Although Rath believed that the humans that had lived through the war with the Antarians were surely dead he needed allies for he knew that in a war with Khivar the Antarians would be defeated. As leader of the army and Zan's second in command he felt it was his duty to search out the desert and try to find help. He consulted with Zan, Vilandra, and Ava. All three begged that he not go, that he was more needed in Roswell. They feared that Khivar would strike while he was gone and they would all be lost. Rath would take none of it though, he packed food and water and set out into the desert not knowing what he was looking for or what he would find.
***
"Maria, Maria, I have heard news from Roswell," the excited messenger cried returning from his three week mission to Roswell.
"Well, speak up, what have you heard? What have you seen?"
"The Antarians are preparing for a war. I do not think it is us they fear though. I have heard that they have sent the leader of their army to search us out. Something very big is happening and they are very scared. I think they fear an attack from the skies."
"They have sent the leader of their armies? We are not prepared for this, have you seen him? When was he sent? When will he arrive?" Maria was getting hysterical, they were not prepared for this.
"He left about a week before I, but he does not know the way, surely he will never find us here."
"We cannot risk it, he can't find this place, we will be destroyed. Go, find Kyle, Alex, and Liz. We must discuss a course of action to take."
The messenger bowed and left in search of Maria's three companions.
***
Rath had been traveling through the desert for over a week and his supplies were beginning to run low. He feared if he did not find someone soon he would have to turn back. He did not want to return to Roswell with no one to help them against Antar, he felt as if he were betraying his people, but he could not stay out in the hot desert and starve to death either. He decided he would be able to travel three more days and then he would have to turn back and return, with or without help.
***
"What are we going to do?" Liz asked when she heard the news.
"We have to kill him, show no mercy as they showed us and our families none," Kyle said with venom.
"If we kill him and the others find out we will have hell to pay, we are not ready to start a war with them," Maria said trying to calm the groups fears and angers.
"What can we do then? We can't allow them to find this place. Its too risky," Alex said.
"Well then we have to stop him from finding his way here. We have to mislead him," Maria said.
"And how do you expect us to do that?" Kyle asked as if it was the stupidest thing he had ever heard.
"We have to go out into the desert and find him first. Pretend that we are the only survivors."
"No, that is too big of a risk. What if he kills us? The others can't survive without someone to rule over them and direct their ways," Alex replies, "It's a bad idea, too many flaws."
"Not if only one of us goes," Maria said looking back and forth between the three faces.
"No Maria, you are not going out there by yourself, its suicide," Liz exclaimed.
"She right, I won't let you go. We'll just have to let him find us and we'll figure everything else out when he finds us…if he finds us," Alex said.
"Alright then, its final. Nobody makes a move unless he shows up here," Kyle said.
Everyone nodded in agreement, except for Maria, she had plans of her own.