Chapter Six

The charlie horse in Menelaus' leg had recovered sufficiently enough for the boy to walk. But aside from the blaster pistol at his belt, Hyperion had decided it was best to let him put no weight on that same leg or anymore than he already was going to with his body. Even so, Hyperion still kept a watch and chose trails that would get them closer to the mountains more quickly but did not require much exertion from the boy in case it acted up again. But enough time passed that Hyperion became convinced it wouldn't and offered the backpack back to his ward who took it gladly. "It won't happen again, I promise!" Menelaus told him when he'd been given the pack.

"See that it doesn't. On this journey, fitness is critical in order to survive any fight, any mileage conquered, anything of consequence that we will deal with in this odyssey. If you can't hack it, you will suffer and maybe even die. I don't tell you this because I don't intend to help you where I can: I tell you this because there may come a time where I can't help you," Hyperion warned.

"If that time comes, what then?" asked Menelaus.

"Then you will be forced to trust in the skills I taught you and hope they get you out alive. I will do what I can to help you from whatever end I'm on but it is ultimately within your power to control how you emerge," Hyperion answered. He couldn't think of more honest words to tell the boy before him but he hoped he was making sense, regardless. After all, these were the words he wished he had been told by his parents, the sentiment he wished he had been taught by his grandfather, and a philosophy he wished had been encouraged by his brother. They walked in silence for a little while after that until they came across a small man and his young Bantha.

"Come on you little schutta, you gotta make it across this here bridge!" said the man. Menelaus looked up to Hyperion, silently asking if it was safe to approach this humanoid who was too intently focused on his steed to notice them anyway. Using his power of Force Sight, Hyperion tried to gauge whether or not the man would have malicious intent if they revealed themselves to him. Not immediately sensing anything, but not fully confident that it was safe, he shook his head when his sight returned to normal.

"Until I can confirm for myself, keep your distance. Have your blaster ready in case we need to use it on him or level it against him," Hyperion whispered after a moment. Menelaus nodded and primed his pistol for "kill" in case his foster father was correct in his assessment of the situation. They approached with caution, making sure not to startle the little man that was stuck ahead of them.

"Excuse us?" Menelaus asked when they were in earshot. The little man wheeled on them so fast that Hyperion readied his ax for usage against the traveler. As soon as the blade was produced, the man's eyes glistened as if in recognition though Hyperion had never seen him before.

"You... you're the human that's been living at the bottom of the mountain base for years. And this is your little Zabrak kid you've got, ain't it?" said the little man.

"How do you know of us?" Hyperion asked.

"Boy, I've been on Ando Prime for about thirty-two standard years and you don't survive that long without learning who lives around you and who don't. That ax you got? It's made outta metals usually found in Republic transports or vibroblades, ain't it?" replied the short man.

"You are a weaponsmith?" Hyperion asked.

"And a blacksmith. My creations put me on the map in the Ando system and even got me an engineering job in the Republic during the war. Name's Fabro, I'm a Bimm. Yours?" said the little man. What's a Bimm doing all the way out here? I was under the impression they never left their homeworld of Bimmisaari, much less practiced anything of war Hyperion said silently.

Aloud, he said, "If you're a Bimm then how did the Republic learn of your talent for making weapons of war? The Bimm are a pacifistic species and inherently want nothing to do with fighting, killing, and violence."

"You're right. Damn bastards that rule my people banished me after my talents turned into weapons making. I made some of the best damn cannons, turrets, and other weapons the Republic ever used against the Sith and I ain't ever taken the Sith up on their offers of higher pay than the Republic. After the Republic had their designs, I done came here and dedicated myself to making hunting gear people like you could use to survive. In return, I get a portion of all kills from those who use my creations but for you, I can make upgrades to your weapons at no charge if it so pleases you," said Fabro.

"Why would you be so friendly to us? We haven't offered you any tribute of any kind and we've lived independently of you for eleven years," Hyperion demanded.

"That's precisely why I want to help you. I respect the fact you're one of the few poor bastards in all Ando Prime that ain't got my helping touch yet. But you done well for yourself and I wanna see you keep doing that way. There's a weak spot right about where your left hand would grasp the ax handle if you made to chop with it. One good swing to that part from a club or a blade and it's goodbye ax. That head is also not as sturdy: couple of solid hits to a durasteel hull and that thing'll shatter like glass but otherwise it's pristine," Fabro replied.

"You wouldn't tell me all that poodoo and then expect to upgrade my weapons for free," Hyperion said. As he waited for Fabro to speak, he used Force Sight to look over the ax and detected the exact weaknesses that Fabro spoke of.

"Well ain't you adorable. Now that you mention it, a herd of tantas has been pestering me and trying to get into my food stuffs. If you and your little turd there could just scare them off or kill them, I'd deeply appreciate that," Fabro requested.

"Tantas belong to the Talids, heirs apparent to the legacy of the Dai Bendu and usually have a hint of Force-sensitivity. You want us to clash with that so that you got enough to eat?" Menelaus asked.

"It's survival of the fittest when you're living outside the city, ain't it?" Fabro replied. He does make a reasonable point, but I may have something that'll scare those tantas without hurting them... much Hyperion thought silently. "Oh and one more thing, I saw what you did to that Republic soldier," Fabro said.

"You'll lead them straight to us if we don't help you. Is that it?" Hyperion snarled.

"Nah, it's why I wanted to help you for free. I ain't ever seen someone slam such fists against a soldier of the Special Forces Division and so easily win before. That was the funniest Bantha poodoo I'd ever seen in years," Fabro replied. A man of any species who gets his humor from soldiers being beaten up by commoners like me is never to be trusted Hyperion said to Menelaus via telepathy. Menelaus nodded and used binoculars he'd snagged from their home to see if he could spot the herd.

"I see them, dad!" Menelaus exclaimed. Hyperion used Force Sight again to keep up with what his son was perceiving and could confirm the visual his foster son had on them.

"We'll see if they have an owner with them and then persuade them to keep the herds away from Fabro's feeding bags. If we can do that, we'll keep clear of stirring up trouble with the Dai Bendu and keep the Republic from finding us for a while longer," Hyperion said. But he readied his ax and shield in case there was trouble ahead, especially if the owner was someone more volatile. The Talids were generally pacifistic, thanks to the wisdom of the Dai Bendu but they were capable of trading blows as needed. More important, their heritage as heirs apparent to the legacy of the Dai Bendu meant that some of them had innate gifts of the Force that made them more powerful than Hyperion was already.

"If we get out of this diplomatically, then you will make your upgrades. But if it should come to violence and we suspect you had something to gain from it, you'd better have something really good you can offer to escape with your life," Hyperion warned as Menelaus made the climb toward the herds.

"Oh I got something you'll like if it comes to that, I promise. Even the Dai Bendu will have no idea what hit them if you wield my little gift. And it'd be good for you to have it even if it don't come to violence anyway, just because it's that awesome," Fabro promised. Hyperion doubted the little man could offer him anything of that sort, the Bimm species' enlightenment notwithstanding.

Along with the Bith, they were one of the first species to develop advanced technologies in the galaxy and remained one of the more educated cultures. And just like the larger bipedal pink-skinned aliens, Bimm were technically immortal as long as they weren't killed. It was entirely possible that Fabro was not only older than he looked but had been in service to the Republic even longer than he had said he did. For all Hyperion knew, he was there when the war with the Sith originally began or even when Revan led his vanguard, more than three hundred years ago.

Making his way to where his son was, his first job was to clear his thoughts of Fabro. His next job was to size up the herd and figure out the best way they could be moved.

Chapter Seven

When Hyperion's thoughts were only on the beasts he was meant to drive away, he stroked his long beard in contemplation. Tantas and their more mammalian cousins, the Tauntauns, were not usually easy to scare in the best of circumstances. But if Hyperion had the resources to do so, he would've been able to imitate the natural predators of both, the wampa. However, his lack of technology meant he was going to have to find another way and the brand of a Talid owning the herd wasn't readily visible. Usually, there was a cloth satchel with the symbolisms of the people around the neck or under the stomach with configurations unique to each Talid who owned the herd.

For purposes of sparing the cloth they had, they typically made these special tapestries for placement upon the alpha male or female of the herd. Menelaus was having better luck, being able to weave his way under the perspective of the tantas even if they could smell him. Shrugging, Hyperion decided to wait until his son (who knew what Hyperion was looking for) emerged with anything to report. After a couple standard hours, he emerged with the detachable portion of a cloth tapestry. "I recognize this Talid, we did business with him two years ago," Menelaus said.

"What did we need that we did business with a Talid?" Hyperion asked. He was certain his foster son was right, he just wanted to be sure they were on the same level.

"He needed sirens with which to scare off the predators that were eating his herd and a weapon to deal with those who barreled onward. In return, he gave us fur coats and meat that lasted us for three months from his old and dying herd members. You weren't able to make him sirens so you made him flares meant to trigger whenever they got close," Menelaus said. I remember the Talid of whom you speak, boy. Good work Hyperion thought as he looked at the cloth his son offered him.

"How do we find him?" he asked aloud.

"We won't need to if we can get the alpha male moving. He'll notice something off about the herd moving in the direction it is and come to us instead," Menelaus answered. Hyperion raised an eyebrow in inquiry and when Menelaus caught on, he continued. "His herd is moving in the area of greener pastures which is directly in the way of our friend's path. If we move the alpha male away from those pasture, the rest of the herd will follow, bringing out our old friend. Then you can explain the situation with the Bimm, he can get his bantha moving, and we get what we need from him," the boy explained.

"Why do you suppose the bantha won't move?" Hyperion asked.

"In all likelihood, because it smells the breath of the tantas even from the several dozen meters it's sitting at. Because of that, and the fact said breath is downwind, odds are its hoping the herd will lead it to fresh pastures where it can graze. Granted, in the care of the Bimm, it might not get much to eat even if he were to follow the herds but that's irrelevant," Menelaus said.

"You're quite the little zoologist, aren't you?" Hyperion asked.

"I did read those books you got me from the city when I was little. Come on Dad, there wasn't anything else to do when you wouldn't let me do the chores," Menelaus boldly answered with a chuckle. Hyperion laughed a little then reminded him he'd only restricted him from the outdoor chores back then and only because the indoor ones weren't usually finished. Then they got to work and decided that the first order of business was for Menelaus to retrace his steps and find the alpha male. From there, he was to lead him to Hyperion so that the herd could be led by the reins of the leader.

To Hyperion's surprise, the kid was able to subdue the alpha male without any effort then bring him over to his father. "How... how did you do that?" Hyperion asked. Menelaus shrugged and when Hyperion had the reins of the beast, the Zabrak elaborated on his reasoning for that answer.

"Whenever you went on the hunting trips to get us more food, I was left alone as you knew. I made a few animal friends who always disappeared when you were coming back. If I wanted company, I had only to think about it and they'd appear," Menelaus explained. His gift... could the reason that I never noticed his power be because it wasn't dark or light but simply was? Hyperion asked himself silently. He thought about it hard enough for the little Zabrak boy to perceive it but he didn't ask about whether or not something was wrong. Hyperion shook his head and returned to the task of leading the herd to their original leader.

The herd followed as soon as they heard the chief call but not before the alpha male tanta tried to wrestle itself free from Hyperion's control. "He doesn't like you, does he?" Menelaus asked.

"Hey, you don't like me either, remember?" Hyperion teased. But in that moment, the reins nearly snapped but Hyperion was able to get additional lining to reinforce the ropes already there. Then he quickly handed the free bit to Menelaus who was already working on helping him subdue the alpha male and calm him down. The Zabrak boy then whispered a lullaby into the beast's ear, a short hymn that Hyperion recognized as Talid by native tongue. What the devil? Hyperion asked himself silently when the beast calmed down.

They then led the alpha male away from the pastures that made Fabro's bantha hold place. When they saw the Talid who fed the herd in the distance, Hyperion bowed to him in respect for the power he held in his tribe. "Welcome Hyperion, you have again saved my herd from the psychopathic Bimm who would have my herd killed if he could," said the Talid elder.

"Psychopath?" Menelaus asked.

"Remember that the Talids are pacifistic boy, any act of violence or forging weapons of war makes someone psychopathic. It's an admirable trait and serves them well here in the eternal winter of Ando Prime. When combined with their inherent connection to the Force, they have no reason to take up weaponry. The Dai Bendu will also protect the weaker specimens in any event," Hyperion explained. The Talid nodded but gestured for the reins of the tanta herd leader that he had raised himself.

"We also have men like you who are willing to fight our battles if it must be. But the Bimm is especially dangerous when compared to his people and even our own nature. He would've persuaded you to kill my herd for sport if it suited his purposes to do so. Or at least tried to be certain. Is there anything I can do to repay you?" asked the Elder.

"We're being chased down by Republic officers who've come to collect me for my military crimes. What's the best position we'll have of getting them off our backs long enough to get the ashes of the kid's mother to Dathomir," Hyperion answered.

"When the Bimm asks you what he can do to repay your kind deed, tell him to produce the Prison Ring. Stand firm by this, no matter what he says, until he relents and gives you the ring. Apart from it being a prize of his, it is the only way you will get the help you need from the Spectre of the Mountains. But do not mention that you have the Prison Ring, persuade her into thinking it was her own idea somehow. Once you have done so, have her use her power to conceal you in a veil of darkness during the night hours of Ando Prime where even thermal scans will not detect you," said the Talid.

"Sounds like you're trying to get rid of as many native pests as you can and rob the Bimm of one of his prized creations at the same time. What do you gain from it all?" asked Menelaus. Hyperion tapped his shoulder and squeezed slightly to remind him of his place as the youngest of the trio present.

"You are an astute young man. While I have no qualms with you and your father staying here, you're the only ones who are in any position to rid us of the specter. You're also the only ones in the position to save us from the Bimm's most advanced technology without the scrutiny of tribal customs. The Bimm is an ally of tribes unrelated to my own people but if he were killed by another neutral or else permanently rendered powerless, that would not result in feuding," said the Talid.

"Huh?" Menelaus asked.

"He means that if we were to take the Bimm's prized weapon from him or even kill him, the Talids do not starting quarreling about responsibility again. We have no allegiance to any tribe except a commercial one that extends to all tribes," Hyperion explained. The Elder Talid nodded and thanked Hyperion once again for the aid in bringing his herd back to him without killing any members. With that, they made their way back to where Fabro had been mere moments before though now, he had managed to cross the bridge with his bantha.

Hyperion and Menelaus noticed the fire where he had set up shop to make new forges within the walls of an abandoned cave. "By all the beautiful tits of this planet, you done did it!" the Bimm declared. Vulgar and volatile by nature, it'd be a pleasure to remove such a one as him from the equation if he attacks us Hyperion promised himself quietly. Aloud, however, he merely produced his ax and then told him what the Talid had mentioned to him as well as the upgrades.

"The upgrades you have won't be necessary if you can give me the Prison Ring. Give it to me without cost and I'll consider us even," Hyperion said. To emphasize the point that he wouldn't accept anything else, he pointed the chopping end of the ax toward the smaller alien