"Do it, mister!" Harrigan decided briskly "You guys haven't had anything hard enough to truly test your skills yet – oh I remember the Crassich lab mission, that was a good start for sure, but this time it's just you lot an' there's no one looking over your shoulders! If all's gone well you should have a Hand contact on Kalian you can call if things go a bit pear-shaped on the way out, or if you need better maps an' such on the way in".
"Now hear this, now hear this..." Keyah announced over the shipwide PA "Tactical Command is to report to hammond sight flight deck. This is not a drill. That will be all".
Koronna and Lazarus, along with a very out of puff Liz, were there as well – Lazarus got a salute, since he was the commanding officer, but otherwise Rulok ignored him as he addressed his teams.
"We get a serious challenge..." Krynak said, grinning just a little "This will show any sceptics in the Hand what we're made of, alright...and it's just the kind of mission I like! In and out, nice an' quick – only problem should be if Kalian police is on alert or the Army there's doin' some exercise or other".
"We do this right..." Lirak replied, grumbling a little "...and that won't matter. Kalian's a high-security world, certainly... but as long as we do the approach right the first time I don't see that we have anything to worry about" before he turned to face the rest of the teams and added, more loudly "So everyone get anything else they need and get on board the Switchblade – I'm not inclined to wait and neither is Rulok! Once we're off the Havoc I want both Scimitars and the two Scorpions checked over just in case of emergencies, too!"
Captain Lazarus handed Rulok a small datacard, saying "That's a little something recorded by Caseya in case her Mum an' Dad don't believe you're the good guys or they're too afraid of you all to move. Play that for 'em then an' you should be good to go".
Rulok nodded and put the card in a pocket before replying "I had wondered about that, Captain... to be honest, it would have been the biggest potential issue on this entire mission. Hopefully this will clear things up enough so we all get out alive".
"Time for 'sploring, papa?" Amara asked "You say we go 'sploring 'fore, papa...".
"I did, didn't I?" Trannak replied, lifting her up and holding her until she rumbled softly and happily "What do we bring with us when we go exploring, Amara? Can you remember?"
"Stuff to eat" Amara replied immediately "Stuff to drink. Comm".
Trannak nodded and smiled before adding "A first-aid kit as well, Amara – that has things in it to help people be well if we hurt ourselves when we go exploring. Since both you and your mama have those special things this will mostly be for me".
"It good we got special papa box then" Amara replied, to laughter from all of them "It go in papa pack, then" before she asked "We take tent?"
"Not today, I think" Caseya replied "I have flight training to do later, in a real ship and not simulators – but as long as we are at Third Meal I will be on time for training and your papa will be able to eat".
"Juice for you an' me" Amara replied "Tea for mama, too. Not hungry".
"I am packing the hot ration tins you know..." Trannak told Amara as he packed his pack "...but I will put a few things in one of my other pockets that are eaten cold as well. Your mama and I will both be carrying water in bottles, Amara. You will need your special boots as well, Amara – not the shoes you wear for the ship".
"We get boots at special small person shop" Amara said as she ran off to the cupboard and pulled the door open with both hands "Special shop all good and got lots goodgood stuff in like clothes an' toys an' books an'-"
"Enough for now, Amara... "Caseya said, grinning at Amara's excitement "We will go back there again, do not worry about that! For now we have exploring to do in the PTR, yes?"
" 'Sploring in PTR!" Amara agreed happily and loudly, clapping "Find new stuff!"
Once the packs were both ready, Trannak and his small family made their way to the nearest transit stop – as it happened, there was one not far from their quarters, which made Amara clap before running up the pedestal on the platform and pressing the single button on it.
"Good girl" Caseya told her "You called the car here for us again. I think there is a platform like this one right outside the PTR doors, Amara, so we will not even need to walk far once we arrive".
"That all 'mazing, mama" Amara replied, nodding "It goodgood that nice PTR got special car place outside it".
"There are other things close by" Trannak reminded her, smiling "Like training rooms or extra sick bays like the one your friend the nice doctor usually uses. Even more quarters for people to live in. But most of those places will be sealed until we find more friends to come and live here with us".
Amara leapt into the car when it arrived, though she waited for Trannak and Caseya by the front row seating before pointing and saying "Papa sit there... mama sit there... an' 'Mara sit on mama". Trannak used the voice control to send the car on its way, much to Amara's delighted interest – which led to her singing for almost the entire trip as well.
"Troll..." Moratha grumbled, tapping the wall – and causing Troll and Urana to separate with a mildly guilty expression (in Troll's case) and a look of smug satisfaction (in Urana's case).
"Cover's been blown, little U!" Troll called, only a little theatrically.
Moratha just growled a bit and replied "You know the rule, Troll... as for cover, if you two had any before at all... I think you must have both flushed it down the recycle chute some time ago...".
Urana just rumbled softly before kissing Troll for some microts right in front of her mother – and, blown cover or not, Troll kissed back with just as much fervour before grinning.
"You... HUMAN!" Moratha shouted at him, after which she chased him around the Kran family quarters for some time
"I wonder what you find attractive in that human, Urana, I really do..." she asked her daughter – who, once she and Troll was properly clothed again, just smiled and said "He is frequently very trying, I agree... but he makes me happy, mother, and makes me laugh, and I feel genuinely important to him for just being me and not just for my skills in the sick bay or on the battlefield".
"That's a start, at least..." Moratha replied "I do hope you saw the doctor before you and Troll started fooling around like this...".
"I have three monen left on my last implant, mother" Urana replied while speculating in her mind about what any children she might have with Troll would look like "To be honest, Troll asked me about that over a weeken ago...".
Moratha smiled at that, saying "At least the pair of you are learning to cooperate and help each other as well as test each other in what Captain Lazarus seems to call horizontal friendship building... as far as that goes, don't press your luck in public or you'll be in front of the War Commander or Sub-Commander for administrative punishment".
"Why'd you think we're in here, momma-in-law..." Troll replied, grinning again as he sat down much more carefully than usual before making sure his shirt wasn't too damaged to the casual eye "Only people who'd surprise us in here are you an' Leasa. Cap'n L has the habit of kicking our doors open for early-morning training even though I'm technically in Bloodstar command now an' not with him an' Rulok's guys in the black".
Once Troll's earlier comment sunk in, he got chased around the quarters again, though he did groan in pain and fall over on the lounge before muttering briefly in Scarran – Urana just snorted and told him "You know where we keep the soothing creams, Troll... if I help you with putting that on, the problem will only get worse and you know it...".
It took a few microts before Troll came back in, to see Urana holding up a bag – Troll nodded before taking it from her and walking as best he could for the refresher again. Unfortunately that meant Moratha had to put up with Troll's loud but slightly out of tune singing for almost a quarter-arn as he showered and put the soothing cream on afterwards.
"Just my predeployment bag, nothing special" Troll told Moratha "First time I've had to use it comin' here, though... but that shirt's only good for the recyc chute now an' even the pants aren't far off" once he walked out again in camouflage fatigues. Moratha grunted and helped straighten his uniform and put his hat on properly, then nodded and said "It'll do, mister. My Kran would make you do that much more proficiently, but since he is no longer here then either I have to or Urana will... or Karroch, since he now commands the Bloodstars".
Troll nodded, saying "Karroch's doing good, Cap'n L and Cap'n T are helping him a bit here an' there... but I think most of it'll just come down to time an' practice. Get him a few missions under his belt when he's in command an' he'll do fine".
Moratha smiled and rumbled back, clealy proud of her son, before the comm beeped – Moratha answered, saying "Karroch, my son?... Good, good... they are here, as it happens...oh?...Troll's afflicted himself with a few muscle sprains and strains...yes, Karroch...we'll be waiting...discomm".
"Karroch is coming" Moratha told her daughter and Troll "Since Troll's... injured... he's off PT this time... but you, Urana, are expected to participate".
A knock on the door came less than a half-momen after she stopped talking, after which the door opened to reveal Karroch and a number of Bloodstars in uniform.
"Well, well... " Karroch grumbled "This time, thanks to mother's reprieve, you get out of training, Troll... but it's the last time. Next time you get every part of training that won't kill you".
"Gonna have to ask the doc for the change at this rate..." Troll wheezed "I'll end up killin' myself at this rate before someone else does it in a mission".
"You aren't that feeble" Karroch replied, clearly not accepting Troll's excuse "But if your body will accept the change, if the War Commander agrees, and if you and the doctor can finalise what alterations you would need ... then that may be a good idea anyway. The doctor may have a few new ones to test on you by then...".
"Nice idea" Troll replied, grinning again "Take the best, that bein' me, an' make it better" before turning to face Urana and giving her a hug and a kiss before calling "See you later, love..." before she left with the rest of the Bloodstars.
Amara spent a lot of time just running around and rolling on the grass, calling out very loudly for Caseya and Trannak to watch and clapping when either of them turned to face her and told her how well she was doing.
"Time to go and see if we can find somewhere new, Amara" Trannak told her eventually "We won't go into the forest there, not today... but we can go to treblin, if you like, or to hammond, and see what we can find".
"We been 'cross bridge..." Amara said as she got up off the grass "We seen ... what word for it, papa? Word for where lots water go?"
"River, Amara" Trannak replied "Rivers on planets, ones with good water in anyway, might have fish in them – even ones people can eat. Because this is not a river like those, we don't have fish in ours".
Amara seemed amazed to hear about fish being in rivers, and she clapped before pointing and saying "We go that way, papa. That what your 'Mara think", after which she looked at him for a few microts and said "Papa not hungry yet, mama. More 'sploring time".
Amara laughed and sang and skipped around on the grass as the three of them walked along the edge of the forest – Caseya watched her, amazed after all this time that Amara had chosen her, while relaxing against Trannak's shoulder.
Trannak smiled and wrapped his arms around her before rumbling softly and happily.
"Good" he said "You are happy, Amara is happy, and I am happy too. Amara, with any luck, will have been running so much she will be tired out tonight".
"I think that we should find somewhere for you to eat, Trannak" Caseya replied, smiling "I expect you are hungry. We can make a game of it for Amara... but I think you need to eat soon".
Caseya was about to call Amara back when Amara shrieked in excitement and called "Mama an' papa! You come here! You come an' see what your 'Mara see!"
"What do you see, Amara?" Caseya asked when they caught up with her – Amara leaped up and hugged her, broadcasting excitement and happiness briefly before pointing and saying "Look! It there! Water go 'round stuff! What that? What it called?"
"It is an island, Amara" Trannak told her, getting her to say the word until she got it right "An island is a piece of land surrounded by water. This island is small, I think. Other islands can be big".
"It is still quite a long way away, Amara" Caseya said "We should walk there now, then your papa can sit and eat, and we can make tea or drink water from our bottles" before asking Trannak "We did bring tea-making things, yes?"
"I packed those before we left" Trannak confirmed, after which they walked together along the riverbank until they reached the island.
"More bridge, papa" Amara said, pointing "Two bridge, papa. One here an' one other side. Which one our bridge?"
"The one here" Trannak replied "We will go over it and set up camp – after which I will show you how to make tea and boil river water for it".
"It a goodgood island..." Amara said as she looked around after walking across the bridge "It not a big island, but it a nice island. There trees an' grass an' stuff 'round water that I not seen 'fore. What that?"
"It is sand, Amara" Caseya explained "Beaches have it, those are places near water. Do not eat it or taste it, it is not good".
Amara loved seeing her adoptive father setting up the heating unit and walked with him to the river to collect water – she was just as amazed to hear that there was a whistle on the water pot's lid that would sound when the water had boiled and was ready to make tea with.
"There are some kinds of preserved foods, Amara" Trannak added "that you mix with hot water like that, and after you do that and let it settle they are good to eat. They are like rations, though, so we will not eat those every day – only when we are on missions or we are camping like this".
"Go flying, mama?" Amara asked a few days later as Caseya was getting dressed.
"I am going flying" Caseya confirmed, nodding as she fastened her boots on "Captain Lazarus has decided your papa can supervise me as I fly and report back to him. Captain Lazarus is in charge of everything to do with flying, Amara – especially teaching new people to fly".
"What ship you take, mama?" Amara asked "You take papa small ship 'gain?"
"We will not" Caseya replied "I have been permitted to fly in Strykers, Amara – you have seen Strykers before. If you can remember what they look like, tell your papa and I".
Amara thought for a few microts, then gave a fairly accurate description in the simple words she knew – Trannak smiled and rumbled and told her "Well done, Amara – a good description, especially for a small person like you. We will be going on a slightly longer flight this time – to another planet perhaps two days away" before he paused and smiled before adding "Your friend the nice doctor and your friend the big funny man said you can come as well".
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Amara shrieked, broadcasting excitement quite loudly "I GO FLYING WITH MAMA AN' PAPA! WHEN WE GO, PAPA?! WE TAKE MORE STUFF WITH US?! WE GO NOW, PAPA?!"
"We will go in a few momens" Trannnak replied "We will take some special exploring things for us, Amara, and there will be a number of big boxes which will be in the lower deck of the Stryker. Because the Stryker has no beds in it, we will be sleeping in special sleeping bags – there will be one specially for you, or your can sleep with us in ours".
"It nice that there special 'Mara bag for sleeping, papa" Amara replied "If you like it, mama an' papa, your 'Mara want to be in your sleeping bag so I extra warm an' safe".
"We will get the extra big sleeping bag, then" Caseya replied, smiling "We have our heating unit here... the water pot... some rations in cans that heat up when you open them... and some of the food cubes with extra good things in that you can eat right out of the packet. The Stryker does have a very small room with somewhere to sit and a heating unit of its own and a special place to put food so it stays fresh and good, too".
Amara gladly helped her parents pack, running back and forth between the cupboards and her parents with anything she could lift. Both Caseya and Trannak had large bags to carry, so Amara had to walk – but she loved that as well, singing happy songs about family and flying all the way from her family quarters to the flight deck.
"This ha-mond side flight deck" Amara announced when the car stopped and the all got out "This where bigbig grey ship an' papa small ship is. We get Stryker here too, papa?"
"Our Stryker is here" Trannak confirmed "We may have to wait a short while for the things the big funny man let us bring with us to be put in, Amara – I don't know when people started loading those things in".
As it turned out, Ghost and Hellbolt and Troll were loading the Stryker as Trannak and his family arrived – Amara called out happily to all three of them, to which Troll replied "We'll come talk to you in a microt, Amara – still got a few more boxes to go!"
Amara clapped anyway and watched the last few get loaded – after which she called out happily when Troll got out of his loader suit, pressed a button inside the Stryker's lower deck – and leapt out before the aft ramp closed and sealed.
"Heeheehee!" laughed Amara "Troll man friend do bigbig jum-pings out of Stryker! They goodgood jum-pings, Troll man!"
Troll grinned, lifted Amara up, then tickled her a bit, making her shriek with excitement and wriggle a bit – she hugged him as tightly as she could before Troll urged her to thank the others as well, which she did.
"Everything should be there" Hellbolt told Trannak "All the stuff that was on the list – not as much as they would have liked, but that's not 'cause we can't spare it, it's because your wife there isn't rated on bulk transports yet".
"They will understand" Trannak replied "I would hope you packed in as much as possible of the supplies listed as essential before putting anything else in?"
"Medical supplies first" Ghost said "Then long-life food, a few weapons... think we actually added a bit of fresh from the stores as well, but that's in cool crates an' all plugged into the Stryker's power supply".
Trannak thanked them, then walked over to the entry hatch on their side.
"There are two side entry hatches on Strykers, Caseya" he explained "Whether you use a mark 1 or mark 2, they are in approximately the same places on the sides of the hull. This Stryker has had the internal accomodation package removed and is configured to haul cargo, so it has a wide ramp at the back instead of a door and no drophatch in the floor" before opening the hatch.
Amara was curious about the small room where the heating unit and food store was – she opened the cupboard and cold store and reported "Your 'Mara think there food things in here, mama an' papa – that what here?"
"A small amount of fresh food" Trannak confirmed "Enough for two simple meals for the three of us on the flight out. If we need more food, we will eat rations from the tins, Amara, or from bags of food cubes. I can cook well enough to make our meals with the fresh food we have, but I will teach your mama as well to see how much she knows".
"I watch too, papa" Amara replied, nodding "I sit on roof an' watch an' see".
Trannak and Caseya put their large bags under the small lounge, tying them carefully to the lounge itself so they wouldn't shift too much in flight, before climbing the ladder up to the top deck and the bridge. Both Amara and Caseya were amazed to see the Stryker's bridge, with Caseya saying "This is the first time I have been on board a Scarran military craft, Trannak... on Kalian, I would never have been permitted to even come close to one – let alone go aboard".
"These are ours" Trannak replied "and since you are being trained in flying, Caseya, it will not be too long before you have provisional ratings in flying small craft of all the kinds we use. I don't know if you will be trained in the larger ones, but perhaps you might".
"That would be good as well" Caseya replied, grinning at the challenge of such a thing "Maybe I will be trained to fly these bulk landers you spoke of earlier... and the Switchblade... even the Cry Havoc itself, perhaps?!"
"Perhaps" Trannak replied, smiling "We will see. The task of the microt, however, is making this Stryker ready for takeoff. I will instruct you, since I have my rating in these, but you will do the work and make the takeoff".
Caseya followed their usual family ritual of flying and put Amara in her harness before strapping her webbing over the pair of them, which got happy claps from Amara as it always had before.
"All OK, papa" Amara called once the webbing was secure, to which Trannak smiled and replied "All OK here as well, Amara. This time I will ask for clearance and your mama will fly us out of our home ship before I will show her how to set a course for the place we are flying to".
Amara clapped when Talannah gave takeoff clearance and opened the flight deck doors, and cooed with amazement as she saw space again.
"Be slow and cautious" Trannak reminded Caseya "Strykers of either mark are more powerful than the Raiders you have known until now... and both are a little tricky to take off in until you become used to them, although somewhat less so with a mark 2 like this one. I will be ready to assume control if necessary, but I want you to make the takeoff yourself".
"I am a little afraid..." Caseya admitted "More so because Amara is with us... but I am pleased to be permitted to fly one of these craft in any way. I will do well, Trannak, but may take more time than people would like before I perform as well as the more accomplished military pilots".
"Just do the best you can" Trannak encouraged her "None of us started out as professionals. We do not expect you to, either".
The takeoff was a little wobbly, but under Trannak's careful guidance Caseya made it successfully out of the flight deck without hitting anything.
"A good start, I think" Trannak decided "Now I will show you how to set the course. Once the course is set, the autopilot can fly us all the way to Riaanond – then you will assume manual control again and fly us to our destination before making the landing. I will only take control if the landing site is a small one or if things don't go according to plan some other way".
Trannak walked Caseya through the various steps of finding their destination on a star chart, plotting the course, and setting it into the autopilot – he made her run through the procedure half a dozen times before he got her to set a course entirely unassisted.
"Yaaayyy!" Amara called happily "Mama put course thing in! Mama do it right!" before asking Trannak "What we do now, papa? You hungry?"
"I will eat in a few arns, Amara" Trannak replied "Since the course is set and the autopilot has control, we can get out of these seats if we want to – or we can rest here".
"This nice seat, mama?" Amara asked Caseya "We rest in flying seat?"
"I think we should" Caseya replied "It is a good seat. We will leave the webbing on and you will stay in your harness, though".
"I have nap, mama" Amara replied "Have nap in har-niss on mama. Mama have nap on flying seat. Papa have nap on flying seat too".
Since the course put them on a major shipping lane the flight was uneventful – although Amara had a lot of ships to watch and learn about over the two days the flight took at cruising speed. Trannak would check the diagnostics for the engines every few arns, along with fuel levels, but never found anything unusual.
"Eating time for papa" Amara said "There bit more goodgood food in cold thing, papa?"
"Just enough for this meal, Amara" Trannak confirmed "I know it is not eating time for you or your mama, but there is enough to share with both of you as well if you want to".
"I have tiny bit then, papa" Amara decided, Caseya agreeing as well "Not lots. Mama an' your 'Mara not lots hungry. You more hungry 'cause you a Scarran, papa".
"Because I am a Scarran, yes" Trannak replied, smiling and rumbling softly "I think your mama should cook this time, and I will help".
Caseya was a little frightened at being put in charge of food preparation, but with Trannak's encouragement soon gained in confidence and made a good if simple meal for the three of them. Caseya watched as Amara ate her small portion, and smiled and bowed her head slightly as she caught happy feelings directed at her for cooking and others at her being less hungry, along with a few thoughts which Caseya soon decided were memories of previous mealtimes.
"That 'mazing, mama!" Amara shrieked happily when Caseya told her about that "I show you goodgood eating times in head? That ree-ly goodgood! Dada see too?"
"I did, Amara" Trannak replied "You have not been able to project feelings or send thoughts to one person only at a time yet. I think you will be taught how to do that first".
"That goodgood, papa" Amara decided, before she realised "That mean I talk to you an' mama in head too?! I not done that 'fore! I talk to you an' mama in head at same time?!"
"I don't know" Trannak replied with a smile "Talking to more than one person without doing so to everyone in your range is a tricky skill that must be learned and practiced, I think. But I expect you will be taught that at some point as well".
"Good new stuff!" Amara replied, clapping "More test stuff for your 'Mara! It all good an' fun!"
All three of them were asleep on the small lounge on the lower deck when the final approach alarm sounded. Amara climbed back into the harness without even being told to – after which she kept calling "Hup hup hup! Fas-ter!" to her parents as they climbed the ladder to the upper deck and the bridge.
Once everyone was strapped in again, Trannak called ahead for landing permission outside the port.
"Usually we don't let people do that, mister" the tower controller replied "We got codes for the very small number of people who can. You got a code?"
Trannak gave the Kingdom code Juroch had told him about, and after a few momens the tower controller said "You got a good code, though it's an old one. We're passin' you off to where you're goin' – just stay out of everyone's way an' don't crash into anything. This isn't Tal IV, we like to keep things a bit more neat an' tidy here" before discomming.
Trannak then called ahead to the transmission station – when Sorfil received the call, he said "We appreciate your arrival – though we expected you a couple of days ago. Perhaps you had other business to attend to first".
"My wife had other training opportunities to make the most of" Trannak replied, after turning slightly to show his emblem of rank on his treblin shoulder "This flight is both a training flight for her and a supply flight for you".
"Flight deck should handle whatever you have" Sorfil replied "unless it's a bulk lander or battle barge. Once you turn on your IFF, Captain, we can open the doors and guide you in".
Trannak did that, after which Sorfil told Deaken "A Stryker 2, Deaken – which most likely means they just brought a few things from our list with them. Hopefully whoever prepared the cargo had the same sense of priorities we did".
"It's good the War Commander has supplies to share" Deaken replied "We don't have to pay for another shipment from our usual sources that way. The landing may get a little interesting if a trainee pilot is flying in... but since the IFF ident shows a mark 2 Stryker they have a little extra room. Activate the landing beacon, open the doors, and guide them in. I will go down to the flight deck and wait for them".
"Be slow and cautious" Trannak urged Caseya as they flew towards the location given for the concealed hangar "The entry to this concealed hangar will be smaller than the entry to either of the Havoc's flight decks... but you can do it if you are careful and cautious. Time is not a factor. You can do this. As before, I will be ready to assume control if you need me to".
Both Deaken and Trannak found the landing to be wobbly – but both were also pleased Caseya didn't cause any damage to either the deck fixtures or her Stryker, or even hit anything at all.
"Gear down..." Trannak called, pressing the button to extend the landing pads, after which he directed Caseya in how to turn the Stryker on its axis so the nose would face out towards the hangar doors again.
"It is at is was on the Havoc" Caseya replied once the Stryker had been landed "Less space to manoevre, as well as this craft being both larger and more powerful – but the techniques Captain Lazarus taught me before still apply. I need much more training still, Trannak, but this is a good start".
"A good start, yes" Trannak said after checking for damage to the landing gear and finding none "Now we unstrap, power down, and get out of the ship. I expect there will be someone here to greet us".
"New person here, papa?" Amara asked "New person see me? New person like your 'Mara?"
"There will be several people here, Amara" Trannak explained "although I expect only one will come to see us right now. The things in boxes in our cargo deck are for the people who live here, Amara".
"They new friends for 'Mara, then" Amara decided "Big funny man not give them stuff if they not nice an' not our friends".
"Press the button on the wall there, Amara" Trannak told her "That is the button to lower the ramp from the inside. We can walk down the ramp and see whoever is here to greet us".
"Senior Infiltrator Second Class Deaken, Captain... " the single Scarran announced when they came close enough to speak to "I am surprised an officer would come, more so a Captain...but we are glad you did come, more so if those crates I see are supplies for us".
"They are" Trannak confirmed, handing over a list – Deaken read the list, nodded, then said "Not everything we asked for... but all the more important things. We especially thank you for the fresh food – I think we will reheat some of that Scorcher now, Captain. There is enough for you and the Kalish here if both of you are hungry and like Scorcher".
"This is my wife, Caseya..." Trannak said proudly, rumbling softly as he did so "... and our daughter Amara is in the harness my wife is wearing".
"Even in the Kingdom mixed-species marriages are not common, sir" Deaken replied "but it is interesting to see, nonetheless. I will call the others and we will see to putting these supplies away before we worry about eating, I think". before he called ahead on a wall comm at the back of the hangar.
Amara looked around and whispered "See Stryker 2 like our one, mama... see two, mama... see two ship I not know, mama... what they for?"
"I think..." Trannak replied "they are small freighters – ships that carry cargo. Bigger than Strykers. Not as big as bulk landers".
"We can talk to the Captain later" Deaken said when four of the others had arrived "First order of business is getting the supplies aboard that Stryker all stowed away where they should be – so get into loaders, everyone, so this can get done before next Founders' Day".
Amara watched the five skulkers use their powerloaders to carry the crates out of the back of their Stryker and across to the parts of the hangar where they saw nonperishable supplies were kept – after that the food crates were opened and people were running back and forth for some time after that putting both fresh food and rations away wherever they would fit.
"Good, good..." Deaken decided an arn later "The supplies the War Commander sent are put away. Come up to the operations floor and we can talk".
Scorcher had been served into bowls for every Scarran stationed in the outpost – Amara loved the smells of it being heated to eating temperature but said "That hothot big person food, new person – 'Mara not eat it. Grandma 'Ratha tell me that lots".
"It is a traditional favourite among Scarrans of many kinds..." one of the skulkers replied "... but it's true that it's not good for narls to eat" – after which one of the skulkers took their bowl out of the heating unit and the one talking to Amara smiled and said "That's a good smell, that is...and I'm the last one to get mine..." before striding over to reheat his own bowl.
Amara watched them eat, clapping and encouraging them as she watched.
One Scarran turned to face Amara, the largest low-caste Scarran present, for several microts before smiling and sitting in front of Trannak and introducing himself.
"So you received the message when it was sent, then..." Trannak replied, getting a nod of confirmation "... and you are a mentalist as well, it seems".
"I am" Sorfil replied "Which of you is the one needing training?"
Trannak lifted Amara out of the harness and said "This is Amara, our daughter... and she is a mentalist that needs training".
"She is young for training, Captain..." Sorfil replied, while Amara watched everyone look at her in amazement "but you are correct in thinking that any training should start as soon as possible after power emergence. Do you know what evidence of power she has shown so far?"
Caseya explained about Amara's empathic talent, which made Sorfil smile – more so when Amara turned to face him and said "You happy, new man – you happy I here? You happy to see 'Mara?"
"I am happy to see you... Amara?" Sorfil replied, getting a nod from Amara when he named her "I am the one who will be training and testing you".
"You give 'Mara new test things?" Amara asked in excitement, projecting her delight for all to receive "When you do that, new man? You do that now?"
"After we have eaten, Amara" Sorfil replied "This is very good food your parents brought for us, and we should eat while it is still hot".
Sorfil laughed a little when Amara climbed up his back and watched him eat over his shoulder, asking about her mixed-species ancestry.
"She is probably much as anyone would expect a hybrid child of Scarran and Kalish ancestry to be" Trannak replied "Apart for the mentalism, of course. Amara knows it is rare to have that, but she also thinks she is lucky to have it as well and wants to use any skills like these to help people with".
"I do that like papa say" Amara confirmed when Sorfil asked her about it "I learn more special men-tal stuff an' then I help people lots".
"Once we have all eaten" Sorfil said "I think I will test you to see if you can send emotions to one person at a time only, Amara. I don't know if you can talk in people's minds – that is called telepathy, by the way – but I might test for that later".
Amara rested her cheek against Sorfil's and rumbled loudly when she heard that, which all the Scarrans were pleased to hear – Amara, of course, sensed their happiness and approval and turned around briefly to thank them for it.
"None of the outpost crew projected strongly" Sorfil told Caseya and Trannak "Your child is quite sensitive if she could receive those feelings – though I did note she could not identify each person from their feelings yet. But never mind that now, I can teach her how to do that another time".
It took the rest of the day and half of the following one before Amara could tighten her emotional broadcasts down to one person even semi-consistently – and even then, when Sorfil told her what she had learned she projected excitement and happiness and love for everyone so strongly they all turned around to face her.
"Heeheehee!" Amara laughed, clapping "You all hear me in heads an' turn round to see I here! That 'mazing!"
"You are very strong in your mind, Amara" Sorfil explained "Even more so because you are new to these skills. You are learning well, though – why do you think this is?"
"It 'cause I good for mama an' papa, Sor-fil" Amara decided, nodding "I good for mama an' papa an' love them lots – mama an' papa like it when I do goodgood at stuff so I do that an' then they happy with their 'Mara".
"I think it is partly because you are a little bit Kalish" Sorfil replied "I have met Kalish before, Amara, and usually they like to learn new things – especially if they prove to be new things they can do well".
Amara thought about that, scratching her chin as Trannak does, before saying "That good then, Sor-fil, 'cause it mean I being bit like mama. Mama a Kalish an' I bit Kalish which mean I bit like mama" before she flopped back on Sorfil's lap, rumbling softly and projecting minor exhaustion before saying "I bit tired, Sor-fil. New stuff lots fun but it hardhard too".
"She could probably do with a wash as well" Sorfil said "If you do not mind coming with me to the nearby village then she can be washed in the river there".
"They are trustworthy?" Caseya asked warily "They will keep Amara's unique talents a secret?"
"They will" Sorfil assured her "for reasons you will know as soon as we arrive. We can travel on foot if you like, it is perhaps two kilometras walk to the village walls – or we can take a short flight".
"We will walk" Trannak decided "Amara will love this new land and all its sights and smells – she won't be able to walk the whole way, but neither I nor my wife mind carrying her at all".
"The ground-level personnel door is concealed in the forest" Sorfil warned "This is not a tame and managed forest, patrolled by guards – it is a wild and living forest. There is nothing particularly dangerous around here, though – just make sure Amara doesn't poke or touch things without asking one of us about them".
"We go out, mama?" Amara asked with excitement "We go out of new place? What outside?"
"Trees and grass and growing things, Amara" Caseya replied with a smile "I have not seen places like this before, so it will be new for you and for me. We must not touch things or pick things up and taste them, Amara, as many of them are not good to eat".
"I watch an' see, mama" Amara replied, nodding "I tell you all goodgood stuff I see" before she looked at the others and asked "New friends come?"
"Only me" Sorfil replied "The others have things to do here. I will come because the people where we are going know me best out of all those here".
"We see new people?!" Amara asked, again projecting excitement and anticipation "What spee-sees new people? What they do? Where their dwe-lings?"
"We should go and see" Sorfil said "We will go outside this bunker and walk for a while, then we can see".
Amara asked so many questions when everyone got outside the bunker and into the forest she barely had time to draw breath – when Sorfil told her that, she clapped and laughed and projected happiness and excitement to him only, which got her careful praise when Caseya and Trannak were told about it.
"Goodee" Amara decided "I learn new thing an' do it goodgood. I prac-tiss an' do it more goodgood later. Time to see new stuff. Time to see new people".
Amara was fascinated by how her feet didn't make sounds like they did stepping on deck plating or even carpet and asked Sorfil about that.
"You are not in a ship, Amara" Sorfil told her "You are on a planet. That is soil you walk on – well, some mud as well, but mostly just soil. A few leaves as well".
Amara climbed up to sit on Caseya's hip when she became tired from walking, resting her head on her adoptive mother's shoulder and rumbling softly while projecting love for her and delight at the sights and sounds and smells of the forest to her as well.
"It is very interesting and new" Caseya agreed, still amazed Amara could do these new things at all "I expect there are many tiny creatures crawling and flying around us, Amara. The books I studied when I was young suggested this would be the case".
"It's true" Sorfil confirmed "The forest's full of life. Some of it we ignore, some of it we avoid, and a few things we can eat or use" before getting everyone to turn to hammond along a different track.
"Feets prin-tings, papa" Amara said a little bit later, surprising everyone "Look, feets prin-tings. They not Scarran feets, they too small".
"People from the village come this way foraging or hunting occasionally" Sorfil said, examining the footprints himself "Sometime in the past day, by the look of that. Come on, not far to go".
A short while later, everyone came out of the forest and onto open ground.
"Lots grass!" Amara called happily "This real grass, mama! Not like grass in PTR!"
Sorfil was impressed that the Cry Havoc had a functioning PTR on board and said so, but also smiled and added "No matter how good a PTR a ship has, real terrain is always better".
"Amara loves it" Caseya replied, grinning as Amara ran around and skipped and sang "She has seen and heard so many new things in the short time we have been here – and she loves being outside in real air on a real planet".
"I can tell!" Sorfil laughed "I don't know if you're receiving it as well... but I'm getting low-strength excitement and happiness at all the new sensations she is experiencing".
"Neither my wife and I are mentalists like Amara or you, Sorfil" Trannak replied, smiling "It's good to hear you saying our Amara is happy and that she likes this planet – she is approximately eight monen old but has only been on Tal IV a few times, and that's almost entirely urban".
"True..." Sorfil replied as he watched Amara "Not every child, whatever their species, likes wild planets like this one – well, like Riaanond is outside the spaceport and the few houses some of the richest maintain here. Your narl there seems to actively like stepping outside the bounds of civilisation, though".
"A number of our crew do" Trannak replied "Mostly those under my own command, too. Some of the others as well, though".
"Come back, Amara" Caseya called "Our new friend here should lead the way. The people here do not know us yet".
"It all 'mazing here!" Amara told both her parents excitedly "There grass an' stick-ee ground an' lee-fees an' trees an' lots more too!"
"Sticky ground, Amara..." Trannak explained "... is called mud. At least that is what I think you mean. Point to some you have seen and I will tell you".
Amara did just that and waited for Trannak's answer – he smiled and nodded and told her "Mud, Amara".
"Papa tell me new stuff" Amara said happily, taking hold of her parents' hands "It good. Papa tell me 'bout mud an' how it sticky. Not got mud on big home ship".
Amara turned to face Sorfil and smiled – when Trannak asked her why she was happy, she said " 'Mara not know how I know, papa... but new Sor-fil friend talk in head to per-son. Not know who an' not know where, but he talk in per-son head, 'Mara know that".
"Amazing..." Sorfil told Amara when she passed the news on to him "That is quite an unusual skill, Amara – to be able to read transmitted thoughts from others when you are not being talked to. The villagers here will not mind, and neither do I... but you may not want to do that with people you don't know".
"Papa tell me that 'fore" Amara replied, nodding "He say I only do men-tal stuff with nice friends. People here be nice friends? People here like 'Mara?"
"I think they will be" Sorfil replied "The person I was talking to teaches new mentalists a number of things, Amara – that is his job. Sometimes about new mental skills and sometimes just other things they need to learn".
"That goodgood" Amara replied " 'Mara think I like him lots. It goodgood he teach people new stuff".
"Over there" Sorfil said a half-momen later "By the gatehouse. He is coming out to us now. I don't know if you have seen a person of his species before, so considering Amara's naturally high excitement levels so far...".
Caseya smiled and lifted Amara up, which she loved and rewarded with a tiny burst of happiness before turning and looking the way Sorfil pointed. It took a while before she could see the man approaching them, but when she did she shrieked and clapped and called "HE A DEL-VIAN, MAMA! HE A DEL-VIAN, PAPA! LOOK, 'NOTHER DEL-VIAN FOR YOUR 'MARA TO SEE!" and projected excitement and happiness at a loud enough mental volume that even the approaching man picked it up.
"Greetings to you, Sorfil" the man said, before turning to face Caseya and Trannak and added "... and, as your loud and excitable child has guessed, I am Delvian. To be more specific, my name is Deress, I am a Pa'u – and as Sorfil has probably told you, I train new mentalists at this village".
Sorfil explained this in simpler language for Amara, who clapped again before asking "New De-ress Del-vian? I come up? You let your new friend 'Mara come up?"
"She wants to know if she can climb up and sit on your hip" Caseya explained "Amara has inherited my Kalish ability to shift our gravity centre, so you will not need to lift her unless you want to. Her boots... and the lower parts of her trouser legs, I see... do have mud on them, though".
"These are my foraging clothes" Deress replied "not my Pa'u robes. A little mud will not hurt". Amara climbed rapidly up Deress' leg and sat on his treblin hip, poking her head around under his arm – Deress smiled and said "We will go into the village, then – I picked up this child's power as I came up here, so I assume she is why your two visitors are here"
Trannak explained in more detail, after which Deress nodded and said "It's good Sorfil has helped her control the strength and focus of her emotional projections so far... but if you return here regularly I can help her with more things than he can. You will need to stay in the village when you come for her to be taught... but we have guest accomodation in the pupil's dormitory building, which you can sleep in along with your child here".
Sorfil explained about how Amara could instinctively read their conversational thoughts earlier, which made Deress look at her with interest – Amara detected that interest and told him about it.
"I think you are very strong, little girl..." Deress said "but I will teach you how to control that strength, as well as see what else you might be able to do".
"Think that mean new test thing for 'Mara" Amara told Caseya, nodding "New test thing all goodgood, mama. Like new test things. 'Specially new men-tal test things. They fun, mama, an' they hard too".
"A word of warning for you newcomers..." Deress said as they approached the walls "This village, among other things, is host to a number of those who are refugees because of their mental powers – and some of them may be afraid of Scarrans, especially Scarrans they haven't seen before. Most of them have seen Sorfil before, so they know him... but don't be too upset if they don't come close to you right away".
"I be nice" Amara insisted "They see I nice an' they like me, I sure. That mean they like mama an' papa too, 'cause they my mama an' papa".
Deress led them through the village, where they passed a number of dwellings as well as ground being farmed for various crops along with more than a few people.
"Native people of this planet" Deress explained "The people of Riaanond are mentalist from birth... almost always with communication telepathy, along with the usual chances of other skills as well. They will almost always prefer to speak mentally with people, but since any of them can tell you are offworlders any that want to speak to you will speak vocally. They know not every offworlder is like them".
The few who did come closer to see the newcomers were almost all women, and more than a few had children with them – Amara loved that and shrieked and clapped and called out to them all, though Sorfil did eventually tell her than none of them could speak or understand Kalish.
"They not know what 'Mara say?" Amara asked sadly "How I speak to them? How I tell them it goodgood I see them?"
"They speak Sebacean, Amara" Sorfil told her "I don't know if you can speak that... but if you can, speak it to them".
Amara tried speaking a little bit to one lady, sad that she might not be understood – but the lady came closer and said "I understand you, child. You do not speak clearly as we speak, but I understand" before she asked "Can she speak mentally as we do? Talking would be so much easier if so".
"She can probably receive thoughts" Trannak explained in his considerably clearer Sebacean "None of us know if she can transmit yet. Mentalism is new to her".
The woman tried speaking mentally to Amara, moderating her volume – when Amara realised what was happening, she bounced in Caseya's arms, shrieked excitedly, and clapped loudly before projecting happiness and love and excitement to the lady and her nearby child at some volume.
"That 'mazing!" Amara shrieked "New people speak in 'Mara head, mama an' papa! That all 'mazing an' new!"
The child came forward, wary of Caseya and Trannak but clearly curious about Amara.
"Go and see" Caseya encouraged softly "Be nice and be friendly, Amara, as you are on our home ship. These new people will like that" before putting her down.
Amara immediately shifted up the fence bordering the woman's property and leapt into her arms from the top of it – once she had a good hold of Amara, she smiled and laughed before looking at Amara in more detail and asking what kind of person she was. Deress explained that in some detail, which she clearly found very interesting – when she asked which parent she inherited mentalism from Trannak nodded and rumbled briefly before explaining that only Scarrans had that trait and not Kalish.
"It is interesting to see these newcomers" she decided eventually "but I have work to do and my daughter here should be helping me with some of it. If this new and interesting child could climb off my daughter and return to her own parents, work can proceed. I think we will see you again later if you stay a while".
Amara climbed off the young girl after hugging her before shifting to the fence and climbing back over it and leaping into Caseya's arms for a hug and loud rumble.
"They nice, mama" Amara told her "They like your 'Mara. New girl person speak in my head tiny bit, mama, which lots nice, but I all new at men-tal stuff so I not speak back but give her hugs and cudd-lees lots so she know I her friend".
Deress led them straight to what Caseya assumed to be the dormitory after that before heading on inside before them.
"I think they are curious about us" Caseya told the others "One or two seem to remember you, Sorfil. Some others are a little scared of Scarrans. There is another voice I cannot hear too clearly that seems to be telling them not to be afraid and that they are safe. I cannot tell if this new voice and Deress are prevailing in this discussion".
Rapid steps on the floor inside were soon followed by the door opening and a Sebacean child poking their head around the edge of it.
"Franer, I think" Sorfil announced "Good, you know me. This small family with us are friends of ours. You can trust them".
"Can they speak like we do?" Franer asked, to which Sorfil shook his head and said "No. Only the child has mentalism – and she is new to it, so no mindtalking to her unless Deress or the other one give permission".
"I 'Mara" Amara said, looking curiously at Franer "You Se-bay-shun, I smell it. Know nice Se-bay-shun on big home ship an' he my friend".
Franer opened the door without asking anyone else, after which Amara saw him run off almost faster than her eyes could follow.
"THAT 'MAZING! I NOT SEEN PERSON DO THAT 'FORE!" she shouted happily "HE DO OTHER STUFF? HE SHOW HIS NEW FRIEND 'MARA?"
Franer zoomed back again, grinning a bit at getting to show off for guests from what Caseya could tell, before telling Amara "I can do a few other things, little girl, but not lots. I'm not very strong at most of them except the running and the hyperse-oops, looking at things. I can do that a bit, too".
Deress came back and helped calm Amara's excitement, which mostly worked – at least until they reached an open lounge area and saw a small number of young people.
"EEEEEEEEE!" Amara shrieked with renewed excitement "MORE NEW PEOPLE! WHO YOU ALL? WHAT YOUR NAMES? WHAT MEN-TAL STUFF YOU DO? YOU LIKE 'MARA AN' MAMA AN' PAPA?"
"She's a real loud narl" one girl said, who turned out to be an Interion "I'm Jash, little narl, and I can do telepathy and pyrokinetics. Do you know what they are?"
Trannak whispered softly in Amara's ear, after which Amara clapped and said "Papa just tell his 'Mara what you do! That all 'mazing! I not know if I do them yet, new Jash, but I wait an' I see an' I see if I do them when I learn more goodgood men-tal stuff".
"I'm Nirrin" announced an Interion boy "I'm Jash's very best friend. I can do telepathy like Jash, and telekinetics" before asking Sorfil "Who is the Scarran and the orange one? I don't know them, Sorfil – are they friends of yours?"
"They are from the same movement as I am, Nirrin" Sorfil replied "The man is a senior officer, a Captain. I don't know what skills the woman has, though she seems to be being trained as a pilot".
Nirrin came cautiously closer, enough so that Amara picked up his mild fear and said "You not be scared of papa, new Ni-rin friend. Papa all nice an' he like you. You safe with papa, just like mama an' 'Mara".
Amara's minor showing of empathy calmed the atmosphere enough for Deress to get Caseya and Trannak and Amara seated – Sorfil stayed by the wall, no matter how many of the children told him he could sit as well, though he did say a few words to many of them.
Someone else arrived, muttering under their breath – before looking up and shrieking in fright – then disappearing!
" 'Mara smell you, new friend!" Amara called "You out by door there! You come out an' see 'Mara!"
"There's a new Scarran there!" came the reply "I've seen Sorfil a time or two – but who's the other one?!" before she tone of the voice changed and asked "How come you speak my language?"
"You come an' I tell you, new friend!" Amara called, laughing "My papa a Scarran an' he here an' mama a Kalish an' she here an' nice new 'mazing Del-vian man here too!"
"Deress?!" asked the voice – and the Delvian replied "I'm here... it's safe, I know you're afraid of Scarrans but this one's one of Sorfil's friends and Sorfil is here as well".
"He's a bit gonza as well..." the voice answered "but OK, then...I'll come in...".
Despite warnings to calm down, Amara did shriek excitedly when she saw this next new person – who turned out to be a Nebari girl of late-teens in age.
"NEW NE-BAR-EE GIRL!" Amara almost shouted "THAT ALL 'MAZING! I ONLY SEEN ONE NE-BAR-EE 'FORE YOU! HE MY FRIEND!"
"That how you can speak like me?" the girl asked, and Amara nodded and told her "You right. He teach his friend 'Mara Ne-bar-ee words an' give me cudd-lees in galley. That where we eat" before bombarding the girl with questions about her mentalism and if the bumps on her head hurt or not.
"They don't now" the girl said, before identifying herself as Mella "As for stuff I do...".
"They treat me well, Mella" Deress said, nodding "They are safe as far as I can tell".
Amara loved to hear about the translocation and asked if Mella could do it again while she watched – Mella grinned at Amara's interest before translocating a short distance across the room, which Amara rewarded with loud shrieks of delight, loud clapping, and a burst of happiness and excitement everyone in the room picked up.
"Now you know why they're here" Deress explained as the children came closer and started asking questions of their own "The little girl, Amara, needs training – like all of you did and still do! Jerella will be taking over my classes while I train Amara here".
"Nice blue Del-vian De-ress teach his new friend 'Mara goodgood stuff" Amara confirmed, nodding "It lots fun, I sure" before she paused to think for almost a half-momen before turning to face Deress and adding "There ri-ver here? I not seen ri-ver 'fore. Papa tell his 'Mara there fish in ri-ver if it a good ri-ver".
"The river runs through this small village and the larger one close by" Deress explained "before heading out to a large lake, and from there to one of the oceans of this world. Several kinds of fish swim in the river, and with care we can eat fish all cycle round".
"We go see ri-ver now?!" Amara asked, though she did not seem upset when Deress told her "Not now, Amara. While it is still light it is learning time – and since I have seen to it that my job will be teaching you and you only while you are here, I should test you and see what you can do so far".
"I all tired..." Amara sighed, projecting exhaustion coupled with a sense of happy achievement some arns later "Test things all goodgood fun but they hardhard too. I tired. Head hurt. It slee-ping time or it more test time?"
"I think it is sleeping time" Deress decided, looking outside "I will check to make sure the young ones have done their chores – some of them might stay awake for an arn or two, but most of them will be sleeping as well. One of the guest rooms will be made available for you and your mother and father, Amara" before asking Sorfil "Do you need accomodation as well, Sorfil?"
"Thank you, but no" Sorfil replied, shaking his head "I know the route back to where I live accurately enough to find my way even in this light. I will likely come to check on Amara's progress at some point tomorrow if duties allow, but that'll be all unless you need me for something".
Once Sorfil had left, Deress explained how general households operated without the technology both Caseya and Trannak were familiar with – Amara, of course, listened and was ecstatic that she woule be able to get clean by going in the river.
"THAT 'MAZING!" Amara shrieked, clapping "THERE LOTS GOODGOOD STUFF HA-PPEN TO 'MARA NOW I HERE! MORE GOODGOOD STUFF TO-MO-ROW, I SURE!"
Amara slept some time later than both her parents, so when she was eventually woken up she saw both Caseya and Trannak looking down at her.
"Goodee..." she said, only a little tired "It new test time, mama? There more stuff for your 'Mara to do?"
"We are going to the river" Trannak told her "Deress, your new blue Delvian friend, said that the young ones would be leaving for the river soon and we could come as well".
"New stuff for 'Mara, papa?" Amara asked again, to which Trannak smiled and rumbled before telling her "There might be, Amara – for now, we should be ready to go with our new friends. We will all be getting clean in the river... and if you are good, Amara, then we might show you about swimming. How to move around in water".
Amara's loud shriek of excitement was heard by most people close by and her burst of excitement was felt by people slightly further away as well – she collected all her clothes and bounced up and down on the bed impatiently until all three of them were dressed and ready to go outside.
"WE HERE!" Amara called happily, clapping " 'MARA HERE AN' MAMA AN' PAPA HERE TOO! IT RI-VER TIME?"
The older children laughed while Deress eventually managed to calm Amara down enough to tell her "We are going to the river now, yes. See how almost everyone has things to carry? I will be teaching them how to set up a basic campsite... we have a few tents, some other things as well, and we will make camp beside the river before we wash and swim".
"That lots fun, De-ress friend" Amara replied, nodding "I do that 'fore with friends an' papa make sure his 'Mara know where all bits of tent go"
"Our tents are not quite like yours..." Deress replied with a smile "but if your parents let you help us with them, listen to your parents so they can tell you what to carry and who to give it to".
"I do that, De-ress friend" Amara replied "I be all good so papa teach his 'Mara 'bout swi-mings. That sound lots fun".
Amara skipped and sang for all the short journey to the part of the riverbank Deress had chosen – when she wasn't looking at a tree or grass or an interesting footprint and asking about them all. Amara was very interested to hear that some animals were kept to do work and some could be eaten for food and asked about all of them.
"Might see a brine or two on the way back, Amara" Mella told her, dumping her bag on the grass and getting a mild reprimand for it "Some villagers eat 'em... but just about everyone rides them. Lots quicker than walking an' you can carry stuff with you too".
Nirrin whispered to Amara briefly before grinning, and Amara shrieked and clapped again before calling "That 'mazing, Ni-rin friend! You got bry-nee friend who yours?! I see?"
"When we go back" Nirrin replied "She likes Jash an' I... and it's about time I took her out hunting so she gets something to eat".
"Bring back something for the rest of us if you can, Nirrin" Deress reminded the young Interion "You need more practice and the others need practice preparing it afterwards as well" after which he got everyone started putting the tents up and doing the other duties for making camp.
"They don't use the same kind of tent we have on our home ship, Amara" Caseya told Amara as the pair of them watched "but see how everyone still needs to know how to put all the pieces together and to know which bags they came from?"
"Tent bits from bags..." Amara murmured, scratching her chin in thought before pointing and adding "Stuff go on top so people in tent all warm an' good, mama" as she saw a number of the young ones finish assembling one tent and secure the outer sheet with pegs and ropes. Caseya explained what the ropes and pegs were for, which got amazed coos and soft rumbling back from Amara.
Amara was even more amazed when Deress got everyone to wash their clothes in the river.
"Chores first, fun afterwards – including you, Mella!" Deress called "Jash... if you could make sure the clothes get a little help drying off, since you're our only pyrokinetic at the moment... everyone else, get yourselves properly washed in the river. We DID remember to bring cleanser with us, didn't we?"
Once that minor problem was sorted out, all went well – the young mentalists did, of course, end up playing around just as much as actually getting clean, if not more so, but Amara found all this endlessly amazing to watch as well.
"We should go in the river as well" Trannak told her as he laid out his uniform and weapons – Deress saw those and moved over to sit beside them "It would be good for you to go in a real river, Amara. It might be a little cold... I don't know if you are like Kalish people or like Scarran people with this kind of thing. Scarrans don't always handle cold well".
"It nice!" Amara called once she was ready, and went in with Caseya "It not cold, papa, but it not hot. Your 'Mara like it" before she looked around at the others and laughed.
"Your friends are having fun as they get clean, Amara" Caseya agreed, grinning, before going back for some of the cleanser – Amara shrieked and wriggled and laughed as Caseya saw to it she was cleaned and washed – before settling to cooing in amazement as Trannak started to swim a bit where she could see.
After a few momens, Amara tried mimicing his arm and leg movements – Trannak saw that and smiled, telling her "Just like me, Amara – your mama will hold you up...".
By then most of the young ones were gathered around and watching – Amara loved that, projecting happiness at them watching her as well as happiness about being in the river. Just as she was starting to tire, she saw something move and called "Moo-vings! What that?"
"That's a fish, Amara" Franer told her "Sometimes we catch some to eat when we come here – not this time, though. No fishing stuff".
"Fish, mama an' papa..." Amara called, turning to watch again as she was carried out of the river "Fish for eating" before looking up at Caseya and asking "Fish go in treel, mama? Same fish here?"
"Not the same fish" Caseya told her, wrapping her in a small fur towel "It is possible to make treel out of almost any kind of fish, Amara, but it will taste different if you make it with different fish".
Amara thought about that for a few microts, then tried to poke at the towel she was wrapped in and giggling –then cooing softly as she saw Deress swimming slowly in the river as well.
"De-ress goodgood at swi-ming, mama..." Amara said, nodding "I learn an' I be goodgood as De-ress one day, mama" – she was even more amazed when Deress dived down and swam underwater, asking anyone and everyone in earshot about that and how she might learn to do it.
"Learn to swim on top of the water first" Trannak reminded her with a smile and a rumble "then we can teach you swimming under like that. Perhaps your friend whisper Scarran might teach you?"
"He like his friend 'Mara lots" Amara agreed, rumbling back to her adoptive father "He teach me too, that what I think".
"Status, Lirak?" Rulok asked as he walked onto the Switchblade's bridge.
"Just out of the Chena'ia system" Lirak replied "One brief hail from system control... mostly just telling us where a couple of bulk freighters were so we wouldn't hit anything. Whoever's on duty today knows the kind of people who usually fly Switchblades and decided to leave us well alone".
"Good" Rulok decided "There'll be problems enough to deal with the closer we get to Kalian. Besides if there's bulk freighters coming an' going here it likely means there's resupply flights for a battlegroup around, maybe prefabricated sections going to other spacedocks – both of which we'd be better off avoiding".
"Agreed" Lirak said "Both Scimitars and the Scorpions are good to go on a microt's notice... let's hope we won't need the Scorpions, but they're certified in case we do".
"Shellek say anything about general maintenance?" Rulok asked next, but Lirak shook his head and replied "Not a thing – to be honest I think all of that was taken care of before we left. I'll get everyone checking everything before we get within two systems' distance of Kalian, then we can go flank speed if we need to, without worrying about the details".
"Which just leaves the flight deck and the Strykers" Rulok finished, to which Lirak replied "Heading that way right now".
"More test for 'Mara?" Amara asked Deress as soon as everyone got back to the dormitory and packed away the gear under Deress' watchful eye "Want more test thing! They all fun! 'Mara want to know what new stuff I do!"
Deress smiled and lifted her gently out of Caseya's arms, just looking at her and smiling for several microts, before bringing her back to his shoulder and telling her "We should sit inside, Amara – where the chairs are. Or we could sit in the big room where we cook meat – there is a big fire there, and if Nirrin comes back with a meat animal soon we might get to see it put on the fire to cook for our evening meal".
When they arrived in the kitchen, Amara loved the firepit even though it wasn't lit – but Deress smiled and called for young ones to bring in wood from the piles outside.
"We will not light it now" Deress reminded them "Nirrin has not returned from his hunting expedition to feed his brine, for one thing – and as you know by now, I do not like being this close to a fire, even less so one of this magnitude. If Nirrin brings back anything worth eating we will light it – after everyone has done their part in preparing it. For now, you should head back to Jerella and your lessons".
Deress gave Amara many lessons that afternoon as well, working her surprisingly hard to test her abilities and extend her range – but mostly to help her focus her mind enough to send to one person only and not the whole neighbourhood.
"Lots fun..." Amara said tiredly, some time later.
"Do you want to stop, Amara?" Caseya asked with concern "You look very tired...".
"Your 'Mara do more, mama" Amara replied insistently, nodding "Your 'Mara do more now, mama. I learn an' I do good an' then I help friends lots, mama an' papa. I do more now".
"I will not overextend her" Deress assured both Caseya and Trannak "It is good to have a student so eager to learn... but she is surprisingly strong, despite her lack of cycles, so with your permission I will test her more. For a little while, at least".
"Test Amara more" Trannak replied "Train her. There's no way to find out what she can do unless she tries, and anyone even a little Scarran needs extended and hard training to develope their mental and physical stamina, if nothing else. Both my wife and I will volunteer if you need to test her sending range or clarity, of course".
Deress nodded, giving Amara a number of other tests until she pointed her treblin hand out towards a window and said "Think that Ni-rin. Not know if it ree-ly him, but 'Mara think it is. Saw Ni-rin at ri-ver. Ni-rin on bry-nee. Smell meat".
"Meat, you say?" Deress replied, smiling - Amara thought he didn't believe her so she nodded and said "I smell it, nice De-ress friend! Smell it goodgood! You ask papa!"
"If Amara smells meat, then meat comes" Trannak replied when Deress asked him about it "Her mother can do that as well, but not me – I will not tell you why right now, I would need clearance from our commander before I did that".
"Some of the young ones can extend their senses like that" Deress added "I can as well if I want to. I will take Amara's word for it that meat is coming" before he smiled and asked Amara "Amara... I have a special test for you if you are not too tired...".
"I not slee-ping..." she replied, looking up from his arms and smiling "What next test thing?"
"Can you talk to Jash in her head..." Deress suggested "... and tell her that Nirrin is coming back... without letting anyone else hear?"
"Heeheehee!" Amara laughed, clapping "New test for 'Mara!" before telling Caseya "Nice De-ress teach your 'Mara stuff 'bout that 'fore, mama – now I talk to Jash an' do it! That all 'mazing!"
Amra managed to keep focussed on Jash and her only – but her excitement at doing so made her lose control of her mental volume, which knocked Jash out of her chair.
~((sadness, sorrow, concern for Jash's health))~ came to Jash's mind from Amara at a much more controlled volume and made her smile.
~Safe ((surprise))~ Jash replied, feeling relief and happiness in return before Amara added ~Ni-rin come. Meat come~
Very strong indeed Deress decided, making sure to keep his mental shield up So excitable and willing to learn... but so Scarran and driven as well. Even now I can tell Amara will keep subjecting herself to more and more tests unless I or her parents insist that she stops.
"We will wait outside for Nirrin" Deress told Amara as Jash came "We will help him bring this meat animal you said you smelled under cover but outside – where the roof of this building hangs over the walkway outside the kitchen. Nirrin and Jash and the others can prepare it there. If your papa knows how, perhaps he might help – the young ones will like that, I think".
"You teach new friends, papa..." Amara told Trannak happily "They like that, I sure. You know stuff 'bout this, papa?"
"Not as much as your friend the whisper Scarran, Amara" Trannak replied "But I had to do testing on this kind of thing a long time ago, before I met your mama – everyone who wore the same special clothes as I did was tested on it, Amara".
Extreme survival testing Caseya knew Scarrans test their own even more than they test species under their control. They would not stop the testing unless we were transferred from duty, we passed the test, or doctors intervened.
Amara watched as Trannak led the young ones through gutting the meat animal and preparing it – he worked every young mentalist hard, but Caseya was pleased to see he stressed teamwork over individual efforts. Every so often one or more would stop to clean and sharpen knives, or to head inside to some part of the kitchen with sliced meat or other useful parts of the animal – Nirrin's brine had collapsed in a lump on the grass, watching her master but showing no inclination to move until she saw Amara staring at her.
"Look, mama..." Amara cooed softly, pointing at Nirrin's brine "Bigbig animal come! It nice? It safe for your 'Mara?"
"She..." Nirrin said, correcting Amara "...is very friendly. She probably saw you looking at her – and since her sense of smell is good, she can tell your scent is new and one she doesn't know. That's why she's coming – because you're new to her, and since I'm here as well, she wants to know you're safe for me to be with".
Trannak rested his hand on the grip of his pistol anyway, but said "If your animal is safe for Amara to be around, I will trust your word for now... but be careful" to Nirrin.
"I will watch as well" Deress added, before telling the others "You will all watch! Amara and her parents are our guests, which means we are all responsible for them... but it will be interesting to see Amara's response as well" and putting Amara gently down on the ground, where she ran over to Nirrin and took hold of his hammond hand.
Nirrin's brine padded over to her master and prodded him gently with her nose, rumbling and growling a little – Amara smiled at that and rumbled back to her, which got her turning her large head to face Amara and poking her experimentally.
"Stroke her fur very gently..." Nirrin urged, holding her hand and demonstrating "Like that, Amara... like that. My brine is very friendly but she does not know you and does not know if you like me".
"You my new friend, Ni-rin" Amara replied immediately "Jash my new friend too. All new friends here" before reaching her small hand up to stroke the top of the brine's head. Nirrin's brine settled to the ground slowly, resting her head on the ground and watching curiously as Amara stroked her and fussed over her – even Deress looked amazed when Amara said "Bry-nee all nice to 'Mara..." and sat down before resting against the brine's fur, rumbling very softly while the brine watched her with some interest.
"A short report only... in my case, at least..."
A few laughs followed at that – some of the reports had been more long and lengthly than anyone really liked.
"Confirmation of the presence of the Scarrans in black on Talzenadar IV...the ones present at the nullification of site 15..."
"...and...?"
"Preliminary ident of the female of our people suspected of being present in the cells at site 15 at Talzenadar IV as well".
"Does the operative reporting have any idea why she is there?"
"That operative was not the same one as the one who reported the presence of the Scarrans in black before. They knew enough to know the woman was an item of interest, and thus passed the sighting on when their report was delivered. They did not ask why she was an item of interest and I did not explain".
"There is a high probability that she was rescued by the Scarrans in black and brought there, I think. Why this was done is not a concern at this stage – it is enough that we know that she was brought there. Either the Scarrans in black or the one that commands them considers our people to be people worth assisting – we need to understand why this is the case, though whether we find out or not we should also investigate any possibility of finding out if they can be persuaded to assist our people in any way if needed. Perh-"
"Time to leave!"
"Why n-"
"Two Scorpions. I am NOT going to get close enough to identify which agency owns them! Best we leave before their commanders tell us themselves!"
