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The guard them down another rock hewn passageway about 300 yards. At that point the passageway forked out in 3 different directions. The guard led them through the passage that was the farthest to the left. After another 50 yards the group began to pass cubicles carved out of the rock. A few women began appearing from the cubicles and eyed the men of the group with lust. Some of the more wanton women approached the group and began touching the men. From all around them they heard comments like "That one is mine!" "Oh, he's big!" "I want that one!" "Hey! I love you"
All of them felt very uneasy as the guard led them down yet another passage that branched off the one they had been on. No women came out and there were no more comments made to the group.
Finally the guard stopped in front of a cubicle. "These are your quarters." He stated. "You will not get any food, blankets, medical supplies or anything else until you have earned the tokens to buy them"
At that point he began unlocking the chains that held them and indicated that they should enter their new quarters.
The opening to the cubicle was about five feet wide and there was no door, no bars, no barrier of any kind. The chamber was about 15 feet square, lit by two torches on either side of the room that cast eerie shadows about the compartment. In the center of the room was a pit that still contained a cook pot hanging from a metal tripod. In the right corner of the compartment a 3 foot square area was separated from the main living area with a wooden screen. In the far corner, Aaron was sitting there, staring into space.
"Aaron?" Theta asked. She woke up from her daydream and smiled
"Took ya long enough."
"Cute, I have some questions that need to be answered." he said.
"Alright."
"One, were the bloody hell are we?"
"One of many slave mines, didn't they tell us that already?"
"I think, but I don't remember. Two, who's your husband and why did Paolo call you 'my lady'?"
Aaron sighed, "When I was twelve, Snake managed to capture me. He turned me into his 'mate' or whatever and he put me to work. He told all of his men that if they tuched me, they would die."
"Oh my god, did he rape you?" Rose asked, jumping into the conversation.
Aaron snickered, "He wishes. Anyways, I managed to get away and I filled for divorce."
"How did you escape? There are force fields everywhere!" Jack exclaimed.
"Back then, they didn't have them. The first time I tried, I murdered three guards, that's how I lost my arm. The second I took out ten guards and got away, with a few others that managed to escape."
"Alright, now that that's settled, might as well get used to this place," Theta joked.
Jack indicated the screen and said to Luce " I assume that is the, uh"
"Toilet area." Luce supplied.
"Ah"
There were four wooden pallets, each about 3 feet off the floor and attached to the walls with chains, but no blankets or bedding of any kind. A wooden bucket sat in one corner of the room.
"We will need water." Luce indicated the bucket. "I will show you were to get it."
Jack nodded, and picked up the bucket and the entire group followed Luce out of their 'cell.'
Luce led them farther and deeper into the mine until they began to hear running water. They soon came to an underground spring where Luce said that everyone got their drinking water. He then led them to another area where a community bath was hewn into the stone. There were four baths, each about 10 feet square and 3 feet deep. "They only change the water once a week," Luce seemed apologetic "but it is better than no baths."
"Ok, this is great, Luce, but how do we get out of here?" Jack's irritation was clearly showing in his voice.
Luce looked at him with confusion in his eyes as he said gently "There is no way out"
"Oh, there's always a way out." Jack said. "We just have to find it"
"Here is not the place to discuss this." Luce said with fear in his voice.
Just then a loud bell rang through out the mines, clanging 3 times, pausing and clanging 3 more times.
"What does that mean?" Asked Rose.
"All of the workers are being summoned to the great hall. We must go at once"
They were among the last to arrive in the great hall.
One of the worker/slaves was kneeling on the stage before Claudio as the Supreme Ruler addressed the group gathered in the hall. "This man was caught stealing!" He indicated the man kneeling before him. "You have been summoned to witness his punishment."
Claudio nodded slightly at Dace who stepped up to the kneeling man. Dace, smiling a wicked, toothless grin, took the man's left hand and placed it on a large block of wood, then he pulled out a huge, thick sword and with one swift movement sliced off the man's hand. The man screamed in pain, blood spurting everywhere.
"He'll bleed to death!" Rose shouted to Jack over the noise in the room.
"Not our problem, Rose" Theta said with a warning tone in his voice.
Although Rose wanted to do something, anything, she knew he was right. They hung to the back of the room, said nothing and watched in amazement.
Claudio again addressed the workers assembled in the Great Hall. "For anyone breaking the rules the punishment is swift. Now back to work!" He barked.
The group of workers mumbled softly as they shuffled out of the hall and back to their work stations and Luce led them back to their compartment.
