing, instead, yelled up the shaft, "Jontue! When you reach the first supply cache, have everyone tie off to a rope, and drop the trailing end back down to us!" Then, turning to me, he added, "We are all in this together. Either we all make it, or none of us makes it. Even those self-serving soldiers will have to share in the burden if they want to reach my labs."

"Thank you, my friend," I stuttered, overcome with emotion.

"Just be thankful that we had the foresight to install supply caches in this shaft," he said grinning. "Ah, to be home again, I've missed it so," he added, looking longingly up the shaft.

Within moments, the end of a heavy rope came cascading down, piling up in a heap on the floor at our feet. Keazar, retrieving the end of the rope, quickly flung it around Linit before tying himself off. Then, after double-checking her bindings, he handed it off to Wary, instructing him to do the same with Brae.

While Wary hurriedly tied off Brae and himself, Keazar, looking abashed, yelled over the hurricane-force winds, "Please don't misunderstand me, but I think it would be a good idea to tie the boy behind Wary. You will have to be the one to bring up the rear, Rod, since you will have to carry Loté's corpse."

Yelling back to be heard over the roar of the wind, I shouted, "I wouldn't have it any other way, my friend!"

Although he felt embarrassed to have been the one to say it, he only made this suggestion out of concern for the others as a whole. It was imperative that all the strength should be on the pulling end of the rope, with the single exception of me. It was up to me to carry Loté, and to keep up with the others, putting as little weight on the rope as possible.

When we were all tied together, Keazar yelled up to Jontue, instructing him to continue the ascent. Realizing that the soldiers were also joined by the rope, I suddenly felt ashamed that I had reprimanded them for taking off without their comrade. With the soldiers ahead of us, they would have to carry anyone that couldn't make it, including me.

The heat had become so intense it was blistering our skin off in patches. But even worse than the damage to our skin, was our bodies' inability to absorb fluids at the rate that we were losing them. And to make matters worse, though we each carried nearly empty flagons of water, we were forced to conserve due to the lengthy climb ahead.

Since I didn't feel right about the others having to carry both Loté's and my weight, I forced myself to dig deeper into my scant reserves, finding the necessary strength to keep slack in the line above us. It wasn't easy, carrying her and keeping up with the rest of the party, but my pride wouldn't have it any other way.

The young boy ahead of me, who I would later learn went by the name of Lute, and was only young in appearance, not actual years, was straining to do the same. He was a proud, easygoing youth and not yet broken by the lord's cruel abuse of their subjects. I had to wonder, what a fighting force the lords could have had, if only they had treated their subjects with a little respect. If they had been allowed to retain even a portion of their individual pride, the Lords would have reaped only loyalty in return.

Then I remembered back on the battles that we'd fought against them, and was instantly thankful that they weren't any more loyal than they were. Because if they had been better taken care of, their stamina would have been that much tougher, making it even more difficult to evade them. As it was turning out though, their subjects were abandoning them in droves, and we had managed to evade them prior to the catastrophe.

We hadn't advanced very far up the shaft, when I started feeling lightheaded, and extremely weak. Although I was aware that my symptoms were being caused by the extreme heat that we were being subjected to, the rapid dehydration of our bodies didn't make it any easier. After swallowing several more of the little white isotonic tablets, I greedily washed them down with a large swallow of hot water. The relief wasn't complete, but it gave me the presence of mind to continue, temporarily pushing the lightheadedness into a remote corner of my brain, where it sat, throbbing dully, a constant reminder that I was in the fight of my life, and Loté's.

With Loté's body balanced across my forearms in front of me, I methodically crawled and dragged my way up the shaft, putting one hand above the next into the sharp-edged handholds. Unlike the first time that I'd negotiated a shaft beneath the planet's surface, I didn't need to worry about sweaty palms that were liable to slip out of the handholds. My body, in an effort to conserve valuable fluids for my vital organs, had already shut down my sweat glands. Looking up, I suddenly chuckled. Although our situation was far from comedic, I found the idea that we would all need recycling by the time we reached Keazar's lab, extremely humorous.

We'd been climbing for what seemed like an infinite amount of time, when I suddenly felt the rope tighten around me, yanking me back to reality. As I opened my eyes, hands were reaching under my arms, lifting and pulling me over the lip of a small shelf. There was just barely enough room for all of us to sit on it safely without being nudged off the edge. At the far side, I saw the handholds continue upward. Following them with my eyes, I was suddenly forced to look away as a spell of vertigo made me nauseous.

Looking around, I noticed for the first time that the diameter of the shaft was growing larger. Near the bottom, where we'd started, it hadn't been much more than twenty feet across. Now it loomed more than one hundred feet to the far wall, and was growing proportionately. It appeared like an inverted funnel of magnanimous proportions.

Keeping my eyes focused on the shaft wall, my moment of nausea passed, allowing me to continue following the handholds with my eyes. Seeing them clearly for the first time, I was surprised to note that they didn't progress straight up. Instead, they started spiraling to the left, literally winding their way to the top.

At least, I assumed they wound their way to the top. From where I was sitting, the top was still out of sight, lost in the looming darkness. What struck me even more than the spiral of the handholds was the size of the shaft. Where it vanished into the dark, it had to be at least two hundred feet across. It suddenly dawned on me that this was a natural phenomenon, coming into being when the planet was still forming. Why I found this so fascinating, I had no idea. Maybe because everything else down here, up to this point anyway, had been manmade. From the tunnels to the hallways, none of it had been natural.

Wait, I take that back, the heat was a natural phenomenon. It seemed as if no matter where a person went on this planet, there was no escaping the heat. Eventually, it caught up to you.

"How much farther?" I asked of no one in particular.

"We have come close to a quarter of the way," answered Keazar, the effects of the strain and fatigue showing on his face and in his voice. "I don't mean to be discouraging or disheartening, my friend, but the handholds wind to the left now because the shaft grows steeper."

Since I'd already seen that for myself, I saw no need to waste the energy that it would take to answer him. In addition, I knew that I'd reached the end of my reserves. From here on out, I would be depending on the others to carry my weight. My strong feelings, with regard to being a burden to the rest, hadn't changed. Yet, I knew that if I told them to leave Loté and me behind, they would only argue with me. And I couldn't have them wasting valuable energy arguing with me when we still had so much farther to go.

Glancing around at the others, I saw only drooping heads and bodies that were lethargic from the heat and dehydration. They would be hard put to reach the top of the shaft, even without my extra burden.

I was suddenly overcome with guilt, for thinking that I could even ask it of them. And it didn't make it any easier to swallow, by justifying it with the thought that I would do the same for them. My guilt couldn't be placated so easily. Just because I knew it to be true, didn't make it any easier to accept.

Yet, for Loté's sake, I didn't have a choice. The time had come for me to swallow my pride and admit that I couldn't do it alone; I had to let others help me! On the other hand, if it appears that I'm going to drag the rest of them down with me, I'll cut the rope, and let Loté's corpse and me drop to the stone floor below. I'm sorry, Loté, but I have to think of the others!

As it turned out, and not by accident, there was another supply cache at the back of the shelf. It was neatly concealed behind a stone door that had been carved to look like a natural projection of the rock. With an abundance of water, it suddenly became a concern that we might drink too much. If we did overindulge, there was the real possibility of getting cramps. The few swallows we eagerly sipped, gave us only temporary relief, since the act of breathing quickly re-parched our throats.

Still tied together, we got sluggishly to our feet, psychologically preparing ourselves for the next leg of our incredibly long ascent. Since I was the last in line, the others were already working their way up the wall of stone, while I was still preparing to put my foot in the first toehold. With a deafening roar, the ledge beneath my feet suddenly started shaking. As I grabbed hold of the first toehold, a deep crevice opened up across the width of the ledge, bisecting the shelf from one side to the other. With a popping sound followed by an even louder cracking noise, the outer half of the shelf broke free and slid off into space. If fell only a short distance before grinding to a halt as it wedged solidly between the narrowing walls of the shaft, effectively closing off the lower level.

Fleetingly, I envisioned us still working our way up the shaft below the ledge when the shelf broke free, and the devastating carnage that would have followed. With an involuntary shudder, I considered the small chance that we would have stood of surviving it.

Looking up, I saw the boy above me, dangling at the end of the rope. Because of his weakened condition, the unexpected quake had shaken him loose from the toeholds. In a panic, I forgot my fatigue, thinking only of the boy's safety, and knowing that the others wouldn't be able to hold him for long. Scampering up the wall, with Loté draped over my right shoulder, I was suddenly beneath him. Grabbing a flailing ankle, I guided his foot back to the toeholds. Scrabbling with the urgency that a near-death situation demands, he quickly found the adjoining toehold, and got his feet re-anchored.

With his feet planted in the toeholds, he was able to get a grip with his hands and return some slack to the line. Both relieved and exhausted by the effort, I found myself contemplating cutting myself loose from the others. With Loté's body draped over my shoulder, her chin banging gently against my back, what little energy that I had recovered from the break, had been quickly zapped. The others were probably as exhausted as me from holding the boy suspended while he regained his hold on the wall.

As I pulled myself up another toehold, a great fireball shot upward, momentarily engulfing us in flames and singing any remaining hairs left on our bodies. The rope was blackened by the searing flames, leaving it precariously weakened. Although it made our situation bleaker, the fireball did solve one of my dilemmas; it was no longer necessary to cut the rope, since it would only take a slight strain to break it.

If the young boy lost his grip again, it would mean a sure death for the both of us, as I was sure that I couldn't come to his rescue a second time. What suddenly changed in this picture was the fact that there wouldn't be anything securing Loté's body to the others, anymore. If I were to fall now, it meant more than just my death, but also any chance at renewed life for Loté as well. I couldn't let that happen!

With renewed determination, I placed one hand above the next, and followed with my feet. It was a strictly mechanical motion that didn't waste energy on unnecessary movement. It had gotten me this far; hopefully it would get me to the top. I had to make it on my own now; there weren't any other options!

Sipping sparingly from my flagon, I drank for the sole purpose of keeping my parched and baked throat moist enough to breathe in the hot air. It would only be wasteful of me, if I tried replacing the fluids in my body. At the rate they were being sucked through my scorched pores, it was inhumanly possible to replenish them by drinking water.

Also, because of the immense heat, the rate of decomposition had been accelerated substantially, causing a rise in Loté's belly from the forming gas that was making her ride high on my shoulder. If it weren't for the high winds blowing past us, the stench would have become unbearable by now. Earlier, Keazar had made it clear to me that he needed only a small amount of Loté's cell structure in order to recycle her. Having said as much, he was reluctant to push the issue, understanding that it would have been unbearable on my part to extricate a piece of her flesh, while leaving the rest of her behind. He was also quick to add, solely for my piece of mind that the more material that he had to work with, the quicker the process would be.

Several more fireballs shot past us, followed by small quakes. As I would learn later, the fireballs were caused by an accumulation of gasses that were being trapped beneath the piece of ledge that had fallen earlier. Since it wasn't an airtight seal, every time a sufficient amount of gas built up, it was ignited by the extreme heat. In addition, the fireballs had burnt away the last of the rope, leaving bands of watery blisters around our bodies, where it had been tied.

Although neither Keazar nor Jontue had informed us of it, I strongly suspected that this shaft led beyond their lab, and all the way to the planet's surface. Furthermore, it had to be on the cool side, or the heat would be rushing downward, into the planet, rather than upward and out. If we were approaching the sunny side of the planet's surface, we would have been burnt like so much kindling, long before now. As it was, we were managing to stay alive, even if we weren't doing it very well.

My hands were bleeding through open wounds, the causes of which were open blisters, having been burnt raw by the heat of the stone. With my reduced rate of perspiration, I was more concerned by the increased loss of moisture brought on by the loss of the blood, than I was about the condition of my hands.

The young soldier slipped during a small quake, but managed to catch himself before falling free. If he hadn't, he would have taken Loté and me down with him, since we were almost directly beneath him at the time. After that, I hung back a little farther, letting the natural spiral of the handholds carry him off to my left. If he fell now, he would fall harmlessly past us, losing only his own life.

We finally crested onto another ledge. By the time I managed to pull myself over the lip, Keazar had already broken into the supply cache, and was busy handing out fresh flagons of water.

While we were drinking, he produced a large ceramic jar of cream, instructing us to rub it over each other's bodies.

"I'm afraid this won't offer us much protection from the heat, but it will aid tremendously with the recycling process," he croaked, holding out the container for everyone to dip a hand in.

After rubbing some on Loté's bloated body, I assisted Keazar while he rubbed it on Linit. Glancing over at Brae and Wary, I was surprised to see that he had developed an erection while Brae was applying it liberally over his genitalia. As crazy as it seemed, I found it uplifting, giving me renewed hope and optimism. Yet, more importantly, it gave me the willpower to continue, despite our overwhelming odds.

Keazar, after satisfying himself that we were all coated heavily, drank greedily from his flagon before suggesting that we get started on the final and longest leg of the trip. His attitude and demeanor belied his anxiousness at being so close to his home. His mood was contagious, lifting our spirits, and giving us renewed hope. It was good to see the others displaying some of their old traits. Even Lute was displaying signs of anxiety, as he looked forward to returning to the infamous lab where he'd found youth on several past occasions. We were so close now that we couldn't fail. Or could we?

We set off in the same order we'd been in previously, even though we weren't tied together anymore. Wary, after taking a sobering look at me before starting up the handholds, unselfishly offered to carry Loté's body the rest of the way. Resisting the offer, despite being tempted, I couldn't shake the feeling that she was my responsibility, all the way to the end, whatever the outcome may be.

The cream quickly dried on us, literally baking into our raw flesh. Yet, it made the pain recede a little, further restoring our faith and increasing our confidence. Since my right shoulder ached from the extra strain of carrying Loté's prostrate form, I shifted her over to my left shoulder, giving my right a break.

Just when I was beginning to feel as if I would actually make it, an enormous quake shook the shaft, literally flinging Lute off the wall like a flea off a dog. In my optimism, I was following too closely. With no warning, he landed feet first in the small of Loté's back, compressing her bloated belly against my shoulder.

Although he fell only a few short feet before striking her, he came down with enough force to literally drive the contents from her bloated stomach, and straight out of her ass! At just that precise instant, a great fireball went shooting by, igniting the escaping gas.

Having instinctively tightened my hold at the first tremor, I was now supporting both Loté's deflated body, plus the young boy's weight. Fortunately, he managed to find the toeholds posthaste, leaving me suspended precariously below him. Covered in waste and maggots that had followed the escaping gas from Loté's stomach, only to ricochet off the wall directly in front of my face, I breathed deeply of the heated air and clenched my fingers even tighter into the handholds. After a moment, I struggled on.

The waste, having dried almost immediately once it was exposed to the heat, formed a crusty armor over the front of my body. It was fortunate that I closed my eyes at the time, or I would have been blinded by the rotting waste, a mixture of feces, decomposing organs, and dried up maggots. Although it almost cost us our lives, some good came from the boy's fall; Loté's body was much lighter than it had been prior. In addition, it all happened so quickly, it didn't take any extra effort to catch up with the rest of the party.

Shortly after the ordeal, we crested onto another shelf. This one was much larger than the ones before it, and featured an ornate door at the far side. Keazar hurriedly worked to open the encoded entrance, while Wary and Jontue assisted me with getting Loté's body up onto the shelf. We had just crested the lip, when Keazar cried out triumphantly, and the door swung outward. Our skin a black, crispy texture, we ran stumbling toward the door, anxious for the promise of relief that waited on the other side. Keazar, after helping everyone through, leaned back out, and pulled it closed behind us, shutting out the heat and howling wind.

### **17**

With the door shut, the howling wind was finally held at bay. In the ensuing silence, I could hear the varied sounds of our ragged breathing as it rattled in our scorched lungs and hissed through burnt and parched throats. Glancing around at our small party, I had to wonder how we'd managed to survive for as long as we had. The entire surface area of our dehydrated bodies resembled broiled meat; blisters had wept and bled, caked, and re-blistered, leaving a layer of black ash that barely concealed a pale pink beneath. We couldn't have looked much worse, if we had spent a day exposed to the naked sun.

As I looked around at our new surroundings, I noticed that we were crowded together in a small, well-lit room of the same construction as the hallways that we had been in previously. In addition, the air was clean and cool, easy to breathe, and smooth going down. One hundred degrees Fahrenheit and thirty-percent humidity had never felt so good.

Keazar, realizing that we didn't have much time left before shock would set into our ravaged bodies, frantically studied a control panel embedded with dials and knobs. Jontue, meanwhile, was standing beside him mumbling numbers. Although Keazar understood Jontue and the importance of the numbers, his hands were having a hard time working the dials. No one spoke for fear of distracting the two men that held our lives in their frail hands. We didn't need a doctor to tell us that without the recycling apparatus in functioning order, we were all going to die.

Within a matter of minutes, another door slid open and Keazar led the way down a long, well-lit hallway, stopping only when we came to another closed door. With just the slightest amount of pressure from his hand, the door slid silently in on itself. Even before it had fully opened, Keazar and Jontue were through it, the rest of us stumbling along, close behind them. Upon entering the room, I was immediately bombarded with memories; I recognized the room, or at the least, it was very similar to the one that I'd been in before.

In neatly formed rows, running from one end of the room to the other, were hundreds of incubator capsules. After making a quick mathematical calculation, I estimated there to be at least three hundred, maybe more. However, not all of them were empty!

When we were all inside the room, the door slid silently shut behind us. Still following Keazar, we were led into a control room, the door of which was immediately to the left of the entrance that we had just come through. Like the rest of the room and hallway, everything was an immaculate white. Running down the length of the wall that separated this room from the one containing the incubators, were padded benches. Above the backs of the benches, and also running the length of the room, was a row of windows that looked out on the incubators.

After laying Loté's stiffened corpse across several of the pads, I joined the others on the benches, sitting silently before Keazar. Fleetingly, I flashed back to pilot training school, and the makeshift training rooms lined with chairs. When all the pupils were seated, the instructor would stand before us and in a monotone voice, give us our daily lessons. Keazar was now our instructor, and the lesson that he was teaching would be the difference between death and survival.

"It goes without saying," he said slowly, his voice wracked with pain. "That without recycling each of us," he paused to take a wheezing breath and a quick sip of water. "We will die from the severity of our burns and the effects of dehydration. I know," he said, waving off any objections before they could be vocalized. "You're feeling better than ever. Between the cool air and humidity, you feel as though you might regain your old strength in no time. Well, I'm afraid to be the bearer of bad news, my friends, but you're not going to get better. Yes, you may live on for a while. But trust me, it will only be a matter of time before your body starts to shut down. Some of your vital organs, such as your kidneys or pancreas, may have already stopped functioning, but your body can live without them for a short while.

"Before your bodies fail completely, and I'm afraid that isn't very far off, there are a few things that we need to go over, with regard to being recycled. Before we enter the incubators, each of you must know what will be required of you, should you be the first to revive. If you have any questions before I get started, please be quick, we don't have much time."

"Why is it that the lights aren't dim in here like they are in the halls?" I rasped, not sure why I felt the need to know. "And who are those other bodies in the incubators out there?"

Although my voice was weak and raspy, it was still understandable. Jontue, sensing the anguish that the simple act of speaking was having on Keazar, spoke up first.

"Whoever's controlling the reactors has already determined that it is in their best interest to keep full power diverted to this lab. We don't know the reasoning behind this any more than you do. However, we aren't going to take any chances. We've already made some changes in their schedules." He paused to sip water before continuing. "The other bodies out there have been reprogrammed to resuscitate only after all of us have finished. This won't have any adverse effect on them, other than they will sleep for a while longer than necessary." Pausing again, he took another swallow of water before continuing. "We have also programmed security locks on all accesses to this lab. Only Keazar or I can reopen the doors without destroying them. Barring a complete power failure, we should be able to run the full recycling term without any problems."

Keazar took over again, taking many short, wheezy breaths, and shallow sips of water. His breathing was getting more painful and labored by the minute. Hurriedly, he explained the procedure for resuscitation of a recyclee. It was pretty simple and straightforward, unless the power was interrupted during the program. If that happened, unless his steps were followed precisely, the rest of us remaining in the incubators would die an agonizingly slow disintegration, possibly conscious throughout a large part of the ordeal.

There wasn't any need to worry about Loté, since she would take the longest to recycle; her damage was much more extensive than that of the rest of us. Not only was her body scorched on the outside, her internal organs had already suffered wide-ranging decomposition, which had been hastened by the high temperatures that her body had been subjected to since her death. In addition, even if the power failed, she would remain oblivious. Unlike the rest of us that were entering the capsules as living, breathing, human beings, and would have to undergo death as a natural part of the recycling process, Loté was already dead; she wouldn't be aware of anything until the process was finished and she was resuscitated. At that time, if everything has worked properly, she will wake up as if from a deep sleep with no memory of the time between her death and resuscitation; just as we did in that room with all the others such a long time ago.

Since there weren't any assistants to prepare our bodies, Keazar and Jontue used Loté's body for an example, and walked us through it as a group. With Loté in an incubator and properly connected, I felt a tremendous weight removed from me. Whatever else should happen now, I could rest easy knowing that I had done everything possible to save her. Despite the tremendous damage to my body, and the imminent fear of facing the recycler, I felt calm and relaxed for the first time in a long while.

With nothing more to say with regard to our instructions, Keazar indicated our respective capsules and wished us luck. After a solemn round of good-byes, we climbed into our respective capsules, and made ourselves comfortable. Keazar and Jontue, moving silently amongst us, went from one to the next, connecting all the necessary wires and tubes to our bodies before closing and sealing the lids.

Once the lid was closed and sealed, the computer took over the process. The first thing the computer did after checking the lid's seal through a vacuum test, was to emit an anesthetic gas into our respiratory system, putting us to sleep almost immediately. It was the most welcome sensation that I'd ever experienced.

Keazar and Jontue walked through the program's settings for a second time, double-checking all their prior calculations before committing themselves to their respective capsules. As routine as Keazar and Jontue would have us believe recycling had become, it still wasn't a common practice to do it to yourself, especially unattended.

After assisting Jontue, and satisfying himself that he had taken all the precautions possible, he hooked himself up and pulled the lid down over his own incubator capsule.

Once the sleeping-gas took effect, we lost all sense of time. Whether we were in the incubators for years, or even centuries, or if we were in them less than a minute, we had no way of knowing. The feeling of waking in the incubators is every bit as similar as that of waking from a deep night's sleep. Except for the disoriented feeling of loss and confusion that accompanies the waking process while you try to figure out where you are.

That was the first thought that went through my mind, as I blinked against the bright lights glaring down at me from the ceiling above. Slowly, the cobwebs filtered out of my mind, and the memories came flooding back. With the comprehension of where I was and what had happened, my thoughts immediately turned to Loté. Even before I could celebrate the incubator's success, I had to know if she was all right.

Feeling half numb and too stiff to move, I lay back against the padding beneath me and turned my thoughts inward. After briefly wondering how long I'd been asleep, a more urgent question suddenly forced itself to the forefront of my mind: where were the others?

Fighting back a rapidly growing fear, I contemplated the dreadful possibility that I might be the first one to be resuscitated, and all the dire consequences such an event implied. On the verge of panic, while trying desperately to remember Keazar's instructions regarding just this situation, I was overwhelmed with the knowledge of knowing that something had gone terribly wrong with the program!

Keazar had specifically instructed the computer to revive him first, keeping the rest of us under longer than necessary, if needed, to facilitate the command. Although he didn't say as much, we all understood that he was willing to revive himself prematurely, just to assure that he would be the first to awaken. It was a dangerous move, on his part, but he felt strongly that it was worth the risk in order to attend to the rest of us in the program.

Loté, where was she?

I had to find her!

On the verge of panicking, I forced my arms to move, despite the pain of stiff and resisting joints. My thoughts were disjointed and hazy, yet it seemed strange that I didn't remember feeling any pain the last time that I'd been resuscitated after being recycled. Of course, I had never been revived before I was ready!

Moving slowly at first, and then with more strength and mobility as the blood started flowing strongly through my veins again, I reached around and disconnected the individual tubes and wires in the order that we'd been instructed. Then, taking a deep breath and holding it, I pushed the hatch up. Cautiously, I exhaled. Even more cautiously, I took my first breath of air. It felt good, despite my increased level of anxiety.

After a tense moment, in which I convinced myself that my heart was racing too fast and that my breathing was too shallow, I calmed down; my breathing normalized, and my heart rate slowed. I was going to be fine.

Slowly, I worked my shoulders, and then gingerly raised my head. When I could see above the lip of the capsule, I took my first anxious look around.

The other capsules were empty!

It couldn't be! Where had they gone? If they revived before me, why weren't they here now? Surely, they would know when I was expected to finish, and not just abandon me! Each incubator was connected to its own clock that read out the remaining time for its program in days, hours, and minutes. It was a dial that anyone could easily monitor, and know when the program was scheduled to revive me. What the hell was going on here?

With increased ease, I hurriedly raised myself out of the incubator, all earlier signs of stiffness already dissipating. Physically, I felt better than I could ever remember. All evidence of the severe burning that I had been subjected to was gone. My skin both looked and felt smooth and supple. Mentally, I was alert and thinking clearly. In essence, I couldn't remember ever feeling as good as I did right now!

After closing the hatch on the incubator, I nimbly jumped up on it. Using the height to my advantage, I looked down into the rest of the incubators in the room, saving myself the time and trouble of running from one to the next in order to check it thoroughly for an occupant.

They were empty! As my eyes ran down the length of the room and across, all the way down the row to the far wall, they were empty! Spinning around, I hurriedly looked up the row in the opposite direction, and suddenly caught my breath. All were empty except for one, and there was movement within it!

Jumping off the top of the incubator, I ran to the side of the one containing the only other person in the room. Just as I reached it, her eyes popped open and she saw me standing there, breathless, looking in on her. She smiled back at me with the most beautiful smile that I'd ever seen.

Loté was alive!

Overjoyed, I ran to the control room. Once there, I initiated the procedure that Keazar had instructed of us, should we be the first to resuscitate. It was still fresh in my mind, almost as if he had just run through it with us, which, in a way, I guess he just had.

With the dials set, I raced back to the incubator containing Loté and threw open the hatch. Looking up at me with that smile on her face, she stiffly reached up, trying hard to embrace me.

"I love you," was all she could say, before choking on an overwhelming flood of emotions and fresh air.

"I love you, too," I cried, overcome with joy as I lifted her gently from the incubator. Once she was in my arms, I held her tightly against my chest, not ever wanting to put her down or let her go again.

Kissing the warm, naked skin of her neck, my lips searched hungrily for hers. We both felt the overdue passion growing within us, heating our blood to the boiling point with desire. With her arms wrapped around my neck, we stood there for a long time, savoring each other's embrace, feeling our hearts racing.

"I want you, now and forever," I breathed into her hair, my breath growing quicker.

"Take me," she huskily replied, her own breathing shallow and rapid, her hands hungrily combing my body.

Lifting her in my arms, I carried her into the control room, and laid her down on the long, softly padded bench. Straddling her, my tongue softly probing her ears, while my hands impatiently explored her inner thighs, I whispered how much I loved her, and how we would never be apart again. She only moaned compassionately in response, her mouth hungrily searching for mine.

We made hot passionate love for hours on end, unable to get enough of each other. Finally, sated and exhausted, I rolled over to lie beside her, both of us breathing hard and holding each other tightly. Suddenly, we remembered where we were. Sitting upright, the intensity of our lust subsiding as quickly as it had ignited, I looked at her and her at me. We were both dazed and bewildered. How was it possible that we had forgotten all else except for the passion of the moment?

"What happened to us," I said, more than asked.

"I can't explain it," she said sheepishly, her breathing quickly returning to normal. "All I remember was seeing you looking down at me and feeling how much I wanted you. At the time, and I know this sounds silly, but nothing else seemed relevant. What came over us?"

She was as confused as I, and knew there had to be an explanation. We had just finished behaving as if we were a couple of dogs in heat, when under the circumstances, sex should have been the farthest thing from our minds. We were looking at each other sheepishly over the way we had just acted when a voice, coming from a speaker mounted on the wall, interrupted our thoughts.

"If you two lovebirds are finished, would you care to join the rest of us in the main room?"

"Keazar!" we cried in unison, recognizing his voice.

"Where are you and what's going on here?" I anxiously demanded of him.

"I'll answer all of your questions as soon as you get here, my friends," he replied good-naturedly. "Now, if you'll just follow the open doors, we'll see you shortly."

"Come on!" I said excitedly, grabbing Loté's hand and hurriedly leading her back through the door, and into the incubator room.

Looking around, I was surprised to see the door leading into the hallway standing open. Even during our prior moments of blind passion, I felt sure that I would have noticed if that door had been ajar. Putting the thought aside for the time being, we hurriedly ran down the hallway, searching for the next open door. We had put our faith and trust in Keazar before, and he hadn't let us down, I felt confident that he wouldn't this time, either. When we found him, he would answer all of our questions.

As we ran down the hall, I saw the door leading to the fiery shaft. Briefly, I wondered how long had it been since coming through it. Although I had no idea, I was sure that I was about to find out.

Bristling with anticipation, and overflowing with questions, we anxiously looked for the next open door, as promised by Keazar. Seeing an open door to the right, and just a little farther down the hall, I squeezed Loté's hand even tighter, though she needed no coaxing to keep pace with me.

Approaching the open door, I glanced back at the doorway leading to the shaft, trying to orient myself and get my bearings. Reflexively, I looked down at the flesh on my arm, amazed to see a healthy brown skin with just the lightest covering of hair growing out of it. Did we really endure everything that I remembered, or was it all just a dream? Shuddering, I turned back to the open door.

Even as we ran through it, we were already looking for the next open one. The hallway came to a branch leading left and right. As I turned to the right, Loté was already pulling on my arm, declaring excitedly that she could see an open doorway down the hall to the left.

Without loosening my grip, for fear of losing her again, I fell into step behind her. I had sworn that if I ever got her back, I would never let her out of my sight again. Now, more than ever, I felt more strongly about my resolve. Before I would let any more harm come to her, I would gladly give up my own life!

Reaching the open doorway, we unhesitatingly bolted through, while anxiously looking for the next open door and the direction that it would take us.

We found ourselves in a large cavern with a vaulted ceiling reaching one hundred feet or more in height. Suspended from the ceiling by thin, shiny cables, were many ornate scrolls. Most looked to be made of silk, embroidered in bright, festive colors. They were further embedded with many-faceted jewels that were flickering and dancing in the torchlight. To further promote and enhance the gaiety of the cavern were many wall-sized murals; bright colored paintings that started just below the banners, and carried all the way to the floor. Most of these were done in bright shades of green with splashes of color, all depicting the surface of the planet at its best. Looking at these bigger than life works of art, I shared a pang of homesickness with Loté, evident by the squeeze of her hand and the tremble of her flesh.

The cavern was at least three hundred feet across, with a great waterfall cascading down the far wall and crashing with a muted roar into a foaming white pond.

The overall scene was breathtaking, and more than a little bit dazzling. So lost in its splendor, for a moment, we forgot why we had entered this place. Then, as the novelty wore off, we quickly resumed our search for the next open doorway and what marvels might lay beyond it!

As we moved across the large expanse of the open floor, we were constantly being bombarded by new and wondrous things. Here and there, in patterns that were indiscernible to us, were plants that appeared to be growing right out of the solid rock floor. The plants were of the same lush green and vitality as the murals on the walls, making it difficult for the eye to distinguish where one ended, and the other began. Clearly, this was a large auditorium for entertaining on a grand scale.

Slowed by the barrage of so many sights, all of which were pleasing to the eyes, I started drifting toward the left at the same time that Loté starting drifting to the right. We were walking softly, awed by our surroundings. When we'd separated to the point where our arms were outstretched, we gently floated back to each other. Could this be the mystical Garden of Eden?

Holding Loté close, I whispered softly in her ear, afraid of shattering the tranquility, "This place is so beautiful."

She only nodded in agreement, her eyes continuing to drink it all in.

Suddenly, from far to our left, came the voice of our host and savior, "This way, my friends!" he joyously called out to us.

Without answering, we hurriedly moved toward him. As we drew nearer, I noticed that he was wearing a very ornately decorated robe and carrying a staff encrusted with jewels. Even to me, I had to concede, he was looking very well and handsome in his new garb.

"We have been waiting for you two to join us," he said gaily as we approached him.

"How long has it been?" I blurted, suddenly unable to hold back the flood of questions that were eating at me.

"Why, it must be close to a year, my dear friends," he answered jovially. "But now, the time has come for us to celebrate!"

"Keazar, you look magnificent!" cried Loté. "Tell me, how is Linit?"

"She is fine, and so looking forward to seeing you again," he answered. "And so is the rest of our little group! Come, quickly, everyone is waiting for you! They will be so glad, as am I, that we are all back together again."

He was waving us ahead of him, through a small opening in the cavern wall that would have been hard to locate, had he not met us where he had. Although I was truly excited about seeing everyone again, more importantly, I had many questions to ask.

As we walked, Keazar suddenly went quiet. When I looked at him, he wouldn't look back at me. Feeling apprehensive, I asked of him, "Keazar, you are a good and loyal friend, but I sense that something is wrong, something that you don't want to tell us."

Looking nervously about, he hemmed and hawed and cleared his throat before suddenly stopping and blurting, "I must apologize for my rude assumption earlier."

Although I was confused by his strange behavior, I quickly cut him off before he could finish, saying, "There is nothing you could possibly need to apologize for. If it wasn't for you, none of us would be here now!"

Waving me off, while looking sheepishly at first Loté, and then back at me, he suddenly blurted, "I took the liberty of adding an aphrodisiac to the air mixture in the lab."

Looking embarrassedly from one to the other of us, he continued, "I only did it so that the two of you could awaken together, and share in a pleasant reunion. I hope you can find it in yourselves to forgive me."

Biting my tongue and trying hard not to let on that I wasn't upset, I feigned anger, hoping to embarrass him for the trick he had played on us. "That was very inconsiderate of you, Keazar, which is not the way true friends treat each other. However, if Loté can find it in her heart to forgive you, I will overlook your indiscretion as well." I paused for a moment and looked at Loté. She also was not upset with Keazar, though she had more reason to feel betrayed than I did. "What you did was completely unnecessary; just seeing my true love alive and healthy was all the aphrodisiac that I needed."

My facade of anger was thinly disguised, and I suspected Keazar was laughing equally hard beneath his own facade of false embarrassment.

Loté, throwing me a wink and a smirk, suddenly added "I want him, even in this air!"

We all started laughing then. It felt so wonderful to be out of danger and together with good friends. But it was especially wonderful to have my Loté back with me.

"Come, our friends are waiting!" he said happily, as he turned and started off again.

Hurrying along behind him, we hadn't gone very far when the sound of laughter and high-pitched giggles could be heard, softly floating to us like a warm, friendly greeting. Suddenly, Wary's head poked out of an open doorway on the right-hand side of the hall.

Upon seeing us, he broke into a big grin before turning and shouting to the others inside, "Here they come!"

Upon seeing his face, Loté and I, unable to contain our excitement any longer, broke into a run, anxious to be reunited with our friends. Wary, also unable to contain his excitement, came out into the hallway, followed by the others. We ran toward each other, bursting with joy.

Running into each other's arms, we hugged and embraced, a flood of tears streaking our faces. While we continued hugging each other, everyone talked excitedly at the same time with no one understanding any of it. But it didn't matter, not at all. We were reunited, and that's all that did matter.

Keazar, good-naturedly, finally yelled above the pandemonium, insisting that we should all go inside. After more hugs and kisses, we were swept into a large room with a table running lengthwise down its center. Lining each side of the table was a row of chairs with another at either end. Adorning the table were baskets of fruit, platters of meats, and large flagons of wine. There were goblets, plates, and silver utensils set out for each of us. Excepting the half-empty flagons of wine that were sitting haphazardly here and there, nothing else had been touched. This was clearly meant to be a party to celebrate the reunion of good friends sharing their love.

When the initial excitement of our reunion started dying down, Keazar asked all of us to take our places at the table. As he seated himself at one end, I was led to the opposite end. Loté was seated in the first chair to my left, while Wary took the first seat on my right. Brae quickly sat next to Wary, leaving the seat between her and Keazar for Linit. On the opposite side of the table sat the young boy, Lute, and between him and Keazar, Jontue.

When everyone was seated, Keazar lustily cried out, "I would like to propose a toast!" When silence ensued, he continued, "This is a special toast to loyalty, and such brave friends as I have never known the joy of before!" He paused a moment before seriously adding, "And, lest I forget, to love!"

"Hear! Hear!" added Wary as we all lifted our glasses in unison, knocking the rims together before capping off the toast with a long, deep drink.

Bursting with questions, even before we had finished our first toast, I turned my attention to Keazar. Almost as if he read my mind, he stated, "We will eat of this feast, and drink freely of the nectar. Once we have sated our hunger for friendship and comradery, and our guts are near bursting, we will bring our friends up to date on what has been happening in their absence. Until then, we shall eat!"

Although I initially felt impatience with Keazar's suggestion that we wait until after eating before answering my multitude of questions, there could be no denying the hunger that I was feeling. After taking my first taste from the wide array of fine meats and fruits set out before us, I found myself agreeing wholeheartedly with him; the questions could wait just a little while longer. The food was truly exceptional. Whoever had prepared it, had indeed outdone themselves. Not only did I find my own appetite, but I noticed also that Loté was equally ravenous.

Eating heartily and drinking freely of the spirits, as Keazar had suggested we do, we were enjoying each other's company immensely. It was during this marvelous time, when several young slave girls entered. They were laboring beneath the weight of several heavily laden platters.

Keazar clapped his hands with delight, informing us that dessert had arrived. Piled high on the platters was a soft, spongy substance. He quickly went on to explain that what we were about to experience was a specialty that he had just recently discovered; it was called, 'cake'.

"It is a very sweet and sticky substance laden with berry preserves," he said, proudly, excited to be introducing the delicacy to us. "The ingredients are rare, and very hard to come by. Nevertheless, if you enjoy it half as much as I, you will agree, the lengths that we had to go to in order to procure them will seem inconsequential." He hesitated for a moment before solemnly adding, "It has been my intention to use every means at my disposal to impress you, my new friends. But I can see now that it was unnecessary. Just having you here with me is more reward than I can say. Thank you!"

He was indeed correct. It was delicious! Never before had I tasted such a delicacy. I was just taking my second bite when Loté suddenly screamed and jumped up from her seat, shaking her hands and trying to swallow her mouthful of cake as she ran hurriedly around the end of the table.

As she moved excitedly toward the young slave girl that had supervised the arrival of the desserts, she was finally able to speak. In a high-pitched voice, she squealed ecstatically, "Elsa!"

Stunned, the young girl stared at her for just a second, her expression suddenly changing from one of confusion to one of recognition. Immediately, her face broke into a smile, her arms thrown wide to accept the oncoming embrace.

"Loté!" she screamed wildly in return.

Crashing together, they threw their arms around each other and hugged, neither willing to let the other go. After a long moment spent wrapped in each other's arms, they finally stood back and lovingly appraised each other. Instantly, they threw their arms back around each other and hugged some more.

When they finally parted, they were crying aloud, both overcome with elated joy.

"You two know each other?" asked Keazar incredulously.

"Yes," answered Loté, her sobbing subsiding. "It was Elsa that saved me from Lord Balzar." Then, turning back to her, she asked, "How did you ever get here? When we parted, I truly believed that I would never see you again!"

"It is a very long story, my dear Loté. Maybe, with Keazar's permission, of course, we can get together later so that I can tell you what I know of it."

"Nonsense!" cried Keazar. "You will join us now! It is time we all know what is going on."

Elsa quickly ran from the room and just as quickly returned with a small stool that she could set by Loté's chair. When everyone was settled again, and the goblets had been refilled, Keazar suggested that I should start with my questions, since I probably had many. I thanked him, and he promised that they would all do their best to answer them, including Elsa, if she could.

Standing, I cleared my throat and said, "Since I have the floor, and with it the attention of all my fine friends, let me first say how happy I am to see each and every one of you again. There were many times when I didn't believe that we were going to make it. Yet, now I see how wrong I was. Let it be known by all that are seated here that the strength of a friendship can overcome the most overwhelming odds. We are living proof of it!" I hesitated, glancing around the table; I was again overcome with happiness.

Looking down at Loté, I wasn't surprised to see her and Elsa holding hands, the both of them smiling innocently back up at me.

Jontue, anxious to return to his duties, teasingly prodded me, "If we get sentimental now, we will be here until we are all old and decrepit! So if you have any questions of relevance, can we get on with them, please?"

"Sure, I would like that," I said easily, grateful that I would finally get some answers. "If I may, I would like to find out where the others are that came up the shaft with us. I see Lute here," I nodded and smiled toward Lute, who in turn, smiled back. "But I am curious where the other soldiers are, since the incubators in the lab were already empty." Before anyone could give me an answer, I quickly asked another question. "Also, I would like to know exactly what damage has been done by the failing reactors, and if any harm was done on the surface." I paused for just a brief second to catch my breath, before finishing with my final question. "I'm also curious if there has been any word regarding either Balzar or Thar."

"One question at a time, please!" started Keazar jokingly. "Let me begin with how fortunate we are. As it turned out, the reactors that power this lab, including the general vicinity, weren't on the same line as the ones that failed. If they had been, the situation here would not be what it is today. We can thank Jontue for further diverting some of our excess power to the main refrigeration units, thus enabling them to maintain more than half of the planet's subsurface in a habitable condition. He is also leading repair crews through the stages of bringing the damaged reactors back on line, which should be happening within the next year."

Pausing, he took a swallow of wine, before continuing.

"In the meantime, the soldiers that came up the shaft with us are busy bringing all the bodies that they can find in the overheated hallways and tunnels back to the other lab, which is also connected to this complex. That is how Elsa, as it turns out, happens to be here," he said, smiling first at Elsa, and then Loté. "Don't be surprised if you run into others that you recognize also, as time goes by."

"That is all well and good, but you still haven't explained what became of Balzar and Thar?" I prodded, purposely dropping the title of respect. Then, the thought suddenly coming to me, asked, "Has anyone come across Fird's remains?"

"No," answered Jontue, speaking softly. "I'm afraid that we haven't been able to get into that area yet. When we get more of the refrigeration system back on line, we will eventually repair all the broken conduits. However, since that area was the hardest hit, it will probably be the last to be repaired."

"Is there any chance that his remains will be salvageable?" I asked at the risk of sounding crude, but not knowing how else to phrase it.

"Even though they grow slimmer with each passing day, we have made some tremendous improvements in the recycling process," piped up Keazar excitedly. "Instead of needing a pound of flesh or more, like we did in the past, we are now capable of reconstructing a complete entity from just enough raw materials to contain a complete DNA chain! No longer do we need to transport complete corpses. With just the blood from a dirty weapon, we can reconstitute a complete, living, breathing, human being! This new technology is very exciting! And we owe it all to Jontue."

"It was nothing, really," replied Jontue, blushing a bright crimson.

"Because our friend, Mr. Jontue, was afraid we might lose power at any time, he explored methods of speeding up the recycling process. When the first remains started arriving, he further realized the necessity of making do with much less." Beaming with pride at his prodigy, he added, "His research into these areas of recycling has almost reinvented the entire process. He is a brilliant man!"

"This is all wonderful news," I affirmed. "But you still haven't told me what became of Balzar or Thar."

"So far, there hasn't been any sign of either of them," cut in Wary. "Although we haven't been able to agree on their outcome, it's my assumption they're hiding among their wealthy friends on the surface. Another theory among the survivors down here is that they died trying to reach the surface. This latter one is favored by Keazar and Jontue." He hesitated a moment to take a sip from his goblet. "Of one thing we all agree on, since all the reports we've garnered from their recycled slaves seem to confirm it, is that they were heading for the surface."

"I tend to agree with you, Wary, I don't believe they're both dead," I spoke flatly, leaving no chance of mistaking my feelings toward them.

"At any rate," added Keazar. "Everyone has been instructed to notify us immediately if either of them should be spotted, dead or alive. We have even gone so far as to spread word of a reward for information. If anyone sees them, I'm sure that we'll hear of it, my friends."

"If they are alive, what is to prevent them from returning and taking over their prior positions of power?" I asked, concerned over the possibility.

"Us," answered Keazar with finality, "You, in particular."

"Me?" I stuttered, not comprehending. "Why me, in particular?"

"Because while you were sleeping in the incubator, you have become something of a folk hero down here. Especially among the lower classes, which, by the way, comprises the majority of the people," he answered with a large smile. "The stories of your exploits have grown more fabulous with each telling. In fact, when you hear them told now, you single handedly defeated the combined armies of both former lords with a single, jewel-encrusted knife."

"But that's not even my knife!" I protested, knowing of which knife he was referring to. "That's Loté's knife!"

"Yes, we know that. But you see, it doesn't matter. People will listen to you, doing as you request of them. Whether you like it or not, there are a vast number of people out there willing to do your bidding. That is, if you don't abuse your new-found power, my good friend."

"And what would you have me tell them, my good friend?" I replied sarcastically, taking a sip from my goblet.

"You don't get it, do you?" he said disdainfully. "I am your friend. Me, Keazar; it would be a tremendous honor for me to give you counsel and guidance. I would willingly share with you what little wisdom I have acquired over my many years of life. But you are the focal point and the lightning rod. Only you can make the necessary changes in the way people think! Only you can fix it so that the Lords, or anyone like them, can never get such complete control over people again!"

"Then, with your guidance, tell me how I will get my word out to the people, both above and below the planet's surface?" I asked skeptically of him, still not ready to believe that he was serious.

"I can help you there!" piped up Elsa unexpectedly.

"Do continue," I gently prodded, beginning to doubt my earlier suspicions that they were playing a trick on me.

Blushing, because of all the attention that was suddenly turned on her, I was surprised by how quickly she recomposed herself and continued. "Through my many contacts among the rebel clans, we could spread the word faster than any mechanical device ever could." Looking shyly down at her hands, I was beginning to be afraid that she wouldn't be able to continue, when she suddenly added, "But they would only be willing to help if they believed in, and agreed with, what you have to say!"

"If they agree with my proclamations, could they spread them to the tribes and peoples both above, and below, the planet's surface?" I asked of her, realizing now what Keazar had been trying to tell me.

"Yes, I believe they could," she answered confidently.

Lute, equally eager to help, spoke up for the first time, saying, "It would be easy enough for me to spread your word through the old military quarters."

Lute looked shyly toward Elsa, almost as if seeing her for the first time.

"It looks as though you have yourself a communications network, my good friend," said Keazar congenially. "What is the first thing that you would care to send out to the waiting masses?"

After glancing from face to expectant face, I finally resolved to answer him. "From this day forward, I would like it to be known that there will no longer be a slave class! Furthermore, excluding Balzar and Thar, there will be amnesty for everyone, from the highest-ranking soldier, to the lowliest tunnel digger. I don't want anyone hiding in fear any longer! Instead, I want to see everyone welcomed into the new hierarchy with open arms. And I would like it to be known that there will only be one class of people on this planet, and that their station in life will only be limited by their individual abilities and drive!"

Taking a long pause, because I knew that what I was going to say was going to be hard to accept, I sternly continued. "And last, I want it to be known that there will be gates built. Gates that will make it possible for the peoples of the planet's subsurface, as well as the surface, to come and go between the two as they please!"

Due to the gasps and stares, I was forced to stop. Then quickly, I added, "Keazar's domain will be the only restricted area. It will be used for the sole purpose of helping people, as resources permit. All relief operations, as well as seats of government, will be headquartered here. And more importantly, all laws will have their roots here."

Wary was the first to speak, his concern clearly etched into his expression. "Where do we fit into your plans?"

"You, my good friends, must go forth and recruit an army of volunteers. You will handpick only those that are willing to swear their loyalty to the overall good of mankind. Your selections will become Jontue's pupils. It will be his responsibility to train them as engineers, maintenance workers, and everything else that it takes to keep the subsurface of this planet cool and habitable."

Hesitating, I took a long swallow from my goblet, giving my thoughts time to congeal before continuing. Even though I was thinking clearer than I ever had before, thanks to the recycling process, the food and drink was countering some of my newfound clarity.

Looking around the table, I solemnly continued, "There will come a time when many old and crippled people will need to move below the planet's surface. When they can no longer migrate ahead of the rising sun, or can no longer take care of themselves, then we must open the gates and let them in. It must be within our power to take care of them! If it is their choice to be recycled and returned to the surface, then that is what we must do. However, if they are simply looking for a comfortable place to live out their remaining years in leisure, then that is what we must provide for them."

"If we open these gates, are you not afraid that the interior of the planet will become overcrowded," asked Jontue, sounding distressed by the thought. "Surely, more people will choose to live in the relative comfort of the subsurface, rather than have to struggle to stay ahead of the sun on the surface!"

"My good friend," I said congenially, looking him straight in the eye. "You obviously have not been on the planet's surface for a long time, or you would realize that your concerns have no basis in reality."

Smiling, partly to demonstrate my confidence, and partly because of my reminiscing of the times that I'd enjoyed in the lush jungles of Heälf, I continued. "You must spend some time on the surface, Jontue, to fully understand why I feel the way I do. You should have the pleasure of running through the jungle with no hallways to hold you in. Or to splash in the warm water of a jungle pond that tastes every bit as sweet in your mouth, as it feels against your skin. No, my good friend, life on the surface is not just a grueling race to stay ahead of the rising sun; it is much more than that. It is an experience that is quite addictive, as I am sure that you will see for yourself someday. And we can make it even more appealing by eliminating age and infirmity."

"Speaking of the surface," broke in Brae. "When will Wary and I be able to return? I really miss my family, and I'm sure they've been worried about me. Plus, they will want to know about Cos."

"You can return anytime you're ready. No one will ever control your life again, but yourself," I said sincerely, returning to my chair.

As I sat down, Loté took my hand in hers, gently squeezing it to get my attention. Like me, she was reminiscing, thinking of her parents. If we could just find them, we could bring them here, where life would be so much easier for them. If they didn't want to be recycled, that is.

"I know what you're thinking," I said softly, looking into the depths of her dark eyes. Without taking my eyes from hers, I addressed the entire group, "There is something else that could be spread for all to hear," I started. "Let it be known that Captain Rodick is looking for an old couple named Leeta and Hig. They were last seen on the back of a mammoth that was running wild through the jungle. Any forthcoming information will be greatly appreciated. I don't expect something for nothing, and I know we will find a way to repay anyone that helps us. In the meantime, Loté and I will continue searching ourselves."

"Jontue," I continued. "Is it possible for you to start rigging the gates to the surface? We will need them to remain open during the times when the temperature in their area is habitable. However, they will have to close automatically when they detect a rise in the temperature. They will also be required to seal tightly against the surface heat when facing the sun."

"That will be a piece of cake, as this sweet stuff is called," he responded, taking another chunk from the large platter sitting on the table in front of him.

"Keazar," I said, turning to face him squarely. "I don't want to put too much responsibility on you, but I will need someone to remain here to oversee everything until Loté and I can return. Not only will it be your responsibility to recycle all the remains that are brought to you, but in addition, you'll be required to recruit those that show promise, and send them on to Jontue for training. Also, you will have to send messengers to the surface in order to keep me informed of you and Jontue's progress, in addition to other pertinent events. Loté and I have a mission of our own to carry out. We have some unfinished business that needs attending to. Once we've found her parents, or learn of their history, we will return post haste."

"Then, by all means, you must go so that you can take care of your unfinished business. In the meantime, I will be honored to lend my hand in any way that will be of assistance," he graciously replied.

"Maybe Brae and I could be of some help also," spoke up Wary. "Since we are going to the surface in search of her family's tribe, we can all travel together."

"Loté and I would be both grateful and glad to have you for traveling companions," I replied sincerely.

"Then, if all is settled," broke in Keazar, "I suggest that we head into the ballroom. I have some special entertainment arranged that I am sure everyone will enjoy."

With a minimum of chatter, we all rose and, as a group, made our way out into the hallway. Directly, we came to the large cavern through which Loté and I had previously passed. Much to our surprise, it was now occupied by a band of musicians along with a troupe of dancers, already warmed up and waiting to perform for us.

The music was light and cheery to our ears, as we took seats around the waterfall, all the while feasting our eyes on the beautiful dancers and their magnificent costumes.

Holding Loté close to me, I prayed that this moment would never end. Yet, in the far reaches of my mind, I was already growing more anxious by the minute to get started on all the work that lay ahead.

### The End (for now)

### You have reached the end of this journey. Pick up their tale in the next book of the 'HEÄLF' SCI-FI Series entitled 'CLONE WARS' by Will Decker.

### Excerpt from 'CLONE WARS' by Will Decker

### Book two in the 'HEÄLF' SCI-FI Series.

Sheesa took the loss of the young scout hard, as he knelt over the mutilated body with tears running down his cheeks. Although I felt for him, I knew that what he was experiencing was just another of the many responsibilities that came with being the tribe's leader.

"What are these unholy beings?" he asked, rising woodenly to his feet, suddenly looking much older than even his advanced years.

Keazar answered him before I could think of a proper explanation. "They are the spawn of an evil man that will stop at nothing to achieve his goal," he stated softly.

"What goal could be worth such a terrible price?" he asked of no one in particular, as he turned away from us and started forward in the direction that we had been traveling.

Another brave quickly took off at a trot, assuming that he would replace the scout that had been killed, when Sheesa suddenly cried out, ordering him to stop. "From now on, we continue with caution! Where one goes, we all go!" he stated vehemently.

Seeing that their leader had stopped, the braves used the time to retrieve the fallen weapons from the dead. They distributed these equally among themselves before offering Keazar the finest long-knife of the lot. Keazar accepted the offer graciously and quickly fastened the knife and sheath around his waist. Under normal circumstances, the dead scout's personal effects and property would have reverted to the King. However, upon being handed the scout's pack, Sheesa quickly instructed the brave to assist in lengthening the straps so that they would be more comfortable for Keazar.

Meanwhile, Keazar was visibly affected by this open display of generosity that was so freely given to him. Because Sheesa and his people had never used Keazar's recycling services, Keazar was little more than a stranger to them. Yet, they graciously accepted him into their fold, treating him as if he were one of their own. This was not a gesture made for my sake, or on my behalf. But rather, because that's the kind of people they were. Ever more, I was beginning to understand why Sheesa's tribe had flourished, while many others had perished in the face of adversity.

"We must hurry before more come," I suggested hastily, feeling the moment turning awkward.

Without any further words, Sheesa turned back in the direction that we had been traveling and started cautiously forward. We left the bodies where they lay, including that of the scout. Though we were proceeding toward the lab that Keazar had escaped from, there was no guarantee that we would get the chance to recycle him. To carry him was out of the question, and yet, it was a difficult choice to simply leave him behind.

Moving quickly, before the others could get too far ahead, I pulled the body up next to the wall of the tunnel and placed the disfigured corpses on top of it, making sure that it was completely hidden from sight.

By the time I had finished, Sheesa and the others were several hundred feet down the tunnel. They had traded the large torch for a small one and already the flickering light was growing faint in the distance. Knowing it would only take a few minutes at a dead run to catch up to them, I decided to clean my hands first, before the blood had a chance to dry and crust. The effort of moving the corpses had left me covered in a heavy sweat and an awakening thirst. Separated from the others, I decided to take advantage of the situation and grab a quick swallow of water. Moving forward at a slow walk, I had just removed the flagon from my pack and was about to drink when I heard the distant sound of footfalls. Someone, or something was quickly approaching from our rear.

### If you enjoyed this story as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you, then I implore you to check out the following list of my other books. Each story is a stand-alone and available at many fine eBook retailers

More Exciting Stories by Will Decker:

DRIVEN

UNREQUITED LOVE

FIRE BABY

HYBRID KILLERS

The 'HEÄLF' Collection:

MORTALITY REVISITED

CLONE WARS

DAY OF NIGHT

REGENERATIONS

HORSPAW

The 'Mac" Collection:

THE WITNESS

TOXIC RAIN

BETRAYAL

RECORD KEEPER

DEATH IN THE DUNES

WITSEC FAIL

And if you're in the mood to make your own books, try this Do-It-Yourself Manual:

SIMPLY PERFECT BINDING 2ND Ed. 2009

Includes many tips and tricks to save you money on everything from Printing to Assembly! Great for turning that downloaded eBook or Digital File into a paperback, or your latest story into the perfectly personalized gift.

If you enjoyed this book, please take a moment to leave a review because as everyone knows, authors starve or eat based on reviews. Thanking you from the pit of my stomach,

WILL DECKER
