Beyond the Stars

The Earth Moved - Herded like Cattle

Several plans of escape were suggested over the following days. Some were viable, but with no home left to go to and no idea where we were going, each was dismissed.

The stench of sweat and excrement became unbearable. The cells had no way to store our urine or faeces, so it floated around with us. It was disgusting. Several of the men became ill. The robots visited once a day, their magnetic boots created a rhythmic thumping as they entered the hallway, bringing hand-sized cubes of something they called food. Having been told what their idea of food was, I refused to eat.

Shortly after their tenth visit, I fell to the floor without warning. I lay in the filth that fell to the floor with me, struggling to get my muscles to work after so little use and no food.

I staggered to the bars. "Can anyone see what's happening? Where are we? Carl? Lucas?"

It was Lucas who answered. "It's dark. I can't see much beyond the lights of what looks like a runway up ahead. I think we're landing."

Water sprayed unexpectedly from numerous points in the ceiling, showering us and washing the filth into a drain in the middle of the hallway floor. I licked my cracked lips and on tasting fresh water, I opened my mouth, letting it fill me.

A small compartment, containing an odd-shaped block, opened with a hiss.

"Wash," said a metallic voice from everywhere all at once.

On discovering the block was soap, I used it to wash my hair and body, scrubbing at my filthy bodice.

The cell doors slid open. Everyone stepped warily into the hallway. Lucas rushed to my side and hugged me. We didn't speak. Nothing either of us could say would make the situation any better.

The robots appeared at either end of the hallway, motioning us to move forward. The bearded man from the cell opposite refused to move. One of them prodded him with a rod that sparked with blue forks of electricity, sending him sprawling and jerking on the floor as spasms wracked his body. They herded us like cattle into the main bay of the ship, where we joined queues of hundreds. The bay doors lowered and I spotted large transports waiting in disordered rows.

Each of us were handed a bundle wrapped in brown cloth as we emerged from the belly of the main ship. Lucas had to release his hold on me to take his. When we paused to look around, we were ushered forward by the threat of the rods. On either side, several hundred people did the same thing as us: stared at the enormous moon silhouetting a town in the distance. I couldn't help but wonder if we were headed there to meet our end. I met several frightened gazes with my own equally petrified one.

Seating in the transport spanned twenty-five rows of three seats on either side of a central isle. I know because I counted them. Lucas joined me at the back, wrapping his arms around me as he sat.

Sometime later, the transport stopped its gentle rocking. I sat upright as the door lowered, allowing light to penetrate the gloom. Several passengers at the front gasped, staring wide-eyed through the opening, their faces showing a mixture of fear and awe.