Author: Arashi's Banjo
Disclaimer: "Planet of the Apes" is owned by 20th Century Fox and Pierre Boulle. Used without permission.
Author's notes: Finally! Here it is! My first "Planet of the Apes" fanfic. Well, actually, "Illusion" is the first part of the follow-up to "Bitter Medicine of Mercy". I'm still 'monkeying around' with Part Two (pardon the pun!), and hopefully, I'll submit it soon.
Many thanks to my beta readers "Bongo" Bob and Dr. Tanaka. You're both tough, and are sticklers for perfection, but you're fantastic! (Any spelling or grammatical errors are clearly the fault of this author and her beta readers!)
Also, many thanks to the Friends and Fugitives Group, whom inspired a lot of the revisions in this story.
For those brave enough to continue, the plot is somewhat silly and clichéd, but hopefully, any future stories - if there are any - will improve. Fear not, I don't plan on giving up my day job anytime soon!
Added note: Many thanks to everyone who offered the appreciated constructive criticsm. Hopefully, the story has benefited from the revisions!
Thank you for your time, and happy reading!
-Arashi the Banjo Cat -
"Illusion"
Kava waited for Urko's permission to enter his office. The gorilla trooper wondered what glorious task he was to perform this time. Kitchen duties, or cleaning the latrines?
"Enter," Urko's muffled voice sounded.
Kava crossed the threshold, into the security chief's office, and stared hard into his commander's eyes. "Kava reporting as you ordered, sir," he said coldly.
"Kava." Urko spoke the name with a tinge of disdain. "I have a very important assignment for you," he announced. "I want you to ride to my mother's house, in the village of Dora, pick up my servant girl, Niabi, and bring her home. It's a three-day ride." He handed Kava a sheet of paper. "Here's the directions on how to get to Dora and where to find Mother's place. Her name is Zenaida. You'll leave first thing in the morning. Mother will be expecting you. When you return to Central City, bring the girl here first, before you take her home."
Kava's mouth dropped, as a stunned look suddenly crossed his face. "Pick up your servant girl?"
"Are you hard of hearing, Kava? Isn't that what I just said?" Urko snapped angrily.
"Yes, sir," Kava crisply replied. "It's just that this is a bit of a surprise, sir. I didn't know you even owned any humans!"
An indifferent look crossed Urko's face. "Niabi really belongs to my wife, Elta," he revealed unceremoniously. "She inherited the girl from her parents after they died. Mother broke her arm, and I wanted her to stay with me while she recuperated. But Mother loves her independence and she stubbornly refused. So I insisted that she have Niabi stay with her instead, and she finally agreed. Mother's recovered and she doesn't need the girl anymore. Elta's unable to go pick her up, so I told her I'd have one of my officers retrieve her."
Kava bristled. The officer, of course, he thought testily, had to be him! "Is there anything special I should know about your human? She won't try to run away, will she?"
"What's the matter, Kava? Is a human female too much for you to handle?" Urko snorted in disgust. "Don't worry," he scowled. "She's very obedient, so she shouldn't give you any trouble at all. And Kava," Urko continued. "This human is very valuable to me. I want her brought back in excellent condition. I want her treated humanely and I want her well-cared for."
Kava saluted. "I understand, sir. I'll prepare a wagon and the provisions tonight. I'll choose Andrew to accompany me." He turned to exit the office.
"Kava!" barked Urko.
The gorilla abruptly stopped and spun around. "Sir?"
"You're not going to be needing a wagon for this assignment," Urko asserted with a hint of smug pleasure. "You're going solo to Dora and you'll be completing this assignment solo. Understood?"
"Understood," Kava murmured, then whined, "But, sir, how will I transport the girl home?"
Urko's muzzle wrinkled in a scowl. "You are riding your horse, aren't you?" he asked derisively. "I assume you're not going to walk to Dora!"
"No, sir."
"Let her ride in back of you on your horse," Urko answered. "Of course, you can always make her walk, but if you can get her home on time, with her feet in decent shape; by all means, be my guest." The sly smile spread wider.
"Sir, is that wise, sending me alone? What if I'm ambushed by a pack of wild humans?" Kava asked uneasily.
"It's only a three-day trip!" roared Urko. "Nothing's going to happen! Nothing ever does happen! Kava, you're a gorilla! You have the strength of ten humans! Are you afraid of a bunch of animals that are nothing more than
hairless-monkeys?"
Kava's eyes smoldered in anger. "No!" he hissed in defiance. "I . . . am . . . not!"
"Good," Urko simply answered. "Then I'll see you in three days."
"Yes, sir," rumbled in Kava's throat as he half-heartedly saluted, then quickly exited the office. The contempt he had for his commander was growing steadily. Now he was Urko's errand boy! This was the ultimate humiliation! Playing nursemaid to Urko's human! Kava even despised this human simply because she was Urko's servant girl. The quicker he could get this abhorrent task over with the better! Bitter emotions gnawed at him as he prepared for the trip. Kava readied his faithful horse. Not only would he be carrying him, but three days' worth of supplies, an additional rider, and whatever belongings she had with her.
That evening, Kava reluctantly accepted an invitation to dinner from his sister, Jolene, and her husband Gorka. Kava stared down at the tasteless bowl of vegetable casserole Jolene had made for dinner. He swirled his spoon through the bland brown mush, trying to bury the unfortunate pieces of carrots, celery and potatoes trapped within it.
"Kava?"
"Huh?" He raised his head.
"Kava? What's the matter? Aren't you hungry?" Jolene asked concerned. "You've hardly touched your dinner. Don't you like it?"
"Um, yeah, Jolene, the casserole's fine. It's delicious," Kava fibbed. He couldn't bear to tell her that her casserole tasted like glue! "I'll be gone on special assignment for a couple of days. I'm leaving tomorrow morning. I've got a lot on my mind, so don't mind me." Kava searched his sister's face anxiously. Her smile in return told him that she bought his little white lie. "I was just thinking about how I'm going to miss your great cooking!" He looked over at his brother-in-law Gorka, and their three children greedily gulping the casserole down. Ugh! Either they're used to her horrible cooking, or they're swallowing it down fast so they don't have to taste it, Kava thought in aversion.
"I've made plenty of casserole and I'll pack some for your trip," Jolene offered.
"No, you don't have to do that, really! I don't want you to go through a lot of trouble," Kava insisted.
"No, no trouble at all," she replied. Before Kava had a chance to protest, Jolene presented him with a small earthen pot wrapped in a woven cloth.
Kava managed a weak smile, as he accepted the pot, filled with more of that vile porridge. You idiot, Kava silently scolded himself. You couldn't quit while you were ahead! Next time, put your foot in your mouth before you speak!
"Uncle Kava, tell us about your assignment. Please?" begged Tomas, his twelve-year-old nephew.
There was no way Kava was going to tell them about this demeaning task! What would they think if they knew he was only escorting a human home? Urko and Elta's servant girl! It would embarrass his family! He was glad that Gorka wasn't in the military or police; he'd certainly know about Kava's babysitting job. Gorka was one of the few gorillas rejected for duty due to his club foot. Instead, he made his living as a carpenter. For once, Kava was glad he didn't have a wife or children of his own to put through this humiliation!
"I'm sorry, Tomas, I'm afraid this assignment is top-secret," he told him. "I'm under strict orders of confidentiality. Maybe someday I can tell you about it." The gorilla boy seemed satisfied with his answer. Kava got up from the table, hoping to discreetly leave the awful thick stew behind. He rushed to see himself out. "I've got to return to my quarters and get some sleep. Dawn comes early. Goodnight, everyone."
"Oh, Kava," called Gorka.
"Yes?"
"Don't forget your casserole." His brother-in-law limped over and handed him the wrapped pot.
Kava's spirit sank. "Oh yes, the casserole. Thank you, Gorka."
"Goodbye, Uncle Kava." Kava's fifteen-year-old niece, Renata, hugged him tightly. Her ten-year-old brother, Gavin, joined Tomas in a tight embrace around his waist. After the children finally turned him loose, Kava bid the family goodnight.
On his way to the barracks, Kava looked for a place where he could secretly discard the terrible tasting mush. He spotted Ralph, the stray mongrel dog, who took up permanent residence with the troopers. Ralph greeted Kava with a low whine and a vigorously wagging tail. He pawed at the gorilla, then rolled over on his back, exposing his belly for a tummy rub.
"Yeah, some watch dog you are!" Kava said pithily as he scratched the dog's stomach. "I've got something for you, boy."
Ralph sat up and Kava stroked the dog's head. He unwrapped the pot and removed the cover. Ralph licked his lips in hungry anticipation as Kava poured the brown vegetable mush into his food dish. "Enjoy!"
Ralph approached the dish, sniffing cautiously before taking a bite of a slop-covered potato. The dog smacked his lips noisily, then promptly spit out the half-chewed morsel! He tilted his head at Kava as if to say, 'You expect me
to eat this garbage?'
Kava snickered with a sigh. "I don't blame you, boy. Gorka and those kids must have stomachs made of iron!" Kava patted Ralph again. "Well, Ralphie, boy, you won't be seeing me around here for a few days. Got to baby-sit Urko's human. I don't really want to, but I've got to follow orders. Goodnight, Ralph." Kava headed for his quarters and sacked out on his cot. He yawned and instantly fell asleep.
Ralph bumped the food dish with his nose, splattering the brown slop topsy-turvy on the ground. With his head and tail held high, he strutted into his doghouse the gorillas had provided for him.
--
Kava was on the road to Dora just before the sun rose in the east. The road was quiet except for an occasional wagon, but the morning passed without incident. That afternoon, a pair of gorilla soldiers riding in the opposite direction, flagged him down. Kava reined his horse to a stop. He didn't recognize the two apes. One of the gorillas' facial hair bore a distinguished mixture of auburn and blond. His partner was a young fine-looking ape, and Kava noticed he had eyes that were very unusual for a gorilla; they were a clear green.
"What is it?" Kava asked them.
"Are you Kava?" The emerald-eyed gorilla asked.
"Yes, I'm Kava."
"I'm Elliott, and this is Omar from Cabuul."
Omar saluted, and Kava returned the salute.
"Chief Urko told us you're on your way to Dora to pick up his wife's servant girl," Elliott continued.
"That's right," Kava replied, trying to keep his anger in check. Urko wasted no time informing the entire police force of his lowly task!
"Sergeant Terrell just informed us that the three fugitives, Galen, Burke and Virdon, were spotted in this area not too far from here. We're on our way to inform Chief Urko," Elliott reported. "The Sergeant said when you pick up the
girl, use extreme caution. He's sure that if the fugitives saw you had a young human female with you, they might try to 'rescue' her from you. I don't quite understand why Urko would send you alone. That would certainly tempt the
fugitives even more to try to take the girl. The three of them could easily overpower you."
"Urko thought I could handle them, and I know I can," Kava assured them. "It's only a three-day trip, so I don't think anything will happen. Thanks for the update. I'll keep a look out for them."
"All right, be careful. If you need any assistance, don't hesitate to call on us," Omar said as Elliott nodded in agreement.
"I will," Kava muttered, even though he knew he wasn't allowed to have any assistance. If that son of a baboon, Urko, wanted to play these silly games, he'd gladly play along, too. And he was determined to win!
When Kava reached Dora, the sun was sitting on the edge of the western horizon. After he reported his arrival to the local garrison commander, Kava decided to announce his coming to Zenaida; but would wait until morning to collect the girl and return back to Central City.
Kava pulled out Urko's directions, but Urko's handwriting made it impossible to decipher the exact location of Zenaida's house. At the vegetable stand across the earthen road, he spotted a young human female, carrying an empty basket, talking with the elderly human vendor.
"Hey, girl!" he called.
The human looked at him, then pointed to herself.
"Yes, you," he said sharply. "Come here."
The girl ambled casually over to Kava. "Can I help you, sir?" she asked with a courteous smile.
Kava curiously studied the youth. Up close, this human resurfaced memories of another human from his distant past. He gazed at her in awe for a drawn-out silent moment. The girl fidgeted uncomfortably under the ape's voiceless stare. "Do you know a gorilla named Zenaida, and where I can find her house?" he finally asked.
"Yes, I know Zenaida," she confirmed in a meek treble voice. She pointed to a small adorned bungalow across the dirt road. "Her house is right over there. She lives next door to the prefect. I can take you there."
"No, that's all right. You go about your business," he told her. He dismissed the girl and headed for Zenaida's place.
The senior widowed gorilla greeted Kava, and invited him inside for supper. Unlike her son, Zenaida was short and rotund. Stripes of gray blended with the black fur that framed her delicate matronly face. Kava caught an enticing aroma drifting from Zenaida's kitchen. He hadn't eaten dinner yet, and he eagerly accepted her offer.
"Niabi and I have already eaten, and I thought you'd be hungry when you arrived," Zenaida said pleasantly, as she drifted into the kitchen. "Have a seat at the table, Kava. I'll bring you some dinner," her voice called from the kitchen. "I sent Niabi to fetch some corn, and she should be back soon."
"Thank you, ma'am," Kava replied.
Zenaida returned to the table and presented Kava with a steaming serving of vegetable casserole for his evening meal. Kava clamped his mouth tightly, suppressing a gag. The thick stew looked identical to Jolene's culinary monstrosity! Kava bravely dipped his spoon in the bowl and gingerly took a bite. Slowly, he chewed and an unexpected surprise met his tongue. The casserole was actually tasty!
"This is delicious!" he declared, as he ate his dinner hungrily.
"Here, let me get you more." Zenaida snatched Kava's empty bowl and retreated to the kitchen. She promptly returned with the refilled bowl, cheerfully setting it in front of Kava.
"Madame Zenaida, I'm back!" A soprano voice sang from the kitchen.
"In here, dear," Zenaida answered cheerily.
Niabi sat her basket down on the table in front of the elderly gorilla, eager to show her the corn she had brought her. Zenaida stopped her with a firm gentle hand on the girl's shoulder, and gestured at Kava with a sweep of her other hand. "Niabi, this is Kava, the police officer who's going to take you home tomorrow morning."
Kava's eyes opened wide when he saw his human ward. It was she! The same girl he'd met earlier! "Tallulah!" he blurted out of the blue.
"Kava?" asked Zenaida. "Is something wrong?"
Both females gazed at him expectantly.
"She . . . she looks so much . . . like . . . Tallulah," he stuttered. "A human we used to have when I was a boy!" Kava regained his composure. "So, you're Niabi! We've already met! Remember? I asked you how to find Zenaida's house?"
"It's nice to see you again, Mr. Kava, sir," Niabi returned politely, with a bow.
Kava acknowledged the girl with a casual wave of his hand, then finished his casserole refill.
Zenaida handed the bowl to Niabi. "Kava's very hungry, so why don't you bring him another helping?"
"No!" Kava cried, raising his hand, as he stood up from the table. "It's good, but I can't eat another bite! Thank you again for the dinner, ma'am. You're a wonderful cook."
"I didn't cook the casserole, Kava. Niabi made it, so thank her," Zenaida replied jovially.
"My compliments to you, little lady." Kava smiled benevolently at Niabi. The girl's cooking quickly dissolved any remaining hatred he had of her. "If you need me, I'll be at the garrison. Otherwise, I'll be here first thing in the morning. Good evening, Zenaida. See you tomorrow, Niabi."
"Goodbye, Mr. Kava," Niabi answered.
"Good evening, Kava," Zenaida added. "Sleep well."
The next morning, Kava was treated to a stack of delicious fruit pancakes served with cinnamon-flavored honey, prepared by Niabi. So that's why this human is so valuable to Urko, thought Kava humorously. The girl is an excellent cook! No wonder Urko had an expanding waistline!
"Mr. Kava," Niabi spoke timidly. "I'll help Madame Zenaida with the breakfast dishes, then I'll be ready. I've already got my belongings together."
Zenaida crossed her arms over her bosom. "You'll do no such thing," she teasingly scolded her. "You have to go home, young lady. Don't worry about me. I'm fine now. If I need help, there's plenty of people here who can help me. Now go!"
"Yes, ma'am," Niabi said reluctantly.
Zenaida hugged the girl, then handed her a woven sack with a large chunk of cheese, bread, and raw fruit and vegetables for the trip home. "You've been a big help, dear. Kava will be in charge of you, so you do whatever he tells you. Tell Urko and Elta to send word to me that you've made it home."
"I will," Niabi promised.
Zenaida squeezed Niabi again, and then allowed the girl to kiss her on the cheek. Kava felt the skin crawl under his fur! A kiss from a human! How revolting, he thought in disgust! Didn't Zenaida realize how many germs a human mouth has?
Zenaida handed Kava the document that proved ownership of Niabi by Urko and Elta. He unfolded the document, quickly skimming over it . . .
The pit in Kava's stomach knotted; as he watched his father sign the document that turned his beloved Tallulah over to her new owners. Kava closed his eyes, refolded the document, and finally managed to shut the image out of his mind.
Niabi followed Kava outside to his waiting horse. He mounted the tall black gelding and took a quick visual inventory of his human charge. All Niabi had was her bedroll and pillow, with a small knapsack of clothing that she carried on her back with two woven straps.
Kava offered his hand down to Niabi, who stared dumbly back up at him. "Well, come on!"
"You want me up there?" Niabi asked timidly. "But I can't! Humans aren't supposed to ride horses! I should be walking!"
"It's all right," Kava said gently. "We have one day to get back to Central City, and we don't have time for you to walk. I have special permission from Urko, himself, for you to ride with me. Now come on, give me your hand."
"But your poor horse!" the girl cried. "He's already got too much to carry! I'll hurt his back if I get on!"
Kava's patience was wearing thin. "Don't worry!" he said irritably. "He's a strong boy! He's carried large loads before! We're wasting time! Let's go! Now!"
Kava grabbed the human and easily hoisted her up behind him, on his horse. "Hold on tight," he instructed her. With a nudge to his horse's flanks, Kava was finally leaving Dora and bringing Niabi home.
--
For the first hour on the road, all was quiet. Kava periodically checked to make sure the girl was still there. She was so silent and still, he had almost forgotten she was with him.
"Mr. Kava, this is the first time I've ever been on a horse," Niabi finally spoke. "I was scared at first, because it's so high up here. But you made me feel really safe. Thank you, Mr. Kava."
"You're welcomed," Kava answered gruffly. "But don't enjoy it too much. I'm sure this will be your last time on a horse as well. And do me a favor!"
"Yes, Mr. Kava?"
"Don't call me 'Mr. Kava'," Kava spat through clenched teeth. "I'm not your master! I don't own any humans! I'm not a lieutenant, or anyone special! I'm just a dumb gorilla lackey carrying out Urko's orders. Just call me Kava, understand?"
"But, Mr. Ka - ah . . . Kava," Niabi objected. "You're not a dumb gorilla lackey! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be going home! I think you're a nice ape, and it's really sweet of you to take me home. I miss my family and I can't wait to see them! I haven't seen them in three months!" She added ruefully. "I was taught to always call adults 'mister' or 'madame', because it shows respect. I really like you, and I'm sorry if I made you angry, Kava."
Kava's bitter tongue tasted contrite's flavor. He swallowed hard, then glanced behind at the girl with a remorseful expression. "No, Niabi, I'm not angry with you, and I shouldn't have snapped at you. I'm the one who should be sorry," he said in penitence. "I've got a lot on my mind, so don't pay any attention to me. You're right about showing respect, but I don't like to be called 'mister'. It sounds too formal, and too high-and-mighty. Just call me Kava, okay?"
"Yes, sir, Kava, sir," Niabi acknowledged forgivingly.
Another hour of riding had passed when the gorilla felt the instant need to relieve himself, and he knew the girl needed relief, as well. Kava reined his horse to the side of the road next to a small clearing with a huge boulder, bordered by a tall wall of chaparral.
"Get down," he ordered. "We'll take a short break."
The ape and the girl quickly dismounted and Kava hitched his horse to one of the trees in the clearing.
"Kava, may I? I have to . . . you know," Niabi announced with a look of urgency in her eyes.
"I know. So do I." He gestured at the boulder in the clearing. "Over there, behind that big rock. Be careful," he warned her. "There's snakes, bugs and other things around."
Niabi raced across the clearing and disappeared behind the large chunk of stone. Kava followed closely behind, picking a spot behind the bushes to answer nature's call. When he finished, he waited for Niabi at the edge of the clearing. Soon afterwards, she skipped around the boulder and bounded over to meet the gorilla.
"All set?" Kava asked, as he escorted her back to his horse.
"Yeah, and so is he!" Niabi replied giggling, gesturing at the ape's horse, who had just finished relieving himself.
Kava chuckled along with her, then tethered the horse in another spot so he wouldn't have to stand in his mess. He retrieved his canteen and a small metal cup off the saddle. Kava took two large gulps from the canteen, then filled the cup and gave it to the human. She drank quickly and handed the empty cup back to Kava. The ape swallowed another sip from the canteen, then silently offered Niabi more water, but she shook her head.
"What's your horse's name?" asked Niabi, as she stroked the horse on his velvety nose.
"His name is Bob," Kava replied curiously. "Why?"
"Just wondered," she replied. "I always see you gorillas riding your horses, and I've always wondered if your horses had names. Mr. Urko's horse's name is Rufus."
"Really?" asked Kava, totally uninterested, but he decided to humor the girl. "I didn't know Urko's horse even had a name."
"He's really a nice horse," Niabi told him. "Sometimes I help my brother take care of him."
My brother? Kava's curiosity abruptly arose. So, he thought inquisitively, Elta owns more than one human. Interesting . . .
"One day, when I was about twelve-years-old, I wondered what Rufus would look like if he were a show horse. So I found some red ribbons and I braided his mane and tail. He looked really fancy."
Kava chortled. He could just picture the security chief's tall white horse all primped up like a female ape going to a dance!
"Maw and Paw didn't think so."
Maw and Paw?? Kava's ears perked up. He eagerly waited to hear more . . .
Niabi continued, her eyes grew solemn. "They were so angry at me! They said Mr. Urko would be very upset because I was playing around with his horse. They told me to take that stuff off of Rufus before Mr. Urko saw it! Paw grabbed the biggest switch he could get his hands on so he could whip me, but Mr. Urko and Madame Elta stopped him. They saw what I did and they both thought it was funny. But Mr. Urko told me never to do it again, or he'd have Paw whip me with that huge wooden spoon hanging on the kitchen wall. I didn't do it to be mean. I was just trying to fix up Rufus, that's all."
Kava winced. "I know exactly what a spanking from a wooden spoon feels like!" he said sympathetically. "My siblings and I have had our share of them as children. If one of us had done something wrong, we all got a whipping!"
"That wasn't very fair!" Niabi protested. "Getting punished for something you didn't do!"
"No, it wasn't," he answered softly. "Are you hungry? I'll give you some bread and a piece of cheese. It'll be awhile before we eat. We'll keep riding until the evening comes, then we'll set up camp for the night."
"No, Kava, I'm not hungry." Niabi shook her head. "Are you hungry?"
Kava chuckled and patted his stomach. "Are you kidding? I'm still enjoying that wonderful breakfast you made this morning! You're an excellent cook, Niabi!"
"Thank you, Kava," Niabi answered humbly.
Niabi's anecdote involving Urko's horse intrigued Kava. Since discovering that Urko and Elta owned humans, he wasn't about to miss this perfect opportunity to learn more from Niabi. Trivial information, or not, it would still be very entertaining.
"So, what's it like living with Urko and Elta?" Kava started the conversation. "I hear they have a really nice house. I've never been there before, so I guess I'll get to see it when I take you home."
"Oh, it is nice. They have a huge house, with a big stable," Niabi replied merrily. "And my family and I have our own living quarters in the back."
"Sounds like you have a really big family," Kava commented.
"No, not really. There's just the four of us," Niabi answered. "We used to live with Madame Elta's parents. Then after they died, we went to live with Madame Elta, Mr. Urko, and their kids. Maw and Paw got really scared when they heard this, because sometimes the apes break up our families. They'll send some of our family members off to live with other apes, and we never see them again. That's why my parents were so angry about Mr. Urko's horse. They thought Mr. Urko would punish me by sending me away, or even worse, take me off and shoot me! But Mr. Urko's never punished me. My brother and I always got punished by Maw and Paw. Sometimes Madame Elta punished us, too."
"I've never met Elta," said Kava. "What's she like?"
"She's really a nice ape," Niabi answered assuredly. "She only punishes you if you truly deserve it. And she's very fair. Like the time when Barak was playing with some candles and caught his pa's bear skin rug on fire. He said he saw my brother, Namid, do it! Mr. Urko and Madame Elta knew he didn't do it, because Namid got burned cleaning out the fireplace, and now he's afraid of fire. They took Barak into his room and shut the door. They were in there for quite a while. When they finally came out, Barak was crying and he couldn't sit for two days!"
"So, you're saying Urko's never punished you?" Kava asked stunned. He's witnessed many a gorilla soldier on the receiving end of Urko's wrath!
"No, he's never punished any of us," Niabi simply said. "But he scared the living daylights out of us! Mr. Urko was always gone during the day, but when he'd come home in the evenings, he'd completely ignore us. Like we didn't exist! He wouldn't speak to us, or even want to be in the same room with us. If he wanted us to do something, he'd tell Madame Elta, then she'd tell us." She paused briefly, then added sadly. "He acted like we were some kind of terrible disease, something to be avoided! So we'd stay away from him as much as possible."
"So what happened?" asked Kava highly interested. "You're not afraid of him anymore, are you?"
"No, sir," Niabi replied softly, shaking her head. "After I took the ribbons out of Rufus' mane and tail, Mr. Urko came looking for me. I told him how sorry I was for playing around with Rufus, and I begged him to let me say goodbye to my family before he took me off to shoot me! He started laughing and he said, 'I'm not going to shoot you! Why would you think I'd shoot you?' I told him I thought he was going to kill me for what I'd done to his horse. He said he wouldn't kill me over something silly like that! He just wanted to tell me that Madame Elta needed me to go to the market with her. I started crying and he yelled at me, 'Now what's wrong with you? Why are you crying? If you don't stop bawling like a baby, I won't have your father beat you! I'll take that wooden spoon and beat you myself!' I told him I was crying because I thought he was coming to kill me! I thought he hated me, because he'd never spoken to me before!"
Niabi's eyes misted over. "Then he grabbed me by the shoulders, and he looked me in the eye and said, 'No, Niabi, I don't hate you.' He said, all his life he'd never been around humans that much. That's why he wouldn't speak to us, or have anything to do with us. And now that's he's got humans living in his house, he's starting to get used to us."
Niabi paused to dry her wet cheeks on the back of her hand, while Kava refilled the tin cup and kindly offered it to her. "Thank you," she whispered. She emptied the cup in three large sips, then resumed her story. "He said, 'You're a good girl, Niabi. And so's your family.' He said, as long as we did as we're told, and we didn't lie, or cause any trouble, he promised we'd have a good home and we'd be treated well." The girl paused thoughtfully, the melancholy look deepened on her face. "I think Madame Elta must've said something to him, because he said any human she trusted must not be all that bad! And he's a little more friendlier toward us. We don't see Mr. Urko that much anymore. I guess his job keeps him away from home a lot." Niabi dried her face again and noticed that Kava was engrossed in her story. She gave the gorilla a curious look. "May I ask you a question, Kava? Am I in trouble, sir?"
"No, you're not in trouble," Kava casually answered. "Why do you think you're in trouble?"
Niabi's face clouded with concern. "I thought maybe I was in trouble, or something, because you're asking me a lot of questions."
"No, you're not in trouble," Kava replied with a reassuring smile, as he returned the canteen and cup to his saddlebag. "I'm just doing some thinking, that's all. Don't worry. It doesn't concern you, and it's nothing for you to be concerned about. Understand?"
"Yes, sir. I understand."
As long as you do as you're told and you know where your place is, you'll be all right, Kava dwelled deeply on the thought. I'm sure Urko wants me in my place: Six feet under . . .
Mounting Bob, the ape offered his hand down to Niabi. "Come," he said, helping her up on Bob. "Time to go."
--
The afternoon dissolved and evening came to take its place. Kava knew of a secluded area just off the road, with a stream nearby with suitable drinking water. It would be the perfect place for him and Niabi to spend the night. Twilight filled the sky, bringing a large crescent moon, with a sporadic sprinkling of stars. Using his flint, Kava started a small fire. Niabi hauled over the saddlebags and set them by the campsite, while Kava gathered up firewood. With Kava's permission, she returned to Bob and started grooming him with the curry brush that Kava had brought along. The big black gelding closed his eyes, as contented grunting accompanied each stroke of the brush.
"Nice job," Kava said approvingly, with an armload of firewood. "Just don't put any braids in his mane or tail."
Niabi looked up startled. A smile spread on Kava's face. He winked at the girl and Niabi realized he was joking. She smiled in returned and continued grooming Bob.
Niabi had finished grooming Bob's neck and started to brush his chest. A brown, hairy hand suddenly materialized out of thin air, and cupped itself over her mouth. Niabi tried to scream, but all she could manage was a gurgle. She felt herself being yanked into a pair of arms belonging to a chimpanzee.
"Don't make a sound!" The ape hissed with his hand still covering her mouth. "We're here to rescue you!"
Niabi looked up at the chimpanzee with questionable eyes. The chimp removed his hand from the girl's mouth. "Rescue me? Why? I'm all right," she told him "I'm fine, sir. You don't have to rescue me."
Niabi spotted Kava knelt over his bedroll, unfurling it for the night, when she saw two human males sneaking upon him. The blond man held a thick tree branch, ready to whack the gorilla's head.
"Kava! Look out!" Niabi screamed.
Kava snatched up his rifle and whirled just in time to fire off a shot. He missed the rampaging humans, but the man with the stick slammed his wooden rod into Kava's temple. The blow dazed the ape, but he still mustered the strength to fight back. He shoved his boot into the fair-haired human's torso, sending him sprawling on his back. The other human pounced on the gorilla and wrestled the shotgun from Kava's chunky fingers. He flung the weapon aside and started pounding his fists into Kava's face and body. T he first human staggered to his feet, rejoined the fight and followed suit.
Niabi watched in horror! She had to help Kava! The chimpanzee still held a firm grip on her arms. She fiercely fought to free herself from the ape, screaming at the top of her lungs the entire time. Niabi found an opening and jabbed the toe of her solid leather shoe as hard as she could into the ape's shin. The chimp yelped loudly and released the girl. He grabbed his injured shin and began hopping about in circles on his good foot. Niabi bravely railed against the human duo to save Kava. With a flying leap, she landed on the dark-haired human's back, madly pulling his hair, and clawing his face and neck.
"Leave him alone!" she screamed repeatedly. "Leave him alone!"
"Alan! Galen! Help!" yelled the man, as he tried to pull Niabi off.
The chimpanzee limped over. He and the blond man wrestled the girl from their friend's back, pinning her on the ground.
"You leave him alone! He wasn't hurting me! He wasn't doing anything wrong!" Niabi hollered, still squirming wildly. "Let me go! Please!"
"Easy! Easy!" cried the light-haired man. "We just want to help you!"
"Well, this is my lucky night!" came Kava's voice, accompanied by a sharp rifle click. "If it isn't Galen, Virdon, and Burke! Urko will be very happy to see you three again!"
The three assailants froze. Kava was still dazed, but had recovered enough to retrieve his rifle. He stood rigid, ready to shoot. "If you've harmed that girl, I won't bother taking you back! I'll just shoot you on site! Get away from her!" he ordered. "Now!"
The ape and the humans backed away from the girl.
Niabi picked herself up and hid behind Kava.
"You all right, Niabi?" Kava asked her, but keeping his eyes and rifle locked on the trio.
"I'm okay. Are you okay, Kava?" asked Niabi concerned.
"Kava? Kava?" The brunette man's eyes widened. "Hey Alan, that's Kava! The gorilla who had the malaria! He's the one you gave the quin -!"
Alan motioned his friend to be silent, but the gorilla had already heard too much. He relaxed his grip on the rifle and slowly approached Alan.
"You!" he cried, pointing at Alan. "It was you! You're the one who gave me the bitter medicine that night!"
Alan tried to mask his face with a dumb look. "I don't know what you're talking about!" he said with a nervous laugh. "What bitter medicine?"
"Don't play with me, Virdon!" Kava answered sharply. "You three must have been hiding in Trion, because Burke knew my name! He knew I was sick with the malaria! Now I'm positive it was you because I recognize your voice! You risked your life for me, an ape? Why?"
"Because your pain was no different from the humans," Alan replied softly. "I don't like seeing anyone suffer, whether they're human or ape."
Kava nodded, satisfied with Alan's reply. "I've always wondered who it was that helped me that night," he said appreciatively. "I wanted to find them and thank them for saving my life. I was a bit surprised that my savior turned out to be human. I always thought it was Dr. Zoran, or Inta. Thank you, Virdon, for saving my life."
"You're welcomed," Alan replied earnestly, as he held out his hand.
The gorilla offered his own in return and the two shook hands in a moment of truce.
"Great!" quipped Pete. "I wanted to thank you for saving my life before I turned you over to Urko to be shot!"
"You should be, for hurting him!" Niabi piped up angrily.
"Whose side are you on?" cried Pete. "We're trying to help you!"
"I didn't ask for your help!" Niabi snapped back.
"Enough!" shouted Kava. "I'm tired," he sighed in resignation. "You're welcomed to stay the night, if you wish. You can leave in the morning, and I won't tell Urko that I ever saw you."
"Thank you, Kava," Alan answered gratefully. "We'll stay." He looked at Galen and Pete, who both stared back at him, unsure. "It's all right. I trust him," he reassured his friends.
Galen relaxed a bit, but Pete still had his doubts. He didn't trust this gorilla any more than a wolf guarding a flock of sheep!
"This is Niabi," Kava introduced his human ward while eyeing the trio acutely. "And do me a favor," he sternly told them. "Don't allow yourselves to get caught in the future, because the next time I can't guarantee that I'll be able to spare your lives."
Before Alan or Galen could reply, Pete spoke up first. "Believe me! We don't intend to get caught again!" he answered firmly.
"But, Kava, they tried to hurt you!" Niabi protested, as the three fugitives made themselves comfortable by the campfire.
Kava sat by the fire and motioned Niabi to sit by him. "Niabi, about six months ago, I was sick with a very deadly disease called malaria."
"I've never heard of malaria," she answered, her voice filled with interest.
"Nobody had ever heard of it before. Both humans and apes became sick and they died from it. The High Council ordered that the village of Trion be quarantined. I was there with Urko to help enforce the quarantine, when I became sick myself," Kava explained. "I didn't want the other gorillas to become sick so I 'volunteered' to be quarantined with the villagers."
Pete, Alan and Galen exchanged droll glances as they listened to Kava's story. They knew the truth; Urko was the one who 'volunteered' Kava to be quarantined! And Urko refused to allow Dr. Zoran, or anyone, to help him; an ape, and one of his own soldiers!
"Dr. Zoran had discovered that this disease was malaria, and it's transmitted through the bite of the mosquito. He discovered the cure was in the bark of a special tree, and he made medicine from it," Kava continued, the experience still fresh in his mind. "One night, I was really sick. I was burning up with fever, and I thought I was going to die! Then someone came from the village, and gave me the bitter medicine. This person could've caught the malaria!"
And, Kava thought enraged, this person risked death from a bullet, for crossing the quarantine line!
Niabi's innocent, attentive gaze prompted Kava to push aside his disdain for Urko. "This person risked their own life to save me, Niabi!" he added in reverence.
"You found out Mr. Virdon was the one who gave you the medicine," Niabi said in admiration.
"Yes, he was. It was a very brave thing for him to do. That's why I invited him and his friends to spend the night with us," Kava said quietly. In his mind, Kava knew that bringing back the fugitives would restore his standing with Urko. But after what happened in Trion, he questioned his loyalty to his commander. After all, it was Alan Virdon, a human, and a wanted criminal, who risked his life to save him. No human would ever risk their life for an ape! Urko had said so, and Urko was always right . . . or was he? And Niabi, Urko's own servant girl, had just risked her life to rescue him from the fugitives . . .
Niabi turned to Pete and Galen, smiling sheepishly. "Mr. Galen? Mr. Burke? Are you all right? I hope I didn't hurt you both too badly. You were attacking Kava and I had to help him."
"No harm done. I'll live," replied Galen cheerfully, as he massaged his still sore shin.
"Speak for yourself," Pete murmured, gingerly touching the scratch marks on his face and neck.
"I'm sorry, too, Kava," Alan apologized. "I'm the one who smacked you in the head with the tree branch. Are you all right?"
"Apology accepted," Kava said, fatigued. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temple where Alan had struck him. "My head's a little sore, but I'll be fine."
Niabi eyed the trio suspiciously, asking them, "But why did you attack Kava in the first place? Mr. Galen said you were trying to rescue me."
Alan rubbed his chin trying to come up with an answer, and fast! "You see, Niabi, most apes look alike to us humans. Just as we humans look alike to most apes. We didn't know he was Kava."
Galen quickly spoke. "Ah, let me explain, Alan. You see, Niabi, it was dark, and um, we mistook Kava for a boogeyman!"
"What's a boogeyman?" Niabi asked, as Pete hid his face in his hands. Alan fought hard to contain his serious composure.
Kava's brow furrowed in puzzlement.
Galen became stoned-faced and spoke in a tone of total seriousness. "A boogeyman is a creature that only comes out at night -"
"Just like tonight!" Pete interrupted, to emphasize Galen's point.
"Yes, and these creatures are evil and dangerous. They attack both human and ape alike! And they especially love kids . . . " Galen paused for a dramatic effect. "To eat! That's why we were trying to rescue you. We thought Kava was a boogeyman!"
Niabi looked at him doubtfully. "Oh, that's silly, Mr. Galen!" she laughed. "I've never heard of such a thing!"
"Neither have I!" Kava declared. "Yeah, and all three of you must be blind as bats! It's dark out, but it's not that dark out! Come on, with the campfire burning, certainly you guys could tell I'm an ape!"
"These boogeymen are very clever creatures!" Galen spoke authoritatively. "They're shape shifters. That's how they catch their victims! My friend, Karrus, was attacked by a boogeyman! One night, Karrus was riding home from his girlfriend's house, when he came upon an injured orangutan, lying in the middle of the road . . . or so he thought! He stopped to help the unfortunate ape, but it turned out to be a boogeyman! My friend was very fortunate to escape the boogeyman! And he lived to tell about it!"
Kava and Niabi exchanged incredulous looks, then broke up, laughing hysterically.
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!" Kava chortled hilariously. "And who told you this?"
Galen peered grimly into Kava's face. "My grandparents told me this."
Kava's face became somber. "Are you serious?"
Galen wore a look of feigned shook. "You've never heard of the boogeyman? Next thing you'll be telling me is that you've never heard of Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster!" A sly smile with a snicker cracked Galen's grave expression.
Alan and Pete could stand it no longer! Both men, along with the chimpanzee, dissolved into rolling fits of laughter!
"I knew you guys were pulling my fur!" Kava chuckled. "There really isn't such a thing as a boogeyman! You made that up!"
Pete was holding his stomach, which hurt from laughing so hard. "The boogeyman was a creature made up to scare children into behaving themselves at night. Now Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster are supposedly real. People used to see them, but nobody's ever caught either one of them."
Alan propped his elbows on his knees, then rested his chin on his folded hands. "The Bigfoot creatures may be distant relatives of yours, Galen and Kava. They're wild, apelike creatures around nine feet tall, that live in the wilderness around here. They've also been spotted in other parts of the world, too."
Kava bent his head as he pondered what he just heard. "Really?" he asked dubiously. "Then how come I've never heard of Bigfoot before? Are you guys pulling my fur again? And what about this Loch Ness Monster?"
"There's no chance you'll ever see one of those," Pete replied. "Unless you go to Scotland."
"Scotland? What's Scotland, Mr. Burke?" asked Niabi.
"It's a country far, far away from here," answered Pete.
"I've never heard of Scotland!" she scoffed. "Are you sure you're not making that up, too?"
"No, Scotland is a real place. Or it was," Pete explained. "The monster lived in a big lake called Loch Ness, which is why they called it the Loch Ness Monster. Most scientists believed the monster was really a plesiosaur. They were a type of dinosaur that lived in the water."
"What's a dinosaur?" Kava asked intrigued.
"They were huge gigantic reptiles that were as big as trees," Galen replied. "They lived on the planet millions of years ago. They're extinct now. They died off a long time ago, but nobody really knows why." He gestured at his two human friends, answering Kava's questioning stare. "That's what these two told me."
"And you believe them?" Kava shook his head in disbelief. "Nine foot tall wild apes that live in the woods, and reptiles as big as trees! Yeah, right! Now I've heard everything!" He chortled, with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"So, why are you two out here by yourselves?" asked Alan, as he took a swig of water from his canteen.
Pete dryly asked. "Is Niabi a special criminal you're escorting back to Central City?"
"No, she's not a criminal!" Kava laughed, shaking his head. "I'm on a special assignment from Urko to bring her back to him."
"Alone?" asked Galen incredulously. "I thought you guys worked in pairs, or more."
"Yeah," Kava replied bluntly. "Apparently Urko thought since it was only a three-day trip that I could handle this job solo. He assured me that nothing would happen, but I knew otherwise, because here you are! I knew you guys would try something!" Kava's sarcastic tone of voice turned amiable. "But after I found out about Virdon, the situation's changed."
"You're taking this girl back to Urko?" cried Alan in alarm. "But you can't do that, Kava! Urko hates humans! He'll kill her! That's why we had to get the girl away from you!"
"No, he won't," Kava positively replied. "This girl belongs to him and she's very special to him. I'm under strict orders to see that she's properly cared for. Urko wants her treated humanely."
Pete huffed loudly. "That's a first!" he scoffed. "Since when did Urko ever want humans treated humanely?"
Galen's brow rose in surprise. "I didn't know Urko even owned humans!"
"Well, the girl really belongs to his wife, Elta," Kava told them. "When Elta's parents died, she inherited Niabi and her family. I was surprised, too, when I found out. Apparently, not very many people know about this. I guess Urko is more tolerant of Elta's humans than he is of humans in general. Urko's mother, Zenaida, had broken her arm, and Niabi was staying with her until she recovered. Niabi wasn't in any danger! She just wants to go home. If she didn't, she wouldn't have risked her life to save me from the three of you!"
"Is this true, Niabi?" Galen asked. "You want to go home? Back to Urko?"
"Yes, sir," Niabi softly replied. "Madame Zenaida is kind, and it was nice staying with her, but I haven't seen my family in three months. Please, Mr. Galen, I really miss them. I just want to go home."
"If she wants to go back, there's not much we can do about it," Alan whispered to Pete in resignation.
"I guess even a bastard like Urko is capable of having some compassion," Pete murmured in reply.
"Niabi, you don't have to call me 'Mr. Galen'," Galen said genially. "It sounds so formal. So high-and-mighty. Just call me Galen."
"That's exactly what Kava said! All right," Niabi answered. "Galen."
"That goes for Pete and I, too," Alan imparted.
"Actually, you should be calling Alan 'Colonel Virdon', since he's the commanding officer of this outfit," Pete told Niabi in a weighty tone of voice.
Niabi shot Alan a confused look. "Colonel Virdon?"
"Don't listen to him!" Alan taunted, as Pete's face broke into a mischievous grin. "He's always playing around! Just call me Alan, and we'll get along just fine."
"All right, Alan."
"Colonel? You're an officer?" Kava asked Alan in disbelief.
"Yeah, I am. Well, I guess you can say, I was," Alan answered pensively. "In this time and place, my rank doesn't mean a thing."
"That's very interesting. I'd like to hear more later, but right now, let's eat. I'm starving," said Kava, as he rummaged about in one of his saddlebags. He found the cloth bag Zenaida had given him and pulled out their evening meal of bread and cheese, with raw celery and carrot sticks. He invited the three friends to eat, and they in turn added their wild fruit and nuts they'd brought with them. Everyone ate, but not with a lot of enthusiasm.
"Kava, sir, did you bring along a cooking pot? How about onions, potatoes, or cornstarch?" Niabi asked as she bit into a piece of carrot. "How about salt? Do you have salt with you?"
"Sorry," he told her teasingly. "This was only supposed to be a three-day assignment, not a road trip! Poor Bob wouldn't be able to carry anything else!"
"Bob? Who's Bob?" Pete wanted to know.
"He's Kava's horse," Niabi replied. "Too bad Bob didn't have another horse to help him. If I did have a pot, with potatoes, onions, and cornstarch, I could have tried to cook vegetable stew tonight. I'm glad you enjoyed the casserole last night, Kava."
"You cook, Niabi?" asked Alan.
"Yes, sir, I can cook. My mom taught me," the girl smiled shyly. "She and I do most of the cooking at home, and I like to cook. It's the clean up that I don't like."
"I hear you there, kid," Alan agreed, as memories of helping his wife, Sally, wash the dishes played through his mind.
Kava agreed with a grunt. "She's got a wonderful teacher," he praised. "If only you could've been there last night to taste Niabi's vegetable casserole. And this morning, for breakfast, I had the best tasting fruit pancakes served with honey, and I tell you, it was so good." The gorilla suddenly became wistful. "Yeah, raw carrots and celery with dry bread and rubbery cheese just don't quite hit the spot, does it? You'll have to give me the recipe so I can tell my sister, Jolene, how to make your vegetable casserole. I love my sister dearly, but that girl's cooking leaves a lot to be desired."
"Your sister? You're not married, Kava?" asked Galen.
"No, but I almost was. I was engaged to be married to a beautiful gorilla named Elura. She had the warmest brown eyes you've ever seen, and her fur was soft and black as midnight. She was such a sweet soul. She was killed in a wagon accident and died of head injuries. The horse was spooked by a moose that ran across the road in front of her wagon. That was about five years ago." Kava stared at the fire, his voice filled with sorrow and loss. "Of all my brothers and sisters, my sister, Jolene, lives in Central City, so I see her quite often. She's married with three kids."
"That's so sad about Madame Elura, Kava. I'm so sorry." The girl wrapped her petite arms around the gorilla's neck and hugged him.
Kava was taken aback by Niabi's actions. He felt he ought to be repulsed by the human's touch, but yet he felt comforted. He, in turn, enfolded his arms around the girl, allowing a few silent tears to run down his cheeks. Kava quickly rubbed away his tears, hoping nobody saw them.
"Thank you," he whispered to Niabi. Nausea had set in and Kava couldn't finish his meal. He tossed his half-eaten bread into the fire, then excused himself for a quick trip to the woods.
"Kava?" Niabi called after him. She started to get up and go after him, but Galen stopped her with a clement hand.
"He'll be all right," he gently told her. "He just needs to be alone for a while."
--
A quarter of an hour passed before Kava returned to camp. The gorilla said nothing, and by his quiet demeanor it was clear he didn't want to be bothered. Pete was in the middle of telling one of his corny jokes, when Kava suddenly stiffened. The officer stood up abruptly and held up his hand for silence.
"Listen!"
Galen heard it too; the sound of trotting horses. "Horses! Kava, someone's coming!"
"My fellow troopers, most likely," Kava noted, as he grabbed his rifle. "Quick! Hide!"
The fugitives snatched up their belongings and disappeared into the nearby woods.
Niabi looked at Kava, puzzled. "Why did you tell them to hide, Kava?"
Kava laid his hand on Niabi's shoulder. "Niabi, don't say one word at all about Galen, Virdon or Burke, you understand? They're in a bit of trouble. I'll explain later."
"Yes, sir," she replied, as Kava went to greet their visitors.
"Hello, there!" called a voice from the darkness, as two mounted gorillas that Kava didn't recognize entered the camp.
"May we join you for the night?" one gorilla asked pleasantly.
"Sure," Kava politely replied, not really wanting their company. To turn them away would cause suspicion. "We were just eating, so you're welcomed to join us."
"Don't mind if we do," said the second gorilla. "Thank you."
"Sure, anytime. I'm Kava," Kava introduced himself, then the girl. "And this is Niabi."
"I'm Zako," the first gorilla greeted them genially. "And this is Joppa," he introduced the second gorilla.
"Hello, Mr. Zako, Mr. Joppa," Niabi replied cheerfully. "Nice to meet you."
"Zako," Zako corrected her. "Don't call me 'mister'. Just call me 'Zako'."
"Yes, sir, Zako, sir."
"That goes for me, too," added Joppa. "Just call me 'Joppa'."
"Yes, sir, Joppa, sir."
After the newcomers had settled in for the night, Zako produced a large metal pot, sitting it next to the fire.
"You've brought a cooking pot!" Niabi squealed delightfully. "Now we can have a nice dinner, Kava! I'll cook those carrots and celery Madame Zenaida gave us. May I borrow your pot after you're done, Zako?"
"Niabi!" Kava gently chided the girl. "Come over here and stay by me! Don't bother them!" He gave the two visitors an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I'll see that she doesn't bother you again."
"No, not at all! It's quite all right," Zako said good-naturedly. He motioned the girl over. "You seemed pretty excited when you saw my cooking pot."
"That's because Kava didn't bring one," Niabi quickly answered. "And all we have to eat is some bread, cheese and raw vegetables and fruit. I wanted to try to cook the vegetables, if you don't mind. I'll clean your pot when I'm done with it."
Zako smiled kindly. "I'll tell you what," he told her. "You can borrow my pot, if you'll allow Joppa and I to sample some of your cooking."
A letdown look came upon Niabi's face. "I don't think we have enough food to share with you and Joppa, sir. I'm sorry if I bothered you." She turned away disappointed.
"Hey, wait a minute! Come back here!" Zako called. "We were going to add our food with yours! We have plenty!" He handed her a small bulging gunny sack. "Here, see what you can do with this."
"Thank you, Zako!" Niabi eagerly accepted the ingredients, then set off to prepare dinner.
Joppa headed for a quick trip in the woods, while Zako sat next to Kava and watched Niabi slicing up the vegetables with Kava's pocket knife. "Why are you out here in the woods, alone, with a young human female? Where's your partner?"
"Don't have one. I'm on a special assignment for Urko," Kava answered. "It's only a three-day stint, and Urko thought I could handle it solo. So far, the job's been quiet and uneventful. If all goes well, I expect to have the girl back in Central City by tomorrow afternoon."
Zako eyed the girl peculiarly. "So what's her story? Is she a criminal?"
"No," Kava replied, briefly explaining his unique mission. "Niabi is Elta's servant girl."
"Elta's servant girl? Urko's wife? You're joking!" uttered Zako in disbelief. "She owns humans?"
"Yeah, but not very many of them. Just Niabi, her brother, and her mother and father." Kava replied in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. "She inherited them from her parents after they died. I was just as surprised as you were, when I found out."
"That doesn't make any sense! Why would Urko allow his wife to own humans?" blurted Zako skeptically. "He's the one who told us that humans are nothing but dirty, lying animals! Animals that can't be trusted!"
Zako's outburst caused Niabi to cease what she was doing. She gave Zako a hard questioning look, which he ignored.
Kava saw Niabi's hurt expression and quickly came to her defense. "Apparently, Urko feels differently about his wife's humans, than he does about humans in general," he stated affirmatively. "That girl is very valuable to him and he wants her well-cared for."
"Oh," was all Zako could say. He gazed curiously at Niabi, once the shock of learning that Elta owned her was beginning to wan.
"How about you?" asked Kava. "Were you guys on night patrol?"
"No," answered Zako. "Joppa and I are on our way to the village of Delmar for a little 'r and r'. We just wrapped up two weeks of guard duty at the northern watchtower. Since our relief team arrived this afternoon, we wanted to get an early start, so we should be there by tomorrow morning. We planned on staying at one of those human farms for the night. But since we happened to see your camp, we thought we'd ask if we could join you instead."
"Delmar?" Kava noted curiously. "Yeah, I've heard of Delmar. That's where those humans are, that play music."
"Yeah, but it wasn't my idea to go there," said Zako indifferently. "Joppa's into music and he wanted to see them play. I didn't have any plans, so I figured what the hell? I've never seen this before, but I've heard this little circus act is mildly amusing."
"My friend, Keir, heard them play once, and he said they're quite good," Kava said impressively. "That's because they were taught by Lieutenant Nakieya."
"Lieutenant Nakieya? The garrison commander?" Zako uttered in mixture of dismay and unbelief. "Why would an ape waste his time teaching a bunch of humans how to play music?"
"I heard it was Prefect Avram's idea," Kava simply answered. "He said, playing music keeps his humans happy and motivated. And happy-motivated humans are more obedient and productive, than listless-melancholy humans. As long as law and order are kept in Delmar, Nakieya happily complies. They haven't had any trouble there in twelve years! And Delmar's production keeps increasing each year, so they must be doing something right!" Kava paused thoughtfully. "You know, a trip to Delmar sounds like a great idea. I've never been there, so maybe I'll go on a weekend, sometime."
"This Avram sounds just like that human-loving chimp chump, Barlow, the Prefect of Kaymak!" Zako noted with contempt. "He tried to keep his humans happy with games of violence and death! And look what happened! It all ended in disaster!"
"Yeah, he must've heard that music's a much safer alternative," Kava stated. "Because Keir told me, Barlow's trying to turn Kaymak into another Delmar! He wants Nakieya to come and turn his humans into musicians."
"Humph! Good luck with that one!" Zako mumbled disdainfully.
--
Mean while, the astronauts and the chimpanzee had found a suitable hiding place in the vicinity of the camp to bed down for the night. They were discussing who would take the first watch, when a dark simian shadow, accompanied with a rifle, amazingly materialized behind them.
"Hold it right there!" the eclipsed figure ordered. "On your feet with your hands in the air! Nice and slow! Don't try anything funny if you want to live, because I'll kill you right here and now!"
"How did he know we were here?" asked Galen in astonishment. "We didn't have a campfire to give us away!"
"Maybe the neighbors complained about our noisy party," Pete quipped.
Galen shot Pete an annoyed look. "What noisy party? We were as quiet as mice!"
"Silent!" the simian silhouette commanded. "I said, on your feet! Now!"
"Do as the nice ape says," muttered Alan, pulling himself upright.
The figure allowed the trio to gather their belongings, then gestured with his rifle toward Kava's camp. "That way. Move!"
The crescent moon's light had filtered through the woods in shards, allowing Alan to get a glimpse of their captor. He was one of the gorillas that had showed up to enjoy Kava's hospitality. Being herded toward Kava's camp gave him a bit of hope. Kava would help them, Alan thought, if he kept his word!
--
Joppa drove the fugitives into camp. "Hey, Zako!" he called, barely containing his excitement. "Forget about going to Delmar! I've got a big surprise for you!"
"It's the fugitives, Galen, Virdon and Burke!" Zako exclaimed as he leaped to his feet. "Where did you find them?"
"In the woods not far from here," Joppa replied gallantly, as he presented the trio to Zako. "After I took care of my personal business, I caught wind of another strong familiar odor nearby. The smell of fresh human pee. I knew the girl didn't do it, because this spot had a distinctive male scent! So I went on a little hunt in the woods, and there they were!"
"Excellent work, Joppa!" praised an elated Zako. "We can take them back to Urko! I'll be reinstated, and you'll receive a huge promotion!"
"You must be part bloodhound," Pete told Joppa dryly. "Next time I take a leak, I'll run down the road to Goober's Gas Station!"
Kava stood face-to-face with Pete. He crossed his arms over his chest and sardonically told him, "I thought you told me you didn't intend to get caught again!"
"Nobody's perfect," Pete replied with a modest grin.
"What's that supposed to mean?" demanded Zako. His imposing gaze bounced between Kava and the fugitives.
"You can't turn them in," Kava told him. "I gave my word!"
"Your word?" cried Zako. "I see these three suckered you, as well!"
"What are you talking about?" Kava wanted to know.
"They trapped Urko in a hole in the ground, in the dead city," Zako bitterly declared. "Then they tricked me, and another gorilla named, Olam, and Urko's scout, Mema, into helping them 'rescue' Urko, so we'd have to let them go!"
Galen suddenly recognized Zako. He noticed the 'M' shaped silver marking was gone from the gorilla's uniform. "So you're the one who let us go! I thought you were a captain. Where are your stripes?"
"I was a captain!" Zako yelled angrily. "Until you ruined my career! Because of you, I was demoted! Urko was right! Humans are nothing by lying filthy scum!" He glared at Galen. "And you're no better than they are, traitor! I should have listened to Urko! I should've known you'd trick us!"
"Don't be ridiculous!" Galen hollered. "We didn't trick you! You think we planned all of that? You really believe Burke wanted to be trapped in the ground with Urko?"
"Yes!" roared Zako. "And it's all your fault Urko was injured!"
"How's that our fault?" Alan shot back indignantly. "It's not our fault the earth shook, then swallowed them down in the ground! Blame Mother Nature for that one, pal!"
"If you hadn't gone to the dead city in the first place, none of this would've ever happened!" Zako bellowed. "Humans are the cause of death and destruction! Every time a disaster happens it's because the humans caused it! I should've killed you three when I had the chance!" He snatched Joppa's rifle from his startled comrade's hand. Aiming the weapon at the fugitives he deadly intoned, "You die, right now!"
Niabi gasped in horror as Kava planted himself firmly between the fugitives and Zako. "No! Put that gun down, Zako! Now!"
Zako's eyes stared cruelly and cold. "Move, Kava, or you'll die with them!"
Kava stood his ground. "If you kill me, then you and Joppa can take the girl back to Urko!" he returned caustically. "And you can explain to him how you two ended up bringing her home instead of me! And you'd better make damn sure that girl is healthy and happy when you present her to him!"
Grunting disgustedly, Zako flung the rifle back to Joppa and snarled, "Then you'd better explain to me why you want to keep these three pieces of garbage alive! Don't you know who they are? They're enemies of the state!"
"I know who they are!" Kava answered tersely. "I promised them I'd let them go free because Virdon saved my life!"
"What?" Zako asked dumbly.
"Virdon saved my life!" Kava gave Zako and Joppa a quick account on his illness from malaria, and how the blond astronaut rescued him with the bitter medicine. "He was the only one who cared enough to come and help me! I owe him my life!" Kava sighed wearily. "Zako, I'm tired and hungry. Let's not argue any more tonight. Niabi's an excellent cook, and she's making us a nice meal. So why don't we all just calm down and we'll settle this in the morning."
"All right," Zako agreed grudgingly. "But I still don't trust them!" He pointed at Pete. "Especially that one! We should tie them up so they don't escape!"
"Hey, Zako!" Pete called sarcastically. "We're in the middle of nowhere! There's nothing! No villages or people around for miles! Where would we run to?"
Joppa sneered at Pete. "I'm sure you vulgar snakes would find another hole in the ground to slither into!"
"Why don't you go climb a tree, you big hairy monkey?" Pete retorted.
Zako raised his clenched fist at Pete's face. "We 'big hairy monkeys' can snap your neck as easily as a tree limb, human!" he spat viciously. "So don't push me!"
"Oh, I'm shaking in terror! Come on, Magilla!" Pete challenged Zako, ready for a fight. "Bring it on!"
"Pete!" Alan yelled, admonishing the brunette astronaut.
"Knock it off! All of you!" Kava shrieked. "This is my camp! Not a nursery!" He glared at the group of dumbfounded faces. "Let's get one thing straight! You're all guests because I invited you here! I'm already babysitting one child, and she's more mature than any of you! Now if you babies can't, or won't play nice, then pack up your diapers and get the hell out of my camp! Now!"
Atta-boy, Kava, Alan silently cheered the gorilla. You tell 'em!
--
After a moment of silence, Joppa sheepishly said, "I'm going to check on the horses before I eat. Make sure they're settled for the night."
"Um, well," Zako wavered softly as he sat down in front of the fire. "I'm starving and I can't wait to see what the kid cooked up for us."
"Yeah, me, too," agreed Pete, with an abashed look, as he sat next to Zako.
Alan strolled over by Niabi. "What's for supper?"
"I wanted to make a cheese and vegetable casserole, but it didn't quite turn out that way," Niabi timidly explained. "I think I ruined it!" She fearfully lowered her eyes and handed Alan a plate of the doughy-looking stew, accompanied by a slice of lightly-toasted bread. "I'm sorry, sir!"
Alan smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry about it! I'm sure it tastes better than it looks." He handed the first serving to Kava, who eagerly sniffed the steaming concoction.
"It smells good!" Kava stated. He nodded his head after testing the first spoonful. "This does taste better than it looks! Good job, Niabi!"
"And the bread is warm and soft," Galen noted pleasantly. "Like it was freshly baked."
Joppa rejoined the camp after tending the horses. He accepted his ready-made dinner from Niabi, then took a seat on the ground next to Zako. "The horses are fine," he reported. "I let them drink some water and they have plenty of grass to eat."
"Good," said Zako. "What do you think of the girl's cooking? Considering what she had to work with, it's very good!"
"Not bad! Not bad at all!" Joppa agreed, avidly spooning down another mouthful.
"No wonder Urko's waistline is getting bigger!" Zako joked, inducing hearty laughter around the camp.
"I told you she's an excellent cook!" Kava complimented. "That girl could whip up a gourmet meal from sand and water!"
Niabi blushed. "Thank you, sir," she replied humbly. "I'm glad you liked it!"
Everyone hungrily consumed Niabi's impromptu culinary creation. While Galen and Alan helped Niabi clean up the utensils, Pete felt a rough poke between his shoulder blades.
"You, human!" Zako barked sharply. "I want to talk to you! Alone!"
"Sure." Pete followed Zako away from the camp to the edge of the woods. "What's up?"
Zako glanced around to ensure they were by themselves, then said, "That day, after we pulled you and Urko from the hole in the ground, I saw the most horrifying picture I've ever seen in my life! I know you saw that picture, too, so don't deny it!"
"Oh, yeah, the zoo poster." Pete ran his hand nervously through his dark hair. "Did Urko show it to you?"
"No, he must have dropped it when we pulled him from the hole," Zako returned sharply. "I found it on the ground, in the same spot where we laid him at. I want to know the truth about that picture! Humans used to rule the world, didn't they? And they kept our ancestors, naked and dirty, in cages! It's true, isn't it? Admit it!"
"Yes, but," Pete began to explain. "Apes weren't evolved in the twentieth century, like they are now. Yes, some apes were kept in zoos, but they were mostly well-cared for. Wild apes were becoming an endangered species due to poaching, and there were humans back then who fought to protect them from becoming extinct!"
"As usual, human, you're lying!" sneered Zako accusingly. "You can't even tell me the simple truth about a picture! Apes never evolved! We've always been sentient intelligent beings! Humans were the ones in danger of becoming extinct! That's why they tried to keep apes in their place; locked in cages! But my people rose up and paid back the humans for all of the shame and suffering that was inflicted upon them!"
Pete saw it wasn't any use trying to reason with the enraged gorilla, so he tried a different approach. "Yes, Zako! You're right, but that happened centuries ago! The humans who were responsible have been dead for hundreds of years!"
"Just as you will be tomorrow! Enjoy your last night alive, human!" spat Zako. "You're under Kava's protection tonight, but when morning comes, Kava and the girl will be gone! And then . . . you're mine! You and your friends will be executed for sure! I'll be exonerated because I prevented you from spreading your poison!"
"You've got to be kidding? What poison?" Pete uttered in disbelief.
"Your poisonous thoughts and ideas!" roared Zako. "You and your friend came here to start a human revolution! Unfortunately, your poison has already claimed its first ape casualty--Galen!"
Pete felt his temper simmering, as he struggled to keep his anger under control. "Look, pal!" he droned caustically. "We didn't come here on purpose! And we certainly don't want to be here either! All we're trying to do is find a way to go home, back where we came from! For the time being, we're stuck here! We don't want to hurt anyone! We just want to be left alone, to live in peace! What do we have to do to convince you we're not a threat to ape civilization?"
"You can die, that's what you can do!" Zako snarled.
"Nice! I'll take the electric chair, thank you!" Pete said wryly. "I hear electrocution is quick and painless."
"Humph!" scoffed Zako. "You don't have a choice, human! Even if I brought you back alive, it'd be up to the Council to decide how you die!"
Pete gazed at Zako in amazement. He almost chuckled out loud. I can't believe this monkey is taking me seriously, Pete thought humorously. They're going to electrocute me, and without electricity! Yeah, right! Boy, the irony sure flew over that one's head! He doesn't even know what the hell an electric chair, or electrocution, is! "Okay, fine, whatever!" Pete mumbled. But he was curious about one thing . . . "Now I want to ask you something," he inquired. "What happened to you after you let us go free? Obviously, Urko found out that you didn't execute us. You said you were demoted."
"You're damn right, I was!" Zako answered bitterly. "Mema and Olam had just taken Urko to the local hospital. Urko had regained consciousness, and he wanted to know what happened. Mema reported your 'executions' to Urko. Of course, Urko wanted proof that you truly were dead. He wanted to see your corpses. Since I didn't have any bodies, or proof to produce, I had no choice but to tell him the truth! Had I lied, there's no doubt he would've found out about it! He would've had me thrown in prison . . . or worse! Urko wasn't born yesterday, you know!"
He continued his venting rampage. "Since I was the one responsible for allowing you to go free, I was demoted to the lowest possible rung on the ladder, as punishment for disobeying his order to kill you!"
Zako began pacing the ground, his arms thrashing about. "Then Urko started carrying on, raving like a lunatic, about the time when humans were the dominate species! They ruled the world, and the world was almost destroyed by a global human war! And they kept our ancestors locked in cages! He kept yelling, over and over, 'Find the fugitives! Kill them! Kill them! Before it's too late!' Everyone who heard him didn't believe him. They thought his injuries were causing him to have delusions." The gorilla abruptly stopped pacing. "He wanted to show us the picture to prove he was telling the truth, but he never found it. I believed him because I saw that picture! I never told him I found that picture and destroyed it!" Zako's fists clenched rigidly.
"You destroyed that picture? Why?" Pete asked taken aback. "How come you didn't give to Urko?"
"I didn't find the picture until after I allowed you to go free. I didn't know what it was . . . until I opened it up and saw it! Then I understood why Urko was so eager to have you killed!" spat Zako. "When I saw that vulgar piece of paper . . ." the ape's voice quivered in ire. "I flew into a rage! I tore the accursed thing apart . . . ripping it up until there was nothing left of it but shreds! Afterwards, I realized I'd made a serious mistake! I had destroyed the one valuable piece of evidence that would've earned you and your friends the death penalty that you so richly deserve! At first I regretted destroying that picture. But after seeing those apes' laughing at Urko's 'delirious' behavior, I quickly learned that silence is, indeed, golden! Apparently, Urko unintentionally revealed a part of history that was meant to remain permanently hidden." Zako's piercing stare drilled savagely into Pete's eyes. "Now that I know about the past, the truth can be very dangerous . . . even unlawful! If the authorities ever found out I know about this, I could be executed! So, therefore, I must live with this terrible secret for the rest of my life! Urko was right! I should've broken my word and executed you as he ordered!"
For a brief silent moment, Pete gazed sympathetically at Zako; the simian soldier's career shattered by a kept promise he made to Alan Virdon and Galen. "We never had a chance to thank you for letting us go," he said quietly. "Virdon, Galen and I are indebted to you. You did the right thing destroying that picture, and keeping quiet about this, Zako. I'm really sorry you were demoted."
"Don't be sorry, human!" Zako growled. "Urko told me if I brought you in, dead or alive, the former preferred, he'd consider reinstating me! I promised myself if I had another chance, I would not make the same mistake twice! Tomorrow after I shoot you, your debt will be paid in full!"
Before Pete had a chance to reply, Zako whirled away from the human and stomped furiously back to camp.
To be continued . . .