The Director turned back to Loni.
"Did she?"
There was no pretending he didn't understand. No time for that. Loni shook his head, emphatically, terrified at what they might do to Gem.
It was a fact, neither he nor his mate had done away with Galar, but Loni knew, Gem felt responsible. She had shocked Galar, sending him over the ledge. And even though she had tried to save him, Gem had released Galar at the end.
The guard peered closely into Gem's terrified eyes. She was trembling visibly. Loni felt her irrational fright of the colossal male; a dread he meant her to feel, yet there was nothing Loni could do to comfort, or reassure.
"I don't think they know anything about it," declared the man that held Gem.
The Director nodded. "Scar is either mistaken, or..."
At a movement of the director's head, the guard abruptly let Gem go. Both men turned to look toward Scar, who cringed, and seemed almost to shrink into himself under their scrutiny.
"Scar's probably the one guilty. He and his brother were no doubt fighting. Scar maybe got the upper hand, and now, he feels remorse. Had to blame someone, and Flaw was handy."
"Galar may simply have fallen down some drain hole, and couldn't get out. They are always fooling around by the ditches. Fact remains, Scar is alone...until Galar turns up, he needs supervision..."
The Director turned again to Loni.
"You!" he said. "You are good at handling misfits. Scar will join your group. He'll be issued new bedding, and necessities. He seems to have lost those he had. Take him with you!"
And with that, they were all dismissed.
Chapter 31
When he had Scar situated on a mat of his own, under a tree far enough away, he would not be a problem, Loni took time to sit down, and evaluate the situation.
There were two pressing emergencies looming: One, the women.
They were no longer safe by the waterfall. It was only a matter of time before those over them found where they spent their free time, and nights.
Loni needed to get Gem away from the Physicians, before the baby put in an appearance. They would definitely remove the child, after it was born. His own mother had hid him, but that likely wouldn't work a second time.
Now that Loni knew a way out, he had a place to go. However...it would take time to prepare for the escape, and he had too little time.
Secondly: Now that he was with them, how far could Scar be trusted? If Loni showed him the escape route, would Scar tell the overseers?
****
Scar didn't know how to act, so he stayed silent, watching. He knew Flaw from previously, and...the woman, but not her name. Galar had never called her by name.
Scar knew the other pair only as Flaw's work mates.
The four never spoke aloud, or rarely, anyway. Scar missed Galar's constant chatter.
It was days before he picked up their real names, and that only happened by accident, when one of the women caught the hand of a man to get his attention, and called him by name.
The dark, younger man was Da, not No Name, as the guards called him. Nor was Flaw known by the derisive moniker the overseers had given him. He was called Loni. Neither of these men ever spoke; Da made noises, and used gestures, but Loni seemed to have a way of communicating direct to the minds of the others.
The women called to each other, and that was how Scar learned their names, Lydia was the younger, despondent one; Gem or Gemma was the pregnant, frail one Galar had captured. She too, seemed able to make the others understand without any spoken word.
Loni and the two women were white skinned; actually Gem and Loni were more blue tint than anything, and Da was brown skinned, and dark haired, like Scar, himself.
Scar had been taught from birth, anyone of the light race was inferior, but he couldn't help but see...these blue people, Loni and Gem, were smarter even than Galar had been. And so, Scar chose to watch...and learned from them.
Loni was the undisputed leader, but unlike Galar, he led with a gentle hand. And apparently, he didn't demand total obedience; you could choose to do what you wished. Not like Galar: obey or else. Loni never punished...as far as Scar could tell.
Yet, the others most always did his bidding without questioning. They came and went by some silent orders, and...always returned. Da and Lydia brought food; more blankets, even pots from the storage area. It seemed, the four had the access key to supply.
After leaving the court room, where Scar had been thrown in with them; where it appeared only the accuser, Scar, had been given punishment, the group did not return to their work station, as Scar had expected. They detoured, first to the showers.
Scar felt he was clean; he'd not been working. The overseers had detained him in the court area all day.
In the shower, the other two men blocked Scar's view, until the women were dressed again, then first Da, and when he was finished, Loni, showered alone, while the other remained with the women.
When Loni went back into the steaming area, he dragged Scar with him. The new man had no choice, but to join in, and disrobe. It was like Scar had been compelled.
With their toilet finally finished, they went to the supply depot. After he had picked out his new property, Loni carried the new mat for Scar. This shocked him. Galar would never assist his twin with anything, even though he was the one with the two hands.
As they topped the ladder, Scar found they were at the top of the great waterfall,
