An unidentified sound brought Galen suddenly awake. He turned his head to see Pete sitting up. Galen opened his mouth to speak, but Burke's head dropped down into his hands and Galen paused, muzzle wrinkling. It seemed a sorrowful gesture and one that Galen was sure Pete didn't wish him to see, let alone speak about. He barely stifled a sigh. These two friends of his were so complicated. Why couldn't they understand what he felt to be a clear-cut issue - they had no part in the destruction of Chandar, and the deaths of Liska and Kabon. Galen's heart ached for the villagers, and yes, he did wish that he and his friends hadn't stayed there. He admitted freely that Chandar would still stand if they hadn't. But gorillas had been abusing humans for years, and this was one more example of that - although, Galen admitted, an extreme one. But still, unfortunately, not that uncommon.

Galen understood why Pete was so against risking their lives for a disk that would almost certainly be of no practical use. He also understood, as did Pete, that Alan needed the hope that the disk represented. Despite Pete's anger and grief over the death of his friends coming to the forefront tonight, Galen knew that a part of Pete hoped to make it back home. As for Galen, he'd go back to their world with them, if the opportunity ever presented itself. Flying machines, technology enabling humans to speak together over unimaginable distances, buildings so tall they defied the gods…yes, he would go. Even knowing the dangers he might face.

Galen watched as Pete finally lay back down. Maybe now wasn't the time, but later, they would talk more about this, Galen resolved. Pete had to realize that this wasn't his fault…before he destroyed himself with useless recriminations and guilt.

Both of his friends needed help. A divide had been opened between them, and he was determined to close it. He wasn't going to let anything come between the three. They were almost like…brothers. Galen smiled involuntarily. Imagine - an ape regarding humans as brothers. It could happen. It already did. And someday, maybe it would happen for all apes and humans. Oh, he knew it was an uphill battle. But still…

Galen frowned. Earlier in the day, a hundred years ago, it seemed, he'd heard the gorilla soldiers talking about his cousin Pergis. Pergis! There was another problem to deal with. The events of the day had pushed aside his intent to speak with Alan and Pete about returning to his parents home in Central City, even though they'd been there less than two months before.

That was just the point. The three's last visit to see Galen's parents had started Pergis down the dangerous road he now traveled. He had discovered their presence at his uncle's home, after all - quite by accident.

Such a simple mistake - but one that could cost Pergis everything.

A couple of months ago, Galen and his friends had made a brief sojourn into the village of Dakan for food and water. They'd ended up staying for three days at a very friendly farmer's home - friendly primarily because he was desperately in need of help. His son had been injured on the farm a few days before, and help was in short supply. When Galen arrived with his two servants, the old ape was quite happy to take them up on their offer of services in exchange for shelter and food. Galen had explored the village and being his usual inquisitive self, struck up an acquaintance with the local prefect. Amongst the news he'd gleaned from that short association was an alarming tidbit: Galen's father had apparently been stricken in the middle of a council meeting with chest pains. Nothing more was known of his condition.

At first light the following morning, Galen and the two astronauts had set out for the home of Galen's parents in Central City. The three fugitives had arrived scant hours earlier than Pergis, who'd stepped up his visits to his uncle over concerns of his health. Pergis's arrival coincided with Galen and Yalu's stepping out onto the patio. At the door-knock, Galen's mother Ann immediately led the astronauts to their by now familiar hiding place under the floor. Tired of waiting, Pergis had walked around to the garden and caught Galen red-handed.

Initially, Pergis's delight seeing Galen overshadowed his concerns for his cousin's situation. But then came the questions - curiosity being a much vaunted trait in the family. Why did Galen feel so strongly about humans? Everyone knew the Lawgiver had established the superiority of apes, and subsequently the inferiority of humans. Apes were made in the image of the Almighty, and thus given divine status above every other creature on the planet.

And one more thing -where were Galen's companions now?

Galen's attempts to answer Pergis's questions grew increasingly short. Yalu became positively terse - but still, Pergis talked on, oblivious to the not-so-subtle signals of his hosts. Ann tried several excuses designed to remove Pergis from his seat and out the door, but he seemed almost to have taken root. That, along with the gleam in Pergis's eye, finally compelled Galen to shout vexedly, "Oh, all right! It's plain to see he knows they're here." Over the protestations of his parents, Galen walked to Ann's favorite chair, waving his arms disgustedly. "Look at him! He's prepared to stay for as long as it takes," he said, glaring at Pergis. "Well, I won't keep my friends down there all night," and he pulled Ann's chair aside to reveal the trap door beneath the fur rug. Opening the door, he helped the two sweaty, uncomfortable astronauts out of the cramped space. Virdon and Burke's eyes darted around the room, taking swift measure, then returned to Galen's face, questioning.

"Oh, uh… this is my cousin," Galen said to the astronauts, then addressing his cousin, added wearily, "Pergis… Peter Burke, Alan Virdon."

Virdon's brow knitted. "This is a mistake. A dangerous one," he stated firmly.

"Oh, what would you have me do - leave you down there all night?" Galen snapped, then closed his eyes briefly in a put-upon fashion. "He caught me outside with Father. He wasn't going to leave until he'd seen you."

Pergis stared coolly at the two astronauts, then said dismissively, "They look like every other human."

"That's funny - I was just going to say, 'seen one chimp, seen 'em all,'" Burke retorted, earning virulent glares from the male apes in the room. A dignified stare from Ann's angular face left Burke with the good grace to look abashed. Virdon sighed.

Galen huffed at Pete, hands on hips and exclaimed, "I should have left you down there after all!" He rolled his eyes and plopped down on a chair. "Pergis, now you've seen them. You got what you wanted - if you have any sense at all, you'll leave it at that," he said, rubbing his forehead resignedly.