This time, the march had been relatively quick. Only a scant two miles through more mountainous passes had finally led them to the entrance of the valley that the small procession sought, and they had reached it by the middle of the day.

Alexis stood watching the lupar from Kaytor trudge in the relatively narrow ninety-meter strip of land between a wall of jumbled rocks and a narrow but surprisingly deep stream that sloshed cold water down from the high mountain that the valley had been carved out of. The gatón was standing upon on of the rocks from the large, clearly old slide that blocked half the entrance, and she had her rifle at a casual rest across the front of her hips. The rifle wasn't because of the lupar, but because of the worried presence of any locals who might not take kindly to such a motley crew in their midst.

Not that we've seen anything major, Alexis mused as she glanced up and into the valley the group had striven to reach. Although it was relatively narrow, it certainly looked wide enough to the young gatón to contain a large town's worth of natives and still have plenty of living space. The U-shaped cut in the land looked to have some sort of "hot spot" microclimate, for trees grew well within the confines of the valley. This small forest prevented a good sighting far into the valley, though up the mountainside, Alexis could see some clearings that seemed to be wide enough for dropships to land.

She felt her heart flutter a bit at that. Oh, to be taken away from this dreary hike and back to base, to a warm shower and hot food and no need to sleep with your rifle next to you. Alexis didn't know just how common her lament was amongst soldiers, nor how the sentiment dated from time immemorial. What she did know was that she was tired, even after sleeping through half the night. Or maybe that should be, 'because I only slept half the night,' Alexis grumbled to herself as she turned back to look out the mouth of the valley.

Beyond the rocky entrance to the safe haven were the remaining 'mech forces of the Republic task group. All seven of the war machines stood in a crescent around the mouth of the valley, which opened up into a larger valley between ranges. More trees grew along the floor of the valley below, and the stream flowing past the Republic 'mechs went off to join several others into forming another small river, this one flowing to the northeast.

Joining the 'mechs were most of the Vanquishers and all of the soldiers from the 3rd Armored Platoon, 5th Marauder Division. They were in a line along the mouth of the valley, or on top of the ancient landslide, holding concealed defensive positions, save for several Marauder-suited troops, who were standing around the flat ground entrance to the small valley, acting as more mobile and attentive sentries.

"A good defensive line," Cassandra called it, Alexis remembered from the brief radio discussion earlier in the day. I just hope it will be good enough… Though, with the way the enemy has been whittled down, it should be. Alexis was further comforted with the fact that the action in the pass the night before had created enough of a mess that aerial reconnaissance had declared that the surviving Blakest forces were having a very hard time of it. We finally have some breathing room, the gatón thought with a small sigh. But, how much and for how long?

A noise from the head of the lupar procession caused Alexis to wheel about quickly. Then she relaxed a bit as she realized that it was only one of the Abrams tanks crashing through some foliage. Checker Lance was still blazing a trail for the native lupar, though they were also joined by the scout armor of the Vanquishers' Sierra squad, who were busy scanning the area ahead, just in case the Wobbies had managed to get a nasty surprise insinuated in the valley.

So far so good, Alexis thought as she looked over the Kaytor lupar walking past her. She easily saw the looks of exhaustion on their faces, but they seemed to have gained a second wind this morning. The news of the Ranals' new child has probably helped, Alexis thought with a slight grin as she scanned the area. Although the story of what happened might also be part of it.

She was referring to the fact that, once they had made contact with Williams, the troops carrying Acryu and the Ranals had stopped and waited for their comrades to catch up. Thus, they had had a good view of the action further back in the pass, and when Alexis and the others had arrived, they naturally explained what had happened. Alexis, particularly, translated for the natives, who had then gone back and spread it amongst the other lupar. Now, the whole group had heard about the exploit, and they treated it like a good omen.

Just so long as they are safe, they can treat it however they want, Alexis mused as she slung her rifle around her back. She did this mainly because she had finally decided that she could stop standing over the lupar like some obsessed watchman. Instead, I can hike along them like an obsessed watchman, Alexis thought with mild sarcasm, though she was also amused by the wry thought, and so she smirked slightly.

Alexis followed alongside the last of the Kaytor lupar as they moved through the narrow passage, and she started to hum a small tune to herself. It was an older tune from her childhood, and it made resurgence now thanks to the relieved feeling Alexis now felt.

Then her radio clicked on as it responded to a direct inquiry. "Oscar One, this is Checker One," Peterson's voice sounded in Alexis' ear. "We need you to come up to the front ASAP."

Alexis began to hurry forward even as she replied. "Oscar One copies, Checker One, I'm coming as fast as I can," she said as she began to trot forward, drawing looks from the lupar on her left. "What is the situation?"

"Dunno, Oscar One. Sierra Eight just wants you up front now, so I'm only relaying for him," Peterson's voice came back, sounding slightly annoyed, but still professional.

Alexis nodded, though she knew that the tanker couldn't see her. "All right, I'll be there as quick as I can."

Van Horn crouched next to a tree deep into the valley's small forest. There, he hoped that his suit's black paint would let him blend into the shadows that the canopy cast over the area, as he was not in the mood for any unexpected confrontations.

Of course, the people he was observing didn't seem to be the kind to want a confrontation, either, but they also didn't seem to be the type to want visitors, as well. Just what type of people they really were, van Horn didn't venture a guess, as he, like the other members of Sierra squad, only detected them via infrared and heartbeat monitors, which had been adjusted to pick up native heartbeats as well, thanks to the observations done on Alexis and the two Farkas brothers on New Honshu.

What van Horn and the others did know was that a group of five natives – gatón, from their stature and heartbeat frequency – were cautiously making their way down the valley, heading for the small, temporary rest area where the Kaytorian lupar were trying to regain some of their energy.

Shouldn't be too surprised, van Horn mused as he watched the signatures that represented the natives seemingly crawl past his position, passing within ten meters. After all the noise we make, what I should be surprised at is how long they've taken to get down here and take a look. With that thought, van Horn turned his head to see if he could make out the figures moving through the shady underbrush.

After a moment, he caught a glimpse of movement, though it was fleeting. Moving stealthily, the soldier-anthropologist noted. Damn good at it, too. If it wasn't for our sensors, they could have slipped right past.

"Sierra One to Sierra Eight," Corporal Connors' voice came over van Horn's headphones. "You're the expert, doc, got a suggestion for me?"

Van Horn had to mentally restrain himself from nodding, lest his movement give him away. "Aye. Call Peterson, tell him to hold Alexis up at the tanks and wait for our new friends to make contact. I'm sure that at the edge of the forest, even the Abrams' sensors can pick 'em out at that range."

"Okay," Connors replied dubiously. "And then what?"

Van Horn sighed before answering. "Then trust Alexis to know what to do. I think, by this point, she's in a far better position to gain their trust than I am."

Alexis arrived at the lead tank and paused to catch her breath. Tiredly, she stuck out her left arm and rested against the armor plating that extended down to protect the tank's road wheels. Perhaps I overdid it, she thought as she breathed deeply to make up for her run.

A now-familiar noise came from the top of the tank, and Alexis looked up to see Peterson pulling himself half out of his tank's turret. "Miss Hurano," the black man said with a polite nod. "Hope you didn't wear yourself out?"

Alexis shook her head and pulled herself back upright. "No, just needed a breather," she replied matter-of-factly. "So what's going on?" She asked, glancing to the forest that stood beyond the four tanks of Checker Lance.

"We got five gatón walkin' down the valley," Peterson began, turning his head to warily watch the forest. "Sierra squad has them on sensors, but not visual. Apparently, the locals don't want to be seen. Can't blame 'em myself, but it's still something that makes us nervous, you see."

Alexis nodded as she turned towards the tree line. "So, what's the plan?"

"The plan, as has been said over the radio, is to have Sierra squad wait in the forest, while we wait here for contact." Peterson then glanced back at Alexis. "And that means you, too."

Alexis frowned slightly, and her right ear twitched in confusion. "So? What am I supposed to do, then?"

Peterson shrugged. "Beats me, but van Horn said you'd know what to do."

Alexis did nothing but blink, surprised at that comment. "What? I would know what to do?" She asked, her voice betraying her confusion.

"That's what I was told," Peterson added and raised his hands a bit in a show of his own unsuredness. Then, he froze and raised his right hand to the side of his helmet, and his face took on the look of a commander. "In any case, Miss Hurano, they're about twenty meters out and coming towards the tree line," he said and began to fit himself back into the turret. "If I were you, I'd start to think about something to say."

Joru Talugo moved softly between the trees of the valley forest, heading for a spot he knew well from his childhood, when he and the other village youths would travel down to see the mountain pass. Now, however, he and the four other young men from the village were armed with bows and going to see what was making the ungodly noise. Strange scents wafted up on the wind, and this was making them all wary.

As if the noise and lights in the sky weren't enough, Joru thought as he slipped quietly past another tree. But now it sounds and smells as if some… Things, have come to our land. He gripped his bow more tightly then, and silently wished that his fur was dark green, like the other gatón tribes he knew to exist. We would blend in far better than with our white fur.

Finally, though, Joru approached the last line of trees. Beyond, he saw strange shapes whose outlines were broken up by the underbrush. He and the group stopped, and Joru signaled them to spread out. Then, he crept forward to the last tree in his path, and he slowly edged around the trunk until he could see clearly past the brush.

When he did get a good look, Joru just stared wide-eyed. Standing before him was a line of four monstrous things that looked like rocks, and yet, he knew that they weren't. Standing amongst them were several large, lumpy shapes that would have dwarfed a gatón, and behind them, Joru was even more surprised to see a large field seemingly filled with lupar.

So startled he was by this totally unexpected and unprecedented vision that Joru almost didn't notice that one of the shapes near the huge not-rocks was smaller than the others, and it was walking forward. Then he was shocked to not only realize that not only was this new figure a gatón wearing the most unusual clothing he had ever seen, but then received a second shock in seeing that it was a female.

Stunned, Joru didn't even think to notch his bow, and he just stood half crouched against the tree, staring over the tableau. He just watched as the lady gatón walked forward, and then coughed lightly before speaking. "Hello. We know you're out there, and we'd like to meet you," she said, speaking loudly enough to be heard across the intervening space. "We mean you no harm. Please, come forward."

Joru crouched down; worried that he had given himself away somehow. Who is this person? His mind asked, finally free of the spell of the scene before him. What does she mean by this 'we?' Could there possibly be gatón controlling those… Those… Those whatever they are? His head spun and the white-furred gatón felt like he was going to fall over.

"Please," the female spoke again, moving herself in between the trees and the large shapes behind her. "We are not going to hurt you." Her voice was soft and full of reason, or so it seemed to Joru. "Just… Come forward, and talk."

Joru felt deeply uncertain. On one hand, they are so strange and alien… But on the other hand, if they want to talk instead of trying to fight us… But the shaman didn't say anything about talking to any newcomers, only to see them and report back. But she wants to talk… And that isn't bad, is it? Not when we expected so much worse…

Alexis stood still, her feelings alternating between nervous, scared, and hopeful. And perhaps a bit foolish, as well, she admitted to herself. I feel like I'm trying to coo a scared child from under his bed after a nasty storm has passed through. The comparison was not entirely unfair, and she made it with the full knowledge of how her little sister, Shayana, behaved in the past. Still, to think of these natives as children would be- Alexis' thoughts stopped then, as one of the natives slowly, cautiously, edged out from behind a tree and took a single step beyond it.

Gods, a northern tribal here? Alexis was surprised, since the northerners tended to prefer the cold climates. Then again, it is pretty cool up here, she remembered as a chill breeze swept past her. Then she decided that she had been silent enough. "Hello," Alexis said again, a bit less strenuously this time, as the person was within sight.

The other gatón simply stared at her for a moment before replying. "Hello," he said haltingly.

A moment passed, and Alexis realized that he was waiting for her to make the next move. What do I do? What do I say? Her mind raced for a minute, and she wished that van Horn were there. Earl did this before, Alexis remembered. He came to us, after we were attacked, even, and he managed to gain our trust… She blinked as another memory came back, this one of van Horn talking to her and Mikula and Pavlo on the Rodger Young during their voyage back. He told us that he had simply spoken from the heart, and didn't lie, even when it would have helped temporarily.

Alexis took a deep breath then. Just speak truthfully and with your feelings. "My name is Alexis. Might I ask what your name is?"

The young man fidgeted, and Alexis realized for the first time that he was armed with a bow, though it hung with his right hand by his side. I can't blame him, she thought, remembering her own laser rifle slung over her back.

Finally, the other gatón spoke. "I am Joru. What- what is going on here?" Although his question might have sounded demanding, the small, almost frightened tone in which he delivered it removed all traces of confrontation.

Alexis slowly turned just enough to wave towards the lupar behind the tanks. "We have some friends that we wish to protect, and this valley looks like it is easy to defend." She then turned and looked intently at Joru. "But we don't wish to be a problem for you or your people. We just want to stay here a while."

Joru stood there for a moment, a look of confusion over his face. "I… I do not understand. Why do you wish to defend lupar?"

Alexis felt the fur along hr back bristle a bit, but she poured calming rationality over her troubled thoughts. You used to be the same way, Alexis thought before she composed her reply. "That is a very long story. Perhaps you and your four friends can lead I and my friends to your shaman, so that we may tell him it as well?"

Joru blanched a bit at the number Alexis named. "How… How do you know how many of us are here?"

Alexis decided to venture a small smile. "We have our ways." She then raised her voice again. "Would all of you please come out? You can see that we don't wish to harm you." After that, there was only silence for a few moments. Then, as trepidly as Joru had moved out, the other four gatón slipped out of the trees. Each of them wore the same as Joru, a pair of dark green pants, leather boots, and coarse gray-green shirts that looked like a cross between what Alexis would have called a shirt and a coat. They also wore their hair long, though it was tied in long queues that went halfway down their backs.

Alexis noted both their appearance and the fact that they were all armed, though none of them had any of their weapons ready. She nodded at them and ventured a faint smile. "Well then, you all can see that nothing bad is happening. Maybe this would be a good time to meet your shaman so that we may discuss things?"

Joru looked to his left and right at his comrades. The other gatón, however, simply gave blank or unsure looks, and so Joru eventually sighed and nodded at Alexis. "Maybe that would be best. Though," he gestured to the tanks and infantry standing behind Alexis. "Perhaps t would be best if you left your friends behind."

Alexis nodded. "Yes, they would stay, though it would be best if my other friends came with, as well."

Joru gave her a quizzical look. "What friends are those?"

Alexis, noting movement behind Joru, smiled broadly and gestured with her hand. "The ones behind you."

Her words gave the five other gatón pause, then they snapped their heads around and gaped as they saw the members of Sierra squad standing just behind them, though the humans had their weapons and arms down to look less threatening.

Joru looked back and forth between Alexis and the scout troopers. "How…?" The one word question was all he said.

Alexis chuckled slightly. "Just a little demonstration, to show you that we mean what we say when we speak of not harming you." She said with a smile. "Now, perhaps we should go see your shaman now?"

Van Horn walked along a fairly well worn path through the woods, following along behind Alexis and the five local gatón. He was one of only three humans moving with the indigenous people, the other platoon members staying behind so as to not appear threatening by visiting the local village in large numbers. With him were Stuger and Castellano, and they all trailed the group.

Hmm, looks like they've been cutting wood here for some time, van Horn noted as he saw old, overgrown stumps just off the path. They look old, too. These people must have been here a long time.

Then the trees began to thin out ahead, and van Horn grunted to himself. 'Bout time. We've been walkin' a good long distance. We must be halfway up the valley by now. This assumption he verified easily by checking the barometric measurement that his suit's sensors noted, and van Horn did the math in his head. Another twelve meters in height? Well, it has been a steep trek these last few meters.

It was at that point that the trees gave way, and van Horn stepped into the full light of the local sun unfettered by clouds, trees, or even about a quarter of the planet's atmosphere. It was enough that, despite his visor's filters, van Horn had to pause to let his eyes adjust, though he did so only after stepping to the side so as to not block Castellano or Stuger.

Once his eyes did adjust, though, van Horn felt the sudden impulse to rub them. The scene before his eyes was something that he hadn't expected, not from a mountain village.

Up the slope a ways was a section of relatively level land, and on this was a wall of stone that stretched all along the edges of the land table. Rising above this wall van Horn could see the spires of three circular stone towers, apparently build separate from the wall itself. They look so well built! Van Horn amazedly thought. Those towers look to be a good twenty meters tall! How could these natives have built something so tall and yet so elegant?

"Amazing," Alexis breathed nearby, before looking over the terraced fields set along the sloped valley floor. "It's like a place from out of a fantasy tale."

Joru turned to face the newcomers, and he couldn't help but smile a bit as they stood in awe at his village. "Well, given our homes are so far from everyone else, we must take measures to defend ourselves."

Van Horn nodded at the comment. "A wise decision," he spoke in Gatonese. Joru and the other natives started at this; however, as they hadn't heard any of the humans speak until then. "You… Know our language?" Joru asked, his tone incredulous.

Van Horn turned his head to look straight at the gatón. "What do you think?" He asked lightly. He then continued after the white-furred gatón blushed. "I am a scholar, of sorts, so I know several languages. Including yours, of course."

"Of course," Joru replied with a slight nod. "Well then, shall we?" He gestured towards a path that led up towards the village with that question.

"Yes, of course," van Horn said quietly, and the group moved off again, following the same path. This time, however, the path wound around the terraced fields, many of which seemed to have hardy plants growing. Must be tough to survive the winters up here, van Horn thought with a note of admiration in his mind. The same can be said for the locals, as well.

The walk up to the village was quiet, the natives still intimidated, and the humans and Alexis still in quiet awe at the fairytale setting. Van Horn wondered just where all the people who would normally be attending the fields were. Well, duh, he thought with a sudden realization. They hear something that makes 'em nervous enough to send armed scouts, then they're gonna stay holed up 'til they know it's safe.

A few minutes later, the small group was walking towards the main gates to the village. Van Horn was gracious for his helmet being on, for he knew that otherwise, he'd look strange gawking at the gates themselves. Beautiful! His mind registered as he looked over the ornately carved gates that seemed to have had every single square centimeter filled with lines. And yet, the images are neither crowded nor incomprehensible.

A whistle over the radio told van Horn that Castellano was also impressed. "Damn pretty. I don't think I've ever seen someone put that much effort into such a small set of doors."

Van Horn frowned a bit, as Dan's comment brought to his attention that the gates were, indeed, made for gatón. Their stone arch was so low that a lupar would have had to bend over to gain entrance, while a human, undoubtedly, would need to squeeze through in a crouch. And that would be even without armor. Ah, well, that's why these suits can bend the same way we do.

Naturally, the gates were closed, though like at Hercor, there was a small semi-gatehouse built up, complete with a firing platform for archers. Atop this platform van Horn and the other humans could see the thermal traces of several more gatón, though all that could be seen visually was the tops of their heads as they stared at the strange creatures below.

Joru walked up to the gate and cleared his throat. "Ullo, open the gates. We have visitors."

One of the gatón crouching at the top of the gate stood up slightly, and van Horn was a bit surprised to see that he had not the white with black stripes coloration of the Northern gatón, but rather, the surprisingly tiger-like coloration of the Plains gatón. "Visitors? Since when were demons visitors, Joru?"

"Since when did demons appear from the lands below and speak as if they were shaman?" Joru countered. "They haven't harmed us, Ullo, and they have a gatón with them." He waved over to Alexis at the last remark.

The one called 'Ullo' turned his gaze at the indicated person, and Alexis tilted her head up so that the other could get a good look at her face. "A woman?" Ullo asked incredulously. "A woman travels with demons?"

Alexis' face turned dark at that, and van Horn could hear her growl slightly, almost under her breath. We don't have time for this shit, the human thought angrily. "Dan, Dianna," he spoke quietly, despite the fact that he was using the radio. "I'm going to do something silly, so please be dears and don't follow along."

Van Horn could almost feel their eyes burning into the back of his neck. "Oh, really?" Dan asked almost playfully. "Gonna go roll around in the mud?"

"Something like that," van Horn mumbled as he saw Joru try to reason with the gate guards again. "Just don't move if'n ya don't have to."

"Copy that," Dan said quietly, Stuger echoing the response a second later. Nice to have people who'll let you have a chance to prove yourself before they mock you, he thought with a grin as he stepped forward.

His movement cut off the two locals' conversation, but van Horn didn't pay it any great mind. Instead, he made sure to sling his heavy gyrojet gun around behind his back before he walked eight meters away, turned around, and then jumped.

His movement was just enough to trigger his jump jets, and van Horn carefully overrode their controls so that he would just hover a bit at a height that put him just above the height of the wall. Looking over towards the gates, van Horn saw the grouping of gatón atop the gatehouse staring at him with mouths agape. Beyond them, he managed to see the decently sized village laid out in a grid pattern that startled him so much that he nearly forgot to land before his jets ran out.

Landing a few seconds later, van Horn mentally forced his mind to focus. Soon, Earl, soon… With that, he walked over to his previous position by the gates, and then looked up at the gatón atop the gatehouse, still staring at him as they had abandoned their attempts to crouch behind the crenulated walls.

A moment passed before van Horn activated his external speakers and cleared his throat loud enough for it to activate his microphones. "As you can see, we don't need you to open the gates. If we wished you harm, we would be harming you right, now." He paused to lend emphasis to his words. "Given the fact that we are not harming you now, and instead are waiting, politely, for you to open the gates, I would hope to think that proves that we are not bloodsucking demons come to eat your children!" Although he had started in a civil, though annoyed tone, van Horn had felt his voice rise as he spoke. "Now, are you going to be courteous, polite individuals, or are you going to sit on your ass behind that wall all day long? Because frankly, we're doing this as a courtesy to your people, to introduce ourselves. So if you want rude, boy, we'll give you rude!"

Alexis followed Joru and the other gatón native to the village as they passed through the gates. Unlike van Horn, Alexis recognized some of the figures inscribed on the gates from her people's mythology, but she didn't pay them much thought, as on the other side of the gates was a startling array of armed warriors. What made them startling, however, wasn't the fact that they were there – for it was expected. Also unsurprising were their armaments – the usual bows, though unusually for gatón, short swords.

What made them surprising to Alexis, however, was the fact that represented there was every tribe of gatón. Not just the white-furred northerners, but plainsmen, foresters, and swampers, as well, the latter distinguishable to Alexis by the deeper tint in their fur color. The northerners, however, were still the majority, which was perhaps the only thing that made sense to Alexis at that moment. Why are there so many people from all the tribes here? Then the warriors' eyes started to bug out, and Alexis knew why without even turning around, though she did so anyway out of politeness.

Moving through the gate first was van Horn, who crouched over to avoid smashing his helmeted head against the gates' arch. Once he was through, he moved forward to stand next to Alexis so that Castellano and Stuger could follow in a similar fashion.

"What manner of devils are these?" A muttered voice came from the crowd, and Alexis turned and tried to single out the speaker, but settled for just giving the group around them a baleful look. "These people are no more demons than I am," she said aloud in a tone that challenged anyone to defy the words.

One man, a rather bemuscled forester like Alexis, growled in reply. "Given the way a woman like you is acting, perhaps you are."

Alexis turned and gave the male a long, hard stare. Silence reigned for a minute before Alexis spoke again. "Feeling threatened are we?" She asked sneeringly. "Are you so weak minded that I make you worry?" As she spoke, Alexis saw her words hit their mark, and the male gatón's fur bristled and his face twisted in anger. Before she could add another barb, however, Alexis felt a large hand come to rest on her shoulder, and she looked up at van Horn.

The human was, of course, completely unreadable behind his helmet's visor, but his calm words relayed his demeanor. "Alexis," he began in English. "We're not here to pick a fight. Just let the asshole think whatever he wants, because we both know he's full of shit."

Alexis blushed deeply at the words, and she nodded. "I am sorry," she replied in the human tongue. "I… I didn't think."

"That's okay," van Horn replied quietly. "But now, I think we have more important things to discuss." With this, he nodded his head towards the center of the group of local gatón, and Alexis turned her head to see the crowd parting to the muted mutterings of the word 'shaman.'

Coming through the crowd was an old, almost ancient gatón male being led by one of the warriors who had been with Joru. Although his fur might've once been the envy of all of his plainsmen kin, it was now tinged with gray along his face and arms. His hair was also a silvery gray, and he walked with a cane much the same way Forbasa did. Although Shaman Forbasa never relied on it as much as this shaman does, Alexis thought as she noticed that the man leaned heavily on the cane, though his voluminous robes tended to obscure it at times.

Many in the crowd bowed their heads reverently towards the man as he walked to stand along with Joru and the rest of his scouting troop, who stood about a meter and a half from where Alexis and the armored humans stood.

The old gatón's ears twitched as he looked over the four newcomers. "So… Who are you, who are so strange to us?" He asked in a quiet, raspy voice. "Why have you come to Shubasu?"

Alexis felt her jaw drop, and her knees became weak. "Shu- Shubasu?" She asked, her own voice barely above a whisper. "This… This is Shubasu?" She asked incredulously. But, it can't be!

"Alexis," van Horn spoke earnestly in English. "What is it? What does it mean?" He asked, leaning over to speak quietly to the young gatón.

Alexis slowly turned her head and blinked at van Horn. "Shubasu… The legendary city of the Guardians," she said quietly in Gatonese, apparently loosing her grip of English in her shock. Then she turned back to look over the gatón around her. "This… This place is said to be the first city created by the gatón after Basun fell, built…" She paused to close her eyes so as to concentrate. "Built on the very footsteps of the holy city itself." Alexis opened her eyes again and locked them to the shaman's. "Is it true?" She asked in a little girl's voice.

The shaman seemed to smile slightly. "Perhaps," he said neutrally. "But you still have not introduced yourselves."

Alexis blinked, still slightly in shock. Then she nodded quickly. "Yes, of course. I am Alexis Hurano," she said in a soft tone, though she raised her voice just enough to make sure it carried. Then she turned and waved a hand to her human comrades. "These are my friends, Earl van Horn, Daniel Castellano, and Dianna Stuger." She paused after each name so the respective owner could nod, and then she turned back and bowed to the shaman. "We are honored to be here, despite the circumstances which brought us to this valley."

The shaman nodded a bit. "I am Shaman Garkayo. I have heard from our warriors that you wish an audience. Perhaps about those circumstances you've mentioned?"

Alexis nodded, and she glanced up at van Horn. The latter took a step forward then and spoke. "They are, in fact, somewhat dire," he said, reaching up to undo the catches on his helmet. "But hopefully with your-"

"Aieee!" The yell came from the old man as van Horn pulled off his helmet, interrupting him in mid sentence. "They have returned!" He shouted, and then, in a move that surprised van Horn, given the shaman's obviously advanced age, he slid down to his knees and bowed forward deeply.

Van Horn was then doubly shocked when all the other gatón – save Alexis – followed suit, all falling to their knees and bowing forward until their heads touched the ground. "The Gods have returned!" One man in the back shouted.

"Doc…" Castellano spoke up, using his external speakers. "What the Hell is going on?"

"That's what I'd like to know," van Horn said darkly as he felt his face turn a crimson color. "They think we're gods."

"What!" Both Castellano and Stuger shouted the same word at the same time. "What the fucking Hell?" Dan added after a moment.

"My thoughts exactly," van Horn replied and then turned to look at Alexis. "Do you have any idea what this is about?"

Alexis, though, looked back at him with wide eyes and a shocked look on her face that rivaled the one she had earlier when learning the village's name. "Earl, I swear to you, I have no idea," she said, this time managing to remember her English, though it came through badly accented.

Van Horn frowned; an expression that deepened significantly when he saw that not only were the gatón in the immediate vicinity were still kneeling, but more seemed to be coming from other parts of the village to add to the group. "Bloody fucking Hell," he muttered, and he dropped his helmet to the ground as he strode forward. He stepped up to Garkayo and reached down to pull the gatón up, taking just long enough to make sure he wasn't hurting the native.

Shocked, the shaman looked wide-eyed at van Horn. "What is thy bidding, your lordship?" The native asked.

Van Horn felt his face turn a deeper shade of red, and he carefully set Garkayo down on the ground, though he left his arms in place to support the frail gatón. "Stop it," the human sputtered. "Stop kneeling, all of you!" He called to the locals. "We are not Gods!"

These words obviously confused the natives, and many looked up with fearful eyes. Some even looked at Castellano and Stuger, and van Horn spared a glance back to see that they, too, had taken off their helmets. But a glance was all that he spared before turning his gaze full on the now-confused gatón he was holding. "No person should ever have to kneel in such a manner to another," he said intently to the shaman.

Garkayo started to fall back a little, and van Horn eased him into a sitting position on the ground. "But…" The elder gatón started. "But, you must be the gods! Returned at last to claim Basun and return our race to its golden halls!"

Van Horn took a step back, bending over to look for Garkayo's cane. He found it, and then handed it to the gatón, who took it as if he was receiving a holy relic. "We are not gods," van Horn repeated firmly. "And I have no idea what you're talking about."

Garkayo just looked incredulously at the human, and around them, the other gatón, though still kneeling, were looking up now, intent on the conversation. "But, the prophecy!" The shaman said distressingly. "It says that one day, the gods would return, and you fit the description!" He closed his eyes and shook his head at this, seemingly taking a moment to remember.

"With a great torrent of sound and light
Shall they come. They will bring rightness
And peace to the children of Sheyana,
Whose glory fills the night.

On great steeds they shall ride, clad in metal
So strong that even the earth shall tremble
In their mighty wake. So sayeth Sheyana,
Whose power knows no bounds.

And when their true forms are revealed
To all, ye shall see their skin, as fields
Cleared in the autumn's sun, lacking all fur.
So sayeth Sheyana, the God of all."

Garkayo opened his eyes then and looked up at van Horn. "So, you must be them," he said quietly to the human. "What else can you be, if not lupar nor gatón?"

Van Horn closed his eyes and tried to recalculate the prime numbers from one to one hundred until he calmed down enough so that he wouldn't snap at the gatón sitting in front of him. "Let me explain this, then," he said calmly after a moment, his eyes still closed. "We are travelers from a distant land, yes. We have no fur on our bodies, yes." He opened his eyes and looked down at the gatón shaman fiercely. "But we are not Gods. We do not deserve nor desire your worship. We are people, like you. So please," his voice softened then. "Just be yourselves."

It had taken a bit more cajoling, but van Horn had managed to wheedle the shaman to disperse the crowd and arrange a proper meeting. They were now walking towards the shaman's house to have said meeting, though truthfully, the anthropologist was half distracted by the sheer immensity of the events just past. Most specifically, their relevance to the other hints I've been finding, van Horn thought, remembering the various clues that had hinted at human intervention on Bowman's Planet in the distant past. But who? How? And Why?

Even more disturbing to the scientist-soldier was the grid pattern that the streets of Shubasu followed. In no other native settlements do we find such a logical planning. And we find it in a village that is renowned as legendary for being near the home of the native gods, and apparently has more powerful traces of human presence from the past. Van Horn frowned deeply, not noticing that the native gatón of the village cringed when he glanced over them. All of these discrepancies adding up… It's smellier than the Wobbies skimming off of the Free Worlds League treasury.

A light cough came from Castellano, and van Horn glanced back as the corporal began talking. "Earl, have you noticed the streets here?"

Van Horn nodded gravely before turning back to watch his way. "I have. It's very disturbing, ain't it?"

Castellano frowned, though van Horn couldn't see it. "That wasn't quite the word I was going for."

Van Horn shook his head. "I'm sorry, Dan. It's just…" He sighed. "That scene back there, and all these weird things that I've mentioned before…"

"Yeah," Castellano just muttered. "I hear ya, man."

All further conversation was cut off as the small group of the three humans, Alexis, the Shaman Garkayo and Joru stopped in front of a rather large house that sat in the center of the village. Though I suppose 'house' would be a it of an understatement given the locals' level of tech, van Horn mused as he noted that the structure was built solidly out of stone, much like the others in town. This one, however, rose two stories and was far larger. Its walls appeared thicker, and the windows on the outside were narrow.

It's probably made as a last stand readouts, van Horn mused as the shaman waved to the newcomers to follow him around the back. They moved quietly around the large garden that separated the residence from the other houses in the village, and out back found a circular area of dirt that centered on an obvious campfire hearth. Arranged around this small hearth were several large, round, flat-topped stones that were obviously intended as seats.

The group paused, and Garkayo raised a hand and pointed to the formation. "Behold, the Council of Destiny," he rasped out. "Built where Arkal the Great first held council after the Fall of Basun."

Van Horn heard Alexis utter another small gasp, though he himself, despite his best attempts, still understood little about the native mythology. Damned Wobbies, he mentally cursed as the group followed the shaman towards the dirt circle.

Sitting down carefully, van Horn and the other humans – and Alexis as well – sat on one side, with Garkayo and Joru sitting opposite of them. Silence reigned then for a moment before van Horn decided that he should start the conversation. "Shaman Garkayo," he began politely. "I will understand if you wish to call for advisors to discuss things, or even to have scribes to record this meeting."

Garkayo frowned a bit in confusion, and Alexis cleared her throat and began in English. "Earl, I'm sorry, I should have mentioned this before, but gatón shaman usually only deal one on one, with only an apprentice or a prominent leader of the community," she said quietly, but quickly, her ears going back in embarrassment. "Even if you've managed to convince him that you're not the gods returned, Garkayo will deal with you principally, and you with him. In such cases, the results of the meeting are spoken of without falsehood, else the gods would be insulted."

"In this case, us," Castellano couldn't help but add with a smirk.

Van Horn gave his friend a dirty look before turning back to the young gatón at his side. "Thank you Alexis, for clearing that up," he said with a bare ghost of a smile before turning his attention back to Garkayo. "Shaman, I apologize. I was only now made aware of your traditions."

If anything, this seemed to confuse Garkayo further. "I think I see…" He said quietly as if reassessing something. Then he took a quick breath, apparently deciding to push it aside for now. "So, if you are not the gods, as you say, then what are you?"

Van Horn blinked for a second, and then he grinned. "Ah, some nice bluntness for a change," he said. Despite his clarity of words, this confused Garkayo and Joru further, and so the human pushed on, dropping his smile. "It is hard to explain," he began slowly. "I suppose I should explain that this world, the one we are standing upon, is only one amongst many…"

Dusk was falling as Mikula climbed down from Nguyen's 'mech, carrying on his back his pack of equipment and personal shelter. Gods, my legs feel sore, he grumbled to himself as he clambered down the rope ladder that led from the Hellbringer II's cockpit. I've been sitting still for too long with not enough movement.

Given the relative lack of pursuit at the moment, Captain Tanaka had ordered the MechWarriors, Armored Troopers, and tank crews to begin rotating on and off duty so as to let them get the rest they needed. She had then programmed her computer to randomly pick off half of each group for the first rest period, and Nguyen and his 'mech were amongst the lucky ones.

Reaching the ground, Mikula felt the sudden urge to yawn, and he did so. How can traveling be so tiring even when you're not doing any work? He wondered as he turned and headed off for the small bivouac that the resting Republic troops had set up.

The two Abrams from Checker Lance that were 'off duty' formed an "L" shape, forming a small nook in which the bivouac took shape. In the small, roughly square area were over two-dozen men and women, mainly troopers from the armored infantry, though the tank crews and one of the MechWarriors from Oni Lance were there, as well. The armored troopers, apparently in an attempted to remain as ready as possible, were either sleeping in their armor – with the helmets taken off, of course – or had taken it off in the proscribed 'field readiness' manner which would allow them to squeeze into their protective suits with only three minutes' notice.

The tank crews and MechWarriors, however, were either lying against the tanks without taking off their uniforms, or were lying on the ground with a jacket piled up as a makeshift pillow.

Mikula wondered why they hadn't set up a lean-to or a tent, since they were going to be on 'rest duty' for a while, and after that, the other half of the Republic force would need shelter, as well. Then he noticed that, within the edge of the forest, where the lupar from Kaytor had settled and cleared some underbrush, there was the familiar olive drab color of tents interspersed among the clusters of natives huddling around small campfires.

I shouldn't be surprised, Mikula thought with a small smile, and he turned to set his pack on the ground. Quickly, he undid the strings holding the tent in place and then hefted it back up. Turning around, he started off for the Kaytorians, his tent lying over both arms.

His approach did not go unnoticed, and a male lupar that Mikula had seen talking to Alexis before stood up from one of the small sub-groups resting on the ground, and he took a few steps out to meet the approaching soldier.

For his part, Mikula walked up to the other lupar and held out his tent. "I thought you could use another," he said with a sheepish grin.

The other lupar twitched his ears in surprise, but then grinned back and took the offered tent. "Thank you, sir," he said with a nod of his head. "We can certainly put this to use."

Mikula blushed at the use of the honorific. "Please, there is no need to call me 'sir,'" he said. "My name is Mikula."

The Kaytorian lupar smiled a bit wider then. "Ah, my apologies. I am Kaeno, and I thank you again." Acryu turned and waved one of his comrades from the militia over, and the called for soldier came and picked up the tent and then went off into the large cluster of natives sitting under the trees.

"It seems you have an efficient system going," Mikula observed friendlily.

"I suppose," Acryu responded with a sigh as he turned back to face Mikula. "Things could be worse."

Mikula nodded, his friendly visage fading into a contemplative look. "Indeed they can," he said quietly. "At least we managed to evacuate your town before it was attacked." He paused to shake his head. "There are some places that weren't so lucky."

Acryu nodded. "So I've been told," he said in an assuaging tone. "I take it you were at one of those places?" He then asked curiously, waving a hand for Mikula to join his group as they sat around a campfire.

Mikula managed a small smile and a nod in thanks to Acryu, despite the current topic. Then the pair ventured over to the group as Mikula replied to Acryu's question. "Yes, I was. Four times, in fact," he said as he sat down, his face twisting into a grimace at the memories he dredged up.

Before he continued on, Acryu went through a round of introductions, and Mikula was pleased to see he had fallen in with part of the militia from Kaytor. Then he began to recount his long story.

Some time later, night had fallen all the way, and Mikula was just finishing up his description of NeoTokyo.

"Truly, an amazing city," he said, shaking his head at the astounding nature of his own memories. "I do hope that, sometime, I can go back, and maybe take pictures that I can show my family," he said wistfully.

"You and everyone else, I think," Acryu said in amazement. The other five lupar around the fire were all just looking on with dubious expressions. "I mean, I cannot even begin to think up such a city. Giant towers of metal, great numbers of people," he paused to shake his head. "It sounds like some sort of dream."

Mikula nodded. "It seemed that way to me when I was there. Yet, I know I was awake, because once you think something's a dream, that's usually when you wake up," he added the second line with a grin.

The other lupar chuckled lightly at that, though it was strained from their still-incredulous thoughts. "Well, maybe this is one big dream, then," Acryu suggested.

"Or a nightmare," one of the militia lupar commented sourly. The mood around the fire immediately darkened, and Mikula cleared his throat. "Well, at least we can stop moving and be safe for now," he said assuredly. "And with the results of the action in the pass, we have some time, as well."

The other lupar nodded at this, their faces brightening a bit. "So we've heard," a lupar introduced as Hurg spoke up. "Is it true that one of those 'ree-pub-lick' people blew up one of their own machines to stop the Invaders?"

Mikula nodded. "It is. I know the pilot, and he was most sad to see his 'mech go," he replied with a sigh. "But he does know it was to save lives, and so he takes comfort from that. Though he feels helpless now, since he can no longer fight the enemy in the way he's been trained."

"Really?" Acryu asked, and he waited for Mikula to nod again. "To tell the truth, I am a bit surprised. These so-called 'humans' don't seem like the warrior kind. I mean, they have no teeth or claws."

Mikula chuckled at that, which drew a frown from Acryu. "What did I say that was so funny?" The latter asked.

"I'm sorry," Mikula replied, shaking his head. "But, if you knew what I know, you'd not be saying such things."

"What do you mean?" Asked Hurg, his own face a mask of confusion.

Mikula sat back and looked over the other lupar. "These people, the humans, are more warlike than you can imagine. You've not seen the histories they keep, but I have." He closed his eyes and shuddered at that. "Terrible, vengeful wars. Battles that make the ones just fought look like nothing more than a scuffle betwixt children, weapons that would make you wet yourselves in fear if you knew that an enemy had them." He opened his eyes then, and looked the others in the eyes. "And more pain and suffering than we've yet seen," he said quietly. Then he went on in a more mollifying tone. "Which is not to say that you and your kin are not enduring great hardship, because you are. I am simply saying this: It could be worse. Much worse."

Again, a silence fell upon the group. This time, however, it was interrupted by Hurg's stomach rumbling. The men around the fire all grinned at that, save Hurg, who blushed. "Well, it is getting late," he commented.

"It is, isn't it?" Mikula added rhetorically. Then he stood up, which prompted the others to do so. "I'm sorry for delaying your meal."

"Nonsense," Acryu replied dismissively. "It was good talking with someone who knows these humans much better than we do. Especially as we need to rely on them now."

Mikula nodded again. "I hope, then, that I've managed to assuage some of your fears?"

"A bit," Acryu admitted. Then he smirked a little. "Of course, that Hurano lady certainly talked a fair bit about them, so we had some idea beforehand."

Mikula blinked at that for a second. Then he smiled. "Yes, she can be quite the educator when she has the time," he said warmly. Then a thought hit him. "I do want to ask, just what is it she did, anyway, that has so many from your town treating her with such respect? I mean," he blushed a bit, realizing that his words could be misconstrued. "I do not want to offend, but even I was a bit wary of gatón until I met her."

Acryu continued to smirk. "She took care of an annoyance for us," He said. "And took over command of the militia."

Mikula did a double take at the last, and his jaw dropped open. "What?" He almost yelled. "How the hell does that happen?"

Acryu's smirk turned into a grin. "By taking care of an annoyance," he said mischievously. "More specifically, she managed to beat the former militia commander in physical combat."

"The man is a pig, anyway," Hurg commented, trying to fill in the silence that Mikula had fallen into. "I still can't believe we hauled him with us all this way."

Acryu turned and shrugged at his friend. "Well, to be fair, after the first attack on our group, we haven't had to keep him in line. He knows quite well that there's no going back."

"Wait a minute," Mikula said, interrupting the conversation. "Let me understand this. You all are willing to follow Alexis as if she were your commander?"

"I think you are using the wrong tense there," Acryu said, turning back to Mikula. "We do consider her our commander, and we have followed her. She helped us plan the diversion attack that allowed the 'reepuhblik' people attack the Invaders in our town."

Mikula just shook his head. "I am sorry, it's just… I am surprised. Not all lupar are so accepting."

Acryu nodded. "Well, I'll admit it wasn't instantly acceptable, but…" He just shrugged. "She has this way of putting people at ease."

Mikula managed to smile widely at that. "Something I know all too well," he said with a nod. "Well, I think I've taken up enough of your time. I should be going now anyway, I'm sure that someone has got to be looking for me by now."

No sooner had he said that than a yell could be heard coming from the Republic bivouac. "Mikula! Mikula Farkas! Get your ass back here!"

Mikula blushed a bit and looked sheepishly over his new acquaintances. "Well, it seems I guessed that right," he said with a lopsided grin. "If you will excuse me?" He half-asked, and then turned and began to walk off.

"Wait a second," Acryu's voice made Mikula pause and look back. "Yes?" He asked of the Kaytorian, whose face had a quizzical look on it.

"Your last name is Farkas? As in, of the Regulus clan?" Acryu asked, one of his ears twitching down to emphasize his question.

Mikula frowned, confused and surprised at the question. "Yes, yes it is." He said carefully. "Why? Do you have a problem with that?"

"What?" Acryu asked, genuinely shocked. Then he blinked his eyes a few times and shook his head. "No. It's just that, well…" He smirked sheepishly and blushed. "I think we might be distant relatives."

Mikula took a step back in surprise. "What do you mean?" He demanded.

Acryu sighed. "My great grandfather on my mother's side had the last name of 'Farkas.' He was a traveling warrior who was said to have come from Tanzano. Or at least the family story goes."

Mikula's eyes widened. "Would his name happen to have been Pavlas?"

Acryu nodded, his eyes lighting up. "Yes."

"My Gods," Mikula said, and he swayed a bit in shock. "He was a great-great-uncle. I didn't know him myself, but my grandmother told me stories of him when I was younger. He liked to travel, and didn't come home after one trip…" He shook his head. "This is incredible!"

"MISTER FARKAS!" This time the yell was the unmistakable bellow of a platoon sergeant, and the words rolled over and through the nearby valley, startling Mikula and the other lupar.

Blushing deeply in embarrassment, Mikula glanced towards the bivouac, and then back to Acryu. "I really need to leave now. But," he paused to smile. "I would like to speak again."

Acryu returned the smile. "It would be a pleasure."

Some time later, Mikula was hiking up the path towards the gatón village, carrying a rather large backpack filled with power packs and air recharges for the three scout troopers who were still busy with the locals. He followed along behind Ferguson, who was now doing these sorts of odd jobs as well.

"Seems like a piss poor time to be out," the human MechWarrior complained aloud. "Dark and cold… Good thing one of those tankers had an extra coverall for me to borrow, otherwise I'd be a popsicle by now."

Mikula chuckled. "A human popsicle?" He asked mirthly. "I wonder how much one of those would sell for?"

Ferguson laughed briefly from where he led the duo. "Too much, I'm sure," he said, and then sighed. "You're pretty lucky, though, having all that fur. You must be pretty warm."

"Well, yes," Mikula admitted sheepishly. "But it's a real pain when the weather gets really warm. Especially in one of your mechs, then it becomes a real liability."

Ferguson grunted. "Yeah, I can see that," he replied casually. "Well, like the man says, it takes all kinds."

"Which man is that?" Mikula asked. Ferguson just laughed again. "No special man, it's just a saying. Well, two old sayings, really."

Mikula grunted at that, and was about to say more when the two soldiers left the forest behind. Like their comrades did earlier in the day, the pair paused to look over the new vista before them.

Unlike when van Horn and the others had been there, though, night had fallen, and though it hid some details, it also brought out others. Namely, lanterns light up the entire town above, and their light splashed against the three towers within the walls. The towers themselves were like dark fingers reaching up into the starry night sky, their reaches unlit by any lantern in a clearly intelligent move to prevent the sentries from losing their night vision. Their eyes were then drawn to the gate, which now were open and well lit by a pair of large lanterns that hung from the stone archway.

"Wow," Ferguson managed to say. "That's just… Wow."

"Yes," Mikula added breathlessly. "Beautiful."

After a moment, Ferguson squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. "Well, let's get doing then." With that, the pair started off again.

Thirteen minutes later, they approached the gate to the town, and slowed as they saw a pair of guards standing at the ready on either side of the wooden doors. They stopped about five meters distant, and then Ferguson looked over at Mikula. "Well, you're the translator," he said quietly.

Mikula nodded, and then turned to walk closer to the guards, who regarded the lupar with suspicion. "Hello," Mikula said in Gatonese with a faint smile. "I believe we're expected."

The gatón, one a northerner, the other a swamper, both looked surprised at Mikula's words. "So, it's true, the lupar really can learn a civilized tongue," the swamper said.

Mikula felt his hackles rise at this, but he forced himself to calm down. "Indeed," he replied dryly, dropping the smile. "In any case, I and my friend were called for by our comrades who are already in your town. I presume you've been told?"

The swamper frowned at Mikula, but the other nodded. "Yes, we were," he said neutrally. "Might I ask of your names, then, that we may compare them to that which was told to us?"

Mikula nodded. "Certainly. I am Mikula Farkas, and my friend," he paused to wave a hand towards Ferguson, who walked forward to join the lupar. "His name is Harold Ferguson." He turned back to look at the gatón and was surprised at the way they openly stared at he human in something that looked like awe. What the Hell? Mikula thought confusedly. Then he shook himself mentally and straightened up a bit. "I hope that is enough?"

"Huh? Oh, yes, of course," the northerner replied. "One moment." With that, he turned and went over to the wooden gates, and then knocked on the right one three times. Mikula was startled to see a narrow strip of wood slide out, its location matching a pair of eyes on figure carved into the door. The effect was that now the carving's eyes seemed to have come to life, thought Mikula knew better.

"Are they the ones?" A voice, muffled from sounding behind the wood asked. The northerner nodded and replied. "Yes, their names match with what we've been told."

Mikula glanced over at Ferguson, who looked down at the lupar time to catch him rolling his eyes. Ferguson barely stifled a chuckle before the slot on the gate closed and the whole wooden door began to swing out.

Before them, they saw streets well lit by lanterns hung up on poles lining the street, and houses lined up in regular rows. Gatón of all colors were walking around, though many paused to stare towards the gate to see what was happening.

Suddenly trepid, Mikula didn't move until Ferguson started walking towards the open gates, prompting the lupar to follow. The taller MechWarrior took a moment to bend under the gate, but after that they were inside.

Another gatón, this one a forester like Alexis, walked up to them and nodded. "I am Okoa," he said. "I am to take you to the shaman's house, where your friends are located."

Mikula nodded back. "Thank you, we would appreciate that greatly," he said and then gestured for the younger native to lead off. Okoa did so, and the two outsiders followed along behind him.

"Interesting place," Ferguson mused aloud. "Very well laid out, isn't it?" He asked of Mikula, glancing over to the lupar as he spoke.

Mikula grunted in agreement. "Indeed. It is not very common, either amongst the gatón or the lupar to have such a layout… To tell the truth, in fact, I do not believe there is any town or city this well organized." He finished in an uneasy tone. "This is very strange."

"Well, then it's good that we know how to kick as, right?" Ferguson asked mirthfully. Mikula saw the grin on the man's face and managed a chuckle. "Right," he replied in an amused tone.

Then they came upon a larger, stout stone house, and the pair of soldiers fell silent for a moment. "Wow again," Ferguson said appreciatively. "Now that's a house."

"Definitely," Mikula replied quietly. Before anyone else could speak, however, they heard noises coming from the back of the house, and soon saw movement.

Stepping from behind the house and moving towards the street were the familiar shapes of three scout armored individuals and several gatón. One of the latter spotted Mikula, and then bounded out.

"Mikula," Alexis said warmly, and without pause she walked up to him and they embraced quickly.

"Alexis," Mikula said quietly and he breathed her scent in deeply. "Even a few hours is too long," he spoke in English, as was their custom together.

"I know," She said sadly as they parted. Then her face lit up again. "But the news we have!" She positively beamed and turned to weave at the others who had walked up more slowly. "We're going to go see it now!"

"What?" Mikula asked confusedly. "What news? Going to see what?"

Alexis seemed immensely happy. "You know what this village is? Where we're standing?" she asked. Mikula just shook his head, and she continued on. "This is Shubasu, the guardian city!"

Mikula frowned. "Alexis, I don't wish to dampen your spirits, but I do not know of this place."

"Oh," Alexis said, and she blinked a few times. "Of course, I forgot," she said contritely. "I'm sorry, Mikula. It's a story that we gatón have."

"Perhaps," van Horn interjected, bringing their attention to him. "Perhaps you should explain on the way, Alexis?"

"Oh, yes," she said and turned around to look back at Mikula. "You wouldn't mind a little more traveling tonight, would you?"

Mikula smiled and shook his head. "For you, Alexis, anything."

It took a bit longer to get moving, since the Republic soldiers had to replace their power packs and support units for their armor, and as well to radio their movements in. The group's departure was further delayed by the fact that the shaman had called several of his best warriors for an honor guard for the trip.

Alexis, meanwhile, began explaining to Mikula. "The story that my people tell of Basun's fall says that a group of our earliest leaders stayed close to the city out of a desire to be closer to the gods," she said as they sat on one of the benches that the village had for public use. "But they didn't stay in Basun itself: That would be an affront to the gods, so they built a new city, and named it 'Shubasu,' which means, 'new city.'" At this part she started to look uncomfortable. "But, according to the story, some, ah, people, didn't like that idea very much."

Mikula placed a gentle hand over Alexis.' "You mean, some lupar didn't like that?" He asked. She blushed and nodded. "I'm sorry, Mikula, but that's the story."

He smiled reassuringly. "It's okay, Alexis. We both know better now, don't we?" He asked, eliciting another nod from her. "So please, continue."

Alexis smiled back at the lupar before she took a breath and went on. "So the story goes that the lupar – and jealous gatón, of course – ventured forth to wage war against Shubasu. Along the way, they also were said to raid the ruins of Basun itself, and so Shubasu became a mightily armed city that pledged itself to the cause of defending the holy city." Alexis paused to take another breath, and she closed her eyes to help her remember the rest of the story. "The story goes on to say that messengers were sent to the elder shaman of all the tribes asking for help, and the shamans in turn sent their best warriors. Thus it went on for several generations, until eventually the city defeated its last enemies.

"It is said that then, the shaman of Shubasu decided that, to prevent their city from falling under attack again, they would cut themselves off from the rest of the world, and they cast great magic that laid a shroud over Shubasu and the ruins of Basun so that no one could ever find them again." Alexis opened her eyes and looked Mikula straight in his. "And we're here… In the city that was built within sight of the great city itself."

"Basun…" Mikula breathed, his eyes wide with shock and awe. "What you said earlier, what we're going to go see… It- is it?"

Alexis nodded energetically. "Yes! Basun itself! The shaman is taking us there because he feels sympathy for the Kaytorians and is willing to let us all stay there until the Wobbies are driven away and the Kaytorians can return to their own homes."

Mikula was shaking his head slowly. "I… I can't believe it," he said quietly. "The first City, the Home of the Gods… And we're going to see it?"

Alexis smiled. "Yes. The shaman said that no one has been there in decades, so we have to make sure it's still safe." She squeezed Mikula's hand with her own. "This is so exciting."

Mikula frowned a bit then. "And to think it only took an invasion for it to happen," he said wryly.

Alexis' face twisted into the gatón equivalent of going pale. "Oh, gods… I didn't think about that," she said quietly, and then scrunched her eyes closed. "I feel awful now…"

"Don't," Mikula replied forcefully, causing Alexis to open her eyes again and look at him. "I'm sorry, I was just… A bit bitter, I suppose," he continued in a more conciliatory voice. "But you have every right to be happy and excited. Every person who was born on this planet does."

Alexis slowly smiled again, though this time it was a smaller version of her previous expression. "Thank you, Mikula," she said.

"No need to thank me," he replied with a smile. "Let's just remember that the past is the past, and the future is what we want it to be."

The small group had started from Shubasu after eating a quick snack from MREs that Mikula and Ferguson had fetched up along with the power packs. Ferguson himself was heading back with Stuger to report to the Republic officers about there possibly being a safe and secure area for the civilians to be protected in, leaving van Horn and Castellano the only two humans in the group.

Not that that's a bad thing, van Horn mused as he followed behind shaman Garkayo, who himself followed behind a pair of his warriors from the village. Alexis, Mikula, Castellano, and another two guards in turn followed these men. Each of the four guards was from one of the four different races of gatón, which the shaman had explained was 'dictated by the gods.' I seriously doubt that, van Horn thought as he mulled over the events in his mind. But, hey, it's harmless enough, and at least they have torches to light their own way.

He was tired, unsurprisingly so considering the many hours he had spent speaking to the shaman and eventually, several leading members of Shubasu's citizenry, explaining very carefully the events that led them there and the fact that humans were not gods of any sort. The fact that only van Horn knew Gatonese and that they were terribly ignorant of the local customs helped to persuade the locals that the humans from the Republic, at least, were not anything godly or demon-like, but were just people.

Good Lord, how many hours did that take? Van Horn asked himself as he hiked up a sloped path through yet another forest. Five, at least, and then afterwards, they started to get all xenophobic… Well, some of them did, but their shaman set them straight.

The agreement to help the lupar had been the hardest sticking point, but Alexis had helped there with the stories of how lupar and gatón were working together by Hercor, and van Horn's promises that they would leave soon had also assuaged the locals' fears.

His attention was dragged back to the present as the group came to a small ravine that apparently had been bridged at one point, but all that remained was the anchoring structures on either side.

"Oh dear," Garkayo said distressedly. "Those floods from two years ago must've taken the bridge down."

Van Horn grunted and stepped carefully past the three gatón to stop near the edge of the ravine. He slipped his helmet on and locked it into the suit's operating systems, thus providing power to the flashlight mounted on the side of his visor. With a simple eye gesture, the lamp flared to life, and van Horn bent over to look into the gap.

"Oh, this isn't too bad," he said neutrally. "Only about two meters deep." He looked up then and had the sensors measure the distance. "Another two and a half across…" Van Horn then changed languages and spoke the Castellano. "Dan, help me look for a couple of trees we can lay across real quick."

They took a few minutes before they found two different trees that their light suits could knock down, but were large enough to make for decent enough footing. Then they had to carry them to crossing, heave the logs across so that they bridged it, and then dug the dirt around the ends on both sides of the bank – the latter easily accessible to a trooper wearing power armor – to make the logs stable. Then the two humans were about to move and start cutting off branches that were in the way, but the shaman's honor guard already began to work on that, and so the Republic soldiers simply waited for the others to join them.

"That was an impressive display," Garkayo said with a hint of awe in his voice. "Do you do this sort of thing all the time?"

Van Horn shrugged. "No, not really," he said nonchalantly.

"Really? Because it seemed like you knew exactly what to do," Garkayo said after urging his guards onward, thus starting everyone moving again. Van Horn took off his helmet and shrugged again. "Well, humans are inventive. Give us an obstacle and we'll find two or three ways around it."

"Fascinating," Garkayo muttered. "Very fascinating. Ah, but we're almost there," he said, waving a hand forward to indicate the path ahead. Van Horn looked up and saw that it wound around a small hill and disappeared off to the right.

Despite the overall situation, he felt a thrill. No anthropologist in his right mind would pass up a chance to visit an ancient city that helped shape the culture of everyone on a planet! Van Horn felt a pang of guilt over this excitement. I know I shouldn't feel this elated when there's a war going on… But damnit, I'm only human…

Then the group walked around the dark hillside, and they saw before them the ruins. Everyone paused then; to take in the sight as much as they could given the darkness, though the light of the planet's moon helped.

Finally, Castellano muttered something. "What a dump. Ah!" Van Horn's sudden elbow to Castellano's midsection was enough to push the trooper aside, thus prompting the surprised noise he made. Then the pale-skinned trooper flushed and turned to look back at Alexis and Mikula. "I'm sorry, you two, I…" He trailed off then, as he saw the two natives just staring in open eyed wonder.

Alexis heard Castellano say something, or rather, two somethings, but she was beyond caring at that moment. It's real… Oh Gods, it's real! Somehow, the idea hadn't fully entered her mind until that moment, when she was staring up at it.

Ahead, the path sloped gently upwards until it reached another area of relatively flat land, and the forest thinned out considerably, leaving only a few sparse trees to block a portion of the moon and starlight.

What caught Alexis' attention the most, however, were the buildings. They were more than the simple domiciles of gatón villagers, even more impressive than any single-family dwelling. They rose anywhere from two to three stories, and they were scattered all around the ruins. Other buildings resembled warehouses, since they were low and wide, and they clustered together just behind several of the common buildings.

But by far the greatest attention was lavished upon the central structure, which rose twice as high as any other building, and it was built differently, as well. Where the other structures were rectangular, long, and had a squat appearance, the central building was a round, dome topped structure that rose out of a rectangular base.

All over, the city appeared to have been overgrown somewhat with local flora, though the high climate had stunted the plants' growth and kept them from fully covering and/or demolishing the ruins.

"Amazing," Alexis breathed. "It's… Just amazing." So much how I envisioned it… And yet, how very alien it looks.

"This is like a dream," Mikula commented quietly from beside her. "It's so strange… I never expected to stand here."

"Well, let us go, then," Garkayo said reverently, and he gestured for everyone to start off again. They did so, and soon they were approaching the outer buildings. Alexis gawked and squinted and did all sorts of things in between to try and get a clearer image of the city. I don't care if I'll see it tomorrow! I want to drink it all in now!

The group passed over some sort of raised lip in the pathway, though none paid attention to it save to step over it, and then they were on a stone pavement. Alexis looked down and bent forward to wipe some of the dirt and debris that had collected on the ground. Once uncovered, Alexis recognized the stone as being the same, gray native rock that lined the valley walls.

Then the group was moving again, and this time van Horn was leading them, having put his helmet on to activate his flashlight and image recorders so as to save the moment for posterity. Hell, not just ours, but the lupar and gatón's as well, he thought as he walked forward, towards the central structure. It looks pretty big, probably could hold at least half of our wards.

"Vanhorn," Garkayo said, compressing the soldier's surname as other natives had done before. "Where are you heading to?"

Earl paused and turned back to look at the others. "That main building, it could protect a lot of the people we're guarding. I want to check it to make sure it's safe." Not to mention see any of the treasures that might be inside, he completed the thought silently. He of course didn't mean treasure as gold or jewels, but rather, the treasure of knowledge that one could glean from whatever could be found inside.

But Garkayo shook his head sadly as he slowly walked up to where van Horn waited for him. "I am afraid that that building has been blocked off for as long as anyone can remember."

Van Horn, frowned, but then remembered he had his helmet on, and he cleared his throat to show his confusion. "I do not understand."

Garkayo stopped by the human and sighed. "It is, as I've said, blocked off. All of the entranceways were sealed up so long ago that no one knows why. We can only assume that the Gods did not anyone wanting to trespass in their arcane temple."

More like some past shaman who didn't like what he saw in there is more like it, van Horn thought acidly. But he nodded and made sure his tone was polite. "Then we shall not use it. Still," he went on, hoping for a chance to at least be near the massive structure. "Perhaps we should look over it again. There might be an open entranceway that might have been missed, or maybe one is hidden as a test?" Van Horn didn't really believe it, but he was hoping against hope at that point.

Garkayo sighed sadly, but he nodded. "Very well. Please, though, I need to rest," he added, turning to walk for a fallen log that lay along the street. "Go ahead without me."

Van Horn nodded. "Of course, shaman. Now, if you'll excuse me?" He waited for a slight nod from Garkayo, and then turned and walked quickly for the structure.

Alexis, Mikula, and Castellano all shared a look before Dan shrugged and started off after van Horn. The two natives then made their excuses and went to join their friends, while one of the guards – Joru, as it turned out – followed along.

The trio of natives came upon where van Horn and Castellano were walking along, the latter having been coaxed by Earl into taking his own recordings of the place. Although with their helmets on, they appeared the same, Alexis could tell by the way one looked intently over every detail of the outer wall of the structure that it was van Horn. Gathering up Mikula and Joru by eye, she led them over to where the humans had paused.

Van horn was moving an armored hand over the wall to dislodge some vines. "This is amazing work! Dan, look at the way these bricks are mortared, it's so well crafted."

"Uh-huh," Castellano replied, using the tone of one who is bored but still humoring the boring one.

Van Horn, however, didn't seem to notice the tone. Or if he did, he didn't care. Alexis was betting on the latter, and she came up and tapped the anthropologist's shoulder. "Earl, the way you're acting, you'd think you were born on this world," she said with a smile.

Van Horn turned and looked at her for a moment. Then the sound of his chuckle could be heard through his speakers. "Ah, too true, Alexis. I'm just excited," he said and then turned and walked off, causing the others to jog a bit to catch up. Van Horn didn't notice, and he continued talking. "It's just that, you'll remember what I told you? That I was studying your peoples?"

Alexis nodded. "Yes, I do."

"Well, this is like finding a book that describes half of how your people are!" Van Horn commented excitedly. "Why, I'll bet that… That…" His voice trailed off then, as he saw something underneath some more vines. It was a decoration of some sort, and the anthropologist walked over to it and gently brushed aside the plants.

Alexis then saw him stiffen up, which was a singularly hard thing to notice in a person wearing nearly seven hundred kilograms of armor, but van Horn's reaction was profound enough to make it easily noticeable. "Earl, are you okay?" Alexis asked, concerned.

"I… I… I…" Van Horn's voice just repeated the single pronoun, and his visor was clearly locked onto the wall's decoration, which none of the others had seen yet, as they had stopped when van Horn had, and thus were at an angle.

"Doc, what's wrong?" Castellano asked, and he pulled his weapon to the ready. "You're creepin' us out, here." He then walked over to van Horn and was about to reach a hand up to shake the good doctor, when he too, saw the decoration and froze. "What the fuck?"

"What is it?" Alexis asked, confused, and she too walked over to where the humans stared at the wall, with Mikula and Joru close behind. Then she saw the decoration, and her mind, body, and very soul stopped in their tracks. "What…?" Came the hoarse whisper. "How can this be?"

"It can be, Alexis," van Horn said, his voice now back to at least a dark shadow of its former self. He went on in this grave-like tenor. "It can be, because this place was never called Basun by its occupants." He turned around then and yanked off his helmet to show his almost-crazy expression. "They called it Base One."