Your hands and feet are tied and you hear soft, feminine voice say, “I’m sorry about this but we was told to bring one o’ you back. To help with Tech and Seed.”
You try to say something but the rag gagging your mouth prevents you from forming words.
A more masculine voice, behind you says, “Dani, hush up. Joannas will tell him his role.”
“Jorje, I’ve read Scriptures. We’s equals now, and don’t have to wait for Patro or Patrino to tell us the way of it.” She responds. But then is silent.
‘Dani’ might be a woman or a young boy. You didn’t get a good look before the sack went over your head. ‘Jorje’ was the man who was helping to load and unload the wagon. He was probably the one with a pistol of some sort, while Dani had a longer-barreled projectile thrower.
The trip is mostly silent. You listen to the wagon wheels as you travel over dirt, along a river, and then on stone. At one point ‘Jorje’ gets out and you hear a sweeping or raking sound behind the wagon.
You wish you could see. Then maybe you might have an idea of how far you are going or better yet, are there any landmarks that you can tell the Libereco, if you can send them a link. You feel ‘Dani’ checking the knots at your wrist to ensure they aren’t too tight.
You wiggle your fingers and try to move your wrists. They are secure but not too uncomfortable.
After the raking sound stops, ‘Jorje’ climbs back in. “What are you doing to him?”
“I was checking his wrists. It don’t do us good if we bring him in hurt.” She replies.
You feel him sit next to you again. “Just move away from him and let him be. We’ll be there soon.” It gets quiet inside of the wagon again.
Soon you hear voices outside of the wagon. Male and female voices “Do you have it?” “What all did you get?” “Did you get some new seed?” You hear people walking along and behind the wagon until soon it stops.
You hear the items at the rear of the wagon being removed and then you are led out. The jupo sack is removed from your head. Around you see dwellings carved into a mountain side with stone roads and walkways leading to them. There are a few prefab, wooden, and stone outbuildings but they are under the cover of taller trees. From overhead the roads might be visible but the color of the stone blends in with the land.
An older woman wearing a loose fitting robe approaches. “Did you have any problems?”
“No Patrino Joannas.” Both ‘Dani’ and ‘Jorje’ reply.
She smiles but shakes her head, “Please release him.” She then turns to you. “I must apologize for this, but we couldn’t think of another way to get what we need.”
You remove the gag and angrily reply, “Lady, I don’t want to be rude but kidnapping is not a great way to get help.”
There is a small gasp and murmurs from the crowd at your tone.
She raises her hands to quiet everyone. “It’s okay everyone. He’s correct. Why don’t you lay everything out in the caverns, and I will assist our guest.”
She focuses on you again and extends her hand. “I’m Joannas.”
You quickly look around, as you see everyone carrying the boxes and cases into the carved dwellings. You then shake her hand. “I’m Matthew, but everyone calls me Helm. Would you like to tell me why I’m here?”
“Of course, please follow me. Would you like something to eat or drink?” She asks as she walks towards a simply carved structure. It reminds you of a bunker or a small hanger carved into the mountain with a leather curtain for a door and a few wooden chairs around a table. There’s also a stone and metal oven and stove producing heat, and you notice a durosteel kettle off to the side.
While sitting in her home, Joannas has tea and explains that everyone there is an exile or runaway from Ciono. They found tools where they could and traded with Independents when they could. She’s an exile because she could read, brought Scriptures with her and taught those who needed. She also explained you were taken to help with Tech. They have some knowledge but need more. Also they want you to have sex with up to three women to impregnate them. They want to add you to help diversify the colony, then return you to your ship.
“Isn’t it against your Faith for a married man have sex with a woman who is not his wife?” You ask.
“It is, but you said that you aren’t a man of faith. Don’t people back in the Core have sex for pleasure with whoever they want, regardless of marriage? And the Scriptures tell of ‘man giving his seed to a barren woman, in time of need’. We have women who have that need.”
You stand up, almost defiantly, “I love Navs, my wife. I don’t want anyone else. I’ll help you with the Tech, but then I’m going.”
She stands up and sighs. “As you wish. It might take a couple of rotations to do, so I have asked for a volunteer to provide for you while you are here. Please follow me.”
When you step outside the door, Joannas points to a person wearing a wide brimmed hat and a long coat. “Dani volunteered. She doesn’t have a mate, and has space in her shelter.”
“Is he ready, Patrino Joannas?” asks a voice you recognize from the wagon.
“Show him around. If he gives you any trouble, call out. And just call me Joannas. Patrino and Patro were the old way, we are building something new.” Joannas says and then walks to where they took the Tech.
Dani extends her hand. “Hi, I’m Dani. I appreciate you helping us out.”
“I don’t really have a choice, do I?” You shake her hand, “You can call me Helm.”
“Helm, that’s not in the Book.” She says with a confused look on her face.
“I’m a pilot so the crew of my ship calls me Helm. My given name is Matthew.”
She brightens up at that. “Matthew is a name from the Book.”
You chuckle, “Matthew or Helm is fine, I’ll answer to either. So tell me more about this place.” Her dark hair is pulled up under the hat, and her dark eyes complement her dark tanned skin. Her long coat hides the rest of her, except for the fur-lined leather boots.
She points to a small prefab structure at the edge of the forest. “Follow me. Let me show you where you’ll sleep. As you walk with her you notice that she’s half a head shorter than Navs. She’s about Meko’s or maybe Skipper’s height.
She points to the pump station, the schoolhouse, storage buildings, and other homes. As you look around, you notice that the majority of the people around you are women and girls.
“Dani, are most of the people in Najran, female?”
She nods. “Yep. Some were shunned by families, others ran from bad husbands, and some just heard the Truth.”
“Which are you?” You ask genuinely curious.
“I fled my husband. I was a girl when I married, and he wanted things that weren’t right. I asked Patro about it, but was told ‘A wife’s duty is to obey and not question.’ I asked where that’s in the Book, but Patro laughed and told me that I had to trust him because women can’t read.”
“In the wagon you said you read the Scriptures.”
She smiles at that. “Yep. When I ran, I found Najran, and Patrino took me in. She taught me to read and write. All o’ us here can, now.”
“So why don’t you go back to your husband?” you ask.
She shakes her head. “Never. What he wanted was wrong and against the Book, and women in Ciono ain’t supposed to read. I’d rather be shunned and with people here, than go back.”
She stops before a plasteel shack that is deep in the shade of the forest. “Here’s my place.” She opens the sliding door, and inside you see simple layout with camp stove, bunks along opposite walls, a small table with chairs, and a door to an area in back.
“What’s behind the door?” you ask.
“Shower and toilet.” She answers as she opens the windows then activates a couple of power lamps. She points to a small bunk. “That’s where you’ll sleep.”
Hanging up her hat and coat you see her dark hair is braided and wrapped around her head. Her plain blouse and trousers show a more feminine shape, but not what you expected. “You don’t wear a dress?”
She shakes her head. “It’s easier to work the fields and herds wearing pants.”
“When do I help with the Tech?”
She looks at you a little surprised. “I thought you might wanna rest and maybe eat first. Then maybe get to know me.”
“No, Dani, I want to do what’s needed and get back to my wife and ship.”
She looks shocked. “You have a wife? Does Joannas know?”
“I told her. She said after a rotation or two the Tech will be set up and then you’ll take me back to my ship.”
She grabs her hat again, and heads for the door. Moving at a quick pace she says, “Come on.”
“Did I say something wrong?” you ask as you catch up to her.
“No. You was truthful. That’s the right of it. Let’s get you to work.” A tone of irritation is in her voice.
In the large cavern, the cases are all opened and everything is laid out. A serious looking woman is using a minividi to record and catalog each item. You hear her say. “This will help. The power converter will plug into the existing water turbine, and the comms unit can be repaired. I’m not familiar with some of this.”
“Can you send a link to my ship?” you ask loudly.
“Not currently. Our comms unit flatlined the last link we cast out.” She answers.
You walk closer. “I’ll help were I can, but the people you really need are Meko and Cookie. They’re part of my ship’s crew and know Tech better than I do.” If you can get your hands on the minividi, you can send a link yourself.
You help by identifying a folto-style solar collector for her, then point to the repair parts for the Comms set, “Maybe I could start there? I should be able to get your comms system back up.”
Joannas comes up behind you. “Maybe later. Why don’t you help Delilah with the solar array. Getting power to the system will be more useful.”
You shrug and walk closer to the woman with the minividi. As you do, you overhear some of what Dani and Joannas are saying behind you. “You said if…But, I’m in season….my choice…..not supposed to have a wife.”
You glance over your shoulder and see Dani walking away in frustration. Maybe when you return to the shelter at the end of the day, you’ll ask her about it.
The woman with the minividi is Delilah. She asks how to best set up the collector. After explaining that direct light is best, and cables are the most reliable method of connection to whatever grid they have, she has a man, Andrew, and a woman, Susanna, help carry it, along with a couple of spools of cable.
Delilah walks in the lead as you climb the path up the sheer face of the mountain. You look around and notice defensive positions. They currently aren’t manned. “Delilah, what are those?” you ask, pointing to the concealed sites.
“Just guard posts. Don’t need them most of the time, but it’s good to have them when we do.” She says in a relaxed tone.
You think more about it. Guard posts, weapons, hidden buildings. “Do you have anything to worry about? It seems like a lot of defensive planning for folks following the Faith.”
Andrew, behind you says, “We’ve had problems with Independents, and there are those in Ciono who might be looking for those who fled.”
“Ok, but what little I saw, things there looked quiet, if a little guarded.” You comment.
“Helm, that’s the face they show to the few outsiders they let land. Don’t be fooled.”
You sort of shrug as you continue getting closer to the top of the mountain.
At the top, you realize it is more of a plateau than a mountain, with meadows and trees visible. All of you walk around the plateau as Delilah talks about how the star travels across the sky.
As a group you talk about the best way to set it up. Finally Delilah comes up with a plan. Using the heel of her boot, she marks off where she wants set up the collector. She has you unfold and set it up as Andrew and Susanna unspools the cables down the mountainside. Soon everything is connected and running. You notice the star is getting low in the sky. “Damn it, the Libereco should have been looking for me by now.” You mutter to yourself.
“Hopefully Patro Dionis isn’t delaying or holding your friends.” Andrew comments in a low tone.
“What do you mean?”
He moves closer, “I don’t want to alarm you, but if Patro Dionis sees something or someone he wants, he might find a reason to detain them.”
“But that’s against SG rules and if they do that to Independents, no one will trade…”
Andrew slowly nods as you realize that ‘Sleepers’ Colony’ doesn’t trade with outsiders.
“Oh damn.”
“There are some of us in Najran who joined because they disagree with how things run in Ciono.”
Delilah used the minividi to confirm power is working, so you can leave. “Delilah, can I use your minividi, to see if my friends are okay?” you ask with a tone of concern in your voice.
She shakes her head. “No. Not until Joannas says so.”
You are lead to a dwelling carved into the mountain, but there is now power and light. They show you were to clean up. After washing up, you are handed a ceramikajo mug full of hot herbal tea. You sniff it, and it smells like the same floral scent of what Joannas was drinking. Andrew takes a mug and sips it. “It’s okay. We aren’t poisoning or drugging you. It’s just we learned that boiled water was safer until we can get a filter unit at the pump house.”
You take a tentative sip. It reminds you of tea that Kurgio drinks.
They lead you through a corridor that connects multiple rooms until it comes out into a large room with smooth polished walls. The lights from the ceiling gently reflect off the walls. There are long tables with benches arranged in lines. There are bowls and platters of food.
“Do you always eat like this?” you ask Andrew.
He smiles, “No, this is in your honor. While we set up the solar collector, others connected to the river turbine, so there is now power to all the homes. We are thankful for it.”
You find an empty seat by Dani. Andrew, Susanna, and Delilah also sit at the same table.
Once you are seated you notice that no one has filled their plates yet. You sip your mug and wait.
Dani asks you how things went, and you and Andrew answer her questions.
Soon the benches are all full, and Joannas asks for silence as she leads in the blessing of the food. As part of the blessing she mentions the blessing of Tech and knowledgeable people, then finishes with “Amyn”.
The food is warm, fresh, and flavorful. You say that your ship’s cook and your wife would love the food.
Delilah and Susanna both look surprised hearing that you are married, but don’t comment.
After vespermango, Dani guides you back to her dwelling. She tells you that you can clean up and that she has clothing you can change into. It’s just a simple pair of woven cloth shorts and a loose pull-over shirt, along with a set of trousers and long sleeved shirt for tomorrow. There is almost a coldness to her tone.
“Dani, have I done anything wrong?”
“No Matthew. You’re doin’ what’s asked of you. That’s all there’s to it.”
She turns her back to you. “Go get cleaned and change. Do you want some more tea?”
“I’m not thirsty.” You say as you take the shorts, shirt, and walk into the washroom. The shower water is hot. Yes, the water heater is working. There are a couple of towels hanging up. You use one to dry off and then hang it back up. The shorts and shirt have drawstrings to fasten them. As you step out you, Dani is on her knees praying. When she finishes she wipes her eyes. “Say your prayers and get some sleep.” There is sadness in her voice.
You walk close to her. “Dani, why are you crying?”
“I’m praying for a baby. I thought you was an answer to that prayer.”
“Oh.” You softly say.
“Just go to bed. Tomorrow’s another day.” She says as she turns off the lamps.
You lie on your bunk. “Dani” you ask softly, “Andrew mentioned that my friends may be in danger. What’s the truth to it?”
In the dark room you hear her answer. “Pray for their safety. Some of us fled danger. Some were cast out. None of us think Ciono is a safe place.”
“Do you know how to use Comms or a minividi?” you ask.
“I ain’t had the schooling for that. I can read but I’m not good with Tech. Go to sleep. We’ll ask Joannas in the morning.” She says with sadness still in her voice.
“Goodnight Dani” you say as you pull a woven blanket over you and fall asleep.
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