Chapter Three

Two Escapes

Dech was taken before the Supreme Commander. This was

a measure of the seriousness of his offence. The Commander, an

old man with a lined face and hooded gray eyes which seemed to

bore through his captor, leaned back and regarded Dech with

contempt.

"You realise, citizen, that you have been charged with one

of the most serious crimes a man can commit in this day and age."

"But I -"

"Quiet!" Thundered the Commander. "You have been charged

with the crime of unreason. A simple word for a complex matter."

"But you see - "

"You have no right to speak. It is a matter of evolution."

the Commander sat back and put his fingertips together. "Yes,

over many thousands of years, in fact since the time he walked

erect, man has done things illogically, based purely on personal

feelings."

"I know that Sir. You see I was fit to do the job."

"If you do not listen you will be gagged. Yes, man has

always been illogical. This did not matter when the population

density was low, but in these modern times we have to live cheek

by jowl. In that situation illogicality becomes a curse."

"I know, Sir."

"Without reason, how can we run an efficient society? You

know this as well as I do. You studied history and politcs in

your college days. You know there was no need for the majority

of wars. Most were caused by nations greedy for territory or

money. That cannot happen today." The Commander leaned back in

his chair and smiled grimly. "Do you realise that if you got

away with whgat you did towards Kad Marsh you would be setting a

precedent?"

"I have never tried to evade responsibility for my actions,"

Dech decided to be forthright with the Commander. "I would just

like to say in my own defence that Kad struck the first blow."

Kad, who was also in the room, glared at Dech but stood to

attention and saluted smartly. "Sir, I would suggest that this

man is only trying to bluff his way out of punishment. Ask any

of the other witnesses - his captors and they will tell you he

behaved like a madman. He injured more than six men when he was

captured. I joined in, and also received an injury - besides the

bruises he had already inflicted on me." Modestly Kad forbore to

point out his rapidly swelling black eye.

"I'll pound you into the ground, rat," said Dech hotly.

Even though Dech was bound, Kad stepped back a pace. "We all

know your eye is like that because someone elbowed you in the

face as you were running from the affray."

Kad turned red and did not deny the charge.

"This is a mere distraction," interrupted the Commander.

"Undoubtedly you are guilty as charged. Tommorow you will be

taken to the civil tribunal and charged, then given a fair trial by

robocourt. As for your attitude towards society, may God help

you to change your ways." He gestured wearily with a languid

hand. "Get him out of here. Wait, where are you going Kad."

"With the rest."

"Wait here. I have a few words to say to you concerning

your demotion."

"I don't understand."

"It was partly your idiocy that caused these problems."

Dech was alone in his cell. It was actually a comfortable

room, and he thanked God for a society which treated people with

some kind of humanity. Anyway prison was a place with few

inmates now that most were either held in their own homes or

punished through community sentencing. Only violent criminals,

few and far between these days, were held in custody.

He lay hunched on his cot in an attitude of despair.

Tumultuous thoughts went through his mind and throbbed through

his despairing brain. Only that morning he had been Joe Public,

the average (albeit bigger than) man. He never did anything

wrong, paid his taxes on time, helped old ladies across the

walkways, and worked hard for his living. Was it worth losing

his place in society for standing up for himself and finding

himself in this hellish situation?

In his despair he began to pace the carpet, which felt warm

against his bare feet. Then he put on his thermal shoes. He

would escape to the outside world, that was what he would do. In

front of him was the light blue wall. Then he saw the shimmer.

He stood there, transfixed by the sight of his bed wavering

along a fixed pattern, like an object seen through the heat-haze

of a very hot day.

He had no idea what was happening, but he walked carefully

forward, putting his hand out in front of him to test the

phenomenon. He was very afraid, but the situation in which he

now found himself called for him to find out what was going on.

Seconds later he made contact with the wavering bed.

The first few seconds were strange. He was walking on air,

no, he was falling, yet seeming to fly at the same time, swooping

over a cloud-filled sky. He lost conciousness, just as he became

aware of landing, with a jolt, on something solid.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

David marched along holding the collar of his dog. The sky

had cleared and the sun shone brightly. It was going to be a hot

day. But even so he was surprised to see the gate shimmer.

Surely the heated air was not yet warm enough to cause such an

effect? He walked over to push it open. Then his physical

sensations were all mixed. He was still holding Han, though more

through an involuntary spasm than concious desire.

He had no real recollection of what happened next -

except for faint surprise that he was able to fly - but when he

regained conciousness he was standing once more on solid ground.

At first he thought it was the path, and that he had tripped

again. But the surface felt cold and slippery as he pushed

against it to stand up and he realised that he had been lying on

metal.

David looked around in sheer amazement, hardly able to

believe his eyes. One minute ago he had been standing outside

his own house - now he was in this - he quantified the place in

his mind - this huge, round metal container made of what seemed

to be tempered bronze. The circumference, he realised was at

least thirty feet. It was rather like standing inside an

inverted bell, for the sides sloped inwards and for one wild

moment he surmised that indeed he had somehow been transported to

a place where such things were made. Then he realised there was

no clapper, and the sides were cylindrical, not truly curved.

Distracted as he was by his surroundings, David had failed to

notice that Han, who would have normally been jumping around,

barking frantically, was now still. He bent down. His pet lay

on his side, eyes closed, breathing barely audible.

Distressed, David bent down and shook the little dog. There

was no response, and his owner realised they must have blacked

out at the same time. David examined Han for broken limbs, but

found none. He wondered if there was any internal bleeding. At

last, after a few seconds frantic searching, he found the dogs

heart which was beating in slow, regular manner, and strongly

too. David had little medical knowledge beyond his first aid

badge, gained with the Boy Scouts, but he knew that Han was in a

reasonably good condition. Perhaps the portal or whatever it was

they had passed through had temporarily scrambled his brain

processes.

The rim of the giant container was at least four metres

above the base. He gathered the dog in his arms and wondered how

he was going the get out. Even if he had been able to get to the

top, along with Han the drop to the other side would have

defeated him.

He was just wondering if he should try shouting for help,

tempered by the thought that he did not know what the people here

wanted, when his problem was solved in an unexpected manner.

A marble had dropped out of his pocket at his arrival, and

he had not bothered to pick it up. As he watched, it stirred and

began to roll gently across the base and finally came to rest

against the round wall. Wondering how it could have done this,

David went over and picked it up. There was nothing special

about the marble. It was quite ordinary, transparent, round,

with a yellow fleck in the middle, slightly chipped from being

used in many a championship game.

A tilting sensation finally told him that the floor was

moving, rather as if a giant was tilting a cup in order to pour

out the contents. This was a thought which alarmed David. With

Han in his arms he kept moving in the direction of the tilt,

ready to run along the cylinder. Han remained unconcious, and

David held him tightly, as if someone was going to take him

away.

Soon the floor became a wall, and David walked on the curved

part of the container, barely able to find any traction with his

new trainers. But since the container was so broad, the part on

which he walked was practically flat. Since he was interested in

science, David knew that this was the situation with the planet

Earth itself, only the planet was so big it looked flat. He came

to the edge of the cylinder, noting at the same time that he was

facing a stained white wall, and a bay made of concrete. He

looked down, judging his distance from the ground to be at least

six feet. He sat on the edge of the container, took a deep

breath, and jumped, bending his knees as he landed so that his

small body was able to absorb the shock without jarring his pet

too much. To tell the truth he had leapt greater distances when

involving himself in the orchard-raiding escapades of his

friends.

The moment he landed he ran towards the trees. An

unconcious thought managed to work it's way through to that

adolescent collection of nerve-endings that can loosely be

described as a boy's awareness.

"What's a thing like that doing amongst all those trees?"

he asked himself, for the end of the building against which he

found himself was situated in a dense wood. He decided to get

out of where he was. He was sure of one thing. If any adults

caught him he would be chastised for doing something illegal.

His experience of the adult world was that most things were

forbidden. He was sure that this must be some kind of official

research establishment. He did not know how he had found himself

there but he had to get away quickly.

He put Han down on the ground and gazed at the bronze

container. It looed smaller than it had from the inside, and the

shape resembled more a giant thimble than anything else.

The top was slightly wider than the bottom part, and the

whole object was supported by a pivot, fixed on either side

by giant bolts like a crucible. A box at the back evidently

contained the mechanism which operated the giant container, and

even as David watched he heard a humming from inside as the huge

thimble went back to an upright position. He picked up Han and

stepped back into the thick undergrowth, watching the movement in

awe. Anyone who could have constructed such a machine had to be

very powerful. He burrowed well into the long grass and bushes,

the familiar green scent in his nostrils.

He was glad he had done so, for three black-clad figures -

who he was sure were security men - appeared and began to

investigate the container. One had a transceiver in his hand with

which he called headquarters, nodding in confirmation at the

details he was given. David just wanted to get away and go

home. The men had harsh, unyielding faces, and he knew they were

ruthless just by looking at them.

Something ran across his path and out into the clearing. He

nearly yelled aloud, then saw it was a brown rabbit. The men

noticed it too, and one withdrew a 'Y' gun, which he pointed but

did not fire. They all laughed. David wondered what the rabbit

was doing here. Still it was a relief to know the animals were

tame. This argued violence was hardly ever used, whatever the

aspect of the men.

The three dispersed after speaking to each other. One said

the words "Another Intruder Malfunction," but David could not

make sense of this, after all he hadn't operated the machine, had

he?

For a long time after the men had gone - well five minutes,

which was an eternity to David - he waited in the undergrowth. There

was a stirring at his feet. he picked up the no longer limp

body. Han wriggled convulsively, falling back to the ground,

but landing on his feet. He gave himself a vigorous shake, as if

getting rid of the last few traces of sleep, then yapped jofully

and threw himself at David, who was glad to see his dog back to

normal.

Han gave another yap, louder this time and David found

himself looking fearfully around for the response of the guards.

He had an odd feeling that if those figures in black got hold of

them it would be a very long time before he saw his parents and

friends again.

He grabbed Han by his short muzzle and spoke to him in low,

urgent tones.

"Be quiet, don't make that noise." Fortunately Han was used

to obeying this order. He was only in the Ward household on

sufference and he had learned (with the incentive of meat and

biscuits) to be quiet when he was told to do so. Like most

terriers he was a yappy kind of dog and couldn't guarantee to

keep quiet if there was anything that made him really excited.

Taking him by the collar, David moved through the

undergrowth as quietly as possible. They had to find the

entrance to the main road, which David was sure must run past the

woods. His only problem was that he would have to get past the

guards - a point where Hannibal (his Sunday name) would be a

hinderance.

A huge figure appeared between the trees. They spotted each

other at the same time. The man seemed paralysed by the sight of

the small boy, his face etched in shadows caused by the bright

sun shining through the leaves above showed only one emotion;

fear.

David turned to run, while Han wemt to investigate the

woods. Then David used his quick mind to assess what he had

seen. Dech wore clothes which were far from those of the

security men. He wore a green tunic, and tight leggings. On the

tunic was a pointed badge with a green circle in the centre.

David turned back. The stranger was still standing there, as if

turned to rock. David cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Did you get here the same way?"

"So you are not from this - place." stated the stranger. He

had a hand against one of the trees and now withdrew it with a

look of revulsion on his face as if this environment was alien to

him.

"I've been in places like this before," said David, noting

his behaviour, "it's like our local nature trail."

"Indeed? I have never been to a nature trail," said the

stranger, wiping his palm with a cloth handkerchief as if he had

been contaminated. David wondered what was wrong with the

stranger and why he spoke English in such an old-fashioned way.

It was not just the words he used, but the way he said them.

"I have never been in a place like this," the stranger spoke

with tight lips and staring eyes, he gazed at David in fear, "you

see, I have never been outside before." David noticed that the

man now kept his arms at his side, and stood in one place. If he

was telling the truth, David could understand his reaction. He

tried to imagine, vainly, what it would be like to have been

brought up indoors for the whole of his short life. Never to

have seen a flower in bloom or to have been at the seashore in

summer or winter, or - no, it was too much. There was such a

huge variety of things to be done outside it would have taken him

all day to catagorise them. He felt sympathy for this odd

stranger.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Dech Marsh," answered Dech. "What is your own? And tell

me, are you a child?"

"I'm thirteen, nearly fourrteen," answered David indignantly.

"My name is David." He cocked his head and looked thoughtfully at

Dech. "Surely you know what a young boy or girl looks like?"

Dech failed to answer but looked at David with fear and

muttered frantically to himself. "Is this to be my punishment,

or is it a test? I will die in this interminable place. What

will I eat and drink? Where will I sleep?" The large man looked

over to where the giant container was situated. "There is a

building over there, but it has a sealed entrance and the

inhabitants of this wood are hostile. I don't know what to do."

David came forward and grasped the forearm of the big man

with his right hand. The other recoiled as if he had been

attacked by a poisonous snake, moving backwards in alarm.

"This place is unsterile. So are you! Don't you

understand? We could transmit terrible germs to each other."

"Probably," said David, who was interested in biology, " it

happens all the time you know."

"You seem to be quite bright," Dech calmed down slightly,

but his eyes darted about the clearing nervously, "perhaps if we

stay together we could survive."

"All we can do is find our way to the main road, then we can

get to the nearest village and ask for help."

He was still firmly convinced that they were somewhere not

far from the places he knew so well. The sight of a forest was

so homely to him he could not believe that he was as far from his

own home as Dech obviously was.

Han, who had been following David and had been delayed from

coming on the scene by the scent of a rabbit, arrived at that

second and went over to sniff the stranger.

Dech acted strangely, he grasped David with both hands,

seemingly forgetting his fear of microbes, and smartly interposed

the boy between himself and the animal. When he spoke it was out

of the corner of his mouth.

"One of the wild animals has decided to investigate. It may

or may not be dangerous. Keep still."

Han simply trotted around his master and began to sniff the

stranger, his curiosity unabated.

"Hannibal!" cried David, using the Sunday name of his pet,

for Han, having decided that this incredibly lofty object could

not be human, and was probably some exotic, ambient kind of tree,

lifted a hind leg and urinated copiously. David bent down and

pushed him sharply away, but not before he had administered a

smack on his nose.

"Bad dog," he said. He straightened and looked at Dech.

"I'm sorry, he thought you were a tree or something." He noted

that his new companion had turned an interesting shade of white.

"What's the matter? Your feet'll soon dry, it's a nice humid

day."

"That - thing - is yours?" Dech stared at Han with

disbelieving eyes.

"Yes, he's a dog," explained David.

"I have seen dogs before, but they were larger than this and

kept in the zoo along with all the other wild animals. I suppose

the difference in the ones I saw and this one could be accounted

for by natural selection. But I thought such creatures carried

many diseases."

"I would think so," said David placatingly, trying to

supress his natural indignation. Clearly the man had a phobia

about such things. "We've got to get out of here. I saw some

men at the giant bell."

"It's a crucible cup," Said Dech, his engineering knowledge

coming to the fore.

"Well whatever it is, it was swarming with them, like black

ants they were. I can't explain why, but I know they're up to no

good."

"I saw them too. I was hiding after my arrival. You see,

I think this has something to do with the Leader."

"Your leader?" David glared at him, "I thought you were a

stranger, like me."

"I am, but I know that's all. This is a hellish punishment

devised for those who transgress society. I think that first

they put a drug in my food which disoriented my senses, then

knocked me unconcious and brought me here."

David mulled this over in his mind. It was clear that

wherever Dech came from, he was not the stolid innocent he

appeared to be.

"If this is a punishment, what was your crime?"

"I have commited treason," admitted Dech mournfully, "I am a

heretic against the creed of which the very foundations of our

society are made."

"What, you're a thief?"

"No! What made you think that? Something far worse."

David became worried. Was he in the presence of a murderer?

"You see," continued Dech, "I was guilty of the crime of unreason."