The light’s primeval radiance snared Konrad in its grasp; hypnotising him, seducing him. He dropped his end of the container and started to clamber across the payload, the pink light the only thing that filled his vision.
‘Konrad?’ Gigolo said anxiously as he too saw the light. ‘What is it?’
‘I don’t know,’ Konrad said. ‘But I’m going to find out.’
Gigolo’s eyes darted between the eerie glow and the guards. ‘Forget about that light. It’s nothing.’
Konrad continued to clamber away from Gigolo and Erik.
‘Come back before the guards see you,’ Erik pleaded.
Konrad turned to face his comrades as he appeared to consider their pleas.
‘Remember, it doesn’t pay to be curious around here,’ Gigolo said.
Konrad simply turned away.
‘Konrad.’ Gigolo desperately whispered. ‘Konrad!’
But he had already disappeared.
Konrad reached the other side of the hold. The radiant light still stood before him. It bled from a thick port-hole set in the centre of a circular hatch. Pawing at the wall like a blind man, he found the hatch’s control, which he then eagerly activated. It rose with a quiet hiss and revealed a short flight of spiral steps, at the top of which was located the apparent source of the mysterious light. He wound his way up and entered the very same spherical chamber that Stahl had occupied only hours before.
For a few moments Konrad simply gazed at the fogged-up sphere, which hummed impassively above him like a glittering deity in a temple. A series of controls ringed the lower half of the chamber. These, Konrad correctly assumed, monitored the sphere. Intriguingly, the controls displayed what he recognised as respiration and heart rates. There was something alive inside the sphere.
He cautiously approached the humming glass structure, his eyes narrowing with interest as he wiped away the condensation to expose the floating figures within. Recoiling, Konrad expected all the eyes to open at once to stare at the intruder, but thankfully for him, the eyes remained closed, the slumbering bodies apparently unconcerned by his presence. A new caution then prompted his steps to become softer and more tentative as the safety-net of the sounds of his colleagues working in the hold echoed less and less. This growing silence fed his fear of discovery and even threatened to overcome his innate curiosity. But despite this, Konrad stayed in the chamber.
Tracing his fingers across the sphere, he exposed the body of one of the female colonists. The prisoner paused. He was transfixed by the angelic body that swirled before him. It had been so long since he had seen a woman, any woman, that the sight of this Nazi colonist triggered emotions, feelings, urges that had long been suppressed and buried by the brutal all-male environment. He imagined his hands running over her breasts, his fingers kneading them slowly at first, then faster and more aggressively as his imaginary lust took hold of him. His hands drifted down her sensuous curves towards her buttocks and her pubic region. His bony body then entwined wantonly with hers. The fantasy intoxicated Konrad, totally wiping away his fear of being caught in this Nazi sanctum, but this lack of fear dulled his senses to such an extent that he was totally unprepared for what happened next.
A hand, strong and snake-like, suddenly whipped from the darkness and pushed Konrad to the floor.
‘Don’t touch them!’
Stahl emerged menacingly from the shadows and yanked the stunned prisoner to his feet and pinned him against the wall opposite the glass container.
‘Keep away from that sphere or you’ll contaminate it with your filthy hands!’ Stahl shouted. He slapped the disorientated prisoner. ‘Who are you? What are you doing up here?’ he then demanded.
The Nazi’s face totally dominated Konrad’s vision. It felt like Stahl was looking right into his soul. Konrad’s mind whirled as he pawed at the steel-grip around his throat as he realised with horror that the Nazi’s menacing voice was exactly the same as that terrible sound that had boomed from the spire in his dream!
‘It can’t be,’ Konrad muttered. ‘It can’t be the same voice.’
‘What did you say?’ Stahl asked, cocking his head like an inquisitive dog when he heard the strange answer provided by the cowering prisoner. He released Konrad.
‘I said nothing,’ Konrad said as he rubbed his throat.
‘Don’t treat me like a fool. What did you say?’
Konrad knew perfectly well that he couldn’t tell the truth. How could he explain that he had heard the Nazi’s voice in a nightmare. He breathed deeply as he tried to regain his composure and hoped his next answer would satisfy Stahl.
‘I said “Let me go.” That’s all I said.’
For a second, Stahl didn’t appear to be convinced by Konrad’s answer. His eyes narrowed into menacing slits as he considered the prisoner’s spluttered reply.
‘Are you sure that’s all you said?’ Stahl asked. ‘To my ear, you said, and I quote: “It can’t be the same voice.” So are you saying that it was I that heard you wrong? It was I who made the mistake.’
What could Konrad say? If he attempted to contradict the SS officer it would be a certain death-sentence. So, instead, he remained silent.
Again the Nazi’s eyes bored into the prisoner as he considered what to do next. A thin smile slowly crossed Stahl’s face. ‘Perhaps you were right, and I did mishear you.’
‘It’s not my place to say.’
‘At least we can agree on that!’ Stahl exclaimed. ‘As you say, this is indeed not your place. What were you doing in this chamber, you pig? I want the truth. Were you attempting to sabotage this hibernation tank?’
Konrad cried. ‘No, it wasn’t sabotage!’
‘Then why were you here?’
Konrad thought quickly for a suitable response. ‘I was in the hold looking for something amongst the cargo to steal.’
‘So you’re nothing more than a common thief,’ Stahl said with a note of disappointment.
‘I was looking for something valuable that I could trade for food back in the camp,’ Konrad said, thinking on his feet. He removed his cap, kneading it between his fingers to heighten his deference towards the Nazi. ‘But when I was in the hold, I saw the light from this chamber, and curious I decided to follow it.’
‘You were curious?’ Stahl smiled thinly.
He then slapped Konrad across the face.
‘Are you still curious?’ the Nazi then mockingly asked.
‘No,’ Konrad muttered.
‘I would have thought that curiosity would be a dangerous habit for a prisoner to possess, especially in a place like this. Curiosity in your kind usually ends in a trip to the gas chamber. And believe me when I say that’s a fate I would be more than happy to confer upon you for desecrating this place.’
Konrad bowed his head to avoid Stahl’s withering gaze.
‘Haven’t you anything to say to me?’ Stahl then asked. ‘Something you need to say that would stay your punishment.’
‘Please forgive me,’ Konrad mumbled.
Apparently satisfied, Stahl released him and turned to gaze at the container.
‘Beautiful, aren’t they?’ Stahl said proudly. It was obviously for Konrad’s benefit.
Konrad remained silent, lest any answer he now gave triggered the Nazi’s anger again.
‘Tell me, do you think they’re gods?’ Stahl asked. He looked at Konrad. ‘Would you worship them?’