After asking Grandpa Max to inform his parents about his departure and bidding farewell to him, Ben ventured into space with his partner. He had to admit it, he did feel quite guilty for not facing his parents and explaining the situation, but Ben honestly didn't want any other delay, nor did he want to listen to Carl and Sandra's paternal worries. He doubted they would let him go if the details of this new threat would have been mentioned, as well as he doubted Rook would have waited for the argument to finish and for his parent's permission to leave. The idea sounded both abusive and selfish, and Ben was glad Max hadn't insisted on it.

The ride was going by mostly in fraught silence. Ben could sense his friend's anxious hurry to reach his home in the harsh way he handled the controls of his beloved ship even after getting inside the planet's atmosphere.

Ben looked out the window and examined the passing sight. Just like that time the Incurseans had brain-washed many households, the outlying villages were visibly fine and the landscape remained as beautiful and lively as ever. Nothing seemed to be out of place from distance, but that little fact wouldn't trick the pair again. They were experienced enough to know that there weren't worse trouble than those one couldn't initially perceive.

It wasn't until one familiar village came into view that Rook loosened his strong grip on the steering wheel. In his peripheral vision, Ben noticed the mild change in his friend's tense posture as he descended the ship onto the one of the platforms located a few yards away from his place. Rook Shar stood near the sector in her regular farmer dress, her arms folded edgily over her chest and her features, much like her brother's, displaying unhealthy concern and sad bitterness even when the only source of help she was fully willing to accept landed next to her.

Once Rook got out the ship, the Plumber Cadet lost all interest in the spacecraft. She dropped her arms at once and ran up to wrap them feebly around him, more like a token of gratitude than a welcoming gesture. Shar rested her head on his shoulder, looking for alleviation, and Rook returned the needed embrace until she decide to pull away, offering a weak smile.

"It took you a while, but I am sure you set off as soon as you managed. Thank you for coming alone."

Rook flinched slightly. He opened his mouth to confess, but a sound made by the other door slamming shut interfered with his speech. Ben walked around the ship and was immediately within view before Rook could explain.

Shar's expression fell as she turned to her brother. "Blonko! Did you not comprehend the ulterior purpose behind my message? Why did you bring Ben with you?"

Her brother tried to speak up again. "I..."

"I insisted on coming," Ben interrupted defensively, making a self-effacing approach to the siblings. "I'm sorry if my presence bothers you, I just must help you two."

Of course, the alien girl didn't look convinced. She scowled at the taller Revonnahgander without discretion. "You will be responsible for any potential commotion related to this."

Ouch. That actually hurt Ben a little. "You know, it doesn't have to be that way. Not everything I do means trouble."

Rook cleared his throat to draw back his sister's attention. "We have discussed this subject. Ben promised he would only use the Omnitrix in urgent matters."

Shar eased off considerably at the information, but the modest anger in her gaze didn't dispel. She set her eyes on Rook for an instant, then stared viciously at Ben. Her appearance eventually eased off too, though, and she gave a resigned, heavy sigh. "If that is the case..." she trailed off, processing their assurance, forcing the best expectations to engulf her brain. "...Then I have to appreciate your intention, Ben."

The human noticed Shar's evident disinclination, but her gratitude still sounded sincere and real. "You're welcome, I guess."

Rook looked around. It was strange that the rest of his siblings hadn't come out to greet them. "Where is our family? Are they all right?"

"Yes. They are about to have a meal, inside. We will be joining them."

"Hey, first things first. Wouldn't it be better if we skipped lunch?" Ben suggested, sensing his partner's hidden yet growing impatience as the female Plumber began to walk away. "We should carry out an investigation here and perhaps check on the neighbours, don't you think?"

"Ben is right, sister. I am not willing to waste more time. If our village is in danger, then we shall intervene forthwith."

Shar went rigid at their careless words. She spun sharply and rushed back to place a hand before Rook's mouth softly, casting a cautious glance over her shoulder. She relaxed after not seeing any relative out. "This village has not been attacked in any way yet," she whispered loudly, turning again. "And that is all the information I can impart at the moment. Father is the only member of the family who is aware of these crimes, and he strictly instructed me to leave our siblings and mother out of this."

"Hold on, you mean they don't know about this killing spree?" Ben asked in a hushed tone, amazed. "But such things as murders don't happen every day here. It won't be long before the news reaches their ears."

Rook nodded in agreement. Since the major part of the farmers were in contact, most hearsays spread fast among them, let alone if the rumours consisted more of warnings than trivial gossip. "Neighbours tend to divulge alarming occurrences provided by acquaintances. The entire family will find out someday."

"Your theory is highly probable. However, these are father's orders and I cannot fail to obey. He will reveal the true state of affairs, but all in due course. He merely does not wish to disturb them, not just yet."

"So this is going to remain private till further notice," Ben concluded.

"If that is the way you choose to see it, then yes."

"It sounds reasonable enough," Rook simply agreed, "I can avoid talking about this specific topic in front of them, but I need a more detailed explanation before stepping into our home. You said this village in particular has not been attacked..."

"Do not be impatient, please. I will explain everything on our way to Sheriff Wat-Senn's place, right after taking this meal. And remember, you are here on an ordinary visit... with Ben."

Rook got rid of the urge to sigh by pinching his nose. "...Okay," he muttered resignedly, which Shar interpreted as the end of their conversation and her cue to head back to the farmhouse.

Ben stood by his partner's side, waiting for him to perform other action than staring into space. He patted him on the back and obtained a crestfallen look. "Hey, it's just one more hour."

"Please, be tolerant of my father," the alien reminded him.

Ah, so that was his secondary worry. "Has it ever been otherwise?" Ben asked smugly, on the verge of smirking. "Come on, let's go."

They followed Shar all the way to the residence and were promptly acknowledged by everyone in the cosy dining-room. Rook's younger sisters, as well as his mother, turned to them and offered genuine, welcoming smiles at the same time Rook Ben cheered and ran towards them, likely intending to launch himself at his brother, proving further that they had indeed not become acquainted with the sanguinary crisis their home world was suffering. Rook Da, Ben noticed, was strangely nowhere to be seen.

The Plumber caught his hyperactive sibling and lifted him high in the air, grinning heartily before putting him down so he could tackle-hug Ben as usual. The hero chuckled and combed his fingers through the child's soft, black tuft of hair, placing the other hand on his back affectionately.

"Blonko! We were not expecting to see you two today! What a pleasant surprise!" Rook Bralla exclaimed, spreading her arms in a hospitable gesture. She looked enthusiastically at her middle daughter, who had been setting the table and arranging the widely composed cutlery. "Shim, add some utensils for your brother and our guest, please." While the white-haired alien girl dashed across the room and into the kitchen, her mother's loving gaze settled again on the just-arrived boys. "Son, you and your friend do not have to stay there. Come over and sit down! I presume you will join us, am I correct?"

Rook pretended to be tranquil and let his shoulders go limp in the familiar environment, flashing a warm smile at her. "Of course, mother. How could I decline any of your meals?"

Well, it was actually a good question. As far as Ben knew, it had been like a month and a half of 'abstinence' for Rook. Apparently, the Amber Ogia served in Earth didn't taste the same. Not that Ben would go and corroborate that statement. Sure, unlike other kinds of alien dishes, he could swallow the fruit without gagging and he was relatively on friendly terms with his partner's native food. But truth be told, Ben wasn't precisely very fond of its delicate, sticky consistency, and he also found Amber Ogia to be way too sweet for everyday meals or even a 'sometime food', regardless of the recipe.

Speaking of the devil... "Ben, what about you?"

Ben caressed the head of the alien clinging to his stomach and gazed up at Bralla. "Sure... I'll... I'll eat with you, if that's not a problem."

"It is hardly a problem," Bralla clarified kindly, "Please, have a seat."

The youngest Revonnahgander released him and Ben moved his arms to each side, accidentally elbowing someone's ribs in the process. He spun on his heels with an apology stuck in the middle of his throat, and almost leapt at the abrupt appearance of Da and his ever present stern look. "Um, sorry, Sir..." Ben murmured nervously, shuffling out the way to stand near his friend and embrace the feeling of security he transferred.

Da stared, his eyes dull and serious on the teen, until he finally focused on his son. "Blonko, I see you brought Benjamin with you," the farmer said, his voice too inscrutable for them to analyse. He regarded the pair coldly at first, but his gaze softened by the narrowest of margins an instant later. He rested a hand on his son's shoulder and an unusual, mellow voice announced his next words. "Welcome home." He glanced at Ben fleetly. "Both of you."

Rook felt more room in his chest. His father didn't smile, but he was, in all probability, doing his best to act courteously and to leave aside his dislike for Ben.

Whereas Rook couldn't be more grateful to him, Ben got the impression that Da's sharp, albeit more or less controlled attitude, really wasn't about him on this occasion.

Since they no longer shared the table in hostile silence, the mealtime lapsed comfortably. In contrast to Ben's first visit, there had been absorbing conversation subjects ranging from confusing earthling customs to typical family matters that would always elicit a good laugh from Ben.

After two years, he had surprisingly bonded with his friend's family, especially with each one of the siblings and –in a lesser extent, with the passage of a tempestuous year– with his mother, earning enough reliance to participate and even express his view on talks brought out by them. The Revonnahganders seemed genuinely interested in their son and daughter's adventures back in Earth, and they would occasionally and additionally inquire about the wielder of the Omnitrix's stories, most of the time listening intently to the details and, needless to add, interrupting to ask the meaning of certain expressions.

For a short-lived moment, brushing aside the main reason to be there, Ben was deeply delighted by the gathering. Much like him, the younger ones had grown a few inches since they all first met and also changed noticeably in both appearance and demeanour. Rook Ben obviously kept his chatty, energetic and childish personality, for instance, but he no longer made a mess of himself and his spot at the table just to annoy his sisters. Shim and Shi still behaved as mannerly as before, timid yet approachable and always laughing at the jokes Ben would tell or at his silly misfortunes in regards to cultural contrast. Appearances and personalities had adjusted according to the alien girls' respective ages. Rook Shi's hair had grown a couple of inches past her shoulders, and her older sister, more talkative and physically developed to a greater extent, opted for letting her long, white hair down in lieu of the everyday neat braid.

Ben wasn't a member of the family, but watching them shape their personalities for the next stage of their lives just triggered a warm, gratifying feeling inside him.

Which, in this particular day, enfeebled a bit due to the pensive aura emanating from Shar, sitting at his right, and Da, settled at the end of the table, both of them outwardly distraught. Ben glanced at his half-eaten dish, then at their full plates, and didn't even have to ask. A burden of grave concern was weighing on their minds. They had been rather quiet for the most part, and at that point, a distracted Rook Da who didn't open his mouth to make subtle yet insulting remarks was straight out alarming.

Ben cast a brief glance towards his partner, settled at his left and perhaps a bit closer than normal. He was acting as ebullient as in any other day, constantly participating in conversations and often smiling at whoever talked to him. Ben had to admire his actor qualities; he was pretty good at pretending. It seemed it wasn't a hereditary skill.

"...I am principally looking forward to the commencement of the festival," Shim was currently saying from across the table. "The main fireworks display is magnificent and never ceases to amaze me... Oh, Ben!" she called all of a sudden, "Are you planning to stay and celebrate with us?"

The human blinked a few times, clearly at loss. "I'm sorry, what? Celebrate?"

"The harvest festival starts in three days!" Rook Ben explained, "Will you take part?"

"Eh... I... I don't know." He gave Rook a quizzical look. "Will I?"

"Um, I... I do not know either." The Plumber passed the same look on at his father. "Will he?"

Da raised an eyebrow, then sighed and bowed his head lightly. "As long as no other silo explodes, he can participate." He shot Ben a warning scowl. "And more importantly, keep distance from my son's ship. We do not want to repeat the events that took place last time."

Ben mentally banged his forehead against the table. No matter how many times Rook Ben explained himself, that incident would be his fault alone until the end of the universe. He cracked a nervous smile. "Well, you know what they say. Third time's a charm."

Da narrowed his eyes. "I am not familiar with the expression, and you are well aware."

Rook hastened to place a defensive hand on Ben's smaller back. "It means he will not be a source of inconvenience on this occasion," he reassured, squeezing the awkward human protectively.

Either the rest of the household didn't register the tension rising around them, or they were so used to Da's dealings with the off-worlder that it didn't entail much concern.

"So, will you be present?" Rook Ben insisted, grinning cheerfully as though his father weren't staring daggers at his idol.

Ben yanked the part of the shirt encircling his neck. "So it seems, buddy."

"Having you here is going to be very amusing," continued Shim, a sportive smirk tugging at her purple lips. "Are you going to dress like the Harvest Queen and chase my brother around the village again?"

The ambience brightened with that jesting question. Rook Ben's snorts and his sister's cute snickers filled the room. Even Da, seriousness incarnate, left behind his unrelenting glare and made a barely audible sound resembling a faint snort at the memory. It didn't surprise Ben much. After all, Rook Da had laughed his butt off. Well, at least Shim had stopped teasing him about that bad choice of a fork on his first day there.

Ben heard Rook snicker and turned to him, mildly embarrassed and ready to accuse the ex-farmer of treachery. He punched the alien's thigh playfully, ignored his captivating smile, and proceeded to glare at Shim in the same manner, simulating indignation. "That's a low blow! I was tricked! The little alien over there took advantage of my ignorance!"

Rook eyed his friend with harmless, mischievous malice and leant closer. "Ben, we might belong to different systems, but much like Revonnah, conventional human stereotypes indicate that wearing garments of any variation of pink is not appropriate for males."

"But I didn't know it would be the same way here! It was my first day in your planet and your brother said it was the king's clothing!" Ben slumped back and crossed his arms, his cheeks flushing for a myriad of reasons. "What's your point, anyway?"

"My point is that you acceded to wear a costume seemingly designed for females with its respective accompanying items, and..." Rook trailed off, the adorable smile growing into a charming, teasing smirk. "You did not seem bothered or uncomfortable until we revealed the truth."

Ben's lips quivered for a second. He managed to open his mouth, intending to say something witty and sensitive like 'dude, I didn't want to judge your race's colour preferences' or 'I merely wanted to celebrate with you', but he closed it again like a miserable fish out of water when the farmers' suppressed laugh rang in his ears for a second time. Da was the only silent member of the family, offering a hardly noticeable, tight-lipped smile that clearly wouldn't widen. Cheeks burning, Ben's neck snapped to Rook. "You're so paying for this."

Expectedly, the Plumber's expression rejoiced even more at the sad attempt of a threat. But it gradually faded to a blank one after the moment passed and his amber eyes flicked up to look past Ben. The hero followed his partner's gaze and found it meeting with Shar's.

And soon, the bitter atmosphere came back. "Sister, shall we take a stroll around the village with Ben now?"

"Oh, sure. Excuse me, I forgot..." The Plumber Cadet played along and rose from her chair.

"Great! Can I go, too?"

"Um..." Shar didn't know what to answer. The eagerness in her younger brother's voice was too much to handle.

So she glanced at her father for back up, and he understood straightaway. "No, son, you may not. I require your help this afternoon. You will stay here."

Rook Ben whined and leaned backwards as his father escorted the group out of the house.

Once gathered on the short grass meters away, the farmer stood before his two eldest children and their friend. "Be careful on your way to Wat-Senn's place. Whether you decide to reach your destination flying on the ship or walking, take good care of yourselves." Da paused and pointed at the Omnitrix sourly. "I suggest that you transform wisely and at opportune moments, though. If something deemed a critical threat happens, you may change your form. Otherwise, I beg you not to use it in front of the farmers."

"Don't worry, Sir. We're doing this subtly, without attracting attention. I frankly don't understand your disapproval of the Omnitrix, but I do respect it. Our priority is exploring and shielding your people, and only after achieving that goal, I'll use the Omnitrix to hunt down those criminal masterminds." Rook looked toward Ben with astonishment in his eyes. When had the teen become so calm and mature? "And once we finally find them, I'll kick their sorry butts all the way to HQ prisons!"

Never mind.

Da blinked a few times, nodded dismissively, and gazed up at his daughter. "Do not forget to ask Wat-Senn for the information I requested about East villages."

"I will not, father."

They chose to walk across the uneven terrain in order to verify the current conditions of neighbouring families, avoiding the mountains' edges as much as possible to make the process faster, safer and less tiring for Ben. They came across several inhabitants of all ages, each one of them performing daily activities and chatting. Some had the air of being preoccupied, others seemed imperturbable. Some waved civilly, others remained motionless. Either way, every group of farmers had a thing in common: they all sent lingering stares at Ben.

Rook had just grabbed his upper-arm and gently dragged the off-worlder between him and his sister when someone called his given name. He spun around, and found himself wrapped in a sweet, tight embrace which he eagerly returned.

Ben's stomach twisted into a nauseating knot. He averted his eyes.

The Plumber pulled away, beaming with delight and relief. "Rayona! You are all right!"

The farmer flashed an endearing, wistful grin. "Better now that I see you here," she told him, holding his hands. "It has been a while..."

For a short stretch they stood still, gazing intently and almost lovingly into each other's eyes, just the two of them, until Shar made an inopportune sound to clear her throat, effectively gaining their attention and prompting them to put some distance.

Ben felt the sudden need to worship her.

"Hello, Rayona. Nice to see you."

"Yes..." Ben agreed, hands in pockets, his downcast eyes reluctantly looking up to hers. "Same here. Glad you're fine."

Rayona acknowledged them with another broad smile. She was about to reply, but Rook cut her off and turned her around brusquely by the shoulder, his face mirroring outright worry. "How is your family?"

Rayona's grin dwindled to a frail smile. "They are quite distressed, especially my parents and grandmother, but fortunately they are doing well," she answered, flipping a strand of glossy hair behind her shoulder. "Thank you for your concern."

"Should you need our assistance, do not hesitate to ask."

She laid a delicate, light hand on his cheek. "I know we can rely on you, Rook."

Ben had to keep going forward, even at a slow pace, to tear his eyes away and not feel like an invader. This was their moment. He didn't have the right to ruin it with jealously and sullen faces.

Rayona glanced at him, then at his ex-boyfriend's sister who was glowering fixedly at her with crossed arms. The farmer understood the hint and took an inflexible step back. "Forgive me. You must not have time for greetings. You all appear to be heading somewhere. I do not wish to delay you." She paused to kiss the Plumber's cheek. "Whenever you have a moment to spare, please, do meet me up. Until then, take care of yourself." Rook gave a promising nod and she waved at Shar before hurrying away.

Rook watched her go benevolently, then turned back, and found his friend meters ahead and a bleak frown plastered to his younger sister's face. "Is there a problem?" he couldn't help asking.

Shar's only response was a fierce nod toward Ben, something that Rook obviously didn't grasp. His features held concern, but his obliviousness reduced any sentence to a perplexed shrug. Shar shook her head hopelessly and proceeded with her walking, motioning for Rook to follow them and trying to convince herself that her brother wasn't blind, just clueless about some stuff when it came to Ben.

Rook caught up with his partner's strides rapidly. He couldn't tell why the human had so coarsely left without saying good-bye, and none of his companions had the air of being eager to elucidate the reason either. But Rook wanted to wise up, and thus allowed his inquisitive nature to take command, taking Ben's upper-arm tentatively. "Ben, if I may ask..."

Ben faced him with an ordinary, bright gaze as they kept on walking. Rook wasn't the only good one at pretending. "Go on."

"Why did you continue ahead without us?"

"Oh, that. Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude, it's just, y'know..." Ben struggled to smirk, waggling his eyebrows and nudging the alien. "I thought you and Rayona needed some quality time."

Rook furrowed his brow. "I do not know what you are referring to."

Ben puffed sarcastically. He was great at pretending, but for a very, very limited period of time. "Yeah, right."

"Pardon me?"

"Nothing, nothing." No case. The mixture of faint anger and intense heaviness of heart were manifested in his dry tone.

"Ben, I need to remind you..." Shar interjected accusingly, "I was there as well. I believe that sharing your brilliant idea with me would have been more convenient and practical."

Damn, this girl was definitely in two minds, wasn't she? First she sort of helped Ben in an indirect manner, and the next moment she stabbed her favourite scythe on his back. "Well, I was convinced that you'd follow me on your own!" Ben retorted, raising his voice the slightest bit without noticing. "It's common sense! How could I have known you wouldn't realise and ruin their smoochy moment instead?"

"Smoochy moment?"

A sly smile spread across Shar's face. "You are welcome."

Oh, Rook was so lost in their conversation. "Why should Ben be grateful?"

Ben glared at her through narrow eyes. What was she playing at? "Don't you owe us an explanation?" he demanded, thoroughly unwilling to push the issue.

"Actually, both of you owe me clarifications," Rook corrected, sounding incensed in a minor degree. "But I would rather hear about the countless felonies occurring around my planet."

Following a fairly declivitous path, the village where the siblings resided became a faraway land behind the trio. They arrived to the edge of a deserted, steep falling surface where the wind increased its speed and blew in larger gusts, whistling in their ears as the group drowned into the majestic view in front and below. Several peaks of remote, terraced mountains dug into the mass of condensed water vapour floating high above the ground, threatening to scratch mercilessly the beautiful, blue sky with pointed crests. Ben examined the drop, trying to trace a mental, quick road in which he hopefully wouldn't trip over, fall down, and pathetically roll all the way to the base.

Shar pointed at an extensive, scarcely distant massif where plenty of farmhouses laid in the foothills. "Those are East villages, the ones father mentioned. Farmers who have gone there to visit relatives detected dead bodies in lake shores, harvesting fields and occasionally near the victims' residences."

The two Revonnahganders descended the craggy, bushy slope deftly, with Ben taking halting steps after them and holding onto the rocks to keep his balance.

Previously looking over his shoulder, Ben spotted a mischief of Muroids staring from a side cave and he almost panicked. He made a series of unsteady, disobedient movements, attempting to catch up with his friends' agile pace, only to end up lurching downward involuntary, uttering a high-pitched, short yelp and clinging to Rook's waist from behind in search of balance.

The alien dug his heels on the ground, ceased to move and looked at him questioningly. Ben composed himself and rushed to speak in desperate need to join their conversation. "You mean no thefts? Grandpa said some houses had been broken into."

Shar disregarded the ungainly 'hug' on purpose. Enough torture for Ben on one day. "Exactly. Wat-Senn has been notified of a vast number of cases related to property damage. However, we inspected a few homes and discovered that personal belongings have not been stolen."

Rook hooked his wrist loosely around Ben's to serve as a guide during the rest of the slope. The wielder of the Omnitrix flinched considerably at the gesture, but he didn't have the heart –or the will– to protest. Rook, on the other hand, appeared to find it comfortable. Perhaps even natural. "Surely, those who are in charge of invading residences are not after belongings, but after the material they are made of."

"Indeed. They are interested in the essential element our planet yields."

"Wait, but why would they go around killing and kidnapping families?" Ben reasoned, his arm rigid so as not to fall limp and let the little contact slip. "Amber Ogia grows into the crevices of rocks. It's not that hard to get. Heck, they could barge into the fabrics and take over the silos where the processed fruit is stored."

"Ben, there is no end to the lengths oppressors would go to seize the largest quantities of Amber Ogia. Households in general have nearby emergency reserves in case complications concerning the crops arise."

"Well, I didn't know that... But still, this is plain sick. It can't be only about fruit."

"Your argument is indisputable. Amber Ogia is not the only important factor." Shar conceded, leaning backwards and stretching her arms to resist the marked, lopsided drop. "I am certain this is the beginning of a conspiracy."

They reached the base of the drop and went through a narrow path between high rocks. Another village came into sight at the end and Ben whined in his head when Rook let go, but he focused again promptly. "Conspiracy against an entire species you say?"

"It is no more than a hypothesis. That is the reason why we are heading to Sheriff Wat-Senn's base. He has been visiting attacked villages within a hundred kilometres radius of his own place, approximately, to prevent other areas from being targeted."

"Sounds like a whole lot of risky work for just one Plumber."

Shar shot a look at him over her shoulder. "What are you implying?"

Ben didn't cringe under her intense glare. He had never been afraid to voice his point of view and this certainly wouldn't be the first time. "I mean precisely that. To try handling things without help every now and then is okay, but this is grave. Why don't we simply communicate with Plumbers HQ and ask for backing or something? I'm surprised Wat-Senn hasn't done it yet! For all we know, which I must add it's not too much, this could be senseless butchery or an invasion!"

The Plumber Cadet halted and faced the boy just as sharply, placing both hands on her hips. "Wat-Senn assimilates my people's reactions and respects the judgement of both elder population and my father. If we handled the Incurseans in an accomplished manner without the rest of the Plumbers, we can also solve this without them, be that the case of an invasion or savage killing." She squinted at him. "Unless... Is this too much for you?"

"What?" Ben let out a conceited chuckle. "Are you kidding? I've dealt with countless lethal threats since I was ten! I can totally handle this."

"Then live up to your word and help us the way you told our father."

Ben parted his lips to keep on arguing, to mention again the possibilities and remind her about the large number of Revonnahganders who had died by the hand of unknown criminals, but his jaw tightened. It was in vain. Shar knew about all that and was still partial to her race's requests. Ben felt Rook grip his forearm and his eyes flicked up to the alien's unsmiling face.

"We have already discussed this for quite a long while, Ben. Stop insisting."

The hero yanked his arm free, earning a deep, scolding glare from his best friend before the siblings strode across the mountain terraces. Ben sighed and forced his legs to move. This race was excessively orthodox. Their upholding of tradition was not his territory to tread in.

"So," he prompted, after minutes in complete absence of words inside the village. "Which direction is Wat-Senn stationed in?"

"We must follow up the same path across the village," Shar said, inspecting the unusually stagnant land. "We should be there in brief."

Rook glanced around at the farmhouses, searching for inhabitants or movements of any kind, but he found nothing save two pairs of scythes lying abandoned on the fields. Rook couldn't explain it, but just looking at the cutting tools with its owners nowhere to be seen put him on. It gave him the impression that each farmer had disappeared at the same exact time.

Prompted by instinct, he rested his hand on the Proto-Tool. That prolonged silence wasn't characteristic of his diligent people, not three days before the harvest festival. Something was going on. "Sister, has this area been attacked?"

"No one notified such a thing. However, two members of different families have been missing for a couple of days."

"What do you know about them?"

"One of them is a female. She is roughly your age. The other one is a farmer in his late thirties. His two sisters share a residence with him in the centre of the village."

"Hey, guys." Ben pointed. "Is that normal?"

The siblings' eyes followed Ben's finger to the edge of the mountain, where a bunch of ancient, middle-sized rocks should be. Instead, they spotted a short trace of dozens of shattered, tiny stones surrounded by pools of amber liquid that extended linearly along the slope. Both stared down in incredulity.

Rook shook his head slowly at the setting. "No. That is hardly normal."

"The only being who actually has the ability to inflict destruction on our landscape is Ben, and he is not considered normal here."

"Oh, come on! You're all quite weird too! And I'm not the only one who can wreak havoc with your precious rocks and fruit!" Ben protested, taking a wide stance. "There is this traditional fighting style of yours, Revonnah Kai or... Something! Perhaps someone good at it was practising and broke these rocks?"

"Ben, the Stone Cutter is not a movement you practise with rocks that yield Amber Ogia. Or with any rock in a village, for that matter." Rook's gaze drifted to the lonely fields. "I do not think habitants are responsible."

"Most certainly not," Shar said bitterly, "I have seen this before and I am more than sure that it was caused by the very common lowlifes behind each recent crime." She stomped the ground and stalked across the village. "Let's continue. Wat-Senn must have witnessed something."

Ben and Rook exchanged a concerned look and strode after her. Just as the group had imagined, not a soul showed up during the rest of their quiet walking. They solely found a scythe stuck to the grass on the next flat level above and that was pretty much it. They didn't have time to explore further either, since Wat-Senn's place was minutes away from the beginning of the village, like Shar had stated.

As per usual, the alien girl didn't bother to knock for privacy's sake. "Wat-Senn, I am here! I brought Ben and my brother to–" The announcement caught in her throat. Her companions' eyes widened in shock and a horrified gasp escaped her mouth.

The chairs and round table had been knocked over savagely. Smashed pieces of porcelain cups and plates were scattered over trampled food. The fridge's door was terribly dented and one of the window shutters hung broken and crooked, held on by a single hinge.

Shar put both hands to her nose, pressing her lachrymal sacs to fight down the suffocating wave of tears. A long trail of thick dots of blood branched out in all directions, and it burned whatever air remained in Rook Shar's lungs to imagine that her mentor had been hauled across the room while his wounds dripped blood. Appalled beyond measure, she dragged her gaze deeper into the room and noticed the other two doors' damaged locks. Without thinking twice, she sprinted toward them and dashed into the next room.

"Wait!" Ben and Rook cried out in unison, rushing in the same direction. They found Shar standing still in what appeared to be an average transmission sector, her back facing them as she stared at the slashed, smoky communication equipment emitting weak sparks, and then at the wooden counter where empty blaster stands rested.

Wat-Senn. Those vile criminals had assaulted and stolen from Wat-Senn.