The Purlieu Experiment, Book 1

by Linda L Rigsbee

  Chait shrugged. “I suppose we can send a messenger. We don’t have any other way.”

  Quade nodded. “You might want to think about a remedy to that as well.” His attention shifted to Donte. “Let’s go.”

  Their trip back was uneventful and they arrived at Cuna with the captives three days later. Mateo, Tomas and Elias left them in Cuna. Their homes were not far from the border of Libertad and Lochfowk.

  Donte left Fane, Vayle and Kwasi in Libertad with Quade while he rode the tram to Bergen with Beier, Edzer and Felte. He would return in a few days and escort Vayle and Fane to Anialwch.

  For Beier, the tram ride was a trip into the future. He had been a 35-year-old man when he was captured. Living in the southeastern area of Bergen, he had never seen a tram. The four men sat in two seats, facing each other. Beier had a multitude of stories and he was enjoying sharing them with his new companions. By the time they reached the station in Bergen, it was late evening and they were all exhausted.

  Edzer and Felte took their leave at the station and Donte left Beier in the company of Pieter. He went straight to his room, bathed and changed into casual clothing. Tossing his uniform into the laundry basket, he headed for the commons. He didn’t actually expect to find Rianne there, but it would have been a nice surprise. She wasn’t there, of course. In fact, no one was there. He poured a hot drink and selected a book from the shelf. Sitting at one of the tables, he began to read.

  People occasionally drifted in and out, sometimes talking, sometimes simply getting something hot to drink. Donte was so focused on the book that he ignored all the other activity until a hand clamped on his shoulder.

  Donte looked up, startled. He smiled. “Kenyon. I didn’t know you were here.”

  Kenyon dropped into a chair across the table from Donte and winked. “I didn’t think you were ignoring me.”

  Donte chuckled. “I didn’t know you were in Bergen.” He closed the book and pushed it aside. “Can I get you a hot drink?”

  Kenyon shook his head. “I just got here a while ago. I’ve been talking to Pieter.”

  “Oh, what’s going on?”

  Kenyon pulled a folded envelope from his pocket and shoved it across the table to Donte. “That’s what we were wondering.”

  Donte opened the letter and read it. The information that he had not been executed was old news to them, but why was Kafil being so vague about the details of his release? Even more important was his request for contact. To Donte, that meant only one thing. They were starving. Kenyon was watching him, waiting for a response.

  Donte folded the letter and handed it to Kenyon. “I thought it could wait, but apparently I was wrong.”

  Kenyon took the letter and tapped it against the table. “What does he want to conference about?”

  Donte leaned back and sighed. “It really is a long story, but the short of it is, I think they are starving without the benefit of the raids, and…” He hesitated. He didn’t want it to sound like his hunts put a lot of food on the table, but they did stave off starvation.

  Kenyon lifted a brow. “And?”

  “You know I sense the presence of animals.”

  Kenyon nodded, leaning back in his chair. “I see. So you were hunting to provide them with meat instead of letting them rely on their own skills.”

  No one outside Nyumbani understood their situation. Explanations only resulted in people assuming he was part of the problem and that they simply weren’t trying. Even Quade appeared to draw that conclusion. He was tempted to drop the subject, but the Nyumbani needed help and he was probably their only hope. In any case, he wasn’t talking to someone who had lived with plenty for the last 30 years.

  He released an exasperated sigh. “It’s difficult to explain.”

  Kenyon sat up and leaned forward. “I’m listening, brother.”

  So it was that Donte explained the depleted game, the lack of viable domestic stock and the general conditions in the colony. Kenyon listened with interest. At first it was clear that he was doing so to placate his brother, but as Donte laid out the situation, Kenyon began to express genuine interest. Finally Kenyon leaned back in his chair, his gaze becoming distant in thought. Donte didn’t interrupt.

  Finally Kenyon spoke. “I don’t have anything and I don’t have your hunting skills, but I do think we need to help in some way. I can talk to Dad…” He gave Donte a level look. “Stay out of there. You’ve done enough.”

  Donte’s laugh was short and humorless. “Ironically, I’m no longer welcome there.”

  “Good.” Kenyon stood. “I’ll talk to Dad, and you can talk to Pieter. Maybe we can get a boatload of supplies.” He started to leave and then turned back to Donte. “What about the Anialwch? Could they help…would they?”

  Donte shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll talk to them about it when I return the captives.” He stood. “All the colonies could help, if they would.” He picked up the book. “Maybe we could help with a few of these, too. I noticed this is a new print by Bosvrouwen.”

  Kenyon nodded. “At least we don’t need you as an interpreter this time. We can arrange a meeting and find out how we can help. Maybe Kwasi could be of some help other ways as well.”

  Donte nodded. “I’ll leave for Anialwch tomorrow instead of taking a few days to rest. We need this resolved as soon as possible.”

  Kenyon tucked the letter in his pocket. “I’m headed for the station. I’ll see you when you get back.”

  Donte was tucking the book back on the shelf between the others when Rianne walked into the commons. She smiled when she spotted him and he met her half way across the room.

  She returned his hug. “I heard you were only going to be here for a few days, so I thought I’d take a little time to be with you.”

  He groaned. “Change in plans. I’m leaving tomorrow morning and I have to talk to Pieter right now.” At her disappointed expression, he added: “Why don’t you come with me? What we have to talk about concerns Bosvrouwen as well.”

  She hugged his arm and sighed as they turned toward the door. “Do you ever stay put for more than an evening?”

  He shrugged. “That would be dull, wouldn’t it?”

  Her brows lifted. “It depends on who you are with.”

  He chuckled as he squeezed her arm. Releasing her, he stepped through the door. “I just spent the last six years scratching a living out of nothing. To be honest, I’m enjoying the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others.”

  “What about Donte? Doesn’t he want something for him?”

  He thought about that. “Maybe this is for me.”

  Her shoulders drooped. “If I want to spend a little time with you, it looks like I’ll have to start traveling.”

  He wasn’t sure if she was referring to Akira and he certainly didn’t want to explore that subject, so he said nothing.

  When he didn’t reply, she made a face. “That’s the second time you discouraged the idea of my traveling with you. Do you find me that unattractive or is it that you think I wouldn’t be very good at negotiating with other colonies?”

  He stopped, looking down at her in surprise. “Do you want to go to other colonies?”

  “Of course I do. Do you think that Bergen and Libertad are the only colonies who can negotiate? I’m the representative for Bosvrouwen. Why do they send you to represent us?”

  It was a good question. Other than the language barrier, why would he be any better at representing her colony than she would? Being a woman certainly would have put her at an advantage with the Lochfowk. He had a mental picture of her talking to Sima and the council – and he liked it.

  “I didn’t think you would want to take the risks involved.” He said

  She rolled her eyes. “More like you wouldn’t want me to take the risk.”

  He grinned. “Probably. So how about Anialwch – tomorrow morning?”

  “You’re on.” She said. “Now let’s go talk to Pieter.”

  CHAPTER 2
7

  It was snowing when Donte and Rianne left Bergen on the tram. Rianne had helped convince Pieter that guards would not be necessary on this trip because Anialwch was a friendly colony. He did insist that they both carry laser guns, though, and that they be in uniform. His reasoning was that they were both acting in official capacity. Donte didn’t mind the uniform and he actually found the idea of carrying a weapon comforting. The incident with the Feline had convinced him that traveling in unfamiliar territory could have unexpected perils. Traveling with Rianne, he needed to have some way to protect her.

  Rianne sat in the opposite seat, facing him. She looked both official and stunning in a light green tunic and a gray riding skirt. She told him that their uniforms clashed with each other. He couldn’t see that. They talked all the way to Libertad. He had never been around anyone who could make him feel as human as Rianne did.

  Rianne was beautiful and stylish. When she spoke to him, she looked him in the eye. She wasn’t one bit shy, and yet he sometimes felt she was avoiding topics that might become personal. To her, their relationship was strictly professional. That was the way it should be…and not exactly how he wanted it to be.

  They stopped in Libertad long enough to pick up the two Anialwch men, Fane and Vayle. From there they took the tram to Playa, a dock on the beach in southeastern Libertad. They slept at a lodge near the beach and started out the next morning on the equines they had brought with them.

  Rianne spoke a little Anialwch, but had no skill with Lochfowk. Both Fane and Vayle were fluent in Lochfowk and Anialwch, but neither spoke Bergen. Their conversations were generally a confusing mixture of all. Donte spent a lot of time translating. It would have been easier without Rianne, but he was glad she was there.

  They camped the first night on the beach near the sea. It was a pleasant night, with a warm breeze pushing one gentle wave after another across the sandy beach. The moon was so bright against the white sand that the small campfire gave them all the light they needed to cook and eat the evening meal.

  They slept in the open, under a glorious display of stars. Donte lay on his back, his hands behind his head, wondering if any of those pinpoints of light might be the spaceships.

  A soft voice interrupted his thoughts. “Do you ever wonder if they will come back?”

  Donte looked at Rianne. She was sitting on her blankets, staring up at the stars.

  “All the time.” He said.

  She lay down and turned on her side, watching him. “I wonder what they would say about the way we live now.”

  He rolled over on his side and rested his head on his arm. “I suppose some of it they would like and some of it they wouldn’t.”

  “The uniting of the colonies?”

  “Probably not, or the mixing. I’d probably be a big disappointment to them.”

  “I doubt that. I know they didn’t want us to mix, but…” She smiled. “Look at you.”

  He grinned. “I can’t.”

  Her laugh was soft. “You won’t. That’s alright. There are enough of us willing to do it for you.”

  It was nice to be thought of as attractive and desirable; especially the way Rianne did it. It not only sounded sincere, but matter of fact as well. He rolled on his back again.

  “I wonder what they would have thought of the captive situation in Lochfowk.”

  “There are so many things that don’t make sense to me. I mean, if we were an experiment to see how people would develop under specific circumstances, then why wouldn’t they want us to develop naturally. Why all the restrictions that would prohibit that? Why tamper with some of us and not others?”

  Donte turned his head and looked at her. Obviously she had read the information on the Moeder. “We were supposed to protect and guide them.”

  “I know, but why? If they wanted to observe how we developed, why would they interfere that way? Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of the experiment?”

  She made a good point. He leaned forward and rested on one elbow as he spoke to her. “If they were concerned about keeping everything pristine and natural, then why would they modify humans the way they did? Why not simply have an armed member of the colony provide protection?

  “I wonder which of us could come up with the most questions.” She smiled at him. “I could talk to you all day and all night, but I think we’d be sorry tomorrow when we couldn’t stay awake on our equines.”

  He rolled over on his back. “I hope some day we’ll have trams going to all the colonies, but I think I would miss times like this.”

  “It is nice. I’m enjoying it immensely. I have been trying to get the information about all the colonies into books that all the colonies could read. If we all spoke one language – like the original language…”

  “I like that idea. Maybe we could work together on it – travel to different colonies and get information…”

  “Donte?”

  He looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

  She pulled her blanket around her shoulders. “Never mind. Good night.”

  “Good night.” He rolled away from her and closed his eyes. They had plenty of time to talk about these things before they returned to Bergen.

  The next morning they followed the beach eastward until they reached the border of Libertad and Lochfowk. There they continued to follow the beach all day, finally reaching the border of Anialwch that night. They made camp on the beach again for the last time. In the morning they would move inland through the desert to the palace at Anialwch.

  Donte had expected to find a dock somewhere along the coast in Lochfowk, but their short stretch of beachfront was void of any inhabitants. Lochfowk did all their trading with inland colonies, apparently ignoring the possibilities of trade on the seas. That ruled out the chance of Nyumbani trading ship building skills for food from Lochfowk. According to Fane, Anialwch had a dock where they brought in fish from the sea. Their dock was located on the beach where it turned south. At that point they would be leaving the beach, heading inland to the desert.

  On the last day, as they moved inland, Donte allowed Vayle to lead the way. Both Anialwch men were visibly excited about returning to their homes. Fane rubbed his freshly trimmed gray beard and grinned at Donte.

  “He is the man now.”

  Donte looked at Vayle. He was only 10 years younger than Fane, but being a mascot, he looked a good 35 years younger.

  Donte nodded. “I can’t imagine being a captive for 30 years.” He glanced at Vayle. “Or even 17.”

  “But you can imagine six.” Rianne said. “I wonder if it matters the number of years or if the damage is done after a certain point.”

  Donte looked at Rianne. “Damage?”

  “Emotional scars.” She said.

  He wasn’t sure what emotional scars she was referring to that he had – and he didn’t want to get into that area either. There were some things that a person never got over – whether or not they were ever captives. Certainly the people of Nyumbani had endured more than he had and they were never captives. In any case, scars gave a person character.

  Vayle pulled his equine to a halt and pointed to a plume of dust in the distance. Donte rode up beside him, squinting into the sun.

  “What do you think it is?”

  “It looks like a patrol.” Vayle’s voice held a note of excitement.

  As they watched, the figures grew larger. Even distorted by heat waves, the camelus were identifiable. They plodded at a steady pace toward the equines.

  Fane grinned. “It looks like we’re about to have an escort.”

  Donte imagined how it would have felt to cross the border into Libertad after six years and be met by a patrol of Libertad militia. He didn’t think he would have been as excited as these two men. How did it feel to Kenyon when they crossed that border after 30 years? He wanted to feel their excitement, but he felt nothing. What was wrong with him?

  The camelus finally joined them and stopped. Donte dismounted as Clud lowered his ca
melus and slid to the ground. He welcomed Donte with a big smile and a palm. Donte gripped his forearm and gave it a shake.

  “It is nice to see you again, Clud.”

  “Donte.” Clud responded. “What brings you to Anialwch?” His gaze went past Donte and settled in turn on Rianne and the men.”

  Donte turned as the two men dismounted. “Clud, this is Vayle and Fane. Vayle has been a captive of the Lochfowk for 30 years and Fane 17. They have come home.”

  Clud looked at Donte in dismay. “Captives?”

  Donte nodded. “I would like to talk to King Neirin about it.”

  Clud turned to one of his men and instructed him to ride ahead to the palace and tell King Neirin that Donte would be there with some guests. The man turned his camelus, but Vayle stopped him.

  “This equine will get you there faster. Would you like to trade?”

  The man looked at Clud, who shrugged. “As you wish.”

  The two men exchanged mounts and the messenger took off at a canter. Vayle climbed on board the camelus and turned to Clud with a big grin.

  “I thought I would never ride one of these again.”

  It didn’t take much to please a person who had nothing for thirty years. Vayle was like a little boy, delighted by small things.

  Donte and Clud returned to their mounts and the caravan continued toward the palace.

  ****

  King Neirin was crossing the palace yard when one of his men rode in on an equine. He stopped and turned to the man.

  “Where did you get that equine?”

  The man dismounted. “Donte is coming, Monomi. He has brought guests.”

  Neirin frowned. “Guests?”

  The man nodded. “A woman and two Anialwch men – captives of Lochfowk, he said. He wants to talk to you, Monomi.

  “The woman was a captive?”

  “No.” She is like Donte with the eyes, but her hair is golden.”

  “Bosvrouwen.” Neirin said. “Take that equine into the stable and rub it down. Give it some water.”

  As the man turned away, Neirin asked him another question. “How was Donte dressed?”