out the nylon string.
The signals were by tugs, apparently-”
“And Jensen cut the line and tied his end to a sapling,” interrupted
Alex in a rapid monotone. “With a loop around a nearby limb.”
“How do you know this?” Daniel seemed fascinated.
It’s a very old, unfunny trick in the field. A distasteful joke. It’s
played on green recruits.”
Daniel turned again to the girl. “So his carrier could not find him.
Where is Jensen now?”
“He tried to pick up Malcolm’s trail,” replied the secretary. “The
scouts say he came very close. He gave up and circled back to the west
hill. From there he can watch the entire campsite. All means of
entrance.”
“He will wait the full three days, starving and trapped by cats, if he
thinks it will help him. He does not dare go back to Warfield without
something.” Daniel looked at Alex.
“Did you know you were his choice to direct the survey?”
“I was his . . .” McAuliff did not finish the statement.
There was no point, he thought.
“Tell our people to stay with him,” ordered the minister.
Get close, but don’t take him … unless he uses a radio that could
reach the coast. If he does, kill him.”
“What the hell are you saying?” demanded McAuliff angrily. “Goddammit,
you have no right!”
” We have every right, Doctor. You adventurers come to this land. Soil
it with your filth. Don’t speak to me of rights, McAuliffl” And then as
suddenly as he had raised his voice, he lowered it. He spoke to the
girl. “Convene the Council.”
7 29 aniel led McAuliff down the steps into the matted grass on the left
bank of the miniature channel of D rushing water. Neither man spoke.
Alex looked at
,I his watch; it was nearly eight o’clock. The rays of the twilight of
sun shot up from behind the western mountains in spectral shafts of
orange; the intercepting hills were silhouetted in brownish black,
emphasizing their incredible height, their fortress-immensity. The lake
was a huge sheet of very dark glass, polished beyond the ability of man,
reflecting the massive shadows of the mountains and the streaks of the
orange sun.
They walked down the slope of the clearing to the stone fence bordering
the grazing fields. At the far left was a gate; Daniel approached it,
unlatched the large single bolt, and swung it open. He gestured
McAuliff to go through.
“I apologize for my outburst,” said the minister as they walked into the
field. “It was misdirected. You are a victim, not an aggressor. We
realize that.”
“And what are you? Are you a victim? Or an aggressor?”
“I am the Minister of Council. And we are neither. I explained that.”
“You explained a lot of things, but I still don’t know anything about
you,” said McAuliff, his eyes on a lone animal approaching them in the
darkening field. It was a young horse, and it whinnied and pranced
hesitantly as it drew near.
“This colt is forever breaking out,” laughed Daniel as he patted the
neck of the nervous animal. “He will be difficult to train, this one.
Hyee! Hyee!” cried the Halidonite as he slapped the colt’s flank,
sending it kicking and prancing and snorting toward the center of the
field.
“Maybe that’s what I mean,” said Alex. “How do you train … people?
Keep them from breaking out?”
Daniel stopped and looked at McAuliff. They were alone in the large
pasture, awash with the vivid colors of the dying Jamaican sun. The
light silhouetted the minister and caused McAuliff to shield his face.
He could not see Daniel’s eyes, but he could feel them.
” We are an uncomplicated people in many ways,” said the Halidonite.
“What technology we require is brought in, along with our medical
supplies, basic farm machinery, and the like. Always by our own
members, using untraceable mountain routes. Other than these, we are
self-sufficient on our lands. Our training-as you call it-is a result
of understanding the immense riches we possess. Our isolation is hardly
absolute. As you will see.”
From childhood, Daniel explained, the Halidonite was told he was
privileged and must justify his birthright by his life’s actions. The
ethic of contribution we imbued in him early in his education; the need
to use his potential to the fullest. The outside world was shown in all
its detail-its simplicities, its complications; its peace and its
violence; its good and its evil. Nothing was concealed; exaggeration
was not left to young imaginations. Realistic temptation was
balanced-perhaps a bit strongly, admitted Daniel-with realistic
punishment.
As near to his or her twelfth birthday as possible, the Halidonite was
tested extensively by teachers, the elders of the Council, and finally
by the minister himself. On the basis of these examinations,
individuals were selected for training for the outside world. There
followed three years of preparation, concentrating on specific skills or
professions.
When he or she reached sixteen, the Halidonite was taken from the
community and brought to a family residence on the outside, where the
father and mother were members of the tribe. Except for infrequent
returns to the community and reunions with his own parents, the outside
family would be the Haldonite’s guardians for a number of years to come.
“Don’t you have defections?” asked Alex.
“Rarely,” replied Daniel. “The screening process is most thorough.”
“What happens if it isn’t thorough enough? If there are–2′ “That is an
answer I will not give you,” interrupted the minister. “Except to say
the Maze of Acquaba is a threat no prison can compete with. It keeps
offenders-within and without-to a minimum. Defections are extremely
rare.”
From the tone of Daniel’s voice, Alex had no desire to pursue the
subject. “They’re brought back?”
Daniel nodded.
The population of the Halidon was voluntarily controlled.
Daniel claimed that for every couple that wanted more children, there
invariably was a couple that wanted fewer or none. And, to McAuliff s
astonishment, the minister added: “Marriages take place between
ourselves and those of the outside. It is, of course, unavoidable and,
by necessity, desirable. But it is a complicated procedure taking place
over many months and with stringent regulations.”
“A reverse screening process?”
“The harshest imaginable. Controlled by the guardians.”
“What happens if the marriage doesn’t. .
“That answer, too, is not in bounds, Doctor.”
“I have an idea the penalties are stiff,” said Alex softly.
“You may have all the ideas you like,” said Daniel, starting up again
across the field. “But what is of the greatest importance is that you
understand that we have scores …
hundreds of guardians-halfway houses-throughout the countries of the
world. In every profession, in all governments, in dozens of
universities and institutions everywhere. You will never know who is a
member of the Halidon. And that is our threat, our ultimate
protection.”
“You’re saying that if I reveal what I know, you’ll have me killed?”
“You and every member of your family. Wife, children, parents … in
the absence of the formal structure, lovers, closest associates, every
person who was or is an influence on your life. Your identity, even
your memory, will be erased.”
“You can’t know every person I talk to, every telephone call I make.
Where I am every minute. No one can! I could mount an army; I could
find you!”
“But you will not,” said Daniel quietly, in counterpoint to McAuliff s
outburst. “For the same reason others have not…. Come. We are
here.”
They were standing now on the edge of the field. Beyond was the
tentacled foliage of the Cock Pit forest, in shadowed blackness.
Suddenly, startlingly, the air was filled with a penetrating sound
of’terrible resonance. It was a wailing, inhuman lament. The tone was
low, breathless, enveloping everything and echoing everywhere. It was
the sound of a giant woodwind, rising slowly, receding into a simple
obscure theme and swelling again to the plaintive cry of a higher
melody.
It grew louder and louder, the echoes now picking up the bass tones and
hurling them through the jungles, crashing them off the sides of the
surrounding mountains until the earth seemed to vibrate.
And then it stopped, and McAuliff stood transfixed as he saw in the
distance the outlines of figures walking slowly, purposefully, in the
measured cadence, across the fields in the chiaroscuro shadows of the
early darkness. A few carried torches, the flames low.
At first there were only four or five, coming from the direction of the
gate. Then there were some from the south bank of the black, shining
lake; others from the north, emerging out of the darkness. Flat-bottomed
boats could be seen crossing the surface of the water, each with a
single torch.
Within minutes there were ten, then twenty, thirty …
until McAuliff stopped counting. From everywhere. Dozens of slowly
moving bodies swaying gently as they walked across the darkened fields.
They were converging toward the spot where Alex stood with Daniel.