Leo came to, lying on a hard cot. The first rays of morning began to shine
through the bars which separated him from the outside world. He felt as
though he was in a scene from a jail movie, back in his own time.
The statue of General Thade puzzled him; he though the maniacal chimpanzee had been locked away. And how it got to this planet, much like his own, perplexed him even more. When he had left, the apes had not heard of a simple motor; how could they have come to understand physics and space travel in such a short time? Leo began to ponder more and more questions, but these questions were ones that were without answers. He felt doomed to wonder for eternity. What had happened to Daena, to Ari, to all of the apes and humans he had known? Or what of his long lost ship? Were these two worlds parallel, and connected? If this earth existed, how could the one he had just come from do so too?
His thoughts were interrupted by a loud slam of the door. He heard harsh footsteps, pounding out an angry reveille on the concrete floor. A dark figure appeared outside his cell, unlocked the door, and then walked inside. Leo remained huddled on his bed, feeling much like Pericles when faced with danger. A long arm reached down, and grabbed him roughly, bringing him instantly to his feet and marching him out. The ape locked his wrists behind his back, and resumed dragging him. Leo went along without a protest; he needed time to create a strategy and gather a sense of his surroundings.
All of the sudden, Leo felt a strong blast of fresh air and sunlight, a stark contrast from the dank, dingy light and smell of the prison. He looked out, onto a crowd of thousands, upon thousands. Evidently, whatever was about to occur was an event of great importance. The minute he came in view of the gargantuan crowd, they immediately became silent.
He was bound, hands and feet at that point, and was pushed out, in front of the crowd. A booming voice began to sound out. "For crimes committed by his race against the world of apes, this man has been sentenced to death. For many thousands of years, humans held apes to be an inferior species. Taken as slaves, as pets, as mediocre beings, the humans believed themselves superior and their dominance prevented the truth, prevented the apes from taking what was rightfully theirs. They held their powers of invention over us in cruelty. We cowered at their glance, at their every move. But then, our savior, General Thade, came from the heavens and helped us regain our lands and authority. This man deserves to die for the sins of the humans." The voice continued on, spouting propaganda and hateful speech against humanity. Leo felt he could hear no more.
At once, the crowd seemed to become enraged. They began chanting, chanting for the death of the human who stood before them. Two soldiers appeared behind Leo, unbeknownst to him.
He heard the shots just as they entered his body. He gasped for a minute, a last breath, and tried to make a final appeal. He screamed, a wordless cry, calling out for his errors and mistakes, "NOO!!!"
Leo sat up at once, hitting his head on the low ceiling above him. He lay back down on his bed, shaking for a moment. He realized he was still on his ship-none of this other, ape-world had existed.
Through the thin door, Kat heard Leo. She wondered what happened, and wanted to go and find out. But she couldn't admit to Leo that she cared. Not Major Katherine Cooper, the brilliant and beautiful researcher who had devoted her life to apes. She had been hurt too many times, and was afraid to open up, to admit her feelings. Leo was strong, devoted, and handsome. She couldn't imagine a more perfect mate, in an evolutionary sense. But also in an emotional one, she reminded herself. She had felt the sexual tension between them from the day they met. Which was why she scathingly mocked him, with her sarcastic and biting words. She knew there was attraction, she knew there was potential, and it scared her.
The next morning, Leo woke up, exhausted and groggy. He rolled out of the small bunk which was his bed. The shower was a few steps to the left, and the bathroom a few to the right, each concealed by Plexiglas doors. He felt the warm water of the shower hitting him, bringing him back to reality from his thoughts of apes and other worlds.
The statue of General Thade puzzled him; he though the maniacal chimpanzee had been locked away. And how it got to this planet, much like his own, perplexed him even more. When he had left, the apes had not heard of a simple motor; how could they have come to understand physics and space travel in such a short time? Leo began to ponder more and more questions, but these questions were ones that were without answers. He felt doomed to wonder for eternity. What had happened to Daena, to Ari, to all of the apes and humans he had known? Or what of his long lost ship? Were these two worlds parallel, and connected? If this earth existed, how could the one he had just come from do so too?
His thoughts were interrupted by a loud slam of the door. He heard harsh footsteps, pounding out an angry reveille on the concrete floor. A dark figure appeared outside his cell, unlocked the door, and then walked inside. Leo remained huddled on his bed, feeling much like Pericles when faced with danger. A long arm reached down, and grabbed him roughly, bringing him instantly to his feet and marching him out. The ape locked his wrists behind his back, and resumed dragging him. Leo went along without a protest; he needed time to create a strategy and gather a sense of his surroundings.
All of the sudden, Leo felt a strong blast of fresh air and sunlight, a stark contrast from the dank, dingy light and smell of the prison. He looked out, onto a crowd of thousands, upon thousands. Evidently, whatever was about to occur was an event of great importance. The minute he came in view of the gargantuan crowd, they immediately became silent.
He was bound, hands and feet at that point, and was pushed out, in front of the crowd. A booming voice began to sound out. "For crimes committed by his race against the world of apes, this man has been sentenced to death. For many thousands of years, humans held apes to be an inferior species. Taken as slaves, as pets, as mediocre beings, the humans believed themselves superior and their dominance prevented the truth, prevented the apes from taking what was rightfully theirs. They held their powers of invention over us in cruelty. We cowered at their glance, at their every move. But then, our savior, General Thade, came from the heavens and helped us regain our lands and authority. This man deserves to die for the sins of the humans." The voice continued on, spouting propaganda and hateful speech against humanity. Leo felt he could hear no more.
At once, the crowd seemed to become enraged. They began chanting, chanting for the death of the human who stood before them. Two soldiers appeared behind Leo, unbeknownst to him.
He heard the shots just as they entered his body. He gasped for a minute, a last breath, and tried to make a final appeal. He screamed, a wordless cry, calling out for his errors and mistakes, "NOO!!!"
Leo sat up at once, hitting his head on the low ceiling above him. He lay back down on his bed, shaking for a moment. He realized he was still on his ship-none of this other, ape-world had existed.
Through the thin door, Kat heard Leo. She wondered what happened, and wanted to go and find out. But she couldn't admit to Leo that she cared. Not Major Katherine Cooper, the brilliant and beautiful researcher who had devoted her life to apes. She had been hurt too many times, and was afraid to open up, to admit her feelings. Leo was strong, devoted, and handsome. She couldn't imagine a more perfect mate, in an evolutionary sense. But also in an emotional one, she reminded herself. She had felt the sexual tension between them from the day they met. Which was why she scathingly mocked him, with her sarcastic and biting words. She knew there was attraction, she knew there was potential, and it scared her.
The next morning, Leo woke up, exhausted and groggy. He rolled out of the small bunk which was his bed. The shower was a few steps to the left, and the bathroom a few to the right, each concealed by Plexiglas doors. He felt the warm water of the shower hitting him, bringing him back to reality from his thoughts of apes and other worlds.
