The Amelioration Expedition
Chapter 29
Chandler was both elated and anxious when Donte agreed to let him join the group. Gara, Donte and Saar were all armed with laser weapons, but they had no idea how many primates might be following them.
Chandler's reason for wanting to go was two-fold. He wanted more information on the primates than being barricaded in a building provided, but even more important was the possible danger to the colonists. He had taken the time to examine the feet of each group and came to the startling conclusion that they were two different species. Surely it wasn't a mating ritual.
The expedition needed more information and they probably wouldn't get a better opportunity. Hopefully, it wouldn't be his last opportunity.
The primates led them through the forest at a fast pace. They kept watching behind them, as if they thought they were being followed. Donte never looked back. The primates couldn't know he would sense anything approaching. They only knew he had protected them and the males had backed away from him.
They walked until evening, but Donte never gave any indication that the males were near. As the day waned, the primates began working toward a bluff, but Donte turned toward an open area. Saar and Gara never questioned him, and Chandler probably shouldn't have, but he was curious.
"Maybe they know of a cave," he ventured.
Donte nodded. "I have no doubt that's where they plan to spend the night, but our weapons are more effective in the open. Either way I will sense their presence, but if they get above us when we are in a cave, they could trap us there."
Donte didn't attempt to explain his actions to the primates. It would have been impossible. The primates only hesitated for a few minutes before following Donte and the others. It was interesting how they began to trust him so quickly. Was it his pheromones? He had so many advantages – even when compared to other Mascots.
They bedded down in the open, in the center of a clearing. Nothing could approach them without being seen. The primates obviously didn't like the area he had chosen and Chandler had an idea he knew why.
Saar squatted and nodded at Donte, who lay down and almost immediately appeared to fall asleep. Chandler looked at Saar.
"Will he sense their presence while he's asleep?"
Saar gave him a wry smile. "I certainly hope so." He shrugged. "He has in the past. All the same, I'm keeping watch while he sleeps."
The primates huddled together near Donte, chattering to each other. Their prominent brows were furrowed with worry. Chandler lay on the ground near Saar, hoping that if something went wrong in the night, he would wake when Saar moved around. Gara stretched out near the primates and closed her eyes. No one, except maybe Gara, slept much for several hours until Donte woke suddenly and sat up. Donte said one word only, and that word put chill bumps on Chandler's arms – feline.
Gara was instantly awake. Donte pointed and told them how far away it was.
"It doesn't know we are here, Donte said in a whisper."
"Is it coming this way?" Saar asked.
"No." Donte was silent a moment. "The breeze is carrying our scent away from it."
This was probably why the primates didn't want to sleep in the open. Gara and Saar were probably the only ones who knew how safe they were with Donte there. He had sensed the presence of the cat even in his sleep.
After that, Donte stayed awake to watch while Saar slept. By that time, Chandler was so tired that he could have slept through an attack. With Donte awake, Chandler fell asleep and didn't wake until daylight when Donte touched his arm.
They ate a cold breakfast and once again the primates led them into the forest. They were traveling in an area that none of them had seen before. It was beautiful country, with low mountains and open valleys.
They stopped at midday to rest near a spot where water ran out of a bluff and formed a pool. The primates drank from the pool, but the others drank the water from their canteens. They shared their food again with the primates, who now appeared to be comfortable with their presence.
After a rest, water and food, they started out again. Chandler wasn't looking forward to another night in the open, and as it turned out, it wasn't necessary. Late evening Donte became alert, watching the forest ahead of them. They were circling around the bottom of a bluff when the primates began to talk in excited voices.
Donte stopped and let the primates get ahead of them. The rest of them followed at a distance until they arrived in a clearing in front of a large cave. Other primates were working in front of the cave and when they saw the humans, they stood, grabbing their spears.
The females ran to them, talking to them all the while. The primates hugged each other, as humans would do. The females turned and pointed at their escort, talking in excited voices.
Chandler looked at Donte. He wouldn't know what they were saying, but he could sense their mood – hopefully.
The older female came back to Donte and grabbed his arm, tugging him toward the other primates. Saar and Gara watched with what appeared to be a certain amount of trepidation as Donte knelt so that they could all examine him.
Chandler lifted his camera and began taking pictures. The primates looked at the others, but their attention was mostly on the cooperative Donte. The older female talked to one of the males as she stroked Donte's smooth cheek and touched his lips. She was obviously telling them about him and they were all listening.
She pulled on his collar in a way that made Chandler think that she was trying to show them his chest. Donte slowly and deliberately unbuttoned the first button on his shirt. The female watched his fingers as he worked. She slid her fingers down to the next button and began working with it. She finally managed to get the button open and pulled back the shirt. She looked at the male and pointed at Donte's hairless chest.
Donte carefully stood and pulled his shirt tails out of his trousers. He finished unbuttoning it and removed the shirt. At first Chandler thought he was showing them the rest of his magnificent upper torso, but instead, he removed the medallion and held the shirt out to the male. The male accepted the shirt and Donte's assistance in putting it on. The shirt hung down to his knees. His lips pulled away from large teeth in what Chandler accepted as a smile.
Chandler smiled. He had it all on his camera. Donte had made friends with the primates.
Donte turned and motioned for Gara to join him. She did so without hesitation. Surely Donte didn't expect her to give her shirt to the female.
"Let your hair down," Donte instructed Gara.
Gara's beautiful red hair was gathered in a bun at the back of her neck with a light green ribbon. She untied the ribbon and let her hair fall over her shoulders.
She looked at Donte. "Should I kneel?"
"If you feel comfortable doing that."
She knelt beside Donte and was immediately surrounded by female primates. They lifted her hair and let it slide through their fingers. They made sounds of appreciation as they stroked it.
Chandler continued to take pictures. The primates moved their heads and shoulders like humans, not apes. Their amber eyes were shadowed beneath prominent brows and their lips stretched back from their teeth in a joyful smile as Gara handed the ribbon to the older female.
When one of the males moved toward Gara, Donte's expression became apprehensive. "Stand up so that you are taller than him."
Gara stood as the male approached her. The male hesitated and looked at Donte. When Donte didn't move, the male stepped closer and grabbed Gara's arm, trying to pull her toward the cave.
"Tell him no," Donte said.
Gara gently pulled her arm from the male's hand. "No," she said in a firm voice.
The male grabbed Gara's arm again. This time he was more aggressive.
Donte took a step in their direction. "No," he said in a tone that, coupled with a stern expression, left no doubt that he would not tolerate any further aggression.
The male looked at the older woman. She said something to him. He released Gara and took a step backward.
Neither Donte nor Gara looked alarmed. Donte tapped his medallion.
"Myrick, can you get a location on us?"
Donte waited patiently for a reply.
"Yes, Monomi," Myrick answered.
"Can you pick us up?"
"Right now?"
"Yes. We are in the camp of some…primates. There's a clearing nearby. We'll meet you there."
Chandler never stopped filming, but a cold chill went up his spine. Did Donte think they might be in danger?
Donte gently took Gara by the arm and turned his back on the primates. His gaze found Saar. Their exchange appeared to be an unspoken message – watch my back.
Donte looked at Chandler as he walked past him. "Stay behind me."
He didn't have to say it twice. Chandler turned and followed him. Gara walked beside him. It wasn't the first time he had seen Donte's bare chest, but it was the first time he had noticed that Donte had a scar on the front and back – as if something had entered one side and exited the other. He glanced at Gara, who was smiling at him as if she knew what he was thinking.
"He was shot with an arrow. It nearly killed him."
Chandler nodded, but didn't say anything. Donte glanced back at them and continued to lead the way to the clearing. The primates didn't follow.
"Why the sudden departure," Chandler asked Donte when they stopped at the edge of the clearing.
Donte looked at Gara. "I got the feeling the male wanted to claim Gara."
Chandler smiled. "I had the feeling that he thought you were offering her to him."
Gara nodded. "So did I."
Donte lifted his brows. "I never thought of that." He frowned. "One of them has followed us." When Saar drew his weapon, Donte shook his head. "He intends no harm."
Chandler felt a cold chill on the back of his neck. It wasn't fear of what was out there that caused him to feel that way. It was Donte's ability to sense it accurately every time. Was it psychic ability, as Marlin thought, or was it a genetic aberration caused by mixing of animal genes? Quade said he didn't think it was the mixing, because Donte's twin sister had no superpowers, as he called them. Quade thought it was because of the prophecy. Whatever the cause, it was eerie – and useful.
The male primate wearing the shirt approached them cautiously. He looked at Donte and said something that sounded like Gerk, and pointed at his chest.
Chandler looked at Donte. "Is he telling you that's his name?"
Donte shrugged. "I don't know." Donte pointed at his chest. "Donte," he said slowly and distinctly.
The primate worked on the word and finally managed, "Tae."
Donte pointed at the man "Gerk," and pointed to himself, "Donte."
"Gerk," the primate corrected. He said the word with a guttural sound and Donte nodded, repeating it with the same sound. The primate drew his lips back in a toothy grin. It was difficult to say whether he was laughing at the way Donte pronounced the word or happy that Donte had pronounced it correctly.
Donte jabbed a thumb at his own chest. "Donte."
The primate stuttered "D…on…tae." He looked at Donte. "Tae."
Donte smiled. Obviously, he thought that was close enough. He turned to Gara and said her name. If the primate couldn't pronounce Donte, it was unlikely he could say Chandler. Surprisingly enough, the primate could say Saar and Gara, but he finally dubbed Chandler with a gusty "Sher." Chandler thought all that was amazing for something they first thought was an ape.
When the shuttle arrived, Chandler thought the primate would leave, but he didn't. Instead, he tried to climb into the shuttle. They all discussed it and decided to take him with them. The primate was friendly enough and they needed to learn more about them. They moved away from the door and let the primate crawl into the shuttle.
Soft Science Fiction
