The Purlieu Experiment
Chapter 24
Copyright 2015 & 2021
After the celebration, Donte joined Pieter, Quade, Kenyon, Damian and Rianne in Pieter's office for a conference. Donte walked into the office thinking that the two people most concerned with the topic were not invited.
Once everyone was seated in his office, Pieter came directly to the purpose.
"I invited you all here to discuss the situation with the captives in Lochfowk. Quade and I agree that it cannot be tolerated." He glanced at Quade. "We don't agree on punishment, but we have come to a mutual understanding."
He rolled his wheelchair around and sat at his desk, both elbows on the smooth wood surface. His gaze rested on every face except Donte's. "I do not believe Lochfowk will release the captives unless they are forced to do so. I recommend that we send someone to escort Chait and Akira home and see that the captives are released."
Donte didn't agree with Pieter. He was certain that Lochfowk would release the captives - with very little, if any prompting. In fact, giving them an ultimatum might cause them to resist. One colony had no authority over another. This was simply a case of flexing muscles. To his way of thinking, Lochfowk wanted to be rid of the captives. They merely wanted assurance that there would be no retaliation.
He did agree with the conferencing of leaders, but again, it shouldn't be two colonies deciding what the others wanted. It was possible that they had been asked individually when he was not present. He looked at Pieter.
"What was the mutual understanding about the punishment?"
Pieter looked at him and hesitated, as if he had no right to ask. If that was the case, he shouldn't have been invited to the meeting.
"We decided that there will be no punishment – as long as they immediately release the captives."
Donte glanced at Damian and Rianne. Rianne shrugged. "It sounds good to me." She glanced at Damian.
Damian looked uncomfortable. "I will stand behind Bergen, as always."
Kenyon smiled at Donte in a way that indicated he understood what he was doing and approved. Quade watched Pieter with a pensive expression, and when Donte’s attention returned to his grandfather, he found himself the target of a disapproving look.
Donte looked him in the eye. "I’m sorry, Monomi. I didn't mean to disrupt the meeting."
It had not been his intent to sidetrack the progress of the meeting or challenge Pieter's authority. He merely wanted to understand. Apparently neither Damian nor Rianne had been approached on the subject. Rianne's response was straightforward, but Damian wasn't representing his people if he sided with Pieter unconditionally. If he was intimidated by him, he shouldn't be in a leadership position. It was something to keep in mind.
"As I was saying," Pieter continued. "I would like someone to escort Chait and Akira to Lochfowk."
Everyone suddenly found something in the room more interesting than Pieter's face. Donte wasn't crazy about the idea of going back to Lochfowk when he should be going to Anialwch, but they had invited him to return. He looked at Pieter.
"I will go."
Pieter shook his head "You have risked enough."
"But they told me I could come and go as I wished."
Quade groaned. "And the Nyumbani promised to return you unharmed as soon as they had an heir."
Pieter glanced at Kenyon, but he lifted his hands in protest. "Thirty years is enough - and I strongly object to sending Donte."
Pieter regarded him with a thoughtful expression for a moment before continuing. "Do you think Lochfowk cannot be trusted?"
Kenyon shook his head. "I think it is a volatile and unpredictable situation."
"I would be glad to go." Damian volunteered. "The Lochfowk are friendly with Vlaktes." He shrugged. "My Lochfowk is limited, but…"
Donte leaned back in his chair and regarded Pieter. "It must be someone who knows their language. They already consider me a diplomat." Donte met Pieter's gaze for a long moment before releasing a long sigh. "I cannot be an emissary from here."
Pieter's nod was one of concession rather than agreement. "If you go, I will send two Militia members with you, and they will be armed with laser weapons."
Kenyon whistled through his teeth. "That should be enough to tame the wild beast."
"I don't think that will be necessary," Donte said, "But if it makes you feel better...."
Pieter’s gaze came back to Damian. "Your offer is much appreciated."
"I'll go with you," Quade suddenly volunteered.
Kenyon’s gaze shot to Quade. "It isn’t safe, Dad."
Quade interrupted in a brusque tone. "I would be replaced more easily than Donte." His attention shifted to Donte. "In any case, someone from Libertad should be present, and I started this."
Kenyon frowned. "If you wanted me to go, why didn't you simply ask?"
Quade turned his full attention on Kenyon. "Son, I didn't ask you to go because I don't want you to go. If you had offered, I would have objected. Is that clear?"
Kenyon shrugged. "I guess so."
Quade gripped Kenyon's shoulder with one hand. "It has nothing to do with you. I want to visit this colony because it was founded with the most advanced medicine. Somehow, they escaped the plague. Perhaps they could provide insight about reversing the side effects. This is a great opportunity - not only for me, but for our colony." He patted Kenyon's shoulder. "When I return, we will spend more time together."
Kenyon looked uncomfortable. After thirty years of being treated like a captive, no doubt he didn't know how to react to the kind of paternal love that was being publicly bestowed on him. At least he had the presence of mind not to cringe.
Quade was wrong about one thing, though. He didn't give himself enough credit. Libertad could not replace their president as easily as Bergen could replace their emissary. Even so, Donte welcomed the presence of his father on this mission. Not only would he have the opportunity to talk with him, but more importantly, he would have the opportunity to learn from him.
When they all left the meeting, Kenyon clamped a hand on Donte's shoulder. "Be careful." He glanced around them and lowered his voice. "I think you and Dad were the only ones in that meeting who weren’t intimidated to silence." He strode down the hall, leaving Donte watching after him.
Donte appreciated the support, but it was his impression that the only one in that meeting intimidated by Pieter was Damian. Rianne didn't appear to be intimidated by him. She simply didn't have any objection. Even so, Damian may simply have agreed with Pieter because he trusted his lead. This was all new to Donte and he needed to keep his mind open. Pieter had a lot of experience and he was a good ruler. If he didn't represent the colonists most of the time, they would have removed him by now.
Donte turned down the hall toward his room and Rianne fell into step beside him. As they reached his door, she smiled up at him.
"It's still early. Would you like to join me for a hot drink and a game in the commons?"
As he opened the door, he started to decline, but it had been years since he played a game with anyone but his children. He shut the door. Smiling down at her, he turned toward the commons. "That sounds like a good idea."
In the commons, he grabbed a box of chips from the shelf and sat at one of the tables. Rianne got them a hot drink from the counter and sat across the table from him.
Donte poured the lettered chips from the box and smiled at Rianne. "Any language?"
She wrinkled her nose at him. "That's not fair. You know more languages than I do. How will I know if it is really a word?"
He laughed. "Are you suggesting I would cheat?"
They used all the letters four times before they gave up for the evening. In that time, they discussed the upcoming mission, the crisis in Nyumbani and what he would like to do about it, his children and the Anialwch situation.
As they were putting chips back into the box, she looked at him. "Do you think Celyn really saw a vision that you two would exchange vows when she was nineteen?"
He used one hand to scoop chips off the table into the other. "I think she believes it. She admits that it is sometimes difficult to tell a dream from a vision." He dumped the chips into the box. "A nine-year-old girl might interpret it differently than an adult, anyway."
She studied him a moment. "Then you don't intend to wait for her?"
He smiled "Ten years? I'll be almost 40 years old by then - twice her age." He winked. "Besides, Kenyon needs a little competition."
She laughed. "I'm sure he'd consider you more than a little competition."
They left the commons and when they got to his door, she paused and looked up at him. "When you go to Nyumbani, I'd like to go with you."
He shook his head. "I can never go back. I was exiled."
She considered that for a moment and then shrugged. "We'll see." She smiled. "Thank you for a wonderful evening. I hope we get to spend more like this."
He leaned down and kissed her good night. At least that was how it started. The moment his lips touched hers, he was consumed with desire for her. She leaned into his ardent kiss and when his hand found her waist, she stepped closer, slipping her arms around his neck. As wrong as it had been with Akira, it was right with Rianne. He held her close, delighting in the feel of her soft body against his, seeking and finding enthusiasm in her lengthy kiss. It had been a long time coming, but he was finally home.
She pulled away and gasped for air. "Donte!"
He released her and smiled. "I hope you're not going to demand an apology."
The humor in her eyes belied the stern set of her mouth. "We'll discuss this when you get back." She turned and walked away, giving him coy smile over her shoulder. "In more detail."
He chuckled as he opened his door. That was one discussion he would be looking forward to. Rianne was more than a beautiful woman. She was compassionate and fun. It had been years since he had enjoyed an evening as he had this one. Years ago, he had spent evenings like this with her. Why had he stopped?
Inside his room he discovered that a uniform had been left on his bed. He hung it on a hook on the wall and pulled the blankets back. It was late and he'd best get some sleep. He was going to enjoy a warm comfortable bed for the third night in a row. He was even eating all he wanted. His thoughts turned to Chiku and Heri. Since Halisi was now queen, they would probably have enough to eat, but there were many other children still going to bed hungry. The focus had been on the captives, and rightly so. Once the captives were released, he would try to get some aid to Nyumbani – not simply food, but things that would help them become self-sufficient. He intended to talk to King Neirin about it. Maybe they could bring it up at his conference.
There wouldn't be enough time to complete their mission in Lochfowk, bring the captives to Libertad and get to Anialwch in time for Celyn’s birthday. Yet another promise he would break. He hadn’t actually promised this time. He had told her he would try to be there, but Celyn would be expecting him, all the same, and likely think he was not going to return. It couldn’t be helped, though.
He yawned. There was so much to do, but so little that could be scheduled at this point. It would be a case of wait-and-see how things worked out.
***
Akira watched with interest as Donte joined them at the station in Bergen. He looked tall and handsome in a dark blue uniform with trousers and a waist length jacket. He looked official, and the two guards with him completed the picture. The two were nearly a head shorter than Donte, but they made up for it with a husky muscular body. They were dressed in simple light blue trousers and matching shirt. Neither had a visible weapon. If they were supposed to protect Donte against the Lochfowk people, they would have a surprise coming.
Chait glowered at Donte. "What's going on?"
Donte's smile was a little self-conscious. "I have been instructed to escort our guests home and then to escort the captives to Libertad."
Chait’s gaze took in the two men and he smirked. "Well, you won't need them."
Donte shrugged. "I didn't think so, but those are my orders, nonetheless."
Quade, Donte & Kenyon sat in the seat across from Akira & Chait. They were an unusually good-looking trio, and it wasn't only a matter of attractive physical features. All three had a look about them that made a person want to know them. More than likely that was mostly the way they were brought up, but was there something in their genetic makeup that made them all so amicable? Kenyon's smile was gradually coming more often, and today it lacked the usual sardonic quality. The celebration had been good for all of them. People should laugh and romp more.
Of course, it wasn't that simple. Both Kenyon and Donte had been denied dignity for a long time. Quade was right. There was a similarity between Nyumbani and Lochfowk. Both treated other colonists as if they were not equally created.
Her gaze rested on Kenyon. For thirty years he had been denied love. They had fed and clothed him. His physical needs had been met, but they had taken his freedom, and with it the opportunity for a family. Family had never meant that much to her until this trip. Quade treated his boys as if they were the most precious things on the planet...and to him, they were. It wasn't as though she didn't have good parents. They loved their children and they were responsible about them. They simply weren't as demonstrative as Quade. In fact, she had never met anyone like Quade or Donte before. She had always considered Kenyon to be a weakling, but watching him now, it was clear he had never adopted or fit into their culture. Again, was that genetic...on his part and theirs? Had the Lochfowk Mascots been programmed to be less demonstrative, or was it a learned behavior? Did the Lochfowk Mascots have an animal gene?
Kenyon met her reflective gaze, obviously uncomfortable with her steady regard.
She blushed. "I was thinking what a terrible thing we did to you. Until now I had no idea the depth of our mistake." She turned her palms up in submission. "I don't know what to say, except that I'm sorry. That doesn't help."
Chait frowned at her. "We enforced a law."
She nodded. "Mindlessly, as if the captives had no life other than what we provided. We treated them like livestock."
Chait looked at Donte and Kenyon. "It wasn't our fault."
Akira frowned at Chait. "Whose fault do you think it was; theirs?"
He shrugged. "We didn't invite them to our territory. They came without asking permission. We didn't make the no-contact rule. The Parliament did. We only enforced it."
She gasped. "And yet, here we are. When it serves our purpose, suddenly The Parliament rules are outdated."
Chait looked uncomfortable. "We can't do anything about the past."
Kenyon looked surprised. "Does that mean you will release all the captives without protest?"
Chait squirmed in his seat. "It isn't up to me. It never was."
Kenyon's smile became sardonic again. "Is that a fact? You seemed to enjoy your little game of letting me get almost to the border before recapturing me - and anyone with me. If you were against the law, why didn't you simply let us escape?"
Chait turned red. "I was sent to get you. It was my job." He glanced at the two guards in the seat behind Donte. "You should understand about following orders." He shrugged. "In any case, if I had come back without you..."
"What?" Kenyon interrupted in a cold voice. "You'd lose your prized position on the council?" He shook his head. "No, you would have lost your game."
Quade cleared his throat. "Now boys, we can solve nothing this way. As Chait pointed out, we cannot change the past." His gaze fell on Kenyon. "When I think about what they have done to you...and Donte...I become furious. Anger is a poison that grows and destroys the soul. We must let go of the past and concentrate on the future if we expect things to improve."
Kenyon leaned back in the seat and stared out the window as he spoke. "So little time left. All the women Mascots my age are beyond childbearing years. In another ten years, there will be none left."
Donte stared at Kenyon. It was possible that Donte hadn't thought of that fact - but for him, there was an option...Celyn. Then again, maybe he was thinking about Rianne.
Akira turned her attention back to Kenyon. Until now, she never thought of him as a family man. He seemed to enjoy flirting too much. Maybe because that was all he had been allowed to do for the last thirty years - and yet, what was it Quade had said? Kenyon hadn't changed. Of course, he had been a young man when they captured him. He had still been browsing the ranks of the eligible female Mascots. Back then he had a lot of competition.
"I know it isn't much consolation, and it doesn't excuse us at all," Akira said, "But if we had not captured you and held you in a place the plague never reached, you wouldn't have the option of children now."
Kenyon looked at her, his expression slowly softening. "That's true," he finally said. I might not even be alive."
They were all silent for a while, probably all contemplating his words. Finally, Donte broke the silence.
"What about our children? They will all be related."
Kenyon and Quade looked at Donte and then one another. It was a fair question. Not only a subject that had not been offered as yet, but one for which no one had an answer. When it came to looking for a different genetic pool, there was only one choice - Lochfowk.
Donte looked at Quade. "Dad, have you heard of any Mascots having children since the plague...Mascots that were previously thought to be sterile?"
Quade shook his head. "No, but I suppose it's possible, why?"
"King Neirin has a nine-year-old daughter."
Quade frowned. "A Mascot, I presume?"
Donte nodded and glanced at Akira. She wasn't certain, but once again she had the feeling he wanted her to remain silent about Celyn.
Quade glanced at each of them. "Why do I get the feeling that there is much more to this story?"
Donte looked at Kenyon, his expression unreadable. Perhaps he wanted to confide in his brother privately. Come to think of it, what made her think he hadn't already done so?"
Donte wasn't sure how much Kenyon had been told about Celyn and he'd rather Quade didn't know about one of Celyn's visions.
He turned back to Quade, who was still watching him expectantly. Donte smiled. "It's actually rather interesting. She is a seer."
Quade frowned. "Like you?"
"No, not like me. I'm intuitive. She has visions that are accurate down to details. She saw Akira and me in the desert - even the way I was dressed and precisely where we were. She was able to send her father to the exact spot where they found us."
Quade pursed his lips and whistled softly. "That is interesting - and unusual." He studied Donte a moment. "So, she saved your life. No wonder you're so attached to her."
Donte frowned. "I'm not attached to her."
Quade smiled. "I see."
Donte leaned back in the seat, his gaze accidentally falling on Akira. She was watching him with a strange expression. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He wasn't attached to Celyn in any way. What made Quade think that? Had Akira told him something?
"Tired?" Quade asked.
Donte opened one eye. "Yes."
Quade chuckled. "You shouldn't have stayed up so late last night."
"I didn't," Donte said. "I played a few games of words with Rianne and then went to bed."
Chait gave him a mischievous grin. "Hers or yours?"
For a moment Donte was startled into silence. He glanced at Akira, but she didn't appear to be concerned with the subject. Chait couldn't be expected to know all their customs. He gave Chait a level look.
"It is considered rude to talk of such things in front of or about a female."
Chait flushed. "I was only joking."
Donte nodded. "I assumed so. I should add that in Bergen it is considered inappropriate for a man and woman who have not exchanged vows to become intimate."
Chait shifted uncomfortably in the seat. "I didn't know."
Chait didn't apologize and Donte didn't make excuses for him. Chait was obviously capable of finding enough excuses. He wished he could like Chait. For some unexplainable reason, Donica seemed to favor him. But the truth was, he didn't even trust Chait. It didn't say much for a man when he refused to take ownership of his decisions.
Donte leaned his head back again, but before he closed his eyes, he found Kenyon watching him, a glint of humor in his eyes.
"You're getting a little touchy, aren't you?" Kenyon asked.
Donte closed his eyes. "That's because I'm tired."
Quade and Kenyon both chuckled. Why they cared what he was doing last night was beyond his comprehension. All he knew was that he'd better get some rest now because he probably wouldn't get any for a while.
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