The First Colony: Book I: Settlement Chronicals

by W. J. Rydrych

  The Torgai village was at the eastern edge of a largely treeless shallow bowl several kilometers across, mountains rising in the distance both to the east and the west, with those to the east much higher and snow covered. Below the village a small stream flowed, bordered by heavy tree cover. Between the stream and the village, and also further down the valley, preparation for spring planting was underway by some of the females, with others returning to the village. The coolest part of the year was past, and the temperature was pleasantly warm during the day.

  From where Eric sat the eastern mountains appeared an insurmountable barrier, and for the Torgai apparently they were. To them the forbidding mountain peaks were the end of the world, and to the best of their knowledge no Torgai had ever crossed.

  Looking at the village below it was clear why the orbiting ships had missed it. With no above ground buildings the only sign a village was there were the den mouths and fire pits, and the few Torgai not in their dens. Even the fields would be hard to detect during most of the year since planting was with a planting-stick and the ground was left unplowed. But still, with care there should have been some warning. This village had over 150 dens, each with from 2 to 15 occupants headed by an adult male, and Eric knew there were other villages, some possibly much larger. Not detecting even one of the villages looked like negligence to Eric.

  At first Eric couldn't understand why the Torgai chose to live in such an isolated location, but with time and patient explanation from his tutors it became clear. The Torgai were creatures of the open plains and at one time had inhabited the savannas. Their physique, their hunting technique, and their extraordinary speed and endurance was that of an open country hunter. While creatures of the plains, the Torgai had learned that the plains themselves were too dangerous a location for a village, and that the rocky foothills like those where the village was located was a safer place. At night the plains belonged to the great cats, and reference was sometimes made to some other predator referred to as the Kraa, although they were unable to elaborate on what it was.

  Before long activity below started to pick up as the women started the fires for the evening meal, the girls and younger females began returning from the fields, and groups of hunters began to return from the hunt. Eric slapped at his arm where one of the biting insects had landed; which, like Earth's biting 'black' flies, were a constant irritant. The Torgai seemed to ignore them, but Eric seemed especially attractive to the aggressive little creatures. Perhaps, he thought, it had something to do with his odor which the flies found attractive, or at least different from that of the Torgai. Eric had never thought of his odor as being offensive, but apparently the Torgai, with their sharp sense of smell did, which resulted in Eric adopting a practice of daily bathing.

  Eric had been a captive in the village for nearly 6 months, and his initial confusion and apprehension had gradually been replaced with an increasing acceptance of and respect for the culture and nature of his captors, who he had found to be intelligent and humane. One thing they could not, however, understand, was his need for occasional privacy, since among the Torgai complete privacy was virtually unknown. As time went on Eric's role in the village had evolved from that of an animal to be trained to that of an 'almost' person, where the Torgai's uncertainty as to what he was caused them to treat him more like a somewhat retarded child. They seemed especially impressed by his totally unexpected facility in using his hands to manipulate tools, and to understand and learn the rudiments of Torgai speech. This had led to confusion and, initially, consternation, among the Torgai.

  Eric scratched his arm absently where the fly's bite was beginning to tingle. His mind drifted back, remembering the events over the months since his capture, and how the flow of his life had changed so drastically. It was becoming harder and harder to believe his former life had been real and not just a dream. At first he had been tied to a tree in front of Hath's den, where he was fed and given furs for sleeping. This didn't make much sense to Eric, since the Torgai were aware he could easily untie a knot, and they hadn't tied his hands. After about a week of this, one night Eric untied the ropes and remained where he was on his sleeping furs. In the morning, when the Torgai saw that he didn't try to run away, he was no longer tied but allowed to wander wherever he wanted as long as he stayed in the village, but was still expected to sleep at the entrance of Hath's den.

  His captor Hath, who was the headman of the village, and Barco, who shared leadership as a sort of religious leader, or shaman, had spent long hours with him testing his abilities. They had tried giving him objects, and carefully speaking their names in the Torgai language, and later added more complex phrases; then they watched and listened as he repeated the words and phrases. They also gave him different objects, from weapons to tools, to determine his ability to use his hands. About six weeks ago he had been taken into Hath's den for the first time and given a place to sleep in the corner of the large common room. Apparently he was no longer considered an animal, but as something more, something they couldn't quite understand. This unsettled relationship was shown by his being given a sleeping place in the common room, since animals weren't allowed in the den; so, since he was allowed to sleep in the common room, he no longer was considered as having just the status of an animal.

  Hath, with his three wives, slept in a separate room off the common room, while the juvenile males shared a second, the juvenile females a third, and relatives or guests a fourth. While he had never been in the other rooms, if they were similar to the common room the total den must have been quite extensive. The circular common room was large enough to house up to two dozen Torgai, but was without furniture of any kind, only the clay and leather containers of stored food stacked against the wall, and skins scattered over the hard packed dirt floor.

  While the Torgai clearly intended his being allowed to sleep in the common room as an elevation of his status, Eric would have preferred to have a place outside the den. The hole in the common room roof was only partially successful in providing ventilation for the fire maintained to provide light, which, combined with the odor of the Torgai resulted in a closeness that made it hard to tolerate.

  Once Eric's status changed from that of simply an animal, his education began in earnest, with the juvenile males of Hath's family assigned as his teachers. There were six of these juvenile males who had reached the age where they were given names, ten years; below that age they weren't counted or named. The oldest was Hath-Boc, and the second oldest Hath-Ha. The juvenile females in Hath's family numbered seven, and could leave the den for that of a mate when they reached the age of 14, which they almost always did. Since adult women outnumbered the adult men most of the hunters had more than one wife, with the senior wife having authority over other wives, the 'unnamed' male children, and the female children until they married and left. Since a wife from the den of the village chief was so prestigious to the successful suitor, it was rare when one of Hath's daughters reached the age of 14 without a marriage arrangement having been made, most becoming the 'first' wife of one of the new hunters.

  Hath-Boc, as the eldest juvenile son of Hath, was in charge of Eric's education and became his constant companion, with the second oldest, Hath-Ha, to help when necessary. While still only 14, Hath-Boc had reached nearly his full height, and at over 2 meters towered over Eric. Hath-Boc was exceptional, and even without the prestige of his father's position would have been the leader of his age group. In the juvenile hunts he was the best, and he could outrun anyone in his age group. But more than that, he seemed to have the qualities of natural leadership.

  Everything about Torgai life was part of Eric's education, except details of their religious ceremonies, any question resulting in a quick reprimand. Apparently his new status didn't extend to full membership in the Torgai society. In addition to lessons in the language, Eric was taught how to use the various Torgai weapons and tools, and was passed from one group of artisans to another learning the techniques used, the same as was done wit
h all the Torgai juveniles; and to the consternation of the Torgai there was very little Eric was unable to do, and often if it involved manual dexterity he could do it better than the Torgai themselves.

  What was evident from Eric's listening and observations was the very strong place religion and ritual had in the Torgai way of life. In the center of the village was the common house, where only adult males were allowed, and the 'House of Torga', to which only the shaman, his apprentices and the village elders were allowed access, and once a year the successful candidates for full membership in the Torgai society. Since both were built into the slope like the normal residence dens the size couldn't be discerned, but the common house at least must have been very large, since all of the over 150 hunters in the village could be accommodated at once. The central deity in their beliefs was 'Torga', although many lesser gods and spirits were also important. Apparently this 'Torga' was considered as the holder of the soul and spirit of the Torgai, and only he could decide with whom to share the spirit. The Torgai considered themselves as the only people with whom that spirit was shared, which partially accounted for the confusion which Eric's presence caused. While he wasn't one of 'the people', yet he also wasn't an animal: so what was he? If he was some other form of 'people', then he also might be under Torga's protection.

  To enter fully into Torgai society juvenile males had to pass through a 'coming of age' ceremony, the nature of which was a closely-held secret; a test many didn't survive. Only through passage was a Torgai allowed to take a wife, establish a den, become a hunter, or attend the gathering of the hunters in the common house. All Barco would say was that the ceremony involved facing 'Kraka', and it was evident he wanted no more questions.

  Hath-Boc, Erick's primary tutor, had reached the age of 14 and would be attending the next 'coming-of-age' ceremony, and if successful drop the name Hath, and become simply Boc. He would then move to one of the dens reserved for unmarried males until he took his first wife, at which point the community would work together to build a new den. Hath-Boc was open in expressing his desire that his future mate be Tashi, daughter of Nak, a leading hunter and a sub chief of the village. The decision would officially be up to Hath, Nak, and the village elders, but in actuality it would be largely up to Tashi herself. Nak or the elders would hardly refuse the son of the headman.

  Upon reflection, Eric felt he understood the purpose of the ‘coming of age’ ceremony, which was one of the ways the Torgai had of thinning the population and ensuring that only the fittest survived. Brutal, but effective; Darwin's 'the survival of the fittest'. And here it was much the same, only adapted to the Torgai way of life and beliefs.

  With his growing understanding of the Torgai way of life Eric's acceptance of his condition had increased. Chance of escape was nonexistent, and less and less did he feel the desire to escape. In Eric's eyes the Torgai had developed a culture which held many attractions. Differences and problems, as well as major decisions, were settled by discussion or arbitration by the elders and the shaman. While a wrong act by Eric could lead to disappointment on the part of the Torgai, and even a reprimand if the infraction were sufficiently severe, both anger and hatred appeared alien to their culture. With this understanding, any fear Eric may have originally felt disappeared.

  If it hadn't been for Barco, Eric would feel almost at home; he had a hard time fully understanding where Barco fit. True, he was the shaman, or medicine man, and the religious leader of the Torgai, but clearly he was also much more, and at times seemed to be more powerful than even the headman Hath. One thing was clear; at a simple word from Barco Eric's life here at the village would be at an end, and maybe his life also. But Barco never showed either acceptance or opposition, although he did listen without emotion to everything Eric had to say, and when he was present was the most active of his questioners, never seeming to tire of Eric's attempts to explain himself or his world. In fact, Barco seemed to be the only one of the Torgai who fully understood what Eric was attempting to convey. He hadn't even seemed surprised when Eric tried to explain how his home was from beyond the moons, and was able to accept that without difficulty.

  It was Barco as much as anything that kept Eric from saying much about the colony, nothing that could jeopardize it. How they lived, where they came from, yes; but he avoided telling them anything about where it was located or how large it was, only that it was 'far to the north'.

  Eric shifted his position on the slope and gazed at the quickening activity in the village below. Brushing his fingers through his hair, he thought, "would my life be better back at New Athens, or back on Earth?" Pushing himself to his feet he thought to himself, "maybe not."

  Late March, Year 2 . . . .

  Hath-Boc crouched in relaxation under the grove of trees on the slight rise overlooking the village. The trees provided protection from the cool breeze which had begun to blow fitfully from the west. Further to the west a bank of clouds was building into a high wall, obscuring the mountain tops. On the grass at his side rested his spear thrower and bundle of throwing spears.

  This had been a detour for Hath-Boc as he returned from the day's hunt. The hunt had been successful, and had ended earlier in the afternoon with the cleaning of the kill. Instead of returning directly to the village Hath-Boc had detoured to stop here to watch Tashi. His snout twitched slightly as he picked up the faint cooking odors from the village below, and his eyelids lowered halfway to protect his yellowish eyes from the sun. Below Hath-Boc could see the females working in the fields, while in the distance the village spread along the slope at the foot of the rocky cliffs. In one of the crouching groups at the edge of the village Hath-Boc could make out Eric working with the tool makers as they flaked the spear points and cutting tools. Hath-Boc was responsible for teaching Eric, an assignment he relished.

  For now, Hath-Boc had left his younger brother, Hath-Ha, in charge of Eric, who he could see sitting at the edge of the tool maker group listening to Eric and joining in occasional conversation. They appeared to be listening to one of Eric's strange tales of his homeland, which Hath-Boc also very much enjoyed; although he wasn't sure he really understood what Eric said most of the time.

  While Eric was learning many of the Torgai sounds and motions much was still missing, and some of the things Eric tried to say the Torgai really didn't have words for. For those things Eric would make 'pretending' motions to try to be understood. For instance, to explain where he came from Eric would point to the sky and make motions like a bird flying. But how could anyone fly through the sky like Eric said? Or come from a land out past the moons which brightened their night time sky? Hath-Boc pulled his lips back from his teeth in what passed for a smile. He enjoyed teaching Eric, and in listening to his tales of his people, and every day Eric was learning more and more of their language and his stories became more complicated. These were indeed strange stories, and even Barco listened attentively when Eric told of these things.

  While many of Eric’s stories didn't seem possible, if something was told it must be true, or at least that was the case among the Torgai. Why would someone tell things that weren't true? That wouldn't make sense. So Hath-Boc, in spite of his reservations, believed the stories Eric told, and wondered about the strange places and things. And wondered if he would ever be able to see any of those things for himself.

  Pulling his fur wrap around his shoulders Hath-Boc stood to his full height and headed for a slight rise closer to the fields where the females were working. Tashi would be there among the others, and he wanted to watch her as she worked. This watching was a daily occurrence for Hath-Boc, and was part of the courtship rituals, something that was customary during the year before the manhood ceremonies took place. While he couldn't speak to Tashi until he became a hunter, this daily 'watching' was a signal of his interest, to which she could make her own signs of interest or lack of interest.

  Reaching the slight rise Hath-Boc resumed his at-rest crouch and watched the activity below. Nearby were several other yo
ung males also watching their desired mates, but he was the only one who watched Tashi, the other young males realizing her selection had already been made.

  Tashi had removed her normal fur wrap, and Hath-Boc watched as the sun glistened on the long silvery-gray fur covering her head and running down her back. This silvery fur, so different from the reddish fur of most of the Torgai, was one of the things about Tashi he found so alluring; very few of the Torgai had that kind of coloring, and none so pronounced. Perhaps that was because her mother had come from one of the villages of the northern highlands where he had been told silvery fur was more common. Hath-Boc smiled in anticipation. After the 'coming-of-age' ceremonies, only months away, he would be able to move from Hath's den and make a den of his own. He would then be a full-fledged hunter able to take his first wife. By that time Tashi would have reached 14 years of age and could leave her own den for that of a mate.

  Tashi and Hath-Boc had reached an agreement without anything being said. When Hath-Boc had begun his watching earlier in the year, Tashi had made the accepted signs of agreement. She left food for him where he normally sat and watched, and had made and left for him a sleeping fur. This meant that, once he reached his status as a hunter, she would agree to be his mate.

  Hath-Boc was happy. He had the human to teach and learn from, in less than a year he would attempt the manhood ceremonies, and he had an arrangement for his first mate. Life was good. Rising to his feet, Hath-Boc picked up his spear thrower and bundle of spears and headed back toward the village with his long, easy stride. Below in the fields Tashi stood and watched him as he moved off, also thinking that life was good.

  And . . . .

  Hath picked up the pace of his long, loping stride as he neared the village. The antelope across his shoulders a dead weight which caused his breath to quicken with the effort. The years were building up, he thought;, at one time this would have been easy. When younger he could run all day carrying an antelope and not be tired. At least, that was how he remembered it.