Stein had once pointed out that the Knoll - at least a dozen miles across in whichever direction you measured it - should really have been called something like the Uplands. But the Mick who lived here liked the name Knoll, so it had stuck. It was like an island jutting out of the grass seas around it and the locals had added to its defenses. Without really knowing what they were copying - that was something else Stein had said - they had produced settlements that were very much like the Iron Age hillforts still be be seen in places on Earth 1. The steep ascent of the Knoll's western slopes was followed by a wooden bridge across a deep ditch. Beyond that was the embankment, topped by a wooden palisade with one gateway and a walkway on the inside. This was, Snart knew, one of at least a dozen such settlements scattered across the Knoll. This Mick's kingdom wasn't the tidiest of places. Buildings had been put up where those who were going to use them felt like doing so. But it was kept as clean as one of the island settlements.

Snart paused part way to the hut that was Mick's quarters, looking at the pair of creatures lounging outside. Like most of Green world's lifeforms, they didn't exactly match those of Earth 1.

''My new pets'' Mick explained. ''I'm still trying to decide whether to call them cogs or dats, or both.''

Ducking past the pair - they were plainly predators - Snart followed Mick inside. Two boys, a couple of his host's numerous offspring no doubt, were playing some kind of dice game on the floor in the middle of the hut.

''Out'' Mick growled and they reluctantly shuffled off.

The past twenty years had brought changes to this Mick too, but in a different way. He was leaner, more muscular than his counterpart on he island. He'd become the leader of a colony that was mostly made up of ex-Scavengers. His folk hadn't become more than half-civilised in the way Terry had. This was a place of foragers, hunter-gatherers, as well as a few others who wanted the extra freedom. This Mick wanted it too, after the way he'd been used by the Time Masters and then by Savage and co.

''So how's Sara and the kids?'' Mick asked.

''And well. And yours?''

''Too many of them'' Mick growled. The truth was he enjoyed the casual fatherhood - he could never understand why the other Mick was content with one woman - but then he could hardly have been said to have met Joanne, other than in that one fight years ago.

''And the other one -Saffron?''

''Fine. She married Allen - the younger one. I'm a grandfather twice over.''

Mick noticeably didn't ask about Dinah Drake, so Snart didn't say that she was retired and back home on Earth 1, her Martian days behind her.

''I know why you're here'' Mick said, signalling the end of the pleasantries. ''We saw it too and I rather thought you'd turn up. You want to go and take a look, I guess?''

''That's the plan.''

''And I'm in. I don't have tell you that a lot of people don't like what they saw.''

Meaning that Mick had told him he was going there in order to stop a whole bunch of the more short-tempered turning up at whatever boundary fence A.R.G.U.S. had these days.

X

They breached through into the trees on the high ground overlooking the A,R.G.U.S. base.

''Dan's right - this place is an eyesore.'' Mick commented, referring to his eldest son as he looked down on the clearing the enclosed base.

The base was bigger than it had been the last time he saw it, Snart thought. The boundary fence had been heightened and now had motion trackers and - those looked like some kind of sonic generating equipment - scare the big predators away? More likely to make them angry. There were more buildings - quite a lot more. And to those born here they must have looked ugly lumps of metal and concrete blocks. The place was bustling with activity and -

'''Take a look at this'' Mick's voice held a low rumble of anger.

He was holding the end of one of the smaller tree branches, where the leaves had caught his attention. Although it was the height of summer, the leaves were turning a sickly yellow colour.

''So whatever red stuff they were spreading wasn't harmful'' his companion said angrily. ''There's more of it -'' pointing to what was happening to the foliage around them.

Snart stared down towards the camp, feeling his own temper sharpening. This planet was home to five of his children. Then he froze, having just seen something in the enclosed area. He touched Mick's arm and pointed.

They both stared at the man who'd just come into then turned and looked at each other.