A Slave to the Servants Ch. 37

Sparing a second look at the room we were in I had to smile. If I had to imagine a Paterian school, this would be it. Based on the marks on the floor the periphery was a track the boys could run. On the left wall were huge diagrams of wrestling moves and the sword fighting positions. The right wall was dedicated to plants and animals in the forest. The far wall was a map of the entire planet. Beneath the map I could just make out short descriptions of the different areas.

Even in this dangerous time the boys still had their lessons and their physical exercise. My campmates had made sure the children would not suffer if they had to stay inside for some reason. Everything continued and they still got to learn, even in times of danger.

"Mama!" I heard five voices yell out in synchrony.

Mycah and his Brothers dropped what they were doing and ran to me. Instinctively, I knelt and held my arms out to them. The boys expected a kiss on the cheek and a little hug. Daddy and Damien had told them that's how I should greet them. They returned the affection with their usual exuberance,

"We're learning about animals in the forest today!" Mycah told me excitedly.

The little ones couldn't wait to tell me all the things they'd learned already. The Child Keepers had even promised to take them to see for themselves, once the aliens were gone. The boys were enamored with the idea of getting on the big transports and experiencing the bright green world they'd seen outside the tunnels.

I noted men approaching and I encouraged the boys to go back where they had been. My presence here should not be detracting from their education. Mycah's family didn't want to leave me, though.

"Come with us, Mama," Rees begged. "We like it when family is with us."

As I stood, I smiled down at him and then greeted the lead Child Keepers. They were campmates I'd never gotten to know, but it was evident to me they were formidable men. The five of them were muscular and commanding. This family was obviously in charge of everything here.

"Ciara, from Earth," I said politely to the man who appeared to be the lead Brother. "I am Damien's mate. My job is usually with the tailors or the Healers, but I am not needed there today. My friend and I would like to assist with the children. It is something we both enjoy. Our families want us to Keep Mycah and his Brothers during the day. We wondered if we could help today, just to get an idea of what you do. We have put in a written petition to the Administrators."

"Hyun, born in the T'lynien Mountains," the lead Brother announced in a deep bass. "We would be glad for more help and you are encouraged to Keep your own family. My Brothers and I would be happy to help you learn."

I smiled realizing Hyun was born in this very mountain. He was probably a wealth of information about the world around us. The children were lucky to have men like this teaching them.

Introductions were made between Rose and the rest of the Brothers. After my friend said her name a slightly smaller Brother in the back, named Lul, pulled out his pad and started to slide his fingers across the face. His face brightened as he looked back up at Rose.

"You are mated to Basin's family, rescued from the Caras compound?" Lul asked.

Rose was proud of her family and smiled as she answered affirmatively.

"Saves us a trip, then," Lul said happily, "we have a young family here that was bred by the third Brother in Basin's family. My Brothers and I have been watching them, but they should be with their breeders. There has been so much to do with all the boys we have not had time to bring them to Basin's family."

Hyun misunderstood the look of shock on Rose's face.

"They were to be returned sooner," Hyun pleaded. "We have so many children here right now. Caring for their immediate needs was our first priority."

"We could not continue to leave them with Child Keepers from the compounds," Hyun's Brother continued. "Those men do not understand the right way to treat children. We have been finding the children's families as fast as we could. There is training that must happen with many of the men first. It is time consuming and we worry about who the children are left with..."

"Especially the very young," Lul said agreeing with his Brother. "The little ones need special care. They couldn't be left with just anyone..."

Rose regained her composure and sought to calm Hyun's family.

"We did not know there were children," she said. "My mates and I would gladly care for them and we are not upset you kept them safe. No one had ever told us these children existed..."

Hyun and his family relaxed visibly as Lul turned and called out toward the smallest boys in the whole hall.

"Edas, bring your Brothers and come here! I want to introduce you to your new Keeper."

Five small boys were running toward us a moment later. They were younger than Mycah's family, that was obvious. In fact, they barely looked old enough to be at a compound. In their haste, one of them tripped and fell, dragging a Brother down with him. Their lack of coordination told me these were very young boys.

Rose didn't hesitate and went toward them, just like Hyun did. She picked the little boys up off the floor and set them on their feet before examining them closely for injury. They were surprised, but didn't fight as she fussed over them. The little family watched her closely until one boy spoke.

"You no have stripes!" he announced proudly.

Rose smiled as she knelt down in front of him and he grinned up at her.

"I do not have stripes," she crooned. "You are a very observant boy. What is your name?"

The five little ones announced their names proudly. Edas and his family didn't have any fear of Rose. Hyun told them Rose would Keep them today. The children seemed to like the attention this new strange looking Paterian was paying them.

I noted how the boys instinctively wanted to be close to those around them. The compound had not started to teach them the devastating lesson of drawing in yet. These boys would be socialized the way they should be.

I could not imagine how crushing it must have been for Damien's family to grow up in a compound. Isolation was not natural on this planet, far from it. Men needed groups and other Paterians. Their nature was to be outgoing and trusting.

Jonathan jerked me out of my thoughts as he pulled hard on my skirt.

"Mama, where's Daddy?" he asked looking at the door. I got the impression I had a heart beat before he tried to get out the entrance. Remembering his family's persistence, they might actually succeed.

"Daddy is working," I said grabbing Mycah's hand and Jonathan's hand. "We have to learn about the animals in the forest today."

I pulled my boys back to where they'd been and Rose walked with Edas and his Brothers. It wasn't even mid-morning when Hyun and his Brothers left us alone to continue instructing our boys.

The method of instruction was unlike I'd experienced on Earth. I sat in a circle with my family and we talked. It was my job to teach them about animals in the forest. I had access to a pad so I could show them pictures of the things I talked about. I made up stories about the animals to keep the boy's attention. They were expected to answer questions after I was done.

I had to puff with a little pride when several men settled their boys behind mine. My imaginative stories captured the attention of my audience. The lessons were interesting and they picked up the facts quickly. It felt good to be someone the other men trusted their young with.

Rose was doing something similar with her young boys. Edas and his family were learning their colors today. Rose used her pad to help the boys learn the colors of the things in the forest. While she was at it she also taught them the names of things. The young ones picked it up with ease.

I felt a little guilty as the morning wore on. My men were out looking for dangerous aliens and I was sitting safely inside. It seemed grossly unfair to me, until I concentrated on Damien and his Brothers.

My men had been raised to be Warriors, but they were never really allowed to fight. Now they soared through the forest hunting invaders with their cousins. This was exciting. The Great Harmonious Spirit linked them to the other fighters in the camp and they battled as one being. It was exhilarating.

The aliens were systematically removed from the area around our camp. As each section was cleaned the men moved on to the next area. By nightfall the men would have a massive area cleared of invaders. Frankly, they were having a great time.

Time came for the midday meal and the young boys were all ravenous. The food was delivered here and set up on a series of tables along one wall. Whoever was Keeping the children was responsible for fixing their plates. Rose took the initiative to look at her boys' marks before preparing their plates.

"No rupe for them," she announced peering down at one little boy. There was a human slave in his line one generation back.

He looked up at her and frowned. His Brothers liked rupe. They had given it to him the day prior and the day before that. The family had been forbidden it in the compound. He and his Brothers thought it was a treat that they could have it here.

Rose looked horrified. She'd seen what rupe had done to me. Humans, and those with human ancestors, couldn't eat rupe because we didn't absorb the nutrients from it. In the compounds, families like mine, with a human ancestor, never touched that food. Families would share and it was dangerous to risk them sharing rupe. The fact these boys had been given it was awful. One of them may have had no nutrients for days.

The men Keeping these children must have been too busy to have noticed this detail.

"How sick would he have been if they'd been left with those men?!" Rose said to me in English. She seemed very offended that her boys had not been cared for correctly.

Rose's attention turned back to Edas's family when she spoke next.

"Rupe isn't good for you," she said firmly and glanced at the table of food. "I'll bring you something better to eat."

Edas' family wasn't sure, but they knew Rose was Keeping them. When she returned with their meals she also brought chilled green stalks, I was sure she'd win them over. The boys each got to try one and they really liked those. These were much better than rupe. They all ate the healthy meal Rose picked out and then chewed on the stalks happily.

Our afternoon was slightly different from the morning. Healers showed up and removed the stitches from my little boys. Mycah's family wasn't nearly as calm as when they were placed. It took a good deal of effort to get the boys still enough for the men to do the job. Luckily, the Healers cleared the children to join in the physical activity that commonly occurred this time of day. That was a relief

It was late afternoon when we all had a jolting surprise. Damien and his Brothers watched as one of the women's ships drew close to our camp. The men outside didn't run and held their positions, waiting to see what would happen. Still, I knew there must be some apprehension. Mycah's little family was grabbed by The Great Harmonious Spirit, as were many families in the hall we were in. Nothing was left to chance as this strange event played out.

Whoever was steering the large vessel did a good job. The warship came to rest slowly in a small clearing along the mountainside, just outside our main entrance. The engines to the metal beast shut off and it sat unmoving at our very doorway.

I was inside, with the mostly quiet children, but I saw what Damien and his Brothers saw. My focus was riveted on the drama they were watching. None of us knew what to expect.

It was like a scene from a movie as a piece of the ship lowered to the ground and a ramp was formed. From the size of the ramp I imagined you could have run two transports inside the ship side by side. Something big and dangerous could come down that ramp and I personally felt fear, although the men were as calm as ever. They were always calm and organized when The Great Harmonious Spirit had them.

Many moments passed and there was movement at the top of the ramp. A Paterian woman walked down the ramp with two large bags slung over her shoulders. It took me a moment to recognize Dinah, Nu-reeh's Sister.

I gasped loudly and so did Rose. My eyes met hers and we both wondered what was going on. My feelings intensified when Nu-reeh strolled down the ramp behind Dinah. Much like the other woman she carried two enormous sacks. Tosu came down last, limping heavily, but carrying a load similar to her Sisters'.

The men evaluated Tosu's wounds from a distance and I felt their concern. She had a bloody mark still oozing from her upper stomach. From her gait and the strange look of one leg it was either broken or just badly damaged. One wing hung oddly and the men could see where something had tried to tear it off. Our friend would not survive with these wounds much longer unless they were tended.

The women walked toward the ground level entrance of the transport storage area. The men didn't stop them, but they watched observantly from all around. Except for Tosu, these women had not been invited here, but The Great Harmonious Spirit would not turn them away. They were Paterian and at least one of them was in need of our help.

Nu-reeh and her Sisters passed into the entrance and walked slowly through the transport storage area and into the main cave. There were countless men controlled by The Spirit still inside. They came out and lined the hallway as the women passed through.

Men from the compounds and men from the mountains hid behind my campmates and in the interior caves. Most of them had not been grabbed by The Spirit. They didn't feel safe with the slave owners here.

Seeing things that my mates saw was one thing. Over many moons I'd become accustomed to seeing with their eyes. Watching the world through the kaleidoscopic lens of thousands was somewhat different. There was no place in my mind to take in everything that the men controlled by The Great Harmonious Spirit were perceiving and acting on. To end my discomfort I got up and went to watch this for myself.

"Watch the boys for me?" I asked Rose and she nodded.

Her little ones were quietly coloring together. They were not bonded to the men here, yet, and they were oblivious to what was going on. Edas and his Brothers were continuing the task Rose had put them on.

Mycah's family sat quiet and pensive. I didn't think they'd go anywhere right now. The Spirit would keep them safe. Rising as quickly as I could I bolted out the door and into the hallway. The guards at the door didn't spare me a glance as I passed them, but they did re-lock the door. All of them, even the Warriors from the compound, had been grabbed by The Great Spirit.

As I ran I considered the implication. Men from the compounds were acclimating to the camp, some faster than others. It was good to see, because being bonded to The Spirit gave them enormous strength.

I moved quickly and quietly, intent on watching this strange display for myself. Much like the men, I had no idea what slavers were doing in this camp. They didn't act like they were here to take men, but I was sure that was the point.

Perhaps they wanted to make a trade for whatever it was they carried? I just wasn't sure.

The scene in our main passageway was amazing. The men from the camp stood in vast numbers watching and waiting for the women to walk past. They didn't speak and they didn't move around. It was unnerving. I made my way behind them down the passage.

I moved until I saw Nu-reeh and then I stopped cold. She was almost to the Administration area. The big woman noticed me and I saw her eyes flash in anger, but another more pressing matter got her attention. Still, my hand was already on my gun and I was ready for anything.

"Nu-reeh!" Hassar called out. "What a surprise to see you and your Sisters in our home."

Hassar stood on the stage in front of the Administration's main room looking left and right, taking in the crowd lining the halls. The men were absolutely quiet. It was that eerie silence that The Spirit imposed on them. Reed joined Hassar and the Sisters shared a look before turning their attention back at Nu-reeh.

"It appears you have taken all of our men," Nu-reeh said calmly, but pointedly. "Our loyal cousins that saw this place have alerted us. We could not leave them here without sustenance for their bodies."

The bulky bags must be grain or some sort of food product, it was an interesting turn of events. Nu-reeh and her Sisters had loaded supplies from the compound or mountains and brought it here. It was a good, believable ploy to get inside.

Hassar and her Sister had no time to answer as the hall responded to Nu-reeh. The men grabbed by The Spirit spoke to her as one being and it was thoroughly creepy and unexpected. The walls seemed to vibrate with the combined sound.

"We took our cousins from your bonds and have given them freedom," the men said clearly. "They did not belong where you had them and they were in danger. We will stay together. You may leave the food you have brought in our dining hall."

Honestly, judging by their faces, I don't think even Reed and Hassar had seen the men respond to someone like that. Nu-reeh and Dinah had certainly never seen it. Tosu's face looked so tired, but I saw her almost smile. She was surprised, too, but obviously pleased.

Hassar cleared her throat and pointed down the passageway.

"The men eat in a place just several openings down-" she said and the men interrupted her as a group.

"We will escort the slaving women Nu-reeh and Dinah to our dining hall. Tosu will be taken to the infirmary for rest and healing."

Nu-reeh stiffened her spine and her eyes blazed with anger. She didn't like being told where to go one bit.

"My Sister, Tosu, will heal from her wounds if she is able," Nu-reeh said in a growl. "My family will not act like those weak-"

The men cut her off, not by speaking, but by moving. Waves of men controlled by The Spirit forced Tosu past the other Sisters. Transports swarmed the hall above our heads, reminding the women the men could fly. Tosu's load was taken from her and she was pushed forward and away from her Sisters until she sat on a transport. It began to glide toward the infirmary.

"THAT WOMAN IS NOT YOURS TO CONTROL!" Nu-reeh roared dropping her bags.

The men did not answer. Tosu would be helped by us and Nu-reeh's opinion was irrelevant. Tosu had not refused our help. The silence enraged Nu-reeh and Dinah further. They looked furious and the men continued to look impassive.

This camp just would not let a Paterian die without doing everything they could. The men here felt an obligation to the other men and the women on this world. In addition, Tosu had been in this camp as a friend many times. The men had a personal reason for wanting to save this woman. Tosu was our friend.

"You will heal and you will help us rebuild our world," the men stated as they took Tosu toward the infirmary. "We will not see good women die when we have the power to stop it."

Nu-reeh started to curse and push at the men, but it was like fighting the sand. They avoided her claws and held her at bay by constantly moving and shifting. The swarming transports above even stopped her from taking flight. The men wound around her in a graceful ballet of movement. Nu-reeh was livid and I was shocked.

"Do not fight them," Tosu called back weakly. "I wish to heal and help rebuild the world with them. I have not been honest before now, Nu-reeh, my allegiance lies with the rebels. Their beliefs are my beliefs and have been for a long time."