Galen stared at the ceiling. He was lying on a primitive bunk inside the
jail. He'd been there for hours. At first he'd slept. When he woke, the
blood from his scalp had dried and crusted. It clung to his neck and head.
It itched. He tried to clean it off as best he could. His head hurt - it
stung -and he felt weak. After a while he gave up and lay down,
motionless, worrying. What had happened to his friends? He tried to think
what to do next.
The cell darkened as the day faded. Outside the door, torches were lit. He sat up as a taciturn gorilla brought him his dinner. He stirred the unappetizing mess around on his plate dispiritedly before setting it aside.
The door opened again, and Zaius stepped inside, followed by Urko. Galen rose, watching them apprehensively. He tried to appear calm.
"Your friend Burke killed one of my soldiers," Urko stated bluntly.
Galen stared at him, shocked. He sank slowly down on the bunk. Too late, he tried to hide his reaction. Urko laughed.
"Surely you knew he was capable. As are most humans," Zaius remarked.
"Why tell me this... this lie?" asked Galen. His heart beat rapidly. He realized he was afraid.
"Truth, Galen. I want you to face the truth about the animals you call friends. They are more than capable of murder without remorse," said Zaius.
"Martial law has been imposed. A new day has begun. Humans will no longer be allowed the liberties they've become accustomed to. Curfews are imposed... servants accompanied by their masters at all times... or locked up. Human villages, overrun with apes," Urko said with great satisfaction. "Orders have changed. Your friends will be shot on sight." He watched Galen closely as he said it.
"So you haven't caught them," said Galen.
Zaius ignored him. "I have no choice. I had hoped to learn more about them. Why they came here. What they want. I had hoped to stop the arrival of others of their kind. But I can no longer justify my position."
Urko added, "My soldier was shot directly in the face. At close range."
Galen winced and looked down at his hands, saying in a low voice, "Burke is not a killer."
"You must face the truth before it is too late. I don't tell you this to trick you - I tell you to save yourself," Zaius replied.
Galen's nose twitched. He watched the expression on the orangutan's face. Deliberately he asked, "And how would I save myself, Zaius?"
"Stand with me. Renounce the astronauts. Help me to persuade the dissidents at the university that the fall of mankind was of their own doing. That their violent, unstable tendencies came very near to destroying this planet. They'll listen to you," Zaius said, and paused. "In return, I will spare your life." His pale eyes studied Galen.
"And what does Urko think of your plan?" asked Galen, gesturing. Urko glared, not bothering to disguise his contempt for the chimpanzee.
"He will abide by it," replied Zaius firmly.
There was a long moment of silence as Galen turned to stare at each of apes, considering his response.
"What do I need to do?" he asked at last.
The cell darkened as the day faded. Outside the door, torches were lit. He sat up as a taciturn gorilla brought him his dinner. He stirred the unappetizing mess around on his plate dispiritedly before setting it aside.
The door opened again, and Zaius stepped inside, followed by Urko. Galen rose, watching them apprehensively. He tried to appear calm.
"Your friend Burke killed one of my soldiers," Urko stated bluntly.
Galen stared at him, shocked. He sank slowly down on the bunk. Too late, he tried to hide his reaction. Urko laughed.
"Surely you knew he was capable. As are most humans," Zaius remarked.
"Why tell me this... this lie?" asked Galen. His heart beat rapidly. He realized he was afraid.
"Truth, Galen. I want you to face the truth about the animals you call friends. They are more than capable of murder without remorse," said Zaius.
"Martial law has been imposed. A new day has begun. Humans will no longer be allowed the liberties they've become accustomed to. Curfews are imposed... servants accompanied by their masters at all times... or locked up. Human villages, overrun with apes," Urko said with great satisfaction. "Orders have changed. Your friends will be shot on sight." He watched Galen closely as he said it.
"So you haven't caught them," said Galen.
Zaius ignored him. "I have no choice. I had hoped to learn more about them. Why they came here. What they want. I had hoped to stop the arrival of others of their kind. But I can no longer justify my position."
Urko added, "My soldier was shot directly in the face. At close range."
Galen winced and looked down at his hands, saying in a low voice, "Burke is not a killer."
"You must face the truth before it is too late. I don't tell you this to trick you - I tell you to save yourself," Zaius replied.
Galen's nose twitched. He watched the expression on the orangutan's face. Deliberately he asked, "And how would I save myself, Zaius?"
"Stand with me. Renounce the astronauts. Help me to persuade the dissidents at the university that the fall of mankind was of their own doing. That their violent, unstable tendencies came very near to destroying this planet. They'll listen to you," Zaius said, and paused. "In return, I will spare your life." His pale eyes studied Galen.
"And what does Urko think of your plan?" asked Galen, gesturing. Urko glared, not bothering to disguise his contempt for the chimpanzee.
"He will abide by it," replied Zaius firmly.
There was a long moment of silence as Galen turned to stare at each of apes, considering his response.
"What do I need to do?" he asked at last.
