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Chapter 04  by Joe Bandel |
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Adam Gardner was very effective in making travel arrangements and in a few hours Tobal found himself with a full stomach, refreshed and once more on an airbus heading toward what he fervently hoped was his final destination. It was mid April and the sun was shining brightly as the airbus flew east toward the Rocky Mountains. Patches of snow grew the farther they flew until it covered everything in an unbroken blanket. From the air he could see deer sheltered in valleys and herded together for protection against natural predators such as the timber wolf and mountain lion. Hardwood trees looked like skeletal ghosts as they raised leafless arms to the heavens. There were patches of them scattered like occasional cemeteries hidden within the deep pine forests. The airbus flew low enough that Tobal could make out an occasional fox or wolf. Flying over the wilderness made him realize how far from civilization and the Federation he was going. The pines were dark green and the boughs weighed heavily with snow and blocked all efforts to see the ground beneath. It was almost an hour before he caught his first glimpse of Heliopolis. From the air the city-state looked huge and modern. He saw one huge complex that must be the living quarters. There was a large open agricultural area and a wooded park. They were all within tall imposing walls that encircled the city itself. To Tobal it didn’t look much different than any other modern city-state he had visited. As the airbus descended he was surprised the pilot was not taking him into the city but dropping him outside of it into a snow covered courtyard. "There you go son." The airbus driver told him cheerfully, "Take care of yourself, they're a bit strange here. Don't really see much of anybody. Haven't been here that much and I don't want to either." The driver opened the door and Tobal stepped outside into the cold winter landscape. It was one o'clock in the afternoon on April 13. The airbus took off leaving Tobal standing in a cloud of snow just outside the high walls. Tobal began looking for some way into the city. Not finding any, he spied a small building near the edge of the woods about 100 yards away from the wall. He waded through knee high snow toward the windowless dome like structure. There was an arched doorway with a faded snow covered sign. The snow was so bright it hurt his eyes and he had to squint against it. As he came nearer he made out the word "Sanctuary". He recalled the letter from his parents had mentioned claiming sanctuary. Somewhat reassured, he entered the portal that opened silently at his approach and stepped inside. It was dim and his eyes took time adjusting to the faint light. He kicked the snow off his boots onto the gleaming tiled floor. To the left, he saw a computer terminal. A light on the consul was flashing urgently. He walked over to examine the terminal more closely. As he neared it, a disembodied voice came from somewhere near the terminal base. "Welcome, Welcome." "Do you seek Sanctuary in Heliopolis, the city of the sun?" The same words scrolled across the screen. "Do you seek Sanctuary in Heliopolis, the city of the sun?" A prompt flashed on the screen "Say Yes or No." "Yes," Tobal said. "I claim sanctuary." "Then enter here," an oval door slid open to reveal a small interior lighted room. The door slid closed behind him as soon as he stepped completely into the room. "What is your name?" The voice intoned, it was now coming from somewhere ahead of him. What followed was a grueling 70 minute question and answer session in which the computer questioned Tobal about every area of his past and present. There was no place to sit and it was uncomfortable but he was committed at this point. There were questions he could not answer, but that did not bother the computer. Finally the computer turned silent as it processed the information. After a short time it spoke again. "You must go through processing before you can enter sanctuary. Processing will include detailed medical and psychological examinations. These will be automated. The purpose of these examinations is to ensure the current state of your health. In addition, the information will allow us to better understand your needs and abilities. This will aid us in determining how you will best fit into our society. These examinations will take place within this building and last approximately two days." One wall of the small room slid open and a voice prompted him to enter and begin the medical examination. The wall slid closed behind him and he found himself in a small hallway. Another wall section slid open to the right and he stepped into another small room. A drawer slid out from the wall as the voice continued. "Please place your clothing and personal items into the drawer. You can not take any items into the examinations. Place your items here for safe keeping. They will be returned to you after you have entered Heliopolis." Tobal stripped and placed his clothing and boots into the drawer. He carefully placed the medallion under some clothes where it would be hidden and then pushed slightly on the drawer. His plan was to leave the drawer slightly open and retrieve his things after the medical examination. To his horror the drawer kept moving and slid shut with a forbidding "click". Panicking, he tried to open the drawer and failed. There was no handle and it was almost impossible to see the faint lines indicating it was there at all. He pounded on the wall but it refused his efforts and the drawer remained closed. "Give me back my medallion," He sobbed pounding on the unforgiving wall. His voice echoed around the small room and in his ears. "You may proceed with the medical examination now. We will be starting with a shower." A small shower nozzle emerged from the ceiling and began spraying him with tepid soapy water that left his eyes stinging and his lungs gasping for breath. This was followed by a rinse of cold water as distinctly unpleasant as the jets of air that dried him off. Realizing the futility of further resistance and wiping back an angry tear Tobal finally gave up and concentrated on what lie ahead. He moved from cubicle to cubicle and was given an exhaustive physical exam that lasted several hours. Then he was given a small silver bracelet and instructed to wear it at all times. It was a med-alert bracelet that monitored his physical health and acted as a locating device so he could be found in an emergency. After the physical examination, he began a series of mental and psychological tests that seemed to last forever. Small breaks were given with food and water appearing out of the wall just like the drawer had. Twice he slept on a cot that slid out of the wall. The first things he learned were the controls to activate the food and water. The bathroom and shower were the next. He lost all sense of time and for two days was moved from one cubicle to another, problem solving, analyzing and doing test questions on a computer screen or taking objects apart and putting them back together again in demonstrations of physical dexterity. After two days of wearing nothing but a silver bracelet, Tobal was relieved when a drawer opened containing clothing. There was a gray woolen robe that reached to the floor, folded gray blankets of the same material, a pack, a sleeping bag and a pair of hiking boots with several pair of socks. He was busy tying his new boots when a final door opened with a cold draft and the computer voice said. "Welcome to Sanctuary." As the door closed behind him Tobal found himself in dim light standing between rows of sleeping cots. It was a dormitory of some sort. His legs started trembling and he sat down on one of the cots. It was hard and uncomfortable like molded plastic or ceramic. Still shaken by his experience of the past two days, he wondered what he should do now. Sanctuary was not what he had expected and he had not seen another living soul. He was nervous and wondering when he would be getting his medallion back. His eyes slowly adjusted to the gloom and he heard a noise in the corner to his right. Moving closer he saw two of the cots were occupied by sleeping figures. Against the wall he saw another food and water dispenser. To the right was the restroom and shower area. He walked around exploring each area in the dim light. He didn't see any exits and it smelled like a locker room. Moving over to the food and water dispenser he tried some of the food and nearly gagged. The machine dispensed soft chewy bars the consistency of glued together oatmeal. It was cold and distinctly unpleasant with a wicked aftertaste that stayed long after the food was gone. He grabbed a paper cup filled with water trying to get the taste out of his mouth. The water had a strong plastic taste and odor that made it just as unpleasant as the food bar. While it was wet, it was not at all satisfying. Again he sat down on the nearest cot and tried to think. So this was sanctuary. Just what was Sanctuary? What had he gotten himself into? There had to be a way out. He walked slowly around the room brushing his hand against the wall and in the darkest corner noticed something he had missed before. He entered the darkness and turned a corner that was barely visible. A light was glowing weakly and he moved cautiously toward it in the gloom. The light seemed to be flashing and oddly familiar. As he came closer he recognized it as the terminal he had first encountered on entering the building. At his approach it sprang to life and asked. "Do you seek sanctuary in Heliopolis, the city of the sun?" "Hey, what's the matter?" "Everything ok?" Tobal heard someone come up behind him and start shaking him on the shoulder. He looked up and there was a smaller tow haired boy with a shock of yellow hair grinning impishly. His face full of mischief. "What's wrong?" Tobal replied miserably waving his hand toward the hidden doorway behind the terminal. "I lost all my things. It took my things, my medallion that my parents left me." "Don't worry about that," the boy said, "you'll get your stuff back after you become a citizen." "Become a citizen?" Tobal asked. "Yeah, first you claim sanctuary, then after completing the training you are granted citizenship." "You mean I can't get into the city right away?" Tobal asked anxiously. The tow haired boy laughed, "Hey, that's a good one! Didn't your parents tell you anything?" "My parents are dead." "Oh," the smile vanished a minute from Rafe's face, then returned. "There's preliminary training you need before you become a citizen. Claiming sanctuary means you are applying for citizenship, first you have to prove yourself worthy by passing through the three degrees of training." "What are they?" Tobal asked. "The Apprentice degree is basic survival training," Rafe said, "You need to survive in the woods by yourself for one month." "I can't survive in the woods for a month!" Tobal exclaimed helplessly. "How do I learn? How do I live with no food or shelter? I'll die!" "That's right," Rafe grinned. "That's why I’m here. You need a teacher. The first part is your solo, but before you can solo you have to be trained. I'm here to train you. I will help you learn survival skills so you can solo. By the way, I'm Rafe," he said extending his hand in welcome. Tobal shook hands. He pointed at the chevrons sewn on his jacket. "Each chevron stands for one person I've trained and has soloed. You are going to be my sixth and last. After you solo I go on to the Journeyman degree." "Then I have to start training people?" Tobal muttered. "That's right. That is how you prove your mastery in living off the land. You need to train others if you want to be a leader." "That will take me forever!" "No. It depends on how hard you work at it." Rafe said cheerfully. "Look at me, you are my sixth student. I've been doing this for only one year. But I work at it. There are people that have been out here for six years and they still haven't trained six people." He winked at Tobal, "Did you notice I was in there sleeping?" "Yes," Tobal said. "Well, that's because I've been waiting for you." "Waiting for me?" "Well, waiting for someone, not you exactly. I've been waiting for someone to show up. I've been sleeping on the hard beds and my own food is almost gone. I can't eat that brown crap, it tastes really terrible." He grinned again, "Have you tried it yet?" Tobal nodded and grinned back, "I couldn't eat it either." Rafe grinned, "That's the idea." He chuckled, "The beds are not supposed to be comfortable. They discourage you from using them. They want you to get away from here, out into the woods and make your own shelter. Same thing goes with the food. They want you to find your own food. The food here will keep you alive, but it tastes terrible and so does the water. I can't think of eating or drinking that stuff unless I am really desperate." "What about her?" Tobal pointed at the other sleeping figure on the other cot. "Oh, Angel, she's a journeyman that got injured and is in here for medical treatment. She's recovering till she can go back to her own camp. She was in the mountains and had an accident. The medics brought her back here to get her leg bones reset and to recover. She’ll be alright but she's kind of grumpy this morning so just leave her alone OK?" Rafe warned him by putting his finger to his lips in a gesture to be silent. "We don't want to wake her up." As if on cue the hidden figure stirred and groaned under a pile of furs. "Now," Rafe continued, "have you had a chance to look at your pack yet?" "Not yet", Tobal muttered. His things were lying on a cot near the hidden door where he had entered the dormitory. Rafe took his pack and spread all the items out on the cot for Tobal to examine. There were eleven pair of socks to go along with the hiking boots. There was a compass, two canteens, a large sheath knife, a belt, a fire starter, a plastic encased map, a first aid kit, a sewing kit, a toothbrush, comb and some pencils with writing paper. Rafe pointed to the metallic silver bracelet that Tobal wore on his wrist. He said. "That is a med-alert bracelet. Wear it at all times. It is very important. The bracelets are used to monitor our health and physical location in case of emergency. People are getting injured all the time in these mountains and there needs to be some way of locating them." Rafe handed him the sheath knife and belt and told him to put them on. It was a heavy duty combat knife and came with its own whet stone for sharpening. The whet stone was in a separate pocket on the sheath itself. The belt was wide and brown with a square heavy buckle. "This will keep your robe shut." He chuckled. "It might get kind of drafty otherwise." Tobal commented. "These look like good quality hiking boots." Rafe snorted, "They will be totally worn out in two months. It's rugged out there and hard on everything. I come back every month or two and get a new pair." The robe Tobal was wearing reminded him of pictures he had seen of monks in old history books. It was scratchy and drafty. It seemed to be made of dark wool with a large hood. His belt held it tightly closed. "Isn't there any underwear?" Rafe laughed, "You've got to make your own." His eyes were sparkling mischievously. "Out here, you want it, you make it. See. I made mine." Tobal looked at Rafe and eyed his clothing. Instead of a robe, he was wearing a tunic that had been altered and buttoned to form a rough shirt. He was wearing a pair of gray trousers that looked hand sewn out of the same gray material as the robe. While Tobal's outfit resembled a monk, Rafe's outfit made him look like someone from a Ren Fair. "We've got other things for winter wear," Rafe said. Then Rafe walked over to a sled lying in the corner of the room and pulled out a heavy fur robe and handed it to Tobal. "You're going to need this," he said, "and these fur boots too. I've also got a hat and some mittens for you and these snow shoes." As he pulled out the items he helped Tobal put them on correctly. Then he put on his own furs and snow shoes. "Wait," Rafe said, "Water is important, we've got to fill our canteens before we go. The first thing you need to do before going on a trip is make sure your canteens are filled." They went to the water dispenser and filled all the canteens before heading outside. Outside the building Tobal tried walking in the snowshoes without falling on his face. After some practice he got better at it. Soon after that they left. "See that peak over there?" Rafe said, pointing east at a solitary snow capped mountain. "We're heading that way. That peak is called Old Baldy because it has snow on it year round. We're not going there, but we are heading in that direction and using it as a landmark. One of the first things to learn about living in the wilderness is not getting lost. We find where we are by using landmarks and topographical maps." "Check your compass and turn north, now turn the dial so it lines up with Old Baldy. See exactly what direction Old Baldy is. We will be heading east-north-east." He showed Tobal how to use the lensatic compass, turning the dial with the red line until it was pointed toward Old Baldy. Then he handed Tobal a cord. "Tie this around your neck and leave two long ends free. This cord is very important." "How many feet are there in a mile? 5280 ft. in a mile, right? That’s roughly 1760 yards or long foot steps. Can you take a three foot step? Take a three foot step and count keeping track of every mile you go east-north-east. Because of the rough country it will be difficult to always take big enough steps but we need to try. Tie a knot in the cord every 880 paces or so. That will be roughly ½ mile. Now take out your map." Tobal reached into his pack and pulled out the map. "Lay it on a flat surface with the top pointing north. North is always on the top of maps. Use the compass to make sure the map is pointing north." Tobal laid his map on the ground and turned it so the top was facing north. The wind was blowing so he used several small stones as paper weights to keep it from blowing away. "Ok, now look for some landmarks. The biggest and best landmarks are often mountains or lakes. In the winter like this it can be hard to recognize landmarks because they are covered with snow. Look at the map and see if you can find Old Baldy." "There are all kinds of mountains on the map, how do I know which one is which?" "You've got to look for distinguishing characteristics. Is one mountain all by itself? Is it taller than the others are? This topographical map will tell you the elevation. It will tell you if the mountain face is steep on one side or gently sloping." Rafe nudged him, "Look, the first thing you do is find something all by itself. That mountain over there," he pointed south. "That's called Hermit's Peak. It's not that tall and it's all by itself. There is nothing close to it. Can you find it on your map? Look for a mountain that is not very tall and all by itself." Tobal felt himself getting a headache as he struggled with the unfamiliar way of looking at the map. Suddenly he saw it. "There it is," he said excitedly. "It's all by itself and lower than the others." He pointed at a spot on the map. Rafe took a weighted string and lay it on the map so it crossed Hermit's peak. "Hermit's peak is straight south of us so we place our string across Hermit's peak going north and south." "I get it, that means we are somewhere on that string north of Hermit's peak!" Tobal exclaimed. "That's right," Rafe grinned. "Now do the same thing with another land mark. See if you can pick out Old Baldy on the map. Old Baldy is on the right of those other three. That means it will be somewhere on the right hand side of the string." Tobal studied the map carefully. He was beginning to understand the contour and elevation markings. Lines drawn close together meant a sharp rise or drop in elevation while lines far apart meant a gradual slope. Then he saw it. "Here, this is Old Baldy here isn’t it?" He pointed at a spot on the map excitedly. "That's right," Rafe said. "Now we take a different string that crosses Old Baldy. Since it is east-north-east of us we will place the string crossing Old Baldy in that direction. We use the compass to make sure our string is lined up right." Tobal looked closely where the two pieces of string crossed and saw a place marked on the map called Heliopolis. "Well, that's easy," he said. Rafe smiled good naturedly and said, "Sometimes it easier than others. It will take some getting used to. Now listen up, we are going four miles toward Old Baldy. Where will that put us on the map? Look at the legend, it shows how many inches to the mile. Ok, one inch on the map equals one mile in real life. That means four inches on the map equals four miles. Take your pencil and use it as a ruler to measure four miles and mark it on your map." Tobal measured carefully and marked the spot with his pencil. "That's going to be our camp tonight." Tobal could see there was a creek running near the spot he had marked. He was getting enthused about this map reading thing. It was opening a new way of looking at the world. The map really was a useful tool. "Ok," Rafe asked, "How do we know when we have gone four miles?" Tobal answered, "Every 880 paces equals ½ mile and I tie one knot in the cord. When I have tied eight knots in the cord we should be there." "Excellent," Rafe laughed, "You've got it! The first part of map reading is finding out where you are so you can go home. Now let's go. We're wasting time."
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