J McKenna - Slave Planet

It was a meager meal. Mostly roots, berries and nuts. There were two bites of a dried meat of unknown origin. It supported her theory. The women were hiding out and they weren’t having much success hunting for food. Kate was savvy enough to know that while for her this could only be considered a snack, to these women, they were presenting her with a banquet. She expressed tremendous gratitude and ate sparingly. She wanted to share some of her pouches of food, but decided to wait. They may not understand why she asked for food when she had some with her.

After she ate, the women seemed to relax a bit. They sat around, chatting to each other, trying to share words with Kate and have some successes. Each time she found an equivalent, she dutifully recorded it into her U.T.

The women eyed her backpack. They were clearly curious to find out what was in it—and why Kate kept reaching into it. After nearly an hour, when their feeble attempts at conversation dragged, Kate decided to show them. She retrieved the Ute from her pack and held it up. The women shrank back, confused.

“No, it’s all right,” she assured them. She checked the device. The display light glowed yellow. Thank god! She thumbed the response switch.

“My name is Kate.” The UT spoke her words in their language. Several of the women screamed, some fled. Only Sulala remained quiet, although she appeared distressed.

“I mean you no harm. This box will help us talk. You may speak now.”

Sulala opened, then closed her mouth. Kate hoped the Ute was able to convey her message. Finally, she said, “What … [unknown] is this?”

She guessed what the Ute had failed to translate. “It’s not magic,” Kate said. “It is a common tool in my country. We use it to talk to new people we meet. Like you.” She indicated all of them. They began drifting back.

“You are … [traveler-lost]?”

Kate nodded. “Yes, from land far away. There are others like me here. They got lost. I must find them.”

“Where did you lose them?”

“In village.” She pointed southwest. The mention of the village frightened the women.

“Many … [enemies-opponents] in Lakapit .”

“I know. My friends are held captive. I must get them.”

Sulala shook her head. “Can not do. Men will take you.”

Kate looked her in the eye. “I must. I am, um, in charge of them.”

“They say only men are in charge. Women are [slaves-captives].”

The captain sensed she was being tested. “I don’t agree,” she said gently. “Neither do you. That is why you stay in forest.”

“Yes. We will not be bought and sold. We are free people. We call ourselves Bakchari .”

“You are brave women, you Bakchari. There are many women like you in my country. Do you plan to stay in forest?”

“For now,” she said. “Enemies many. Strong. We are few. Slave traders come and raid us. We run, hide.”

Kate wished there was something she could do for these women. They would just have to work it out themselves, just like women on Earth did over the centuries. That didn’t make her feel any better.

“Can you help me reach the village? I must travel through forest, stay hidden from men.”

“Yes. I take you to Lakapit. Lilani go as well. But not today. Darkness come soon.”

“All right. Tomorrow.”

Beth watched, quietly holding her breath, as Niktus bargained hard with Gorshun for the remaining three U.T.s. Once she had them, she could use the first one to program the others in minutes via infrared link. Then Ally and Jorja could communicate with their owners and perhaps they could all figure a way out of this mess.

Gorshun, Beth knew, would want to know why Niktus was so interested in these mysterious boxes that didn’t appear to do anything. During her talks with the man, Beth learned he was considered a healer in the village. His treatments consisted of herb teas, setting bones and bleeding for fevers—not all that dissimilar from Earth four centuries ago.

Before they arrived at Gorshun’s hut, Beth suggested Niktus tell him that the strange women needed the devices to remain healthy in this country’s heat. Niktus agreed that would strike fear into the slave trader. “He wouldn’t want to have customers coming back, demanding a refund!” he laughed.

The ruse worked. Niktus and Beth left with the Utes, and grinned all the way back to his house. Inside, she quickly programmed the devices. Then she handed two of them over. The third she saved for Greta.

“Go make some profit,” she said. He nodded, a smile creasing his face.

Beth was really beginning to like this alien.

Jorja looked up from her bedding to see a strange man standing over her. She sat up quickly, her collar chain clinking, and spotted Junior and his father behind him. The newcomer stood about six-four—somewhat short by this race’s standards—but was broad in the chest and had powerful arms and legs. Jorja couldn’t help but think he was pretty good-looking for an alien.

He spoke to her, several sentences. Jorja just shrugged and said, “Sorry, pal, I don’t understand you. But if you were inviting me out for a dinner and a movie, I’d probably say yes.”

The man turned and spoke a few harsh sentences to the other men. The older man said something in reply that apparently angered this man. He responded curtly and started to leave.

The door opened suddenly and an older man Jorja didn’t recognize came in, followed by—Beth!

“Beth! Thank god! I wondered what happened to you and the others!”

“Jorja! I’m glad you’re all right. We’ve got Utes!” the doctor replied. “We can talk now.”

Niktus spoke to the owners for a few minutes. The stranger just watched, his face set. Niktus turned on one of the devices and spoke to Jorja. “Slave, stand up.”

“Fuck y—” She started to say.

“For god’s sakes, Jorja, just do what he says. He’s trying to make a sale here,” Beth said, exasperated.

Swallowing her pride, Jorja stood. The other three men appeared stunned.

“Now, lift one leg.”

Jorja stared at Beth. “He’s kidding, right?”

“Please, Jorja!”

The engineer reluctantly complied, then put her leg down again almost immediately. The men began talking among themselves, so fast the Ute could barely keep up.

“Amazing!”

“—never seen anything—“

“—means we can train her.” The last came from the newcomer.

Jorja didn’t like what she was hearing. “OK, we can all understand each other. So understand this: I’m not a slave. None of us are. We come from another, uh, country, where women are free. You must release us.”

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple, Jorja,” Beth put in. “This entire culture is based on the enslavement of women. They can’t conceive of letting us go.”

“We have to try, doc!”

“I know. It may take a little time to figure something out.”

Niktus cut Beth off with a wave of his hand. To the men, he said. “You have seen how the magic boxes work. Everyone who owns strange slave should have one until she learns our language.”

The men nodded. The bargaining began. Beth didn’t know their monetary system here, but it was clear from Niktus’ pleased expression that he made a good profit.

Beth and Niktus turned to go. “Wait! You’re not going to leave me here with these guys!”

“I’m sorry, Jorja. We have to go find the man who bought Ally. We’ll be back, I promise. For now, at least you can talk to them.”

With that, they left. When the door slapped shut on Beth, Jorja felt abandoned all over again. Still, at least she had hope. If anyone can figure out these people, it’s Beth.