Urko paused before mounting his horse, turning to Zaius in the torch-lit
courtyard of the jail. "You really believe you can use Galen to stop the
protests," Urko said, disbelief weighing his tone.
"Think, Urko. Even now the city is reeling from the news that one of the 'astro-nauts' has killed an ape. It won't be necessary for the Council to address the claims of the dissidents. Galen will do it for us. By renouncing his human companions, he rejects the very foundation of the protester's beliefs." Zaius shrugged. "All we need do is retrieve the stolen book. As long as we proceed with wisdom and restraint, the High Council will stand by our actions."
"After what happened at the market square today, the citizens will no longer question my handling of Chandar. And we'll have total control over the human population." Urko climbed astride his horse and smiled down at Zaius.
"Indeed, Urko, you will be commended for your foresight. The irony is that your fortunes have reversed themselves in no small part due to Burke's actions today," said the elderly orangutan, a glint in his eye.
Urko barked a laugh. "Yes. I'll be sure to 'thank him' very soon. In the meantime, we'll watch Galen carefully as he plays his part," Urko said, and paused. "I'll just have to make sure he understands what is at stake. Then, when he's fulfilled his bargain with us. I'll kill him." His horse took a few steps away before Urko paused, reining in his horse. "Didn't I tell you today is a fine day, Zaius?" he added, pleasure evident on his face. He urged his horse forward, leaving Zaius to stand alone in the courtyard.
-----------------------------
Galen stopped pacing and listened, astonished, to the unmistakable voices of his parents outside of the cell door.
"The prisoner is allowed no visitors," said the guard.
"But Galen is my son. He's been hurt. Surely you can understand I must see him," said Ann.
"I have my orders."
"As a member of the High Council, I can promise you dismissal from your post if you keep me from seeing my son," Yalu's abrasive voice threatened. There was silence for a moment and then his father's voice, just outside the door: "Guard! The key! What are you waiting for?" Galen heard the key turning in the lock and Galen's parents stepped inside the cell, followed by none other than Gathor.
"How did you ever get the guard to change his mind?" asked Galen, hugging both his parents quickly. He patted Ann's hand absent-mindedly and stared at Gathor as his mother clucked over his injury. Gathor's face grew pale as he stared miserably at Galen's wound.
"I pushed him aside. He didn't dare push back." said Yalu, determination in his eyes. Galen's gaze went to his father, and he couldn't help but laugh.
"Gathor told us of your injury. I told your father we were coming in if Urko himself blocked our way," added Ann, a glint in her eyes.
Galen shook his head. "Did Gathor tell you..anything else?" he began.
"What?" asked Yalu.
"I was the ape who caused the rifle to fire. It's all my fault." His eyes met those of Galen's parents, shame-faced.
Yalu's voice rose. "You tell us our son is shot, but fail to inform us that you are responsible for the injury?"
"Galen. I never meant it to happen. I had to come. To tell you how sorry I am," said the young chimp, head bowed.
Galen studied Gathor, then nodded as he made up his mind. "Well, it was an accident, I suppose. And you're actually quite brave to come here with my father, then confess in front of him."
"Oh? That's not exactly how I would describe it," said Ann dryly. Gathor lifted his head and looked at Ann.
"She means you're insane, of course," Galen confided, leaning towards Gathor and crinkling his muzzle kindly at him. He turned to face his mother and winced as pain lanced his scalp. "Zaius has offered me. a deal," he said, voice heavy with irony.
Ann sat down upon the narrow bunk and patted it, inviting Galen to sit.
"What does he have in mind?" asked Yalu.
"He means to use me against my cousin and his group. He wants me to renounce my. my friendship with Alan and Pete. To tell the students that I was wrong to trust humans. Of course I won't do that. Do you believe," said Galen, looking down, "they tried to tell me that Burke killed an ape?"
"Galen. A soldier was killed today in the city," said Yalu, voice purposely neutral.
"That doesn't mean Burke had anything to do with it! It's another of Urko's tricks. Anything could have happened - the city's in an uproar over the demonstrations," Galen said vehemently, pushing aside the sudden memory of Burke jamming the rifle muzzle into the gorilla's throat. "Urko wants total control of the human population, and this lie gives it to him."
"Galen," said Ann, casting a look at her husband, "I won't accuse Burke. I can't imagine. although I must tell you that he was very disturbed last night."
"Another dream?" Galen sighed at his mother's nod.
"Well.. that, and other things," Ann said. Galen glanced at her quizzically, but she said no more.
"I have a plan," said her son. "Zaius wants me to talk to the protesters. I will. Pergis has to understand the terrible suffering the people will endure if the changes Urko and Zaius threaten come to pass. Pergis can bargain for their rights. Zaius is desperate to stop the dissension before it goes any farther. If Pergis will agree to stop the protests, and hand over the stolen book to Zaius, I think he might agree to leave the humans alone. I'm not sure how much freedom I'll be allowed in speaking to Pergis." Galen added, musing.
Yalu snorted. "Not much."
"Will you help me? Persuade Pergis that this is the only way to help the humans. Otherwise, Urko will destroy them." He looked at his parents, then focused on Gathor. "This is a way to make up for what happened today, Gathor. You and the others will only hurt the humans if you continue. Help me make good come of the bad."
The silence weighed heavily before Yalu finally spoke. "Are you sure Burke did not do this murder?"
"I know him, Father," Galen said, looking him soberly in the eyes.
Yalu nodded, resigned. "I still think you're making a mistake. You can't predict what a human is capable of doing."
"Father. those men are my friends. I know them."
"I hope you're right," Yalu said, standing.
Ann gave her son's hand a final pat, then joined Yalu. "Coming, Gathor?"
"I'd like to stay awhile, if you don't mind."
"I am rather tired, Gathor," Galen replied. He sighed as transparent misery chased across Gathor's features. "All right, all right. It's fine. You can stay."
"I won't stay long, Galen. I promise," said Gathor.
"Son. try to stay out of trouble, will you?" said Yalu.
"I wouldn't worry about it if it were anyone else, seeing as you are in jail, but.." Ann trailed off.
Galen smiled. "Don't worry. What could happen, after all?"
"Think, Urko. Even now the city is reeling from the news that one of the 'astro-nauts' has killed an ape. It won't be necessary for the Council to address the claims of the dissidents. Galen will do it for us. By renouncing his human companions, he rejects the very foundation of the protester's beliefs." Zaius shrugged. "All we need do is retrieve the stolen book. As long as we proceed with wisdom and restraint, the High Council will stand by our actions."
"After what happened at the market square today, the citizens will no longer question my handling of Chandar. And we'll have total control over the human population." Urko climbed astride his horse and smiled down at Zaius.
"Indeed, Urko, you will be commended for your foresight. The irony is that your fortunes have reversed themselves in no small part due to Burke's actions today," said the elderly orangutan, a glint in his eye.
Urko barked a laugh. "Yes. I'll be sure to 'thank him' very soon. In the meantime, we'll watch Galen carefully as he plays his part," Urko said, and paused. "I'll just have to make sure he understands what is at stake. Then, when he's fulfilled his bargain with us. I'll kill him." His horse took a few steps away before Urko paused, reining in his horse. "Didn't I tell you today is a fine day, Zaius?" he added, pleasure evident on his face. He urged his horse forward, leaving Zaius to stand alone in the courtyard.
-----------------------------
Galen stopped pacing and listened, astonished, to the unmistakable voices of his parents outside of the cell door.
"The prisoner is allowed no visitors," said the guard.
"But Galen is my son. He's been hurt. Surely you can understand I must see him," said Ann.
"I have my orders."
"As a member of the High Council, I can promise you dismissal from your post if you keep me from seeing my son," Yalu's abrasive voice threatened. There was silence for a moment and then his father's voice, just outside the door: "Guard! The key! What are you waiting for?" Galen heard the key turning in the lock and Galen's parents stepped inside the cell, followed by none other than Gathor.
"How did you ever get the guard to change his mind?" asked Galen, hugging both his parents quickly. He patted Ann's hand absent-mindedly and stared at Gathor as his mother clucked over his injury. Gathor's face grew pale as he stared miserably at Galen's wound.
"I pushed him aside. He didn't dare push back." said Yalu, determination in his eyes. Galen's gaze went to his father, and he couldn't help but laugh.
"Gathor told us of your injury. I told your father we were coming in if Urko himself blocked our way," added Ann, a glint in her eyes.
Galen shook his head. "Did Gathor tell you..anything else?" he began.
"What?" asked Yalu.
"I was the ape who caused the rifle to fire. It's all my fault." His eyes met those of Galen's parents, shame-faced.
Yalu's voice rose. "You tell us our son is shot, but fail to inform us that you are responsible for the injury?"
"Galen. I never meant it to happen. I had to come. To tell you how sorry I am," said the young chimp, head bowed.
Galen studied Gathor, then nodded as he made up his mind. "Well, it was an accident, I suppose. And you're actually quite brave to come here with my father, then confess in front of him."
"Oh? That's not exactly how I would describe it," said Ann dryly. Gathor lifted his head and looked at Ann.
"She means you're insane, of course," Galen confided, leaning towards Gathor and crinkling his muzzle kindly at him. He turned to face his mother and winced as pain lanced his scalp. "Zaius has offered me. a deal," he said, voice heavy with irony.
Ann sat down upon the narrow bunk and patted it, inviting Galen to sit.
"What does he have in mind?" asked Yalu.
"He means to use me against my cousin and his group. He wants me to renounce my. my friendship with Alan and Pete. To tell the students that I was wrong to trust humans. Of course I won't do that. Do you believe," said Galen, looking down, "they tried to tell me that Burke killed an ape?"
"Galen. A soldier was killed today in the city," said Yalu, voice purposely neutral.
"That doesn't mean Burke had anything to do with it! It's another of Urko's tricks. Anything could have happened - the city's in an uproar over the demonstrations," Galen said vehemently, pushing aside the sudden memory of Burke jamming the rifle muzzle into the gorilla's throat. "Urko wants total control of the human population, and this lie gives it to him."
"Galen," said Ann, casting a look at her husband, "I won't accuse Burke. I can't imagine. although I must tell you that he was very disturbed last night."
"Another dream?" Galen sighed at his mother's nod.
"Well.. that, and other things," Ann said. Galen glanced at her quizzically, but she said no more.
"I have a plan," said her son. "Zaius wants me to talk to the protesters. I will. Pergis has to understand the terrible suffering the people will endure if the changes Urko and Zaius threaten come to pass. Pergis can bargain for their rights. Zaius is desperate to stop the dissension before it goes any farther. If Pergis will agree to stop the protests, and hand over the stolen book to Zaius, I think he might agree to leave the humans alone. I'm not sure how much freedom I'll be allowed in speaking to Pergis." Galen added, musing.
Yalu snorted. "Not much."
"Will you help me? Persuade Pergis that this is the only way to help the humans. Otherwise, Urko will destroy them." He looked at his parents, then focused on Gathor. "This is a way to make up for what happened today, Gathor. You and the others will only hurt the humans if you continue. Help me make good come of the bad."
The silence weighed heavily before Yalu finally spoke. "Are you sure Burke did not do this murder?"
"I know him, Father," Galen said, looking him soberly in the eyes.
Yalu nodded, resigned. "I still think you're making a mistake. You can't predict what a human is capable of doing."
"Father. those men are my friends. I know them."
"I hope you're right," Yalu said, standing.
Ann gave her son's hand a final pat, then joined Yalu. "Coming, Gathor?"
"I'd like to stay awhile, if you don't mind."
"I am rather tired, Gathor," Galen replied. He sighed as transparent misery chased across Gathor's features. "All right, all right. It's fine. You can stay."
"I won't stay long, Galen. I promise," said Gathor.
"Son. try to stay out of trouble, will you?" said Yalu.
"I wouldn't worry about it if it were anyone else, seeing as you are in jail, but.." Ann trailed off.
Galen smiled. "Don't worry. What could happen, after all?"
