OK, I apologize for the delay in the posting of this chapter, every now and again I hit a lull. In this case I was trying to do too much at the same time, (Three different stories at the same time), and I over taxed myself. Now one of the projects is out of the way, the edit of my original story is on hold, which leaves me free to work on this one.

Chapter Six: Revelations

Quona Lyonas sat with eyes closed and cross-legged, seemingly relaxed, on the pile of ferns on a hill above the Haven's gate. A haven it was no longer, it was a tomb. He opened his eyes and looked over seeing the bright colors of the fire dancing from between the great stones that had been erected, singeing and curling the vines that had provided a curtain across it. It had been the only way to clear the caves, there were so many dead within that moving them to another site was impractical. Lyonas had ordered the torching, giving the rites of the dead just as the flame was lit consuming the devastation within.

There had only been two survivors of the massacre, Bahlana, and an unnamed Saru, one even Popau didn't know, who teetered on the edge of oblivion. Raha was not taking the low success rate very well, even though she tried to hide her disappointment and frustration at the situation she was faced with. Poorly so Lyonas thought, she was still such a Human in that respect. Quona closed his eyes and nodded slowly, she was a good Soyasa, and her empathy with her patients made her so, but it was also her weakness. The Soua understood death, they were death, and they dealt with death well. Raha on the other hand was afraid of death, as most humans were, though she would never admit it even to herself. She fought it at every turn, and she continued to try when the rest knew it was beyond hope. But those that knew her had come to accept that as part of her unique, and some would say, genuinely Clusu way of thinking.

Across from him lay the still unconscious Bahlana, bedded on a pile of soft fungus that was giving off a pleasant smell. Lyonas' eyes moved slowly back to the Soua studying his misshapen face seeing the Saru that he had known so shortly when he was still in the crèche. He had been about a rotation old when Bahlana had come into the world, already learned in the traditions of the crèche regarding those deemed unworthy of training. Something had gone terribly wrong in Bahlana's development leaving him terribly deformed. Most of the right side of his body had been a mass of leathery misshapen skin tissue. His right arm was stunted with a stubby four-fingered hand that showed no sign productive movement. Lyonas had known about the high standards placed on the physical attributes of any given Hunter, but he had never known any that had been subjected to Grapada in his rotation of life. He remembered still following so many long rotations, looking down at the small stunted body, squirming valiantly in his small soyan, unable to reconcile the vitality he saw there with the scars that doomed him to die. He remembered feeling…sorry as a Saru does sometimes that the small life before him would be no more after that day.

Bahlana had been slated for Grapada the day after his birth, and Lyonas had always thought that the Grapada had taken place. The next day Bahlana was gone, and his Souata said no more about it. Never had it occurred to him that Bahlana would escape the fate that was set for him. But here was Bahlana some three hundred fifty rotations later still alive, and looking very much like he remembered him. What had happened?

The answer was of course very obvious; he had been taken by a Rogue infiltrator and brought here. And here it seems that he survived, and not just survived, he had thrived. Glancing down he looked over the Bahlana again. The hair on the right side of his face had never reached any real length, standing stiffly to the side of his head almost like the smaller spines that adorned all Soua's heads. It showed vividly the twisted mass of skin on the side of his head and outlined his bony jaw. His mandibles on that side of his face were absent and the tusks that should have adorned them instead protruded out at odd angles. They looked as if they had pierced the skin, the upper one jutting out and down at an angle, the lower one came nearly straight out from his face. The stiff mass of skin limited the movement of his inner mouth on that side stretched tightly from top to bottom. The left side of his face was untouched, and correctly formed, with gracefully curving tusks from his mandibles and his inner jaw was correct in proportion. One eye was slightly lower than the other but of the correct size.

Beyond that he saw the strength in the old Soua's frame the musculature that had formed where scarring did not touch his body. His legs were sturdy and well proportioned, heavily muscled. That was telling of how he had compensated for his upper body strength with the added force of his legs to aid his fighting and hunting. He saw again the strength and vitality that he had witnessed at Bahlana's introduction to this world.

Lyonas looked then at the weapon that now lay next to his left thigh, a blade nearly three feet long, wickedly jagged edges glinted in the half-light around them, it was fixed to a sturdy gauntlet of metal and padded with soft banyata. He then glanced up at the stunted arm, seeing now the shrunken look of the forearm where it was worn knowing that Bahlana had never gone without the device, it had become an extension of his personality as much as it was for his arm. The stunted arm was wiry with muscles, and it was obvious that had he gotten a good swipe at Raha he would have done her in.

He sighed heavily looking away into the forest again. He had questions for the old Soua, and not all of them had to do with the raid on the Rogue encampment. Raha had brought to his attention the disparity in ages of the Rogues still in the encampment, how there were few young hunters in the Rogues pack, just Saru and aged Sougra or Souata, and that was heavy on his mind as well. Had they gone? If so where? To pursue the culprits of this crime? So many questions and no one person to ask them of, until Bahlana woke.

As if reading his thoughts the Soua before him stirred, Lyonas' hand went swiftly to his sheathed sword, jumping up and laying the bared blade firmly against Bahlana's neck, preventing him from the attack he saw in the old Soua's body language. "Hold, old one," Lyonas said in a stern commanding voice. Bahlana stared back at him with angry eyes both his left and his stunted right hands flat against the ground in his attempt to push upright, halted by the razor sharp sword at the base of his skull.

"You are one of them," He growled his clear eyes squinting a little, "You would disgrace me now, killing me while I am prone? Why then wait until I wake, Sasiyi? Dishonor knows no shades of color! You will get no favors in the next hunt because of any mercy to me!" His voice was deep and resonant, rich with his fury, though his words were of a dialect he had not heard before. He was clearly understandable, but he carried an accent that must reflect his life amongst the rogues, or perhaps it was the scarring on his face that made his pronunciation odd.

"Of the party that lay your lives to waste I am not, Bahlana," Lyonas said softly, slowly releasing his pressure against Bahlana's neck. He sat back on his haunches, watching Bahlana closely as he moved to a sitting position. Bahlana looked down as he raised his stunted hand before his eyes, and Lyonas shifted placing one clawed foot firmly laid on the gauntlet that Bahlana was now eyeing.

Surely the Soua did not remember him, Saru were aware of their surroundings early in life, but not clearly in their first hours. Still Lyonas said, "I am Lyonas," He said treating the old Soua as an equal. Bahlana regarded him solemnly a moment, the suspicion in his eyes not fading, and no recognition reflected in that guarded expression, "I am Quona Lyonas of the Taya Quarta," He said instead using his longer held title as head of the ships Eesa."

Bahlana's head inclined slightly and there was recognition in his distorted face, "Of you I have heard many stories, 'Quona'," He answered him derisively, "You and your group, accepted, when the rest of the rogues suffer the indignities of the populace."

"We are not rogues!" Quona cried indignantly the sword in his hand coming up threateningly at the sound.

Bahlana snorted shortly not scared in the least at Lyonas' implied threat, "Sai flaunted the law, is that not what makes a Sougra rogue? Rogues do not conform to the societal norm physically, mentally, or politically. He struck out on his own when the Code did not suit him, when those 'Eesa's' became uncomfortable with his Clusu's presence and bonded him to her to stop his line.

"Sora, was another such…" he looked away but only for a moment, "His wounding made him an outcast in his own society, his altered mental state only made that matter worse. He should have joined us…but so twisted was he around the 'Code' That he wanted to rejoin the Soua that had so mistreated him in the first place."

"Or even you, Lyonas, most of all you…A 'Traditionalist' who tracked his offspring, for selfish reasons…You who took a ship, a TAYA ship, and defected with it to Taysa? You killed many Huada on your journey to that hidden city, you were a wanted Soua. How can you say that Taysa Taru are not Rogues?

Lyonas stared long and hard at Bahlana, a Soua for all his "outcast" status seemed to be extremely well informed about the ways of the Traditional Soua Society and its inner demons. Another clue perhaps? Before he could inquire the old Soua went on again.

"We did long ago what you did ten rotations past, yet the Ot Eesan rewarded you and yours with equal status amongst the tribes," Bahlana quipped angrily, "The very thing that has brought this…city…nothing but misery. We are hunted down every day for being what we are…" He looked down at his clubbed hand again then raised it before Lyonas' eyes. "Physically imperfect, mentally unstable or politically aberrant to the hypocritical Eesa's that govern this planet, that control the hunt and make policy with our very lives as they see fit."

Lyonas looked away from the old Soua a moment, knowing that he had no response for the old warrior. When he looked back up again he said sternly, trying to change the course of the conversation back to something that was useful, "What happened here Bahlana?"

Quona glanced over as Raha topped the hill, stopping a respectful distance from the two old Soua, bowing low. She signed at him without looking his direction. It was their silent language, one that was only known to the Eesa's at Taysa. Quona nodded motioning her to approach and be seated. He did not miss the angry glare that Bahlana regarded Raha with. Quona returned his attention to the old Soua.

Slowly Bahlana returned his gaze to Lyonas saying, "I think that you know what happened here!" He growled in a tone that was accusing them. He nodded toward Raha, "You are responsible for this massacre…you have brought death to us."

"What do you mean, Bahlana?" Quona said softly, "We have only just arrived here my friend."

"You try and cover your tracks, Sasiyi, by assuming the role of Yanah, the saviors. The clusu in your presence negates your good will! She directed the assault against us." He said vehemently pointing a clawed finger at Raha who was staring at him in horror for such a suggestion.

Quona Lyonas shook his head looking at the ground, "No," He said adamantly, "We have suffered similar losses, old one. Taysa was attacked the day before we returned from other hunts, Taysa has been laid waste. Donona has suffered as well. It surprises me that with all that you know, that these bits of news have escaped you."

Bahlana glared at him angrily but Quona continued, not losing in his mind the suggestion that a Clusu was responsible for coordinating the attacks. Doubt crept into his mind. The only other Human on Soona was the male Gerard… Could he have played a role in the destruction that they were now suffering? He shook his head minutely, that could not be the case, there was no way for him to be involved with this. Then who could it be? "We have searched for those responsible, yet we have come no closer to finding them.

"Donona has assumed that the Rogues are to blame for the attacks, we could not convince them otherwise. They are surely on their way to finish what the others started here."

"They will find nothing here," Bahlana said in defeat, seeing the conflagration from the Haven and understanding what had been wrought inside their home.

"Tell me what you can about the attack," Quona asked anxiously.

Bahlana shook his head in the negative, "They were Soua by the look of them, but they fought wrong, very wrong to be of us. No Soua has ever fought the way that these did. Who they were I could not tell you, except to say that they are not from any tribe that I have met or heard of. In fact they seemed to be from all tribes, the attackers possessed many different stylings. And as I have already said…" He paused a moment his eyes narrowing as he looked at Lyonas, "There was a clusu with them."

Lyonas straightened sharply, "You mean there was a pet with them, such as some of the Sougra bring back from hunts?"

Bahlana shook his head negatively growling, "No, fool, a human Clusu, no pet was this creature. It was helping the attackers, much like yours does for you. I will not degrade our species by saying it led the group, it coordinated their attack, and it used techniques that foiled our defenses. I will believe you if you say that this," He pointed to Raha again, "Clusu is not responsible, but I am not mistaken about the human's presence in the group. This one was dressed much the same as the one you named Raha. It knows no Soua styling, no Code existed in its group. And that was the reason that they were so successful in their attack.

"And there was something else," Bahlana added looking thoughtfully at the ground, "Behind the chants…there was…language, different from Sou, but almost recognizable, like something from long into our history, like instinctive memory."

Quona's brow furrowed.

Off to the left of where the three of them sat there was a loud explosion followed by the sound of his own group yelling instructions. Popau ran to them signing his respect and then blurting, "There are Soua attacking from the forest, about fifty, by reckoning, Quona."

"Are they Donona's?" Quona asked fearing for his group should they be found lingering here.

Popau shook his head, "No, they are Rogues."

Quona stood as did Bahlana and Raha looking out into the dim forest. Tall proud hunters approached slowly from between the tree surrounding the hill. Here there were none of the infirmities usually associated with a Rogue. Each was strong and of middle age, the missing generation that Raha had mentioned to him. Each hunter carried stringers of meat, neatly dried into strips. Quona looked back to Bahlana who was standing proudly as he looked at his warriors.

They stood in an encompassing circle, weapons at the ready, mostly Raspa's and Disa, but some carried yoysa's and others had missile launchers. All looked angry and worried about the still raging fire coming from between the gates of the Haven.

Lyonas looked down at his small group standing defensively at the bottom of the hill intent on protecting their Quona, "Stand down!" He ordered to his own warriors in a booming voice then he turned again to Bahlana, "I do not wish to inflict any more losses than you have already suffered here Bahlana. Ask your Sougra to stand down."

"You possess such confidence, Lyonas, to think that your warriors, as few as they are can outmatch my own."

"Yes you do possess the greater numbers here," Lyonas agreed, "But why do you wish to continue to fight? Donona will be here soon, and fighting us will only delay you when you could be safely away to another place. We have proven that we did not cause your misery here, is that not enough for you?"

Bahlana looked stubbornly on, reluctant to let go of thoughts of revenge, finally he nodded turning to face the warriors returned from their hunt again, "Wanduma, chana rescara." He ordered loudly.

The warriors jumped back a little as if they had been punched, their eyes drifted to others in their own party not believing what they had just heard, "Chana rescara!" he repeated the anger at delay clearly in his voice.

Slowly the weapons lowered, but none moved from their spots.

"What has happened here, Eesa?" One Sougra asked. He was slightly older than those with him, a strong and wise looking Sougra. His markings and confirmation told Lyonas that this was one of Bahlana's offspring.

Bahlana stooped to pick up the gauntlet that Lyonas had been guarding and donned the weapon. He looked at Lyonas again before turning away and moving down the hill toward the younger Soua who had spoken. He stopped next to the younger Sougra laying his good hand on his shoulder, "I will tell you…but not at this moment, Bahtin, for now we must go, a second danger is nearly upon us. We should be away from here before it arrives."

"But who are these Soua?" Bahtin asked angrily, "They are Traditionalists, have they come here to kill us?"

Bahlana looked back again, "They came to warn us of our enemies arrival."

"The Haven? Why does it burn?" Bahtin asked obviously confused.

"Later Bahtin…we must go, NOW!" He struck the Sougra sharply on the shoulder with the flat of the blade on his right wrist. Cowed, the Sougra turned and began loping into the forest. Bahlana ordered one of the Sougra to gather up the Saru who was of their clan and then repeated his original orders louder and the rest moved more quickly into the forest. Soon they were only faint heat signatures lost amongst those of the animals.

"A human?" Courtney said to Quona trepidatiously, "But how? And what group of Soua is he or she 'coordinating'?"

"That is something that we are going to have to find out."