AS SOON as Benjamin learnt that Rachel had gone into labour, he summoned Laura, who arrived in mid-morning and sat by Rachel’s side, opposite Michael, both of them holding her hands to reassure her. Her contractions were continuing but had not become more painful yet. The midwife appeared and told them that the baby would probably be born in mid-afternoon.
And so it turned out: a healthy seven-pound baby boy appeared right on schedule, bawling lustily. Rachel was exhausted but radiant. After the routine Inspection (there was no need to summon Rigo’s chief Inspector: there was one of his deputies resident in the hospital), the baby was issued with his certificate, and Michael and Rachel quickly agreed that he would be named ‘William’ - or ‘Bill’ for short (“in memory of a lost friend” as Michael put it).
But when Benjamin appeared, he looked preoccupied. He briefly congratulated Rachel and Michael, but they could see that he had other things on his mind. They asked him.
“Things are not good outside, my friends. You’ve probably read about what’s been happening, and you may have witnessed some of it yourselves. It’s these Blueblack thugs causing all the trouble. Picking out people in the streets, even in their homes, and attacking them without provocation. I’ve never seen anything like it. And I’ve been singled out more than once—almost certainly because I’m Black. They’re shouting taunts at me: ‘Mutant’, ‘Blasphemy’ and so on. Just because my skin’s a different colour. Don’t they know that people with my skin colour existed even back in the Old People’s time? We were never mutations. Of course, my people suffered persecution even back then…
“And my father’s been writing to me, saying he’s had trouble even out where he lives. Blueblacks knocking on his door, yelling obscenities and insults at him, breaking his windows, threatening to ‘come back and do him’. He’s scared. He thinks he’d be safer with me in Rigo, but I told him it’s no better here. But I’m now thinking: I’d prefer to have him with me. But is it safe for him to make the journey?”
Michael nodded: he had seen some of this himself, although so far he and Rachel had avoided the worst. Fully aware that he was marked because of his appearance at the trial, he had grown a beard and cut his hair very short: this way he hoped to escape recognition. Rachel, of course, would lie low for the time being.
Rachel and the baby were back home in a few days. Stephanie was a superb help around the house, and Michael felt able to return to the shipyard and see if there was any work for him. But the date for the re-convening of the Chamber was fast approaching, and Michael was determined to be present, work or no work, to see the proceedings at first hand, however ugly the message put across might be.
On the due date, therefore, both he and Mark were seated in the public gallery. Seats in the Chamber had duly been allotted in proportion to the votes cast in the Election, with the result that the Church Party now had a majority of three over all other members: the Centrist Party plus two smaller parties. Hilary Bligh, still seated in the Governor’s chair, was therefore duly bound to call upon Malcolm Ruffer, as leader of the Church Party, to form the next Government.
Proceedings then began, as expected, with the vote for the next Governorship, and as expected, with members voting on party lines, Ruffer was duly appointed, Hilary giving up her seat and returning to the benches. Both Michael and Mark groaned.
But worse was to come. Ruffer forthwith rose and came to the podium to make his first speech as Governor. Michael and Mark could see that he was a tall, heavily-built man with a bald head and a big black moustache which extended way past the corners of his mouth: he had bushy eyebrows and piercing black eyes which were somehow disturbing if he fixed someone in his gaze. He was wearing a light blue suit and a black cravat: significant choice of wardrobe, thought Michael. His voice was deep and resonant.
He began in conciliatory mood: thanking the Chamber for putting their trust in him, and complimenting Hilary Bligh on her exemplary service as the former Governor. But then he continued:
“My friends, there will be changes under my leadership. Much has been allowed to take place unchecked—we shall put an end to that. Deviations and Blasphemies are on the increase again—” (“they are not!” hissed Mark to Michael in an undertone, and Michael nodded) “—but we shall ensure that this trend does not continue. The Devil may well believe that he has gained the upper hand and seeded our community with Abominations far and wide, even reaching out into this great city of Rigo itself—but we shall stop Him in his path—we have God on our side and God is mightier still! And I repeat once more that command from Repentances: ‘Watch Thou for the Mutant!’
“We shall put an end, once and for all, to the disgrace that they call the ‘Fringes’. Many of you, my friends, will know of the massacre that occurred there nearly two years ago—when more than a hundred good, upright men were slaughtered by Fringes dwellers using obscene Deviational weapons, the work of the Devil no doubt. Among those men who died, I must single out my good friend Joseph Strorm: a more honest, worthy and God-fearing citizen can hardly be named, a sad loss indeed to our society.
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“But this outrage shall never happen again. We shall destroy the Fringes, and the non-humans who dwell there, once and for all. Their raiding exploits shall cease. There shall be peace and order, prosperity and civilisation, throughout the land of Labrador!
“And another change we shall bring about. There has been far too much laxity amongst our womenfolk, with regard to the wearing of the Cross on their dress. The Cross is the symbol of the woman’s purity of heart and her obeisance to God’s laws. Accordingly, from one week this day, every woman, and every girl old enough to walk, shall bear the Cross on her dress, or face severe punishment.
“We shall make sure that the standard of Inspection, especially in the Frontier areas where Deviations are at their worst, is thoroughly reviewed. Any Inspectors who have been unduly lax and lenient at their work had better find other work! And the more serious cases, such as condoning a Blasphemy, we shall of course put on trial—” (Mark remembered with some anxiety their encounter with the Waknuk Inspector) “—and the punishments will be severe.
“The concept of the ‘almost Normal’ Deviation is a myth that we shall destroy. The ruling is simple: all Deviations, however minor their deformity, are sent by the Devil; are not true species whether plant, animal, or human. And we shall destroy the work of the Devil wherever we find it!”
There was tumultuous applause and cheering from the Church Party benches, with a few boos and whistles, and shouts of “Shame!” from the Centrists. Both Michael and Mark felt they’d had enough by now: they slipped out of the Chamber, went to untie their horses, and rode home without a word.
Both Rachel and Stephanie could tell at once from their faces what had passed. “Was it as bad as expected?” remarked Stephanie, although she knew already what the answer would be.
Michael shrugged. “Joseph Strorm all over again. We might as well have been sitting in the church back in Waknuk, listening to his sermon. We’re in trouble, all of us.”
All through the afternoon they sat pondering what their fate might be. Was it now time to flee to Newf, as Hilary had advised? It was clear that the Blueblacks meant business: there had been more beatings in the streets and many Rigo folk were afraid to leave their homes. But it was hard, for Michael and Rachel at any rate, to uproot themselves, after they had established a comfortable home and Michael’s steady job. Even Mark and Stephanie were now feeling at home in Rigo, So they waited: in the meantime Rachel and Stephanie were busy stitching crosses to all their dresses and blouses.
A few days later they received more disturbing news. As was customary, the new Governor had proclaimed a far-reaching amnesty for certain convicted criminals—and one of the first to be released was Simon Skinner. According to the news release, the Government now held him innocent of murder and his only crime had been letting off a gun in a crowded place. He had served sufficient time in jail already. And Ruffer lost no time in personally appointing him as senior officer in command of a division of the Blueblacks—‘for his valuable skill and experience at rooting out Mutants’. “Should have let him be hanged after all,” as Michael wryly observed.
Benjamin and his family, Michael and the others learnt, were now sleeping in the hospital, never venturing out. The hospital, at least, the Blueblacks had as yet not dared to invade, and it was well protected. Several days passed. Then, late one evening. Benjamin suddenly burst into Michael and Rachel’s house without knocking. He looked haggard and distraught, sweating profusely as if he’d run all the way from the hospital.
“I’ve just had another letter. Not from Father; from his housekeeper. She says those men returned, smashed their way into the house and dragged Father out: they hit him, slung him across a horse and rode off. She doesn’t know where to. I’ve got to get over there, find out what’s happened.”
“I’ll go with you,” Mark said promptly. His leg was perfectly all right by now. “No, not you Michael, you need to be here with Rachel. But Stephanie; you can spare me for a few days?” Stephanie nodded. “And Benjamin can borrow Michael’s horse. Should we start out now? At night?”
“I know the way,” insisted Benjamin, “and there’s a full moon, so yes. Safer at night: those Blueblack cowards mostly roam in the daytime. We’ll have to risk it. Wrap up warm.”
Within half an hour the horses were saddled and laden with sufficient provisions for the three-day journey. Just as they were about to set off, Mark, as an afterthought, went inside and picked up the shotgun and spare ammunition which were always kept in readiness inside the house. On seeing this, Benjamin pointed grimly to the revolver he already carried in a holster by his side.
The two of them set out. The night was clear and moonlit but very cold, and the horses were urged into a brisk trot, breaking into a gallop at intervals. Luckily the road, this close to Rigo, was well maintained, and they had no difficulty picking their way along it. Even more luckily, the road seemed almost deserted: at one point they passed the night stage-coach going towards Rigo, but without arousing suspicion. Benjamin insisted on their continuing their ride well into the morning: then resting up for the rest of the day and most of the following night. He said he knew of a rough trail branching off the main road, that led directly to Palukaat, the village where his father lived—but they could only follow it by daylight. It was unlikely to be frequented, or even known of, by the Blueblacks.
And so their journey continued. They sought out a good hiding-place to rest, eat some of their meagre rations, and catch up with some sleep, but it remained bitterly cold throughout their journey and they found it hard to sleep. On the evening of the third day they approached Palukaat and noticed, with some dismay, a thin column of smoke curling up from the village.
Sure enough, when they reached Samuel’s house it was little more than burning embers: all his furniture and other possessions were destroyed. There were no signs of any human remains.