Strains of bluegrass music flowed through the bay, rolling into Mikula's ears and waking him from a light doze. He opened his eyes quickly and then felt his ears go down in a blush as he realized he had fallen asleep. Quietly, he brought up his left hand and looked at the watch that Alexis had given him, and he quietly sighed as he realized he had only dozed for fifteen minutes or so.

The person lying in his arms shifted her weight a bit. "Woke up I see," Alexis said lightly from where she lay with her back and head against Mikula's chest. "I was afraid that you would sleep through the day," she teased as she turned her head to smile at Mikula.

The lupar returned the smile. "Not with you around, I'd bet," he replied as he brought his left hand down to lightly stroke her hair. "With all that energy you have, you'd probably kick me in the tail to get me moving."

Alexis chuckled. "That would be a safe bet," she said with a devilish glint in her eyes. "Speaking of which, we should probably get up before either one of us falls asleep again."

Mikula chuckled. "Oh, I don't think anyone will mind us dozing off here," he said, nodding his head to the inner bulkhead of the Silver Pagoda's hull. They had ventured up a ladder to the overhanging catwalks to find a small private area where they could just rest by themselves, and they had discovered a small solid-floored platform that served as a tool storage area. Among the secured toolboxes they had found a small crevice to lie down in and simply enjoy being near each other.

And then I dozed off, Mikula chastised himself mentally. Not like we have a lot of time to be together before duty calls again, and I spend it dozing. He sighed mentally then, and thought well, make the best of it. With that, he hugged his love a bit tighter.

Alexis purred a bit in response to this and she closed her eyes. "I suppose you're right," she said quietly. "If there's any problems, they can just yell."

"Mikula!" Senmar's voice rang through the cavernous bay just then. "Where are you?"

Mikula growled. "I thought he was asleep."

Alexis opened her eyes and gave him a smirk. "Seems your tendency for quick naps runs in the family, eh?"

"Mikula!" Senmar again called out, causing the elder Farkas to clamp his mouth shut lest he utter something impolite. "Maybe if we ignore him…" Mikula muttered under his breath.

Alexis shifted her weight and got off of him. "Oh, hush. He's your brother and you know you can't just ignore him," she said gently as she stretched her arms. "Besides, he can't speak English. How would you have liked it if Earl had just left you to your own devices on the Rodger Young?"

Mikula grunted as he pulled himself into a standing position. "As always, my dear, you see clearly and compassionately," he said to her with a grin. Then he walked to the edge of the platform and dropped the smile. "I'm up here Senmar."

His brother looked up from where he had been standing by one of the open 'mech access doors. "Mikula, there you are! That merchant's back, and no one down here can translate for us."

Mikula made another growling noise that only Alexis could hear. "I'll be right down then," he called neutrally to his brother. Then he turned to face Alexis. "Duty calls."

"So it seems," Alexis replied with a small grin. Then she stood up and stretched a bit more. "I suppose I should go and check on the transport's status and get the other gatón ready. I don't want to keep the crew waiting unnecessarily."

"Indeed," Mikula replied with a small grin as he turned and started along the catwalk, Alexis following right behind him. "Although I hope they'll listen to you despite your… Casual attire," he said gently, glancing back to see her reaction.

Alexis blushed a bit. "Well, I don't have anything else to wear at the moment, thanks to captain Tanaka's 'mech sitting in Tanzano. It has my kit in there."

Mikula tilted his head a bit in puzzlement, though he had to turn it back around so that he could watch where he was going. "You didn't stop to get it when you passed it on the way out?"

Alexis shook her head automatically, but then she realized that Mikula couldn't see that. "No. Lieutenant Vickers wanted to keep moving as fast as reasonable through to city to avoid any incidents."

Mikula snorted a bit as they came to the ladder leading down to the main floor of the 'mech bay. "I don't think he needn't have worried," he said as he mounted the ladder and began to climb down. Alexis followed and they remained quiet until they had both reached the floor below.

"He shouldn't have worried," Mikula continued as they turned to head for where Senmar and a certain trooper stood. "Not with the kind of appearance the Vanquishers have."

Alexis nodded. "True. But still, the goal is to minimize any problems, isn't it?"

Mikula sighed. "Indeed it is," he said, stopping a few meters distant of the two waiting for them. "I suppose this is where we part paths for now."

"For now," Alexis replied with a nod and a grin. Then she stretched herself higher, just enough to give Mikula a peck on his cheek. "Soon, though, we'll have some more time."

"I'll look forward to that," Mikula replied with smile as Alexis settled back into her normal stance. "Goodbye for now."

"Goodbye," Alexis returned, and then she walked off for the elevator bank in the middle of the 'mech bay. Mikula couldn't help but stare at her for a moment before a light cough brought him back to reality. Blushing slightly, he turned and walked to where his brother stood.

"All right, I'm here," Mikula said with a slightly annoyed tone. "What's the status, John, on those gold ingots?"

Osis grumbled. "The techies got a couple of small strips sliced off of a brick, and they weighed 'em against your leftover coins. They think it oughta be close enough in mass to be the same value as a coin, but they can't be sure 'cuz they don't know how much alloy the local smiths put into the stuff."

Mikula nodded. "I wish I knew myself, but I suppose it'll have to do," he said, and then sighed. "Are you sure that they do not want to make them into a likeness of a Tanzano coin?"

Osis shook his helmeted head slowly. "'Fraid not, man. That's counterfeiting, and that's a crime."

Mikula nodded in reply. "Yes, I know," he said dejectedly. "Still, it would make things easier."

"So would a lot of things. Don't make 'me right, man," Osis replied gently.

"Indeed," Mikula said as he turned his head over to where the techs had set up a workbench in the 'mech cubicle next to where they had been working on Carmike's Wyvern IIC. "Well, let's go get them," he said to Osis in English, and then turned to his brother, switching to Lupari. "Senmar, please go tell Mr. Makao that we shall be a few more minutes."

Senmar frowned a bit, but he nodded. "All right then. Just don't take too long."

"We shan't," Mikula replied, and then turned and started for the tech's temporary work area. Osis followed behind, albeit at a slow pace for the elemental-descended human.

Mikula noticed this from the sound of Osis' footfalls, and he glanced back. "John, if you want, you can go ahead and I'll meet you there."

Osis chuckled. "Don't worry 'bout me, Mikula. Frankly, this slow walk is almost as good as real sleep when you're a cap trooper."

Mikula smiled and he shook his head. "You're all crazy, you know that?"

"But of course."

Senmar walked out of the bay and down the access ramp to the ground below. A few meters distant stood Makao by his cart, with a few kuvos gone, but most of them still sitting in the flatbed cart. Between the lupar merchant and the base of the ramp stood a sentry in Marauder armor, who kept his arms at his sides to appear friendlier.

Senmar walked past the guard with a small nod that the human returned, and then he walked up to Makao. "I found my brother. He says they'll be a minute before they can get out here, but they are coming."

Makao managed a nervous grin. "Well, when it comes to customers, it's better to wait a bit to satisfy one than to provide a bad deal to more than one."

Senmar managed his own smile, and he nodded. "That sounds like sage advice," he said quietly and looked over at the armored trooper. "Besides, these people aren't the kind you'd want to anger."

Makao nodded. "Indeed," he said quietly. Then he sighed. "I just hope I didn't make a mistake coming back here."

"Well, I don't think you did," Senmar said matter-of-factly. "To tell the truth, I don't always find myself comfortable around these people myself. But I've not seen them act badly, nor have my brothers – who have spent much more time with them – spoken of them as anything more than just another group of people." He shrugged.

"Well, I can see that they aren't like the last invaders, at least," Makao added in as he leaned a bit against his cart. "The old ones just sat back and watched when a fire started once, by accident, in a shop off of Karno's Way." He shook his head slowly. "I saw a couple of them standing on the streets, armed with their fancy weapons. I could have sworn that they were even betting on what would happen, somehow.

"But these people actually worked to put out the fires," Makao continued and gestured to the guard nearby. "They looked even stranger with that- Well, I can only assume that it is armor. But they helped out where the first ones just watched. If that isn't enough to give them the benefit of the doubt, I don't know what is."

Senmar grinned a bit. "You sound almost like my brother. Though he is a little more… Certain, in his convictions."

Makao grunted in reply. "Well, you said he's known them longer. Maybe he just knows more about them than we do."

"Oh, he does," Senmar replied. "But it's trying to understand him is where the headaches begin." He rubbed his head between his ears to emphasize. "He talks on about the city of theirs he went to, and all sorts of crazy things."

"Their city?" Makao asked in surprise. "Where is that?"

Senmar shrugged. "It's not on our world, that's all I can get from him."

"You mean… They're spirits?" Makao asked quietly.

Senmar looked at the merchant, and then he shook his head. "No. I'm sorry, I guess I'm starting to talk like my brother," he said, and then sighed. "To hear Mikula tell it, there are many other worlds like ours, but they are far apart… Somehow." He reached up to scratch his head at that. "I don't understand it myself, but they're not spirits or gods or anything. They're just… From somewhere else."

Makao gave Senmar a suspicious look. "Well, that and some gold will buy me a night at a merchant's quarter inn."

Senmar smiled ruefully. "Yeah, well, I never pretended to understand it myself."

It was at that point that Mikula and Osis appeared at the top of the ramp, along with a third man who Senmar hadn't seen before. Unlike Osis, who was clad in simple flat gray pants and sleeveless t-shirt, this new arrival was clad in a khaki uniform and he wore a billed cap over his black hair. The three walked quickly down the ramp and reached where Senmar and Makao stood.

"Mr. Makao, good to see you again," Mikula said in a friendly manner. "I'd like to introduce Jorge Hernandez, commander of this ship, and Jonathan Osis, a good friend," he said, indicating the man Senmar was unfamiliar with first. Both humans were smiling politely, but not nearly with the same warmth Senmar had seen Osis show his brother before. "They're the ones who can actually buy anything from you."

Makao managed a polite smile. "Please tell them that I am happy to meet them," he said, and he waited as Mikula translated. A moment later, Mikula relayed their response. "Captain Hernandez thanks you. He also says that before we go on, he says that they cannot pay you in gold coins, as they have none. However, they do have some gold ingots, which they've weighed and should be worth about the same as a coin. He wants to know if this is acceptable, because if not, they will not waste any more of your time."

Makao blinked in surprise. "How can they not have gold coins, but have gold just lying around?"

Mikula grinned sheepishly. "They don't use money the same way we do, but they still use gold for trade when it becomes difficult to use their own money."

Makao thought for a moment, and then he nodded. "Well, makes sense… I suppose. In any case, I do know an assayer, so tell them that I will take their ingots."

Mikula did a quick double translation. "The captain asks if he might be able to try one of the kuvos, since they have nothing of the sort where they live."

Makao tilted his head in thought for a moment at that. Then he nodded. "Very well, I can't see the harm," he said, and then reached into his cart. He pulled out one of the spherical purple fruits and then held it towards Hernandez.

Mikula, however, reached out and took it gently. "Here, I'd better show them how to eat one, or they'll just bite into the skin," he said as he turned the fruit in his hands, looking for a good place to start peeling.

Makao grunted. "Yes, that would be beneficial," he said amusedly.

Mikula nodded and he turned to speak to Hernandez and Osis. "You have to peel the skin off of the fruit, because it's very bitter. If you'll let me?"

Hernandez nodded. "Please do."

Mikula nodded back and he quickly used his finger claws the slice down the side of the kuvo. Then he peeled the millimeter-thick skin off along the entire girth of the fruit, and he discarded it to the ground. Underneath, the flesh of the fruit was a pasty white, and its texture resembled a grapefruit. Mikula used a finger claw to slice off a crescent-shaped piece of fruit, which he held out to Hernandez.

The commander of the Silver Pagoda deftly picked it out of the lupar's hands. "Any special way to eat it?" He asked.

Mikula shook his head. "No, just bite and chew like most things."

Hernandez nodded, and he did so, biting the small hunk of fruit in half. After a moment of chewing, he swallowed and nodded his head. "Not bad. Not bad at all. Tastes kinda like an apple… though it has something in there besides that I can't quite identify."

Mikula smiled a bit. "Glad you like it," he said, and then he turned his head to Osis. "Want to try a piece, John?"

"Sure thing," Osis replied, taking a piece from Mikula after the latter had cut another one loose. "Pretty good," Osis agreed with Hernandez's claim after his had swallowed his own sample. "How much is he chargin?'"

Mikula turned and spoke to Makao. "Well, they like it," he said with a smile. "How much is your price?"

Makao smiled back. "Well, normally it's three kuvos for a gold coin, but since they helped with the fires last night, I can let them have four for that."

Mikula nodded. Not a bad price, he thought, bringing up some memories of past dealings to confirm this. With that, he turned and relayed the price to Hernandez, who thought for a moment before speaking again.

"The captain asks how much for whatever you have left in your cart?" Mikula relayed the request. He managed to suppress a smile at the merchant's surprised look. "They want all of them?"

Mikula nodded. "Yes. We're down to basic field rations for now. I don't know if you've ever been in the army, but that kind of food isn't very tasty." He shrugged a bit. "So some fresh fruit helps a lot."

"So I see," Makao replied quietly as he thought quickly. "Well, I put in about fifty kuvos this morning, and I've sold about twelve so far, and add to that that sample…" He let his voice trail off as he mused. "So, tell them they can have it all for nine gold."

Mikula translated, and Hernandez nodded, saying something to Mikula before reaching out his hand towards the merchant.

Makao frowned for a bit before Mikula explained. "He agrees. It is usually customary for them to seal an agreement of this sort with a hand clasp."

Makao nodded at Mikula's words. "Odd, but it seems okay," he said and then reached out and grabbed Hernandez's hand. The human squeezed it slightly and he shook it up and down twice before letting go. Then he turned and said something to Osis, who reached into a bag he had been carrying and he started to pull out small slips of gold that had been cut from one of the bars the Silver Pagoda had been issued prior to the counter-invasion.

Osis counted out nine of the ingots, and he then held them out towards Makao in his large right hand. Makao, for his part, slowly reached out and took the little slips, and he hefted them in his hand. "These feel a bit heavier than gold coins."

Mikula nodded. "They don't want to underpay anyone, so they made them a bit heavier in case the gold content isn't the same as in a coin."

Makao gave Mikula a suspicious look. "These aren't pure gold?"

Mikula shook his head. "No, but neither are gold coins," he said assuredly. "Pure gold is soft, and anything made from just gold would bend from constantly being moved around. So our smiths and these people add in some other kinds of metals to make it rigid. In the case of my friends, they add one part of silver in for every twenty parts of gold."

Makao blinked. "Well, that's close enough to pure, I suppose," he said quietly. "And silver's worth a good amount, too."

Mikula chuckled. "So I hope you're satisfied?"

Makao nodded his head. "Oh, yes. But I do have one question: Do they want me to just dump this here?"

Mikula shook his head. "No, just wait a few minutes and we'll get some people to come down and unload the kuvos," he said with a smile. Then he turned to Hernandez and switched languages. "He's satisfied, commander."

"Good," Hernandez replied with a smile of his own. Then he turned to Osis. "Corporal, if you would be so kind as to get some of your friends to help out?"

Osis casually saluted Hernandez. "It'd be my pleasure commander," he replied. Then he dropped the salute and turned to walk up the ramp. "Hey, dumbasses! We got fresh eats!" He bellowed as he walked up the ramp. "Get your lead-lined asses in gear!"

Alexis rode the elevator car until it reached the fourth deck, where the small crew's mess could be found. She felt a bit cold in the air conditioned cab, though she knew it was mainly from the prospect of going back into the room of the other gatón so soon after losing her temper, rather than the air conditioning, which the humans never put too low thanks to their furless skin.

Still another reason is that I was much warmer not too long ago, Alexis remembered with a smile. Then she shook her head a bit. Come on, Alexis, stay focused. Now, think of how you're going to get information on-

She blinked as she realized that she shouldn't be heading for the mess right away. I need information firs, and that would be available in the bridge. With a slight blush, Alexis quickly pushed the call button for the highest level accessible by the elevator, pressing in Tanaka's combination – which the captain had given her just in case. She had to wait while it stopped briefly at the fourth deck, but then she was soon at the deck below the bridge.

She walked out as soon as the doors opened, and Alexis paused to regain her bearings, since she had only been here once before. Quickly, however, she remembered the direction and moved down the narrow corridor.

Amazing, though, she thought, sparing a moment to reflect on the ship itself. Cassandra said that the Silver Pagoda is over three hundred years old. Yet the place is clean and works as if new. The very idea that someone could not only build such a wonderful ship, but also keep it running for dozens of generations gave her a mental pause.

Then she was at the staircase that served the bridge. Not the kind of stairs one would expect from hearing the word, Alexis thought as she began her way up the narrow steps. So highly angled, almost like it was mixed in with a ladder. Then her head poked above the deck of the bridge, and she paused for a moment to gather in the sights.

At one of the consoles sat a man wearing the simple blue uniform of an enlisted man, though his rank insignia showed him to be a petty officer. Another man in khakis sat in the chair in the middle of the bridge, his head bent over a small noteputer.

Alexis coughed lightly, bringing both men's attention to her. She blushed a bit and took another step up the ladder. "My apologies, commander," she said to the officer, reading his rank. "But I'm specialist Hurano. I didn't know where else to go, but I was looking for information about when the next transport will arrive to take the rescued people to Hercor."

The man in the chair stood up, holding the noteputer to his side. "Well first off, Miss Hurano, you can step up all the way to the main level," he said with a gesture with his free hand. "I don't like having to bend my head down," he said with a wry smile.

Alexis smiled back, and she ascended the last few steps to the deck, saluting the man as she did so. Smiling broader, the officer, who Alexis could now see was named Hernandez from his uniform, returned the salute. "Second off, you should have probably asked Lieutenant Vickers. However," he added quickly when he saw her blush. "I think we can overlook that mistake."

"Thank you, sir," Alexis replied.

"Yes, well," Hernandez turned to look at the other man on duty. "Mr. Shang, what is the status on that shuttle? I'm a little curious myself."

The petty officer turned from the scene and he pressed a few buttons on his console. He read a few lines before replying. "Apparently, sir, Captain Tanaka's request was approved, and they're taking some time to load up two transports with Seabee jeeps and some of the engineers themselves." He paused to read another few lines. "They're takin' a bit longer than anticipated, but they'll be launching in about ten minutes. After that, they'll be here in another twenty."

Hernandez grunted. "Thirty minutes? Well, that's not too bad," he said and then turned to Alexis. "That satisfy your informational needs, Miss Hurano?" He asked gently.

Alexis nodded emphatically. "Oh, yes sir. That's just what I was looking for."

Hernandez grinned. He then opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the intercom making a buzzing noise. With a quick move, he turned and hit the button on the arm of his chair. "Bridge, Hernandez here."

"Bridge, 'Mech bay," the voice came through the speaker. "This is Pennant speakin' skipper," the man identified himself as the ship's engineer. "We got some gold ingots cut up like ya wanted, and that there merchant's back, so I'm callin' ya since ya asked to be notified."

Hernandez nodded absentmindedly. "Thanks Bill, I'll be right down. Out," he said and then cut the line. He turned his head to look at the petty officer then. "Mr. Shang, can you handle the bridge alone 'til I get back?"

Shang turned and gave his superiors a small smile. "I reckon I can, skipper."

Hernandez grunted. "Good. Carry on," he said, and then walked to the stairs. "Miss Hurano, you'll have to excuse me, but I got work."

"Of course, commander," she said as she stepped aside to let the man pass. Hernandez nodded to her and soon he was gone down the stairs. Alexis sighed in relief, and she closed her eyes to think a moment. What next?

"Got any other questions?" The voice from her side started Alexis a bit, and she blushed as she turned to the man she had forgotten was there. "No, thank you Mr. Shang," she said friendlily. Then a sudden thought hit her. "Would you mind, though, if I stayed a moment and looked out through the windows?"

Shang shook his head, a smile forming on his lips. "No problem. Just don't touch anything, okay?"

Alexis chuckled. "So I was told the last time," she replied good-naturedly as she walked over to the far console area. She carefully rested her hands on the parts of the board that held no controls, and she leaned forward a bit to look out through the windows. She suppressed a smile as she heard the petty officer's chair squeak as he turned it around. When it's something important, everyone checks twice, even if it's someone they know who knows better. Alexis didn't mind the man making sure that she wasn't going to do anything stupid.

That made her pause in thought, though. Why am I so forgiving when people take a moment to make sure that I'm not doing anything wrong, but when that Wargo says a few nice, if somewhat demeaning things I lose my temper?

She stared out over the landscape, for a moment, and then the reply hit her. It's because when they're keeping an eye on you, the humans at least are giving you a chance to show that you do know what you're doing. Unlike what some more… Stubborn gatón would do, thinking you were automatically wrong, anyway.

But Alexis, the little voice in the back of her mind spoke up. What does that say about you tearing into that poor man earlier? He was trying to be nice and open-minded, and you just went off on him like a loaded gun.

Even as she thought this, Alexis blushed. My Gods, I'm acting like dad! She thought, and her tail curled around her right leg. Here I am being angry and stubborn when someone doesn't agree with me totally, instead of trying to be understanding and calm. And with someone who was even trying to be understanding as well!

Alexis felt bad, and she hung her head down, giving her a view of the control board beneath. I guess I'm more my father's daughter than I realized, she thought bitterly. She stood like that for a moment until a thought entered her head. Unlike some people, though, I can change. I've done it before, she thought as she stood upright from the console, and I can do it again.

Alexis then turned away from the console and she walked to the stairs. "Thank you, Mr. Shang," she said as she started down the steps.

"Anytime," he said friendlily, not knowing just how much the few minutes had helped Alexis. The gatón mused over this briefly before she clambered down the stairs and headed for the elevator.

Several minutes later, Alexis was walking along the corridors on the fourth deck, heading for the crew's mess. I'll start with the announcement that we're leaving soon, she thought, knowing that she would probably have to go with them. The thought made her sad, because she wouldn't know when she'd be able to see Mikula again once they were separated. But duty is duty, and if Cassandra and everyone else can leave their loved ones on planets far from here, she thought, then I can spend some time away from Mikula.

Even as this thought finished, she reached the door to the mess, and the guard there nodded his head at her. "Hello again, Miss Hurano," he said friendlily. "Nothin's wrong I hope?"

Alexis smiled a bit and shook her head as she paused next to the human. "No, things are fine. I just wanted to check in with the people here and let them know that we will be leaving soon."

"Ah, I see," the guard replied with a nod. "I was just wonderin' 'cuz you weren't gone very long."

Alexis shrugged. "You're telling me," she said unenthusiastically. "Still, it's what I have to do."

"Ain't that the way it always is?" The guard asked rhetorically, and then sighed. "Well, don't let me keep ya then."

"I shan't," Alexis replied with another smile, and she pushed open the unsecured door to step inside. As soon as she had, every other gatón looked up at her, save for the mournful Jaylee.

Alexis cleared her throat. "Hello. The ride to safety is not too long out, and I wanted to come down to let you know that we'll be leaving soon." She spoke politely; making sure that her voice was even. "I also wanted to talk to you about the mode of transportation we'll be using, namely, it will be in one of the machines my friends use to move around. It will be a bit loud, though tolerable, and not too comfortable, but certainly not painful. If you have any questions, you can ask them at any time."

They sat there silent for a moment, and then one man raised his hand, getting a nod from Alexis before she continued. "We've been told that we will be going to someplace safe, but we've been told little else. Frankly, I find it unnerving to go somewhere without knowing about the place first." He paused and the others nodded their assent, save for Jaylee. "I would like to know more about this place."

Alexis nodded slowly. "It's called 'Shulana,' and I'm sure that you recognize the name?" She paused and waited for them to nod their heads again. "It was named that because it is a new village created by the survivors of a lupar caravan from Tanzano, and from gatón from my own village of Kuamket." She took a second to gulp down her emotions. "Kuamket was attacked and brutally razed by the invaders while we were playing host to the lupar, and so the survivors from both groups banded together.

"We marched through the forest of Garin, and then came to a lupar town called Hercor. There the members of our caravan have built a small town separate from the other, exclusively lupar town, and they have begun to again live like we-" Her voice cracked and Alexis closed her eyes for a moment. "Like we had done in Kuamket."

After another few moments, she opened her eyes again. "So, there is room for more, and I know that our shaman would be glad to lend all the help he can to each of you. Also, the lupar from the caravan are quite nice, and they too will most likely help all they can if you so ask." Alexis then paused and looked around at the other gatón. "Is that good? Are there any other questions?"

"I have one," a woman said, and she waited for Alexis to nod before going on. "I want to know how you think this new town is safe?"

Alexis smiled a bit at her. "Because, the people whose guests you are now also guard Hercor and Shulana with even more force than what you've seen here. And more of them are coming, so the area will be safe from the invaders."

The others looked surprised, and they shared some looks between them. The woman who had spoken up, however, cleared her throat and continued. "Not that I'm not grateful, but is it possible for your friends to leave us somewhere else?"

Alexis frowned a bit, and then she shook her head. "I understand your reservations. But unfortunately, while my friends are powerful, they are not gods. They can spare time and effort to move you to a safe place of their choosing, but not to just anywhere." She sighed and shook her head, lowering it a bit as she did so. "So we cannot take you to another village. You may leave, of course, if you like and try to make it by yourselves. I and my friends will do our best to give you supplies to help you along your way, but that's as much as we can do if you do not wish to go to Shulana."

The other gatón started to murmur amongst themselves at that, sounding dismayed somewhat. But they didn't raise any more questions, and Alexis nodded. "So, does anyone wish to change their mind? You can make a decision any time before you board the craft, of course, but if you have made up your mind now, then it would be best if you let me know so that it will be easier for us to accommodate you."

No one raised a hand or a voice, and so after a few moments, Alexis nodded again. "All right. Thank you for your patience," She said and then bowed a bit to them. Then she walked forward, heading for a certain man.

"May I please speak to you in private?" She asked quietly as she stopped by Legano. The other gatón gave her a suspicious look, but he nodded and stood up. "Very well," he said cautiously.

"Thank you," Alexis replied with a ghost of a smile. She then turned and headed for the door to the outer hallway; walking slowly enough to make sure that Legano would follow. He did, and Alexis could hear his footsteps as she reached the door and pushed it open.

As Legano came up, Alexis held it open for him, which made the other gatón blush. "Trying to embarrass me?" He asked gruffly, though he walked out the door anyway.

Alexis shook her head. "No," she said, and then turned to the guard. "Mike, I just wanted to talk to this man away from the others. I know it's rude, but would you mind if we talked here?"

The guard smiled at her. "Well…" He said, stretching the word out as if by indecision. "Okay, just so long as you promise not to talk about me," he added with a wink.

Alexis flashed him a smile and nodded. "No problem," she said, turning back to Legano and switching languages again. "Sorry about that. I didn't want to just come out here and start talking without him knowing what we're doing."

Legano nodded, but he also frowned as well. "I can see that. But what I don't see is why you'd want to talk to me again." He said tersely. "Did I say something else that offends you?"

Alexis blushed deeply, and she lowered her head. "No. I just wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier," she said quietly. "I was rude and short-tempered, and there is no excuse for my attitude, so I wanted to say I'm sorry."

A few moments of silence passed, and Alexis tilted her head back up to see that Legano was surprised. "I… I honestly didn't expect you to apologize," he said, astounded. "You just seemed so angry with me."

Alexis shook her head. "No, not with you. I…" Her voice haltered a bit. "I had some problems - still have then, actually – with my family concerning the way I act now." She turned and took a step away. "But those are my problems, and I let them bleed over into our conversation. I don't like the way I acted, so much like the people I dislike." She turned her head and faced Legano then. "And for that, I truly am sorry."

The other gatón stood there for a moment, and then he nodded. "I accept you apology. Certainly, we've all been through hard times recently, and with the help you and your friends give us, well, I suppose I can endure a little of your venting." He managed a small smile at that.

Alexis returned the smile. "Thank you. Now," she gestured to the door. "I need you to wait with the others so that no one gets lost."

Legano nodded. "All right," he said and he turned for the door, pressing it open as he had seen Alexis do. However, he paused at the threshold, turning his head back. "By the way, I did mean what I said. You were incredibly nice to Jaylee."

Alexis smiled broader then. "Thank you."

Legano nodded, and then he entered the room, and the door closed behind him.

Alexis then sighed, and she looked to the guard. "Thank you again, Mike, for letting us talk in front of you like that. I know it's not considered polite."

The guard waved a hand. "I told you, it's nothing, so don't bother to thank me."

"If it's nothing, then maybe we should have the boy scouts guard the place?" A voice came from the corridor behind the guard, who turn and blushed at the comment. He then saluted when he saw who had spoken.

"At ease, boy," Tanaka said as she returned the salute. "If you hadn't noticed, things on this ship ain't exactly formal.

The guard relaxed a bit and smirked at her. "Duly noted. As for the boy scouts, I'd like to see one 'o them make a combat drop."

Tanaka chuckled. "Indeed," she said bemusedly. Then she turned to face Alexis. "So, havin' any problems?"

Alexis shook her head as she grinned at the humans' antics. "No, captain. Just explaining things to our guests in there," she said and gestured to the door at the last.

Tanaka nodded at that. "Good. Speakin' of explainin,' I need to talk to you. Let's take a walk." Tanaka waited for Alexis to nod her understanding, and then she looked at the guard. "Take care, Mr. Kyle."

"Yes mother," the guard replied sardonically, getting a nasty gesture in response from the captain, which made him laugh. "I hope you don't touch your parents with that hand."

"Whatever, monkey boy," Tanaka said dismissively, and then she turned and walked down the corridor, heading the way she came. Alexis followed her, nodding her head at the guard, who smiled and nodded back. Then the two women continued on and around the curve of the corridor before Tanaka turned down a small side hallway. Alexis easily followed around the corner, but she had to stop abruptly as Tanaka had stopped so that she could begin climbing up a ladder that had been set into what Alexis now realized was a small alcove, rather than a corridor. Tanaka quickly pulled herself up the ladder, passing through a hatchway in the deck above.

Alexis spared a moment to look around a bit as she waited for Tanaka to clear the ladder, and the gatón quickly saw that the ladder also went down through the deck below as well. Peering through the hatchway, Alexis could see that it went on for several decks.

"You coming?" Tanaka asked from above, and Alexis tilted her head up to see Tanaka's own looking at her through the deck. Alexis smiled a bit and nodded. "I am," she said quietly, reaching out and pulling herself up the ladder, despite the fact that her feet weren't exactly best suited for such a device.

Nevertheless, Alexis quickly traversed the ladder and soon stood next to Tanaka, who smiled at the gatón for a moment. Then she waved Alexis on. "Come on, it's only a few meters to my cabin."

Alexis frowned a bit. "Your cabin? Why are we heading there?"

"'Cuz I think you need a change of clothes," Tanaka replied with a light chuckle. "Lieutenant Vickers had one of his scout troopers fetch your kit from my 'mech earlier. It's in my room 'cuz I figured you wouldn't want to change in front of anyone else."

Alexis blushed a bit, but she smiled as well. "Thank you for your consideration."

Tanaka shrugged. "It's not problem," she said as they reached a door set in the interior wall, stopping by it. Tanaka pressed a few buttons on the number pad next to it, and the door then swished open. "Mi casa es su casa, as they say on Barbados."

Alexis looked over the small cabin, ignoring for the moment Tanaka's unusual words. The room was hardly what anyone would call spacious. A bare three meters by three and a half on the floor dimensions, it only had enough space for a small bed – bolted into the floor and supplied with padded restraints for microgravity – a metal dresser, and a shelf built into the wall over the bed. The room was painted the same flat gray that the Republic and the Star League before it favored for ships, but Tanaka had done her best to liven the area up with several pictures of family members or friends taped up on the walls, along with a poster for something that Alexis couldn't read fully. The dresser and floor were a bit mussed up with clothes, and the bed held a small bag that Alexis recognized as the small kit she had packed back at the firebase.

"I'll be watching the door while you change, so you don't have to worry about locking it," Tanaka went on, drawing Alexis' attention back to her. "And don't worry 'bout makin' a mess. As you can see, I'm not that much of a neat freak myself." She smiled a bit at the last.

Alexis nodded and returned the smile, though she didn't fully understand the meaning of the last phrase, she got the general idea. "Thank you, Cassandra," she said and then went into the room, and Tanaka closed the door behind her.

Alexis quickly went about her business, but even so, she couldn't help but continue to stare curiously at Tanaka's quarters. You can tell a lot about a person by where he or she lives, she thought as she changed into a general duty uniform. She peered at the photos most especially, curious at who or what Tanaka would keep near her for memories' sake. Those two people in that picture, those must be her parents, she thought as she saw an older couple standing in front of a decent looking apartment building in Neo Tokyo. Another picture showed another man, who Alexis guessed must be another relative from the way he resembled the good captain. A brother, maybe? She wondered. I know so little about my new friends. Especially Cassandra… She's always been so quiet, even when she's being friendly.

Alexis then shook her head. You're snooping, Alexis. It's not polite, and Cassandra doesn't deserve it, she chastised herself as she finished buttoning up the over shirt on her uniform. Still… Maybe I can ask her about her family sometime…

She pushed the thought aside then as she made sure to put her previous clothing into the bag she was using, and she quickly zipped it up. Grabbing the bag, Alexis then turned and went to the door, pressing the button she knew would open it.

The door slid open, and Alexis saw Tanaka turn from where she had been standing with her back to the room. "That was quick," the latter commented with a bit of surprise.

Alexis blushed slightly. "I don't want to impose for any longer than necessary," she said quietly.

Tanaka sighed and shook her head. "Alexis, you're not imposing. Hell, you could've asked Commander Hernandez to use his cabin, and he'd just as readily agree."

Alexis blushed a bit deeper. "I'm sure you exaggerate, but I appreciate it."

Tanaka smirked a bit. "You're welcome, then. But in any case, I did want to talk to you, as well, about what you're going to be doing next."

"Oh?" Alexis asked, perking her ears up in curiosity. "I take it that you have been able to find some order in the chaos you complained about last night?" She asked with a slight smirk.

Tanaka smiled back. "In a way, yes. C'mon," she said and waved for Alexis to follow her as she walked down the corridor. Alexis quickly moved off and fell into step alongside Tanaka.

"I'll just skip the preamble, and lay it out cleanly. You're not going to go back with the other gatón, after all," Tanaka said.

Alexis twitched an ear down in curiosity as she turned her head up to look at Tanaka. "I'm not? Might I ask why, then?"

Tanaka nodded. "Yes you may. Simply put, the Vanquishers need some time for rest and recuperation, since they've lost the most personnel since this operation began. They'll be returning to the Rodger Young, and van Horn needs to go with them. That leaves only three translators on planet, and that means two of you are out here, where we really just need one for now."

Alexis frowned a bit as she turned her head to look down the corridor as they turned to take the access hall to the elevator. "I don't understand, if I'm staying here then-" Her mind halted abruptly even as the two women stopped in front of the elevator. "Mikula's going back?"

Tanaka nodded as she pressed the call button. "Yes. His wounds, though not severe, should be taken care of better than can be done here. Mikula will be taking the same transport as the gatón so that Doc Jennings can suture up the wounds better." Tanaka then paused and entered the elevator as the doors opened. "In addition, he's going to stay there for a bit since Major Kujira doesn't like the idea of being without a translator at our more important area of operations."

Alexis frowned as she followed Tanaka into the car and the doors closed. "Well, I understand that, and the fact that Pavlo must be working hard, but…" Her voice trailed away as she tried to put her thoughts into words.

Tanaka did it for her, however, as she pressed the button for the 'mech bay. "But you want to be with Mikula as much as possible, and you're worried that you won't be able to do as good a job translating Lupari since you're a gatón?"

Alexis started a bit as she turned to look at Tanaka. "Since when did you start reading minds?"

"Since I started being around you long enough to know what you're thinking," Tanaka returned with a small smile. Alexis blushed a bit at that, and Tanaka continued as the elevator started down. "In any case, I am sorry you're going to be apart from him for a bit."

Alexis shook her head slightly. "Thank you, but I've been preparing myself just in case I would be separated from him." She smirked slightly as she looked forward at the car doors. "Although, I was anticipating that it would be I who would be sent back to Hercor."

Tanaka chuckled slightly. "Well, that's usually how life is like; As soon as you have a good idea on what's going on, it goes and does somethin' weird on you."

Alexis managed a rueful chuckle. "Indeed. Well, is there anything else that you needed to speak with me about?"

Tanaka shook her head. "Not really. I just wanted to drop you off at the 'mech bay for a bit so that you can enjoy the time ya got, if you get what I mean." At that, the human turned her head and grinned at Alexis.

The latter grinned back. "Thank you."

Mikula stood facing the Silver Pagoda, his back to the recently arrived assault transport that would take him and the freed gatón back to the Hercor area. He and Senmar were waiting ten meters in front of the transports, the latter pacing uncomfortably and shooting furtive glances to the almost-ugly visage of the 185-ton craft.

Off to the north sat another assault transport, this one disgorging two squads from the 5th Marauders' 3rd Infantry Platoon (Armored). Each of the fourteen men and women were equipped with Marauder suits, although one set of seven seemed to be in an alternate configuration, or so it seemed to Mikula. I think I've heard of this one, the lupar thought as the two squads lined up under the watchful eye of a fifteenth trooper. They call it a 'ranger' configuration. But that leader of theirs doesn't seem to be wearing anything I've seen before.

Then movement from the Silver Pagoda drew Mikula and Senmar's attention to the ship, and they saw the remaining troopers of the Vanquishers marching down the nearest ramp in a two-abreast line, being led by Lieutenant Vickers in his Kage IIC armor. The entire platoon wore the black paint scheme that the Mobile Infantry favored, though their suits still showed signs of the fight just the night before, and of their efforts to clean up after the artillery attack.

It seemed strange to Mikula to see them like that, marching slowly while armored. I don't think I've seen the entire platoon like this. Armored, yet not bounding around, or on guard or patrol. They almost seem tame. Then he smirked at the thought. Tired maybe, but not tame.

In contrast, the members of the 3rd Platoon had on the basic green camouflage that they had painted onto their armor en route to Bowman's Planet. Unlike the Vanquishers or other Mobile Infantry platoons, the regular army favored more traditional tactics and deployments, and the different paint schemes quickly and easily reflected this.

All of this passed through Mikula's head as he saw the Vanquishers march up to the area where the detachment from the 3rd waited. Then the Vanquishers moved about, lining up by squad as the 3rd's troopers had done just a few minutes ago, and soon they faced each other. Then Vickers and the man in the unfamiliar suit walked towards each other, and then saluted. They then spoke over their external speakers, as opposed to their radios, and so Mikula could listen in.

"I stand ready to be relieved," Vickers said smartly.

"I relieve you, sir," replied the unknown man, who saluted again, prompting another one from Vickers.

"Thank you," Vickers replied sincerely. Then he turned to look over the ranks of his platoon. "Platoon! By the numbers, board the transport!"

"First Section!" The platoon Sergeant hollered, and the call quickly went to the individual squads. Mikula and Senmar quietly watched as the process continued, the Vanquishers filing past where the 3rd's infantry stood, moving into the transport quickly and efficiently. They did notice that four persons in the platoon took a split second of their time to give a small wave at the two brothers, and Mikula couldn't help but grin and give a small wave back.

Then the platoon was aboard, and one of the transport's crewmen walked from in the back to watch the bow doors as they closed. The low rumble of the shuttle's fusion reactor slowly began its constant growl, and Mikula couldn't help but feel a thrill at the noise.

"Mikula," Senmar spoke nervously from the side. "They aren't going to take off right now, are they?" He asked, naturally worried about the Transport's exhaust after watching the type of craft land and take off several times.

Mikula turned to Senmar, sparing him a small smile. "Don't worry. They won't leave until our transport leaves, safety in numbers. So relax, Senmar, you won't be turned into roast pongo today."

Senmar gave his brother a look. "You're awfully relaxed all of a sudden," he observed neutrally. "You were practically ready to bite my head off earlier today."

Mikula blushed a bit. "I'm sure you know by now what my particular cure for irritability is," he said with a lopsided grin.

Senmar smirked a bit. "Indeed. Well then, you'll be happy to note who's walking out of the ship right now," he said and waved to the Pagoda.

Mikula turned and saw the rescued gatón walking down the ramp from the Confederate-class dropship in a loose line, following as they did one person who's appearance made the lupar's heart flutter for a moment. Mikula watched eagerly as Alexis led the small group of former hostages towards the transport.

It saddens me to know that she's staying, he thought as the gatón walked towards the transport slowly, nervous at he appearance of the 3rd platoon's troopers beginning to disperse around the area. But I know that she will be safe as she can be. Besides, he smirked a bit. It's not like I have a say anyway. Well, not much of one, he added the mental caveat. Alexis does care about my feelings, as I care about hers. So she would take it into consideration… But I wouldn't dare try to tell her not to do what she wants to do. I think Earl described it best when he said she was "spreading her wings."

Mikula then forced his thoughts into a less moody disposition as the group approached. This will be the last time you see Alexis for a while, he mentally chided himself. Do not spoil its memory by overcomplicating things. Then Alexis approached him, and Mikula smiled as she walked up. "Good to see you're not late," he joked.

"Not like I could forget," she replied easily. Then, just as easily, she walked right up to him and wrapped her arms around Mikula so that she could hug him; a gesture he readily returned.

After a moment, Alexis pulled back and they drew apart. "I'm going to miss you," she said quietly, giving him a wan smile.

"As I will you," he replied with his own, broader smile. "I'm just glad that Captain Tanaka let us have some time together before we parted."

Alexis managed to widen her smile at that. "So am I," she said. Then her face drew more neutral as she turned to watch the last of the rescued gatón reach the transport. "Your attention, please," she said to them politely, but also with a firm tone that could be heard above the rumbling transport to the side. "I am afraid that I must part ways with you all now," she said quickly, and Mikula noted that the other gatón seemed a bit surprised and unsure at the statement.

Alexis went on. "You shouldn't worry. My friends here," she paused to wave at Mikula and Senmar, "will accompany you. The taller one knows Gatonese, so if you have any questions or the like, go ahead and talk to him.

"Now, does anyone has a final question for me?" Alexis paused to see if anyone would raise their hands. None did, and she nodded. "Very well. Please walk up the ramp of the craft behind me, and then find a seat towards the back. I wish you a safe journey," she said. Then Alexis turned around and faced Mikula again. "Do you see the small one at the back?" She asked him, switching to Lupari.

Mikula leaned over to the side a bit to get a look at the end of the line as the gatón slowly approached the transport. "The child? Isn't he the one who lost his mother?" He asked, quietly.

Alexis nodded. "His name's Jaylee. He is still in shock, so I was hoping that you could keep an extra close eye on him?"

Mikula turned his head back to Alexis, and he gave her a small nod. "Of course."

"Thank you," Alexis replied. Then she smiled a bit and stretched up so that she could give Mikula a quick, light kiss at the end of his muzzle. "We'll meet again, I know."

Mikula smiled and nodded. "As do I," he replied softly. "Now, we must go."

"Goodbye," Alexis said, and she took a few steps back before turning to walk towards the dropship.

Mikula stood there for a moment watching her before Senmar lightly coughed. "I, uh, think it might be time to board the craft, brother," he said gently.

Mikula nodded and he turned to the shuttle. "Indeed. Let's be on our way then."

Alexis paused at the top of the ramp that led into the bowels of the Silver Pagoda, and she turned to look over the distance at the two transports as their engines ramped up. Then silvery fire burst from the ducted thrust ports on the northern transport, and it rumbled into the air. Even as it rose on ion jets, the other transport soon copied the same noise and movements.

Then the two craft pivoted and began the transition to horizontal flight, and soon they were flying off at speed, heading to the west. Alexis watched them go, despite the images that the shuttles' thrusters had burned temporarily into her retinas. Then as the transports left her vision, she closed and rubbed her eyes, letting them water. Although, it's not entirely because of the brightness of the engines, she thought sadly.

Alexis then opened her eyes, and she sighed. I know I'll see you again Mikula, I can feel it in my heart. But I can't help but worry as to what will happen in the meantime.

The noise of approaching footsteps from behind brought the gatón's attention back to the present. In any case, I have a job to do, and I will not fail my duty. With that thought, Alexis straightened up a bit and she turned to face the person approaching her.

It turned out to be Tanaka, unsurprisingly to Alexis, as she had heard something familiar in the cadence. Alexis then saluted, and Tanaka returned the favor. "You're learnin' the ropes quick, ain't you?" Tanaka asked good-naturedly.

Alexis managed a ghost of a smile for a moment. "I cannot help but to be a fast learner with so many helpful teachers."

Tanaka grinned briefly. "Well, in any case, since Vickers left, we're the new representatives to Tanzano's leaders," she said, pointing to herself and to Alexis. "So be ready to go whenever they send someone out like van Horn said they were gonna."

Alexis blinked in surprise. "Me? But, you can't be serious," she said almost excitedly.

"Oh, but I am," Tanaka replied with a sage nod. "You're the only one who can speak Lupari here with any decent ability, remember?" she asked with a slight grin.

"Oh, of course," Alexis replied while blushing a bit. "I suppose I forgot."

"Yup. That, and well, you're just good at bein' diplomatic," Tanaka continued, her grin growing along with the depth of Alexis' blush. "It's a trait that I tend to lack at times."

Alexis shrugged a bit, unsure of what to say then. You'd be surprised if you had seen me earlier, Cassandra, the gatón thought. "I think you sell yourself short, Cassandra, but I do see your point," Alexis conceded with a small nod. "So, what am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

"Well, I think we should both get cleaned up," Tanaka replied with a wink. "It would behoove us to be nice and presentable when we go an' see the wizard."

Alexis blushed a bit at the first comment, but the second one gave her pause. "See who?"

Tanaka shrugged. "Ahh, nevermind, it's just an old joke," she said dismissively. "In any case, I'm going to check with the Seabees," she said, referring to the engineers who had came in on the assault transports with a pair of their jeeps. "You remember the way to my cabin?" She paused and waited until Alexis nodded. "Good. Go ahead and use the officer's head to freshen up; no one else is gonna be there for another few hours yet, so you should have some privacy."

Alexis blushed a bit. "Thank you very much. But if I may ask, why are the Seabees here, anyway?"

Tanaka grinned. "How else are we gonna get my 'mech back here?"

Mikula endured the normal turbulence of the flight stoically. He sat in one of the jump seats in the back of the Assault Transport, carefully strapped in along with the other natives of the planet. His brother and the gatón, however, seemed less than comfortable as the shuttlecraft pitched up and down as winds buffeted it.

We must be going through a weather system, Mikula mused. These things normally don't shift this much. As if to illustrate, the craft pitched down again, causing a few muted gasps t come from several gatón.

Senmar, sitting beside his brother, turned his head to look at Mikula. "Is it normal for these things to shake this much?"

Mikula shrugged. "No, not really. I think we're just passing through a storm system."

Senmar gave his brother a look. "A storm what?"

"A system," Mikula repeated patiently. "You know, like how a government works."

"I know what a system is," Senmar replied crossly. "I've just never heard someone refer to weather as if it was anything but chaotic before."

Mikula chuckled, which prompted Senmar to twitch his ears in annoyance. "What? What did I say now?"

"Senmar, one of the great discoveries of the humans is that in chaos lies order," Mikula said, and he paused to watch Senmar's face twist in confusion. "I know, it doesn't make much sense. Frankly, I don't understand it much either. All I know is that our friends can understand the weather enough to know when it will get bad, and when it will be good."

Senmar blinked a few times. "I normally would dispute that… But now," he paused and looked around the metal craft they were riding in. "I suppose I had start to give you the benefit of the doubt."

Mikula chuckled again, and he set his left hand on his brother's right shoulder. "Trust me, you will get used to all of this kind of stuff. It just takes a little time."

Senmar grunted a bit. "I suppose."

Just then, the craft pitched down again, and Mikula felt the vibrations change. He took his hand from Senmar and placed the arm against his side so that his brother wouldn't feel his sudden tensing. Know it's normal, because the alarms aren't ringing. But it still scares me a bit.

Several minutes passed as the craft angled down through the atmosphere, its passage finally smoothing out as it left the turbulent weather behind. Mikula noted that the other natives all seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, even the child Jaylee, whom Mikula kept an eye on. Good, the lupar thought. He's at least recovered enough to care about his own survival. Mikula had read about human wars in the past, where the sheer devastation and inhumanity would drive some people into such shock that they would not even take steps to protect their own lives. If he cares about living, then that's one of the steps to recovery.

Another few minutes passed, and then the craft pitched back suddenly. Gasps came from all of the natives, save Mikula. Although surprised by the timing as everyone else, he knew what was going on. "Everyone stay calm," he said in Gatonese for the passengers as the noise of the engines increased. "This is normal. We will be leaving the transport soon."

Although none of the gatón's faces showed anything but uncertainty, they nevertheless managed to stay quiet and in control of themselves as the transport eventually shifted back to an even keel, the noise from its thrusters making the compartment vibrate.

Finally, after what seemed an interminable amount of time, the whole craft shuddered, and the engines began to quiet. Within a few short moments, the noise almost disappeared, with only a slight rumbling to be heard.

"Stay seated for a moment," Mikula spoke to the gatón. "Wait until I-" A sudden voice from an overhead speaker interrupted Mikula, and he grinned slightly as it ended. "Well, I guess we can get up now."

As if to punctuate his words, the bow door to the craft began to crack open, and the ramp started lowering. Mikula relayed this information to his brother, and he led the other natives in undoing their belts, and then down the compartment and down the ramp.

They emerged onto a scene that gave the gatón and even Senmar pause. The shuttle had landed on the north side of a long stretch of pavement, and on the other side stood the massive bulk of the USS Cheops.

"They must have finished the airfield," Mikula said quietly in his native tongue, though he slipped in the English word unconsciously. He quickly looked around as he reached the bottom of the ramp, and off to the far end of the runway he saw the aerodynamic shape of a Charleston-class assault transport dropship. Forklifts and workers in industrial exoskeletons, which moved between the ship's cavernous cargo bays and a trio of flatbed trucks on the ground, surrounded the large craft. Even as Mikula watched, one worker in an exoskeleton walked down the ramp connecting the ship to the ground, laying a crate he had been carrying into the back of one of the flatbeds.

"Mikula! Senmar!" A familiar voice called to him, and Mikula turned to see Pavlo jogging towards the group from across the runway. Behind him trailed Kanu, who was walking without the aid of a cane now, and a dark-skinned human male dressed in the uniform of a National Guard officer.

Then Mikula forgot about everything as Pavlo reached them, and he drew both of his brothers into a hug. "I'm so glad to see you two alive and well," he said as he pulled them close.

"So I see," Mikula replied jovially as Pavlo released him and Senmar. Then he turned to Kanu as the latter approached. "What, no hug from you?" He asked teasingly.

"No thanks, I'd rather not dirty myself up with your stench," Kanu replied nonchalantly, though the broad smile across his muzzle robbed his words of any true offense. "Still, it is good to see you both here and alive."

"I'll second that," Pavlo added with a grin. Then he noticed the human standing behind them a bit, and he cleared his throat and switched to English. "Mikula, this is Lieutenant Gregory Peterson, of the Neo Tokyo Grenadiers."

"Sir," Mikula said and saluted in the Republican fashion.

"As you were," Peterson said as he returned the salute. "I'm here to make sure that you and these folks," he paused and gestured at the stunned group of gatón, "get where ya need to go. I have a flatbed waitin' by the Cheops to take them into town, where I'm told your leaders have a welcoming set up."

Pavlo nodded and chimed in before Mikula could think of anything to say. "Mother and Shaman Forbasa have rallied the townspeople to help the gatón," he said with a smile. "It's quite a sight."

"I'll bet," Mikula finally managed. Then he glanced over his shoulder to check on the gatón before he spoke up again. "We had better get them to Shulana, then, before we have to cart them off." He added the last part in with a small smile.

"Indeed," Peterson replied with a soft chuckle. "Well then, just y'all follow me and we'll get ya to Shulana right quick."

Mikula nodded, and he turned to speak to the gatón, even as he saw Pavlo recite the short conversation into Lupari for their brothers. He smirked a bit at that. We certainly seem to be getting used to translating, aren't we?

Then he switched to Gatonese and began to speak. "Attention, everyone," he said over the din coming from the direction of the dropship at the end of the runway. All the gatón quickly brought their attention to him, and he waved at the human. "Please, everyone follow behind me and this man here. We will take you to another form of transport, which will take us the last of the way into town. Please stay close and do not wander off, do you understand?" He asked the last part gently as he could, given the background noise.

The gatón all nodded, even Jaylee, which gave Mikula a hopeful feeling. "Good. Please follow us now," he said and then turned to Peterson, switching languages again. "Please lead on, lieutenant."

"Alrighty then," Peterson replied with a nod, and then he turned and began to walk off. Mikula and his brothers quickly followed, and behind them came the gatón. Within a few minutes, they crossed the still-warm asphalt of the runway, and then soon were in the shadow cast by the Cheops.

As his eyes adjusted a bit, Mikula finally noticed their destination; another flatbed truck that the Republic soldiers colloquially referred to as a 'duce.' It sat next to a ramp that led into the lower cargo hold of the Cheops, and the lupar noticed that another human male leaned against the cab. As the group approached him, however, he quickly brought himself erect and saluted Peterson.

"Chill, Renny," Peterson said as he returned the salute. "None of these people are brass."

The one referred to as Renny chuckled. "I should hope not. They look more scared than a cat in a Chinese restaurant."

Peterson backhanded the other man in the stomach. "Watch it with those jokes, Renny. I may not write you up for them, but you oughta keep it clean."

The other man shrugged. "I hear ya man, I hear ya," he said, trying to sound nonchalant, though he did reach down to rub his belly a bit. "I didn't mean anythin' by it."

Peterson grunted a bit. "Well, in any case, get on in and get ready to start the deuce," he said, and then turned to Mikula. "C'mon," he said with a wave, and he led the small group of natives around to the back of the truck. "Just tell 'em to get on up, and I'll help if necessary."

Mikula nodded and he turned to speak to the gatón. "Please climb up the back of the vehicle. If you need help, ask please."

The gatón all looked at each other and the truck warily for a moment. Then one man walked forward slowly, reaching the back end of the truck and grabbing a hold of the fender. Carefully, he managed to pull himself into the bed, where he paused to look back at the others.

Mikula and Peterson both smiled, and the former spoke up. "Well, you see it won't hurt you. So please walk to the front and find a seat along the side," he said, referring to the benches that the truck had been fitted with.

The gatón nodded, and one he found a seat, the others followed. Some couldn't lift themselves so easily, and Peterson easily and quickly helped them up, usually by boosting them up with cupped hands under one of their feet.

The last gatón to climb up was Jaylee, who couldn't even get halfway up. Peterson smiled and shook his head a bit, and instead of trying to boost the child, he simply grabbed the young gatón underneath the arms, and he lifted him the rest of the way into the bed of the truck, eliciting a brief squeal of surprise from the child.

Peterson chuckled as Jaylee retreated from him quickly once the human had let go. "Easily scared, ain't he?"

Mikula cleared his throat. "You might say that," he said, and then lowered his voice. "His mother was killed during the artillery attack, so he's still in a bit in shock."

At that, Peterson's face turned dour, and Mikula saw a brief flash of pain in his eyes. "Oh, God, I didn't know."

Mikula nodded. "Well, no harm done, I think. Just thought you should know, since humans like you tend to be friendly in ways that he might not find appreciative now."

Peterson nodded. "Yeah, no shit. Well," he said, straightening himself out a bit. "Y'all might as well climb in too, and we'll get goin.'"

"Indeed," Mikula replied, and he began to climb up. His brothers all followed him without a word, Kanu and Pavlo having apparently been taken out in the same contraption, and Senmar simply following his elder brothers' lead.

Once they were all inside, Peterson began to walk towards the passenger side of the cab. "Y'all hang on now," he said as he climbed in and shut the door. That was the signal to Renny, who started the diesel engine. The truck rumbled to life, and soon it began to roll.

Mikula worried a bit over how the gatón would react, but he was relieved to see that they were more curious about their surroundings than by the way they traveled. Mikula himself couldn't help but look around, surprised as he was at the completion of the airfield. I thought it would take another week?

The airfield was finished, though, and he couldn't help but feel good at seeing the strip of pavement, representing as it did a direct connection to the interstellar lifeline that would keep the Republic forces supplied. And soon, they will be able to bring down that extra 'mech lance aboard that Leopard Mikula mused. He then turned his head, and he looked over towards Hercor and Firebase Hotel across the river, seeing them connected to airfield by a large pontoon bridge. Even as he watched, a deuce truck rolled over the unusual structure from the Republic encampment, heading for the airfield.

"Noticed the few changes, eh Mikula?" Pavlo asked from across the aisle. Mikula turned and nodded at his brother. "Yes. We haven't been gone that long, how did the Seabees finish the airfield so quickly?"

Pavlo chuckled a bit. "From what I've been told, the Seabees like to give an inflated time estimate, so that they seem more like miracle workers when they get it done in one third of the time."

Mikula laughed at that, and Pavlo quickly joined in. Kanu even smiled, though Senmar frowned a bit at it. "I don't see why that's so funny. Why tell the wrong time to do something?"

Mikula just shook his head. "The same reason why mother always used to give longer times to complete her work back in Tanzano. It gives you time to take care of things you might run into." And also so that you don't have to kill yourself when it's not needed, he added mentally. Senmar's not quite experienced enough to know the difference between being wise with your time, and just plain slacking.

For his part, Senmar nodded. "I see, I think," he said quietly, almost too quiet to be heard over the engine and the rushing wind. Then he sighed. "It seems like I have had a lot of things to think about lately."

Pavlo laughed, while Kanu chuckled and Mikula simply smiled at the comment. "I see Mikula has been giving you the same kind of talks that Pavlo has been giving me," Kanu spoke good-naturedly.

"Indeed," Mikula said with a grin. "I hope Pavlo at least hasn't done too much damage telling you things, since he was often too busy stuffing his face when we were learning this stuff the first time."

Kanu and Senmar then chuckled, leaving Pavlo to blush. "Funny, Mikula. I'll have you know that those cheeseburgers didn't deflect me one bit… Once I ate them, of course," he added the last with a self-depreciating smile.

"What were you eating?" Senmar asked curiously. Pavlo waved him off, however. "I'll show you sometime when the mess hall is serving them."

"Yes, but I doubt that they will be as good as that restaurant in Neo Tokyo," Mikula added in.

Pavlo shrugged. "Well, it's better than nothing."

Kanu grumbled then. "You two talk too damn much about this human stuff. Don't you ever think about anything else?"

Senmar managed a grin then. "There is one thing that seems to distract Mikula totally," he said knowingly, which prompted smiles from Kanu and Pavlo, and a blush from Mikula. "I see you found out that Alexis was out there," Pavlo said.

"Yes, and it scared me," Mikula admitted, closing his eyes and leaning back against the bench.

The silence stretched a bit, and then Kanu cleared his throat. "So, where is she now?"

"Mikula opened his eyes and looked at his older brother, managing a small smile. "Doing her duty. She's the only translator who isn't injured, or tired, or needed here, so," he shrugged. "She needs to stay out there so that Tanaka's force can communicate with the Tanzano ruling council."

Kanu shook his head a bit. "Imagine, at one time the council wouldn't have even talked to a low-born, but now? They have to talk to someone they will definitely not like," he said and chuckled.

Mikula managed a wider grin. "She will give them Hell, alright."

Just then, the truck began to slow, and Mikula managed to shift his head back so that he could look around the truck's body. Ahead, he saw the small, new buildings of Shulana, and the crowd gathered at the edge of town. "You weren't kidding when you said mother pulled out all the stops," he half-mumbled to Pavlo.

Pavlo responded with a slight chuckle. "Well, get used to it for now," he said. "People will want to talk to you about how Tanzano is doing."

Mikula turned his head to Pavlo and he blushed a bit. "I can't. I need to report to Major Kujira, and that's only after I've visited the Infirmary."

"Oh," Pavlo looked a bit crestfallen. Then he blinked as he caught the last words. "Wait, the Infirmary? Are you ill?"

"Not really," Mikula said. Then he lifted his shirt to show off the bandaged wound. "I wasn't completely lucky this time, it seems," he added with a wry grin.

"By the Gods," Kanu breathed. "Does that hurt?"

"Yes, a bit," Mikula allowed as he dropped the shirt. "But not nearly as bad as when I was shot the first time," he said, his grin becoming more sardonic, somehow. "Still, I should get it taken care of by a real doctor, since all the Silver Pagoda had was a medic."

Pavlo and Kanu nodded. "Mother will be disappointed, but she will understand," the former replied.

Alexis walked alongside Tanaka and the now-unarmored sergeant from the 3rd's infantry detachment – introduced to Alexis as Sergeant Samuel Renard – along the dirt road that the Silver Pagoda had landed close to. They headed for the gates, walking slowly so as to not appear threatening to the guards whom they could see were watching the trio closely.

Not that it's easy for a human to look non-threatening to the Tanzanos, Alexis thought. And it being night doesn't help, since darkness tends to make things appear more dangerous than they really are.

She needn't have worried too much, however, as the gate guards seemed relaxed enough, though they of course held their spears and shields at the ready. Kayla's husband must have gotten the word out, Alexis figured as they soon reached the gate area.

The trio halted about a meter from the lupar guards, and they waited for a moment to show that they weren't trying to intimidate. Kind of hard to do, Alexis mused. All three of us in our dress uniforms must look strange, to say the least.

Tanaka nudged her, and Alexis brought herself back to the present. She then took a step forward and cleared her throat. "We are here to gain an audience with the Tanzano ruling council. We should be expected," she said in as flawless Lupari as she could manage.

The phalanx of ten guards looked between each other for a moment, apparently surprised at a gatón speaking up as Alexis had done. Then someone called for the guards to move, and they parted to show yet another lupar, this one only carrying the sword of an officer, and even then, it was only in his scabbard.

This new lupar walked forward to bring himself even with the front of the first line of guards. "I am Teager Nukarra, commander of this gate. Your arrival has been expected, as you've said." He paused to look over the three people standing before him, his eyes lingering on Alexis a bit longer than on the humans. "I must admit, I would not have expected a gatón with these strangers."

Alexis fought down a brief surge of anger. Calm yourself, Alexis. He's simply making an observation. She tilted her head a bit, and then spoke "The times we live in have become rather interesting, haven't they?"

That made the lupar smirk. "Indeed they have," he said, and he seemed to reappraise Alexis for a second. "In any case, I and some guards will take you to where the council is meeting, so please follow closely."

Alexis nodded. "Very well, give me a moment to relay that information to my friends." She then turned her head and looked at the humans. "He is the guard captain of this gate, and we're to follow him to where the ruling council is," she said concisely in English.

Tanaka nodded. "Sounds good to me," she said, and then looked over at Renard, who shrugged but said nothing.

Alexis nodded again, and she looked at Nukarra. "Please lead on, then."

"Very well," he said to Alexis. Then he turned his head and whispered something to a guard at his left. The man looked at his commander and nodded. Nukarra then barked some commands to his men, and they parted further. "Follow me then," he said and then turned and started off.

Alexis quickly moved to follow, and Tanaka and Renard did likewise. They passed between the wary lupar guards, two of whom detached from the group and followed the trio as they moved into the street beyond the gatehouse.

"The place looks better at night," Tanaka observed. Alexis was forced to agree, as the oil-fed lamps hanging from poles up and down the street gave the city an exotic air. Although the light they case wasn't nearly enough to begin to compare with the ocean of light that Neo Tokyo had been, Alexis still found the array amazing. Who would have thought that a lupar city would have such things?

The night was still young, and Alexis noticed that several lupar were out and about, moving along the street. Some went into or out of small shops that still had lights on inside, while others seemed to be simply heading on their way home from some late-working job. Many of them, however, began to pause and look at the unusual procession.

Alexis nervously ran a hand down the front of her uniform, feeling the gold buttons that held the dark gray dress jacket closed. How farsighted of Cassandra to have this brought out on the transports, she mused as she flattened an imagined crease. It certainly makes me look smart, with the gold piping and all. She then glanced over at Tanaka and Renard. They look decent, as well, in their dark green uniforms. Alexis looked the two humans' uniforms over quickly, and she noted something new; Tanaka's uniform had red piping, while Renard's had blue. Sergeant Renard also has some decorations on his uniform, too.

Then the gatón bade herself to look forward again. You can't be distracted, Alexis, she told herself. Then she reached up and made sure that her black and gray-billed cap was still in place. Still, couldn't hurt to look professional, she mused.

The group continued down the main avenue, eventually passing Tanaka's fallen 'mech – eliciting a pained look on Tanaka's face – and taking a turn at the devastated Citadel to walk further into the noble's quarter. They moved on in silence, as no one seemed willing to speak on anything as they sensed the importance of the upcoming meeting. Eventually, they turned one last corner and Alexis and the humans paused to look at the grand structure in front of them.

Shaped in a rectangle and having a small tower at each corner, the building raised a good five stories high, which was quite an accomplishment for the medieval lupar. The towers reached easily another story, and they all had oil lamps hanging from their sides to cast light upon the side of the building and on to the ground as well.

Alexis looked down and she saw that the faced a narrow end of the building, and there were a pair of large – for lupar – doors set atop a short flight of steps. The edifice of the building around the doors was decorated with statues seemingly carved into the stone of the building itself. Two large ones stood on either side of the doors, and they were designed to look like sentries, as each held a sword aloft, the tips pointing upwards, and each bore a shield. They held them in different arms, so that they formed a mirror image of the other.

"Please don't dawdle," Nukarra said, bringing Alexis' attention back down to earth. "The council is meeting inside the Temple of the Creators for now, until a suitable replacement building can be found," he said and started off again, heading for the temple. Alexis quickly turned and waved for her friends to follow, and they followed right up to the main doors.

Walking closer, Alexis could see more detail of the statues, noting the neutral looks on the statue lupar, as well as their pupil-less eyes. They seem almost like an idealized perfect lupar, rather than any real person she mused as the group mounted the steps and reached the landing that led out from the doors. Nukarra simply leaned against them and pushed them open, the heavy wooden doors sliding open on well-greased hinges. Then he went inside, and Alexis and the two humans followed, though a glance behind confirmed what her ears told her; the two guards had stayed behind at the entrance.

Then Alexis turned her head around to look at the interior of the temple. The high ceiling and gothic arches reminded Alexis of a photo of a similar structure on display in a Neo Tokyo museum. More strange coincidences? Or just the simple fact that the architecture is a logical one? She pushed such thoughts back as Nukarra led the group down the main aisle, past rows of benches. Along the sides, she could see shrines to the various Creators, but the largest one by far was the main one at the head of the aisle, where a pulpit was set up on a dais. Alexis recognized the luparisized image of Grakia, the mythical creator of the Lupar race as the large statue that the shrine was centered around.

Nukarra led them towards this shrine, but he took a corner around a supporting pillar just in front of the main dais, and he quickly followed the edge until he came to a door in the back wall of the large room. Alexis and the humans followed quickly, the latter, like Alexis, gawking a bit at their surroundings.

Nukarra waited for them at the door. "Wait here a moment, please," he said, and then turned and opened the door, closing it again after walking into the room beyond. Alexis caught indistinct words in Lupari before the door shut, but she mentally shrugged and then turned to look at her human companions. "He said for us to wait a bit."

Renard gave another Gallic shrug, and this time Tanaka mirrored it. "Makes sense," the latter commented as she looked around again. "So, what is this place?"

"Mikula said that it's called, 'the Temple of the Creators,'" Alexis replied as she too looked around some more. "It's a very important temple in the Lupar's religion, as it's quite large and said to be blessed by Grakia herself."

"By who?" Tanaka asked and looked at Alexis.

The latter blinked for a second before remembering whom she was talking to. "Grakia is one of the two great creators, and she is the one responsible for creating the Lupar. Or so the legends go," she added in the last part quickly. I know that the humans tend to believe different things about their own god, she thought. They view their creation legends as morality tales, rather than an actual account of events.

Which makes sense, in a way, Alexis realized. Earl described it best when he said that, 'science is not meant to replace religion. God by His very nature exists outside of science, and science makes no attempt to prove or disprove His existence. Science is meant only to describe the world around us… A world that the Almighty Himself created. Perhaps not in the way the Bible says, but then, who told the authors of that book what God did? That is the greatest hubris I've ever seen, to claim that you somehow have a private Hotline to the Almighty where he confides in you that scientific theory is wrong.'

Alexis stood still, pondering the lengthy quote that her memory had dragged up. Our creation tales are basically a reflection of our society, since no one was around when the world was created, how do we know that it was made in the way the stories tell? Besides, it's not like the creation myths are the greatest part of our religion. All the basics, treating people fairly, worshipping the Gods, living rightly. None of that is at all affected by science.

Just then, the door behind her opening again, interrupted her inner monolog, and Alexis quickly turned around to see Nukarra standing there. "I will be waiting outside the temple to escort you three back," he said simply, and then walked around the waiting group and down the main aisle.

Alexis watched him go, and then she turned around to see another lupar standing in the doorway, this one dressed in better clothes than what the guard had worn. "Your names, please," he asked brusquely.

Alexis felt some of her fur bristle, but she willed herself into calmness. "These are Captain Cassandra Tanaka, of the Neo Tokyo Grenadiers," she said, waving a hand to Tanaka, who nodded as she recognized her name. "And this is Sergeant Samuel Renard, of the 5th Marauder Division," she indicated Renard, who also nodded. Then Alexis turned to look the lupar directly in the eyes. "And I am Alexis Hurano, translator and liaison."

The man standing there gave them all strange looks, but he nodded. "Very well, come in and I shall announce you," he said and then turned to reenter the room behind him. "Alexis spared a glance at her friends to wave them forward before she walked into the room.

It was a much smaller room than the main hall they had just left, but it was still rather impressive, as it stretched three quarters the width of the building, and its ceiling was enough so that the humans didn't have to lean over. A long table had apparently been brought in recently, for its austere looks seemed out of place when compared to the mosaics on the walls that depicted various religious stories. Around the table were ten lupar men, all of varying ages, but all at least of early middle age or older, the exception being one man who managed a small smile at the newcomers.

He must be Kayla's husband, Alexis realized. He seems less stunned than the others, and he is the furthest from the head of the table. The head being, of course, where the one, eldest lupar sat at, the 'foot' being unoccupied and pointed at the newcomers.

The man who had let them in quickly began to recite their names and ranks, though Alexis noted that he made several mistakes. She decided to not bother with them, as they were minor and therefore unimportant at the moment.

When the man finished announcing them, he retreated off to the side. The room then became silent, and Alexis could fell the lupar's eyes on her.

Another moment passed and Alexis realized that it was her turn to speak. She then took a step forward and cleared her throat. "Greetings to you, ruling nobles of Tanzano," she spoke concisely in Lupari. "We three are the appointed representatives of the government and military of the United Systems' Republic. We are here to formally ask for permission to use the area of Tanzano as a base for our further operations against the Word of Blake."

The council members all shared looks of confusion with each other for a moment before one of the men in the middle spoke up. "That is why you're here? Not to demand our surrender?"

Alexis frowned. "No, of course not," she said quickly, not even bothering to look behind her. "Why would we? You are not our enemies."

"I told you, Kayvo," the man Alexis had mentally tagged as Kayla's husband spoke up. "They were not going to ask for that, as I said."

Alexis saw the lupar along the table give him varying looks, from hostility to admiration. He just scored some points, she realized as the elder lupar at the head of the table cleared his throat, bringing everyone's attention to him.

"You are asking permission to do what you are already doing?" He asked rhetorically. "That is either forgetful, or disdainful." He said the last line neutrally, which made Alexis wonder at his true thoughts.

Regardless, she thought for a second and then spoke again without consulting the two humans behind her. It's not like I'm saying anything that I don't know they would say if they could. "I beg to differ, sir. In the name of military expediency, our forces must sometime move first and ask permission later, so that we can prevent defeat and the loss of life." She shrugged then. "I would assume that a city with such a renowned military as Tanzano would have leaders who could understand this."

Several of the lupar nobles blushed at that, though Alexis saw that Kayla's husband and two others did their best to hide smiles. The elder at the head of the table didn't have such an obvious show of pleasure, but Alexis saw that his eyes showed the smile that he didn't allow his muzzle to display. "Indeed, young miss. Still, there are some who would find the activities of your friends rather brash."

Alexis tilted her head at that. "Might I inquire as to what acts such people might find unkind?" She asked nicely.

One of the lupar near the head of the table who had shown anger and embarrassment spoke up now. "The attack on our city last night, for instance," he replied angrily. "And then taking over that field outside of the city, posting guards inside our walls."

Another lupar shook his head and spoke up. "And we even hear that you kept several people at some tavern in the worker's quarter. All of this without our permission! These acts are no better then the first invaders."

Alexis bristled then, letting it show as she felt her jacket rise a bit as her fur stood on end. "If that were true, then you would be dead for speaking to us in such a manner, wouldn't you?" She asked in a low voice, and she saw the angry lupar blink as their minds hit a mental roadblock. "If I were you, I would seriously consider the fact that what you've said is close to calling I and my friends your enemies. Do you want that?"

The lupar around the table seemed to balk at that, and many leaned a bit away from Alexis and the two humans standing behind her. The first angry lupar who had spoken began to sputter." Of course not, no. We are just merely observing that your friends have not been the best of friends to us so far-"

"Because of military expediency," Alexis reiterated. "What, do you plan for us to just announce our attack before we conduct it? If that is how the vaunted army of Tanzano is run, then perhaps you should improve your tactics by enlisting children as your strategists." She was fairly growling now. "At least they can understand the concept of surprise."

Several lupar blushed deeply at that, clearly indicating the military men. Before any of them could speak up, however, the elder lupar cleared his throat, causing them all to look at him. "As interesting as it is to hear a gatón describe the basics of combat that any valued leader should know," he paused as several lupar around the table winced. "I think it would be better if we could move along. What is the exact nature of your friends' request?"

Alexis took a breath to calm herself before replying. "One moment please," she said, and then turned to speak to Tanaka and Renard. "Captain, Sergeant, what exactly does the army need from the locals?"

Tanaka gave Alexis a slight look, but she nodded. "We require that we be given a small area of land to set up a forward base, complete with an improvised airfield. We also would request that we be allowed to have access to merchants so that we may replenish our food supplies locally."

"We also would need to be able to deploy forces inside their walls," Renard spoke for the first time since they had left the dropship. "Not like the Blakests, of course, but it would help to have a place for my men to fall back to for reloading."

Alexis nodded as he finished, and then she turned and translated the requests into Lupari for the council. Their brows furrowed and their ears went down in thought as they tried to understand what had been said.

Kayla's husband spoke up first. "How large of an area would your friends need?"

Alexis turned and spoke to Tanaka and Renard again before she turned back to look at the council. "An area about five gradragnas square would be sufficient," she said, converting over to the locals' distance measurement. "And it need not be right next to the city, either. Some distance away, perhaps on an unused farm field, would be fine," she added when some of the lupar had frowned at the size requirement.

"Do they want it forever?" Another lupar asked, this one Alexis recognized as one of the few who seemed to be non-hostile.

"Honestly, that depends on factors that we cannot judge fully now," Alexis said, and she brought up her hands to steeple them as she thought and spoke. "My friends are engaged in a war against the invaders, seeking to capture or kill every last one of them. This may take some time, depending on whether or not we can outmaneuver them, or whether we can get reinforcements."

"Perhaps you could give us an estimate?" The elder lupar at the head of the table asked.

Alexis turned and again spoke briefly with her human friends before replying. "At least a month, perhaps as much as a year," she said cautiously. "Almost certainly not longer than a year, as by then the array of forces will have changed dramatically, and we will most likely not need a base so close to Tanzano then."

A few moments of silence reigned before the hotheaded lupar – albeit calmed down a bit – spoke again. "And what if we say no to these requests?"

Alexis turned her head and she made sure to stare him in the eye. "Then we will leave the area immediately around Tanzano, and only come back to defend your city should the invaders try to take it again."

"Just like that?" Another lupar asked.

"Just like that," Alexis replied with a nod. "We may not leave quickly, however, as we need to retrieve some… Equipment from inside Tanzano, but we will leave sooner than later."

"What sort of 'equipment?'" The hotheaded one asked.

"Mainly, the large machine that is sitting in Karno's Way," Alexis said, and she felt a hint of amusement at the lupar's confusion that she knew of the street's name. "Some parts off of the other machines, as well. And that is another thing I forgot to mention," she spoke the last part with a bit of surprise. "We will also clean the wreckage up from the battles fought inside Tanzano the other night, and as well from around the city's southern fields."

The lupar again shared a round of looks. "Why would you do this?" The elder one asked, his impassive mien finally cracking a bit to show curiosity.

"Because it's right," Alexis replied quickly and naturally. "Our forces made the mess, and only we have the expertise to remove the wreckage cleanly and without the potential loss of life that would happen if someone inexperienced tried removing it." She shrugged a bit then. "It would be negligent of us to simply let you take care of it when we're going to be right here."

The lupar began to murmur, and at a level that Alexis couldn't pick up, despite her better hearing. The elder lupar waved a hand after a moment, silencing them. Then he nodded. "Is there anything else?" He asked quietly, his face again impassive.

Alexis turned and reposed the question to the two humans before replying to the lupar. "No, good sir. We have said all that we came to say."

The man nodded. "Very well. You have given us much to discuss. And discuss we shall, for a decision such as this cannot be made immediately," he said with a nod.

Alexis returned the gesture. "Completely understandable, sir. With your leave, then, we shall go back to our ship and await a messenger from you."

"Of course."