THE TWELVE -- Chapter 9 - Escape Plans

The third night of captivity had found eight of the boys sitting round a large table in the main eating room on the second level of the Detu section.  This was the first night that Leil had joined the others, and all still hoped that Djaisiuk would come eventually.  Conversation was lively for a time, discussing daily activities and so forth.  They were all surprised with how well they were being treated.  Most of their supervisors and fellow-workers seemed to look down on them, and some were openly disgusted with having to work with Komislavians, but they all seemed to try very hard to hide this and to make it appear as though they didn’t mind it, especially whenever Kandryl happened to be near.  Kandryl alone seemed not to be bothered in the least by their race.
 

For the boys’ part, most were adjusting well to this new situation.  Leil seemed to be having a hard time with it, but none who didn’t know him well would have been able to see anything different in his normally quiet and withdrawn attitude.  Sandy and Cycil seemed nearly as happy as if they were back on the ship, particularly when they were with the others.
 

That night, Jaeger waited until all had arrived, then, at the first lull in the conversation, he leaned forward and spoke quietly, looking around at the others intently.
 

“Has any of you been thinking about escape?” he asked bluntly.
 

The other boys looked at him and at each other for a moment before replying.
 

“I have,” said Sandy softly.
 

“And I,” said Detrin.
 

“I think that we all have,” put in Jade, getting nods of agreement from Leil, Eriane, Wysire, and Cycil.
 

“I just don’t see how we can do it,” said Eriane.  “We’d have to have a ship, and none of us has access to one; we’d have to get Creole, Christopher, and Faquire out of wherever they’re being kept, and we don’t even know where that is; and we’d have to find Djaisiuk, and we don’t know where he is either.”
 

“I think that if we work together,” said Jaeger, “it might not be impossible.”
 

“Did you have something in mind?” asked Jade.
 

“Nothing definite, no,” replied Jaeger, shaking his head, “but we’ve a much better chance of coming up with something if we all work together than each one alone.  We’re already meeting here together every night without it raising any apparent suspicions.  I don’t see why we can’t work together and try to plan something.”
 

“We’d need a ship,” said Leil quietly.
 

Jaeger nodded.  “I can try to find out about that,” he said.  “We can’t plan on our own ship; it’ll probably be too closely guarded.  That, or they’ll have already taken it apart for study.  We’ll have to take a Vukasovian ship.”
 

“Can you fly a Vukasovian one?” asked Eriane.
 

Jaeger smiled.  “If it flies, I can fly it,” he assured him.
 

“I can vouch for that,” laughed Jade.  “Jaeger was a pilot even when he was still a runner.”
 

“We’ll need Christopher and Creole if we want power,” said Detrin.  “I can see to it that the energy gets from the engines to wherever we need it, but we’ll need someone to work the engines.”
 

“Leil, could you do that?” asked Jade.  “I know that we won’t leave without Creole or Christopher, but we have to consider the possibility that they won’t be able to work.  We don’t know in what condition they’ll be.”
 

Leil shook his head.  “I’m an engineer, not a mechanic,” he said.  “I could try, but I couldn’t guarantee results.”
 

“Djaisiuk could do it,” said Cycil.
 

“Yes, that’s true!” exclaimed Jaeger.  “I hadn’t thought of that.  Djaisiuk could fill any job needed.  Any two or three jobs, really.”
 

“But we don’t know what condition he’ll be in either,” said Leil gloomily.
 

“He’s working for them as we are,” said Jade.  “At least, I would assume that he is.  He came with us and was assigned as we were.”
 

Jaeger nodded.  “Yes, I think that it’s safe to assume that he’s working for them too.  Don’t worry, Leil.  They won’t hurt Djaisiuk; he’s more valuable than any of us.”
 

“Where would we go?” asked Wysire.  “We’re over four days from home; we couldn’t get there before they caught up with us.”
 

“Jade?” asked Jaeger, turning to him.
 

“Londar is closest,” replied Jade, “but I doubt that we’d be safe there.  Their race is even smaller than ours, and they are deathly afraid of the Vukasovians.  I’m sure that they wouldn’t shelter us.  Udolia would probably be our best bet.”
 

“Udolia!” exclaimed Sandy.  “But they hate everybody!  They wouldn’t help us.”
 

“They do hate everyone,” agreed Jade, “but that’s precisely why they would help us.  They like people to know that they don’t like anyone but themselves.  If we go to them, it’ll be a question of helping the Komislavians while hurting the Vukasovians, or of helping the Vukasovians while hurting the Komislavians.  We’re such a small race that they won’t care if we know that they hate us or not.  The Vukasovians, on the other hand, are a considerable force in this galaxy; the Udolians will be all too happy to show them that they won’t be pushed around.”
 

Eriane.
 

“I can think of a way to deal with that,” said Wysire.  “Once we near Udolia, we’ll send a message home telling them where we are and where we’re headed.  Then, when we land, we’ll tell the Udolians the whole story and beg their hospitality in allowing us to stay on their planet for a week until our people can come and retrieve us.  Knowing that our people know that we're there, the Udolians will be less likely to take us prisoner, and, even if they do, our people will at least know where we are, and they can then negotiate with the Udolians for our return.”
 

“A week would be a long time to stay there,” murmured Cycil.
 

“Yes, and it may be longer,” said Detrin.  “As Wysire said, it’s nearly a five-day journey from Vukosava to Komislava, and Udolia’s in practically the opposite direction.”
 

“But not very far in the opposite direction,” said Jade.  “That’s the important part.  We’ll have to get somewhere and get there fast."
 

"Also, as Sandy said, the Udolians hate everyone, including the Vukasovians, and want people to know that," said Wysire.  "That could very well work to our advantage.  If the Udolians see us coming with the Vukasovians pursuing us, they may well send out a group of their own ships to ‘rescue’ us, even if only to upset the Vukasovians.”
 

“When you put it like that, it sounds perfect,” smiled Eriane.
 

“Can you find your way there without maps, Jade?” asked Jaeger.  “We may not be able to access the maps on the ship, if they have any.”
 

Jade laughed.  “Show me the stars, and I’ll show you the way,” he said with a nod.  “I can take us there.”
“Suppose, just for the sake of argument, that the Udolians don’t agree to protect us,” said Eriane.  “Suppose that the Vukasovians are upset enough that the Udolians don’t think it worth their while to keep us.  What then?”
 

“The Vukasovians wouldn’t take that chance,” Jaeger assured him.  “They wouldn’t make a threat to the Udolians that they weren’t willing to carry through, and I’m sure that we twelve would not be sufficient reason to spark large-scale disagreements with Udolia.  Push would turn to shove very quickly there, and Earth might even get involved.”
 

“Well, we certainly don’t want to cause the Fifth Interplanetary War,” said Detrin, smiling.
 

Jade laughed.  “I can vouch for the fact that we are not that important,” he said.  “I agree with Wysire; we should be safe on Udolia, at least from the Vukasovians.  I sincerely doubt that the Vukasovians would even try to get us back if we can only get there.”
 

“Good then,” said Jaeger, “we have our destination.  Now we still need to find Creole, Christopher, Faquire, and Djaisiuk.  If we all start asking questions at once, it might ignite suspicion.  Wysire, I think that you’d be the most obvious one to make inquiries, at least for Creole, Christopher, and Faquire.  You have the best right to see them of any of us.  And if they won’t let you, Eriane can try next, though they may have reason to want to prevent him from seeing them.”
 

“If I find that they’ve done anything to them,” began Eriane, his voice bordering on anger, “I’ll . . . I’ll . . . .  Well, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
 

The other boys nodded sympathetically.  They none of them wanted to see Creole, Christopher, or Faquire hurt, but at the same time, they knew that there was nothing that any of them could do to prevent it.
 

“Rest in the knowledge that you’ll be able to treat them all once we’re on board the ship,” said Wysire.
Eriane nodded, resigned for the present.
 

“I suppose that that’s all that we can do for now,” said Jaeger.  “As I said, I’ll look into the ships.  Wysire, you try to find out all that you can about the other three.”
 

“What about Djaisiuk?” asked Cycil.  “Who should look for him?”
 

“I will,” said Jade.  “I don’t think that it’ll make any difference which of us asks about him; he’s not a prisoner anymore than we are.”
 

“As far as we know,” muttered Leil.
 

“It’s settled then,” said Jaeger.  “We’ll discuss our progress tomorrow night.”

* * * * * * *

On the way back to his own quarters that night, Jaeger was intercepted by a messenger who told him that Kandryl wished to speak with him.  Jaeger, having no idea what this could mean, went immediately to Kandryl’s quarters.
 

Jaeger entered the main room and looked around.  There were several people working at different stations around the room, some standing, some sitting.  Jaeger looked for Kandryl and soon saw the latter enter the room, smile, and beckon to him.  Jaeger then followed Kandryl into one of the smaller side rooms.
 

Kandryl sat down and motioned Jaeger to do likewise.  His expression was friendly, but thoughtful.
 

“You’re the oldest of your group,” said Kandryl abruptly, as Jaeger sat.  “I suppose that that means that you command a considerable amount of respect from the others in your group.  That is a Komislavian custom isn’t it?  Respect for age?”
 

“They do respect me, yes,” Jaeger answered cautiously, “but we all have respect for each other in different ways.  I am the oldest, it is true, but Jade has been a member of the IC School longer than I have.  Djaisiuk has been a member the longest, and, being the smartest, he commands the most respect.”
 

“Do the others obey when you command?”
 

“When I am the one in authority, yes,” answered Jaeger.  “But there are many areas over which I have no authority.”
 

“But in matters of leadership, where the good or ill of the entire group is concerned, the others would probably follow you?” queried Kandryl.
 

Jaeger considered for a moment before answering.  “I would say that most would, yes, if they felt that my decision was correct.”
 

“And you would not wish to lead them into danger?”
 

Jaeger frowned, wondering where Kandryl was taking this train of thought.  “No,” he answered slowly.  “I would not wish to lead them into danger.”
 

Kandryl smiled condescendingly at him for a moment.  “Then I think it only fair to warn you that you would not, indeed, be safe on Udolia, nor on Londar, nor even on Klianara, which would be next closest.  You would never make it to any of them.  You would not even be able to commandeer a ship, I can assure you.  And even if you were able to do that much, without my consent you wouldn’t be able to free those three that are imprisoned.”
 

Jaeger looked Kandryl in the eye, refusing to react to all of this.  He could not play ignorant (for that, he told himself, would be a lie), but neither was he about admit that any of this had been considered.
Kandryl continued to smile, though it was not an unkind or sarcastic smile.  It was the almost amused smile of a parent speaking to an erring child.
 

“I suppose as time progresses we will both learn more things that you as Komislavians do not know about the Vukasovians,” said Kandryl gently.  “Something that every Vukasovian knows is that that there is nowhere on Vukosava that they or anyone else can go where their words will not be heard.”
 

Jaeger’s face fell, ever so slightly, before he caught himself.  No! he thought.  Escape cannot be impossible.  We will not spend the remainder of our days here.  We will return home somehow!  But how?  Their plans, their ideas, their work, all came crashing down around him.  It was useless.  They couldn’t escape unless they worked together, but they couldn’t work together without Kandryl knowing all that they discussed.
 

Jaeger lowered his eyes, no longer being able meet Kandryl’s gaze.  He sat silently now, thinking through all of this.  What would he tell the others?  How could he tell them that there was no hope?  It must not be!  Where there is life, there is hope.  No, they would not give up; they would find a way, if there was a way to be found.
 

“It’s not so bad,” continued Kandryl, still watching Jaeger closely.  “You’ll find in time that you may enjoy it here.  You are part of a much more powerful race now.  Your potential can now be realized in ways that you previously could only dream.  In time, you will become one of us.”
 

Jaeger scarcely suppressed a shudder at this last statement, but he did manage to keep his expression firm and nearly indifferent as he looked up at Kandryl again.
 

“Do intend to punish us?” he asked.
 

Kandryl’s eyebrows rose questioningly.
 

“As you said,” continued Jaeger, “I am somewhat of the one in charge when it comes to leadership.  I am the only one who should be blamed for tonight; the others were only following.  If we must be punished, then I ask that you punish me as you see fit and leave the others.”
 

Kandryl’s eyes narrowed slightly as he smiled again, but this time it seemed to Jaeger that there was the slightest hint of cruelty in the smile.
 

“No,” Kandryl all but purred, “I don’t intend to ‘punish’ any of you; I only wanted to point out the futility of your plans.”
 

Jaeger looked cautiously relieved.
 

“But,” added Kandryl, his voice a little harder now, “I think that I can safely expect that this will not happen again.  Would you consider that a reasonable expectation?”
 

Jaeger looked at him.  Yes, there was hardness in Kandryl’s face now.  No, nothing was going to be done to the boys at this time; they had simply made a little mistake.  If, however, they chose to repeat the ‘mistake’, then the consequences might not be pleasant.  Jaeger read the message quite clearly.  He swallowed his anger and tried hard to assume an expression of perfect self-possession.
 

“I think that you are safe in your assumption,” replied Jaeger quietly.  “It will not happen again.”
 

“Then you are dismissed,” said Kandryl.
 

Jaeger got up without a word and left the room.  He walked back to his own room, wondering how he would tell the boys tomorrow night.  Kandryl had told him and him alone for a reason.  He knew that Jaeger had started this, Jaeger would lead this, and Jaeger would carry the plan to completion, if possible.  Now Kandryl was forcing Jaeger to stop not only his own plans, but also any that the other boys may have had at the risk of unpleasant consequences, not only to himself, but to the others should they refuse to stop.  He must be the one to crush the hopes so recently built.  And he must be the one to see to it that those hopes did not rise again.
 

In his own room, Jaeger found sleep very difficult.  His emotions were in turmoil.  How could he continue to work for them, knowing that escape was impossible, knowing that there was no end in sight?  As Kandryl had said, he was the leader, in a sense; he was the oldest, and the boys looked up to him.  They had followed him when he had said that he would work for the Vukasovians.  How could he continue to lead them down this path, knowing that there was no end, apart from a miracle?  But he had known from the beginning that it was possible that they would not escape.  He knew that they might have to stay here indefinitely.  What would happen if they did?  They still would not compromise; they would remain strong together.
 

The words of Kandryl came hauntingly back to him: “In time, you will become one of us.”
 

Never! Jaeger swore to himself.  I will never become one of them.