Caesar's Pearl 2 Chapter 13
The smashing sounds of stone rushing metal resonated throughout the canyon. The guns were pulled apart piece by piece. The wooden were burnt tossed into the roaring flames of the fire pit while the ammunition and metal parts of the guns were bent and dented, smashed beyond recognition with rocks. Rocket was all too happy to take up this task destroying the weapons that nearly killed his only son. Many of the apes were gathered around the fire pit silently witnessing the destruction of these deadly weapons.
Koba glowered across the fire pit the scars on his face more prominent as his anger grew with each piece thrown into the fire. An anger that increased exponentially each and every time he glanced at the newest addition not to far away from the main group.
Margo and Ranger were seated a respectful distance. She may have been welcomed, but she didn't want to test her luck just yet with those who are uneasy with her presence here.
Finally Koba couldn't contain himself anymore. Rising he rounded the fire to where Caesar sat watching with Blue Eyes beside him.
"If they get power, they'll be more dangerous," protested Koba. "Why help them?!"
"Helping them could be dangerous," conceded Caesar, "but not helping is more dangerous. They seem desperate. If we make them go, they'll attack."
"Let them," snarled Koba with conviction. "We'll destroy them while they're weak."
"And how many apes will die," countered Caesar, grimly, a sharp edge on his signs. That made Koba pause. He hadn't considered that. "We have one chance for peace. Let them do their human work. Then they'll go."
These are sentiments that Koba didn't come close to sharing.
"Human work," grunted Koba, thickly, eyes hard. He then pointed at a scar on the base of his skull close to the neck. "Human work." He traced a scar trailing on his arm. "Human work." Each time he gestured at one of his numerous scars dealt to him by human hands more and more apes turned their attention to watch unsettled at this challenge to Caesar's dominance as alpha. Koba stabbed at his left blind eye that was the final straw for him. "Human work!"
But Koba wasn't done there. On the last word he swung his arm around to point at Margo, accusingly.
Ranger growled in defense of his mistress. Margo stroked a hand down his back to calm him. Margo sat there unflinching as she returned Koba's stare with her own.
Caesar would not tolerate this. This display of defiance not only towards him needed to end right now.
Chest swelled in intimidation Caesar rose to stand high above Koba, arms spread, and fists clenched. Locking eyes Caesar, cold and forbidding, silently dared Koba to continue a step further.
Wisely Koba backed off knowing he'd never win in a fight hand-to-hand with Caesar. Ducking his head in submission Koba knelt raising his head palm upwards for forgiveness.
All eyes were on the two anxiously waiting to see what Caesar's choice would be. Would he forgive Koba or would the bonobo be punished. Even Rocket stopped demolishing the remains guns to see.
After a suitable amount of time had passed for his message to become clear not only to Koba but, also, to all Caesar brushed his own palm across the bonobos in acceptance.
Standing Koba met Caesar's eyes, the look on his leaders face told the bonobo not to trifle with his leader again, before walking out of the firelight.
Once Koba was gone Blue Eyes stood, signing "Koba say apes should hate humans."
This surprised Margo. She expected Caesar's offspring to share his own point of views. To see him side with one who thought completely the opposite is something unexpected. Huh, this certainly explained the suspicious and loathing looks he'd repeatedly been sending her way.
"Enough," commanded Caesar with finality, leaving no room for further argument. "From humans Koba learned hate, but nothing else."
Blue Eyes scoffed and lopped away.
This meeting is over. All others were dismissed. It's getting late. There would be no communal evening meal tonight. All family's would be eating alone.
Caesar sighed and turned to look up at Margo an unspoken apology written on his face.
Margo smiled, but it was only halfhearted.
Though Caesar argued for her kind Koba's accusations did have some validation.
Koba didn't know this, but she remembered him. She recognized Koba's scares from that time years ago when her father had taken her to work. He had been the ape strapped to the table. The one Will and his assistants had hurt in the Gen-Sys labs.
The humans had set up their tents and were sitting around a fire of their own partaking in dinner. Ellie and Malcolm were just slipping from their tent.
"You know the scary thing about them," mused Foster, thoughtful. "They don't need power, lights. Heat. Nothing. That's their advantage. That's what makes them stronger."
"Malcolm, I'm thinking one of us should stand guard tonight," suggested Kemp.
"With what," said Foster. "They took our guns."
"If they wanted us dead, we would be dead already," said Malcolm, taking a bite of his meager rations.
Carver said "Maybe they're just taking their time. They killed off half the planet already."
"Come on," rebuffed Ellie.
"What," said Carver.
"You can't honestly blame the apes," said Ellie in disbelief.
"Who else am I going to blame," said Carver. "It was the Simian Flu."
"It was a virus created by scientists in a lab," said Ellie. "The chimps they were testing on didn't have a say in the matter."
"Spare me the hippie-dippy bullshit," said Carver, scowling. "You're telling me you don't get sick to your stomach at the sight of them? Huh?"
The expression on Ellie's was definitely a no.
"Didn't you have a little girl," said Carver.
"Carver, that's enough," said Malcolm.
"How did she die," continued Carver, arrogantly.
"That's enough," repeated Malcolm, glaring at him.
"Or your wife for that matter," shot Carver, changing course to Malcolm.
Neither Malcolm nor Ellie spoke a word the agony from those losses still too much to bear. The memories were difficult to relive.
"Carver, you better shut up before I kick your ass," seethed Foster, intervening.
"Okay," said Carver, quietly. "I'm the asshole." Carver went to the tent he shared with Kemp and Foster opting for an early night.
Placing a comforting hand over Ellie's, Malcolm asked "Are you okay?"
Nodding, softly, Ellie said "I'm fine."
"Carver doesn't like the apes much," said Foster.
Oh really? Well that was going to have to change.
"Yeah," said Malcolm. "We got that impression." He then noticed Alex hadn't touched any of his dinner. It was set aside while he was drawing in his sketchbook. "Alex, eat your food."
Shaking his head, Alex said "I'm not hungry."
"Alex," said Malcolm.
Alex ignored his father, focused intently on his sketchbook.
A new drawing of Margo on her bike.
Malcolm knew what had his son so defiant.
"Margo's fine, Alex," sighed Malcolm. "Remember, she and that ape leader are family."
Lifting up his head, Alex said "You think she's all right?"
Smiling in reassurance, Malcolm said "Positive."
"I still can't believe it. That she actually knew about those apes up here the whole time," said Kemp.
"We don't really know that," said Ellie, speaking for Margo. "She probably thought they were dead like the rest of us did."
"It would explain why she lives separately from the rest of us if she knew they were up there," voiced Kemp.
"You can't fake that type of reaction Margo had when saw them," said Malcolm, repeating what he said to Dreyfus before they left.
The others had little to say against that for it couldn't be denied.
In the village Caesar entered his families dwelling for the night. Caesar wanted to bring Margo and Ranger into his family's quarters for the night, but doubted how Blue Eyes would take it. So he set them up in a vacant hut underneath. It's comfortable so they'd have an easy night.
Caesar's confident that after the dominant, no nonsense, display of his earlier no one would try anything against Margo and Ranger underneath his nose.
They were safe for now under his protection.
Cornelia was in bed with their newborn one hand wrapped around him. Cornelia's wheezing was worst more erratic than the day before her breathing shallower. When Caesar lay down beside her she awoke. Seeing him there she smiled rolling over a bit.
"You sound sick," signed Caesar, worriedly, cupping a hand over the newborns head gently caressing him. "You okay?"
"Just need rest," reassured Cornelia.
"Blue Eyes shall watch the baby tomorrow," signed Caesar. "You need more sleep."
Nodding in agreement, Cornelia signed "You worry about humans?"
Caesar sighed, smiling at her.
"I heard Margo was here. Tinker told me," signed Cornelia. "I'm happy for you. You don't talk about her much, but I know how much you've missed her."
Caesar signed "After all these years I thought my sister was dead. I resigned myself that the plague had killed her just like all the others."
Chuckling, Cornelia signed "And yet she's here now. Don't let the time wasted get to you. You and Margo have all the time in the world now."
Caesar cupped his hand around the back of Cornelia's head, pressing his forehead to hers. Husband and wife then drifted off to sleep, the baby slumbering on Cornelia's chest.
Tomorrow is a brand new day.
Authors Note:
Happy New Year!
Hope this is a good way to start off a brand new year! ;D
Just to let you guys know I'll be sending my laptop in to get my battery changed two days from now. It's highly unlikely I'd be getting it back before a week is out afterwards. Fortunately there are a couple of story's I can update without the use of my Itunes so you'll still get updates for certain story's. I'll do my very best for the rest. That's all I can promise.