"We will be heading to a planet nearby..." Caseya told the humans in the loading dock, beside the First Light "for several reasons – both for Jane to be given introductory teaching in mentalism, and to test you humans and a small number of others to see if you pass the final test required for admission to our most elite, Force Strangler".

Caseya and Juroch watched the humans" reaction to that closely.

"They are both wary and pleased, I think" Juroch whispered "Pleased that humans are being considered for admission to the Force, but wary about what will be required of them. Only the Russian named Viktor and the American named Higgins do not seem to be worried, though I am sure they are concerned about their ability to meet our standards".

"I think that they are concerned, Juroch..." Caseya replied "Look, the human Westmore is doing aerobic exercise and urging others to do the same. My Feltano is doing that exercise with him, and Sherenka and the others are now imitating them".

"Good" Koronna decided, coming alongside Juroch and looking over at the humans as they prepared for the journey for a few momens – then barking out a few orders.

"Copy that, Senior!" Higgins called, using the accepted shortform for Koronna's rank "Come on, everyone – those crates got field rations and other training gear in 'em! We don't get it if we don't carry it on board ourselves… so we'd better get moving!"

"Captain..." Lirak called in greeting as he came up beside Caseya "These humans aren't going slow and complaining, I hope?"

"They have been given orders by Senior Command Specialist Koronna to load the training supplies and they are obeying those orders, Captain" Caseya replied "Perhaps not to the same level of speed as a Scarran or most Charrids… but they are not sluggish, I think that most humans' physical tolerances are closer to those of my people rather than your own".

"I hadn't thought of that, to be honest" Lirak replied, nodding "Look at Viktor and his Russians… he isn't accepting excuses, he's making sure everyone moves as fast as safely possible – and one of his people seems to be having more difficulty meeting the standard than the Americans are".

"He tries, Captain, I can tell that..." Caseya decided, watching Vladimir "I do not know if that is a good indicator of his ability to pass individual assessment for Force Strangler admission – if it is, his chances of success may be marginal".

"We will watch him train..." Juroch replied "we will see how others respond to his efforts… and then we will know".

"We will, Master Juroch – we will" Caseya replied, making Juroch smile briefly as she addressed him by his Kalish art rank instead of his military one.

Lirak watch as Higgins gave orders concerning the proper ways to secure the cargo on the drop deck, nodding with approval as the other humans and the ship's crew followed them.

Higgins is the one who spent previous time in service aboard watercraft Lirak remembered Securing cargo properly on deck would be just as important there as it is here. It's good that humans other than Viktor and the Russians have interesting skills we can work with and mould to the unit's benefit.

"Pack it up and get on board!" Lirak shouted "Unless captain Caseya says otherwise, that's the last of the cargo!"

"Good, that's done..." Belle said wearily "Dunno if I'll make this real high-end shit, but as long as I'm not dead afterwards there should be enough to do to keep my skills fresh".

"There will be" Lirak confirmed, walking over to her "We will find a place for everyone. No… what do you humans call it… no dead weight in this unit".

"Lirak, you got overall mission command" Harrigan told him at the base of the drop ramp "Caseya's in command of the ship. Juroch's senior enlisted trooper – and the only one aboard who's actually been in the Force or anything that grade, since I gotta keep Commander Kaisan here while you're away. Caseya's the one who knows all the movers an' shakers where you're going, so work with her on that part of things".

"I don't think I have been to… Riaanond?" Lirak replied "Yes, Riaanond… before, sir. If Caseya knows the people, especially local leaders, then I will give any necessary orders and she can communicate them to the local personnel she knows".

"Call if you need me, mister" Harrigan decided "I gotta go, the Councillor wants Nrakal and I there when their first batch of subjects go in the tanks" before running over to a nearby Stryker.

"This is Scraper abord the First Light, requesting takeoff clearance" Caseya called to the bridge, smiling at the callsign she had been given "Captain Lirak, Command Specialist Juroch, and the human recruits are with me. We proceed to Riaanond for training and testing".

"First Light is cleared to depart" Talannah replied "Containment field is on… doors are being raised… you're cleared to proceed when ready".


"Now we wait" Harrigan told his wife when he called in from the Sunbuster's flight deck "Hopefully no one's gonna die in Force training – despite having a larger crew these days, we're still a good way from max capacity and need everyone we can get".

"Juroch knows assessment for the Force is largely up to him" Talannah replied "He knows what's needed. While he will push the humans and the others to the very edge, he will not push them over it".

"We got two Charrids, four Scarrans, and… would you believe it… six Kalish who signed on the dotted line for the change here!" Harrigan told her in pleased surprise.

"The Sunbuster has more tanks than we do" Talannah replied "In their main sick bay, anyway. Does Captain Karath have a group of subjects on board his own ship?"

"Not just yet, love" Harrigan replied "Looks like he's watching the goings-on here along with his own chief doc and a coupla others so they can all see how it's done".


~Shaddak?~ Amara called, when the First Light made it past the perimeter system markers at Riaanond ~Are you there? Are you well?~

~I'm here, Amara~ Shaddak replied ~I'm overseeing your friend Nirrin instruct our latest batch of students. I don't think any more than two have any telekinetic ability beyond the featherweight, but one way or another we'll teach them how to control even that much well~

~I know it ((happiness))~ Amara told him ~Mama and I are in a big ship, Shaddak, and we have brought some new friends to Riaanond for extended testing and training. May we land our ship outside your village?~

Shaddak's mental voice dropped out briefly – when Amara heard it again, she also heard the village chief's mental voice as well.

~You may land your large sky-ship outside the sanctuary village~ the chief told her ~My oldest son will come and speak with you on my behalf. Should you not be in command of this expedition, Amara, then whoever is in command should be ready to speak with my son instead~

~We have people from our Commander's species with us ((excitement))~ Amara told the chief ~They have never been off their home planet before, did you know that? Your world is only the second one any of them have ever seen in person~

~Perhaps I will come and see them later, then~ the chief decided ~If they are to be tested and trained as required by your leader, then I will come and see them if they perform to the required standard. My son will tell me any interesting things about them that he learns before that time~

"We have been given permission to land the First Light outside the village I know, Captain Lirak" Caseya revealed when Amara passed that information onto her "We must still announce our intentions to Riaanond traffic control".

"We hear you, Irregulars" the duty controller said when they heard whose ship was there "Don't think your lot have ever come here without requiring special conditions. Do what you have to do and we'll do our best to forget we ever saw you. Riaanond control out".

"You are correct" Caseya told her security officer when asked "Riaanond is more tightly-controlled than Tal IV. They like to keep the native population separated from the offworlders. The only common point of meeting is the port markets – where port authority security personnel think they can keep watch on all concerned".

They security officer grinned at Caseya's opinion of the standards of Riaanond port security, after which Caseya called "Captain Lirak, land the ship at the sanctuary village – the location is in the ship's navigation archive".


Shaddak walked over and talked to Nirrin for a momen or two – he nodded and told the young ones about visitors coming.

"Yes, they are safe" he said once Shaddak had quietened them down "I have met at least two of those who come before. None of their group are allowed to come here unless they are considered totally trustworthy".

"You will be the first to see their ship" Shaddak told the young ones "They have several different types which they might use – even I don't know which one they have this time".


~Mella? ((image of a sensor search cone scanning the environment))~ Amara called ~Are you here? Are you well?~

~Amara! ((excitement, happiness))~ Mella called back ~You're coming here again? We haven't seen you for a very long time!~

~We are just entering atmosphere~ Amara told her ~Mama says I should call you first because the ship we are in used to be owned by the political special forces from the Establishment before we took it from them – it is a Tempest-class ship~

~((mild fear, relief))~ Mella replied ~Yeah, it's gonna be a bit gonza seein' one of those without wanting to run an' hide. Don't be too upset if I wait until I see you or your mother or other people I know before I pop over to see you~

Amara showed Mella where she thought the landing site would be, and Mella laughed and clapped before replying ~Right where your last big ship landed! We put the racing track right around it, remember?~

~I do ((happiness))~ Amara told her ~That was the first time I ever tried to heal an animal or person with mentalism. Do any of the students at the village now have any ability to heal as I do?~

~You'll see when you come~ Mella replied.

Even though the First Light wasn't as big as a dreadnaught, it still cast a large shadow over the village as it came in to land outside its walls. The guards on duty looked up with surprise, and once children in the village saw the landing and heard it they laughed and clapped and rushed outside to see for themselves.

~I can tell ((happiness))~ Amara told Deress when he called out to her by mentalism ~I sense happy children within the village. I see curious but wary parents. This ship is a large one, we will not land inside the village~

~The chief's older son is on his way, Amara~ Deress explained ~He speaks on his father's behalf. He knows you, I think he knows your mother… I do not know if he knows anyone else aboard your ship or not~

~You or Shaddak should be present~ Amara replied ~One of our crew is a new mentalist, she has received that capability by some of our special technology – it would be helpful if experienced teachers like you or like Shaddak could be present~

~I will come, Amara~ Deress decided, linking Shaddak in and telling him as well ~Just me, at least to start with. After I see your landing party, I can decide who else we should see~

"Gear down..." Caseya called to Lirak.

"Gear down, aye" Lirak replied, watching the screens and keeping a steady hand on the controls "We'll sink into the ground here, it's not a hard concrete blast pit".

"The Switchblade did that when we brought it here that one time as well, Lirak" Caseya told him "It is perhaps less of an issue with this ship than that one, I think – I studied the design a little, I think these ships were supposed to be able to land equally safely at what the humans would call a rough-surface landing site. We will hover a short distance above the ground and only land when the chief's son and Deress arrive – Deress is a blue Delvian, Lirak".

"There they are!" Caseya called happily, marking out on the screens where she saw Deress and the chief''s son "We may land at a safe distance from them now! They are here to greet us and welcome us to this world and their village!"

Deress watched with interest as the First Light landed, and it did sink into the softer ground as Caseya expected it would. The chief's son was surprised at the size and shape of the ship as well as it being heavy enough to sink into the ground, but from what Deress could tell he was pleased to get the chance to see it and meet its passengers and crew.

"Here I am, Deress!" Amara called happily, translocating from the bridge to the grass outside it "See? We have brought a ship you have not seen before! It is very unusual but very good".

"Welcome once more, Amara" Deress replied, smiling "You are doing well? Your mentalism improves? Have you been required to teach others?"

"We have more mentalists now, you ae correct" Amara confirmed "You will meet the newest of them within a few momens. Others who come with me are my mama, two training assessors, and a number of new people of our Commander's species brought here for advanced training and testing".

"Bring your mother and these training assessors out first" the chief's son decided "Should any of them be in command of your group here, it would be appreciated if you could identify them as such".

Caseya communicated this to everyone who would be leaving the ship.

"Yeah, might be a good idea if we don't all rush out at once" Mooney replied "Dunno if the locals might freak out at seeing humans – or anyone else they don't know about, at least out where they live".

"It might be appreciated..." Karl added, his voice only a bit louder than he'd intended it to be "if you warned them about my larger than average size, captain".

"They have seen our Commander before, Karl" Caseya told him, nodding "At least the blue Delvian standing outside has done. He will explain to any others we see about you – at least as far as you being safe to be with and talk to".

"Greetings once more, Caseya" Deress called happily "I see Amara is happy and healthy and settled in her power. She tells me you have a new mentalist aboard your ship?"

"You will meet her shortly, Deress" Caseya replied, after which she called people out in pairs and introducted them to both Deress and the chief's son.

"The ones you bring for testing look like my people" the chief's son said "None of them are mentalists? This is surprising if so".

"Not even one" Caseya confirmed "I will call out our sole mentalist apart from Amara now, she will come with her mate – who has overall command of our group as well".

"Welcome to our world" Deress told Jane, and smiled when the sight of him brough on an instinctive stonechange from Jane.

"You are safe here" Deress added, nodding "Shaddak has told me about Scarran people who can do that, though I do not remember ever having seen it happen until now".

"I'm still new to it, mister Deress" Jane replied "The stuff that goes with it, too. I can do a bit of that, but not a lot and not too well – at least not yet".

"Shaddak and I will test you" Deress replied "Perhaps some of the young ones might do as well. They will like to see an offworlder who has mentalism as they do".

Mella translocated right beside Deress – and Jane picked her up off the ground and held her telekinetically until Amara helped her lower her back to the ground safely and let go.

"She gotta tight grip, Amara" Mella said, walking over to her friend.

"Aunt Jane is new to mentalism, Mella" Amara replied happily "I have helped teach her some things, but while she is here she will learn other things with Deress and with Shaddak and possibly with some of you here as well".

~Can you hear me? ((curiosity))~ Mella asked softly.

~Loud an' clear~ Jane replied slowly and carefully ~Still not too good at this stuff yet~

~It's good you can talk and not just send feelings or impressions~ Mella replied ~Not everyone who's new can do that at first~

~Amara taught me that first~ Jane replied, rubbing her eyes a little and taking a few deep breaths ~Tends to be a bit easier when I got my armoured body on for some reason, too~

"No testing for now, Mella" Deress told Mella "Later. Maybe".

"This is Captain Lirak" Caseya announced, waving Lirak forward "He commands this landing group and the overall expedition here. He is aunt Jane's mate for life as well".

Lirak whispered softly to Jane, who shifted back to her fleshform once he stopped talking – Lirak rumbled softly in approval, hugging his wife and praising her to everyone present.

"I will not be spending time in this village unless your leaders wish to speak to me" Lirak told the chief's son "I am primarily here to test these new ones who look like you but are not. Should their testing go well, they will become part of our most elite".

"It is interesting to see them" the chief's son replied, though he looked up in surprise before bringing up a shield around himself when he saw Karl.

"There are not many like this man" Caseya explained "He is here to be tested, as the others are".

"I will be tested more, as I should be" Karl replied, speaking Modern Scarran a little slowly "As our Commander's people say… 'To who much is given, much is required' ".

"Come into the sanctuary village" Deress eventually decided, after conferring with the chief's son "Our chief's son will go first and talk to the people here about you, and when he calls us forward we will go in. We will wait here, at the gate".

A few momens later, Deress nodded and waved at the village before calling "We should go in now. Our villagers have been advised of your female's emergent mentalism, they will not mindtalk to you unless asked".

"I can just barely feel… surface thoughts?" Jane asked "Sorta light faint radio traffic, a bit muddled with static. I certainly can't undertsand what anyone's saying".

"Surface thoughts, you are correct" Amara told Jane "Good, you do well in learning to recognise the basic things of mentalism".

Lirak whispered to Westmore, who talked briefly to Deress – who called in Shaddak. Jane stoneshifted in surprise when he came forward, though Shaddak just rumbled softly before examining Jane's stoneform and saying "It has been some time since I saw a stonewalker...and I only ever saw one. With your leader's permission, we will test you and see what kinds of mentalism you have – do you know what any of them are now? It will help us get started with your basic training".

"Movin' stuff an' talking in people's heads, mister" Jane replied, changing back to fleshform again "Amara's helped me out with that stuff, I've been concentrating on getting better at them rather than seeing if I can do other stuff".

Shaddak conferred with Lirak for some time before chuckling and looking over the humans.

"This will be interesting..." Shaddak said, rumbling with amusement "I wonder how many of you will be able to walk back after your testing and not be carried on stretchers by our villagers. I will come with you, I will show him where suitable testing sites are – your woodsman with green skin will keep you in proper training formation, I think… come, I think we should go up to the mines, a hillclimb will be good for them...".


Those receiving the change aboard the Sunbuster were pleased to see that Harrigan came to meet them himself, with all of them saluting and the six Kalish bowing slightly in the manner of their people as well.

"My Chief Doc here's gonna make sure your docs know how to take care of you while you're in the tanks, you got nothing to worry about" Harrigan assured them "We already know this stuff goes good on Kalish and Scarrans, but you lot get to try it on a Charrid before we do".

The two Charrids present grinned happily at that, with one urging the doctors to get started immediately.

When Nrakal nodded, one brought up the notes they had been given on a terminal and referred to them frequently as they guided the other doctors and the volunteers through the preparation process.

"Every subject should have those alarms set for them on their tank monitors, correct" Nrakal confirmed when one of the doctors asked about them "They are there to monitor the ongoing acceptance of the change by the subject. At no time should any tank be left entirely unsupervised, even at night, since a subject may require an adjustment in their medication or nutritional intake at any time".

"Subjects should be stepping forward now" the Sunbuster's Chief Medical Officer called "You will be anaesthetised as required for your safety and health before being lifted into your tank. I and others will prepare your individual tanks. The War Commander's own Chief Medical Officer will supervise".

Nrakal watched as each of the subjects were prepared for the tanks and carefully lifted into them.

"All subjects prepared for the change as required!" the Sunbuster's Chief Medical Officer announced, standing beside a Scarran's tank "On my mark, those standing beside the tank as I do will start the program for our designated subject in the manner described in the medical notes provided!"

"Good" Nrakal decided after that had been done "The material you were given should have all the information you require to ensure your subjects emerge in good health. Proper supervision of each subject is especially important for each subject after the second half of the additions have been started, since at that point new things may start to work at slightly different times. The Chief Medical Officer should have all the tank monitors linked to their PDA – should any of you have been given authority over a specific tank and its subject, that tank should be linked to your PDA as well. Those with authority over tanks are the only ones who ahould be admitted to this area with the tanks in it, along with any necessary medical orderlies".


"I was not in the Force, no" Shaddak told Juroch "I was an unregistered mentalist, resident in one of the enclaves in an outlying city on Scarras Prime – evetually I had to leave, and Deress' predecessor accepted me here. I am glad both Deress and the village chief let me teach and train the young ones".

"It is a good way to keep your skills fresh" agreed Juroch, after which he looked at the humans and others before adding "I think these humans are slowing down, that won't do" and calling "PICK UP THE PACE! SHADDAK SAYS WE ONLY HAVE FOUR KILOMETRAS TO GO – YOU CAN DO THAT UPHILL WITHOUT DYING, YES?"

"Welcome to hell..." Mooney muttered quietly, though Juroch heard him anyway and called "MR MOONEY WILL LEAD THE WAY AND SET THE PACE!"

Mooney grumbled and sped up a little until he led the group, while Karl kept pace right behind him and growled at him and shouted every time he looked like slowing down.


Jane smiled when the village children came up to her and started asking her questions about what kind of person she was and what mentalism she had.

"I don't actually know" she admitted "Not all of it anyway. That's why I'm here, so the Scarran and the blue one can find out and start teaching me".

"They help us, too" one child told her "They help our mothers and fathers learn new mentalism and then our mothers and fathers help us".

"Nirrin!" Amara called when she saw her friend "I am here once more and I bring friends with me!"

Amara was amazed when Nirrin called Jash – who brought a young child with her!

"Yes, Amara" Nirrin said proudly "She is our first, named after an Interion explorer – Shayin".

Amara sent feelings of happiness and welcome to Shayin when she came closer – Shayin was ecstatic to receive them and clapped, though she stayed beside her mother. Shayin was even more excited when Jane came forward, shrieking happily when Jane stonechanged in front of her and broadcasting her excitement over most of the guest accomodation.

"Come, come..." Amara called when she saw a young person, covered in a hooded jacket and loose trousers, standing beside the dormitory "Come and see. All here are safe".

~Scarrans → safe yes/no ((query, caution))~ came the faint and sceptical reply ~Others → safe yes/no ((fear of the unknown))~

"All safe" Amara assured the young person "My mama is here too, did you know that? Mama will like to see you too".

The young person approached slowly and very carefully, and Amara could tell they were fearful of the Scarrans they saw among the group. Amara sent her usual picture of her hugging the new person and wrapping her arms around them many times to welcome them and assure them of their safety – when they did come close enough, everyone heard a gasp of surprise and a voice saying "You are like me! I have never seen anyone like me before!"

"Can I come and see?!" Amara asked with much excitement "Can mama come and see?!"

"Just you and your mama" the voice replied "I do not know if others will like me...".

~((amazement, excitement))~ Amara's feelings told everyone within half a kilometra when she saw the young person's face.

"You are like me" she said softly "I am half-Scarran and half-Kalish too! My mama is Kalish, she is with us a short distance away. My papa is Scarran, he could not come with us because he is working".

"I am Grah" the young person said, lowering his hood and revealing his identity as a hybrid boy of approximately early teenage cycles in age "My mama was Scarran and my papa is Kalish".

Amara hugged him tightly, urging Caseya to come forward to see him as well – she smiled when she saw Grah's face and hugged and welcomed him as well.

"Grah, come forward" urged Deress softly "You are safe here, we all like you and want to be with you".

"You're a bit like Amara" Jane said when she saw him "Younger, sure – about fifteen, Amara?"

"Fourteen cycles" Grah replied "I am quite large because my mama was Scarran" before he tried to talk to Jane mentally.

"Sorry about that, I'm still not used to mindtalking that much" Jane said after stonechanging – though Grah just gasped in excitement before asking question after question about Jane being a stonewalker while not being a Scarran.

"I cannot tell you about how" Amara replied "That is secret and classified, Grah. But I do know aunt Jane likes it and is becoming better at stonechanging and better at mentalism".

"I am good at some mentalism" Grah replied, boasting a little "I might be able to teach you and help you if Deress and Shaddak let me" - before translocating to a new position right beside Caseya, projecting a definite air of pride in his mentalism.

"I don't know if this new person will be able to do that, Grah" Shaddak told the young man "But it's good to see you come out among the others without being called. No one minds what species or combination of species you are, we want to know if you will be helpful and friendly".

"It's the same with us" Jane added "We got all kinds of people where we live – including hybrid people like you".

"There are people like me where you live?" Grah asked "What are they like? Are they nice? Would they like me? Are their mamas and papas there?"

"They are nice and their parents are there" Amara replied, nodding "My own mate for life is a hybrid, did you know that? His papa is our leader and the same species as aunt Jane here, while his mama is a Scarran".

"Did he come with you?" Grah asked "Might I see him?"

"He is with the rest of our group, being trained and tested" Amara replied "When he passes the testing, he and the others will come back and see us".


Juroch and Lirak pushed the training group hard and without ceasing over every type of terrain they could find for several weeken.

"It looks promising..." Juroch told them "Sometimes people actually die by this point in the training regimen! None of you have done so yet".

"Vladimir has required medical help from local personnel" Viktor replied "As have Belle, Mooney, Savage, Barf, and Robber. The rest of us humans have so far managed to stay upright if not always unharmed".

"It's not that hard yet" Harek told them, before telling them about his first punishment training when he found out about Amara's ancestry.

"None of us have made you humans carry two people and still run – I managed to do that and carry the gear when I was still very young!" he told them, only boasting a little bit.

"They've not been as fortunate as you, mister" Lirak told Harek "You were far luckier than most people are, you've been born with all that fancy stuff – even I had to get mine added on later. You can prove what you did for them right now, you're going up to the mine entrance and back again ten times while carrying Viktor, Fyodor, and all their gear in addition to your own – without stopping and while keeping pace as well".


"Good" Nrakal told the gathering of senior medical officers in the Sunbuster's main sick bay "All proceeds as required. Monitors indicate now is the time to administer the additional things required to add the stage 2 capabilities to the subjects".

Nrakal checked that the nanites were properly programmed twice, after which he nodded and each tank supervisor took a small container and connected it to their tank's nutrition intake.

"One...two...three...now" Nrakal called, and each doctor called "OK!" when that was done, with the Sunbuster's Chief Medical Officer calling "All OK!" once everyone had done that.

"The additional alarms for stage 2 administration should also be set now" Nrakal told everyone "They are listed in your medical notes".

One doctor looked a little more closely at the monitor panel on their tank and called Nrakal over.

"Yes, the subject you supervise needs more nutrition" Nrakal confirmed "Perhaps a little more anaesthetic as well" before explaining to all the doctors present why final emergence time may not be the same for each subject.

"From this point on..." the Sunbuster's Chief Medical Officer ordered "each of you doctors supervising a tank will have its monitor data sent directly to your personal PDAs in real-time. Medical staff under your authority will check on each subject's condition regularly but do not have to be physically present until potential emergence time or slightly before it".


"This will be an extreme survival test" Juroch told all the Force trainees "Each of you will be dropped at your individual starting location, which you will not be sharing with any other trainee. I will alert you via PDA when you are permitted to start your test – after which all PDA functions except medical alert will be disabled remotely for the duration of the test".

Juroch watched everyone as this new information sank in.

"The test conditions are comparatively simple" Juroch told everyone, few of whom actually believed him "When the signal is given, you are to proceed from your starting location and return to the village gates closest to the First Light. That is the only simple part. You will be required to navigate around or through the territories of dangerous creatures and villages whose leaders have not been told of your presence. Anything you wish to eat or drink must be found as you go. In addition to these potential hazards, the terrain itself will not be your friend either and will present its own difficulties which must be dealt with".

"Nothing else we need to know, sir?" Seagull asked "No restrictions on how we get back?"

"This test is primarily a test of survival skills, Mr Seagull" Juroch replied "but it will also test your other skills. Should you feel able to convince a village you pass to help you in some way, you are welcome to try. I have been told by Shaddak that not all villages welcome the presence of others from this world whether they are told in advance or not, let alone offworlders - so be careful".

"What if we run across someone else?" Savage asked "One of our guys, I mean?"

"It's not forbidden to move in a small group" Juroch replied "Force recruits have done so before… but how you treat other trainees during the test will be a consideration in your final score. I'll say it again… this is not an adversarial competition. Your only enemies are the natural environment and your own tolerances".

"One other consideration, though this only applies to Karl this time..." Lirak added "You must stay on the ground at all times. No one is to even attempt to make improvised flying machines – if you come to a large body of water, make your way around it, swim across it, build a boat, or convince any local people to give you passage in one of theirs".

Lirak called a Hurricane from the First Light to come and collect them – when it came, everyone boarded and was given the little equipment they were allowed for the test. Sherenka kissed Feltano and hugged him tightly before she was dropped at her start location, and Feltano smiled and rumbled before telling her "You will do well, I know it" before they flew on.


The sanctuary students and the villagers with them watched as the Hurricane entered the First Light's flight deck and made its landing, and a large number of the younger children clapped and cheered when Lirak, Juroch, and Caseya stepped out of a ground level hatch and walked over to the village gates.

"How long before the first get back here?" Shaddak asked.

"The test on Sholphaur allows two weeken" Juroch replied "Some units alter the requirement depending on the world the recruits are tested on and some do not. The only requirement to pass this section of the training is to reach the gate alive, even if the recruit has to crawl".

"Makes me glad I didn't need to join in, to be honest" Jane said "I might be able to make it now I got this new stuff, but no way in hell would I like it".

"Changed recruits are assessed under modified standards" Lirak told her "With the change, they must perform to higher levels – and the level of their change will be accounted for when their final score is decided. Even then, who actually gets admitted to the Force is down to Command Specialist Juroch, since he is the only official Force member or equivalent we have with us of senior rank".

Jash smiled briefly as she received a brief mindtalk, then told Jane "Shayin wants to see if you can find her with mentalism, Jane..." before smiling a little at her daughter's excitement.

"No guarantees..." Jane replied "but I'll try. I remember all that stuff Deress told me about people's mindprints, thought-impressions, whatever he said it was… let's see if I can make it work".

"In fleshform – this time" Lirak suggested in challenge.

It took a while, but Jash heard her daughter's happy mental shriek when Jane found her and made contact – and everyone heard when Nirrin walked with her up to the gate. Jane carefully lifted her up by mentalism until she could safely hold her, which Shayin loved – Jash took some time to convince her to let go of Jane and come back to her when it was time to head back to the dormitory.


"OK, good news..." Juroch decided, a weeken later, with Lirak and Caseya also present "It looks like no one's died yet. Not so good that while some recruits are doing very well, a larger percentage appear to be struggling if their location tracking is a good indicator of progress".

"Agreed" Lirak decided, checking the location of the various trainees on a portable terminal "The progress of any of them is good, they'd be eligible for offworld missions – but not for the Force and its expanded grade 3 missions".

"Is the Russian named Viktor's progress exceeding the others, as many seem to think it will?" Caseya asked "Has he linked up with those he brought with him?"

"He's not as far ahead as he'd probably like" Lirak replied, pointing to Viktor's tracking data "but he's doing well. He's found the Russian named Ivan, but not those named Fyodor or Vladimir – or any of the other trainees".

"That either took effort on his part..." Juroch decided "or one or more of the Russian humans are finding it difficult to navigate here".


Feltano turned his head to watch a village foraging party on the ground beneath him, after which he leapt to another tree, shifting on as soon as he made contact.

I have not found any of the other recruits he decided, looking around and thinking back over his own progress Not even Sherenka. I have certainly heard and seen people, but none with the distinctive and extremely faint smell of the changed or the less distinctive smell of humans.


Karl rumbled very softly before leaping on a wild creature and snapping its neck, then starting to butcher it as best he knew how – nearby villagers were walking close by in the forest and heard him, so they wandered over to investigate. They were frightened of Karl's extreme size, as well as him being someone they didn't know, but Karl spoke Sebacean well enough to tell them they could have a share of the meat if they wanted it.

"I am not meaning to be on your territory" he said, just a little too loud "I am being tested, I am moving from the place where I started to the place where my instructor is. I'm not attacking anyone or wanting to steal".

"Is better" one of them said "Can't talk to you like with my people, is hurting when I try. We have some of the meat, you have rest – yes?"

"Yes" Karl confirmed, nodding.

They helped Karl butcher the meat more competently, and were more pleased when he gave them the hide of the animal as well – they were surprised at how much of his share of the meat he ate in one sitting, but were relieved that such a big man was not hostile to them or their village and was willing to share with them.


I can do this stuff Robber knew but I'm not real great at it like the green guy or Higgins or Westmore. Gotta pay more attention. I been getting fruit and bits off trees an' stuff, a few fish a coupla days ago… but that river don't go everywhere I need it to, I can't just follow the banks. Whatever that plant I ate yesterday was, it's givin' me stomach ache now.

Almost another day's travel further on Robber found another river, so he tried fishing again. He could see other people watching him – but not one time did any of them come close to him, so after he'd eaten, he moved on before they decided they liked him even less.


"Blazer?" one human called.

A head moved around, scanning the landscape, before its owner called "Priest, that you? Can't tell in these damn woods...".

"Yeah, someone I know!" Blazer called with relief when Priest came forward, looking very rough at this point but not too badly hurt.

The pair of them caught up on their respective progress in the test, then they packed Blazer's gear again and moved out.


Scarran combat boots Sherenka decided, examining footprints I don't think they belong to my Feltano… and Karl doesn't wear combat boots unless someone orders him to… so I will move on and try to find a meat animal.

Sherenka did find something suitable for her to kill and eat – but found the local villagers to be hostile, so she took her meat and camp equipment and ran off before they decided to try and attack her.

I could kill all of them she knew but Amara suggests we escape and evade rather than kill. She says it is better to try and make friends among new villages if we can. I don't know if we can, those villagers were very hostile, but I will try.


It's Fyodor Seagull decided with relief He's in better condition than I am, to be honest… and it looks like Belle's with him!

He whistled once and briefly – when Belle whistled back, he came out from behind the bush he was hiding behind and walked over.

"Good to see you two" he said "I've not even found traces of anyone else – from our lot, anyway – until now".

"I'm feeling like shit, Seagull" Belle complained "Dunno why, unless it's just running through the woods for several days after stuffing my left knee and ankle after jumping down off a damn rock!"

"Can't really help you there" he apologised "Better hope we run across Westmore – don't know what it is with him, he wanted to do the test even though he don't have to! He's the only doc around that we know, though".


"Doing well" Viktor told Ivan next time they stopped for water in his own language "I was not sure if I'd see another of our recruits before getting back to those gates – but I have".

"Strength in numbers" Ivan replied, before asking "Are the fish good here? I ate plants and some meat before I found you – but not fish".

"The fish are very good" Viktor replied "but you have to be careful skinning and gutting them. That one with the rough scales, do not puncture the small internal organs, what comes out poisons the meat – I was feeling like shit, barely able to move, for about eight hours after eating one about a day before I found you!"

"The yellow knobbly fruit about the size of a tennis ball is very good, too" Ivan replied happily "Made me feel a bit dizzy the first time I ate one, but I think the bits I cut off it were where insects had chewed on it".


"Situation update..." Lirak told everyone when he unpacked the terminal again three days later "Looks like there's three groups formed… Viktor and Ivan...Fyodor, Belle, Seagull… Blazer and Priest. Everyone else seems not to have met another recruit until now".

"Look!" Caseya called, pointing to the screen "Westmore and Savage are very close!"

"True, but that's a very steep hillside between them" Shaddak replied "50% chance he finds whoever's at that other location on his other side instead".

"That is Karl" Caseya replied "All those with the change have a yellow stripe on their ident markers. There is Harek and there is Sherenka and there is Feltano".

~Copy testing sitrep, Captain~ Harrigan said when Amara had linked him in by mentalism Not as good as I'd hoped, but at least no one's dead~

~I would think the new humans are taking their time and more concerned with safety than speed~ Lirak suggested ~Harek is moving at a phenomenal speed, but I believe he has been here before and knows more about what's good to eat as well as more safe routes~

~Harek could eat stuff that'd kill people of some species and he knows it~ Harrigan laughed ~Problem is, if a changed person does that too much over a short period of time it DOES affect them in their own way as well. Karl might not know that but Harek does~

Amara turned her head, after which her eyes glowed briefly and she added ~It appears the female named Savage has injured herself. At least one trainee is close – so I will give them time to find her and see to her needs before I risk disqualifying her by doing so myself~


"SHIT!" Savage screamed "Fuckin' right knee and the damn ankle!" before collapsing to the ground.

Damn, that sounds like Savage Westmore decided She's behind me, I'll lose time going back and patching her up… but I can't leave one of my guys out here alone! before he turned around and ran back.

"Fuck, took you long enough..." she hissed when Westmore finally found her.

"Hold still an' stop complaining" he replied, grabbing branches for a makeshift splint and a crutch and doing his best to make sure Savage would be mobile again – after which he helped her safely if roughly to her feet.

"Right, let's get going" he ordered "We're gonna lose time – but there's no getting around that now. It's just good we don't have too far to go, at least not if I'm reading the map we got the right way up".


"Looks like the humans known as Barf and Higgins have met and joined forces with Karl" Lirak told them all again a short while later.

"It's much more likely when they're closer to the end of the test like this" Shaddak decided "Everyone is coming close to one place" - and barely ten momens later a mildly out of breath, but otherwise healthy, Harek showed up with a pleased grin on his face.

"I thought Karl would get back before me, to be honest..." Harek told Lirak "Doubt he's too far off".

"He isn't, mister" Lirak replied "But he's staying off the trails we told them about, so it's less likely any of the recruits found him and more likely other villagers found him".

Maybe two arns later, Caseya giggled and pointed to where she saw Feltano and Sherenka racing each other to the gates, laughing as they ran. Feltano did get there first, but by less than a momen's lead – he grinned at Sherenka before wrapping his arms around her tightly and kissing her hard.

"Either stop that for now or find a bush to hide behind, both of you!" Jane laughed "Test isn't over yet, not everyone's in!"

Feltano smiled and Sherenka rumbled happily before the pair of them ran over to Caseya.

"Well done, both of you" she told them "I think you did well – but your uncle the Command Specialist has sole authority over who has earned admission to our Force Strangler detachment, since neither Feltano's father nor Commander Kaisan is here".

"I had a slight advantage, mother" Feltano said "I was fortunate enough to find fish and plants, just enough to sustain me for one eating time, on the third day of the test cycle. I did not need to stop to hunt from that point on".

"That is being taken into account, mister Feltano" Juroch told him.

"I have not eaten for three days" Sherenka admitted "and have been without water for one day. I am well enough for now – no, Feltano, you do not need to go onto the village and fetch water for me from the river!"

Feltano just rumbled very softly and rested his head against her shoulder until Sherenka calmed down and rumbled back to him, which brought a slight smile to Lirak's face as well.

The rest of the trainees arrived over the next five days.

"The only recruit I can't see is Vladimir" Juroch decided.

"Dead" Viktor replied "Some wild creature was chasing him – he kept up a more than acceptable speed for some time, but when he had to make a jump he misjudged the distance and didn't see that where he intended to land was lower than where he'd started, which meant he broke his neck".

"Did you kill the creature?" Juroch asked.

"Of course we did" Viktor replied "It didn't taste too good, but it was either that or fish again".

"OK, then" Lirak decided "One death… to be honest, from what you told me, Command Specialist, that's about normal. Not one of you got back here without seriously if not critically injuring yourselves – we've had Amara and Shaddak's wife helping fix people up, and they used the opportunity to get the young ones practicing on you as well from what I heard".

"Yeah, they did" Mooney replied, hissing a little as his own injuries made their presence known again "Some of that stuff they spread on me really stank – but hey, it stopped me thinking about the possibility of my insides ending up on my outside. So I'll forgive them".

Lirak called a Hurricane from the First Light before calling for Shaddak and Deress.

"Sitrep as follows" he told them "It's time to head back, now everyone's been accounted for. Only one death, but no one's in the best state of health that they could be. Thanks to help from your village no one's going to die, but we'd better get back to our ship and get our doctors to look at everyone".

Shaddak nodded when he saw that Viktor had seen that Vladimir's body had been wrapped to keep away insects and other creatures – so while it smelled a bit odd, it wasn't being chewed on by anything.

~Lirak? ((query))~ came a mental voice, and Lirak smiled more widely when he realised it was his wife ~We going home yet? All the trainees back – or do we have to go out and track them down?~

~((approval at Jane's skills improving, happiness))~ Lirak replied ~One death. Everyone's injured in one way or another. You probably saw villagers running about helping people, though it ws mostly Deress and Jerella who did the actual work~

~Let's get back, then~ Jane suggested ~Don't get me wrong, the food an' the company are good – but I'd like to be back home, around people I know better~

~A Hurricane's on final approach right now, you might even be able to see it~ Lirak replied, pleased Jane seemed to be able to hold both ends of a telepathic conversation ~If you have hypersense like Amara, try using that and don't stick your head outside ((challenge))~

Jane tried to do that, and while Lirak could tell she found it hard she did manage to focus her skills long enough to send a short video to Lirak of the Hurricane making its landing outside the gates. A large crowd of both young students and local village children with parents came out to see the new craft with her, which made the humans laugh for a few microts and forget about at least some of the injuries they'd inflicted on themselves during training – they clapped and shrieked when they got to see a Charrid as well, which worried Mella a little bit until Amara reminded her that Charrids in the Irregulars were safe for children to be with.

~Look in ship? ((excitement))~ one child asked Amara ~I hypersense! ((pride)) I look/see? yes/no~

~Look and see~ Amara confirmed, nodding to the child ~If you can link your friends in while you do this, then do so – if not, then I will do that for you~

The child sent quite a complicated mental image which Amara decided meant she wanted Amara to help and join in along with Jane as well – when both of them did that, the little girl clapped and showed everyone as much of the inside of the Hurricane as she could see.

~Engines~ Amara explained when the child saw the rear of the Hurricane ~Two, in this case. They are special machines that make that small ship move and fly. The pilot sits in one of the special chairs image of the Hurricane's small bridge and can tell the small ship where to go and what to do with their controls image of the displays and buttons~

The children were very interested, but Amara could tell they loved their own world more – which she encouraged with happy feelings and compliments.

~Thank you~ Shaddak told her ~I had wondered how you would handle that, this generation of children do love to see you Irregulars and the machines you and I grew up with. It's good that you encouraged them to be proud of the world they have here~

~It is very good here~ Amara agreed ~I always like to come here whenever I am not needed for work. I have considerable medical experience now, but within a monen or two will gain my official doctor's certification and may officially identify myself as a medical professional ((happiness, pride))~

Shaddak passed that news on to all the students, Deress, and anyone else who knew Amara that he could find – all of them were very pleased and said so over the link to her, and Amara thanked them and displayed a spectral image of her face, smiling, for them all to see as well.

"All the trainees are safely sitting or sleeping, captain" Lirak told Caseya "Jane is tired, she has trained hard in extending her mentalism skills – unless you need me on the bridge I would prefer to remain here with my wife".

"Stay with Jane" Caseya encouraged "I will fly the First Light back home myself. Should you wish to make a report to the War Commander from your temporary quarters here, then please do so".

"Command Specialist Juroch can do that when we get home" Lirak decided "He's our first Force trooper, he can do all the work presenting the report to senior leadership".

Caseya carefully took off and headed for orbit.

"How is my Feltano?" she asked after setting the course for Tal IV and high orbit there.

"He's a little hurt, changed or not" Lirak replied "If you mean what is he doing now… he is leaning on Sherenka's shoulder and sleeping, with her arms around him. He is snoring a little, but it's not so loud for me to wake him and tell him off for it".

Caseya smiled and giggled a bit before leaning back in the command chair and sleeping as well.


"First Light is insystem" Caseya called to the Cry Havoc as soon as it happened "Testing and training has been completed. Should you wish to send officers or others to meet us, you should do so now – it will be slightly less than half an arn until we reach high orbit".

"Copy that, captain" Lazarus replied "Harrigan's training with tactical command right now, I'll give him a call and get him moving to your loading dock".

"Doctor Nrakal and main sick bay should be alerted also" Caseya added before Lazarus could discomm "Westmore says every trainee requires medical examination at a minimum – with some requiring medical assistance".

"I hear you!" Nrakal called as he packed essential things into his personal medical bag and signalled for other medical staff to join him – after which he called in a number of other medical staff from sick bays closer to the First Light's loading dock as well.

Once her security officer had opened the loading dock doors remotely, Caseya carefully brought the First Light inside and safely if slowly landed it.

"Dock doors are sealed!" he reported when Caseya turned to look at him.

"Good" she replied, before powering down the ship to standby levels.

"All crew may leave the ship at any time" she advised over ship's comm "Medical staff assisting the trainees should stay beside the trainees and be ready to report to our Chief Medical Officer when he and those with him arrive"

"The first medical staff are outside, captain" one of the Scarran crew told Caseya when she came up beside him "Should I admit them?"

"Lower the bow drop ramp, yes" Caseya replied, nodding "When the Chief Medical Officer arrives, he should be able to board at will".

The Scarran nodded back and lowered the drop ramp, though he also turned his head to watch as the medical staff present charged up the ramp to where the trainees were. Less that two momens later Nrakal and his small team arrived as well, and as soon as he boarded the First Light he started calling out orders and asking for health reports – though he did walk over to Westmore and Viktor.

"Command Specialist..." Nrakal whispered to Juroch far more quietly than Westmore thought he was capable of "You know why I ask your advice now… have these two earned what they applied for?"

"They'll do" Juroch replied "The official announcement will not come until the War Commander makes it at the next Meal time… but as far as I am concerned, they'll do".

Viktor was having a little trouble keeping up, and was surprised when Nrakal clapped his hands twice in the direction of two particular medical staff from his team.

"Good, both of them are anaesthetised before they could start asking questions" Nrakal decided "Take them to main sick bay, get everything on standby, keep them comfortable until I get back".

"Viktor will be being well?" Fyodor asked, his English still not being too clear.

"He will" a Kalish orderly replied with a nod "As will you. Our Chief Medical Officer simply wishes to see to their needs personally. Should I be cleared to know why, I will be told – I do not know why he chose to see to their needs at this time".

It didn't take too long before the other trainees were sent to other sick bays for medical treatment – Fyodor smiled when he saw his wife and son waiting at the main sick bay transit platform when he arrived.

"Father!" Andrei called happily, before he asked "You are injured, father? Have you been admitted into this ship's Spetsnaz detachment, father?"

"One of the Scarrans told us our training results will be announced next mealtime, Andrei" Fyodor told his family "I think I did well enough… but the big green one is the one who decides, from what we were all told".

Westmore's family were more concerned when he was carried straight to the secured area where the tanks were.

"Your mate is surprisingly uninjured after the Force Strangler testing" Darrek told them "I don't know if you were told, but he also offered to participate in a volunteeer medical program – once any injuries have been seen to, his part in that program will commence. No, I cannot tell you what that is – the program is classified. Only our War Commander can reveal that information".

"We can still see Dad while he's here, though?" James asked.

"I expect so, I don't know the details" Darrek replied "Our Chief Medical Officer will decide that after consulting with the War Commander. Should you be assigned to the main galley for the next Mealtime, you might be able to ask him about this then".

James nodded seriously and saluted, and Darrek rumbled softly and saluted back.


"Commencement of classified reconstruction program known as 'full Kamielisation' on human subjects Saul Westmore and Viktor Chernenko commencing at-" Nrakal called, adding ship time for the log before reaching out and starting both tanks from his main terminal, then setting the alarms that all the medical staff in the room were now familiar with.

"Good, good..." Amara said, looking at each man in their tank and consulting their medical records "With your permission, Doctor Nrakal, I will keep watch on these two subjects myself – Kamielisation is very interesting and I should like to learn as much about it as I am permitted to".

"You have that permission, Amara" Nrakal told her "Don't get in their personal medical specialists' way… but stay close, and be prepared to assist should you be needed. Should you be present when either subject wishes to emerge from their tank, see to their needs first and alert me afterwards".

"I will do that" Amara confirmed, bowing slightly in Nrakal's direction.


After the usual Third Meal announcements, Harrigan added "I'm sure the ship's grapevine's already let everyone know anyway… but those guys who went off training for the Force got back earlier today".

Harrigan waited a momen or two for the chatter to die down before he added "Bad news… one trainee didn't make it through the testing. I've been told that's better than average, but we still lost one of us in training and that's never something we want to happen. Good news...everyone who did survive earned advancement, though not all earned Force admission. Command Specialist Juroch will announce the training results".

Juroch stood up and nodded toward Harrigan before announcing "Recruit Vladimir was regrettably killed in training… the changed recruits Harek, Sherenka, Martha, Tabitha, Feltano, Anton, and Karl all passed modified standards for those like them and achieved the grade 3 result required for admission to the Force".

Once the applause went away, Juroch added "The unchanged recruits Higgins, Westmore, Viktor, Fyodor, and Ivan all passed unmodified standards and achieved the grade 3 result required for admission to the Force. The recruits Belle, Savage, Seagull, Robber, Barf, Mooney, Blazer, and Priest all performed well and achieved a grade 2 result required for outsystem missions and special-ops certification – you will be advised on any areas in your performance that need to improve should you intend to apply for admittance into the Force at a later date. Both I and Captain Lirak are proud of all of you, whether you achieved Force certification or not – for any of you to have achieved as much as you have puts you far ahead of what most people of any species ever achieve".

"So you've proved to us you've got serious potential, then" Rulok said when he came to where the recruits were sitting "Good. If it's not already obvious, this means you're officially entitled to call yourselves members of the 1st Irregulars – and move into regular troop quarters. First thing tomorrow, get along to stores for new uniforms – your records will be examined in case any of you show skills required for promotion above Trooper Fourth Class – Karl has already been given his own rank, as has Westmore. Perhaps some of the rest of you might earn promotion as well".

"Not been tested on them big Strykers yet, Captain" Blazer said "Blazer wanna do what Blazer does best an' fly. With Priest, assuming he's not been posted elsewhere - we work good together".

Rulok looked over at Priest, who nodded – Rulok nodded once before making a note in his PDA before telling the pair of them "If both of you pass flight certification, you'll be paired for small craft flying – unless the CAG or War Commander override my suggestion".

"To be honest I'm surprised I'm still alive" Belle replied, head resting on the table as she took several deep breaths "If some doc hasn't already restricted me to the ship for a week or two, I'd appreciate it if one did that now until I can move my legs without them hurting, and stop feeling like I'll fall asleep unless I stop concentrating on staying awake".

Darrek whsipered to Rulok, who nodded and said "Just a side-effect of the medication, it appears – and one that only seems to affect humans, in case you're wondering. Get a good meal in you and a good night's sleep and you should be fine. All of your training group have three days leave logged, starting tomorrow – if any of you intend heading to the planet and drinking alcohol, you'll be escorted until you learn more about the species that pass through here and how to deal with the more common ones on your own".


"Doctor..." a medical orderly asked Nrakal "A matter involving subject Viktor Chernenko has come up which you should know about! I do not know if it serious or simply curious, but I thought you should know".

Nrakal smiled, then gestured for the Kalish to proceed to explain everything.

"His tank is frosting over?" Nrakal asked in surprise "Has it frozen solid, even if only on the surface? Can you still see inside? Are the medical monitors functioning as required?"

"Come and see, Doctor!" the Kalish replied "The tank has most certainly been covered in a light frosting on the inside – I believe the tank will still open when required, even if we may be required to break the frosting by hand".

Nrakal strode with surprising speed into the secure area, which the Kalish knew meant he found the events reported to be very interesting indeed, before recording his observations for both Viktor's medical records and the ship's medical archive in detail and at length.

"Call Mr Dolgan" Nrakal decided "He provided the donor sample for this subject, maybe with his help we will understand why this has happened".

"All good?" Dolgan asked with concern "Subject well? What happening?"

Nrakal simply gestured to Viktor's tank – when Dolgan looked at it, he nodded and rumbled briefly before poking the tank with medical instruments and checking the tank's medical record and that of the subject inside.

"Special kind" Dolgan told him "Rare. Frostlord".

"I don't recall that classification from the textbooks, Mr Dolgan" Nrakal replied "Perhaps you could explain...".

It took a few momens for him to do that, after which another voice said "That's pretty cool, you two – I got a question or two of my own, though".

"Westmore?!" Amara replied, extremely surprised "How are you out of your tank?! Did other medical staff assist you? There are no internal controls for you to operate!"
"I was gonna ask you about that first" Westmore asked "I woke up when you guys started yammerin' on about Exhibit V there. It freaked me out a bit when this guy and the other medical guys rushed in, which wasn't helped when I found out I could see through my own body – I sat up, took a few deep breaths, then freaked out again when I saw the tank came up to about chest level and went right through me! What's that all about? Can you fix it?"

Amara rumbled softly and explained in detail and at length.

"You can instinctively dephase your body, Mr Westmore" she told him "Doing so does make you look transparent, this is true – but for those who can master such mentalism, it is very useful and effective. My own first papa can do this, did you know that? He is very good at it".

"So I'm supposed to be able to do that, then" Westmore prompted.

"Mentalism is unique for each individual who has it" Amara replied "Any mentalism is rare, even more so the ability to dephase – and even more so that it should be your first evidence of mentalism. Perhaps Captain Tokk might know why this is the case, I do not – and neither does Shaddak"

Hmm, I wonder… Dolgan thought, ideas starting to flow through his mind For this subject to show an instinctive command of such a rare power, the evidence before me and the textbooks in the archive suggest it is part of his new genetic make-up as opposed to learned mentalism.

He looked at Westmore again more closely, which got him asking "The way you're looking at me's creeping me out a bit, mister – what's going on?"

"Examination" Dolgan replied "You safe. Skin changed. Not same as human colour. Look, see".

"Sorta greyish" Westmore decided "Not like Hellbolt though" before he looked at the medical staff and asked "Can someone please tell me what's going on?"

Dolgan just stonechanged as soon as Westmore stopped talking – Westmore did the same instinctively, and when that drew stares of awe, surprise, or both (and clapping from Amara as well) Westmore looked down before saying "OK, so that works on people who are human too, then. Think someone said before that what you look like when you're like this tells you a bit about what stuff you can do – is that true?"

"With a Scarran, yes" Nrakal "With a human? That's why so many doctors are here now, mister Westmore – and I should also tell you that you are an exceptionally rare kind of stonewalker as well, one that we have only seen one time before. In person, anyway".

"OK..." Westmore said after half an arn of being bombarded by Nrakal's medical explanation of his type of stonewalker "That's interesting. Weird, but interesting. If my eyes aren't lying to me, I'm seeing that thick kinda shell on me when I'm like this – but I don't remember it being on when I got out of the tank after doing that ghost thing".

"I had wondered about that, Mr Westmore" Nrakal told him "Dolgan, if you could change back to Scarran form, please… I expect Mr Westmore will change back to his own fleshform once he sees you do the same".

At that point, Harrigan came in – which caused Westmore to dephase in stone form until those in the secure area could barely see him.

"OK, I just seen something new..." Harrigan said "Anyone care to explain? Could someone please talk Westmore through how to look a bit more solid as well – preferably now?"

Amara did just that – surprisingly enough, Westmore stayed in stone form even though he rephased his body back to normal again, though others told him his face looked more like a scuplted stone version of his fleshform face and not like he was wearing an armoured helm as it did before.

"OK, that's one new thing I learned already, then" Westmore decided, before taking a few deep breaths and saying "Here goes nothing, then...".

He almost snapped back to fleshform again, after which he vomited on the nearest desk (though thankfully not on the terminal and test equipment it held).

"Shit, that's gonna take some practice" he decided aloud, after which he looked down and stepped behind a counter – and saw Amara holding up a uniform.

"You will need your rank patches sewn onto this uniform, Mr Westmore" Amara told him "As you may be able to tell, this uniform is not made out of the same material as the normal uniforms are, it is made of special material specifically for shape-changers like yourself and aunt Jane. It is supposed to be loose on your body when you are in fleshform, it will be tighter – though not uncomfortably so – in stone form. It should dephase with you when you use that mentalism, clothing is supposed to do that according to Doctor Nrakal's textbooks".

"Get all the scanning and poking done now" Westmore told the nearest doctors "I'm a doc too, you lot, I know how this is going to go".

Nrakal talked him through each scan and test as it happened – though even he was surprised when none of the scans could penetrate his stoneform carapace nor even his fleshform skin at all.

Nrakal looked briefly in his textbooks again, after which he nodded and showed Amara the relevant section – after which she nodded as well.

"Can I see?" Westmore asked, a little irritated "It is me we're talking about, after all...".

"Translocate yourself here" Amara told him "There is space between me and Doctor Nrakal for you, see? Visualise your destination, then visualise yourself disappearing from where you are now and reappearing where you would like to be. Use as much detail as you can – if you visualise yourself facing the monitor then you will appear facing that direction, for example".

"That simple, huh" Westmore replied "Mind over matter kinda thing?"

"Exactly so, Mr Westmore!" Amara told him happily, pleased he understood this prime rule of mentalism as she did "That rule applies to almost all mentalism, Mr Westmore – which I am sure you did not know for certain until now".

Westmore tried as hard as he could to do what Amara suggested, but complained of headaches and disorientation until he said "Let's just try this… get ready to pick me up if I keel over, or clean up the mess if I end up blowing anything up by mistake...".

None of them knew what Westmore had intended – but what actually happened was that Westmore lifted slightly off the ground while dephasing at the same time, after which he floated through the table and rephased back to normal between Amara and Nrakal.

Westmore shook his head to clear the slight ringing in his ears.

"OK, I'm good… what's up you lot? You look like you've never seen anyone turn into a ghost and move through a table before".

"We have not, Mister Westmore" one of the Kalish medical staff said, coming closer to examine him in more detail "Not one of us here, except our War Commander and the Chief Medical Officer, may ever have seen a deadstone stonewalker – few who are not medical professionals have ever heard of that type of stonewalker before!"

Westmore actually laughed as the Kalish medical orderly's enthusiasm and curiosity got the better of him, bringing on all kinds of questions – she even clapped happily when Nrakal coached her into conducting the tests any of the changed were given after coming out of their tanks. Amara was surprised Westmore could not use hypersense, but nodded when Nrakal explained about active hypersense not being compatible with being a deadstone stonewalker.

"I can sorta do image enchancement on my vision a bit, you guys" Westmore told everyone "but if you wanted to see if I can see through walls then it isn't gonna happen. That sonar shit you just walked me through's nice, though – do all stonewalkers get that?"

A grumble and slight growl came from Tareg, and Westmore saw him rubbing his brow.

"You OK, General?" Westmore asked.

"I tried to lift you by mentalism, Mr Westmore" Tareg explained "Due to you being a deadstone stonewalker, and on top of that having the change as well, I could not do that – I was lucky the side-effect this time was limitied to a comparatively mild backlash like that".

Nrakal ordered most of those present back out of the sick bay then. Harrigan and Amara remained, as did Nrakal, while Amara told Westmore what little they knew about deadstone stonewalkers.

"Accident during maintenance work" a crew medic called, leading a stretcher through "Nothing too serious, at least as long as it's dealt with now", before turning to see Westmore's new changed body.

"You have some of the new things I have not gained clearance to hear about" the Charrid decided "You don't look like anyone I ever saw before, I know that – I don't suppose you are a medical professional as well, by some chance?"

"Combat medic where I'm from, mister" Westmore replied "I know a bit about the new kinds of people I started seeing here… but if you want anything serious done you'd better get one of the others to do it right now".

Nrakal nodded, telling Westmore "Watch… but until you become accustomed to your new self and new capabilities a little more, I cannot recertify you for more than basic medical competency".

Westmore nodded and watched – though when Nrakal went elsewhere to get medication, Westmore looked more closely at the man's chest area, his eyes glowing faintly as he enhanced his visual input for his eyes and thermal vision.

"Looks like bad muscle strains, maybe something let go in there somewhere" Westmore muttered, before trying as carefully as he could to move his hands around and test for himself. The tech was surprised and said so when he felt his flesh warm just slightly as Westmore moved his hands – Amara turned in surprise and walked over to him, watching with her own mentalism.

"Stay clear, Doctor..." Amara whispered "At least for now. If I sense what I think I sense, Westmore has at least featherweight medical mentalism – but it appears to work only whe he can actually touch the subject in question!"

"Continue, Mr Westmore..." she whispered in his hammond ear "You are showing evidence of an ability we did not expect you to, since you are a deadstone stonewalker – your medical knowledge is expressing itself via mentalism, as it does with me. Due to you being the kind of stonewalker you are, it can only do so when you touch the subject in question, though".

"That's nice..." Westmore replied, though he didn't turn away from the injured tech "Care to look at him, miss – just to make sure I haven't left any tools in there, or put something in backwards?"

Amara scanned him in detail over several momens, after which she nodded and said "You did well, Mister Westmore. The skills you have shown should be recorded in the classified archive – your being a medical mentalist is not unheard of, your being a deadstone stonewalker is very rare but it does happen, but the two being in the same subject would be rare in the extreme. I expect you are the first, Mister Westmore – at least aboard this ship, more so since you are a stonewalker with the change, and especially since you are human".

"Do what you gotta do" Westmore replied "Everyone's gotta obey the rules – personally I don't care if you tell anyone an' everyone, they're going to find out eventually anyway. As long as no one finds out exactly how it got done I don't see what the problem is".

"I will communicate your opinion to the War Commander, Mister Westmore" Amara said "He must decide".

"OK, do it" Harrigan decided "Westmore wants it that way, it's fine with me. Make sure no one finds out the fine detail of how it got done and classification has been maintained as far as I'm concerned".


"Dad's coming out of hospital?" James Westmore asked when Nrakal told him about it the following morning at First Meal "Can we go and see him when he does?"

"We can" Nrakal decided "I will go in first, you and your sister and your mother will follow when I call you in".

It took a while to find Kristina, but she nodded and said "Dad will be glad to get out of the sick bay, I think – he told me docs like being a patient in hospital even less than most people do".

Nrakal listened to the family talk in the transit car, and said "If you could stand by the door here… your family leader is under medical observation, I will see if he is awake".

"Something else I need to be tested for, doc?" Westmore asked, getting off his bed carefully so it didn't bend or break.

"No" Nrakal replied "Your family is here to collect you. Your records show you are physically healthy… you will need to undergo training for your medical mentalism with Amara, you will need to recertify as a combat medic after your change, and you will need to finish the testing the others are also doing for extended duty – like flying".

"Dad!" James called when he saw his father – he looked up for a few microts before adding "You're a bit taller, Dad".

"I've got some special secret things to make me bit bigger, a bit stronger and a bit faster" he told his family "Something else too… you're gonna see me do this later anyway, but I can show you now if you like".

"Best we see now" Ellen Westmore replied, after which Westmore asked "Son, I know you have your defence rating… but for my safety if not anyone else's, can you let the doc hold your pistol for a bit? He'll give it back once we're done".

James looked up at Nrakal, looked over at his father, then nodded and passed it over – after taking the pack out and checking its status himself.

"Good, James Westmore" Nrakal said "Always be careful when handling weapons".

While Kristina was the most surprised when her father stonechanged in front of them James was very surprised as well – but he was also the first to come closer to see what his father was like for himself.

"What's that like, Dad?" James asked, both surprised and a little fearful "Does it itch a bit? Does it hurt?"

"No it doesn't, James" he told his son, reforming his head so it looked like a sculpted stone version of his human-form head while his son watched.

James smiled and poked his father's changed face, looked at him a bit more – then put his arms around his neck and hugged him, saying "Dad… you're back..." with relief and love.

"It looks a bit weird, Dad..." Kristina said when her father turned to look at her "Not so much when you're like this… but it's a bit weird when you're like… well..." before she moved a few steps like a caricature animated statue.

"Yeah, I expect it does" Westmore told his daughter "It's going to take a while to get used to it… and I'm gonna need all of you to help me. Do you think you can do that, Kris?"

"I'll do it, Dad" she promised.

"Of course I will, Saul Westmore!" Ellen replied, after which she laughed a bit "I'm your wife, mister – what did you expect? This is far from the oddest situation we've been in, especially when you were serving with those contractors!".

Nrakal watched and nodded with satisfaction, entering Positive reception by subject Westmore's family to his recent Kamielisation in his medical record and classifed medical archive.


"Best thing that happened since we got out of that forest was getting proper quarters!" Belle sighed with relief "Decent beds, proper showers! You can actually signal one of those odd robots to come clean your uniform if you need it sorted quick and the machine in quarters can't go any faster than usual, too" before she looked at her uniform and added "First thing I have to do once I earn some money here is get something that looks prettier than this, though".

"Yeah, it'll be nice when I can afford some good civilian clothes too" Savage agreed.

"Grade two's good" Robber decided "I can live without being a one-man-army, master-of-disaster type. There's so much to do settling in here it's prob'ly just as well I don't have to deal with that as well, to be honest".

"What do you think, Higgins?" Seagull asked "You actually got your grade 3 rating. Have the powers that be got you lined up for ten times more training than the rest of us yet?"

"Not that much, mister" Higgins replied, laughing briefly "First order of the day is getting my wife settled in with work to do, getting my son and my girls in study… make sure they all make their own friends… you know, the usual Dad stuff".

"I doing that too" Fyodor added, nodding "Andrei like it here, he like all the new people. Young people who not human play with him and tell him things and help him. He speak Scarran better than me even now".

"It's nice when your kids pick stuff up like that" Higgins replied, smiling "Think Westmore's kids are doing a bit more training and a bit less social… but we'll get the chance to catch up with them as well...".

Westmore came into the galley in stone form at his wife's suggestion – and all of his family laughed when Kalish and others charged towards him, with the Kalish poking him and testing his skin in stoneform and asking question after question. The humans didn't recognise him when he came over to their table – until he reverted to human form again and smiled a little, after which he sat down and bent the chair under his changed weight (though it didn't break).

"You a bit like General Tareg now" Robber said, nodding at him "He do that change shape stuff, I seen it a couple of times".

"From what I hear, Robber" Westmore replied, his voice sounding a little quieter than before if not quite so clear "there's a lot of different ways that can happen, it's sorta pot luck as to which one you get".

"You got your grade 3 as well" Higgins said.

"Yeah" Westmore replied "Think my higher co-op score balanced out my slower solo score, at least that's how it seemed to me".

"I'm gonna wait a while" Mooney decided "Try again later once I learned how stuff works here a bit more. I'll get my grade 3 then, no trouble".

"There's enough work to go around…" one of the tactical command specialist troopers told them when she overheard "whether you have a grade 3 rating or not. There's jobs for everyone, on ship or off" before she saw there were younger adults and children present.

"So there are young human females present" she said, looking at both Higgins' girls as well as Kristina "Two young human males as well. I have seen Kalish and Charrid young people, we all have… but while people know there are young humans here, few have seen them. Except me".

"You are a low-caste Scarran" Higgins' 7 year old daughter replied, looking up at her "Mom told us about how to tell. Mom showed us on the big computer thing in our quarters".

"Correct" she replied "Can any of you identify the rank on my shoulder patches? Raise your hand if so".

Higgins' oldest daughter raised her hand and said "Specialist Trooper Third Class. Dad is telling us about the rank system. He says that would make you a kind of sergeant in the US Army".

"It would" she confirmed "Good, you are learning useful things. All of you should apply yourselves well in your study program – the more you learn, the more you can help your friends and the rest of the crew" before she took her dinner over to her usual table and told her tablemates about the humans she had just met.


Urrrrrkkk….

Cold in here….

Viktor tried opening his eyes, then moving his arms – he couldn't move his arms much, but doing so cracked the surface ice on the tank water.

Tank… OK, still in tank in ship sick bay….

Surface frosted over… air cold inside… why? Doctor come soon?

Cold…

Air smell bad, too...tap on tank, tap tap tap…

A number of older students were being led around the sick bay as part of their study program, and one heard Viktor tapping on his tank faintly inside the secure area.

"Even I am not cleared to go in there, children" the medical orderly on duty explained when children asked "There is a doctor in the sick bay who is, though. Perhaps one of the senior medical staff, or a specialist, may come here to investigate this".

The students and their teacher watched while Moratha opened the secure area and went inside – they were more surprised when Dolgan was summoned, though they talked quietly among themselves as they listened to what they could hear from outside the secure area.

Several students clapped when they heard Viktor laugh happily and heard the ice crack on his tank.

"Other people are outside, I can hear them" they heard Viktor say "My hearing is good now I have … this".

"Study program" Dolgan replied "Young people, 13 to 16 cycles. Basic medical training. Not cleared for here".

"Help me out" Viktor decided "If I can stand up on my own before they leave, I will go outside and see them".

The students heard Viktor move inside the secure area and speculated about what was happening. The Scarran children rumbled and pointed at Viktor when they saw him, with one actually calling "He is a stonewalker. I have read about stonewalkers. I have heard we have stonewalkers aboard this ship but I have not seen one until now".

"He does not look very Scarran..." one of the Kalish said "His skin is different. He is like Scarran people in that he has very little hair, but it is not the same colour as Scarran hair usually is".

"It is good to hear people talking about me..." Viktor said "but for the sake of my ears could you please quieten down a little" before he realised he wasn't speaking Russian or English and grinned.

Several of the children came closer and tested his skin when he changed to stoneform under Dolgan's guidance.

"His skin is cold!" one Kalish said in surprise "What does that mean? Is he healthy? Is he well? Is he a special kind of stonewalker? Does his skin being cold mean he can do special things?"

"Perhaps I should be tested briefly..." Viktor suggested to them "Then we will all know. What you see me do might be classified, I don't know… so you shouldn't tell anyone unless the doctors say you can".

The students giggled a bit when Viktor made frost form on their hands, after which he said "I'm hungry. If anyone knows where there's even field rations, get it all over here before I eat this bed I'm sitting on".

The duty orderly led the way to the store, but got the students hauling several boxes of self-heating ration cans over to Viktor before passing them to him when he asked for one.

"Good, it's hot food" he said "When people from this ship found me and my friends, they brought food like this with them and shared it with us. They helped us with our work and then brought us back here".

Westmore came in with Harrigan a little later – Viktor's arms came up to shooting positions instinctively when he saw Westmore was not as he knew him to be, but nodded and lowered them again when Harrigan ordered "Stand down, mister! You know Westmore was in here with you – he just got his finished a bit before you did".

Harrigan smiled when the study leader called "War Commander on deck!" and all the children saluted.

"As you were, kids" he replied "Everyone liking the tour? Doin' well with basic med training?"

"I am not doing well" one large Scarran boy admitted "But it's interesting. I will do better, War Commander – but it might take a while before I can help you and help the crew".

"Take your time, mister" Harrigan encouraged him "It's more important with doctor stuff to make sure you do it right than do it quick" before he told the students "You guys actually get to see three stonewalkers at once! Not many people ever get to see even one! Have you seen them all in stoneform yet?"

"We saw the white one, sir" one Charrid girl said "He made my hands cold and frost form around them. The Kalish doctor had to hit the frost with a hammer to free my hands".

"I don't mind being carefully tested in front of children doing study" Viktor said when Harrigan asked "I think it helps me remember to discipline myself and focus properly – if I simply tested myself with the other Russians, it wouldn't be quite so much of a challenge" before scratching his head a bit.

"Yes, I feel the effects of what you have" Viktor said after the students moved on "The study leader got the students to get the ration cans for me – all of them are empty now, I don't know if that was supposed to happen".

"That stash was just for you, yep" Harrigan replied "Not sure if people are still eating – but there's probably people in main galley anyway".

Amara turned up next.

"There are still people in the main galley, you are correct" Amara confirmed when Harrigan asked her about that "When I left, most of the humans were still there".

"I will go there, then" Viktor decided "Assuming it is safe for me to leave sick bay".

"It is" Amara replied after reading the notes in the archive "I will be teaching you basic skills with your mentalism, Mister Viktor".

~I remember when you talked to me that way while we were working~ Viktor told her, only realising he was mindtalking after he finished.

"Oooo..." he said after Amara shrieked in excitement "I felt… loud excitement? In my head? From you? I don't know for certain, all of this is so new".

"Correct!" Amara said happily "I am pleased that you have mentalism and that you can mindtalk! Come, we should go to the main galley before the humans leave".

Only the humans and a few Kalish were there when Harrigan, Westmore, and Viktor got back.

"Uncle Viktor?!" Andrei called "Is that you? You look very different!"

"It is me, Andrei!" Viktor called back, laughing a bit "Wait until I reach you, then everyone can see – are Higgins' and Westmore's children still here as well?"

"They're here, uncle Viktor" Andrei replied "See?"

"Not quite like Dad..." Kristina said, looking at Viktor "I'd say it's the same stuff, though...".

"It is" Viktor told her "I expect your father has told you all the details are classified as well".

"Pretty much assumed that anyway" Kristina replied.

"It seems to be an occasion of much interest that I received these things" Viktor said "Since one batch of students on a study tour has seen my new things being tested… I expect you would like to as well".

"Are you like Dad?" James Westmore asked "Dad goes all big and black like smooth rock, but can still move".

"See for yourself, James" Westmore suggested, after which Viktor made a careful stonechange.

His stone form was noticeably bigger than Westmore's, a mottled white like polar ice, and notably less smooth. He looked like the largest suit of powered armour carved out of ice in his stoneform, and when Higgins' son said that Viktor grinned and nodded before focussing his thoughts as best he could and telling Andrei ~What do you think? mild static~ before reverting to fleshform again.

Viktor couldn't hold the link for very long, and Andrei looked a little dizzy for a few microts – but everyone was relieved when Andrei clapped and asked "You talked in my head, uncle Viktor! Dad said the doctor called Amara did that with all of you when you were working!" before rushing around the table and hugging him, calling "Uncle Viktor talked in my head, everyone...".

"We will go down to the PTR, by the river and the bridge" Fyodor's wife suggested "It would be good if you Americans would come, too. Andrei should get to know your children more – and it will be easier for him to settle here if he knows the other humans best of all".

Andrei laughed when all the men jumped into the river and tested their swimming skills – but everyone was surprised when Viktor didn't need to come up for air after half an arn under the water, hugging the riverbed.

~You should return to the surface~ Amara told him when she was alerted ~I know you like to test yourself, and we are all pleased you have learned a new thing about what you can do – Dolgan says that this is always a possibility with a cold-adapted stonewalker and especially so with a frostlord like he thinks you are. To settle the minds of the other humans, you should still return to the surface – you can always be tested more in this way later~

~If I must… mild disagreement~ Viktor replied, before doing just that.

"That is a new thing Andrei, yes" Viktor told the boy "I will practice more later, for now we should enjoy this scenery and the other people around us, yes?"

"Can you change shape again and carry me on your shoulders?" Andrei asked "I would be very high up, I could see a lot".

Viktor gladly indulged Andrei's interest, with Westmore doing the same with some of Higgins' children as well – Jane showed off her own stoneform too, although only Higgins' youngest daughter asked to ride on her shoulders.

"It's quite a good test, actually" Tareg said when he and Harrigan heard about their fun with the children and met the three new stonewalkers after their families had moved on "We should add it to the required testing regime for future subjects".

"I'm glad we got this all sorted and all three of you are healthy" Harrigan told them "We'll get all of you trained up, one way or another, with all this stone stuff and mentalism – something tells me we're gonna need all the help we can get".