"From what I know of chimps, fighters you ain't. Are you willing to let me
help you, Pergis?" asked Burke quietly. He'd just returned from scoping
out the guards around Urko's house. Six apes surrounded him in the
darkness, listening quietly. There'd been more followers initially, but at
Burke's advice, Pergis had sent some of the students back to their homes.
Too many cooks in the kitchen, so to speak.
Burke ignored Malachi's glare as Pergis nodded, agreeing. "We've got to get moving - there are too many of us to be easily concealed. First, I want a couple of your cohorts here to stay outside as look-outs for Virdon, okay? Second, from what I see, Urko has two guards here - front and back of the house. I want the rest of you to come with me, but two of you are to do nothing but hide and wait until we overcome the first guard in the back. After all, there's no sense in all of us getting caught if we don't make it in. Okay with you so far, Pergis?" Once again, Pergis nodded. Burke, Malachi and two others followed Burke, leaving two chimps to conceal themselves and watch for Virdon or anyone else that approached.
Burke snuck noiselessly towards the back of the house in a wide arc, followed by the four students. They stopped a safe distance away from the guard stationed in back of the house and hunkered down behind a large bush. Burke whispered the plan to his cohorts, and he and Malachi moved forward in the dark.
Burke didn't like Malachi but he felt comfortable with him for what they were about to do. His gut told him that Malachi was probably as vicious as any chimpanzee he'd ever met. That quality could prove useful here. If the chimp would listen to him.
The two crawled as close as they dared to the brawny guard, who paced in a small area to the left of the residence. Burke threw a small rock. The startled gorilla raised his rifle and strode quickly in the direction of the sound. So far, so good. Before Burke could do anything else, Malachi broke cover and ran at a crouch to the gorilla, hitting him powerfully over the head from behind with his two interlocked fists. The gorilla went down with a small, surprised grunt. Malachi unholstered the gorilla's gun and picked it up. Agitated that the chimpanzee hadn't awaited his signal before acting, Burke realized nevertheless that his instincts had been good. Keeping his thoughts to himself, Pete ran to a darkened window cut through the thick stone wall in the back of the house and grimly ignored the pulsing pain in his head brought on by his short run.
He pulled himself in and dropped carefully to the ground in what appeared to be an office. Before him sat a huge old stone desk, bare of ornamentation. As expected, the darkened room was deserted, and he waved out the window at Malachi, who in turn waved the three remaining chimps in from the bushes. Soon Pergis and the others dropped through the window to join Burke. Taking Pergis with him Burke went quietly from room to room in the house. At each doorway, Burke's anxiety notched higher. Would he soon be face to face with Urko?
He stopped short at the living room, motioning Pergis to a halt. Two rugs decorated the floor, and potted plants were scattered throughout. A female gorilla sat quietly, sewing, facing an unlit fireplace, in front of which sat a couch and another chair. A few candles gave the room a subdued, warm light.
Urko's wife, Elta. She was the only ape present in the home. Burke swallowed his disappointment. How was he going to find the disk - and Galen?
He watched her a moment longer. She was small for a gorilla, and her fur was an unusual light brown. She wore a relaxed expression as she bent to her task. Burke's face tightened as he watched her. He didn't like what he had to do next.
He stepped swiftly out of the shadows and threw an arm around her shoulders, wrapping his long fingers over her mouth. Her shriek was muffled by his hand as she struggled against him. Burke jerked, startled, at the sound of a gun being cocked. Turning his head, he saw Malachi aiming the guard's pistol at Elta. Elta immediately quieted, eyes wide above Burke's hand. Burke glared at Malachi. "We're not going to hurt you," he said in a low voice, trying to sound comforting - a useless effort, considering the situation. Guilt, his constant companion of late, tightened his chest at Elta's terrified expression. Malachi watched them coldly, and Burke said, conversationally, "Stop aiming that thing at us unless you want me to stick it up your ass."
Malachi's hand tightened on the gun, and his eyes narrowed. "That's not too smart, is it? When I have a gun in my hand. It's hard to believe that your kind once ruled the planet."
"I don't think you do believe it. So why are you here? You're not fooling me, Malachi. You don't believe in the equality of apes and man. Level with me. You like the excitement, don't you? We had men just like you, back home. Mercenaries. Violence excited them. Only they were monsters made by necessity, more often than not… unlike you."
Pergis and the two other chimps entered the room. "Put the gun down, Malachi," Pergis exclaimed. He said, facing Elta, "You're Urko's wife, aren't you? I'm sure she'll cooperate without you waving that in her face."
Reluctantly Malachi lowered the weapon. Burke said, "Where did you get this guy, Pergis? He's nothing but trouble. And Urko's not here." He pointed to one of the two chimps and continued, "Could you search the office for the flight disk?" The chimp gave him a puzzled look and he answered patiently. "It's a small round metallic object… shiny. You've never seen anything like it before - it'll jump out at you if you see it."
At Pergis's nod, the chimp retreated to the study. Burke spoke again. "Let's go take care of the guard out front. What's your name?" he motioned at the other chimp. "Trahern? Okay, Trahern, you go down the hall, there, through the front door and say something to the guard. Anything. Divert him. Be prepared to get back in here fast. Give us a minute or two first. We'll come from around back and grab him."
Trahern stared at Burke, scared. "If you'd rather I did…" Pergis offered.
"No, no… I can do it. I trust you," Trahern murmured, looking at Pergis. Pergis nodded, and he and Burke found the back door and unlocked it, stepping back out into the darkness. They crept around the side of the building, following the rough stone with their fingertips, and waited, peeking out from behind the corner.
The guard turned as the soft yellow candlelight flooded the area in front of the door Trahern opened from inside. Startled to see the strange chimpanzee, the soldier pulled his gun from its holster and waved it at Trahern, demanding his identity. Quietly, Pergis ran up behind him and grabbed the guard from behind, throttling him with powerful hands. Trahern quickly stepped aside and grabbed the gorilla's gun. The guard made a gargling noise, pulling feebly at the hands choking him. In moments, he slumped to the ground. Pergis and Burke pulled him inside and down the candlelit hall into the living room, followed by Trahern. Elta's mouth trembled at the sight of the gorilla's body. Pergis began to tie him securely.
Burke watched Pergis as the chimp they'd sent to search the study stepped back into the room to report. "I couldn't find the disk." Damn it, Burke thought. The odds had been against him, anyway…. Zaius could have it. Or it could be at Urko's office in Central City.
"You and Trahern bring in the other gorilla guard from out back, before he wakes up," said Pergis to the chimp, keeping his head down. Trahern and the other chimpanzee glanced at each other, then left the room. Pergis avoided Burke's gaze.
"You okay?" asked Burke, brow raised.
"I've never hurt anyone before. Not on purpose. I hate it." Pergis looked at Burke, half-ashamed.
"That's a good thing, Pergis," Pete said softly, clapping him on the back. "But just what the hell are you doing here tonight, then?"
"Urko is dangerous. He's a murderer. He's responsible for Galen's death. Someone has to show our citizens how deadly he is."
"You think this is the way? If you do, you'd better be prepared for the consequences. You're no longer a pacifist... willing or not. What you're doing sounds more like vengeance to me," said Burke. Vengeance...why was that ringing a bell?
"I don't know a right way."
"Pergis… you weren't planning on harming anyone, were you?"
"Aside from the guards, you mean," he said, looking aggrieved. "No, no… that would make me no better than Urko, would it?"
"They'll put you in jail for this. Or worse."
"If they find me."
Burke was silent, considering. Something nagged at the back of his mind. Something important…and then, suddenly, a voice floated to him from his memories: "Pergis, vengeance is yours on this night. Urko's brute force will not be felt by our kind again. Or his."
Burke turned to look at Malachi, keeping a close watch on Elta. His eyes widened. "You son of a bitch," he said softly. Malachi turned his head to Burke, startled. "Not only are you burning this place down… you're going to kill Urko, aren't you? You planned it all along."
Burke ignored Malachi's glare as Pergis nodded, agreeing. "We've got to get moving - there are too many of us to be easily concealed. First, I want a couple of your cohorts here to stay outside as look-outs for Virdon, okay? Second, from what I see, Urko has two guards here - front and back of the house. I want the rest of you to come with me, but two of you are to do nothing but hide and wait until we overcome the first guard in the back. After all, there's no sense in all of us getting caught if we don't make it in. Okay with you so far, Pergis?" Once again, Pergis nodded. Burke, Malachi and two others followed Burke, leaving two chimps to conceal themselves and watch for Virdon or anyone else that approached.
Burke snuck noiselessly towards the back of the house in a wide arc, followed by the four students. They stopped a safe distance away from the guard stationed in back of the house and hunkered down behind a large bush. Burke whispered the plan to his cohorts, and he and Malachi moved forward in the dark.
Burke didn't like Malachi but he felt comfortable with him for what they were about to do. His gut told him that Malachi was probably as vicious as any chimpanzee he'd ever met. That quality could prove useful here. If the chimp would listen to him.
The two crawled as close as they dared to the brawny guard, who paced in a small area to the left of the residence. Burke threw a small rock. The startled gorilla raised his rifle and strode quickly in the direction of the sound. So far, so good. Before Burke could do anything else, Malachi broke cover and ran at a crouch to the gorilla, hitting him powerfully over the head from behind with his two interlocked fists. The gorilla went down with a small, surprised grunt. Malachi unholstered the gorilla's gun and picked it up. Agitated that the chimpanzee hadn't awaited his signal before acting, Burke realized nevertheless that his instincts had been good. Keeping his thoughts to himself, Pete ran to a darkened window cut through the thick stone wall in the back of the house and grimly ignored the pulsing pain in his head brought on by his short run.
He pulled himself in and dropped carefully to the ground in what appeared to be an office. Before him sat a huge old stone desk, bare of ornamentation. As expected, the darkened room was deserted, and he waved out the window at Malachi, who in turn waved the three remaining chimps in from the bushes. Soon Pergis and the others dropped through the window to join Burke. Taking Pergis with him Burke went quietly from room to room in the house. At each doorway, Burke's anxiety notched higher. Would he soon be face to face with Urko?
He stopped short at the living room, motioning Pergis to a halt. Two rugs decorated the floor, and potted plants were scattered throughout. A female gorilla sat quietly, sewing, facing an unlit fireplace, in front of which sat a couch and another chair. A few candles gave the room a subdued, warm light.
Urko's wife, Elta. She was the only ape present in the home. Burke swallowed his disappointment. How was he going to find the disk - and Galen?
He watched her a moment longer. She was small for a gorilla, and her fur was an unusual light brown. She wore a relaxed expression as she bent to her task. Burke's face tightened as he watched her. He didn't like what he had to do next.
He stepped swiftly out of the shadows and threw an arm around her shoulders, wrapping his long fingers over her mouth. Her shriek was muffled by his hand as she struggled against him. Burke jerked, startled, at the sound of a gun being cocked. Turning his head, he saw Malachi aiming the guard's pistol at Elta. Elta immediately quieted, eyes wide above Burke's hand. Burke glared at Malachi. "We're not going to hurt you," he said in a low voice, trying to sound comforting - a useless effort, considering the situation. Guilt, his constant companion of late, tightened his chest at Elta's terrified expression. Malachi watched them coldly, and Burke said, conversationally, "Stop aiming that thing at us unless you want me to stick it up your ass."
Malachi's hand tightened on the gun, and his eyes narrowed. "That's not too smart, is it? When I have a gun in my hand. It's hard to believe that your kind once ruled the planet."
"I don't think you do believe it. So why are you here? You're not fooling me, Malachi. You don't believe in the equality of apes and man. Level with me. You like the excitement, don't you? We had men just like you, back home. Mercenaries. Violence excited them. Only they were monsters made by necessity, more often than not… unlike you."
Pergis and the two other chimps entered the room. "Put the gun down, Malachi," Pergis exclaimed. He said, facing Elta, "You're Urko's wife, aren't you? I'm sure she'll cooperate without you waving that in her face."
Reluctantly Malachi lowered the weapon. Burke said, "Where did you get this guy, Pergis? He's nothing but trouble. And Urko's not here." He pointed to one of the two chimps and continued, "Could you search the office for the flight disk?" The chimp gave him a puzzled look and he answered patiently. "It's a small round metallic object… shiny. You've never seen anything like it before - it'll jump out at you if you see it."
At Pergis's nod, the chimp retreated to the study. Burke spoke again. "Let's go take care of the guard out front. What's your name?" he motioned at the other chimp. "Trahern? Okay, Trahern, you go down the hall, there, through the front door and say something to the guard. Anything. Divert him. Be prepared to get back in here fast. Give us a minute or two first. We'll come from around back and grab him."
Trahern stared at Burke, scared. "If you'd rather I did…" Pergis offered.
"No, no… I can do it. I trust you," Trahern murmured, looking at Pergis. Pergis nodded, and he and Burke found the back door and unlocked it, stepping back out into the darkness. They crept around the side of the building, following the rough stone with their fingertips, and waited, peeking out from behind the corner.
The guard turned as the soft yellow candlelight flooded the area in front of the door Trahern opened from inside. Startled to see the strange chimpanzee, the soldier pulled his gun from its holster and waved it at Trahern, demanding his identity. Quietly, Pergis ran up behind him and grabbed the guard from behind, throttling him with powerful hands. Trahern quickly stepped aside and grabbed the gorilla's gun. The guard made a gargling noise, pulling feebly at the hands choking him. In moments, he slumped to the ground. Pergis and Burke pulled him inside and down the candlelit hall into the living room, followed by Trahern. Elta's mouth trembled at the sight of the gorilla's body. Pergis began to tie him securely.
Burke watched Pergis as the chimp they'd sent to search the study stepped back into the room to report. "I couldn't find the disk." Damn it, Burke thought. The odds had been against him, anyway…. Zaius could have it. Or it could be at Urko's office in Central City.
"You and Trahern bring in the other gorilla guard from out back, before he wakes up," said Pergis to the chimp, keeping his head down. Trahern and the other chimpanzee glanced at each other, then left the room. Pergis avoided Burke's gaze.
"You okay?" asked Burke, brow raised.
"I've never hurt anyone before. Not on purpose. I hate it." Pergis looked at Burke, half-ashamed.
"That's a good thing, Pergis," Pete said softly, clapping him on the back. "But just what the hell are you doing here tonight, then?"
"Urko is dangerous. He's a murderer. He's responsible for Galen's death. Someone has to show our citizens how deadly he is."
"You think this is the way? If you do, you'd better be prepared for the consequences. You're no longer a pacifist... willing or not. What you're doing sounds more like vengeance to me," said Burke. Vengeance...why was that ringing a bell?
"I don't know a right way."
"Pergis… you weren't planning on harming anyone, were you?"
"Aside from the guards, you mean," he said, looking aggrieved. "No, no… that would make me no better than Urko, would it?"
"They'll put you in jail for this. Or worse."
"If they find me."
Burke was silent, considering. Something nagged at the back of his mind. Something important…and then, suddenly, a voice floated to him from his memories: "Pergis, vengeance is yours on this night. Urko's brute force will not be felt by our kind again. Or his."
Burke turned to look at Malachi, keeping a close watch on Elta. His eyes widened. "You son of a bitch," he said softly. Malachi turned his head to Burke, startled. "Not only are you burning this place down… you're going to kill Urko, aren't you? You planned it all along."
