The Ragoul use us as puppets, a tool for them to use as they wish. None remember the date of our planets death, or how long we have been slaves. However we do know this much, our slavers come from deep space, they show no mercy to those who violate. They are stronger and they are technologically more advanced. We also know that the time of humans is almost over.
1
A loud siren wakes us from our cold steel beds. The stench of industry rolls into our cell from under the huge door as it opens. We have only seconds to leave before the door slams shut and the sanitation procedure begins. The Extremely hot steam will melt flesh right of the bone. The roaring sound of high pressure steam behind steel sends a shiver up my spine as it always does. That signals us to start walking down the long bending catwalk. Many more are above and below begin to move like snakes only the hissing is soft heel boots clattering on steel. Thinner paths run across from ours have Ragouls observing us. They post there like hawks with riffles and battle armor.
Ragouls stand almost eight feet tall. Their skin is pale gray and damp. Their heads are bulbous and broad. They wear goggles to protect their yellow eyes. They have four digit hand all equipped with claws, and a full set of razor sharp teeth that sprays saliva when they speak.
A loud blast echoes from above as body falls from an upper catwalk. Someone must have tried to get two tubes of slop. That shit is disgusting; even if I was on the edge of starvation I would never eat two tubes. After watching the body fall out of sight I look ahead and see the distribution point. I take my tube without looking at the monster and fling my head back. Squeezing the tube into my mouth I swallow quickly and throw the tube into the pyre. I don't want the horrible taste of mud and feet to bide to my tongue. I squint my eyes and suck on my tongue as I grab my light and tool belt stepping onto the massive elevator.
The Monsters grunt and shove us in as if the mines wouldn't wait. We pack in like sheep and wait for the door to slam shut. Just before the door closes we all take a deep breath for the trip. It's a long way down and with this many people in a closed space you can't breathe. You would pass out before we hit bottom if you dare to try and breathe on the way down. This also keeps us from smelling each other. When the door opens we exhale and pant until we regain our breathing pattern.
The security checkpoint has three stations, Upper Mines, Lower Mines, and Core Mines. David and I work the Core Mines. They call it the Core Mines because we figure we are so far down we must be close to what was called the core of our own planet. Some say that this is our planet. I guess it's so they would have some hope to rebuild it.
In the Core Mines it's dark like all the rest, but down here it leaks gas and the stink is horrible. We have masks to protect ourselves but the smell still leaks through. It gets terribly hot to the point that you are dripping with sweat in the first ten minutes. The Ragoul seem to love it because they don't wear as must armor and they prance around singing some kind of motto or anthem. When they catch us staring they growl until we look away. We mine some type of mineral that must be very important to them because they force us to work hard. They whip us with laser whips when we appear to be moving slowly. We only break to eat more slop and drink grog.
Only fit men work the mines. The children clean everything with grease and oil. The women are separated and use for breading. There are not many women left. I was forced to bread three times before I had seen my twenty-fifth year. When you become too old to work they drag you away and no one knows where they take you or what they do to you. We fear the unknown, and we know very little.
We learn from each other and pass knowledge on to one another. We always have a pupil to teach. David is my Pupil, he is young and curious. I fear it will lead him wrongly. I was taught by old man Brock. He was a natural breed, one of the last. His mother told him of our home world, how green and prosperous it was. He also said that we were greedy and cruel and this is our punishment for our cruelty. One day he broke his leg coming of the elevator and was dragged off by two Ragoul. I tried to free him but I was beaten to the ground. I remember him telling me to be strong and he will survive through me as they dragged him away. I honor that by teaching David and others all that Brock had taught me.
