As the story goes on, I realise this is just an attempt to describe what in the movie was barely showed, such as apes' society, Thade's psychology (...) and so on. Enjoy!
CHAPTER 2 : LIKE A BIRD IN A CAGE
In four days, the girl hasn't met anyone but the servant, and she hasn't said a word but "thanks" when he brought her food - some kind of soup of vegtables and roots. Then, she has spent her time playing the flute, playing all the songs she knows and inventing some new ones. Four days alone with her music. But now the moment has arrived, and the servant leads her upstairs and puts her behind a grating facing the dining room. Through the panel, the girl sees Thade and other five apes. It looks like they are soldiers as well.
"Play", the servant says.
"Oh! Thade, finally you did it!" one of the guests says "You've taken a human to play one of their instruments. You have to admit that this music is not bad."
Thade grunts. After all, it's like having a bird in a cage.
"how is your musician? Male or female?"
"It's a female."
"Thade, talking about females, what about Ari? The whole city is waiting for you two to get married."
"I *am* waiting, too" Thade grins.
"Try to understand her" another officer says "she's still so young. We're all confused, when we are young."
"Sure" the other says, laughing "but it's when they're young that they are attractive, right?"
"right" Thade simply says, trying to cut down the conversation. His marriage with Ari had been planned since thay were children. He's perfectly conscious of what this would mean: the union of two of the most ancient and important families of the nation. No matter if Ari has always showed nothing more than loathing towards Thade. The general knows the importance of his marriage and he is determinate to be succesful. Then, Ari is definitely good-looking. So, family life could have even agreeable sides despite Ari's radical political ideas.
The conversation turns back to music. Koh, the officer who has talked first, says:
"Really, this musician has been a good business, Thade, trust me, I know what I am saying. Most of the humans trend to play always the same songs, while this music sounds quite new."
"Oh, I'm glad to know it" Thade comments sarcastically "this doesn't change the fact that humans are the palgue of our society. After all, that's why the army exists."
"Indeed" another one says "but I am optimistic. The missions in the forest are working well, and I foresee that we are going to work out the problem of humans in at most ten years."
Thade grins.
"So you are "optimistic"? If we'll ever work out the problem, can you tell me what the army will exist for?"
"I... I don't know, it has been just an hypotesis, but... come on Thade, an army is necessary, we won't disappear. A society needs it to keep the order."
"I tell you what will happen" Thade snarls "in ten years nothing will change a lot. Their filthy race reproduces itself in an uncontrollable way. Humans are the most lustful animals on earth. They spend most of their time breeding, so ours is still going to be a long war."
Attar, who has been sitting all the time in complete silence, nods to underline his friend's words. The music goes on, turning into a soft, sensual melody.
"Thade, please. Listen to this music, isn't it brilliant? It's a shame to leave that little human behind the grating, tell your servants to take her here."
"If she plays behind the grating" Thade says, in a growl "it's because I'm annoyed just at the sight of humans, and since I am still eating, I don't want my digestion to be spoiled, Koh."
Koh shakes his head.
"Sorry, Thade, but please, there's no need to be so rude."
"I am NOT rude."
"Koh is right" another officer says, and in the end all the guests (but Attar) are asking Thade to show them his new human slave. They highly respect and fear the General, but now they are curious. Despite they are the ones repressing humans' developement, they consider a good human slave as an important status symbol.
Thade grinds his teeth in anger and forces himself to call the servant and tell him to bring there the slave. When the apes see the girl, they comment on her:
"She looks young."
"She seems strong, considering she's human."
"Come on, play again the one you did when we were talking about the army. You've heard us, haven't you?"
"This one?" the girl asks, always quietly, perfectly at ease, at least apparently.
It's obvious that the guests are enjoying her very much, so Thade keeps together what remains of his patience and doesn't speak. Later he says:
"Now we'd better go upstairs to talk about more important things. You" he tells the girl "come back to your lair."
Once again, the girl just nods and walks back to the basement. It's late in the night when a harsh voice tells her to wake up.
CHAPTER 2 : LIKE A BIRD IN A CAGE
In four days, the girl hasn't met anyone but the servant, and she hasn't said a word but "thanks" when he brought her food - some kind of soup of vegtables and roots. Then, she has spent her time playing the flute, playing all the songs she knows and inventing some new ones. Four days alone with her music. But now the moment has arrived, and the servant leads her upstairs and puts her behind a grating facing the dining room. Through the panel, the girl sees Thade and other five apes. It looks like they are soldiers as well.
"Play", the servant says.
"Oh! Thade, finally you did it!" one of the guests says "You've taken a human to play one of their instruments. You have to admit that this music is not bad."
Thade grunts. After all, it's like having a bird in a cage.
"how is your musician? Male or female?"
"It's a female."
"Thade, talking about females, what about Ari? The whole city is waiting for you two to get married."
"I *am* waiting, too" Thade grins.
"Try to understand her" another officer says "she's still so young. We're all confused, when we are young."
"Sure" the other says, laughing "but it's when they're young that they are attractive, right?"
"right" Thade simply says, trying to cut down the conversation. His marriage with Ari had been planned since thay were children. He's perfectly conscious of what this would mean: the union of two of the most ancient and important families of the nation. No matter if Ari has always showed nothing more than loathing towards Thade. The general knows the importance of his marriage and he is determinate to be succesful. Then, Ari is definitely good-looking. So, family life could have even agreeable sides despite Ari's radical political ideas.
The conversation turns back to music. Koh, the officer who has talked first, says:
"Really, this musician has been a good business, Thade, trust me, I know what I am saying. Most of the humans trend to play always the same songs, while this music sounds quite new."
"Oh, I'm glad to know it" Thade comments sarcastically "this doesn't change the fact that humans are the palgue of our society. After all, that's why the army exists."
"Indeed" another one says "but I am optimistic. The missions in the forest are working well, and I foresee that we are going to work out the problem of humans in at most ten years."
Thade grins.
"So you are "optimistic"? If we'll ever work out the problem, can you tell me what the army will exist for?"
"I... I don't know, it has been just an hypotesis, but... come on Thade, an army is necessary, we won't disappear. A society needs it to keep the order."
"I tell you what will happen" Thade snarls "in ten years nothing will change a lot. Their filthy race reproduces itself in an uncontrollable way. Humans are the most lustful animals on earth. They spend most of their time breeding, so ours is still going to be a long war."
Attar, who has been sitting all the time in complete silence, nods to underline his friend's words. The music goes on, turning into a soft, sensual melody.
"Thade, please. Listen to this music, isn't it brilliant? It's a shame to leave that little human behind the grating, tell your servants to take her here."
"If she plays behind the grating" Thade says, in a growl "it's because I'm annoyed just at the sight of humans, and since I am still eating, I don't want my digestion to be spoiled, Koh."
Koh shakes his head.
"Sorry, Thade, but please, there's no need to be so rude."
"I am NOT rude."
"Koh is right" another officer says, and in the end all the guests (but Attar) are asking Thade to show them his new human slave. They highly respect and fear the General, but now they are curious. Despite they are the ones repressing humans' developement, they consider a good human slave as an important status symbol.
Thade grinds his teeth in anger and forces himself to call the servant and tell him to bring there the slave. When the apes see the girl, they comment on her:
"She looks young."
"She seems strong, considering she's human."
"Come on, play again the one you did when we were talking about the army. You've heard us, haven't you?"
"This one?" the girl asks, always quietly, perfectly at ease, at least apparently.
It's obvious that the guests are enjoying her very much, so Thade keeps together what remains of his patience and doesn't speak. Later he says:
"Now we'd better go upstairs to talk about more important things. You" he tells the girl "come back to your lair."
Once again, the girl just nods and walks back to the basement. It's late in the night when a harsh voice tells her to wake up.