Rendel - Population: 1000

Rendel

The two men diffused towards Cal, he had to run. Bursting into a sprint he ran down the central concourse of the village. He knew who had sent them, he thought of the old man cowering in his living space trying to postpone the inevitable. Cal ran into the crowded marketplace and stole a glance behind him, he recognised the old mans sons as they arrived into a clearing in the crowd. They saw him, Cal was running again, out into the exercise yard but there was little cover. Breathing hard now he glanced at the front gates, locked shut. Starting to panic a large transport appeared at the gate, the weeks grain. A crowd appeared to help unload, Cal joined the chain so did the brothers. Four armed guards exited the transport. The brothers would not touch Cal when they were here. For the next twenty minutes they transferred sack after sack of grain into the storehouse of the colony.

Keli sat in the darkness, sweat beaded on her forehead as the pain eased, the gentle hum of machinery could be heard in the distance. She clutched a bottle of water and lay down on the makeshift bed.  Cal will be back any moment now she said to herself, she should never have let him leave. Suddenly she could hear a scrape in the tunnels, somebody was coming, but she had nowhere to go. Hoping it was Cal, she blew out the small lamp and waited.

The first punch left Cal dazed. The dust from the transport had barely settled as one of the brothers ran at Cal he was able to deflect the majority of the blow but it glanced painfully off the side of his head, luckily it caused the attacker to lose balance and fall to the ground. With his ears ringing he ran back towards the dormitory complex. Cal thought his luck had run out as he felt a hand roughly on his shoulder. He turned and saw the mirrored visor of one of the guards. The two brothers kicking furiously were also restrained by the men in uniform, Cal knew what would happen, they would all be hauled off to the security block for the mandatory two hour cooling off period. Standard procedure for any social unrest. He was relieved, knowing this would keep Keli safe, hoping it would be enough time.

The grate scraped open with a loud whine, Keli lay still in the darkness.

'Keli? You in here?' Whispered a voice.

'I'm here' she answered with relief and fumbled to light the little oil lamp.

'How you doing girl?' Asked her best friend Shan.

'I can't believe you are here, I was so scared' gushed Keli a wave of emotion flowing through her, she started crying.

'Now, now, it's going to be ok, lets get you onto that bed' Keli did as she was told and scrambled onto the bed.

'Did Cal send you?' She asked lying on her back.

'I saw him being chased by the old man's sons, I guessed they had worked it out, must be getting close, are you having any pains?'

'Every few minutes, he was only going to get more water, is he ok?' Keli asked feeling the tightening pain in her stomach again.

'You know your Cal, he will be ok, but let's worry about you for now and that little baby in there' Shan answered trying to be reassuring yet changing the subject.

Keli was about to answer when she gripped Shans hand really tightly, the baby would be here soon.

Cal sat in the cell, the brothers fixed there stare on him. He felt sorry for them he knew what this meant.

'I am sorry, I really am, but some day it will catch up with all of us' he ventured. The brothers sneared at him, one of the, spat in his direction. for the next hour they sat in silence as the afternoon turned to early evening. The door clanged open and strong arms dragged him out into the yard. The brothers deposited beside him, they were free to go. Not wanting to return to the cell they walked passively back towards the dormitory complex, as they arrived at the entrance Cal broke into a run but tripped and fell over a discarded rations crate and the brothers pounced. They held him up against the wall, a blizzard of punches and kicks hitting from all sides.

'Where is the girl?' They demanded

'You'll never find her' was Cal's rasped response and he collapsed.

As the brothers moved in the guards arrived and surrounded them, rifles at the ready, murder was punishable by immediate extermination. The brothers stopped and raised their hands. Through is bloodied puffed up eyes Cal watched as a figure appeared in the entrance way it was Keli. She was surrounded by the people of the colony.

'I am here to report the birth of a healthy baby girl' she declared to the guards who immediately turned their attention on her.

One of them spoke into a communicator and quickly the heavily guarded Commander of the colony appeared. Looking at the newborn he turned to address the assembled crowd.

'People of colony Rendel it is with great happiness I announce the birth of a baby girl.' much applause followed and the Commander lifted his hand to calm the crowd. 'As you know the law sets out that the population of Rendel must remain at 1000 no more, no less and as is customary you must present the eldest member of your colony as recompense for this joyous birth'

The brothers, fearing the worst, hung their heads. Minutes later a group of men presented a struggling old man in front of the Commander, their father. The pleading old man was forced to his knees as the Commander drew his weapon.

'For the law and the good of all' he declared and pulled the trigger, the body slumped on to the dirt.