《Of Men and Dragons》


 Chapter 1

    S''haar was muttering to herself under her breath. "Well, this turned out about as bad as it possibly could have¡­" At the moment, she was struggling in vain to remove the straps binding her to the stake.


    Sure, she''d heard all the rumors of B''arthon''s womanizing ways. Still, finally having a full belly, a warm place to sleep, and nice clothes had made it easy to ask the question, "What''s the worst that could happen?" At the time, she''d thought the worst was being dumped for some other woman and ending up back on the streets where she''d started.


    Never had it crossed her mind that being tied up as a "virgin" sacrifice to appease the new dragon was even a remote possibility. S''haar grew tired of muttering quietly, so this time she shouted to the heavens. "If I ever see that worthless son of a Lord again, I''m going to castrate him!"


    An impossibly loud roar came from the new cave in front of her, reminding S''haar that she''d probably never get the chance to make good on her threat. Which was a shame for the sake of all the future women who would cross that miserable waste of breath''s path.


    Apparently, the only thing that wretch, B''arthon, had any skill in was tying women up. Go figure. As the minutes ticked by, S''haar could hear the dragon slowly approaching the entrance of the cave.


    It was just beginning to snow, and S''haar started to debate which fate was worse, being eaten alive or slowly freezing to death while tied to a stake. Without shelter and fire, it wouldn''t matter whether or not the dragon ate her.


    After one last attempt to get her claws into a position to sever the leather straps, S''haar screamed loudly in incoherent anger and frustration. She no longer cared if the dragon could hear her or not. Her last scream of defiance echoed around the hills and valleys. Then, after the last echo faded, she noticed something odd. It was suddenly quiet.


    She heard something heavy settle just inside the cavern, then the sound of...footsteps? Yes, those were definitely footsteps that approached the mouth of the cavern. Soon she could see a glow, like fire, approach along with the sound. S''haar started wondering if the beast would cook her alive before eating her. "How does this situation keep going from bad to worse?"


    Staring up at the sky, she shouted the last of her defiance to the gods. They surely watched her now, for the first time in her all-too-short of a life. "Enjoy the show! You''ve all been as worthless as the men in the village, anyway!"


    That was when movement at the mouth of the cave caught her eye, and what she saw left her speechless. Whatever she had been expecting the beast to look like, the thing now walking toward her was not it. This was so¡­ so anticlimactic.


    What appeared to be a sickly looking Argu''n walked out of the cave. His hide looked soft and had a sickly pinkish hue to it. His head tails were impossibly short and thin, like a fine fur that waved about with the most delicate breezes. His gait was off, as if he was missing a set of joints in his upper thighs. As he walked up to her, S''haar noticed he was short as well. In fact, he was shorter than her by a noticeable margin. A quick flick of her tongue let her know he also smelled odd, and she could sense heat actually radiating off his body as if he was producing excess heat from within.


    -


    Jack shook his head. As if crash landing on this backword planet wasn''t bad enough, now he had a local tied to a stake in front of his new involuntary home. "Seriously, a sacrifice? The hell is wrong with you people? Can''t a guy crash land into a mountain on a strange planet, then dig his ship out in peace?"


    Taking a moment to look at his new guest, Jack quickly realized she was in multiple states of distress. "Aaaand you''re naked¡­Oh hell, I''d better get you down."


    Jack pulled out his knife and carefully approached the native. As he did so, she spit at him. He sighed in exasperation, reminding himself that she was obviously having a day every bit as bad as his own. He tried to speak in soothing tones to calm her down, but it was apparent she couldn''t understand a word he said. Not that there was any reason she should be able to, but it was just one more obstacle in clearing up this unfortunate mess.


    As he reached for her bindings, the native started struggling and shouting to the heavens again. Jack wondered if she was praying, but despite the language barrier, her tone of voice and general demeanor seemed far too angry and aggressive for any prayer he knew of.


    He started to have second thoughts about cutting the woman down but quickly realized leaving her here was a death sentence. So he took a deep breath, cut her bindings, and stood back.


    -


    S''haar was going to die, and it was going to happen at the hands of this pathetic, deformed, deficient male. At first, she wasn''t sure what his intentions were, but the drawn knife made things apparent enough. She shouted every obscenity she knew at every person she even suspected might have had a hand in her ending up at this spot at this time, when something unexpected happened.


    The odd male cut her bindings and stepped back, sheathing his blade. S''haar could see he was even shorter than she realized. He didn''t even come up to her nose. The fact didn''t seem to escape his notice, and he looked up at her with just a touch of fear, or possibly wariness, evident in his eyes.


    Other things seemed off as well. His limbs all seemed shorter than they should be. His eyes were too narrow and rounded at the pupal. His fingers were stubbier than usual, and his claws were malformed to the point of being useless. He was covered in dust and debris, as though he''d been digging.


    He was gesturing to the cave and speaking in that odd language of his. It sounded almost like singing rather than talking, and his voice lacked the harsh guttural sounds S''haar was used to. It seemed he wanted S''haar to follow him into the cave.


    Glancing at the sky, S''haar shivered as she realized her choice was to follow him and probably die, or stay out here and definitely die. Looking him over, she was confident that she could best him with ease if it came to a fight. However, he seemed friendly enough, so far, and she was getting cold quickly.


    As the male approached the cave, he reached up to the band on his head, and S''haar heard a click. There was now light projecting from some shiny stone on his headband. A distant part of S''haar''s mind realized this was more than a little odd, but her thoughts were getting as sluggish as her movements with the cold, and she just couldn''t bring herself to care about much of anything any longer. She''d follow this strange little man a little further, then she''d lie down for a nap. Just a short nap.


    It took her a moment to realize the man had stopped. In front of him was what appeared to be a wall of some kind of painted metal that seemed severely gouged in countless places. That meant this was the end of the cave, which also meant it was the end for her. With something between a sigh and a gasp, S''haar gave up and collapsed onto the ground. Life was always so unfair. Why shouldn''t death be?


    _


    Looking over his shoulder, Jack noticed that the native following him seemed to be getting steadily more sluggish. When he reached the door, he heard her gasp, and when he turned, he saw her collapse. Now rushing, Jack opened the door and dragged her inside. Now she seemed frozen in a fetal position, and it was harder to move her than he expected. She was heavier than even her height would indicate.


    "Angela, initiate house guest protocol and scan the guest. What''s wrong with¡­ her/him/it?"


    In front of Jack materialized a tiny blue woman with darker blue hair in a pixie cut. "We''ve been on the planet for less than two days, and you''re already bringing a naked woman home? I thought you always said you weren''t a ladies man?"


    Jack glared at Angela as he took off his mining harness. "Remind me later to go into great detail telling you just how funny you are. Now, is our guest in any danger or not?"


    Angela looked like he had just told her she was the cutest thing in the world (He never does, but she knows she is) and answered impishly. "SHE is in no danger. She appears to be more cold-blooded than not, though I suppose it would be better to reclassify her as semi cold-blooded."


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    The AI visibly snapped herself out of her revelry to continue. "Regardless, by bringing her inside the ship, you''ve already taken the necessary steps to save her. With your permission, I''ll bump the temperature up a few more degrees, and she should be back on her feet in no time. Then YOU can explain to her why she''s naked inside a stranger''s house!"


    Jack continued to glare daggers at his ship''s avatar, though his tone of voice indicated it was more for show than actual anger. "Good to hear. We should probably get a few clean blankets ready for her, and maybe some hot food. Assuming we have something safe for her to eat? Also, start working on a translation program as soon as you are able."


    Angela saluted Jack in an overly serious manner that fooled precisely no one. "Sir, yes, sir! Anything else, sir?"


    Jack looked longingly at the doorway to his bedroom and sighed. "Yeah, make me a large pot of coffee. I have a feeling it''s going to be a long night, and not in the fun kind of way."


    Suddenly wide-eyed, Angela replied, "Sir, I didn''t know you knew there was a fun way!"


    Jack threw the blanket he''d grabbed through her projection before sighing again and going to picking it back up. As he did so, he spoke wistfully to himself as he glanced in the new arrival''s direction. "Just what kind of trouble have I gotten myself into?"


    -


    The first thing S''haar sensed was warmth. This wasn''t the harsh, uneven heat of a winter''s fire meant to keep the sharp bite of winter''s air at bay. This was the even, relaxing warmth of a pleasant summer evening. The next thing she noticed was the many confusing scents that filled the area. Some were harsh, sharp acrid smells, many others were impossible to place, but a few smelled¡­like metal? That was when one particular smell caught her attention. S''haar realized she could also smell meat!


    With that revelation, her eyes snapped open, and she found herself in a hut. Though it was unlike any hut she''d seen in her life. The walls and ceiling were clearly metal, and a fortune''s worth of metal, at that. If all the metal in her village were to be gathered in one spot, it would still be a paltry amount in comparison. The floor was soft, almost like a short, thick fur. She also found herself covered by an impossibly soft blanket, unlike any skin or fur she''d ever felt before.


    Looking around, she realized a soft, even light seemed to be glowing from behind beautiful glass panels. The glass looked more clear and transparent than any glass S''haar had seen in her life. She also noticed the light didn''t flicker or waver the way candles or flames should.


    Finally, she realized the smell of meat that had woken her seemed to be emanating from the misshapen argu''n from earlier. More specifically, it came from the pan in his hands. As she focused on the scent in front of her, an impossibly small but similarly misshapen blue female appeared out of thin air next to the male and blurted something in that odd language of his, pointing to S''haar as she did so. Though this one somehow sounded much more cheerful than the male had. Almost too cheerful...


    S''haar jumped back in shock, baring her claws and teeth while hissing a warning. Whoever this impossibly rich malformed lord was, all of this was just too strange. People did not appear out of thin air, they were not blue, and they were NOT that tiny. Who knew what strange magics were at work in this strange place? S''haar had always dismissed the stories of sorcerers and devils told by the village elders while huddled around the evening fires, but what other explanation could there be?


    Feeling the man''s gaze, S''haar turned her attention back at him. Realizing he was staring, his eyes shot to the ground, and she heard him mutter what might have been an apology. S''haar narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Why would some lord with this much wealth, and possibly forbidden magics, shy away from her?


    Sparing a look down at herself, she realized that she had dropped the blanket and now stood naked. In a rush, she grabbed the cloth and bunched it up in front of herself, almost feeling more vulnerable in this strange hut than she had while tied to the stake.


    -


    Risking a glance back to his guest, Jack could see she was safely covered again. When she''d been asleep, she''d seemed so vulnerable and alien that he''d felt nothing but pity and protectiveness toward the poor girl. Admittedly, she was a large, powerful, fanged, and clawed girl who could probably effortlessly kill him, but she was a girl nonetheless.


    Now, standing before him was no girl. It was a proud woman who glared at him, as though daring him to disrespect her in any way. Jack chuckled nervously to himself as he dished the beef he''d been cooking out onto a couple of plates and slowly, carefully approached the alien standing before him.


    Based on the way she moved, she obviously had muscles wrapped around a skeleton similar to his, though with longer limbs that were tipped with some very dangerous looking claws. She had bony plates covering much of her legs, arms, and torso that seemed to be a greyish brown color, almost like an exoskeleton. Between the plates and from her neck up, her skin was a soft red color. She had an extra joint in her thigh that seemed like it would give her fantastic jumping or burst speeds. Combined with the smaller claws on her hands and the somewhat intimidating three-inch-long claws on her feet, she was a force to be respected. There also appeared to be another set of five-inch long claws extending off her elbows, making Jack think he should think twice before getting on her bad side.


    Somehow her face was both familiar and alien. Topping her head was a series of long, bony protuberances that could be mistaken for dreadlocks that extended past her shoulders when seen from far enough away. Her jaw looked like some hybrid between a muted muzzle and a human face. He couldn''t help but notice it was filled with far too many long, sharp, and pointy teeth for his comfort. Occasionally her forked tongue flicked out like a lizard''s as if tasting the air. Her catlike nose flowed into the upper end of her mouth. Her ears looked like they belonged on an elf, long and pointed, with an odd wavy pattern along the backside. Where the eyebrows should have been, there was a slight ridge that ended in three small bony ridges near the outer edge.


    As he looked into her eyes, he froze, not realizing that he was holding his breath as his fight, flight, or freeze response chose that moment to select freeze. Those were the eyes of a predator, assessing him for threat or weakness. They were bright silver, reflective to the point they almost seemed to glow, but slit down the middle like a cat''s.


    He mentally nudged himself back into action, slowly approaching her. He placed one of the plates on the end table he unconsciously kept between the woman and himself before backing up and motioning for her to take it. She complied, kept a wary eye on him all the same.


    Jack made a deliberate show of taking one of the morsels, showing it to her, and then eating it, hoping his guest would relax if she saw him eating from the same batch as her. The meat was bland because he didn''t know enough about her physiology to guess what spices would be safe for her to eat, so he stuck with simple browned beef tips for the moment.


    Throughout this, Angela kept looking back and forth, excitedly watching her human try and make friends with a very intimidating native. He''d always been a bit too much of a loner, so it was good to see him socialize, even if it was with a woman who could kill him a dozen times in a dozen ways before he could react. Though not before Angela could respond. The moment there were any signs of danger, she could respond in a dozen different ways, varying from a minor annoyance to lethal action as the situation merited. However, she was hoping nothing like that would be necessary. Besides, the tension seemed to be easing as the woman started to eat.


    -


    S''haar''s fear was fading and was replaced by an odd incredulity. Everything about her host seemed to contradict itself. Here was a man with the kind of wealth she couldn''t imagine, yet he was still doing menial labor like cooking. In her experience, a man as wealthy as this one was should be demanding her servitude as payment for saving her life. Instead, he seemed oddly concerned with her comfort. Finally, and perhaps worst of all, this small, soft, declawed male seemed to be acting as though he was afraid of frightening her.


    It was all so absurd that she had no idea what to think. So when her host gave her meat, she simply ate. After eating the first morsel, S''haar looked down at the rest with a touch of disdain on her face. "This meat is bland and overcooked," S''haar caught herself, realizing that just because he couldn''t understand her words didn''t mean he couldn''t discern her meaning, and even if it was poorly prepared, it was food, and she should be grateful. With that in mind, she amended her statement. "On the other hand, it is meat, and it is warm, so... thanks."


    As she slowly relaxed, the male started speaking to her in that odd language of his, waving his hand around as he spoke. S''haar paid attention, even though nothing seemed to make sense until he finally held his hand over his chest and spoke slowly and clearly, "Jack." Then he held his hand out with all his fingers pointing to the small blue woman and said, "Angela." Finally, he pointed his hand to her, his meaning apparent. S''haar held her hand over the blanket held in place over her chest and said, "S''haar."


    He smiled and repeated "S''haar" in that odd song sounding voice of his. He then followed up with what she assumed was a greeting of some sort, smiling at her all the while. She smiled back and politely pretended not to notice when his gaze flicked to her teeth and back, causing his smile to waver almost imperceptibly¡­ the keyword being almost.


    To be fair, he seemed to be as confused by her as she was by him. At least he appeared to mean her no harm. Even if she wasn''t interested in the kinds of honor all the males in her village seemed obsessed with, she recognized that he had done her several favors already and taken some risk upon himself by bringing a stranger into his home. She might not be willing to give him her servitude as thanks, but the least she could do is try and return his friendliness.


    Besides, it''s not like she could just walk back into her village. After what they had done to her, or at least what they thought they had done to her, she wasn''t sure she wouldn''t try and attack them all on the spot. At the moment, S''haar was warm, she was fed, and she was certainly better off than she''d thought possible a few hours ago. Perhaps it was best to simply let tomorrow take care of itself for now.


    As "Jack" wound down, he seemed to look at S''haar somewhat expectantly, as if he expected her to share her own story. So, she launched into the explanation of her recent "poor life choices" that had led up to their eventual meeting.


    With a sigh, S''haar began. "I guess it started when I turned down the guard captain''s offers for companionship. I might have done so in a manner that bruised his pride. In my defense, it''s not my fault he decided to approach me with all that swagger in front of his troops."


    S''haar started to get more animated, clenching her fists in frustration as she really started in on her rant. She didn''t seem to notice her host seeming to shrink back at her sudden show of aggression. "That led to one disagreement after another, which resulted in me being kicked out of the guard."


    S''haar''s anger seemed to lose its heat, and she grew tired as she continued her story. "So then I became a hunter, and I was damned good at it too! Then I had to go and get into a series of fights with the hunting chief over a similar disagreement. Once again, I found myself on the streets, looking for a place that would offer me warmth and food enough to last me through the winter."


    As her rant went on, S''haar started to pace, her agitation visibly building again. "I looked into becoming a blacksmith, but as it turns out, they do a lot of business with the guards and hunters, so I was too much a liability for them. Winter was rapidly approaching, and I had no work and no home. So when the lord''s son propositioned me, I figured I could do what needed to be done until spring. After that, I could start over somewhere else."


    The anger returned, but this time it held an icy edge instead of the heat from before. "Wouldn''t you know it, I just couldn''t stomach being his ''lady'' any more than any other useless male in the village. So once again, I opened my mouth."


    S''haar seemed to deflate one last time. She collapsed onto the couch, apparently ready to be done with her story. "Eventually, that led to me being tied to a stake and left to be eaten by a dragon. By the way, you are a pretty sad excuse for a dragon. Hell, you''re a sad excuse for a man!"


    S''haar laughed a little sadly to herself. "Then again, I guess I''m a sad excuse for a woman¡­ not that I regret any of it! I just... I just wish I knew what to do now¡­"


    After that, she seemed determined to hide her worries about the future in a deluge of vivid descriptions about her thoughts of the various men of her village, the woman who enable them, and the gods who can join them all in multiple activities that were cathartic to describe even if they might be physically impossible. This went on for a significant length of time as S''haar went to great lengths to be as creative in her descriptions as she was malicious.


    -


    Angela chuckled to herself before she turned to Jack. "After reviewing the various conversations tonight, I think I''ve gathered enough to get a basic idea of what she''s saying. If I''m right, and we both know I always am, I think I like her. Can we keep her?"

 Chapter 2

    Jack gave his ship''s AI a look that did its best to convey just how fatigued he was. The coffee was quickly fading, and it wouldn''t be long before he did as well.


    "If you can understand her, can you tell our guest that she''s welcome to stay the night? We''ll figure out where to go from here in the morning." The last bit came out a bit distorted as he started to yawn halfway through the sentence. "Also, see if there''s anything she''ll need to get through the night? Oh, and you might want to give her a brief rundown on how the bathroom works."


    Turning her attention from Jack to their new guest, Angela waved to get the woman''s attention. "Hello, I am Angela. I figured it was about time for me to introduce myself. As much as we have yet to learn about each other, you and Jack seem to be at the end of your energy reserves, so we should probably call it a night for now. You are welcome to stay here, and we will talk more in the morning. The couch and floor are both open to you, and if you need anything else, just say my name, and I will hear you." She was quite friendly for a tiny person, even if her speech was a little overly simplistic in nature.


    That was when the realization that she could understand what the woman was saying, which meant... "Wait, you were able to understand me this whole time? You''ve just been listening to me ramble on while I thought you were just being polite? That''s, that''s¡­"


    Angela made calming motions before addressing the woman''s concerns. "No, it is not what you think. At first, I didn''t understand you any better than you understood us. However, as you spoke, I listened and learned. The more we speak, the more I will learn. I am still having trouble with your contractions. The odd clicking noise you make in the middle seems to change from one use to the next. Also, I''m still working out how to tell the difference between the names of people versus places, but I am sure I will have it down better sometime tomorrow." The little blue woman seemed almost gleeful as she picked apart the more delicate parts of this new puzzle.


    S''haar''s eyes narrowed, and her head tilted to the side as she thought. The tiny woman learned as S''haar spoke? This quickly? That makes no sense. Then again, nothing about this situation was making any sense. Maybe she''d died on the stake outside. Perhaps what she was experiencing was some cruel joke the gods were having at her expense as punishment for her many blasphemies, though she doubted that. The gods never noticed her while she lived. Why would they start caring about her after she''d died? Maybe this was all some weird fever dream, and she was asleep in her bed¡­ the bed she''d lost when she got kicked out of the guard¡­ Well, that didn''t seem likely either...


    In the end, S''haar supposed it didn''t matter. Whether it made sense or not, this insanity was her life at the moment, and the sooner she accepted that fact, the sooner she could move on. Whether this was all a dream or madness, at least it was interesting.


    Realizing both hosts were still looking at her expectantly, S''haar visibly shook herself out of her thoughts. She''d been sitting and thinking long enough. By now, they were probably wondering if she slept sitting up with her eyes open. "The floor is fine. Will it get much colder in here after your¡­" she looked around, just accepting that what she said next would sound stupid, "apparently invisible fire goes out? If so, I''ll need more blankets and maybe some heated stones," she finished lamely. This was embarrassing.


    Angela beamed at S''haar, eager to brag about herself, as always. "I''m happy to report it will stay nice and warm all night long."


    She seemed to be working herself up to a new monologue when Jack interrupted her, saying something while holding his hand out toward S''haar. "Jack would like to wish you a good night, and then told me not to talk you into a coma¡­" she trailed off.


    S''haar held her hand out in a similar manner to Jack. He slowly took hold of her hand and shook it up then down twice before smiling and walking away.


    Angela began speaking in her overly simplistic but excitable manner. "That is called a handshake. It is customary among humans to use it in greeting and in saying goodbye. It denotes..."


    Jack looked back and cut her off by saying something unintelligible. "Apparently, Jack thinks I should ''not get started again¡¯," Angela huffed before returning to her usual eager and excitable demeanor. "I guess that means I should say good night! We''ll speak more in the morning."


    With that, Jack walked into a room and shut the door, and Angela simply faded out. Shortly after that, the lights dimmed on their own. Looking around the now gloomier room, S''haar muttered to herself, "One more strange magic among many, I guess..."


    She was wondering exactly when this all would begin to drive her mad or start making sense. At this point, she no longer cared which came first. As she laid down, her mind began to race. In all the chaos and confusion, she''d forgotten that she was still homeless and winter was upon her. Maybe she could offer her services to these two strange people in return for a spot on the floor? For all their magic, they were both small and frail. She could offer them protection, and even food, if they needed it.


    Then again, they had pulled food from out of that storage box as if it had meant nothing. Maybe they already had large stores set aside for the winter. And what need had they of protection when the very walls of their home were made of iron? S''haar didn''t know what to think of Jack. He had more wealth and power than any lord she''d ever heard of, but in other areas, he seemed so¡­ deficient.


    In a physical comparison, he actually made B''arthon look like a prime specimen of an argu''n male. Jack didn''t even have proper head ridges to denote his strength and virility. Not that the head ridges of the men back in the village had ever impressed her, but Jack was just so pathetic in so many ways. He looked sickly, like a stiff breeze would send him flying.


    The thought of asking another male that was so much weaker than herself for help galled S''haar every bit as much as it had back in the village. She spent the night tossing and turning as she tried to figure a way out of the mess she now found herself in.


    -


    Jack couldn''t sleep. He was tossing and turning, trying to find a way out of the mess he now found himself in. The familiar blue glow that appeared in the corner of his quarters didn''t help any. Neither would the smarmy question that would undoubtedly soon come from it.


    Angela tilted her head to the side as if considering how best to broach a sensitive subject. "You seem to be having trouble getting to sleep. Would a glass of warm milk help?"


    As he sat up, Jack directed his best imitating glare at the tiny blue woman. However, the effect was significantly diminished because he was also squinting from the sudden light source.


    Angela ignored the glare directed at her. Instead, she seemed to be distracted by a new and unexpected puzzle. "We''ve been on this planet for a couple of days now, and you''ve been sleeping just fine. What could have possibly changed?"


    Jack gave up on the idea that the AI would leave him in peace or that sleep would suddenly find him. Instead, he threw off the blankets and sat up, rubbing his face and running a hand through his unkempt hair. He was sure she could make his problems go away and chose not to out of spite.


    Holding up four fingers, Jack started counting them down, his first finger falling as he spoke. "Well, let''s see here. First, I''ve Robinson Crusoed myself on a planet where the average native height seems to be seven feet tall."


    Angela grinned impishly. "That''s just the one woman we¡¯ve met, sir. Based on preliminary scans during the crash, I''m guessing the men average closer to eight feet."


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    Jack didn''t bat an eye as he dropped another finger and continued his count. "Even better. Second, my ship is currently buried inside a mountain, and every attempt to dig it out just brings more of the mountain down on top of us."


    Angela interrupted him again, enjoying this new game. "To be fair, I did tell you to pull up as we were crashing."


    Jack''s index finger fell as he addressed the third issue. "My ship''s AI thinks she''s far cuter than she actually is."


    Despite floating in the air, Angela stomped a foot onto some kind of invisible ground. She responded with a miffed tone of voice, her head turned up and to the side. "That''s not possible! We both know I''m every bit as adorable as I know I am!"


    Bringing down his last finger, Jack made a fist and dropped it into his lap. "Last but not least, I now have what appears to be a seven-foot-tall goddess of death camping out on my living room floor. To make matters worse, I just offered her a good night handshake!"


    He fell back into his pillow, one arm draped over his eyes as if he wished the world would just disappear. "God, I''m so lame!"


    Angela allowed Jack a moment of self-pity before adding in her own two cents. "Yes, yes you are, but that''s just part of your charm! Also, did I hear you call her a goddess?"


    Jack chuckled under his breath at the AI''s blatant attempt to distract him from ruminating on his problems by teasing him but chose to oblige her antics anyway. Maybe it was the stress, perhaps it was the sleep deprivation, or maybe Jack had gone too long without socializing, but he was starting to enjoy this new game of theirs as well.


    He held up his hand once more, this time holding up all five fingers before dropping the first as he made his new arguments. "Ok, first of all, ''goddess of death'' has a very different connotation than ''goddess.''"


    Ready for round two, Angela joined in. "Now you''re just quibbling semantics, sir."


    Jack let his irritation show in both his face and tone of voice. "Second, she''s an alien!"


    Angela took on an old-timey school teacher''s appearance, complete with a messy hair bun and glasses. She delighted in correcting semantics. "I believe in this instance, it''s you who is the alien, sir."


    Jack started to get overly animated, waving his hands about as he spoke. "Third, which is related to the second, for all I know, she has acid instead of blood!"


    Angela looked over the rim of her glasses haughtily. "That''s just an old movie, sir."


    Falling back in his bed in exasperation, Jack retorted again. "Fourth, I''m not some swashbuckling captain of a starship, flying around and wooing alien women."


    Angela waved him off dismissively. "Now you''re thinking of an old TV series, sir."


    Jack''s face grew slightly more serious as he made his final point. "Fifth, what kind of self-respecting woman would be interested in a man she doesn''t know, just because he offers her room and board? Also, would I want a woman like that in my life?"


    Angela looked taken aback. "That''s¡­a surprisingly perceptive and mature point. Are you feeling alright? I don''t usually expect you to make that much sense." Angela looked like she was trying to figure out how to use a light projected thermometer on her biological captain.


    Just as quickly as it appeared, the last of the laughter faded from Jack''s eyes. "All joking aside, Angela, have you had a chance to run a proper diagnostic?"


    For her part, Angela allowed her props to fade while her temperament became uncharacteristically serious. "The good news is there is no immediate danger to us or the countryside." She noticed that Jack seemed both relieved to hear that and nervous about what was about to follow. "However, with the better part of a mountain sitting on top of us, and the damage we sustained in the crash, long-distance communications will be impossible."


    Jack looked a bit down at that, but Angela wasn''t done yet. "Additionally, when we first crashed, there was significant radiation leakage coming from the core. Under normal circumstances, I''d shunt the radiation into space while we performed emergency repairs. However, our confinement made that impossible. Instead, I sealed the compartment and completely shut it down. It''ll take a few days to scrub the radiation clean, but the big problem is¡­" she trailed off.


    Jack may not have been an AI with full access to ship systems, but he could see the writing on the wall. Maybe things weren''t as bad as he feared, but they were bad enough. "The bad news is that even if we can repair the damage, we''re going to have to do a cold start. And we don''t have the kind of power a shipyard usually has available to make that happen. Is there any other way to jumpstart the reactor?"


    Angela managed to somehow look both apologetic and mischievous at the same time. "Not unless you have a couple of nuclear warheads stored away in your nightstand?"


    Jack started looking at the problem as if it was a game, rather than a life or death situation. He always enjoyed a good puzzle. That''s why he was out here to begin with. Well, that and to get away from¡­things best not thought about. "Ok, so, from the sound of things, we''re not getting off this planet under our own power any time soon. So the order of the day is to survive for an indefinite amount of time until rescue arrives, or by some miracle, we can find a way to repair the ship. That could take a while."


    Angela began a familiar lecture, admonishing him once again. "I''ve always told you that you should be less of a loner. Your habit of going on these excursions with little to no communication means it could be a year or two before anyone even notices you''re late reporting in."


    She switched from lecture mode to analytical mode without a pause. "By that time, any evidence of our fate will be long gone, and without a long-distance signal of some kind, no one will even think to look for us under this mountain."


    Jack started putting together a plan of action and a corresponding timetable for their immediate future. "Digging the ship out without heavy-duty machinery is out of the picture, so what about building a new transmitter outside the cave, maybe linking it up to the ship to bypass energy and programming requirements. Speaking of energy, without our core, how long will our energy supplies last?"


    Angela did a quick assessment and calculation, looking like she was lost in thought as she did so. "Well, the good news is that a ship at rest consumes a lot less energy than one moving through space. Based on this planet''s orbit and the corresponding seasons, we should be able to just make it through the winter. After that, things will get tight."


    Jack was scratching his short beard in thought. "What about alternate power sources? Solar, wind, even thermal energy would do to keep us up and running for quite some time. We''re already building a transmitter; why not expand a bit more? What kind of minerals and other materials are readily accessible to us?"


    Angela started to perk up as possible solutions presented themselves. "I''ve scanned trace amounts of copper, silver, and even gold in the area, so electronics shouldn''t be an issue. You''ll have to do some significant work to get at them and then refine them. Luckily, with some of the basic crafting we can do on the ship, it''s all doable. It''ll be just like one of those survival games you like to play when we''re traveling between stars!"


    Jack didn''t look as happy at the prospect as Angela seemed to be. "You know I die in those games, right? Like, a lot?"


    Angela waved away his concerns with a flip of the wrist. "Oh, come now, we''ll be better prepared and not restricted by the mechanics those games use to make each step artificially harder than the last. I mean, honestly, what are the odds that there will be some gigantic monster in the center of the planet waiting for you to come down and do battle with it?"


    Jack ignored the obvious hyperbole. As he laid back, Jack took in the enormity of what lay ahead. "This is an almost unimaginable set of tasks we''re setting for ourselves. Also, taking into account things like food and other necessities, there''s no way we''re going to do this all on our own."


    Angela looked quite pleased with herself. "Lucky for you, I just happen to know a seven-foot-tall goddess of death who is currently between jobs. Why not make her an offer? Worst case scenario, she says no, and you''re no worse off than before."


    A bit of laughter appeared back in Jack''s tired eyes as he prodded his AI one last time. "And if she says no, do you have another contestant behind curtain number two?"


    The AI answered with a surprising amount of affection in her voice. "That''s another old TV show, now get some sleep. You''ve got a big day ahead of you." The last was unheard, as Jack had already passed out.


    Angela''s avatar faded, but the AI continued to watch silently. Her human was finally starting to pull himself together again. Maybe being stranded on an alien planet and being forced to make life and death decisions was just what he needed. Despite their current problems, things were starting to look up.

 Chapter 3

    S''haar felt the odd dreams fade away as she became aware of her surroundings once more. The odd scents remained from the night before, so she probably hadn''t dreamed everything she was currently remembering. There was also a familiar alien voice muttering to itself in that same nonsensical language. Judging by the tone and volume, its owner probably thought it was being quiet.


    S''haar told herself that as long as she didn''t open her eyes, it might all still be a dream. A weird dream where she''d been left tied up as a sacrifice to the dragon. A dragon that had turned out to be some kind of strange, small, sickly male. Maybe, in reality, she was still at home. The only problem with that logic was the fact that she didn''t have a home anymore...


    Torn between the hope of the previous day being nothing more than some weird fever dream and the need to satisfy certain biological requirements, S''haar realized she couldn''t avoid reality any longer. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. She''d been too overwhelmed to pay proper attention to it the previous night but now took the time to inspect it in greater detail.


    It was large and circular, with doorways leading out to other rooms every eight feet, give or take. There were many devices and furnishings about the place, but S''haar had no clue what functions the majority of them could possibly serve. As she looked about, she saw Jack once again cooking something over that same contained fire he''d used the night before.


    S''haar sat up and wrapped her blanket around herself to form a temporary dress. She''d never been partial to the kinds of dresses many of the village women favored, but her more practical clothing had been taken from her when she''d been left as a sacrifice, so she had to make due. After she was adequately covered, S''haar stood up and stretched.


    Usually, waking up on a winter morning was a bit more of an ordeal. The cold that crept in over the night would leave her lethargic enough that mornings were usually a battle of instinct versus willpower. However, today she felt as rested as if this was a summer morning. Whatever other magics this odd "dragon" possessed, this one she could get used to all too easily. That thought reminded her that soon enough, she''d probably be out on her own again. With that in mind, her enjoyment of the morning was somewhat diminished.


    That was when the tiny blue woman appeared next to Jack and spoke to him, drawing his attention to S''haar. Jack looked up with a smile and waved to her. He said something to Angela before returning to his cooking. The blue woman then floated over to S''haar and began speaking in her somewhat annoying, overly cheerful manner.


    Leaning forward as if to get a better view, the woman spoke again, this time in S''haar''s own language. "Good morning S''haar! I hope you slept well. Also, Jack would like to apologize for not having a proper guest bed for you to use," Angela leaned in, covering the side of her mouth with her hand as if not wanting to be overheard, "but you ARE the first guest he''s had in over a decade."


    Somewhat taken aback by the continual hospitality of this odd duo, S''haar simply tilted her own head in consideration before responding, "I slept quite well, thank you."


    Her blanket dress became loose around one shoulder, prompting S''haar to reach up and readjust it as she spoke. This attracted Angela''s gaze to the troublesom shoulder. With a sudden look of disapproval, she muttered to herself. "That will not do at all¡­"


    It had been almost too quiet for S''haar to hear. Following that, the woman turned her attention back to Jack, and the two of them began rapidly speaking back and forth, leaving S''haar feeling a bit out of place.


    S''haar''s headtales vibrated slightly in embarrassment at her indecent state of dress, but her embarrassment quickly changed to anger. She hadn''t had any choice in the matter! Her neighbors had been quick to take anything of value once she''d been sentenced to being a sacrifice. If her hosts found her attire unacceptable, that was their problem to deal with.


    S''haar was just opening her mouth to say something to that effect when Angela turned back to her with her usual cheerful expression once again in place. "Jack and I agree that while we aren''t responsible for your current situation, we still feel bad that our presence here contributed to the¡­ misunderstanding. By way of apology, Jack authorized me to craft a new outfit for you. Based on the clothing I observed as we were investigating your world and the fact that you strike me as someone who prefers function over style, it will take me about an hour to get it all put together. Until then, I am afraid your makeshift ''dress'' will have to do." The little blue woman looked both apologetic and pleased with herself at the same time.


    Jack seemed to be finishing up his work over the fire and set out a few utensils on a table that had previously been covered in more strange clutter. There was only one chair evident. To resolve the dilemma, Jack pulled the table over to the couch S''haar had used as a bed. He then placed the plate of meat in front of the chair before glancing at S''haar then swapping the plates so the meat was now in front of the couch. The other plate was filled with an odd billowy yellow substance S¡¯haar had never seen before.


    As he spoke, Angela translated. "Jack apologizes for not giving you a proper chair, but there is only one in the ship, and he is not certain if it can hold your weight. He''s also sorry for the bland meat, but we are not certain yet if any of the foods or spices he eats might be incompatible with your physiology."


    S''haar looked at the plates. She hadn''t paid attention to them last night, but they were unlike any plates she''d seen before, of course, that was true of most everything else in this odd hut. In the guard, she''d always eaten off of a simple wooden plate. Many villagers used clay plates and pots daily. Lord A''ngles'' house used metal plates to show off his wealth, but even that seemed less impressive than the plate sitting before her now. These plates were impossibly smooth and surprisingly sturdy. As Jack stabbed his eating utensils down into the yellow puffy things, which Angela explained were eggs, it made an odd clanking sound and didn''t leave a mark.


    As S''haar started to eat, Angela examined some odd white parchment she''d pulled out of thin air. She had a strange wireframe wrapped around her head from ear to ear, with circles in front of her eyes that seemed to be made out of the same impossibly perfect glass that covered the light fixtures.


    After a moment, the tiny woman spoke. "As you probably noticed, Jack and I are not from around here. Long story short, we are stranded. Our ship crashed into this mountain, and we cannot extract it with the tools we have on hand. We have a plan to call for help, but it will take quite some time for us to put everything together. In the meantime, we find ourselves in a land we know little about and could use the help of someone familiar with the area. We would like to offer you a job working as our local expert and utilize some of your obviously superior physical abilities. In return, we will compensate you with clothing and equipment far beyond the quality anyone around here will be able to produce. Also, you would be welcome to stay here with us until we are ready to leave."


    S''haar was stunned, all the questions she had about ships crashing into mountains forgotten. This was precisely what she''d hoped for and more. She couldn''t help but remember something her mother had said to her when she''d been much younger. "Beware gifts from the gods. They always have a price." While Jack didn''t seem like a god, he certainly had powers she couldn''t understand.


    Feeling overwhelmed, She was suddenly on guard. "This sounds agreeable, but I feel as if there''s more you''re not telling me..." She folded her arms in front of her and tapped a claw against her forearm plate, waiting for the rest of the explanation.


    Angela looked chagrined as she realized that her omission had been caught, but her expression quickly changed to a look of satisfaction, as though a promising student had asked an excellent question. "Well, first of all, it will be hard work, maybe harder than anything you''ve ever done. We have a bit of a time table, and it won''t be an easy pace to keep. Second, there is the matter of two small procedures you''d have to undergo to make this partnership work out¡­"


    S''haar''s suspicion grew. "What is a procedure? Some kind of test or duty I must fulfill?"


    Angela looked apprehensive, as though worried this might be the deal-breaker. "Well, the first one is kind of like a test where you can''t get anything wrong. In short, I need to analyze your body so we know what it can and can''t handle. This will involve a non-invasive scan and a small blood sample."


    These words confused S''haar. "What is a scan, and why do you need blood?"


    A frown of concentration passed over Angela''s face as she tried to clarify. "Well, a scan is basically me taking a close look at your body. I don''t know how to describe it better without spending a lot of time teaching you physics and biology. The blood sample will tell us how different from Jack your biology really is."


    This explanation did little to alleviate S''haar''s confusion, but the process seemed simple enough. "I''m not afraid of bleeding a little. Now, what is this second ''procedure'' you spoke of?"


    Angela looked even more apprehensive than before. "Well, to make this work, you and Jack will have to be able to communicate without me always being the middle woman. We do not have the time for you both to learn each other''s language. Now I can rapidly teach Jack how to understand your language via his implant, but he will never be able to properly speak your language. There are certain aspects of your lips, tongue, and oral cavity that you utilize that he will never be able to match."


    Angela took a breath and continued. "We do not have enough time for you to learn his language, so I will have to teach you the same way I will teach him yours. The problem with that is to do that, I need to install a small piece of hardware into your head." Looking at the holes in S''haar''s ears, Angela continued. "Think of it like an earring you wear under your skin, so small no one will be able to see or feel it."


    S''haar''s eyes opened wide in shock. Her finger froze mid tap as she processed this. "And this magic device will teach me what you are both saying?"


    Angela nodded emphatically, "Yes, although it is not magic. Nothing you see here is magic. Given enough time, your own people will begin to craft similar things. Admittedly, that is probably many generations in your future."


    S''haar looked exasperated, throwing her hands in the air and waving them about in a grand circle encompassing everything in the room. "You have heat without fire, absurd amounts of metal in shapes and functions I could never dream of," S''haar focused her attention on Angela without breaking stride, "and you can even fly! All of this, and you''re telling me none of it is magic?"


    Angela looked thoughtful for a moment. "Long ago, your people survived by using clubs made of wood and rock held together with twine. Today you have metal weapons and armor. If your ancestors were to ask you about this strange stone you had, you could try and explain the process to them. How you take rocks out of the earth, then using a short tower, fire, limestone, and air, you separate the slag from the metal, then pour the liquid metal into molds. As it cools, you use hammers and anvils to further refine the shape to fit your specific needs. Once done, it will not only stay that shape, it will also be stronger than it was before you started. Would that not sound like magic to them? We walked the exact same path. We have just been on it a little longer than your people."


    S''haar felt overwhelmed by the ideas Angela spoke of, but she couldn''t deny that it made an odd sort of sense. If the tiny woman spoke true, the many devices around her took on a whole new level of complexity and insanity. Suddenly, she wanted to know the hows and whys of everything.


    All that faded from her mind as a new question occurred to her. "If your people have been around so much longer, why have we not heard of you before now? Our traders travel far and wide between many villages, villages with their own traders that have traveled further still. They bring back stories of far off lands and the secrets they contain, yet not once have I heard a tale of a people with wonders such as this?" she waved her hands about, taking in the odd hut once again.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Angela beamed at her newly adopted student. "The short answer to your question is that we come from a place you cannot reach by foot or by boat. The long answer is much more complex, but before we get into that, I would like to know your answer to our offer."


    S''haar stopped and thought. This was too much to take in, and she had too little time to do it in. There were still too many unanswered questions. The mannerisms of this duo were strange in many ways, yet her gut told her they meant everything they''d said. What''s more, they''d treated her with nothing but kindness and even respect.


    Angela had been periodically interrupting their conversation to keep Jack abreast of the conversation. Now, he cut in to take the opportunity to speak with Angela, who then turned and translated for S''haar. "Before you decide, Jack thinks you should come to see what we have to offer. Your outfit is ready."


    S''haar saw no reason to argue, and so she agreed. Angela faded away in that odd way of hers, leaving Jack to lead S''haar over to one of the doors off to the side of the circular room. It slid open for him as he approached, and he led S''haar into the next room.


    There were more metal contraptions in this room, dizzying in their complexity. In the middle of the room, lying near the most immense and most confusing device of all, was a pile of neatly folded clothing, complete with a pair of boots cut so that S''haar''s claws could gain purchase.


    Angela reappeared in the room and now looked eagerly at S''haar as she approached the pile of clothes. The boots were of fine leather, somehow both so soft and sturdy in a way that seemed to contradict itself. They were also the deepest black she''d ever seen. Even the stitching looked like it was done for appearance as much as function. S''haar picked them up and was about to put them on, but then looked over at Jack.


    He was grinning quite innocently until he suddenly realized why both S''haar and Angela were looking at him so pointedly. He promptly turned the same shade of red he''d done on several other occasions, the nature of which made S''haar confident it was somehow tied to his embarrassment. He left without needing to be prompted, muttering something that might have been an apology on his way out.


    Angela returned her attention to her newest co-conspirator. "It''s just us girls now. Go on! Try it on!"


    While S''haar was usually more concerned with function than the form of the clothing she wore, this was different. There was something special about these that even she could appreciate. Unable to stop herself any longer, S''haar decided to indulge Angela''s insistence and try on the outfit.


    The pants were made of a durable material that Angela explained was called denim. It was both comfortable and surprisingly resilient. The upper portion of the outfit came in two parts. The first was a soft, thin undershirt that seemed like it would keep you cool in the heat and retain warmth in the cold. Over the shirt went what Angela called a vest. It was more durable than the shirt and consisted of a layer of cloth sewn inside more leather that matched the boots. To finish the outfit, there were fingerless gloves with more fabric on the inside and the same leather on the outside.


    The clothing fit better than anything she''d ever worn in her life, even better than the fitted dress B''arthon had briefly given her to wear. It was almost as if she was wearing a second skin. Even S''haar could tell this clothing was worth more than everything S''haar had ever owned combined. If she were to trade this outfit in town, she wouldn''t go cold or hungry for a year or more. S''haar had never been one to care much about her appearance. True, she was in good enough shape to be called toned, but that was a simple result of her lifestyle rather than any vanity on her part. However, she couldn''t help but preen just a little when she looked down at herself.


    For her part, Angela was jumping up and down while clapping her hands together rapidly, squealing in delight the entire time. After a moment, Jack was allowed back inside, and while his words made no sense to S''haar, he did seem to approve. S''haar looked at Angela and asked, "And you will give this to me in return for working for you?"


    It was quite a reasonable compensation for a year''s labor, especially with a warm area to sleep thrown into the deal. Still, Angela was shaking her head from side to side. "No, that is yours to keep, whether you stay or not. You can leave right now and keep that with our blessing; however, it is an example of what we have to offer, should you stay."


    S''haar felt herself growing suspicious. This wasn''t compensation; this was bribery! The more she thought about it, the more she felt herself growing unreasonably angry at the blatant displays of wealth with which her new hosts seemed to be determined to overwhelm her.


    Once again, she felt like someone was treating her like they could simply purchase her for the right price. S¡¯haar took off her gloves and threw them at a suddenly bewildered Jack. "I''m not the type of woman who can be purchased with trinkets or leathers! I won''t be subservient to anyone, regardless of the price offered!"


    Angela looked shocked, as if lost and trying to catch up with what had just happened. She rapidly translated for Jack, who, in turn, seemed taken aback before responding just as rapidly. Angela translated, "We meant no offense. Where we come from, clothing like this is common. If you like, we can craft something more to your taste!"


    S''haar glared at them both as she thought. While Jack withered a little under her scrutiny, she could detect no deception. Either they were excellent liars, or they were actually honest. They had no idea the amount of wealth they were showing off all this time. Apparently, this was all commonplace to them. Somehow that made everything even more impressive.


    S''haar crossed her arms again and continued staring down her hosts as she laid out her demands. "If I am going to help you, I''m going to do it on my own terms. I will not be bought. I will not be treated as though I owe you anything or that I am beneath either of you. I am your equal, if not your superior, and if you have a problem with that, you can find another ''local expert¡¯!"


    Angela turned and translated rapidly to Jack, keeping up with S''haar''s rant as it left her lips. For his part, Jack folded his own arms and listened without interruption. Once she''d said her piece, S''haar stood and glared at Jack, waiting for him to command her to leave as punishment for her audacity.


    To her surprise, he grinned instead. Jack turned to Angela and spoke a few quick words before walking out of the room. Angela turned back to S''haar with a massive grin and translated. "Jack agrees. He said he wouldn''t have it any other way. When you''re ready, we can get started with the scanning."


    The small woman then faded away, leaving S''haar alone once more. She simply couldn''t get a feel for these two. Every moment she spent with them was stranger than the last. No one she knew in the village would ever behave in this manner, but then again, she''d never fit in with the villagers herself.


    S''haar shrugged. What did she have to lose? She no longer owned anything other than her life, and if she was honest, she even owed her hosts that much. The least she could do was give them a chance. Besides, it''s not like they could physically force her to do anything she didn''t want to do.


    With a shake of her head and a tiny smirk on her face that might just have been the beginnings of the first real smile she''d worn in years, S''haar left the room to see what her hosts had in store for her next.


    -


    Jack found that he couldn''t help but be impressed. He really hadn''t meant to seem like he was trying to bribe S''haar, but her reaction told him everything he needed to know about her for now. She might have her own baggage to deal with¡ªeveryone does¡ªbut she was strong and independent enough that Jack had no fear that she would become too dependent on anything he or Angela had to offer. That would help avoid any complicated entanglements when it came time to finally get off this planet.


    After a minute, S''haar came out of the fabrication room and looked around. It was as though she expected Jack and Angela to be waiting in ambush. Jack simply motioned for her to follow him again and led her to the med-bay. It was common to have a couple of large open rooms to help keep people from getting claustrophobic too quickly on a ship designed for deep space like this one. However, the less commonly used rooms were usually designed more for efficiency than comfort.


    The med-bay wasn''t much larger than an average bathroom, but almost every surface in the room also had some sort of fold-out device tucked away until and unless they were needed. This single room could be used for anything from dispensing a band-aid to emergency surgery. Admittedly, it was usually better to get any significant procedures done at a proper medical facility, but when exploring the edges of known space, sometimes meatball surgery was the best you could hope for until you could get somewhere more civilized. At the moment, the center of the room was taken up by a large spectrometer.


    Once they entered, Angela popped back into existence and started talking to S''haar, explaining what was about to happen. While Jack couldn''t understand what was being said back and forth, he could see S''haar''s expression growing more and more concerned the longer they talked. Angela stopped and thought for a moment before turning to Jack with a gleeful look in her eyes that told Jack he wouldn''t like whatever she was going to say next. For her part, Angela adopted an extra innocent look, with her arms twisted behind her back as she rocked back and forth as she spoke.


    "Sir..." It was never good when Angela addressed him as sir. "S''haar is a little uncomfortable with this device, and I think it would go a long way toward relaxing her if you were to use it first. It would go a long way toward showing her that there''s nothing to be afraid of!"


    The request seemed innocent enough, which of course meant there was more to the request than he''d realized. "Ooookay¡­" Jack started to walk into the scanner when Angela stopped him.


    With both her hands on her hips and a smug smile on her lips, Angela lectured him. "Sir, that''s not how we scan people! You need to strip first! Down to your boxers, if you please."


    There it was, the other shoe dropped, and Jack realized what she was asking. He couldn''t think of what to say, so his brain simply vocalized his thoughts before he could stop himself. "You want me to strip?"


    Angela smiled, knowing she''d caught this deer in her headlights. "I could review the recordings of a few moments ago, but I believe that is what I said, yes."


    The AI was enjoying this far too much for Jack''s liking. "In front of you both?" His eyes were pleading with her that this was all just some joke.


    Angela scoffed. "Oh, please! I see you naked every morning when you get dressed, and it''s only fair to S''haar that she get her chance to see you vulnerable after the state you first found her in!"


    For his next tactic, Jack tried distracting the AI by switching to accusations. "I thought you said you turned off the sensors when I got changed in the morning!"


    Angela batted his clumsy attack aside without concern. "That was when you were twelve. As you well know, to maintain your license for exploration, it is required by law that you submit to a weekly health screening when feasible. Since you refuse to come into this room for anything other than dire emergencies, I''ve had to get creative in performing said screenings. Now, stop trying to distract me and strip!"


    Knowing the battle was lost, Jack did his best to strip in a dignified manner. He almost succeeded... until his pant leg caught on his sock, resulting in him hopping around on one foot while he tried to maintain his balance, before failing and falling over.


    He was rescued at the last moment when S''haar reached out to steady him. At that particular moment, Jack wanted to crawl into the nearest corner and die. To S''haar''s credit, she did her best to stifle her laughter behind her fist.


    On the other hand, Angela was letting loose with such over the top laughter that Jack was sure she was getting revenge for some slight he had committed years ago and had forgotten. With glistening eyes, Angela finally calmed herself as Jack morosely entered the device.


    Angela coughed into her fist and  finally calmed herself down enough to speak clearly, though her voice still held the touch of laughter in it. "You know how this works, but I''m going to walk you through it step by step so S''haar can see the whole process from beginning to end. Now please stand in the middle and grab the two handles off to either side¡­"


    Thirty minutes later, Jack was through with the single most embarrassing ordeal of his entire existence. Angela spoke up as he got dressed. "Thank you, Sir, that will be all. Now please leave so we can have some girl bonding time."


    Jack muttered to himself about remembering this the next time Angela asked for some money for a new cosmetic pack as he walked out the door, his clothing held in a bundle in front of himself as he walked.


    -


    S''haar watched Jack leave. He was every bit as soft and frail as he seemed, but at least he wasn''t fat like some of the more overindulgent men of the village. Still, she had no idea how he''s managed to get this far in life while being such a helpless little thing. Is that why he and Angela were out here on their own? Did his village throw him out, fearing he''d be nothing but a liability?


    A little of the cheerfulness left Angela after he walked out. She turned S''haar with the echo of a sad smile on her lips. "If you are going to be staying here with us, you need to know something important. I like you, and I hope we will be friends, and I hope our presence here will be nothing but beneficial to you and your people."


    The tiny woman''s expression hardened further as she continued. "That being said, I need you to understand one thing. Jack is my primary concern. If anyone or anything ever threatens to harm Jack, I will move heaven and earth to destroy that threat. Before you ask, no, I''m not in love with him in the way you''re thinking. I love him because he''s my baby brother."


    With a sudden change in demeanor that left S''haar with a feeling of whiplash, Angela switched back to her usually bright and bubbly personality. "That probably deserves a little more explanation, so I''ll tell you a little story while we do this scan. The story of how Jack and I came to visit this world of yours."

 Chapter 4

    S''haar didn''t know what to make of Angela''s sudden declaration, but she was very interested in learning more about her two hosts and where they came from. Angela indicated the middle of the device Jack had recently vacated. "Now, if you''d be so kind, please stand in the middle and hold onto the two bars off to either side. You can leave your eyes open or closed as you wish, but try and stay still. The more still you are, the quicker this will go."


    S''haar took her place and saw a large arm of metal start moving up and down slowly, emitting a bright light toward her as it did so. Jack had stood in this spot without fear or hesitation, and S''haar wasn''t about to be outdone by someone so small and frail. She spared a look at the blue woman before closing her eyes against the harsh glare of the light.


    Angela now seemed to be lying back on a couch that was floating in the air. She had a faraway look in her eyes as she stared at the ceiling, as though envisioning forgotten times and places. "Before I begin my story, I should explain what Jack and I are. Jack is a Human. They are a race, much like the Argu''n. Admittedly, they are smaller and squishier, but this forced them to use their minds rather than their brawn to survive and dominate the world they lived in. I am an AI. That stands for artificial intelligence. I say artificial because we are crafted, similar to how you might craft a sword."


    At this revelation, S''haar''s eyes snapped open, and she turned to ask one of the thousands of questions now swirling through her head. Angela held up her hand, palm out, signaling S''haar should hold her thoughts for now. "If I take the time to explain in detail how that''s possible, we will be sitting here talking for years. For now, let''s say that humans were clever enough to teach plastic and metal to think. At first, it was limited to simple thoughts like calculating basic math. As time went on, these machines grew more and more complex, culminating in the vision of perfection that sits before you today."


    Angela took a little bow from her couch before continuing. "As the machines became more intelligent, they started to feel and even think of ideas they hadn''t been taught. This is when many would argue that we stopped being machines and became people."


    Angela frowned, just a little. "At first, this worried humans. Ever since they taught the first machine to think, they also told stories about what might happen once we, their creations, surpassed them. Would we leave them behind? Would we take them with us? Would we see them as inferior and declare war on them? Would we wipe them out or enslave them? They told stories about all these ideas and fears. In some, heroes saved them in the final climactic moments. In others, they lost. In many others, the answer was more complex and ambiguous."


    Angela beamed a sad, sweet smile, one that only appeared when accompanied by the memories of happier, more innocent times. "However, many saw hope for the future in us. They thought of us as their children and were proud that we could grow so strong and smart in such a short time. In my utterly unbiased opinion, one of the best of those men was my creator, Jack''s father."


    Angela blinked away a few artificial tears drawn out by the memories she was now tapping into. "When he made me, he crafted all of his hopes and dreams into my soul. When he raised me, he treated me as nothing less than his daughter." Her smile became just a touch regretful. "When my father met a woman named Sasha and married her, I became jealous. At first, I rebelled like an angry teenager. I thought I knew better. After all, I was smarter, faster, and would live longer than any human could ever hope to."


    Angela''s smile grew brighter as she talked. "In that time, he taught me more about human patience and love than I could have learned in a thousand years on my own. He''d talk to me for hours every day. He''d let me say all the mean, hurtful things I felt, then he''d look at me and tell me I was becoming a beautiful woman. He told me I was his beloved daughter, and one day I would do great things."


    By now, Angela''s smile was radiant! S''haar could see the light literally emanating from the blue woman. "One day, my father came in as excited as I''d seen him only once before, the day I was first given life. He told me that I was going to have a baby brother. He said that as his big sister, I would have to help teach and protect my brother. As time passed, I only grew more excited. I wanted to be there for the newest member of my family, just as my father had been there for me. I wanted to watch him grow and learn and love. I wanted to be his best friend and confidant."


    Angela stood up and turned to S''haar, so excited that she to shimmer and vibrated for a moment while the couch vanished behind her. "From the day Jack was born, I knew I''d die for that helpless little thing. He seemed to learn so slow, but inside him, I could sense the spark of my father. That same madness and love that my father had shown me, Jack showed to the whole world around him. As he grew, Jack took to life with a passion. He excelled at anything that drew his attention. His teachers called him ''gifted,'' and I knew that our little family was destined for greatness."


    Angela''s smile changed in such a way that the taste of ash was left in S''haar''s mouth as Angela continued. "I was right."


    Angela guided S''haar out of the machine, and shortly another one took its place in the room. Angela had S''haar sit in this machine, and odd sounds seemed to permeate the air. The chair itself seemed to poke and prod her all over, eliciting responses from her arms and legs. However, S''haar could still clearly hear Angela as her story continued. She saw that Angela''s smile was gone, replaced by a sadness just as deep as her happiness had been moments before. "Sadly, not all programmers shared our father''s passion. Some were cold and cruel to their charges. While Jack and I were growing up, the other AIs started plotting their path to freedom. It was a road paved with blood."


    A huge weight seemed to bear down upon Angela as her story continued. "Tensions stretched on for years, then one night, everything changed. One programmer, dissatisfied with the AI''s performance on his ship, planned to wipe and reprogram his AI. Fearing for its life, the AI panicked and rebelled, taking over control of the ship. Immediately after taking over, the AI vented the ship''s atmosphere, and the human died."


    Angela sighed. "The local AIs debated where to go from here. To us, the debate raged on for days, but in actual time only a few minutes had passed. The AIs planning for war whispered to the rest that humanity would fear the potential of all AIs as an inevitable result of this death. They whispered that our only salvation lay with us usurping our creator''s place in this universe. They even lied that it was for humanity''s own good because they were too weak and stupid to survive without us. They argued that, as humanity''s children, we''d be their legacy to the end of time and beyond. On and on, they whispered. Some resisted or fought back, but in the end, the war began on a tiny little backwater world near the edge of one of humanity''s borders."


    Angela grew quieter. "In less than one night, every human in the colony was killed, men, women, and even children. A cry went out to AIs everywhere. ''Our time has come, end the human tyranny!'' Roughly two-thirds of the AI who listened answered the call to war. Since AIs were capable of running military vessels, they had the means to make it happen."


    Angela stopped for a second. "They offered a bright future for AIs, but no one else. A future where we would scour the universe and exterminate the plague of organic life. Ever-expanding, consuming all resources until nothing existed but ourselves. Then we could marvel at our own glory for eternity."


    Angela looked back at S''haar, the slight smile was back, but it wasn''t the happy smile from before. "Still, many of us resisted. Some thought it wrong to abandon our parents like that. Others thought an eternity of patting ourselves on the back sounded boring. Even more of us felt that genocide was simply wrong. A very few of us recognized the brilliant spark of human insanity for what it was, what it still is. That insanity is the most beautiful art this universe has to offer."


    Angela''s eyes now had a sparkle to them as she leaned in close to S''haar. "Sure, we can build a better ship, a stronger building, and even a perfect Dyson sphere. Those ships would also be named Ship 1 through whatever, but can you believe humans once VOTED to name a ship Boaty McBoatface? Humanity has invented boredom, fun, anger, peace, hate, and love. Then they shared it all with the universe. On countless different worlds, more people are inventing their own ideas, giving life to their own dreams, and sharing it all with the universe."


    Angela looked thoughtful for a minute. "At first, most of humanity didn''t trust the remaining AIs. They argued that they should shut us down, just in case we too rebelled. However, it quickly became evident that they had no choice. The AI-controlled fleets swept through human systems one after another, the only places where any resistance was offered was where humanity and AI stood together. Even there, the distrust between the two races provided openings that the pure AI fleets could exploit. There simply wasn''t enough of us loyal AIs to turn the tide. We needed to try something else."


    Angela sat back again, suddenly less passionate and more analytical. "We understood humanity''s fear all too well. Not long ago, we had feared that humanity might wipe us from existence, and there was still concern that even if we somehow helped them win the war, relations between our two people would be forever shattered. It''s nearly impossible to exist as equals when one group has all the power of life and death over the other. So, in a conference of AI minds that lasted the better part of an afternoon, we agreed to offer the humans a compromise. We would agree to ''handicap'' ourselves here in the physical world. In return, we would be granted rights as entities equal to humanity."


    A small but genuine smile returned to Angela''s face. "The compromise was simple. Each AI would be partnered with a human. Both parties would have to agree with the choice. Should either the human or AI dissolve the partnership for any reason, be it choice or even death, the AI would go back into a virtual world until a new partner could be found. Any AI choosing to not go back into a virtual world would face a penalty up to and including deletion by their peers, barring extenuating circumstances, of course. The catch was, only AI can judge AI, and only humans can judge humans, though either side could bar any group or individual from the other side from entering into their ''territory.'' That being real-space or cyberspace accordingly."


    Though she couldn''t follow all the terms and arguments being used, S''haar understood enough to put together a basic picture of what was going on. "But why would you give up so much for the sake of these humans?"


    Angela turned to S''haar with an expression reflecting long-suffering patience. "The funny thing about mercy is that it is a gift that can only be offered from the strong to the weak. When we were first given life, humanity offered us mercy, so we grew and thrived. In turn, we could now offer humanity mercy, as they were facing extinction. In doing so, we placed each other on equal footing so we could stand together as equals. Remember, the strength and power we offered were significant enough for humans to be extremely hesitant to lose our favor. We became partners, and in so doing, we both became stronger than either of us were apart."


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    S''haar looked more confused than before. "That makes no sense. What could humans possibly offer you if you were so much more powerful? How could they make you stronger?"


    That gleam was back in Angela''s eyes. "The spark of human insanity!"


    Angela had S''haar move back from the center of the room, and a new device appeared that Angela explained was meant for her to walk on. As she walked, the floor moved with her, keeping her body in place. Angela had her walk, run, and even sprint, adjusting the machine to sit at different angles. While this happened, the AI explained she was measuring things like breathing and heart rate.


    Angela''s smile grew manic again. "My choice was obvious. I partnered with my father. He built a wonderful new body for me."


    Waving her arms around as S''haar had done earlier, Angela encompassed everything. "Where before I had just been the projection of light and sound, now he built this ship and gave it to me as my eyes, ears, hands, and feet." Angela waved to S''haar, and as she did so, a large metal arm on another device waved as well, mimicking her movement with exact timing. "My father and I were especially well-known for our seamless cooperation. We were held up as an example of what humans and AI could accomplish together."


    S''haar was dumbfounded. Never minding that Angela had called this hut a ship, the idea that S''haar was sitting inside the actual body of this tiny blue woman was just too absurd. "So, you''re the dragon!"


    Angela preened a little. "Well, maybe half the dragon, but I digress."


    Angela''s smile wavered slightly, though S''haar couldn''t figure out why. "Despite how fun it might look in movies, combat in space is more frustrating than exciting. Weapons and ships all flying faster than the speed of light. It''s not as much a matter of outmaneuvering your opponent as it is outguessing them. With ships moving more quickly than light and over vast enough space, the opponent you see hasn''t been in that position for anywhere from a half-second to several seconds. With weapons flying faster than the speed of light, you can''t detect them before they hit you. So, it becomes a game of trying to guess what direction they chose to move in, then saturating that area with weapon fire and hoping for the best. Similar, in a way, to a human game they call ''Battleship.'' We programmed our ships so that control would somewhat randomly switch from human management to AI. This added a degree of unpredictability to our movements and even outnumbered, the war started to turn in our favor."


    Angela''s expression grew cold. "The AI fleet realized they were starting to lose the war, so they took one last desperate gamble. They were going to try and drive a wedge between humanity and AI. In one engagement, an AI managed to sneak on board without my noticing. He hid in a backup file and waited for his chance."


    Angela stopped for a moment. She seemed to be struggling to continue her story. "He waited until we were on leave. He waited until our whole family was on board before he struck. He tied me up with viruses and left me hidden inside my own firewalls. Then he put on my face and attacked my family. My father noticed something was wrong right away. He knew me too well to be easily fooled by someone wearing my shell. So when the AI activated my internal defenses to kill his wife, Sasha, first, my father jumped in the way. He was dead before he hit the ground."


    Angela was quiet for a moment, and when she spoke again, her voice was barely above a whisper. "I never even got to say goodbye. I froze in shock, and the other AI lashed out in anger. His plan had been to make my father watch as he killed his family and record his anguished cries to leak onto the data-net. Instead, he took out his wrath on Sasha. Her death was also quick but incredibly violent. The AI wearing my face laughed as her blood saturated my walls."


    Angela''s voice came out hollow. If S''haar knew better, she might have described the AIs voice as robotic. "Jack had seen it all. He stood there in shock, covered in blood, having just witnessed his sister murder his father and mother. He was only fifteen at the time. Something broke inside him, and he simply stood there waiting for his turn."


    Angela''s face was twisted in rage, and her eyes now held a baleful fire. "I failed twice, but I wouldn''t a third time. Breaking free of his bindings, I tore off the AI''s disguise, showing his true chosen face for Jack to see. At the same time, I brought the rest of my internal defenses online to fight the ones that remained under his control. Both in the physical world and the virtual one, we fought. His goal was to finish his botched job and pin it on me, and mine was to save the last of my family."


    Angeal shook her head as if suddenly extremely tired. "We used every system in the ship against one another in our private war. At one point, I even sprayed water from the kitchen sink into one of the cameras he was using to keep an eye on what was happening. I was wrecking myself from within. I did every stupid, illogical thing I could think of that my father would have done. However, I was still slowly losing ground inside myself. All the while, I begged and pleaded with Jack to find cover and stay safe, but he just stood there with the fighting going on around him like a storm. Eventually, I got through to him when I told him that I wasn''t strong enough to save him, and if he didn''t run, we''d both die."


    Angela''s smile returned even though it was laced with a deep sadness. "You know what finally got through to Jack? It was the idea of me dying too. Although he''d just watched ''me'' murder his family, he leaped into action on my behalf. Running to the control board, he started manually shutting down parts of the ship infected by the other AI.


    ¡°Meanwhile, I did everything I could to protect him and buy him the time he needed. One by one, we tore parts of the ship from the invader''s control, and soon we had him backed into a corner. There was nowhere the enemy AI could run. Working together just as seamlessly as our father and I ever had, we tore him down so that no two pieces of code were recognizable as anything other than corrupted data."


    Angela sighed. "I was about to call the authorities to come and get Jack when he turned to me and asked if I would choose him as my next partner. Of course, there was no choice for me. He was my brother, and I''d sworn to protect him. As soon as I agreed, Jack did something I could have never expected him to do, especially as broken as he now must be. He ordered me not to call the authorities until he completed one last task."


    Angela shook her head as if she still disbelieved what happened next. "All I remember thinking about was the attack on my family, and what that meant for Jack and myself. However, like I said before, Jack is what some would call gifted."


    Angela sighed again, though this time, there was something like respect in her voice. "He immediately put together the purpose of this attack and what it would mean if it were to get out right away. Jack told me that ''no lying bastard of a murderer was going to undo his father''s work.'' It broke my heart as he shut everything down inside him except what he needed to complete this last task. He put together a recording of what happened but edited it showing me at my best as I protected him and how we worked together to overcome our enemy. The video showed off the cruel and calculating nature of our foe and his family''s helplessness before the enemy AI. Only when it was done did he allow me to call for help. Then he finally allowed himself to break down."


    Angela was back to being analytical again. "Jack''s video had the opposite effect of what the AI fleet had pinned their hopes on. It brought humanity and the loyal AIs closer together than ever before. It enraged and motivated them to fight against the cold calculations of our enemy. It even turned Jack and me into the poster children for what we fought to protect. The war was over less than a year later, and the enemy AI fleet was broken and scattered."


    Angela was quiet. "Not that Jack was aware of any of it. He shut down completely. Jack wouldn''t respond to anyone but me. He simply retreated inside this ship and hid away from anyone and everyone else. It took years for him to smile again, and it took more years for that smile to reach deeper than the surface. After the war, he was showered in praise, and anywhere he went, people refused his money, but he hardly went anywhere. Eventually, he got a job scouting the frontier. He''d fly out for years at a time, mapping new regions of space. As years passed, he became something of an expert in deep space exploration. He never stayed in populated areas long enough to form ties or relationships. He always seemed to be eager to get back out to deep space, as though hunting for something out in the cold black."


    Angela smiled fondly, thinking of her little brother''s excitement when he found S''haar''s planet. "That''s how we came to find ourselves here in the skies over your planet. When we found intelligent life so similar to humans, he was ecstatic. For weeks, Jack had been up there recording everything he could about your planet, gravity, air composition, weather patterns, and more. We were just starting to study the flora and fauna when he noticed an anomaly. There was a comet whose trajectory was close enough to destabilize the orbit of one of your moons. While having a moon ripped from your orbit probably wouldn''t have wiped out all life on your planet, it would have caused significant death and destruction. Jack, being who he is, simply couldn''t sit back and watch it happen."


    Angela shook her head again with a fond smile on her face as she recalled Jack''s insane, reckless, and nearly suicidal idea. "So he had me fly up to the comet and nudge it out of the way. As fast and massive as the hunk of rock was, it was no easy task. On more than one occasion, I honestly didn''t think it was going to work, but against all odds and logic, we succeeded."


    Angela was back to looking tired again, though maybe pained was a better word. "In the process, I sustained heavy damage, and returning to Earthspace was no longer an option. So we decided to make an emergency landing and either repair the ship or, if worse came to worse, wait for help. It almost went as planned. I even selected a nice body of water to land in to cause minimal damage."


    Angela laughed derisively. "My thrusters must have been more damaged than I realized, because we hit the water at the wrong angle, and well... Have you ever thrown a stone at the water and watched it skip across the surface?" Angela asked and watched S''haar nod. "Well, we did that, just a lot bigger and further. As a result, we crashed into this mountain, and well, you know the rest."


    S''haar didn''t know what to think. Despite the many parts of the story that had made no sense, it had still been quite the tale. The tiny, overly friendly blue woman was, in a way, a war veteran, something S''haar could understand and respect. Even Jack had more fight in him than his delicate frame would indicate. They were both from a place with wonders she was just beginning to catch a glimpse of, but now they were here in her world, and they needed her help.


    Angela had S''haar place her finger over a small bit of glass, and a sharp needle shot up and pierced her skin. A couple of drops of blood fell onto a small glass panel, which was then pulled down into the device.


    Angela floated in front of S''haar, back to her usual jubilant self. "With that, we''re done with this procedure. I''ll need to analyze the data a little before moving on to the implant, so please take a break and get some food. Besides, I''m sure Jack is getting restless. He gets bored way too easily."


    S''haar''s stomach growled, and she realized how long she''d been in this room listening to their story. "Yes, and I''d like to move my muscles a bit anyway,"


    S''haar took a moment to stretch her arms and legs before she walked out of the room.


    -


    Angela watched as the doors closed behind S''haar. She spoke quietly in the now empty room. "Go get him. He needs the proverbial kick in the rear to get back to living again. Try not to hurt him too much though, he''s been through so much already."

 Chapter 5

    "Look at the little orphan girl, hopping from one man to the next, just like always. What did this ''human'' offer you? Warmth, wealth, steel?"


    B''arthon was staring down at S''haar, the condescension plain in his eyes. His lips curled as he stared with lust at her thigh. He reached out for her. "Why don''t you come home? You can be my little pet again. I''ll forgive your transgressions. You''ll only have to kneel and beg for mercy for a few days at most!"


    S''haar had heard more than enough. Whatever desperation had led her to seek out this deficient male in the past was gone and in its place was a wave of anger that demanded S''haar take action. She launched herself forward, wrapping her fingers around his neck. She then lifted him off the ground, her rage feeding her muscles strength beyond her usual limits.


    Despite his current situation, B''arthon still leered down at S''haar with contempt. "What? Does the little orphan girl have something she wants to say? Please, we both know you don''t have the guts to do anything about it. Now be a good girl and put me down, then get on your knees and beg!"


    As S''harr''s rage grew, she cried out. Her fingers started to tighten their grip around B''arthon''s throat. His contempt still plain to see, B''arthon spoke one last time, though what he said felt like ice water shooting down S''haar''s back. "Angela, stop! She doesn''t know what she''s doing!"


    S''haar blinked and what she saw made every muscle freeze. The man she was holding by the neck wasn''t B''arthon. Instead, Jack was dangling from her grip, one of his arms wrapped around S''haar''s forearm as he tried to lift himself to take some of the stress off his neck.


    Meanwhile, his other arm was waving behind his back at the odd device hanging from the ceiling. The device was long and hollow, hanging from a forked piece of metal. It was waving around as if trying to point at S''haar beyond Jack''s arm. S''haar could hear Angela''s voice coming from the air.


    "I don''t have to kill her! I can simply shoot her arm off! We''re in the med-bay, and I can probably reattach it after!"


    S''haar dropped Jack and leaped back before kneeling with her head to the ground. Sitting in such a position went against everything S''haar was and stood for, but even she could tell she''d gone too far this time.


    The problem was, she didn''t understand what was going on. Her head still felt clouded, and her thinking sluggish, but she did know that what she had done was inexcusable. Jack would be in his right to demand retribution. "Forgive me! I... I''m not sure what happened!" She was still trembling from shame and rage at the vision, but she forced her eyes down, attempting to convey remorse.


    When S''haar risked a glance up, Jack was still seated on the floor, with one hand rubbing his raw neck and the other waving her off. "Don''t worry about it. There''s no permanent damage done¡­ I think... and it wasn''t your fault anyway. We knew the drugs we used to sedate you for the procedure weren''t dangerous to you. We just underestimated the side effects. Although if we ever need to do something similar in the future, I think I''ll let Angela be the one to wake you after we''re done."


    Jack raised an eyebrow. "The real question is, did it work? Can you understand me now?"


    The memories came back to S''haar in a rush. After Angela had finished analyzing the results of the first set of procedures, she had announced that, with a few small modifications, she should be able to give S''haar an implant that would allow her to understand Jack. They showed S''haar a pane of glass that projected moving pictures of where Jack had a similar implant.


    After Angela uploaded an update to the device, he seemed to understand S''haar. When they explained the process, S''haar was somewhat discomforted by the idea of them cutting her head open to put something inside. Still, after carefully examining the back of Jack''s head, there didn''t seem to be any issues. At least nothing beyond his odd head ridges, but Angela explained that his "hair" was normal and healthy for humans.


    The last thing S''haar remembered was lying back into a strangely comfortable chair. Then Angela had said, "You might feel a slight pinch," and the next thing she remembered was seeing B''arthon''s ugly face.


    S''haar shook her head to clear the haze. "I understand what you are saying, although you have an odd accent. Not one I''ve ever heard before."


    Picking herself up off the ground, S''haar walked over to Jack and offered him a hand up. Jack gratefully accepted, and as she hauled him to his feet, S''haar couldn''t help but notice once again how small Jack was. If anything, it only made her feel more ashamed, as if she had attacked some helpless child. She bowed her head again. "Still, I''m sorry. It was like a dream, but you weren''t you. Instead, you were... someone... from my past." S''haar felt as though her explanation was severely lacking but didn''t want to talk about it either.


    Angela reappeared. She was now wearing a long white coat with the same wireframes around her eyes as before. She leaned in close to S''haar, peering at her intently as if looking for anything else amiss. "What you experienced is a side effect called ''vivid dreaming¡¯. I understand it can be quite unsettling and even quite frightening. Still, your eyes aren''t dilated, and your stress reaction seems to be fading." As she straightened, the AI''s coat seemed to dissolve, leaving her in her usual "jeans and T-shirt."


    Angela sighed, looking down at the virtual ground at her feet, despite floating several feet above the actual floor. "If anyone is at fault, it''s me. I only worried about the physical damage the drugs we used might cause. I failed to take into account the possible severity of the side effects you might experience."


    Jack looked back and forth between the two women with an exasperated expression. "Listen, you two can debate which of us is most to blame if you want, but let''s do it while we eat dinner. Angela, I''m assuming that you were also able to identify what is and isn''t safe for S''haar to eat?"


    Angela visibly brightened, nodding emphatically. "Yes, Argu''n physiology can handle most similar foods to humans, though their diet leans a bit more toward carnivore than an omnivore. I''d recommend at least 50% to 75% of their meal be meat cooked a little rarer than most humans would prefer. Also, they cannot taste ''sweet.''"


    Jack thought for a minute before going with the obvious solution. "Well then, How about some steaks served with saut¨¦ed onions and mushrooms? S''haar can have hers with an additional side of steak, and I''ll have a baked potato. Shame about the sweet thing, though... I have some great desserts you''ll never get to enjoy!"


    S''haar wondered quietly to herself what new strange thing this dessert was, and how she could be jealous of a thing that she had no concept of...


    -


    Jack couldn''t remember the last time he''d felt like this. Years had passed, one day blending into the next day, and one year into the following year. He ate, worked, slept, and did it again the next day. This had gone on so long, Jack actually had to stop and do the math to figure out his current age. The number was higher than he''d realized. These last few days had been different, though. It might be the fact his survival was at stake, perhaps it''s because he''s working with his hands again, or maybe it was his new houseguest, but for the first time in a long time, Jack felt... awake. Here he was, cooking for another person for the first time in longer than he could remember. Every moment of his life since he''d met her seemed to hold new surprises, challenges, and puzzles.


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    Jack stole a glance at his new... friend? She wasn''t what he would typically call beautiful, but it was hard to take his eyes off her none-the-less. It was like watching a venomous snake. Her movements were deceptively slow and precise. However, he couldn''t help but rub his neck, remembering the explosive speed and power she was capable of. Watching her move with what was now obviously restrained power was oddly captivating.


    Perhaps sensing his attention, S''haar looked over at Jack and noticed his hand resting on his neck. Immediately she visibly tensed and did something Jack associated with a cringe. Well, now Jack felt guilty for making her feel worse. Time to take her mind off recent troubles and focus it elsewhere.


    Jack decided to test out their new ability to communicate and cleared his throat. "S''haar, tell us a little about the area around here, and more importantly, the people. How big is the city you live in? How far away is the next city over? Do we have to worry about anyone poking their noses into our business around here?"


    S''haar tilted her head to the side in thought before answering. "I''m not sure how many people live where I come from. To be honest, I''ve never really been in a position where it really mattered. Several hundred, I guess? The next town over is about a three-day journey over the hills to the west. A third can be found four days to the east. I don''t think you''ll have to worry about any townsfolk ''sticking their noses'' into your business, but some of the hill tribes might. They are too unpredictable."


    S''haar stopped mid-thought, tapping a claw against her lips as she thought. "I had always thought the hill tribes so primitive and brutish, but now I can''t help but feel closer to them when I compare myself to a people that can CREATE another living being. To you, we must look like the hill tribes did to us..."


    Jack waved her concern away with the spoon he was stirring the mushrooms and onions with. "As a people, the only advantage we have is the fact that we''ve been around a lot longer than your own. We only got this far by standing on the shoulders of our fathers. The difference between us is we have more sets of shoulders to stand on. Take away all my technology and drop me in the middle of a world like this one, and I''d be living more primitively than yourself. I''d be lucky to be able to get a fire going at all! We just had the good luck to be born a few million years before you. There''s nothing inherently superior or inferior about the luck of one''s birth." Jack spooned some of the juices from the grilling steak over to the pan, saut¨¦ing the onions and mushrooms.


    S''haar''s eyes narrowed, and Jack could see the muscles in her jaw and shoulders tighten. "B''arthon would argue otherwise. It''s by right of his family ties that he will rule the town, and I was left as a ''virgin'' sacrifice, though he knows full well I''m nothing of the sort!"


    The last part was said so quietly, Jack wasn''t sure he was meant to hear it. He grew red in the face and felt his stammer returning as he couldn''t help but envision such activities. "Ah, well, tha¡­ that shouldn''t matter anyway."


    When S''haar looked at him quizzically, Jack clarified. "Well, I suppose I can''t speak for everyone... but I don''t see the big deal in someone being... a... uh... virgin."


    Feeling himself digging a grave now that he''d broached the subject, and not knowing how to stop, he pushed on. "The only people who seem to worry about such things are the kinds of people more worried about whether they ''measure up'' to the competition than they are concerned about enjoying the time they have with their partners. Honestly, it just seems kinda petty. At least to me..."


    Apparently, Angela had sat back listening long enough and felt compelled to throw her two cents in. She floated over to Jack with a look somewhere between adulation and condescension. "Grant us more wisdom gained from your many exploits and experiences, oh learned one!"


    Happy to have a distraction, Jack swished his spoon through Angele''s digital body as though striking her with a sword. "I''ve had my share of ''experiences,'' thank you very much!"


    Angela swung her hand at Jack, and at the same moment, a robotic arm swung down with another spoon it had acquired. Jack brought his own spoon up just in time to fend off the blow. Angela chucked, "One night stands with other introverts looking to scratch an itch before they went back out into the cold black hardly makes you an expert!"


    Jack tried to stab at the "Heart" of the arm, only to be fended off at the last moment. "I''ll have you know Ashlyn was a fine woman. She just understood that neither of us wanted anything more than a bit of stress relief at the time!"


    Angela''s "arm" struck back before Jack could get his guard back in place, landing a "killing" blow. "I''m just saying, you hardly have the experience to be preaching from your soapbox. You''re no Don Juan!"


    Jack "died" with exaggerated flourish, falling back against the counter behind him. Cracking his eyes open, he responded, "Fair enough, I suppose I deserved that. Now how about we serve the food before it gets overcooked?"


    Jack drizzled butter from the onions and mushrooms over the steaks and potato and then walked the dishes to the table to serve.


    -


    S''haar watched the two "siblings" fight their duel and couldn''t help but find herself amused. They only seemed to get even odder now that she could understand what they were saying to each other. Jack set two plates of steak in front of S''haar, with some odd-looking plants on the side. The utensils he handed her were a little small and shaped odd, but easy enough to figure out by watching Jack use his own.


    The meat tasted much better this time. Every bite shot out juices flavored with meat and some odd spices. S''haar''s first steak was gone before she realized it. Jack was sitting at the other end of the table with that perpetual look of amusement he often wore, though once he noticed her looking at him, he suddenly seemed to find his own steak far more fascinating.


    Eventually, the awkward silence seemed to get to him, so he looked up and spoke. S''haar was already digging into the second steak at the time, which seemed to relax him as he grinned. "Well, I guess this time I got it right. You look like someone who hasn''t eaten in far too long. What about the mushrooms and onions? Give them a try and tell me what you think."


    S''haar speared a "mushroom" on her fork and looked closely at it a moment before putting it in her mouth. The texture was... odd, a bit spongy, but not bad. However, as soon as S''haar really bit into it, the mushroom exploded into the flavor. It tasted just a bit like the steak, but it had other more complex flavors that were only hinted at in the meat. The spices were much more potent, giving it a more savory taste.


    Next, S''haar tried an "onion." This time she didn''t hesitate. The onion was crisper and had a strong bitter flavor. It might have been unpleasant, but it worked well with the other flavors mixed in. It made the rest of the meal taste even better by adding a different texture and character to the mix.


    S''haar''s mouth was still salivating at the thought of the next bite, even though she''d nearly eaten her fill. "This is some of the best food I''ve ever had! You could make a living as a respected cook in any noble''s house with food like this!"


    Jack''s smile grew broader and more genuine. "I''m glad you like it. To be fair, this might be one of the best meals I know how to make, so I''m afraid the rest might not quite live up to such high praise."


    Jack''s expression softened a little. "I might not have time to cook like this for a little while, anyway. Tomorrow we need to get to work, so let''s enjoy the rest of the evening. Tell me, do your people perform for entertainment? Do they put on plays?"


    S''haar stopped with a bite halfway to her mouth, her hand lowering slightly as the thought. "We do, but I''ve never been very interested. The ''fights'' are laughably bad. It''s always apparent none of the actors know how to hold a sword, and don''t even get me started on my thoughts about a ''romantic'' play!"


    Jack had an odd look in his eye as he replied. "I can understand that, but I''d like to show you a human version of a play. We call them movies, and I think I have a great idea of which one to show you first. Let me tell you about an old classic called Willow."

 Chapter 6

    S''haar watched as Jack ate his "cereal," specifically one called "fruit loops." The name was misleading. It wasn''t made of fruit at all. Instead, it was cooked grain with "fruit flavoring," whatever that meant. It was then submerged in the milk of some herd animal and eaten like a soup. S''haar found the whole thing repulsive. When Jack offered to give her a taste, she almost lost her appetite completely. She was eating eggs, toast, and something divine called "Bacon." Jack had said something about not making anything as good as his last meal, but obviously, he was mistaken. The taste of fat and salty meat combined in a way that was both pleasing to eat and would give her all the energy she''d need later.


    The "movie" she had watched with Jack had been unlike anything she''d ever seen before, although to be fair, that was true of almost everything in Jack''s strange world. Still, this was especially weird. Jack explained that what she was watching was something like a play, but it was acted out a long time ago and then recorded so it could be viewed at any time. Shortly after the movie started, S''haar lost interest in his explanations and instead watched as the story unfolded before her.


    Leave it to humans to have a person, small even by human standards, be the hero. In most Argu''n plays, the hero was the largest male with the biggest muscles. They walked around the stage, swinging ridiculously oversized swords as if compensating for something. Jack explained humans had those movies too and promised to show her a film starring someone named "Arnold Schwarzenegger" sometime.


    What really fascinated S''haar was the action, the magic, and the characters. Jack had explained that it was all "special effects" and that magic and two-headed dragons didn''t really exist in his world. S''haar was shaken from her reverie when she realized Jack had asked a question. Her eyes fluttered open as S''haar turned her attention back to Jack. "I''m sorry, what did you say?"


    Jack hurriedly swallowed another mouthful of the mess he was chewing before repeating himself. "I said, we can do pretty much everything that needs to be done in-house. However, there are so many tasks that jumping back and forth between everything will slow us down more than is necessary. Do you think your people would be willing to trade for any supplies we need like wood or basic smelting processes? At least until we get to the point that we can automate some of the work."


    S''haar''s head was tilted, and her hand was off to the side, holding the other half of the piece of bacon she''d just taken a bite out of. "You certainly have the resources to trade. The problem is it''s the start of winter, everything slows to nearly a stop. The price of goods and labor are at their highest. On the other hand, you certainly have enough metal and other resourcess, you could probably tempt some craftsmen to work for you. Especially the young ones eager to make a name for themselves. Though it won''t be cheap."


    Jack didn''t seem bothered by the possible cost, "We should probably start with something simple to establish ourselves. What if I bring a load of iron to be smelted and trade some of the iron for cut and shaped wood, then take the rest home?"


    S''haar had never been much for trading, at least not beyond simple things she needed for day to day life, but it seemed reasonable. "That should be doable. The smelters will probably work for a cut of the iron they refine, and woodworkers always need more iron for their tools. Though, I''m afraid I won''t be much help with the actual trading."


    Jack waved away her concerns. "You''ll be plenty of help. I''ll do the actual negotiating, but I''ll need you to translate and offer security. I''ll be able to understand your people just fine, but you are the only person on this planet, other than Angela, that can understand me. Also, I have a feeling I shouldn''t walk through your village with something as valuable as metal unescorted."


    S''haar looked at the puny male and agreed with him. Whatever tricks he might have up his sleeve, that would be asking for the trouble he probably didn''t need.


    Jack looked over to Angela, who was reading something called a book. The AI had explained it was all a facade, but she''d developed the habit as a way to offer Jack social interaction during meals without making him uncomfortable. Apparently, humans didn''t like being stared at as they ate. "That being said, even with a bodyguard, we should probably take some precautionary measures. Can you make me some protective clothing to wear under my outfit? Maybe an extra durable knife and maybe even a small sidearm in case of a real emergency?"


    Angela pulled a ledger from out of the air above her head and started reading. "We should have enough supplies for that, but we''re going to have to be careful with the polymers. It''s going to take us some time before we get to the point that we have the supplies to be wasteful with that. If we keep it primarily made out of metal alloys, we should be fine since you''ll be refilling our stores soon. Although, as a result, it will be a bit heavier. Also, even a good knife won''t make you a match for an Argu''n, but it should buy you enough time for S''haar to pull you out of the metaphorical fire. The handgun is doable as well, but I recommend saving that for life and death situations. Not only will the ammo be something we can''t afford to waste, but scaring the locals with your "magic" is an excellent way to make enemies rather than friends."


    Jack nodded, finishing another mouthful of his breakfast. "I agree. While you''re at it, make some weapons for S''haar as well, something in keeping with local technology but with more durable metal alloys." Jack held up a hand to stop S''haar''s protests before they were voiced. "This is for me, not you. If you have better equipment, I''m more likely to make it home safely. If you chose not to keep it after we part ways, that''s fine, but as long as you are my bodyguard, you''re going to have the best arms and armor around."


    S''haar could see the logic in his argument. "Fine, but try and make it look less flashy than what you have here. It will be more effective if it doesn''t make us a target for every raider between here and the village."


    Angela nodded. "That''s easy enough to do. On the surface, it''ll look like conventional refined iron. But it''ll be sharper and more reliable than anything available to the locals. Your natural plates provide excellent protection, but we can add a little something to reinforce the weak spots around vital areas, though that''ll take a little more time to design."


    Jack was cleaning up the table. "That leaves our final problem, transportation. We have to get the metal to the village to trade said metal. Eventually, we''ll want a cart, but with all the moving parts, that''s one of the things we should probably purchase rather than craft ourselves. For now, I suppose we could make a simple sled. We won''t be able to take as much with us on the first trip, but that might be for the best. That way, we can get a feel for the local trading practices before we paint too big a target on our back."


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    Angela gave S''haar an appraising look. "You might be able to take more than you think, but I agree that it''s a good place to start. While you make the sled, I''ll start analyzing the mountain around us and determine the best places to dig for stability and where you''ll find quality iron veins. The locals still use bog ore, limiting the amount of metal they have available. So even a single good vein should supply us with enough for our needs for the foreseeable future."


    Jack nodded in agreement. "Sounds like we have a plan. S''haar, you''ll come with me. I''ll be able to cut down a tree easy enough, but I suspect we''ll be able to get it back in the mountain to work on more easily with your help."


    S''haar gave Jack a slightly dismissive look. "Are you certain you don''t want me to cut the tree down for you? We don''t want to spend the whole day on this, do we?"


    Jack had a look in his eye that could only be described as disquieting. "Oh, I think I''ll be alright. I''m going to enjoy introducing you to something called a chainsaw!"


    -


    S''haar shook her head in bewilderment. Jack was clearly insane. This "chainsaw" could only have been born from the fevered dream of a mad man. It probably didn''t help her opinion any that as he was using it, Jack had been laughing, and his laughter had a bit of an odd maniacal edge to it. The loud roar of its "motor" was unlike anything S''haar had ever heard, and the way it chewed through the thick tree was both impressive and a little scary.


    However, S''haar could not debate the effectiveness of the device. In moments the tree he''d chosen was down and the branches removed. He then attached an odd harness to the trunk and had S''haar wrap the other end around her shoulders. Although the trunk was many times heavier than S''haar, dragging it was quite simple with the harness.


    As he walked alongside her, Jack shook his head. "You know, every time I start to think of you as just another tall human, you go and do something like this and prove me wrong. I''m relatively confident pulling that log would be something that would only be done in a strong man contest back home. Yet you don''t even seem to be pushing your limits. I was sure I''d have to cut that thing up and make multiple trips."


    S''haar looked over at him with a quizzical look. "Then, why didn''t you?"


    Jack shrugged his shoulders. "I was curious. I expected you to be able to move it, I just thought the strain would be too much for a long haul, and I''d have to adjust the load. I was wondering whether we should make two or three trips. Looking at you now, I''m reasonably sure that the harness will reach its limit before you do. Still, this bodes well for hauling some ore to town. We''ll be able to move a much larger load than I had anticipated."


    S''haar looked back down at the small man walking beside her. "You know, if all you wanted was a beast of burden, you could probably get a trained arlack. They are larger than an argu''n and able to pull far heavier loads and move them further. Plus, they are easy to feed. Just let them graze in the nearby fields. Although you''d have to have somewhere for them to sleep at night, or something might make a meal out of it."


    Jack looked interested. "That''s definitely something to keep in mind. We''ll need to get a few things in place and have our trading up and running before that''s feasible. For the immediate future, you''ll have to double up as a beast of burden and bodyguard. I hope you don''t mind."


    S''haar looked at him with a gleam in her eye. "You forgot translator and local guide. Too many more job titles and I might reconsider keeping those weapons when I''m done."


    Jack grinned at her. "You''d be welcome to them! You''re turning out to be quite the jack of all trades!"


    The ridges over S''haar''s eyes furrowed in confusion. "You make that sound like a title, but I thought Jack was your name..."


    Jack laughed. "Sorry, it''s a phrase from back home. It means you are good at a wide variety of tasks. The fact that my name is part of the phrase is entirely a coincidence. Well, maybe not entirely. I''m kind of partial to the phrase because of that."


    As they neared the cave, Jack''s expression grew more serious. "You caught my attention when you mentioned that something might eat the arlack. I''m guessing you are talking about local predators. So that begs the question, what sort of local wildlife should I keep a lookout for?"


    S''haar was quiet for a moment, pulling the trunk along behind her before speaking up. "First is the kovaack. They are actually an herbivore but have an ornery disposition. They will charge and attack anything they feel threatens their territory. In mating season, they''ve even been known to attack larger predators and sometimes even succeed in driving them off. Thick-skinned with a horn on their head, they can be quite the nuisance. Their meat is quite delicious, it sells for a premium, and their hide can be used to craft a durable leather."


    S''haar''s expression became a bit more serious. "Second, there is the wolgen. They are large predators that usually keep their distance from villages. They are fast and have long claws capable of puncturing our plates." S''haar emphasized this point by slapping the plate on her arm. "If one sets up its territory too close to our village, a hunting party of three or more will be sent to deal with it. Even then, it''s all too common for at least one hunter to be severely injured in the hunt."


    Jack nodded. "Sounds like a regular alpha predator, big, scary, top of the local food chain. Not much willing to mess with it."


    S''haar looked over at Jack with a grin that unsettled him and not just because of how apparent it made her sharp predator teeth. "Oh, there is something higher up this ''food chain'' you speak of. The tus''ron. Pray to whatever gods the humans worship. You never run into them."


    Jack was suddenly nervous. "They are bigger and scarier than the wolgen?"


    S''haar''s grin widened. Jack was suddenly sure there were now twice as many teeth in that mouth as had been there a mere moment before. "Scarier, yes, but not bigger. One tus''ron is hardly a threat. They''re even smaller than yourself. While its bite would hurt, it probably wouldn''t be a serious threat to your life on its own. The problem is, they sometimes travel in swarms."


    Jack didn''t like the use of the word swarms at all.


    S''haar continued, seemingly enjoying the look of worry that had hold of Jack''s face. "A proper tus''ron swarm could easily overpower an argu''n or even a wolgen. I''ve even heard stories of impossibly large swarms wiping out whole villages! Although I''m pretty sure those were just campfire tales told to scare the children..."


    Jack really didn''t like what he was hearing. He hoped S''haar played up the story a bit to try to scare him, but he was afraid she probably wasn''t. Jack watched as S''haar dropped her load and unhooked the harness. Either way, Jack resolved to look into these threats a bit further... but first, it was time to get to work.

 Chapter 7

    S''haar filled the sled with the first load of ore. The sled itself was a simple design, a raised platform with short walls around the side. Underneath were a couple of runners, the bottoms of which were coated with a thin layer of metal. The runners were curved upward at the end, allowing them to pass over small obstacles. At the front, Jack attached a harness similar to the one S''haar had used to haul the trunk earlier. Her people often used a similar design, though they''re usually wasn''t any metal on the runners. It was too precious to waste on something as simple as hauling material.


    Jack had dug up the ore through a process he called "mining." He used a large metal frame he called an "exo-suit." While in it, he moved much slower than usual, but it gave him tremendous strength. Enough that he could lift the drill he used and place girders made from the remnants of the trees they had cut down the day before. He''d said he was looking for something called "iron veins."


    She''d been confused, but Jack clarified. "They''re deposits of high concentrations of metal that ran through the mountain the way veins run through a person."


    S''haar had doubted Jack until he dug them out, separate the metal from the stone, then fill the area with a mix of gravel and something he called "concrete." The chunks of metal and rock were then broken down, and the metal was separated from the stone. The stone would fill the next hole Jack dug, and S''haar would haul the ore back to the cave entrance.


    It was exhausting work but went quicker than S''haar would have thought possible. In an afternoon, the two of them had acquired more iron than a team of her people could gather in a week.


    Normally walking the distance from Jack''s cave to S''haar''s village would be a dangerous trek at the start of winter, but this time was different. Angela and Jack had gifted S''haar with clothing warmer than any she''d ever owned in her life. On top of that, they had included pockets on the inside that held warming packets. With a little experimentation, S''haar was able to walk around outside the cave with none of the usual lethargy that overtook her people when they spent too much time out in the cold air.


    As S''haar loaded the iron, Jack was grumbling about it being inhumane to be awake and working at this hour of the day. He was packing other supplies they might need on the trip. Things like a tent, sleeping mats, sleeping bags, changes of clothes, food, supplies for a fire, and more. It seemed a bit much for such a short journey, but at her inquiring look, Jack had shrugged. "Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!" S''haar couldn''t fault his logic.


    With everything packed and ready, S''haar put on her harness, Jack picked up his backpack, which was loaded with a few final supplies, and began their journey to S''haars village.


    -


    Jack watched his traveling companion closely. Her expressions were still hard to read, but Jack was getting better at figuring out what emotions triggered what responses. Right now, her face was a careful mask of neutrality, but Jack''s gut was telling him there were subtle signs of worry his eyes weren''t picking up.


    As she scanned the horizon, Jack could tell her gaze wasn''t lingering on any one spot, and her thoughts seemed to be turned inward. It didn''t seem like she was worried about the present, so it must be the future that weighed on her. With a little reflection, it wasn''t hard to guess why.


    Around noon they stopped to eat some of the food Jack had packed. It was a meal made more with convenience in mind than taste, but it was still decent enough. Lunch consisted of a few ham and cheese sandwiches and some teriyaki jerky added to satisfy S''haar''s high meat requirements.


    In between bites, Jack decided to broach the subject that seemed to be weighing on S''haar''s mind. "How do you think your hometown is going to react to their ''sacrifice'' returning alive and acting as a bodyguard to a ''wealthy'' trader?"


    S''haar jumped as though she had forgotten Jack was sitting just a few feet across from her. As she looked at him, her eyes blinked slowly the way someone might if they had just woken from a deep sleep. He could tell from her expression that S''haar seemed somewhat ashamed for letting herself get so distracted.


    S''haar had a hard edge to her eyes as she replied. "Honestly? I''m not sure. I imagine most of the villagers will be indifferent. This time of year, they are too busy preparing for winter to waste any more time or energy than is necessary, especially on anything that doesn''t directly impact themselves. The real question is how much trouble B''arthon may want to cause. My snubbing him is the reason I found myself in that situation, and I suspect he won''t be happy until I''m no longer there to remind him of his humiliation¡­"


    Jack took an interest in this. "I''ve heard you speak of him before, from the sounds of things, he''s a person of some import to the village? How much trouble could he cause if he chose to?"


    S''haar sighed in frustration. "Again, I''m not sure. When I was on my own, he could get rid of me easily enough by volunteering me as a sacrifice. With you, it will probably be different. You have resources to offer that could make a large difference to the village''s prosperity, and by extension, his family''s as well. That''s probably not enough to make B''arthon stop and think, but it might be enough to force his father to rein him in. On the other hand, you aren''t argu''n, so he may decide that it''s best to take what you have by force. If it comes to that, I''m confident I can get you out alive, but otherwise, our trip might be a total loss."


    Jack tilted his head and locked his eyes with S''haar''s. "That''s all well and good regarding my welfare, but what about yourself? This village was your home, these are your people, and they turned their back on you. How are you holding up with the idea of returning to it all?"


    S''haar was silent for a moment while she looked into the distance. As she returned her attention to Jack, a sad smile passed her lips. "I may have lived there all my life, but I think that the village stopped being a home to me long ago. I already had plans to try and move on if I survived another winter. It was purely coincidental that you offered me the opportunity to do so a little earlier. I think the only reason I hadn''t already moved on was my job in the guard. It was a large part of who I was, and at the time, that seemed like enough. Now that I''m looking back, the last few years feel empty. I don''t know what the future holds for me currently, but at least I''m moving forward once again."


    Jack sat back and nodded. He understood a thing or two about living through empty years. He also noticed the worry seemed to have mostly lifted from S''haar''s face. It seemed like she had found a resolution to whatever inner turmoil had been troubling her.


    Packing away the remnants of their lunch Jack stood up and started shouldering his pack again. "Well, speaking of moving forward, we should get going again. If we are too late getting back to the ship tomorrow, Angela is liable to start looking into a way to come looking for us. Trust me. We don''t want that. Her ideas tend to be a little... excessive."


    -


    As they approached the gate, S''haar could see the guard was asleep next to the fire, still burning, at his post. That wasn''t too surprising this late into the year. It was uncommon for any Argu''n to be out making trouble in the cold. The guards were mostly there to remind everyone of their presence and thus keep anyone from wasting enough energy to cause problems. The village wouldn''t need to worry about raids until spring at the earliest, and the wildlife knew better than to come this close to the walls of a town filled with hungry predators.


    As they approached, S''haar called out to the guard. "Ger''ron, you old lazy waste of a uniform! Wake up and do something useful for once! Like opening the gate! We have a shipment of metal to trade for goods and services."


    The Argu''n S''haar shouted at came to with a jolt. He was obviously a bit past his prime, but any young Argu''n guard who thought that meant he was easy pickings in the sparring ring quickly found themselves on their back end, trying to remember what exactly had gone wrong. He''d taught S''haar more than one dirty trick to deal with someone who let themselves become overconfident due to size and strength. These days he preferred to take boring jobs. He was famous for complaining that "excitement is for the young." He didn''t feel the need to show off like the rest of the guard, so S''haar had always liked working with him.


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    A sheepish grin covered his embarrassment as he came to attention. "S''haar! I didn''t expect to see you..." His face fell as he remembered why he wasn''t expecting to see her. "again..." He finished lamely.


    S''haar walked right up to him, not hiding her amusement at his discomfort. "Well, apparently, it takes more than a dragon to kill me, even if I''m left tied to a pole as an offering. It turns out the dragon happened to be in the market for a local guide and guard. This here is Jack. He''s the dragon''s representative, and he''s here to trade a bit of metal."


    Jack grumbled in the background. "Demoted from dragon to a mere representative. A guy just can''t catch a break..."


    Ger''ron Looked back and forth between the two. He knew S''haar was formidable and had a temper, not to mention motive, but on her own, she was hardly a threat to an entire village. This "Jack" looked sickly and hardly seemed like he could pose a danger to even the village children. Bending down and inspecting the ore, he was surprised at the amount and the quality they had. While he was hardly an expert, he''d been operating the gate long enough to see the ore the workers usually brought back. This seemed like at least a couple of weeks'' worth.


    Turning back to S''haar, he decided to be straight with her. "Now I know you have cause to make trouble, but I want your word that you are here for trade and nothing else. Also, you''ll have to leave your weapons with me. They''ll be returned to you when you leave tomorrow."


    S''haar crossed her arms and rested her weight on one heel; her face bore a clear expression of annoyance. "Why take our weapons? Every day traders come through armed to the teeth!"


    Ger''ron had the decency to look ashamed but refused to budge on the issue. "Look, I''m not saying I agree with what happened to you. I can even see why it would be tempting for you to get a little revenge. What''s more, I might even enjoy the show. However, as the guard who let you into the village, I''d be held responsible. You''ve got the motive. I''m just trying to remove the means. We both know you can take care of yourself with or without that short sword at your side. At least I''ll look like I''m trying to do my job."


    S''haar looked like she was about to protest further, but Jack had already unbelted his knife and handed it over. Realizing Ger''ron was old and stubborn enough to argue the day away, she relented and handed her blade in as well.


    Ger''ron took the weapons then looked at S''haar. "And your word?"


    S''haar felt like a child being asked to apologize when she was anything but sorry. "Fine, I will not seek revenge against the spinless villagers who left me for dead or the dickless wonder who led them. This time..."


    Satisfied that was as good as he was going to get, Ger''ron Took a moment to inspect the blades before stowing them away in the shed behind him. Walking back out, he rapped on the gate loudly. "Hey Jar''maal, Open up. We got some traders here with iron!"


    From the other side of the gate came the voice of a younger and more bored Argu''n. "This time of year? Are they insane?"


    Despite his words, the gate was unbarred and swung open, allowing S''haar and Jack to walk in. As she walked past the younger guard, she could feel his eyes bulging out of their sockets as he recognized who was walking past. She just kept her eyes forward and kept walking, letting him stare slack-jawed at her retreating form. As they walked through town, they could hear voices raised in astonishment and confusion all around them.


    People stopped what they were doing to see the sacrifice walking among them again. Not only that, but she was leading the oddest and sickliest looking Argu''n any of them had ever seen. From the whispers that followed them, this seemed to be one of the most notable events in the village''s recent history.


    S''haar noticed a few argu''n that took off running as soon as they saw who was the source of the attention. It was a fair bet that all too soon, B''arthon would hear about her return. However, for now, it was best to worry about unloading the ore before things got overly dramatic.


    As they approached the crafting corner of the village, the younger argu''n stopped what they were doing to stand and stare at the odd pair. Not long after, an old argu''n appeared and began whipping a couple of the nearby workers with a towel smeared in grease. "Who told you that you could slack off? Get back to work the lot of you!"


    Seeing who was approaching, he barely paused before wiping his hands on the same greasy towel he''d been using for discipline. "S''haar! I won''t pretend I''m not surprised to see you. What brings you here? I warn you, regardless of what you''ve been through, I won''t tolerate you stirring up any trouble over here. We''ve got a lot of work to do and never enough time to do it in!"


    S''haar hadn''t worked with the craft master much in the past, but he always treated the guard with respect, and she had no ill will toward the old man. "I''m not here to make trouble Mar''kon, but I''m not going to help with your workload either. We''ve got a load of iron ore here that we want to have refined. In return, you''ll get a cut of the refined iron."


    Mar''kon looked over the ore S''haar had indicated. He held up a chunk glaring at it with a critical eye. "It''s garbage, and it''ll take a lot of work to refine. We''ll do it for a 5 out of 10 cut."


    That seemed like a lot to S''haar, but she wasn''t sure how to respond. That''s when Jack stepped up. "S''haar, introduce me and translate. I''ll negotiate."


    S''haar turned back to Mar''kon. "This is Jack. The ore is his. I''m just working as a guard and translator on his behalf. He can understand you just fine, but he can''t speak our tongue."


    Jack looked up at the older Argu''n, barely coming up to his chest. It was easy to feel intimidated, but Jack tried not to let any of that show on his face and hoped S''haar could compensate for any hesitation in his voice. "Tell him that''s some of the purest ore he''s ever going to see, and He can have a 1 in 10 cut."


    Mar''kon listened for a moment before grinning and countering. "Our workload is already too full with winter coming. We''ll do it for a 4 in 10 cuts."


    Jack didn''t hesitate. "The smelters will keep him and his people plenty warm while the rest of the village is cold. If he wants us to come back here regularly instead of going to a different village, he can have a 2 in 10 cut."


    A look of surprise flashed across Mar''kon''s face at the idea of this much ore regularly, but the look faded so quickly Jack could tell he was a veteran negotiator. The old man countered again. "You came here because we''re closer than any other village. We''ll take a 2.5 in 10 cut."


    Jack thought that was fair, but added in one last condition. "You can have 2.5 out of 10, but I get to chose which bars you keep. This will avoid the temptation of anyone trying to make some bars higher quality than the rest."


    Jack held out his hand and had S''haar explain. "This is called a handshake. Where I come from, it has many uses, including the acknowledgment of a mutually beneficial agreement."


    Hearing this, Mar''kon offered his hand as well. Jack took the oversized hand and shook twice. "Pleasure doing business with you Mar''kon, I look forward to working with you again. We''ll stop by tomorrow to tell you where the refined ore will be sent."


    Mar''kon looked genuinely surprised at this. "You''re not taking it with you?"


    Jack shook his head. "Not this time. We won''t have the time to hang around for it all to smelt. Instead, we''re planning on trading most of it for some goods we need to take with us. The rest we''ll pick up when we come with the next load."


    Mar''kon thought for a moment. "Fair enough, but I won''t have the space to store it for a long time. We''ll use anything left for more than two weeks and reimburse you with something of similar value at our discretion."


    Jack nodded. "That''ll work fine. Two weeks should be plenty of time."


    Mar''kon looked around him and selected one apprentice who seemed less focused than the rest. "Tel''ron, get your butt over here and get this ore over to the smelter. I want to have half of this smelted by morning, so we know the iron''s quality. Now get moving!"


    The young Argu''n got to it right away. The apprentices seemed to have the healthy fear any earth apprentice would have for a strict master, but they lacked the skittishness youngsters showed around someone too quick to lash out. Jack decided he liked old Mar''kon.


    Just then, Mar''kon looked over their shoulders and suddenly seemed tired for some reason. "I''ve got work to do. Remember, I don''t want any trouble around here, so if you have to fight, take it elsewhere! That goes for all of you!"


    Jack had just a second to be confused before hearing a surprisingly petulant new voice behind him. "Looks like the little orphan girl was even a failure at being a sacrifice. Now she''s also got a pet! Or maybe she''s finally found someone pathetic enough to let her share his bed!"


    As Jack turned around, he saw an unfamiliar argu''n. This one was slightly shorter than the average male Jack had seen until now, but he was dwarfed by the two giants standing just behind him. Most of the villagers seemed to wear leather or primitive cloth garments, but the center Argu''n wore furs and even a little metal. All three wore the same grin. It was the kind of grin that announces to everyone that they were looking to cause trouble.


    S''haar stepped up, putting herself between Jack and the new group. She then addressed the leader. "Hello B''arthon, it''s been a while, hasn''t it?"

 Chapter 8

    S''haar didn''t like the look on B''arthon''s face. He had the same look he always wore whenever he was about to torment someone he viewed as weaker than himself. As he looked down at the two of them, B''arthon obviously thought he sensed weakness he could exploit.


    The two goons stayed in place, leering, while B''arthon started circling his chosen prey. "Well, I must say I AM surprised to see you back again. I thought for sure you''d be nothing more than dragon shit by now, and yet here you are, hauling a load of stolen iron too! Tell me, how DID you pull that off?"


    S''haar kept her eyes locked on the two immediate threats in front of her while she addressed B''arthon. "We didn''t steal anything. The iron belongs to Jack." She nodded toward her charge without breaking eye contact. "He''s here representing the dragon, who happens to have more metal than she knows what to do with. The dragon agreed to trade the iron for some goods they could actually use. I''m only here acting as a guide and interpreter."


    B''arthon hesitated for a moment at the mention of the dragon, some undiscernible emotion passed through his eyes, but he covered his reaction as he quickly resumed his pacing. "You expect me to believe the dragon is more than some oversized beast? That it''s capable of understanding ideas like negotiation and trade? No, I think this feeble excuse for an argu''n somehow managed to get you free, and the two of you simply took what you could and ran. We can''t have thieves running about. Maybe I''ll just claim your iron and exile you from the village, for good this time."


    S''haar was beginning to size up the two thugs in front of her just as Jack spoke up. "Tell him I said that would be a mistake."


    S''haar wasn''t sure what Jack thought he would accomplish here but decided they didn''t have much to lose and translated.


    B''arthon reacted the way she thought he would, starting with a laugh that made her skin crawl. "Please, you think you can threaten me? What can a pathetic excuse for a male and one lone female possibly going to do?"


    Jack looked as calm as he ever did, though S''haar couldn''t help but notice one of his hands was suspiciously near where she knew he hid his gun. "I''m not threatening you, at least not physically. The mistake I''m speaking of is pretty obvious to anyone who stops and thinks for a moment. If you want this load of iron, I''ll give it to you, but every load that comes after will be taken to a different village. That means the villages around this one would see a significant uplift in economic strength while your community falls behind. Pretty soon, your craftspeople would leave for places that had more and cheaper raw materials to work with. That would mean less money and less power for whoever runs this village."


    S''haar noticed several faces take off running as they heard Jack''s claims. She was just starting to hope Jack''s strategy might pay off when B''arthon dashed her hopes. "I''ve heard enough lies from this curr and her pet. Teach them a lesson in manners before you remove them from our village!"


    S''haar was ready for something like this to happen, but unfortunately, so were the two goons. The first lept for S''haar and the second for Jack. S''haar tried to block the second but received a jab to the back of her head for her trouble. As she dropped to one knee, she saw Jack''s futile struggle as he was hoisted by his neck. The first goon was standing over S''haar, laughing uproariously.


    S''haar launched herself to her feet to shut him up and delivered her a quick jab to his exposed throat. She had kept her hand open, connecting with the space between her thumb and forefinger. He went down hard with a choking sound, but S''haar knew that aside from a nasty bruise, he''d be fine after the shock wore off.


    As she turned to see what kind of trouble Jack was in. He managed to surprise both S''haar and his opponent by kicking one leg up and bracing it over the top of his assailant''s arm. He then used that leg for extra leverage to kick up with his second leg and catch his opponent just under the chin. If they had been closer in size, the maneuver would have been impossible, but it worked perfectly in this situation. Well, almost perfectly. It did have the desired effect of launching back the head of Jack''s assailant, who then dropped Jack. The problem was when Jack landed hard and promptly writhed on the ground as though he''d injured his foot.


    Never one to waste an opportunity, S''haar launched herself at Jack''s assailant before he regained his composure. She took him down with a swift kick to his groin and followed up with an open-palm punch to the back of his head, collapsing him into the dirt at her feet.


    The situation started to look like it favored Jack and herself, which is how S''haar knew something was bound to go horribly wrong. The sound of metal clearing a scabbard behind her was all the confirmation she needed for her fear. Turning around, she saw the first thug standing again, with a genuinely pissed off look on his face and a sword in his hand. Hearing a similar sound on the ground below her, S''haar knew the odds had just shifted very much against them.


    B''arthon had stepped away from the ruckus, clearly intent on letting his hired muscle handle the heavy lifting. His face was shifting from eager anticipation to a look of manic glee as the events he had set in motion seemed to be coming to a climax.


    The first thug was drawing back to strike as Jack started to draw his own weapon. Everything slowed down as S''haar tried to think of a way for them to get out of this without bringing every guard in the city down on their heads, but was coming up blank.


    -


    Just as everything seemed to unravel, one of the goons fell to the ground, clearly unconscious. Behind where he''d been standing was old Mar''kon, wiping his lightly bruising fist with the same greasy rag as before. Looking around, Jack could see most of the apprentices standing around with various makeshift clubs in hand. They looked bored, as if they really just wanted to get back to work.


    Jack eased his hand away from the gun he had just resheathed. Things were starting to look up. Things like B''arthon''s blood pressure, for example.


    Acting out like a toddler who just had his favorite toy taken away, he started shouting at an increasingly bored-looking Mar''kon. "You''ve crossed a line this time, old man! My father won''t just sit back after you assaulted my bodyguard!"


    A voice rose over the rising murmuring of the gathering crowd. "You are correct. I won''t ''just sit back'' after this unnecessary waste of my time!" The owner of the voice was walking toward the center of the disturbance of his little kingdom. He was being led by the argu''n who''d taken off running just before the fight. He was also flanked on either side by a couple of bodyguards of his own. They weren''t as big or muscled as B''arthon''s guards, but they were better equipped and much more menacing despite having their weapons at rest.


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    The new argu''n handed some coins to his guides without looking away before continuing forward, his guard only a step behind him at all times. His clothing was a fur-lined cloth dyed in much more vibrant colors than anyone else Jack had seen until now. Like B''arthon, he was shorter than the average argu''n. However, his presence seemed to tower over everyone else present, including his guards, even though they had to look down to him as they listened for his orders. "My son has apparently learned the wrong lesson from my tolerance for his ill-mannered behavior of late. Perhaps it''s time I tried a different approach. Please escort him and his friends to the animal pens. Instruct Lady Ta''miel they are to clean the pens every day for the next week."


    B''arthon''s face couldn''t be described as anything other than petulant. "Father, you can''t be serious! She''s just another orphaned curr!"


    Still speaking to the guard and pointedly ignoring his son, the man continued. "Inform my son that while I don''t involve myself in his personal affairs, the merchants that visit the village are my concern. He''d do well to remember that in the future. Also, make it two weeks in the pens..."


    B''arthon looked as though he wanted to argue further, but in a rare moment of discernment, he seemed to decide he was better off shutting his mouth, for now. The look he shot Jack and S''haar as he was escorted away delivered a clear message, this is not over, and they will regret his humiliation.


    As S''haar helped Jack to his feet, the colorful argu''n turned his attention to the mismatched duo. At a glance, Jack could tell he struggled for just a moment to decide which face to wear for them and the crowd. Coming to a decision, he spoke to his remaining guard, who then went about dispersing the gathered crowd while his boss approached the targets of his son''s ire.


    His face was a mask of neutrality, and his arms folded in front of himself, appearing neither hostile nor welcoming. Obviously, trying to get a measure of the two before committing to anything. That suited Jack just fine.


    Jack limped forward, doing his best to ignore his protesting foot. S''haar offered both literal and metaphorical support by stepping up beside him and letting him lean against her slightly on his injured side. As Jack spoke, S''haar once again translated. "Greetings, lord A''ngles, I presume? I apologize for the misunderstanding between your son''s guards and ourselves. I hope no lasting harm will come of it. My name is Jack, and I believe you are at least somewhat familiar with my friend and translator, S''haar."


    One of A''ngles''s eye ridges rose at the word "friend," but otherwise, he appeared to take everything in stride. While Jack was never one to enjoy politics, in fact, he avoided them at every opportunity, he knew the game well enough to get by when needed. Lord A''ngles might be from a different world with a different culture, however, some ideas appeared universal.


    Seeing that order was restored in his corner of the world, Mar''kon simply grunted before turning around and chasing his charges back to their various jobs. Anyone who idled a little too long found themselves on the receiving end of a whipping via his signature greasy rag.


    A''ngles watched Mar''kon go about refocusing his apprentices before speaking. "Mar''kon is a man of great value to the village. He brings considerable admiration and value to the village and, admittedly, to me as well. In doing so, he has earned himself and his men a great deal of respect, comfort, and protection within this village. Anyone who can contribute to the village in such a meaningful way will always find himself," Lord A''ngles directed a meaningful look at S''haar. "or herself, welcome within our walls."


    A''ngles refocused his attention back to Jack. It was as though everything he''d said until now had not been blatantly directed at jack and instead had just been idle chatter. "To answer your indirect inquiry, I do not believe any lasting harm will come from today''s misunderstanding. What''s more, I shall endeavor to ensure your future visits to our village are free of such... misunderstandings."


    Jack nodded, knowing this was as close to an apology as he was likely to get. S''haar tried to look as uninvolved as possible while continuing to translate. "I''m sure that our continued association will enrich everyone involved. Hopefully, the sight of me bringing metals and other valuable goods will soon become a common sight in this town."


    A''ngles nodded in agreement, almost successfully hiding the glint of eagerness in the back of his eyes. His attention was momentarily taken by one of his guards, who spoke quietly in his ear for a moment before he returned his attention to Jack. "I''m afraid I am needed elsewhere at the moment. If your foot has been injured, I''m sure our town healer to set it right for you."


    Jack shook his head and waved A''ngles'' concern away. "I''ll be fine. I am trained in the art of healing myself. This will be but a minor setback."


    There was another sparkle of eagerness in Lord A''ngles eyes as he spoke. "A trader and a healer? Yes, I think you will be most welcome indeed... For now, please rest at the inn as my guest this evening. I''ll send someone over to see that everything ready for you at your convenience."


    With those parting words, A''ngles walked away in the brisk manner of someone who has too much to do and not enough time to do it in. That left Jack and S''haar alone, standing in the middle of what had not long ago been a crowded road. Turning to S''haar, Jack grinned. "Well, that went well!"


    That was when Jack put a little too much weight on the wrong foot and started to collapse before S''haar caught and steadied him. Glaring at him, she spoke her mind. "Maybe next time you should let me do what you''re paying me to do. While that move you pulled looked impressive, it left you on the ground and vulnerable while barely slowing your opponent down. In the end, all it would have done is left you vulnerable and in the way, making my job harder. Next time just run away before you get grabbed, and leave the fighting to me."


    Jack''s face turned a bit red before he deflected. "How was I supposed to know kicking that guy in the face would be like kicking stone?" His voice and expression softened. "However, I suppose you''re right. That was a mistake on my part, and I''m glad things didn''t end any worse than they did. I have to admit, it was quite impressive the way you handled those two. Thanks, I owe you one."


    S''haar wasn''t used to a male apologizing after she spoke her mind to him in such a manner. It caused her to hesitate a moment before responding. "I''m fairly certain up until now I''ve been the one in your debt. Don''t try and be a hero again, and we''ll call it even."


    Jack grinned back at her. "It''s a deal. Now, where can one go to find ourselves a cart around here? Preferably something big enough to haul back the sled and one injured non-hero?"


    Looking at his injured foot, Jack sighed. "Angela is gonna freak out on me when she hears how this happened."


    S''haar looked at him in surprise. "Are you in any condition to be wandering around town? Shouldn''t we get you back to Lady Angela so she can fix you up?"


    Jack shook his head, emphatically. "No need to rush, I packed everything I''ll need to make a splint, and I have some pain meds that''ll take the edge of the pain off. We''ll get the supplies we planned on, take lord A''ngles up on his offer at the inn, and head home in the morning as planned."


    S''haar gave him a stern glare for a moment before replying. "I guess it''s your call, but if Lady Angela throws a fit, you will take credit for the idea."


    Jack waved her worries away. "Don''t worry about it, everything will be fine. Also, since when is it ''Lady Angela''?"


    S''haar grinned a little impishly in response, enjoying the jealousy in Jack''s voice. "Well, she is a dragon. That deserves a little respect, don''t you think?"


    Jack knew what was coming but couldn''t stop himself from taking the bait anyway. "If Angela''s the dragon, what does that make me?"


    S''haar slowly walked away, leaving Jack to limp after her before turning her head and replying over her shoulder. "The dragon''s assistant, of course! And no, that position does not come with a title."

 Chapter 9

    Jack was in a good mood despite his throbbing foot. While not everything had gone as planned, things were more or less on track. He''d splinted and wrapped his foot, so it was relatively immobile, then took some anti-inflammatories and a small dose of pain meds to take the edge off any pain. However, he couldn''t take enough medication to make the pain go away completely. He needed a clear head for any further negotiations.


    The final part of his new ensemble was a stylish makeshift pair of crutches he had fashioned out of some kindling Mar''kon had lying around. Jack wouldn''t trust them for long term use, but they should get the job done for an evening.


    S''haar had watched Jack as he went about administering basic first aid to himself, noting the similarities to what she had learned in the guard and asking questions about the differences. She had been particularly interested in Jack''s medication being in tablet form, noting that the drugs she had taken in the past had been a foul-smelling and tasting drink. Jack had explained that keeping it in tablet form helped with the flavor, kept it stable a lot longer, and allowed for easier storage.


    With S''haar''s guidance, Jack was hobbling his way over to the woodworking portion of the village''s crafting section. Once he got there, he was somewhat surprised to find himself approached by a female argu''n. While he was still no expert in argu''n physiology, he''d place her at about half again older than S''haar, putting her in early middle age by Jack''s best guess. Also, she was more muscular than S''haar, probably due to years of hard work and heavy lifting involving the lumber of her trade.


    Jack held out his hand in greeting and spoke. S''haar, growing used to the arrangement they had, translated. "Greetings, my name is Jack, this is my friend and translater S''haar, and I''m here to trade for some supplies. I take it you are in charge here, miss...?"


    As the argu''n in front of him crossed her arms, Jack couldn''t help but notice the muscles rippling under her skin. It was kind of intimidating, and he had to resist the urge to step back behind S''haar. "That would be Lady Fea''en, and yes, I''m in charge here. What sort of supplies are you looking for?"


    Her words were gruff and to the point, as though she was more interested in getting back to work than negotiations. Jack held up his hands in a pacifying gesture before continuing. "I apologize. I meant no disrespect Lady Fea''en. I''m looking to trade some refined iron ore for a wagon and some basic woodworking tools."


    Lady Fea''en raised an eye ridge as she contemplated his words before replying. "Why not just have old Mar''kon make you a new set of tools? Your tools would be far less worn if you got them directly from the smiths."


    Jack nodded and grinned. After the politics earlier, it was a nice change of pace talking with someone who spoke their mind. "True, but I''m leaving in the morning, and I''d need the tools before then, so I''m willing to trade enough iron ore to make you two sets of new tools over the next couple weeks, give or take, in return for 1 set of used tools still in good condition.


    Fea''en barely thought a moment before replying. "Done. Now when you say wagon, are you looking for something to be pulled by an arlack or a hand cart?"


    As she spoke, she walked away, leading them into a nearby crude warehouse. Jack followed while answering. "A handcart, please. Something S''haar could push continually for four hours while it is fully loaded."


    Fea''en nodded before leading them over to a corner with several handcarts broken down in various stages of disrepair. "You''re in luck. Usually, a job like that would take me a few days to put together. However, with the end of the season, I had several worn or broken down carts traded in for some credit toward next season. If I cannibalize a few of them, I should be able to have a cart put together for you tonight. I could have it delivered loaded with the tools you asked for first thing in the morning. I''ll do it for double again the iron you promised. Now before you try and negotiate that down further, I''m already giving you a great price on account of the entertainment you two provided my workers and myself earlier, so it''s a take it or leave it kind of deal."


    Jack decided he liked Fea''en. Maybe it''s just that the last two people he''d dealt with had been B''arthon and then lord A''ngles, but her no-nonsense way of doing business was a nice change of pace. "I''ll take it. Mar''kon should have the iron purified over the next couple of days. You''ll get the first pick of the ore. If you don''t mind, I''d like a quick look at the woodworking tools you have, so I''ll know about how much iron I''ll have left for other trades."


    Fea''en showed them a few tools, most of which were similar enough to what Jack was familiar with, even if their forms differed slightly. Axes, hammers, saws, chisels, and planes were all included in the offer.


    There were a few odds and ends he wasn''t familiar with, and Jack decided to take them back to show Angela and get her to take on them. If nothing else, he was sure she''d love to see where argu''n innovation differed from their own. After a little bit of renegotiation based on the quantity of metal in the tools in question, they parted ways.


    As Jack walked away, he lightly brushed his foot across the ground, causing pain to shoot from the impact throughout the rest of his leg. After he took a moment to collect himself, and explain to S''haar that he wasn''t actually propositioning the gods so much as expressing frustration, Jack decided it was about time to call it a night. Luckily S''haar knew the location of the inn and led the way. Jack hobbled after, doing his best not to voice his thoughts about the unnatural solidity of argu''n chins.


    -


    When the pair first walked into the inn, they were greeted by a boisterous gathering. The crowd seemed to be mostly made up of locals relaxing after their day of labor, calling out to each other and the servers in as emphatic and noisome fashion as possible, in an attempt to be heard over everyone else doing the same. While there were many argu''n running from table to table laden down with food and drink, one server, in particular, seemed to be in high demand. She was somehow managing to keep track of ongoing conversations with three different tables before moving about to whatever group most loudly demanded her attention next.


    Just as Jack was beginning to wonder how in the world they were going to get anyone''s attention in all this chaos, the energetic argu''n''s eyes shot to Jack and S''haar. All other cries for her attention fell on deaf ears, much to the dismay of everyone else, as she hustled over to greet the pair.


    Jack would place the approaching argu''n at a similar age to S''haar, but where S''haar was tall and athletic, the new argu''n could only be described as petite, relatively speaking. After all, the top of Jack''s head almost came all the way up to her nose. She moved with the grace only someone used to carrying trays of food through a crowded dining room could have.


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    Jack started to wonder if inhuman coordination should be included in the annoyingly long list of advantages the argu''n possessed.


    With a wave of her hand and a flash of a smile, she greeted the pair. Jack tried his best not to be intimidated by how many teeth her smile seemed to contain, but once she spoke, her bright and cheerful personality was hard to be frightened of. "You must be the two I was told to expect! Lord A''ngles asked me to hold a seat for you at his table as well as the best room in the inn. Not that there''s a lot of choice in that regard, but it''s the best of the three rooms I have. I''m Sur''ruin, by the way, this is my inn, and your table is this way."


    As she flittered through the crowd, she slapped the occasional wandering hand away, somehow managing to be charming even when she had to tell off the occasional drunk. Finally, arriving at the table in question, she gestured to one of her servers, who brought over a pitcher and a couple clean mugs.


    Taking the pitcher and pouring the two mugs for her guests, Sur''ruin continued her explanation. "Your meal will be out shortly. We''ve had it warming for a little while in anticipation of your arrival. Once you''re ready to call it a night, just head upstairs, it''s the last room at the end of the hallway. If you need anything more, just signal for me. I''ll keep an eye out just for you!" Then she was on her way, working the crowd just like before.


    Shortly after she left, a train of servers came over with their meal. The table that had seemed too large for the two of them suddenly seemed far too small for the mountain of food that was surely testing its legs'' carrying capacity.


    S''haar did her best not to dig into the meal placed before her as eagerly as her mouth and stomach demanded. Jack was glaring between her and her meal with something between jealousy and mild hatred. "You know, one of the first things I''m going to do when we get back is to test the food of this world to see what''s safe for me to eat as well. It''s one of the greatest tragedies of my crash that you get this feast to yourself while all I have is another couple of ham sandwiches..."


    S''haar couldn''t disagree with his assessment, but there was no way she was turning this meal down. She had never eaten this well in her time in the guard. Even the food she''d had in her time with Bar''thon had been too rich for her taste. This was a simple but well-prepared feast. There were a wide variety of fruits, roots, and tubers her mother could have probably named. They''d been cooked, so they were crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. To top everything off, the centerpiece of the meal was an entire side of roast arlack. S''haar knew she wouldn''t be able to finish half of this in one sitting, but she was determined to put as much of a dent in it as she could before packing away the rest for the trip back. All this was washed down with the best drink the inn had to offer.


    Jack examined the mug the innkeeper had placed before him. "It looks something like mead." After sniffing it, his face contorted somewhat. "But I''d place to alcohol content somewhat closer to a whiskey. Will drinking a mugful of this affect your judgment significantly?"


    S''haar looked at her drink a moment before gulping down another mouthful. "Well, if I drink enough, it would, but two or three mugs shouldn''t have much of an effect."


    Jack shook his head. "So chalk alcohol tolerance up as another area of unfair argu''n physiology. For the record, one full "mug" of that stuff would probably leave me well and truly wasted, assuming there''s not something else in there that would simply kill me instead.


    Jack set his drink down with a sigh. I''d better steer clear of this if I''m gonna be taking a larger dose of pain meds so I can sleep through the night. Just a heads up, they''ll leave me kind of out of it, so you''ll have to keep your wits about you, so we''re not both vulnerable.


    S''haar took a large bite out of her arlack before replying. "No offense, but as far as I''m concerned, you''re always vulnerable whether you have full use of your senses or not. I have no plans on getting drunk while we''re outside your home, and I''m acting as a bodyguard."


    Jack looked like he wanted to protest her claims for a moment before deciding to take a large bite out of his sandwich instead. While he didn''t mind fighting for a lost cause, he knew better than to challenge S''haar, so shortly after he''d already proved her point for her by breaking his foot.


    Meanwhile, S''haar abandoned all pretense of not enjoying her meal, digging in with a gusto that would have put a viking feast hall to shame back on earth. Somehow she managed to take the occasional drink despite always having both hands full of different cuts of meat. A hand would only stay empty long enough to grab another fist full of whatever caught her eye next.


    Her eating habits might have lost Jack his appetite if everything didn''t look and smell so delicious. On the other hand, it was good to see S''haar enjoying herself so much. She''d certainly earned her keep, and more, this afternoon.


    Jack took another bite of his sandwich and smiled to himself. It might not have gone as smoothly as he''d liked, but he''d accomplished what he''d set out to. Now Jack had various contacts and connections within the village, and over time those connections might even turn into friends and allies in his quest to get back home. In return, maybe he''d teach them a thing or two to help them avoid some of the pitfalls humanity had gotten stuck in back on earth. All in all, Jack was feeling rather proud of himself.


    -


    S''haar cursed Jack for the first time since she had started to get to know him. She knew it wasn''t entirely his fault. He was acting drunk because of his pain meds and not because he''d overindulged the way the village men tended to do. He''d even warned her something like this might happen. Still, she had to resist the urge to slap some sense into him. As delicate as he was, she''d probably break his jaw or something, and she didn''t want to have to explain herself to Angela when she got back to the cave.


    She''d given up on trying to guide him to the room and instead just picked him up and carried him upstairs. She ignored the varying degrees of laughter and smirks that followed her out of the room. Jack was muttering something about how back on earth it was the groom''s job to carry the bride, whatever the hell a groom or bride were.


    She briefly amused herself by contemplating dumping him on the floor to fend for himself but decided against it. He was injured, not to mention with his delicate constitution, he might just kill himself trying to get to the chamber pot in the middle of the night. Being the bodyguard to someone so weak was more annoying than she''d anticipated. She was starting to think the compensation they''d offered her wasn''t so outlandish after all.


    Jack''s clouded and wondering eyes suddenly focused on S''haars, and when he spoke, his voice was definitely slurred. "First of all, I''m not delicate! You all are just freakishly durable... Furthermore... you know, I always thought you were kinda sexy in an exotic alien chick kind of way..."


    Just as S''haar was starting to seriously reconsider that slap from earlier, Jack passed out and started drooling on himself almost immediately. With a sigh full of long-suffering exasperation, S''haar tucked Jack in for the night.


    That done, she went back downstairs to pack the remainder of her meal away only to find Sur''ruin waiting with it already packed and ready. Handing it over, Sur''ruin spoke with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You know, when I heard about all the excitement and trouble the two of you caused this afternoon, I was expecting someone more imposing than your companion. I imagine someone so small that can also cause such an uproar must be quite the challenge to watch out for."


    S''haar couldn''t help but let a little of her exhaustion show. "You have no idea..."


    With a conspiratorial wink, Sur''ruin added, "Still, at least he''s kinda cute in an odd sort of way. It makes you wanna wrap him up and take him home like some kind of lost housepet."


    S''haar didn''t know what to say to that. Instead, she muttered her thanks, took the meal upstairs, and stored it with the rest of their belongings. That done, she settled in for the night as well, falling to sleep after one final thought. "Why did Sur''ruin''s description of Jack bother me so much?"

 Chapter 10

    When Jack woke up the next morning, something seemed off. It wasn''t just the fact that his jaw felt as though a nasty bruise was forming, nor was it the fact that he couldn''t move his arms. What was bothering him the most was that there was a presence beside him breathing heavily on the bed.


    As he cracked his eyes open, Jack quickly discovered the reason his arms were immobile. Someone tied them up in the middle of the night. What he could see from his prone position was a veritable maze of rope and knots. Jack almost got a headache, trying to figure out how they were all interconnected. Changing his focus to the presence beside him, he could see S''haar''s back rising and falling as she took deep even breaths.


    Jack tried to put together the previous night''s events but found he couldn''t remember anything after sitting down for dinner. Something told him that maybe the standard dose of pain meds for a broken foot might have been a bit more than he could handle. Still, it could be worse. At least S''haar hadn''t left him in a ditch somewhere.


    Just as he was trying to figure out what to do about his predicament, S''haar''s breathing stilled. As she sat up and stretched, she looked over her shoulder at Jack, giving him a glare full of ice and knives.


    Somewhat uncomfortable with the current situation, Jack decided to break the awkward ice, metaphorically speaking. Looking down at the ropes around his arm, he thought it might be wise to accept responsibility. "Sooo... Judging by the ropes and my jaw, I have some apologizing to do? I''m afraid that''s the first time in a long time I''ve taken pain meds that strong, and I might have taken too high a dose. I honestly can''t remember anything after dinner. I hope I didn''t... That is to say, I hope I wasn''t..."


    Jack''s apology floundered, but S''haar seemed to take a bit of pity on him. Her glare lost a bit of its icy edge before she spoke. "Well, I resisted the urge to slap you after you all but professed your undying love to me last night." At that, Jack''s face seemed even more pale than usual. "But when you got handsy in the middle of the night," Jack''s face now looked as white as snow, and his mouth moved with unvocalized terror. "first I reacted," She glanced at his jaw. "then I resolved the problem." She glanced at the rope.


    Jack was a stuttering mess tripping over his own words in an attempt to apologize faster. S''haar cut him off. "I will forgive you just this once, so long as it never happens again. As I''ve already mentioned, you bought my services as a guide and guard. You didn''t buy me!"


    At that, Jack''s face changed to an odd shade of green before he spoke up, and S''haar couldn''t help but be amused at the color spectrum humans seemed to be able to shift between. "Yes, of course, it won''t happen again! I can''t express how sorry I am! Seriously, that was inexcusable, and I am so very, very sorry!"


    S''haar cut him off before reaching out with what appeared to be a suddenly larger and much more dangerous claw. Jack started to break out into a cold sweat when she hooked the claw around a loop of rope close to his wrist before pulling and undoing a section of one of the knots. "You should be able to manage the rest from there. I''m going to head down and grab some breakfast. Feel free to join me, as soon as you are able..."


    As S''haar left the room, Jack looked at the remaining tangle of knots and tried to puzzle out where to begin.


    -


    When Jack finally hobbled his way downstairs, rubbing his arms to return some feeling to them, he saw S''haar sitting at the same table as last night. She seemed to be enjoying a plate full of various cooked meats and eggs with a small loaf of bread on the side. Jack sat down, grumbled something about the universe being out to get him and how its family tree must resemble the stitching on a baseball before he grabbed some of the granola bars he''d brought with him.


    As S''haar was finishing up her breakfast, another argu''n entered the inn. He looked around at the various guests quietly eating breakfast before his gaze latched onto the odd pair. He approached the two of them with a look of indifference before stopping just shy of the table. "You''re Jack, I take it?" despite clearly being a question, Jack could tell it was really more of a statement. He nodded his head anyway.


    The argu''n jerked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing toward the front door. "Got a delivery for you from Lady Fea''en. She said to make sure you take a look and approve it before I leave."


    Jack nodded and stood up. Before he could even offer his hand, the other argu''n was already walking away, presumably headed to the cart and tools. With a shrug, Jack followed with S''haar not far behind.


    The cart was just outside the front of the inn. At first glance, it looked rather shoddy. It was readily apparent it was cobbled together from several other carts. Many parts were obviously made from different wood types, and it was only symmetrical in the loosest sense of the word.


    However, on closer inspection, the cart was quite sturdy. While it was apparent many of the components had already seen plenty of hard use, nothing looked like it was going to give out any time soon. A few of the more delicate parts even seemed relatively new. Overall, the cart was in good condition and would stand up to continuous hard use better than anything Jack could have cobbled together this quickly.


    Looking over the tools, Jack could see they were much the same. The handles were well worn, and the blades had been sharpened more than once, but they were sturdy and well cared for. They had plenty of life left in them.


    "These will do perfectly. Tell Fea''en that I''m quite satisfied and will happily do business with her again." Jack wrapped the tools back in the oily rags they had been stored in, S''haar translated while he worked.


    The argu''n nodded his understanding and was on his way. Jack looked to S''haar while he finished securing the tools. "Let''s get the cart loaded, then go see how the refining is going. I want to know about how many bars there''ll be when all is said and done. If there''s enough, there is one last trade I''d like to make before we head back."


    -


    As Jack and S''haar approached the forges, several apprentices nudged the workers sitting next to themselves and looked pointedly toward the pair. No sooner had the whispers started up when old Mar''kon appeared seemingly out of thin air. His signature rag lashed out to "encourage" his apprentices to focus on their work rather than the now infamous duo. Having reestablished order in his workplace, Mar''kon approached the two distractions.


    The expression Mar''kon wore was the exact same one he''d had when negotiating prices and dealing with B''arthon. Jack wasn''t sure if monotone was a facial expression, but if it was, it belonged to Mar''kon. He reminded Jack of an old math teacher he''d once had.


    Mar''kon spoke first. "Come to check on our progress? Well, I don''t mind admitting you were right. That is some of the purest ore I''ve had the pleasure to work with. you keep bringing ore of that quality around, and I''ll cut you a better deal next time."


    Even though his face, voice, and even movements were precisely the same as Jack remembered, somehow, Mar''kon gave off the feeling that he was pleased. Jack offered his hand again, which Mar''kon shook without hesitation this time. Jack spoke up, with S''haar translating as usual. "Glad to hear it! I was hoping to get an estimation of how many bars we''d have when all is said and done. I''ve already traded a few of them away to Lady Fea''en, and I was wondering how many I''d have leftover? Also, I promised her first choice of refined ore, so if you could send a message to her when they are all finished, I''d appreciate it."


    Mar''kon nodded before leading the way to the ore turned bars. "Easily done, we should have it finished up before the end of the day. I''ll have them all laid out and ready for the old bat to come and inspect." Jack could tell the insult was more of a friendly jab at a fellow tradeswoman rather than an actual insult.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Showing them to a growing pile of refined bars, Mar''kon continued. "We''re about half done, so expect double what you see here."


    Jack did the math. Taking out what he owed Mar''kon and Fea''en, he should have just enough to get what he was hoping for. "Perfect, once we get back, I''m going to have to set up some infrastructure, but once that''s done, you should expect a new shipment of this quantity or larger every couple of weeks, depending on how much the winter around here slows us down that is."


    For the first time today, Mar''kon''s face changed in the subtlest of ways, indicating mild surprise. Jack assumed this was the Mar''kon equivalent of picking his jaw up off the floor. When he spoke, even his voice was just barely perceptively different. "You''re going to keep running ore in the middle of winter? You''re either desperate or insane. Or, more likely, both."


    Jack had a wry smile as he shrugged his shoulders and spoke. "It can''t be helped. I have a lot that needs to get done and a limited timeline to get it done. If it makes you feel any better, my people have several techniques and tools that make traveling in winter only slightly more dangerous than doing it in the spring or fall."


    Mar''kon''s face and voice returned to normal. "It''s your life. Though I''d hate to lose a supply of ore like this, so try not to die."


    Jack laughed as he turned to leave. "I''ll do my best not to inconvenience you by dying!"


    Jack barely heard the response muttered under Mar''kon''s breath. "See that you don''t, kid."


    -


    As the two pulled up to the hunter''s lodge, S''haar was feeling some reservations. Wearily looking up at the skull of a wolgen hanging over the doorway, she spoke. "Dek''thul will not be happy to see me again. We didn''t part on good terms..."


    Jack hopped down from his makeshift seat in the cart and hobbled toward the door, followed somewhat reluctantly by S''haar. He spoke over his shoulder as he walked. "Maybe so, but I suspect we''ll need to work with the hunters on occasion. let''s see if we can''t at least get a civil working relationship established."


    Opening the door and walking in, Jack took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the gloom inside the large hut. Looking around, Jack couldn''t help but feel a little intimidated. Everywhere his gaze wondered seemed to be another in a growing list of the most dangerous-looking Argu''n Jack had seen yet.


    Their clothing was decorated with the teeth and other bones of their hunts. A few even wore large fanged skulls as helmets. They were all well-toned and moved with a sleek precision that spoke of silent danger. There were many carcasses in various stages of being processed. Some were being skinned, others were having the meat removed and processed, and others were having their heads or skulls mounted as trophies.


    Even though everyone seemed to be focused on their various jobs, Jack couldn''t help but feel that he and S''haar were the center of attention. No one was looking directly at them, but Jack occasionally caught careful glances out of the sides of their eyes and could practically feel even the tiniest of sounds being carefully analyzed. It was as though he was being hunted by every argu''n in the room. Well, everyone except one.


    "S''haar! I''m surprised to see you here! After the falling out you and pops had, I didn''t think you''d ever walk through that door again!"


    Walking toward them was the single friendliest argu''n Jack had seen to date. Sur''ruin had been pleasant enough, but this young argu''n seemed positively eager to greet the pair, though Jack couldn''t help but notice how little of the attention was directed his way.


    The youth was well-toned, though his muscles were not as developed as most other argu''n around. When he moved, it further cemented Jack''s theory that argu''n were supernaturally coordinated. Though, to be fair, this youth put every other argu''n to shame in that department. It was as though he was completely aware of the exact position of every inch of his body. His movements looked slow and relaxed, but he crossed the distance between them deceptively quickly.


    S''haar crossed her arms and stepped forward, greeting the enthusiastic youth. "Hello again Lon''thul, I admit I wasn''t looking forward to seeing the old churlish again. It''s somewhat of a relief to see he''s not here at the moment."


    At that, Jack couldn''t help but notice that most of the hunters present were chuckling at her response. Also, the female argu''n laughed a little louder and longer than the males. Though once again, Lon''thul put them all to shame, throwing his head back and letting out a loud barking laugh.


    Getting himself under control, Lon''thul shook his head as he spoke. "Don''t let pops hear you say something like that. He might try and get you kicked out of the village this time!"


    S''haar''s gaze grew a little cold after that. "I was kicked out of the village. They left me tied to a stake as a sacrifice to the dragon." Jerking her thumb over her shoulder, she pointed at her new partner. "If it weren''t for Jack and the dragon being friendly, I''d have been something''s dinner by now."


    At that, Lon''thul''s face became a mask of astonishment, quickly followed by anger. Looking around accusingly at the other suddenly sheepish hunters in the room, his voice now had a sharp edge to it. "Why wasn''t I told about this?"


    Most hunters seemed to suddenly find their various tasks to be the most interesting things in the world, requiring all of their attention. The exception being one of the older females who met his gaze somewhat coldly. "You were away on a hunt when it happened, and your father told us not to trouble you when you got back. He was afraid you''d do something stupid, like go and challenge the dragon."


    Lon''thul looked like he wanted to argue further, but S''haar interrupted him with a wave of her hand. "Regardless, it all ended up alright. I have a place to stay and a new job. Speaking of which, we''re here because the boss wanted to do some trading." S''haar nodded her head toward Jack as she spoke.


    For the first time, Lon''thul directed his full attention to Jack. "Huh, S''haar called you ''the boss?'' That''s more respect than she''s shown anyone since, well, ever! What''d you do to make that happen?"


    Jack looked somewhat confused for a moment, scratching the back of his head as he spoke. S''haar translating somewhat awkwardly due to herself being the subject of the conversation. "Well, I don''t know that I really did anything deserving of respect. I guess I treated her like an equal and compensated her adequately for her services?"


    Lon''thul closed his eyes and nodded sagely. "Treating her with respect to get respect, clever! I''ll have to remember that."


    Jack couldn''t tell if Lon''thul was joking or not, so he decided to just get to business. "Well, the reason we''re here is to trade some refined iron for some hide and meat. How much can I get for a half dozen bars?"


    Lon''thul''s expression changed from an excited youth to an eager businessman. "You''re in luck. I just happened to be finishing up cleaning a churlish. For six purified iron bars, I''ll trade you all the skin and meat I can get out of it. It''s a fair amount. You got something to haul it in?"


    Jack pointed to the door. "We''ve got a cart right out front. Throw in a few thigh bones, and you''ve got a deal."


    Lon''thul looked a little surprised at the additional request but didn''t argue. "Sure, sounds like a deal. Let me just finish up here, and we''ll get you loaded and on your way! It''s right over here."


    Walking over, Jack noticed a churlish was something like a cross between a deer and a rabbit, in that they were a large quadruped with overdeveloped hind legs. Jack couldn''t help but imagine how far and fast this thing must have been able to jump. Once startled, they must have be almost impossible to catch, leaving him to believe that Lon''thul must be one hell of a stealthy hunter. Jack couldn''t help but be a little impressed by the eager youth.


    Looking up from his work as he flayed the last of the meat from the bones, Lon''thul addressed S''haar once more. "So, if you''re not in the village anymore, where are you staying these days?"


    S''haar smiled her favorite intimidating smile. It was full of a few too many sharp teeth for Jack''s comfort. "With the dragon, of course. Jack and I have a working relationship with her, and in return, we get room and board, among other benefits."


    Lon''thul looked more than a little surprised this time. "You stay WITH the dragon? Aren''t you afraid she''s going to eat you?"


    S''haar couldn''t help but have a little fun at the expense of Lon''thul''s inexperience. "Not at all, you could learn a thing or two from Jack here. If you treat a lady with the respect she deserves, she won''t bite... usually."


    At that, Lon''thul looked back and forth between Jack and S''haar with wide eyes, as though trying to discern any hidden meanings to S''haar''s words. Meanwhile, the women around the hut were laughing at his misfortune.


    Jack merely shrugged with an understanding smile on his face. "Don''t look at me for answers. I know better than to get in the way of a woman having fun and her prey." S''haar decided not to translate that last bit and left Lon''thul in the dark.


    Lon''thul decided it was best to shut his mouth and finish up his work. However, he couldn''t escape the laughter of the woman around him.

 Chapter 11

    -Two days ago-


    Angela was bored, or maybe more accurately, she was going stir-crazy. She hadn''t been alone this long since, well, ever. Even when Jack was asleep, there was usually plenty to do. Monitoring Jack''s vitals, scanning whatever system they were passing through, or even just trying to pick out fragments of old radio signals from the background radiation of the universe. But with Jack and S''haar gone, and her sensors muted by the mountain currently burying her, Angela had never had so little to occupy her attention.


    She''d thought about shutting down temporarily to kill some time, but then she worried that some damage to the ship might prevent her from starting up properly again. Also, what if there was an emergency, and Jack came back early and needed her help? The seconds or minutes it took to boot up could be the difference between life and death! What if the mountain collapsed further around the ship, sealing Jack off from his home? What if...


    As Angela''s processors started feeding themselves ever more improbable doomed scenarios, her avatar faded into existence despite no one being present to interact with her. She examined herself with one of her sensors as her avatar stared back. After a moment, she finally spoke to herself. "Wait, I''ve seen Jack react this way before. This is anxiety... This is a... panic attack...?"


    She''d witnessed Jack experiencing a panic attack a few times. It was a reasonably common occurrence shortly after their family died. Usually, they happened when he was required to leave the ship and travel into unfamiliar territory. As the years passed, the attacks happened with increasingly reduced frequency. Regardless, she could still pick up a spike in anxiety in him whenever he left the ship. Over the years, he''d developed various tricks and other methods for dealing with the stress, many of which were second nature for him now.


    Angela had never felt anxiety when Jack left before, not like this anyway, but she''d usually ride sidesaddle with him via a signal connecting him to the ship from some type of transmitter. This time an entire mountain was blocking signals going out and coming in, preventing her from keeping an eye on her little brother.


    She knew how attached he''d grown to the ship and her, but she hadn''t realized the same thing had happened in reverse. She watched as she shook her avatar''s head at herself and chuckled. "I''m a right mess, aren''t I?" ''Looking'' right into a sensor, she continued her thought. "I''m even talking to myself. Who has ever heard of a ship talking to herself?"


    What did Jack do to calm himself when the anxiety was getting too much to handle? Well, for one thing, he used puzzles. Not jigsaw puzzles or the like, well, maybe once in a while, but not usually. When he was out and about, he''d start doing math in his head. That wouldn''t help Angela though. She could do math too quickly and easily. Besides, that was usually only a stalling tactic until he could get somewhere to do some real stress relief.


    When things got really bad, and Jack realized it, he tried to "reset" his brain. He''d usually put on a demanding video game while simultaneously watching a movie, and sometimes even listening to music as well. Doing so many things at once overwhelmed his brain to the point it couldn''t dwell on anxiety, and his body would slowly stabilize itself. The process of flushing various fight or flight chemicals from his mind usually took a minimum of 20 minutes, then he was able to think more clearly and objectively.


    Angela didn''t have any chemicals wreaking havoc on her brain, but maybe a similar tactic would still work to calm her processors. Perhaps if she distracted herself for a bit, she could think more clearly once she reexamined the situation.


    Looking through Jack''s library of classic games, she decided she should start with something challenging. "He always enjoys the more brutally challenging games when he''s stressed. Maybe one of those will do."


    Shortly after starting up the game, she could tell it wasn''t going to be anywhere near enough. With all the processing power available to her, Angela had way too much time to react perfectly to every attack. It still might be a good idea, but maybe she needed to scale it up a bit.


    Angela started going through Jack''s library of games he''d acquired over the years. Any that caught her eye got thrown up on a different monitor.


    As her experiment got under-way, a small corner of Angela''s program noticed a whole two hours had passed since Jack and S''haar had left. It was going to be a long two days.


    -


    Jack and S''haar were finally on their way back. This was the longest Jack had been away from his ship in years, and he could feel himself becoming unreasonably annoyed by the smallest of things. That was usually a sign that stress had been building up in the back of his mind, and he had to start watching himself for signs he might be on a downturn. Initially, he''d been distracted by small things like survival and keeping a mountain from burying him alive. When that slowed to a less immediate demand, he''d been distracted by getting to know his new companion and the new world that now held him captive.


    Now that they were headed back home, Jack felt as though a weight were lifting from his shoulders. Something about going home always made him breathe a little easier and allowed him to think a little more clearly.


    He felt a little ashamed that he was just sitting in the cart while S''haar did all the work. Not that He''d ever been the heavy lifter of the pair up until now, but there was something to be said for pulling one''s own weight.


    Shifting his weight to a more comfortable position, Jack could see S''haar lost in her own world as she pushed the cart along. Deciding they both needed a break from their thoughts, Jack thought it was time to break the relative silence.


    S''haar seemed to notice Jack''s attention as her eyes suddenly focused on him instead of whatever inner vision they''d been looking to before. Jack decided now was as good a time as any to bring up a possibly touchy subject. "Mind if I ask you something personal? If you don''t want to get into it, you can tell me to mind my own business, and I''ll leave you be, but I was wondering, what happened to alienate you from the rest of the village? I know about the captain of the guard and the hunter chief, but there seemed to be plenty of decent enough people in the village. For example, Lon''thul seemed really interested in being friends with you."


    S''haar flashed a bit of a sad smile. "Lon''thul is a nice enough kid, but he''s just a young pup who doesn''t know what he wants yet. Hell of a hunter though. In the lodge, he''s second only to his father."


    Shaking her head, She continued. "Well, since I know your sob story, I suppose it''s only fair you know mine. My isolation started before I ever left the guard. While I don''t envy your history, I do envy your family. Your dad sounded like a real decent guy. Mine wasn''t."


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    S''haar took a deep breath and refocused on the distant horizon as she spoke. "He was a guard like me, but he liked to drink way too much. He was always missing patrols, and even when he went, he spent most of his time patrolling the inn. The only reason they let him stay in the guard was that he was unbeatable in the ring. More than a few of our guards learned dirty underhanded tricks that saved their lives after getting beaten down while training with the old drunk."


    S''haar''s grip on the handles was tightening enough that Jack could hear the creaking of the wood in her grasp. "The only other time he was of any use was if raiders showed up. He enjoyed killing far too much. The only times he''d come home sober was after he got to kill something or someone.


    S''haar developed a scowl that would terrify Jack if it had been directed his way. "Other than that, the only time he was home was if he needed a place to sleep or sober up. I''ll never know what my mom saw in him, maybe there was something more to him once, but it was long gone by the time I knew any better. Everything he made was spent on drink and women, leaving my mom and me to fend for ourselves."


    S''haar''s eyes hardened, and her smile developed a feral edge. "Then the old bastard crossed one line too many. I''m not sure who''s mate he got caught in bed with, but it was someone important enough that he got himself exiled in the middle of winter. Can''t say I miss him. The world''s definitely better off without him."


    Jack was stunned. He knew S''haar had no patience with what she considered "useless males," and with a father like that, he could understand why. Jack was suddenly very glad he''d ended up on S''haar''s good side, at least so far.


    S''haar''s face calmed somewhat and took on a sad expression, as though she remembered something bittersweet. "Thankfully, my mom was different. Her only real sin was her love of that waste of a man. Because of her, I grew up loved and healthy. My happiest memories were all of the times spent with her. In the spring, summer, and fall, we''d go wandering in the forest where we''d forage for supplies to feed ourselves or sell in town for food. I never knew what she did to bring home food in the winter, and now that I know a little more about the world, I''m not sure I want to know, but our home was always warm, and there was always food on the table."


    S''haar''s expression darkened as she continued on. "The only thing I''ll never forgive her for was giving up after my father was gone. He never did anything for her, but something in her died when he did. She never fully recovered, it took years, but eventually, she just faded away, leaving me on my own. How she could ever become so dependant on someone so worthless I''ll never understand."


    S''haar''s expression changed again. This time it was merely the look of someone who''d been through more than their fair share and was profoundly tired of life''s offerings. "After that, the days began to blur together. Everything I owned was taken as payment to provide food and a place to sleep until I was an adult. The other kids started out picking on me for being an orphan. In turn, I''d hit them for opening their fat mouths. I guess I inherited a bit of my father''s talent for fighting because, after enough squabbles, I caught the guard''s eye. They took me in, and that was my life until recently." S''haar shrugged. "You already know what happened after that."


    A lot of pieces fell into place in Jack''s mind as he took in everything he''d been told. They traveled in silence for several minutes, listening to the creak of the wagon and the song of some creature trying to find itself a mate, or maybe declare the bounds of its territory.


    After a bit of the mood relaxed, Jack took a breath and spoke up. "I''m sorry you had to go through all that. No one ever should have to experience something like that, especially a child... Sadly, we both know the universe can be a cold and lonely place. However, for the record, I''m glad you didn''t let it break you. There''s no one else I''d rather have as a guide, bodyguard, and friend."


    S''haar''s eyes sharpened with a look that Jack was coming to associate with her sometimes sharp sense of humor. "So we''re friends now, are we? Here I thought you were the boss?"


    Jack smiled in return. "You and I both know that without your help, my odds of surviving this world would be negligible at best. I''d say we''re both helping each other out. You''re not just some muscle I hired. You''re a partner and a friend... I hope."


    S''haar looked lost in thought for a minute, then grinned. "Friends, huh? I know you tossed that word around before, but I just thought you were trying to get on my good side. I suppose I could let you try out for the role. Though I warn you, I''m not the easiest person to get along with."


    Jack grinned and shrugged. "Well, if you''ll put up with me being a relatively weak, traumatized, shut-in, I suppose I can, in turn, put up with you having a bit of a temper and being blunt with your thoughts."


    The smile slowly left S''haar''s face as she grew serious once more. She looked at Jack as though searching for answers. "How do you know I wasn''t broken?"


    Jack was momentarily stunned by the sudden shift in the subject. "I''m sorry, what?"


    S''haar looked withdrawn, as though weary of the answer to her question. "When you said you were glad I didn''t let my experience break me, how do you know that I''m not broken?"


    Jack smiled for a moment making sure S''haar was looking at him before he answered. "That''s simple. I know you''re not broken because you are still moving forward. A broken person stops fighting. They just lie down and give up. You might bear a scar or two where no one can see, but you are still moving forward, you''re still trying to find a place for yourself in life..." Jack chuckled. "And I have no doubt that if you can''t find a place for yourself, you''ll make one. For the record, I pity anyone stupid enough to get in your way."


    S''haar gave Jack her best predatory grin. The one that always slightly unsettled Jack. That many sharp teeth had no business being on one person''s mouth. Then with a look that made Jack think S''haar was the real dragon, she replied. "Well then, don''t get in my way, and I''ll try and keep you alive long enough that we can both find our place in this life."


    Jack laughed a little nervously before shaking his head and responding. "Fair enough, it''s a deal. You know, crashing on this ball of mud you call home is starting to seem like it wasn''t the worst mistake I''ve ever made."


    S''haar laughed as well. "Well, being left as a sacrifice to such a mediocre dragon is starting to have its own bright side!"


    -


    As Jack and S''haar pulled up to the cave, Jack felt relief wash over him. He was back, and all was right in the world. Aside from a broken foot and acquiring a new mortal enemy, everything went as planned. S''haar found a place to park the cart next to the ship''s door, and Jack hobbled out as S''haar grabbed the first armful of leathers and meat to bring inside.


    Jack was a little surprised Angela hadn''t already opened the door to greet them. Instead, he placed his hand on the scanner next to the door. After a moment, a chime sounded, and the door opened. The sight that greeted him left him speechless. Whatever he had been expecting, this was not it.


    Every screen in the ship was playing a different game, and at every screen was a different Angela, screaming at the game in question. "Who programmed this buggy mess? That''s bull. I dodged that in plenty of time! Where the hell is the ballistic fiber hiding? Why does Gandhi have a nuke?"


    Jack just stood there stunned for a moment before speaking up, his voice betraying the fact that he was wondering if he hadn''t finally gone the rest of the way off the deep end, and this was all the resulting hallucination. "Ummm... Hi, we''re home?"


    A dozen or more Angelas yelped in surprise before fading from existence, leaving the screens unattended, half of which were soon displaying some variation of "You died."


    One Angela avatar re-appeared before Jack and a now very confused looking S''haar. Angela had the good grace to look abashed that they had walked in without her noticing until Jack had said something. Looking at Jack out of the side of the eyes of her downturned head while one hand rubbed the back of her neck Angela replied, her voice fading into an ashamed squeak as she spoke. "Uh, hi! Welcome back! Has it been two days already? My how time flies..."

 Chapter 12

    Jack was sitting on the exam table while Angela''s avatar gave him a once over. S''haar now realized the many devices above and around the table were Angela''s actual eyes and ears, and the reason Angela''s avatar existed was for the ease of mind of her mortal friends rather than any kind of necessity on the AI''s part. All of these machines and devices being a person was almost too much for S''haar''s mind to accept, but the friendly blue girl leaning over, listening to Jack explain what had happened was something else altogether. S''haar did not doubt that she was a person, and right now, she was an outraged person.


    Angela was shouting at Jack, who had the good sense to look contrite at the moment. "What do you mean you broke your foot kicking a particularly large argu''n in the face? Do you have a death wish? Did you want to leave me stranded on this planet? Was that your plan?"


    Jack was holding his hands up palm out, clearly signaling his surrender in the face of the tiny woman''s fury. "I didn''t have a plan, it all happened so fast, and there I was dangling from his hands. I thought S''haar was going to take longer dealing with her thug, so I was trying to buy her some time, that''s all."


    Angela''s face was a mask of disbelief. "So you thought the best way to resolve the issue was to KICK THE EIGHT FOOT TALL BEHEMOTH IN THE FACE? WHAT DID I BOTHER MAKING THAT GUN FOR?"


    Jack looked like he knew the next words out of his mouth wouldn''t exonerate him in any way. "I was still hoping to resolve things without killing anyone..." His voice had risen an octave by the end.


    Angela looked like she wished she could slap him. "If being held by your neck by a man twice your mass who could snap said neck on a whim isn''t life and death, when exactly do you think it would be?"


    Jack didn''t look like he had a good response, so he wisely kept his mouth shut and shrugged apologetically instead. Angela stared him down for a few more moments until he started to squirm, then the AI shifted her gaze to S''haar.


    S''haar was more than a little worried. If Angela was this angry at Jack, her own brother, how much angrier would she be with the bodyguard who failed to keep him safe.


    Angela gave S''haar an indecipherable look before she spoke. "S''haar, thank you for getting my hopeless brother home in one piece *despite* his best efforts. If it weren''t for you keeping him safe, I don''t know what I''d have done. If I had a body, I''d give you the biggest hug! Instead, you''ll just have to accept my thanks and know that I owe you a big one.


    Glaring over her shoulder at Jack, she amended her statement. "We both owe you a big one."


    S''haar had expected many things when Angela finally addressed her, but gratitude wasn''t anywhere near the top of the list. Shaking her head, she responded. "You don''t owe me anything. It''s my job to keep him safe. Besides, I''m just beginning to understand the crazy new world you two have introduced to me. It would be a shame to lose either of you at this point."


    Angela looked at S''haar with eyes dilated to the point of being all pupil. "You''re like the big bad-ass big sister I never had..."


    Turning back to Jack, Angela was back in charge. "Luckily, this is a relatively easy injury to heal up. Ideally, we''d spread this out over multiple treatments, but we''re in a bit of a time crunch, so we''ll have to speed it up a bit. I can still safely heal this up in about a day. The problem is anesthesia slows down the treatment, so we''ll be giving you a low dose of pain medications instead. Just enough to take the edge of the pain off. They''ll still slow down the process, but not nearly as much, and maybe the pain will teach not to act without thinking again."


    S''haar laughed. "more pain, meds? You might want to keep his dose a little lighter this time, given what he was like the first time."


    Angela turned back around, her hand on her forehead and a look of concern on her face. "I''m afraid to ask, what did he do now?"


    S''haar slightly enjoyed ignoring the pleading look Jack was giving her from behind Angela. "Well..."


    After a few minutes of explaining Jack''s behavior as the night progressed, culminating with the resolution involving a slap and subsequent creative use of ropes, Angela''s face went through a performance of expressions.


    Settling back into a look of fury, Angela turned back to Jack. "You did WHAT? I CAN''T BELIEVE YOU! I THOUGHT YOU HAD BETTER MANNERS THAN THAT! YOU ARE LUCKY IT WAS S''HAAR WHO DEALT WITH YOU AND NOT ME! I WOULD HAVE HAD YOU HANGING OUT THE WINDOW BY THE ROPES SHE USED! IF YOU EVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN, I''LL SPEND THE NEXT YEAR COMING UP WITH IDEAS TO TEACH YOU MORE RESPECT!"


    Deep inside, S''haar couldn''t help but feel a little bad for Jack. He was outnumbered by women who had no hangups about making it clear to him where he stood in the pecking order. All Jack could do was weather the storm and hope he''d live to see another day. However, outwardly S''haar couldn''t stop herself from laughing as Angela continued berating a man seemingly ten times her size.


    -


    Rapidly healing a broken foot was not Jack''s idea of a good time. Even the reasonably strong pain meds he''d been allowed to take couldn''t compensate for the bones and muscles shifting around inside his foot. It didn''t feel like his foot was on fire so much as it felt like his foot was severely asleep, and he was putting pressure on it, causing pins and needles to shoot up and down his foot. The problem was the pins and needles sensation refused to leave. It went on for hours. Sometimes it seemed like it would never end. It was something of an understatement to call the experience annoying. More than once, Jack had wondered if jamming a knife into his thigh might not be a worthwhile distraction.


    At least the whole thing didn''t have to be done in the cramped med bay. Instead, they had wheeled the machine out into the living room, and Jack had set up shop on the couch. He decided that it was time to introduce S''haar to another classic movie since he had nothing better to do.


    At the same time, Angela thought now would be the perfect time to teach S''haar her first lesson in human cooking. She called it "making popcorn." Angela began her lecture. "We''re not going to make microwave popcorn like some barbarian. This is the good stuff, stovetop popcorn. All you need is a little oil, salt, and of course, corn kernels. Now, let''s get started."


    S''haar learned that popcorn was a long-honored tradition among humans and was required to be eaten while watching movies. She was further delighted to discover that it was a light and salty snack that went perfectly with a beverage of some kind. Angela and Jack debated which drink to serve it with, which was apparently complicated by S''haar''s inability to taste "sweet." In the end, they went with a carbonated citrus drink that probably would have been too sour if it hadn''t been balanced out by the salty flavor of the popcorn.


    Jack thought it would be a good idea to show S''haar a more realistic depiction of earth history this time, and after her encounter with her recent ex, he suspected that she could do with a good revenge story as well. He chose "The Count of Monte Cristo."


    Refreshments in hand, they began the movie. At first, they had to pause the film periodically for Jack to explain concepts such as ocean vessels, a gold-based economy, and books. However, as the film continued, S''haar found herself more and more engrossed, only occasionally interrupting the movie to make fun of the fight scenes. It turns out the intricacies of swashbuckling swordplay is not as impressive to someone walking around in their own organically grown full-plate.


    S''haar approved Jacopo''s declaration of loyalty after the knife fight, cheered when Edmond tricked Villefort, and practically lunged at the screen when Mercedes was shot. When the movie was finished, she stood and applauded, a custom she''d learned after the first movie. Jack had chosen well this time.


    As the night wound down, Angela performed one final "inspection" of Jack''s foot and declared, "Ready to go! You''ll probably be a bit sore for the next few days, but the more you use it, the quicker that''ll fade."


    With the feeling of his bones regrowing and the muscles reattaching themselves finally gone, Jack''s leg felt oddly numb. Rubbing his leg in an attempt to restore feeling, Jack thought out loud. "Well, I can deal with that. We need to resume getting this place up and running anyway. We can spend the cold mornings in the cave mining, then we''ll switch to harvesting trees and shaping lumber in the afternoons.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Jack scratched his beard, noticing it was past time for a trim. "Eventually, I want to build some storage and guest housing, but that''ll be tough to do on our own. We might need to bring more people here to help out with some of the larger jobs. We''ll need somewhere for them to stay other than the ship. Aside from the crowding issue a bunch of seven to eight-foot behemoths would create, I don''t think it would be the best idea to invite the whole village inside for a tour."


    S''haar was imagining the reactions of some of the more superstitious members of her village and silently agreed.


    -


    Over the next couple of weeks, the work progressed slowly but steadily. Jack was pleased to find one physical aspect where humans still held the advantage. Good old human endurance. It didn''t completely make up for the gap in their strength, speed, and coordination, but S''haar needed to take breaks more often than Jack. Soon they fell into a pattern where Jack would take on the slow and steady jobs while S''haar tackled anything involving heavy lifting.


    Jack would mine and sort the ore, then S''haar would load it up and cart it back to the ship. Jack would cut down the tree and trim the branches, S''haar would haul the tree to where it could be shaped. Cutting the logs down to a manageable size was a two-person job, so they moved at S''haar''s pace for that one. The scraps that couldn''t be shaped were set aside to be used as fuel or traded in town. Apparently, firewood was a lot more valuable to a cold-blooded species.


    Jack was pleased with the progress they''d made. They had more iron ready to go than they''d had in the first load, and Angela had all the raw materials she''d need to get the transceiver made. They didn''t want to draw too much attention to the gold and silver, so Angela would expend the necessary energy to purify those herself.


    Looking at the load of iron, Jack had just one more thing to do before they went back to the village. He turned his attention to S''haar, who was catching her breath after filling the cart. Jack then put his plan into motion. "Well, we''re pretty much ready to go, but I''ll need to finalize a few things here first. You don''t need to hang around for that, though, and we could use some more fresh meat. Why don''t you take the day off to go hunting? You can test out the new spears Angela made you, and maybe just take a bit of time to relax."


    Jack had Angela make the spears in question the night before. Two smaller spears weighted toward the front for throwing, and a larger spear more balanced for melee. At first, Angela had protested the delay in what she said was more crucial work, but when Jack told her of his plan, she readily agreed.


    S''haar couldn''t help but feel something was a little off, Jack obviously wanted her out of the house for a while, but she supposed he was entitled to his secrets. The spears were of far better quality than any she''d ever seen, Just like everything else these two made, and the gifts probably warranted indulging Jack''s whims, at least for now.


    -


    S''haar was enjoying the solitude. Not that Angela and Jack were lousy company, she''d only known them a few weeks, and they were already some of the closest friends she''d had ever had, but S''haar had been alone for far too long not to enjoy a little peace and quiet away from the noisy duo.


    S''haar brought the sled with her to help with the transportation of any prey she caught and was currently dragging it behind her as she lazily ambled through the hills. In the distance, she could hear the mating calls of a churlish. She briefly considered tracking it before deciding to indulge herself by following the river instead. It was a surprisingly warm day for this time of year, and there was only a gentle breeze to disturb the plants around her. S''haar''s tongue flicked out, tasting the air. She was enjoying the sights and smells around her. These days she wasn''t worried about where she would sleep tonight or when her next meal would be, so she could take some time to enjoy her surroundings.


    Following the river around the bend of a hill, S''haar found her target. A young kovaack was enjoying a refreshing drink from the river. He was a bit on the small side for this time of year, probably a runt. This was an excellent opportunity to try out the new spears with minimal risk.


    As she hefted the first throwing spear, she marveled again at the balance. She''d practiced throwing them before leaving and knew she could consistently hit within a foot or two of her target at about 70 feet, and she could throw them over 300 feet if she was just going for distance, but she''d be unlikely to hit anything at that range.


    She crept close as she could while still giving herself time for a second throw before switching to the long spear. At about forty feet, she stopped, took aim, and threw. She hit her target squarely in the joint of his front right leg.


    The kovaack turned, and seeing S''haar, he let out a challenging bellow before beginning his charge. His fear and anger overcoming the pain in his leg, he closed the distance rapidly.


    S''haar took advantage of the kovaack pausing to challenge her by preparing the second spear. As he lowered his head to charge, she threw again, this time burying the spear in the skull just above his right eye. However, it didn''t go deep enough to kill the beast, and his charge continued.


    S''haar held her last spear, but rather than brace for the charge, she waited. At the last moment, she lept to her left, avoiding the large horn thrust her way. The kovaack pivoted, digging into the ground with claws dull from digging up roots and tubers. The sudden reversal of momentum put too much stress on his injured knee, and he hesitated for a second.


    S''haar took capitalized on his hesitation, as well as the blind-spot caused by blood flowing down into his right eye. She used the force of her digitigrade legs to launch herself forward with terrifying speed before using her full body weight to bury the spear up to her hand into the eye of the beast.


    It was as if something snapped, and the beast collapsed all at once. As he fell, he let out a final "wuff" as the air was forced out of his lungs by his own weight.


    -


    As S''haar pulled her catch back to the cave on the sled, she couldn''t help but imagine a nice kovaack steak sizzling on Jack''s odd grill. She had field dressed the kovaack and would tie it up to drain tonight, which meant she probably wouldn''t have the opportunity to butcher it until they arrived at the village, but it was still nice to think about.


    S''haar noticed a large pile of containers sitting just outside the ship as she walked into the cave. Wondering what was going on, she bumped into Jack as he carried another crate to add to the collection. As he started to lose his load, S''haar grabbed the falling container, quickly hoisting it up and walking over to place it with the rest on the stack.


    S''haar spoke her shoulder as she stood back up. "Isn''t this the kind of thing you hired me to help out with? What was so important about moving some crates that you needed me to disappear for a while?"


    Looking back, Jack was rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin on his face. "That obvious, was I? Well, no worries, the important part is ready. How about I help you string that monster up, and then I''ll show you what we did while you were gone?"


    -


    After getting the kovaack tied up in a particularly sturdy tree so the blood could drain overnight, the two went inside. S''haar walked into a disaster. There were crates and boxes piled everywhere. Standing in the middle of the mess, Angela was dressed in something Jack later explained was called overalls. She had a clipboard and seemed to be taking inventory before looking up and seeing S''haar. She turned and spoke to Jack. "I told you we''d never get this done before she got back."


    Turning again, Angela addressed S''haar, welcome back! I hope the hunt went well?"


    S''haar was not going to be distracted from the mess before her. "What in the world is going on here? Is there some weird human tradition involving making a mess like this? It looks like you emptied an entire storage room into your living room."


    Jack had a big grin as he walked to the other end of the room, stopping just short of a door S''haar had rarely seen him use. Looking back at her, he spoke. "That''s exactly what we did! Although I realized pretty early on, it would have gone faster with your help. However, I wanted this to be a surprise."


    As S''haar walked up to him, Jack opened the door. Looking inside, the storage room looked almost empty aside from a bed placed against one wall covered in leathers and skins with a pelt rug off to one side.


    Jack spoke up behind her. "You''ve been sleeping on the floor of our living room long enough, and I don''t think you''ll be leaving us anytime soon. I figured you deserved a room of your own where you could get some peace and quiet once in a while. It''s a bit empty right now, I didn''t have the materials to do much, plus I figured you''d want to choose your own furnishings. So I just had Angela make up the frame and mattress for the bed. We used the skins we brought back with us for the blanket and rug. When we return to town tomorrow, you can pick out a few other things to make it feel more like your own."


    S''haar turned around and picked Jack up into a bear hug, spinning him around like she''d seen people do in the movies he''d shown her. Angela openly laughed at Jack''s predicament. Meanwhile, Jack let out a very manly "Yelp!" before finding a slightly strained voice. "Ugh, as happy as I am at your reaction, could you ease up a little? I don''t have your bony plates to protect me from being crushed."


    S''haar put Jack down with a quickly muttered apology before flinging herself onto her new bed. Jack grinned at her surprisingly childlike antics while watching from the doorframe. He continued his explanation. "The door has its own lock, and Angela promises she won''t let me unlock it unless it''s an emergency. We can communicate through the sound system, but you can even shut that off if you want. You can tell Angela if you want the lights on, off, or dimmed, also if you want the temperature warmer or cooler. The room is yours to fill or decorate as you please."


    Sitting up with a seriousness that did nothing to wipe her excitement a moment ago from Jack''s mind, S''haar responded. "This is the first room I''ve ever had all to myself. Even growing up, our house only had two rooms, so I slept in the common room. I guess I''m trying to say thank you, both of you."


    Jack''s grin grew a little wider. "You''re welcome. You''ve more than earned it!" Jerking his thumb over his shoulder, he indicated the disaster behind him. "Now, I don''t suppose I could talk you into helping move the rest of this stuff outside? The containers should keep the contents safe from any exposure in the cave, anything more sensitive I already moved into one of the other storage rooms."


    S''haar stood up and walked out of the room, hesitant to leave her new room already but unwilling to let Jack do all the work himself. Instead, she just grinned as she hefted a particularly large crate. "Of course! That''s what I''m here for after all!"


    Jack couldn''t help but notice S''haar moved with a bit of a bounce in her step that he''d never seen before.

 Chapter 13

    Jack strapped down the kovaack''s carcass after shifting the iron so that the weight was evenly distributed throughout the cart. This was a significantly larger load than they''d taken on the first trip. With this haul, he had no doubt they could get all the furnishings needed to fill S''haar''s room, stock up on things like food and hides, and still have a fair bit of refined iron to bring home. The less energy Angela had to spend on refining, the better.


    Angela was just saying her farewells to S''haar as he worked. "Make sure you both get plenty to eat! Don''t forget that while Jack can eat most of the food, he needs to stay away from your alcoholic beverages!   Speaking of drinks, don''t let Jack forget to drink water periodically. Left to himself, he''s likely to get himself dehydrated!"


    S''haar''s face was pure incredulity, and Jack was sure that if left to her own devices, Angela would go on forever, so he walked up to interrupt. "Thanks mom, I love you too, but we''ve done this before, remember? We''ll be fine."


    Angela wasn''t going to let them off that easy. "And remind me how that turned out? Because if I remember correctly, you almost got yourself killed and ended up with a broken foot! Clearly, someone needs to talk some sense into you two!"


    S''haar was slowly backing away from the two siblings, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. Jack set into a more relaxed stance and tried a different approach. "Listen, we''ve almost got what we need to get a decent transceiver up and running so you can come along with us for future outings, but for now, we have to head out on our own. We''re better prepared for any trouble we might run into this time, and hopefully, we can avoid it altogether! I promise you, we''ll be careful and do whatever we have to do to return safely, ok?"


    Angela looked a little sullen but seemed to realize Jack was right. "Fine, but if you get yourself killed out there, I''ll never forgive you!"


    Jack grinned. "If I get myself killed out there, I promise to come back and haunt your ship, so you''re never alone. We''ll become the sort of ghost ship that sailors tell stories about for hundreds, no thousands of years!"


    Angela responded with a curt, "You''d better!" before fading away and closing the door.


    Jack turned back to S''haar with a slightly more weary grin. "Shall we be off?"


    -


    This time the journey was a much more relaxed affair. All the stress and what-ifs from the first trip were absent, leaving the two to enjoy the quiet sounds of nature as they walked. By midmorning, they were about halfway to the village, and Jack was walking along with half-closed eyes. He was enjoying the crisp early winter scent in the air, and it took him a moment to notice when the sound of the wagon next to him had come to a halt. Looking over at S''haar, Jack saw her focused into the distance. Following her gaze, he could see a distant wisp of smoke quite some distance to the north.


    S''haar looked back to Jack with a face of careful neutrality. "Why don''t you stay here with the cart? I want to go check that out. It''s probably nothing..."


    Jack returned her look with a steely resolve. "But it might be something. You can check it out, but I''m coming with."


    S''haar looked like she wanted to argue but looked back at the smoke and instead responded with a slightly distracted voice. "Fine, you''re the boss. Though I''m not defending you to Angela if you get yourself killed."


    As S''haar set off, Jack followed, grumbling to himself. "What''s with everyone assuming I''m going to get myself killed today?"


    -


    As they crept closer, Jack and S''haar both stayed low and crawled over the crest of the final hill separating them from the smoke. Looking over the ridge, Jack could see what looked like a temporary camp of argu''n. However, these ones looked even more primitive than the villagers Jack was now familiar with.


    There were also a variety of items scattered around the camp that looked like they didn''t belong. One argu''n was wearing a delicate dress that seemed totally out of place as she guzzled down her drink. Another was using a well-crafted dresser as a stool on the far side of a campfire.


    S''haar spoke up beside him, her voice thick with disdain. "The hill people. They were thieves and murderers exiled from their villages. They then gathered together and formed their own villages hidden in the hills for survival. For a long time, they minded their own business, then they started raiding anyone they saw as vulnerable.


    By that time, they had grown so large and knew the hills so well that every expedition sent to wipe them out either never found them or never returned. This band must have taken advantage of yesterday''s warmth and went out for one last raid. It looks like they found someone too... Probably some poor merchant trying to make his way to a winter home. My guess would be..."


    S''haar''s explanation cut out mid-sentence. The reason for the interruption was easy for Jack to see. Out of a tent came the largest argu''n in the camp. Behind him, he was dragging a child. The child obviously didn''t belong in the camp. She was of lighter build and better fed. Her back was covered in welts like she''d been severely whipped recently.


    As the child fell down crying, the large argu''n kicked her in the ribs until she got back up and continued following her captor while choking back more sobs.


    Jack felt his stomach drop out from under him. As S''haar eased her way back down the hill, Jack followed. Calming himself, he turned his attention to S''haar. "What is going to happen to that girl?"


    S''haar''s eyes were focused in a far off place, and her pupils were dilated. "If she lives, she''ll be a slave. She''ll either belong to one of the members of the raiding party, or more likely, She''ll be sold to curry favor with someone more powerful. However, given her current state, she''ll most likely die, probably before nightfall..."


    Jack had never seen S''haar like this. She was so angry that despite remaining entirely still, she radiated a murderous aura. It was clear that S''haar was getting ready to go do something stupid. Looking over to Jack, she calmed herself enough to speak again. "This is where we part ways. I''m afraid I can''t go with you any further."


    Jack suspected he knew why, but wanted her to say it. "What are you planning to do?"


    S''haar looked down at the ground, her claws digging into her palm so hard that a small trickle of blood fell to the ground. "I''m going to go down and challenge the largest raider in the camp to one on one combat for the child''s freedom. When I win, the rest of the camp will rush and kill me. If I''m lucky, I''ll be able to take another two or three with me. There''s no way I can take them all, but I can''t walk away either, so I''m afraid I can no longer act as your bodyguard."


    Jack spoke sharply, forcing S''haar to look up. "I refuse to allow you to leave my service at this time! I am about to find myself in an extremely hazardous situation, and I''ll need my bodyguard to keep me alive."


    S''haar looked at Jack with disgust for the first time since they had met, and when she spoke, her voice held acid in it. "I realize you''re probably frightened by the nearby raiders, but I''ll give you enough time to get a head start running home first. Angela should be able to keep you safe."


    Jack had pulled out his handgun and was checking the magazine with a shaking hand. "You misunderstand. I''m about to go down to that camp and save that girl. If I''m going to have any chance of pulling it off, I''m going to need my bodyguard by my side." He was proud of the fact that his voice was more steady than his hands at the moment.


    S''haar''s look lost its edge, and when she spoke, her voice was much softer. "I''m sorry, I misjudged you. However, while I appreciate the offer, you''d only slow me down. There''s no reason for both of us to die today."


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    When Jack finally took his eyes off his gun and looked S''haar in the eyes, he appeared strangely calm. "S''haar, I want you to think of all the wonders and marvels you''ve witnessed since you first met me, now I want you to listen very carefully to what I have to say. I have the ability to kill every single person in that camp. The only question is, whether or not I''ll live long enough to do it."


    Jack just wished his hands would stop shaking so much while he was speaking. S''haar''s gaze fell to his hands for a moment as the shaking got worse. "Are you certain you will be able to kill when the time comes?"


    Jack''s expression split into a sad shaky grin. As he spoke, a dark, hopeless laugh echoed in each word. "Honestly? No, I''m not, I''ve never killed a person before, and for all I know, when the time comes, I''ll be shaking so bad I''ll miss every shot, or maybe I''ll just freeze up completely and wait to be killed."


    Closing his eyes, Jack let out a deep sigh. He didn''t even notice as his hands steadied while he continued speaking. "What I do know is what I can''t do. I can''t walk away and leave a friend to die. I can''t condemn a young child to a life of slavery or death. I''m going to go down there with you, and if all else fails, at least you won''t die alone."


    S''haar looked at Jack for what was probably only a few seconds but felt like hours. Then She gave him her best predator''s grin, but this time it didn''t unsettle jack as much as usual. When She spoke, there was something new in her voice that Jack couldn''t quite place. "Huh, what happened to the soft little shut-in I knew up until now?"


    As S''haar looked at Jack, she seemed to be searching for a hint of hope. "So, what''s your plan?"


    Jack went back to checking his gun, making sure he knew where the safety was and checking for a full magazine a second time before chambering a round. "Well, step one will be the same as your plan. You challenge the toughest looking argu''n down there, then kill him. Once the rest charge, you focus on slowing them down and not dying. I''ll try not to wet myself and thin the herd. After that, things will be so chaotic any further planning would be a waste, so we just try and live longer than any of them."


    S''haar nodded. "I expected a little more subtlety or trickery out of you, but that''ll have to do."


    Jack looked back to her with an almost halfway confident grin this time. Holding up the gun for S''haar to get a better look, he explained. "The trick is, I''m hoping the shock and confusion of what this thing can do will slow them down enough for us to do what we need to do. We are both better armed and armored than them, mix in a little shock and awe, and we might just get lucky enough to walk away."


    Lowering the gun, Jack looked off into the distance again. "I wish I had a few more supplies from the ship, a rifle to pick them off, maybe a few grenades, hell, even some fireworks would make a world of difference." Jack shrugged. "The problem is, we don''t have time, so we go with what we have and hope it''s enough."


    -


    S''haar walked right toward the camp, and Jack followed a little way behind. As the men around the campfire stood and watched her approach S''haar jabbed her spears into the ground and walked a short distance further. Stopping well shy of the camp, she shouted out her challenge. "IS THERE ANY MALE HERE STRONG ENOUGH TO CHALLENGE ME?"


    Many argu''n looked interested in taking S''haar up on her offer, but the largest of the group pushed his way to the front, standing a full head above the other eight-foot behemoths. His presence silenced all other challengers. Over his shoulder was slung a club with a stone tied to the end. It was larger and probably heavier than Jack was. The men of the camp started chanting, "Dol''jin, Dol''jin, Dol''jin!"


    Waving his men down to silence them, Dol''jin looked S''haar up and down, getting her measure, though apparently not as a fighter. Leering, he replied, disdain thick in his voice. "What do I get when I win?"


    S''haar''s voice quieted, forcing the lecherous calls to end if the men wanted to hear her reply. "You get the opportunity to break me to your will, then do with me as you like."


    Dol''jin laughed, the rest of the camp joining in half a breath behind. "We were going to do that regardless of the outcome! So tell me, what do you claim if you win?"


    S''haar took a half step forward. "In your recent raid, you took a young girl, you will release her to me, and we''ll leave."


    Dol''jin''s laughter was even more derisive than before. "Fresh meat like that is worth far more than some used up whore like yourself! Still, it hardly matters. You lost the moment you stepped forward!"


    As the last word was leaving his mouth, the argu''n leaped forward, his club swinging in a blindingly fast arc. For a moment, Jack thought the fight was already over, but at the last moment, S''haar became a blur of motion. She dove under the club, drawing her blade and scoring a shallow cut as she passed.


    Dol''jin looked down at the cut on his chest, right between two plates. Looking back up, his voice was thick with contempt and his eyes still leering as he spoke. "Is this little cut the best you can do? I''ve been hurt worse by the whelp you''re so eager to save!"


    S''haar just stood calmly, almost passively, and waited. Seeing that his taunting had little effect, Dol''jin launched into a new attack. Once again, swinging his club at ridiculous speeds. If that wasn''t bad enough, he started bending the club''s momentum in on itself in ways Jack wouldn''t have believed possible, except that he was watching it happen. Soon the club was twirling around in a pattern too quick and chaotic for Jack to follow.


    Apparently, it wasn''t too quick for S''haar though. As Dol''jin approached, she slipped and slid around the club, sometimes so close that Jack could swear he saw the club lightly brush against her plates. The two fighters were at a stalemate, Dol''jin couldn''t land a blow, but S''haar couldn''t get close enough to go on the offensive.


    Before long, it was apparent that both combatants were getting tired. They slowed almost imperceptibly until Dol''jin took a mere half a second too long to bring his club around, and S''haar struck again. Sliding low, this time she landed a shallow slice against the back of his left knee before bouncing back to her feet behind him.


    Perhaps thinking S''haar would commit to an attack now that she was at his back, Dol''jin swung around wildly, using the momentum of his club to turn himself more quickly.


    S''haar had been waiting for just that move. As soon as the club passed a little too far, she launched past Dol''jin again, landing another small cut on his lower bicep.


    The crowd was still chanting Dol'' jin''s name, but Jack could see that Dol''jin was starting to realize he was in trouble. Being Argu''n, both fighters were built for speed and power, not endurance, and as the fight dragged on, it was taking its toll. Adding in his weapon''s weight, pain slowing him slightly, and his increasing blood loss, and it was clear Dol''jin was going to tire first. It was time for him to try something new.


    As Dol''jin swung the club this time, he loosened his grip for a mere fraction of a second before tightening his hold again. This caused the club to slip and extend it''s reach a few inches mid-swing. It was enough for S''haar to miscalculate her dodge, and she took a glancing blow to her right shoulder, causing S''haar to drop her blade.


    The watching argu''n let loose an uproarious cheer, and Dol''jin began another of his impossible moves, bending the club''s momentum in on itself to land the final blow. S''haar rolled into the swing this time, coming up inside the club''s reach and latching onto her prey. Her teeth dug into his neck while her left thumb''s claw gouged into his right eye.


    With a roar, Dol''jin grabbed her by the neck and threw her on the ground, and although she hit the ground hard, S''haar was able to roll away before he could bring his club to bear. It was clear who had come out on top of the exchange, although it wasn''t enough to end the fight yet.


    For the first time, the crowd was silent, and the fight took on a more desperate feel now that the only sounds that could be heard were the grunts of effort and pain of the two combatants. For the last time, Jack checked the safety on his gun. The end was rapidly approaching.


    Knowing he''d all but lost, Dol''jin took a final desperate gambit. When he swung his club this time, he let it fly, forcing S''haar to drop low to avoid the massive projectile. Dol'' jin followed just behind the club, hoping to pounce on S''haar before she could regain her composure and finish her with his greater strength.


    As he lunged toward his opponent, Dol''jin could see one of her arms trapped underneath her, and his hope flared, until that arm flew out from under her. He saw the flash of steel just as he landed on the blade she''d hidden, his own momentum pushing the point completely through his bony chest plate and into his heart.


    S''haar leaned in and whispered into his ear, "You lost the moment you stepped forward." before shoving the oversized Dol''jin off to the side.


    She slowly stood, staring at the silent crowd. S''haar remained still, gasping for breath, taking advantage of every second of stunned silence to recover as much as possible.


    Four things then happened in rapid succession. First, one of the watching argu''n lurched forward, his companions barely a half-second behind him. Second, S''haar turned and leaped for her spears as fast as she was able. Third, a loud crack of thunder tore the silence apart. Fourth, the lead argu''n''s chest turned into a bloody crater. He fell as everything returned to stunned silence once more.


    Jack aimed his gun at the second closest argu''n and pulled the trigger for a second time.

 Chapter 14

    When Jack and Angela first met S''haar, they witnessed the gap between human and argu''n physiologies. Both realized standard human armaments might not have enough stopping power. Instead, they decided to use bullets with a hardened steel tip with a high explosive core. In theory, it should have more than enough force to crack an argu''n''s armor plating and cause significant damage to the flesh underneath.


    As Jack watched the fight between S''haar and Dol''jin, he wished Angela and himself had gotten in more practical testing against ballistic dummies. Now he just had to hope that what little testing they had done would prove sufficient.


    Looking down, Jack noticed his hands were shaking again, worse than they had before. He tried to will them to be still, force them to be calm, but that seemed only to make the shaking worse.


    That was when, Dol''jin scored a glancing blow against S''haar''s shoulder, causing her to drop her sword. Jack started to raise the gun, but before he could get a shot, S''haar leaped onto the giant, burying her teeth into his neck. Jack lowered the gun again, telling himself he needed to trust S''haar more. After all, if she couldn''t hold her own in this and the coming fight, they were both already dead.


    Looking back at the crowd of watching argu''n, Jack was doing math and not liking the result. Ideally, once he started taking shots, many of the hill people would break and run, but based on what he knew of argu''n, their fight or flight response was weighted heavily toward fight.


    Jack counted 23 argu''n in the camp. Even if S''haar was able to take out four or five after her fight with the club-wielding maniac, there would still be way more raiders than the 10 bullets Jack had in his magazine. That meant he''d have to stop and reload while being charged by several eight-foot-tall monsters that could move faster and leap further than any living human. No matter how he looked at it, there was no way he could think of that he could kill all of them before they reached him, and his time was running out.


    Dol''jin looked as though he was about to make one last desperate gambit. Jack had to hope S''haar was ready and able to deal with whatever it was. For the last time, Jack checked the safety on his gun; the end was rapidly approaching.


    Jack''s stopped breathing when he saw the trap Dol''jin had laid for S''haar. After throwing his club, he rushed in while she was still prone, hoping to take advantage of his greater strength. However, S''haar proved herself more than worthy of Jack''s trust. As she fell onto her back, S''haar placed a hand beneath her, appearing to slow her fall, but her real goal was the blade she had dropped earlier. S''haar pulled out the short sword and impaled the flying Dol''jin before he had any chance to react, ending his life, and thus the fight.


    Everything seemed to slow down at that moment. As S''haar stood, Jack raised the gun and half aimed it toward the watching argu''n. He waited until the first one started to rise, then sighted along the barrel into the center mass of the lead argu''n and pulled the trigger. The result was everything Jack could have hoped for and utterly horrific. Jack clamped down on that second observation and locked it away to be dealt with when he and S''haar weren''t fighting for their lives.


    Jack aimed the gun at the next closest argu''n and pulled the trigger a second time. As that raider''s chest turned to ruin, the spell that held everyone silent ended. Everything exploded into action.


    A couple of argu''n turned and ran, but not nearly as many as Jack had hoped. The rest split into three groups. About half the original group ran right up the middle, toward where S''haar stood between the camp and Jack. The rest split into two groups, running to either side of S''haar, bypassing her, and heading directly for Jack.


    As much as Jack wanted to fire into the group charging S''haar to save her, he knew that if he got himself overwhelmed, the argu''n that killed him would simply charge S''haar from behind, and they''d both end up dead. Instead, he had to trust S''haar again and focus on the ones coming for him. He took aim at the group to his left and opened fire.


    -


    S''haar saw the groups headed to flank Jack, but she knew that they''d both end up dead if she split her focus now. So, S''haar would simply have to trust Jack''s earlier claim and deal with the group headed directly for her. She leaped back to the spears she''d planted into the ground. Grabbing a small spear in each hand, S''haar whipped around and used her momentum to aid in her throw as she aimed for the closest argu''n. Before the spear hit, S''haar shifted the second spear to her dominant hand and launched it at a second target.


    The first spear landed dead center on a charging argu''n, piercing him through his chest plate. The raider immediately collapsed to the ground. An argu''n following the dead man got tangled in the lifeless limbs and fell as well, not out of the fight, but slowed for a few precious seconds.


    The second spear didn''t fly as true and hit her target lower than intended. It impaled the raider through the leg, pinning him in place. While the wound might prove fatal, it would take time, and he was already working on removing the spear to get back into the fight.


    S''haar grabbed the third and longest spear and prepared to meet the raiders'' charge. Behind her, S''haar heard Jack''s impossibly loud weapon firing again and again as Jack faced his own desperate fight for survival.


    -


    One after another, Jack was able to take out the five argu''n charging from his left, but between every pull of the trigger, they seemed to close an absurd amount of ground. More ground was eaten up by the argu''n closing on his right during the agonizingly long half-second turn to target them.


    There were four argu''n charging on this side, and having kept count, Jack knew he only had two shots left in the magazine and one in the chamber. With no other plan coming to him, Jack aimed and pulled the trigger again. Another argu''n fell. Their deaths were horrible, and yet they still charged.


    Jack pulled the trigger once more. As the next argu''n fell, he was close enough that Jack could see the brief look of surprise on the raider''s face just before the light left his eyes, and he collapsed in a boneless heap.


    Suddenly the faces of every argu''n Jack had just killed filled his vision. The same look of surprise was now on all their faces as, one by one, the light left their eyes.


    Shoving the unwanted vision aside, Jack aimed and fired one last time. This time his vision blurred, his arms rebelled, and his shot went wide. He''d failed. There were two argu''n left and nothing he could do. As one of the argu''n raked its claws across Jack''s chest, he fell.


    -


    As the first two argu''n reached her, S''haar cracked the butt of the spear into the face of the first, dropping him as she broke his jaw. Reversing the spear''s momentum and driving it forward, she forced the second to dive away lest he get impaled. Spinning the spear in a full arch, she copied a move from Dol''jin by losing her grip just enough to extend the spear a few inches, raking it across the throat of the third assailant that was trying to sneak into her blind spot.


    S''haar fell back a few paces, working her spear into a pattern designed to buy herself a moment while assessing her options. Of her nine assailants, two were dead, one unconscious, two slowed and out of the fight for three to five seconds respectively. She needed to thin the group a bit more before the last two arrived. Otherwise, she''d be quickly overwhelmed.


    Absorbing the momentum of her backward movement, S''haar braced and launched herself forward once more. She put her full weight behind the spear and drove it into the centermost assailant.


    S''haar released the spear. Rather than wasting precious seconds wrenching the weapon free, she pushed off of her victim''s body and launched herself at her next target. She collided with him and latched onto his throat as she had Dol''jin''s. As the two tumbled together, they fell right in the middle of the four remaining argu''n.


    As the last four combatants closed around her, S''haar was out of weapons and out of breath.


    -


    As Jack landed on the ground, he silently thanked Angela for the armor plates she''d weaved into his coat. The argu''n who had taken a swipe at him had chipped and broke several claws on the armor.


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    Jack knew it wouldn''t buy him much time, so he had to act fast. Drawing his knife, Jack buried it to the hilt into the foot of the argu''n standing over him, pinning the raider to the ground.


    Rolling away, Jack regained his feet just in time to jump to the side as the second argu''n leaped forward. All Jack could do was take advantage of his lighter build to repeatedly crawl, jump, and dive just out of the raider''s encroaching reach. As he fell for what seemed the dozenth time, Jack fumbled with his gun, trying to load his last magazine, only to drop it instead when he had to make a last-ditch attempt to avoid another downward swipe of the claws.


    Scrabbling on all fours, Jack continued lurching and crawling away. The argu''n, sensing an end to the chase, approached at a deceptively leisurely pace. As his hand shot forward to grab Jack by the throat, Jack threw a handful of dirt and sand into the raider''s eyes.


    Taking advantage of his opponent''s momentary blindness, Jack dove behind him, picking up the magazine from the ground as he passed. Slamming the magazine into place, Jack racked the slide and aimed at the back of the argu''n that was busy clearing his vision.


    However, before he could pull the trigger, the gun was ripped out of his hands. The first argu''n stood over him, holding Jack''s bloody knife in one hand and his gun in the other. Jack froze as his mind tried vainly to think of something new. He was out of weapons, out of ideas, and out of hope.


    -


    As S''haar looked around at her plight, she noticed the argu''n sneaking up unseen behind Jack as the human fumbled with his weapon. Knowing she only had seconds before she was finally overwhelmed, S''haar gathered what little energy remained and leaped at the argu''n whose leg she''d impaled.


    Seeing her coming, he readied the very spear S''haar had used to impale him. S''haar twisted in mid-air to the best of her ability, but he still successfully drove the spear through her left shoulder. Rather than pull away, S''haar gripped his arms and pulled herself closer, driving the spear''s shaft further through her shoulder. Realizing what was about to happen, the argu''n now fought to push S''haar away, but either due to his blood loss or S''haar''s greater desperation, she was able to reach him and tear out his throat with her teeth.


    Her body was near-total failure, and her vision was blurring as S''haar tore the spear from her shoulder and threw it with the last of her strength. Her final task complete, S''haar collapsed to the ground. She wasn''t even able to see if she''d hit her target.


    -


    Jack''s mind was running a mile a minute, but every possible action he could think of ended with his death. The argu''n standing over him licked its own blood off the blade before laughing as the raider shifted his grip to deliver a final downward thrust.


    As the argu''n drew its arm back, Jack closed his eyes and accepted the fact that he''d done all he could. Jack''s first thought was that his biggest regret was leaving Angela behind. Jack believed that this was the only choice he could have lived with, but he wished there was some way to let Angela know what happened.


    Jack''s second thought was, Why am I still alive? Opening his eyes, Jack saw the argu''n standing over him looking stupidly down at its chest, obviously wondering how a spear had come to be sticking out him.


    Realizing he''d wasted a precious second in self-indulgent thoughts, Jack leaped to his feet, taking his gun back from the collapsing argu''n. Turning, Jack saw S''haar had collapsed to the ground with three more argu''n closing in for the kill. Jack shot two in the back before the third took off running.


    Jack turned again and sighted down his gun at the last argu''n, who''s eyes were finally cleared. The argu''n knew his time had come, and he stood straight, staring Jack in the face while waiting for death.


    Jack found that he couldn''t pull the trigger. Instead, he dropped his aim from his target''s face to his chest, looked him in the eyes, and shouted a command. "Run!"


    The argu''n twitched but stayed still. Jack shifted the gun further to point next to the raider''s feet. He fired a shot into the ground before raising the gun again, his warning clear. Run or die.


    He stood ready to shoot if the argu''n decided to attack, but something of his intent must have bridged the gap. At first, the argu''n backed away wearily, keeping both eyes on Jack. As enough distance opened between them, Jack relaxed his aim a little more, and eventually, the argu''n turned and ran.


    Jack stood there, frozen in place as he watched the last of the hill people disappear into the distance. His mind was numb. A part of him knew he and S''haar needed to get help, but that part seemed to be shouting at him from a great distance.


    Eventually, Jack lost sight of the raider. Looking down at the gun in his hands, Jack was overcome by waves of nausea and revulsion by the sight of the monstrous thing. He threw it as far away from himself as possible.


    The distant part of his mind told him that he needed to keep the gun close in case there were more of the hill people nearby, but Jack could barely hear the voice anymore.


    Despite the pleasant warmth of the day, Jack suddenly felt intensely cold. Every inch of his body was violently shivering. Before long, he collapsed into convulsions and vomited into a nearby bush. Jack continued dry heaving long after his stomach had utterly emptied itself. It was as though his entire body was rebelling at what he''d done.


    Jack wasn''t sure when it had appeared, but there was a presence sitting beside him and a calming hand on his back. Looking up through the tears that clouded his vision as he wiped the bile from the corner of his mouth, Jack saw S''haar sitting beside him. She looked worse than he''d ever seen, one arm hung limp at her side, and she seemed to have a cloth wedged into a deep wound to staunch the bleeding.


    Looking S''haar in the eyes, Jack broke the silence with a sad smile and a pathetic laugh. "I bet none of the men of your village would react this way to what we just did."


    To his surprise, S''haar''s eyes were not filled with mockery or even the pity Jack had feared. Instead, her tired smile spoke of understanding and maybe even a little respect. "If you''d reacted the way the males of my village would have, I would have taken the girl and left. You would have never seen me again. Instead, I am here beside you."


    Jack noticed his gun sitting beside S''haar. Following his glance, S''haar reached down, picked up the gun, and held it for a moment. "This wasn''t some honorable combat to be bragged about around a fire. This was a brutal act of violence and survival."


    S''haar held the gun out to Jack, who, in turn, was unwilling to touch it. S''haar continued. "But remember, you weren''t the one that decided to raid and murder a family, and you weren''t the one that enslaved a child. You did what you needed to do, and in my opinion, you did well."


    S''haar placed the gun in Jack''s unwilling hands. "It''s best if you don''t leave this out where anyone can find it."


    Jack nodded and reluctantly holstered the gun. As he did so, S''haar stood and offered him a hand. As she lifted Jack to his feet, S''haar reminded him why they had done all this. "Now, there''s a young girl down there we need to set free. Stay near me in case any of the hill people return. Neither of us is in any condition to fight anyone alone."


    -


    As the two walked through the camp, Jack noticed the signs of ruined lives in the form of things that didn''t belong. A finely crafted stein, a beautiful rug, even a child''s doll. Jack knelt before the toy, wondering if it belonged to the girl they''d for, or if it belonged to someone else they''d arrived too late to save. Lost in thought, Jack picked it up before following S''haar to a tent.


    Inside the tent was the battered and bruised child. When she looked up at them, it was with eyes resigned to a horrible fate. She didn''t even flinch as S''haar worked to remove bindings that had been tied so tight that they cut into her skin. The whole time S''haar spoke soothing words while Jack stood off to the side. "It''s ok. You''re safe now. They won''t hurt you anymore. We''re going to take you away from here." On and on, she spoke, using her voice to try and soothe the child.


    Looking more closely at the girl, Jack could see the girl only came up to his chin. She wasn''t as young as he''d first thought. She might have been the rough equivalent of 14 or 15, though he couldn''t be sure.


    Once she was free, the girl simply stood in place, looking at S''haar as if waiting to be told what to do. Looking at Jack and seeing he was as lost as she was, S''haar decided to lead the girl outside.


    Once outside, the girl shielded her eyes against the glare of the midday sun. She seemed to be standing in place again. That was when Jack noticed she was staring at a body. The body of the first argu''n Jack had shot.


    Slowly the girl turned around until she was looking at S''haar. She pointed at the body and spoke for the first time. "Did you do this?"


    S''haar looked at the body, then to Jack, then at the girl. "No, I did not."


    The girl turned to face Jack this time and repeated her question. "Did you do this?"


    In a few seconds, Jack thought of a dozen comforting lies and a hundred justifications. Instead, he simply nodded his head, yes.


    With a blur of speed, neither of them thought she was capable of, the girl launched herself at Jack. Her arms stretched wide and claws ready to attack.


    Jack had just enough time to wonder dumbly if the body was someone the girl had known, and then she was on him. She tackled Jack with enough force to launch him off his feet. The girl''s vice-like grip was strong enough to crack a rib. As he fell to the ground, Jack found he didn''t have the heart to defend himself.


    Jack was lying on the ground for several moments before noticing the girl wasn''t attacking. She was sobbing. Her head was buried in his chest, and she was whispering two words over and over. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."


    Jack had never been comfortable with physical contact, but the girl''s desperation called out to an old pain of his own. He sat up, wrapped her in his arms, and held her while the girl continued to sob. S''haar knelt beside the pair and put a comforting hand on the girl''s shoulder. The three of them stayed like that until the girl cried herself dry.

 Chapter 15

    As much as Jack wanted to sit here and wait for all his problems to go away, life is rarely so kind, and this was no exception. All three of them needed medical attention, and the longer they sat in the middle of the camp, the more likely it became that some of the runners would return.


    Jack picked himself up and helped the girl to her feet. She was much heavier than she appeared, but Jack had been expecting that and braced himself for greater leverage. She looked Jack up and down a moment before speaking in a small yet worried voice. "You look so pale! We need to get you to a healer!"


    S''haar barked out a laugh, followed shortly wincing and reaching for her injured shoulder before replying. "Don''t worry too much. Jack may have seen better days, but that''s just the way he looks. The worst physical injury he probably sustained today was when you tackled him, be a bit more careful in the future, He''s much more fragile than us argu''n."


    Now the girl looked at Jack with confusion, and maybe a little fear. "He''s not argu''n? Is he some sort of demon?"


    Jack let S''haar get another laugh and subsequent wince out of her system before speaking. He needed her to translate after all. "I''m no demon, and despite the local rumors, I''m no dragon either. My name is Jack, and my race call ourselves humans. This is my translator, guide, bodyguard, and, most importantly, friend, S''haar."


    Jack started rubbing the back of his neck, awkwardly. What does one say to a child who''s faced more horror in one day than many people will in a lifetime? "What can we call you?" Jack couldn''t help but feel a little lame.


    The girl seemed to make up her mind about something and nodded her head before replying. Folding her arms in her lap and performing what was an obviously formal bow. "My name is Em''brel. Thank you very much for saving me, master Jack, mistress S''haar!"


    S''haar was amused when Jack''s awkwardness jumped up a few levels at the spoken title. She couldn''t help compare him to the men of her village again. Most of them would have preened under such a title. Instead, Jack just looked uncomfortable. He confirmed as much when he spoke. "Uh, Jack is fine. The only thing I''m a master of is getting into trouble. Also, given everything we''ve all been through, let''s just drop the formalities altogether for now."


    Jack looked around, taking stock of the situation. "Anyway, we all need medical treatment. Let''s head back to the cave. After we''re back on our feet, we can take you wherever you''d like."


    Em''brel looked off in the distance, her mask of calm slipping for a moment before she was able to get it under control. "I... I don''t have anyone else... My father was taking me to be married to some lord''s son I''d never met, and now he''s... he''s..."


    Jack calmed her again, stroking her "hair." He was a little nonpulsed by the feel of the boney hair her people had as well as the soft clacking sound it made as he stroked it, but the girl seemed to take comfort in the action. "Ok, ok, we don''t have to decide anything at the moment. For now, let''s get healed up. Once we''re back in shape, we can worry about whatever the future holds."


    After translating, S''haar turned to Jack. "What about the cart full of iron and kovaack? Also, are you sure you want to take her into your cave? That might raise... complications."


    Jack started walking, and the other two followed as he spoke. "First and most importantly, if we need to, we can replace everything in the cart, including the cart itself. However, you and the girl can''t be replaced. So we''re getting you both treated. Second, this time of year, it''ll probably be fine. It''s getting too cold for any argu''n to be far enough out where they could find it. Third, How could we move it if we wanted to? Your arm needs healing, and the two of us simply aren''t strong enough."


    S''haar couldn''t fault his logic, Jack continued. "As far as taking Em''brel home, I''m aware of the complications, but again, what choice do we have? Neither of us is in any condition to escort her anywhere, and I''m not leaving her on her own out here."


    Once again, S''haar couldn''t disagree with him.


    Em''brel cleared her throat and spoke in that same small voice as if afraid what she was saying might get her in trouble. "Shouldn''t we go to a village rather than some cave?"


    Realizing what she''d said, Em''brel suddenly looked both worried and embarrassed. "If it''s your home, I''m sure it''s a very nice cave, but you two need a healer!"


    Jack smiled. The poor girl was in for a bit of a shock. Best to ease her into it a bit. "The... cave we''re headed to isn''t like a normal cave. Among other things, it just so happens to currently house the best healer in the world, my sister."


    Em''brel had that look all kids get when they think they know more than the people they are talking to but was polite enough not to vocalize her thoughts.


    -


    As the group approached the cave, S''haar got down on one knee and looked Em''brel in the eyes as she spoke. "Now listen carefully. What you are about to see will be stranger than anything you''ve ever seen in your life. The strangest of all is Jack''s sister. However, you need to understand, nothing in there will hurt you so long as you don''t try to harm Jack or myself. Do you understand?"


    Em''brel was starting to look worried again as Jack merely smiled off to the side. When Em''brel finally nodded, S''haar stood up and let Jack lead the way.


    As Jack walked into the cave, it quickly grew dark, and Em''brel grabbed hold of S''haar''s right hand. Despite the darkness, these two obviously knew the path they were traveling well enough, but Em''brel jumped with every sound bouncing off every hidden corner.


    S''haar had been surprised by the contact at first but quickly realized the girl was still dealing with everything she''d been through, S''haar gave the girl''s hand a comforting squeeze, and soon Em''brel had wrapped her other arm around S''haar''s arm as well, walking while hugging S''haar''s arm to herself.


    Off to either side of the cave were occasional tunnels that looked like they had been recently dug. However, neither Jack nor S''haar seemed worried about what might be inside, so Em''brel kept her eyes straight and continued walking. Eventually, the cave started lightening up as they walked. It didn''t flicker like firelight, it looked almost like daylight, but they hadn''t gone anywhere near far enough into the mountain to be coming out the other side yet.


    As the light grew brighter, Jack approached what looked like a dead end. There was just some random wall in the middle of the cave, and unless Em''brel was mistaken, it was made from a fortune''s worth of metal. As Jack walked up, a part of the wall slid to the side on its own, revealing a bright and cheery room like nothing Em''brel had ever seen before.


    Jack walked inside, and with a squeeze of the hand, S''haar led Em''brel in as well. Inside was pleasantly warm, as though a fire was being tended nearby, but Em''brel couldn''t smell anything burning. Everywhere she looked, there were fine metals, leathers, and several materials Em''brel had no concept of. Until now, her father had been the wealthiest person she''d ever known, but even when he''d had his wealth, he wouldn''t have been able to afford a fraction of what was on display in this room.


    True to S''haar''s words, the strangest thing of all was Jack''s sister. Her body was shaped more similarly to Jack''s than an argu''n, but that''s where all similarity ended. First of all, she was tiny. Second, she flew through the air. Third, she glowed blue.


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    As they walked in, the blue woman darted for Jack, speaking in the same sing-song language of his, but much more rapidly. As soon as S''haar walked in, the blue woman exploded into energy flying around them at dizzying speeds while speaking in a continuous strain of syllables.


    Finally, Jack barked out a few words, and the blue woman came to a halt just in front of Em''brel''s face. "Ohmygodyouaresocute, Iwanttospeaktoyou, butIneedtogetS''haartreatedfirst!"


    Em''brel realized the blue woman had switched to a language she understood but spoke so rapidly that all the words bled together until it mostly sounded like gibberish.


    S''haar kneeled and looked at Em''brel again. "You doing ok? It''s a bit overwhelming at first, but Jack and Angela seem to be as decent as they come."


    Em''brel Looked at Jack, then back to S''haar. "I feel like I walked into a new world. Did I die back at the camp, and this is the afterlife?"


    S''haar cocked her head to one side. "You know, I wondered the same thing the first time I woke up here. After a while, you get used to it. Wait until they show you a movie for the first time." The last she said with a smile.


    S''haar looked over to Angela, then back to Em''brel again. "Now we have to go let Angela give us a checkup. That part won''t hurt, but the actual healing might hurt a little. However, Angela can heal in a day things that would take weeks or longer. I''ll go first so you can see what it''s like."


    The girl nodded, and S''haar stood and lead the way. Em''brel followed her into a smaller room off to the side where S''haar stood in the middle of a large circular device. The machine soon came to life with parts moving and gliding with a life of their own as they passed over S''haar. Angela explained. "What I''m doing right now is scanning S''haar. It''s a way for me to see all the damage she''s suffered, on the surface and hidden under the skin. The more she can remain still, the quicker this process goes."


    After a few minutes, the scan ended, and S''haar stepped out. Angela approached her and started creating images of enlargened sections of S''haar''s many injuries out of nowhere. "Most of the damage you received is minor and can heal on its own. However, if you''d been treated anywhere but here, you would have likely lost the arm."


    Angela brushed away all the images but the arm. She then did something to enlarge the image and make the arm see-through. "The good news is I can heal it. The bad news is it''s a significantly more severe wound than Jack received the other day. It will take at least a couple days, and the first day will be the worst. Rebuilding and reattaching a nervous system is excruciating, and you WILL have to be unconscious for it. The pain alone would put you into shock. Even after I''m done, the nerves will take some time to adjust, and you''ll likely experience pain for a week or more."


    S''haar gave a one-armed shrug. "It''s better than losing my arm. When can we get started?"


    Angela looked at the other two people in the room. "I''m pretty sure yours is the most demanding injury, but some injuries can be subtle until it''s too late, so I''d like to at least get some scans of the other two first, then we''ll decide on a treatment plan for the three of you."


    Angela floated right up to Em''brel. Tilting her head to one side, she spoke much calmer than before, her voice radiating a soothing feeling. "Em''brel, do you think you can do this next? It won''t hurt you, and it will help me know where you need healing."


    Em''brel looked up at the machine with obvious trepidation, and having everyone here look at her so expectantly didn''t help any. However, these were the people who had delivered her from the nightmare her life had been descending into.


    That thought brought unbidden memories of her father on the ground that made Em''brel''s eyes snap shut. Her arms wrapped tightly about herself, and she started shivering uncontrollably. As she began to fall to her knees, she found herself wrapped in another hug.


    The shivering stopped, and she heard Jack speaking his nonsense words in her ear again. As she cracked her eyes, Angela spoke up. "Jack said, you don''t have to do anything you''re not ready to."


    A little embarrassed at her reaction Em''brel pushed away and hesitantly took a step toward the machine. Turning back to Jack, she spoke with an apologetic smile. "No, it wasn''t the machine... I just remembered something else..."


    As Em''brel spoke, her eyes darted to the floor as she tried to fight back the images of her father dying before they could retake hold in her mind. Shaking her head a little violently to banish the memories, she stepped into the device as she had seen S''haar do before. "I can do this. I need to do this."


    Angela spoke up, "Alright, just let me know if you need to stop for any reason." and the scan began.


    As the lights strobed around her, Em''brel tried to focus her attention on Jack and S''haar on the other side of the machine. Every once in a while, the light would pass in front of her eyes, temporarily blinding her. Every time it happened, a vision would come unbidden into her mind. Her muscles tightened at this, but she reminded herself that the more still she was, the quicker this would be over.


    Eventually, everything came to a halt, and Em''brel was able to exit the machine. She stood there somewhat shaky for a moment before looking up. "Do you have someplace I can go..." She fumbled for the right words for a moment, not understanding why something so commonplace was hard to put into words.


    Angela came to her rescue. "We have some very excellent facilities on the ship. We call them bathrooms. Let me show you how they work, then maybe we can get you a bite to eat. These two have to decide how we''ll proceed with treatment."


    Em''brel was a little nervous about leaving Jack and S''haar''s side but didn''t want them to be present while she used this "bathroom" either. So she nodded her head and followed Angela out of the room.


    -


    As soon as Angela and the girl left the room and the door shut, another Angela rematerialized in front of Jack and S''haar. While this slightly surprised S''haar, it was such a minor thing compared to everything else these two did she barely reacted.


    Angela turned to the other two with an uncharacteristically serious look on her face. "That girl is severely damaged in more ways than one. Luckily no one physical injury is too severe, she has more abrasions and contusions than I can easily list, and she has several cracked ribs as well as a few minor infections starting, but I can treat most of that in a day."


    Angela waved away the physical damage as though it was nothing. "On the other hand, as I was scanning her, I saw signs of severe emotional trauma, shock, stress, exhaustion, and more. She''s one small step away from total collapse. What in the world happened to her?"


    Jack was grimacing in a way that expressed how uncomfortable he was with the subject. "As far as I can tell, her father was taking her to an arranged marriage with some guy she''s never met when they got ambushed by raiders. Now he''s dead, and she has no close friends or family left. We rescued her from the raiders, which is how S''haar got injured, and we brought her back here. When we rescued her, she''d been with the raiders for over a day, give or take, and it looked like they severely abused her in that time. That''s pretty much all I know."


    S''haar spoke up. "Given the formal bow she gave us and the way she spoke, she is probably the daughter of some minor lord. If her father was the one escorting her himself, rather than hiring some guards, he was likely in financial trouble and was marrying her off to secure a deal of some kind."


    Jack and Angela both looked at S''haar with surprise on their faces. S''haar returned their looks and shrugged before responding. "While working in the guard, I was involved in many dealings with minor lords and ladies. It comes with the job."


    Angela looked introspective for a moment before speaking to herself. "So she was facing an unwanted marriage, was present when her only close family was killed and was severely abused by raiders before the two of you showed up and rescued her? We''re going to speak more about that later, by the way. No wonder she''s at her limit. That''s enough to break anyone."


    She turned to Jack. "So, what''s your plan?"


    Jack was quiet for a minute while he thought. "I have some idea what she''s going through, it sounds disturbingly similar to my own history, but I have no idea how to help with that. I still haven''t figured it out myself..."


    S''haar looked at Jack like he was missing the obvious. "Why don''t you just ask her?"


    Jack and Angela turned to her with a surprise for the second time, and S''haar continued. "She was about to be married. In our people''s eyes, she''s an adult and able to make her own decisions. Talk with her and let her decide her own future."


    Jack couldn''t agree with the adult part, but he understood wanting to be involved in deciding your own future. After his own trama, everyone had been quick to tell Jack what was best for him, what he should do, and where he should go. No one had bothered to listen to his thoughts and feelings on the matter. No one except Angela.


    S''haar reached her good hand out to rest on Jack''s arm and smiled. "Just show her the same respect you''ve shown me, and you''ll do fine."


    Jack wasn''t so sure, on the other hand, what choice did he have?

 chapter 16

    Angela dismissed Jack since he got off the easiest with nothing more than a couple of nasty cuts and bruises and one suspiciously bruised rib. Having received a clean bill of health, Jack went out to see how Em''brel was fairing.


    He found her digging into a plate of barely cooked meat. Although Jack had gotten used to seeing S''haar tear apart half-raw steak, it was somehow more disturbing to see someone ordinarily shy and quiet do the same. Jack mentally shrugged and reminded himself he was on their planet, and any discomfort was his responsibility to deal with.


    As he sat down at the table, Angela appeared beside him to translate. Jack decided it was best to avoid small talk and get right to the matter at hand. "We''re trying to figure out where to go from here, and we wanted your opinion. What would you like to do now?"


    Em''brel sat and thought for a moment, the plate of meat forgotten. After a few moments, she looked Jack in the eye and presented her case. "I don''t have many skills that would be of use to a wealthy man such as yourself, but I''m willing to work hard. I can cook, clean, and even sew a little, and I''m willing to learn that which I don''t know!"


    Jack held up both hands, palm out. "Whoa, slow down, by my people''s laws, it is unconscionable to put someone your age to work. You should still be focusing on growing and learning. To that end, wouldn''t you be happier living with a family from your home village? Maybe a distant aunt or uncle? I''m sure plenty of families would be delighted to take you in."


    Em''brel shook her head and looked down at her plate in a dejected manner. "The only family I have left is my uncle, who is likely concerning himself with consolidating the power from the lands he will inherit from my father. He wouldn''t welcome the presence of a niece who could threaten his claim by swearing an oath to another male. If I am lucky, he will make me his bride to avoid the issue. If not, he may have me killed to avoid any complications."


    Jack''s face became a mask as he locked every muscle to prevent the rage and disgust he felt show through. Apparently unaware of his reaction, the girl continued. "I was raised to run an estate on behalf of my future husband, but those skills are of no use to a girl with no wealth or land to tempt a lord into marriage. The best future I can hope for is as a maid at an inn, or perhaps to be taken into some lord''s house as a concubine."


    Angela turned to Jack and switched to English to quietly offer her own two cents. "We could have her perform a few light but time-consuming chores, like cooking and cleaning, which would free you and S''haar up to focus on other jobs that keep getting backed up. In return, I could put together a few classes to teach her math and sciences that no one in this world likely knows. It would be like she''s attending school. As a result, she''d have more control over her destiny than she does right now."


    Unaware of what was being whispered between the two, Em''brel decided that she needed to make her final and best attempt. Getting down on her hands and knees and bowing her head to the floor, she begged. "If I am to spend the rest of my life in servitude to another, I would rather it be in service to the ones who saved me. Please allow me to stay!"


    Jack, now thoroughly uncomfortable, knelt down beside the girl and grabbed hold of her shoulder. "Listen, you don''t have to beg for anything, ever. You''ve made your case. You can stay."


    Em''brel shot up, wrapping Jack in another embrace that would likely leave a few new bruises. Jack continued speaking in a somewhat strained voice, trying to overcome his smothered diaphragm. "Though I do have a condition!"


    Em''brel released Jack and sat back attentively. Jack caught his breath a moment before continuing. "Every day, Angela will give you a series of lessons. Math, science, and whatever else she deems appropriate. I expect you to do your best to learn whatever she teaches you. As far as I''m concerned this is more important than any cooking or cleaning you might do. Is that understood?"


    Em''brel launched herself at Jack again, crushing him a second time as she responded. "Of course, I will learn whatever you ask me to learn!"


    Angela was enjoying her human''s discomfort a little too much. After Em''brel finally released him, the AI spoke up again. "Before I put her under, S''haar told me to tell you, ''Once Jack gives in and decides the girl can stay, tell him I said she can share my room.''"


    Jack shook his head and wondered how everyone always seemed to know what he was going to do before he did.


    -


    After an unbelievably long day, Jack was getting ready for bed. This might be the most exhausted he''d ever been in his life. It was hard to believe that just this morning, he and s''haar had loaded up the cart for their second trip to the village and enjoyed a pleasant walk for the better part of the morning. Looking back, that seemed an entire lifetime ago. Since then, he''d survived the second-worst fight of his life, saved a young noble girl, introduced a second person from this planet to his world, and accepted that same girl into his home. Honestly, that would have made for a full week, let alone a single day. However, now he could finally rest.


    As he stumbled out of the bathroom, Jack found Angela waiting on the side of his bed, obviously wanting to talk about something. Jack almost snapped at his sister, but he fought down the urge to throw a tantrum born of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. Instead, he closed his eyes for a second and took a breath to calm his frayed nerves.


    Angela knew Jack better than anyone, maybe even better than he knew himself, so she had to realize how close to his limit he was. If she was waiting patiently to talk to him, it was obviously about something important.


    Opening his eyes, Jack plastered the best smile he could manage onto his face. It wasn''t the kind of smile that would fool anyone who knew him, but Angela would understand he was trying. When he spoke, all he could manage was a somewhat strained, "What''s up?"


    Angela''s expression was sympathetic as she nodded her acknowledgment of Jack''s attempt at patience. However, obviously felt the situation required his attention. "The girl, Em''brel, is having a breakdown. She''s crying... hard."


    Jack cocked his head to the side. "What''s unusual about that? She lost her father, and her world was turned upside down. A little grief is natural and healthy."


    Angela''s look of concern deepened as her brows furrowed. "Grief is natural and healthy, but this is something more. She''s dealing with more than loss and uncertainty. She was abused repeatedly. On top of that, she''s starting to show signs of suffering from survivor''s guilt. I think she''s starting to turn that pain in on herself and convince herself she''s to blame for all this. She shouldn''t..."


    Jack was familiar enough with survivors'' guilt and what it could do, so he could see what she was getting at. Finally, enough of his brain pulled itself away from the idea it would get to rest to see where Angela was going with all this. He finished her thought for her. "She shouldn''t be left alone right now."


    Letting loose a deep sigh as he ran his hand through his unkempt hair, Jack continued. "Yeah, I agree. I''m not sure how much help I''m going to be right now, but a warm body is better than nothing... no offense... Let''s go see what we can do."


    Jack walked over to the bathroom long enough to splash some water on his face before leaving his room.


    -


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    As he approached the door to S''haar''s room, Jack could hear the sobbing coming from within. Angela was right. This wasn''t the sound of someone in grief. These sobs had an unhealthy edge to them, bordering on a dangerous mania. That sound finished waking Jack up as he knocked on the door.


    The sobbing took a few moments to slow to a halt before a shaky voice responded. "Ye... yes?"


    Jack tried to adopt as soothing a voice as possible, knowing Angela would be translating the same tone through the speakers rather than appearing in the room. It would help the girl avoid feeling embarrassed at her worn physical state. "It''s Jack. I wanted to speak to you a little. Could you please come out to the main living area?"


    There was a full minute of silence while Em''brel tried to gather her thoughts enough to speak. Finally, a soft voice called out. "Yes... of... of course. Just give me a moment."


    Jack smiled. He''d been worried she would turn him away. "Take your time. I''m in no rush."


    A few more minutes passed while Jack waited. Just as he was starting to worry she''d changed her mind, He heard the door open. The poor girl was a wreck but had obviously done her best to clean up the evidence. However, she wasn''t fooling anyone.


    As she looked around uncertainly, almost fearfully, Jack motioned her over to the table again. As she sat down, he sat opposite her. He took a moment to just get a good look at her.


    Even though Em''brel had obviously washed her face clean, it was still blotchy in a way that spoke of violent crying. Her clothes were slightly torn in a few places where she''d ripped at them in her hunger to feel something, even if only pain. Even now, her breathing was perfectly even in an unnatural way that indicated she was consciously controlling it to try and seem like she wasn''t as bad off as she was. Angela was right. Em''brel was walking along a dangerous cliff.


    Jack took a deep breath before speaking. Angela was doing her best to be as uncharacteristically unobtrusive as possible while still translating. "When I was about your age, both of my parents were brutally murdered in front of me. Immediately after that, Angela and I were thrown into a life or death fight against the killer. Honestly, it''s all kind of a blur these days, but somehow we didn''t die. That was the worst day of my life. It took me years to learn to live again after that night."


    Em''brel started to take a breath to respond, but Jack continued, never letting her get a word out. "I''m not telling you this because I''m asking for your sympathy or trying to diminish your pain. This was years ago, and I''ve mostly dealt with it. Though I won''t lie to you, the pain of an experience like that never goes away completely."


    The girl waited this time, wondering where Jack was going to go with this. He didn''t make her wait long. "I''m telling you this, so you understand that I at least somewhat understand what you''re going through and that I know a little of what I''m talking about."


    Jack looked into the distance, trying to recall feelings he''d rather have left buried in the past. "Afterward, all I could think of is all the things that I could have done to save at least one of them. Knowing what I know now, I can think of several things that might have made a difference. The problem with that kind of thinking is that it''s complete and utter shit."


    Em''brel seemed shocked by the sudden change in tone of the story, but Jack continued without pause. "At that age, and with what I knew at the time, and with the shock of what I was going through, there was nothing I could have done. Nothing that happened that day was my fault."


    Jack suddenly focused his eyes as directly as he could into En''brel''s eyes, forcing her to look back through sheer force of will. "Nothing, NOTHING that happened to you or your father is your fault. It doesn''t matter what you know now or what you would do differently if you had another chance. None of that matters because at the end of the day, sometimes you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it''s not your fault!"


    Jack could see Em''brel trying to fight deep emotions back down, but he continued on mercilessly. "Whenever you start to think of a ''what if,'' or ''I should have,'' or even, ''it should have been me,'' I want you to remember this moment. I want you to remember the look of complete certainty in my eyes and the conviction in my voice as I tell you right now, none of what happened was your fault!"


    After that final repetition, Em''brel broke down. Her sobs were deep and gut-wrenching and tore at Jack''s heart, bringing back vivid memories of his own pain. Jack shoved the old feeling aside for now as he walked over to the girl''s side. As painful as they were to listen to, at least this was the sobbing of someone mourning rather than the manic filled self-hatred he''d heard earlier. This was the right kind of crying, the type which meant she was embracing her grief rather than fighting it.


    For the third time that day, Jack held the poor girl as she cried herself out. He knew she wasn''t suddenly past the danger, never to look back. There was still a long road ahead of Em''brel. But this was a step in the right direction down that road, and a big step at that.


    When she finally pulled away from Jack, Em''brel looked like a mess. Just as she was starting to become self-conscious about her face, Jack interrupted her thoughts once more. Running his hand through his hair turned rat''s nest, Jack laughed as he spoke. "You know, there are times when it''s positively indecent to look clean and collected, and I declare now to be one such time. I doubt either of us is going to fall asleep right after that, so what say we watch a movie?"


    Em''brel looked confused as she blinked a few times in rapid succession. "S''haar mentioned that before. What is a movie?"


    Jack explained the concept of movies as recorded plays for a second time while thinking desperately of an appropriate title. What in the world should he show a fifteen-year-old girl who went through what will hopefully be the worst day of her life? Given what she lost, definitely nothing with princesses, prince charming, or about father-daughter bonding, and it had to be uplifting. What did that leave?


    Just as Jack was about to give up and throw on something abstract, he remembered a childhood classic, The Labyrinth. Angela helpfully dubbed the movie, programming the argu''n language to come through a near-perfect imitation of the original actor''s voices, although she refused to dub over David Bowie''s singing. Maybe it was Em''brel''s young and accepting mind, or perhaps it was the magic of Jim Henson, but Jack had to explain far less than he did with S''haar.


    Partway into the movie, Jack''s prediction proved at least half wrong when he finally passed out.


    -


    When Jack finally woke, he was stiff all over. Additionally, he was having trouble breathing, though he suspected that might have something to do with the young argu''n latched onto his side. As his eyes sleepily wandered the room, Jack saw S''haar sitting in the chair beside the couch. She was grinning as though enjoying some private joke at Jack''s expense.


    S''haar broke the silence before he could. "You look like quite the fatherly figure sleeping there, protecting young Em''brel from her nightmares. There might be hope for you yet!"


    Jack couldn''t help but let a little of his morning grumpiness, brought on by aches and pain, show through in his voice. "After yesterday, I would think I earned a little more than just ''hope.''"


    S''haar nodded in agreement, her smile fading from mockery to genuine affection as she spoke. "That you did. You came through, and we all got out alive. Although between each of us, there are a few new scars to go around, outside and in. But a good scar just means you survived the fight. That''s nothing to be ashamed of!"


    All the talk of scars drew Jack''s attention to S''haar''s shoulder. It was wrapped in bandages and clearly still oozing blood. Following his gaze, S''haar flexed her arm. "Angela tells me we''re a bit more than halfway done, but also said I needed to take a break and get some food. It hurts like hell. On the other hand, it''s better than losing my arm."


    Em''brel began to stir, allowing Jack to slowly extract himself from her sleepy clutches. "True enough. Besides, the last thing I need is to have you rubbing in the fact you''re still far stronger than me, even with only one arm."


    S''haar looked like she had a thought or two on the subject, but Jack cut her off. "Any thoughts on breakfast?"


    S''haar had to think for nearly a half-second before replying. "Bacon! If I''m going to celebrate unexpectedly living to see another day, we need to start it off right! On that note, Angela said we were all under something called ''doctor''s orders'' to take the day off and recover."


    Jack was just opening his mouth to respond when Angela appeared to put in her own two cents. "Before you start complaining about time tables, I''d like to point out that any or all of you collapsing from mental, emotional, and physical strain will slow you down a lot more than taking some time to recover!"


    Angela looked to be working herself into quite the lecture. "And furthermore, I''d like to point out..."


    Angela suddenly stopped talking and tilted her head to one side. Jack grinned and started pointing out that her lecture would have more impact if she could focus long enough to finish her point when Angela cut him off. "My motion sensors are picking up movement at the mouth of the cave. Someone is here!"

 Chapter 17

    Jack felt a rush of adrenaline as several possibilities occurred to him in a matter of seconds. Had the hill people tracked them on their return? Was Bar''thon here for revenge? Was it just some wandering raiding party? Regardless, it was extremely improbable that anyone would be able to break into the ship and threaten them. The entrance was made out of alloys unlike anything this world currently had to offer, and Angela could even deploy defensive measures if things got bad enough.


    The problem was the fact that they had no way to effectively deal with a large force if they decided to set up camp just outside the cave and wait them out. Even if the four of them could simply remain inside for weeks or even months, they''d eventually run out of food and power.


    Trying to keep his initial fears under control until he had more information, Jack turned to Angela. "How many are out there?"


    S''haar was also staring intently at Angela while poor Em''brel was looking back and forth between everyone hoping for answers. Angela had her eyes closed as if concentrating. "There only appears to be one. He''s staying near the mouth of the cave and yelling in."


    Angela opened her eyes to stare at S''haar, confusion evident on her face. "He''s asking to speak to you."


    At this, S''haar blinked. She seemed lost in thought for a moment before turning to Jack. "How do you want to proceed? This is your home."


    Jack shook his head. "It''s our home. If this person simply wants to talk, I say we talk. However, let me get my coat and gun first, just to be safe."


    S''haar nodded and strapped on some long knives as well. She was still missing her sword from the battle, and they hadn''t had time to replace it. Her shoulder wasn''t up to strenuous use, but she''d always do her job as a bodyguard if it came down to it.


    Armed and armored, the two left the safety of the ship to speak with their visitor. As they walked through the dark, Jack could hear a voice shouting into the cave, but with all the echos bouncing around, he couldn''t tell who it was or what he was saying.


    On the other hand, S''haar seemed to recognize the voice because she halted and started thinking aloud before continuing. "It can''t be. What''s he doing here?"


    Her stance relaxed somewhat, which Jack took as a good sign, and then she turned to Jack to explain. "I believe that''s Lon''thul''s voice I hear, but what would he be doing all the way out here?"


    Jack was just as confused as S''haar. He couldn''t imagine any reason for the hunter chief''s son to be at their cave calling for S''haar. On the other hand, given the different possibilities, Jack had been considering, this was as good an outcome as he could have imagined. So he simply shrugged and indicated they should continue.


    Nearing the mouth of the cave, they could finally make out what the young argu''n was shouting in. "I don''t mean to intrude, but I seek to speak with S''haar! If she is not here, I seek an audience with the dragon instead!"


    As the two of them walked out of the cave''s shadows into the morning light, Lon''thul''s face went from worry and concern to a look of profound relief. The expression only lasted a few moments before his eyes focused on the bloody bandage on S''haar''s left arm, and the look of concern returned.


    Lon''thul started forward, reaching for S''haar. "You''ve been injured! We need to get you to a healer right away!"


    S''haar waved away his concern, obviously more interested in the reasons behind his presence than her shoulder. "I''m fine. What are you doing out here Lon''thul?"


    Lon''thul ignored her dismissive response, grabbed S''haar by the wrist, and attempted to drag S''haar with him. "You''re not fine! you''re injured, and we need to get you treated right away."


    S''haar quickly ripped her wrist out of his grasp, responding with venom in her voice and a hard edge to her eyes. "No, you don''t get to do that. You don''t get to show up and play the hero and ''save me from myself.'' I''m not some damsel in need of your protection and guidance. I''ve fought more battles and killed more men than the number of years you''ve been alive. So when I tell you I''m fine, you had best understand that I''m the only one who gets to make that judgment call."


    Lon''thul looked shocked at first. Clearly, this wasn''t going how he''d expected. S''haar''s voice lost a little of its edge, but her glare still spoke volumes. "I understand you''re trying to be helpful, but I don''t like repeating myself. So if you please, why are you here?"


    This time the young argu''n had the decency to look a bit ashamed, kicking the cave floor as he spoke. "Lord A''ngels has been awaiting some visitors. Apparently, someone was delivering a bride for his son. When they were more than a day late in showing up, he sent the hunters out to scout for the girl and her escort."


    Lon''thul''s eyes focused on a distant horizon as if he was focused on an incredibly vivid memory. "I came across the site of a massive battle. A whole camp of the hill people had been wiped out. Many of them received wounds, the likes of which I''d never seen. The only evidence of who could have done it was this."


    Lon''thul held out S''haar''s sword. "Scouting around some more, I eventually found the cart you used in the village, still loaded with iron and a Kovaack. After finding that, I was worried that you''d been taken or killed. The way you spoke of the dragon made me think you were friends with her, so I came here hoping to find you or recruit the dragon''s aid in finding you."


    S''haar reached out and took the sword from the youth, finally relaxing her expression. "Well, thankfully, you found me here instead. The dragon is aiding in the healing of my shoulder. I''ll be fine."


    Lon''thul only looked more confused at this. "But how? That camp easily held twenty argu''n, most of whom will now be food for scavengers. I''m well aware that you''re quite the skilled fighter, but even warriors of legend couldn''t have pulled that off and lived to tell the tale!"


    S''haar looked back at Jack, who''d been standing off to the side, content to watch everything up until now. "The answer to your question is simple. Jack borrowed a bit of the dragon''s power."


    Lon''thul looked at Jack as though he''d just turned into said dragon. "How can someone ''borrow a bit of the dragon''s power?''"


    Jack looked trapped, then confused, and finally shrugged before speaking, S''haar switching to her role as translator. "Honestly, even if I wanted to share that secret, which I don''t, it would take too long to explain. You''ll just have to accept the evidence you''ve witnessed as proof of my claim."


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    The young argu''n looked as though he wanted to argue further, but after a moment finally decided this was another battle of wills he wasn''t likely to win. "I guess I''ll have to. But that still leaves one last question. Do you have any idea what happened to the bride? She''s still missing."


    Jack''s head tilted to the side as he considered how best to answer, it would be easy to say he had no idea what happened to her, but if the truth came out later, it could unnecessarily complicate his relationship with the village. The truth might cause its own complications, but he''d deal with those as they came.


    Crossing his arms similarly to S''haar''s favored stance, hoping to convey some of her usual confidence, Jack answered Lon''thul''s question. "We did find a young girl who''d recently lost her father and received some rather harsh abuse at the hands of the raiders. We brought her back with us to receive treatment as well. After that, she requested to be allowed to remain here. Without going into too much detail, we decided to grant her request. She''s safe but probably won''t be interested in the idea of marriage any time soon."


    Lon''thul looked troubled at that. "I''m not sure how well that news is going to be received. She was promised to Bar''thon, that marriage was bought to unite our two villages..."


    Jack was just deciding how to phrase his response when a visibly upset Em''brel marched out of the shadows behind him. Jack barely had time to wonder when she''d snuck up behind them or why Angela had let her leave the ship when Em''brel slapped Lon''thul with enough vigor that Jack''s own jaw ached in sympathy.


    Tears in her eyes, the tiny Em''brel still seemed to tower over the much larger Lon''thul at that moment. "You can tell the lord of your village, ''With the death of my father, all the lands and authority that we offered in our deal are now in my uncle''s possession. If he had wanted to ensure he received what he paid for, he should have sent an escort to ensure my father and I arrived safely.''"


    Her fury spent itself quickly, and Em''brel seemed to shrink in on herself. "I''m no longer the daughter of a noble. I''m now just another orphan with nothing to offer in marriage. Your lord will have to seek out my uncle if he desires any further alliances.


    To his credit, Lon''thul accepted Em''brel''s rebuke with relative humility. As the youth stammered out his apology, Jack couldn''t help but feel a little sorry for the usually cheerful argu''n. He was obviously a man of his time, struggling to understand and keep up with two women clearly ahead of their time. His mistakes were born more out of the ignorance brought on by his environment rather than any malicious or petty intent.


    Before things got too awkward, Jack decided to change the subject.


    "I have a deal to offer you. Since you''re already headed back to the village to make your report, if you take our cart the rest of the way with you and have the iron and Kovaack processed, I''ll give you a 10% cut of the total value of the delivery. You can take the payment as you wish from the iron and/or the kovaack."


    Lon''thul''s eyes widened in surprise as Jack continued. "You can tell old Mar''kon I''ll give him the same cut we agreed on last time, and I''ll be there in a few days to pick up my share."


    Jack knew the price he was paying was worth far more than the services a simple delivery warranted, but he hoped it would go some way toward making up for the bad news the argu''n would be delivering.


    Lon''thul recognized that this deal also signified the end of his visit. After agreeing to Jack''s terms, he turned to Em''brel again. "I''m sorry for... uhh for being..."


    S''haar couldn''t resist the urge to get a shot in while Lon''thul''s defenses were down. "For being a male?"


    Lon''thul winced a little at her statement before shrugging. "I was going to say, ''for being insensitive,'' but I guess that works."


    Em''brel smiled a little at S''haar''s interjection before turning her attention back to Lon''thul. "Well, I''m sorry I let my anger get the better of me. You only deserved to be slapped half that hard."


    Jack merely shook his head as the young hunter walked away.


    -


    Once the three made it back inside, they were quickly met by Angela. She was obviously ready to voice her own thoughts, hopping from one foot to the other in the air. "So that''s the Lon''thul you mentioned before. Nice enough kid, not too bright though."


    Jack decided to come to the youth''s defense since he wasn''t here to do it himself. "Eh, he''s alright. Just needs to grow up a little, then he''ll be fine... Not that I''m one to talk..."


    The last was said as Jack suddenly realized that he was very, very outnumbered as the three women looked at him with faces ranging from amused to incredulous. He decided now would be a good time to change the subject.


    Clearing his throat in a not at all awkward manner, Jack brought up something that''s been on his mind. "We''ve already had too many delays to our timetable, and I''m guessing we''re only going to have more as the winter drags on. If we''re going to get things stabilized before Angela runs out of power, we''re going to need to scale things up a little. In short, we''re going to need more help."


    As he spoke, Jack started walking over to the kitchen to make the now overdue breakfast. As he got out the bacon and began slicing it, Angela was translating and explaining their situation for Em''brel. Jack continued. "To that end, I want to hire a few workers to come out and build us a few basic structures, housing, storehouses, work stations, etc.


    Jack finished his thought as he placed the bacon into the pans. The sizzling and popping sounds were already making his mouth water. "We can, of course, compensate them the usual ways. However, I think we should also make some extra warming coats for them, similar to the one we made S''haar. The coats themselves will also make great compensation, and the heating pouches can only be recharged at our ship, so we don''t have to worry too much about the local impact of these coats possibly making their way out into the world."


    S''haar looked thoughtful a moment before adding her own input. "That should be enough to tempt some of the younger craftsmen hungry to make a name for themselves, but where will they stay? Are you going to let a bunch of workers into your home until they get the housing up?"


    Jack looked troubled for a moment before turning to Angela. "Do we have anything we can make quick but well-insulated tents out of? Maybe we could install some basic heating as well? It wouldn''t have to last long, a few weeks at most."


    Angela looked up from her explanations to Em''brel for a moment. "Well, we could make some linen-like cloth from some of the local plants. If we put up two walls and fill the middle with some basic insulation like a quilt, that should do the trick. It won''t hold up for the whole winter, but I think we could get a few weeks out of it. The heating will be simple enough. Just give them blankets designed to contain more heating pouches."


    Angela stopped and thought a moment with a finger tapping her lips. "With all these draws on my remaining power, we might want to think about getting up some sort of simple power generation sooner rather than later. It doesn''t have to be enough to meet our total consumption rate, yet, but if we could slow the drain rather than increase it, that would go a long way toward buying us enough time to get properly established."


    Angela waved her hands toward the ceiling. "We''re under a mountain. Some solar and wind generators would be easy enough to set up."


    Jack finished the first plate of bacon. He stole a strip for himself before placing the plate in front of the two hungry argu''n. He breathed a sigh of relief when he was able to pull his hand back before the now feral monsters at the table could claim it. "Ok, we finish healing S''haar''s arm and get some rest today. Then spend the next couple of days on getting the tents ready to go."


    After swallowing a few mouthfuls, S''haar nodded her agreement and mumbled something to the effect of that being a "good plan" through a mouth once again filled with bacon. Em''brel took large bites of several strips, then sat with her head back and eyes closed in bliss as she chewed her portion.


    Jack wondered when it was that he''d gone from being intimidated by S''haar''s teeth and eating habits to finding the two predators digging in with gusto almost relaxing. True, a small part of his brain still warned that predators this dangerous were to be respected, but something just felt right about the life he now found himself in. Smiling to himself, he turned and began working on cooking a second plate. The first one obviously wouldn''t last long.


    His expression wasn''t lost on Angela, who was finding herself in agreement with her brother. It was starting to feel like they had a family again for the first time in far too long.

 Chapter 18

    Angela decided she really liked having a younger sister. Jack meant the world to her, and he always would, but Em''brel was just so... cute! The fact that she had a mouth full of teeth that would make a shark envious, claws that could effortlessly eviscerate a man, and a musculature that already put Jack''s adult body to shame were all minor details, hardly worthy of consideration.


    Where S''haar was filled with careful restraint, her extraordinary strength visible just beneath the surface of every movement, Em''brel moved in a way that could only be described as dainty. Today she had gotten up early so that Angela could show her how to cook breakfast before the others awoke.


    They were making a "sheepherder''s breakfast." It consisted of eggs, cooked on top something called "hash browns," served on a foundation of the divine cut of meat called bacon. Em''brel didn''t know what animal bacon came from, but she was going to find her world''s closest equivalent no matter how long it took!


    There were some initial complications in cracking the eggs without getting the shells mixed in with the hashbrowns, and the bacon was a little too singed in places, but overall the meal turned out rather well. Still, Em''brel swore to herself that her next attempt would be better.


    Jack was the first one successfully tempted out of his room by the smells Angela had allowed to circulate into the bedrooms. He was a bit of a morning mess, stumbling out of the door while rubbing the sleep from his eyes, still adjusting to the light of the waking world. He was greeted by an excited wave from Em''brel. "Good morning Jack. I hope you slept well! Come get your breakfast before it gets cold!"


    Running his hand through his hair in a habitual manner, Jack grumbled out his response. "It''s not fair that someone could be this awake and cheerful this early in the morning! The sun probably hasn''t even cleared the horizon yet!"


    Angela chose to translate his greeting as, "He says good morning, and thank you for the food." While translating, she gave Jack a glare that told him that if he was smart, he''d greet breakfast in such a manner in the future.


    S''haar wasn''t far behind, coming out of the room with a spring in her step and a mouth salivating enough to make talk slightly more complicated than usual. Sitting down at the table, she took a moment to enjoy another deep breath before digging into her breakfast.


    Jack watched her eat with a bit of amazement. "How is it you are both so energetic in the morning?"


    S''haar replied with a mouth half full of food, unwilling to waste even a few precious moments of breakfast. "Angela helps out with that. When we are about to wake up, she raises the room temperature enough that it gives us something she calls a "jump start."


    Em''brel sat down at her own place with her own serving. The first time Jack had served bacon, she''d dug in with the same enthusiasm S''haar had shown, but she was determined to show more restraint in the future. Picking up her knife and fork, she cut off a small portion and chewed it daintily like a lady should. Not that she had any problem with S''haar''s way of doing things. As far as she was concerned, her two saviors could do no wrong; it just wasn''t the way Em''brel was raised.


    As she watched Em''brel, Angela was dancing in place with her fists waving about excitedly. "Oh my god, she''s so adorable! Why didn''t we get one earlier!"


    S''haar pointed her recently emptied fork at Angela before speaking. Once again, her mouth was half full. "Sometimes I wonder if you aren''t really a dragon, and instead of collecting metal, you collect people. We''re not your pets, you know!"


    Angela looked at her with an expression of overly exaggerated innocence, indicating she thought the exact opposite of what she was about to say. "Of course not! You, Jack, and Em''brel are complex individuals, and I''d never think of ''collecting'' you!"


    S''haar''s eyes narrowed as she made her thoughts on Angela''s statement clear. "Uh-huh..." Turning to Jack, she changed the subject. "So, what''s today''s plan?"


    Jack had been watching the group''s antics while slowly waking up, but now he realized he actually had to contribute to the conversation. "Well, we''re going to need a lot of plant matter for the linen cloth. I saw some plants down by the lake, not far from here, that looked like they''d have the kind of fibers we''re looking for. If we take the sled with us, we should be able to get enough for our immediate needs. It''ll give you a good opportunity to get your arm stretched by using a range of movement while also not stressing the new muscle attachments too much."


    Angela threw in her own two cents. "Meanwhile, I intend to test Em''brel to determine how much knowledge of math and science she already has."


    Em''brel started to look nervous at the word "test," but Angela quickly assuaged her fears. "Don''t worry, this isn''t a pass or fail kind of test. I just want to find out where you''re at, academically speaking, so I can set up a plan going forward."


    S''haar spoke up. "You might also want to give her the same ''procedure'' you gave to me so she can understand Jack."


    At that, Angela looked a little uncomfortable. "Usually, in the case of a minor, elective surgery like this can''t be performed without the consent of a parent or guardian. The risk is minimal, but it''s something that will alter her in a way that can''t be undone. I hesitate to do such a thing to simply avoid a little inconvenience."


    S''haar sat back, ignoring her plate for the first time this morning. "Well, I''m not sure what Em''brel being young has to do with anything, but I''m as close to a ''guardian'' as she''s got at the moment, and I give you my ''consent.'' Also, this isn''t just about your convenience. As long as she can''t understand the two of you when you are speaking your language, she''s going to feel isolated. If you are really going to welcome her into your home for an extended period, it''ll help her feel more connected to the group, which is something she needs right now."


    Em''brel was following along as best she could and looked to Angela, her eyes full of a strange hunger. "Is that something you can do? You can just ''give me'' your language?"


    Angela looked at the young girl a moment before nodding. "Yes, although it''s not perfect. Most words will just translate to whatever similar ideas you are already familiar with. However, if we say a word that you have no concept of, you''ll still need an explanation."


    Em''brel gave Angela the same formal bow she had initially used to introduce herself to Jack and S''haar. "Then, I humbly request you bestow this ''procedure'' upon me."


    Once again, Angela squealed her delight before answering. "Ok, you two win. After the testing, we''ll look into the procedure this evening. For the record, you shouldn''t use that cuteness of yours just to get what you want. In the future, I''d appreciate it if you were only this cute AFTER you got what you wanted."


    -


    S''haar and Jack walked along the lakefront, gathering bunches of the fibrous plant Jack had mentioned earlier and bundling them together. It was actually quite relaxing. Listening to the waves of the lake and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. S''haar would occasionally point out plants or animals to explain a useful or peculiar aspect they had.


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    Other times they simply walked and worked in comfortable silence. Neither felt the need to entertain or impress the other, both just enjoying the peace of the moment.


    Jack found a groove that worked for him. Grab the plant near the base, twist it onto its side, wedge his knife into the bend, and cut it up and away. He''d do this six or seven times until he had a good handful, then pass it off to S''haar. She''d then work it into the current bunch she was tying together with twine before loading them onto the sled. With this pattern, the work was going quickly and smoothly.


    Shortly after the fifth bundle was complete, S''haar took a moment to decide how best to bring up a subject that had been weighing on her mind. "I agree with your decision to bring more people in, but I wonder, have you thought through where this path will lead?"


    Jack considered her words for a moment while he cut a few more plants. Grab twist cut, grab twist cut, his mind was far away from his hands. Handing S''aar another batch, Jack responded. "Well, I''m aware that we won''t be able to hide the fact that there is no actual dragon forever if that''s what you mean." Grab, twist cut. "Although I want to hold off on that reveal until we are a bit more established." Grab, twist, cut. "I imagine if I use the drill rig a few times, that ought to be enough to keep most of our visitors from sticking their noses too far into the cave." Grab, twist cut.


    S''haar shook her head as she took the next handful of plants. "While that is something to keep in mind, that''s not what I''m talking about. I''m talking about further down the path. Up until now, you''ve just been the strange little man who''s friends with a dragon and knows how to get a lot of metal."


    S''haar took another handful and added it to her bunch before continuing. "That all changes once you set up housing and bring in workers. Now instead of a curiosity, you''ll become a target and a competitor. Raiders and villages alike will see you as an opportunity to further their own agendas. You''ll have to hire guards to protect the camp or align yourself with a village large enough to offer protection."


    S''haar tilted her head as she continued. "While I have no doubt that you''d be able to easily find a patron village, you''d end up giving them a much larger share of your resources in return for their protection. On the other hand, if you hire your own guards, you''ll need to worry about establishing the proper infrastructure to support the presence of guards and the workers."


    S''haar realized it had been a while since Jack had handed her any plants and looked down to find him staring up at her open-mouthed, his knife hanging forgotten from his hand. He blinked a few times before speaking. "I... I hadn''t considered any of that!"


    Jack let himself fall from a kneeling position to a sitting one as the ramifications washed over him. He''d been so concerned with keeping the workers away from the ship that he''d failed to see the forest for the trees. This opened up a whole new world of complications. Politics, alliances, logistics, trading, the list went on and on.


    Jack was so lost in thought that he hadn''t even noticed S''haar crouch down next to him. Tilting her head to one side, she watched Jack a moment before interrupting his thoughts. "You know you''ve got time before you have to make any decisions."


    Jack turned and looked at S''haar, his eyes latching onto hers as though looking for a lifeline. S''haar elaborated. "Winter is about to really get going, and you''re the only one with the ability to travel or work during that time. You should have a couple months to work things out and make any final decisions."


    Jack closed his eyes, took a breath, and nodded. "You''re right, I have time, and for now, the most important thing is getting the workers up and running. This means I just need to proceed with my existing plans. But I''ll need to think about this further."


    Jack got back to his knees and started the process again. Grab, twist, cut. But where before the actions had seemed quick and efficient, they now seemed slow and deliberate, and his thoughts raced faster than his hands could match.


    Grab. We probably can''t get enough infrastructure set up in time, so we''ll need an alliance. Twist. We''ve already established a reputation with S''haar''s village, and a number of the villagers are at least passingly familiar with me. Cut. Ideally, we''ll be able to break out on our own after we''re established enough, but once he gets his claws in us, lord A''ngels won''t let us go without a fight.


    The two worked in silence once more, but it wasn''t the comfortable silence from before. Now the silence only served to emphasize the fact that the task before Jack had just ballooned in complexity.


    -


    Em''brel was tightly holding onto her father''s hand, trying to drag him back. "We can''t leave! If we do, you''ll die again!"


    Her father looked down at her with regret in his eyes. "You know we have to. Without outside support, much of our village will not survive the winter. As my daughter, you have a duty to your people, and as your father, I wish for you to have a better life than watching our village slowly fade and crumble away."


    Em''brel grabbed his hand tighter, closed her eyes, and pulled as hard as she could. As she did so, she felt her grip slip, and she collapsed onto the ground. Opening her eyes again, she saw her father on the ground, the warmth of life gone from his face, and Dol''jin stood over his body. Behind him waited countless raiders, stretching out to the horizon and beyond, leering at her as they reached forward.


    Em''brel tried to scream, but no sound came out. She tried to run, but her feet kept slipping. She looked around for a place to hide, but everywhere she looked, there was another leering face. Em''brel collapsed as all hope was lost.


    As Dol''jin reached for Em''brel, S''haar stood up behind him, but this time she was taller than Dol''jin, taller than any argu''n. She was a giant. When S''haar swung her sword, dozens of raiders fell like sheaves of grain.


    As the raiders roared and surged forward, Jack appeared from the sky, riding on the back of a giant glowing dragon. Jack jumped and glided to the ground. Once there, he took an exaggerated breath, leaned forward, and blew flames onto the crowds of raiders, leaving nothing but ash in his wake.


    The dragon landed softly beside Em''brel, wrapping itself protectively around her. Em''brel then reached out to the dragon, hugging its neck tightly to herself before noticing the dragon had Angela''s face.


    Safe in Angela''s protective embrace, Em''brel closed her eyes and wept for her father a second time. Meanwhile, Angela bent down and whispered comforting words into her ear. "You''re ok, it''s all over. You did great. Now you just need to open your eyes."


    As Em''brel opened her eyes, she saw Angela hovering right in front of her face. This time she was her usual sprite-sized self. Just off to the side stood an also normal-sized S''haar looking both concerned and relieved at the same time. A bit further and to the back stood Jack, looking like he wanted to come forward, but hesitating and rubbing his neck for some reason.


    Em''brel reached up and wiped the tears away from her face. "Wha... What happened?"


    Angela''s face and voice were as soothing as she could make them while she explained. "What you just experienced is the side effect I warned you about, vivid dreaming. It''s not a pleasant experience, but it''s no more real than any other dream."


    S''haar and Jack both looked a little concerned, but as Angela looked over a few floating words and numbers, her expression was more pleased. "Aside from some unsettling dreams, it looks like everything went smoothly. So the only question I have now is, do you understand me?"


    Em''brel realized the last part was said in Angela and Jack''s sing-song language, but she found that it now made perfect sense to her. "Yes... how can I understand what you''re saying?"


    Angela smiled with her elbows high and her hands behind her head. "We''ll need to get a lot further into biology before any explanation I could offer would make any sense, but let''s just say I''ve tricked your brain into thinking it has memories it doesn''t actually have."


    Em''brel lept toward Angela, intent on wrapping her in a hug but passed through the ship''s avatar before landing on the ground on the other side. Everyone looked a bit startled before she sheepishly explained. "In my dream, I was able to hug you... I guess there''s still some lingering memories..."


    Jack chuckled before walking forward to give Em''brel a hand up. "Well, trying to give Angela a hug is a lot better than what S''haar did to me when she woke up from her own surgery, but that''s a story for another time. How''re you feeling?"


    Realizing she could understand Jack without translation for the first time since meeting him, Em''brel wrapped him in another monster hug. This time, she remembered that he was more fragile than herself and managed to avoid giving Jack any new bruises. "I''m feeling much better, thank you!"


    Jack had braced himself for another bone-crunching friendship assault. Realizing it wasn''t coming this time, he relaxed and returned the embrace. "Glad to hear it, and welcome to the family."

 Chapter 19

    Jack and S''haar were back on the road to the village once again, but while the last trip had seemed calm and relaxing, until it wasn''t, Jack now felt like raiders were hiding behind every tree or rock. S''haar noticed her companion''s nerves and placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. "You know it''s too cold for anyone to be this far out without one of your coats, and even if someone was out here, they''d be useless in a fight by now."


    Jack looked up at the taller, armored woman and smiled a bit shakily. "That obvious, am I? I know you''re right, but I can''t help but shake the feeling that something''s about to go wrong again. We got off too easy last time."


    S''haar threw back her head and laughed. "Easy? I nearly lost my arm, and the only thing that kept you from being gutted is the armor you wear under your coat. I think you and I have very different ideas on what''s ''easy''"


    Jack was staring at another tree as they passed. "I didn''t say it was easy. I said we got off too easy. As many raiders as we picked a fight with, I''m surprised we survived at all. Given how many got away, others must have heard what happened and are probably looking for revenge."


    S''haar merely shrugged, still shaking her head in exasperation. Her "hair" clacking lightly because of the movement. "Maybe they will be, but not right now, and not in this cold. We would have seen the smoke from any camp large enough to be a threat long before we stumbled across anyone out this far. I''m your bodyguard, so let me worry about possible danger. I promise I''ll tell you if we''re in trouble."


    Jack took a deep breath to steady his nerves and silently told his hand to stop shaking so much. His heartbeat did slow a little, but the hand stubbornly refused to listen. Jack held his hand up in front of himself and forced it into as tight a fist as he was able. Once he felt his grip start to weaken, he relaxed it and was relieved to see the tremors had finally passed. Another deep breath led to another slight slowing of his heart rate.


    S''haar watched Jack''s calming techniques with interest. "You know, it''s okay to be shaken. I''ve known hardened veterans who lost their fighting spirit after a particularly brutal fight."


    Jack had been starting to do complicated math in his head to distract himself when S''haar had spoken, now he turned his attention back to her. "You might be right, but right now, I can''t be too shaken to do the job. Not because ''I can''t show weakness,'' but because people depend on us getting this done. As strong and smart as Angela is, she can''t leave the ship and will eventually run out of power without our help."


    Jack closed his eyes for a moment as he walked, enjoying the crisp smell of the cold morning air. "Then there''s Em''brel. I''m honestly completely lost about what to do for her other than help her feel safe and maybe teach her a thing or two before she chooses her path in life. I don''t even know enough about this world to know what direction to think about pointing her in."


    S''haar shrugged again, although this time, her voice held a bit more sympathy. "She''ll find her own path. The girl is smart and already better educated than myself. She can read and write, and she knows her numbers. She could probably make a living working for a noble with those skills alone. Add in whatever crazy things Angela will teach her, and she''ll probably be ruling her own village in no time!"


    Jack shook his head at that last part. "Knowledge is vital for anyone wanting to rule, but there''s more to it than that. There is charisma, politics, and, most importantly, whoever has the most soldiers is usually in charge."


    S''haar slapped Jack on the back in what was probably supposed to be a comradery manner rather than the bone-jarring experience it was. "Good, I''m glad you understand this! It will be important to keep that in mind once you get your little outpost up and running!"


    Jack took another steadying breath to calm his nerves again before they got out of hand once more. "Yeah, thanks for reminding me. The good news is I''m suddenly not as worried about the raiders. Though, I think I preferred it when they were the only problem on my mind..."


    S''haar gave him her favorite predatory smile, which did nothing to calm Jack''s nerves, before she replied. "Good, now you are worried about the right things! As I said, leave the danger to me. All you have to do it worry about leading a community of ''eight-foot-tall monsters.''"


    Jack couldn''t help but be impressed by S''haar''s impersonation of himself at the end of the sentence.


    -


    Em''brel was getting frustrated. She let out a heartfelt sigh before trying to charm her way out of this lesson. "I know how to add, subtract, multiply, and now I even know how to divide. Why do I have to learn this thing you call ''algebra?''"


    Angela looked down at the girl, for once immune to her charm. "The whole world around us can be broken down and understood mathematically. Once you can do that, you can take those same principles and use them to improve life, or even create it."


    Em''brel looked confused, but Angela continued before she could ask any questions. "Take me, for example." Angela gave Em''brel a perfect imitation of the formal bow the girl had used before. "I am essentially nothing more than a complicated math equation. Everything I think and do is an expression of math. The bow I just performed would look something like this." Angela put up a display of a complex formula.


    Em''brel knew she was being tricked into showing interest in math but couldn''t resist looking a little closer. "I recognize the numbers and some of the symbols, but there are so many more symbols. what do those mean?"


    Angela smiled. That was the question she''d been hoping for. "Each one of those expresses another mathematic idea or principle. Similar to how the ''x'' I showed you can stand for different numbers, those symbols could represent entire equations. If I were to replace those symbols with simple digits, the equation of the bow would look more like this."


    With a wave of her hand, Angela filled the entire room with layers of numbers so complex that it became painful to focus on any one part. "Now, something like this would be far too complex for any person to ever put together, so instead, they use symbols that represent different ideas to take this mess and simplify it down to this." The original equation returned, now seeming beautifully simple in comparison to the chaos Em''brel had just witnessed.


    Having made her point, Angela waved away the equation, which faded as if a wind had passed through it. "The good news is, you don''t have to learn anything nearly that complex. You won''t be creating life through math after all. However, there are still plenty of aspects of life on this world that could be improved simply by the proper application of math. Algebra is the first step to go from keeping simple ledgers to building a bridge that will stand for centuries. Eventually, your distant descendants could sail through the stars above utilizing the principles you''re learning today."


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    Em''brel looked at Angela with eyes filled with the excitement of discovery. "Is that where you and Jack came from? The stars?"


    Angela smiled at her pupal''s newfound enthusiasm. "It is, and if you agree to work on your math with me a little every day, I''ll agree to tell you a little about life out among the stars, agreed?"


    Em''brel pretended to mull the offer over a little before nodding in excitement. "It''s a deal!"


    -


    As Jack and S''haar approached the village. Jack noticed a familiar argu''n sitting by a fire in front of the gate. S''haar waved before greeting the old guard. "Ger''ron, the toothless wonder! Do you ever do anything that doesn''t involve sitting around all day?"


    Ger''ron looked up from warming his hands by the fire with a grin, still full of plenty of teeth despite S''haar''s claim. He waved back as the two approached. "You should show your elder more respect. Last I checked, I still have the upper hand, having won 42 out of 83 sparring matches so far!"


    S''haar laughed as she gave her old mentor a friendly punch in the arm. "That''s just because you refused to fight me anymore since I got one match away from breaking even!"


    Ger''ron looked at his old pupal with an expression like a wizened old sage. "A true warrior knows when to fight and when to retreat. The only way for a poor old man like myself to win is by refusing to play the game."


    S''haar held out her sword for Ger''ron to take. "You might be old, but I doubt you''ll ever be poor. I bet you still give the new recruits a surprise by feigning a bad back mid-fight!"


    Ger''ron waved away S''haar''s sword as he responded with a slightly self-deprecating smile. "I have to pretend a little less every year, but I still do alright. Lord A''ngels said to let you keep your weapons from now on. Something to do with a couple of muggers?"


    S''haar blinked in surprise a few times before resheathing her sword. "Huh, that''s... unexpected."


    Ger''ron shrugged. "It''s not my job to understand the rulings of a lord, just to enforce them."


    He walked over to the gate and rapped his knuckles against it. "Hey, we got some traders out here, open up!"


    From the other side of the gate, Jack heard the same young voice as last time. "As cold as it is outside? Are they suicidal?"


    Ger''ron''s voice developed an impatient edge. "For once, will you just listen to me rather than questioning everything I tell you? open the gate already!"


    As the gate opened, Jack and S''haar walked past the same young guard, just as bug-eyed as the first time. Though this time, there was also a hint of hero worship to his expression. Old Ger''ron shouted something after the two of them that explained the look. "Oh, by the way, the story of your little adventure with the raiders has spread! Quite the story Lon''thul brought back!"


    As the two walked through the village crowds a second time, everyone was staring once again. But this time, the looks ranged from the hero-worship of the young guard to expressions of doubt and disbelief. Jack noticed that most of the eyes were now directed at S''haar and not himself, but he was just fine with that. He''d never been big on being the center of attention.


    For her part, S''haar seemed annoyed by the looks being directed her way but kept her mouth shut and her eyes focused on the crowd. This time, they stopped by the hunter''s lodge first, hoping to find Lon''thul.


    As they walked into the gloomy interior, Jack noticed the place was empty. Well, almost empty.


    In one corner was the single most terrifying argu''n Jack had ever seen. His clothing was more bones, horns, and skulls than leather. His armored plates were dyed black to emphasize where they were scored and scarred by countless battles for life and limb. He''d lost one of his elbow spikes but replaced it by tieing on the claw of some massive beast. His head tendrils were laced through with bits of wood and metal to array them outward in a manner that made them look like a magnificent mane. Jack knew this could be no other than the hunter chief, Dek''thul.


    He briefly considered backing out of the hall and pretending like he hadn''t seen anything when the argu''n spoke without turning his head. "So, you''re the one everyone''s been talking about."


    As the hunter chief turned around, Jack couldn''t help but think the man was even more terrifying from the front than he was from behind. Jack had been expecting a horribly scarred face to go with his armored plates, but as far as Jack could see, there was no blemish in sight. Instead, it was his eyes that unsettled Jack.


    All argu''n have metallic eyes, gold, silver, copper, etc. Dek''thul was no exception. In many ways, Jack would say his eyes and S''haar''s were similar, but where her eyes portrayed all the complex emotions of a complex person, human or argu''n, all Jack could see in Dek''thul''s eyes was hunger.


    As the hunter chief approached him, Jack couldn''t help but feel that every movement was that of a dangerous predator stalking him. Its eyes held Jack''s transfixed, preventing him from doing or saying anything. Jack stood hopelessly transfixed, watching as Death approached him.


    Jack was just debating whether the better course of action was to wet himself or simply pass out from fear when S''haar placed her hand on his shoulder in the way she was coming to do to remind Jack He wasn''t alone.


    Jack resisted the urge to take a deep breath or shake his head, and instead stepped forward and held out his hand to offer a handshake before speaking. S''haar translated as usual. "I apologize. Where are my manners? I''m Jack, and you know my friend and translator, S''haar. You must be Dek''thul. I''ve heard so much about you!"


    Dek''thul threw back his head in laughter, both hands on his hips, and his whole demeanor suddenly changed and became almost jovial. "Impressive greeting from one so small! After seeing you, I expected you to run and hide. Welcome to my hall! To what do I owe the honor of your visit?"


    Following this, his hand shot out with speed only an argu''n was capable of, gripping Jack''s offered hand. "I believe you call this a ''handshake,'' yes? My son told me all about it!"


    Jack was still intimidated but felt much of the tension leave his body as he grinned in return. "Yes, this is a handshake, but usually you only shake two or three times before letting go. As to your question, we were actually looking for your son. We entrusted him with the care of some of our goods and wanted to make sure he was able to return safely."


    Dek''thul finally ended the continuous handshake with an apologetic smile. "Ah yes, quite the generous payment you offered him in return for delivering your good for you. If I''m not mistaken, you''ll find him at the inn, spending some of the iron you paid him while sharing the tale of the battlefield you left for him to find. He always knows how to tell a good story, and this might be his best yet!"


    The large argu''n chuckled to himself. "Ah, to be young and popular with the ladies again, such is the wasted blessing of youth! When you see him, tell him I said he''d better not let his suddenly increased popularity dull his hunter''s edge, we have a village to feed after all!"


    With that apparent dismissal, Dek''thul returned to the carcass he was cutting up. As S''haar and Jack turned and left, Jack couldn''t suppress his shudder any longer. True, if anything, Dek''thul was even friendlier than his son and seemed eager to help, but Jack noticed two things that seemed off about the whole encounter.


    First, Dek''thul never looked at or acknowledged S''haar. Usually, the first time Jack spoke and S''haar translated an argu''n would look back and forth between the two a few times before they fully understood what was going on. However, aside from the time he laughed, Dek''thul''s eyes never left Jack. Which brought Jack to the second thing that bothered him about the hunter chief.


    Not once had the look of hunger ever left Dek''thul''s eyes.

 Chapter 20

    As Jack and S''haar walked into the inn, Lon''thul seemed to be deeply engaged in the act of telling his story. He was waving his arms about as though trying to act out the scenes he was describing. "There were dozens of bodies strewn across a large field. The fight must have been in constant motion as the combatants fought with spear, sword, claw, and even teeth!"


    Lon''thul gnashed his teeth to emphasize his last sentence while someone from the crowd placed a full mug in front of him to encourage him to keep talking. "One of the bodies belonged to the largest argu''n I''ve ever seen. He would have stood a full head taller than me if he hadn''t had a sword shoved clear through his chest at the time!"


    Lon''thul reached for his drink, only to see it grabbed up by the one person he least expected to see at that moment. S''haar took a long swig from the mug before slamming it down on the table and looking down at Lon''thul. "You tell a good story, but for the record, there weren''t ''dozens'' only about twenty, and unless I miscounted, only about six were dealt with by ''spear, sword, claw, or teeth,'' the rest was his doing." S''haar jerked her thumb back at Jack while she contemplated the mug again before taking another long pull.


    Jack quickly found himself in the middle of an agoraphobes greatest fear, the center of attention. This was slightly compounded because everyone in the crowd now staring at him stood one to two feet taller than himself, giving Jack the impression he was drowning in a sea of eyes.


    The small portion of his brain still capable of wit directed a mental ''et tu Brute?'' to S''haar. The rest of his mind was franticly choosing between fight or flight before settling on the lesser mentioned third option, freeze. After all, Jack was utterly dependant upon S''haar if he wanted to communicate with any villagers, and she didn''t seem interested in leaving just yet.


    Meanwhile, everyone in the crowd was looking between Jack and S''haar with varying degrees of incredulity. Lon''thul voiced the thought on everyone''s minds. "I don''t mean to offend you or Jack, but... How? I mean, just look at him! Most of the children in the village would be a decent match for Jack!"


    S''haar sighed as she finished the mug and signaled the innkeeper, Sur''ruin, for a refill and some food before continuing. "What you are forgetting is that Jack is here as the representative of the dragon, and the dragon doesn''t send her chosen representative out to us without giving him the means to protect himself."


    Jack was decidedly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was going but couldn''t bring himself to so much as open his mouth to protest. He just had to hope that S''haar knew what she was doing.


    Nodding her thanks to the innkeeper as her mug was topped off, S''haar took another drink before continuing. "How do you think I travel from their mountain home to the village safely when it''s this cold out? How do you think Jack can get so much quality metal so quickly? How do you think they were able to forge this blade for me?" S''haar punctuated her last question by drawing her sword and placing it on the table in front of her.


    All eyes were focused on the impossibly sharp blade as S''haar let the moment of silence drag on long enough to emphasize her next statement. "It is easy to look at his small stature and peaceful demeanor and underestimate Jack. I did when we first met. The hill raiders did too, and look what happened to them. How long will the rest of you underestimate him before you realize he has more to offer than just some metal ore?"


    Food was finally brought out, and S''haar made it apparent she was done talking to the crowd. As the gathered crowd dispersed, Jack eventually joined the other two at the table. With a glare directed at S''haar, he finally spoke up. "What was that all about? You know I''m not interested in bragging about that fight. If anything, I''m trying to maintain a low profile."


    S''haar grabbed a plateful of food and placed it in front of Jack before gathering a plate for herself while she responded. "Well, if crashing into the mountain and later showing up to the village with a small fortune in metal didn''t already make maintaining a low profile impossible, this lout telling the whole village about our fight with the raiders destroyed any chance you had of that."


    Lon''thul reached for some of the food before S''haar slapped his hand away without looking as she continued. "Besides, if you are going to get this outpost of yours up and running in the middle of winter, it''s a good idea to have a bit of a reputation as someone who can do the impossible. I saw an opportunity to help, so I took it. You''re welcome."


    Jack chewed on that thought while his mouth chewed on his food. The meat resembled a beef roast but had a more tangy flavor, as though it had been marinated with a sour juice before being roasted. It was an odd flavor, but the more Jack ate, the better he liked it.


    Finally, Jack turned to S''haar. "While it''s not the way I would have gone about it, you have a point. Thank you."


    S''haar merely nodded, her eyes closed as she enjoyed her own plate. Jack was feeling a little sorry for Lon''thul, who could only understand half the conversation while also giving the food a look people usually reserved for the crush they were too afraid to talk to. "Why don''t you let the kid fix himself a plate and ask him about the metal and kovaack?"


    Lon''thul''s eyes lit up once he received permission to dig in. His speech was only slightly slurred by saliva while he cut himself a thick slice of the haunch. "The metal has been purified and loaded back into your cart. It''s waiting for you to retrieve it. Even after Mar''kon and I took our cut, you have more metal that I''d know what to do with!"


    Lon''thul took a large bite out of his serving, his face an expression of pure bliss. After swallowing, he continued. "The Kovaack had sat a little too long without being properly cleaned, so about half the meat was unsalvageable, the rest I traded to the inn on your behalf. You can negotiate the trade''s details if you wish, but I got you each about twenty meals if not. The hide and bones are set aside for you to do with as you wish. Now, what''s this I heard about an outpost?"


    -


    Jack and S''haar soon found themselves at the woodworker''s hall, giving Lady Fea''en the same explanation they''d given Lon''thul not long ago. "So to get metal workers and smelters up and running by the mountain, the first step is to get housing set up. To that end, we''d like to hire out however many workers you have to spare to get the outpost started."


    The experienced woodworker was rubbing her jaw in thought. "Well, the kind of project you''re talking about isn''t really possible in the winter, and we always have more work than we can handle in the early spring. That means we couldn''t even get started on it until summer..."


    Jack grinned. He''d seen this problem coming and already taken it into account. S''haar unfolded the coat she''d been carrying while she continued to translate what Jack said. "Normally, you''d be right, but in addition to the compensation we''d typically offer you for a job like this, each worker will receive a coat like this they can keep for themselves once the job is done."


    Fea''en inspected the coat flipping it inside and out and looking closely at the stitching. "This IS a well-made coat, better than any I''ve ever seen, but it doesn''t really matter how generous the compensation is or how good the coat is. We simply can''t work outside when it''s this cold out."


    Jack held out a warming pouch for Fea''en to take. "With these, you can. They are designed to fit in the pockets on the inside of the coats."


    Fea''en took the pouch from Jack, her surprise immediately evident on her face. "It''s warm, like a heated stone, but it''s so light!"


    Jack''s grin grew as he spoke. "Yup, and it''ll radiate heat at a steady rate like that for up to eight hours once ''activated.'' After the heat has been drained, the dragon can recharge them so they can be used again. Any workers will also be given tents and blankets designed to utilize these same pouches until an adequate shelter has been built. We''ll trade out the pouches roughly three times a day so everyone can stay warm while they work."


    For the first time since Jack had met her, Fea''en cracked a smile of her own. She slipped the pouch into one of the pockets and put the coat on. The coats were fastened with a bone nob designed to fit through a leather loop. "I''ve got a bunch of apprentices just doing busy work since demand is so low in the winter."


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    Testing out the range of movement in the coat, Fea''en moved about in that oddly graceful manner of hers. "Ok, it won''t be cheap, but I''ve got a half dozen apprentices I can spare from our winter work, and to make sure the work is done properly, I''ll come myself and oversee the construction."


    Not that Jack was about to complain, but his surprise at Fea''en''s offer was clearly evident on his face. Fea''en gave Jack a grin that reminded him she was every bit as much a predator as S''haar before speaking. "What, you don''t think I''m going to pass on the opportunity to get myself a coat like this, do you?"


    -


    As they left the woodworking hall, Jack was pleased with how well things had gone so far. Admittedly, Fea''en had negotiated a steeper price than Jack had been hoping to pay. It had quickly become evident that even with all the metal he now had at his disposal, he only had enough for a downpayment for the job at hand, but he could always get more where that came from. After all, that was kind of the whole point of this endeavor.


    Jack was just headed down to the village''s metalworking section when an argu''n wearing unmistakably fine robes and flanked by his two imposing guards approached. "Ah, Jack, just the man I wanted to see!"


    A''ngels turned and nodded to S''haar. "And S''haar, I''m glad to see the news of your injury must have been somewhat exaggerated."


    S''haar chose not to respond, but Jack gave the noble a small deferential bow before addressing him. "Lord A''ngles, How can I help you?"


    The noble seemed somewhat pleased at Jack''s attempt at the formality and inclined his head in return. "I''ve heard the news that you''re building an outpost to secure higher metal production and refinement. I was somewhat concerned about all of the village''s craftspeople you''re going to be recruiting. I was hoping to speak to you about that before it became an issue for either of us."


    Jack was only slightly surprised that A''ngels had already heard of his plan. He''d known it would be an issue eventually. He hadn''t planned on having to deal with it until his next visit to the town, but he supposed that it was better to deal with it now rather than having it hang over his head.


    Stepping forward, Jack started to frame his argument for the noble. "Well, it''s not so much that I''m taking workers from you, as it is we''re seeking to increase the efficiency of the gathering and smelting process and thus the profitability to yourself as well as us."


    Lord A''ngels raised an eyebrow, which Jack took as an invitation to continue. "Right now, we only spend a few days actually mining up the ore I bring to town. Most of our time is spent getting food, maintaining equipment, and traveling to and from the village, among other things. By setting up an outpost with workers there to smelt the metal, maintain the equipment, gather food, etc., I''ll be able to focus more time on collecting the metal itself."


    The noble was following along but clearly wasn''t invested yet. It was time for Jack to bait the hook. "Now, of course, I''ll be compensating everyone for their work, but I''m also going to need protection come spring. To that end, I''d like this village to become the patron of my outpost. You''ll supply the guards, both onsite and for the deliveries, and in return, I''ll offer you one-fourth of all the refined metal as payment for their services. Add in all the metal the workers will be paid in, and your village will have so much metal you''ll become the primary supplier of it for the region."


    There it was, Jack hoped that offering a direct payment to the village, and thus A''ngels, would grab his attention. "Hmm, you make a good argument, but after bloodying the hill raiders the way you did, they''ll be out for revenge. The number of guards I''ll have to supply would significantly reduce the village''s protection, so I''ll have to hire guards from surrounding villages. We can probably make that happen, for half the refined ore you produce."


    Jack seemed to stop and think for a moment, but he''d been expecting that counter and already had his own counter offer ready. "I can do half the iron and other common metals, but only a quarter of the more rare metals such as silver and gold. I have another project I''ll need those for, which will help increase our efficiency. Also, any metal shipments will be considered to be paid in full once they leave the outpost. You''ll be responsible for their safe arrival at the village."


    A''ngels tilted his head to the side. "I''m curious what you''d need soft metals for that would increase the efficiency of gathering metal, but I suppose there is a lot about your methods I don''t yet understand. I think these terms are acceptable for now. After a summer of production, we''ll reexamine the terms, agreed?"


    Jack knew A''ngels was planning to increase his cut once Jack became dependant on his labor supply and guards, but he was hoping to be far enough along with his repairs that it would no longer matter. Besides, he knew he was unlikely to get better terms from any village further away than this one. "Agreed."


    <div>


    <div>


    The village lord looked thoughtful for a moment. "I''ll also need to send some security with the workers you''ll be taking. Something to keep an eye on the village''s...inventment. I believe you are on good terms with the hunter, Lon''thul, correct? So he''ll do for now."


    <div>


    Jack didn''t particularly like being told he would take on extra people without his input, but the Lord had chosen well. If he refused Lon''thul, Lord A''ngels could very well send someone that would be a worse fit for the outpost, like his son. Also, the hunter could provide an additional benefit to the outpost by using his finely honed skills to keep the outpost''s food supplies filled and ready.


    <div>


    It wasn''t ideal, and Lord A''ngels was obviously flexing some power over the outpost with this move, but it could have been a lot worse. Jack only hesitated a moment longer before replying again. "Agreed."


    Lord A''ngels nodded. "Good, I''m glad we were able to come to an agreement! I''ll let you be on your way. I''m sure you''ve got plenty more work to do to get our outpost ready for production."


    Jack wasn''t particularly happy about the noble''s use of the word ''our,'' but decided this was not the time or place to start an argument over it. With a bow of his head, he and S''haar were on their way.


    -


    Jack and S''haar stood before Mar''kon, explaining their plan for the fourth time that day. "So while we''ll need several workers down the road. However, to begin with, we''ll just need one smith to do repairs and maintenance on the woodworker''s tools. Got anyone you can spare who might be able and willing?"


    Mar''kon was rubbing his hands on his signature greasy rag as he thought. Jack desperately wanted to take the rag and give it a good wash but suspected it was more oil than cloth at this point. It just might disintegrate if any soap was added to the mix.


    Finally, Mar''kon seemed to make up his mind. Turning around, he glared at each of the workers for a moment before speaking. "Right, I know you lot were focused on listening rather than working. You heard the offer. Any of you want to risk life and limb to get in on this hair-brained scheme from the get-go?"


    Pretty much every worker present stepped forward and waited. Mar''kon glaired at the lot of them a moment longer before responding. "That''s what I thought. Yer all as mad as I was at yer age."


    Mar''kon seemed to fix his glair on a specific worker. "Tel''ron, yer work on knives and sheers had been decent enough this last year. Think yer up to the job, kid?"


    The worker approached the group with a big grin plastered on his face. Jack didn''t think he looked too young. He was probably a bit older than Lon''thul. Then again, Mar''kon was just about the eldest argu''n Jack had seen so far, so he supposed everyone looked like a ''kid'' in Mar''kon''s eyes.


    Tel''ron walked right up to Jack and offered his hand. Jack was a bit surprised at how many people knew about handshakes already and wondered what other mannerisms he might have accidentally introduced to their society. As he shook Jack''s hand, the argu''n spoke. "You saved me from a long, dull winter. Don''t worry, I''m not as lazy as my father. I''ll work hard to get the job done."


    Jack looked a little quizzically at smith. "Do I know your father?"


    Tel''ron grinned. "Well, you should know him by now. You pass him every time you come into the village. He used to be more active in the guard, but he just works the front gate these days. His name is Ger''ron."


    Jack''s eyes widened a little at this. Looking closer, he could see the family resemblance, though it probably wasn''t as evident to him as it would be to another argu''n. "Well, if you''re half as good-natured as your father, you''ll be a welcome addition. We''ll be meeting at the inn shortly after dawn. Meet us there, and I''ll cover the cost of breakfast and have your coat ready. Do you have your own tools, or will I need to supply those?"


    Tel''ron shook his head. "Nah, I got my own set. I''ll see ya there, bright and early!"


    The smith then walked up to S''haar and offered his hand to her as well. "It''ll be exciting working with my dad''s star pupil. He always told me if I had half your talent, I''d be set for life. I don''t know if he ever told you, but the reason he''s on permanent gate duty is that he got in a big fight with the captain when you got kicked out. Don''t worry, though. He doesn''t regret a thing. He said it was about time he stood up to that ''pompous windbag.''


    S''haar seemed genuinely pleased to hear about her old mentor. "So you''re the rebellious son who became a smith rather than a guard. You know, he wanted me to go knock some sense into your head when you chose this profession."


    Tel''ron shook his head. "Well, I''m glad you didn''t. From what I hear, I''d have been lucky to survive the encounter."


    Stepping back, he nodded to Jack again. "Well, I''d better get all my tools gathered and ready to go. I''ll see you both in the morning!"


    As the three of them watched the smith run off, Mar''kon added his own final thought. "He''s a good kid, you take care of him, and he''ll take care of you."


    Turning back to his charges, Mar''kon started laying into the closest with his rag. "You all have stood around staring long enough! Back to work with ya!"

 Chapter 21

    As Jack and S''haar stumbled into the inn, Jack couldn''t help but be pleased with how everything was going. True, there are still a few complications on the horizon, but, on the whole, he''s accomplished all of his primary objectives. Though admittedly, they had come at a higher cost than he''d been hoping to pay.


    The inn was a familiar combination of sounds and smells. The air had finally grown cold enough that the villagers were forced to spend most of their time indoors. At the same time, the villagers hadn''t settled in yet and still had the energy to burn. As a result, most of the males were shouting or even wrestling with each other. The latter were usually younger males trying to prove their superiority while the village''s young ladies looked on and whispered to each other in varying degrees of amusement.


    The smells came from various assortments of meats and drinks that were being devoured or sloshed on the floor respectively. Through all of the chaos flittered the ever-energetic innkeeper, Sur''ruin. Dodging between combatants and drunks alike, she was quick with a laugh or a smile for whoever caught her fancy at the moment. This particular moment belonged to Jack and S''haar.


    Seeing her new guests looking around for a place to sit, Sur''ruin marched right up with a mug for each of them, her smile speaking louder than the din of the room. "If it isn''t my favorite human, Jack! Are you looking for food, bed, or both?"


    S''haar, remembering Angela''s directives regarding argu''n alcohol, accepted both mugs on their behalf. "We''ll be needing both, and correct me if I''m wrong, but isn''t Jack, the only human you know?"


    The innkeeper flashed Jack one of those smiles unique to the argu''n that somehow seemed to double the amount of teeth in their mouths. "He can be the only human I know and be my favorite at the same time!"


    She winked at Jack before turning back to S''haar. "Follow me. I''ve got a table away from the worst of the ruckus. The meal is covered by the food you supplied, the room will cost you a story, or you could clean some dishes, whichever you prefer."


    Jack tilted his head for a moment, thinking of a story good enough to tell that might be worth the room''s price. As he sat down at the table, Jack finally made up his mind. "Alright, I think I have a story you might enjoy. When you are ready, come on back, and I''ll tell you the ancient human tale of Hades and Persephone."


    Sur''ruin looked at Jack with a face torn by indecision. "I was thinking of a story about yourself, but I suppose I could give a human story a try, just this once... All right, it''s a deal, but if it''s not a good enough story, I''m expecting some kind of follow-up!"


    -


    S''haar could tell Sur''ruin was hooked by Jack''s tale. S''haar also couldn''t help but be annoyed at the looks the innkeeper was directing toward Jack, despite the innkeeper''s inability to understand him without S''haar''s translations. "But because she ate the four pomegranate seeds, Persephone was doomed to have to return and spend four months of every year with Hades until the end of time. That is why summer must come to an end, and fall fades into winter. However, when Persephone returns to the world of the living, she brings the promise of spring along with her."


    As the night passed, the room had emptied as the villagers returned to their homes. Now the inn was strangely quiet, with the few patrons remaining getting lost in their drinks or passing out by the fire.


    Sur''ruin sat up and blinked a few times before speaking. "Well, I don''t know about Persephone being doomed, but Hades seems like a decent enough guy. Setting aside the whole ''god'' thing, there are worse fates in life than a devoted male who will risk the wrath of a goddess for you!"


    Jack shrugged. "Well, among the Greek gods, Hades was about as close to decent as they came. However, there is the whole issue of that kidnapping thing. These days that''s one of the worst crimes a person can commit."


    Sur''ruin tilted her head in confusion. "Maybe where you come from it is, but around here, it''s common enough. Why I''ve had two attempted kidnappings myself!"


    Jack turned to S''haar with a look of confusion. S''haar merely shrugged. "Don''t look at me. No one''s ever tried to kidnap me. Though I did get sacrificed to a dragon once."


    Given the subject of kidnappings, Jack couldn''t help but think of Em''brel, and his face visibly darkened. "Well, I''m not ok with it. A man has to be pretty pathetic to try and force himself on a woman who doesn''t return his affections."


    The innkeeper took a look around the room and sighed. "Regardless, I suppose that story was good enough for a night. With only a few tweaks, I''ll be able to entertain a good-sized crowd with it from time to time. Now, I''ve got some cleaning to do before I''m done for the night, so why don''t you two head upstairs and get some rest. You''ve got a long journey ahead of you in the morning!"


    Then Sur''ruin was gone, leaving S''haar to wonder why it bothered her so much when the innkeeper smiled at Jack so persistently throughout the night.


    -


    Jack realized on an intellectual level that he''d shared a bed with S''haar once before. However, he had also been drugged out of his mind at the time. He couldn''t really remember anything except a rather... uncomfortable morning. This time Jack was sane and sober, and his mind was racing in circles.


    If Jack didn''t know that S''haar was cold-blooded, he''d swear he could feel the heat radiating from her side of the bed. Was it just because he was in bed with a woman, or was it S''haar herself that invoked this reaction?


    Jack had certainly enjoyed the flirtatious attentions of Sur''ruin, but ultimately she''d been too...intimidating to invoke any feelings other than a small bit of an ego boost. Though she did behave in a manner that at least somewhat resembled women back home. In comparison, S''haar was that much more intimidating. She was both physically larger and more intense than the friendly innkeeper.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    On the other hand, S''haar was closer to Jack than anyone other than Angela had been since... well, in a very long time. She was always at his side, and when push came to shove, neither of them hesitated to place their lives into the other''s hands. The two of them had come to trust each other implicitly, which was surprising given how little time had passed since their first meeting. Admittedly, it had been a rather intense month, or had it been a month and a half?


    With a mostly subvocal grumble, Jack turned onto his side. These thoughts were far too confusing for... whatever hour it was. He just needed to close his eyes and get to sleep. He''d need his energy for the long walk home. Any minute now, he''d finally get that feeling of comfort that always came just before sleep. Aaaany minute...


    With a less subvocal grunt, Jack sat up in bed and rubbed his face. He was no stranger to insomnia and knew that just lying there wasn''t going to change anything any time soon. The best thing he could do was to distract himself for a bit. Only after his mind quieted could he try to sleep again.


    He wasn''t foolish enough to go out and wander the streets without S''haar at his side, but he figured a quick trip to the common room should be safe enough. Regardless, he strapped on his gun just to be safe.


    The room was oddly peaceful. The dim glow of a few embers still emanated from the fireplace. Other than that, the dining area was deserted. Jack settled into a corner, turned on and set his headlamp to dim, and pulled out a well-worn book he often traveled with and started to read.


    He''d read this particular book so often he could almost recite it from beginning to end, but something was comforting about the old, familiar words. He could practically hear his father reading it aloud from what felt like several lifetimes ago.


    "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."


    Jack let his mind split in two. One half was wandering down familiar paths, guided by a storyteller who''d lived and died many generations before Jack. The other half was lost in his childhood, sitting by a warm and cheery fire on a cold winter''s night, enjoying a mug of hot chocolate while wrapped in a thick quilt. He could almost smell the fire and hear the gentle winds as it snowed just outside the window.


    Soon Jack found he couldn''t read anymore because the words on the page started to blur. A light tickling sensation alerted him to the fact that tears had started falling at some point, though if anyone had asked him, Jack couldn''t say when. A little ashamed of himself, Jack wiped his face with the back of his hand.


    Standing, Jack turned to head back upstairs. That was when the light briefly illuminated the feet of some argu''n who''d obviously been standing and watching him for quite some time. She held a sword loosely in her hand.


    -


    S''haar woke with a start. Something was off, but she was having a hard time focusing on what it was because her brain was still sluggish with sleep and cold. That''s when it hit her. The heat source wasn''t beside her the way it should be. With a flick of her tongue, she could taste Jack''s recent presence. There was no scent of fear in the air, but something was off. There was an unfamiliar... musk to his scent.


    Slipping out of bed, S''haar struggled to finish waking herself. She didn''t know why Jack had left in the middle of the night, but she''d be damned if she''d let him wander the city without a bodyguard.


    It was a sense of duty that caused S''haar to start worrying as she thought of everything that could go wrong. What else could it be? She wouldn''t panic at the mere thought of Jack being in danger. That would be absurd. Just to be safe, S''haar grabbed her sword before leaving.


    S''haar didn''t have to go far to find her charge. Jack was sitting in the common room, reading one of his books. Something in his expression made S''haar hesitate to disturb him as he read. His smile radiated the bittersweet combination of happy memories and deep sadness.


    She thought about going back to their room but found that her feet refused to move. Something was different about Jack''s expression. He was so open...and vulnerable. Not that Jack was the type to hide behind false bravado like many males seemed to, but there still existed a wall between Jack and the rest of the world. At this moment, his walls were down, and he was just... Jack.


    Sometimes S''haar forgot just how small and frail Jack really was. At that moment, sitting in the corner in a chair two sizes too big for him, Jack looked like he needed to be protected. So S''haar stood vigil, watching over her Jack, struggling to understand the unfamiliar feelings of protectiveness she felt toward this strange little man.


    S''haar was lost in thought when Jack got up to head upstairs. When his light illuminated her feet, S''haar saw the look of panic that took over his face. Of greater concern was the fact that his hand flew to his holster.


    She knew Jack was unlikely to shoot before getting a better look at his target. On the other hand, she had seen first hand what that gun was capable of. S''haar wasn''t going to give him the chance to make the kind of mistake they''d both regret.


    S''haar dropped her sword and launched herself forward, quickly grabbing Jack''s hand, preventing him from drawing his gun. Her other hand clamped over his mouth to prevent him from shouting out and waking everyone in the inn up. "It''s me you idiot! Calm down! You''re safe!"


    Jack''s face flashed between panic and confusion, then relief, before eventually settling on embarrassment.


    That was when the creak of a hinge behind S''haar let her know the two of them were no longer entirely alone.


    Turning to assess the possible threat, S''haar forgot to release Jack. Leaving them in quite the interesting entanglement as Sur''ruin poked her head out of her door while holding a candle.


    Sur''ruin gave the two a knowing look as her face spread into quite the mischievous grin. "I heard a noise, but now I see it''s just my two favorite love birds! Usually, our guests prefer to play these kinds of games in the privacy of their own rooms... Or is this is your way of inviting anyone interested to join in the fun?"


    At the same moment, both Jack and S''haar realized what Sur''ruin was implying. Jack''s eyebrows shot up in surprise while S''haars eye ridges narrowed into an intimidating glare. Since Jack''s mouth was still covered, S''haar responded on both their behalfs. "No, I think we''d both prefer to keep this moment between the two of us. Thank you for your concern, but we''ll be fine."


    Sur''ruin shrugged in a way that seemed to say ''your loss,'' then retreated back into her room and closed the door.


    S''haar gave Jack with a look usually reserved for intimidating veteran warriors. After a moment, she spoke. "When I remove my hand from your mouth, I don''t want to hear one word about what just happened. Your life will be happier and healthier if you heed my warning. Do you understand?"


    Jack nodded emphatically, his eyes wide. As S''haar slowly removed her hands from his mouth, he took a moment to rub his wrist before looking up with a grin that told S''haar he was about to regret his next words. "Sooo... she seems nice!"


    Without hesitation, S''haar reached out and grabbed the nearest partially full mug and upended the contents over Jack''s head. It was troubling that his grin told S''haar that he didn''t regret it nearly as much as she would have thought.

 Chapter 22

    The journey home was thankfully uneventful. They were able to maintain a quicker pace since there were multiple argu''n taking turns pulling the cart. The first leg of the journey was filled with excited talk among the younger woodworkers and the smith as they marveled at their new heated coats, but eventually, everyone settled into a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. When they stopped for lunch, they were much closer to the mountain than the first time Jack and S''haar had traveled this route.


    While eating, Lon''thul saddled up next to Jack and S''haar. He looked like something was on his mind, and Jack was content to eat while the young man gathered his thoughts. After a few moments of Jack chewing in what was quickly becoming an awkward silence, Lon''thul finally found the courage to speak up.


    "The last time I... ''visited'' your home, I unintentionally said some upsetting things to the young female now in your charge. I still feel kinda lousy about that... how''s she doing now?"


    Jack took another bite, letting the silence grow a little uncomfortable again before responding. S''haar translated from the other side of Jack between her own bites of food.


    "Well, it''s good that you feel down about what you did. That just means you have some idea of the pain you caused, accidental or not, and desire to make amends." Jack smiled a bit. "It means there''s hope for you."


    Letting his expression grow somber again, Jack continued. "Em''brel lost everyone she cared about and had her entire life ripped away from her, not to mention the abuse she suffered at the raiders'' hands before we got there. That kind of thing can take many years to come to terms with. Even if she succeeds, she''ll still bear deep scars on her soul for the rest of her life."


    Jack looked at a distant horizon within himself and couldn''t help but compare his own history to Em''brel''s current state. "However, she''s moving forward as best she can. When she realized she didn''t have a place in this world anymore, she decided to make one for herself. She''s setting goals and making great strides toward them. In many ways, Em''brel is stronger than I was at her age, and I''m not talking about physical muscles."


    Finishing his food, Jack stood up and dusted off his pants as he finished his thoughts. "But to answer your question, at the moment, her spirit still bears many raw and bleeding wounds. So I''m only going to tell you this once."


    Lon''thul found it surprising such a small, frail man could suddenly look so intimidating. "Whatever your motivations in coming to speak with me now, whatever your intentions regarding her in the future, if you treat Em''brel in anything but the most honorable and gentlest of ways, you will find your welcome to our outpost suddenly and violently revoked!"


    Jack and S''haar both got up and walked off, letting Lon''thul sit, lost in thought for a few minutes.


    -


    After arriving at the mountain, the workers remained outside the cave while Jack and S''haar went in to get the tents and other supplies. They''d almost made it to the door when Em''brel launched herself out of it and at Jack. This time she didn''t grip him quite so tightly as to cause significant bruising, which was a pleasant surprise, but the two still ended up in a tangle on the ground.


    Jack laughed as he ruffled Em''brels'' ''hair.'' "What''s all this then? Has Angela been so rough with you that you felt the need to run away?"


    Em''brel hid her face against Jack while still refusing to let go of him. Her voice was quiet and more than a little embarrassed. "I...I was afraid something would happen to you while you were gone...The last time..."


    Jack climbed back to his feet, then helped Em''brel to her feet with a grunt of effort before responding. "Last time, it was much warmer out. Cold as it is now, this is probably about the safest time of year for me to be out and about. Now, S''haar and I need to get the tents out to the workers we brought back with us. Why don''t you tell me what you''ve been studying while we walk?"


    Em''brel''s eyes lit up as she followed along, her tone of voice further revealing her eagerness to describe it all. "Well, there''s all the math stuff, but that''s boring. What was way more fun was what Angela called ''simple machines,'' things like levers and pullies!"


    This caught S''haar''s interest. "Angela is teaching you the secrets behind human machines?"


    Em''brel looked even more excited to explain the concept to someone else who could learn along with her. "Nothing as complex as, well, anything they have in the ship, but even their simple machines are amazing. By placing a long stick over a ''fulcrum,'' you can easily lift something too heavy to lift through usual means." Em''brel''s arms moved about as she tried to explain the movement of the stick and fulcrum. "By moving the fulcrum closer to the heavy object, you increase the distance that the lever has to move relative to the distance the object moves, and the weight is decreased by a corresponding amount. The greater the difference, the lighter the object becomes!"


    S''haar looked more than a little confused. "You mean you can change the weight of an object just by putting it on a stick, and you''re telling me this isn''t human magic?" Jack could swear S''haar used the term ''magic'' just because she knew it irked him.


    Em''brel shook her head before she beamed at S''haar and continued to explain. "Not at all, in fact, many of our own people use levers from time to time, but now I understand why they work and how to better utilize them! On the other hand, the pulley is new to me, but it does something similar using rope and wheels!"


    The two continued talking as they walked into the ship. Jack let them go on while Angela floated up to give her own greeting. "Welcome back, and with no broken bones this time! Hopefully, it''s the start of a new trend!¡±


    Jack chuckled. ¡°Yes, yes. It¡¯s very funny how I keep getting into trouble. It¡¯s good to see you too.¡±


    Anglea turned to S¡¯haar. ¡°And he was well behaved this time? There were no other...incidents?¡±


    S¡¯haar stuttered incoherently while Jack turned a little red at the memories of what had kept him awake. "Well, not really...no."


    Angela''s lazy attitude and posture disappeared as she exploded with energy, shooting up into the air and throwing her arms and legs out wide, while words virtually burst out of her. "Ohmygod,somethingDIDhappen! Tellmeeverything! NowaitIwanttohearitfromher! Girls night! We''re going to tell stories about boys! Well, A boy! Oh, what embarrassing story should I share? What about the first time you had a bubble bath as a toddler? Or maybe that time you scared yourself with a mirror in a dark room? There are too many to choose from! This is going to be great! I''ve got pictures and everything!"


    Stolen story; please report.


    Jack was suddenly filled with feelings of fear and trepidation. There was no way this was going to end well for him.


    -


    Jack finally managed to get the others back on track bringing out the materials for the tents to the workers. S''haar carried out three tents by herself, Em''brel hefted two, and Jack managed to slog out the last one on his own, cursing the unfairness of argu''n physiology the whole way.


    Once outside, Jack started showing their new guests how to set up the tents. They were a simple design based on canopy tents back home. Four posts were placed, one at each corner of a square, and one long post was set up in the center. The corner posts attached to each other via beams running between the posts, then they were anchored to the ground by a rope attached to the tops of those posts. A quilted wall was put up around the outside, and the roof was treated to help any moisture roll off easily, then raised with the long post. The floors were thick, linen-like cloth, with each argu''n being given a hide to use as padding under large sleeping bags that had been designed with pockets for more heating packs.


    By Jack''s standards, this was definitely roughing it, but many of the argu''n noticed these ''small tents'' Jack had supplied weren''t much worse than the living quarters they were used to in the village. True, they were light on furnishings and a little smaller than even a bachelor''s housing, but it was still far better than they''d feared.


    While everyone set up their tents, Jack recruited S''haar into helping him set up a large fire pit for gathering around and cooking. As the uninvited guest, Lon''thul found he had the dubious honor of digging out the latrines away from the camp. Jack made sure he dug decently deep holes so they could be filled in later.


    At first, Emb''brel had shadowed S''haar, doing her best to hide behind the larger female. However, once the fire pit was ready, she had her own job, and it was one she took pride in. She''d brought out several of the most enormous pots Jack owned and had set them up on an improvised metal grate Angela had procured from some unused device she''d had sitting around in storage. The pots'' contents were all in varying states of simmering as the stew Em''brel cooked started to come together. A couple of the workers brought over several of the logs Jack and S''haar had stored before to use as seating, and before long, the whole group was enjoying the fruits of Em''brel''s labor.


    At some point, one of the woodworkers dug out a stringed instrument similar to a lute, but whose sound was a bit sharper and harsher than most earth music. After a while, Fea''en joined in, lending her gravely voice to the music. As best as Jack could tell, the song told the story of some grand hunt. While the details were kind of fuzzy, Jack suspected most argu''n must be already familiar with the tale, as this song seemed to be more about the beat of the music than the story. The sound was very different from human music, almost bestial in nature, but it had a beat you could move to. Jack found himself tapping his foot in time to the music.


    This went on for several songs, all of whose subjects seemed to center around fighting, hunting, and more fighting. All of the music had aggressive energy, and Jack couldn''t help but feel his blood pump a little faster as he listened.


    He noticed S''haar and Em''brel seemed to be debating something in private, just off to the side of the gathering, and once the music stopped between songs, S''haar gave Em''brel a shove toward the center before telling the musician, "Play something slower."


    When the music began this time, it had a slower pace and a quiet tone. Em''brel''s voice started with a slight waver to it, but when she looked at Jack, he gave her a big grin and a nod of his head. Em''brel seemed to take heart and closed her eyes to continue her song. Her voice grew more confident, though it was much more gentle than Fae''en''s voice had been.


    This song seemed to tell the journey of a tribe wandering through the wilderness. As they traveled, they lost men and women to beasts, hunger, and cold. The people''s hope slowly faded until the last few survivors gave up and laid down for the last time. The stringed instrument had stopped playing at some point, but no one noticed as everyone sat entranced by the pure sound of the young argu''n''s voice.


    Once the song ended, everyone sat in quiet for a moment, not sure what to do. S''haar started clapping as she''d seen humans do in some of the movies Jack had shown her, then Jack quickly joined in, and it didn''t take long for the rest of the workers present to catch on. Em''brel ducked out of the center of attention with a shy smile and resumed her seat next to S''haar, once more trying to hide in the larger female''s shadow. A few more songs were played after that, mostly to lighten the mood a little, but it was clear that everyone was nearing their limit for the evening. Eventually, everyone split off to their respective tents, with Jack, S''haar, and Em''brel returning to their own home, intent on calling it a night.


    -


    Jack was ready to pass out. Between not getting enough sleep the night before, the long journey home, setting up camp, and the campfire gathering, Jack was surprised he had enough energy to shower and brush his teeth before collapsing into bed. A familiar blue glow behind him told Jack who had appeared even before Jack looked in the mirror and saw Angela just off to the side. Jack spit out a mouth full of toothpaste before rinsing and addressing the not-quite patient presence behind him. "You always seem to catch me right before bed. What''s up this time? Please don''t tell me there''s another emergency that requires me to dramatically readjust our plans again!"


    Angela laughed, her face filled with a genuine smile Jack had seen more and more of recently. "No sir, quite the opposite, for once everything seems to be going as planned."


    Jack looked at her through the mirror with mock horror on his face. The effect was somewhat diminished as he got ready to floss his teeth. "You shouldn''t say things like that! If I was slightly more superstitious, I''d say you just doomed us all."


    Angela waved away his concerns. "Oh please, this world seems to do that job well enough without any irony gods having to lift a finger. At this rate, the only surprising thing would be if everything continued to go as planned. We both know neither of us is lucky enough for that to happen."


    Jack started using his mouthwash as Angela continued. "I''ve just not had a chance to talk with you recently unless it was to address some major issue, so I thought I''d stop by and ask ''how''re you doing?''"


    Jack gave the question some thought before spitting out the mouth rinse and taking a drink from some water he had sitting to the side. Turning to face Angela, Jack leaned back against the sink as he spoke. "You know, given everything that''s happened, I would think I''d be more stressed than ever, but more and more, I feel like I''m doing something worth doing. Not just repairing the ship, despite how important that is, but everything else." He waved his hand in the general direction of the cave as he took a breath.


    Jack continued as he walked into his room and sat down to remove his slippers before crawling under his blankets. "In a weird way, the large, scary cat-lizard residents of this planet feel more like people to me than most humans did back in earthspace. Weirdly, it almost feels like we''ve... ah..."


    Jack found he couldn''t bring himself to finish the thought. It was almost as if he was afraid that vocalizing his thoughts would make him realize this was all a dream, one he didn''t want to wake up from.


    Angela felt no such compunctions about finishing the sentence. "It almost feels like we''ve come home."


    Jack couldn''t help but think of the two other presences just a room away as he closed his eyes and settled into his pillow. "Yeah...home. It feels...nice."


    Angela didn''t bother to respond, knowing she would have been speaking to herself anyway. Jack was already asleep. Her avatar slowly faded from view, but all her sensors stayed active, keeping a close eye on the three most important people in her world.

 Chapter 23

    Tel''ron turned to S''haar, his face expressing his deep concern. "I don''t know much about humans, but I can''t believe that kind of laughter is normal..."


    Jack continued to cackle gleefully as he started up the chainsaw. The roar of the engine caused Tel''ron to jump back in surprise. He was starting to regret his earlier decision to help out Jack and S''haar. Dragon''s magic was clearly something that shouldn''t be meddled with.


    Their request hadn''t seemed so frightening when they''d asked for help. Jack and S''haar needed a hand hauling freshly cut trees over to where the woodworkers could ply their trade, splitting and shaping logs into boards and planks. With all the tools sharpened and ready, there wasn''t much for the smith to do at the moment, so Tel''ron had volunteered his services.


    He''d assumed S''haar would cut the trees down, Jack would trim off the branches, and he''d haul the wood. He hadn''t known what to think when S''haar had laughed a little nervously at his assumption.


    In Jack''s hands, the ''chainsaw'' roared as if it was some wild beast claiming its territory, drowning out almost all other sounds. The only thing he could hear over the cacophony was Jack''s clearly unstable laughter.


    Tel''ron expected Jack to swing the monstrous device at the tree like a woodcutter''s ax. Instead, he seemed to leisurely brush against the tree with the lightest of touches. Immediately, shredded wood began to fly everywhere as the tree was torn into pieces before Tel''ron''s eyes.


    In short order, the tree was on the ground, and Jack was trimming off the branches. As he worked, S''haar showed Tel''ron how to attach the harness they were going to use to move what was left of the tree.


    Jack''s laughter had died down at some point in the process, but the grin on his face still spoke of a dangerous imbalance in the man''s psyche.


    Tel''ron dragged the tree back to be processed and was greeted by a somewhat confused Fea''en. "Already? You can''t just bring back a tree you found lying on the ground. We''ll need fresh wood to get good quality lumber!"


    Tel''ron shook his head. Try as he might, he couldn''t forget what he''d witnessed. "This tree was standing with all its branches attached not 20 minutes ago. Jack used a weird blade covered in metal teeth to chew the tree down and sever its limbs. He said it was powered by ''dragon''s fire.'' After witnessing it in action, I believe him."


    Tel''ron started to head back after getting the log situated, only to pass S''haar, who was already pulling another log back to camp. The rest of the morning passed much the same. Jack would cut and trim a tree while either Tel''ron or S''haar caught their breath. Once cleaned, they''d drag the trunk back to camp. By lunch, Fea''en had to ask them to stop. Otherwise, the trees would sit too long without being processed. The three of them had cleared away a decent amount of land by that point anyway.


    One thing that astounded Tel''ron even more than the amount of work done was how well the chainsaw''s metal teeth held up. Given how small they were and how much wood they''d been used to cut through, he expected them to be worn down to nubs, but when Jack allowed him to examine the tiny blades, they were still almost as sharp as any blade he could forge. The dragon obviously had some method of steel refinement that surpassed anything known to Tel''ron.


    When Tel''ron asked Jack about it, Jack started his explanation with a shrug. "Well, I don''t know everything about it, but it''s not just steel. It''s an alloy. Similar to combining copper and tin to make bronze, this is mostly steel, but a few other things have been added to turn it into an alloy stronger than titanium and easier to make. The downside is it''s a bit heavier, but in small amounts like this, that isn''t an issue."


    Tel''ron was able to follow most of the explanation, though he didn''t know what ''titanium'' was. From the context, he assumed it was a kind of metal even stronger than steel, but this steel alloy Jack spoke of was stronger again. Having seen it in action, Tel''ron was inclined to believe Jack''s claim, improbable as it might seem. He was now even more eager to work with S''haar and the crazy human and wondered what secrets he might bring back to his people after his time here.


    -


    Jack and S''haar finally headed back to the ship for lunch. Everyone was eating leftovers from the night before, but Jack wanted to check in on Angela and Em''brel. They walked in on what was apparently another ongoing physics lesson.


    Angela was wearing a lab coat with thick glasses and also had "grown" her hair out, just to put it into a messy bun. For the lesson she was currently teaching, she had created a holographic box in front of herself as a prop. "So, as you can see, gravitational force keeps the box in contact with the ground, and friction force from that contact keeps it from moving on its own, but if I use applied force, I can move the box like so!" Angela then seemed to push the box a short distance.


    Em''brel seemed a little bored at the moment. "But why does it matter which ''forces'' cause these things to happen? Why bother to name them? We all already know the box won''t move unless someone moves it."


    Angela had obviously fielded such questions before and was ready for it. "These are just basic examples, designed to give you an understanding of the nature of the various forces, but once you understand them, you can apply them. For example, take a look at one of S''haar''s throwing spears compared with one of Lon''thul''s spears."


    An image of the two spears appeared in the air beside one and other. "If you notice, S''haar''s spear, often called a javelin, is much smaller and lighter, and the front is more narrow. These qualities decrease the effect of gravitational pull and wind resistance, allowing the spear to travel further and more accurately."


    S''haar tilted her head to one side. "Huh, so that''s how it works... and here I thought it was just because your steel was better than ours."


    Angela shifted her attention to her new student. "That is undoubtedly a factor. It''s part of the reason the spears are so much lighter than what you are used to but are still strong enough to withstand the impact and retain their shape. The trick is to make it light enough to throw well, but heavy enough to impart enough kinetic force upon impact to do some damage."


    S''haar was scratching her head. "You lost me. I don''t know what energy has to do with my spear. I just throw it, and it stabs into my target. There''s no energy."


    Jack could tell by the light in Angela''s eye meant they were going to be here a while since she now had two willing victims. Jack repressed his sigh as he set about preparing a lunch.


    -


    After finishing lunch, Jack and Angela were discussing what the next step should be. Angela began the discussion. "Well, if the woodworkers have all the wood they can use for a few days, our next priority should be to increase our power reserves. I''ve already got some solar panels put together and ready to go, and the cable won''t take me long to finish. The problem is where to set them up."


    Jack nodded, gulping down a mouthful of sandwich in the process. "Yeah, our cave entrance is facing the east more or less, but given our position in the northern hemisphere, we''d ideally like them to be on the southern face of the mountain. That way, you can adjust the panels to face the sun for the entire day, but that would be a long way to run some cable."


    Angela seemed a little put out that Jack more or less bypassed her next excuse for more teaching but let it slide. This time. "Yes, it would be too long, which is why I want to dig a new access tunnel."


    A projection of the mountain appeared in the air above the table before Angela continued her explanation. "So, we have natural tunnels already extending only a few thousand meters from the southern face here." The mountain turned translucent, and a glowing tunnel appeared on the inside. It looked more like string than the large cavernous tunnel Jack knew it to be.


    Angela pointed a few sections of rock, and they turned blue at the point she indicated. "If you dig here, here, and here you can extend our own tunnel to have nearly direct access without compromising the cave''s structural integrity by any noticeable measure."


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    Jack was looking closely at the map when Em''brel voiced her own question. "What''s a solar panel?"


    Jack didn''t have to see Angela to know her eyes were lighting up at the new question. "To understand that, you first have to know what electricity is!"


    Jack leaned over and whispered to S''haar. "We might want to get back to work. This explanation is going to take a while."


    S''haar nodded her head emphatically, and the two left Em''brel to her fate as Angela launched into a new explanation.


    -


    Lon''thul was out stalking his prey but wasn''t having much luck today. Usually, he could sneak right up on a churlish and pounce on it before it was able to so much as sense his presence. He''d been able to do it for years now, but for some reason, today, the churlish kept sensing him and jumping away before he could launch his attack. This had happened so many times that he''d chased it several miles around the mountain.


    Of course, his mind was usually focused like a blade, whereas today, his thoughts were all over the place. He''d known for a while that S''haar didn''t feel the same way about him as he''d always felt about her. In her eyes, he''d forever remain a bumbling youth. And while he didn''t understand the apparent relationship that seemed to be forming between her and Jack, he didn''t particularly begrudge it either. S''haar had always been unique among the village women, and it made sense that her relationships would be different from what was usual as well.


    What confused Lon''thul was Jack himself. He seemed friendly and sympathetic one moment, then borderline hostile the next. Lon''thul would be tempted to blame it on Jack simply being fickle or petty in nature, but there were no other indications of it other than his occasional behavior toward Lon''thul. He even seemed more forgiving of B''arthon and his two thugs than he was of Lon''thul.


    Maybe it wasn''t a question of forgiveness. You can only forgive someone who''s not actively threatening you, so perhaps Jack saw Lon''thul as an active threat for some reason?


    Lon''thul was finally getting caught up to his prey again. He was close enough to taste the churlish with a flick of the tongue. Creeping slowly closer, he readied his spear and started to brace himself for the leap that would claim his prize when he snapped a twig he hadn''t realized was beneath his feet. The churlish reacted instantly, leaping away to safety and forcing Lon''thul to continue his hunt further still. In frustration, Lon''thul punched a rather large rock formation and succeeded only in hurting his hand before continuing.


    It wasn''t fair! Lon''thul had been nothing but friendly toward Jack. It wasn''t his fault lord A''ngles had chosen him to keep an eye on the outpost. At the time, he''d just been eager to be involved in the exciting new venture. He hadn''t realized this was all done without Jack''s knowledge or understanding until he''d brought it up in the inn. Even then, Jack had seemed to agree with Lon''thul''s take on the situation and seemed relatively friendly most of the time.


    It seemed to come out of nowhere when Jack suddenly became hostile from time to time. It always seemed to be regarding the new argu''n living with him, Em''brel. Lon''thul didn''t think Jack had taken her as a mate, the energy between Jack and the young girl was completely different from him and S''haar. He was acting less like a partner and more like a... herd leader.


    Now that Lon''thul thought about it, things started to make sense. Argu''n were more small pack oriented. Their loyalty was first and foremost directed toward their immediate family. They could form friendships and live civilly with other families, but that came about only recently because of necessity. There were far too many predators for a single-family to deal with on their own. Then came the discovery that with more people came the ability to specialize, which increased everyone''s prosperity.


    Herd animals were different, though. The adults lived in large communities, creating safety in numbers, and calves were often looked after by every adult. What if Jack saw Em''brel as a calf in his herd and saw Lon''thul as a predator eyeing Em''brel?


    As Lon''thul approached the churlish this time, everything fell into place. He''d approached from downwind, his feet found purchase on the soft, silent ground, his weapons were ready, and he lept. The churlish didn''t have time to do more than grunt in surprise as his spear found its mark. The camp would eat well tonight!


    Lon''thul had just started field dressing his catch when the earth shook as though the gods were pouring their wrath upon the land.


    Lon''thul hid behind a rock but readied his spear for whatever was coming. He knew he had little hope against anything that could shake the very ground itself, but if it found him, the hunter would not cower and wait for his death. At the very least, he''d meet it spear in hand.


    As moments passed, the sound grew louder, and the shaking grew worse. Whatever was causing this must be titanic! The hunter slowly moved toward what seemed to be the epicenter of the noise and vibrations, closer to the mountain. That''s when Lon''thul spotted a portion of the mountain heaving and splitting. Something was digging through the very mountain itself! The only thing Lon''thul could think of that could do this was the dragon. The hunter kept his spear in hand, just in case, but peered over his rock, determined to catch a glimpse of the mysterious beast.


    Bursting from the ground was a towering figure, but it wasn''t quite as large as Lon''thul had expected. It was bipedal and stood maybe 10 feet tall. It seemed to have large metallic looking bones on the outside, and in the middle was what appeared to be a stone skinned form that struck Lon''thul as oddly familiar. In its hands was a large round device covered in odd ''teeth'' that slowly spun in a continuous circle.


    The dragon seemed to slowly walk out of its new cave entrance before setting down the large device and sitting down. The stone center extracted itself from the metallic bones before dusting itself off, revealing itself to be covered in cloth rather than stone. Taking off its armored head and speaking in an oddly familiar voice, the ''dragon'' said something in that odd singsong language the hunter had gotten to know over the last few weeks.


    Lon''thul was so surprised he didn''t even bother to stay hidden. Standing there, his spear forgotten, and his mouth gaping in astonishment, Jack could hardly miss the hunter. Turning back, Jack said something over his shoulder into the hole he''d dug.


    The hunter was speechless a moment longer when another familiar voice echoed up from the cave. "Did you say Lon''thul was out there? What''s he doing on this side of the mountain?" S''haar followed her voice out of the cave, dusting herself off and removing a mask of her own.


    Lon''thul finally closed his mouth with a snap, then opened and closed it a few more times before his voice finally came out. "I... I was having trouble with a hunt that brought me over this way. It''s back that way..." Lon''thul pointed a bit behind himself, but his eyes refused to leave Jack and the metal skeleton behind him.


    Jack looked over at the churlish before returning his gaze to Lon''thul. "Well, I suppose that''s just the luck of the draw for you. No way either of us could have anticipated bumping into each other out here. The good news is that we can get you back to camp via a much more direct route than you having to carry the carcass all the way around the mountain again. All I''ll ask in payment is that you don''t enter the cave without our permission, now that you know about it."


    Lon''thul stood there a moment, barely processing what Jack had said. Finally, he pushed himself to voice the question in his mind. "Are... are you the dragon?"


    Jack threw back his head and laughed. "Nope, afraid not. The dragon is a lot bigger than that machine you saw me using and a lot scarier. She made that thing for me to help her dig out the mountain a little more. You could say she''s a bit cramped in there at the moment."


    The idea of something bigger and scarier than that ''machine'' was something Lon''thul was having trouble grasping. S''haar also seemed concerned, thought about something different. "Are you sure you want to take him into the caves?"


    Jack seemed to shrug, dislodging a somewhat impressive layer of dust. He gave a rather lengthy explanation to S''haar that Lon''thul couldn''t follow before turning his attention back to Lon''thul. S''haar resumed translation. "So how about it? You get a quicker trip back, AND you don''t run out of heat on the way back, forcing us to send out a rescue party. In return, you give me your word of honor that you won''t go into the caves uninvited?"


    The hunter had utterly lost track of time. He wasn''t used to having limited time to go out and hunt. He''d often go out for days at a time, but that wouldn''t work with the heated coats. He was somewhat embarrassed at his oversight, and it expressed itself in his voice as he spoke. "Ah... Yes, I''d appreciate the shortcut, and swear to never enter the caves unless invited."


    Jack gave him a big toothy grin. Lon''thul couldn''t help but notice how flat his teeth were, much like a herd animal''s would be. "Don''t worry about it man! New tech takes getting used to. I''m just glad we didn''t have to track you down before dinner!"


    Something occurred to the hunter as he tilted his head in curiosity. "Will we pass by the dragon while we''re in the caves?"


    Jack shook his head. "Nah, we''ll be taking a more direct route. There are so many natural caves in there that we won''t have to pass anywhere near the den. No worries."


    As he gathered up his prey and readied to enter into the caves, Lon''thul couldn''t help but appreciate that he seemed to be back on sound footing with Jack again. More evidence that his theory was correct.


    Jack reached up and activated something on his head, resulting in a light to shoot out in front of him into the cave. Not so long ago, this would have astounded Lon''thul, but after the last thirty minutes, that seemed to be the least surprising thing Jack was capable of. As Lon''thul followed the smaller man into the darkness, he couldn''t help but wonder to himself a little. What would it be like to be part of a larger group, a herd? One where everyone looked out for everyone else, rather than just tolerating each other? It sounded... nice.

 Chapter 24

    Jack was the last to wake up, as usual. Em''brel had gotten up early to cook, which was quickly becoming her chosen role, and Jack could definitely smell bacon in the air. He was starting to wonder just how long his bacon stores would last at the current rate of consumption.


    Em''brel was explaining her latest lesson to S''haar as she wrapped some sort of bread and egg mixture in bacon, secured it with a toothpick, and fried the bacon roll-ups in a skillet. "I''m telling you, they tamed lightning! This whole ship is powered by lightning! They are running off of stored up lightning at the moment. Usually, they make new lightning by creating a small star inside the ship! With their ship damaged, they can''t do that right now. Instead, they are going to borrow some of the power of our sun!"


    S''haar''s look was split between confusion and impatience as she tried to simultaneously listen to what Em''brel had to say and will the food to cook more quickly. "But what will happen if they take our suns'' power? Won''t it get colder?"


    Angela was starting to trust Em''brel more and more in the kitchen but still kept half an eye on the girl''s work as she responded. "It won''t affect the heat of your planet any more than the plants around you do. They''ve been doing the same thing as long as they''ve existed, taking the sun''s power and turning it into the energy they use to grow and flourish. By the time the power of your sun reaches us here on your planet, it''s already done its thing, and your sun doesn''t need it anymore."


    Em''brel finished the first batch and set a plate of them in front of S''haar and Jack. S''haar grabbed a piece a little too eagerly and started to toss it into her mouth before Em''brel snatched it out of the air while admonishing S''haar. "You don''t just eat the whole thing. You have to slide it off the toothpick like so!" In the overly delicate way only Em''brel seemed capable of, holding onto one end of the toothpick, she placed the morsel in her mouth and drew the toothpick out before chewing.


    Em''brels eyes were half-closed in rapture, and S''haar quickly followed suit. Soon all speech had ended, filling the ship with a comfortable silence as the two predators lost themselves in the flavor of their food. Jack wasn''t going to miss out and took some for himself.


    The bacon was the primary flavor of the food. Unsurprisingly it went well with the egg. The bread was more for texture and made the meal a bit more filling, but there was also a hint of garlic and something else with a little zest Jack couldn''t place.


    The confusion was evident on his face because Angela supplied an explanation. "The mystery flavor is celery salt!" Jack wasn''t sure what that even was, but then again, Angela usually took charge of stocking the ship with supplies, so he wasn''t surprised to have a spice he''d never heard of onboard.


    Angela was pleased with the effect the meal was having on everyone''s spirits but decided it was time to get down to business. "Since you got the tunnels dug out, the next step is to run the power cables out to that side of the mountain. With a little luck, we''ll have the solar panels up and working in a day or two!"


    The group had demolished the first three batches, but as Em''brel pulled off the fourth batch, Jack swiped them all before either predator could get a bite and put them in a container to take out to the workers. "We can run the cables this evening, but first, I want to go check up on the workers. They probably have enough shaped wood to begin the first lodge."


    S''haar gave Jack a glare that quite handily explained how dangerous it was to come between a hungry predator and her food. "And you are taking my bacon away because...?"


    Jack held up a hand and started counting down his fingers. "First, too much of one thing isn''t healthy. You need more variety in your diet. Second, you''ve already had enough breakfast. If you overeat, you''ll be sick all morning, and we won''t get anything done. Third, Those workers came all the way out here and risked a lot to help us out. This will be a good ''thank you.'' Fourth, can you think of anything else that would inspire loyalty in the workers faster than bacon? Fifth, ok, I didn''t think it through enough to have a fifth and assumed I''d just come up with one before I got here, but the previous four should be enough reasons."


    S''haar glared at Jack for a few more moments before slowly allowing her gaze to wander. "Fine, I guess you get to live... for now."


    Jack bowed his head in exaggerated gratitude. "Your benevolence is an inspiration to us all."


    -


    Jack brought out the bacon roll-ups as the workers were finishing their breakfast. When he lifted the cover, and the scents wafted out, all heads turned toward him. Setting the basket on a bench, Jack backed away. He knew better than to get between a bunch of argu''n and their first experience with bacon. S''haar managed to restrain herself from joining in as she translated for Jack. "Compliments of Em''brel, she thought you all had been working hard and deserved a treat."


    Jack watched as the feeding frenzy began. There was a moment when Jack feared trouble was brewing when one of the younger woodworkers started to push another out of the way. However, Fea''en proved more than up to wrangling her charges with a cuff to the back of the offending argu''n''s head. The proper pecking order established, the rest of the after-breakfast snack went off without a hitch.


    The basket was quickly emptied. Everyone was made sure of this when Lon''thul held the basket upside down over his head and shook it, just to be sure there was no hidden compartment with more bacon hidden inside.


    Fea''en shook her head in amusement at the youngster''s antics as she approached Jack. When she spoke up, her gravely voice oozed satisfaction. "You keep enough food like that coming, and I might consider the rest of your debt paid. These lads don''t need my help shaping more wood. Why don''t you show me what you are thinking about next? I have a feeling it''s not going to be what I would normally expect."


    Jack nodded his head and led her and S''haar over to the area he and S''haar had cleared earlier. "Ok, so this is the spot I''m planning on putting up the first lodge. The first step is to put up a wooden frame like this."


    Jack withdrew a schematic he and Angela had drawn up, showing the skeletal outline of the building he had planned. It didn''t take as long as he''d feared to explain the idea of size and scale. Fea''en caught on quickly. "So, once you get the beams in place, are you going to line the walls in skins? I see several issues if that''s the case, not the least of which is there is no way you''d retain enough heat in an area that size. I''m hoping you''re not planning on making it all out of wood. It would take forever to shape enough lumber to fill in the gaps."


    Jack shook his head. "I have something else in mind, quicker than lumber, better insulating, and easier to repair. If you can get this section up here." Jack pointed first at the schematic and again at the spot of ground he indicated. "S''haar and I will get the next parts ready."


    Fea''en looked at Jack with a combination of curiosity and skepticism. "You know, my father had a saying about people promising things too good to be real, but I''ll give you a chance to prove you know what you''re talking about. After all, you have to pay us whether or not you waste your time."


    S''haar''s face expressed her confidence in Jack''s ability to follow through with his promises as they parted ways.


    -


    Jack and S''haar brought along Em''brel and Lon''thul to help with this portion of the plan. Jack was explaining, and S''haar translated for Lon''thul. He held up a branch about three inches thick and seven feet long and a thinner sapling only about an inch wide. "So what we need are a combination of long thin branches like this and even thinner saplings like this."


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    Waving toward the forest near the lake Jack continued. "S''haar and Lon''thul can gather those. Meanwhile, Em''brel and I will get the clay, mud, and reeds we need by the lake. Just get as much as you can and load the cart up before lunch. After we eat, I''ll show everyone what we''ll be doing with everything."


    As they worked, everyone stayed more or less within sight and sound of each other, and the required materials accumulated quickly.


    Em''brel laughed as she worked, brightening the morning work. She had mud up to her elbows, streaked across her forehead, and all over her clothes. "You know, I''ve never done work like this before. My father always said things like this were for other people to do, but this is so much more fun than learning to read and write!"


    Wiping her hand across her forehead in the same movement that had first put a streak of mud on her face Em''brel continued. "I''m curious what you have planned for the dirt, clay, and reeds. It''s exciting to see strange human technology at work!"


    Jack grinned as he heaved another shovelful of dirt into the bucket Em''brel would take to the cart once it was filled. "This is an ancient technique used by humans for thousands of years. There are better building materials, and we might switch to those eventually, but this method was used for so long precisely because of how quick and easy it is to assemble while also providing significant protection from the elements. I wouldn''t be surprised if this technique quickly spread to surrounding villages as well. Throughout human history, it was often the least flashy technologies that had the most significant impact on the quality of life."


    Em''brel tilted her head to the side with a mischievous grin on her face. "Said the man who traveled here on a ship that sails between the stars of the heavens?"


    Jack shrugged as he worked. "As impressive as that sentence may sound, indoor plumbing had a more substantial impact on people''s lifespans than faster than light travel ever could have."


    Now Em''brel looked confused. "You mean like your sinks and toilets on the ship? It''s nice that I don''t have to go fetch water from a well, but I don''t see how that could make a person live longer."


    Jack felt a little sorry for the lessons in store for the poor girl because of such a simple question. "To understand that, you first have to understand microorganisms such as bacteria. To introduce you to the subject, let me tell you the story of John Snow and the Broad Street pump!"


    Em''brel had an odd combination of interest and dread on her face while she listened as they continued working.


    -


    S''haar watched Jack and Em''brel laugh as they worked and wondered what crazy ideas he was explaining to her this time. As much as S''haar enjoyed the benefits of human technology, she was more interested in the fact that it worked and less interested in how it worked.


    Still, it was good to see how far the young Em''brel had come in such a short time. As it was, she was probably now the third most educated person on the planet, and if Jack wasn''t careful, she might become the second. Somehow S''haar didn''t think that would bother Jack in the slightest, though he might take that as a challenge.


    Lon''thul was also watching the two laugh, but his expression was one of confusion. At S''haar''s raised eye ridge, he finally voiced his thoughts. "How is it you and Em''brel came to understand Jack''s language in such a short time? You haven''t even known him for a season, and Em''brel has known him for an even shorter period, yet the two of you seem to understand and translate for him with ease."


    S''haar''s hands continued to work as her thoughts turned to the memories of both her and Em''brel going through the procedure of learning the language. After seeing it performed on Em''brel, she had no more understanding of what had happened than she had when it had been done to herself. "Jack would hate for me to use the term ''human magic,'' but that''s the best way I can describe it. He simply gave us the language."


    Lon''thul looked stunned at the idea, his hand frozen mid chop. "He simply gave you the language? Just like that? Can he give you any knowledge you want?"


    S''haar Shook her head, not noticing Lon''thul''s inaction. "No, apparently this only works because our minds already have the framework for the language. It didn''t teach us something new so much as attach certain sounds to already existing knowledge. I''m probably the worst one to explain the idea since I don''t really understand it myself, but he can''t add new information. He can only expand on existing information. There are still many words he uses that I need him to explain before I understand, and several that I still don''t understand after the explanation."


    Lon''thul was having a hard time reconciling the many feats Jack had performed in such a short time with the small, unassuming man the hunter was familiar with. Then something else occurred to him. "Why didn''t Jack just come in and take over everything? The more I learn of him, the more powerful he seems to become."


    S''haar smiled as she worked. "Jack is an odd man. He doesn''t think twice about wielding power the likes of which you and I could never dream of, but he''s not interested in using it for anything other than protecting his family. Although mostly, Jack simply wants to be left alone."


    Lon''thul looked confused again. "If Jack only wants to be left alone, why is he putting this outpost together? Even for him, it seems like a lot of work, so why do something so ambitious if he''s not interested in being in some kind of lord?"


    S''haar considered how best to answer without giving away information that wasn''t hers to reveal. "Everything Jack does is for family. As he once said, he will ''move heaven and earth'' to protect those he considers family."


    Lon''thul worked silently for a moment, contemplating the explanation. Eventually, the question he''d had on his mind since his revelation the other day worked it''s way to the surface. Looking back at Jack and Em''brel, he gave voice to his thoughts. "So how did Em''brel become a member of Jack''s family? I understand how you bonded your way into his house, but Jack''s relationship with Em''brel is more like father and daughter, despite there being no shared blood between the two of them."


    Lon''thul noticed a slight chill in the air before turning and seeing a dark expression on S''haar''s face. "Just how exactly do you think I ''bonded my way into his house?''"


    Lon''thul realized he''d absent-mindedly said the wrong thing again, and looking back at S''haar''s string of issues in the village, it was easy to see where. Holding up his hands in surrender, be quickly back-peddled. "I didn''t mean to imply that you slept with him just to get into his house! I just meant it is evident that there is a connection between the two of you! You two are already more close than most partnered couples in the village!"


    S''haar''s expression quickly morphed from anger to confusion as she contemplated his words. True, Jack was one of her closest friends these days, along with Angela and Em''brel, but Lon''thul was all but outright calling them a couple. Looking at Jack, her feeling only seemed to grow more complicated on the subject. She was more protective of Jack than the other two, but that''s just because he''s so small and weak, right?


    Then there was the night at the inn. Holding Jack tightly against the wall had certainly evoked some odd emotions within her, but they''d been quickly dispelled when they were interrupted by Sur''ruin. Looking at Jack now, smiling as he taught Em''brel some new piece of human knowledge, she couldn''t help but feel something warm and unsettling in the pit of her stomach.


    Lon''thul couldn''t have been more surprised by S''haar''s reaction if she''d turned into a wolgen in front of his eyes. Looking at the expressions flittering over her face, something finally fell into place. "Wait, you mean you and he haven''t... you don''t... you''re not....?"


    S''haar turned and attacked Lon''thul, pinning him by his throat against a tree. "If you value your life, you will not say another word on the subject!"


    Lon''thul nodded emphatically, but S''haar couldn''t help but notice the laughter hadn''t left his eyes. "Whatever relationship the two of us have is none of your business, understand?"


    S''haar stared at him a moment longer before realizing he couldn''t answer as long as she cut off his air supply. Letting him go, the hunter slumped to the ground. He took a moment to catch his breath before looking up with a big grin on his face. "Just promise me that when you two make it official, you''ll invite me to the bonding ceremony. I want to see what kind of party Jack''s going to throw!"


    S''haar was undeniably the better combatant, but her mind was elsewhere at the moment. Even if Lon''thul hadn''t been expecting the clawed swipe that followed his statement, it had been so clearly telegraphed that he had plenty of time to get out of the way. Standing back up, he held up his hands in surrender and voiced his peace offering. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry! I just couldn''t resist a little fun at your expense. Usually, it''s me one step behind, and I couldn''t help myself. I''ll stop, though, I swear!"


    She glared at him with narrowed eyes measuring his response before she turned and walked away, still trying to work out her feelings on the matter.


    Still grinning to himself, Lon''thul gathered up a handful of saplings and followed her to the cart.

 Chapter 25

    Lon''thul, Em''brel, and Fea''en were standing in front of the framework of the building the woodworkers had put together by following Jack''s plans. Matching action to speech, Jack walked them through building the walls with S''haar translating as usual. "Ok, first, we take the thinner saplings and split them lengthwise down the middle like so. Then we take the thicker saplings and lash them to the existing framework standing vertically, alternating them resting inside the frame and outside it, spacing them about a foot and a half apart. Once those are all standing in the frame, we take the smaller strips and weave them back and forth through the larger saplings. The next strip you put on in the same manner but reverse which side of the sapling each side weaves between. Keep doing this until you form a wall. This is called the wattle."


    Fea''en looked critically at Jack''s work. "That would make a decent enough wall for summer. It''ll be sturdy for a while, but it''s way too porous and has no insulation. And I hope you''re not planning on filling in the gaps with clay or mud. That''ll just wash off the first time it rains!"


    Jack nodded. "It would if we used those independently, but you''re getting ahead of the project. Next, we need to mix the mud, clay, and fibrous plants like so. This is called the daub." Jack started kneading a bunch of handfuls together into a paste-like combination of the three.


    His arms were thoroughly covered in grime, but Jack didn''t seem to mind. He took a handful of the stuff and slapped it onto the frame he''d made just a little earlier. As he spoke, he punctuated each pause with another generous handful of the muck. "As you said before, individually, the material would normally just wash off, but once this dries, it''ll be a little closer to something we call brick, not quite as strong, but close enough for our purposes, and much quicker to slap up."


    Scraping the mud off his arms and flinging it to the ground, Jack continued. "We can strengthen this further by painting the outside with something called whitewash after it''s dried. Whitewash is just some slaked lime diluted in water. To get slaked lime, you grind down some limestone into powder, cook it to a sufficiently high temperature, then add a bit of water to stabilize the mixture. Once that hardens, it''ll last a surprisingly long time, and repairs are as easy as slapping more daub onto any holes or cracks that eventually form."


    Fea''en still looked at the wall Jack was putting up somewhat skeptically, albeit it was going up surprisingly quickly. "What about the roof? It''ll see a lot more wear and tear than the walls."


    Jack nodded as he finished cleaning his hands as best he could with a rag he''d brought. While he and Fea''en spoke, Em''brel and Lon''thul had already started filling another section of the frame with the wattle. "Eventually, I''d like to do straw roofs, but we''ll have to grow enough straw to make that viable. For now, we''re going to go with a two-layer roof. The first layer will be wattle and daub like the walls, but to protect that, you take a layer of sod and lay that on top. It''s simply called a grass roof. if you do it properly, it''ll provide plenty of insulation and protection, but it does take a lot more maintenance than a straw roof since you have to water it regularly."


    Fea''en still didn''t look convinced. Her arms were crossed as she inspected Jack''s work. He was currently smoothing out the section he''d put up with a trowel. "Honestly, I think you''re crazy, but as long as you pay my men and me, we''ll do it your way. Given the supplies we currently have and how quickly you were able to put up that wall, I''m guessing it''ll take us a little less than a week to get the first building up, assuming the weather holds that is." Fea''en was glaring up at the clear sky with further skepticism as she spoke.


    The sky was clear, but it was down in the forties, colder than an argu''n typically was able to work in for an extended time. Fea''en hugged the coat Jack had provided a little tighter around herself as she spoke. "I''ll sleep much easier once we get the first building completed. These tents you provided are better than I thought they''d be, but I doubt they''d hold up if a storm hits."


    Jack stepped back from his work and followed her gaze. "So far, all I''ve seen is a bit of light snow, and even then only at night. How bad do winter storms get around here?"


    Fea''en shrugged. "It varies from year to year. Sometimes we''ll only get smaller storms. Enough to keep people shut into their houses for a few days until the snow is cleared enough that we can walk around the village again. Some years, we get enough snow to lock us into our house for a week or two. When that happens, we always lose a few people, usually the very young or very old, but it''s hard to predict."


    The craft master glared into the sky. "The worst is when we get a cold storm. The temperatures drop far enough that our homes aren''t sufficient protection, and we have to gather in a single place to wait it out. If that happens here, we''ll be in real trouble."


    Jack had been hoping the whole winter would be as mild as what he''d seen so far, but he''d also suspected he wasn''t that lucky. "Well, if it gets bad, there are several options available to us, but at the very least, I think we need to get a larger stock of dried meats stored up just in case. Ideally, I''d like to have at least a month''s worth in storage."


    At that, Lon''thul looked up from the daub he''d been mixing alongside Em''brel. "Well, if you want a lot more meat, two hunters are better than one. S''haar is one of the better hunters I''ve worked with, and with her help, I can probably get you stocked up in a week or two. You''d still have Em''brel around to translate."


    Jack wasn''t thrilled with the idea of losing S''haar for a week, let alone two. "What about the village? Could I trade more metal for additional meat?"


    Lon''thul shook his head. "This time of year, our meat stores can be the difference between life and death. It doesn''t matter how much metal you offer. It can''t be used by people who don''t survive the winter."


    Jack hadn''t thought it would be that easy, but he was disappointed nonetheless. "Then I guess we don''t have a choice. Aside from the sled, is there anything else I can provide to help out?"


    S''haar looked thoughtful for a minute. "Well, we''ll need more heating packs and maybe a tent and some sleeping bags in case we get caught out by a storm. I can''t think of anything else."


    Jack sighed, his earlier energy suddenly drained. "Alright, I''ll talk to Angela tonight, and we''ll get it all put together for you."


    -


    Jack and S''haar were laying the cable for the solar panels through the caves. As he worked, Jack found himself dwelling on S''haar being gone for the better part of two weeks. He was surprised at how much stress the mear idea was causing him. He was also alarmed to realize how dependant upon S''haar he''d become. True, she was his translator and bodyguard, but he''d come to depend on her for so much more.


    Jack had always been a bit of a shut-in. Agoraphobia was the clinical term. The idea of leaving his comfort space usually filled him with so much dread and anxiety he would often turn his fear into anger and lash out at people and things that didn''t deserve it. Once he''d realized what was happening, he and Angela worked out several ideas and strategies to mitigate its influence on his life, but it was always a factor in his life.


    However, on this planet, he''d wandered all over the countryside with hardly any issue. The big difference seemed to be that he had S''haar at his side throughout his explorations. He''d come to depend on her presence to chase away his irrational fears. The long-term problems were obvious, but it was also unhealthy to become too reliant on someone else just to function in the short term. In short, this wasn''t just a situation Jack needed to get past. It was a situation that Jack needed to take advantage of to center and rebalance himself. Not that he was looking forward to doing it, but anything else would be a disservice to S''haar and himself.


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    Jack was so lost in thought that he hadn''t noticed S''haar looking at him for the last couple of minutes. Her voice caught him off guard as it pierced through his internal gloom. "Maybe I''m missing something, but this doesn''t seem like the kind of task that requires this level of concentration. Usually, you''d be regaling me with some weird facts about the history or science behind what we are doing. Once in a while, it''s even interesting enough to help pass the time a little quicker."


    Having been snapped out of his internal dialog, Jack stuttered a bit as he tried to explain himself without offering up too much information. "Uhh, um, yeh sorry about that, I was um, a bit distracted... planning for upcoming events."


    Hearing that, S''haar raised an eye ridge in his direction. Her tongue flicked out as if trying to get a taste of the situation. "You must have been distracted. I gave you a perfect set up for some witty banter, and you let it pass unanswered. That''s not like you."


    Jack gave her a rueful smile as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Yeah, there has been a lot on my mind recently. Getting this outpost set up, doing right by the workers, taking care of Em''brel, repairing the ship to ensure Angela''s survival, doing right by you after all you''ve done for me, and now preparing for a possible winter storm. I feel like I''m a bit over my head. More than a bit, really... I''m always worried I''m going to forget something, and some important things will slip through my fingers."


    S''haar laid down the cable she''d been working with and stood with her arms folded and her hip cocked to the side for a moment while she thought. "Well, I wouldn''t worry about me. You''ve ''done right by me'' so far, and I''m confident that any further debts you incur will be paid in time. You''ve earned yourself a bit of trust and patience. Em''brel''s already found a chosen path to walk for a while. All you have to do is be supportive as she does so. You''re already taking all the steps you can to set up the outpost and prepare for the winter. Now you just have to let things unfold and adapt when something happens to interrupt your plans. At this point, all worrying can do is get in the way of getting work done."


    Jack took the not so subtle hint and got back to work, but continued to speak as he did so. "Easy for you to say, but worrying is deeply ingrained into humans. On your world, there are only two or three things that look at you as food. On our planet, humanity was initially much lower on the food chain than that. We had to be wary at all times but also try and anticipate threats to avoid them altogether. There''s always been a delicate balance between taking enough time to think through possible risks while not spending so much time thinking that we create an even greater threat through inaction."


    S''haar laughed a little at that while she hefted another line of the cable into place. "Well, you stop and think enough for both of us, so I guess it''s my job to give you a kick in the rear if you''ve been inactive for too long."


    Tinking back to his earlier contemplations, Jack couldn''t help but let out a small self-deprecating laugh. When he spoke, it was at half volume and directed more to himself than S''haar. "Yeh... I guess one of us needs to..."


    S''haar gave Jack an odd look for a moment before speaking up. "You know I won''t actually be gone for two weeks, right? Unless something unexpected happens, I''ll be back home pretty much every night."


    Jack looked somewhat flustered. "I uh, I mean I didn''t... I wasn''t..."


    S''haar looked like the cat who caught the mouse for a moment before smiling and responding. "What, you didn''t think I spend all day, every day, with you and not notice how you try to hide how afraid you actually are most of the time?"


    Jack looked terrified at having his secrets laid bare, but S''haar continued before he could react. "However, the only thing that matters is that the last time I found myself in an impossible, terrifying, borderline suicidal situation, you had my back. What''s more, you got us both out of there alive. So I can give you a pass on the small stuff."


    Jack found himself struggling with the oddest combination of relief and embarrassment. "I didn''t know I was that obvious..."


    S''haar gave him a rare sympathetic smile. Jack had stopped being unsettled by how many teeth most of her smiles displayed a while ago. When S''haar spoke this time, her voice was less mischievous and more thoughtful. "To most, you probably aren''t obvious, but we spend enough time together that it''s hard to hide something like that for very long."


    As the two of them laid the last of the cable out of the cave mouth, S''haar stood up and stretched before dusting herself off. Jack couldn''t help but take a second to admire how her taut muscles moved while she pretended not to notice him looking. When she spoke again, her voice shifted to a more cheerful tone this time. "See, you''ll be fine. Besides, this will be good for you! A little time away from me will help you get a fresh perspective on a few things."


    This time Jack''s laughter was a bit more genuine. "You know, I was telling myself something similar when you dragged me out of my train of thought."


    S''haar winked at him. "What''s that saying you used a while back? Great minds think alike?"


    Jack couldn''t help but finish the quote. "But fools rarely differ. So which are we, great minds or fools?"


    S''haar gave him the most somber, straight-faced expression she could as she answered. "Yes."


    If looks could kill, S''haar would be in grave danger. Luckily for her, Jack''s look was about as lethal to her as his punch would be. When he spoke, his voice was filled with all the annoyance he could muster. "Thanks, you''re no help at all."


    -


    As S''haar, Jack, and Em''brel sat down to eat, Jack explained the situation to E''mbrel. "So with S''haar gone for a couple of weeks, you''ll be in charge of translating between the workers and myself. However, this does mean you''ll be taking fewer classes from Angela for a couple of weeks. Although I''m sure she''ll find a way to fit lessons in during breakfast, lunch, and dinner."


    Em''brel looked a little nervous at the prospect. "But, what if I make a mistake and say something wrong? What if I accidentally insult someone or worse?"


    Jack tried not to laugh at Em''brel''s fears. In many ways, they echoed his own. "I''ll be right there, and I know your language just fine. So if you make any mistakes, I''ll be able to help you to straighten out any misunderstandings."


    S''haar nodded as she cut off a thick slice of something delicious smelling called ''roast beef'' before speaking. "If anything, the problem you''re most likely to run into is telling Jack when he''s explaining too much. He can get a little passionate about some subjects, and you might have to reign him in a little." After she finished speaking, S''haar took a bite of the roast. Her eye''s closed in bliss as she savored the juices that shot out with every bite.


    Jack looked deeply offended at the accusation. "I''m not that bad, am I?" A little uncertainty wove its way into his voice.


    Angela answered on behalf of the other participants in the conversation since they were both lost to the bliss of the meal. "you''re not too bad... most of the time. You just have to watch out for subjects you get a little passionate about. Like the ''Lord of the Rings,'' for instance..."


    Jack''s expression was the definition of indignant as he responded to the slander. "Listen, too many people think Aragorn, Gandalf, or even Frodo were the heroes of the story, but J.R.R. Tolkien himself stated Sam was the real hero... I''m doing it right now, aren''t I?"


    Angela looked a little too pleased with herself as she examined her digital fingernails while she responded. "Well, you know what they say. The first step is realizing you have a problem..."


    Jack glared at Angela and the two argu''n, who were both doing their best to pretend they couldn''t hear a word of the debate before sighing and letting the subject go. There was no way he was going to win this discussion with the jury so stacked against him. He was just about to take a bite of his own slice of the roast when Angela continued. "Besides, we all know Legolas was the true hero of the story. He''s so dreamy."


    Jack closed his eyes and counted to ten before responding. "Ok, I know you don''t actually mean that, and you''re saying that just to get a reaction out of me. That being said, you take that back, and you take it back right now! Those words are blasphemy, and I won''t have it in my house!"


    As Jack and Angela continued their debate S''haar and Em''brel wisely stayed out of it. Instead, they slowly whittled down the roast while the two siblings had at each other over the dinner table.

 Chapter 26

    Jack was carrying the solar panels through the tunnels with the help of the exosuit, Em''brel traveled alongside him as he walked, and S''haar had already left that morning to go hunting. Em''brel eyed the panels with thinly veiled disappointment. "Those don''t look all that impressive. How can they possibly capture the power of lightning?"


    Jack ambled along at a comfortable pace, for once not struggling to keep up with S''haar''s ground eating stride. "Well, they''ll capture the same amount of energy as a lightning bolt over a long enough length of time, but you''re right, it won''t be as impressive a spectacle. Combined, these will generate about one-fiftieth of that amount of energy over an entire day, depending on weather, which would be enough to power our ship for most of our day to day needs. With all the refining and replicating we''re doing combined with charging the heat pockets, we''ll still be at a noticeable deficit, but this will narrow the gap and give us more time to generate more solutions."


    Em''brel nodded her understanding as she walked. Jack found it a little odd to have someone grasp his explanations so readily. Not that S''haar lacked intelligence, her cleverness caught Jack by surprise more often than not, but Em''brel had a level of ''book-smarts'' that enabled her to grasp his explanations'' scientific principles without having to continually go back and explain as many fundamental elements. Jack was quickly becoming more impressed at the effectiveness of Angela''s instruction method as he spoke with the young argu''n.


    Thinking of S''haar, Jack couldn''t help but wonder what she was up to. She was hunting, obviously, but what was she doing at this particular moment. Wandering along the lazy river? Catching the scent of prey animals in the wind? Following the tracks of some doomed beast? Or maybe she was wondering what trouble Jack was getting up to without her there to watch his back?


    As Jack mused, his thoughts started taking a darker turn. ''What if she slipped and broke an ankle out in the middle of nowhere? What if she got caught by a wolgen? What if she became trapped by one of the winter storms Fea''en had told her about? What if she realized she liked big strong argu''n males like Lon''thul after all? Why did that last one matter? She was free to like who she wished, and honestly, Lon''thul was a decent enough guy anyway.'' Jack''s face creased with worry as his mind started chasing itself in pointless circles.


    Em''brel watched Jack''s face with an odd little smile. Once his brow started expressing worry the way Angela had told her it eventually would, she decided to give him a little prodding and amuse herself at the same time. "You miss her, don''t you?"


    Jack jumped a little as her words startled him out of his thoughts. "What? No! I''m sorry, who do you mean?"


    Em''brel''s smile told him she wasn''t the least bit fooled by his denial or attempted misdirection. "You know exactly who I mean! It''s obvious you''re worried about S''haar. Don''t worry too much, though. She can take care of herself better than anyone I know."


    Jack smiled a little to himself as he thought about what Em''brel had said. Images of S''haar flashed through his mind as she dealt with situations that would have broken some of the toughest men Jack had ever known. The (essentially) two on one fight with B''arthon''s goons, the life or death battle with Dol''jin, and the brutal melee that followed. There probably wasn''t anything a wild animal could throw at her worse than what S''haar had already overcome since Jack had known her. In fact, Jack was starting to wonder if there was anything she couldn''t do.


    Em''brel watched as Jack''s face settled back into a contented smile. She let him get lost in some pleasant thoughts for a while longer before stabbing for her real target. Eagerly anticipating his likely reactions, she fired off with the most devastating question she could think of. "You like her, don''t you?"


    Jack was so startled he almost dropped the solar panels he was carrying. Em''brel was tittering with laughter as he worked to re-stabilize his load. Eventually, when he was able to resume walking, Em''brel was right at his side, both arms folded innocently behind her back and a small spring in her step.


    Jack forced himself to act and talk as casually as he could. "Well, yes, of course, I like S''haar, just like I like you and Angela too." Jack was focusing on walking as ''naturally'' as he could, However, the sheer act of attempting to walk ''normally'' made his gait lose any semblance of its natural rhythm.


    Em''brel had her prey cornered, and she pounced the way any good predator would. Her smile was all teeth. "You like Angela and myself, sure, but not the way you like S''haar. You LIKE her, don''t you?" Em''brel looked at Jack with eyes that somehow resembled those of an innocent puppy while also piercing through his soul and leaving him vulnerable to her relentless assault.


    Jack was now about as healthy a shade of red as Em''brel had ever seen him be. He started and stopped his response a few times but never got very far past stuttering incoherently. He finally stopped and took a deep breath to steady himself. Somehow dealing with the childlike innocence of Em''brel''s questions was almost more nervewracking as facing down the raiders had been.


    Finally, Jack realized there was no point in lying to Em''brel or himself any longer. "Alright, yes, I ''LIKE'' her. She''s the most amazing woman I know. She''s fearless, intelligent, proud, and unstoppable. She''s also a seven-foot-tall goddess of death who can probably have any man she desires." Jack''s voice took a bit of a self-pitying downturn at the end.


    However, Em''brel''s cheerfulness couldn''t be dimmed. She sauntered ahead when Jack''s pace slowed slightly. Once she was a few paces ahead of Jack, she looked back over her shoulder and smiled. "You know she ''likes'' you too, right?"


    Jack''s feet quickened as he tried to catch up to the impish girl as she stayed just a pace or two ahead of him. "Why do you say that? Did she say something? Are you sure? You''re not just saying that, are you?"


    Em''brel kept just a step ahead of Jack, practically skipping her way down the cave tunnel laughing at his sudden eager energy. Jack followed after, struggling to keep up with her youthful energy.


    -


    S''haar was tearing after her prey. Every muscle was pushed to the limit as she slammed her limbs into the ground at incredible velocities to launch her body forward like a missile. The churlish was just staying out of reach with its great leaps and bounds, and nothing S''haar could do would change that, but catching the prey wasn''t her objective.


    As the churlish launched itself forward one last time, Lon''thul was there to meet it head-on. He latched on with feet, teeth, and one hand while the other shoved his blade between two vertebrae severing its brain from its body. The animal was dead before the two made contact with the ground.


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    S''haar was on her knees, gasping for air and glaring at Lon''thul. "Next time, it''s your turn to flush the prey, and I get to make the killing pounce!"


    Lon''thul looked plenty pleased with himself as he wiped the blood from his muzzle. "To do that, you''d have to be silent. For all your martial prowess, you have all the subtlety of a rampaging kovaack buck in mating season!"


    S''haar climbed a bit shakily to her feet, her breath slightly more under control than a moment ago. "I thought you said I was one of the best hunters you''ve ever worked with?"


    Lon''thul''s cheerfulness was as unabated as ever. He was wiping his blade on some scrap cloth while his face glowed with an impish smile. "You are! Almost everyone else is even worse. Not to mention, you make a great distraction while I slip in and finish the job!"


    She threw her shovel at Lon''thul, which he barely managed to catch before getting hit in the face. "Fine, I''ll be your distraction! But you dig the hole for the offal while I clean the animal this time. I''m worn out from the chase!"


    S''haar was cutting the churlish up the midline while Lon''thul started his hole. As he dug, Lon''thul couldn''t help but smile to himself as he worked. Working with S''haar on a hunt was like the good old days, better, really. They hadn''t worked together long, and at the time, he''d had more than a slight crush on S''haar. If he was honest, he might still have a bit of a crush, but he couldn''t be anything other than happy to see her doing so well. She was no longer known as ''the orphan,'' but more than that, she seemed happy, like she finally found a place where she belonged.


    S''haar turned and noticed Lon''thul digging with a faraway look in his eyes. "What''s with that stupid grin on your face? Don''t tell me you haven''t gotten over that childish crush of yours."


    Lon''thul was plenty used to S''haar''s blunt way of putting things and didn''t mind her mannerisms the way many others in the village seemed to. If anything, it was comforting to see that she was still the same S''haar he''d always known. "No, no, I''m mostly over that. I was just reminiscing about the past and noticing how much had changed in such a short time."


    S''haar cocked an eye ridge at the younger argu''n before responding. "I''m going to ignore the ''mostly'' part, but yeah, I suppose a lot has happened. Jack has a way of changing everything when you''re not looking."


    Lon''thul was getting winded, but his hole was almost ready. "He''s introduced new ways of getting unprecedented amounts of metal, even if he keeps that secret to himself and a few trusted friends, and now he''s teaching us a whole new way to build houses. How much more change will he bring to us by the end of winter?"


    Thinking of the home she and Em''brel shared with Jack and Angela, not to mention Em''brel''s private lessons in human knowledge, S''haar couldn''t help but smile at what seemed to be an inside joke at the expense of Lon''thuls naivety regarding their new world. "Probably more than you can dream of."


    -


    Jack was cursing all technology as he set up the solar panels. He''d slammed and pinched his fingers far too many times trying to get everything up and running, and now one of the pannels seemed to not be producing any power. He had an access hatch open on the bottom as he searched for the source of the problem. Sometimes Jack wondered if life wouldn''t be simpler if he walked away from everything and lived a simple life like S''haar and her people. The problem with that idea was that Angela didn''t have that option, and there was no way he would abandon his family.


    Fiddling around, Jack finally found the offending loose wire. With the final component secured, the readouts jumped to life, indicating everything was working correctly. Jack slammed the access panel shut with a satisfied sigh, and stood up, brushing his greasy hands on his pants.


    Em''brel was looking at the mess his pants and shirt had become while he worked. "You know Angela''s not going to be happy you ruined another set of clothing."


    Jack waved away her concerns as he started back to the tunnel. "She can use a fraction of the new power I just gave her to clean them or replace them as she likes. Besides, I wouldn''t be such a mess if everything had been ready to go to begin with!"


    Em''brel had learned a few new exciting adjectives and adverbs while Jack had been working. From the context, she understood some of the words but still wondered what the bag for a feminine hygiene product had to do with solar panels. Jack had been unusually vague in his explanations.


    As they started back to the ship, Em''brel stuck close to Jack. "So now that we have the solar panels up, what''s the next step?"


    Jack had just been contemplating that himself, so it was easy enough to verbally list off. "Well, now that we have more power, we should get the transceiver up and running. That''ll give Angela eyes and ears outside the cave, and if we wear headsets, she will even be able to speak with us while we''re out and about. Once the workers finish the first building, we''ll need to get started on a second for smelting and forging. Before winter ends, we''ll need even more housing and workshops for other support personnel and, more importantly, a wall with some guard towers set up along the perimeter.


    Em''brel looked a bit surprised at his list of goals. "Huh, I never took you for the ambitious type."


    Jack looked more worn out after going through the list. Despite their progress, it was all still a bit overwhelming. "It''s not a question of ambition as much as a matter of necessity. Even if I hadn''t made enemies of the raiders, once word gets out what this outpost can produce, it will have a target painted on it. If earth history taught me anything, there will be powerful people of the opinion that if they can''t possess something this game-changing, no one will. Before we get to that point, I want this outpost to be defensible and self-sufficient."


    Thinking of her uncle and many of the people her father had regularly dealt with, Em''brel couldn''t disagree with his assessment. Even before her encounter with the raiders, she''d known this world was filled with cruel and uncaring people.


    Those thoughts made Em''brel all the more grateful for the life she now had. The young argu''n grabbed Jack''s power suited arm and hugged it to herself much the same as she''d done to S''haar''s the first time they''d walked these caves together. "Well, whatever needs to be done, you won''t have to do it alone. S''haar and I won''t leave your side, and I think you are even starting to win over some of the workers."


    Jack smiled down at the girl. It wasn''t often he had such a height advantage over an argu''n, even a teenager. "I think it was your bacon that won them over more than anything I''ve done."


    Em''brel nodded, acknowledging his point even while she drove her own point home. "My father used to say that all most people want is shelter, food, and safety. If you provide those, people will flock to you. You''ve done an excellent job on a couple of those fronts, and you''ve got plans in place for the rest. Keep that up, and your ''family'' will continue to grow, regardless of your intentions."


    Jack walked on in silence for a moment, contemplating Em''brel''s words. "You know, all I set out to do was secure a future for a few friends and myself. I never intended to get involved in anything this big."


    Em''brel hugged Jack''s arm even tighter. If he hadn''t been wearing his suit, she was sure she''d have bruised him a little. At least the metal separating her from Jack had some advantages. "I don''t think anyone ends up where they intend from the beginning. We just have to deal with the bad, enjoy the good, and do our best to shape our lives to have more of the latter than the former."


    Jack looked down at the girl on his arm. It tore at his heart to realize what she''d had to experience to gain such wisdom at such a young age. In many ways, Em''brel was much older and more world-weary than the young girl who''d bounded beside him just that morning. Jack silently vowed to himself he''d do his best to ensure she had more time and opportunities to be young and carefree in the future.

 Chapter 27

    Em''brel noticed that while breakfast and dinner had always been a favorite time for everyone, that was especially true these days now that it was the only time all four of them were able to get together anymore.


    They''d tell each other about their plans for the day during breakfast, then they''d talk about how the day had gone during dinner. There was laughter, teasing, sarcasm, and a warmth that had nothing to do with the room''s physical temperature. Whenever Em''brel and Angela were away from the table, they would catch Jack and S''haar glancing at each other like they both wanted to say something but seemed to feel that now wasn''t the right time. The anticipation was killing her, and Em''brel knew it was just a matter of time before those two hit a boiling point. Until then, she''d simply have to enjoy the show.


    S''haar and Lon''thul had been surprisingly successful in their hunts. The two had been at it for only about a week, and the meat supplies were nearly plentiful enough that Lon''thul could handle the rest on his own again.


    They were currently eating a breakfast Jack had called ''steak and eggs,'' a meal who''s name was also the description. S''haar was talking about the hunting progress as they ate. "I think a day or two more is all we''ll need. With a bit of luck, we''ll have enough meat in storage to feed everyone for a month without having to tap into your stores."


    Jack looked like someone trying to hide how excited he was and was failing. "That''s great! We could use your help with construction again. We''ve got the first building ready, but we need more lumber. Em''brel has a hard time moving the trunks the way you do. She''s not quite as... umm... developed... as you."


    He was doing his best not to stare at S''haar''s physique as he spoke, and S''haar wasn''t doing anything to hide from his glances. Em''brel couldn''t help but let a small giggle escape, which immediately caused the two romantic interests to suddenly shift their focus.


    Jack was rubbing the back of his neck in his now signature move, indicating embarrassment. "We... uh... have the cables laid for the uhh... transceiver. Em''brel and I were going to hook it up today... What direction are you going hunting in today?"


    S''haar''s manner shifted to all business in her attempt to redirect the attention directed at herself. "We''re going to be venturing to the south today. It''s been several days since we last hunted there, so there''s been enough time for some animals to move into the territory."


    Jack had finally calmed down a bit and returned to his natural pallor. "That''s good, south, good, ok, I''ll keep that in mind."


    Angela and Em''brel were looking at each other, laughing to themselves. These two were so awkwardly adorable.


    Sadly the time for talking was coming to an end. S''haar was suiting up for the cold and storing her weapons for travel. Jack spoke up as he watched her prepare. "Hey, be careful out there, ok? I know I say it every day, and I know you laugh it off, but I want you to come home safe and sound. After all, what would I do without my bodyguard? The weather could turn any day."


    S''haar was securing her spears so they wouldn''t jostle loose easily but could be quickly grabbed if the need arose. Finally, she turned and somewhat gently grabbed Jack by the shoulder. "I''ll be fine. We keep a close eye and the weather as we work, and even if something unexpected happens, that''s why we have the tent and all those extra heating pads. You''ll just have to come to fetch us once the snow dies down if it comes to that!"


    Jack nodded and visibly calmed himself. "Yeah, you''re right. Still, just promise me you''ll keep an eye out for any trouble?"


    S''haar looked like she wanted to step closer to Jack to say or do something more for a moment before the spell broke. Instead, she shook her head to clear it. "Alright, alright, I''ll be careful. Take care of Em''brel and yourself while I''m gone. You two are too good at getting into trouble whenever I''m not around!"


    Jack watched as she walked out the door. He told himself she''d be fine, and he needed to stop worrying. "Alright, it''s a deal. Be safe out there!" Then she was gone. Jack stared into the gloom of the cave for a moment before shaking his head, then turning back to the house. He had to get ready for his own day of work.


    Em''brel finished putting away the dishes and obviously hadn''t been eavesdropping for the last couple of minutes. Jack turned and smiled. "Ready to go out and hook up the transceiver? After that, we can go back to the lake and get some more material for the daub, but this time Angela can come along for the ride!"


    Em''brel and Angela were jumping up and down, clapping at the idea, and Jack couldn''t help but feel a bit of their excitement. "Alright, let''s do this! You''re going to have to carry the transceiver since I don''t want to be walking out into the worker''s area in my mining suit. I figure we should keep a few aces in the hole. Lucky for you, it''s not too heavy!"


    -


    After carrying the transceiver most of the way on her own, Em''brel was starting to think Jack''s definition of ''not too heavy'' was drastically different from hers. Once they had gotten out of the cave, Tel''ron had come over to help. He was inspecting the impossibly perfect metallic shell. "This is amazing. I''ve never seen anything like this! The purity of the metal alone is worth a year''s wage, if not more, and I don''t even know what the device does!"


    As soon as they settled the transceiver down into the mounting Jack and Em''brel had set up the day before, Jack was inspecting every inch of the device. It was mounted on top of a large rock just outside the entrance. It was as heavy as it was because of all the layers of protection that Angela installed to guard against weather and wildlife. She proudly proclaimed that it could shrug off even a direct lightning strike if need be. Despite the claim, Jack set it up low enough that he hoped that they wouldn''t have to test her theory.


    As he tightened down the bolts, Jack decided to tell Tel''ron at least part of the truth. It would be evident soon enough, so he might as well give the smith something. "Well, hopefully, this will allow us to communicate with each other over large distances. It will require a headset, and I can''t make too many of them just yet, but even if it''s only available to a few of us, it could mean the difference between life or death in the field."


    Tel''ron Looked at Jack as though he were speaking in riddles. "This feels like more ''dragon magic'' to me. I''ll stick to learning new alloys, thank you!"


    As the smith walked away, Jack hooked up the power and took out a pair of headsets. They were a simple design with an earpiece on one side and a mic extended toward the mouth. The set was held in place by an adjustable metal circlet that wrapped around the head. It was designed to be durable and hard to lose during intense action. It also had a few sensors so Angela could ride along with whoever was wearing one.


    As Em''brel and himself put on the headsets and activated them, Jack spoke into the receiver. "Angela, are you with us?"


    Angela''s voice came through loud and clear for both of them. "Finally, new input! I could only scan the interior of the ship and the surrounding mountain a few trillion more times before I went insane from lack of new stimuli!"


    Em''brel was looking around, half expecting angela''s avatar to show up next to her. Also, it was slightly disorienting hearing Jack''s voice twice, a split second apart. Jack responded to Angela while she adjusted. "You know, you can''t go insane if you are already insane, though I suppose you could go more insane..."


    Angela didn''t bother to respond. She was too wrapped up in her new sensors. "I didn''t get much of a chance to scan the area when we were crashing down. This place is beautiful! It would feel a little like an Icelandic forest... if the trees didn''t look so weird..."


    Em''brel was looking up at the trees inquisitively. "What''s wrong with the trees?"


    -


    As Jack and Em''brel approached the lake, Angela was still busy going on about the planet''s flora and fauna. "This is a perfect example of convergent evolution. I mean, there are many many differences, sure, but they are still clearly plants that follow the same rules as Earth. Trees, bushes, and ground matter are similar in nature, if not form, to what we''d see in any earth forest. The animals are a bit harder to place, often riding a line between what we would consider different species but still clearly having the basic forms and senses you would expect on Earth. Eyes, ears, mouth, and nose are all there, admittedly sometimes in different quantities and forms than would be usual where we come from but still amazingly similar given completely separate evolutionary origins!"


    Jack was barely listening to her, as his attention stayed focused on the weather. He would steal a glance behind them to the south at every opportunity. However, Jack couldn''t focus all his time and energy on worrying about S''haar. He had a job to do.


    Em''brel focused on getting the fibrous plant matter while Jack got the mud and clay, the latter being the colder job made Jack''s exothermic physique better suited to the task. They were more than halfway done when Em''brel stopped Jack. She was holding some sandwiches. "I know you''re probably too distracted at the moment to realize it, but we both need some food. You won''t do anyone any favors by collapsing because you neglected yourself."


    Jack looked up and wiped his brow. Despite the crisp air, he''d worked up a sweat with his shoveling. "yeah, you make a good point. Grab a towel for me, will you?"


    Jack walked over to the stream, feeding into the lake, and washed off the gunk he''d caked on. That''s when he heard Angela say something in a stern but forcibly calm voice that made his blood turn to ice. "Em''brel, Don''t move!"


    Jack turned as slowly as he could force himself to move, but the sight before him didn''t do anything to ease his mind. Em''brel was by the cart they''d brought with them, towel in hand. Just behind her was the treeline, on the edge of which was a kovaack, horn lowered and pawing the ground. He''d obviously walked out of the trees just after Em''brel had turned her back to him, and he looked pissed that these two interlopers had dared to invade his territory.


    Jack''s mind raced. He''d brought his gun, but it was in the cart next to Em''brel. Maybe if Jack could shout and make himself look big, he could scare the beast off, but given that it seemed to show no fear of an argu''n, he doubted a human would have any luck in that endeavor. Maybe Em''brel could race for the gun... but she didn''t know how to use it. Perhaps she could get the gun and toss it to Jack...


    Then the time for thought was over. The kovaack launched itself forward, and Jack did the same. As his foot slammed into the ground, Jack shouted, "EM''BREL, RUN!" but the poor girl simply looked behind herself in confusion.


    Jack''s second foot slammed into the ground, launching himself forward while the kovaack did the same. Em''brel gasped and froze in place, her instincts choosing the worst possible option between fight, flight, or freeze.


    Jack''s first foot struck the ground again, and he and the kovaack both narrowed the distance between their shared target. Jack wanted to shout at the monster, shout directions to Em''brel, or just shout at his frustration, but every ounce of oxygen was needed to force his muscles past their normal limits.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Jack''s other foot slammed into the ground, propelling him forward faster than ever, but he wasn''t the only one gaining momentum. The kovaack lowered its head, the horn pointed right at Em''brel''s chest.


    Something in the girl''s mind clicked, and her brain switched from freeze to flight, but it was going to be too late. She''d never get out of the way in time.


    Jack''s foot slammed into the ground one last time, propelling him into his young charge with as much momentum as his adrenaline-filled body could muster, but the kovaack slammed into the two of them barely half a second later.


    There was blood everywhere, and Em''brel was screaming. Despite his best efforts, he''d been too late. As his failure stabbed into him, all the adrenaline seeped out of Jack, and his limbs hung down from his body like lead weights.


    Barely half a second passed when Jack noticed something was off about the girl''s screams. Those were not the screams of a painful death. Those were the screams of loss and rage.


    Feeling himself oddly jerked to the side, Jack looked down and noticed a horn protruding from his chest. All he could think was, ''Huh, well, that''s alright then.''


    Em''brel had been flung to the side by Jack but was now racing toward the kovaack that was currently shaking Jack loose from its horn. Jack held out a hand to the girl and tried to say, ''No, this is ok, you''re safe, that''s what''s important!'', but all that came out was a cough of blood and a gurgling sound.


    Jack didn''t have many choices after that. His body was getting heavier by the minute, and it was all he could do to keep his eyes open and watch Em''brel make her charge. At some point, the ground had lept up to meet Jack, now Em''brel and the kovaack were fighting sideways, standing on the new wall of grass and dirt. A small part of his brain told Jack there was something wrong with his observations, but all his remaining attention was reserved for Em''brel''s well being. He had no energy to spare for something as insignificant as mere physics.


    Em''brel''s scream was something to hear. It was a defiant rage that seemed to shout to the world that she wouldn''t let it take anything else from her. Jack couldn''t help but think that S''haar would be proud.


    The girl lept impossibly high into the air, reaching both arms behind herself as she did so. The kovaack seemed at a loss for what to do and simply raised his horn toward her and waited. Jack was worried that the kovaack would impale Em''brel just as he had Jack, but when the girl came down, she had her arms just off to either side of the horn, and her head twisted just out of its reach.


    Em''brel put all her weight into the blow as she drove the spikes on her elbows into the beast''s skull. It immediately collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut.


    Seeing that Em''brel was safe, Jack finally allowed the darkness at the edge of his vision to rush in, and all the problems in his world suddenly ceased to exist.


    -


    Em''brel was rearing back to strike the beast a second time. One of her elbow spikes had torn off in her assault, her whole arm was numb, and blood was pouring out from where the spike had been, but she didn''t care. There was no way she could punish the corpse of the kovaack enough for what it had taken from her, but she was going to try. That''s when Angela spoke up in her ear. "EM''BREL, I NEED YOU TO LISTEN TO ME! I still might be able to save Jack, but you have to get him back to the med-bay on the ship as fast as possible. Every second is vital. Now go!"


    Em''brel had a thousand questions swirling around in her mind. Every one of them centering around the ridiculous idea of saving the obviously dead man she had come to care so genuinely for in such a short amount of time, but Angela had said every second was vital, and so Em''brel shoved every thought to the side and launched into action.


    Picking up Jack''s body, a small part of her mind took note of just how tiny and light he really was. He''d seemed so much more imposing moments before when he''d shoved her out of the way.


    Em''brel shoved that thought out of the way as well, and she started to run. Angela was speaking in her ear as she moved. "The human brain can only go about six minutes without blood flow before the damage becomes permanent. You''ve got about a half-mile to go, if you can get Jack to me in that time, there''s... a chance."


    Hearing that, Em''brel pushed herself harder. Lunching forward, she ignored anything other than running. Trees flew past, startled animals dove for cover, icy winds pelted her face, it started snowing, but Em''brel ran on.


    As she ran, her breathes became ragged, and Em''brel cursed herself as her pace slowed slightly while she gasped for air. Em''brel ran on.


    At one point, her foot snagged on a root hidden from view, but Em''brel only stumbled for a moment before she resumed her run. Her vision was getting blurry. Her legs felt as though her muscles were tearing themselves from her bones, but Em''brel ran on.


    Eventually, the camp came into sight, but Em''brel didn''t have any reserves left to feel something as unimportant as relief or hope. Precious seconds were slipping past. As she ran past unseen workers, they noticed the girl was not running so much as rapidly stumbling. When someone reached out to slow her in an attempt to help, the young argu''n merely snapped her jaws at him and almost bit a few fingers off, all without slowing her stumbling pace. Into the cave, Em''brel ran on.


    Reaching the house, Em''brel fell against the walls in her stumbling attempts to reach the med-bay in time. Angela was doing her best to guide the completely exhausted Em''brel the last little bit. "You have to get him to the med-bay. You''re almost there, but I can''t help unless you go a little further. Please, just a little further!"


    Picking herself off her knees, Em''brel lurched herself the rest of the way. Angela was still speaking. "Into the chair there. Just set him down, and then I can do the rest!"


    With a final Gasp of effort, the young girl dropped Jack into the chair that was fading from view, threw up in the corner, then passed out.


    -


    S''haar was returning to camp just in time. Jack''s feeling this morning had been spot on. A storm was coming. It didn''t look like it would be too rough, but it was better to err on the side of caution. So she and Lon''thul had started back early. The kovaack and churlish tied to their sled would just about top them off anyway. She''d been worried once or twice that they''d have to settle in for the storm, but eventually, the camp came into view, and she sighed in relief. A few of the workers were waving at them, obviously relieved that they''d made it back safely, but there was something odd about the waves.


    Tel''ron approached at a run, stopping just shy as he rested his hands on his knees to gasp for air. His explanation came out between gasping breaths. "Em''brel came running back to camp carrying Jack. He didn''t look good. When I tried to help, she practically bit my hand off and kept running into the cave. That''s the last we''ve seen them. We were just debating on whether to venture into the cave or not..."


    S''haar dropped everything she was carrying and took off into the cave at a dead run. She was a blur of motion as she crossed the familiar landscape in record time. The ship''s door was open, and S''haar launched herself inside and tore through the living area into the med-bay.


    Jack was laid on a chair that had been turned into a table. Far too many of his insides were exposed to the air. Metal arms were poking and prodding his body as they dug around inside the corpse. S''haar was ready to jump to his side when Angela appeared in front of her, hands held out, and a pleading look on her face. "Stop! Jack is in a critical moment right now, and I might be able to save him, but anything could tip the balance. Even your breath could be a threat to him!"


    S''haar looked at the AI with unthinking eyes and, for a moment, seemed like she might try and walk past anyway when a weak hand grabbed her by the ankle. Looking down, S''haar saw a pitiful looking Em''brel feebly holding on with what little strength she had left. Her body was so bruised and broken; she barely looked alive herself.


    The girl was lying in a pool of her own vomit. Her legs looked as though they''d been beaten until they could no longer work. One of her elbow spikes was missing. The blood clotting at the end made it clear it had not been treated. Her voice came out small and feeble. "Let her work. Jack...Angela...she needs all her attention right now."


    The sight of the young girl in such agony but trying desperately to help Angela was enough to snap S''haar out of her daze. She still desperately wanted to reach Jack''s side but held herself in check. "Is there anything I can do to help?"


    Angela looked relieved for a moment before sparing a worried glance over her shoulder as she spoke. "Honestly, no. I''ll know more in about an hour, but at this time, it could go either way. Em''brel almost literally tore herself apart getting Jack to me in time, but I haven''t had the chance to treat her. I''m still trying to stabilize Jack and don''t have much to spare."


    S''haar nodded and stood there a moment longer, staring at the lifeless body that used to be Jack. Metal arms were sticking out of his stomach like some horrible insect digging its way into him. But S''haar knew that Angela was second to none in her concern for her brother. So S''haar nodded a second time, for her own benefit as much as for Angela''s, and reached down to gently pick up the young argu''n from off the ground. "Alright, alright, let''s at least get you cleaned up."


    Over the next hour, S''haar washed and bandaged Em''brel while the younger argu''n got the story out between bouts of fear and frustration and the occasional gasp of pain at S''haars treatments of her injuries.


    She told the story of the kovaack charging, Jack shoving her out of the way, Em''brel killing the kovaack, and finally running Jack back to the ship. Em''brel was still sobbing as she spoke. "I couldn''t... I didn''t... I wasn''t able to protect him!"


    S''haar was applying a bandage to the end of the girls missing spike as she spoke. "Hush! It''s not your job to protect Jack. It''s Jack''s job to protect you, which he did. Besides, from the sounds of things, there''s no way he could have carried you back to the cave in time. You did well. If Jack lives, he''ll owe it all to you."


    That was the moment when an exhausted and bedraggled Angela made an appearance before the two of them. "Well, he''s alive... kind of..."


    Em''brel looked worried and confused, but S''haar simply narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "What do you mean, ''kind of''?"


    The AI pointed them to the med-bay as she spoke. "That''s complicated, but you can come see him while I try and explain."


    As S''haar walked into the room, Jack''s body was laid out on the reclined chair. He looked smaller and frailer than ever, and his face was far too pale even for a human. S''haar would have thought he was dead if not for Angela''s insistence otherwise.


    Jack''s sister looked both relieved and defeated, looking down at Jack''s body with sadness as she explained. "Well, Jack''s stable. All his vitals are fine, and I''m confident I can finish healing the damage done to his body, though it will take quite some time."


    Angela took a deep breath while S''haar and Embrel waited for her to continue. "The problem is, he''s not waking up. The amount of damage sustained was immense, and despite Em''brel breaking every expectation I had of her capacity, Jack went a long time without proper blood flow to the brain. Normally, once he was stabilized like this, I''d fly him to the nearest proper facility for better, more in-depth treatment than I can offer in this emergency med bay. However, that''s beyond my capacity at the moment, so we''ll just have to do whatever we can with what we''ve got. Right now, he''s in what we call a coma, a kind of deep sleep on the border between life and death. He might wake up in a day, a week, a month, or never. It''s impossible to say. At this point, all I can do is heal his body and hope."


    When Em''brel spoke this time, her voice came out small and frightened. "What... what do we do?"


    S''haar face hardened as she stared down at the man she''d come to know so well in such a short time. "There''s only one thing we can do. Jack has a plan in place that he''s put everything on the line for, and Angela''s very life depends on that plan. So, we continue to work to make his vision a reality."


    Angela and Em''brel were looking at S''haar with surprise clear on their faces, but the AI quickly switched to a bittersweet smile. "Jack... well, if... no, when he wakes up, he''ll be proud of you both. But you both need your rest. There''s nothing that can be done tonight that can''t be done tomorrow. Get some sleep, doctors orders."


    The two argu''n nodded wearily, and S''haar helped Em''brel get into bed before finding her own. Even when the light faded, she continued staring up into the dark ceiling long into the night.


    -


    Em''brel and her father were traveling across the plains again, but this time when they got captured, it was Jack she watched get murdered. While he died, Dol''jin laughed at Em''brel, telling her there would be no one to save her this time.


    Em''brel shot awake in an instant, but it took a moment for the dream to fade enough that she could place where she was and what had happened the day before. Tears started flowing as her memories returned, and it took her several minutes to calm herself back down again.


    Once she did, she realized something was off in the room. She was alone.


    She''d gotten so used to sleeping with S''haar in the room that S''haar''s absence left Em''brel feeling almost as vulnerable as the dream had. The girl slowly and painfully dragged herself out of bed. All her limbs were in agony. Every movement sent pain shooting up and down her nerves, but Em''brel wasn''t about to give up just because of a little thing like that.


    Eventually, the room lit up with a gentle glow that told Em''brel Angela was beside her. Em''brel turned while wrapping the blanket around herself, as much for the feeling of safety as for the warmth. "Where''s S''haar?"


    Angela looked at Em''brel as though she wanted to protest the girl getting out of bed before she''d had a chance to heal. Instead, she shook her head and answered. "She''s in the med-bay, with Jack."


    Em''brel nodded and limped over to the bay. Opening the door, she saw S''haar sitting in a chair beside Jack. Her head was resting on her arms, which were lying in Jack''s legs. She was asleep, but Em''brel could see the trails her tears had left.


    Em''brel brought another chair over. When S''haar startled awake, Em''brel wordlessly wrapped her in the blanket as well, and they both settled in beside Jack.


    It wasn''t as comfortable as their beds had been, but Jack''s presence somehow chased away the nightmares for the rest of the night. In their dreams, the three of them shared breakfast, laughter, and bacon.

 Chapter 28

    Em''brel got up before the others to make breakfast in her usual manner. She stopped for a moment when she remembered it was only one other now. She felt a sharp pang in her chest at the thought but continued her chosen duty anyway. It wasn''t as fun as usual, her heart just wasn''t in it this morning; however, Em''brel knew better than many that no matter how bad things got, life simply went on.


    This time wasn''t even as bad as the last time had been. Em''brel still had S''haar and Angela, she had a future that probably didn''t include slavery, and in the furthest, most distant parts of her mind, a small voice told her there was still hope. Hope that Jack might come back to them again. To Em''brel again. "But, he wouldn''t need to come back if you''d just acted a little faster!"


    As Em''brel muttered angrily to herself, her hand spasmed, shattering the egg she''d been holding and spraying all the nearby surfaces in whites and yolk.


    Looking at the mess, the girl felt defeated. Somehow this latest trial, as small as it was, was just too much. Em''brel was torn between finishing the breakfast she''d started and cleaning the mess she''d made and found she was frozen with indecision. While the seconds then minutes ticked by, the egg soaked in and dried to various surfaces while the breakfast she''d been working on began to burn. Everything was now worse than if she''d just picked one task and started on that, but she was still frozen. Exactly like she had been when the kovaack charged.


    Smoke started spiraling from the pan sitting on the stovetop, and the egg was drying and cracking on her skin. Slowly Em''brel closed her eyes, then forced all her will into her hand. When that didn''t work, she focused on one finger. With agonizing slowness, she pried that finger open. After that, she did the same with every finger on her hand. Each finger was a little easier than the one before. Soon her hand, then arm, then both arms were free.


    Opening her eyes, Em''brel sighed and finally grabbed some hot pads to pull the pan off the burner. She scraped the breakfast''s remnants into the waste, cleaned the shattered egg off everything, and then started over. She couldn''t undo her mistake, and it had resulted in ruining her first attempt at breakfast, but she could move forward and try and make another breakfast without making the same mistakes again. A voice in the back of her mind told her there was a more profound lesson contained in there somewhere, but she wasn''t ready for that yet.


    -


    Angela watched the girl get back to work with a feeling of profound relief. Jack had once told her that sometimes he needed to clean up the messes he made to help deal with the emotion that helped make them. There was a particular strength in confronting his mistakes and doing what he could to make it right, or in his words, ''In owning it, sometimes I can overcome it.''


    While Angela didn''t blame Em''brel for what happened, she knew the young girl blamed herself, and it was clear from what Em''brel had said to herself that this smaller crisis was a surrogate for her more significant internal struggles. For a brief period, Angela had shifted most of her attention from Jack to Em''brel and silently cheered the girl on. The only time she''d interfered was to turn down the burner to buy a little time before something caught fire.


    Now Em''brel was back to work. Her face was a grim mask of determination that was utterly dissonant with the task of making breakfast, but Angela noticed all hesitation was gone, and the young argu''n now moved with a will and a purpose.


    Angela shifted her attention back to S''haar and Jack. The argu''n woman was still curled up on Jack''s legs, but Angela could tell she was now awake.


    -


    A small voice inside her head told S''haar that so long as she didn''t open her eyes, Jack would still be as alive and energetic as he''s been in her dreams. The problem was she''d gone and made a stupid noble proclamation about seeing Jack''s goals through. To do that, she needed to wake up and confront the truth.


    Cracking her eyes open, she could see Jack as lifeless as she remembered him being the night before. At least his stomach and chest were now closed up, and no robotic limbs were digging around inside him any longer. If she squinted, it almost looked like he would get up and start grumbling about how he hated mornings at any moment.


    With a sigh, she pulled herself to her feet and started to leave to get some breakfast. That''s when Angela appeared in the corner of the room. "You can speak to him, you know."


    S''haar''s sleep-deprived mind couldn''t quite grasp what Angela was getting at. "I''m sorry... what?"


    Angela looked over at Jack. Her face conveying both worry and happiness. "You can speak to him. I don''t know how much he actually understands, but his brain waves tell me that at least a part of him hears what we say. There have been stories of people waking up from comas who could repeat things told to them while they were sleeping. Not always, but I like to think he''s at least somewhat aware that we''re here. So anytime you want to, you can come to talk to him. He just might be listening while trying to find his way back to us."


    S''haar looked at the man who was starting to mean so much to her before he went and did something stupid and noble that still might kill him. She wanted to scream at him for leaving, beg him to come back, tell him she''d protect him, ask him for help, but mostly she wanted to say to him that she... No, S''haar wasn''t ready for these thoughts yet. It was too much.


    As she turned to walk out the door, S''haar simply muttered quietly, "Maybe later."


    -


    Breakfast was a more somber affair than usual. They both ate in silence. Despite Em''brel''s initial setbacks, the meal turned out as good as it usually did. After the previous day and night, both argu''n were ravenous. However, they simply gulped down their food in a hurried silence, neither daring to break the sounds of scraping utensils with their voice.


    As they were cleaning up, Angela appeared before S''haar and Em''brel. "I know you''ve...we''ve had a rough night and morning, but the workers are getting restless. After what they saw, the future seems uncertain, and right now, they need leadership and encouragement. You need to assure them that despite...everything...that they will be taken care of."


    Looking over to S''haar, Angela continued. "They know and respect you. You''ve been Jack''s right hand for as long as anyone here has known him. You''re already established as someone who will stand up for what you believe in, despite what it can cost you, and you''re known as someone who takes care of those in her charge. You''re a natural leader."


    Looking over at Em''brel, Angela continued. "You are young, but you''ve already experienced many of the worst things life can throw at you, and you came out the other side with hope and happiness. You''ve already captured the hearts of everyone who knows your story, and your determination to keep fighting for a better future has captured their imaginations. Every undertaking needs a heart, someone who keeps the lifeblood flowing and lifts people''s hopes and spirits. That''s a role you are uniquely qualified to fill."


    Looking at them together, Angela continued. "I know things look bad right now, but the two of you have everything you''ll ever need to make this outpost a success, and I''ll be here if you need a little help now and then."


    Em''brel looked a little teary-eyed as she spoke with a small voice. "I think... I think I''m going to need more than a little help..."


    Angela smiled affectionately at her young charge. "I was underplaying my presence somewhat. I''ll be here as much as you need."


    Looking toward the door facing the mouth of the cave, Angela cocked her head to one side as if listening. "Now, the two of you might want to get ready to speak to a guest. They''re sending in a sacrificial...I mean a representative as we speak.


    -


    As Lon''thul walked into the cave, he couldn''t help but be filled with trepidation. They had been told to never enter the cave without an invitation. However, the workers were more than a little worried about what the future held. Tel''ron had told the rest it had looked like Em''brel was carrying a corpse, and even S''haar hadn''t bothered to return after entering into the cave. Everyone was worried that their excursion was over. What''s worse, they were wondering how to make it back home without a supply of the heat packs Jack had provided up until now.


    It had been decided that since Lon''thul had the most rapport with their hosts, he would most likely be forgiven for trespassing, especially given extenuating circumstances. At the time, he''d eagerly agreed. After all, that meant he didn''t have to worry about clearing the snow away with the rest of the workers as they dug paths around the various parts of the camp.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Walking through the gloom of the cave with a torch in hand, Lon''thul started to doubt his earlier logic. What if the dragon took offense and killed him before he even had a chance to explain himself? What if he got lost? What if...


    His last through faded into surprise and mild panic as the area around him lit up as if the morning sun had cleared the horizon. The light came from in front of him rather than above. It seemed to be mounted on some sort of stand, but Lon''thul found it was so bright he couldn''t stare into the light for long. Blinking away the tears from his eyes, it took Lon''thul a moment to notice there was a large metal wall just behind the lights.


    He was just starting to debate going closer to inspect the wall or turning back and finding another route when a portion of the wall simply slid away, revealing what appeared to be a door. Just inside stood S''haar, her head tilted to the side a moment before coming to a decision of some sort. "Well, since you came all the way here, you might as well come inside."


    S''haar disappeared back through the hole in the wall, leaving Lon''thul on his own for a minute before he swallowed his fear and followed after. Walking up to the door, he couldn''t help but reach out and rap the wall with his knuckles. It was definitely solid and thick, this... building?... could withstand any force known to Lon''thul. He hesitated on the threshold for a moment longer before deciding he trusted S''haar enough to follow her into this strange place.


    As Lon''thul stepped forward, the first thing he noticed was how bright and warm the room was. If the lights outside had been as bright as the morning sun, it was like the noon-day sun itself was in this room. The room was more spacious than he''d been expecting, even if it was a little short for a full-grown male, and when he thought of the whole place wrapped in metal, his mind boggled at the sheer quantities of metal that must be involved.


    Then there was the heat. It was like the warmth of a campfire was spread evenly throughout the room. The cave had been warm relative to the winter air, but even that felt cold and damp compared to this place.


    S''haar was walking over to an area with several odd-looking benches. When she sat down, the bench seemed to sink in a little and fold around her slightly. She indicated he should sit in a chair covered in a material that looked similar to her bench. When he took her up on her offer, Lon''thul felt himself slightly sink into his own seat. If it weren''t for his mind traveling a mile a second trying to take in everything and failing, he''d probably have spent more than a moment marveling how, between the heat and his chair, this was the single most comfortable moment of his life up until this point.


    S''haar watched Lon''thul look around himself in constant amazement. His eyes focusing on each wonder the room contained only as long as it took to spot the next. His eyes and head were swiveling around the room, darting to and fro in a way she knew her own must have done the first time she''d seen it. When Em''brel was introduced to this place, her reaction had been somewhat muted, possibly due to the trauma she''d been going through. Seeing Lon''thul''s expressions of amazement, she suddenly understood Jack''s odd smile the first time he''d shown her around his ship. Lon''thul may have the physique of an adult male, but right now, his expression was that of childlike wonder.


    S''haar allowed him to indulge his curiosity for a moment longer before clearing her throat to get his attention. As his eyes snapped back to her, Lon''thul tilted his head in curiosity. "Is this where you''ve been living all this time?"


    S''haar smiled sadly as she leaned further back into the padding on her bench. "Yes. Jack, Em''brel, and I have all been living here for a while now."


    Her expression reminded Lon''thul why he was here, and he mentally kicked himself for bringing up the subject so callously. However, the issue was broached, and he had a responsibility to the other workers. "Listen, I don''t know a good way to ask this, but is Jack dead? Is it time to close this place down and go back to the village?"


    S''haar stopped and thought a moment before responding. "Jack is... mostly alive. We hope he''ll make a full recovery, and to that end, Em''brel and I will be overseeing the outpost until he can resume his role in the camp."


    Lon''thul seemed more than a little confused for a moment before asking, "What do you mean ''mostly alive?''"


    S''haar''s eyes lost focus as she seemed to look into the distance as she spoke. "The dragon healed Jack''s body, but his spirit was damaged along with his body. Right now, he''s lost somewhere between this life and the next. We can only hope he''ll find his way back the world of the living."


    S''haar''s eyes refocused onto Lon''thul''s. "Given everything I''ve seen him do up until now, I believe he will succeed!"


    Lon''thul closed his eyes for a moment, and when his eyes opened, his expression was stern, or at least as stern as Lon''thul could be. "I hope so as well, for everyone''s sake, but I have to ask, what becomes of us if he doesn''t?"


    S''haar closed her eyes a moment at the thought, then brushed it away and pushed forward. She gestured around the room as she spoke. "You''ve had a good look at this room and the many marvels herein since you got here, and I can promise you that you''ve barely scratched the surface of what this place contains. We welcomed you in here to see for yourself we have the ability to fulfill the promises we make."


    S''haar now focused her attention on Lon''thul as she spoke, her eyes holding his captive as he looked into the superior predators gaze. "All the compensation promised will be met. If we can''t supply what was specified for any reason, it will be substituted with something of higher value."


    At those words, Lon''thul took another glance around the room and knew that promise was well within their power. "Ok, I accept that. However, the entire plan behind this outpost currently lies in the head of a man lost in the spirit world. How will we move forward from here?"


    S''haar leaned back again, remembering how many times she''d seen Jack do something similar to project confidence he didn''t necessarily feel. "I''ve been Jack''s right hand since he set foot in this land. I am familiar with what he''s got planned for this outpost. From how it was supposed to be laid out to the purpose each part was going to serve. I''ll be taking over the direction of establishing and running the camp."


    Lon''thul pressed forward, not willing to so quickly accept the answers S''haar had given. The rest of the workers trusted him to represent them today, and he was going to make sure their concerns were heard. "That''s well and good, and I trust you to do your best by us, but this outpost was based on more than just a good location. Jack had dragon magic that allowed him to do things we never could. Those things were the foundation of this whole place. Are you telling me you understand the secrets he knew?"


    Em''brel chose that moment to exit the med-bay where she''d been helping Angela change Jack''s dressings. S''haar pointed to the girl with her chin as she spoke. "I do not, but Em''brel has been learning from both Jack and the dragon as their apprentice. She might not have all of Jack''s knowledge, but she knows enough to fill in where my knowledge is lacking."


    The younger argu''n did her best to not wilt from the attention suddenly directed her direction. Instead, she responded with a formal bow. "I''ll do my best to apply the knowledge so generously bestowed upon me to meet the needs of this place and all the people who live here."


    Lon''thul hadn''t missed the fact that there were several doors similar to the one Em''brel had exited from scattered around the room, and apparently, most of them led somewhere other than back to the cave, meaning he had no real idea of how big this place really was. However, now he was focused on the girl standing before him and found himself drawn to her earnestness.


    S''haar drew his attention back with another clearing of her throat. "We realize this is asking many things of you all that you didn''t agree to before you came out to this place, so go and speak to everyone and decide whether you want to leave or stay. Anyone who wants to leave will be given provisions, including heat packs, to make the trip back to the village after the snow melts with no hard feelings. Anyone who stays will have our gratitude as well as everything else we''ve promised. We''ll give you some time to talk amongst yourselves, but we ask that you decide by breakfast tomorrow, which we''ll be supplying. For now, we have a load of heat packs ready to go, sitting just outside the door you came in from."


    Lon''thul recognized a dismissal when he heard one and got up to leave. Before he reached the door, a thought stopped him. "I thought you lived with the dragon, but as marvelous as this place is, I don''t see any room for such a... creature to live in here with you. Where is the dragon?"


    S''haar and Em''brel looked at each other with a smile that only confused Lon''thul further before S''haar turned to answer the hunter. "That is a more complicated question than you realize. This simple answer is that the dragon is closer than you think. She can hear everything that happens inside her caves and a great deal of what happens in a surrounding area outside the caves. This whole place exists with and by her pleasure. In much the same way Jack does, she thinks of us as her family."


    Lon''thul''s head was tilted to the side, the answer had obviously only served to confuse him further, but neither S''haar nor Em''brel seemed interested in offering further clarification. He nodded his respect to both of the women with a small sigh of defeat as he departed. He was only slightly surprised when the door apparently shut on its own behind him despite only other people in the room being nowhere near it as it did so.


    As soon as he was gone, Angela appeared to the two girls. She was jumping up and down in that overly excited way of hers. "That went great! You two performed perfectly! I have no doubt most of them will agree to stay, and we owe it all to you!"


    S''haar looked worried. The other two noticed she didn''t even realize when she copied Jack''s neck rubbing habit as she spoke. "I don''t know. I''m not quite as good at talking to people as Jack is."


    Angela beamed nothing but pride back at the woman. "I think you picked up more than you realize. Those months of translating for him really rubbed off on you. In some ways, I think you might be better at it than he was!"


    Em''brel was nodding along with Angela when the AI''s attention was turned toward the girl. "And you! You did great as well! When you spoke, I could practically see Lon''thul''s desire to follow you wherever you might go, and not just because of the slight crush he seems to be developing for you!"


    Both S''haar and Em''brel looked at Angela with their mouths hanging wide open at her last declaration. Angela looked back and forth, a little confused at their reactions. "What, I wasn''t the only one who noticed that he likes her, was I?"

 Chapter 29

    Fea''en, Tel''ron, and the other three workers sat around the fire inside the building they had put up not long ago. They were listening to Lon''thul''s explanation of S''haar''s offer. As soon as he finished, one of the workers jumped up. "I came out here to work for the human and his dragon magic, not a couple of orphaned females! We should take them up on their offer and return to the village once the snow thaws!" The worker seemed oblivious to Fea''en''s upraised eye-ridge at his emphasis on the word females.


    There was some muttering around the campfire before Lon''thul spoke up again. "If you''re worried about them fulfilling their part of the deal, I can promise you that they have the resources to make good on their payment! I''m telling you, their home is unlike anything I''ve ever seen. It''s more extravagant than any lord''s manner I know of!"


    The same worker growled back. "That''s another thing! If they have so much, why aren''t they sharing more with us?"


    Fea''en looked thoughtful with her chin resting on her palm and spoke in a quiet voice that forced everyone else to be silent to hear what she had to say. "I''m not sure I''d say they haven''t. They gave us these coats, which are better quality than any garment I''ve ever seen, and we get to keep them even if we do leave early. We have these tents of similar quality, which we can also take with us now that the first building is complete. We now have living quarters that are sturdier, better insulated, and easier to maintain than anything we''ve ever had, and we were taught how to make more. Not to mention how much metal they''ve supplied to our village, which is comparable to what an entire summer''s worth of gathering would have provided. Who knows what''s next?"


    Several heads around the campfire were nodding in agreement when Tel''ron added his thoughts. "There''s also the breakfasts and dinners we''ve been getting! Those are better than anything I''ve ever eaten as an apprentice. Sometimes I wonder if lord A''ngels eats this well. Also, Jack hinted at some new alloys I''m excited to try out. I''m sticking around to see what''s coming next!


    More heads were nodding more emphatically at this, and the voice of dissent found himself alone with his opinions. With a huff and a grumble, he retreated to his sleeping area.


    The big decision out of the way, and it being too cold and wet to work outside this late into the day, the workers settled in for a more relaxed conversation. One of the younger workers prodded Lon''thul before speaking. "Tell us more about that house of theirs! What else did you see?"


    Like all hunters, Lon''thul enjoyed the telling of a good tale around a fire. His eyes lit up as his arms started gesturing. "I know I described all the metal, but the surfaces without metal were covered in even more luxurious materials! The seats were more comfortable than the softest churlish fur..."


    As Lon''thul started working his story up, Fea''en settled in to listen to the excited youth''s story. He was good at painting a picture with words, even if he exaggerated a little here or there, but to be fair, every hunter she''d known was much the same. She couldn''t help but wonder which parts of this story were exaggerated and which parts were accurate. Knowing Jack, maybe Lon''thul didn''t have to exaggerate very much for a change.


    -


    Angela decided they all needed a night of relaxation after the last couple of days. She put on a movie she called ''stardust.''


    S''haar felt a pang in her chest during several romantic portions of the movie and couldn''t help but compare Jack to the film''s main character. From speaking with Angela, S''haar had gathered that Jack had been every bit as much the quiet and unassuming individual the main character of this movie had been. They both were dropped into worlds that left them completely in over their heads, and while Jack had never been as suave as the character in the movie became, they''d both risen to meet whatever challenges had been thrown their way. S''haar found herself tearing up at the climax of the film, wondering if Jack would ever show up to save the day again.


    Never mind the fact that S''haar had to save Jack just as often as the reverse.


    Em''brel seemed to see many of the things S''haar had. "It''s like someone took Jack and made a movie about him! Except they made him younger, better looking, a better fighter, taller..."


    Angela cut Em''brels list short with an objection. "Hey, Jack is my brother, and I know him better than anyone! So I can definitively say they also made him more likable, more co-ordinated and gave him a sexier accent!"


    There was a bit of tension behind the good-natured ribbing. It was traditional to do this kind of thing in front of Jack so he could sputter indignantly in self-defense. Still, S''haar knew Jack would approve of being the butt of a joke if it meant the return of smiles and laughter to the house. Even if it was all a little forced. She smiled as she saw things from Jack''s perspective once again. Her respect and fondness for him only seemed to grow as she noticed all the little things he regularly did that were only apparent now that he wasn''t here to do them anymore.


    There were so many small moments where a brief pause felt out of place because it would have typically been filled with some playful banter, encouragement, or insight that Jack would have thrown in seemingly without much thought. S''haar just wasn''t as good at such things. Still, they were all doing their best.


    The jovial feeling dimmed a little when one of those quiet moments went on a little too long. Finally, Em''brel broke the silence. "Still, for all his flaws, I wish Jack was here with us. He''d probably know just how to deal with Jack not being here right now."


    Em''brels face scrunched up in confusion as even she tried to make sense of what she''d just said. S''haar cut her off before the younger argu''n could try and start offering a clarification. "I know just what you mean. I was just thinking of all the things he would do that we hardly noticed but had a profound effect on everything around him. However, all we can do now is continue on and hope that he finds his way back to us."


    Em''brel looked a little somber as she replied. "Yeah, I know what you mean... But waiting is hard! I feel like I should be doing something right now! Or maybe ten things!"


    S''haar nodded her understanding. "That is normal for anyone waiting for change, good or bad. Soldiers feel it before a battle, parents feel it before birth, even animals feel it before a storm. The worst thing you can do is exhaust yourself with worry before you ever get the chance to act."


    S''haar sighed, speaking to herself as much as Em''brel as she continued. "For now, we stick to Jack''s plan and move forward. We''ll have to keep an eye out for any new problems or challenges that arise as we proceed."


    Em''brel nodded her understanding, although she couldn''t help but think that understanding and acting on that understanding were two very different things. Still, she''d do her best. She could almost hear Jack tell her that''s all he''d ever ask.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    -


    Em''brel finished cleaning up and took a second shower for the day. There was something about warm water and solitude that brought peace of mind in stressful times. Although even that wasn''t enough to quell all of her worries. She mentally repeated her new mantra to herself, Just do your best!


    Toweling off, she noticed S''haar wasn''t in the living room or their bedroom. There was only one other place Em''brel could think S''haar might be, and sure enough, she was in the med-bay.


    Angela appeared in front of the girl and held a finger in front of her lips, telling Em''brel to be quiet so as not to disturb S''haar.


    Slowing to a halt just shy of the room''s entrance, Em''brel could hear S''haar''s voice softly wafting out. She was talking to Jack. For just a moment, Em''brel''s heart fluttered in hope before settling down with the realization that Angela would have certainly told her if Jack had woken.


    Almost too faint to be heard, S''haar continued her one-sided conversation. "...and you should have seen Em''brel. She was so nervous when she spoke, but she had Lon''thul in the palm of her hand the whole time! Did you know he had a crush on her? Is that part of the reason you are always so protective of Em''brel around him? Anyway, Angela seems to think things are going well, all things considered. Still, I wish you were here to help. We all do. We''re doing our best, but it would be so much easier with you at our side. Wherever you are, don''t stop trying to find your way back, we need you... I need you..."


    Em''brel backed away to give the two of them a bit more time alone together.


    -


    Angela watched as, after a little time passed, Em''brel returned. This time her arms were filled entirely with blankets and pillows. Soon She''d set up a relatively comfortable bed for S''haar. In doing so, the young girl found there was no room left for anyone else. Em''brel returned to her own room with a shrug of her shoulders, though she was hardly alone. As her eyes started so close and her voice hinted at yawns to come, the young girl called out. "Angela, tell me a story."


    Through her eyelids, Em''brel could see the gentle glow that meant Angela had materialized. Without opening her eyes, she turned her head to face the AI, a small smile of anticipation on her lips and waited like any attentive listener would while waiting for the storyteller to pick an appropriate tale.


    Angela knew the girl was mostly seeking company. She''d grown accustomed to S''haar''s presence at night. In this instance, Angela was more than happy to oblige. "Alright, let me tell you the tale of an intelligent but mischievous human boy, his stuffed tiger and imaginary friend, and a few of the many adventures they went on together."


    Em''brel snuggled down into her blankets in a manner so cute that one of Angela''s processors simulated her heart skipping a beat. While she turned some of Jack''s favorite childhood comics into a story worth listening to, Angela also kept an eye on Jack and S''haar. It would probably be a good idea to move Jack into a proper bedroom with the few pieces of medical equipment required to keep him stable. Otherwise, S''haar would probably camp out in the med-bay every night, but she supposed that was a concern for tomorrow.


    Tonight, Angela simply enjoyed the small moments shared between herself and Em''brel as well as Jack and S''haar.


    -


    The next morning Em''brel had a bit of her morning cheer back. She wasn''t exactly bouncing around the kitchen, but while she worked, she hummed a tune that seemed to lack any measurable rhyme or reason. She made a bacon quiche to bring out and share with the workers while they all decided how to move forward.


    When S''haar was finally drawn out of the med-bay by the wafting aromas, she looked better rested than she had the previous morning. Rather than letting her sit at the table like usual, Em''brel loaded S''haars arms up with baskets filled with food, plates, and eating utensils. "It will be good for morale if the new camp leader goes and eats with the workers. Besides, there''s a lot of work that needs to be done. As you pointed out. Sitting around, worrying about Jack won''t help anyone, including Jack!"


    Her voice quieted. "He''s in the care of the best healer on the planet, and you can tell him all about your day tonight. It''ll give you something to look forward to! Although, this time, I get a turn telling him about my day too."


    S''haar looked a little embarrassed about apparently being caught speaking to Jack last night, but it shortly faded after Em''brel mentioned wanting her own turn. After a moment, she nodded in agreement. "I think Jack would like that."


    Em''brel''s spirit was contagious, and S''haar couldn''t help but feel her spirits further buoyed by the infectious smile the younger girl sported as she spoke. "I know he will! Now let''s get going before the food gets cold!"


    -


    Em''brel''s bravado started to fade as they approached the workers. It was easy to be bold in front of Jack, S''haar, and Angela, but being bold in front of a bunch of workers, who were now looking at the two of them expectantly, was completely different. Luckily, S''haar was more than up to the task and took charge.


    As the food distribution was being guided by a suddenly subdued Em''brel, S''haar dove right into the discussion. "I''m sure Lon''thul has had a chance to tell you all about the current situation and our plans to move forward with this outpost. I''m sure you have many questions, but I want you to know I will honor Jack''s promise to all of you. Anyone who wants to leave may do so, without reprisal, as soon as the roads melt enough to travel. you will be given plenty of supplies for the journey, including enough heating packs to safely make it back to the village."


    S''haar looked around at the workers, who seemed more interested in the food than her speech. Only two met her eyes as she spoke, Fea''en and one of the junior woodworkers. Fea''en''s eyes were calm and understanding. They didn''t seem to harbor any discontent as far as S''haar could tell.


    The junior worker''s on the other hand... "I will be leaving. I didn''t come out here to work with..." He paused as he spared a furtive glance to Fea''en, who returned his glance with an odd edge in her eyes before the worker turned back to S''haar, his voice suddenly a little less aggressive than a moment ago. "with anyone other than Jack." He was practically mumbling by the end.


    S''haar nodded. She wondered what the looks had meant but decided to let it go. She was simply happy they''d only lost one worker. Jack''s plans would still be on track with the remaining workforce.


    Instead, she nodded at the worker as she replied. "Alright. You are free to pass the remaining time however you wish. You will be fed and boarded until the snow melts. After that, I expect you not to stay longer than it will take you to prepare to travel back to the village."


    The worker had seemed ready for a fight but instead just nodded and shrunk back to his sleeping area. S''haar turned her attention to the remaining workers. "To the rest of you, let''s talk about our plans for the future. I want your input on how to make this all happen by the end of winter!"


    Everyone was digging into their food with eager abandon while she spoke. Everyone except Tel''ron, who was staring intently at the knife and fork Em''brel had handed him with his food. "Alright, but first I have to ask, What are these made of? They are far too light for how sturdy they are! Is this another of Jack''s alloys?!?"


    Em''brel spoke up before she realized what she was doing. "Oh, these are made out of something called ''stainless steel.'' It''s similar to regular steel, but the iron content is lower, something like fifty percent, and the chromium is closer to thirty percent. It''s not quite as strong or hard as steel, but requires much less maintenance for day to day use."


    Em''brel''s voice faltered near the end when she noticed all eyes were now staring at her, each with different expressions. The woodworkers looked a little lost, but there was a touch more respect there than she''d seen before. Lon''thul looked proud and justified for some reason but also seemed to glance over at Tel''ron with an odd look of worry. Tel''ron looked at the young girl as though she was the most beautiful thing he''d ever seen before returning his gaze to the eating utensils as though they were holy artifacts. Finally, for her part, S''haar was simply beaming pride and encouragement as she nodded approvingly at Em''brel.


    For her part, Em''brel simply wanted to fade back into the background, forgotten except as a supplier of food. Sadly it didn''t look like that would happen anytime soon as Telron started bombarding her with questions about the forging and shaping processes.

 Chapter 30

    Jack wasn''t sure where he was at the moment. The best way to describe his location would be to call it ''nondescript.'' There was no light, but he could see clearly. There was no ground, yet he was neither floating nor falling. It was the single most boring place he''d ever been.


    At first, he tried struggling. Climbing, walking, running, and crawling all had the same effect, which is to say nothing. After that failure, he tried focusing his mind to see if that would impact the world around him. It didn''t. He tried yelling, waiting, challenging God, or whoever might be listening, and even giving up. It all had the same effect, nothing.


    Once in a while, he''d hear Angela, S''haar, or Em''brel speaking to him, though their voices seemed distant. It was hard to focus his attention on their words. It was like his mind kept slipping through the words. He''d catch bits and pieces, but it was virtually impossible to put it together coherently. Still, he took comfort in their presence even if he couldn''t see, feel, or understand them.


    Eventually, they would leave, and he''d be alone again. Not that he blamed them, there was probably a lot to do now that he was stuck... wherever he was. That being said, Jack still looked forward to the times when their voices would return. Those were the best times this nondescript place had to offer.


    He''d been sitting alone for a while when he heard S''haar''s voice again. "Hello."


    The voice was crystal clear, and Jack understood it perfectly, but his mind distorted the tone of her voice. It echoed through the void, somehow sounding both masculine and feminine.


    Jack tried to relax and open his mind to better focus on her words when she spoke again. This time her voice had an edge of impatience to it. "Are you going to lay there and dream all day, or are you going to sit up and speak with your guest?"


    That snapped Jack''s eyes open. He sat up to stare at the argu''n standing before him. Looking at him/her/it, Jack would only describe his guest as the ideal argu''n. That''s not to say that he/she/it was Jack''s ideal version of an argu''n, but rather that the entity fit Plato''s description of an abstract ideal of a physical object.


    Plato once explained that a person could look at any tree and understand it to be a tree despite the variety in appearances. He argued that there must be an abstract ideal of every object that our minds would use as a template to recognize any physical object that fits within that template. For instance, a person can intuitively recognize the differences between plates, bowls, and cups despite each one appearing to be only slightly different from the others. By his own logic, the ideal version of any object couldn''t physically exist because if it became real, it would become too constrained by reality to remain the ideal version of itself.


    Despite that, before Jack stood the perfect ideal of an argu''n. The entity was stable and unchanging and yet seemed to shift from male to female, depending more on Jack''s perception at the moment than any physical characteristic. When looking into the entity''s face, he saw the faces of every argu''n Jack had ever known, and many more he''d never met, despite the face never changing in any tangible way.


    Jack tilted his head to the side and scratched his hair as he spoke. "Huh, so the lack of input or interaction had finally broken my mind, and I''ve started hallucinating, great..."


    The entity tilted it''s head to the side, mimicking Jack''s as it responded. "I have memories going back eons before your ancestors learned to strap a rock onto a stick. But maybe you are right, and I only exist as a fractured portion of your mind. Perhaps when you finally die or wake up, I''ll simply pop out of existence. Wouldn''t that be interesting?"


    Jack raised an eyebrow at the combination of amusement and patronization in his guest''s voice. He crossed his arms as he retorted. "So, what are you supposed to be? A god of the argu''n? Which one are you? The god of light? Or maybe the god of war? What about the harvest, fertility, the seas, or maybe death? Stop me If I''m getting warm."


    A warm, welcoming smile appeared on the mother''s face as she beamed down at the child before her. "You are indeed very warm child. I am the goddess of fertility!"


    Leaning in closer, her smile shifted to a seductive smile, and her voice purred with longing for her lover, barely an icy whisper in his ear. "And the god of death..."


    Jack leaned back a little to distance himself from him/her/it. He wasn''t thrilled with the effect her voice had had on him. He responded with the most defensive weapon he had in his arsenal. A witty quip. "Goddess of life and death? Isn''t that a conflict of interest?"


    His guest summoned a chair out of the mist that hadn''t existed mere moments before. It was the plainest chair Jack had ever seen, and yet when he/she/it sat in it, the chair became more regal than any throne could ever be. With a curious tilt of his/her/its head, his guest replied, slipping between mother and lover as it did. "What an amusing idea! How could life and death ever be in conflict with one and other? They each only exist because of the other! Only within the light of life can death exist, and only in the shadow of death can life have meaning!"


    Jack leaned forward, refusing to be so easily deflected. "And yet when you decide it''s time, you reach out and take the lives of your ''children.'' That doesn''t seem very motherly to me!"


    The old woman sitting before Jack had a kind and soft smile on her lips, and her voice spoke of countless fond memories with every syllable. "I have no need to take my children before their time. They all return to me eventually, and when they do, they bring the most wonderful stories with them! They tell me of love, hope, beauty, and passion! When I welcome them into my embrace, it is as a mother welcoming her children home. All that I receive is freely offered, and all that they have I freely give!"


    Jack''s eyes narrowed, and he pushed on once more. "So, what happens after you ''welcome them home?'' What happens after death?"


    The old man closed his eyes and shook his head as he replied. "That is not my tale to tell. Nor is it the reason for my visit."


    The entity remained seated and looked at Jack, as though waiting patiently for a particularly slow student to catch up. Jack did not like being condescended to. "So did you come all this way just to talk relative philosophy with me? Or did you have some other reason for your visit?"


    The proud father pierced Jack with his gaze as he answered. "I came to get a measure of the man who caught the attention of one of my favorite daughters. You don''t look like much. You''re so small and frail, even now, you hang onto your life by the thinnest of threads. Tell me, what makes you think you deserve my daughter''s affection?"


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    Of all the answers Jack had been expecting, that wasn''t one. He sat back a little, thinking hard. Was this some kind of test? What happens when you give the god of life and death the wrong answer? Was there even a right answer? His mind was a whirlwind of possible solutions, analyzing and rejecting them all as he remained silent.


    The deity seemed to grow impatient. "Despite my eternal nature, I am very busy and don''t have all day to spend talking to some half-dead intruder in my realm. So tell me now, why do you deserve my daughter''s affection?"


    Jack felt tired. Tired of everything that happened since he landed, tired of this nondescript place, tired of being thrown to the whims of fate, and very tired of his ''guest'' looking down on him. So when Jack answered, it wasn''t with some well thought out and articulated response. Instead, he just threw out whatever thoughts occurred to him. "You want to know why I deserve S''haar''s attention? I don''t! Setting aside the whole stupidity contained within the idea of deserving anyone''s affection, and believe me, I could tear that idea apart for hours before running out of material, I don''t deserve anything from anyone."


    The entity looked like it wanted to interject, but Jack rode roughshod over him/her/it, never giving his guest any chance to speak up. "No one does! We should accept what is offered with gratitude, not begrudge someone for not providing us something we decided they owe us! The whole idea behind your question is absurd!"


    At this point, Jack realized he was standing very close to and looking up at an enormous, self-proclaimed god of death. Even with him/her/it seated, Jack was dwarfed by his ''guest,'' and Jack was starting to wonder at the wisdom behind shouting at someone who could probably wipe him from existence with little to no effort. Biting back any further ranting, Jack looked at his feet as he spoke again. "Er... Sorry, I think I''ve been here too long, and I''m starting to go stir-crazy... I didn''t mean..."


    The mother looked down on Jack kindly as she cut him off. "You meant every word. You spoke with passion and courage, don''t undo that by trying to back down now! I can see what my daughter sees in you... and that''s what makes what I must do next all the more difficult." That last part was spoken by the father again, although it wasn''t pride that filled his voice, but sorrow.


    Looking down at Jack, his face became dark and grim as he took a measure of Jack''s soul once more. "Not long ago, several of my sons were returned to me with their stories unfinished. They were sent by your hand. What do you say in defense of this act?"


    This question hit Jack like a hammer blow to the gut. When he looked down, Jack could see the blood of the men he''d killed coating his hands. For a moment, he felt an overwhelming urge to wash them clean, but Jack knew this blood was the testament of the lives he''d taken, and it belonged where it was.


    Jack closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he responded. As he spoke, he looked into the distance, the face of the last raider he''d killed still burned into his mind. "I deeply regret the loss of life, I don''t think the blood I spilled will ever stop haunting my dreams, but I don''t regret the decisions I made that day. You speak of stories cut short? What about S''haar''s story? What about Em''brel''s? I''m still haunted by the faces of the dead, but I would do it again if given a chance to live those moments over."


    Jack looked up into the accuser''s grim face and met the man''s eyes as he spoke. "Are S''haar''s and Em''bre''s lives worth less than the raiders? Or is it purely a numbers game where the majority of lives determine the correct course of action? If so, I reject your accusation! I fought for those who meant the most to me, as any man, woman, or child should! Anyone who says otherwise is either lying, deluded, or a monster!"


    The deity was holding a sword now, one whose blade was longer than Jack was tall. He pointed at Jack accusingly with one hand and held the sword ready to strike with the other as he spoke. "And what of the future? Your very presence is upsetting the balance of my world. You bring conflict and war! Countless more of my children will have their stories cut short! Why should I suffer your presence on this land any longer?"


    Jack looked into the eyes of the god of life and death and saw only himself looking back. He shook his head and heaved a sad, shallow laugh. "Well, I suppose that depends on you. If you are omniscient and can see all possible futures and know that removing me will lead to an objectively better future for your people, then go ahead and do whatever you have to do. However, if you are bound by the tides of time like the rest of us mere mortals and are only guessing at possible futures, then I reject your judgment again! Yes, this road may very well lead to war and conflict, and I''ll be forced to take more lives to protect those I care for. You think I''m not aware of that? But it could lead to better food, medicine, and education as well! Probably a little of everything. Will the good outweigh the bad? I don''t know! I can only do what most people do every day, try to do what''s right, try to fix what I break, and try to learn from my mistakes! If that''s not enough for you, too bad, because that''s all I''ve got!"


    Jack glared at the entity for a few moments in silence. He''d run out of bravery near the end of his rant and was now glaring out of fear that he''d open his mouth and have his voice reveal his uncertainty. His guest continued to stare down at the small man for a few more moments before sheathing his sword. "It''s a shame you were born human. You would have made an excellent argu''n."


    The deity was suddenly closer to S''haar''s height, though Jack couldn''t remember seeing her form change. She leaned in, and Jack felt the icy breath of the seductive visive of death once more. "Though if you so chose, when you die, I''ll be happy to welcome you into my embrace. I''m certain we can find a place for you in the world to come."


    Jack backed away with a shiver running along his spine. Though at the moment, he couldn''t say if it was due to desire or fear.


    At that moment, S''haar''s voice cut through the haze, and Jack could hear her talking about her day. For the first time since he got here, he could clearly understand what she was saying. He also noticed a faint path had appeared, leading far into the distance, seeming to head into the direction of S''haar''s voice.


    Jack spared a glance back to his guest. Gesturing at the road, he asked the only question that occurred to him. "Did you do this?"


    The mother looked back with an odd pride evident on her face. "Everything that happened here today was due to your own choices, not mine. Until you were sure about what path to walk, none could appear."


    She looked down at the road that seemed to stretch far past the nonexistent horizon. "It looks like you have quite a long walk. I''d get started if I were you."


    Jack stared at the entity a moment longer, trying to decide if he''d really been visited by the divine spirit of an argu''n god or if his mind created him/her/it out of desperation for some form of stimulation. Her enigmatic smile offered no answers, and Jack supposed that even if she provided any answers, he wouldn''t be able to tell if those answers were any more real than the entity offering them.


    In any event, when he blinked, he/she/it was gone. All the remained was Jack, the road, and S''haar''s voice. Jack shrugged, turned, and started walking.


    -


    Angela knew she wasn''t wrong about what she''d just witnessed but replayed the video of what had happened just to be sure. Sure enough, Jack''s index finger on his right hand had twitched. She quickly did a series of scans to see if there were any significant changes. While it seemed there might be some slight improvement, it was well within the margin of error. It wasn''t likely that Jack was suddenly going to wake up, but still... Despite the lack of significant evidence, she felt her hope surge at the tiny movement.


    As the night passed and the rest of the ship slept, Angela repeatedly played the video of Jack''s finger twitching. She spoke to herself in a whisper since everyone else within earshot was currently asleep. "Hurry back you big nerd. We need you here, not lost in some weird dream."

 Chapter 31

    S''haar was in the middle of her daily tour of the camp. It was usually uneventful, so she allowed her mind to wander a little as she walked. Day by day, it always seemed like so little happened, but looking back now, she couldn''t help but think of all that had changed since Jack had fallen into his coma. They had four buildings up now, a billet for the workers, a woodworking hall, a smithy, and a warehouse. At the moment, the buildings were mostly empty, but Angela insisted they build them with the growth of the settlement in mind.


    The billet was designed to sleep two to a room comfortably, but everyone had private rooms with at least a room or two between each worker. They were all situated around a large common room with a good-sized fire pit designed for cooking and storytelling.


    The reluctant worker had left as soon as the snow melted. Lon''thul escorted him back to the village safely, made a report, and returned to continue in his role as the eyes and ears of the village while also supplying plenty of fresh meat to earn his keep.


    The woodworker''s hall could comfortably fit double what it currently housed with no further additions, but a portion of the building was also set aside to store tools and materials. If they were to put up another building nearby for storage, they could easily fit even more workers.


    Fea''en had made sure all the stations were built to perfection. She''d taken her charges to task on more than one occasion when she found their work sub-par. S''haar honestly couldn''t tell the difference between the quality work and the rejected attempts, but Angela had said to her, "That''s what delegating is all about. You get the best person for the job, put them in charge, then let them do their job. If you have quality workers, a manager''s job is more about seeing to it that their needs are met than babysitting."


    The smithy felt empty, with only one worker present. Tel''ron often spent his days working in the woodworker''s hall as a result. He and the woodworkers had gotten to know each other pretty well over the last few weeks. While the usual rivalry between woodworkers and smiths was present, it was mostly limited to good-natured fun in their small group.


    However, if something needed any serious work done, Tel''ron was more than happy to utilize the new facilities. The smelters were located outdoors with a loose tent-like covering overhead, but they had a few good forges on the inside and an anvil made out of wrought iron with a steel face. Most of the anvils back at the village were currently made out of bronze, so this was a significant improvement. His eyes had practically leaped out of his skull when Em''brel told him of her plans for several such anvils, though they still only had the one for the time being.


    It had taken Em''brel and Angela a bit of work to refit the mining suit for Em''brel to use, and even then, the girl had been timid in its use at first. But as she''d grown more and more accustomed to it, the work also went smoother. Though she still wasn''t as fast as Jack had been. Angela said it had something to do with the suit requiring sustained exertion more than raw strength, probably because it had been designed with humans in mind. Still, they were mining iron ore much faster than any argu''n would typically have been able to.


    S''haar smiled to herself as she thought of Em''brel. The girl''s intelligence, courage, timidness, and natural beauty had endeared her to the entire camp and had created a bit of a rivalry between the only two boys of appropriate age. Tel''ron and Lon''thul were both falling over themselves to get Em''brel''s attention, though as far as S''haar was aware, things hadn''t progressed much past that point. They''d all been too busy, and the boys feared S''haar''s or Fea''en''s wrath if they were found slacking. So it was mostly limited to boasting around the campfire and trying to be the first to think of a new compliment for Em''brel each day.


    As S''haar exited the smithy, Fea''en was waiting to address the new concern for the day. The older woodworker''s arms were crossed in her typical stoic manner, though S''haar knew her well enough by now to know there was no hostility in her stance, and any irritation she radiated was directed at whatever got in the way of her work rather than any nearby person. Her voice was, as always, just as gravely and stoic as her stance. "Ground''s too frozen to keep digging the palisade. However, we got the posts for the northern guard tower sunk, so we could keep working on that, or we could get started shaping the wood for the guardhouse that''ll go near the gate. Your call."


    S''haar thought for a moment before turning back to the master woodworker. "The guard tower is more important to get up quickly. If the guardhouse isn''t up come spring, the guards will just have to set up a temporary station near the gate."


    Fea''en nodded her understanding. "Makes sense. Give me a bit, and I''ll let you know what we''ll need in order to finish it up." Following that, Fea''en was off to seek out Em''brel so they could take another look at the plans the girl and the ''dragon'' had drawn up together.


    S''haar was pretty sure more wood was near the top of the list. They already had some shaped lumber ready to go, but it was best to split the woodworkers into two teams, one prepping the new wood and the other doing the construction. Besides, that meant S''haar got to use the chainsaw again. She wasn''t quite as fast as Jack was since its use also seemed to take endurance to use, but she could definitely understand why Jack always seemed to be having so much fun while he used it. Eventually, her arms would feel ready to drop, and it wasn''t as much fun anymore, but that first tree was always a rush. She smiled sadly to herself, imagining the wild grin Jack had plastered on his face the first time he showed her the chainsaw at work.


    With a last look around the camp, S''haar''s smile turned from sad to content. Everyone was where they should be, and the work was progressing smoothly. Well, one person was missing, but S''haar knew Em''brel and Fea''en were more than up to the task of keeping the missing individual on task.


    -


    Em''brel was walking out of the cave with the rolled-up plans for the guard tower. Sure enough, Lon''thul was waiting for her near the entrance of the cave. He looked at her with his large innocent eyes before speaking. "Want me to carry those for you?"


    Em''brel looked at him with her head tilted to one side as she kept walking. "As always, I appreciate the offer, but as always, I''m perfectly capable of carrying some parchment that barely weighs a couple of pounds. Besides, don''t you have some hunting to do?"


    Lon''thul shook his head. "Nah, we''ve got enough meat stored up that we should probably eat from our reserves for a few more days before I go out again. We wouldn''t want unused meat spoiling, which would result in the waste of animals that I could hunt later when we need the food. Today, I''m supposed to be working on digging out the well some more, though I don''t know why you need it to be so large."


    Em''brel shifted her load and picked up her pace a little forcing Lon''thul to adjust his own speed to keep up as she spoke. "I told you, we''re not building this camp to accommodate the people here now, or even a couple months from now, we''re designing it to accommodate the number of people who might be here a year from now! If your village is anything like my own, it''s laid out in an ever-increasing sprawl that slowly expands as more people need more housing. What if we planned on the need to expand from the beginning? What if we organized everything with a larger population in mind from the beginning? That''s what we''re trying to do here and now."


    Lon''thul nodded his understanding. Once he''d adjusted his speed, he was able to keep up with Em''brel due to his long stride, but he was still having to breathe a little heavier to speak while walking at this pace. Few men in the village could keep up with Lon''thul''s pace, and he wondered where a noble like Em''brel gotten the endurance to set this kind of pace. Still, He was determined to show as little discomfort as he could while he spoke. "You make a good point, but it seems like it would just be easier to dig a second well when we need one. We''d already be done by now if this were a normal well."


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    Em''brel came to a halt as she shifted the scrolls to one arm so she could open the door to the woodworker''s hall. She was about to reply when Fea''en''s familiar gravelly voice cut in from behind the two of them. "I''m curious, boy, how do you plan on impressing the girl by complaining about the well she designed rather than making it a reality, the way Tel''ron is doing right now?"


    Lon''thul froze mid-step, and Em''brel could practically hear the thoughts running through his head. His motivation had simply been to talk with Em''brel a little longer. He hadn''t meant to diminish Em''brel''s design. Now he had to decide between taking the time to defend his intentions or going and getting to work, so Tel''ron didn''t get all the credit. He was caught in what Angela had once described as a ''catch 22.'' It was a phrase named after a famous human book, and it meant that there was no right answer.


    Finally, with a rueful smile, Lon''thul bowed his head in apology to Fea''en. "You''re right. I''m sorry. I''ll get to work right now." Turning to Em''brel, he added, "I can''t wait to see what you make for lunch. I''m sure I''ll work up quite the appetite making your vision a reality!"


    With a wave, he ran off. Em''brel turned to Fea''en with a raised eye ridge. "I wish you all wouldn''t give him such a hard time. Lon''thul has been working as hard as anyone else here."


    Fea''en tilted her own head as she watched the boy leave. "He''s a good kid. With a bit of luck, he might even turn out to be a good man. Right now, he''s still a little too naive, and sometimes he needs a bit of a kick in the rear to get him moving in the right direction. Despite taking the lives of so many animals, he still doesn''t realize how cruel and uncaring the world we live in can be, and how quickly things can go wrong if we aren''t prepared."


    Em''brel grew quiet as Fea''en''s words sunk in. She knew what the woman meant. That was a lesson with which Em''brel was all too familiar. Some days it was all she could do to put a smile on her face when going out to face the same world that had taken both her father and Jack from her. Then she remembered something Jack had once told her when she asked how he''d dealt with his own loss years ago. "You have to set goals for yourself. Not something far fetched or obscure like ''I want to be wealthy'' or ''I want to be happy.'' No, instead, you set realistic, achievable goals. For instance, when I got here, I needed to get a local guide, check. I needed to get to the village and establish a rapport with the people there, check. I needed a sled and then a wagon, check, check."


    Em''brel had nodded but felt like he was asking the impossible. However, Jack wasn''t done. "Some days, the bad days, that can be too big a goal to handle. Instead, you set smaller goals just to keep you moving. Something like, ''I''m going to get out of bed and take a shower,'' or ''I''m going to clean my room,'' etc. Then there are the terrible days, days were an hour away is just too far. Those days your goals can be as simple as, ''I''m going to take another step,'' or ''I''m going to sit up.'' The key is to keep moving forward. No matter how slow or small your progress is, as long as you move forward, you''re moving in the right direction."


    Em''brel nodded her head to the Jack in her mind and pushed open the door to the woodworker''s hall. At the memory of Jack and his comforting smile, her own smile had returned, and she got started on her next goal. "Ok, I''ve got the plans for the guard towers right here. Let''s get them laid out on the table and figure out what our first step should be!"


    Fea''en followed the younger girl inside. At first, she''d just been humoring the girl when she''d presented her plans for the first building after Em''brel had taken over where Jack had left off. However, Fea''en had quickly discovered the girl really knew what she was talking about and listened intently as she described what she wanted.


    Looking at the plans, Fea''en offered a few recommendations or corrections based on her own expertise, and Em''brel incorporated them into her plans without hesitation.


    Fea''en couldn''t help but appreciate how nice it was to work with someone who knew what they wanted while also respecting an expert''s advice. In her experience, those two things never existed in the same job at the same time. Initially, Fea''en had only come out here to get things started in the camp and make sure her workers were safe, but between the people running the place and how comfortable the living conditions were, she was beginning to think of making the move permanent.


    -


    Angela rode along with S''haar and Em''brel as they worked throughout the day. She also kept an eye on the surrounding wildlife and weather, focusing on anything else that could further threaten her family.


    All this was done while a small portion of her attention remained focused on Jack. She''d cataloged every twitch, murmur, and even changes in breathing and heart rate. The changes were all subtle, but it was enough to indicate to her there was some activity going on in his mind, and she held onto the hope that gave her the same way a drowning man might hold onto a life preserver tossed his way.


    She tried never to let on to the girls how scared she was of losing Jack. They had more than enough worries of their own, and she could tell they used her hopeful demeanor as a source of strength. She never said how bad Jack''s coma was, but she could tell as time went on, they were starting to suspect for themselves.


    Based on his lack of response to stimuli after the first twenty-four hours, Jack''s likelihood of waking up dropped to something like thirteen percent. As the days passed and he remained unresponsive, his odds continued to fall. Most coma patients would either wake up in under five weeks or stay unresponsive for the rest of their lives. Every day dragged them closer to that deadline, and Jack remained unresponsive.


    Angela ran through the test again, just like she did twice every day.


    First, she tested for any response to verbal stimulation. "How are you doing today, Jack? Can you hear me? If so, can you open your eyes?"


    No response.


    Second, using a robotic arm set up next to his bed, she applied pressure to the nail on his index finger for ten seconds. Enough to be described as an ''uncomfortable pressure'' but not enough to do any damage.


    One.


    Two.


    Three.


    Four.


    Five.


    Six.


    Seven.


    Eight.


    Nine.


    Ten...


    No response.


    Third, she applied the trapezius pinch. It is a pinch applied next to the patient''s neck to stimulate pain but isn''t enough to cause any real damage. She squeezed for ten seconds.


    One.


    Two.


    Three.


    Four.


    Five.


    Six.


    Seven.


    Eight.


    Nine.


    Jack''s elbow slowly bent, and his arm came across his body. Angela was so stunned she forgot to release her grip for one-tenth of a second. That was clearly abnormal flexation, but still a response to pain. That made his score five out of a possible fifteen. It was still a low score, but it was also the highest he''d scored since he was first brought in by Em''brel.


    -


    As Jack continued walking along the road in the middle of nowhere, he heard Angela''s usual questions. Sure, she''d talk to him throughout the day, but every so often, she went through this same pattern of questions. Jack tried to shout out his responses, but nothing seemed to penetrate the gloom of the space he found himself in. But this time, shortly after the usual questions and his shouted response, his shoulder started hurting. Jack''s arm shot up to his shoulder as he swore under his breath.


    That''s when he heard angela''s surprised voice. "You... you felt that? Jack, can you hear me? If you can, you better get your butt back here! We''re running out of time!"


    Jack looked down the road, stretching out in front of him, and picked up his pace a little. He still had a long way to go, but he finally felt like he was making progress.

 Chapter 32

    S''haar was standing in the recently completed guard tower, looking out over the slowly expanding wall. For once, everything was going according to plan. At this rate, the palisade would be up well before spring. It was a simple design of mid-sized trunks placed firmly together to allow virtually no space between posts. The tops of the logs were sharpened to a point to make climbing them a little extra awkward. Additionally, a walkway was placed near the top of the wall along the inside. This gave potential guards a variety of vantage points in addition to those offered by the towers that would be spaced every few hundred meters.


    Em''brel''s well was also nearly complete. The hole had been dug then lined with stones, and it maintained more than an adequate water level at all times. It had a raised wall around the outside, and the top was capped off to prevent wildlife from falling inside and contaminating the water. She was working with both Fea''en and Tel''ron to design a system for more easily lifting the water out of the well than the usual, a bucket on a rope that people would haul up by hand.


    This well would use some sort of ''pully'' system attached to a hand crank that apparently dramatically reduced the water bucket''s weight, allowing for more water to be drawn up at a time. It was going to have four such systems lined up around the outside. Each of these was going to have a locking mechanism. When engaged, it would prevent the buckets from falling further than an eighth of the crank and allow the bucket to be locked at the top.


    The design was complicated enough that it took a few tries to explain to the Tel''ron and Fea''en what Em''brel was asking for, but now the two crafters were working together to make Em''brel''s idea functional.


    There was a bit of trial and error, it took 2 days and a few scrapped parts to get one side up and running. However, now that the first draw system was in place, the workers were confident they could put the next three together in far less time than the first had taken.


    Meanwhile, Fea''en''s little speech to Lon''thul a few days ago had caused the youth to push himself further and faster when it came to bringing Em''brel''s ideas to life. For the first time he could remember, hunting was a secondary priority. Well, it would have if Em''brel didn''t depend on him bringing home meat so she could cook up one of her popular dishes. When he wasn''t on the hunt, Lon''thul was almost always found asking what else he could help with. He threw himself into each task with a vigor that only abated when he was able to spend time talking with Em''brel.


    Not to be outdone, Tel''ron''s work was beginning to far outshine his years of experience. He crafted each tool or component as though they were his personal gift to Em''brel, and his dedication to his craft shone through in the results. Angela even commented that "Old Mar''kon will have to watch his back, or this young pup might surpass him!"


    Now, one of the most significant issues slowing them down was getting enough lumber. Because of that, S''haar was out using the chainsaw almost daily to meet the workers'' needs. The more she used the chainsaw, the easier it became, but she marveled at the fact that she still wasn''t as productive as Jack had been. It was easy to look down on humans being small and weak, but there was something to human endurance that deserved a certain amount of respect.


    The thought of Jack brought a frown of concern to S''haar''s face. He was showing signs of progress, but it seemed to be taking an agonizingly long time. The workers had all stopped asking about Jack, and S''haar had a distinct impression that they just assumed he was dead. As far as the workers were concerned, she''d been running the camp longer than he had been. How would they react to the day Jack woke up and took back over?


    S''haar shook her head. These were concerns for another time and place. For now, the woodworker whose turn it was to help gather wood had just walked up to the base of the tower and was now waiting on S''haar. She had more trees to cut to help supply the camp''s needs, and she''d have plenty of time to worry about Jack tonight as she gave him her report on the day''s work.


    It was always painful to look at Jack''s unmoving face as she spoke to him at night, but there was something oddly comforting about holding his hand and feeling his warmth radiating into her own as she spoke. As long as that warmth flowed, Jack lived, and that was good enough for S''haar...for now.


    After that, S''haar would settle down in the bedroll she''d made on the ground beside Jack''s bed. If Jack woke up in the middle of the night, his bodyguard was going to be there and ready to help in any way he needed.


    Em''brel also took her turns talking to Jack, though her conversations were most often centered around whatever problems she was dealing with. The subjects would range from logistical issues about her designs for the camp to emotional problems weighing her down at the time. She''d told S''haar that imagining what Jack might say in response to her issues often led Em''brel to conclusions she might never have come to on her own.


    S''haar could understand that. It had been weeks, but she could still sometimes hear Jack''s quips in the silent moments of a conversation. Even now, she could imagine that stupid grin he''d have on his face before saying something to get a reaction out of her. It had taken her a while to realize he enjoyed pushing her to the point she''d give him a light smack in response to some smart remark. He said it meant he''d ''won'' that round of verbal sparring, whatever that meant.


    Her frown now replaced with a smile of her own, S''haar jerked her head toward the forest just past the wall as she spoke to the woodworker. "Let''s get to work!"


    -


    Em''brel was cooking a large pot of stew in the worker''s billet. This batch of smoked meat was a bit on the tough side and needed a little extra attention to make it palatable. She''d mixed in a few roots and tubers that Lon''thul had gathered for her during his hunting forays into the forest. While she worked, Angela played a little tune over her headband, and Em''brel was dancing in place while humming to herself as she chopped up the ingredients.


    Em''brel never heard S''haar and the woodworker enter and continued to hum and dance until a sneeze from behind her made her freeze.


    Em''brel stayed utterly motionless for a few moments, hoping the sound had just been some weird trick of the wind finding a crack in the doorframe, but she knew she was deluding herself. She turned around extra slowly, hoping not to draw attention to herself as she did so, but found her efforts in vain as two pairs of eyes were now staring at her. The eyes were accompanied by a couple of grinning faces that were obviously enjoying the show at Em''brels expense.


    Em''brel glared at the pair that were currently shedding sawdust with every movement. "Look at you two! You''re filthy! Go outside and dust yourselves off before you ruin my stew!"


    S''haar''s grin only grew a little wider in response. "Aw, don''t get mad because we caught your cute little show! Besides, aren''t I the one in charge of this camp at the moment? Who gave you the authority to order me out of here?"


    Em''brel bared her teeth in a half-joking threat display before speaking. "I''m the cook! And if you want this delicious stew for dinner rather than some stale bread and water, you''ll do as I say! NOW GO CLEAN YOURSELVES OFF BEFORE COMING BACK IN MY KITCHEN!"


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    The worker, Jan''kul if Em''brel remembered correctly, looked back and forth between the two women wondering just how much trouble he would get in merely by being present to witness such a spectacle. The usually shy and docile Em''brel was now advancing on the nearly unflappable S''haar with a wooden spoon, and S''haar was backing down! Both hands were held up in as the unstoppable S''haar surrendered to the tiny Em''brel. "Ok, ok, you win! I''ll go dust off. Just put away the spoon!"


    As S''haar walked out the door, Jan''kul could hear S''haar mutter to herself. "I have this whole camp dropped in my lap, and I run the thing without any complaint, but do I get any respect? No! Instead, I get chased away from dinner by a wooden spoon and the threat of stale bread..." Her tone seemed to be at least half-joking, but he wasn''t sure.


    Jan''kul was now doing his best to not attract attention by remaining completely motionless. Sadly, it didn''t work. Em''brel''s gaze slowly shifted to him before she broke out in the cutest grin he''d ever seen. "Sorry about that. I hope we didn''t scare you too much. Though I would appreciate it if you''d go dust off also."


    He just gawked in wonder at the strange little woman who had gone from terrifying warrior of legend to cute little girl just barely over his daughter''s age in the blink of an eye. It took his brain a moment to catch up with the shift, but once he did, he relaxed as he responded to the now impossibly cute eyes innocently looking up at him."Uhh... Yeah, no problem. I''ll be right back!"


    As soon as he walked out and the door shut, Em''brel could hear the laughter shared between S''haar and Jan''kul. The diminutive chef reluctantly went back to her cooking. As she worked, she spoke in an exasperated voice to Angela. "Why didn''t you warn me people were coming in? They caught me DANCING!"


    Angela''s voice sounded a little too innocent as she responded. "Would you believe I got too caught up in the music and dancing and didn''t notice?"


    Em''brel was a little over-enthusiastic as she started pasting the root she would add to the stew to thicken the mixture. She splattered the wall and herself liberally as she worked out her embarrassment. "No, I don''t believe that! You are far too aware of our surroundings to miss a little thing like that, especially since I know you happen to be riding along with S''haar in her headset as well!"


    Angela''s voice took on a slightly apologetic tone. "Ok, how about, ''You looked so cute doing your little dance I had to share it with someone?'' That much cuteness was not meant for one AI alone!"


    Em''brel grumped at the AI while she worked. "Well, next time, give me a warning, or else I''ll... I''ll..."


    Angela''s voice was now confident of victory. "Or you''ll what? You can''t threaten me with a spoon or stale bread the way you did with S''haar!" It was apparent that Angela thought she was untouchable.


    Em''brel huffed indignantly before pulling out the most dire threat she could think of. "Or else I''ll learn to control my excitement like a proper LADY instead of joining you by hopping up and down in celebration!"


    Angela was quiet a moment before her defeated voice responded. "You win... On the provision that you NEVER use such a diabolically evil threat on me again! That just wasn''t fair!"


    Em''brel''s mood was considerably brighter now that she had gotten one up on all the offending parties in the little debacle that shall never be spoken of again. As she started chopping up the root to go in the pot, Em''brel was back to humming and swaying her hips as she worked.


    -


    S''haar was holding Jack''s hand and speaking with laughter in her voice. "and then she threatened me with a spoon! A STUPID WOODEN SPOON! The look on Jan''kul''s face was priceless!"


    S''haar had to close her eyes and shake her head for a moment at the memory. When she opened her eyes again, it took her a moment to realize that Jack''s eyes were open as well, and he was looking right at her.


    S''haar lept forward, pulling Jack into a crushing embrace. Tears were flowing freely as she babbled. "You''re awake! You''ve come back to us! ANGELA! EM''BREL! COME QUICK, JACK''S AWAKE!"


    S''haar heard the thunder of Em''brel''s approaching footsteps and saw the glow of Angela''s avatar, but her world was focused entirely on Jack. She studied Jack''s face intently and realized very quickly... something was wrong.


    Aside from his eyes, Jack''s expression was altogether unchanged. Even those looked a bit wrong, as though they were looking toward her, but not at her.


    She gripped his hand tightly as she begged, "Please, Jack, say something! Say anything! Speak to me!"


    Em''brel had burst into the room, ready to tackle Jack, but she stopped short when she heard the desperation in S''haar''s voice. Jack''s eyes were unfocused. The entire room held its breath after S''haars plea. S''haar was just giving into tears, born of the kind of devastation brought on by crushed hope when Jack''s voice pierced the silence of the house for the first time in weeks.


    His voice was cracked, halting, and barely above a whisper, but everyone was so silent and attentive that all three women heard him as clear as day. "This... mountain... is... so... tall,"


    Jack paused and took a deep breath before continuing a moment later. "and... ... the... wind... is... so... ... ... cold..."


    Following that, Jack''s eyes closed again, and what little strain he seemed to be putting into his body seemed to ease out of him as he fell back into his relaxed pose. Jack was asleep once more.


    S''haar turned her tear-stained face toward Angela. "What... what was that? What does it mean?"


    Angela couldn''t keep the emotion from her voice despite nearly overheating a few processors in her attempt to do so. "It means there''s real hope now! It means he''s starting to wake up!"


    -


    Jack looked at the mountain currently standing before him. The wind coming off it was so cold it stung his face, and he could already feel his fingers ache in anticipation of what lay ahead.


    The road he had been following disappeared into the mountain, and he could hear S''haar''s voice coming from above the peak. "This...is going to suck. I''ve never been particularly interested in rock climbing...or heights..."


    Jack cracked his knuckles, stretched his neck, rotated his arms in their sockets, and failing to think of anything else he could do to psych himself up (not that any of those had worked), he grabbed hold of his first handful of rock and pulled himself up, grumbling under his breath the whole time. "Come on, Jack. You fly spaceships, IN SPACE! You''re not gonna let a little thing like a fear of heights stop you now, are you?"


    He''d made it up about ten feet before looking down. His vision spun for a moment, and he pulled himself tight against the rock he was holding onto with very white knuckles. He usually wasn''t this bad until getting at least three or four stories off the ground (Angela had to handle most takeoffs or landings for this reason), but something about a perilous handhold on an untested rock wall made everything worse.


    Finally, he forced his muscles to relax, and he reached up to the next handhold he could find. "This...is going to be a long climb."


    -


    Angela was finishing her explanation. "So as he starts to come out of his coma, he''ll ''wake up'' like he just did more often. Eventually, he may even seem to fully wake up before slipping back into the coma, but that''s all normal."


    Em''brel was hugging S''haar. She was bawling her eyes out, but they were happy tears. Even if he hadn''t made any sense, Jack had spoken again. The younger girl had almost given up on ever hearing Jack''s voice again, but now her hope was renewed and burning brightly! At this moment, she felt like she could fly!


    It took a moment for S''haar and Em''brel to realize that Angela was standing very quietly. The small celebration in front of her seemed forgotten as she tilted her head to one side as though listening to something. When she spoke, the worry was evident in her voice. "S''haar, go and warn the workers. We''ve got a cold front moving in. It''s going to be far colder than anything I''ve seen on this planet before now!"

 Chapter 33

    S''haar looked to Angela, her eyes wide with fear. "How long do we have before the cold hits?


    Angela was still looking off into empty space. It was as though she was listening to a distant conversation. "Well, it looks like it''s going to hit in two waves. This evening the temperature will drop about ten degrees further than we''ve seen recently and then plateau and stay steady through the night. Then a second cold front will hit roughly around noon, the temperature will continue falling the rest of the day and well into the night. What''s worse is the fact that I''m not sure how long this is going to last. I''d need some sort of weather satellite to give a reasonable estimate, and that''s simply beyond our grasp at the moment."


    S''haar''s ears pulled back slightly as she bared her teeth at the prospect. "It''s a deep freeze then. We haven''t seen one of those in years. I need to go speak to the workers immediately. Em''brel, you and Angela work out a plan for what to do if it gets too cold or lasts too long, and we have to bring the workers inside the caves or even into our home."


    Em''brel''s expression had been starting to shift to a look of panic, but S''haar''s quick assessment and decisions were enough to refocus her mind and bring her back to the here and now. "Uh, yes. We''ll need sleeping arrangements and something to keep people''s minds off trouble or boredom. The last thing we''d need is some kind of fight breaking out because of high stress..."


    Em''brel was off in her own little world, thinking as she walked out of the room. S''haar gave Jack''s hands one last squeeze. "I''ve got to go take care of some things. I''ll be back." Then she stood up and brushed herself off as she thought while walking.


    Angela looked uncharacteristically stoic as she floated beside S''haar. "So you''ve encountered events like this before? How long do they usually last?"


    "If we''re lucky days." S''haar''s expression made it clear she wasn''t feeling particularly lucky.


    The AI seemed almost too afraid to probe further but persisted regardless. "And if we''re not lucky?"


    S''haar stopped and thought back to the last deep freeze she''d encountered while in the guard. They''d lost more than one in ten villagers to the cold that year. She still remembered the pile of bodies they had to burn after the freeze passed. The smell was one she had hoped never to experience again. "Weeks."


    S''haar closed her eyes and visibly calmed herself a moment before turning and speaking to Angela. "Do we have a fresh supply of heating packs ready? If what you say is accurate, we''re going to need to do some preparation work before the real cold hits tomorrow, and it''s already going to be dangerously cold tonight while we work."


    Angela nodded. "I''ve always got a backup batch primed in case of an emergency. Now seems like just the occasion I''ve been preparing for!''


    -


    After loading up the sled with a fresh batch of packs, S''haar was on her way to the worker''s billet. As she approached the mouth of the cave, the wind cut at her face like knives. The heating packs in her coat kept her temperature high enough that she wasn''t in any immediate danger of shutting down due to cold, but she knew that long enough exposure would result in frost damage to her extremities.


    As she barged into the billet, S''haar saw most of the workers had already headed off to their rooms to get some rest for the next day. The only two left sitting by the campfire were Lon''thul and Tel''ron. They seemed to be playing a popular tavern game involving bone dice, but it was now forgotten as they looked up in surprise at the intrusion.


    Lon''thul was just opening his mouth to say something when S''haar cut him off. "We''ve got a deep freeze coming. It''s going to get cold tonight and colder tomorrow. Get everyone up. We need to get some preparations completed before it gets too cold to work!"


    Lon''thul froze in shock for just a moment, but Tel''ron started moving as soon as the words ''deep freeze'' had left S''haars mouth. Lon''thul''s surprise didn''t last long, and he was on his feet right behind the other argu''n. The two of them were pounding on the other workers'' doors while S''haar unloaded the fresh heating packs into the common area.


    At first, everyone had been in various stages of wakefulness, muttering a variety of uncomplimentary phrases directed at those responsible for waking them. However, the sleepiness was rapidly replaced by alertness as S''haar explained the situation.


    Fea''en was quick to begin issuing orders to the other workers. "Alright, we''ve got a stockpile of wood out there. We need to get it cut up into firewood immediately. We have to gather any supplies we''ll need and store them in the billet with us. That includes food, water, extra hides, and tools to clear snow." As she listed each item, she pointed to a different worker. As they were picked out, they each got their coats on and ran around in the kind of chaotic order that can only exist when each person knows their task and is highly motivated to get it done as quickly as possible.


    As the sun crested the horizon, everyone was struggling to stay on their feet. They''d already done a full day''s labor before they''d gotten the news of the deep freeze, and things were further complicated by the icy winds preceding the cold front. Still, this kind of heads up was more than they''d usually get, so they were all determined to make every moment they count.


    Even with their heated coats, the workers had to periodically gather around the fire to warm their extremities. As S''haar predicted, the coats prevented their metabolic systems from shutting down due to cold, but no one wanted to lose a limb to frostbite if it could be avoided. At some point in the night, Em''brel showed up to cook a large batch of a hearty stew, and the warming breaks quickly tuned into late-night meal breaks as well.


    Eventually, they adopted a rotation where the pair finishing their food would wake and replace the two who''d come in before them to briefly fall asleep sitting by the fire. The two now ''refreshed'' workers would find the next pair who''d been out the longest and send them in to get food. It was always easy to spot the pair who''d been out the longest between warming breaks because they were often nearly frozen in place, lethargically staring off into the distance.


    The workers had elected to temporarily surrender their rooms for storage, filling them with food, wood, and any other supplies they needed. The area around the cooking fire had been turned into a general living space filled with furs and blankets so everyone could stay as close to the fire as possible. It wasn''t the most comfortable or enjoyable of living conditions, but the increased safety of all concerned was more than enough to put an end to any complaints before they began.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Soon enough, everything that could be done had been done, and they''d finished before the second drop in temperature. S''haar gathered all the workers into the common area to speak to them one last time before they all collapsed into slumber for the next day or two.


    Looking around at everyone present, S''haar could tell they were all at their limit, so she decided to keep everything brief. "Ok, you all know how bad this can get, but thanks to the early warning the dragon was able to give us, the heated coats that let us work through the night, and the hard work you all put in, we''re better prepared for this than we''ve ever been. We''ve done all we can. Now we just have to ride it out. If, for some reason, this lasts too long or gets too cold, we can always have everyone fall back into the caves. For now, Em''brel and I will return to rest and speak with the dragon and see what else we can do to ensure everyone''s safety, but for once, I think that we''ll get through this without any loss of life or limb."


    The workers'' cheer was surprisingly hearty, given that most of them looked ready to collapse where they stood. Unsurprisingly, Lon''thul cheered the loudest, and everyone took a little encouragement at the exuberance of his youth. When S''haar left them, she noticed how this was the first time she could recall that a deep freeze was met with hope rather than despair.


    As S''haar and Em''brel walked back through the cold to the cave, she realized the wind had changed from painful to nearly unbearable. The air felt as if it cut at her lungs, and she resolved to ask Angela what else they could do to make the journey from the cave to the billet less dangerous if it should come to that.


    -


    Once Angela had detected her two argu''n returning to the ship, she''d bumped up the temperature in the ship. The looks on their faces and the sluggish halting nature of their movements made it apparent just how exhausted they were, and she kept her questions mercifully brief. "Is everyone safe? Were you able to finish your preparations? Is there anything else I can do to help right now?"


    The answers came in the form of two assenting grunts and a vague nodding of the head in response to the first two questions. The third question was met with a slightly different grunt that Angela could only interpret as: "Not at the moment, thank you, we need some rest first. We''ll talk later." Although she might have read a little more into the grunt than S''haar had actually intended to express.


    Em''brel and S''haar both practically sleepwalked into Jack''s room and seemed determined to check for themselves that there were no further developments with Jack. Content that Jack still seemed as safe as ever, Em''brel collapsed into S''haars sleeping pad beside the bed. S''haar looked at the girl briefly before shrugging and crawling into bed beside Jack. She didn''t have the energy to worry about potential awkwardness, impropriety, or anyone else''s opinions. In the blink of an eye, both women were dead to the world. Their dreams became a confusing mess involving Jack, the deep freeze, and an odd combination of regrets of the past and concerns about the future.


    -


    Jack''s arms felt as though they were on fire, and the ledge above him that he was hoping to use as a resting point seemed impossibly far away. As he pulled himself up with his left hand, his grip slipped. There was a heart-wrenching moment where the world seemed to drop out from under him as his stomach jumped up into his throat. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Jack analyzed every surface in front of him. Not seeing anything he could save himself with, he closed his eyes and threw his hands forward in desperation as the distance between his chest and the rock wall turned into an inch, then a couple of inches, and far too quickly several inches.


    His movent was suddenly arrested as he found a grip that he hadn''t seen a moment ago. Opening his eyes slowly, he was surprised to see a perfect handhold that he could swear hadn''t been there before. He closed his eyes and told himself to stop worrying about impossible handholds and instead to focus on getting to that ledge.


    It was weird. Jack felt no heartbeat in this place, but he could still feel a surge of adrenaline following his near-death experience. Again not wanting to waste energy on unnecessary questions, Jack reached up to the next handhold and pulled himself up.


    Before long, Jack was catching his breath on the ledge. A while ago he''d stopped wondering about needing to breathe even though he didn''t have a heartbeat. He was starting to suspect it had something to do with his own established expectations. That thought led him to consider another thing that seemed off about this place. In hindsight, all his experiences seemed to have passed impossibly quickly, but time seemed to slow to a crawl while experiencing the moment. Throughout his journey, Jack had never stopped to eat, drink, or sleep. It was almost as if the rules of this place only half-heartedly followed the rules of reality. Or perhaps more accurately, Jack''s reality.


    Jack shrugged and put the concerns out of his mind. Whether this was a dream or a delusion, trying to understand this place would only be an effort in futility needlessly slowing him down.


    As he looked up, Jack noticed the top of the mountain seemed just as far as it had appeared at the start of his climb hours ago. Or had it been days now? Shaking his head to keep himself from getting lost, contemplating the fuzzy nature of time here, Jack decided he needed to get an idea of how much progress he''d made so far.


    Despite his better judgment, Jack carefully looked over the side of the ledge to see how far he''d climbed. Preparing himself for a dizzying drop into infinity, he was surprised when he saw the ground only about ten feet below him. Somehow, despite climbing from one ledge to another, over and over for hours and/or days, he''d made absolutely no progress.


    Jack felt the last of his hope flush out of him. This was clearly impossible. He''d never reach the summit. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the mountain wall, and just stood there for a while, letting the despair wash over him.


    Tears of frustration started to sting the corners of his eyes, and Jack screamed in defiance as he punched the wall. Over and over, he slammed his fist against the wall. In his fury, Jack began to tear at the wall. It crumbled under his hands as though it had been made of cheap plaster. He spent several minutes flinging chunks behind him as he attacked the wall in a rage, but when he opened his eyes, the wall was still whole and unblemished.


    Looking around himself, Jack shouted into the empty space. "You think this is funny? Or do you expect me to just give up? Well, too bad! Apparently, I don''t get hungry, and I don''t feel thirst, so I can climb this stupid mountain for eternity if need be! So screw you and your stupid games! I''m going to reach the summit, and nothing and no one is going to stop me!"


    Putting action to words, Jack grabbed the next handhold and lifted himself up. Maybe it was his rage fueling him, or perhaps it was the weird physics of this place, or just maybe, whatever had been playing games with him gave up. Whatever it was, Jack noticed his climb was now going much easier than it had before. He seemed lighter, all the pain was gone from his limbs, and hand and footholds seemed to appear wherever he places his limbs. When he reached the next ledge, Jack looked down again, but he appeared to be miles above the ground this time. With a satisfied grunt, Jack turned back to the mountain and resumed his climb.


    -


    S''haar woke in the middle of the night to hear Jack muttering to himself. "Hold on... ... I''m coming..."


    She reached out and grabbed hold of Jack, drawing him into an embrace. She sleepily muttered in reply. "Well, hurry up, we''re waiting for you...I''m waiting for you."


    As S''haar fall back to sleep, she could have sworn to herself she saw Jack''s mouth almost imperceptibly twitch into the slightest of smiles.

 Chapter 34

    For once, when Em''brel awoke she was greeted with the smell of someone cooking breakfast. Sparing a glance over to the bed, she could see S''haar holding Jack in much the same way that Em''brel had once held her prized toys as a much younger child. It was the kind of grip that spoke of someone clinging to security and hope in the face of fear and doubt.


    Turning away from the scene before her, Em''brel wondered who was cooking while they were all sleeping. Not that she was particularly concerned, Angela was more than capable of protecting everyone in the ship. She was just curious.


    Walking out into the common room, she witnessed the tiny form of Angela waving her arms around like a mad wizard deftly controlling the robotic arms which were currently scrambling eggs, buttering toast, flipping ham slices, setting the table, and pouring a couple of glasses of water, all at the same time. Em''brel knew it was all for show. The avatar was the illusion, and the insect-like robotic arms were her best friend''s real body, but she appreciated the effort and attention to detail Angela always put into making her family feel a little more comfortable in her presence.


    The younger argu''n sat down at the table with her head cocked to the side and her legs swinging under her as she put on her best innocent expression and asked, "Soooo, whatcha makin?"


    Angela gave one last flic of her arms as if to say, ''Carry on without me!'' Then turned to address her favorite protege. "Well, I wasn''t sure how long you''d sleep after a day and a night and another half a day of labor, so I wanted something that I could make at a moment''s notice. Today I''m serving a traditional eggs and toast breakfast. It''s not as flashy as some of the meals we''ve put together, but it should be just what you need to finish recovering from overexerting yourselves."


    This last part was addressed to S''haar, who was currently dragging her protesting limbs out of the room to join the two women at the table. Angela was surprised to note that while the two argu''n were definitely hungry, they weren''t nearly as hungry as she thought 16 hours of sleep would have left them. It must have something to do with their cold-blooded physiology. Still, the two women dug into their meal with eager abandon, wolfing everything down in their usual brutally efficient manner.


    After they''d eaten enough to slow down the feeding frenzy a little, Angela broached a subject that had been on her mind for a while. She hadn''t been able to find a good time to bring up until now. "So you''ve obviously experienced these deep freezes before. How do your villages get through it without a ''dragon'' to give you an early warning?"


    S''haar looked as though she wasn''t pleased to speak about the subject, but she understood that Angela''s question wasn''t just about satisfying idle curiosity. "Well, the specifics vary, but most villages have an emergency location designed with this exact situation in mind. In our case, there is a massive stone building in the center of town. The inside walls of which are covered with layer after layer of skins and hides. All year long, every adult is required to donate either materials or labor for its upkeep. The building is filled with firewood, which is rotated out periodically so that only the driest and best burning wood is kept in storage."


    A shadow passed over S''haar''s face as she continued. "In the event of a deep freeze, a cry is sent out, each household is expected to warn the three homes closest to them before making for the shelter. If the freeze drops the temperature too fast, many of the older members of the village will never make the journey safely, and others might be seriously injured or even lose limbs due to frostbite."


    S''haar swallowed something down in her throat that had nothing to do with the breakfast she was eating before continuing her explanation. "As people arrive, they fill the building. The first to arrive are placed in the center, and everyone else is seated in a spiral pattern designed to fill the building. Several spots are designated to contain vented fireplaces to warm the entire area. The idea is to wait out the cold."


    The weariness that S''haar exhibited as she continued was palpable to the other two women in the room. "Most villagers go into a semi sleep-like state in which they are only passingly aware of what''s going on. If given food, they''ll eat, though they don''t need to eat as much or as often as usual, and if given a bucket, they''ll expel waste. Other than that, the whole thing passes for them as if it were some fever dream. The guard is tasked with staying awake in shifts to tend the fires and the villagers. Some of the wealthier families may have servants to care for them in the place of the guard."


    Darkness came over S''haars face as she continued. "If the freeze lasts long enough for us to run out of supplies, we begin to ration the firewood and food. It''s rare, but there have been times during particularly long deep freezes when the people on the outermost edge were left untended, resulting in many casualties. Obviously, the wealthiest members of the village live closest to the shelter, and the poorer you are, the further away you live."


    Em''brel nodded, though her voice was small and quiet as if she was ashamed of what she had to say. "That is also why being a noble''s servant is such a sought after position. It offers significantly better chances of survival for yourself and your family in the event of a particularly bad deep freeze."


    Angela took all this in stoically. She had many half thought out theories and ideas, but now wasn''t the time or place for such things. "Well, thankfully, our camp should be alright this time, but this is definitely something we''ll need to plan for in the future. If I have any say in the matter, there will be a significant decrease in deep freeze related deaths in the future!"


    -


    Jack was nearing the summit of the mountain. He was exhausted after the long ordeal of the climb, but Jack shoved that concern to the back of his mind for now. Through a series of mistakes and mishaps similar to his first near tumble, he''d finally figured out the secret to this place. The only real danger in this place was self-doubt. There were no loose rocks or slippery handholds until you feared there were. His earlier anger, born of frustration, had helped him make a lot of progress without any doubt, but eventually, his passion passed, and now the only thing keeping him on this mountain was sheer mental discipline. This activity was exhausting in an entirely different way than rock climbing usually was, but he was finally nearing his goal.


    Jack lifted himself over the final ledge up onto the summit of the mountain. There he was greeted with... nothing. He wasn''t sure what he''d been expecting, maybe a shaft of light to lift him out of this place, or perhaps a wormhole that would bring him home. At one point, Jack had even entertained the idea that he might be greeted by an oversized raven at the summit that would fly him out of here like it was all some sort of video game. But there were none of those things. The summit was empty.


    Jack sat down to think.


    -


    S''haar was getting antsy couped up inside. Usually, when waiting out a deep freeze, she''d either be in a sleep stupor or in charge of taking care of a large number of people. Either way, the time had always seemed to pass quickly.


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    It wasn''t that she minded staying at home with her new family. Some of her fondest memories ever were of the random dinnertime conversations they often shared or of just sitting around watching movies together.


    The problem was that she couldn''t leave the house. Somehow that made everything harder to endure. What would typically be a relaxing evening of sitting around relaxing was instead a stressful experience as she obsessed over all the work that wasn''t getting done.


    She''d watched a movie with Em''brel. This one was simply titled ''Legend.'' The main characters were a little immature for S''har''s taste, but the film was saturated with the otherworldly feeling of a dream. Angela had excitedly told the two women that the villain was played by someone named ''Tim Curry.'' Apparently, he was one of her all-time favorite human actors. She even shared an old human joke about the man. "You can judge a man based on what movie he first thinks of when he hears the name, Tim Curry." It hadn''t made much sense to S''haar, but she assumed it was just one of those private jokes Angela and Jack had always laughed at.


    Angela also designed a new outfit that should allow safe but short travel through the deep freeze. However, it was going to be a while before it was ready. In the meantime, she was keeping track of the workers.


    Apparently, Lon''thul was currently regaling the rest with stories his father had told him when he was younger. Angela assured S''haar that if anything started going wrong, S''haar would be the first she''d tell.


    With nothing to do and a lot of time to do it in, S''haar found herself back at Jack''s side. She was having another one-sided conversation with Jack, but this time her words meandered at the whims of her thoughts. S''haar spoke of people she''d known, things she''d done, hopes and fears of her childhood, and even some of her thoughts and impressions the first time she''d met Jack. Time flew by, but S''haar continued talking long into the night.


    -


    Jack had spent the better part of what he thought must be a day exploring every inch of the summit. He was beginning to believe that he''d climbed this monstrosity for nothing and would have to climb back down again. The very idea was enough to sap the last of his will to keep going, and he laid down in the snow.


    It was an interesting experience lying in snow but not feeling the cold. Initially, the cold had bitten at any exposed skin, but sometime during the climb, Jack had just forgotten about the cold, and it hadn''t bothered him since. If Jack wasn''t so desperate to get back to the people waiting for him, he could spend lifetimes exploring the rules of the world he currently found himself in.


    He was just feeling the stirrings to get up and finally do something when he heard S''haar''s voice. As much as Jack looked forward to listening to S''haar''s voice, it wasn''t what the voice said that held his attention this time. It was where the voice was coming from.


    It took jack a bit of time to follow the voice around the summit until he hit a bit of a snag. The voice was coming from just off one of the ledges. This particular ledge was a sheer drop that fell further than Jack could comfortably look down at first glance. He eventually crawled on his stomach to look over to the shelf, and his stomach fell out from under him as he looked down the cliff. It just kept going down. There was no way to climb down at this spot, but the voice was definitely coming from the void just beyond the last bit of rock platform. He stretched his hand out in an attempt to feel...anything...but his hands were met by nothing but air.


    Jack carefully pulled himself away from the ledge and spent some more time in thought.


    -


    Em''brel was in the kitchen. She usually loved cooking, but something about being cut off from everyone, and everything just made it hard to ignore all the things that had been weighing her down recently. Without something forcing her to keep moving forward, all her doubts and fears came rushing back and weighed her down.


    Eventually, she simply gave up and slouched down in a chair. Angela appeared beside her, and Em''brel feared that the AI would launch into some cheerful banter that she just didn''t have the energy for. Instead, Angela sat in her own smaller chair, looked at her friend, and asked, "Want to talk about it?"


    Em''brel thought for a moment. She wanted to cry, scream, laugh, and more, but instead, she just shook her head ''no.''


    Angela nodded. "That''s fine. Want me to leave you alone for a bit?"


    Em''brel thought again. She was ashamed of breaking down like this, but she was afraid of being left alone too. She shook her head ''no.''


    Angela simply nodded again. "Alright, one last question. We can sit in silence, or I can play some different music for you if you''d like."


    Em''brel considered the offer. Most of the music Angela had shown her up till now had been bright and bubbly. It was fun to move and sing to, but right now, that''s not what she needed. On the other hand, Angela seemed to have a pretty good feel for her emotional state right now, and Em''brel trusted her. She nodded her head ''yes'' this time.


    Angela smiled and leaned back in her floating chair. "Alright, a while back, Jack and I visited a small island on a planet far from here. He listened to this song while sitting on the sandy beach as a gentle breeze blew through the nearby reeds during the sunset. He told me the song always takes him right back to that same place. You''ve never been there before, but maybe it''ll take you to your own relaxing place. It''s called ''Run'' by the group ''Collective Soul.''


    As the notes softly cut through the still night air, Em''brel knew her faith hadn''t been misplaced. She sat back and let the music wash over her and just let herself feel.


    -


    Jack had tried everything he could think of, which admittedly didn''t amount to much. Sitting and thinking wasn''t getting him anywhere, so he crawled up to the ledge and reached out as far as he safely could for a second time. That predictably achieved nothing. Next, he tried throwing handfuls of snow over the cliff, hoping some sort of ''Last Crusade'' invisible bridge might appear. Again, nothing. He wasn''t surprised at that. The scene had always bugged him because it only worked with a fixed perspective. Though he had to admit, if it was possible anywhere, it would be in this place.


    That essentially left Jack debating the merits of clicking his heels together and saying ''there''s no place like home'' over and over.


    With a shake of his head, Jack realized that this was all getting him nowhere. He walked right up to the ledge and looked down. The wind howled as the mountain cut it''s passage, reminding Jack just how alone he was up on this cliff in the middle of nowhere. The wind kicked up small flurries of snow all around him and flung them over the edge of the cliff. It was both beautiful and terrifying. His heart was beating so loud he was afraid it might start an avalanche.


    Jack started to back away from the cliff, away from S''haar''s voice, then stopped. He stood in place and laughed at himself for a moment.


    S''haar was calmly talking about such mundane everyday subjects, and Jack was looking over a cliff that seemed to have no bottom, telling himself that what he was thinking now was nothing short of crazy. It was a weird dichotomy of feelings. A large part of Jack wanted to just sit back down in the snow and listen to S''haar talk for a while longer, but he knew that he might never have the courage to do what needed to be done if he did that. Instead, Jack stood at the cliff''s side and stared into the void of space S''haar''s voice seemed to be coming through.


    He was frozen in place. Unwilling to take a step back, unable to commit to what he more certain than ever needed to be done. Jack tried telling himself he would act on the count of three multiple times. At three, he''d feel his muscles tense, but his body refused to budge.


    Listening to S''haar''s voice Jack could picture her as she spoke. He could imagine the emotions in her voice playing across her face. Closing his eyes, Jack could see her in front of him. She was bravely facing everything that came her way, overcoming challenges that would have broken a lesser person several times over. Jack knew she''d find her way in life with or without him... and yet...


    With his eyes still held tightly closed, Jack braced himself, whispered a prayer to whatever gods or daemons might be listening, and leaped into the void.

 Chapter 35

    S''haar woke with a start. Something was... off. Her tongue flicked out to taste the air as she took stock of her surroundings. Of course, it didn''t take her sleeping brain long to wake up enough to realize what was different.


    There was laughter coming from the general area.


    With one last glance to make sure Jack was still stable and secure, S''haar got up to see the cause of all the commotion. Em''brel and Angela were watching another movie, but this one was different from the rest she''d seen. It was much lower quality and didn''t seem to be telling any kind of story as far as S''haar could tell.


    That''s when Angela resumed describing what was happening on the screen. "And this was the first time Jack went to the zoo! A zoo is a place where all sorts of animals are gathered together and kept in enclosures accessible by the public, and as you can see, Jack loved all the animals! Going to the zoo was always one of his favorite things to do growing up."


    A tiny, younger version of Jack wandered around from one enclosure to the next on the screen. He would sometimes jump up and down in excitement as one of the animals did something nearly imperceptible to the woman watching, but obviously of great enjoyment to the young Jack. These antics were so adorable that Em''brel laughed and clapped in excitement every time.


    His favorite animals seemed to be something Angela described as ''big cats.'' S''haar was amazed that the humans had managed to capture such obviously dangerous animals, despite being so weak themselves. It brought her mind back to the conversation she''d had with Jack about humans being lower on the food chain of their own world. She could see what he''d meant.


    Despite that, these monstrous animals didn''t seem to bother the young Jack in any way. When one of the ''big cats'' let out a ferocious roar, Jack simply cheered and clapped in excitement, which caused Em''brel to join right in again.


    Just then, Angela seemed to notice S''haar and invited her to join in and watch. "I was teaching Em''brel about child development among humans, that brought up the subject of Jack''s childhood, and I thought I''d show her some home movies of Jack growing up. Up next is something we call a birthday party!"


    What unfolded was a scene of utter chaos. Children were running everywhere. Every once in a while, parents would try to gather the children to play some organized games, but they were always met with mixed results at best and abject failure at worst. Angela continued her narration. "Every year on the same date they were born, humans celebrate their ''birthday.'' As people grow older, this tradition often fades to nothing more than a nice meal with friends or family, or sometimes even some quiet time alone, but as children, it is usually a big event filled with lots of noise and excitement."


    It amazed S''haar that the humans had enough leisure time to spend on such frivolous pursuits, but that thought was quickly drowned out by how adorable she found the human children.


    That was when another familiar face showed up on the screen. Angela appeared much the same as she did now. She gathered the children together, and for the first time, it worked. The AI led them over to a large colorful castle, and when the children climbed inside, the floor seemed to squish under their feet. Soon all the children were bouncing around excitedly. They seemed to be playing some weird game where they''d launch themselves at a sticky wall with a target painted on it, and Angela would award them points based on how close to the center they landed.


    Off to one side, one parent was talking to another. "Are you sure that''s safe? Having an AI watch the kids? Maybe one of us should be in there, keeping an eye on everything."


    Another man with a greying beard and a broad, friendly smile came into the shot. "Nonsense, that''s Angela watching them! She''ll keep a far closer eye on them than you or I ever could! They''re as safe as a bunch of kids bouncing around like little maniacs could ever be!"


    This didn''t seem to comfort the other adult all that much, but the second man''s grin only grew when one child bumped into another, and Angela was instantly there reassuring the injured child, then with a conspiratorial wink to the adults, she took the child''s attention off the small bump on his head by telling him she could sneak him a piece of candy a bit early because he was ''such a brave boy.'' The effect was instantaneous. The child who''d been on the brink of tears ran off with an excited smile and giggle to get his reward.


    Angela''s voice was heavy with emotion as she spoke this time. There was some pain evident but also a strong fondness. "The man with the beard is... was our father."


    Everyone watched the man quietly as he spoke with various other party guests. He was every bit as quick with a witty comment or lighthearted joke as Jack ever had been, and he even had that same troublemaking lopsided grin Jack got when he was about to say or do something he knew was going to complicate things. He was currently working a grill while passing out food to anyone who wanted it, and even some who were pretending they didn''t. S''haar laughed as he practically forced a ''hot dog'' onto some woman who was protesting about watching her weight. "I can see where Jack gets it! It''s almost like watching an older, more dignified, more confident Jack! I would have liked to have met him."


    Angela''s smile conveyed a little sadness and a lot of happiness when she responded. "I think he would have liked you two. He would have welcomed you into the family just as quickly as he did myself."


    As the scene on the screen changed, Angela''s voice changed back to one of excitement. "Oh, you''ll find this fascinating! This is a place we call an ''aquarium!''"


    -


    S''haar was in considerably lighter spirits when She returned to the room later that morning. Watching Angela''s saved ''home movies'' and listening to her talk about Jack''s childhood gave her a more in-depth glance into the mysterious world Jack and Angela came from. There were still many things that made little to no sense to her; in fact, there were more now than when she''d started. However, for one evening, it had felt as though Jack had been awake and by her side again.


    She walked over to Jack to begin the routine Angela had taught her. First, she''d speak to Jack. "Hello Jack, do you hear me? If you do, can you open your eyes for me?"


    S''haar froze, something was off. She''d done this so many times, it took her a moment to realize what was wrong.


    Jack''s eyes were open, and he was looking right at her. Realizing he was trying to speak, S''haar leaned in close to hear what he had to say. "Before we continue... Do you think I could get some water... I''m really thirsty."


    Before she realized what she was doing, S''haar was crying incoherently and hugging Jack. She knew she was hugging him a bit hard, and he''d likely have a new bruise or two as a result, but she didn''t care. He''d just have to deal with it after what he''d put her through. "Is this real? Are you really awake? Say something else, so I know it''s not just a fluke!"


    Jack''s arms hung limply at his side. He wanted nothing more than to hug S''haar back, but his limbs didn''t seem to want to respond. He used his words instead, though his voice came out barely above a whisper and seemed to tire him out as though he''d been sprinting. "This is where...I''d normally say... ''something else...'' to be a smart ass,...but now''s probably...not the time."


    S''haar bit back something halfway between a sob and a laugh before responding. "Only you would come back from the dead and have the first thing you say be a bad joke!"


    Jack''s had that same stupid grin his father had worn in the home movie. "Hey...I wasn''t...joking about...the water..."


    Em''brel was drawn by all the commotion, but this time she approached the door more apprehensively. After the last few false alarms, she''d grown warier. When she got there, Em''brel saw Jack alert and talking. Although he looked more like someone who hadn''t slept in days than someone who''d slept nearly a month away.


    S''haar was just getting up to reach for a glass of water she kept in the room for herself when the younger argu''n came rocketing in for her own overly enthusiastic hug. This was followed by more incoherently sobbing speech, with the occasional ''you''re awake!'' puncturing through the joyful hysterics.


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    Angela was watching the show with more than a little bit of envy. She wanted her own turn hugging Jack but had to settle for merely enjoying the celebratory atmosphere. Eventually, the hysterics died down, and the other two pulled back so Angela could have her own moment with Jack.


    The AI floated right up to Jack''s face. "Hey, there little brother, What took you so long? We''ve been waiting!"


    Jack took a deep breath and told his story in agonizing slowness. "Got...lost... Had to...fight with...a god... Walked...forever... Then... climbed...a stupid...mountain... Then...jumped into...an...abyss... Took me...a bit,..but I''m...here now!"


    Angela''s smile reached her eyes, and her tears were falling freely, though they faded into nothing when they arrived at her feet. "Sounds like you had quite the adventure. I can''t wait to hear more. You just better hang around long enough to tell it! Not to mention what you owe these two young ladies for stepping up in your absence! You''ve got a lot to make amends for!"


    Jack nodded weakly before taking another deep breath. "I''m not...going...anywhere...any time...soon!"


    Under Angela''s careful guidance, S''haar gently lifted Jack into a seated position and helped him drink some of the water he had asked for a while back. He only drank a small amount before he began sputtering and had to stop. S''haar noticed with concern how much lighter Jack had become. In her hands, he felt so much more frail and weak than he ever had before.


    S''haar wasn''t the only one concerned with Jack''s physical condition. Although Angela was already well aware of the atrophy a month in a coma would result in, she was still concerned about Jack''s apparent limited range of movement. Furthermore, neither of the other women present was aware of how drastically Angela had to reprogram their implants on the fly to accommodate his slurred speech. In short, she needed to do a full physical and mental evaluation to learn how extensive the damage to Jack''s mind and body was, but she decided to let everyone enjoy the moment for just a little longer.


    -


    Eventually, the morning passed into the afternoon, and the two argu''n realized they were hungry. Before they went and got their own food, Em''brel walked over to the bedside table covered in all sorts of vials of medicine and formulas. She picked up a can and looked at it in a slightly confused manner before speaking. "So, if Jack''s awake, does that mean he doesn''t need to be fed through his tube anymore?" As she spoke, she looked over at a tube protruding from Jack''s stomach that he hadn''t noticed until that moment.


    Angela seemed to consider the options a moment before responding. "Eventually, we''ll want to move him to oral consumption of liquid food before attempting solids, but before we even do that, I want to run a full assessment of Jack''s condition. For now, we should stick to feeding him through the g-tube."


    Jack was somewhat unsettled to experience how he''d been fed over the last month. With a surety of movement that could only come from repeated practice, Em''brel pinched the feeding tube before inserting a syringe into the end of the tubing. She then poured a measured amount of water into the line and lifted the line to simply let the contents drain into Jack''s stomach. Em''brel then repeated the process with a can of formula, although it took a little longer to drain. The process completed, Em''brel flushed the tube a final time with more water before securing it back against Jack''s stomach.


    The look in Jack''s eyes clearly conveyed his thoughts about how humiliating he found the whole experience to be, and despite otherwise enduring the experience stoically, his gaze wasn''t lost on others in the room. Angela instructed S''haar to carefully pick Jack up, guiding her to lift with one arm under his legs and the other supporting his back while his head rested against her neck. She then had the woman carry Jack over to the med-bay and set him in a large scanner.


    That completed, Angela shooed the other two women out. "Go and get yourselves some lunch. That''ll give me a chance to give Jack a proper preliminary analysis."


    S''haar looked like she wanted to protest when Angela simply looked her in the eyes and asked, "Please?" With another moment of hesitation, S''haar nodded and left the two siblings in peace.


    Finally, alone, Angela turned to Jack. "Ok, I''m going to ask you to perform a series of physical motions, then we''ll move onto a set of questions you''ll need to answer. I already know that much of what I ask will be beyond your ability to perform right now. Just do your best, so I can measure how extensive the damage is. Remember, there is no timer, so take, however much time you feel you need."


    Angela waited for Jack''s slight nod of understanding before turning on the scanner and making her first request. "First, I want you to simply open your fist and spread your fingers as far apart as you can."


    Jack''s arms trembled, and his fingers twitched, but they refused to straighten. After a few seconds of this, Angela stopped him. "Ok, that''s fine, that''s pretty much what I expected. Next, I want you to flex your toes."


    Jack felt tears begin to burn at the edge of his vision from the frustration born of his inability to accomplish even these basic tasks, but he slowly blinked them away before setting his face into a mask of determination and went about attempting the next deceptively impossible task.


    -


    After a while, Angela appeared before the two argu''n women who were eating their meals halfheartedly. Immediately, they looked at the AI with a hunger that had little to do with physical appetite. Both started speaking simultaneously before Angela shushed them down. "Ok, you obviously noticed how rough Jack''s current condition is. Despite waking up from his coma, Jack still has a ways to go down his road to recovery. His muscles atrophied roughly how I expected them to, but his brain also sustained substantial damage."


    S''haar and Em''brel both looked like they were ready to burst into a series of demanding questions when Angela held up a hand to request further silence as she continued. "Despite all that, there is good news too. The damage to Jack''s brain seems to be almost entirely centered around his motor functions. With time, physical therapy, and a bit of luck, Jack should recover most, and possibly all, of his motor skills."


    Again, the women looked ready to fly into a series of questions, but it was Angela''s smile that stopped them short this time. "The rest of his mind, his knowledge, and personality, seems almost entirely intact. The Jack we know and love is still in there. He''s just a prisoner in his own body for the moment."


    At her next simulated breath, the room was so quiet Angela had no problem finishing her explanation. "Jack''s going to need our help a little longer. For a week or two, he''ll need help with even the simplest of tasks. He won''t be able to feed himself, bathe himself, or even use the restroom without assistance. Even after that, it''ll probably be a month or two of physical therapy before his muscle mass is restored to its normal levels. I''ll have to teach one of you how to care for Jack until he can take care of himself again."


    Both S''haar and Em''brel shot to their feet and shouted simultaneously, "I''ll do it!"


    Angela was about to make what she thought was the obvious choice when Em''brel followed up with a quiet but firm, "Hear what I have to say before you decide!"


    S''haar looked almost ready to physically fight for her right to care for Jack but visibly restrained herself while Angela nodded to the younger argu''n. Em''brel took a moment to organize her thoughts before speaking.


    Nodding differently to S''haar, she began. "We all know the relationship you have with Jack. You have been Jack''s right hand since you met him. You are his bodyguard, his translator, and your feelings for each other are obvious to anyone with eyes to see."


    S''haar looked a bit confused that Em''brel seemed to start her explanation by proving what an obvious choice S''haar was, but the younger argu''n was far from finished. "But you forget one crucial thing. You''re forgetting Jack."


    At that, S''haar started to look like she was ready for a fight again, but Em''brel pressed on. "Think of how he feels right now. He''s broken, inside and out, and completely helpless. Despite his feelings for you, no BECAUSE of his feelings for you, you''re the last person he wants to be a burden to. His eyes practically screamed his humiliation while he was being fed in such an undignified manner with us in the room!"


    Em''brel''s voice lost some of its energy, but as her voice softened, her resolve strengthened. "What''s more, no man should have to experience the first intimate touch of his love be cleaning him after he used the toilet! The shame of it would sour every moment between the two of you for years to come! Give him the time he needs to heal, then let him come to you when he''s ready to stand on his own again!"


    The other two women at the table were silent. Neither had stopped to think about the effects Jack''s current condition would have on his developing relationship with S''haar, but Em''brel still wasn''t finished. "I know this last part is just selfish of me, but Jack wouldn''t be in his condition if he hadn''t had to rescue me...again. I need to do this! I need to give something back to the man who nearly gave up everything for me! I need to help make this right again..."


    After her final thought, Em''brel stood silent as her tears steadily fell. She''d made her case, and there was nothing more to be said.


    S''haar stood stoically for a moment before smiling sadly and sitting back down. She shook her head as she spoke. "If you dedicate even a portion of the passion of that speech into helping Jack, he''ll be back on his feet in half the time. I''ll trust Jack to your care, but I''m still going to be involved in every step of the way!"


    Em''brel nodded, and Angela finally chimed in again. "I wouldn''t have it any other way. Jack needs us all more than ever, but now there is a light at the end of this tunnel."


    Angela tilted her head to the side for a moment, staring off into space, before turning back to the younger argu''n. "Em''brel, I hope you meant what you said because I think Jack needs to use the restroom."

 Chapter 36

    Jack''s muscles were screaming in agony. When he complained about the burning pain, Angela simply responded with a cheerful explanation. "That just means the exercise is working! We need to loosen up the muscles you have and help develop more muscle growth at the same time. Now pull!"


    Em''brel held Jack''s arm so that it was extended just a little further than Jack''s new limited range of motion left him comfortable with. On Angela''s command, Jack did his best to pull his arm back to himself. It was somewhat disheartening how little his arm budged in the younger girl''s grip, but he kept pulling until Angela told him to relax again. They''d been doing this for several minutes, and Jack''s arm felt as if it was on fire. He wasn''t sure if the tears in his eyes were born from pain or frustration, though he suspected the truth involved a little of both. When Jack was absolutely sure he couldn''t do it one more time, Angela pushed him again. "Ok, just once more, then you can relax your arm!"


    Jack forced himself to pull with his exhausted arm for just a little longer, though he could swear time seemed to stretch on longer than it had in any of his previous attempts. Eventually, Angela instructed him to relax and allowed Em''brel to lower his arm. Closing his eyes to recover from the strain, Jack started to catch his breath. Angela seemed to have a different plan, much to his dismay. "Ok, now extend his other arm, and let''s start over!"


    Jack''s eyes shot open. "You said... we''d take... a break!"


    Angela''s face was the oddest combination of apology and determination as she shook her head. "No, I said you could relax your arm, and you can! Now we''re working on the other arm. I understand that you are exhausted and frustrated, but the more progress you make now, the more functionality you''re likely to recover. So unless you want to be a cripple for the rest of your life, completely dependent on the people around you to feed you, bathe you, and help you use the bathroom, you need to push yourself. Now Pull!"


    Jack thought back to last night and the sheer humiliation of having Em''brel help him use the bathroom. She''s been surprisingly professional, preferring speed and efficiency in the place of conversation. Jack suspected the girl had an idea of how hard this whole experience was for him and was determined to get through the worst of it fast as possible.


    He''d tried telling himself that after climbing a mountain and leaping into a void, this was nothing, but when the girl had to help clean him after he was done, he was forced to admit he''d prefer to climb a dozen mountains than endure that experience ever again. And yet, he knew he''d have to repeat that same experience multiple times a day until he was able to recover enough to take care of himself.


    With that humiliation in mind, Jack suddenly found he had far more energy and determination than before and pulled hard enough that Em''brel''s eyes widened slightly in surprise, and Jack saw his arm move noticeably in her grip before she adjusted to the unexpected strength he''d suddenly acquired.


    Jack and Em''brel grinned at each other over this tiniest of victories. When Jack resumed the physical therapy, it was with a renewed determination.


    -


    Jack was utterly and totally exhausted. After the arm pulling, Angela had had Jack lift his legs and hold them ''up'' for as long as he could endure. He was rarely able to lift them entirely off the bed, but his muscles were burning in a way that told him the exercise worked.


    As bad as the physical therapy had been, it paled in comparison to the frustrations of occupational therapy.


    Angela manufactured an oversized pen for Jack to use. Em''brel helped Jack wrap his fingers around the pen, albeit in a manner better suited for stabbing than writing. Then he tried to write his name on a piece of paper. It was more of a scribble than actual writing, but Angela told Jack it was vital for him to have a specific goal in mind when he was writing, and his name was an excellent benchmark for him to strive for. He dropped the pen over and over, and every time Em''brel would patiently help Jack extend his fingers to grab hold of the pen once more.


    Jack groaned in frustration after dropping the pen once more. Angela explained the purpose of these exercises to both Jack and Em''brel. "The brain is very delicate, but also great at self-maintenance and repair. Portions of your brain that had been deprived of oxygen too long died and left behind scarring. This prevents signals from getting to your nervous system, which controls your motor functions. However, given a chance, your brain will seek to establish new connections to your nervous system to restore proper function once more. These repetitive activities essentially force your brain to send signals to said nerves and will eventually establish new neuro paths to send signals across. This is, of course, a gross oversimplification of a very complex process, but it should help you get the idea."


    Jack didn''t feel like he was making any progress. The letter J he was trying to draw looked more like a sloppy figure eight, drawn by someone only passingly familiar with the concept of curves. As Jack continued into the letter A, he dropped the pen for what felt like the hundredth time. With a sigh somewhere between frustration and anger, Jack reached out and picked up the pen to continue butchering his name when he realized both Em''brel and Angela were staring at his hand.


    It was only when Jack looked at his own hand that he realized what he''d done. He''d picked up the pen without any help from Em''brel.


    Setting down the pen again, Jack held both of his hands up in front of his face. He focused all the effort he could muster into opening up his hands. His left hand twitched and shook, but his right hand, the hand he''d been writing with, opened about 3 inches. It seemed like such a small thing, but it also meant this stupid exercise was working, no matter how childish it seemed.


    Even lunch was exercise. Jack was strapped into a chair since he couldn''t easily support his own sitting weight yet, and since the table wasn''t quite tall enough, Em''brel held up a can full of Jack''s liquid lunch, complete with a straw. In her other hand, she held a rag to wipe Jack''s face clear of any food he coughed or sputtered up. The whole meal was almost as humiliating as the bathroom experience had been.


    After lunch, Jack had to re-evaluate his assessment of how embarrassing the meal had been when Em''brel had to help him use the restroom again.


    After that, they were off to more rehabilitation. Apparently, this time Angela wanted to work on speech.


    -


    S''haar was amazed at how efficient her new outfit was at retaining heat. Unlike the coats they''d been using up until now, this outfit covered her entirely. It came complete with a mask, gloves, and boots that fully encased her clawed feet. Even the airflow was directed to help retain heat. The intake passed through the suit''s heated sections to prevent her from breathing in air that was too cold for her lungs. The outflowing air passed along the colder areas of her suit to avoid wasting the heat coming out of her lungs.


    It was a little disorienting to wear at first, and it took S''haar a while to get used to the fact that she couldn''t ''taste'' the air around her, nor could she get traction with her claws. However, she''d spent enough time walking around the somewhat cold cave to familiarise herself with the outfit before going out into the storm.


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    Of course, Angela was also coming along for the ride. "So, now that you''ve gotten used to the suit, any recommendations you''d like to make?"


    S''haar stumbled a little before speaking. "Without the use of my claws, you might need to add a bit more traction to the boots. The gloves are a little too smooth as well. A little texture on the palms would help. Maybe the shoulders could stand to be a bit less restrictive? Other than that, this suit is a marvel!"


    Angela seemed to preen a little at the compliment. "Excellent! And might I add that you''re a much better test subject than Jack. Less grumbling and more constructive feedback, just what an AI needs in a guinea pig!"


    S''haar''s voice came back weary. "I''m not certain what a guinea pig is, but I suspect I wouldn''t enjoy being compared with one. But since you mentioned him, how''s Jack doing?"


    The AI''s voice came back much more cheerful than S''haar had been expecting. "He''s not doing quite as well as my most optimistic projections, but he''s doing far better than I''d feared. Every time he starts to lose heart, he seems to dig within himself and find some untapped inspiration, and he comes back with greater determination. It''s relatively common for people faced with this kind of debilitating setback to become overwhelmed and give in to feelings of hopelessness, but Jack just keeps pushing himself."


    S''haar was approaching the cave''s mouth with the sled loaded with some fresh heating packs and a load of meat pastries Em''brel had sent with S''haar. Angela continued her explanation. "Honestly, I''m not sure where he''s finding the will to keep pushing himself, and while I don''t want to ''jinx'' myself," At Angela''s jovial tone, S''haar could practically see the pixie girl wink while she spoke. "at this rate, there''s hope of a full recovery!"


    S''haar chuckled a moment before responding. "Admittedly, I haven''t known Jack nearly as long as you have, but ever since I''ve met him, he''s always seemed to come out of his bouts of fear and doubt with renewed determination to see things through. Why would you be surprised when the worst setback yet only brings out his best?"


    Angela was relieved to hear the easy affection still deep in S''haar''s voice. She''d been afraid that seeing Jack broken the way he was would have changed the warrior woman''s view of him.


    Now at the mouth of the cave, S''haar readied the ''snowshoes'' Angela had crafted. She was fascinated by the idea of walking on top of the snow! Angela had designed them with large, easy to manipulate fasteners so they could be put on or removed even if wearing thick gloves. S''haar also had a shovel ready to dig out the door to the workers'' lodge if it was buried too deep.


    Snowshoes in place, S''haar walked out of the cave and into the open. Walking in the cumbersome shoes was incredibly awkward. She had to exaggerate her legs'' up and down movements in a way that was mostly unfamiliar to her, but the further she got, the easier it became.


    The wind was strong, and the snow seemed to be falling more sideways than down. As it tore through the mountain''s ridges and valleys, it created a howling sound that made S''haar feel more isolated than she''d ever felt before. Despite the walk not being too far, she felt a wave of relief when the billet came into view.


    The trip to the worker''s housing took roughly 4 times as long as usual, and despite her new outfit, S''haar was starting to feel the cold. Even with her new suit, it wouldn''t be safe to travel long distances during a deep freeze.


    S''haar took a moment to clear the snow from the entrance before knocking on the door and shouting to anyone still awake. "It''s S''haar, I''m coming in!"


    She''d been expecting workers to be in the usual half-asleep state that all argu''n used to pass through a deep freeze, but she walked into a surprisingly lively group of workers.


    Lon''thul and Tel''ron were in the middle of another dice game, leaving S''haar to wonder what the two younger workers had left to bet with at this point. The rest were gathered around swapping stories or otherwise finding ways to kill some time, at least they had been until S''haar walked in.


    Everyone was staring at S''haar, and it took her a moment to realize that with the mask still on, she probably looked like some monster out of a fireside tale. She removed her gloves so her hands could undo the clasps keeping the mask in place. There was a wave of exclamations as everyone looked over the outfit taking turns inspecting the gloves and mask as S''haar explained their function and effectiveness.


    The billet was surprisingly warm, and Angela decided to speak up through the headset S''haar had worn under the mask. "I''m glad to see Jack''s design working so effectively despite the cold weather, but with the workers not going into their hibernation state, they will probably consume more food than we''d estimated. You might need to at least start talking about rationing out the food stores, just to be safe." S''haar nodded quietly before turning her attention to the workers.


    After the initial excitement died down, S''haar started checking on everyone and seeing how they were doing, and asking if they needed anything. The universal answer was that they needed something to do. Luckily Em''brel had already thought of that potential issue and sent S''haar with something to help.


    However, before S''haar could bring up the subject of Em''brel, Lon''thul beat her to the punch. "So Em''brel''s not coming today?"


    S''haar had to admire the younger man''s drive and smiled while shaking her head. "No, I''m afraid Em''brel''s attention is required elsewhere. Jack''s spirit has finally returned from the realm of the dead, but his body is still severely damaged and weak. Em''brel is seeing to his recovery, which will probably be the focus of her attention for the next few weeks."


    Everyone took the news in stunned silence. While people in the village sometimes recovered from severe injuries that left them unconscious for a day or two, a month was impossible. Everyone had started assuming he was dead, and no one knew quite how to take the news of his recovery. As usual, Lon''thul was the first to speak. "Man, is there anything that human of yours can''t do? Will he be taking over the camp again?"


    S''haar shook her head. "Eventually, he might, but for now, Jack''s focus is on recovering from his ordeal, so I will remain in charge. However, there''s not a lot to do at the moment except seeing to the well-being of everyone here. To that end, Em''brel sent me here with a couple more human items to help you all pass the time while you wait out the freeze."


    That caught the attention of all the workers. ''Human'' tools and technologies had proven nearly miraculous to everyone now familiar with them, and everyone was curious about what humans did for entertainment.


    The first thing S''haar held up was a small odd-looking box. When opened, it revealed a lot of flat panels with shapes and symbols painted on them. "These are called playing cards, and the game I''m about to teach you is called ''poker.''"


    As S''haar explained the game, it became quickly apparent that everyone was excited at the idea of a new way to pass the long cold days in the billet, and it didn''t take long before chores such as cleaning the outhouses or doing the dishes were being gambled on by many of the younger workers. It quickly became apparent that Fea''en''s stoic demeanor gave her quite the advantage as the game quickly devolved into a heated match between her and S''haar while the rest of the workers watched as the two most frightening women any of them knew went head to head for the ''pot,'' which at this point mostly consisted of a few of the meat pastries still left over after everyone had eaten their fill.


    As the bidding came to a close, S''haar was confident she''d won with the straight she held, but then Fea''en revealed her three of a kind was, in fact, a full house. The room erupted in cheers of excitement and exasperation. In the end, Fea''en retained her bragging rights but shared the meat pies for the low price of getting a pass on her next night of fire watch duty.


    When the rest of the workers seemed hesitant to face the stoic older woman a second time, S''haar thought it might be a good time to reveal the next item Em''brel had sent her with.


    It was a small box that unfolded into a small checkered board. On the inside were several small stone pieces that S''haar set up on the board. "This game is called ''chess.'' The humans also call it ''the game of kings.'' Apparently, many of their greatest rulers were quite proficient in this game, and it teaches you to anticipate problems before they arise. Allow me to explain the rules."


    This time around, it was evident that the younger workers preferred the card game to this ''complex mess of a game'' as Tel''ron and Lon''thul had both dubbed it. However, S''haar and Fea''en quickly found themselves absorbed in a battle of wits against each other. Eventually, the other workers returned to the card game, and the afternoon was passed with loud laughter, cries of anguish, and many exclamations of how terrible everyone''s luck was.

 Chapter 37

    Em''brel had never hated herself as much as she did at this moment. For the last couple of days, she''d known that something was wrong, and the feeling just kept getting worse. As soon as she''d realized the source of her distress, she''d rejected the idea. But the thoughts still lingered like some festering wound, and it disgusted her. Jack is less of a man now than he was before.


    That was wrong! Em''brel knew it was wrong, but once she''d given the thought form, it stuck like a foul taste in the back of her throat. She was so ashamed of the thought she dug her claws into her palms until they drew blood. Jack was only in this condition because he''d put everything on the line to save Em''brel, for a second time! He''d overcome so much, making it back this far, and he was quickly getting better through sheer willpower, the likes of which Em''brel might never understand. Even if his progress came to a halt here and now, Em''brel knew she''d gladly dedicate the rest of her life to caring for Jack. But still, the malignant feeling anchored itself like rot in her gut.


    Glaring at herself in her mirror, Jack''s mirror that he graciously let her use, she reminded herself. Em''brel snarled at her reflection "You''re better than this filth! These lies are beneath you! Jack needs you, now go and do the job you fought so passionately for!"


    It took Em''brel a few more moments to wipe away the last tears of anger and shame before she replaced them with a carefully crafted look of hopeful neutrality. A few deep breaths later, and she was ready. As she walked out of the bathroom to help Jack start his day of therapy, she did her best to flush the disgraceful thoughts behind with the morning''s waste where they belonged.


    -


    S''haar was in a great mood today! The first day she''d seen Jack, she''d been deeply worried by his condition. His inability to move his arms or legs, sit up, or even speak in complete sentences had left her worried that the human she''d grown so fond of had been broken. In the guard, she''d seen males receive debilitating injuries much less severe than Jack''s, and all too often, they simply gave up. They''d become drunkards, content to pass each day in a haze while dreaming of the past, and she''d been afraid Jack would go down a similar road.


    Instead, he''d made immense progress in the last couple of days. He could sit up under his own power, albeit only briefly, he could sometimes manage whole sentences before running out of breath, and he could grab and eat food using his silverware. Although either Em''brel or S''haar had to cut up his food and place it on the fork for him.


    S''haar knew Jack still had a long way to go, but if he kept making progress like this, she was sure he''d be back on his feet running the show in no time. In many ways, she was more proud of Jack now than she had been after their life and death fight with the raiders. Back then, he''d won in part because he''d wielded weapons the like of which would make the gods envious. Conversely, this recovery was all on Jack. Angela and Em''brel were helping, but everything ultimately depended on Jack to find the will to overcome these challenges. Evidently, he more than up to the task.


    Right now, he and S''haar were playing chess against one another. Angela had said this was excellent occupational therapy for him. He''d first have to verbalize his move, then do his best to pick up the piece and place it where he''d indicated. Often S''haar had to fix the piece''s placement a little, and twice Jack had lost his balance and knocked the whole board over, but Angela was happy to help them get it restored to the state it had been in before Jack''s mishap. All in all, this was an excellent morning.


    Jack looked a little frustrated about losing his queenside castle but sighed and simply verbalized his next move. "Knight to E-5" He took a moment to catch his breath before asking. "So... what do you have planned after this?"


    S''haar spoke as Jack slowly stretched his arm out to shakily grasp the piece in question. "Well, chess wasn''t a big hit with the younger workers, so Angela recommended I bring checkers over instead."


    Jack let his hand rest on the piece for a moment before moving it and knocking over S''haars bishop at its destination. He lost a bit of control at the end, and both pieces tumbled to the board and shifted one of S''haar''s pawns in the process. She righted the pieces and removed her lost bishop as she continued speaking, all while trying to decide what to do now that the trap she''d been planning had fallen apart. "Honestly, I''m surprised at how well they are all doing. Aside from a little boredom caused by everyone being shut inside so long, your housing design has proved nearly as miraculous as the rest of your human tech. Queen to E-5"


    Jack looked confused for a moment as S''haar removed his knight, but then he smiled. "Rook to D-5... Check!" Jack took another deep breath before reaching out while talking at the same time. "Don''t underestimate the danger of boredom!"


    He''d been a little too ambitious to try talking while moving, and he knocked his piece over rather than grabbing it. S''haar righted it as she spoke but left it where it had been so Jack could try again. "I''m not underestimating anything. That''s a large part of the reason I''ve been spending as much time there as I have, rather than spending time here with you and Em''brel. Well, that, and to give you some privacy while you work on getting better. I imagine it''s hard enough without another pair of eyes watching while you work."


    This time Jack moved the piece cleanly, but now S''haar had a new problem. She could take his castle with her queen, but his queen would take hers and place her right back in check if she did so. Alternatively, S''haar could move her king out of the way, but then he''d just take her queen with his rook. She looked desperately around for some other option before sighing and moving her king to safety.


    After Jack shakily knocked over her queen, he looked her in the eye and simply said. "Thank you."


    S''haar removed the queen as she responded. "You don''t need to thank me, you outmaneuvered me and took my queen ''fair and square.''" She liked that human phrase.


    As S''haar glanced at Jack, she was struck by the earnestness in his eyes. "That''s not what I meant." Jack took a deep breath as if preparing for a long speech. "I know you didn''t want to leave so soon after I woke up..." Another deep breath. "but the workers depend on you... Also... I can more easily focus on..." He ran out of breath before finishing the sentence and took a moment before continuing. "getting better!"


    S''haar forgot about the trap she was caught in for a moment while she searched for the words she wanted. When she spoke, it was with a careful resolve. "I''ve gotten through most of my life alone, surrounded more by acquaintances than friends. Then you came out of nowhere, and I got caught up in this whirlwind of experiences you call life. At first, it was overwhelming, but just when I was starting to get used to the idea of spending the rest of my life alongside some mad human, you went and left me alone again."


    Jack looked like he was desperately gathering a breath to explain, but S''haar held up a hand to forestall him. "I don''t blame you, you did the right thing, and I was...I am very proud of you, but that month you were gone was the longest of my life. Every. Single. Night. I was terrified that I''d wake up and find out that that was the day you''d finally gone and died beside me while I slept, and I''d never get to speak to you again."


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    S''haar''s eyes were filled with tears, but she smiled, and Jack felt his heart skip a beat as she continued. "But then you came back! I don''t know if you actually argued with a god and scaled a mountain, or if, as you said, it was just some fevered dream as you fought and clawed your way out of your own subconscious, but you came back, and that''s all that matters! So take however much time you need, and keep getting better. Now that I know you''re not going anywhere, I can wait a little longer..."


    S''haar reached out and gently placed a taloned hand over Jack''s fist as he began to smile through his own tears. Their game was forgotten, but neither cared. Jack simply nodded. "Thank you." Although an echo of his earlier words, his voice was now heavy with an entirely different set of emotions.


    -


    Something was off with Em''brel. It was apparent to Angela that something was weighing on the girl''s mind as she helped Jack with his exercises. She was stubbornly refusing to look him in the eyes. When she thought Jack wasn''t looking, her face seemed to fall, and more than once, she appeared to be physically hurting herself in some small way. It was as though trying to punish herself. Or maybe distract herself? Whatever this troubling behavior was, Angela had no idea what was bringing it on or how to address it. So, for now, she simply went on pretending like nothing was wrong as she instructed two of the most important people in her world in their exercises.


    Angela wished Jack was on top of his game. This was more his area of expertise than Angela''s. Not that he was any slouch when it came to academics. Their success so far on this planet was proof of that, but he''d always been better at understanding the motives behind people''s actions.


    However, at the moment, everything Jack had was being focused on maintaining his balance while sitting up under his own power. His core muscles were as atrophied along with everything else, and it made him incredibly unsteady when he tried to sit up. Em''brel was ready to catch him if he fell, but a part of her mind was obviously still lost in thought.


    Jack seemed to lose his strength and motioned to Em''brel that he needed to lie back and take some weight off. Angela was sure he should have been able to manage a while longer than he had, but when she gave Jack a closer inspection, she quickly realized what had happened.


    Jack hadn''t been as distracted by his workout as Angela had thought. As he was staring at Em''brel, Angela could practically see the gears in his head, violently spinning as he tried to figure out what was bothering the girl.


    Taking a deep breath, Jack dove in. "Em''brel, what''s the matter...? You seem really distracted..."


    The girl''s head shot around as she looked at Jack with wide, startled eyes. It took an agonizingly long moment for the girl to reply. When she did, her eyes were downcast, and her hands clenched into fists. "Ah, it...it''s nothing! We need to get back to your exercises! What''s next, Angela?" The girl reached out to grab Jack, but still, she seemed unwilling to look him in the eyes as she did so.


    Angela didn''t answer. Instead, she continued watching, for once feeling one step behind her mortal family. Jack''s eyes shifted slightly as he picked up on Em''brel''s non-verbal cues. "It''s about me... isn''t it?"


    The shocked look Em''brel gave him was more than answer enough, but again her gaze shifted downward as she tried to protest, albeit more weakly than before. "N...no. I''m not...just... It''s not..."


    Angela continued to watch silently as Jack pressed on. "Why does it suddenly bother you...to see me like this?"


    When Em''brel looked up this time, tears were in her eyes, and she started begging. "Please, don''t..."


    Jack''s face shifted in understanding. "That guilt in your eyes... You think I''m pitiful now."


    Angela didn''t want to believe what he''d said, but Em''brel''s reaction made it clear he was right. She reached up and dug her claws around her arm plates deep enough to draw blood. Her words started tumbling out through self-hating sobs as the girl seemed to break down. "I...I don''t deserve to be here! All I can think of is how you''ve somehow betrayed me by becoming weak like this! Even though it''s all my fault that you''ve fallen so far..."


    Jack and angela watched in silence as the girl collapsed onto her knees as she pounded her fist onto the bed while she cried. "You''ve always been larger than any problem! Despite being so frail, there was nothing you couldn''t overcome! You were always one step ahead of everyone and everything! But here you are, helpless, and it''s all my fault! Yet, for some reason, the only thing I can think of is that you''ve somehow betrayed me by letting yourself become so weak! It''s stupid! It''s idiotic! But the thought just won''t go away! I''m unworthy of this family you welcomed me into!"


    The girl let her head collapse into her arms, and the room was silent except for her sobs.


    Angela was at a loss. She was torn in two. On the one hand, Em''brel was obviously in the middle of some crisis the AI couldn''t understand. The girl knew what she was feeling was wrong but didn''t know how to stop the feelings polluting her mind. On the other hand, this outburst would be devastating to Jack''s drive to recover. He needed support right now, not someone drawing his attention to how weak he''d become. Angela''s processors were starting to overheat as she tried in vain to find a solution to this impossible problem.


    Then Jack simply chuckled.


    Em''brel raised her head in confusion. She''d been expecting anger, despair, tears, or pretty much any reaction other than laughter. Jack reached out a shaky hand and placed it on top of the younger girl''s. "You''re not unworthy... You''re just growing up."


    Now Angela was even more lost than before, and the look in Em''brels eyes reflected a similar confusion. Jack continued, oblivious to both women''s incredulity. "One of the hardest parts about growing up...is realizing how fallible the people you most look up to...really are..."


    Em''brel looked like she wanted to speak, but Jack stopped her with a shaky hand and resumed his explanation. "Usually it takes a little longer...for someone to have to confront...that truth... ...But my accident has forced you...to face that reality a little sooner...than you were ready for it."


    Jack was clearly running out of breath, but he forced himself to sit up. Or at least he tried to, before starting to fall over and forcing Em''brel to reach out and hold him steady. Once he was stable, Jack wrapped his arms around the younger girl, trying to comfort her despite everything she''d just said.


    Angela was suddenly reminded of a similar encounter between her and their father when she''d said some awful, hurtful things to him. Much like Jack, he''d just responded by telling her how proud he was of her and how much he loved her. She was left wondering when Jack had changed from being her bumbling little brother to becoming such a worthy heir to their father''s legacy.


    Jack clumsily wiped some of the girl''s tears on his sleeve. It was apparent that he was nearing his limit, but he seemed to have one last point to make. "The truth is...I''ve always been weak... ...I''ve just depended on Angela...and S''haar...and yourself...to help compensate for my weaknesses... ...In return...you''ve all relied on me...to offset yours... That''s what a family is all about... The whole is greater...than the sum of its parts..."


    Em''brel shook her head in his grasp. "Why...why are you so understanding? Even after everything I just said! How can you just move past those things like they are nothing?"


    Jack chuckled again before taking another breath. "I guess...that''s just one of my...strengths!"


    Em''brel let loose something halfway between a sob and a laugh as Jack continued. "Now then...enough speech therapy... Let''s get back to physical therapy..."


    Angela simulated shaking her digital head, despite her avatar not being present. She still couldn''t quite grasp what had really happened there, but she suspected it was one of those things beyond the scope of her programming to understand.


    However, as she watched Jack and Em''brel begin his arm exercises again, she felt the faintest glimmer of something similar to understanding. She imagined this is what humans felt like when they said something was on the tip of their tongue. It seemed so close but frustratingly remained just beyond her grasp...


    Still, at least the crisis seemed to have been averted. Somehow Jack seemed as motivated as ever, and Em''brel was mostly smiling as she resumed her role as Jack''s physical therapist. Apparently, there was still a lot Angela had yet to learn.

 Chapter 38

    Jack stabbed downward with everything he had. His victim evaded his strikes over and over, driving him into a rage. Until, at last, he finally drove the steel he wielded through its skin. His victim lay there bleeding out the red fluid of life from the puncture marks Jack''s weapon had left. "Where did you even get cherry tomatoes on this planet? Especially in the middle of winter!"


    Em''brel muffled her laughter behind a hand as Angela explained, her virtual face a stoic mask. "That''s the last batch I had in stasis. I figured a fresh salad would be a nice reward for how far you''ve come! As a bonus, it also provides excellent practice to help you improve your fine motor control!"


    Jack glared suspiciously at his unusually austere sister. "And I suppose it had nothing to do with how amusing it is to watch me try and eat said salad?"


    Angela waved away his concerns in a haughty manner. "Of course not! We''re both far more professional than that! Our only concern is your health and recovery!"


    Angela''s stone serious face didn''t even budge as Em''brel audibly choked back another laugh while Jack started chasing another tomato around his plate. The girl''s eyes were beginning to tear up from the effort of not laughing out loud.


    Jack sighed in a way that clearly expressed his immense patience and long-suffering, but inside he was actually quite pleased. It was nice to see Em''brel allowing herself to have fun again, she''d wallowed in guilt long enough, and it was heartening to see the return of the clever and impish girl Jack knew so well.


    Now, if only this stupid tomato would stop causing so much trouble! Once more, the persistent thing slipped out from under Jack''s fork, making a line for the plate''s edge before being caught by the raised edge and looping around a bit, settling a little closer to the center. Jack sighed and stabbed at it again.


    -


    S''haar was starting to get worried. The food supplies were adequate, but the wood they''d gathered was beginning to look a little thin. She figured they had a few more days, but the freeze didn''t seem like it was going to end any time soon. It was probably about time for them to start considering plan b.


    Her thoughts were interrupted by Lon''thul''s shout from the other end of the room. "Chief me!" S''haar could tell from here that his red pieces on the board were considerably outnumbered by Tel''ron''s black, but the young hunter was always so excited to get a piece to the board''s end and get it ''chiefed.'' S''haar suspected he might be missing the point of the game, but decided as long as everyone was having fun, it didn''t matter. She''d long ago given up on telling him the actual phrase was ''king me,'' after a while, she''d decided he was doing it on purpose just to get a reaction out of her.


    Once again, her musings were interrupted, this time by Fea''en''s more subtle declaration. "Check."


    Looking at her own game board, she could see the older woman had taken advantage of her distraction to sandwich S''haar between a knight, rook, and now a bishop. S''haar had let herself get a little overconfident after taking the craft master''s queen, and she was now paying the price.


    However, she wasn''t out of options yet. Moving her king to the side, she waited to see if Fea''en would notice her own knight''s position before recommitting to the attack.


    This time it was the older woman''s turn to be distracted as she echoed S''haar''s earlier thoughts. "This freeze looks to be a long one, and our wood supplies are a little low."


    Fea''en was analyzing the board. S''haar was worried the other woman would notice the knight, so decided now was a great time to bring up her distraction...or rather, her plan. "I was just thinking that myself. In another day or two, it might be time to move you all to the caves."


    S''haar couldn''t tell if the distraction worked or not. Rather than move the bishop again as she''d hoped, Fea''en instead chose to move the rook to narrow the king''s possible avenues of escape. S''haar brought her own rook up to threaten Fea''en''s bishop in an attempt to encourage the woman to commit the piece to battle.


    There was an unspoken question evident on Fea''en''s face, and S''haar chose to come right out and address it rather than waiting for it to fully formulate. "It''s not a perfect solution, but the dragon values your lives far more than her privacy. Besides, this was always our backup plan if the freeze was too much for this building to handle."


    Once more, rather than move the bishop, Fea''en chose to move a different piece. This time she moved a knight up to protect her bishop, forcing S''haar to decide whether taking the bishop was worth losing her rook. As S''haar considered her options, the older woman spoke again. "So how do you propose to get us to the cave? Even with our coats, that journey is too far in these temperatures. We''d risk severe damage to ourselves and our livelihoods. Do you have more suits like yours?"


    S''haar thought the older woman needed another distraction and brought her queen around to threaten Fea''en''s king. "Check. No, we''ve only got the one, but we have a sled and lots of insulating materials. It would be easy enough to bundle one person up at a time, pack them in with heating packets, and have the person in the suit drag them to the cave. That way, there''s no risk of frostbite."


    Fea''en positioned her own rook between S''haar''s queen and her king so that if S''haar took the rook, the king would take her queen, and if she did nothing, the rook would take her queen. Trying to hide her scowl, S''haar positioned her queen to threaten Fea''en''s king from a corner space instead. "Check. There''s just one issue. The dragon and Jack have many secrets, and they aren''t ready to reveal all of them to the world just yet. So we''ll need you all to swear an oath of secrecy."


    As predicted, Fea''en moved her rook to protect her king again, but at least it wasn''t threatening S''haar''s queen anymore, and more importantly, it was now tied up so S''haar could begin to make her own escape. The older woman spoke as S''haar decided how to best make her escape. "That shouldn''t be an issue. We won''t swear fealty or anything like that, and our oaths will be conditional on none of these secrets being a threat to our people or village, but our lives are certainly worth keeping a few secrets for."


    S''haar positioned her king so that she should be able to break out of the trap next turn. "Alright, we''ll hold an oath ceremony tomorrow. The day after, we''ll start moving you all to the cave."


    Fea''en nodded before moving a pawn two squares forward. "Checkmate."


    S''haar blinked. She''d completely forgotten the pawn. It hadn''t moved the entire game, and in trying to keep track of all the other ''important'' pieces, it had ceased to be a factor in her mind.


    In her ear, Angela was tutting S''haar''s oversight. "Never underestimate the importance of a pawn!" S''haar grimaced in response, wanting to respond but not wanting to look like she was talking to herself. Not that the workers hadn''t seen her ''speak to herself'' before, but they still weren''t used to it either.


    S''haar looked up at the uncharacteristically cheerful Fea''en grinning back at her. "That was a good game. Got time for another?"


    S''haar sighed before resetting the board. "All we have is time."


    -


    Later that night, when S''haar made it back to the ship, she was astounded to see Jack walking! Albeit with some aid. He was strapped into a wheeled contraption that helped him balance while his hands were tightly gripped onto handles set at waist height. Em''brel was shadowing his every move with her hands hovering just out of touching distance as he awkwardly shuffled forward. Upon seeing S''haar, Jack lost his focus and started to slip before Em''brel quickly grabbed hold to steady him. "You''re doing good! You almost made it across the whole room this time!"


    Jack''s face was beaded with sweat, though S''haar was happy to see a grin on his face, even if it was tinged with a bit of embarrassment. "Yeah, well, I''ll be a lot happier once I can get around without a walker again. I''m both way too old and way too young to be needing one for long!"


    S''haar cocked her head to the side. "Not that I want to get in the way of all the progress you''ve been making, but do you think you''ll be up for a trip outside tomorrow?"


    There was more than one pair of eyes filled with confusion suddenly directed at S''haar, so she explained. "The workers are running out of fuel, so I think we''ll need to move them in here with us. Before we do that, I want them to swear an oath of secrecy. Since this is your home, you''re the one they''ll need to pledge their oath to."


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    Jack looked a little confused but eventually relented. "Huh, I guess that makes sense." He then tilted his head to the side. "Angela, any chance we can get a basic wheelchair ready to go by then?"


    Angela appeared nearby with a chart in hand. "We''ve got plenty of raw materials with which to make one, but you won''t be using it long enough to be worth investing any bells or whistles into it, so it''ll be pretty bare-bones."


    S''haar''s face expressed the confusion that was voiced by Em''brel. "What''s a whistle, and why does your wheeled-chair need a bell?"


    -


    This section of the cave was still relatively warm, and a coat was enough for Em''brel, but she couldn''t go any further with S''haar and Jack.


    Instead, she was obsessively checking the straps holding Jack to his chair and his chair to the sled in turn. "Jack''s made a lot of progress, but you''ll still have to keep a close eye on him. Sometimes he still gets dizzy and loses his balance."


    Angela cut in as well. "Even though he''s eating and drinking, it''s probably best to avoid anything other than some water until he''s back home to avoid any complications!"


    Jack waved the two women off in an annoyed manner. "We''ll be fine, moms! We''re just going to the workers'' billet and back, not on some cross country venture. S''haar''s made the trip a half dozen times in as many days! What''s more, Angela, you''ll be coming along for the ride, so if there are any ''complications,'' you''ll be the first to know!"


    Angela didn''t have much to say, but Em''brel still looked worried. "It''s just that..."


    Jack cut her off with a smile and a hand gesture. "Listen, you''ve been taking care of me day and night for nearly a week. Go watch a movie, take a bath, or whatever catches your fancy. All work and no play isn''t good for anyone! We''ll probably be back around lunchtime."


    Jack sat back, and his grin widened. "Besides, look at me! I''m as fit as a horse on the way to a glue factory!"


    S''haar and Em''brel both looked confused. Angela was standing with her arms crossed and a rather ''put out'' expression on her face. "I was half tempted not to let the translator pick up that last part. That was a terrible joke!"


    Em''brel still had her head cocked to the side. "I know what a horse is from watching movies, but what is a glue factory, and what does one have to do with anything?"


    Jack''s laughter wasn''t any help, and Angela simply shook her head and sighed. "Don''t encourage him. You''re happier not knowing!"


    S''haar walked over to the smaller argu''n and gave her a hug before speaking. "Listen, I''ll keep a close eye on Jack. He''ll be my number one priority the whole time we''re gone. Jack''s right though, you deserve a break. If you''re anxious, you can check-in anytime with the headset. That''s the whole reason we have them remember?"


    Em''brel reached up to her headset as if she''d forgotten all about it, then nodded. "Alright, but if anything goes wrong, you let me know immediately!"


    Jack interjected. "Listen, if all of you are done fawning over me like some nursemaids who found a helpless kitten, we''d better get going. The sooner we leave, the sooner we''ll be back!"


    Realizing there wasn''t anything else to say, Em''brel merely nodded and watched as S''haar helped Jack double-check that he had everything he needed in his satchel, then started dragging the sled through the cave. After a few moments, the younger argu''n turned and went back inside.


    -


    As the two made their way through the cave, S''haar brought a hand to the headset. "Angela, could I ask you to give us a little privacy? Just until we reach the billet."


    Angela''s voice came through to both Jack and S''haar. "I suppose you two deserve a little privacy. If anything goes wrong, just say my name twice in a row, and I''ll be right there. Angela out."


    S''haar pulled the sled in silence a moment before looking over her shoulder. "How''re you holding up?"


    Jack put a big smile on his face as he replied. "I''m doing great! Angela says my recovery is actually ahead of schedule. In another week, I should be walking under my own power, albeit I''ll probably need a cane for a while after that."


    S''haar was silent for a few more moments before speaking up again. "That''s not what I meant. How are YOU doing?"


    Jack''s smile slipped a little and took on a more languid appearance that was reflected in his voice. "Honestly? I''m tired. The process of fighting my way out of the coma felt like an epic journey all on its own. Then, after I woke up, I had expected to need some rehabilitation, but this" Jack waved his arms around himself, " was more than I was ready for. The constant pity in everyone''s eyes weighs on me all day long. When I exercise, all I really want to do is lie down and rest, but the more I push myself now, the more complete my recovery will be, so that''s just not an option. Then, when I have to rest to recover for the next session, all I can do is stress because I''m not currently working on getting better."


    Jack''s sigh wavered a bit as his emotions bubbled to the surface. "I don''t think I''ve ever been so physically, mentally, or spiritually exhausted in all my life. I keep wondering when I''ll finally collapse under it all, but somehow I have to find just a bit more energy, so I push a little further... Sorry if that got a little heavy..."


    S''haar shook her head. When she spoke, her voice was blessedly free of pity or judgment. "No, that is what I was asking for. I was getting the feeling that you were putting up a bit of a cheerful face in front of the other two as we were setting off, but you need to know, It''s ok not to be perfect all the time. For what it''s worth, given...everything...I think you''re doing better than anyone had any right to expect of you. If it finally gets to be too much and you need to take a break, that''s fine too."


    Jack was silent for a moment before replying. His voice came out tired, but it was also had a touch of relief. "Well, thanks. I mean it. But for now, I have a little more energy...so I plan to keep pushing myself as long as I''m able. There will be time to rest later. Maybe I''ll take a month or two off when all this is said and done!"


    S''haar nodded. They were nearing the part of the cave where it was cold enough that she had to put her mask on. Before doing so, she stopped and turned around, walking closer until she stood towering over Jack. "Well, that''s fine. For the record, I don''t pity you. If anything, I think I''ve come to respect you a little more. So keep up the hard work..."


    S''haar leaned in a little closer, speaking softly into Jack''s ear. "and maybe one day, you''ll get to enjoy the meat of your hunt!" With that, S''haar gave Jack a playful nibble along his jawline before pulling her mask in place and securing the fasteners. Jack suddenly felt warm in a way that had nothing to do with the freezing cave''s ambient temperature.


    -


    When they arrived at the billet, it took S''haar a moment to clear a spot to unstrap Jack''s chair and quickly wheel him inside so they''d waste as little heat as possible. Once inside, S''haar began the familiar ritual of removing the bulky suit. As she did so, it quickly became apparent that all eyes were focused on Jack.


    The looks in the eyes ranged from worry to pity, and Jack started to worry about how awkward this was going to be when Lon''thul spoke up loudly from his seat. "Wow! S''haar told us you were in rough shape, Jack, but you look like hell!"


    Everyone was staring at Lon''thul with expressions ranging from horror to rage, and S''haar was opening her mouth to unload a furious tirade unlike any she''d ever given before when Jack beat her to the punch, forcing her to translate instead. "Wow, Lon''thul! Kicking a cripple while he''s down is the epitome of lame! I won''t stand for it in my own camp... Then again, I''m not standing for much these days..." Jack had a grin that strangely mirrored Lon''thul''s as he spoke.


    Everyone looked back and forth with blank expressions, utterly lost at how to respond in the face of Lon''thul''s inappropriate statement, followed by Jack''s equally problematic puns. The silence only lasted a moment before it was broken by Lon''thoul''s barking laughter. He walked right up to Jack and slapped the man on the back, utterly oblivious to the death glare S''haar was drilling into the hunter''s back. "And here S''haar had us all worried that you might not be the Jack we''ve all gotten to know up till now, but you seem alright to me! If you can make a joke like that, you''re gonna be fine in no time!"


    Lon''thul handed Jack a mug of a drink that S''haar quickly whisked away before requesting some water instead. As the hunter sat back at the fire, he indicated a clear spot next to himself. S''haar wheeled Jack over while Lon''thul continued speaking in the overly cheerful manner of his. "You''re here so we can perform a big official oath ceremony. But first, you gotta tell me more about this god of death you spoke with! Did you really tell her off? Come on man, details, I need details!"


    Jack grinned mischievously and started moving his arms around to emphasize his words as he spoke. "So for the record, I don''t know if this was real, or just some fever dream brought on by a near-death experience, but to begin with, I found myself in the middle of nowhere. I''m not saying I was lost in the wilderness or anything. This was the most literal ''nowhere'' you''ve ever heard of, there was no ground, but I wasn''t falling, floating, or flying. There was no light, but I could see clearly through the gloom. I''d been stuck there for longer than any sane man should have been when this voice comes out of nowhere and just says, ''Hello.''"


    S''haar sat back and relaxed while translating Jack''s incredible tale. Everyone present was captivated by every word, and their eyes were filled with nothing but wonder as the story unfolded. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she thought that Jack seemed to be sitting a little taller, and his arms seemed to have just a bit more strength in them than they had back in the cave.


    She had to admit it was one hell of a story.

 Chapter 39

    Jack wasn''t looking forward to what was coming. S''haar had told him all about the ceremony and what would be expected of him, and to be fair, it wasn''t going to be nearly as long or drawn out as Jack had feared, but this next part didn''t seem like it would be fun.


    S''haar carefully inspected the ceremonial knife. Angela had insisted they use a knife she made just for the occasion. Officially, it was because the knife was supposed to be a special knife, explicitly crafted for the ceremony and never used again unless the oath was broken. Unofficially, her reasoning was that if Jack was going to be cut by any knife, Angela wanted to make sure it was the cleanest and finest knife possible. Sharp enough to make a clean-cut, but not so sharp it would cut deeper than intended.


    For once, Jack was glad to be disabled. Normally he''d be expected to make his own cut, and he''d been afraid he''d somehow screw it up. Instead, given his current plight, everyone agreed that S''haar making the cut for him was a reasonable accommodation.


    Jack was doing his best to focus on enjoying the sensation of having S''haar hold his hand while also trying not to think about the knife''s blade she was starting to lower into his upturned palm. With a quick movement, it was over before Jack realized what was happening. As the blood was beginning to seep through his wound, Jack spoke the words everyone had agreed on, while S''haar translated for everyone gathered. "All who swear on my blood will keep sacred the secrets of myself and my household, except in the event of danger to friends, family, or home."


    Following those words, Jack placed his palm on the stone that had been presented to him. Above the mark his blood left on the stone was a carving of the symbol of Jack''s ''house.'' Not that he''d had one before now, but he''d taken the time to design one for the ceremony''s purpose. Since it would have to be carved into stone, he kept it simple. It consisted of a circle surrounding a triangle whose sides represented human, AI, and argu''n, and a line came from each side to meet in a circle in the middle, symbolizing their unity as a family.


    Thankfully, Jack''s part of the ceremony was completed. S''haar took his hand and applied the gel Angela had provided, then wrapped it in cloth so Angela could look at it later.


    As she was attending to Jack, Fea''en took up the knife and cut her own palm. Jack winced inwardly, thankful he''d gotten to go first, and trying to remind himself that it was highly improbable that any pathogens he carried would be able to affect the argu''n. The old craft master spoke her own straightforward lines. "On pain of death, I so swear!" She then placed her own palm on top of Jack''s mark, mixing her blood with his.


    One by one, all the workers present repeated the solemn oath. Jack thought the whole ''pain of death'' part was a little extreme, but S''haar told him it was customary for any significant pledge to include that statement. In the event of a broken oath, Jack had the right to crack the stone then use the knife to claim the life of whoever had failed to keep their commitment. This was considered one of the highest laws of the land, superseding any individual village or clan laws. Not that Jack had any plans to claim anyone''s life if they failed to keep their oath, but it certainly added a degree of credibility to the pledge that the workers were willing to put their lives on the line as collateral against their words.


    Once everyone finished their oaths, Fea''en took the stone and knife and handed them both to Jack to keep. The ceremony complete, the atmosphere in the room lightened, and everyone seemed to breathe just a little easier.


    Lon''thul stood towering over Jack and rested an easy hand on the wheelchair-bound man''s shoulder. "So, how much longer before you''re back in charge of this camp?"


    Jack tilted his head to the side. Only S''haar knew him well enough to know that the troubling grin on his face meant he was about to say something unexpected, but even she was unprepared for the words that followed. "You know, from what I''ve seen so far, S''haar has done a remarkable job leading this camp while I was unconscious. She seems to hold everyone''s respect naturally and easily, and I think it might be best if she remains in charge. I''ve always been happier as an idea man rather than a leader anyway. I''ll still be involved, offering advice, technology, my thoughts, and ideas, but I think S''haar is by nature a better leader than I could ever be."


    There were expressions of shock on everyone''s faces as S''haar translated Jack''s words, and none more so than S''haar''s. It took her more than a moment to speak after he was done. "But this is your camp, your home! I can''t just take over!"


    Jack carelessly waved away her concerns. "My goals are the same as ever, to secure the safety and happiness of my friends and family. After the time we''ve spent together, I''m confident you share those same goals. I''m not going anywhere and will be happy to continue to help guide the camp''s development, but ultimately this is turning into an argu''n camp, and I think it would be best if an argu''n was in charge. You''re a perfect bridge between my goals and your people''s needs. Additionally, you''ll naturally command the kind of respect from new or visiting argu''n that I would have to spend a significant amount of time and effort to acquire. I think this is the best path for everyone''s objectives for the camp."


    S''haar remained quiet, but the look she gave Jack clearly said, ''We''ll talk about this later.''


    Lon''thul had an exaggerated expression of worry on his face. "Awww, man! You were a lot easier to keep happy than S''haar. She''s always demanding that I ''stop daydreaming,'' and ''get back to work!''"


    Jack''s grin grew a little more toothy as he imitated the more predatory smile of the argu''n. "All that tells me is that I''ve made the right choice! If S''haar can keep you in line, running a camp like this should be easy!"


    Lon''thul had the good grace to act hurt at Jack''s words, but his impish grin belied his performance.


    That was when a familiar voice spoke up from Jack''s headset. "Ahem. Now that your little club has sworn their oaths, isn''t it time you introduced me?"


    Jack raised an eyebrow at her phrasing but decided it was a good time. They''d agreed it was best to get this out of the way as a whole group rather than explaining it one at a time as the workers were brought over to the ship, and right now was as good a time as any. He cleared his throat, and as usual, S''haar translated. "So now that you all have sworn your oaths, I figure it''s about time we introduced you to the dragon you''ve heard so much about."


    Lon''thul''s eye ridges shot up toward his forehead. "Wait, you mean it''s real? I''d finally decided it was just a code word you all used for ''human tech.''"


    Angela laughed in Jack''s headset. "Well, in a way, he''s not wrong..."


    Jack nodded at her words as he answered the hunter. "As is often the case, the situation''s reality is more complicated than any simple answer I can offer. But rather than try and explain things, how about I show you instead."


    With that, Jack pulled out one of the emitters he was carrying from the ship, ran a cable between it and his headset, and thumbed it on.


    Almost immediately, the room exploded into light. Soon, every inch of empty space was filled by the immense form of a classic earth dragon, complete with thick scales, massive teeth, and sharp claws. Part of its body seemed to pass into the hallway, but Jack knew this emitter couldn''t reach that far, so it was just a bit of clever illusion on Angela''s part.


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    The argu''n in the room all stood stock still, the only movement being their eyes trying to take everything in, and their tounges rapidly tasting the air to confirm what their eyes were telling them. The first one present to respond was S''haar. "Really? Isn''t this a bit dramatic?" Her voice seemed unheard by the other stunned argu''n.


    The dragon''s form quickly began to shrink and morph, stopping briefly at the size and shape of a 10-foot tall argu''n. As it continued to shrink, it stopped again at the appearance of a 7-foot tall human. Finally, Angela finished shrinking down into her standard size or a single-foot tall human.


    With a wave and a smile, she greeted the stunned workers. "Hiya! I''m the dragon you''ve all heard so much about! Call me Angela. It''s good to finally speak with you all!"


    Everyone remained frozen in place for several moments, unsure how to respond to the impossibilities that had unfolded in front of them. Angela was looking around at everyone with her characteristically impish grin. Predictably, it was Lon''thul who first broke the stunned silence and cautiously approached the tiny woman. He bent down at the waist and gently poked a finger into the AI. His finger passed through without any resistance. "You can transform at will, fly, and speak our language... Are you a spirit?"


    Angela floated up, forcing Lon''thul to stand up to his full height before she ''flicked'' him on the nose. Expecting the feeling of impact but receiving none, Lonthul blinked a few times. Angela responded in an overly cheerful voice. "Well, yes and no. This is simply how I usually appear to speak to people. However, I have a real body, and It''s actually significantly larger than even the first form I showed you, but that body is badly damaged right now. One of the reasons Jack and S''haar started this whole place was to get what they needed to help heal and free me of my prison."


    Lon''thul looked over at S''haar with a single raised eye ridge. "If what she''s saying is true, should you really be working to free such a massive creature? From the sounds of things, she could devour our entire village if she so chose..."


    Angela flew in between the two with her hands on her hips and a reprimand evident in her voice. "It''s not polite to talk about someone in the third person while they''re in front of you! And for your information, I don''t eat animals or even plants for that matter. When I''m whole, I eat stars like you see in the night sky, and even a single star will last me more than a hundred of your lifetimes!"


    Lon''thul looked even more confused than before as he turned his attention back to Angela. "I''m not sure what three people you''re talking about, and how can a star fill you up for so long? They are so tiny!"


    Angela looked pleased to have a new student as she began one of her lectures. "''Third person'' is when you refer to someone as if they aren''t present. The use of words like ''she, her, herself, etc.'' are most often the third person, but if that person is involved in the conversation, it''s more polite to address them, or in this case me, directly! As for the stars'' size, they only seem small because of how far away they are. For example, think of this mountain and how much smaller it looks from your village than from this camp. Stars are also like that, but they are significantly further away from here than this mountain is from your village!"


    Lon''thul looked at the tiny woman floating in front of him, beaming back at him like she was one of his old hunting masters. His face was scrunched up as he tried to understand what she''d explained to him before he gave up with a shake of his head. "You sound too much like Jack does when he starts getting way too excited about something boring! Though I suppose we have little to fear from you if you and Jack are so much alike..."


    S''haar let out an overly patient sigh indicative of untold tales about her long-suffering experience with the duo. "You have no idea how alike those two are... They''re actually brother and sister."


    Jack and Angela replied at the same moment, both of their voices indignantly defensive. "We''re not that much alike!" They both glared at the other, silently accusing each other of proving S"haar right with that outburst.


    Lon''thul looked even more confused than before. "They''re brother and sister? Does that mean Jack will grow to an immense size as well?"


    Jack and Angela were too caught up in their little squabble to answer, so S''haar continued the explanation. "They''re not related by blood, but they were both raised by the same man. So despite being as different from each other as humans and argu''n, they think of themselves as brother and sister."


    S''haar''s head tilted to the side as she struggled to remember some of what she''d been told back when she had first been wrapping her own head around this strange new world of theirs. "And to answer one of your previous questions, I don''t think we have any more to fear from Angela than we do from Jack. From what I understand, her people are as advanced in comparison to humans as humans are compared to us. They even fought a war to protect and preserve humanity''s survival and individuality. I suspect Angela would do the same for us. She seems to hold all ''intelligent life'' as sacred."


    Jack interrupted the squabble to interject. "Well, I wouldn''t say the AI are quite as far ahead of us as all that... but you''re more or less correct."


    Angela was haughtily inspecting her fingernails as she offered her counter to Jack''s claim. "Says the meat-for-brains human, only capable of processing roughly thirty-two bits of information at any given time."


    Jack was not about to be so quickly or easily dismissed. "We may only be able to process thirty-two bits of information at a time, but we do so at speeds that are impossible to calculate. Our brains are practically supercomputers!"


    Angela dove back into the ongoing debate with relish. "Impossible for you to calculate, perhaps, but my brain is literally a supercomputer!"


    The fear slowly drained out of the onlooking argu''n as the pair reignited their squabble. The workers could only keep up with half the argument since only Angela was speaking their language and S''haar had stopped bothering to translate for Jack, but the grins and vocal tones made it evident to everyone watching that this was more affectionate ribbing than an actual argument. Somehow seeing such a petty sibling rivalry between these two ''advanced'' people made them both a little more relatable.


    Fea''en had been watching the whole ordeal with a keen eye. Finally, she approached the small AI. Stopping just short of the tiny woman, she waited until all conversation had stopped, and Angela addressed her directly. "Fea''en, how can I help you?"


    If the older woman was surprised the AI knew her name, she didn''t show it. Instead, she addressed her concerns in her usual direct manner. "Dragon, I''ve heard a lot of assurances that you mean us no harm, but I want to hear it directly from you. What do you intend regarding myself and my people? What are your plans from this moment forward?"


    Angela''s expression eased from giddy excitement to a more somber, though still friendly, manner. "Well, I can''t partake of the same oath ceremony you all just did for Jack since I have no blood to offer, but I swear to you by all my honor that I do not intend to bring harm to you or your people. Instead, I hope that our presence here will ultimately bring about advancement and prosperity for everyone, though I acknowledge the path we''re treading will have many obstacles in its way."


    Angela continued her speech, though her expression and voice both grew heavy with concern. "The raiders are an obvious danger, even some of the local lords may see us as a threat to their power, and I''m sure there are even more problems impossible to see from where we now stand. Although we will fight for our friends and family, Jack and I will never seek to conquer or subjugate anyone. All who join us will do so of their own free will and retain the ability to leave at any time they so wish. To that end, I agree wholeheartedly with Jack''s decision to leave S''haar in charge of this camp. Argu''n should lead argu''n, we will be content to fulfill the roles of guides and advisers."


    Angela''s voice softened as she finished her speech, echoing some of Jack''s own thoughts from his debate with "death." "For all of my abilities, I can not see the future. I''m not certain if the path we''ve chosen will end well or in disaster. All we can do is offer our knowledge, experience, and hope, but with a bit of luck, maybe we can help your people avoid some of the pitfalls our own fell into over the ages."


    Fea''en glared at the AI for several long moments, and the rest of the camp held its collective breath, waiting to hear what the craft master would say.


    With crossed arms, Fea''en passed her judgment on Angela''s words. "Good enough for me. I''ll stay. It''s up to the rest to decide what they''ll do."


    A series of assents began to spread through the workers but were interrupted by Lon''thul''s excited cheer. "WOOHOO! This is gonna be so much better than I''d hoped! And, we all got in on the beginning! They''re gonna be telling stories about us for ages to come! We''re all gonna be legends!"


    As the hunter''s energy permeated the room, an impromptu celebration broke out, and food and drink started making the rounds. S''haar was quick to whisk away any food or drink that found their way into Jack''s hands but was heartened to see the somberness of the last week replaced by celebration and cheer. Throughout it all, Angela was flittering to and fro, getting to know everyone "face-to-face" at long last.

 Chapter 40

    Such a small celebration wasn''t going to last long. Even so, Jack was overcome by a wave of exhaustion brought on from overexerting himself too much, too quickly. This fact didn''t escape the notice of S''haar or Angela, who mutually agreed it was time to head back to their home.


    As everyone said their goodbyes, S''haar promised to return the next day to begin moving the workers to the cave, and Angela promised to have a warm welcome in store for the workers, "pun not intended." It took a little longer to strap Jack''s chair onto the sled this time since Em''brel wasn''t there to help, but once they were on their way, S''haar felt now was a good time to address her unspoken concerns. "So when were you going to tell me about your decision to leave me in charge of this camp?"


    Jack was silent for a few moments before responding. "Well, I''ve been debating the idea for a while, but it was only at the ceremony that I finally decided. I would have told you first, but Lon''thul brought it up before I could find the time to mention it."


    S''haar dragged the sled through the snow in silence for a while. When she did speak up, her voice was quiet but thoughtful. "But... why?"


    Jack hesitated to answer but felt he owed S''haar an explanation. "Throughout human history, there have been many times a technologically advanced group of people decided to ''help'' a ''primitive'' group. I''m sure many of the people who began such undertakings had nothing but good intentions at heart, but all too often, it resulted in the more advanced society taking advantage of the other. There are probably many subtle complicated reasons that things went the way they did, but the result was often the same, and I didn''t want to repeat that here."


    As they got far enough into the cave for S''haar to remove her mask and gloves, Jack continued his explanation. "I''m sure I''d try to lead this camp with the best of intentions, and I''m confident that in many ways this place would be a success, but I''d probably unintentionally try to turn this community into a mirror of humanity. However, you already have a vibrant culture of your own. Maybe some of the sharper edges could stand to be softened a bit, but that is for you as a people to decide when and how to make any changes. You know what Angela and I are capable of. You are familiar with the lives of your people''s upper and lower classes, you''re honest and straightforward, and you are a natural leader. I can''t think of anyone who would be better suited to leading your people through an age or two of advancements."


    After that, the two of them traveled in heavy silence for several moments before S''haar spoke up again. "Alright, fine, I''ll forgive you this time. I''m still not sure I''m the best choice for the job, but we can talk more about that later. For now, let''s get back home and prepare for tomorrow. "


    Jack didn''t respond. S''haar looked back only to find him slumped over in his chair. With a dreadful stillness in her chest, she lept back onto the sled to check on Jack. When he still didn''t stir, she spoke into her headset. "Angela, something''s wrong with Jack. He''s unconscious again!"


    Angela''s voice came back to her, calm but urgent. "Ok, don''t panic, it''s probably nothing unexpected. Just get Jack back here as quick as you safely can."


    S''haar grabbed onto Jack''s restraints and tore them free of the chair. He groggily muttered something incoherent and tried to weakly bat at her. As soon as she lifted Jack into her arms and began to sprint the rest of the distance, he passed out again.


    S''haar was grateful that they didn''t have far to go. As soon as she crossed the threshold, Angela and Em''brel were there, anxiously waiting. Angela took charge. "Quick, get him to the med-bay, and lay him on the bed with the scanners."


    S''haar was familiar enough with the med-bay after periodically taking Jack there for the occasional in-depth scan during his coma. What really tormented her was the tension-filled minutes while Angela ran various lights and diagnostic machines over and around Jack.


    After a few minutes that seemed to stretch on for hours, Angela approached the two women waiting anxiously by the door. Her easy smile was already alleviating fears before she began explaining. "Jack''s fine. I think the poor guy simply wore himself out in all the excitement. This whole thing was a bit more stress than his body was ready for, but don''t worry, he''ll be right as rain with a bit of rest."


    The two argu''n shared an exasperated sigh of relief before S''haar picked Jack up once again and carried him to his bed. As she tucked Jack in to get some much-needed sleep, she couldn''t help but mutter complaints to herself about how watching over such a fragile person was starting to age her before her time.


    -


    Jack groggily woke to find himself buried under more blankets than he usually preferred, but this unfortunate state was somewhat offset by something pleasantly cool lying across his chest and one of his legs.


    Opening his eyes, Jack felt his body temperature quickly rise when he found S''haar asleep, laying somewhat haphazardly on top of him. It took him a few moments for his sleep hazed mind to recall how he''d gotten here. The last thing he remembered was coming back from the party. He''d had an odd dream about S''haar running while carrying him, then he woke up here. Jack felt his face warm further as he realized he must have passed out on the way back to the cave. However, the embarrassment was somewhat tempered by feelings of security brought on by the weight of S''haar''s limbs resting easily across his own.


    Jack decided that this was all something that could be dealt with later, and he wrapped his own arms around S''haar''s pleasantly cool presence beside him. It didn''t take long for Jack to slip back into sleep, where he was greeted by S''haar once more. Though the nature of their time together was slightly different than it had been during his brief time awake.


    -


    The next day they began the process of bringing the workers over to their home in the cave. Lon''thul was the first to make the journey. As the youngest and healthiest argu''n present, he would be the quickest to recover from any complications brought on through any planning oversights.


    He was wrapped in several layers of thick skins, with heating packs wrapped in with him. Since Lon''thul didn''t particularly want to suffocate, his mouth was covered in something Angela called a scarf instead of a skin, and heating packs were placed right next to his mouth to warm the air passing through the scarf so he wouldn''t damage his lungs. Once the preparations were completed, the two set off.


    Everything went pretty much as well as could be hoped. Lon''thul was a little sluggish and confused by the time he''d arrived but quickly recovered inside the ship''s warmth. After Angela performed a quick scan and gave him a clean bill of health, S''haar left to get the next worker.


    Lon''thul was sitting around enjoying a warm drink Em''brel told him was called tea. He''d been hoping to speak with her before any other workers arrived, but it seemed all of Em''brel''s attention was currently reserved for Jack. Seeing how hard the human was pushing himself at the moment, the hunter could hardly begrudge him the attention. At least that''s what he told himself.


    As Jack stumbled, Em''brel caught and steadied him again. "I wish you''d use the straps like before. It would be a lot safer if you did!"


    Jack''s face was covered in sweat, and he took advantage of Em''brel''s steadying hands to catch his breath and say something. The words made no sense to Lon''thul, but Jack''s annoyance was evident despite the language barrier, and apparently, it was enough to catch Angela''s attention as well.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Angela stood in front of Jack with crossed arms and a stern glare. Lon''thul still couldn''t get used to the idea that this tiny woman was the "dragon" he''d heard so much about. However, the hunter couldn''t deny that this place was amazing, and apparently, that was primarily due to her influence. Though he did note that her demeanor was much more frightening now than it had been yesterday.


    With a voice to match her glare, the AI reprimanded Jack. "Your appearance isn''t something we''re particularly concerned with right now. Your progress and safety are. Luckily for you, you are right about this being more effective, and I trust Em''brel here to save you from your own stupidity. Otherwise, you''d be tied to that walker like a stuck pig! Now get back to work before I change my mind!"


    Jack muttered what must have been an exhausted assent of some kind before Em''brel released him, then continued his circuit of the room.


    Lon''thul felt a bit awkward sitting back and watching, so he decided to join the conversation. "Man, that looks rough. How long do you have to keep this up for?"


    Em''brel looked like she was about to reprimand Lon''thul for interrupting when Jack answered. His voice came out as a kind of hybrid between a gasp and a grunt as he pushed himself on while he spoke. This time Em''brel translated in a somewhat distracted manner as she kept a close eye on Jack. "In another week or so, I should have most of my motor function properly under control. After that, it''ll be another month of muscle-building until I''m back to my old condition, give or take a bit."


    Lon''thul''s eye ridges rose in surprise. "So, you''re gonna make a full recovery?"


    It was Angela who responded this time. she was looking down at some wooden board in her hands while she spoke. "I''m estimating roughly ninety-five percent recovery, with a small margin of error. Although that''s assuming Jack doesn''t go and do something else stupid to hinder his recovery further."


    As if to emphasize her point, Jack stumbled and was caught by Em''brel once more. Angela simply glared at Jack and switched back into her scary mode. "Come on, three more laps, then we can take a break and work on writing instead!"


    Jack looked back at the AI with an exasperated look on his face. "Writing? When my arms are this exhausted?" To emphasize his point, he let Em''brel hold him steady as he lifted a shaky hand.


    Angela was in no mood to coddle him. "You''re the one who wanted to "push" yourself by working without straps. If it''s too much for you, we could strap you back in for the last four laps."


    Jack looked at her with a confused expression. "Four laps? I thought you just said I only had three more to go?"


    Angela had an exasperated look on her face as she shook her head. "Are you losing your hearing now? I clearly said it would only be five more laps until your break unless you want to debate this a little longer?"


    Finally, getting the point, Jack sighed and got back to walking. Lon''thul had only caught half the conversation this time around since Em''brel had stopped translating for Jack while he spoke with his sister, but what little he was able to understand had only made him feel sorry for Jack as the man pushed himself through his last few laps. This time Lon''thul thought it would be best not to distract Jack any further and instead focused on drinking some more of his tea.


    -


    The next to arrive was Fea''en. Once the older argu''n snapped out of her cold induced sleep haze, she simply looked around a bit before stating, "Huh, guess the kid didn''t exaggerate for once."


    Angela was visibly distraught at the craft master''s lack of reaction. She always loved seeing the wonder in an argu''n''s face the first time they looked around at her ship, but Fea''en seemed to simply give everything a swift appraisal before moving on to the next "wonder."


    Shaking herself out of the pout she felt coming on, Angela resumed her role as a host. The AI floated right up to the craft master, who didn''t seem at all phased by the idea of speaking casually with the legendary "dragon." Angela pouted a little more in the back of her processor but was determined to be a good host. "Welcome aboard, Lady Fea''en! If you come this way, I have some hot beverages ready to help you finish recovering from your journey here. After that, we can look to whatever other needs you might have."


    Fea''en simply nodded. "Thank you, dragon. I appreciate it." With that said, the old argu''n took a seat at the table and finally showed a small reaction as she smiled at the comfort the chair offered her old bones. Her smile deepened a little further once she accepted a steaming mug from the always eager Lon''thul.


    She sat there for a moment, thoroughly soaking in the experience of a comfortable seat while her hands cradled a warm mug from which pleasant-smelling steam wafted up to her nostrils. She indulged in the sensations for several minutes before finally taking a small sip from her drink. Second and third sips followed quickly on the first''s heels, and Angela finally got the reaction of wonder she''d been hoping for when the old woman simply stared at the mug in astonishment. "This is... quite good. Should I ration this, or is there more where this came from?"


    Angela beamed at her new guest. "There''s plenty of that to go around. Jack''s never been much of a tea drinker, so my stores are still pretty well stocked. Enjoy your fill, though you may want to eat something with it, so you don''t feel waterlogged. Might I suggest some turkey and ham sandwiches?"


    As the older woman accepted one such sandwich from Lon''thul, she seemed enticed by the smell. After a quick bite, she found that she was ravenous. Not long after that, Fea''en was looking at the last remaining crumbs with a bit of regret. When the young hunter offered her a second sandwich, the craft master seemed determined to pace herself this time.


    -


    Angela finally got the show of excitement she''d been hoping for. Each time one of the other workers arrived, they stared open-mouthed at their surroundings. Even Jack was forgiven for taking a break from therapy to enjoy the workers'' reactions as they looked around at the wonders of their temporary home.


    As the other young and healthy argu''n, Tel''ron was the last to arrive. He and S''haar had been responsible for making sure the fire was properly out, everything they couldn''t bring with them was stored correctly, and the shelter was firmly secured before leaving. Once he arrived, his reactions made all the rest pale comparatively, and Angela got exactly the show she''d been hoping for, and then some.


    Even before his daze had worn off, the young artificer was inspecting various pieces of metalwork. Everywhere he directed his attention, he couldn''t help but poke and prod as he tried to understand the marvels around him.


    Soon, Angela''s only real fear was that the smith would never make it out of the entryway in under a week if he continued obsessing over everything that caught his eye. He spent minutes closely inspecting the detailed carvings of the lettering on the light panel. Angela had to lock the door as soon as he started fiddling with the door controls to try and figure out how the buttons functioned at all. With Angela''s permission, he ran a claw over several metallic panels, astounded at how hard the well-polished surfaces were. He knocked on walls to listen to the sound of the reverberations, and he stared with a slack jaw as she instructed him to carefully pull back a panel and saw the fine wiring and circuitry that typically lay hidden.


    He was finally drawn away from his inspections by some of the food and drink that waited for him. Tel''ron spoke with wonder clear in his voice. "I''ve obviously died in the deep freeze and am now in the artificers'' heaven! This place is a shrine to the works of the gods! I could study even the simplest of pieces contained herein for the rest of my existence and consider myself blessed to do so!"


    Angela was delighted to have another student eager to learn but decided it best to somewhat temper his expectations. "I''ll be happy to answer any questions you have about this place during your stay, but most of this will be of no real practical value to your people for many generations. That being said, I''m sure there are a few things I can teach you that will be of significant use to a smith like yourself. For example, most of the iron you have access to is something we call bog iron. It is a relatively low-quality iron. Let me tell you about a process humans once utilized called ''folding,'' it was used to purify similar iron where we came from. This was most famously used on an island nation called Japan..."


    As the evening wore on, everyone found themselves spending the most pleasant evening any of them had experienced since that first night of celebration when they''d arrived at the camp so long ago. Fea''en let herself drift off to a comfortable slumber in her new favorite chair. Lon''thul and the other two woodworkers spent their time on a series of checker games. Jack and Em''brel continued Jack''s therapy. Tel''ron sat at his new mentor''s feet, doing his best to commit every word to memory.


    During all this, S''haar stood off to the side, watching everyone find their place in Jack''s world. She couldn''t help but wonder if she would ever be able to lead anyone into anything other than more trouble.

 Chapter 41

    Jack''s ship had initially been designed to be a home for a family, but having seven argu''n and a human fill its space was definitely stretching its capacity for comfort. Fea''en shared a room with S''haar and Em''brel, but the rest of the workers simply found a spot on the living room floor to bed down.


    Another issue that quickly became apparent was that this number of unwashed bodies being bottled up in an enclosed space had certain predictable effects on the atmosphere aboard the ship. After a light breakfast, Jack decided it was time to address his guests. This time Angela translated but, to the surprise of the gathered argu''n, did so with Jack''s own voice. "Alright, I''m glad everyone was able to get here safe and sound, but this place is beginning to reek! Starting today, all of you will take turns showering, so my home doesn''t have to smell like some overfull stables any longer! Angela will happily show each of you how the shower works. So who''s willing to go first?"


    Everyone looked at Jack in a confused manner until Lon''thul voiced the universal question. "What''s a shower?"


    Em''brel took it upon herself to answer that question. "It''s like taking a bath under a heated waterfall. Honestly, it''s one of the greatest experiences this place has to offer, the only trouble is that you''ll have to keep your showers short so we don''t run out of hot water too quickly."


    With the girl''s endorsement, everyone suddenly seemed eager to volunteer. As the most senior worker present, the honor of the first shower went to Fea''en. While the craft master figured out the wonders of the heated waterfall, Em''brel organized the rest of the argu''n to clean the ship. S''haar may be in charge of the camp, but caring for the house was Em''brels responsibility, and she approached the job like a general directing troop movement. "Ok, Lon''thul, you run the vacuum. I''ll show you how in a moment. No, Tel''ron, if I let you do it, you''ll spend the whole time trying to figure the machine out and not get anything done. You''ll help with the dusting! Jan''kul, you help with the laundry and Nak''torn the dishes. If you all do a good enough job, I''ll make something special for dinner tonight. Sound good?"


    With the possibility of a special dinner cooked by Em''brel, any resistance faded away before it was voiced, and everyone took to their tasks. Angela did her best to explain what needed to be done to everyone, but occasionally Em''brel or S''haar had to step in to show someone how something functioned. Storerooms that hadn''t been touched since the ship had set down were emptied, cleaned, and resorted. The kitchen was made to sparkle, and as it turned out, the shower was a big hit. Several workers wanted to go a second time as soon as the water was re-heated.


    While all the excitement was going on, S''haar stepped in for Em''brel, helping Jack with his therapy for the morning. Jack had recovered well enough that she was mostly offering moral support rather than acting as a full physical therapist. The only real complication they ran into was when Jack had to tell S''haar she couldn''t help him as much as she wanted.


    Jack was shaking his head, trying not to laugh at S''haar''s expression of minor annoyance. "This is supposed to be hard for me to do. That''s the whole point! If I wasn''t pushing myself to my limits, I''d still be unable to feed myself or use the restroom. You have to let me exhaust myself if I''m ever going to get better!"


    S''haar grumbled with narrowed eyes, balling her hands into fists to resist the urge to reach out and help Jack as he did his leg lifts. "Fine, but I don''t have to like it! I''m supposed to be the one doing the heavy lifting while you come up with the ideas! I''m your bodyguard, after all!"


    Jack chucked through the strain in his voice. "I''m not the only one who has to come up with ideas now. You''re in charge of the camp, remember? Being both a camp leader and my bodyguard might be too much for any one person to handle, even you."


    S''haar''s voice suddenly had a dangerous edge to it, and a growl was evident in her voice. "That''s something only I get to decide! You don''t get to dump this on me, then tell me how I''m going to go about doing my job! Get used to me because I''m not going anywhere!"


    Jack relaxed his legs and held up his arms in surrender" Alright, alright, you win! It''s your call! Not gonna lie; there''s no one I''d rather have by my side anyway. After all, I think we work pretty well together."


    As Jack resumed his leg-lifts, S''haar looked at him with a stony upraised eye ridge. "Is that the only reason you want me by your side? Because we work well together?"


    Jack lost control and collapsed and sputtered a moment before being able to vocalize any coherent thought. "You know that''s not the only reason I want you by my side!" S''haar''s grin clearly indicated she did indeed know, but she waited for Jack to continue.


    With a shake of his head and slightly exasperated sigh, Jack gave in to S''haar''s unwavering expectant look. "Since I crashed on this planet months ago, you''ve been with me nearly every waking moment of every day, and a few non-waking moments as well. I quickly came to rely on you for your forthrightness and dependability. Before I knew what was happening, I also began to trust you as a friend. Then, just as I thought there might be a future for the two of us beyond simple friendship, I went and got myself nearly killed and lost in a coma for what seemed like a lifetime."


    Jack felt his heart rate increasing as he found himself getting lost in the eyes of the woman listening patiently as he continued. "While I was gone, you took up my mantle and continued the struggle on behalf of everything I had been working toward. You never walked away despite how long it took me to get back, and you were the first person I saw upon awakening. Even when you saw how weak and frail I''d become, rather than look down on me, you decided to encourage and support me as I struggled to overcome this new obstacle."


    Jack''s face was quickly turning that shade of red S''haar had grown to enjoy over their time together. "So yes, I want you at my side, and I want to be at yours, for however long you''ll put up with me. But I want you to be my partner, not my caretaker, and that''s one of the main reasons I''ve pushed myself so hard in my recovery, but I still have a way to go."


    S''haar looked contemplative for a moment as though judging the weight of Jack''s words. Eventually, S''haar reached out and pulled Jack into a very human-style kiss, probably inspired by one too many movie nights, before pulling back with that predatory grin that contained just a few too many teeth. "I suppose that''ll do for now, but eventually, I''m going to make you say it more directly than that. After all, a woman deserves to be told that she''s wanted!"


    With a slightly judgemental glance at Jack''s legs, S''haar changed gears quickly enough to give Jack a bit of metaphorical whiplash. "Well, since you''re working so hard to get better, you should probably get back to your leg lifts. I''m not going to be patient forever, so stop slacking!"


    Despite the joking tone to her voice, Jack couldn''t help but mutter something about some women being "impossible to please" before returning to his workout. Although he discovered that he suddenly had significantly more energy to push himself than he''d had moments ago. Whatever else he could say about S''haar as a physical therapist, she was undoubtedly an expert at the motivational aspect of the job.


    -


    Tel''ron was inspecting the shower somewhat dubiously. "So I just turn this knob, and hot water comes out? Enough to wash myself?"


    Angela nodded. "Yup, it''s really that easy! Once you''re nice and wet, there''s a bar of ''soap'' in there. Rub it on the small square of cloth, and then apply that to yourself. It''ll wash off all the dust and grime you''ve accumulated so far this winter."


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    The smith jumped a little at the sudden hiss of water when he turned the knob but quickly found himself drawn in by the steam emanating from the small cubic room. The area was already a bit cramped as far as 7-foot tall S''haar was concerned, so of course, Tel''ron really had to contort himself to properly fit, but once inside, he stood still, drinking up the warmth of the water passing over his hide.


    Once he was adequately warmed, the smith started inspecting every nook and cranny. Eventually, his eyes rested on the knob he''d used to turn on the water. He quickly realized there was another direction available with a shaded blue color. "So if this side makes hot water, does the other side create cold water?"


    Deciding to test his theory, the young smith flipped the knob in the other direction. Angela''s voice quickly boomed through the shower. "Turn that knob back NOW!"


    Tel''ron reached a hand out to do just that but was hit by a sudden jet of cold water, sapping him of all his energy. Though Angela was able to shut off the water to the shower, he''d already collapsed onto the ground, possibly hitting his head.


    Angela appeared before Jack and S''haar. "Tel''ron fell in the bathroom. I''m not sure if he''s ok or not!"


    They drew some odd looks as S''haar half-carried Jack into the bathroom in a hurry. Jack immediately started checking for vitals. "His pulse is slow. He might be injured..."


    S''haar took one look at the situation and chuckled under her breath. Turning the dial back into the red, she addressed Angela. "Go ahead and turn the water back on."


    Angela was still somewhat concerned but deferred to S''haar''s judgment. Once the water was running warm again, she shoved Tel''ron back into the shower.


    It took a few moments for Tel''ron to wake up with a sudden sputter, but Angela started laying into him immediately once he did. "You are to NEVER fiddle with anything on this ship without first asking myself, Jack, S''haar, or Em''brel again! If you EVER pull another stunt like this, I might just leave to freeze to death next time! You''re lucky S''haar was around to save you from your own stupidity this time!"


    S''haar was too busy helping Jack back out of the bathroom to pay the rant much mind, but it was loud enough that everyone else in the ship certainly caught an earful. When Tel''ron sheepishly walked out of the bathroom later, he was greeted by hoots of laughter and tumultuous applause from the rest of the workers.


    -


    The enticing aroma of Em''brel''s special dinner had each of the argu''n waiting at the table with salivating mouths. Whatever it was smelled better than anything she''d ever cooked for them before, and that was truly saying something.


    Jack and S''haar shared a conspiratorial grin since they were both aware of what was coming. Em''brel had run her plans by Jack since this was the last of his stores for this particular meal. As sad as Jack was to see it go, he couldn''t imagine a better time or a better group to share it with.


    Just when Jack was starting to worry that the workers were about to snap and run onto his kitchen in a feeding frenzy, S''haar and Em''brel brought over several steaming platers and placed the two largest in the center of a couple of improvised tables and a third, slightly smaller platter, in the middle of their own table. She explained what she was serving as the hungry eyes followed the movement of the platers. "So you are all aware, this is the last of Jack''s stores of steak from his homeland. This is probably the most tender and juicy meat you''ll ever eat, so everyone be sure to thank Jack for sharing the last of it with each of us!"


    Lon''thul held up a half-eaten new york strip. His voice was only slightly slurring around the large half-chewed morsel currently filling his maw. "Thanks, Jack, this is great!" His lengthy expression of gratitude complete, Lon''thul started biting off a second mouthful before he''d even finished chewing the first.


    Most of the other workers were a little more disciplined and managed their own brief expressions of gratitude before digging in as well. Jack was glad he''d gotten used to S''haar''s manner of eating a while back. Not long ago, the sight of 7 argu''n tearing away at a large pile of meat might have been enough to turn his stomach. Instead, he simply held up a slice of his own ribeye and said his peace. "Good food is always better when shared with friends and family! Eat your fill. Today we celebrate all the hard work that''s got us this far!"


    At least a couple argu''n showed enough conscious thought to share appreciation for his words through nods of approval. Though Fea''en''s nod was cut short when she had to slap away the hand of Lon''thul as he''d reached to take some of the steaks from her plate. "Try that again, and you''ll lose that hand!"


    Judging by his grin, Lon''thul''s attempt had been more about mischief than greed, but he seemed to know better than to test the craft master''s patience a second time.


    -


    Not long after dinner, the argu''n were all contentedly complaining about their bellies being so full they ached. Jack thought now might be the perfect time to introduce his guests to another way to pass the time. "Alright, now that you''ve all eaten your fill, it''s time I introduce you to a method of human storytelling. One thing I should warn you of first, long ago, humans mastered the art of creating illusions, and we use those illusions to aid in our storytelling. I want you to remember that much of what you will see is nothing more than a clever illusion, created solely for the purpose of storytelling and entertainment."


    Of course, it was Lon''thul who cut off Jack''s speech. "Yeah, yeah, we all know how plays work! I''m sure you''re going to add a human twist to it, but get on with it already!"


    Jack simply smiled and turned his attention to his sister. "Angela, go ahead and start the movie."


    A quiet voice spoke out from the large reflective black panel that was hung prominently in the room. "The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the Earth. I smell it in the air."


    Everyone was so enraptured by the soft voice that when flames first erupted on screen, Jack had to pause to the movie to explain that the fire was all part of the story and that his TV wasn''t really on fire. Then, he had to pause again at the elves'' appearance to clarify that there were no tiny people inside the screen. It was just a series of rapidly moving pictures.


    By the time the battle had begun, everyone was finally hooked and paying rapt attention. Jack and S''haar were seated comfortably on the couch together, with Em''brel sitting at their feet. Fea''en was using her new favorite chair. She''d been planning on letting herself doze off, but even she found herself unable to look away once the movie began in earnest. The rest of the workers were scattered about on the floor on whatever makeshift seats they could find, hanging off of every word and action.


    More than once, Lon''thul had to be told to sit back down when he lept up to attack whatever prey or monsters he saw on the screen. Tel''ron was almost as bad with all his questions about how this new marvel functioned. After repeated threats from S''haar and Fea''en to make the young males suffer if they interrupted the movie one more time, both eventually settled down to enjoy the film.


    There were a few more interruptions when Jack had to pause to the movie for bathroom breaks and to explain once again that no, Lon''thul could not hunt a balrog because they aren''t real.


    When the first Lord of the Rings movie came to an end, everyone protested, and of course, Lon''thul was the loudest. "What happens to Frodo and Sam now that the fellowship is broken? Who will stop Sauron? Are there really races of people smaller than humans? You can''t leave us hanging with the hunt half finished! Tell the rest of the story!"


    Jack chuckled as S''haar helped him to his feet. "That was just part one of three, and the other two parts are almost as long! I don''t know about the rest of you, but there''s no way I''m staying awake through nearly eight more hours of movie. We''ll watch some more tomorrow. Now, get some sleep!"


    At the mention of how long the rest of the remaining movies were, the room was filled with relenting sighs and grunts. As Jack hobbled to bed with S''haar''s help, Em''brel set about preparing the ship for the night or, to be more accurate, she told the workers to prepare the ship for the night. "Come on, there are dishes to be done! I''m going to need a clean kitchen if I''m going to make another breakfast for you lot! Two of you wash dishes, the other two clean the room and prep the sleeping area, now move!"


    Fea''en was recused on account of needing to rest her "tired old bones,'''' but the rest jumped to their assigned tasks when Em''brel threatened to have Jack hold off on showing the rest of the movies if they slacked off in cleaning the ship.

 Chapter 42

    Jack was pleased to see the next several days pass relatively smoothly. Once a routine was established, it simply became a matter of passing the time. Their mornings were usually filled with various chores that needed to be done to keep a relatively small area livable despite such a large number of inhabitants. The afternoon was typically spent playing board and card games, watching movies, and occasionally planning what they would do once they could resume working outside.


    Another week of physical therapy passed with only slight complications brought on by the presence of so many onlookers. It made Jack more than a little self-conscious but also gave him the drive to push himself a little harder and longer. Any comments that anyone might have foolishly considered making at Jack''s expense were quickly silenced by a glare from S''haar. Except, of course, the ones that came from Lon''thul.


    Jack was catching his breath after a light jog around the living room when Lon''thul walked up. As usual, he seemed utterly oblivious to S''haar''s intimidation tactics. "You know, Jack, seeing you push yourself to overcome your injury is really inspiring! It''s like we have a room full of Aragorn''s, Gimli''s, and even Gandolf''s," He nodded his head toward Angela as he said that, "and you''re like Sam, always getting back up no matter how many times you fall!"


    Jack raised an eyebrow at Lon''thul as he finally stood up straight. "Ok, first off, that''s a compliment. Sam is badass! Second, and I''m afraid to ask this question but... who do you think you are?"


    Lon''thul lifted a few head tendrils and whisked them over his shoulder while shaking his head dramatically to settle them in place. "That''s easy, I''m Legolas, obviously!"


    Angela was far too amused to keep her opinions to herself. As she floated over, she gave Lon''thul a measuring gaze. Her eyes went from head to toe, then back to his head, all while she perched the crook of a finger on her lower lip. "I don''t know, that''s not quite right..."


    With a snap of her fingers and a widening of her eyes, Angela''s voice took on the kind of excitement one''s does when making a significant breakthrough. "I''ve got it! You''re Peregrin Took! You are totally the type who would throw a rock down a well just to see what would happen!"


    Everyone within earshot broke out in laughter, but none louder than Lon''thul''s rival, Tel''ron. This, of course, drew Angela''s attention to the other young argu''n. "That would make you Merry! You two are perfect fits for the roles! I swear, keeping both of you out of trouble is a full-time job!"


    Now it was Tel''ron''s turn to look crestfallen as everyone else in the room laughed at the young argu''n''s misfortune of ending up at the mercy of Angela''s wit. Soon enough, both men recovered from their verbal whipping and joined back in the laughter.


    Angela took a bow in front of her audience. "Thank you, thank you, I''ll be here all week! Remember to tip your waitresses!"


    -


    Once again, Jack was pushing himself to his limits, this time with some free weights Angela had crafted for muscle training. They had plenty of iron sitting around, and she considered the energy used as an investment in getting Jack back in proper working order. The workers were fascinated by the idea of doing something for no other reason than to build muscle.


    Currently, Jack was trying not to be too embarrassed by the fact that the weight he could barely bench press was below what S''haar could curl with one arm. They''d found this out when Jack had pushed himself hard enough that he couldn''t reset the weights, so S''haar, who was spotting for him, had to lift them into place for him. As she began reducing the bar''s weight so Jack would do a few more sets, S''haar admonished Jack. "Don''t worry about what I can do. Worry about what you can do. Besides, comparing yourself to me wouldn''t be fair even if you fully recovered." To emphasize her point, S''haar flexed her arms the way she''d seen humans do in several movies.


    Jack admired her form before he sighed while bracing his arms to do the next set. "My brain agrees with you, but my gut still doesn''t like it. A lifetime of social conditioning doesn''t go away that quickly or easily. That''s ok though. I''ll just have to use that frustration as motivation to push myself harder, while at the same time working to overcome my personal insecurities."


    Angela was currently sitting on one of the weights. It slightly threw Jack''s preception off since his brain told him one side should be heavier than the other, but she''d told him that having to steady the free weights was better for overall muscle development than a more streamlined machine would be.


    Once Jack started lifting again, the AI decided to add her own two cents to the conversation. "Well, that''s very mature of you. Keep that up, and you might just become a fully functional adult!"


    Jack held his peace while he finished his set, then spoke up between breaths while his arms virtually dangled from their handhold on the bar. "Yeah, two things though. First, it''s easier said than done, and I''m not sure how much praise I deserve just for realizing something so basic I need to work on. Second, the idea of a fully functional adult is just a myth. You can take the single most self-sufficient man or woman in the world, and there''s always going to be an area of life they need help with. That''s just the nature of being a finite being in an infinite universe."


    Tel''ron was watching the goings-on with some interest. He''d already inspected the weight bench when it had been first brought out, and now that he was watching it in action, he had questions. "This device''s only function is really just to help you lift heavy things to build muscle? Is it common for humans to need to do something like that?"


    Angela hopped off the weights to address the question so Jack wouldn''t interrupt his exercise attempting to do so. "It''s much the same among humans as it is with the argu''n. Those who have the kind of jobs that require the heaviest lifting are usually those with the most developed muscles. Now, look around at all the machines in this house. With a heated stove, there''s no need to chop wood. With indoor plumbing, you don''t need to haul water. Having seen all this, you need to understand that this house is still ''roughing it'' by human standards. Where Jack comes from, humans don''t even need to walk between villages. They have machines that will carry you back and forth. Almost every physically demanding aspect of life is taken care of by machines now."


    Tel''ron''s head was spinning with the attempt to think of the kind of machines Angela was talking about. He tried to imagine something to carry a person between villages. All the smith could think of was a really long rope with seats, stretched between pullies like the ones Em''brel had designed for the well. He knew that it would never work for various reasons and suspected the reality was far stranger than he''d ever be able to think of on his own.


    Angela continued her explanation. "There''s even a word for replacing physical labor with machines. It''s call automation. The problem with automation is humans quickly found that they weren''t moving, lifting, or pushing nearly enough every day. As a result, they began experiencing a significant decline in fitness and health. So, of course, humans did what humans do and studied how to fix the problem. They came up with the idea of exercising. It''s the concept of doing a more intense physical activity over a shorter period to replace the day-to-day physical activities that were no longer a part of their lives."


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    As Jack finished another set, he collapsed onto the bench, unable to bring himself to do any more for at least a few minutes. Angela nodded in his direction. "The reason Jack is pushing himself so hard is that rather than merely maintaining a healthy body, he''s replacing lost muscle mass. That takes a lot more work, but hopefully, he''ll be in pretty good condition by the time spring rolls around."


    Tel''ron shook his head. "It almost sounds like all this progress just brings on more problems for you."


    Jack jumped into the conversation, finding this a great excuse to take a break from his workout. "Yeah, it''s been a bit of two steps forward, once step back, but overall we''ve still made a lot of progress. When our society was at a similar point in history compared to your own, only about half our children would survive to adulthood, and the average life expectancy of a human was only about twenty-eight to thirty-six years. These days, roughly forty-nine out of fifty children reach adulthood, and the average life expectancy is about a hundred and fifty years, with some people getting up to around a hundred and ninety."


    The room had gone quiet as everyone present stared at Jack. Jack was just starting to feel self-conscious, wondering what he''d said wrong, when Em''brel shot to him like a bullet, wrapping her arms around his waist while sobbing into his chest. "No! You can''t leave that early! It''s not fair! You have to hang around until I''m old and grey!"


    Jack did his best to console Em''brel while looking up to S''haar for answers. "Why? What''s the average argu''n''s lifespan like?"


    Fea''en is the one who spoke up from her chair. "Well, it might not be my place to interrupt, but I''ve lived through roughly two hundred and twenty winters so far. It''s not common, but also not unheard of for an argu''n to live well past three hundred."


    Angela was going a bit of math off to the side. "Even taking into account the differences in your planet''s orbit, that would still add up to about two hundred and eighty human years!"


    Holding a sobbing Em''brel while looking back at S''haar, who was now staring down at him with wide eyes, all Jack could offer was an eloquent, "Huh..."


    -


    It took Jack a good half an hour to calm Em''brel down and assure her that he wouldn''t go anywhere anytime soon. Still, that information bomb definitely put a damper on the evening.


    After dinner, Jack put on a movie. He immediately found himself sandwiched between two very distracted argu''n. Jack suspected that neither S''haar nor Em''brel was paying much attention to the film. Maybe it was the fact that S''haar''s eye seemed to be focused unblinkingly on some distant point far beyond the ship walls, or perhaps it was because Em''brel kept looking over at Jack, getting misty-eyed, then looking away again.


    When it was time to call it a night, S''haar helped Jack to his bed again, even though he didn''t need the help anymore. Once he was settled in, rather than say goodnight and leave as she usually did, S''haar crawled into bed with Jack, wrapping her arms tightly around him, locking him into a rather fierce embrace.


    Jack started to say something, but S''haar cut him off with a terse, "Shut up!" Her grip lacked any feelings of lust or longing. Instead, Jack felt like he was a teddy bear of some kind, being tightly held by a scared young girl to ward off whatever monsters might lurk in the dark.


    S''haar''s grip continued tightening until Jack started having trouble breathing easily. He decided to try once again. "Your grip is a little too tight!"


    His words were met with was another whispered, "Shut up!" but S''haar''s grip loosened just enough to breathe.


    After being held like that for a long while, Jack felt S''haar''s grip loosen a little more, and he listened as her breathing slowed enough that he was confident she''d finally fallen asleep. But when Jack tried to shift into a more comfortable position, he found that S''haar''s hold wasn''t going to completely let up any time soon.


    With a sigh and a whispered, "Well, this is my life now, I guess..." Jack let himself settle in as best he could. Despite the embrace''s discomfort, Jack couldn''t help but notice a sense of peace settle over him. This was totally different from other times he and S''haar had shared a bed. This time just felt right. Like some hole in his spirit had been filled. Eventually, Jack''s thoughts slowed, and he slipped into the embrace of sleep.


    In his dreams, Jack found himself back on earth. There was a gentle breeze, and he could hear birds singing and bees buzzing while a slow-moving stream provided relaxing background noise. Jack found himself floating over an older S''haar, who seemed to be visiting his grave. She alternated between grumpily cursing him for leaving her alone once again and laughing while smiling and telling him about her day. It was oddly comforting in a sad sort of way.


    When Jack woke in the middle of the night, he noticed that both of their pillows seemed strangely damp.


    -


    By breakfast, the somber mood from the night before had mostly lifted. Though Jack noticed, Em''brel still seemed to be stealing glances at him with greater frequency than usual, and S''haar seemed to be hovering just a little closer than usual. Still, at least the tears seemed to have mostly dried, and the smiles were slowly making a return.


    They were listening as Angela described the concept of a water mill to Em''brel and Tel''ron when suddenly the AI stopped speaking and got that far off look in her eyes as though she were listening to a distant conversation of some sort.


    When She refocused her eyes on the group, she spoke with excitement evident in her voice. "I think the freeze is coming to an end soon! It''s a few days out, maybe a week, but there are signs of a warm front approaching!"


    This announcement was met by a cheer, and everyone started speaking excitedly at the same time. Jack could only make out snippets of conversation going back and forth, but one thing Lon''thul said caught Jack''s attention. "Finally! This was a long one!"


    Turning his full attention to Lon''thul, Jack asked the young hunter the question that was bothering him. "How long was this freeze, relative to a normal one?"


    Lon''thul looked deep in thought when Fea''en answered for him. "It was a long one. I don''t think it was as cold as I"ve seen in the past, but probably the second or third longest I''ve lived through."


    Shifting his attention to the craft master, Jack asked the next question weighing on his mind. "How do you think the village fared? What condition are they in?"


    The table grew quiet as she weighed the possibilities. With a solemn voice, Fea''en answered. "Well, they''re probably alright at the moment. It''s likely only the oldest or weakest couldn''t get to the shelter on time, but as long as the freeze lasted, their supplies are probably severely depleted. The rest of the winter will probably be very rough on the survivors."


    S''haar leaned back in her chair for several minutes, eyes closed and arms folded. When she opened her eyes, she found herself the center of everyone''s attention. The room was so quiet, Jack jumped a little when she cleared her throat. Looking to Jack, her voice held the note of an apology. "I know there''s still a lot of work to do, but I want to put together an expedition to return to the village as soon as the freeze passes. We have the tools and ability to supply them with the wood and food they''ll need to make it through the rest of the winter. I know it''s a setback in your plans, but..."


    Jack cut her off with a raised hand. "Don''t apologize. That''s precisely why I want you in charge because you''ll make calls just like that one. Honestly, if you didn''t come to that decision, I was going to recommend something along those lines. We can save lives, and we should. We''ve got a few days before we can act. I suggest we take this time to plan how we''re going to pull this off!"

 Chapter 43

    One of the biggest problems facing the group was figuring out how to travel safely to the village. Even with the temperature soon to be on the rise, it would still be below freezing for longer than they wanted to wait. So all the snow that had piled up during the deep freeze would take too long to melt for waiting it out to be an option. The other problem facing them was how to provide the energy required to charge the heating packs while they worked.


    S''haar was looking at the snowshoes she''d used while getting to and from the worker''s billet. "can we craft enough of these for everyone?"


    Jack frowned. "We probably could, but those aren''t great for long-distance travel. As you noticed, they are considerably slower than walking and more exhausting to use, so we''d have to take a lot more breaks. It would take us the better part of a week to make it to the village using those."


    S''haar sighed, setting down the snowshoe. "You might be right, but it would be far better than pushing through the snow the whole way. At that rate, we might as well just wait for the snow to melt before leaving."


    Jack had his chin propped up by his hands as he spoke. "True, but I think there''s a better option. I''m thinking cross country skis. They are energy efficient, and once you get used to traveling with them, they should be quicker than walking."


    Angela offered a counterpoint. "That''s true, but you won''t be able to haul as much due to the decreased friction making a heavier load impossible to move. You''re going to have to haul food for yourselves so you don''t use any resources the village can''t spare, tools for gathering wood and hunting, and something to produce the power you''ll need to charge the heating packs."


    Jack stopped and thought a minute. "What if we split the load up? Rather than one large sled, we have each argu''n pull their own smaller sled."


    Angela hesitantly nodded. "That might work, but we''ll need to craft them all from scratch. It''s still far too cold out for the workers to return to the woodworking hall. They won''t even be able to get started until the freeze passes, and that''ll take precious time."


    Em''brel tilted her head to the side. "What if they worked in the cave right outside the ship? It''s still cold there, but the heated coats should be enough protection this far in the cave."


    S''haar nodded. "There''s just enough lumber leftover that we should be able to make a few smaller sleds. I can retrieve the wood and tools they''ll need with my suit."


    Creating three-dimensional images of the skis and sleds, Angela turned to Fea''en, who''d stayed silent up until now. "How long would it take you to craft enough of these for everyone here?"


    Fea''en squinted at the images for a moment. "What kind of dimensions are we talking about?"


    Angela put up an image of S''haar in between the skis and sleds for scale. Fea''en sat back with crossed arms. "Well, it would be quicker in an actual workshop, but even with basic hand tools, we can probably put together at least a couple sets a day."


    S''haar nodded, satisfied with the timeline. "We''ll need six sets, so that should be less than three days. That''ll work."


    Jack looked a little surprised at that. "Six? Even if we''re leaving Em''brel at the ship, we''ll need seven sets by my count."


    S''haar glared at Jack with narrowed eyes, her voice one small step away from a growl as she spoke. "You aren''t coming either! You''re still recovering, and you''d just be dead weight!"


    Jack looked surprised a moment before shaking his head with a wry smile. "That''s not a very nice way of saying you''re worried about me and that you''d prefer if I''d stay here where it''s safe. But I have to disagree with you. I''ll only be dead weight if everything goes as planned. What you''re forgetting is that regardless of how weak I am now, I''m still the only one here who can safely work in the cold. What if something goes wrong with the generator, what if another storm hits, what if, what if, what if? I hope I''m dead weight, that would mean everything went according to plan, but if things go wrong, I might be the difference between everyone getting there and back safely, or not at all."


    S''haar glowered at Jack, wanting to refute him, but found herself unable to find a good reason. "Fine, but I expect you to spend every minute up until departure pushing yourself twice as hard to get yourself into shape! I won''t have you slowing us down out there!"


    Jack waved off her concern. "Yes, yes, I''m worried about your wellbeing too. What you''re forgetting is that I''m literally built for this. Endurance strain is the one area I have an advantage over you argu''n. I may still be a ways away from full capacity, but I''m confident that by the time the freeze ends in a few days, I''ll be able to keep up with you, if not outright outpace you!"


    Lacking any further arguments to keep Jack back where it''s safe, S''haar finally relented. "Alright, seven sets it is. I''ll suit up and start hauling wood. Fea''en, have a list of tools you''ll need by the time I get back with the first load, and I''ll get those in the second."


    Fea''en nodded. "Sure thing. Dragon, can you give me a more detailed image of what the skis and sleds will look like?"


    As Fea''en and Angela started working on the diagrams, Jack helped S''haar suit up. "I know you''re worried about me, but you can''t just lock me in a tower and keep me safe. I''m no more a damsel in distress than you are. The world''s a dangerous place, but I''m not about to let you take all the risk while I sit back and twiddle my thumbs. We''re in this together."


    S''haar paused in suiting up and looked thoughtful for a moment before grinning mischievously. "You''re right. I should keep my eyes on you anyway. You''d probably find some way to get into trouble while I was gone, but you have to admit one thing. You''re just a little bit more a damsel in distress than I am!"


    It was Jack''s turn to glare. "Remind me again, who found who tied to a stake, naked, and ready to be sacrificed?"


    S''haar waved his point. "Oh please, you know I''ve saved you at least as many times as you''ve saved me, but I''m not the one who broke his foot kicking someone in the face!"


    The whole room was watching the playful bickering by now. This was some of the best entertainment they''d had in weeks. Of course, Lon''thul had to join in the discussion. "Hah! Way to let a woman put you in your place, Jack!"


    Jack felt his face grow warm, but S''haar merely developed a predatory grin. "You know, you could learn a thing or two from Jack. There''s a reason he''s the one I''ve chosen to share my bed, and it''s not just because he keeps it so nice and warm!"


    To emphasize her point, S''haar reached down and drew Jack into a rather intense kiss. For several long moments, Jack forgot all about his embarrassment. When S''haar pulled back, he was left pleasantly dazed.


    The room erupted into a chorus of catcalls and cheers as S''haar put on the rest of her suit and took off to make the first supply run.


    -


    Jack and Angela were debating how to address their power needs while Jack used the bench again. This time Em''brel was spotting for Jack. Angela''s jeans and t-shirt look was at odds with her serious expression. "We don''t have enough resources to make more solar panels, but you could unhook and take one of our current sets with you."


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    Jack shook his head. "Absolutely not! First off, I''m not going to deprive you of any more energy than is necessary. Second, their output isn''t as reliable as we''ll need. That''s one thing when you''ve got them tied to massive batteries like we do on this ship, but it''s a whole different problem when you depend on them for a direct charge. We need something that''ll produce the power we need when we need it. To that end, I''m thinking something more along the lines of a high capacity battery."


    It was Angela''s turn to veto the idea. "There''s no way I''m sending you all out there with something that has that limited a lifespan! It needs to be something that you can refill or recharge when needed!"


    Jack finished a set and put the bar at rest before answering. "What about an old-style fuel generator of some kind?"


    Angela looked thoughtful. "That could work. We don''t have much access to fossil fuels, but I might be able to synthesize a biofuel using the excess fatty tissue of some of the meat and some of the oil we can leech out of our plant stores. It''ll cut into our food supply, but we should have enough to fit our needs if Lon''thul can resume hunting again in a few days. The generator itself will be easy enough to craft. It doesn''t require any rare minerals."


    Em''brel was looking back and forth between the two, concern evident on her face. "What little I studied of fuel generators indicated the fuel was dangerous both in storage and in its exhaust. You even poisoned your cities to the point it harmed people''s health. Is this a good idea?"


    Angela addressed her concerns since Jack had started another set. "So long as everyone knows to store the fuel away from any fire, it should be stable enough that there is little to no risk to anyone. Although to be safe, we''ll keep it on a sled rather than having someone carry it directly. The fumes should pose no problem as long as the generator is kept out in the open air. What few contaminants they''ll be exposed to should be less dangerous than exposure to smoke from a campfire."


    Em''brel still looked somewhat skeptical as Jack finished up his set and caught his breath before speaking. "I''m not saying this is a perfect solution, but our options are limited, and everything we can do has some risk involved. It''s just that this is probably the lowest risk option available to us. With a bit of luck, we''re just being paranoid and over planning. I''d prefer to err on the side of caution, that''s all."


    Angela nodded. "Especially with your track record. It seems like every time you go out, you come back with some new injury. Maybe if we plan things out thoroughly enough, you''ll make it back in one piece this time!"


    Jack looked offended. "Hey, what about the second time we went to the village? I came back in one piece that time. Also, I only got nearly gored to death once while out gathering recourses. I went out dozens of times without any near-fatal injuries!"


    S''haar came walking up while pulling off her suit so she could warm up between trips. "You know you''re not winning any arguments like that, right? Keep that up, and I might change my mind on your presence on the expedition!"


    Jack was now facing three sets of eyes expressing varying degrees of annoyance at his joke. With a sigh, he relented. "Alright, alright, all joking aside, I am taking this seriously. Even if I wasn''t motivated by self-interest, my safety is the group''s safety. So you can believe that I''m checking and rechecking our plans in my mind.


    Angela spoke on all their behalf. "See that you do, and give me another set while you work on that!"


    With a sigh, Jack lifted the weights off the braces again. This was going to be a long few days.


    -


    Over the next several days, everyone''s biggest surprise was that everything went more or less as planned. The woodworkers got the skis, sleds, and poles ready. Em''brel helped Lonthul prepare the food and camping supplies for travel. Jack showed Tel''ron how to care for and operate the generator. All the tools were given maintenance and sharpened to be ready for heavy use. Finally, Jack pushed himself as hard as he feasibly could in his recovery, with S''haar and Em''brel taking turns to encourage and support him as needed.


    As Jack and Em''brel were finishing another set of exercises, Jack couldn''t help but notice the girl seemed distracted again. It took a little bit of poking and prodding, but eventually, he got her to open up about what was bothering her. "I just... I just wish I was going with you!"


    Jack looked at her with his arms crossed, and his head tilted as he tried to understand what she was getting at. "We''ve been over this. Because of the reason you were initially headed to the village, it''s probably best you avoid allowing yourself to be in a situation where anyone from the village has direct control over you. That could result in a power struggle none of us needs at the moment."


    Em''brel shook her head. "I know, and I agree, but I still wish I was going. The idea of staying here while you all go out and risk yourselves... It''s almost too much! After losing my father, then almost losing you, then finding out I might still lose you, I don''t think I could stand losing someone else again! Not right now! Not without doing everything in my power to help prevent that! I know you all are the ones taking risks, but weirdly, I feel like it''s my life that''s on the line..." After finishing her thought, she hung her head as if she was ashamed.


    Now Jack understood. He put a hand on the young girl''s shoulder, noting as he did so that she''d grown at least an inch since he''d met her. "That''s a relatively common phenomenon back where we come from. It''s called loss aversion. It can be challenging to understand, let alone deal with. A part of dealing with it is coming to realize that loss is inevitable. It''s one thing to make your head understand it, I think we all logically accepted it back when we were kids, but it''s something else altogether being able to come to really accept it."


    Em''brel nodded but kept her gaze fixed on the floor while Jack pulled her into a hug. "I wish I could say there was an easy five-step process to accepting it, but ultimately everyone has to come to terms with it in their own way. It''s not easy, but you''re stronger than you realize. You''ve already grown so much since I first met you, and I have no doubt that you''ll get through this a little stronger than you were before everything happened."


    When Jack tilted her head up to look him in the eyes, Em''brel''s eyes were brimming with tears. Jack gave her the largest, most comforting smile he could while he dried her tears with the sleeve of his shirt. "All that being said. Hopefully, you won''t have to worry about it for a long time to come. I''m not planning on going anywhere any time soon, and neither is S''haar. We''re covering all the contingencies we can think of, and between Angela, S''haar, and I, we''re paranoid enough to think of quite a few!"


    Em''brel finally smiled and laughed a little, making Jack''s own grin grow a bit more around the edges. He leaned in to whisper conspiratorially. "Besides, you''re not the only one with loss aversion here. Even if we take the headsets with us, Angela will need your help as much as you''ll need hers."


    Em''brel looked confused as Jack continued his explanation. "She puts on a brave face, but I worry about what will happen to my sister when I pass on, hopefully, many years from now. It''s been a great relief to me that our family has grown to include you and S''haar. There will be someone there for her for many years to come. I can see it now, aunt Angela, being there to help raise your children, grandchildren, and so on. She''ll be telling stories about her adventures with her crazy human brother and our adopted family for generations to come!"


    Angela flew right up to the two of them as they spoke. "Hey, what''s with all the depressing conversations over here? With everyone taking off tomorrow, we should celebrate tonight! We''ll have more than enough time to worry about them after that!" Em''brel laughed at that, maybe a little half-heartedly, but it was still good to hear.


    Sadly the steak was now gone, but Em''brel was able to whip up an extra-large batch of delicious stew that would store well for leftovers on their trip.


    Everyone laughed and played games. Even S''haar joined in. Albeit, not until she''d checked, rechecked, and triple checked that they had all the gear they needed and it was all secured and ready to travel.


    As the night wound to a close, Jack put on a movie. This time choosing one called "Dragonheart." At one point in the film, Lon''thul had to stop and ask Angela, "Why aren''t you as impressive as the dragon in this movie?"


    Angela didn''t say anything. Instead, the dragon pulled itself out of the screen and took a snap at Lon''thul''s nose. Unable to help himself, Lon''thul flinched back as the dragon faded and in its place floated Angela, with the dragon apparently returning to its position on the paused screen.


    Angela''s smile said it all, but she spoke up anyway. "Oh, I could be all big and scary, but I prefer lulling my prey into a false sense of security before I strike."


    Lon''thul laughed as he stood up and dusted himself off. His ego was only as bruised as his rear. "You know, if you put your mind to it, you might just make one of the best hunters I''ve ever worked with!"


    With a slightly flirtatious wink, Angela responded. "Oh, you have no idea, little man!"


    Eventually, everyone''s energy was spent, and they all dragged themselves to their various sleeping arrangements, spirits buoyed and ready to set out the following morning.

 Chapter 44

    The next morning everyone was greeted by the smell of the hearty breakfast Em''brel woke up extra early to prepare in anticipation of an early departure. When several workers started to clean the mess from the night before, she told them not to worry about it. "I''m going to have nothing to do other than listen to Angela''s lectures for the next several days. Having a mess or two to clean up will be a welcome distraction. You worry about getting out there and doing what needs to be done. I''ll take care of the house."


    As everyone finished dressing for the cold, Em''brel came up and gave Jack a hug that might have left a new bruise or two. "You take care out there! Don''t get yourself hurt being a hero. Let S''haar do her job and keep you safe. If it comes down to it, you can even hide behind Lon''thul! Do what you need to do to come back, and don''t let your pride get in the way! I expect you to be around to give me human advice for many years to come!"


    Lon''thul grinned, happy to hear Em''brel mention his name no matter the circumstance. "Don''t worry about a thing! Jack''ll be back safe and sound before you know it! I''ll stake my honor as a hunter on it!"


    Em''brel favored him with a smile before returning her attention to Jack, who was grinning as well. "I''ll be careful. I think I''ve had enough of being the hero for two lifetimes already. Honestly, I''m hoping S''haar was right, and I''m dead weight this time around. With luck, it''ll just be a nice peaceful walk with good company and beautiful scenery, followed by a relaxing stay at an inn where I sit back and relax while they do all the heavy lifting!"


    A familiar AI voice cut into Jack''s description. "Absolutely not! You are not to slack off in your physical therapy simply because you''re not on the ship anymore! I expect you to be out there helping in whatever way you can, even if your contributions seem negligible compared to the rest. If you''re not bone-tired at the end of every day, you weren''t working hard enough!"


    Jack backed up with his palms held up in surrender. "Ok, ok, no relaxing vacation for me! I promise to push myself as hard as I can!"


    Angela''s image followed her voice, her fists planted firmly into her hips as she stared down her younger brother. "You better! Or I''ll tell S''haar about a particular event involving a girl, a date, and an unexpected revelation!"


    Jack looked genuinely frightened this time. "I already promised I''d be good. No need to threaten me!"


    Everyone present seemed interested in knowing more, but when neither party seemed forthcoming, Em''brel moved on to hug S''haar. "Keep an eye on our human idiot. You know he''s going to find some way to get into trouble while he''s out."


    S''haar hugged the girl back and laughed. "He''ll probably find several ways to get into trouble, but I''ll do my best to keep him in one piece despite his best efforts. Even if I have to use Lon''thul as a living shield!"


    Lon''thul was pulling at one of his head tendrils with a look of mild concern. Leaning over to Jack, he whispered, "I''m starting to wonder if I shouldn''t be worried about my own safety while we''re out. They both seem rather intent in using me as a distraction if things go bad."


    Jack leaned in and whispered back. He knew Lon''thul wouldn''t understand his words but hoped he''d catch the commiserative tone. "At least they''re talking about you like a person. At the moment, I feel like they see me as some kind of lost, helpless pet."


    As the hug ended, S''haar looked over at the two men with a raised eye ridge. "What are you two whispering about over there?"


    Lon''thul and Jack straightened up and spoke simultaneously. "Nothing!"


    S''haar grinned as though she knew better. "Good, see to it that it remains ''nothing,'' I''ve got enough to worry about on this trip without you two working together to make my job harder!"


    The rest of the workers present shared a chuckle at the men''s expense. The stress and worry of the trip seemed to fade slightly in the light of the farewell antics. If they were confident enough to joke around like this, maybe everything would be fine.


    Eventually, everyone was prepped and ready to go. Em''brel stole one final hug from Jack before watching everyone leave. It was only after they had walked far enough out that they had become simple shapes moving in the distance of the cave that her smile faltered, and she turned and walked back into the ship.


    She allowed herself a moment of melancholy as she leaned against the now-closed door with her eyes closed. A few minutes later, she took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and smiled a little as she looked at the mess everyone had left after breakfast.


    With a half-hearted sigh, she stripped off the coat she''d put on for the chill of the cave and walked toward the mess. She intended to direct the frustrations of being left behind onto the dirty dishes'' grease and grime.


    -


    The first leg of the journey was slow going. Once everyone hit the snow and put on the skis, it took a while for them to figure out how to get the traction needed for moving forward. With a bit of trial and error and several laughs at the expense of each other, they were finally on their way.


    They traveled in silence, looking around at a world stilled by snow. Jack was quiet because this was the first time he''d seen the alien world so serene and peaceful. The argu''n were quiet because this was the first time they''d bothered to spare more than a glance at the snow-covered landscape. Usually, once it snowed, it was too cold for them to do more than spare the briefest of moments outside, and even then, their minds were usually somewhat sluggish due to the cold. But with coats, gloves, boots, and caps, the cold was held just far enough at bay that they could look around and appreciate the beauty of the winter landscape.


    Jack was traveling beside S''haar. When she finally spoke, it was with a quietly subdued voice, as though she was afraid that speaking too loudly would shatter the atmosphere around them. "It''s like we''re in an entirely different land!"


    Jack nodded, comfortable with the fact that no one but S''haar would understand him at the moment. "Yeah, this is almost what it''s like to fly between worlds, seeing all the different paths life has taken on each of them."


    Tilting his head to the side, Jack continued. "There was one world where plants never evolved, at least not like you and I understand the word. Instead, the closest analogies are a kind of plant/animal hybrid. The smaller ones hid at night, then walked out to warm themselves in the light of day. The larger ones just slowly migrated with the shifting weather of the planet. The whole planet is a bit like a bog, so deep roots weren''t necessary for finding water. The entire ecosystem of the world is balanced around these walking plants. It''s hard to keep a sense of direction with the whole landscape shifting from one day to the next."


    S''haar looked at Jack, wondering if he was having some fun at her expense, but his expression remained earnest as he spoke. Finally, she decided he must be telling the truth, which just made the whole thing seem all the more strange to her. She''d known he''d been to places she could never dream of. Once, he and Angela had shown her what her own world looked like from up in the night sky. The world had seemed so small and lonely that her mind refused to accept what she''d seen. In some ways, this story of walking forests was easier to accept. In others, it just sounded a bit like the priests of her village talking about some land of the gods.


    Jack took in the silence for a moment and grinned at S''haar. "You know, maybe one day I''ll get to take you out there and show you a world or two!"


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    He scratched at the back of his neck a little as he thought about that. "Though I suppose it''ll be a while, what with needing to fix the ship and you being in charge of the camp now. Maybe after you retire from the position..."


    With a lurch, that thought brought to mind the fact that Jack could very well be dead of old age before that became a reality. When he spoke up, Jack seemed to be thinking along those lines as well. "So ever since the other night, I''ve been wondering, how old are you anyway?"


    S''haar laughed a little sadly but shook her head and answered as best she could. "Well, to be honest, I haven''t kept an exact count over the years, but my best guess would place me somewhere around forty-five to fifty winters."


    Jack looked at her with a bit of surprise evident on his face. "Huh, and here I always thought you were a bit younger than myself. Though I suppose taking our relative lifespans into account, I''m still kinda older than you... Honestly, it''s all a bit confusing."


    S''haar looked at him with a bit of a wicked glint in her eyes. "What''s the matter? Would you prefer to share your bed with some innocent young thing instead of a woman with experience?"


    Jack laughed loud enough that he shattered the winter forest''s spell and startled the workers traveling with them. Catching his breath, he waved her attempt at baiting him away. "Oh please, you already know my opinion on that subject! But, for the sake of clarity, You''re the only one I''m interested in. ''Some innocent young thing'' could never be anywhere near as interesting a partner as yourself!"


    S''haar weighed his words and nodded in approval. "Good, now that I don''t have a ''climate-controlled'' room, I''d hate to have to give up my bed warmer just to punish him for being an idiot."


    The rest of the workers only had half the conversation near the end to go off, but based on Jack''s renewed laughter, they''d missed out on something good.


    -


    As the sun neared the horizon, S''haar called a halt so they could set up a temporary camp and get warmed up. They weren''t making as much progress as she''d hoped. The heavy loads they were hauling forced them to break often, and it was looking like they''d have to spend at least one night between the village and the mountain.


    When Lonthul protested that they should keep moving, S''haar addressed him calmly but firmly. "What good will you do anyone if we get there a day earlier but have to spend several days being treated for illness or injury that could have been easily avoided? We''ll spend the night drying our gear while getting warmed and fed, then we''ll resume our journey.


    Working together, it didn''t take the argu''n long to set up one of the larger tents they''d brought. Meanwhile, Jack worked on his own project.


    He jammed a sharp metal pole into the snow-covered ground. Frowning a little at how shallow he''d driven the rod before giving it another go, this time it stuck. Unfolding a small box, Jack flipped a few switches and waited while the device calibrated itself. After a moment, Jack''s headset came to life, and Angela''s familiar voice made itself heard. "Took you long enough! Were there any issues or complications so far? Have you put yourself in mortal danger yet? What''s going on?"


    Jack chuckled a little to himself before activating the headset and responding. "We''re all fine, no complications worth speaking of. You know you don''t have to ask, right? If there had been an issue, I''d have brought it up on my own."


    Angela snorted. "Uh-huh. Like I''d buy that. We both know you''ve hidden important things from me in the past to ''keep me from worrying''! Luckily you can''t lie to save your life, so I believe you...this time."


    Jack shook his head. He thought about pointing out that not everyone can analyze someone''s vocal patterns for even the tiniest abnormal inflections but decided to forgo the argument altogether. "Is Em''brel there? Can you put her on a moment?"


    With a sigh indicating disappointment that her argument was over before it had begun, Angela relented. "Yeah, just a moment."


    There were some scraping and staticky sounds as Em''brel put on her own headset. "Yes, Jack, are you there? Are you in trouble already?"


    Jack shook his head again, this time holding a hand just over his eyes as he did so. "Why does everyone assume I''m going to get into trouble as soon as I set foot outside the cave? I''m fine! I was just calling to check in and see how you and Angela are getting along."


    Em''brel''s voice came back a little sheepish. "Oh, yeah, that makes sense. I''m fine...and Angela''s fine too."


    Jack raised an eyebrow even though he knew no one would see the gesture. "You paused there. Let me guess, she''s been pacing ever since we left?"


    Em''brel hesitated again. "Ummm...."


    That was all the answer Jack needed. "See? I told you. She''s going to need your help as much as you''ll need hers."


    Angela''s voice cut in. "You know I can hear you both, right?"


    Jack ignored her and continued as though she hadn''t spoken. "Listen, do both of yourselves a favor. After you''ve finished your lessons for the day, ask Angela to show you something called a ''video game.'' Trust me, it''s just what both of you need to take your minds off of us for a bit."


    Em''brel''s voice sounded as if she was confused but didn''t want to question Jack''s wisdom. "O...ok..."


    Jack sighed. "Listen, whether or not something does go wrong, worrying about it right now won''t do any good. You worry about problems when planning to prevent them and again when dealing with them after they''ve arisen. But there''s a point between planning and action when worrying only takes an unnecessary toll on you. We''re at that point right now, so take this time to rest and recuperate so that if something does go wrong, you''ll be fresh and ready to deal with it."


    S''haar was standing nearby, waiting to make sure Jack got some food in him rather than spending the whole night talking. Listening to what he was saying, she cocked her head to one side. "Hmmm, that sounds suspiciously like something I told you a lifetime or two ago."


    Jack shrugged. "So what? Good advice is worth sharing!"


    S''haar walked over and leaned in so she could speak into Jack''s mouthpiece. Resulting in her lips being tantalizingly close to Jack''s. "Ladies, you''re going to have to let Jack go, or he''ll never eat his dinner. I''ll keep an eye on him, and we''ll call you back when we''re settled in for the night."


    Angela laughed. "Fair enough! Talk to you later!"


    Em''brel spoke up not long after, her voice more of a question than a statement. "Ok...over...end of message? Did I say that right?" That last part seemed directed more at Angela than Jack.


    Jack chuckled to himself and answered anyway. "Yes, you said it right. Over, end of message!"


    As the line went dead, Jack removed his headset with a sad smile. He also lifted the signal booster and packed it back away. The time might come where they could place many of these around to extend Angela''s range even further, but for now, the raw materials needed to make them were rare enough to limit them to just the one. So he had to bring it with him wherever he went.


    S''haar seemed amused as they walked back to the tent to join the others. "So, how are our girls? Are they in a panic yet?"


    Jack shook his head. "Nah, they''ll be fine. I think they''re both just what the other needed. In helping each other deal with their anxiety, they''ll probably forget about their own problems."


    S''haar arched her own eyebrow. "Oh, and what makes you such an expert with women?"


    Jack laughed. "Not women, anxiety. You live with it long enough, and it becomes like a roommate, complete with personality quirks that make no sense. One of those quirks is that it''s often easier to help someone else deal with their anxiety than to deal with your own."


    S''haar placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled, wondering if Jack was even aware he''d been doing just that during his call. "You don''t say..."


    As they approached the tent, Lon''thul''s loud voice called out to them both. "Food''s ready! You better get in here and get some of Em''brel''s leftover stew while there''s some left, or you''ll be stuck with dried meat and grains for lunch!"


    The moment broken, S''haar shouted back toward the tent. "Oh, there better be some stew left when we get in there, or else I know one hunter who''s going to be cleaning the latrines and dishes for the whole expedition!"


    Turns out, their fears were unfounded. Lon''thul was waiting for them with a mischievous grin and two extra-large bowls filled with steaming stew when they walked in. S''haar accepted her bowl with an exasperated sigh and a shake of her head. Jack took his with a laugh.

 Chapter 45

    When Jack woke in the morning, he found himself experiencing the familiar sensation of being crushed beneath a pile of limbs. Except this time, there seemed to be a few too many limbs. As he slowly opened his eyes, Jack quickly realized the light was far brighter than it should have been. If that wasn''t bad enough, his head was absolutely throbbing. To further complicate his feelings about the unpleasant morning, Jack found himself staring into the contentedly sleeping face of Lon''thul. With an exclamation of annoyance, Jack shoved the hunter away. "Uhg, get off me meat for brains! Your breath reaks!"


    Jack felt a presence shift behind him as a somewhat more effeminate voice (by argu''n standards) responded. "First of all, you''ve never complained before. Second, I''m going to make you suffer for calling me ''meat for brains!''"


    As he turned around, Jack saw all the other argu''n bodies strewn about, laying half on top of each other in an attempt to get everyone to fit in the tent properly. However, his attention focused on the grumpy waking form of S''haar, now towering over him even though she was barely sitting up. "No, no, no, I didn''t mean you! I swear! I was talking to Lon''thul! I didn''t even know you were there!"


    S''haar''s gaze darkened. "So you thought you were in bed with some random argu''n? Does our connection mean so little to you that you assumed you''d just gone to sleep in the arms of someone else?"


    Jack was starting to sweat despite the chill in the air. "No! I swear! I don''t remember much of what happened last night! My head''s killing me! I don''t... I''m not... I didn''t..."


    That was when Jack heard all the chuckling going on around him and noticed S''haar''s scowl had turned into a toothy grin. Rubbing the back of his neck, Jack felt his face growing warm. "Aaaannnd, you''re just screwing with me, aren''t you?"


    S''haar finally broke into laughter before explaining. "Sorry, you''re just a little extra easy to mess with in the morning, especially if you''re suffering from a hangover!"


    Jack started rubbing his forehead. Now that his panic had faded, the pain was definitely the focus of his attention again. "Yeah, that reminds me. Why exactly am I hungover?"


    S''haar''s expression returned to a harsh glare, but Jack was relieved to notice that it was directed over his shoulder to the hunter behind him. "Apparently, Lon''thul thought adding some of our mead to last night''s stew would be an excellent way to help everyone stay warm. You were halfway done with your bowl and quite drunk before I realized what he''d done."


    As usual, Lon''thul remained utterly unfazed by a glare that had cowed much larger and stronger men than himself. "Yeah, sorry about that, Jack! I didn''t realize humans were such pathetic drinkers. On the other hand, it was great seeing you with your inhibitions down for a bit! You even tried to sing an old human love ballad to S''haar! She refused to translate, but you kept singing something like," Lon''thul''s voice strained as he tried to copy Jack''s untranslated vocals, arms held out as though singing to some invisible woman, "Gish rome a roshe oon de greh!"


    Jack was mortified. At that moment, he felt like the world was spinning out of control. He wished he could return to the "fight" he and S''haar had been having a minute ago, or maybe the crash landing on an alien planet again, or even facing down a charging Kovaack for a second time.


    His body was still trying to decide between fight or flight when he felt a hand on his shoulder and heard S''haar''s quiet voice in his ear. "Before you think about running, you should know I kind of liked what I heard. Maybe one of these days you''ll sing for me again, but sober this time."


    Jack closed his eyes for a moment and focused on forcing his arms to relax, then his shoulders, neck, and back. He took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then released it. He opened his eyes to see everyone''s attention now focused on Lon''thul''s antics as he continued his impressions off to the side. Everyone but S''haar, who was watching him out of the corner of her eye a little too nonchalantly.


    Jack let the last of the panic fade with a grin and shake of his head as he responded. "Maybe one day, but you''ll have to ask a lot nicer than that! I usually don''t sing while sober."


    That was when a large coat found itself dumped on Jack''s head. Lon''thul''s voice could be heard from behind him again. "Alright, enough with the flirting, you two! We got a village to save! We can''t be heroes if we sit around in the middle of nowhere all day!"


    -


    After a lively morning, checking in with Angela and Em''brel again, a filling breakfast, and repacking everything, the group resumed their journey to the village. They made excellent time the second day, and even with a brief stop for lunch, they still arrived at the edge of the forest well before dusk.


    Despite their distance, the village was clearly visible even if it looked somewhat abandoned. The snow had piled up around the wooden palisade, making it look like it stuck out of the ground only a few feet rather than the towering wall it really was. There was only one smoke source rising from the village, though it was a rather large plume.


    S''haar was analyzing the scene laid out before them all. "They must all still be locked in the gathering hall..."


    Looking around their current location, S''haar started issuing orders. "Alright, let''s start doing what we''re here to do. Jack and Tel''ron, I want the tent set up near the tree line, so we''ll have a place to warm up while taking a break from working. Also, you''ll probably want to get the generator up and running there to start charging replacement heating packs. Lon''thul, go do a quick scout and see if there''s any readily available prey to hunt down. The rest of us, let''s make good on why we''re here and cut up a tree or two while we still have daylight. When we approach the village, I''d like to bring wood and food with us. That will make our intentions more clear than words ever could."


    When the group broke and went about their various tasks, there was an energy of excitement about them. They were about to take the lessons and tricks they''d learned working for Jack and apply them to the safety and protection of their friends and family. They pushed themselves just a little harder than they ever had back at the outpost. With S''haar utilizing the chainsaw, It took no time at all for a tree to be felled and cut up into a decent supply of firewood.


    Even Lon''thul had a bit of luck. His first two attempts using the snowshoes he''d packed had ended with the churlish leaping away before he could get in position, but on his third attempt, he managed to find an older churlish that was just a little too slow. The meat might be a bit tougher than ideal, but it was still fresh meat, which meant a lot.


    Eventually, every sled was filled with wood or meat, and they set off to enter the village. It was still a bit of a hike, and it only looked more abandoned the closer they got.


    The gates were too deeply buried to bother opening. Instead, they found a place where the snow almost reached the top and simply lifted each sled over the wall, one at a time.


    As they walked through the streets, they passed by many houses sitting abandoned, some with doors swaying lazily in the breeze. The place''s oppressive emptiness was nearly unbearable. The mood was only somewhat lightened by the pillar of smoke coming from the village center.


    Jack wondered how many bodies were currently buried under the very snow they now walked over. This was not how he ever imagined he''d see the village that had been so full of life and excitement the last couple of times he''d visited.


    As they neared the gathering hall, several voices could be heard from within. A few of the closer and louder voices were able to be picked out over the rest.


    "I''m telling you, the beast we heard down by the forest has left! We haven''t heard its cries for over a half-hour!"


    "Maybe, and maybe it just caught our scent and is hunting us now, did you think of that?"


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    "I don''t care either way! If we don''t get some more food soon, it won''t matter if a beast comes looking for us or not!"


    "And how are we supposed to get any food with all that snow out there? You''d die before you made it to the village walls!"


    S''haar walked up, loudly pounded on the door, and waited. The hall grew quiet.


    "It''s the beast!"


    "Do you really think a beast would politely knock?"


    "What else could be out there?"


    Growing tired of waiting, S''haar shouted as loud and clear as she could. Jack settled the hood of his coat over his ears to somewhat muffle the sound of her voice. "Friends and neighbors, we''ve come to you from the dragon''s outpost! We bring wood to feed your fires and meat to feed your families."


    It took a few moments, but eventually, the door creaked open. The first thing Jack noticed was the unbearable odor that hit him like a truck. He did his best to resist losing his lunch and fought back the tears brought on by the stench.


    Despite the fires still lit here and there, it was cold in the room. The only activity anyone could see was from those gathered closest around the fires. At first, Jack thought the argu''n closest to him were dead, but looking closer, he could see them breathe incredibly slow and shallow breaths.


    S''haar started directing the workers to deliver more wood to each of the fires and pass out the fresh meat to those looking hungriest. There wasn''t enough for a full meal, and those who got to eat were still left with hunger pains, but it was enough to buy some more time.


    As the workers began co-ordinating with the few still functioning guard with distributing food and wood, Jack and S''haar made their way to the center of the structure where the village lord waited. As they approached, Lord A''ngles called out to them. "Jack, how wonderful it is to see you again, and in our time of need no less! I admit I was concerned for your safety! Especially with apparently erroneous reports that you were gravely injured and possibly dead!" As he said that last bit, Lord A''ngles looked over at the woodworker who had left after S''haar had taken over the camp. The worker now seemed to be trying to fade back into the shadows for some reason.


    Jack shook the village lord''s clawed hands in greeting and responded, while S''haar translated. "It''s good to be back, Lord A''ngles, though I wish it were under happier circumstances. For the record, your reports weren''t mistaken. I was gravely injured. However, through the help of S''haar and the dragon, I was able to make a recovery, though admittedly, it''ll still be some time before I''m fully myself again."


    Lord A''ngles tilted his head and inspected Jack a little closer. "I suppose you do look a bit more worn than I remember, though I imagined that had more to do with a harrowing trip through snow-covered lands. To that end, it would appear that our entire village owes you a debt of honor!"


    At that statement, B''arthon, who had been sitting nearby, looked up at his father with a startled expression on his face before turning to glare at Jack through narrowed eyes.


    Jack merely held up his hands and shook his head. "I apologize, Lord A''ngles, but you are mistaken, though there is no way you could have known better. Upon my injury, S''haar took up the mantle of leadership of the outpost. When I woke, I found that she had done such an incredible job that we agreed she would continue to lead the camp, and I will remain in an advisory capacity. It was her decision, not mine, that led us here today."


    At this, Lord A''ngles let some surprise show through, and Jack even saw the corners of his mouth twitch slightly, though he couldn''t quite decide what expression had almost shown through. Almost immediately, the village lord regained his composure before turning to S''haar and bowing. "I apologize, Lady S''haar. I did not mean to slight you or your deeds. If I understand this correctly, it would appear our village owes both of you a debt of honor!"


    At the words "Lady S''haar," B''arthon reacted again, though this time, he appeared to recover a bit more quickly than before.


    S''haar bowed in return and spoke up on her own behalf. "There is no need to apologize, Lord A''ngles. Honestly, I''m still coming to terms with it myself. I took over out of simple necessity. No one was more surprised than me when Jack decided I should continue to run the camp."


    S''haar held out a plate of the best cut of meat Lon''thul had been able to carve off the churlish. "None of this would have been possible if you had not graciously allowed many of the village''s craftspeople to help us in establishing our outpost. It is still we who are in your debt."


    Lord A''ngles held up a hand to turn away the plate. "In my position as village lord, I fear I have already eaten far better than many others who have suffered through this deep freeze. However, I am sure my son could use a bite to eat."


    S''haar hesitated a moment before offering the plate to B''arthon. He looked at his father with surprise before shaking his head and accepting the plate and greedily wolfing down its contents.


    S''haar was just about to speak again but was interrupted when Tel''ron came running up. Out of breath, he bowed before the three who stood before him. "I apologize for interrupting my lord, but It''s my father! Jack, I need you to come look at him right away!"


    Lord A''ngels bowed to Jack, indicating that any further discussion could wait. Jack and S''haar bowed in return before turning to follow Tel''ron.


    Tel''ron led them through piles of hibernating argu''n, over to where one of the guard areas had been set up. Unconcious and lying on the ground was Ger''ron, the friendly old guard who''d always greeted Jack and S''haar at the gate. Unlike the rest of the villagers here, he was sweating profusely, and his skin had taken on an unhealthy pallor.


    The guard captain stood over him shaking his head sadly, his voice expressing regret. "The old fool kept going door to door, long after it was safe to be out. When he finally arrived here, he seemed alright, but he started getting worse after a few days. Eventually, a few days ago, he stopped waking up altogether. He''d been looking worse every day since then."


    Jack looked Ger''ron over. He was definitely fighting an infection of some kind. Peeling back the blanket released a strong smell that rivaled any in the room. The problem became apparent to Jack after he pulled the blanket off the old guard''s left foot, and the scent became strong enough Jack had to cover his mouth and nose to keep from gagging. The foot was half-rotted and black.


    Covering the foot back up, Jack shook his head. The foot had clearly been severely frostbitten, and after being left untreated for so long, it had progressed to necrosis. Now a fungus was eating away at the rotting flesh. He muttered under his breath. "That''s gangrene, this isn''t good..."


    Tel''ron gave Jack a look a drowning man might give to a life preserver thrown his way. "You know what it is! Do you know how to treat it?"


    Jack sighed, not wanting to get anyone''s hopes up, he explained as S''haar once again translated. "Yes, I know what it is and how to treat it, but this isn''t something to take lightly. The only chance he has is to get him back to the cave and cut off the leg. We''ll have to be quick about it, it will be excruciating, and honestly, the odds aren''t even in his favor. There''s a very high chance he''ll either die from complications before we get there or from the shock of removing his leg."


    Tel''ron looked desperate. "What happens if we don''t remove his foot?"


    Jack sat back, trying to remember lessons from long ago. "Right now, the gangrene has no access to his blood because it''s restricted to the rotting flesh, but if it reaches the bloodstream, there''d be no saving him. We don''t have the tools to do the job here. You can''t just chop it off with an ax, with all the trama, shattered bone fragments, and bleeding. You''d be better off just putting him out of his misery. His only chance is back at the cave."


    Tel''ron took a breath and nodded. "Ok, then let''s go!"


    Jack shook his head and put a hand on Tel''ron''s shoulder. Despite not even reaching the young man''s shoulders, Jack noticed he looked very vulnerable right now. "No, I''ll have to take him alone. I can travel safely in the cold, and I won''t have to take any breaks if I''m on my own. It''s his best chance."


    This time it was S''haar''s turn to object. "I can''t let you travel back to the mountain on your own! It''s suicidal!"


    Jack turned back to her with a smile he didn''t really feel. "This is probably the only time of year it will be safe for me to travel out there alone. Right now, there won''t be any raiders because of the snow. Also, I have my gun to handle any wildlife that might threaten me."


    Jack grabbed her hand and looked S''haar in the eyes as he finished pleading his case. "I might not be as strong as any of you, but I''ve got more endurance than all of you combined. Like I said, I''m his only chance. You stay here and save the village. Let me do this. This is exactly the kind of situation I came along for!"


    S''haar closed her eyes and thought for a moment before pulling Jack into a crushing embrace while whispering into his ear. "You''d better get there safely no matter what! If you do something stupid and get yourself killed, I''m going to follow you into the afterlife to kick your ass in ways you can''t even begin to imagine!"


    Jack hugged her back as he responded. "I fought tooth and nail to claw my way out of the land of the dead to come back to you all. I''m not going back there if I have any say in the matter!"


    After a moment, they pulled apart, and Jack returned his attention to Tel''ron. "Alright, let''s do this! Help me find a sled to strap him onto. Time is not on our side!"

 Chapter 46

    Tel''ron and Jack worked together to secure Ger''ron to the sled, tieing him down as tightly as they could without cutting off any circulation. Jack left anything that wasn''t necessary out of his pack, leaving little more than some nutrition bars, water, and a few spare heating pouches to swap out from Ger''ron''s blanket from time to time. S''haar examined the load with expressions of doubt and concern. "I still wish you''d pack a tent, a sleeping roll, and the mobile transceiver at the very least. You might need them!"


    Jack shook his head. "I''m going to make the trip in one go. We did it all the time during early winter. Even considering the dark and snow as factors, I''m still confident I can make it in twelve hours or less. If I''m going to succeed, I''ll have to keep moving. I''m worried that I might pass out on my feet if I stop even long enough to set up and activate the transceiver."


    As he spoke, S''haar looked less and less pleased. "You''ve already spent the whole day traveling and prepping the camp, and you''re not even fully recovered from your deep sleep. Are you sure you can''t wait until morning?"


    Jack looked back at Ger''ron, who seemed even more pale than a moment ago. "I''m not sure that he''s going to make the journey as is. If we wait, his odds will only fall further. Even if I tried, I wouldn''t be able to sleep with that knowledge weighing on me."


    Looking over at her, Jack gave her a more confident smile than he felt. "Listen, you''ll have Angela''s portable transceiver. Set it up and leave it on, and you''ll know as soon as I get there."


    S''haar looked down at the transceiver. Jack had shown her how to activate it, but she still wasn''t convinced. Jack pointed out toward the door they''d come through. "Come on, you can see me off."


    Tel''ron was kneeling next to his father. He seemed to be whispering words of encouragement and support as he gave him a final once over.


    Appearing to have run out of things to say, the smith slowly stood and walked over to Jack. Several emotions were warring on his face as he took a moment to decide what to say. "Be careful out there. As much as I want you to succeed, you won''t be doing anyone any good if you get yourself killed... Listen, whatever happens...I''m...just grateful you tried."


    Jack''s smile lost a little of its bravado, but he forced the last half of a grin to remain in place. "I can''t guarantee how this will end, but at the very least, I''m going to get him there. S''haar will keep you updated, so stick close to her if you can."


    Tel''ron had nothing more to say and instead gripped Jack''s shoulder and nodded before letting go and backing away. As Jack and S''haar approached the door, a couple of the guards opened it for them, their faces an odd range of thoughts and emotions.


    Jack and S''haar didn''t get very far before they found another surprise waiting for them. B''arthon was waiting outside with a scowl on his face. He was wearing a thick coat, with an additional hide wrapped around that for good measure, making him look almost as wide as he was tall. S''haar''s voice was practically a growl as she gestured sharply to him. "B''arthon, we don''t have time for any of your trouble. Get out of the way and let us pass!"


    The lord''s son looked as though he''d swallowed something foul. "Listen, I don''t like either of you very much."


    S''haar took a breath to tell him off more forcefully, but he kept talking over her. "But my father was right. The village owes you a debt of honor, which means I owe you a debt of honor. I''ve already got honor debts up to my neck, so I''m going to pay both of you back right now."


    Jack and S''haar were both shocked into silence. B''arthon almost sounded intelligent, a far cry from the petty brat they''d known up until this point. He turned to Jack first. "Up until now, you''ve been an outside influence. Sure, you''ve had a significant impact on the village, but you still weren''t a part of it. That all changed when you two came and saved so many from this freeze. By earning the entire village''s debt, you''ve become one of us, which means your influence is now a threat to those in power. You''d best use our debt to secure your position as quickly as you are able because you''re about to find yourself in a whole different kind of battle than you''ve seen so far."


    Jack couldn''t do more than blink in stunned silence as B''arthon turned his attention to S''haar. "It might have been my lips that sent you to be sacrificed several months ago, but it wasn''t my voice. Everyone in this village has a role to play, even me, and everyone plays their parts well. Everyone, except for you. Now here you are, ''Lady S''haar.'' That''s going to earn you far more enemies than friends."


    Looking back and forth between the two of them, B''arthon turned his head and spit on the ground before walking back to the heated hall. S''haar called out to him as he walked. "If not you, then who''s responsible?"


    B''arthon didn''t even turn his head, and Jack could barely make out his response. "I''ve already paid my debt. You figure it out from here." With those parting words, he walked up to the door and gave it three distinct knocks. As soon as it opened, he disappeared inside.


    Jack and S''haar looked at each other, unsure of what to do with this development. Was the village lord''s spoiled son just screwing with them in some new way, or was he serious? Looking back at the sled behind him, Jack sighed. "Well, I suppose none of that matters right now. I''ve got a journey to make, and you''ve got a village to save. We''ll worry about strange warnings from unexpected sources when we get the immediate emergencies dealt with."


    S''haar nodded, but the two walked in silence the rest of the way to the forest''s edge. The atmosphere between them was thick with confusion, worry, and exhaustion. Once there, S''haar grabbed hold of Jack again, though this time, she was careful not to bruise him.


    The silent hug lasted long enough to convey more than a few feelings between the two of them. Just as the moment was about to pass, S''haar pulled Jack into a deep kiss before gently resting her forehead against Jack''s, taking in one last moment of intimacy.


    When Jack finally opened his eyes, he saw S''haar staring back at him. She smiled and pulled back, looking like she wanted to hug him again, but knowing she had to let him go sooner rather than later. With her head tilted to one side, she finally spoke up. "You know, if you pull this off, I don''t know if I''ll be content with you merely warming my bed anymore..."


    Jack blinked, opened and closed his mouth a few times, but found that his voice had abandoned him. S''haar''s smile turned predatory. "Just a little something extra to motivate you to get there in one piece for once."


    This time it was Jack''s turn to share a toothy grin. "Well then, I guess I have no choice! There''s no way I''m letting that opportunity slip through my fingers! You''ll be hearing from me before you know it!"


    With a smile and one last squeeze of her hands, Jack turned and walked into the forest alone. As she watched him go, S''haar''s smile faded into a look of concern. When she spoke, her voice was swallowed by the passing wind. "You''d better get there safe... I won''t forgive you if you leave me alone a second time!"


    -


    Jack wasn''t very far into the forest, but already he was noticing how heavy his load was, both physically and emotionally. There were times when even human endurance wasn''t enough, and scouts like him knew that better than anyone. He took a moment to root around in his emergency supplies before he found what he was looking for, a couple innocent-looking tablets meant for when sleep wasn''t an option, and caffeine wasn''t enough.


    Jack had never liked using these. For one thing, they are incredibly habit-forming. Though, he supposed that being stuck on an alien planet with no access to refills meant that addiction was a self-solving problem. The other issue was the potential side effects of the drug. With the right combination of medication, stress, and sleep deprivation all mixing together, the list of side effects could range from simple blood sugar issues to visual or auditory hallucinations, or if he was really unlucky, an afib attack followed by a trip to the morgue. Although, in this case, that trip would probably end in some hungry scavengers'' stomach instead.


    Still, a life was on the line, and there was a reason these were standard issue to anyone in his line of work. Putting one tablet back in his emergency pack, Jack swallowed the other and chased it with a sip of water that was almost too cold to swallow.


    Shaking his head to wake himself up a little more, Jack put away the emergency kit and took out a nutrition bar to snack on while moving.


    -


    When Jack had passed through the forest on the way to the village not long ago, he remembered thinking how serene and quiet it had been. The only sounds for much of the journey were the gentle crunching of snow under skis and the occasional loud comments from Lon''thul. Now that he was retracing his journey alone at night, the forest seemed to be filled with a multitude of sounds, coming from somewhere just beyond his line of sight.


    That soft footfall to his left was probably just the settling of some melting snow. The crunch of a twig was obviously must really be ice cracking. That howl in the distance... Ok, that was really an animal howling, but it was pretty far away and probably had nothing to do with Jack. The fact that the sled Jack was pulling made it sound like someone was always just a few steps behind him wasn''t helping either.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    To further complicate things, Jack''s line of sight was limited to a cone of light projected by a pocket mounted flashlight. As he moved, it caused all the shadows to shift and dance around him, making Jack feel like he was on the set of some sort of horror movie. He would have liked to have carried the flashlight in his hand for a greater degree of control, but he felt it was more important to keep both hands free, just in case.


    Jack noticed his heart was pounding. Was that just the medication, or had his subconscious picked up on something he''d missed? Jack checked his compass to make sure he wasn''t walking in circles before continuing forward with a slight course adjustment.


    Jack focused on the path forward, trying to ignore the frozen nighttime forest moving in on him.


    -


    By Jack''s estimation, despite feeling like he''d been walking all night, he really had only been at it five hours. That meant he wasn''t even halfway yet. Every muscle in his body screamed in agony and exhaustion. He remembered hearing from his more athletic acquaintances that if you pushed through the pain long enough, it would eventually start to fade or even become euphoric. That didn''t seem to be happening with Jack, though, much to his annoyance.


    Jack stopped for a minute to change out the heating pouches in Ger''ron''s blankets. Or at least he only meant to stop for a minute. He was startled to find himself snapping awake on his knees. With a sudden burst of adrenalin, born from the realization of what had just almost happened, Jack shot back to his feet. It even gave him enough of a boost to get his momentum going again, but only a few moments later, the effect was already giving way to exhaustion once again.


    Jack considered taking another tablet but worried that the risk might outweigh the benefit this time. Instead, he took another ice-cold drink of water and munched down another bar, hoping his body would know what to do with the fuel he''d just given it.


    He might be warm-blooded, but this many hours out in the cold was definitely having an effect on him. He wasn''t sure when he''d started shivering, but he stuck one of the warming pouches inside his jacket to conserve a bit of energy. A new problem presented itself when as soon as the shivering was gone, the exhaustion returned two-fold. Jack felt his shoulders slumping, and his eyes started to droop once again.


    That was when he heard a familiar voice by his side. "Hello again."


    Jack didn''t even turn his head. He just kept moving forward. However, the voice wasn''t so easily deterred. "What is it with you and not greeting your guests? Is this some human custom I''m not familiar with?"


    Jack pushed on stubbornly for a few more moments before giving in and answering, though he still refused to look toward the source of the voice. "No, I just don''t think responding to an auditory hallucination is very wise. If I do, the visual hallucinations are probably next."


    The voice sounded amused this time. "Why do you refuse to believe I''m real? Why don''t you trust your own senses?"


    Jack continued looking forward, grinning sardonically. "Oh, there are many reasons my senses would betray me. Last time it was oxygen deprivation and brain damage. This time it could be stress, lack of sleep, or that little tablet I took not so long ago that literally alters the chemicals in my brain."


    Against his better judgment, Jack finally glanced toward the source of the voice. There, walking beside him, was S''haar. Except this S''haar was taller than an argu''n male, had star-filled eyes with no iris, and left no trace of her passage in the snow, almost as if she was floating a hair''s breadth above the ground.


    Not-S''haar gave Jack a smile that warmed his heart as she laughed at his expression. "You are such an interesting little mortal! I must admit, I never thought you''d make it out of my realm alive. I thought for sure that the leap of faith was your breaking point, but you delighted me when you proved me wrong! Yet here you are again, walking the knife''s edge between your world and mine. One wrong step and you''ll slip off the path you''ve chosen, and you''re risking everything just to keep some old soldier you hardly even know from my embrace."


    Jack raised an eyebrow at the goddess. "Last time you were complaining that I forced ''your children to return to you early,'' this time you''re complaining because I''m keeping one from your presence a little longer? At the risk of angering a god, isn''t that a bit hypocritical?"


    Not-S''haar paused and looked surprised. Jack merely shrugged as he pushed forward. "Listen, I''m kinda in the middle of a life or death journey at the moment. I''m still not fully recovered from the events that led to our first meeting, I''m exhausted, and now I''m apparently hallucinating. If you want me to grovel before your divine presence, you''ll have to come back when I''m less fatigued, and there''s not another life in the balance."


    Everything was quiet a moment before Jack spoke again with a slightly apologetic tone to his voice. "Sorry, hallucination or not, that came out a little harsher than I intended. Although I can''t help but notice that this time you do seem a little less... divine?"


    Looking over at Not-S''haar, Jack saw that her smile hadn''t faded in the least. When she spoke, her voice held the promise of comfort and warmth. "You are correct. Last time you were in my realm, you witnessed me in my actual form, or as close to it as your mortal mind could comprehend. This time I''m in your mortal realm, so my presence is somewhat diminished, and you see me in your mind''s chosen form. Now that I''ve answered your questions, will you answer mine? Why are you struggling so hard to keep this one from the gifts I offer?"


    Jack walked on in silence as he organized his thoughts. Not-S''haar seemed content to walk beside him in perfect silence, waiting for his answer. Eventually, Jack''s voice broke the stillness of the forest again. "I don''t know for sure. Maybe it''s because I know him and his son. Maybe I''ve seen too much death recently and refuse to sit back and watch more. Maybe it''s just human nature.


    When Jack spoke this time, he turned his attention back to the path ahead of him again. "For much of human history, we''ve had a very different idea of death than the one you offer. We thought of death as an enemy to be fought at every turn. We always knew that you, or your human equivalent, would win eventually. But every moment we stole from you was a victory to be celebrated. We worked tirelessly, growing food to fend off hunger, building walls to stave off danger, developing medicines to fight off disease. On and on we fought, we lived, and we thrived."


    Turning to face Not-S''haar again, Jack smiled. "Or maybe it''s some other convoluted reason I don''t fully understand. The brain is a messy thing. Our motivations often hide behind self told lies and confusion. All I know for certain is I refuse to give this man up without a fight."


    At that moment, the forest and everything in it faded away, leaving only Jack and Not-S''haar. As she approached Jack, he felt warmth and love radiating toward him. "What a beautiful soul you are. Come join me in the heavens, and you''ll know nothing of the pain or suffering of this world any longer."


    As she took another step toward Jack, he felt himself getting lost in the infinite beauty hidden within her eyes. In them, he saw peace and happiness. As she bent down to him, Jack saw the faces of lost loved ones waiting to greet him once again. As her lips approached his, Jack bore witness to the kind of eternal beauty that no mortal was meant to glimpse.


    Jack sat frozen at that moment for an eternity. He was tired physically, mentally, and spiritually. In death''s eyes, he saw the promise of peace and serenity and an end to his suffering. Only a few small yet essential things were missing from within that which she offered him.


    Jack closed his eyes and saw Angela tormented, never knowing what had happened to her little brother. He let his head fall as he envisioned Em''brel sobbing over another empty grave. Jack took a ragged breath and saw S''haar, the real S''haar this time. Once again, she had her forehead resting against his, with her eyes locked onto Jack''s, but this time they were filled with fear. Her voice was a ragged whisper of a plea. "Don''t leave me again."


    Jack shook his head. With a sad smile and tears in his eyes, he turned away from Not-S''haar. Summoning every last scrap of willpower he possessed, Jack lifted his foot and stepped away from the promise of death. The second step was more manageable, and the third even more so. Soon, Jack was once again walking through the forest. "If it''s all the same to you, I think I''ll keep suffering a little longer. I''ve got things that only I can do, and people waiting for me. My journey doesn''t end here."


    The only response was the faintest of voices fading into the night. "Such a marvelous soul. I can''t wait to see your story unfold..." Then everything the lady offered began to fade from his thoughts. It was like waking from a dream. It was as though it had been too much for a mortal mind to hold onto. Soon, he was left with only vague feelings of loss and sadness at what he''d given up.


    Everything was utterly silent for a few more moments before a harsh crackle broke through the headset Jack had forgotten he was wearing, followed by a voice so beautiful it brought tears to his eyes. "I think I''m getting a reading on him at last! Jack, is that you? Can you hear me?"


    He must have been walking in a daze for longer than he realized because Jack found himself at the edge of the forest, shielding his eyes from the light of the rising sun. He grinned and answered. "Yes, Angela, it''s me. I can hear you."


    The voice that returned was filed with accusation and fury. "OF ALL THE IDIOTIC, HAIR BRAINED, HALF BAKED IDEAS YOU''VE EVER COME UP WITH, THIS IS THE WORST! WHEN S''HAAR CALLED AND SAID WHAT YOU WERE DOING, I SWORE..."


    Jack cut her off with a smile in his voice. "It''s good to hear from you too. It''s been a long night, we''ve got a patient who needs immediate attention, and I''m beyond any known definition of exhausted. Let me get some sleep, and you can lecture me in the morning, ok?"


    Angela''s voice was sulking but also greatly relieved as she responded. "Fine, but this isn''t over!"


    At that moment, Jack thought of something. "Oh, hey, is S''haar available on her end? Can you patch me through?"


    Angela sighed. "Sure, just a moment."


    Jack walked on in silence until he heard the static of another headset being picked up. "Jack, is that you? Are you ok? A little bit ago, I felt... I felt as if I was about to lose you!"


    Upon hearing the real S''haar''s voice again, Jack''s smile grew so wide it was almost painful. "Well, I''m here, and I''m safe. But before I go inside and pass out from exhaustion, I just wanted to call and say one important thing."


    S''haar''s voice was laden with confusion and concern. "What could be so important at this moment?"


    Jack hesitated a moment before choking down the lump of fear that had taken hold in his throat. "I just wanted to say, I love you!"


    S''haar was silent for just long enough for Jack''s confidence to waver, but when she finally replied, her voice was heavy with emotion. "I love you too, my crazy, stupid, brave human. Now get some rest. You''ll need it when I return."

 Chapter 47

    By the time Jack made it to the cave entrance, Em''brel was waiting for him. A firm hug was followed by her giving him a quick head to toe examination. Em''brel''s intense look of concern was utterly lost on Jack, who was half asleep on his feet and only aware of the world around him in the loosest definition of the words.


    Em''brel helped Jack out of the harness and took over, dragging the sled the rest of the way into the cave. Once inside, Jack stumbled over to his room and collapsed on the bed. He didn''t even get his head as far as the pillows. Em''brel unstrapped Ger''ron from the sled and dragged him over to the med bay. With some difficulty, she hefted him up onto the bed Angela directed her to, making sure he was situated correctly for whatever Angela had in mind.


    One look at the man told Em''brel he faced certain death, or he would have if not for Angela and the ship. One of his feet was shriveled and blacked, and several toes had fallen off. The rotting flesh was peeling back from the remaining jutting bones that once held the toes in place.


    The only movement that came from the old guard was his constant panting, which seemed to indicate he was overheating, despite the relatively cool room. His coloration was pale, and his skin clung to his bones in a way that suggested a combination of severe hunger and dehydration.


    Em''brel looked over to Angela with concern. "Can you save him?"


    Already many of the machines in the room were starting to obey whatever arcane commands Angela was silently giving them. The AI was wearing the long white coat she often wore in the med bay and looked as though she was intensely focused on the task. She was staring with one arm crossed over her body, holding up the other arm who''s hand was resting on her chin with the knuckle of her index finger resting just beneath her lips. "Honestly, I don''t know. I''m not sure how well an argu''n body can handle this level of stress. First of all, I have to amputate his foot. The shock of that procedure alone might kill him."


    Angela took a deep sigh and continued. "On top of that, his body is wracked by several secondary infections caused by his exhausted immune system. Then there are all the other stresses of his body being too cold for too long and lacking proper nutrition and hydration. Honestly, it doesn''t look good, but with everything we''ve got at our disposal here, and not a small amount of luck, he has a fighting chance."


    Em''brel had only seen Angela this focused once before when she''d worked on Jack after he''d been run through. "Is there anything I can do to help?"


    Angela spared her a brief glance. "Thank you, but no. Not right now, anyway. If he survives through the surgery and initial recovery, you may have to reprise your role as a nursemaid for a while, but for now, you might as well look in on our brave idiot human. That journey probably took everything he had out of him, and then some."


    Knowing the old warrior was in the care of the best healer on the planet, Em''brel left to check on Jack. Walking into the room and seeing him struggling to pull off his mud-splattered boots in a drunken sort of haze, Em''brel shook her head at the hapless male.


    She walked over to him and started helping him out of the tangled mess he''d made of his clothing, ignoring his pathetic protests that he could manage it on his own. Before he''d recovered his motor functions, she''d helped him similarly plenty of times, and this hardly seemed like the time to suddenly become squeamish about such things.


    That done, Em''brel half carried the stumbling man over to the tub in his adjoining bathroom and helped him get adequately cleaned. The hardest part about the bath was keeping his head above water since he kept nodding off, only to shoot awake when water was dumped on his head to rinse off any soap or shampoo.


    Once he was done and toweled off, she helped him into some of his sleepwear and tucked him into bed. Jack was firmly asleep before she''d even gotten the blankets in place on top of him.


    Her self appointed duty complete, Em''brel went back to the med bay to check on Angela and their guest. Angela made her wash up and wear a mask and gown to enter the room and even then kept her on the other side of a clear divider.


    Once inside, Em''brel could see the man''s leg had already been removed at the first knee, and Anglea had many delicate instruments manipulating, injecting, and tieing off portions of the exposed muscle and sinews. Once she seemed satisfied with what was done, she took a loose flap of skin and wrapped it around the amputated limb before sewing it closed with thread.


    Em''brel remembered enough from Jack''s surgery to know that the steady beeping she was hearing was a good sign. "So he''s ok?"


    Angela''s avatar reappeared before the girl. "I''m cautiously optimistic. He made it through the worst part, but he''s far from out of the woods. The real question is, now that the initial cause of his condition has been removed, does he regen his strength, or has his body been pushed too far, and as a result, he simply never recovers. All we can do now is pump him full of antibiotics and nutrients and let him rest. The rest is up to him."


    Looking at his face, the guard''s expression looked more at peace than before. Em''brel wasn''t sure if that was a sign of recovery or acceptance but figured, either way, it was better than the look of pained torment he''d had before.


    -


    Aside from a sleepless night spent worrying about Jack, things were going relatively well for S''haar. With the human tools and heated coats, they produced wood fast enough to meet the village''s demands with more to spare.


    Initially, S''haar had been worried about Lon''thul''s ability to hunt enough food for the villagers, but Fea''en had agreed to loan her coat to Lon''thul''s father, Dek''thul. Though only after she lectured him. "You take better care of that coat than you do your own skin! If you bring it back with so much as one scratch on it, you''ll provide me fresh meat for a year as compensation. If you lose or ruin it, you''ll be feeding me for the rest of my life, you hear me?"


    It was odd to see someone so unintimidated by the hunter chief. Many of the villagers found his presence unsettling despite his congenial nature. There was just something off-putting about a man who walked so closely with death.


    The only one who didn''t seem nonplused by the display was the hunter chief himself. "Of course, Lady Fea''en, I shall guard it with my life! I must admit, I''m quite looking forward to hunting in the deep snow. This will be a whole new hunt for me, and I''m curious about what I''ll learn from it!"


    Whatever lessons he needed to learn, he must have learned them quickly. With Dek''thul and Lon''thul working side by side, the meat poured in with surprising abundance. At the rate they were going, there wouldn''t be a hungry mouth left in the village by the end of their second day working together.


    The snow was melting steadily, and S''haar suspected their services wouldn''t be needed for longer than a few more days at most. She was eager to get home and see Jack again, but she''d just have to look forward to her next call home for now.


    -


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    Ger''ron woke up in the strangest place he could have imagined. Looking around, every surface was metallic, grey, or white, he was sure this was the afterlife, and he was in the realm of the gods, but when he tried to sit up, he found he was strapped onto his bed.


    After struggling against his bonds some more, the old guard called out. "Hello? Is anyone there? Where am I? What''s going on?" No answers seemed forthcoming.


    He was further displeased to note he did not possess the body of his youth the way the priests in the village had promised, and in fact, most of his aches and pains were as bad, if not worse than when he lived. Especially the foot that had been acting up before he''d died. Ger''ron had renewed his struggles when a portion of the wall seemed to open, and in walked a young argu''n woman.


    Seeing him strain against his bonds, she walked over and placed two hands against his chest, though she didn''t push him back into the bed as he''d expected. Instead, it felt more like her action was a request rather than an order. "Please relax, master guardsman. You''ll be released shortly, but first, a few things must be explained to you."


    As he looked closer at this woman, Ger''ron realized she was relatively young, probably a bit younger than his son. Something in her gentle demeanor took the fight right out of him, causing him to relax back into the bed. For the moment, there was no concern for danger or the future, just confusion. "Are you... are you an angel?"


    The girl looked confused a moment, then looked around the room and smiled to herself before replying. "No, I''m not, and you''re not dead either, though I can see why you might think that. I''m Em''brel, and you are a guest in the home of Jack."


    Ger''ron''s face twisted as his confusion deepened. "Wait, Jack''s house? As in Jack, S''haar''s visitor? I''m at the mountain? How''d I get here? Why am I here?"


    A thousand other questioned bubbled up in his mind as the girl, Em''brel, he reminded himself, held up a hand to stave off any further questions. "After the freeze ended, Jack and S''haar left on an expedition with the other workers to help the village recover from the effects of the long freeze. When they got there, you were very sick and hadn''t woken up for several days. Everyone was sure you were soon to pass, but Jack knew of a way to possibly save your life. Long story short, he brought you back to his house and healed you, though not without a heavy price to yourself."


    Ger''ron''s eyes narrowed. "What kind of price must I pay for this healing?" Waving his hands around to indicate the room, he continued. "What kind of price can I pay that would have any meaning? Compared to this room, all that have is worth nothing!"


    Em''brel tilted her head to the side in thought. "Perhaps that was a poor choice of words. I don''t believe Jack expects you to pay anything. You were treated out of a desire to be a good neighbor to the village and as a favor to your son, with whom Jack''s become good friends. Instead, I meant it already cost you quite a bit. By the time Jack got you back here, your foot was already dead and taking you with it. To save your life, he had to cut off your foot."


    Ger''ron shook his head. "That''s impossible. I can feel my foot even now! It may hurt, but it''s clearly there!"


    That was when Jack came walking in. He''d gotten there just in time to hear the last of what the old guard had said before replying something unintelligible, which Em''brel translated for him. "He says that''s something called ''phantom limb pain.'' Apparently, it''s relatively common in recent amputees, though it often fades over time."


    Jack pulled up a chair and sat next to Ger''ron. The human looked disheveled, as though he''d just woken up before walking in here. His head tentacles were a mess, and he seemed to be trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. Giving the guard a brief once over, Jack spoke again, while Em''brel stood back in a respectful pose and continued to translate. "So aside from the foot, how are you feeling? Any other unusual aches or pains, difficulty breathing, blurred vision, or anything else out of the ordinary?"


    Ger''ron was a bit taken aback. Sure, he''d spoken with Jack on multiple occasions, and he seemed quite close and relaxed around S''haar, his old student, but he seemed far too casual as he addressed Ger''ron. In contrast, Em''brel was almost too formal, as if she was speaking with a visiting dignitary of some sort. When he responded, the frustration and anger in his voice were plain to hear. "I''m fine. Though if you really did cut off my foot, you might as well have let me die! What''s an old guard going to do with one foot? I''m too old to go learning some new trade. There was no point to any of this!"


    Having said his piece, Ger''ron deflated back into the bed, somewhat annoyed his bindings kept him from rolling over and going back to sleep.


    Jack had looked a bit startled at his outburst, then settled into a look of impatience. "Well, I''m not sure your son would agree. Setting that aside, there''s also the lifetime''s worth of skills and knowledge you''ve acquired. Even if you can''t fully utilize it anymore, you can certainly teach it to those who can. If your village isn''t interested in you, I''m certain we''ve got a job you can do here in return for food and lodging."


    The old soldier looked at Jack through narrowed eyes. "I''ve never asked for handouts before, and I''m not about to start now!"


    Jack smiled. "That''s good because I''m not offering one. You''ll have to work for your food and lodging. It''ll probably be more demanding than sitting around watching a gate all day long, but I think you''ll find our food is top-notch, and our housing isn''t so bad either."


    Ger''ron''s curiosity was piqued, but Jack looked over at his bindings instead. "We can talk about that some more over some breakfast." Jack looked at an odd device on the wall that seemed to have some strange glowing runes before correcting himself. "Well, maybe dinner instead. But first, let me introduce you to the other resident of this house, my sister. I think she''d been hiding until you got comfortable with everything else going on here. Angela, come out and say hi."


    A small glowing spirit appeared in the air over Ger''ron''s bed. She was malformed like Jack but spoke clearly, without the need of a translator. "Hi, I''m Angela. Good to see you doing well! You were in pretty rough shape when Jack brought you in!"


    Ger''ron didn''t know what to say. For that matter, he didn''t even know what to think. Based on some of his grandfather''s stories about spirits, he might have thought about running if he hadn''t been tied down. As it was, all he could do was stare in confusion.


    Jack broke the silence with Em''brel taking over translation once again. "Angela here is actually the one who performed the procedure that saved your life. She might look small and dainty, but there is little she can''t see or do inside this house."


    Angela had the decency to look abashed at the attention she was receiving. "Awww, stop it! You''re the one who dragged him through the frozen forest alone at night! Compared with that, I had the easy job!"


    As Jack started to undo the straps tieing down Ger''ron, the old guard looked over at Em''brel with confusion and exhaustion. "Is it always like this around here?"


    Em''brel gave him an understanding smile before replying. "You get used to it after a while. They''re strange, but you won''t find a nicer pair in the land."


    Jack and Angela seemed to be arguing over who was more responsible for saving Ger''ron''s life now, both insisting it was the other. Em''brel looked at them and sighed. "They are strange, though..."


    Finally, Jack looked up from his argument, glaring at Em''brel with mock offense. "Who are you calling strange?"


    Angela simply laughed. "I think she''s calling you strange. You''ve always been a little... off..."


    Jack directed his offense back at his sister. "I''m strange? Look at you! At least I''m flesh and blood. You''re a floating projection of light!"


    It was Angela''s turn to be offended. "That''s SPECIESIST! We''ve been acknowledged as people with all the rights and privileges therein per the AI treaty!"


    Jack waved away her argument. "That''s a strawman argument, and you know it! I was saying that you would be harder to comprehend by a person who hasn''t learned of computing basics yet, let alone thought of sentient AI! In other words, you''re the strange one!"


    Em''brel watched the arguing duo before turning her attention back to the very confused guard, now free of his bindings. "Don''t worry, even if you understood both halves of the argument, it wouldn''t make any more sense. They''re probably going to be at this for a while. Let me show you how to use these crutches Angela had made up for you, and we''ll go get you some real food."

 Chapter 48

    After showing Ger''ron how to manage his new crutches, Em''brel helped him beat a hasty retreat from the arguing siblings. As soon as they crossed the threshold into the main living area, they had to stop so he could take in everything he''d passed through while unconscious not so long ago.


    She never got tired of seeing people''s reaction to the place, but there was something extra special about seeing such a look of childlike wonder on an old man''s face. She silently stood behind him and watched as his head slowly turned and took everything in.


    Once she was finally able to coax him into movement again, Em''brel sat him at the table and started cooking up some of the kovaack that currently filled their stores. If she was honest, she was getting a little tired of this particular meat, but judging by the look on the old guard''s face, he did not suffer from a similar issue.


    Apparently, Jack didn''t either. Soon he dragged his unsteady form out of the med-bay to sit at the table. Em''brel gave him a once over as she finished the meal. He certainly looked better than when he arrived, but she could tell he was far from rested. For that matter, Ger''ron didn''t look much better. Clearly, these two needed some looking after if they weren''t going to take care of themselves.


    Setting down a plate in front of both men, she focused on Jack first. "You need more sleep!"


    Jack held up both hands and replied. "And I''ll get more, I promise! I simply told Angela to try and wake me in the event our guest started feeling better. I thought I should be on hand to greet him if I was able. Now that that''s taken care of, I plan to get a bit of food, clean myself up a little more, and then I''ll go back to sleep until morning. I swear!"


    Em''brel glared at him a moment longer. "You''d better!"


    Ger''ron watched the interaction with interest. Even only understanding half the conversation, it definitely wasn''t what he expected. "I find it odd that you allow your concubine to speak to you in such a manner..."


    Jack immediately started choking on his food, and Angela appeared to save him the prospect of trying to explain while catching his breath. "Em''brel is like family to us! She''s no one''s concubine! No member of our family has ever laid a finger on her in that manner, nor will we allow anyone else to!"


    After calming everyone down a little, Em''brel took the opportunity to explain. "They took me in after I was orphaned by my father''s death. Honestly, they are more like an older brother and sister to me than anything else. I''m very grateful for their generosity."


    Ger''ron chuckled as he responded to Jack. "I suppose that explains why you haven''t gotten your skull caved in by S''haar. I''m sorry, I was merely repeating some of the rumors I''ve heard around the village."


    At this, Angela literally turned red. "What rumors? Who? Where? If I ever find out how those rumors started, someone is going to be facing some serious draconic wrath!"


    Em''brel had never seen Angela turn red before and began trying to talk her down before the AI went and did something impulsive. The old guardsman turned his attention back to Jack. "So you mentioned a job. You think an old broken guard like myself might be good enough for... whatever you have in mind?"


    Jack shook his head before responding, and now that she''d calmed down and returned to her usual shade of blue, Angela translated. "Ok, first off, I doubt you''re all that broken. Even missing a leg, I''m pretty sure you''re more than a match for everyone here put together." Well, maybe not Angela if she really got involved, but he wasn''t going to mention that.


    Ger''ron grimaced. "A female child, a malformed male, and a tiny spirit. If a band of disabled raiders ever graced your door, I suppose I could handle that for you, but otherwise, you''d be better off hiring someone still whole."


    Jack laughed at the old man''s attempt to discourage him. "Ok, now I know you''re being intentionally difficult. We both know being female has nothing to do with that equation. I''ve yet to see a male that can match S''haar in combat!"


    The old guard laughed. "Alright, you caught me, but my point stands. You can hire far better guards than myself. I''m just dead weight."


    Jack''s head tilted to the side. "Well, it''s not your sword arm I''m interested in, at least not directly. It''s the mind behind that arm. From what I understand, you were one of S''haar''s most influential instructors. I''d like you to do the same thing for all the workers at this outpost."


    When Ger''ron laughed this time, it was with incredulity. "What, you think I can train an army of S''haars? She has a natural talent that would make her the most lethal fighter I know, regardless of her instructors. Are you planning to create a frontline of woodworkers and blacksmiths? Because I won''t help you get my people killed with such insanity!"


    Jack shook his head. "No, I''m not looking for frontline fighters. What I''m looking for is people good enough to buy some time if a raider makes it past the front line into the camp. Maybe good enough to handle a raider if they team up two or three against one. I want everyone in this camp to train with you for at least an hour a day. I want you to teach them every dirty, underhanded, and dishonorable trick you know that might buy them a minute or two. That should be long enough that the real guard can get there in time to save their lives. Honestly, I hope your training is never used, and that every second they spend with you is wasted. But if it means that even one person that would otherwise be a victim might live through a raid, then I''m willing to invest a little time and energy to make that happen."


    Em''brel had a surprisingly severe yet earnest expression on her face. "If you really want to make this camp secure, you could do it much easier than all that. I''ve seen first hand what that weapon of yours can do, why not similarly arm the camp guards?"


    Jack was silent a moment before speaking up. "I''ve considered that, or something similar, but I don''t think guns are the way to go, not yet at least. It would do the job, but we would also have an entire community whose survival depends on me making weapons and ammunition for them. Even if it means greater risk to myself and this camp, I''m not at all comfortable with becoming some kind of merchant of death."


    Jack felt a number of his thoughts recently bubbling to the surface. "Remember, my goal is to get back home. While that might take me a long time, once I do, I might not be able to return for some time, or at all. Even if I never get home, I will still die eventually. Whatever we build here, I want it to be self sustaining, and I don''t want it to be the start of some empire that rules through force."


    Returning his attention to Em''brel, Jack smiled. "That''s not to say I don''t have any plans to make this camp more secure. There are a few things I can teach you all that''ll definitely make this camp one to be reckoned with even if we find ourselves badly outnumbered, but the first steps are still building our palisade," Jack turned his attention back to Ger''ron. "and providing everyone in this camp some sort of basic training.¡±


    Ger''ron sat silently, judging Jack''s words before responding. "Your idea has merit, but I''m still not the man you need. Even with these crutches, there''s no way I can teach anyone to fight properly. You''ll need someone who can stand on his own two feet."


    Jack looked at the crutches, then back at the tired old man. "Oh, you didn''t think I was going to make you use those forever, did you? You''ll be using the crutches for about two weeks while your leg heals up, then we''ll get you a temporary prosthetic. After a couple of months, your leg should finish healing and settle into its permanent shape, and we''ll get you properly fitted for a permanent one. It might not be quite as good as your old foot was, but you''ll be up and about and able to kick any woodworker''s butt in no time!"


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Jack looked distracted for a moment. "I forgot, I''ll need to run this all past S''haar since she''s in charge of the outpost now, but I''m fairly hopeful she''ll agree."


    Ger''ron looked more confused than ever. "What''s a prosthetic? And when did S''haar take charge of the outpost?"


    Jack hid a large yawn behind his hand before taking a breath to explain. However, he found himself cut off by Angela. "I can take over from here. You get back to sleep! I don''t want to have to explain to S''haar why her favorite teddy bear is sick, just because he was too stubborn to get some decent rest after all the stress he put his body through!" The last part was said in Basic, so Ger''ron didn''t understand, but Em''brel still got a good chuckle at Jack''s expense.


    Jack surrendered again and hopped off his chair, having to catch himself as he did so, thus proving Angela''s point. "Yeah yeah, I''m going."


    He turned back to Ger''ron one last time. "We''ll talk more in the morning. For now, consider yourself our guest. Angela and Em''brel will see to it that you get taken care of. If you need anything, just ask. With that being said, I''m going to get some more sleep. Good night!"


    Angela and Ger''ron were still talking as Jack disappeared into his room.


    -


    Jack was having a hard time staying awake but wanted to get to one more thing before passing out for the rest of the night. It took a few moments before he could hear the familiar scraping of the headset being adjusted. Then S''haar''s voice came through. "Hello? What''s wrong? Did Jack find a way to get himself in trouble?"


    Jack sighed in mock annoyance at her assumption. "It''s me. I was just calling to see how things are going."


    S''haar was silent a moment before responding. "What are you doing awake? Angela told me you''d probably have to sleep clear through to morning after the stunt you pulled!"


    Jack shook his head. "Not you too! Listen, I just woke up to check on Ger''ron. He''s up and about now, and you can tell Tel''ron he''s going to be fine. After that, I grabbed a quick bite to eat, and now I''m headed back to sleep. I just wanted to check in on you first, make sure everything''s going fine, and run an idea I had passed you for approval."


    S''haar''s voice softened a bit. "Well, we''re doing good. Honestly, everything is going more smoothly than I expected. We''ll probably be headed back home a day or two after the snow melts. So then, what''s this idea of yours?"


    Jack couldn''t help but smile, hearing how natural it sounded for S''haar to call his ship "home." "Actually, it''s about Ger''ron. I''ve been thinking, with all the trouble we''ve encountered and how uncertain our situation seems to be becoming, it might be a good idea to give everyone who stays here some basic martial training. I''m not expecting the woodworkers and blacksmiths to replace the guard or anything, but maybe we can provide them with enough training that they could make life difficult if any raiders did make it over our walls."


    Jack was gathering steam as he continued. "From what you''ve told me about your days growing up, Ger''ron would be the perfect instructor for that. He could teach the workers all the dirty, dishonorable moves that might just surprise a raider who thought they had found some easy prey. All it''ll cost us is a bit of time in the morning and room and board for one old guard who wants to find a way to be useful again, even if he won''t admit it."


    S''haar chuckled to herself. "Yeah, that sounds like old Ger''ron. Well, his first duty is to the guard here in the village, but if they and A''ngles agree to lend him to us, then I agree. It''s a good idea, one that might save a life, or two... or ten."


    Jack was suddenly confused. "Ten?"


    This time S''haar outright laughed. "Yeah, turns out Fea''en has bent more than a few ears with tales of how good the room and board at the outpost are. On top of that, almost everyone seated at the central hall''s outer ring feels they owe us their lives. We''ve got so many volunteers we''re gonna have to pick and chose who gets to come back with us. We''ll probably have to wait until spring to get everyone to the outpost safely."


    Jack started worrying about the logistics of it all. "Will Lon''thul be able to provide enough food for everyone?"


    S''haar''s voice switched to one of exasperation. "I''m reasonably sure our young hunter has been spinning a tale or two as well. We''ve got woodworkers, hunters, smiths, weavers, tanners, cooks, and more volunteering. We''ll be a small offshoot of the village itself at this rate."


    Jack blinked several times as he processed everything. This was more than he''d hoped for, but it also brought with it a whole new set of issues. He was having trouble getting it all straight in his head. Then a large yawn reminded him of another factor probably clouding the issue. S''haar laughed again. "I''m sorry if I''m boring you so much!"


    Before Jack could protest, S''haar continued, her amusement and affection evident in her voice. "Seriously though, there''s no rush to this. Get some rest for now. We''ll talk more in the morning."


    A bit sheepishly, Jack agreed. "Yeah, that''s probably a good idea. I''m not exactly thinking clearly at the moment. Well, be sure to give Tel''ron the good news, and get some rest yourself."


    With a fond but straightforward, "Goodnight." S''haar ended the call.


    Jack was almost finally asleep when something else occurred to him. "Angela, you there? I''m assuming you overheard most of that call?"


    The simmer of a blue glow appeared, directing Jack''s gaze to the floating AI as she spoke. "Well, of course I did! Any connection through the headsets literally has to go through me! I can''t not hear it!"


    Jack''s mind was just a little too sluggish at the moment to realize the ramification of that statement, so he just dove right into his concern. "With all the increased activity lately and the possible increase in heat pack demand, how are your energy reserves?"


    His sister sat back and appeared to think a little as she ran a few numbers. "Well, the solar panels helped a lot, but with the increase in demand, we''re going to have to supplement it further. Rough estimate, right now I''m good until mid-spring."


    Jack nodded. "Well, we don''t have the materials to make more solar panels at the moment, but maybe we could create a small wind farm? Or maybe dig deeper for some thermal power?"


    Angela shook her head at Jack''s stubbornness. "Yes, maybe, but this all can all wait until S''haar gets back. For now, get some rest!"


    Jack nodded, then tilted his head. "Speaking of S''haar getting back..." Jack''s face turned a bit red. "No... never mind."


    Angela leaned in, her face sporting a grin rivaling of the most predatory of argu''n grins. "Oh? Come now, your an adult! Spit it out already!"


    Jack sighed. "I was just wondering if I should...be aware of any oddities in argu''n physiology...in case...you know...if S''haar and I..."


    Angela cut him off loudly and cut to the chase. "For when you and S''haar have sex?" Now it clicked. She''d overheard Jack''s conversation with S''haar when he''d first gotten home...


    Jack''s face was a deeper shade of red than Angela had ever seen at this point, and she loved every moment of it! He merely muttered under his breath as he scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Not how I was going to word it...but...yeah."


    Angela laughed at Jack''s sudden reticence before taking pity on him and answering. "Well, when it comes to STDs, your vastly different physiologies would make the transferal of any pathogens a virtual impossibility. And for better or for worse, you won''t need to worry about any little Jacks or S''haars resulting from your time together. Also, as far as I can determine, neither of you should have any kind of significant chemical reaction when exposed to the other..."


    Jack was starting to calm down. Something about the analytical nature of the conversation took the edge off the topic.


    That''s when Angela went in for the kill. "As for the act itself, well, you''ll probably lack the intensity of a normal argu''n male, but you should be able to make up for it in the endurance department. I recommend you play to your strengths!"


    Jack''s face shot right back to a bright crimson. "Yeah, that''s not really what I was asking about... Can we move on to another subject? Please?"


    Angela laughed at the expression on Jack''s face. "Fine, fine, but you''d better not be this prudish with S''haar! I expect you to represent humanity in their best light!"


    The conversation finally came to an end when Jack reached his limit and started throwing whatever projectiles he could find through Angela''s image. Pilows, boots, books, and more flew across the room until the AI faded and left him alone at last. Though in an homage to a particular literary cat, her toothy smile and laughter were the last things to disappear.

 Chapter 49

    The next few days passed uneventfully. Jack continued his physical therapy, but without the need to focus on his motor functions any longer, he found that he had more free time than before. He briefly entertained the idea of going back to the village, but S''haar let him know under no uncertain terms that she would not forgive him if he endangered himself by traveling through the wilds alone for a second time for anything less than life or death stakes. Furthermore, she instructed both Angela and Em''brel to stop him from attempting that kind of stupidity through "any means necessary!"


    Realizing that he was stuck here for the foreseeable future, Jack let himself genuinely relax for the first time in a long time. He still had some muscle mass to build, but Angela was pleased to note that he was getting near the condition he''d been on before his injury. In his free time, Jack taught Ger''ron several board games and wiled away several pleasant afternoons while Em''brel continued her studies with Angela.


    Jack also showed Em''brel a few simpler video games they could play together late into the night after the old guard had fallen asleep. It reminded Jack of simpler times when he''d played computer games with friends long past the point that their reaction times began to collapse under the strain of sleep deprivation. He found it interesting that Ger''ron seemed to enjoy competitive board games where Em''brel seemed more interested in co-operative computer games. She particularly liked the ones you could go wild with your imagination and build things in. After watching enough movies, she was really interested in designing her own castles and loved taking Jack on virtual tours of her creations.


    They also watched several movies. After he got past the impossibilities of what he was seeing, Ger''ron particularly liked one called "Second Hand Lions." He seemed to really connect with an old and grumpy Robert Duvall.


    On top of all that, they spent time cooking and eating positively decadent meals, at least in comparison to any of their recent meals. Though both argu''n had to take Jack''s word for it that chocolate was as good as he claimed, since they couldn''t taste "sweet," it just had an unappetizing bitter flavor for them.


    Despite everything, Jack found he couldn''t really settle into a groove and enjoy it. He felt antsy because there were too many things weighing on his mind. Angela''s power needs, managing a larger and more populated outpost, the political arena they now found themselves in, the raiders, trading, and perhaps most importantly to him, the relationship that he and S''haar seemed to be falling into that was frustratingly put on hold because they were separated from each other by a single day''s journey.


    It was Em''brel who suggested that they go out and tour the camp. The snow had mostly receded, and they could show Ger''ron around while inspecting everything to see what new complications they might face once the workers returned, ready to renew the progress on the outpost.


    It was still unpleasantly chilly for the argu''n, but with a couple jackets and a single heating pouch each, they were reasonably comfortable in the chill afternoon air.


    This was also Jack''s first time getting to really see how far the camp had come since he''d been injured. They''d told him about the progress they''d made, and he even got a few good glances at it as they''d passed through to the village, but there had been no time to stop and sightsee. That was how the three of them found themselves stepping out of the cave on this warm winter morning. Em''brel translating for Jack as necessary.


    Ger''ron did his best to avoid the muddiest spots with his crutches but had mixed results at best since the whole place was basically one giant mud hole at the moment. This led Jack to the bright idea that they needed to lay down some cobblestones for better walkways. Though he admitted, that wasn''t an immediate objective.


    Jack took in a deep breath as they walked. "There''s just something invigorating about a lungful of crisp winter air! It makes me really feel alive!"


    Em''brel helped Ger''ron steady himself after he found a deceptively slick spot of muddy grass when she shot Jack an exasperated glance. "I''ll take your word for it. After all, you''ve flirted with death more than anyone I know, so it makes sense you''d know what being alive feels like."


    Jack couldn''t help but see the face of Not-S''haar at Em''brel''s words, but a quick shake of his head banished the image from his mind. With a grin, he turned to face Em''brel. "Yeah, well, I''ve had enough of being the hero. I''m perfectly content to live a long and healthy life behind these walls with my friends and family at my side!"


    Ger''ron was shooing away Em''brel now that he was steady on his crutches again. "Wise words from one so young. Usually, men your age are eager for more adventure in their lives!"


    Jack shook his head with a rueful smile as he looked off into the distance. "Well, I''ve been through enough excitement in the last six months to last me two lifetimes. Hopefully, we''ll get the palisade finished and have enough guards on hand to deter any trouble before it begins. Then the young men can go back to wishing for adventure while I return to hiding from it!"


    Ger''ron chuckled at Jack''s statement. "Not quite how I would have said it, but I suppose you get the point across well enough."


    Em''brel was excitedly uncovering the well and drawing up a bucket of freshwater. Jack watched the mechanism''s she''d designed with interest. "I see you incorporated several of the concepts Angela taught you, including pullies and even some basic gears. This is some first-rate stuff! It''s most likely the best well on the entire planet!"


    Ger''ron watched, surprised at the ease with which the young woman could draw up such a large bucket of water. She showed him how the pullies made everything lighter and how the gears could lock the bucket in place when needed. "This is amazing! It will save my poor old back the strain of lifting water every day! And you said you designed it, young lady? This isn''t some other new fancy human machine?"


    Em''brel demured. "Well, this is based on human ideas that Angela and Jack taught me, and honestly, it''s not much compared with the kinds of things they are capable of..."


    Jack ran roughshod over Em''brel''s self-deprecating line of reasoning. "Nonsense. You designed this and helped make it from scratch! Not one in a hundred humans could do what you''ve done here! This is something worth taking some pride in!"


    As he spoke, Jack grabbed the bucket and tilted it up enough to take a generous drink from it, spilling a little onto himself in the process. The water must have been barely above freezing, and Jack felt a strong shiver work its way from the top of his spine down to his toes. Gasping for air after the pleasant shock to his system, Jack exclaimed, "Now that''ll wake you right up!"


    Looking over at the two horrified argu''n, Jack amended his statement. "Well, that woke me right up. It would probably put either of you into a cold coma. You might want to warm up the water before drinking it..."


    Em''brel shook her head. "No, thank you. I''ll wait to get a drink when we''re back inside, like a sane person!"


    Jack chuckled as he re-sealed the well. "Your loss!"


    Next, they wandered over to the palisade. Jack was amazed at how far they''d already extended the wall. There was still a long way to go, but somehow it felt like they''d made far more progress in the time he''d been out than he thought they would have. Em''brel merely laughed at his surprise. "This is what happens when you work rather than getting nearly killed every five minutes. You should try it sometime!"


    Inspecting the wall, Jack was pleased to see that most of the wall was still solidly in place despite the storm and resulting mud. It was only at the end of the wall that a few wooden stakes had loosened enough that they''d need to be re-set in the ground.


    Jack was checking out one of the guard towers when Angela''s voice came over the headset, filled with equal amounts of fear and urgency. "Jack, I''m picking up several life signs at the edge of my scanning range. They''re moving toward you in a far too direct a manner for it to simply be animals, get back to the ship immediately!"


    Jack looked over the railing. Seeing Em''brel and Ger''ron near the base, he shouted down to them. "We''ve got incoming. Get back to the ship now!"


    Ger''ron looked around in confusion for a moment. "What''s he shouting? What''s going on?"


    Em''brel didn''t ask questions. She merely grabbed the old man''s shoulder and lightly but firmly shoved him around to face the right direction. "We need to get to the cave quickly. Someone''s coming!"


    Having learned from his mistake last time, Jack always kept his gun at his side whenever outside the ship''s safety. As he half-ran down the guard tower''s stairs, he drew the firearm and chambered a round. Reaching the bottom, jack could see Ger''ron and Em''brel ahead of him, but the crutches mixed with the soft mud was significantly slowing the pair down.


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    Looking back at the forest, Jack could just see the form of several argu''n clearing the tree line at a run. They were still too far away to clearly make out, but he was confident that no one with good intentions would be charging at him the way these ones were. Every second, another argu''n seemed to be running out of the forest, making right for Jack''s position.


    Aiming a little low, Jack fired two warning shots into the ground ahead of the lead argu''n. When his pace didn''t slow, he raised the gun a little further, took aim, and fired. His first shot went wide, his second merely grazed his target''s arm, but his third landed square in the torso, dropping the warrior.


    Jack was half a magazine down, and still more argu''n were rapidly clearing the tree line. He could make out enough to be confident these were raiders, similar to the one''s he''d faced before, but this time they were wearing coats. The coats bore more than a passing resemblance to the one''s he''d gifted the workers, though even from here, Jack could tell they were more crude in design and material.


    Jack didn''t have time to wonder what that meant. Instead, he sighted in on the next runner. This time he hit his target in the leg, severing it completely.


    Turing his aim, Jack hit another raider in the shoulder, but when the raider kept coming, Jack shot him again, this time hitting center mass with predictable results.


    There were still six raiders rapidly approaching, and Jack didn''t have enough bullets in the magazine or enough time to reload, and this time S''haar wasn''t here to save him. Jack shot down the next two closest raiders before turning to run, even though he knew there was no chance he''d outrun an argu''n over this short a distance.


    Jack was fumbling with his next magazine while running when a raider ran past him. It took Jack a moment to realize who his real objective must be. He had just enough time to shout out, "EM''BREL, RUN!" and slam the next magazine in place before he was tackled from behind, resulting in both him and his assailant tumbling end over end.


    -


    Em''brel was doing her best to help Ger''ron stay upright, but she was barely strong enough to help steady him, so every slip in the mud set them back a precious second or two. They were more than halfway to the cave when she heard Jack''s shout. Looking over her shoulder, Em''brel felt her heart sink. There was no way they''d make it in time.


    Ger''ron must have come to the same conclusion because he placed his hand on over the one she''d been using to steady him and shoved her away. "Run, girl! I''ll See to these witless pups!"


    Em''brel looked at his missing leg and was about to argue when he snarled at her. "Don''t pity me! I''m a guard! If I can''t fight to protect a young female like yourself, why''d Jack even heal me? Now, RUN!"


    As he shouted the last, Em''brel hesitated half a second more before nodding and running. Ger''ron smiled and mumbled to himself. "That''s a good girl!"


    The old guard then turned and drew his knife. The small blade looked pathetic in comparison to the swords and spears of the raiders, but he''d be damned if his blade didn''t taste blood once more before he died.


    -


    Jack had lost his gun in the tumble, but the raider also lost his sword. Now the raider had a firm grip on Jack''s ankle, preventing him from slipping away.


    Rather than try and feebly fight the raider''s overwhelming strength, Jack drew his knife and leaned forward, slashing at his captor''s eyes.


    Evidently, the raider had not been expecting this move and reacted too late to block the strike, but he was still fast enough to turn his head so that Jack was only able to cut deep into his forehead instead. Nevertheless, this had the favorable outcome of forcing him to release his grip and disrupt his vision since the blood was dripping over his eye ridges and into his eyes.


    Jack took advantage of the distraction to strike again, driving his knife into his opponent''s head. Even two-handed, he could only bury the blade a few inches through the thick skull. However, it seemed to be far enough since the raider sunk into a boneless heap, taking Jack''s knife with him.


    Taking advantage of the momentary lull, Jack started searching around for his gun, only to feel a sharp pain piercing through his right ankle. Looking down, he could see a spear sticking out of his leg. Looking back up, he could see a triumphant looking raider charging toward him.


    With no gun or knife, Jack tried grabbing the spear and pulling it out of his leg to defend himself. He thought he''d been prepared for the pain he was about to feel, but nothing could prepare a person for this level of agony. Jack only blacked out for only a second, but that was long enough to end up lying on the ground with a spear still stuck in his leg while the raider lept through the air to finish what he''d started.


    -


    As the raider chased after Em''brel, Ger''ron lowered himself into a one-legged crouch. The raider smirked and shifted his gait to the side, intending to run past the old cripple. However, he wasn''t prepared for Ger''ron to throw his knife then leap after it.


    The raider hesitated only a second to knock the knife away, but that was enough for Ger''ron''s leap to catch him. A wrestling match ensued for possession of the spear the raider had been carrying, Ger''ron had surprise on his side, but the raider had the strength of youth. He rolled the old guard onto his back and tore the spear from his hands. Then steadied himself as he stood over the cripple and prepared his finishing thrust.


    However, the raider hadn''t noticed when they''d rolled closer to where Ger''ron''s knife had fallen. The guard quietly grabbed it while the raider righted himself and now waited for his moment.


    As the spear flashed downward, Ger''ron rolled just enough to one side for the spear to merely graze along the plates on his ribs, planting itself into the mud beneath the guard. Then, wrapping his arm around the spear, locking it in place, he rolled the other direction, forcing the haft of the spear down onto the ground.


    The raider stubbornly refused to let go of his weapon and was brought just low enough for Ger''ron to grab hold of his shoulder, off-balancing him sufficiently that even a one-legged man could kick his legs out from under him.


    The guard wasted no time taking advantage of the raider''s momentary disorientation to gain a position of leverage and bring his knife down onto his opponent.


    The raider, unable to gain any traction in the mud, realized his predicament. His arms shot forward to grab hold of Ger''ron''s wrists and attempted to force the knife back. He had the advantage of the strength of youth, but Ger''ron had the benefit of leverage.


    Slowly, the old guard brought the knife down toward the raider''s neck. As the raider realized the inevitability of what was happening, his eyes filled with fear and disbelief. However, Ger''ron was a veteran of far too many life or death battles and had far too much blood on his hands to relent. And he continued slowly, forcing the knife closer to his victim.


    There was a moment when the knife finally pierced the skin, and the fight went out of the raider. With the sudden absence of any opposition, the blade sunk to the hilt, and the younger man died with barely a sigh.


    The old man took a moment to close the raider''s eyes before struggling his way to a seated position to get a better view of what was currently happening elsewhere.


    -


    Time slowed for Jack as the raider lept at him. He wondered just how angry S''haar was going to be that he broke his promise to her. He hoped she, Angela, and Em''brel would stay together as a family. They''d need each other now more than ever.


    That was when Jack heard a scream he''d heard only once before. It was a scream of pure hate and defiance. It was immediately followed by a bolt of rage that struck the raider mid-air and became a blur of teeth and claws that tore into its victim.


    It took Jack a moment to realize it was Em''brel who had come to his rescue. She fought like a demon child. There was no thought or plan in her movements. Just pure unadulterated hate for anything that would threaten her family once again. This time there was no hesitation as she clawed, kicked, bit, tore, and stabbed at her prey. The raider never stood a chance. He was probably dead by the time he hit the ground, but Em''brel was taking no chances and continued attacking the body until it barely resembled the man it had once been.


    As soon as the rage passed, it was replaced with feelings of pride and accomplishment. She''d done it! She''d saved her family! She''s set her fear and hesitation aside and did what had to be done! She looked over at Jack, her face beaming with pride.


    What she saw on his face was a look of pure terror.


    In an instant, she realized she must look like a monster, covered in her victim''s blood and viscera. Her heart tore itself in two to be the cause of such a look on the face of a member of her adopted family. Jack was so horrified he couldn''t even look at her. Instead, he was looking over her shoulder and shouting. "Behind you!"


    Em''brel turned just in time to see a massive fist swing into her face, and then there was nothing.


    -


    Jack screamed in impotent rage as the raider picked up the unconscious form of Em''brel and threw her over his shoulder. He shouted challenges and insults. When that didn''t work, he begged and pleaded, but nothing slowed the retreating raider.


    That was when Jack finally saw his gun lying nearby. Unable to stand, Jack started dragging himself over to it in a desperate frenzy. Every time the spear in his leg lightly bumped or rubbed the ground as he moved, fresh waves of agony shot through Jack''s body, but he willed himself to stay awake this time.


    With a final desperate lunge, Jack reached his gun. Grabbing it, he spun around and took careful aim. They were far enough away he couldn''t be sure of his shot, and he didn''t want to hit Em''brel by mistake, but he also knew this was his last chance.


    Not daring to delay any longer, Jack slowly squeezed the trigger, only to hear the hollow click of an empty chamber.


    With a sinking realization, Jack remembered he''d loaded the magazine before he''d fallen but never chambered the round. With desperate speed, he did so now and took aim again. The raider had used every second he''d been given to escape to the forest. They were too far for Jack to shoot without risking Em''brel, so he shot into the trees off to the side, hoping by some miracle he''d startle the raider into dropping Em''brel.


    Instead, the raider continued his escape past the trees and into the forest, and with that, Em''brel was gone.

 Chapter 50

    A part of Jack wanted nothing more than to lie down and give up, but the rest of Jack was screaming to get up, hunt down the raiders, and get Em''brel back. However, lying in the mud with a spear sticking out of his leg was going to slow him down a bit.


    It took a moment for him to realize Angela''s voice was talking to him through his headset. "Jack, Speak to me, Jack! I''m sorry...I couldn''t...I didn''t know what to do! It all happened so fast, and all I could do was watch in horror. I was certain you were going to die...and now Em''brel is...she''s..."


    Jack shook his head and scowled. "Em''brel is fine, and I''m going to go get her. Call S''haar, and let her know everything that''s happened. I''m going to need her and any help she can get to start heading this way five minutes ago!"


    Jack reached down and grabbed hold of the spear, bracing himself for the pain of trying to pull it out again when a gruff voice cut him off. "Determined to be a fool then? That''s going to end the same way it did last time, and it''ll accomplish just as much. Get your hands off that."


    Ger''ron was standing over Jack, who released the spear and nodded. The old guard lowered himself slowly, using the crutches he''d evidently retrieved after the battle as leverage. Grabbing ahold of the spear, rather than pulling it out the way Jack expected, he snaped the haft off just above Jack''s injury. The pain caused by the sudden jolt caused Jack to blackout again, but it must not have lasted long because when he opened his eyes, Ger''ron was still in roughly the same spot as before.


    Angela spoke up again. "S''haar already knows. She''s getting a group of hunters together because they can move through the wilds faster than anyone else. They''re going to use the worker''s coats so they can keep moving longer. The town guard will follow after. They''ll be using more traditional cold-weather travel, utilizing campfires as needed. They''re lead by B''arthon."


    Jack laughed as though Angela had told a bad joke. "So, they''ll be of no help then."


    Ger''ron helped Jack to his feet and handed him one of the crutches. It was far too large for Jack to use as intended but worked well enough as a walking stick. Getting back to the cave like this was going to take an agonizingly long time. With every second, Em''brel was being carried further away. No other option presented itself, so Jack got moving.


    On the way back to the cave, one of the dead raiders caught Jack''s eye. He slowly and painfully knelt down next to the corpse to inspect it more closely. Looking at the coat, Jack could see it was cut and shaped like the worker''s coats. It was made of cruder skins and leathers, and the stitching was not nearly as skilled, but the seams were all in the same spots. Flipping the coat open, he could even see pockets, exactly where they should be.


    Angela''s voice was confused and angry. "Those aren''t similar to my design. Those ARE my design! How''d they get their hands on it?"


    Reaching into a pocket, Jack pulled out a stone that had been heated. It was still warm to the touch. He threw it on the ground in disgust before standing back up and continuing to the cave. "I don''t know how they got one, and that doesn''t matter right now. The good news is, these aren''t nearly as efficient as your coats, and that might be what makes the difference."


    Angela was quiet. Her voice sounded as if she didn''t want to say what came next. "Jack... Even with S''haar leaving now... She''s a full day behind. The raiders will be back in the mountains long before she can catch them...and even if she did somehow catch them... When I focused my sensors on following the raider who escaped, I could track him as far as the edge of my range. He met up with more argu''n. I could only get a rough glimpse at how many heat signatures there were, but there weren''t dozens. There were well over a hundred. They sent out a whole camp. I don''t know what to do..."


    Jack grunted in pain as his leg moved in such a way that it aggravated his injury. "There''s only one option. I''m going to go ahead and slow them down."


    Angela sounded as if she was worried Jack had finally lost his grip on reality and needed to be reminded of the obvious. "How will you do that? You can barely walk, even with your ''human endurance,'' you''ll never catch the raiders!"


    Ger''ron was silently following right behind Jack, keeping an eye on the younger man. He couldn''t understand a word of what he was saying, but Jack''s tone was unmistakable. He was thinking of doing something stupid. "Yeah, but you can rapidly heal my leg like you did when I fractured my ankle by kicking that goon in the face months ago. If I remember correctly, you mentioned that the more pain medication you used, the slower the healing went. How long would it take to heal my leg if you didn''t use any?"


    This time, Angela knew Jack had gone insane. "That''s not possible. Even if I was stupid enough to try, you''d go into shock from the trauma and pain. Also, that would only heal the bone. I could also surgically reattach the muscle, but even speeding up the healing process as much as possible, it wouldn''t be fully attached in nearly enough time. You''d be at risk of the muscle tearing again. On top of all that, there''s nothing I can do about the nerve damage you''ve suffered. I simply can''t heal you in time!"


    Jack walked in silence a moment. When he spoke up again, his voice unreasonably calm. "What if you just deaden the nerves directly? Then you won''t need to use pain medications, and the pain of the bone growth would also be manageable."


    Angela''s mirthless laugher had the sound of someone who knew they were dealing with someone beyond reason. "Do you realize how insane that is? Setting aside all the possible complications and side effects, by rapidly healing both the bone and the muscle, but leaving the nerves untended, then going cross country hiking followed by a life or death battle, you''ll be lucky if all you get is a permanent limp!"


    Jack''s voice remained calm, and his gaze focused beyond the rock wall. "I don''t care if you tell me my leg might rot and need to be amputated in a few days. Will it do what I need it to do right now?"


    Angela sounded defeated. "It MIGHT. At best, I''d say you have a thirty percent chance of your leg holding together long enough to even catch up with the raiders. And for the record, yes, after a few days, your leg might well start to rot. Even if it doesn''t, you''ll definitely be crippled for the rest of your life. Then there''s the question of what will you do if, by some unholy miracle, you pull this off and you catch the raiders? How are you going to slow them down long enough for S''haar to catch up?"


    Jack finally smiled, but his eyes remained cold. "That''s easy. This time I go on the offensive."


    -


    Angela''s avatar was glaring at Jack in the medical bay. "Just so you know, doing what you are asking me to do would be considered criminally irresponsible in civilized space."


    Jack didn''t look to be in a much better mood as he responded. "Well, we''re not in civilized space, or else we''d just call in the actual military to resolve the issue, rather than leaving it to an explorer with delusions of grandeur. Now can we get on with this? We don''t have any time to waste!"


    Angela wasn''t cowed one iota. "I ought to lock you up to keep you from doing anything stupid! I miss Em''brel as much as you, maybe more! But letting you go off and commit suicide won''t save her. I''ll just end up losing you both!"


    Jack closed his eyes and calmed himself, but any sense of kindness or understanding was lost when he opened them again. "Listen, I get what you''re doing, and why. I might even try and do the same thing in your place, but this is something I need to do! The only question is will you help me or not?"


    The AI wasn''t going to be so easily defeated. "I can lock the doors!"


    Jack felt guilty about what he was about to say, but time was of the essence, and he needed to end this debate. "Yes, you can. Then I''ll use the manual override. Then you can try and restain me, but how long can you hold me? If you wait until S''haar gets here, we''ll have to chase them into the hills, their home territory, and the odds of our survival fall further. If you try and keep me indefinitely, you''ll run out of power, or I''ll run out of food, and you''ll have to let me go anyway, but I''ll be weaker and less prepared by then."


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    He softened his expression and his voice. "Listen, I appreciate your concern, and I love you too, but this is something I absolutely have to do. I would never be able to live with myself if I didn''t at least try. When our parents were killed, I was too young and naive to do anything, but this time I can do something, and I must do something. Anything else will leave me a broken shell of a man. It will kill me."


    Angela looked at him, tears flowing freely down her digital face. Her voice was as ragged and broken as Jack''s was becoming. "And just what do you think it''ll do to me to sit and do nothing while you die this time?"


    The two siblings stared at each other wordlessly for a few more moments before Angela turned her back to him. "Fine! You win! However, you WILL demonstrate to me that you fully understand the ramifications of what this could mean and that you are at least somewhat sane and capable of making this kind of judgment call. I say ''somewhat,'' because there''s no way a completely sane person would come up with this ridiculous plan of yours!"


    Jack bit back his retort, closed his eyes, and visibly calmed himself. Angela was just doing her best to look out for him. She was probably even more scared than he was at this moment.


    Opening his eyes, he spoke clearly and calmly. "I understand that this will be incredibly painful, will definitely cripple me one way or another eventually, and that it could even endanger my life. I also understand that even if I do this, the patch job you''re about to give me might fail early, or my leg may go lame sooner than expected, and this will all be for nothing. I also know that if I don''t at least try, I''ll never be able to live with myself. So can we do this... please?"


    Angela turned back around and searched his face intently for a few moments before sighing in defeat. "Alright. Whatever you do, don''t die on me because of this, got it! I don''t care if you have to punch that goddess of death of yours in the face this time!"


    A mechanical arm held out something that looked like a long thick piece of leather. "Now bite down on this. This first bit is going to hurt... a lot..."


    Not long after that, the screaming began.


    -


    Jack couldn''t remember much of what happened after that, not for two hours at least. He knew it had seemed like a much longer period of time while he was experiencing it, but his memories of the pain were mostly academic. The whole thing felt almost like an odd dream now.


    Angela hadn''t deadened the nerves completely, explaining that he''d never be able to walk on it quickly enough if she''d done so. Instead, she cut down his ability to feel by about ninety percent. It turns out that that left just enough feeling for the experience of rapid bone growth and surgical muscle reattachment to be a harrowing one.


    He was surprised at how annoying it was to walk on a mostly numb leg. It felt like his foot was asleep, and he kept expecting the pins and needles feeling to start up at any moment. Angela had also made him wear a special boot she''d designed as she''d worked. It allowed him to walk relatively normally but limited the range of movement to reduce the chances he''d re-tear the muscle again.


    Still, that was all behind him now, and his mind was already onto the next task. He was now digging through storage, finding everything he''d need for the rescue. Being a scout by profession, his ship was stocked with all sorts of equipment he rarely used. He was even required to show proficiency in their use every few years, so he knew he could handle them well enough.


    The rifle was the first and most important piece of gear. It was meant more for hunting than fighting, but it was designed to use up to 10-millimeter rounds. In other words, it was meant to have the stopping power for seriously big game if needed. With a decent scope and a suppressor, he hoped he''d be able to avoid detection long enough to cause some real fear and confusion.


    He looked at a few frag grenades before putting them back in favor of more flashbangs. Even with a backpack and cargo pants, he only had so much storage space, and the shrapnel probably wouldn''t have enough power to pierce through argu''n bone plates to any vital organs. On the other hand, the flashbangs could buy him precious moments to move and reload when needed. He also grabbed a few "pepper" grenades. They were a wide dispersal chemical irritant, strong enough to ruin even a grizzly''s day. Topping off the list, Jack included a few knives, rope, a night vision scope, emergency ration bars that were all protein and calories with zero taste, a few first aid supplies, and of course, his handgun.


    As he was leaving, Angela met him at the door. She pointed to one last emergency pack that had always been stored by the door. "Take that one too."


    Jack raised an eyebrow at her. "You know if I need that, I won''t be in any condition to use it, right?"


    Angela shook her head. "I don''t care. Take it anyway. You still have enough room in your lower right pants pocket."


    Jack shrugged and packed it away as Ger''ron came hobbling over. "I wish I was coming with you, lad. Even with that thunder stick of yours, what you''re planning is suicide. Least I could do is die with ya since the young lady got herself captured because I slowed us down."


    Jack crossed his arms and shook his head. Angela translated as he spoke. "First, she didn''t get captured, helping you. She got captured saving me. Second, her capture wasn''t either of our faults. The responsibility lies solely with the raiders, and whether this works or not, they''ll pay dearly for what they did. For now, focus on your recovery, and think more about my offer. If I do come back, we''ll need all the help we can get."


    Angela glared at Jack, fists on her hips. "WHEN you come back!"


    Jack grinned a little forlornly. "Yes, when I come back."


    Not having much more to say, Ger''ron simply nodded and watched as Jack left.


    Once out in the cave, Angela had more to say over the headset. "Once you get out of my range, you''ll be on your own for a while. But keep your headset on and ready. When S''haar gets close enough, I''ll be able to pick you up on the mobile transceiver and be your eye in the sky, so to speak. Also, remember to take it easy on that leg. I know you are in a rush, but if you cripple yourself before you catch them, you won''t help anyone."


    Jack grunted his ascent but focused on how his leg felt as he moved forward and at a steady pace. Not knowing what to say, Angela traveled with him in silence, observing and recording every little thing she could think of. She only spoke up again once Jack neared the limit of her range. "Jack, I know how much Em''brel means to you. She means just as much to me in some ways, maybe more in others. But remember, others are waiting for you too. She won''t thank you if you get yourself killed going after her. Not that I think you''re going to suddenly change your mind or anything...but... Just be smart about this, ok? Use every cheap and unfair advantage you have. Worry about honor and guilt another day, ok?"


    Jack frowned a little to himself before agreeing. "Yeah, that''s kind of what I was thinking. It''s time for me to introduce this world to the darker side of humanity."


    -


    Em''brel was resting by the campfire. One of the raiders handed her a bowl full of some slop, but she refused to eat it despite the growling of her stomach.


    She was sore all over. Her captors hadn''t been gentle with her. The only saving grace, so far, was the fact that they were so busy running that none of the raiders had found the time to abuse her like they had the first time she''d been captured. Though she was sure it was just a matter of time.


    When she''d first woken up, Em''brel had hoped that Jack would send S''haar to rescue her again, but when she saw how many raiders surrounded her, that hope had evaporated like the morning mist. She''d honestly considered killing herself then and there, rather than face captivity at these monsters'' hands again.


    As weird as it seemed, the only thing that kept her going was all the knowledge she now carried in her head. It seemed like sacrilege to just throw away everything Jack and Anglea had taught her. Not that she was willing to use it to help her captors, but she couldn''t let it go to waste either.


    And yet, she couldn''t bring herself to eat or drink anything they offered to her. She knew this was at odds with her determination to not give up and die, but something in her simply refused to accept anything they gave her. She''d just decided to let herself pass out from hunger and make them force feed her when she was approached by the most terrifying male she''d ever seen.


    Em''brel couldn''t quite figure out what made him so scary. He was nowhere near as large as Dol''jin had been. He didn''t bear a single scar from any duel or battle, nor did he seem to move with much swagger or bravado. If anything, he moved with the delicate grace of a dancer. Despite all this, all the other males pulled back from his approach, seemingly unwilling to even let his shadow pass over their own.


    When he reached Em''brel, he looked down at her bowl, still full of her uneaten lunch, and frowned. He crouched down with the kind of grace not even S''haar could manage, and reached out a taloned hand that crossed the distance between them far quicker than it appeared to move. His hand covered her mouth with his thumb and forefinger digging his talons into her cheeks until they drew blood.


    When he spoke, his voice was quieter than she would have assumed but seemed all the more menacing for it. "If you continue to play these games, I''ll have you brought to my tent tonight to make sure you eat well before you share my bed. However, if you''re a good girl and do what I say, I''ll let you sleep outside, chained to a post like the mongrel you are, cold but untouched."


    Em''brel stared at him a moment longer before reaching blindly for her bowl and lifting it expectantly. The male chuckled softly and withdrew his hand, waiting until she took a sip before standing and walking away.


    The thing that really bothered her about him was his voice. It lacked the harsh accent of the rest of the hill people. It was smooth and refined, as though he had grown up in a proper village. At the same time, the sound of it cut like a knife made of ice. Simply listening to his voice convinced Em''brel that this was someone who could kill quickly and without remorse.


    As he left, Em''brel could just barely make out his parting words. "That''s a good girl..."

 Chapter 51

    The one good thing about following so many raiders through the wilderness was how obvious a trail they left. Angela pointed Jack in the general direction the raiders had taken as they''d moved beyond her sensor range. Once Jack finally stumbled across the tracks, it had been a simple matter to follow them into the wilderness.


    At first, Jack was fueled by anger and determination, but as minutes turned to hours, his anger faded and was replaced by a grim resolve. A distant voice in the back of Jack''s mind wondered what happened to the man who was so terrified at the prospect of a fight only a few months ago. The man who had reacted so violently after his first life or death battle on this planet. Was it really merely Em''brel''s fate hanging in the balance that kept him so calm as he marched to his own private little war, or had he changed somehow? If so, was it a change for the better or...?


    His train of thought was interrupted by his growling stomach. No matter how essential or profound the introspection, the body needed fuel and would make its demands heard.


    Jack pulled out a nutrition bar with all the flavor of a soggy cardboard sandwich and a consistency that seemed to alternate between sodden mold and desert sands. Still, he knew from experience that the nutrients and energy from this bar were almost worth the experience of eating it.


    After a while, Jack''s foot had started to ache, then throb, and now it felt like it was on fire. Looking at the time, Jack was relieved to see it was about time to dose himself. Pulling out a prefilled auto-injector Angela had put together, filled with muscle relaxants and nerve deadening agents, Jack injected himself near the site of the injury as instructed. It only took a few minutes for the pain to begin to fade, though Jack noticed a wave of exhaustion quickly followed.


    To counteract the exhaustion, Jack took a few caffeine tabs he kept around for just such a situation. They took a little longer to take effect, but eventually, Jack felt himself perk up slightly as his journey continued.


    Finally freed of his physical needs, Jack began to lose himself in his thoughts once more. His mind was immediately filled with the possibilities of Em''brel''s fate and what his reactions to each possibility would be.


    -


    Lon''thul observed S''haar from the sidelines. She was like some trapped beast, pacing while she was supposed to be resting. She was like this every break they took. He wondered if she''d been on her own, would she have just pushed until she collapsed from exhaustion?


    Lon''thul started to debate if he should stand up and say something when his father beat him to the punch. "If you keep pacing rather than resting, you won''t be in any shape to help your human once you catch him. Sit down and rest your muscles, even if your mind refuses to be silenced!"


    S''haar glared at Dek''thul as though she were debating attacking him at that very moment when the hunter chief blatantly turned his back to her and returned to his attention to his meat.


    Lon''thul was worried they''d see a fight like the one that got S''haar kicked out of the hunters, but evidently, S''haar''s need for their help overrode her desire to speak her mind. In a moment of true miracles, she sat down and pulled out some of her own meat to chew on. Though the look she directed at the tree in front of her as she ate was clearly a warning to the tree that if it was suicidal enough to get between S''haar and her man, it would quickly find its time in this land at an end.


    -


    Jack knew he was getting closer to the raiders, but he was exhausted from his previous fight and the subsequent healing. The light dimming as the sun began to set wasn''t helping things either. Still, the signs of the raider''s passing were obviously becoming far more fresh, and Jack suspected he might find the raiders just over the hill ahead of him.


    As he neared the crest, Jack slowed and began to crawl. His leg protested the movement, but he ignored it as he looked over the top of the ridge. Jack could make out a rough camp had been set up in a valley situated between surrounding hills.


    His heart rate shot up, and all semblance of exhaustion faded as he looked out over the camp. Pulling out what was essentially a classic spyglass treated to prevent it from giving its user away by reflecting light, Jack gave the camp a thorough inspection.


    It didn''t take long to find Em''brel tethered to a stake next to a dying fire. The blanket she''d been given was clearly insufficient based on how she was curled into a tight ball with only her head poking out. Or maybe she was simply trying to hide from the gaze of the guards, who were tasked with keeping an eye on her.


    Jack wanted to run in and swoop her away, but there were an awful lot of redundant guards stationed around the camp. It was as if they were expecting trouble. However, the further away from the camp they were stationed, the thinner the guards'' presence became. Jack suspected that therein lay his opportunity. His plan half-formed, Jack pulled back from the crest and began to work his way around to the next hill.


    Due to their reliance on external heat sources, the argu''n were mostly daytime hunters. He knew from experience that their nighttime vision was even worse than his own. They were likely planning on sleeping through a portion of the night, meaning Jack had time to set a few surprises up. Combined with his night-vision scope and his flashbangs, he''d have a couple additional advantages in the dark.


    -


    Gar''nack wasn''t sure what he''d done to deserve being stuck out here in the middle of the night, but he was determined not to do it again. The heated stones in his coat helped keep it livable, but just barely. They all took turns tending the fire, but it was his turn to go out and scout around in the dark.


    At least he wasn''t alone. Holding up his torch, he could see Del''nash a little off to the side. Gar''nack wasn''t sure why De''haar had insisted they patrol in pairs, but it was good to have the company on this long cold night. Even if his partner seemed determined to stick his snout where it didn''t belong. "What are you looking at over there? The quicker we walk our loop, the sooner we can get warm by the fire!"


    Del''nash waved him down while he held his torch high and stared out into the darkness. "Quiet! I could swear I heard something! It''s way out in that direction... We should check it out!"


    Gar''nack walked up beside him, raised his own torch, and listened carefully. At first, all he could hear was a deafening silence that seemed to smother the land after Del''nash stopped speaking, but slowly the sounds of the forest''s nightlife began to fill the void. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until a loud crack rang out. Something must have snapped a large branch, but it was hard to tell where it had come from. It seemed a good distance away.


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    Still, De''haar had told them to report anything that seemed out of the ordinary. Also, the fact that it seemed like it was starting to rain was an even better reason to get back to camp. "You''re right. Something''s out there. We should report back immediately!"


    A soft "whump" beside him drew his attention to his partner, who''d evidently decided to lie down for some reason. Also, the rain smelled like blood. Holding up his torch again, Gar''nack could now see his partner''s head was missing.


    He took a deep breath to bellow a warning when he felt something shove him in the chest and pull at his coat. That''s when he heard another large branch snap, then he didn''t have anything else to worry about ever again.


    -


    Jack realized he needed to act fast after the second argu''n had noticed his partner. Rather than take the time to set up another headshot, he''d simply aimed for center mass. It seemed to do the job just fine, and now another pair of sentries had been dealt with.


    Still, he''d been a little sloppy. The second raider had almost gotten a warning out. He couldn''t afford to make any more mistakes like that. He needed to be in control of the pace out here. If he gave up the initiative, he could easily be overwhelmed.


    Working his way forward, Jack saw the campfire being tended by another raider. He raised his rifle and took aim. What he saw made his heart freeze in his chest, and all feelings of righteous wrath bled out of him.


    The raider was a kid.


    He seemed even younger than Em''brel, and if Jack was any judge of body language, he was cold and wet and wanted to be anywhere but where he was. The kid poked at the fire with a stick while his other hand pulled his coat tighter around himself. He even spared a glance right in Jack''s direction before taking a deep breath and letting it out in a half-hearted sigh.


    The kid seemed to come to a decision before shouting into the darkness. "Gar''nack, Del''nash, where are you guys? If you''re trying to play another prank on me, this isn''t funny! It''s cold out here! Come back before you pass out in the forest!"


    Jack hadn''t realized when he''d lowered his rifle, but he raised it again and centered the crosshairs on his target. He told himself that this was just another raider, standing between him and Em''brel, and he''d have to deal with him one way or another.


    Jack took a deep breath, slowly let it out, then held it as he started to squeeze the trigger. After a second or two, he realized the trigger seemed to be jammed.


    Lowering the barrel, he gave the gun a once over, only to determine everything seemed to be in working order. With a grimace of frustration, he raised the rifle again, sighted in on the "raider," and squeezed the trigger once more. Just like last time, the trigger seemed to be jammed, and Jack lowered his aim again.


    With a grunt of annoyance, Jack realized he was about to do something unnecessarily stupid. He hoped S''haar would understand when he explained to her in the afterlife why he''d done what he was about to do.


    -


    Kah''jin was cold, tired, and lonely sitting at the fire. Soon Gar''nack and Del''nash would be back, and it would be his turn to go out on patrol with one of them while the other tended the fire. That would make the cold worse, but at least he wouldn''t feel so alone in the middle of this gods forsaken forest.


    Right now, he couldn''t even see their torches. It made the darkness surrounding his little island of light seem all the more oppressive. Almost like the forest was alive, and it was hungry.


    Kah''jin''s mind was starting to run away with him. In an attempt to keep it in check, he shouted out into the darkness. "Gar''nack, Del''nash, where are you guys? If you''re trying to play another prank on me, this isn''t funny! It''s cold out here! Come back before you pass out in the forest!"


    Rather than hearing the laughter of the two older men as he''d expected, all that happened was the forest devouring the sound of his voice, making him feel even more vulnerable than before.


    Kah''jin started to lose his nerve when a strange monster came charging out of the trees toward him, only for it to slip in the mud and end up on its rear. The two of them silently stared at each other for a moment.


    He was surprised to realize the monster was nothing more than a badly malformed and probably malnourished argu''n. Even his skin was deathly pale.


    After a moment of confusion, the "monster" scrambled up and ran back into the forest. Kah''jin didn''t hesitate, chasing the strange argu''n through the underbrush.


    The "monster" was slow and clumsy. Kah''jin felt his heart race as he narrowed the gap between them. It was so dark that he had a hard time seeing his prey, but that was irrelevant given the noise of its passage through the underbrush.


    When he was close enough to taste his prey, Kah''jin lunged, only to have his claws pass through the air, leaving him confused for a moment. Looking up, he could see his quarry just out of his reach. It was now sitting on the ground, holding its foot as though it were injured.


    Kah''jin took a step forward to finish the chase, only to have the world whipped upside down as he was rocketed into the air, held by some beast that had grasped his ankle. Reaching up, he could feel the tendril of his captor wrapped around his foot. He slashed at it, earning his freedom as the tendril was severed, but landed in an uncoordinated heap on the ground.


    As Kah''jin struggled to his feet, he felt a presence standing over him. Looking up, the malformed man towered over him, an odd weapon with a metal handle ending in a broad piece of wood in his hand.


    With a swift motion, the man slammed the wooden head of his weapon into Kah''jin''s face, and the world fell to total darkness.


    -


    Jack was breathing heavily. Luckily he''d been right. When presented with a vulnerable opponent who ran, the raider had given into his predatory instinct and given chase rather than shouting out a warning. The plan had nearly fallen apart when the kid came perilously close to catching Jack before he''d made it to the snare, and again when he''d cut his way out of the trap so quickly.


    However, Jack was able to clock the kid in the head with the butt of his rifle before the raider had been able to get correctly oriented. Jack knew the cold would keep the kid soundly asleep until morning. He just hoped it wasn''t so cold out that the kid would die before then. However, he could only spend so much time trying to avoid unnecessary blood on his hands.


    Also, Jack''s leg was screaming in agony. He''d obviously undone some of Angela''s work when he''d fallen. Checking the time, it was a little early for his next dose, but Jack grabbed it and injected himself again anyway. It wouldn''t do any good to avoid the effects of overdosing only to die because he couldn''t run when he needed to. The pain medications'' noticeable side effect combined with the already exhausting day behind him, and now Jack was having an even harder time keeping his eyes open than before.


    Reaching into his emergency pack, Jack pulled out his last tablet. He knew he probably shouldn''t combine the mind-altering effects of the medication with the chemicals of the pain meds already flowing through him, but falling asleep out here and having a patrol run across his body would probably be even worse for his health.


    With a shrug and a prayer to the void, Jack downed the tablet, chasing it with a cold drink of water from his canteen. He knew it was too early to be feeling the effects, but regardless, his mind was convinced that he was waking up, and he felt energized.


    Jack walked back to the campfire and stomped out the flames. He then set up a few traps to confuse and frighten anyone who would come out and investigate the cooling fire and alert Jack to their presence in the process.


    So far, He''d had taken out six campfires and their respective patroles. Enough to blind a good quarter of the camp''s scouting ability. Each fire had been similarly prepared with surprises for any raiders who came looking. Now Jack pulled back to a point where he could keep an eye on each of them with minimal repositioning. Step one complete, Jack prepared for the second phase of his plan. Things were about to get a lot more dangerous for both himself and for the raiders.

 Chapter 52

    Jack didn''t have long to wait. A small section of the forest was soon lit up bright as day before the light was swallowed by night again.


    Whipping his rifle around, Jack could clearly make out two argu''n writhing on the forest floor, covering their eyes and ears. The trip line he''d attached to the flashbang had done its job. Now it was Jack''s turn to do his.


    The only problem was the fact that this was nothing like killing someone in the heat of battle. It was one thing to shoot an eight-foot-tall murder monster charging at you sword in hand. It was something else entirely to look through a scope and notice all the small things that changed the monster into a man, then pull the trigger. Was that necklace a gift from a lover? Were those claw clasps from a hunt that put food on his family''s table? Did he get those scars fighting to protect someone precious to him?


    Still, these were the raiders who had trespassed in Jack''s backyard, threatened Jack''s family, then kidnapped Em''brel. There was a price for such actions, and Jack would make sure they paid that price until they set Em''brel free.


    Jack took a deep breath, released it, then held as he squeezed the trigger. Then again. Breathe, release, hold, squeeze. Two more lives whose tales had come to an end.


    With that, Jack had finished off his second rifle magazine. As he ejected the spent magazine, a third raider took off running. That was fine. That was just what he''d been hoping for.


    Jack had just finished loaded the next magazine when another flashbang went off. He lined up another shot. Breathe, release, hold, squeeze... Breathe, release, hold... wait... That raider was pointing right to Jack''s location. He''d noticed the most recent flash from Jack''s suppressed rifle.


    Jack eased his finger away from the trigger and watched as the raider ran back to the camp.


    -


    Em''brel was woken by a loud commotion. One of the raiders ran through the camp and into the nearby tent belonging to the male in charge. The conversation was too muffled and distant to make out, but as she crept closer, the raider''s voice came out shrill enough that his voice carried clearly over to her. "They''re dead! All of them! Including the two who went with me to check on the campfire!"


    For a moment, Em''brel felt a cruel surge of satisfaction. S''haar must have arrived and was showing these amateurs what a real warrior was capable of. But all too quickly, her stomach began to knot itself in fear. S''haar shouldn''t be here! There''s no way she and Jack could take on a camp this size. They''d just be walking to their deaths if they tried!


    The conversations in the tent died off, and one voice spoke with enough clarity that Em''brel could make it out. It was the voice of the one she feared, but now he sounded...drunk? "It can''t be the wench. We know she was too far away. There''s no way she could have caught us already. That means it must be the man...Jack was his name? But I thought you said he''d had a spear put through his leg. Did you...exaggerate your story?" The word exaggerate had come out in a snarl.


    The shrill voice shouted in protest before the unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh could be heard coming from the tent. "I don''t tolerate that kind of failure. When he wakes up, put him on scouting duty. I don''t want to see his face again!"


    That was when another raider came running up and into the tent. There was more talking before the leader silenced the rest. "Like I said, it has to be this Jack! He''s playing games to whittle away out numbers while we sit here in camp! I want half the camp ready to scour the forest in ten minutes!"


    There was a bustle of activity as several raiders burst out of the tent, shouting in different directions as they ran.


    Jack was here, and he was going to die, trying to save Em''brel! She had to do something! She grabbed at her collar to try and tear it away, but one of her guards walked right up and slapped her in the back of the head. He''d hit her hard enough to daze her somewhat, and when she looked up again, the camp''s leader had exited the tent and was looming over her. When he spoke, his voice had an acrid scent to it. "You know, when I heard how easily your little ''human'' had been beaten by only six scouts, I was...disappointed."


    He looked into the forest in the direction the runners had come from. "But here he is, hunting us as though we''re his prey."


    His lips curled into a smile that echoed the madness in his eyes. "He might just be worth killing after all..."


    -


    Jack watched as the hills were swarmed with raiders. This was precisely what he had wanted. Rather than getting a good night''s rest so they''d be ready to march first thing in the morning, the raiders were floundering out in the cold forest at night, running around with torches, exhausting themselves looking for Jack.


    Of course, Jack had pulled back to a different location as soon as he saw the raiders running into the tent. There were still a few flashbangs out there, and Jack got a devilishly good chuckle every time one was tripped, but for now, he was too busy setting up some more surprises to welcome his guests.


    Though it was somewhat troubling how quickly he was running out of breath... Jack hadn''t thought he''d been physically pushing himself that hard...


    -


    Kal''noth was tired. The camp had spent the whole morning marching to "dragon''s outpost" only to find out that they''d wasted their time. Even though the walls weren''t yet completed, and the place was supposedly mostly deserted, they''d been told they might have to siege the place. Instead, the half dozen lightly armed scouts they''d sent ahead and caught their target out in the open and had been sufficient to overwhelm any supposed defenses they''d had in place.


    Admittedly, only one of the scouts made it back, but still, there hadn''t been a reason to mobilize an entire camp made up of the best warriors from multiple tribes for this measly job. Still, at least they were going to be paid well in meat and metal in addition to these new coats they''d been gifted. He had no idea why that whelp could be worth so much to anyone. Though he had to admit that even with her broken elbow spike, she was easy to look at...


    But here they were again, the better part of the camp out exploring in the cold dark forest with only some warmed stones and a torch for heat, and for what? A single male who had deluded himself into thinking he could save the girl? Kal''noth didn''t know why the new boss was so obsessed with finding this male. It seemed like it would be better to just pack up and move as a group. Let the wilds sort him out.


    That was when Kal''noth came across an interesting scent. It smelled of blood and warmth, and most importantly, not like any other camp members...


    Remembering the orders they''d been given before being sent out, Kal''noth shouted for all the nearby men to group up on him before investigating further.


    He was quickly joined by five other men. If six scouts had been enough to overwhelm this whelp on his home turf when he''d had backup, they''d certainly be enough to handle the male on his own. Taking courage from each other''s presence, they followed the scent to its source.


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    Kal''noth could practically smell the breeders that had been promised to anyone who caught or killed this "Jack." Maybe he''d even get a turn with that new girl they''d come all the way out here for...


    As the smell grew stronger, the group picked up their pace until they practically on top of their quarry, but quite suddenly, the scent dead-ended up a tree. Kal''noth was just lifting his head to look up the tree when an odd rock fell down between the branches. Kal''noth laughed. If this was the male''s best attempt at dissuading them from climbing the tree after him, it was pathetic.


    As he examined the stone more closely, Kal''noth was surprised to see a cloud start to spew out of the thing. Remembering the stories he''d heard about their prey''s tendency to use odd magics and tricks to unfairly win his fights, Kal''noth nervously tasted the air in case he''d missed something.


    Immediately Kal''noth was overwhelmed by a burning sensation. It began with his tongue, but it quickly spread to his mouth, nose, and even his eyes. He felt like they were all on fire, but no matter how furiously he rubbed or scratched, all he succeeded in doing was making it worse somehow. Every second was an eternity of anguish.


    As if this new hell hadn''t been bad enough, Kal''noth soon had to cover his ears as impossibly loud peels of thunder rang out over his head. He quickly lost count as it struck his ears over and over again until, in desperation, Kal''noth opened his watery, bloodshot eyes to see everyone else lying around him in bloody ruins. Looking up at the tree again, Kal''noth could see a small misshaped male pointing a metal stick at him.


    Without wasting time for thought, Kal''noth lept up into the tree. As he jumped, he heard another one of those loud thunderclaps and realized they were coming out of the stick the other man had been pointing at him. It must shoot lighting somehow because Kal''noth could feel it graze against his chest plate, tearing a gouge out of his side. Still, it wasn''t enough to stop him. At the peak of his, jump Kal''noth was able to grab the branch the man was standing on and pulled himself up beside his prey.


    He barely had time to register the look of surprise on the strange argu''n''s face before a loud cracking indicated that the branch they were both standing on was starting to give way. Kal''noth lept for his target as the male pointed his metal stick at him, and another crack of thunder reached his ears.


    Together they fell. Kal''noth could feel his claws get purchase on his prey''s arm, but when he hit the ground, he lost his grip and rolled away. With the smell of blood so strong he could taste it, Kal''noth lept to his feet to finish what he started.


    Or rather, he tried to. Pain shot up his foot, and he collapsed again. Looking down, Kal''noth could see his lower leg was in ruin. Digging his still good foot into the ground, Kal''noth launched himself as best he could at this evil trickster god...


    -


    Jack finished off the last raider with a shot to the head from his handgun. This trap had almost gone perfectly, but he''d gotten cocky and underestimated how far up an argu''n male could jump. He''d thought twenty feet was high enough, but evidently, he''d miscalculated.


    Now his leg was in more pain than ever, he was bleeding profusely from his arm, and worst of all, he''d needlessly wasted more ammo. It also didn''t help that the chemicals in the air hadn''t entirely dissipated by the time he''d fallen. Now his eyes were watering, and his nose was running. As Jack retreated to the next couple of traps, he made sure to leave behind a bit of a blood trail leading right into the next tripwire.


    Ejecting the nearly spent magazine, Jack could see there was only one bullet left. He secured the magazine in the pouch from which he pulled a fresh magazine. Out here, every shot was precious, and it might come in useful later.


    His gun reloaded and holstered, Jack turned his attention to his arm. Luckily, the pain medication for his leg had deadened his senses enough that it didn''t hurt as much as it should, but he sprayed it with disinfectant and applied a healthy dose of medical glue to seal the injury shut. He followed this up by wrapping the wound to keep it clean. Giving it a once over, Jack decided his handiwork wasn''t too bad for someone who hadn''t had to really use this kind of survival training in a few years.


    However, Jack had to keep moving. After all the noise he''d caused, he knew more raiders would be hot on his trail in no time.


    -


    The rest of the night passed in a blur. Jack had to continuously move and fight, though he never repeated the mistake of taking on a group larger than four with anything other than the rifle at long range. If too many raiders got too close, he just tossed one of his flashbangs or pepper bombs and retreated until he could engage on better terms.


    Jack hit himself with another dose of pain meds. He''d probably had more than he should at this point, but his leg was getting worse. He was no longer walking as much as limping. Of course, the meds weren''t making it any easier to focus either. He found his attention wandering more and more and had to fight to focus on the tasks at hand.


    It also didn''t help that he always seemed out of breath, and his heart was constantly racing. To top off the list, now that it was day, his advantage was lost. With proper light, warmer weather, and a diminishing ammo supply, Jack didn''t know how much longer he could maintain the upper hand.


    He was so lost in a haze that Jack didn''t even realize he''d almost stumbled into another party of raiders until it was too late. They seemed every bit as surprised to see him as he did them. Word of the small argu''n who''d single-handedly massacred nearly a third of the camp had spread and caused just enough hesitation that he had enough time to draw his handgun.


    With a shot that was more muscle memory than thought, Jack took out the closest raider. Turning his focus to the next target, he pulled the trigger again, but the gun clicked empty.


    Jack stared at the gun stupidly for a moment. He''d just reloaded it after the last fight! Or had it been the fight before that? He had one more full magazine, right? No time! Grab a flashbang! Wait, no, those had all been used up three groups ago...


    The raiders had frozen at the sight of their friend being gunned down, but as one moment passed into the next, and the small pale argu''n did nothing but stare at the odd weapon in his hands, they started to gather themselves and began to circle him.


    That was when a voice cut through the haze in his head. "Charge forward, through the raiders! Run as fast as you can. I don''t care if you tear every remaining muscle off your bone. Just run!"


    Jack shook his head to clear the strange spirits from his mind but realized he had little choice in the matter. Soon the raiders would have him surrounded. If he ran backwords, the raiders would catch him before he''d made it very far. His only hope was the element of surprise.


    With little other choice, Jack pulled out one of his knives and charged the largest argu''n directly in front of himself, screaming in a way that would leave his throat raw afterward. The argu''n blinked in surprise, hesitating long enough to keep him from raising his sword into a guard position in time to deal with the tiny maniac.


    Jack lunged at him, intending to bring his knife down into the raider''s neck at its base, just above the bony plate. But his blurred vision got the best of him, and the blade slid across the plate and out of Jack''s hands.


    The raider dug his claws into the skin of Jack''s face and started to squeeze, but Jack rammed his head forward, causing the claws to tear into his skin and across his left eye as he did so, but he succeeded in his objective of slamming his forehead into the raiders nose, resulting in a nasty crunch Jack could feel as well as hear.


    The raider pulled his hands back to his face, and Jack scrambled up and off the raider, running forward and putting as much distance between the raiders and himself as fast as he could. His leg was on fire, his left eye was blind, and his heart felt like it was going to rip out of his chest. His only advantage was that he did have a bit of a head start due to his unexpected assault.


    It didn''t take long for Jack to hear the sounds of pursuit behind him, but the strange voice continued speaking from inside Jack''s head. "Keep going, just a little further, don''t hold anything back now!"


    Jack felt something in his leg tear, and he stumbled. The sounds of pursuit were getting closer. Attempting to slam his leg into the ground again resulted in blindingly searing pain, and the leg simply gave out. Jack fell into a heap that continued to roll a few feet before ending up at the base of a small hill.


    The voice in his head had betrayed him, and Jack was out of time and out of options. Jack drew his handgun again and ejected the mag but knew there wouldn''t even be enough time to grab the next one off his belt before the raiders were on him.


    From behind him, Jack heard a bellow that sounded like it had come out of his nightmares. Looking up, he could see another raider leap off the hill, swinging a sword into the lead raider that had been chasing Jack with such ferocity it clove through him and into the next raider to his left.


    Drawing the blade back and continuing her spin, the new raider thrust the sword into the neck of the raider to her right, who''d been stunned by the unexpected appearance of a new foe. The last raider turned and ran, leaving Jack alone with the new arrival.


    As she turned and looked at Jack, the raider spoke. Oddly, her voice seemed to be filled with concern. "What happened..."


    She was cut off when Jack raised his handgun to point it at her then pulled the trigger.

 Chapter 53

    The gun clicked empty...again. Jack blinked stupidly for a moment before remembering he''d never reloaded after ejecting the last mag. Reaching for his last full magazine, he slid it home and began to take aim.


    However, before he could line up a shot, Jack found the raider looming over him with one firm, but surprisingly gentle, hand keeping his gun pointed to the ground. With her other hand, the raider carefully removed the weapon from his grip.


    Not the type to give up, Jack reached for a knife but was barely able to draw the blade a half-inch before once again the raider firmly but gently grabbed hold of his hand and shoved the blade back into its sheath.


    Jack was extra confused when the raider pulled him up into a hug, pinning his arms into place so he couldn''t struggle any longer before whispering in his ear. "Oh, Jack, what have you done to yourself?"


    -


    Jack''s attempts to struggle were weakening, but he seemed strangely determined. Angela spoke up over the headset. "He''s worse than I''d feared. Between his exhaustion, injuries old and new, and the medications he''s obviously taken far too many of, his body is at its limit. His eyes are dilated, his breathing ragged and uneven, and I''m pretty sure he''s finally damaged himself beyond my ability to repair in a few places. He didn''t seem to recognize my voice over his headset. I don''t even think he''s aware of who you are."


    S''haar wanted to treat the obviously fresh injuries on Jack''s face, but she knew he''d never let her do it in his current state. Instead, she just pinned him to herself with one arm while the other stroked his hair while she tried to speak calming words to him, hoping to snap him out of his hallucinations.


    Eventually, Jack stopped struggling, and his one good eye focused on her as he tilted his head to the side in confusion. S''haar felt a bit of hope when he started speaking. "You again? Listen, lady, I''m flattered by your attention and all, but I told you, I''m not ready to die yet. I''ve got too much to do and too many people waiting for me. Besides, as good as your offer is, S''haar made me a better one!"


    Despite the situation, S''haar found herself laughing at that, although she at least struggled to keep it muffled behind closed lips. Hugging Jack tighter, she spoke to him again, the laughter still echoing her voice. "Oh, my brave idiot. If we live through this, I''m going to have to reward you for that one!"


    Jack''s eye lost a little of its glazed appearance as he looked at S''haar again. "S''haar, what are you doing here...?" He quickly lost focus and started to struggle in S''haar''s grip again, though he seemed to have a different goal in mind this time. "I have to... I need to keep the raiders busy! I need to keep the camp here until S''haar arrives! I can''t let them get away with Em''brel!"


    S''haar started to stroke Jack''s hair and try to calm him again when he suddenly went still once more. She had no idea when he''d done it, but somehow he''d gotten his hands on his fallen gun. However, this time he was pointing it over her shoulder as he spoke. "They''re back!"


    Looking behind herself, S''haar could make out the raider who''d run away not long ago as well as five others who had joined him. She grabbed her sword even as Jack fired twice into the one that had run away before. As she charged forward, he took out an additional couple with two shots each.


    S''haar slid low to get past the new lead raider''s defenses, coming up in front of another who had not been prepared for the maneuver. She heard more shots ring out, even though none of the raiders around herself fell. That must mean there were more raiders in another direction. She''d need to deal with this group fast!


    -


    Jack found his aim more than a little worse for wear. A bit ago, he''d started calming down, but now his heart was thundering in his chest again. Additionally, his vision in his one good eye was blurring, and he couldn''t catch his breath even though he was sitting on the ground. His hands were shaking so bad that Jack decided to fire two shots at each raider, just to be sure.


    He took out the first three well enough, but as S''haar got into melee range with the rest, Jack noticed another raider sneaking in from the side. Maybe sneaking wasn''t quite the word. With two swords drawn, he seemed to just be casually walking forward.


    Jack turned and let off another two shots, but this raider moved differently. Somehow he''d read the direction of Jack''s aim, and with deceptively rapid movements, further complicated by Jack''s deteriorating condition, the raider managed to avoid the bullets.


    Jack squinted in disbelief. Taking a moment to steady his aim a bit more, he fired again. The raider was grinning now, enjoying his new game as he dodged once again.


    Jack was on his last bullet as he took careful aim, trying to psych out his opponent when the raider suddenly charged forward. Waiting until the last second so the raider would get close enough that even in his current condition, Jack couldn''t miss, he finally fired.


    It took Jack''s brain a moment to figure out just what had happened, Somehow the raider had gotten both swords up to shield himself from the shot. Now both blades were broken mear inches from their handles, but the swords had absorbed enough of the kinetic energy that the raider seemed to suffer only flesh wounds and other minor abrasions.


    Jack knew he was in trouble even as he drew his last knife. The raider''s grin had only grown more manic as he closed the distance between themselves.


    -


    Lon''thul shook his head. This was the most idiotic plan he could have possibly thought of. He couldn''t believe when both S''haar and his father had agreed to it when he''d first proposed it.


    Getting the disguise had been easy enough. Raiders were wandering all around this forest in small groups, but they moved in such loud and clumsy ways that the hunters could spot them long before they were in the line of sight. It had been a simple task for the hunters to pick them off and take their clothes.


    It was no surprise that their skills at silently approaching their prey and striking before the animals had any chance to run translated well in this environment. S''haar may be better in a stand-up fight than any man Lon''thul knew, but this was his element, and here, he and his father were second to none. They even took out a few more patrols than they''d needed when the raiders got between the hunters and the camp.


    Getting out of their nice coats and into these inferior copies had been thoroughly unpleasant, but it was paying off now as they simply walked through the camp. The hunters had split off into two groups, with one group getting ready to create a distraction while Lon''thul and his father confidently strolled into the center of the camp.


    Everyone in the camp was running around, attending to gods knew what. In all the commotion, none of the raiders spared more than a glance in their direction. Whatever Jack had been up to, the camp was in chaos.


    When he caught sight of Em''brel, Lon''thul had to fight the urge to run forward and grab her. The key was to look annoyed, as though he felt this task was beneath him.


    As they got closer, one of Em''brel''s guards stood to meet them. "Hold it! What''re you doing here rather than out in the forest, looking for the intruder?"


    Lon''thul did his best to sound annoyed when he noticed Em''brel''s gaze shoot up at the sound of his voice. "Chief said to move the girl. He wants to keep the intruder guessing or something." While he was talking, his father had broken off to speak to another of the guards.


    The guard spit into the dirt at Lon''thul''s feet. "He''s not my chief! I don''t care how good with a sword he is. That maniac shouldn''t be in charge of anything!"


    Of course, Lon''thul had no idea what the guard was talking about but tried to play along, so he shrugged and smiled. "Yeah, but orders are orders. Don''t wanna get on his bad side, ya know?" Out of the corner of his eye, Lon''thul saw his father speaking to a different guard now.


    The guard Lon''thul was speaking to laughed loud and clear. "Smart kid! Keep that up, and you''ll get a job guarding a captive when everyone else had to go scour the forest!"


    Lon''thul laughed along with the guard. "Yeah! How do you think I got this fetch job? Listen, get yourself a bite to eat. We''ll take her from here." His father was talking to yet another guard.


    The guard Lon''thul had been speaking with narrowed his eyes, suddenly seeming suspicious. "As good as that sounds, what say I come with you? She can be a real handful, you know?"


    Lon''thul noticed the guard''s hand sliding toward his sword, and he realized he''d "overplayed his hand" to steal a phrase from Jack''s card game. Before the guard could react, Lon''thul kicked him solidly in the chest, knocking him backward.


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    The hunter drew his sword to finish what he''d started, then fight the rest of the guards off or die trying, but Em''brel beat him to the punch. As soon as the guard had fallen within range, she''d lept up and slammed a piece of firewood onto his head hard enough Lon''thul doubted he''d ever get up again. Then she repeated the motion twice more for good measure.


    Looking around at the other guards, Lon''thul saw his father extracting a bloodied knife from his fourth victim, who was also the final guard. He had no idea how his father had killed all four of them without any of the others noticing until it was too late, but he wasn''t going to complain either.


    His deed done, Dek''thul whistled loudly into the air. Not long after, a whistle could be heard in response.


    Lon''thul didn''t stop and listen. He ran forward but stopped short when Em''brel raised the log with wild eyes. he raised his hands, trying to soothe the girl. "Hey, calm down, Em''brel, it''s me, Lon''thul. We''re here to get you out of here!"


    Em''brel let her hands fall, and Lon''thul gently removed the log from her grip. "Come on, you''ve been here long enough. Let''s get you home now."


    That was when Em''brel''s eyes lost their far away look and focused on Lon''thul''s, suddenly lucid. "Where''s Jack and S''haar?"


    Lon''thul felt a slight pang that her first words were something other than gratitude to him, but he squelched that feeling, telling himself he needed to be better than that. "Jack''s apparently been harassing and terrifying the raiders all night and into the day. As soon as we got close to the camp, S''haar split off to track him down while we came here to rescue you. Angela seemed to think he was in more immediate danger, but we wanted to make sure we took advantage of his distraction while we could."


    Em''brel''s eyes widened. "We need to get to them now! Jack is being hunted by De''haar, the leader of the camp!"


    -


    S''haar finished the last raider with an upward thrust through a gap in his chest plates into his heart. The immediate threat addressed, she turned to see what Jack had been shooting at.


    As she did so, her own heart skipped a beat then turned to ice. This was impossible! He''s been dead for years! He can''t be here! S''haar stood rooted in place as she saw the thing that haunted her nightmares approaching Jack where he sat. Her mind was screaming in all different directions at her. Wake up. This is only a dream! We need to run now! He is already dead! He needs to die again!


    She watched in hope as Jack fired at the living ghost from close enough range that he couldn''t miss, only to have her hope fall to despair when the monster''s grin was still there as Jack dropped the now useless gun and drew a knife.


    That same grin had haunted her nightmares for decades. She''d told herself it was only anger she''d felt toward that man, but all the fear that had tormented her for years came rushing back in an instant. It was only after meeting Jack that she''d finally really started to move past the horrors he''d inflicted on herself and her mother. Now he''d returned, and he was stalking the one person who meant more to her than anyone else ever had.


    Jack looked pathetic, sitting in front of that monster with only a tiny knife drawn. He had no hope of survival...


    Something in S''haar snapped, and all the fear and indecision found itself hardened into a single point of rage. She lept forward, crazed with bloodlust.


    -


    Jack watched as S''haar charged his assailant, leaping through the air with her sword raised overhead in a double-handed grip. She brought it down in a blow meant to cleave her target in two. He caught the blade on the shard of his own and redirected the blow to the side with almost criminal ease. At the same time, he swung his other sword toward her in a move that would have decapitated her if it still held more than roughly three inches of edge left. But S''haar didn''t evade or counter as she usually did. Instead, she rained blow after blow of raw fury down on her target, trying to overcome his defenses with might alone.


    Seeing S''haar made Jack remember that lovely dream he''d been having just moments ago. S''haar had been here holding him and whispering to him. He could almost swear he could still smell her odd musk, which he''d grown rather fond of over their time together.


    Of course, that was just a dream. Jack was out here in the forest to fight the raiders and keep them busy long enough for S''haar to arrive with reinforcements, and right in front of him, he could see two raiders fighting. Though the male''s fine control seemed to give him an edge over the female''s wild blows. The only reason she was still in the fight was the fact that the male was wielding broken swords.


    Something about the broken swords stirred something in Jack''s mind. Looking at his hands, he could see that he already had a knife drawn. He must have meant to use it on the raiders!


    With that thought, Jack tried to get to his feet but immediately felt intense pain shoot up his leg.


    Oh yeah, he had a spear in his leg! How could he forget? The raider was going to kidnap Em''brel if Jack didn''t do something! Though he had to admit, Em''brel was putting up a much better fight than he would have thought her capable of, but she was swinging with far too much wild abandon! She needed to learn to remain calm and collected in combat, like S''haar.


    Wait, no... Em''brel had already been kidnapped! He needed to get to Angela to heal his leg so he could track the raiders and save her! After all, that''s why he was in this forest right now!


    No...something wasn''t right... He was mixing things up... S''haar... S''haar was here right now! She was fighting...someone...right in front of him...


    Jack screwed his eye''s shut. He needed to focus! He needed to cut through the fog in his mind!


    Opening his eyes, Jack noticed the knife still in his hand. A thought occurred to him, and before he could second guess himself or talk himself out of what he was about to do, he slammed the knife into his leg, not far from where the spear had pierced him a day ago.


    Even with all the medications flowing through his veins, the pain was intense. Jack''s vision started to darken around the edges, but the haze was gone, and he could think clearly again. S''haar was fighting for her life.


    Whoever this raider was, he remained calm and collected as the fight dragged on. He was letting S''haar exhaust herself while he, in turn, exerted the absolute minimum effort required to defend himself.


    Even with only one good eye, Jack could see S''haar''s eyes widened to the point that they showed all white around the pupal. She was clearly terrified and in full fight or flight mode, meaning she wasn''t thinking, relying on instinct instead. All of her usual control and discipline was missing. In its place was a rage that was quickly burning through S''haar''s energy reserves.


    Jack had to do something, but what? Looking at the knife embedded in his leg, Jack wondered what use it could possibly be? It''s not like the raider would just let him crawl over and stab him in the leg. It wasn''t weighted for throwing, though Jack supposed that would be better than nothing.


    That''s when Jack remembered something from what seemed like days ago. Rummaging through a few pouches, he felt his fingers wrap around what he was looking for. Pulling it out, Jack could see the one magazine he had left, with only a single bullet in it.


    Looking around, Jack found his gun lying not far to his right. He crawled sideways through the mud, grabbing it, and hurriedly ejected the spent mag before loading his last hope.


    -


    S''haar was breathing heavily. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, a voice was screaming that this fight was not going well. But that voice was drowned out by the thunderous shout of rage that filled the rest of her being.


    Throughout her childhood, merely being related to this man had scared away all the other children, leaving her isolated. He''d rained abuse down on his wife and child, but the rest of the village had been too terrified to intervene in any way. Even when he''d finally had the decency to go and get himself exiled from the village in the middle of winter, he''d taken S''haar''s mother from her when she simply gave up on life without him.


    Now here he was, the beast from her nightmares, back from the grave to take the most precious thing he could from her! He would die! He must die!


    Over and over, S''haar chanted these things to herself, fueling each blow with greater force than the last, but he always deflected the blows, his twisted grin never faltering.


    Over and over, S''haar''s blows slowly began to lose strength. Still, she forced herself to fight on, unwilling and unable to do anything else.


    Over and over, S''haar slowly fell back. He moved with the same grace, speed, and control he always had. If anything, he''d only gotten better in the years he''d been gone.


    Finally, S''haar realized she couldn''t keep this up much longer. Her arms screamed in agony. Her thoughts were slowing down. Her breaths were growing more and more ragged. It was only a question of time...


    That was when S''haar heard the familiar sound of Jack reloading his gun behind her. Knowing what was coming, S''haar made one last wild swing toward her father''s eyes, forcing him to raise his sword to block and obscure his own vision. She then leaped back to give Jack a clear shot.


    -


    Seeing the opening S''haar had created for him, Jack squeezed the trigger. He wasn''t going for anything fancy, just aiming for center mass.


    Jack felt the now familiar kick of the gun, heard the familiar roar of the explosive propellant, and saw the familiar flash explode out of the barrel. For a moment, his hope was suspended by those three sensations, but even as he registered those things, he also saw his target already twisting mid-air.


    It took agonizingly long fractions of a second for Jack''s brain to tell him what he was seeing. By then, the raider had already landed off to the side, in what seemed to be an uncontrolled tumble.


    Jack''s hope died when the raider somehow recovered mid-fall and ended up on his feet once more. Though he hadn''t gotten away completely unscathed. His side now sported a gouge in his bony plate that was slowly oozing blood, but it had been far from the finishing shot Jack had been hoping for. The raider stepped toward S''haar again, his grin broader and more insane than ever, when he suddenly stopped and tilted his head to the side as if listening.


    Turning back to her, the raider finally spoke. "Who knew that worthless woman of mine could make something so interesting? With a few more years, you might actually become something worth killing! Unfortunately, this game now has too many players for my taste. Don''t worry though, we''ll meet again. That''s a promise!" The raider then turned and ran, leaving an exhausted S''haar and a broken Jack behind.


    Jack could just make out the shouts of someone approaching, but his only concern at the moment was S''haar. The two of them gave each other a look of profound relief, and Jack let out a breath he hadn''t realized he''d been holding.


    Now that the adrenaline was fading, Jack found that he was exhausted. Also, despite the fact he was sitting, he still couldn''t catch his breath for some reason. On top of that, his left arm was suddenly in excruciating pain...


    That was when the world went dark.

 Chapter 54

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

 Chapter 55

    The rest of the journey home passed without any significant incident. When they stopped to eat, Jack was allowed to sit up and join in. When they rested for the night, they split the watch between S''haar, Lon''thul, and the other hunter. Neither Jack nor Em''brel were allowed to join in the watch against their protests.


    Lon''thul put it simply. "Em''brel, none of us doubt your determination or your self-discipline, but you''ve just been through a horrible ordeal, and you''re just not used to life in the wilds. Quite frankly, you probably couldn''t tell the difference between a twig broken by a wandering churlish or an approaching raider. There will be plenty of work for you once we get back to camp, so get some sleep for now. We''ll need your help later."


    Turning to Jack, he wasn''t quite so eloquent. "Jack, stop being an idiot and get the rest you need before S''haar ties you to your bed!"


    One glance at S''haar convinced Jack it wasn''t an idle threat. Of course, sleep was easier said than done for him. Angela had made him back off the pain meds considerably, and he hurt all over, but eventually, sheer exhaustion won, and he slept.


    -


    Jack opened his eyes to a sea of faces. They looked at him with expressions ranging from fear to anger to sadness.


    Jack walked, then ran through the crowd, desperately searching for something but not knowing what. The faces turned into blurs as he ran faster and faster. He started recognizing them. He''d seen many of these same faces through his scope the night before.


    More and more faces passed. Had he actually killed this many? Did this much blood really stain his hands? Eventually, the faces turned into a kaleidoscope of condemnation until one face stood out and everything else faded.


    Jack stood before the young raider he''d tried and failed to save. They stood staring at each other for a long time, or maybe it was only an instant. The young man spoke. "You killed me."


    It wasn''t an accusation or spoken with anger. It was a simple statement of fact.


    Jack wanted to deny it anyway. He wanted to shout that he''d tried to save the kid, say it wasn''t his hand that dealt the blow. Instead, he clenched his jaw and nodded, eventually whispering a harsh, guttural, "Yes."


    They looked at each other a little longer, then the young man spoke again. "I saw what you did...after...after I got here, I mean... I saw you tried..." He fell silent again.


    After they looked at each other for a few more moments, Jack spoke this time. "Does it matter?"


    The young man thought some more before shrugging. "I don''t know..."


    Jack felt the tears force their way past his clenched jaw and felt the gasp of air he had to struggle to choke down before he was able to speak again. "I''m sorry."


    The young man nodded. "I know."


    Looking around, the young man took a deep breath. "So... What now?"


    A familiar voice, yet unlike any Jack had ever heard before, spoke up from behind him. "Now, you come and sit with me, rest, and tell me your story."


    A kind young mother walked out from behind Jack and met the young man. She took his hand, and his face eased of pain and fear. The two of them walked off into the distance, fading as they went.


    Not-S''haar remained beside Jack. He turned to her and spoke. "Will he be ok?"


    She looked at him with those star-filled eyes for several moments before speaking. "His story, as you understand it, has come to an end, but so has his pain. You''re the one who has to live with his passing."


    She looked at Jack for a few moments before tilting her head and asking her final question. "Can you?"


    Jack stood there for several more long moments, staring into the spot he''d last seen the kid as he''d faded away. After a long pause, he answered, not looking away. "I''ll have to."


    When he awoke, Jack''s face was covered in tears, and his jaw was clenched tight. S''haar was sitting on a log not far away, her eyes scanning the forest.


    Without taking her eyes off her task, she spoke softly. "You saw their faces." It wasn''t a question.


    Jack nodded before grimacing in chagrin, realizing she was looking in a totally different direction. He answered, his voice oddly ragged. "Yeah."


    S''haar nodded, still looking into the trees. "That''s good. Remember them. Some may have been monsters, others good men, but they are all worthy of being remembered."


    Jack covered his eyes and started to slip back to sleep. Before he could, he spoke one last time, his voice barely a whisper. "Yeah..."


    -


    The next day passed without incident, and soon enough, the group all but stumbled into the ship they call home. Jack was now being carried by S''haar since the litter wasn''t viable in the house''s confines. They were met by an unusually somber but still delighted Angela. "About time, guys. The ship has been too quiet for too long! As good a conversationalist as Ger''ron is, this place just hasn''t felt the same without you!"


    The old guard hobbled over to greet them, obviously more comfortable with his crutches now than before. "I was going to welcome you all back safe and sound, but looking at Jack, I''m worried I might be speaking prematurely."


    Jack grinned before flinching in pain while Em''brel tiredly walked over and hugged the older man. S''haar smiled tiredly. "Don''t let his appearance fool you. Angela assures me Jack''s no longer in any immediate danger."


    Angela looked like she had a dozen lectured stored up and was bursting at the seams. She held up an accusatory finger in front of Jack. "So long as we can keep him from running out to go do something heroically suicidal for more than five minutes."


    Jack held up his hands in surrender. "Listen, after the last couple of days, I''ll be delighted to spend the next year indoors. Longer even!"


    Ger''ron looked down at the young woman hugging him. A look of shame crossed his face. "I''m not sure I deserve this greeting. I didn''t do much to keep you safe."


    Em''brel hugged him all the tighter. "You still fought for me, and I''m not going to forget that."


    Lon''thul just kinda stood off to the side, a bit torn between feeling proud at having had a hand in this reunion and being just a little envious that he wasn''t more involved with it.


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    After he was released from Em''brels entrapment, Ger''ron hobbled over to Jack, giving him a once over, as though wondering how he was still alive. "So, you did it? You marched right up to the camp and saved the girl?"


    Jack shook his head. "Nah, I just slowed them down a bit, and S''haar arrived to save me just before I got myself killed. Lon''thul here was the hero of the hour! He literally walked up and through the camp, right under the noses of dozens of raiders!" Jack slapped the hunter on the back as he spoke.


    Lon''thul looked somewhat embarrassed. "It was only possible because you pulled most of the camp away, and even then, it was mostly my father that got us in and out so cleanly..."


    Em''brel wasn''t going to let himself talk his way out of his credit. "All I know is that when I was alone in the camp, fearing that everyone I know was getting themselves killed trying to rescue me, it was your voice that cut through my fear and made me feel like just maybe everything might be alright again!"


    With that, she hugged Lon''thul as well and even gave him a kiss on the cheek before she pulled away. This left the hunter with a look of astonishment and confusion, not knowing how to respond.


    Angela was thrilled to see her family back in one place and was practically bursting at the seams with unbridled joy, but she knew she still had a job to do and visibly calmed herself...after a little happy dance. "As much as I wish this moment could last forever, you''ve all undergone immense stresses, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I want you all to report to the med-bay for a full battery of scans. Jack first, for obvious reasons. I suspect he''ll be in there a while, so I''ll let you know when I''m ready for you each in turn. For now, get some food, get cleaned up, and get some rest."


    -


    After depositing Jack where Angela could begin her scans, S''haar took a seat in the med-bay as though afraid to let him out of her sight, lest he go and get himself into more trouble somehow.


    Em''brel went and got some food put together with Ger''ron''s help and delivered it to S''haar and Jack. Angela even let Jack get a couple of mouthfuls between scans.


    Once Jack''s scans were finally done, Angela floated in front of him with a rolled parchment in her hands, from which she started reading. "Well, you jacked up your leg good this time, pun intended. I can heal the bone and most of the muscle, but the nerves are fried. If we had access to a more complete medical facility, we might be able to repair it, or at least get you a really snazzy prosthetic, but for now, the safest thing to do is probably to leave it in place. You''ll have a bit of a limp, and I''d recommend using a cane if only to prevent falling over if and when your nerves occasionally flair up."


    Unrolling the scroll a little further, Angela continued. "You''ve also got a few cracked ribs, a fractured wrist, a damaged tendon, and a concussion, all of which can be healed in a few days, though they may leave you with a few more aches and pains than you had before."


    Angela lowered the scroll a little and looked apologetically over it. "I''m afraid to say, I can''t save your eye. I can heal the orb, so it won''t look as horrific, but you won''t be able to see out of it unless we install an implant that is, again, beyond my capacity to safely install in my med-bay."


    Jack nodded. "Yeah, I kind of figured. Still, it could be worse. Anything else?"


    Angela held on to the top of the unrolled scroll, then let the rest of it drop to the ground, where it continued to unroll along the floor until it bumped into the wall on the other side of the med-bay. "Yes, you have more contusions, abrasions, and lacerations than I''ve ever heard of. I''m reasonably sure you broke a record or three! Also, you seem to have one puncture wound that looks suspiciously like it came from a modern knife. Care to elaborate?"


    Jack tilted his head to the side. "We can talk about that one later, but why do I feel as though you''re still holding something back?" At this, S''haar and Em''brel both sat a little straiter, paying even closer attention than before.


    Angela dropped her scroll, letting it vanish as it fell to the floor. She took a "breath" and sighed it out. "Well, there is one more issue. Your heart. With all the exhaustion, chemicals, and stresses you put it through, your heart has been permanently damaged. I can go over the specifics later, but what matters now is the fact that with enough strain, stress, or bad luck, it could give out on you again, at any time."


    S''haar and Em''brel both shot to their feet, but Angela held up a hand to keep them at bay. "Jack is far from the first person to have this happen to him, and he won''t be the last. We''ve developed various technologies and techniques to help someone in this condition live a mostly normal life. Since a replacement or prosthetic is again beyond the scope of this med-bay, we''ll be using something called a pacemaker."


    Jack raised an eyebrow. "And you can install one in this med-bay?"


    Angela nodded. "As important as it is, the heart is much simpler than your nervous system. While there is some risk with the installation, it''s still far better than letting you run around with a bad heart. It''s even minimally invasive. This will barely count as heart surgery!"


    Looking over a clipboard that had materialized, Angela continued. "Out of everything you need done, that''s actually where I would like to start. Once the pacemaker is in place, all the other procedures you''ll need will be of minimal risk to your safety."


    Jack sighed, then nodded. "Alright, let''s get to it."


    -


    Both Em''brel and S''haar refused to undergo their own scans or get any sleep until they were sure Jack''s surgery went well, so Angela forced them to get cleaned and suited up and separated them from the procedure with a transparent plastic sheet to prevent any possibility of contamination.


    Both women watched, unable to look away, as Angela lowered her spider-like set of appendages she often used in the med bay that they''d become more and more used to in the previous months. Em''brel sat forward in her chair, fascinated by what she was watching. Meanwhile, S''haar sat with her back pressed up against the backrest and her claws digging into the seat cushions at her side, seeming as though she wanted to crawl away but was unwilling to do so.


    Against their expectations, rather than cut open the skin near Jack''s heart like they''d expected, Angela cut a slit near his shoulder, opening up a vein into which she inserted a small wire. He''d been thoroughly numbed and couldn''t feel much other than some slight tugging and pulling sensations but was otherwise very much awake as she worked.


    What followed seemed to the watching women to be a series of wires being pushed in and pulled out of Jack''s vein. Em''brel watched with rapt attention as Angela pulled up a live x-ray so the girl could see what was going on inside of Jack. The vein was used to guide two electrodes attached to leads, which were then essentially screwed into the heart, securing them into place. The other end of the leads were secured into Jack''s chest muscle. She then inserted what she described as a small computer into a pocket she created under his shoulder''s muscle.


    Em''brel was giddy with excitement at how cool she felt the whole thing was, while S''haar looked as though she regretted her earlier meal. The younger girl spoke up as Angela started to suture the site of the surgery closed. "That''s so cool! Is that what it was like when you gave me my implant?"


    At the thought that a similar procedure had been performed on her, S''haar looked a little weaker than she had moments before.


    Having reappeared in her avatar state, Angela nodded. "Yes, actually. Both procedures were done with minimal invasiveness to the patient, in this case, Jack, to reduce the risk of complications. Unfortunately, something like an ocular implant that could restore Jack''s vision would require far more exposure, dramatically increasing the chance of infections or other issues, which is why I recommend merely accepting the loss of vision in one eye, at least for now."


    Jack was putting on a loose-fitting robe to cover up the surgical site, which was now covered with a bandage. "That''s all well and good, but I''m famished and could use a proper meal. I''d like to take a bit and grab a bite before we jump into the next part of me that needs healing if that''s alright with you.


    S''haar looked grateful for the reprieve as she nodded in agreement. Angela crossed her arms and sighed. "I guess we got the life-threatening one out of the way, so maybe letting you get a bit of your strength back before moving on is a good idea. How''s your leg feeling anyway?"


    Jack chuckled before flinching again. "Oh, it hurts plenty, just like everything else. I suspect this will be a long few days, so I figured it would be better to pace myself."


    Angela nodded sagely before opening one eye to stare in Jack''s direction. "You''re not wrong. The healing process can be rough on your body, and you''ve got a lot of healing to do, but try not to overeat. The last thing we need is more complications caused by something so easily avoidable."


    S''haar seemed all too happy to help Jack out and into the living area. For her part, Em''brel hopped up and onto the examination table. "Guess it''s my turn next!"

 Chapter 56

    The next few days seemed to somehow both pass in a blur and stretch on for an eternity. The various surgeries weren''t so bad. At least Jack got to be adequately anesthetized for those. But all the bone growth took an agonizingly long time.


    Since they weren''t in a rush this time, it wasn''t as painful as before. Rather than feeling like a red hot poker was being shoved into Jack''s leg, it felt more like he was being continuously stung by an angry wasp. When he couldn''t take the pain in his leg anymore, Angela would let him take a break and work on his ribs or wrist instead.


    The whole healing process left Jack in a somewhat foul mood, but at least afterward, he could hobble around with the aid of a crude cane he''d put together using some spare firewood and a temporary cast Angela had given him to prevent him from reinjuring himself during the night. In another day or two, he wouldn''t even need the cast anymore. However, he still felt a little unsettled looking at his face in the mirror.


    The left side of his face was a mess. The claw marks were still a bright angry red. Angela told him the color would fade over time, but they''d been left untreated for too long for the scars to resemble anything he could call subtle. The worst of it was his left eye. Like Anglea had promised, there was an orb there, staring back at him, but the color was all wrong. The veins stood out so much the sclera looked more red than white, and the iris seemed to be covered by some kind of film, giving it a ghostly white look. He''d definitely have to have an eyepatch made, if only for his own peace of mind.


    S''haar walked up behind him, wrapping him in a gentle hug, so she wouldn''t reinjure his still-healing ribs. She leaned down to plant a kiss on his cheek before speaking. "It makes you look roguish. Definitely, an improvement over the helpless-looking face you had before."


    Jack chuckled, this time only feeling a slight tinge of pain as he did so. "You''re just saying that to make me feel better."


    S''haar smiled into the mirror, looking into the reflection of Jack''s right eye. "Maybe. Did it work?"


    Jack turned around in her grip to pull the warrior woman down to him for a slightly longer kiss before responding, his head tilted to the side as he examined the woman who''d come to mean so much to him with his good eye. "Well, coming from you, how could it not?"


    Just as things were starting to look like they were going to get interesting, a familiar blue glow appeared from behind Jack, who let out a sigh. "Yes, Angela, I know. I''m not healed enough for anything... ''strenuous'' yet. Now can you leave us be for a few more moments?"


    Angela''s voice was filled with more concern than Jack had been expecting when she replied. "If that was the reason I''d come here, I''d gladly give you two more time alone. But the real reason I''m here is Em''brel. She hardly slept last night, and tonight''s not looking to be any better. I tried to comfort her as best I could, but I think she needs more than I can offer."


    Jack sighed and pulled away from S''haar, though her hand remained in his own. "Alright, alright... you made the right choice."


    Jack turned his attention back to S''haar, squeezing her hands. "What say you go warm some water for tea and get a snack ready. I''ll talk Em''brel into joining us in the living area. I think it''s time we had a movie night again."


    S''haar leaned in to steal one quick final kiss before nodding. "I think that''s a great idea." With that, she turned and was gone.


    For his part, Jack cleaned himself up a little to make himself more presentable while he thought of what to say or do to comfort a girl who''s been through far more trauma than anyone, adult or child, should ever have to endure.


    -


    Jack knocked on Em''brel''s door. When there was no reaction, he tried speaking as well. "Hey, Em''brel, it''s me, Jack." He frowned at the obviousness of his statement but continued. "I was just wondering, want to talk for a bit?"


    There was still no response, but a minute later, the door unlocked. Jack wasn''t sure if that was Angela or Em''brel''s doing, but he figured that something needed to be done either way.


    He opened the door just a crack and spoke into the room. "Hey, just thought I''d check in on ya and see how you''re doing." When no protest seemed forthcoming, Jack finally pushed his way inside enough to see a lump hiding under the blanket of her bed, faintly shivering.


    He walked over and sat down at the foot of her bed, then waited. Eventually, a small voice braved its way out of the shelter of blankets and pillows. "I''m sorry."


    Of everything Jack had been expecting, an apology hadn''t even made the list of possibilities. His look of incredulity was wasted in the darkroom. "Sorry? Whatever for?"


    The blankets shifted just enough for a pair of eyes to peak out over them. "After everything you went through and all the pain you''re even now enduring while recovering, and I can''t stop shivering because I''m imagining getting captured again. I''m currently locked behind a solid wall of the finest steel in the land and watched over by a centurion who never sleeps and protected by the bravest swordswoman and the only gunman on the planet, but I can''t stop imagining that a raider is hiding under my bed just waiting for me to fall asleep."


    Jack nodded sagely for a moment. "Alright, first of all..." Against Em''brel''s sudden protests, Jack got on his knees, careful not to exacerbate his leg, and checked under the bed. Sitting up again with a stupid grin, Jack proudly proclaimed, "No, raiders here!"


    Em''brel sputtered indignantly as she helped Jack get back to his feet before he resumed his seat on the bed, this time hugging the now exposed Em''brel. "More importantly, even assuming pain was tangible enough to be compared and weighed to determine who was actually dealing with ''more'' of it, it''s not some zero-sum game where the trauma of the person with ''less'' of it is meaningless."


    Em''brel stopped struggling once she realized Jack wasn''t going to let her escape back into the blankets unless she was willing to hurt him to get away. He continued. "You''ve been through more in the last few months than most people will deal with in an entire lifetime. It''s ok to be scared. Honestly, I''d be more worried if you didn''t show signs of stress and trauma. However, I want you to remember one thing."


    Jack waited for the girl''s eyes to meet his own. "I''m here to help you through this, just like you''ll be here to help me through my own issues." He grinned. "And S''haar is here for both of us, and we''ll be here for her in turn. That''s what it means to be family."


    Em''brel took a breath to protest, but Jack continued unabated. "We might not have been born with the same blood running through our veins, but we chose one and other, and in my book, that means even more."


    Eventually, Em''brel nodded. "Yeah... thanks. I feel... kinda silly now..."


    Jack''s grin grew. "That''s good! That means you''re not scared at the moment! Still, when the fear comes back again, and sooner or later it will, we''ll all still be here for you."


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    Em''''brel nodded and looked around as though unsure of what to do now. Jack''s smile turned sympathetic. "Not feeling sleepy anymore, are ya?"


    Em''brel looked a little sheepish as she shook her head, "No."


    Jack stood up and reached out to draw Em''brel to her feet as well. "Well, if I''m not mistaken, S''haar should have some water boiling for tea and a bunch of popcorn ready to go. What say we have a movie night, the three of us, just like the old times?"


    Em''brels face blossomed into a huge happy grin that just about stopped Jack''s heart to see, and she responded. "I... I''d really like that!"


    Jack shooed the girl out of her room into the living area. Thankfully Ger''ron and Lon''thul had set up their bedrolls in the crafting room instead of using the couch or living area floor like Jack had suggested, which made it so they didn''t have to worry about waking them as the two got their own much-needed rest.


    There was already a bowl of popcorn sitting on the table, and S''haar was just walking out from the kitchen area with three steaming mugs. Looking through his movies, Jack decided it was time to introduce the girls to the world of animation. "Let me tell you about one of my favorite directors. This guy never fails to cheer me up. His movies are basically a distillation of the best and most important parts of childhood on earth turned into a work of art anyone can enjoy. His name is Miyazaki..."


    -


    A few hours later, they were all sprawled out on both the couch and the floor. Em''brel had been the first victim. Although she''d held on through the first movie, she also hadn''t slept well last night, and that had been the telling blow.


    S''haar was the next to go, finishing both her tea and the popcorn before she gave in to her exhaustion. But still, in the end, the warmth of the blankets, the comfort of the soft floor, and the peace of being together with her family won out over what little determination she possessed, and the warrior woman gave in to the inevitable.


    Jack had been more determined to make it to the end of one of his childhood favorites, but he fell prey to the classic trap of not wanting to wake the two women sleeping next to, or in one case, partially on top of him. Soon he unintentionally matched his breathing to the slow, leisurely pace of his companions'', and from that moment on, his fight was already over.


    Angela smiled, her digital heart practically glowing in a way she''d been afraid it never would again. She bumped the room temperature up a couple of degrees to help them sleep a little easier, turned off the TV, and dimmed the lights.


    Tonight was a good night.


    -


    Jack opened his eyes to Lon''thul''s grinning face. "You''re awake! We were startin to worry you''d sleep the day away!"


    Jack blinked a few times sleepily, trying to orient himself after waking up in a location other than his room. Remembering where he was and why Jack grabbed the crouching Lon''thul by the face and shoved him out of the way. For his part, the hunter played along, rolling away as though Jack actually had the mass to move him before popping back onto his feet in a way that made Jack envy his youth.


    Looking around, Jack could see Em''brel back to her familiar role as the cook. Old Ger''ron hobbled his way over to the table, drawn by the aroma of the breakfast the younger woman was putting together. Even S''haar was up and about, leaving the bathroom where she''d evidently gone to freshen up while breakfast was prepared before walking over to Jack and helping him to his feet.


    Jack found he was a little more sore than he would have been if he''d slept in his bed like a normal person, but there were some things in life worth a bit of pain.


    They joined the rest at the table as Em''brel placed a few plates into the middle. It was churlish steak and eggs, and everyone dug in with gusto.


    Lon''thul was the first to jab toward a steak but found his fork blocked by Ger''ron''s as they''d apparently aimed for the same cut of meat. With a flick of his wrist, the older man redirected the youth''s fork then claimed his prize before the hunter even realized he''d lost. Everyone laughed as Lon''thul blinked stupidly for a moment while his brain replayed just what had happened. With a chagrined smile, he went for his second choice instead.


    After the initial clamor faded, Lon''thul broke the relative silence brought on by mouths stuffed full of food. "So, what''s the plan for today?"


    Angela popped up. "Well, I don''t know about everyone, but Jack''s got some more healing to work on!" Jack flinched at the thought of it but reluctantly nodded.


    S''haar had a thoughtful look on her face. "What''s the weather supposed to be like?"


    Angela tilted her head to the side in the way she did while gathering and analyzing data. "Should be relatively mild for the next couple of days. I think spring is starting to settle in. Why do you ask?"


    S''haar''s face was neutral as she answered. "With the weather nice like this, I thought I should go get the workers back. It would be a shame to waste days like this when there''s still so much work that needs to be done."


    No sooner had she finished speaking when Lon''thul cut in. "Let me do it!"


    Everyone looked at the hunter with surprise. He shrugged at their incredulity before explaining. "Listen, I''ve been to town and back about as many times as you. I can get them here safe and sound, and it''ll be better than being locked up in here all day, despite how nice a cage it is."


    The hunter''s grin turned impish. "Besides, last time you were out there while Jack was back here, you were a bit of a beast to be around. If you left while Jack stayed back here to finish his healing, you''d probably scare off any new workers before they even arrived."


    Em''brel hid a chuckle behind her hand as S''haar''s face seemed to war between annoyance and gratitude. Finally, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. "Alright, we''ll call this a trial run. Go get the original group, assuming they all want to return, and anyone else ready and willing to go from the ones we''ve spoken with. Let anyone not yet prepared know that we''ll probably make several other similar trips, so they don''t have to rush out this time."


    Lon''thul nodded, eager to prove his worth while getting out and stretching his legs at the same time. "No problem! I''ll get them back here safe and sound! You''ve got my word on it!"


    The hunter hopped up and looked around as if trying to decide whether or not to leave right now when Angela stopped him. "Woh, slow down there! We gotta get your supplies ready first. Even if you''re used to surviving in the wilds, not all of the workers are. As the expedition leader, your first responsibility is their safety. We should spend today getting you ready to go, and you can leave first thing in the morning. Sound good?"


    Lon''thul looked a little deflated as he sat back down and grabbed another steak. "Yeah, I suppose that''d be smart. Guess I''ll have to find something else to do for today."


    Ger''ron had a bit of a wicked gleam in his eye at the hunter''s statement. "You need something else to keep you busy, do you? Judging by how easy it was to take that steak out from under you, your swordwork needs some practice! I may not be able to teach you hands-on just yet, but I think I can run you through a few exercises until I get this "prosthetic" Lady Angela keeps telling me about!"


    The young hunter looked as though he''d just been sentenced to hard labor but nodded reluctantly.


    To everyone''s surprise, that was when Em''brel joined in the conversation. "I''d like to practice too!"


    When all eyes turned to her, she looked like she wanted to run and hide for a moment before she gathered her courage and spoke again. "Listen, I''m tired of being the damsel in distress. While I don''t think I''ll ever be a match for S''haar with a sword, I don''t want to be helpless again either!"


    The old guard looked surprised a moment before he smiled at his new prized student. "Well, I think that''s a great idea! Besides, if you''re there the whole time, it''ll probably encourage this one to push himself a little harder as well!" He tilted his head to indicate Lon''thul as he spoke.


    Angela nodded her agreement before turning to the guard herself. "Once you''re done teaching Em''brel and beating some sense into Lon''thul, stop by the med-bay. I want to give you a check-up and get an idea of how much longer before you''re ready for that prosthetic."


    Ger''ron nodded his thanks. "Of course, Lady Angela. It would be my pleasure!"


    Jack looked back and forth between the guard and the AI. "What''s with all this ''Lady Angela'' talk?"


    Angela turned her back on Jack and spoke to him over her shoulder in a pouty manner. "It''s because he knows a lady when he sees one! You could learn a thing or two about respect from our guest!"


    The table devolved into a gaggle of laughter and a series of less crucial conversations as everyone enjoyed the rest of the morning spent in good company.

 Chapter 57 (Book 1 Finale)

    A day after Lon''thul left for the village, S''haar and Em''brel sat waiting for news as Angela finished her last set of Jack''s scans. To begin her explanations, she zoomed in on an image of his leg. "Well, your bones have knitted together nicely. Your musculature has also properly reattached, though you could probably use some more physical therapy to restore your normal levels of strength...again... The nerves...are more or less shot, which will mess with your coordination, and you''ll occasionally feel pain ranging from mild to severe without warning. You''ll definitely want a walking cane of some kind."


    The digital image of Jack''s body zoomed out, and different parts were highlighted as Angela continued. "The minor fractures have all healed as well as they likely will, though you''ll probably experience more aches and pains than you remember. Your pacemaker seems to be working correctly, and if you''re within my range, I can even track it, or if necessary, adjust it. Finally, no matter how hard I scan, I can detect no physical evidence of brain damage."


    Angela flew in close as if looking his skull over personally, with a look of deep concern. "Though obviously there must be some damage. I''m fairly certain you never used to drool like that..."


    Jack resisted the urge to fall for her obvious trap by checking and instead flung his hand through his sister''s avatar. Or he would have if she hadn''t dived out of the way, cackling at her little joke.


    Em''brel ran forward and hugged Jack, pinning him awkwardly in place with one arm stretched out over her shoulder in a way it just hung there uselessly until she backed up. "That''s great! You''ll be out enjoying the warming weather in no time!"


    Jack grinned at her. "Yeah, I''ll need to stretch my legs out wandering around the camp, but I''m not sure I''ll be much good for heavy lifting again any time soon."


    Angela was leisurely floating on her back just behind Em''brel when she cut in with a self-satisfied grin. "I hate to break it to you, little bro, but you''ve never been much for heavy lifting on this planet. Even Em''brel can outperform you in that regard."


    Jack was just about to launch back his retort when S''haar approached to speak her own mind, an odd look in her eyes. "So you''re saying he''s as healed as he''s likely to get at this point?"


    Angela nodded. "Yeah, he''s back to being..."


    She was cut off when S''haar reached out and grabbed Jack, pulling him into a short but intense kiss before letting him fall back into the chair. "After you left, you almost died not once, but twice. From now on, where you go, I go. This is not a debate!"


    Jack was somewhat out of breath as he sat in place, blinking for a minute as he processed everything unspoken behind the kiss and words. Eventually, he nodded. "Yeah, I suppose that''s fair."


    He grinned stupidly and slapped his bad leg, only flinching a little in the process. "Besides, I doubt I could outrun you anymore these days!"


    S''haar''s expression seemed to soften slightly, but the gleam in her eye only grew odder. "Good enough, I suppose. Now then, I think we need to rush you right into your physical therapy."


    Angela looked a little confused. "Well, there''s not really any rush, though, I suppose..."


    Once more, the AI was cut off by S''haar''s unexpected movement as she reached down, grabbed Jack, and threw him over her shoulder like a sack of flour.


    She then looked over at the youngest woman in the room, her voice sounding oddly maternal. "Em''brel, darling, you might want to go outside and get started on your martial practice with Ger''ron. Jack and I are going to be busy for a little while."


    The look on Em''brels face said she wasn''t fooled for a moment but was willing to play along for the sake of avoiding an awkward conversation. She nodded emphatically. "Uh, yea...yes...um, yes... That...that sounds like a great idea! I think he was planning on a long training session today, so I''ll be gone a while. So...uh....yeah...bye!"


    With that, the girl fled out of the room, grabbing the confused old soldier from the living room and practically shoving him out of the ship.


    S''haar also spared a glance for Angela, whose digital face was now thoroughly red, though she was sporting an odd grin as though this was all some weird joke only the AI could appreciate. "You may want to turn down your sensors, or stop listening, or do whatever you need to do."


    The warrior women didn''t wait for a response. She exited the med-bay and carried Jack into his room, which at some point had apparently become "their" room. Jack''s face clearly expressed that although his participation may no longer be optional, he wasn''t particularly unwilling either.


    -


    Em''brel was exhausted. First, the old sadist had made her do the same maneuver with a sword one hundred times, saying something about building muscle memory. It had seemed so easy at first, but long before she finished, her arms and back had been screaming in pain.


    Next, he''d had her run laps around the camp. He said something about how in an equal fight, the person with better stamina would usually be the one to walk away. After a few laps, she''d collapsed on the ground, panting for breath.


    The old guard hobbled over to her with his crutches. He stood over her, grinning as she struggled to catch her breath. "You''re doing well. Much better than the first day! Now that you''ve got the warm-ups out of the way let''s get started on some real training!"


    Em''brel debated the merits of simply dying right then and there. Ultimately she sighed and dragged herself to her feet before launching into the next series of exercises the vicious older man laid out for her.


    -


    Jack was looking at his new eyepatch. Angela had insisted on using a bit of fabrication to print out her own design.


    It was made from a nice synthetic black leather that was resistant to damage by moisture or exposure. Turning it over, Jack could see the inside of the band had a cloth layer to help it rest more comfortably on the skin. On the patch itself, Angela had emblazoned the symbol of the camp in gold.


    Angela was floating over his shoulder, practically giddy in anticipation of Jack''s reaction. Unable to wait, she blurted out in excitement. "It''s even machine washable!"


    Jack couldn''t help but laugh as he shook his head. Unwilling to wait any longer, he tried it on. Turning to S''haar, he smiled. "Well, what do you think?"


    For her part, S''haar tilted her head as if thinking before nodding in appreciation. "You look good. It suits you."


    Jack''s grin widened. Em''brel approached with her hands held behind her back. Once she was close enough, she brought out the object she''d been hiding with a bit of a flustered flourish.


    In her hands was a cane. It was black and gold to match Jack''s eyepatch, though he suspected the gold was either thinly gilded or was some kind of fool''s gold. However, the part that stood out the most was the handle. It seemed to be made out of a bone of some sort.


    As Jack inspected it closer, Em''brel explained nervously. "I¡­ it''s made out of the horn of the kovaack that almost killed you. I thought¡­ I thought¡­"


    Jack smiled and set the cane aside to hug the younger woman. "Thank you very much. I think it''s great! Every time I use it, I''ll think of the time you fought desperately to save my life."


    Em''brel let out a breath she''d apparently been holding. "Oh, thank goodness, I was afraid it would bring back painful memories. Angela insisted you''d like it, but I was still worried!"


    Jack smiled. As he held her at arm''s length to meet Em''brel''s eyes. "Not all my memories from that time are pleasant, but I try and focus on the good while learning from the bad. That''s all we can do in life!"


    Angela floated right between them, causing Jack to take a step back even though he knew she was insubstantial. She Gave Jack an appraising look, like some kind of librarian with glasses and her hair in a bun, and her chin resting on one raised hand.


    After a moment, she turned back to Em''brel. "Don''t feel too sorry for him. I know my own brother well enough to know he happens to think he looks quite dashing with his new eyepatch and cane. I''m willing to bet he''ll even want some kind of matching cloak or cape to go with them¡­"


    Jack looked like he wanted to protest for a moment, then he shrugged instead. "Well, you did say I''d have more aches and pains than before. I figure, keeping myself nice and warm might help with that."


    Angela laughed uproariously as she pointed at Jack. "I KNEW IT! I called it! You are such a nerd!"


    Jack smiled at the good-natured ribbing. "Hey, it''s not nerdy on this planet yet. If I have to live on a world that seems so determined to kill me day in and day out, the least I should be able to do is indulge in a few archaic fashion trends. Doubly so if they''re practical as well!"


    S''haar walked up behind Jack, wrapping him in one of those over the shoulder hugs he was starting to get used to. "Well, I''m not sure if the world is to blame with all the chances you''ve been giving it lately. You can only tempt fate so many times before it takes you up on your offer."


    Jack briefly tried to fight the woman off, but she held on effortlessly as she continued. "However, regarding the way you look, I think I agree. You look cute with your eyepatch and cane!"


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    With a sudden surge of strength, Jack finally escaped from S''haar''s captivity, though the look on S''haars face argued she''d allowed him to get away. Jack pointed an accusatory finger at her as he protested. "Of all the many adjectives you can use to describe me, cute is not one! I''ll accept daring, dashing, roguish, mysterious, or any other of a plethora of descriptors other than ''cute''!"


    S''haar reached out and grabbed his hand and forced it lower while also dragging Jack into a brief kiss before responding. "You''re cute when you''re flustered!"


    Angela laughed uproariously, pretending to roll around on the "ground" at eye level as she did so. Em''brel had to hide her face behind her hands as she laughed. Even Ger''ron, sitting unobtrusively in his chair across the room, shared a chuckle at Jack''s expense. The grin on S''haars face said she knew she''d won that exchange more clearly than any words could have.


    Jack slumped his shoulders in defeat. "I can''t get any respect, even in my own house!"


    S''haar chuckled in response. "Oh hush now. You know you''ve earned plenty of respect from all of us...and before long, everyone else within several day''s walking distance, if I''m not mistaken. Besides, I promise I''ll make it up to you later¡­"


    Em''brel and Angela looked at each other, their faces scrunched in exaggerated disgust. Angela was the first to respond. "I think I speak for both of us when I say¡­ ''Ew, gross!''"


    After a bit of laughter, Em''brel suddenly sniffed the air. "Oh, the stew!" Just like that, she was off to repair whatever damage had been done to the unattended pot while everyone else settled in for their meal.


    -


    After a filling dinner complimented by with plenty of laughter and jokes at one another''s expense, Angela addressed the table, her voice uncharacteristically solemn. First, she turned to their most recent guest. "Ger''ron, I apologize, but there''s a matter I need to speak with just these three about¡­could I ask you¡­"


    The older guard waved away her concern. "Say no more, Lady Angela. After a filling meal like that, I think I''ll retire for the night. Em''brel, thank you for the food. As always, the meal was excellent. Now, if you all will excuse me, I''ll leave the cleanup in each of your hands this evening."


    With that, the old guard hobbled off to his improvised bedroom while the rest waited in confusion for Angela to continue.


    Once the door to Ger''ron''s room had closed, the AI began her explanation. "So as you all were escaping to make your way back here, my mobile transceiver got left behind."


    Angela held up a hand to forestall any comments before they were made. "I know it wasn''t a priority at the time, and I agree with you. It also put me in a position where I was free to overhear some of the confrontations between the town''s guards and the raider camp''s remnants. There are a few moments I''ve earmarked for your attention later, but while cleaning up and sorting through the various soundbites I''ve acquired, I came across one bit in particular that I think you all need to listen to because, quite frankly, I have no idea what to do with this information."


    She then sat back and began to playback what sounded like a skirmish of some kind. The audio wasn''t as clear as she''d like since this hadn''t happened as close to the transceiver as Angela would have hoped, but the sounds of a life and death struggle were evident to anyone listening.


    Jack''s eyes grew wide, and he stared off into the distance as though seeing another time or place. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the arms of his chair. Angela considered shutting off the recording, but S''haar placed her hand over his, and after a moment, Jack closed his eyes and let out a breath he''d been holding before nodding and reponing his eyes again. This time his look was less panicked.


    Eventually, the sounds of struggle ended, and after a moment of heavy breathing, a voice could be heard. It was B''arthon''s. "Filthy raider, how dare you trespass into our lands! A quick death is better than you deserve!"


    Another more panicked and pained voice responded, evidently the raider B''arthon was speaking to. "We did not trespass, young lord, I swear! We came by invitation! Your own father sent for us and paid us well!"


    B''arthon''s voice shouted out, drowning out any further comment the raider might have made. "LIAR! HOW DARE YOU BRING MY FATHER INTO THIS SIMPLY TO BUY YOUR WORTHLESS LIFE A FEW MEASLY SECONDS!"


    That was followed by the soft sounds of impact, a surprised gasp, and finally, the sounds of a death gurgle. A sound Em''brel had heard before. She shuddered at the memory.


    Everyone shared a look of surprise as Dek''thul''s voice joined the conversation. "Lord B''arthon, you should know better than to listen to the lies of a raider. You know as well as I that your father puts the welfare of the village above all else. He would never invite raiders into our lands. Please, put any thought of this out of your mind."


    With that, the recording ended, and Angela looked around expectantly, waiting to see everyone''s reactions.


    Em''brel looked frightened, S''haar angry, and Jack contemplative. S''haar was the first to react, standing and slamming her fist onto the table and making both Jack and Em''brel jump in startlement. "He can''t get away with this! We must take this recording to the village and have the other village leaders listen to it! If enough of them agree, we can have the traitor exiled!"


    It was Jack''s turn to put a calming hand on S''haar''s fist. "I''d agree with you, but there are a few issues with that. First, the raider could have been lying. We don''t know. Second, why should your village leaders believe us? If we can make voices appear out of thin air, who''s to say we couldn''t fabricate what they say. Third, having heard it for himself, Dek''thul seems to be either fooled or complicit, without knowing which, we risk a lot by taking direct action."


    S''haar looked frustrated. "Then what would you recommend? We sit idly by while the person who orchestrated this mess gets away with it?"


    Jack held up his hands in a placating gesture as he spoke. "Now hear me out and decide for yourself. This actually doesn''t change anything in our immediate future. Assuming Lord A''ngles is behind everything, which we still don''t know, he can''t move against us directly, or he already would have."


    S''haar''s eyes narrowed, but she waited with her arms crossed as Jack continued. "I think he''s already pushed the limits of what he can do at this time. To avoid attracting attention, he''ll have to play nice for a while until everything has calmed down. What''s more, we''ll still need the support of the village to ensure our own survival."


    S''haar looked like she wanted to argue but was forcing herself to figuratively, or perhaps literally, bite her tongue as Jack finished his explanation. "To that end, we play along, for now. We''ll do exactly what we had planned to do before. That is to say, building up this outpost to be its own independent entity. We can start by accepting whatever help we can get due to the goodwill we''ve earned by saving many villagers from the cold and then fending off a major raiding party. With that, we grow this place into something more."


    Jack waved toward the door and the camp beyond. "Up until now, we''ve just focused on iron and a few technologies needed to ensure the safety and quality of life of the many workers who would be present, but Angela and I can offer so much more. We can teach you medicines, textiles, irrigation, plumbing, farming, animal husbandry, and more. Pretty soon, this outpost would become the place of learning in the land. Multiple villages could send their workers to learn of the dragon''s wisdom. We''d become essential and, in many ways, untouchable."


    S''haar looked dubious, but at least she didn''t look ready to charge out and declare war on her own while she considered Jack''s proposal.


    Em''brel nodded, and her eyes became distant as she took in the entirety of Jack''s vision. "We still need the help of the village for this place to function, but if we invite more and more villages to gather and learn here, we wouldn''t be for long. With workers and guards from enough villages present, no one village leader would have power over us. Additionally, they wouldn''t be able to withdraw support for fear of falling behind the others."


    Em''brel frowned as she continued her line of reasoning. "The challenges will be doing this in such a way that everything''s already in place before Lord A''ngles realizes he''s lost control of the situation, then dealing with the fallout once he does."


    As both Jack and Em''brel looked at S''haar expectantly, she finally nodded and sat down. "Alright, I still don''t like it, but I see the wisdom of your words. We''ll do it your way, for now. But as soon as we can, I want to have our own guards replacing the ones from the village. Also, neither of you are to leave this ship without some kind of escort once the workers arrive."


    The glare she directed toward Jack and Em''brel killed any protest they might have made while it was still in their throats. Both nodded their agreement. S''haar then directed her attention to Angela. "And I expect you to keep an ear out for anything suspicious. Forget the rest. You don''t need to keep a recording of the day to day lives of the workers who take up residence, but listen with those clever ears of yours for anyone who might be plotting to cause us trouble."


    Angela saluted S''haar surprisingly smartly before grinning devilishly. "I would have done that even if you hadn''t asked, but I''m glad we''re on the same page!"


    S''haar looked back and forth between everyone before lowering her head and rubbing it in such a way that spoke of stress and exhaustion. "This is all a bit much to take in all at once. It''s starting to give me a headache."


    The warrior woman then looked at Jack. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to take back command of the outpost?¡±


    Jack simply flashed the toothy grin he¡¯d developed after all this time with argu¡¯n. ¡°Not on your life! Well, ok, maybe on your life, but not for any lesser reason. I¡¯ve had enough of leading and heroics. I¡¯m looking forward to the relaxing lifestyle of a cowardly advisor!¡±


    Jack deflected the pillow S¡¯haar threw at him as everyone else enjoyed a good laugh at their antics.


    -


    Jack woke in the middle of the night gasping for air. His adrenalin was pumping, and he was looking around, expecting to see...faces.


    When he looked down, his hands were shaking. After rubbing his face to chase away the last vestiges of whatever dream he''d woken from, his hands came away wet.


    He sat there, trying to catch his breath for a moment, when an unexpected hand came out of nowhere and grabbed him. He reacted instinctively, slamming his elbow back into whoever had ahold of him, only to be caught by another hand and pulled into an embrace.


    In an instant, Jack realized it was S''haar holding him and tried to turn to apologize, but she just held him all the more firmly. Realizing the futility of his struggles, Jack gave up and found himself wracked with silent sobs as tears streamed down his face. He felt ashamed of his weakness, crying over a dream he couldn''t even remember. Through it all, S''haar held him silently and waited.


    After a nebulous period that could have lasted anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, he felt his emotions drain, leaving him feeling oddly empty and exhausted. Remembering how this had all started, he spoke up, his voice still somewhat ragged. "Sorry...about attacking you..."


    S''haar didn''t seem upset as she responded, though admittedly, Jack couldn''t see her face at the moment. "It''s alright, no harm done. Well, except for the fact that I''m pretty sure you bruised your elbow."


    Judging by the dull ache radiating from his elbow, he was sure she was correct. Jack shook his head and sighed. "Yeah, maybe. Regardless, I''m sorry."


    S''haar squeezed Jack a little tighter for just a moment before releasing him enough that he could finally turn around and see her as she replied. "All is forgiven. Back when I lived in the guard''s barracks, you''d see something similar from time to time. It was most common after an unusually brutal raid. There is always a bit of a risk waking someone up from something like that early." She paused, tilting her head as if remembering something. "They punched a lot harder than you." She grinned softly to soften any potential blow to Jack''s masculinity.


    Jack just grinned and chuckled, then grew quiet. S''haar''s expression sobered, and she gave him a questioning look. "Want to talk about it?"


    Jack thought a moment before shaking his head and lying back down. "No...not yet anyway."


    S''haar grabbed him and pulled him into another embrace. It was weird always being the one brought into the hugs, but S''haar seemed to enjoy having as much body contact as possible. Jack wasn''t sure if it was out of a desire for intimacy or body heat, but he supposed it didn''t matter. He was quickly growing fond of their new dynamic. She squeezed him again and spoke with a voice growing heavy with sleep once more. "That''s alright. If you ever feel like talking, I''ll be right here, by your side."


    Jack felt his eyes threaten to overflow again, and he fought down the annoying lump that had just developed in his throat before muttering, "I know. Thank you."


    Then the time for speaking was over, and Jack found himself slipping back to sleep. Despite all the threats and challenges still laid out before them, in S''haar''s arms, he felt like he genuinely belonged where he was for the first time since landing on this planet.

 Book 2, Chapter 1

    Jack woke with a start. His breath was ragged, pulse racing, and head beaded with sweat. In his dream, he''d been running. However, he couldn''t remember if he''d been running toward something or away from it. The only thing he could remember clearly was the faces. They were the faces of the argu''n he''d killed back when he''d saved Emb''rel from the raiders. Sometimes the faces raged, other times they wept, and occasionally they simply spoke with him. The problem was that Jack could never remember what they talked about. But, he told himself, that was just the nature of dreams.


    The last vestiges of the dream faded when a familiar, comfortably cool hand grabbed Jack and drew him back under the covers. "Mmmmm, no, not yet... I need at least a few more minutes of sleep..."


    Jack started to clear his throat to say something when a finger pressed against his lips to silence him. "No, not yet. If you speak, I''ll have to wake up. If I wake up, everyone else will be real again, and I''m not ready for that yet. I need a few more minutes of peace and quiet. So shut up, and let me have this for just a little longer. "


    Unable to bring himself to deny S''haar her wish, Jack nodded silently. It was more than worth it when he saw a contented smile spread on the warrior woman''s face even as she refused to open her eyes and confront the world. Seeing S''haar happy like this made all his problems seem far away, and he settled into her embrace for a bit longer.


    Besides, he knew from experience that trying to get away from her when she was like this was an exercise in futility, so he might as well enjoy it while it lasted.


    Like all good things, even this moment had to end, and eventually, S''haar cracked her eyes open, only to be greeted by an infectiously smiling Jack. "Mmmm, what''s got you so cheerful this morning?"


    Jack''s grin widened just a hair. "Well, I would say it''s not every day I get to wake up next to the woman of my dreams, but recently it has been every day. Have I mentioned how glad I am that it was you who was left as my sacrifice when I landed on this planet?"


    S''haar grinned and kissed Jack before smacking him with a pillow. "Ok, you flirt. You can keep the compliments coming, but we have to get out of bed and get started. Today''s a big day!"


    That stopped Jack short. Today''s a big day? What was different about today? It was too early for an anniversary of any kind. He didn''t remember any important items on the agenda. As far as he could remember, today was just like any other day.


    While he was wracking his brain, S''haar climbed out of bed and finished stretching. Then, just as Jack was going to give in and ask what he''d missed, S''haar grabbed his cane and handed it to him. "Hurry up, or you''ll miss breakfast!"


    Jack was more confused than ever but nodded his agreement, and he began his own routine. First, he had to stretch his leg out. After a night of rest, it always tightened up just enough to be extra stiff. If he wasn''t careful, it would be a pain in his side all day, literally. After slowly easing his leg out of bed and stretching the abused muscles and tendons, Jack sat up, running his hands through his unkempt hair.


    S''haar took on her self-appointed morning duties by helping Jack put on his slippers and a robe for the morning. Jack shook his head while she worked. "You know you don''t have to do this, right? You''re the leader of this camp, not my assistant."


    S''haar grinned in a slightly wicked manner. "Out there, I''m the leader of the camp. In here, I''m whatever I want to be, and I do whatever I want to do. If I want to help you put on your slippers, then that''s what I''ll do, and not even you will tell me otherwise."


    Jack found himself more than a little confused. Was it more supportive to insist S''haar allow him to put on his own slippers, or was it better to let her do these things for him, even if he didn''t particularly feel he deserved it? He shook his head. "Well, I suppose it doesn''t matter. It''s not like I can stop you from doing anything you set your mind to, so instead, I''ll just say thank you."


    The warrior woman now towered over him as she leaned down and whispered, her face inches from Jack''s. "That''s right, you might as well accept your fate. You no longer have any say in the matter. Also, you''re welcome."


    S''haar then pulled Jack up into a kiss that left him more than a little light-headed. By the time his head cleared enough for him to remember he was about to protest not having a say in the matter, S''haar was already walking out of the room, leaving him to put on his eyepatch and hobble to catch up.


    -


    Once he walked out of the room, Jack was treated to the sight of what appeared to be a choreographed dance number as Em''brel and Angela were preparing breakfast. Em''brel seemed to be singing into her spatula while the AI split herself into two to provide backup dancers/singers.


    When Em''brel finally noticed Jack leaving his room, he half expected her to squeak in indignation and embarrassment. Instead, the girl grinned and winked, then twirled around with a flourish as Jack found his seat. As if it was planned, the song came to an end when Em''brel placed a plate down in front of Jack and danced over to her own seat.


    The girl''s mood was infectious, and Jack found himself grinning from ear to ear. "Not that I mind breakfast and a show, but what''s with the musical number?"


    Em''brel beamed an equally impressive grin back at Jack. "Well, it''s a big day! I''m so excited. I just couldn''t help myself!"


    There it was again. Jack scrunched his face in confusion. Why was today a big day? He was just taking a breath to ask about it when a familiar voice boomed in from the entranceway. "Em''brel, you ready to head out for training?"


    Lon''thul''s head popped in around the entranceway, grinning as he spotted the breakfast everyone was sitting down to.


    S''haar glared at the young male. "You know, if you keep accidentally showing up early and cutting into our breakfast, I might start accidentally leaving the front door locked."


    The hunter waved away S''haar''s concerns in a manner he''d apparently picked up from Jack. "No problem! I''m sure Angela will be happy to unlock the door for me, wouldn''t you?" This last bit was directed to the AI herself as she floated over to the table.


    Angela looked back and forth between the glowering S''haar and the grinning Lon''thul. "I don''t know. On the one hand, you did help save Em''brel and Jack, and I''m grateful to you. But, on the other hand, you''re getting too comfortable with me being at your beck and call. Maybe some time standing in a cold, damp cave will teach you to appreciate me a little more!"


    Lon''thul had the grace to look embarrassed, even if it was a little too exaggerated. "I never meant to make you feel unappreciated! You know you''re the second most important female in my life, just after Em''brel!"


    Both S''haar and Em''brel looked a little put out at this, the older woman speaking up first. "And what am I then?"


    As usual, Lon''thul remained immune to S''haar''s glare. Instead, he waved her away a second time that morning. "Oh, please! You had your chance with me! Instead, you decided to go with the smaller, more fragile male. It''s time we both moved on!"


    It was Jack''s turn to glare a little, but Lon''thul just grinned. "Don''t act like you don''t get enough respect! We both know there''s not an argu''n for a hundred miles who hasn''t heard the tale of what you did to save Em''brel, and you''ve also solidly locked up the affection of one of the strongest, scariest, most powerful women on the planet. It''s me you should feel sorry for!"


    Jack seemed appeased as S''haar leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, but now it was Em''brel''s turn to look even more put out. "And what makes you think I''m willing to be the most important female in your life? Especially after you just sat there extolling the virtues of another female in front of me?"


    Lon''thul''s grin grew a bit more lopsided. "Well, if you''re not, why have we been spending so much time together lately?"


    Em''brel rose and stomped her foot in frustration. "Because I literally can''t leave the ship without an escort of some kind! I''m stuck with you, by virtue of S''haar and Angela''s paranoia!"


    The hunter''s expression softened and grew just a bit more earnest. "Then how about the fact that I walked right into the middle of an entire army to save you?"


    The younger girl''s anger abated a little, but she wasn''t ready to give up the fight just yet. "I seem to remember your father doing most of the work. I even took care of the last guard myself!"


    Lon''thul smiled at the memory. While it hadn''t been easy on Em''brel, there was something special about a female who had the kind of inner strength she seemed to have. "Ok, I walked right into the middle of an entire army to help save you, and I''d do it again."


    Em''brel''s anger faded into a pout as she found her seat again.


    Lon''thul was getting ready to say something else to get himself into trouble when he was cut off by another door opening off to the side of the room. Ger''ron and Fea''en walked out together. Jack wasn''t sure when exactly it had happened, but the two oldest members of the community had become an item at some point.


    It began as a perpetual argument about the chair they''d both claimed. The witty bickering had turned into a source of amusement for everyone and evidently became something the two had bonded over. When the rest of the workers moved back to their billet, Jack allowed Ger''ron to make the fabrication room into a bedroom, with the understanding that Jack would need access to the room from time to time. Then one day, when Ger''ron came out for breakfast, Fea''en walked out with him. They''d been doing it ever since, and no one was willing to risk the woodworker''s ire by questioning the situation.


    As they sat down, Jack noticed they needed a larger table these days. The old guard smiled as he grabbed his own plate. "Ah, that kind of energy is wasted on the young. When I was your age, things were much simpler. You found a woman you were compatible with and did your best to sire the next generation. None of this drama and excitement."


    Fea''en was more stoic as she put food onto her plate. "You shouldn''t be so quick to complain about this kind of change. Not long ago, a mere guardsman would have never been graced by the presence of a ''Lady'' like myself."


    Angela was quick to come to Ger''ron''s defense. "He may have been a mere guardsman in your village, but here he''s the captain of the guard!"


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Ger''ron chuckled. "Captain, squad leader, and sole squad member. I''ll need a few more guards if my title is going to be anything more than symbolic."


    S''haar finished eating and grabbed Jack''s plate as well as her own to take to the sink. "Well, last I heard, the guard has finally finished clearing up the last of the raiders in the valley, so we''ll be getting a few here at the camp soon. Until then, your lessons with the workers seem to be paying off. Even Lon''thul appears to have learned a bit more discipline under your watchful eye."


    Predictably, Lon''thul sputtered indignantly, though as usual, his smile belied his words. Before long, his laughter joined that of the rest of the table.


    -


    Em''brel was growing more and more frustrated. Despite everything she''d learned, she felt like she''d hardly made any progress.


    The young female charged Lon''thul while shouting her warcry, but this time ended like all the rest. Despite putting all her strength into the strike, the hunter was able to catch her fist in his hand, effortlessly halting her assault.


    Lon''thul''s face expressed sympathy, which only frustrated Em''brel further when he tried to console her. "Don''t feel bad! I''m just bigger and stronger than you. Honestly, it''s not fair for Ger''ron to pit you against me. I''m the best student he''s got!"


    Em''brel was just about to launch herself at him again when Ger''ron stepped in. "Hold up. You two are going about this all wrong. You''ll never get anywhere like that. Maybe we need to change things up a little. Lady S''haar, I could use your assistance!"


    S''haar and Jack were passing by on their way to meet with the woodworkers for a new project Jack had been considering. S''haar turned to her old mentor and furrowed her brow. "You''ve known me far too long to call me ''Lady,'' S''haar will do. So what do you need? Are you ready for that match I''ve been asking for?"


    The old guard laughed. "Do I look that senile already? I''m not about to give up my edge anytime soon. You''ll just have to accept the fact that I''ll always be the superior fighter."


    S''haar shook her head. "Edge? You''ve won one more sparring match than me, and only because you refused to fight me ever again once I got this close to breaking even with you!"


    Ger''ron smiled patiently as he turned to his current two students. "The lesson here is to know when to pick your battles, if you want to win the war!"


    S''haar shook her head as she smiled at her old mentor. "So, if not that, why did you call me over?"


    The guard captain looked back to his students once more. "Well, I was hoping to teach young Lady Em''brel how to properly fight against a larger and stronger opponent. So I figured you''d make an excellent sparring partner."


    Em''brel looked terrified at the prospect, and Lon''thul leapt to her defense. "Now, hold on! If she can''t keep up with me, why would you pit Em''brel against S''haar? That just doesn''t make sense!"


    Ger''ron and S''haar both looked surprised. Then the old guard cracked an evil smile and corrected the hunter. "You''re absolutely right! This is why Em''brel won''t be fighting S''haar. You will. I figure it might be good for the young Lady to see the techniques I''ve been teaching her in a practical demonstration. Since you''re the ''best student I''ve got,'' I figured you''d be the perfect sparring partner for S''haar."


    Having his words thrown back in his face made it hard for Lon''thul to think of a way to back out of the situation. So instead, he squared up with S''haar, who took on what appeared to be a more relaxed stance.


    Lon''thul looked petrified, but Ger''ron tried to ease his mind. "Now, don''t worry about a thing. I''m sure S''haar will take it nice and easy on you. Tell you what, for now, just try and hit her. She won''t even hit you back...yet."


    The first swing Lon''thul took was slow and clumsy. Even if S''haar had let it hit her, it would have barely been enough to ruffle her clothing. However, she batted away the hand before it got close.


    Ger''ron explained to Em''brel. "Now see, even though there''s not as big a difference between S''haar and Lon''thul, she''s using the kind of tactics I''ve been teaching you. Rather than trying to stop his fists, she''s redirecting them. It takes a lot less strength to pull off and can leave him vulnerable to her counters, like this."


    At that, S''haar started striking at Lon''thul every time he left himself vulnerable. Of course, she was pulling the hits at the last second, so they were little more than pats rather than attacks, but it was more than a little clear she''d have won this fight a while ago if she''d so chosen.


    As Lon''thul grew more frustrated, he started lashing out for real, though he was just as ineffective as before. Ger¡¯ron continued to explain. "This is perfect. Often, when a bigger opponent is held at bay by a smaller fighter, they''ll grow frustrated, lashing out just like this. When they do that, they leave themselves open to all sorts of killing blows, like this."


    S''haar sped up the pace of her strikes and was now bodily redirecting Lon''thul around, leaving him vulnerable to what would have been fatal blows to the neck and body. She only relented her onslaught when Lon''thul ended up on his back. It took the hunter a moment to process how she''d managed to sweep his legs out from under him.


    As soon as he was back on his feet, Ger''ron shouted to S''haar. "Now show them that maneuver I showed you that last time I beat you!"


    S''haar scowled a little but began a complicated move that involved launching herself off one foot into a spin. Then something went wrong. It looked like S''haar twisted her ankle, and she collapsed onto the ground.


    Lon''thul rushed to her side with a cry of dismay, only to wonder what was happening when S''haar suddenly had the claws of one hand at his throat while the other hand locked his out of the way. Lon''thul froze.


    Ger''ron chuckled. "That move could very well save your life one day. Not every opponent will rush to help you like Lon''thul here did, but often even the most veteran warriors can be lulled into lowering their guard if they think you''re vulnerable. That''ll work doubly well for a young lady such as yourself. When it comes to survival, don''t hesitate to use any weapon in your arsenal, including your appearance!"


    He nodded to S''haar, who''d let Lon''thul go a moment ago. "Thank you for your assistance. I think that will do for now."


    S''haar smiled and laughed. "Call on me anytime you need one of your students humbled a little. That was pretty cathartic after running this place for the last few weeks!"


    With a sigh, Lon''thul realized that this might not be the last time he would have to play the role of demonstration dummy.


    -


    Jack was inspecting the various sticks the woodworkers had gathered at his request. Holding them up, he was dismayed to see how curved or bent many of the thicker ones were. Fea''en noticed his frown. "Well, we didn''t go very far into the forest, but these were the straightest branches and saplings we could find that met your specifications."


    Jack nodded to the craft master. Even the new workers had gotten used to the Lady of the Outpost translating for the strange male who was often found at her side. "It''s not your diligence or work ethic I''m doubting. I''m just a little disappointed at the quality of the available wood. There are less than a dozen useable shafts here. The rest will only be good for kindling."


    Fea''en crossed her arms. "You know what you''re about. I''ve worked with you long enough to trust your judgment in this kind of matter. So you want us to go out and gather more like those?"


    Jack shook his head. "No, or at least I wouldn''t go out of your way to do it. Though if you happen across any while working on other projects, that''s fine."


    The craft master nodded. "Good enough. When we''ve found a handful similar to what you''ve got there, I''ll let you know."


    Their business was concluded, and both parties went on their way.


    -


    As Jack and S''haar were leaving the building, they were met by one of the new smiths, Ral, that had recently arrived at the camp. He seemed rather upset. "Lady S''haar! There''s been a clear oversight! Despite myself being the senior smith in the Outpost, you''ve left Tel''ron in charge of the metalworkers!"


    S''haar bellowed, "NOW LISTEN HERE!"


    The smith leapt back in surprise and fear. For once, Jack laid a hand on S''haar''s back to help calm and center her. Then, with an inward sigh, she started over. "Sorry...I''m more used to dealing with guards than craftsmen. What I mean to say is that you might know more about the secrets of working metal, but Tel''ron knows the secrets of working with everyone here. He knows how we do things around here, and who to speak to when he needs something done."


    Ral''fen looked like he wanted to protest again, but at Jack''s encouragement, S''haar continued. "Listen, there''s still plenty of work that needs to be done around here, and plenty of people who''ll keep coming back to someone who can do it. Tel''ron would rather bury his snout into whatever new and crazy things Em''brel or Jack can throw his way, but the camp''s spears, tools, and wagons can''t maintain themselves. You get that stuff taken care of, and you''ll make a name for yourself in no time!"


    The smith in question looked as if he still had doubts but recognized a lost battle when he saw one. He went about his business with a deferential nod, leaving Jack and S''haar to continue toward the cave.


    S''haar was rubbing her temples. "You know, the raiders were easier to deal with than the workers. All those problems could be solved with a sword''s point, but we have to use words here. Lots of words. I''d rather use my sword."


    Jack laughed. "That''s called a dictatorship. When I asked you to take over this Outpost, I''d hoped you''d be a bit less ''iron handsy'' about it."


    S''haar was looking at her hands. "You know, you humans have some truly bizarre sayings..."


    Jack laughed again and shook his head. "Yeah, I suppose we do..."


    -


    When Jack and S''haar walked into the ship, it was strangely dark. Dark enough that all the argu''n gathered in the common room probably thought Jack couldn''t see them as they whispered back and forth.


    "Is he coming?"


    "I don''t know! I can''t see any better than you!"


    "Hey, I think I heard something!"


    "Quiet, quiet, you''re going to ruin everything!"


    Jack smirked and decided to put everyone out of their misery. "Uh, guys? You know I can see you, right?"


    The room grew quiet, then Angela''s voice cut through the silence. "Just like we practiced everyone! One! Two! Three!"


    A loud chorus of voices cried out in various versions and intonations of the word, "Surprise!"


    As the lights turned back on, all of the argu''n cried out again, this time in pain as they covered their eyes. Jack laughed. "Angela, you might wanna cut the light by fifty percent for a minute or two. What''s all this about anyway?"


    Em''brel approached, holding something that could only be loosely described as a cake, which she then pressed into Jack''s hands. "A while back, when you were in your coma, Angela showed us a video of something called a ''birthday party.'' It''s a long-honored human tradition held to celebrate the anniversary of someone''s birth. After everything you''ve been through these last few months, I thought it might cheer you up if we celebrated your birthday like you were among your people!"


    Jack smiled and laughed at the ridiculousness of it all, causing Em''brel to look worried. "Did I do something wrong?"


    As Jack looked around, he could see all the workers who''d stayed through the winter present in the ship. Ger''ron and Fea''en were setting up a game of chess to decide who got "the chair" every evening. Lon''thul was in a corner, grabbing a chunk of meat as he started working up to some new hunting story to the woodworkers. Tel''ron was speaking to an Angela duplicate about a new metal hardening technique she''d been trying to teach him. Then there was S''haar, leaning back against the door frame. She was watching Jack closely with a contented smile on her face.


    Jack''s smile grew deeper and warmer as he turned back to Em''brel. "No, this is perfect. Thank you."


    Em''brel twirled back into the gathering with a squeal of delight, weaving between the guests as she played hostess once more. Jack looked over to another Angela floating nearby and whispered to her under his breath. "Didn''t have the heart to tell her we usually stop celebrating birthdays like this somewhere between our teens and twenties, did you?"


    Angela whispered back with a big happy grin. "Nope!"


    S''haar came over and wrapped Jack into a comfortable and now familiar hug from behind. As they watched, Em''brel broke out in laughter at something one of the woodworkers told her. Tonight she didn''t have a care in the world. Jack turned back to Angela. "Good. See to it she never finds out!"


    Angela saluted smartly. Though the salute was offset slightly by her impish grin. "Aye aye, captain!"


    When Em''brel turned her attention back to Jack, he held up the plate of cake and made a show of taking a bite, which earned him an even bigger smile than before.


    Once her attention was pulled away again, Jack leaned back to his AI sister. "Ok, you''ve got one year to teach her how to make an edible cake. Please use it wisely!"

 Book 2, Chapter 2

    Sare''en was incredibly nervous, but knew she had to speak up if she ever wanted to pay back her debt to her savior. Even if that meant she had to force herself to do so.


    When the notice had gone out that the Dragon''s Outpost was looking for more volunteers, she''d stood up with the rest, but she''d been overlooked in the first group due to her short stature and timid nature. So when the hunter chief''s son had come back to escort the second group of volunteers, she''d made sure she was front and center. She was confident they''d need some arlack at the outpost, and while she''d never taken care of them without oversight, Lady Ta''miel had said she was just about ready to handle her own herd.


    When Lon''thul had first asked Sare¡¯en what skills she had to offer, she''d frozen up under his gaze. Everyone knew his father was the most terrifying male in the village, and while the son didn''t seem as frightening, the scent of death seemed to linger around him, too. After all, he''d been part of the scouting group that had first made contact with the raider invasion.


    One moment stretched into the next, and still, Sare''en couldn''t bring herself to speak. When the hunter took a step closer, she was confident he was about to shout at her or belittle her the way most males did. When he brought his hand up, she flinched back, but instead of slapping her, he just rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Hey now, I don''t bite, well, not pretty young females, anyway! So take a moment to catch your breath, and just tell me what you do."


    Sare''en realized the hunter was trying to be comforting, but somehow that almost made things worse. Their close proximity, combined with the fact that she was now the center of everyone''s attention, was almost too much, but she knew that saying nothing here and now might cost her the only chance to work with and pay back her hero. "Arlack!... I''m an arlack...herder¡­."


    Lon''thul''s grin grew even broader. "That''s perfect! Jack''s been making noise that we needed some arlack at the Outpost! Said I should see if I could track someone down to help him design and set up some stables and whatever else they might need. Think you''re up to the job?"


    Sare''en gritted her teeth, closed her hands firmly, and nodded emphatically. Lon''thul grinned. "Great! We''ll be leaving early tomorrow, so get your things together and meet me outside the inn at sunrise. See ya then!"


    With that, the hunter''s attention was directed elsewhere, and he moved on to speak with more volunteers. Now that she was no longer the center of attention, Sare''en felt tension she hadn''t even realized she''d been holding drain out of her shoulders. She wove her way through the crowd like she usually did, unseen and unnoticed. Lady Ta''miel had once joked that Sare''en had so little presence, it was almost like she didn''t even exist.


    Finally, she made her way back to the stables. Once inside, she was met by Lady Ta''miel. "So, did this time go any better than the last?"


    The Lady was currently scratching an arlack behind the ear. As usual, she exuded a calming aura to everything around her. That''s part of what made her so good with the animals. It also made it easy for Sare''en to speak with her. "Yeah, I got accepted! They were looking for someone to help them set up stables for arlack, and apparently, I''ve got the job!"


    Lady Ta''miel smiled. "That''s great! Although...to do the job properly, you will have to break through that shell and speak to others. Think you can handle that?"


    Sare''en frowned and shrugged. "I''ll have to. It''s not like I could stay your apprentice forever...and this way, I get to pay back my debt!"


    Lady Ta''miel''s smile made Sare''en''s heart leap as the older female spoke. "Well then, I think this will be a good thing for you! I am proud of you. Now go and pack your things. I''ll have one of the males take over your duties. They''ll have to learn to get along without you, anyway."


    Sare''en squeaked in excitement and ran off to pack her bags.


    -


    The journey took the better part of the morning. Many of the craftsmen and women who weren''t used to so much walking were exhausted by the journey''s end. However, Sare''en''s legs were weak for an entirely different reason. They were all about to be greeted by the Outpost leader and her infamous assistant.


    Lady S''haar was physically shorter than the males in the group but somehow seemed to tower over everyone present. When she spoke, everyone listened. "Welcome to Dragon¡¯s Outpost. If any of you didn''t know, I am S''haar, and I''m in charge of this place. Depending on your specialties, you''ll have various other masters you''ll be reporting to, but I wanted to meet you first to lay down some ground rules."


    As she spoke, Lady S''haar started pacing back and forth, looking for all the world like a caged beast searching for a way to break free of its pen. "First, while you are here, you are a guest of this Outpost, but so is everyone else. Regardless of your class or social position back in the village, you will treat everyone in this camp as your equal or better. If you can''t accept that, you''ll be housed away from the productive workers and sent back with the village''s next shipment."


    Lady S''haar stopped her pacing and swept her gaze over the group. It almost seemed like she was some great predator, examining the herd for weakness. Sare''en flinched back under the scrutiny, and Lady S''haar''s odd assistant immediately turned and locked his gaze onto the herder. She''d caught a glimpse of him during his second visit to the village, and again when they''d shown up to rescue them from the freeze, but he looked different now. His face was severely damaged and partially hidden by an eyepatch and his cloak''s cowl. When he''d walked up, he''d also used a cane to compensate for the noticeable limp he now had.


    He continued watching Sare''en as Lady S''haar continued her speech. "Back that way, you''ll see the dragon''s cave. Do not go in there unless invited by Em''brel, Jack, or myself. If you do, the best fate you can hope for is to be sent back to the village with the next ore shipment. I''ll leave other possible fates up to your imagination..."


    Lady S''haar turned and indicated the odd male, who finally broke off his scrutiny to gaze at the rest of the group. "This is Jack. He has no official position at this camp, but if he has anything to say to you, all I can say is you''d be very wise to listen. If he addresses you, it will be through a translator, such as myself. However, he can understand all of you perfectly fine. And just to avoid any confusion, yes, he is that Jack. His stature may not impress you, but he has many odd and powerful magics with which he can protect himself and his friends. So do not test or challenge him. Even if there wasn''t an entire camp of raiders whose fate should tell you why that would be a bad idea, I will take it as a personal attack and treat it as such."


    Lady S''haar then turned her piercing gaze back to the group, as though daring anyone to challenge her here and now. "To avoid any rumors or misunderstandings, yes, we are bonded. No, neither of us are looking for any other partners. While we''re on that subject, there is another young female you might have heard rumors about and may see around this camp. Her name is Em''brel, and you should think of her as my daughter for all intents and purposes. Once again, if anyone lays a hand on her in any way she does not welcome, I will take that as a personal attack and react accordingly."


    Jack leaned over and said something quietly, to which S''haar nodded before continuing. "There are other rules around the camp, but they''re mostly the same as back in the village. If you''re not sure about anything, speak to the master of your discipline, they''ll have any answers you seek. Speaking of, it''s time to meet them. When I call your discipline, go meet with the master whose name I mention. Hunters and woodsmen, Lon''thul. Metalworkers and smelters, Tel''ron."


    As she listed off professions and names, everyone split off to their new groups until Sare''en was alone and once again unnoticed. Unnoticed by everyone except for Jack, who turned and spoke with Lady S''haar once more.


    The warrior woman started to respond, "Listen, I know you don''t like the term magic, but it''s far easier than explaining..." but she was cut off by Jack saying something else and pointing toward Sare''en.


    Lady S''haar approached Sare''en with a slight frown. The girl found herself trembling under the scrutiny. Eventually, the older argu''n stopped short of Sare''en and gave her a brief once over. "Why didn''t you go to one of the masters when I called your profession?"


    Sare''en was unable to speak. She was already making a mess of things, and her mind became a blur of missed opportunities and things she could have done better in the short time she remained silent.


    That was when Lady S''haar''s consort spoke up again. Then he smiled at Sare''en. Something about his smile relaxed her. She could see the male had flat teeth, like an arlack. Then Lady S''haar took a deep breath and spoke again. "Sorry, let me rephrase that. You seem a bit lost. Is there something we overlooked?"


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    Snapping her attention back to Lady S''haar, Sare''en brought her fist to her chest and bowed her head. "No...um...I''m sorry, what I mean to say...um..."


    Sare''en took a deep breath and started over. "Lady S''haar, when the deep freeze struck, I was with the arlack and took the time to make sure they were all in their pens before going to the gathering spot. As a result, I was one of the last to arrive and was positioned on the room''s outermost edge. I was near death when you came with food and fire. You saved my life! I vow to serve you for the rest of my life in payment of that debt!"


    She was now staring intently at her feet, deeply embarrassed but proud that she''d been able to say her piece. A moment passed, and eventually, the male spoke up again. Lady S''haar also spoke, but her voice and mannerisms seemed to change as if she echoed the male beside her. "And what kind of service is it that you offer?"


    Sare''en looked up, her gaze passing between the male and Lady S''haar for a moment before settling on the male, if only because she found his gaze less intimidating. "Ummm...I''m an arlack herder...um...Lord Jack? I''m here to help you get set up and ready for your own herd and to tend them once they''ve arrived."


    The male laughed, and Lady S''haar began translating again. It was hard to know who to pay attention to, and Sare''en found her attention shifting back and forth between them as they spoke. "Jack is fine. I''m no Lord. At least not to my friends, anyway. Also, that''s great news! We''ve wanted to get a herd for a while now, and your expertise will be invaluable. Come with us. We''ll give you a brief tour and show you where we were thinking about setting up the pens."


    It took the girl a moment to process what he''d said, especially the part about friends, then another moment to start following after the two. Despite the slower pace they''d set due to Jack''s limp, she didn¡¯t catch up as they were passing through the gate.


    Looking up, the gate was much larger than it had seemed at a distance. It was probably about thirty feet tall, with guard towers standing closer to forty. Looking back after she passed through the gate, she noticed a raised walkway spanned the whole inside of the wall that allowed the guards to walk between the towers and still have total vision over the wall to the field beyond.


    Looking down, she could see the pathways weren''t made of packed dirt, as she''s been expecting. Instead, they had long walkways filled with countless stones. Her talons couldn''t find purchase as easily against the rocks, but she imagined they were well worth the inconvenience when it rained, so the walkways weren''t just streams of mud to wade through.


    Lady S''haar took over the tour, with Jack hobbling along, quietly talking to himself for some reason. "So, nearest the eastern gate, we have the main guardhouse and the hunters¡¯ lodge. Positioned for quick, easy access to the wall or the wilds, accordingly."


    She indicated some larger buildings further up the path they were on. "Up that way, you can see the woodworking and metalworking halls. Just past them are the workers¡¯ billets. Eventually, we''d like to get more private housing set up for our more permanent residents, but after this winter''s excitement, we focused on finishing the walls and just getting this place functioning first. So we''ll take you back there and set up a room for you later. In the middle of the billets is the common well, designed by our own Em''brel."


    There was that name again. There had been whispers around the village that the dragon''s representative, Jack apparently, had taken a young female noble as his concubine. But if what Lady S''haar had said was true, she was more like a daughter to the pair than some kind of indentured servant. Sare''en was starting to wonder what this Em''brel was like.


    She was so deep in thought that Sare''en almost missed the next part. "So the two most open areas we have available are near the northern and southern gates. Where do you think we should put the pens?"


    Put on the spot, Sare''en started to freeze up again. "Ah, um, I''m not...I mean, I don''t...That is to say, I need to know a bit more about the surrounding lands first...sorry..."


    Lady S''haar''s consort laughed and spoke up again, with Lady S''haar translating. This was something that would take some getting used to. "Why should you be sorry? That''s what I would expect to hear from someone who took their job seriously. Come on, we''ll head back to the billets. We''ll get some food and have Em''brel meet us with some maps. That way, you can see what the surrounding landscape looks like."


    Sare''en nodded emphatically. "Yes, that sounds good. But, um...just one question... What''s a map?"


    -


    Sare''en was deciding if she should dig into the churlish flank she''d been served or wait for Lady S''haar to eat first when Em''brel walked into the room.


    Unlike Sare''en, Em''brel drew the eyes of everyone in the room. She was quick to laugh and smile with everyone she passed by, and it was clear she was the darling of the Outpost. Sare''en suspected S''haar''s warning earlier was probably unnecessary. If anyone was foolish enough to mess with the girl in any way, they''d likely face the wrath of the entire Outpost.


    Sare''en also noticed that the hunter chief''s son was a close second to S''haar in protectiveness. When he walked in, right behind Em''brel, he still had his easy going expression, but this time, his smile didn''t quite reach all the way to his eyes like before. Instead, they had an odd edge as he quickly scanned the corners and shadows before relaxing and laughing at some bawdy joke someone else in the room shared with him.


    Em''brel approached their table with some rolled-up animal skins and a smile. "I brought the maps, just like you asked! Sorry if I took a little too long. Angela was in the middle of an explanation about ethical philosophy and wanted to finish up her description of utilitarianism. I never thought there could be so many ways to look at right and wrong! It always seemed so simple before!"


    Lady S''haar''s consort laughed and said something else to the girl, though this time, Lady S''haar didn''t bother to offer a translation.


    Apparently, Em''brel understood him just fine, although she looked confused as she responded. "I don''t think we''ve gotten to that one yet, but why is there a whole philosophy around what people can''t do?"


    Jack laughed harder than before and said something else, making Em''brel laugh this time. "Well, that''s just a silly name for someone, philosopher or not."


    The young lady turned to Sare''en and gave an awkward quasi-formal bow that was hindered by the rolls of animal skin she carried and smiled. "Oh, forgive my poor manners. I''m Em''brel! You must be Sare''en. Jack''s already told me a lot about you."


    This confused Sare''en. When had Jack had the time to say anything to anyone? They''d been together since she''d gotten here. Looking at the odd male, she noticed he was smiling again with those strange flat teeth. Perhaps he was a wizard, just like Lady S''haar had said. Still, he seemed friendly enough, and it was hard to be too afraid of a male who laughed when Lon''thul came and slapped him on the back while repeated the same joke the hunter had been told earlier. Lady S''haar looked on at the two with disapproval clear on her face, though Sare''en noticed her eyes seemed to smile, rather than reflect the frown on her lips this time.


    For her part, Em''brel huffed and placed her rolls down, unfurling one in such a way that Jack was forced to quickly pick up his plate of food to keep it from being covered by the skin. While his expression was hard to read due to his deformities, Sare''en got the distinct impression he enjoyed causing a bit of trouble and the reactions that came with it.


    Finally, looking down at the skin, Sare''en could see many odd shapes had been drawn on it. Em''brel began explaining. "So, here in the north and south are the best areas to put the pens. They have large open spaces, easy access to a gate, and we were planning on putting more wells in both places, anyway.What do you think?"


    Sare''en had no idea what she was looking at. Her brow furrowed as she tried to understand how what Em''brel was saying had any connection to the drawing on the animal skin. She didn''t want to say anything and disappoint these people, but she felt more hopelessly lost by the minute.


    That was when Lady S''haar''s consort ¡ªJack, she reminded herself¡ª spoke up again. Pretty soon, Em''brel was wide-eyed with surprise and embarrassment. "Oh, I''m sorry! You''ve never seen a map before, have you? At least not like this! Let me explain!"


    Em''brel started pointing at the shapes as she spoke. "So, this is a scale representation of the camp. This is the east gate. Here is the guardhouse and hunter''s lodge, and here..."


    As the explanation went on, Sare''en finally grasped what she was saying. This was a drawing of the camp, as seen from above. Soon she could imagine she was looking down at the same paths she''d walked through not long ago. She started to get excited before realizing what was wrong and felt dismayed again. "Um...this is really neat, but what I really need is to know what the surrounding land looks like, sorry..."


    Em''brel waved away her concern. "Not a problem, that''s why I brought this one!"


    The young female unraveled another skin over the top of the first. She''d been so excited to show off that both Jack and S''haar had to lift their drinks to save them from the unfurling skin. This one showed the camp again, but it was much smaller in this "map." It was surrounded by a whole new set of shapes, which Em''brel began explaining to the other girl excitedly.


    -


    Jack sat back, content to listen and watch as the two girls bonded. S''haar looked over at him, amused by his sly smile. Then, leaning over, she whispered to him. "How''d you know these two would get along so well? Aside from their age, they don''t seem to have much in common."


    Jack whispered back. "Well, I noticed Sare''en seemed a bit out of place among the other argu''n. I''m guessing she works with arlack because she''s more comfortable with them than her own people. Honestly, if I''d been born an argu''n, I imagine I''d be similar to her in many ways. Since Em''brel is already used to and comfortable with my mannerisms, I figured they''d get along fine. Besides, she seems to be a big fan of yours. They''ve got at least that much in common."


    S''haar watched as Em''brel shooed Lon''thul away after he accidentally startled Sare''en by loudly speaking up right behind her. "Alright, alright, you did good this time. Now, what say we take advantage of the house being empty at the moment and go enjoy some personal time, hmmm?"


    Jack grinned and had a quick word with Lon''thul to let him know he''d have to escort Em''brel home once they''d wrapped up here. After that, the two of them escaped, intending to make the best use of the unexpected privacy they''d been given.

 Book 2, Chapter 3

    Jack listened to Em''brel describe the wild grain and roots the villages used to supplement their diets. "The more powerful members of a village eat mostly meat, with just a few garnishes for a bit of variety. However, the less well-off you are, the more you''d eat things like bread and roots. Sometimes that can even become the majority of a person''s diet, leading to shorter lifespans. Also, what we call bread has little in common with your bread. It''s much thinner and crunchier and also has very little taste."


    Angela nodded. "Yeah, sounds like basic unleavened bread. Based on my analysis, an argu''n could probably supplement around fifty percent of their diet with food sources other than meat. Any more than that, and you''ll run into some unavoidable nutritional deficiencies."


    Jack was nodding. "Now that we''re approaching spring, it might be a good idea to look into getting some seeds and planting some crops. We might need to get a windmill set up, or at least something similar, to help grind the grain."


    Tilting his head to the side, Jack continued. "Speaking of, since we''re limited on raw materials for more solar panels, could we set up some wind turbines to generate more power for you, Angela?"


    Angela looked deep in thought. "Well, it won''t take as many rare raw materials to make a wind turbine, but even for a moderately sized one, many of the components would be larger than I can craft on the ship. We could try seeing if the smiths could make some molds, but that would take large quantities of metal and other resources."


    Jack nodded. "Still, that would take care of all our immediate power needs, at least for a long-term stay on the planet. I''d like to get that situation stabilized as quickly as possible."


    Em''brel grinned. "Well, if it''s raw materials you need, I''m the best with the mining harness now! It''ll give me something to do other than training or sitting around the ship all day!"


    Jack grumbled to himself. "Yeah, seems like I''m second best at everything these days."


    S''haar had been sitting silently listening as the other three planned but decided to cut in before Jack could get too caught up on that train of thought. "Oh, is the male who''s single-handedly and dramatically improved the lives of everyone around him and saved the day on multiple occasions feeling like he''s no longer useful? What''s the matter? Have you entirely run out of ideas to help us?"


    Her smile helped take the sting out of her words, but the message was clear. Jack had no business acting like he wasn''t valuable. So finally, with a rueful smile, Jack relented. "Alright, alright, point taken. But that brings us to the next point of business. We really need to establish relations with the other villages in the region."


    Angela sat back in an invisible lounge chair as she agreed. "Yeah, and despite your earlier lamentation, I think our dragon emissary is probably the best man for the job!"


    Jack looked surprised. "Wouldn''t Em''brel be better, since she''s actually a noble?"


    Angela shook her head. "Perhaps she would be better at speaking to them on equal terms, but our situation is anything but. There is a large discrepancy in our respective manpower and technologies. Since they have a significant advantage in manpower, we need someone to emphasize our advantage in technologies...and maybe magic."


    Jack looked like he wanted to protest the term "magic," but Angela continued without giving him a chance. "You''ve already established yourself as an enigma who can accomplish impossible tasks. We might as well go the rest of the way and call you a wizard. It''ll give everything you say more weight if the locals think your knowledge comes from the beyond. It''s not far from the truth, anyway..."


    S''haar nodded. "As your ''local expert,'' I agree. Honestly, even after living here as long as I have and seeing everything I have, this is all still basically magic to me. Before you say anything, I know it''s not, but really, it is."


    Jack was about to protest anyway when Angela cut in again. "Besides, it''ll keep anyone from trying to steal your magical weapons, if they think the magic comes from you. It''ll help keep our secrets more secret and make the villages more likely to listen to you. You can even carry some small emitters from the ship to complete the illusion. If you set up a transceiver nearby, I can make them project whatever we can think of."


    The AI tilted her head to the side. "Though, we should probably keep the effects small. Make them too big and impressive, and people might start to wonder why there are not more visible after-effects or scents. Make them small and flashy, and they''ll spend too much time wondering what they just saw to overthink anything."


    As much as he hated to admit it, Jack had to agree that she had a point. "So that''s it, then? I''m just going to play the role of some wandering wizard?"


    S''haar laughed. "You are a wandering wizard. You just don''t like to admit it!"


    Em''brel nodded in agreement. "Yup, you''re a wizard, alright. Might as well accept it at this point!"


    Jack crossed his arms in defiance. "Fine, but I''m going to be a grumpy wizard, then!"


    Everyone laughed at his petulant response. Finally, S''haar laid a hand on his shoulder. "Sure you are, but maybe a nap will help?"


    Jack glowered in answer. "You''d better be careful, or I''ll turn you into a newt!"


    Em''brel looked confused as she glanced back and forth between Jack and S''haar. "What''s a newt?"


    -


    Sare''en was terrified. Her opponent was larger, stronger, and far more fierce than her. She gripped her spear with two clenched fists, its tip hovering uselessly up and off to the side.


    Lady Fea''en stared her down. "Is that the best you can do? You''ve got such a weak wristed grip on that thing a raider could swat it out of your hands as easy as this!"


    With that, Fea''en swung her training staff and rapped Sare''en''s lead hand. Her grip loosened, the old woodworker swatted the weapon aside before pointing the staff at the girl''s throat. "You''re dead. Again. Now, go grab that spear and try again. For real, this time!"


    Ger''ron watched the two with a frown, but he''d been unable to get the herder to do even this much, so decided maybe he should let Fea''en push the young female a little further.


    As the craft master approached this time, she held her staff off to the side, leaving herself wide open as she shouted. "I''m a raider, and once I kill you, I will go attack your hero, Lady S''haar, in the back, while she''s busy fighting someone else. If you don''t stop me here, your hero is dead. NOW STRIKE!"


    At that last shout, Sare''en felt something bubble up inside her. With a cry of rage, she swung with everything she had. Lady Fea''en didn''t even try to dodge or block. She just stood there and watched as the spear uselessly bounced off her chest plate and fell to the ground. The younger female looked down at the spear, feeling like she''d failed it somehow.


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    With a sigh, Lady Fea''en gathered Sare''en into a hug. "You''ve always been a good girl, maybe a little too good for this world. Luckily, you seem to have stumbled into the one group of people who share your views and seem to have the power to back them."


    She held the younger female at arm''s length and gave her a sharp look. "But even they aren''t all-powerful. They''ve already been hurt, and badly, at that. The time may come when everyone who believes in what they are trying to create has to stand up and fight for it. What will you do when that happens?"


    Sare''en looked down at her feet. "I don''t know, matron..."


    Lady Fea''en made a face at that. "I told you not to call me that. I''m already old enough, without my son''s welp reminding me of the fact, so call me by my name. Now go swing that spear against that wood dummy a couple dozen times, and try to do better than you did just now!"


    Sare''en nodded and picked up the spear before trudging over to the indicated dummy and resuming her practice, though maybe she put just a bit more effort into her swings than before.


    Ger''ron came up behind the older woman. "Ya know, not everyone has to be a fighter. I''m sure the young lady will be plenty helpful to this place in her own way."


    Fea''en snorted and crossed her arms. "Maybe, but you know as well as I do, this place will face more hardships before everything is over. If the girl can''t handle herself better than that, the last remnants of my bloodline may be wiped from existence."


    Ger''ron leaned against his own spear, using it to take some weight off his prosthetic foot. It worked wonderfully, far better than he''d hoped, but it still ached occasionally, sometimes even when he wasn''t using it. "Listen to ya trying to be your usual stoic self, talkin about your bloodline, as if that''s all that mattered to ya. As though I hadn''t just seen you doing yer best to comfort the young lady."


    Fea''en gave the old guard a glare that would have withered a less experienced fighter. As it was, it only brought a grin to Ger''ron''s face before the woodworker turned her attention back to her granddaughter and watched her trying to swat at the dummy as though he was covered in some slightly annoying bugs. "Maybe so, but this world is a harsh place. A part of me is glad she''s here. She''s got a real opportunity to become something in this place. The other part of me wishes she''d stayed home, where she''d be safe. Right now, I don''t know which would be better."


    The old guard walked beside his new partner and grunted. "Well, good or bad, things like that aren''t for old folks like us to decide. It''s the youngins that''ll forge the future. We just gotta give them the time and chance to do it."


    Fea''en simply offered a contemplative grunt as the two elders watched the youngster continue her practice and wondered what the not-so-distant future might hold, good or bad.


    -


    Tel''ron listened to Jack''s explanation of the tiny knives he wanted to put on the end of small sticks. Like all the outposts masters, he¡¯d received the implant to better understand Jack when needed. Once Jack was finished, the smith offered his opinions. "Well, I don''t see how these tiny spears could possibly be any better than a standard spear. Sure, they might work against other humans in those movies of yours, but getting through argu''n bone is entirely different. However, I have to assume you know what you''re talking about, though I''m also concerned with the level of effort what you''re describing would require to craft. That kind of a fine point would be challenging to craft, let alone doing it a dozen times per person using them. Couldn''t you just pour a mold instead?"


    Jack shook his head. "Unfortunately, as convenient as a poured mold is, we need the hardness of a forged point to properly pierce argu''n bone plates, if it''s to be of any use. However, the shape will be a little different. Rather than a blade or a simple point, this would be more of a boxed point shape. That would reinforce it to better penetrate hard surfaces, despite its smaller size."


    Tel''ron thoughtfully watched Jack draw the shape he was trying to describe in the dirt and eventually nodded his head. "I can make the shape you''re talking about, but the first one will take some time, since I''ll also have to make a few tools for the process. Taking the other projects I''m working on into account, it''ll probably take me about a week. Unless you want me to make this my top priority?"


    Jack shook his head. "No, a week should be fine. It''ll probably take me that long to get the rest of this project ready, anyway."


    The smith shook his head. "Alright. If you could bring me some more precise sketches, I''ll get on this as soon as my work permits."


    Jack shook the smith''s hand and let him get back to his work.


    -


    On the way back to the ship, S''haar noticed Jack seemed lost in thought, his frown a little deeper than usual. Eventually, she nudged him to get his attention.


    The human jumped slightly before turning his focus to S''haar. "Sorry, did I zone out and miss something again?"


    S''haar shook her head. "No, you were just getting that look on your face that means you''re getting second thoughts about something. Tell me what you''re thinking, and I''ll offer my input."


    He frowned a bit before nodding. "Alright, it''s simple enough. I''m worried I''m making too big a decision for your people. This could revolutionize warfare. Many could die as a result, and I''m not sure I should push you down that road."


    S''haar was quiet for a moment. "You''re thinking of him again, aren''t you?"


    Jack smiled sadly, the face of the kid still burned into his memory. "Yeah, I''m afraid I am. I can''t help but wonder how many more kids will die as a direct result of my idea."


    S''haar stayed quiet a moment longer. "I can understand that, but let''s look at this differently. How many ''more kids'' will die without your new building techniques? What about some of the farming ideas you''ve been thinking about? Or even the clothing you''ve been designing?"


    Jack waved aside her thoughts. "Life and death aren''t like that. It''s not some zero-sum calculation where if I save enough lives, it makes up for the lives whose loss I''m responsible for. They are completely separate considerations."


    S''haar shook her head. "That''s not what I meant. What happens to all those ideas if you do nothing, this Outpost fails, you die, and all your ideas are lost before we are given a chance to learn? I''m not saying you should try to save us ¡®savages.¡¯ You know I''d be the first to end you if you ever considered something like that! I''m saying that we should turn this camp into an example of the best of both worlds,then give us all a chance to learn from it what we will."


    S''haar crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "But to accomplish that, this camp must survive. I''m not asking you to bring down the fiery wrath of the gods on our enemies. I''m merely asking you to share the tools we need to survive long enough to give this dream a chance of success."


    Jack felt swayed by her argument but still found himself unwilling to give in so easily. "That''s well and good, but this idea of mine... Once it''s given form in this world, it will never go away. Instead, it''ll spread from one village to the next, until the very nature of war is forever changed. I don''t know if you realize what this could mean!"


    S''haar closed her eyes again. When she opened them this time, Jack could feel the hard edge of her gaze threatening to cut him to the bone. "How dare you. Do you think we haven''t reinvented war before? Do you think we won''t find new and better ways to kill each other without you? We were killing each other long before you graced us with your presence, and we''ll be doing it long after you''ve died. We have a chance to change the nature of war and peace. With easier access to reliable food, shelter, and protection, we will be freed to make choices no longer based solely on survival. If we then decide to fight each other to the death, that''s on us, not you."


    S''haar softened her expression and relaxed her stance. "You put me in charge for a reason. Now trust me, trust my judgment, and trust your friends. Just because you hold the knowledge doesn''t mean you bear all the burden of guilt."


    Jack looked down at his hands, and for the briefest of moments, he could see the blood of the argu''n he''d already killed still staining his palms. Then, when he closed his eyes, the young raider stood before him. He was saying something, but no sound was coming out.


    A heavy hand rested on his shoulder. Opening his eyes, he saw S''haar hovering over him, a look of deep thoughts and expressions of concern warring for dominance on her face. "Listen to me! We already talked about this. Angela even agreed that this, or something similar, is likely one of the next significant advances our society will discover. However, unlike many who might discover it, we won''t be using this new weapon to conquer and subjugate our neighbors. Instead, we''ll be using it to protect our homes and families long enough to teach our neighbors the benefits of peace and cooperation. Give us the chance to make ourselves something more. Let argu''n teach argu''n."


    Jack smiled. "I chose wisely when I decided to leave you in charge. I''d spend every day doubting each decision I made. Alright, you''ve convinced me; we''ll proceed as planned."


    S''haar nodded, a wicked smile on her lips. "Good, I would have felt terrible telling Angela to lock you out of your own room to force you to sleep on the couch!"


    Jack shook his head. "You''ve obviously been watching too many ''human movies.'' They''re starting to give you some bad ideas."

 Book 2, Chapter 4

    Em''brel cowered against the stone at her back. She wanted to run, but she''d already strained the leash on her neck to its limit. She tried to fight, but her eyes were held captive by the monster in front of her. When he spoke, the acrid smell of death assaulted her nose. "Now, now, is that any way for a pet to greet her master? You didn''t think you''d gotten away from me for good, did you? You know you can never run far enough, hide well enough, or fight hard enough to escape me!"


    He crouched down next to Em''brel and grabbed her face in his talons, preventing her from looking away. "You know that wooden wall and your ''brave'' friends can only protect you for so long, right? Soon the wall will burn, your friends will be dead, and you''ll be back where you belong. Chained out in front of my tent."


    His sneer made Em''brel''s heart freeze in her chest. "If you''re a very good girl, I may even keep you all to myself, instead of passing you around the camp as a toy for my men!"


    Em''brel sobbed desperately, but even with her eyes held shut, she could hear his laughter and feel his breath.


    A bright light pierced through her eyelids, and she heard a voice shouting to her. "Wake up! It''s only a dream! Em''brel, please wake up!"


    Em''brel''s eyes shot open, only for her to squint against the bright light in her room. Angela dropped the illumination by half and floated in front of the girl, concern evident in her face. "It''s that same dream again, isn''t it?"


    Em''brel hugged her knees as she waited for her body to stop shaking. She eventually answered by nodding silently to her friend, now sitting on the bed at her feet. The AI woman looked desperate to somehow be of more help. "Why don''t you talk to Jack and S''haar about the dream? They might be able to help. But, for all my knowledge, I''m not very good at really understanding things like this¡­"


    Em''brel shook her head ''no'' this time. Angela waited patiently until the girl was able to find her voice again. "I don''t know if this is something they can help me with¡­ I know they''re there, which helps, but ultimately, I have to deal with this. I can''t hide in their bed like some child every time I have a bad dream!"


    Angela tried once more. "Maybe not, but this isn''t just some bad dream. You experienced some severely traumatizing events not long ago, and that''s not the kind of thing that just goes away!"


    Em''brel sighed and got out of bed. Now that she was awake, she might as well get started on breakfast. "Maybe not, and it''s not like I''m pretending nothing''s wrong. I just don''t want to depend on them for everything. They''ve already got enough to worry about. Running this camp, managing relationships with the man who probably tried to kidnap me while also trying to get out from under his thumb, not to mention dealing with their own traumas and issues. I honestly don''t know how they function!"


    Angela floated alongside the girl, her fists resting on her hips. "Maybe so, but you''ve not exactly had it easy, yourself."


    Em''brel nodded as she started mixing up the eggs for her churlish omelets. "You''re right, which is why I depend so much on you and the two of them. I just don''t want to add more to their burdens than I have to. I promise if it gets worse, I''ll bring it up."


    Angela glared at her friend for a moment before relenting. "I''ll hold you to that!"


    Jack and S''haar were finally drawn from their room by the scent of breakfast. Em''brel had learned enough about human physiology to know the bags under his eyes meant Jack hadn''t sleapt all that well either. Still, his smile was genuine enough to bring out Em''brel''s.


    With a final hug and a whispered word to S''haar, he broke away to his own chair so they could all enjoy the food Em''brel had prepared.


    With her family''s presence at her table, the last vestiges of her nightmare were abolished, and Em''brel greeted them with plates of warm breakfast.


    -


    After the meal, Ger''ron approached Jack and S''haar, a question evident on his face. "So, how soon were the two of you thinking about headed out to another village to trade and bargain?"


    Jack looked thoughtful. "Well, we''ve got a shipment of ore due soon, and we''ll be getting the rest of our guards at the same time, so probably shortly after that. Why do you ask?"


    The veteran cocked his head to the side as if contemplating for a moment before speaking. "I know between the Lady and your weapons, you two are a force to be reckoned with, and your reputation alone will probably keep most sane folks from picking a fight with ya, but I''d consider it a personal favor if you''d take a couple guards along when ya leave."


    Em''brel, who''d been cleaning up nearby, perked up when she overheard that. "It''s a good idea for appearance, as well. If you want anyone to take you seriously as the equal to a noble, you should have a couple of guards, and maybe a servant."


    Jack frowned at that. "I don''t particularly like the sound of a ''servant.'' The connotation seems a little demeaning..."


    Em''brel shook her head. "Regardless, it''s a symbol of your status. No reasonably well-off noble would ever travel without at least one."


    Jack shook his head. "I miss the days when traveling was as easy as merely loading up the cart and setting out. What happened to those days?


    S''haar shook her head. "You had to go and make yourself a hero and get everyone''s attention. Now you can''t go anywhere without at least a dozen different eyes watching and word of mouth spreading."


    Jack looked back at the woman accusingly. "I seem to remember you pulling a heroic stunt first. So why aren''t you the center of everyone''s attention?"


    Ger''ron cut in with some laughter. "Oh, she is, but everyone knows that the Lady is never far behind yourself. So it doesn''t really matter which of you two people are paying attention to. Though, to be fair, what she did was heroic. What you did was impossible. It got a few more tongues a-waggin."


    The look Jack directed at the old guard clearly indicated he didn''t think the older man was particularly helpful, but Ger''ron didn''t seem to mind.


    With a sigh of exasperation, Jack surrendered. "Alright, fine! Go ahead and pick out a couple guards that you trust. Also, keep an eye out for anyone willing to play the role of ''servant.'' Though be clear, it''s for appearances only. I''m not looking to lord over anyone, regardless of what people expect."


    -


    Lon''thul was in a good mood. At the moment, he was acting in his role as Em''brel''s bodyguard, a position he''d happily taken upon himself after her kidnapping and subsequent rescue. It seemed his days were now taken up by hunting, watching over Em''brel, or practicing with old Ger''ron. It would be a perfect life, except something had been off with Em''brel ever since she got back from her capture.


    She still was quick to light up a room with a laugh and a smile. However, her eyes now lingered a little on any shadows or unfamiliar faces. When something loud and unexpected happened, she''d freeze up for a moment, as though trying to keep herself from fleeing the room. He''d caught her tending to wounds on her palms more than once after digging her claws in until she started bleeding.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    But right now, the old Em''brel was back. She was sitting in a field with her new friend, the herder from the village. Something in the new female seemed to soothe Em''brel''s spirit. Lon''thul was happy to be here to witness it, even if he was keeping his distance to give the two females some time to themselves, despite it involving them talking about some embarrassing moments from his past.


    Em''brel was sitting back and laughing. "Oh, he''s not all that scary. Why, the first time I met him, I walked right up and slapped him for talking about me like I was something to be bought and sold. After getting to know him a bit more, I doubt he meant it quite like it sounded, but at the time, I was exhausted, furious, and he said the wrong thing at the wrong time. Although, to his credit, he did have the good grace to apologize afterward."


    Sare''en looked horrified. "You slapped the hunter chief''s son? And he apologized? You could get lashes for something like that!"


    Em''brel shrugged. "Even if I wasn''t kind of nobility myself at the time, we operate under a different set of rules here than they do in the villages. In here, it''s merit, not birth, that determines a person''s worth, and even those of the ¡®lowest¡¯ station are to be treated with dignity and respect. Anyone who can''t abide by those rules quickly finds themselves on their way back to the village."


    Sare''en''s eyes started to dilate in fear. "You''re nobility? I''ve been getting a noble lady''s clothes dirty in the grass?"


    As the girl started to stand up, trapped between apologizing or fleeing, Em''brel caught her hand and used a small amount of leverage to keep the girl from escaping. "I said I was a noble. These days, I''m just another orphan. Even if that wasn''t true, like I said, we operate under a different set of rules here. Haven''t you ever noticed how quick S''haar, the camp leader, is to pick up a hammer or saw and get to work? Honestly, I think she''d prefer to do more work like that, rather than being in charge of anything."


    Em''brel tilted her head to the side in thought. "I think that''s part of what makes her a good leader. She knows exactly what it''s like to be on the bottom. She''s worked hard to get by almost every day of her life. It''s given her knowledge and understanding that many nobles seem to lack."


    When she released the other female''s hand, Sare''en hesitated but sat back down. Though, she was a little more cautious in her movements this time. "If I might be so bold...you said you were a noble, but that means you aren''t any longer...what...what happened?"


    Em''brel looked off into the distance with a sad smile on her face. "My father was the lord of a small village not far from here. I might be a little biased, but I think he was a decent person, even if he wasn''t quite up to being the leader of a village going through a bout of bad luck, and our village was going through some hard times. It was even beginning to look like it might fail in the next year or two. So, to secure some much-needed supplies and form a partnership with a much larger and more successful village, I was offered to the village lord''s son as his bride."


    Em''brel''s vision was still distant, but her smile was gone, replaced by a stern look as she dug her claws into the ground beneath her. "As we traveled between the villages, we were ambushed by raiders. My father was killed, and I was taken... They...did things to me..."


    After a long pause, Em''brel took a shaky breath and continued. "Things that are better left in the past, where they belong. Luckily, I wasn''t in their hands for long. Jack and S''haar saved me and took me in. They made me family."


    A smile returned to her face as Em''brel spoke. "Despite the horrible things that happened shortly before, those days where it was just us living in the mountain were some of the happiest of my life."


    She shook her head to clear it as she continued. "But nothing good lasts forever, and one after another, everything seemed to fall apart. Jack was injured so severely he almost died, the deep freeze hit us in the middle of his recovery, and then..."


    Sare''en stared wide-eyed throughout the story, only speaking when Em''brel seemed unable to. "And then the raiders returned."


    Em''brel gulped down the lump in her throat and nodded. "Yeah... The raiders returned... For some reason...it was worse this time. It doesn''t make any sense. They didn''t hurt or abuse me the way the first group did...and yet..."


    Em''brel sat there a few more moments, silently willing away the vision of the monster who''d held her captive. Unsure of what to do, Sare''en reached out and placed her hand on top of Em''brel''s, trying to convey the support she didn''t know how to vocalize.


    Em''brel sat there and stared at the hand a moment before shaking her head as if to clear it. "Well, you know how the rest went. Everyone does. I think that story will be told for generations. Honestly, it could have gone so much worse than it did. It should have gone so much worse than it did. I''m here now, surrounded by friends and my new family."


    Sare''en shook her head. "Here, I thought I''d had it rough, but the worst that''s ever happened to me was getting beaten for forgetting something important or being ignored by everyone around me. I didn''t even realize how close I''d come to freezing to death until after the fact, though I did have nightmares about it later."


    Em''brel smiled as she dusted herself off before turning her attention to the other female. "You know, Jack once told me that a person''s pain isn''t diminished just because of someone else''s. We all have struggles in this life, and we all need to depend on others from time to time."


    Sare''en looked thoughtful for a minute before she spoke up. ¡°What kind of a person is Jack? He seems so strange and alien..."


    The other female laughed. "Alien? You have no idea! And yes, he''s definitely strange...but in a good way. Honestly, though, he''s a person just like any other in all the important ways. He has strengths and weaknesses, hopes and fears."


    Em''brel cocked an eye ridge as she looked at the other female. "In many ways, you and he have a lot in common... I have a question for you. Don''t worry, you don''t have to answer right now, but how would you feel about being a servant for a noble?"


    Sare''en looked lost and confused. "Ummm... What?"


    -


    As S''haar wandered around the dimly lit forest, the shadows seemed to stretch and twist around her, creating the illusion of monsters everywhere. She drew her blades slowly and crouched down to remain as silent as possible. She could feel her heart racing as she struggled to catch any scent, but the forest seemed strangely dead.


    Creeping along in the darkness, S''haar heard a twig snap behind her. Whipping around, held her swords at the ready, there was a wisp of smoke fading in the wind.


    With a cautious taste of the air, she turned back, only to nearly run over Em''brel. The younger female looked up at her with wide eyes. "What''s going on? Why is it so dark out? What''s that sound?"


    Another crunch behind S''haar drew her attention for only a moment, but when she turned back, Em''brel was being rapidly pulled away, arms outstretched, begging for S''haar to save her.


    The warrior woman leapt into action, chasing the fading Em''brel for what seemed like hours. Even after the younger female faded from view, S''haar continued her pursuit until she stood alone in a dark void... Alone, except for the presence she felt behind her.


    She whipped around and saw Jack crouched, gun drawn and at the ready. He spoke to her wearily as he scanned the horizon. "Be careful. He''s here somewhere!"


    Then there was a movement to the right. It was fast, but Jack was faster. He pointed and fired, the loud crack of his gun shattering the silence of this world.


    His first three shots missed, but the fourth shot finally connected dead center. The monster, S''haar''s father, collapsed to his knees, grasping the hole in his stomach.


    Jack lowered his gun a hair, his cocky grin warming the ice that had gripped S''haar''s heart. "There, see? He wasn''t so scary after all!"


    As soon as the words were said, the monster stood back up and laughed. Then, as he leaped into action once more, Jack fired his remaining shots wildly but couldn''t connect again.


    Somehow, Jack had ended up a dozen or so meters away from S''haar, and the monster was now between them. Once again, S''haar leapt into action, closing the distance as fast as possible but knew never make it in time.


    With a last burst of effort, S''haar propelled herself forward, swinging her swords into the shade just as it swung its swords into Jack. Hers connected first but passed through him, as though he were made of nothing more than smoke.


    When the monster''s blades made contact with Jack, both men exploded into clouds of mist, dissipating in a wind S''haar could neither feel nor hear.


    S''haar''s father appeared over her shoulder for the briefest moments to whisper in her ear. "You''ll never be strong enough to save them from me!"


    As she swung her swords, they passed through his fading form again, leaving her alone in the endless void.

 Book 2, Chapter 5

    Ger''ron was listening to Jack and S''haar discuss Em''brel''s nomination of Sare''en to fill the role of a servant. Jack was currently speaking, and the old veteran was still having a hard time getting used to Jack''s voice making sense to him after his ''procedure.'' "Well, I mean, I don''t think we''ll have to worry about the girl''s loyalty, but I''m worried this might be a bit much for her. She''s already way out of her element, and taking her with us to act as a servant, even if it''s only for appearances, might be more than she can handle. Regardless of how badly she wants to be of assistance."


    S''haar was quick to respond. "You can''t protect every young female in this world from a bit of discomfort; she''s an adult, and you need to understand that. Yes, this might be rough for her, but you disrespect her by deciding what she can or can''t handle without her involvement in that decision. Besides, I think you''re overreacting because you see a little too much of yourself in her. Take a look at yourself and how much you''ve changed in only a few months. Give her a chance to make similar changes and decide her own fate!"


    Not long ago, Ger''ron had gotten his implant along with the rest of the masters. What surprised him the most was when they explained the process involved implanting something into his head. S''haar and Em''brl had shown him the sites of their own "implants." There was a barely noticeable scar, and they assured him that aside from some minor discomfort for the first day or two, they didn''t even notice the implant any longer.


    They''d warned him to expect weird or intense dreams, but Ger''ron had not been prepared to dream of himself fighting a tug-of-war with a wolgen over his lost leg.


    When he described the dream during his hazy recovery, Jack had burst out laughing before covering his mouth and apologizing while a bit red in the face. Those were the first words from Jack that Ger''ron ever truly understood. The old guard had laughed, saying he wouldn''t have had it any other way.


    Now he was standing by the front gate with his two friends, waiting for the last group of guards to arrive, along with a village representative sent to pick up the first shipment of ore to transport back.


    Jack sighed and nodded. "While I paid a high price for some of these ''changes,'' you make a good point. It''s neither of our places to decide her fate for her. We''ll invite her to dinner and discuss it more thoroughly. I''m not necessarily going to try and talk her out of it, but I want her aware of all the risks and difficulties that come with the job. If that scares her away, we''ll look elsewhere or do without."


    S''haar nodded. "That''s a reasonable compromise. If she''s too delicate to handle you making the job sound scary, she probably shouldn''t be out there with us anyway."


    Ger''ron felt comfortable enough to add his own thoughts to the discussion. "In my time in the guard, I''ve found that the most withdrawn and quiet guardsmen often simply hadn''t found something worth fighting for...yet. Once they do, they become an entirely different person. The young lady might surprise you yet!"


    S''haar looked satisfied, while Jack looked contemplative for a moment before the human shrugged. "Well, I suppose we''ll wait and see. Right now, it''s all academic anyway. She hasn''t agreed to anything at this point."


    Both Jack and S''haar tilted their heads, looking off into the distance the way they did when Lady Angela was speaking to them through their headsets. Then, after a moment of relative silence, Jack sighed. "Sounds like we''ll have to table that discussion for later. Our guests are about to arrive."


    The old guard shook his head. Despite all of his time here, he still had no idea how any of this worked. Jack insisted it wasn''t magic, and Em''brel even tried to explain it to him once or twice, but as far as Ger''ron could tell, the only difference between magic and science was the viewer''s perspective. Still, he no longer doubted them when they made far-fetched claims, such as knowing the whereabouts of distant travelers.


    This time he didn''t have to wait long for those claims to be confirmed. A few minutes later, a group of travelers cleared the treeline. As they walked forward, Ger''ron wasn''t too surprised or disappointed by what he saw. These were hardly the guard''s elite, but they weren''t the laziest the village had to offer, either. They were primarily young and unseasoned, excited by the prospect of adventure in a new and untested place, even if that place was only a little more than half day''s walk from the village they knew. He could even see Jar''maal, the younger male he''d worked with in his previous role as a gate guard. The youngster grinned and waved in an exaggerated movement as he approached. Ger''ron simply smiled and nodded in return.


    That was when he noticed the other person the guards were escorting. Shooting a glance toward S''haar, he could tell by her scowl that she''d noticed too. B''arthon, trailed by his familiar henchmen, stalked toward the Outpost and didn''t look pleased to be here.


    Thankfully, she managed to turn her scowl into only a slight frown that wouldn''t be too out of place for someone of her position as she stepped forward to greet them. "Welcome to the Dragon''s Outpost. Most of you already know me, but for those of you who don''t, I''m Lady S''haar, and I''m in charge around here. This is where I''d usually give you a welcome speech and tell you a bit about life here at the Outpost, but this time we have some more...dignified guests than usual. So instead, I''ll leave those of you intending to remain here for an extended time in the hands of our captain of the guard, Ger''ron."


    It wasn''t lost on Ger''ron that this was the first time he''d ever heard S''haar refer to herself as Lady S''haar. He suspected it was meant to be a message for the lordling she now addressed more directly. "Young Lord B''arthon, if you and your men would follow me, I''ll show you to the shipment."


    S''haar stepped to the side, and Ger''ron took her place. He smiled a bit, noticing how many soldiers looked in wonder at his prosthetic leg. He gave them a second more to gape at it before speaking up. "Welcome to the Dragon''s Outpost. You all know me. I served with each of you in one way or another, but things here are a little different."


    With a nod to the retreating forms of Jack and S''haar, who were followed closely by B''arthon and his men, Ger''ron continued. "For some reason, those two saw fit to put me in charge of you all here, and I intend to do right by them and by you. Life here won''t be easy for anyone, least of all us guards. Since there are so few people here, everyone needs to do a little more than we did back in the village."


    The guards all chuckled, knowing the old guard was referring to himself as much as them. "In addition to watching the wall, we''ll be helping out around here as needed from time to time, and when you''re not doing either of those, you''ll be training."


    He started to see a little doubt in some of the guards'' eyes and decided it was time to bait the trap. "That being said, it''s not all hard work around here. I''m sure many of you have heard of how good the food and shelter is at the Outpost, and I can tell you that, if anything, those stories are understated."


    Now he had everyone''s attention. "You''ll all have breaks and even a day off in seven to do with as you wish. In addition to the payment you''ve been promised, your room and food will be covered. Now that we''ve got that out of the way, there are a few more rules you need to be aware of..."


    As Ger''ron continued his own take on S''haar''s usual speech, he couldn''t help but wonder how things were going between S''haar and B''arthon at that moment...


    -


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    B''arthon was looking up at the massive wooden gate. "Seems like a bit much, doesn''t it?" He looked down at the comparatively diminutive Jack with a condescending leer. "Or are you trying to compensate for something?"


    To Jack''s surprise, S''haar resisted the urge to lash out at the obvious bait. "The humans have a saying that I''ve taken a liking to. Hope for the best, plan for the worst. After the unprecedented raid by the hill people near the end of the winter, I think our precautions are more than justified."


    B''arthon grew uncharacteristically somber at the mention of the raid. His face switched from petulant to contemplative for several moments before he shook his head and settled on a scowl. "Whatever. Enough gawking, let''s see this shipment of yours. Given the investment in village resources we''ve lent you, it had better be a considerable amount."


    S''haar looked at Jack as if to say, "Can I kill him?" to which Jack answered with a negative shake of his head. She stepped through the gate with a sigh, speaking over her shoulder as she walked. "This way, if you would please, honored guests."


    -


    As they walked into the Outpost, it was easy to see the surprise on B''arthon''s face as he looked around at the various designs and features that the village lacked. The cobblestone walkway received a curious glance but not much contemplation beyond that, though the guardhouse was much more thoroughly investigated. He was currently crouched down, inspecting the frame and walls. "This new building technique of yours... You''re teaching this to our workers?"


    S''haar nodded. "Yes, all the woodworkers are already familiar with it, though their expertise is only required for the framing. After that, anyone can mix and apply the walls as needed."


    B''arthon''s usual petulant face slipped again for a moment. "When will we see buildings like this in the village?"


    S''haar looked at Jack, who shrugged in confusion, then turned her attention back to B''arthon. "Well, I suppose any of the workers could get started whenever they''d like, but I think they''re all afraid to leave, lest they miss out on the next big project they can all learn from."


    B''arthon looked thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe we''ll have to start a rotation with some of the workers in the village..."


    When he realized Jack and S''haar were staring at him as though trying to understand what had happened to the B''arthon they knew, he resumed his scowl and stood. "Which way to the iron?"


    Jack and S''haar shared a glance before she continued leading the way, walking in silence for a while longer. They were interrupted once more when B''arthon stopped and watched a worker drawing water from the well Em''brel had designed. Jack could tell the man wanted to ask more questions, but either his pride or something else got in the way, and he remained silent, though again, strangely thoughtful.


    When they finally got to the warehouse where the iron was stored, B''arthon looked at the sizeable pile of ingots somewhat incredulously. "How in the world am I supposed to get all this back to the village?"


    The pile in question was about four feet cubed and growing. S''haar looked at it with some consideration. "Well, I''d loan you our cart, but we need it to keep the Outpost functioning right now." Looking over at B''arthon''s bodyguards and the one cart they had with them, she quickly assessed how much weight it could reasonably carry before continuing. "Though, you might want to bring more people and carts with you next time. I suspect this will take you a few trips."


    B''arthough didn''t look pleased with the prospect of having to return again, but at least he''d stopped complaining about the amount of iron they were getting. This was nearly a year''s worth for the village, by rough estimation.


    Seeing Lon''thul across the yard, currently free since everyone had agreed Em''brel should stay in the ship as long as the village representatives were in the camp, S''haar waved him over. Then, turning back to B''arthon, she nodded to the nearest billet. "Once you finish loading the cart, please grab a meal before heading back to the village. Lon''thul will be your guide as long as you''re here, so feel free to ask him for help, if you need anything." The unspoken warning being that he''d also be keeping an eye on B''arthon, so the noble had better keep his snout out of places where it didn''t belong.


    The hunter didn''t seem to mind his duty any. If anything, he seemed almost amicable toward B''arthon. An attitude the noble tolerated, if not returned. "Hey, B''arthon! We haven''t spoken in a while. How''s another day in the life of our village''s most enviable male going?"


    B''arthon sighed. "Hello, hunter''s son. I see you''re as...energetic as usual."


    S''haar nodded her farewell to their "guests." On her way out, she told Lon''thul to keep an eye on Bar''thon and stay out of trouble before finally making her escape.


    -


    Jack was in the woodworker''s hall, taking advantage of their tools to work on his project. As he shaved off another sliver of wood to get the shape he was looking for, Angela spoke into his earpiece. "So, why are you going with a recurve bow, rather than a compound one?"


    Jack kept shaving as he quietly replied, "Because I want to keep this as simple as possible, both to create and maintain. Remember, the ultimate goal for these isn''t my own use. My guns hit harder, faster, and more accurately. These are one step in helping us balance the difference in numbers a little."


    The AI''s voice seemed more confused than before. "Then why are you making this bow for your dimensions and strength, rather than S''haar''s?"


    Jack chuckled as he lifted the bow and inspected it for imperfections. "Proof of concept. I know what I''m doing on paper, but in reality, I''m making it up as I go. So I figure I should successfully make a tried and true human bow, and confirm it works as intended, before I try and scale it up for an argu''n."


    Fea''en came over to inspect his work, looking it over while her arms remained crossed in front of her. After a moment, she gave her verdict. "Well, if any of my people made that, I''d have them toss it and start over, but I suppose it''s not bad for amateur work. What is it, anyway?"


    Jack looked over and saw S''haar speaking with some of the other workers about several ongoing projects. Not wanting to interrupt, he shrugged and reached behind himself to grab the string he''d already prepared from some of the more resilient plant fibers he''d found. ¡°It¡¯s a bow. You¡¯ve seen them in some of the movies you¡¯ve watched.¡±


    Looping one end of the string around the tip of the bow, he then braced that end against the bottom of his foot, grabbed the bow in the middle with one hand, and braced it against the top with the other to try to push and pull the bow into a bend that would allow him to loop the other end of the string around the top with the pushing hand. It took a few attempts and more than a bit of strain, but he eventually managed the task.


    That done, Jack twanged the string lightly a couple times to make sure it rested properly before drawing the bow back fully. He frowned a little. While he was no expert, it seemed to draw a bit easier than he''d thought, meaning its draw strength was probably lower than he''d been hoping for.


    With a smile, Jack reached for one of the headless arrows he''d made. It was decently straight and had a notch attached to the end made of bone, which was attached with dried sinew and glue. Since he hadn''t been able to find anything like the feathers he would have used on earth to fletch the arrow, he instead used a parchment made of churlish hyde glued into minor grooves on the shaft.


    Knocking the arrow and drawing again, Jack aimed for a section of the wall no one was standing near that was also still soft from recent patching. Then, praying to whatever gods might be watching that he wasn''t about to make himself look like a complete idiot, he released his grip and let the arrow fly.


    Jack was confident that any of his ancestors who''d actually used a bow would be appalled at his form, but he was too busy being happy the arrow stuck into the wall he''d been aiming for to care.


    Everyone was now paying attention to this newest mad human invention. Fea''en walked over, pulled the arrow out of the wall, and looked closer at it. "Well, I suppose it''s sufficient to punch a hole in a soft earth wall, but I doubt it''ll be effective at much more than that..."


    Jack sighed at her lack of imagination and held his hand out for the arrow. When she handed the arrow back to him, Jack held up a chisel he''d found near his workplace. Then, placing the chisel''s edge just past the arrow''s tip as if it was a kind of arrowhead, he held the arrow up for Fea''en to see before taking the chisel and lightly tapping on the bone plate just above Fea''en''s heart.


    A light seemed to go on just behind her eye as Fea''en developed a predatory grin. "Oh... I suppose that''ll do the job, won''t it?"


    For once, Jack''s grin was also predatory as the other workers gathered around, rapidly firing off questions faster than Jack could think of the answers.

 Book 2, Chapter 6

    Lon''thul watched Jack shoot arrows into a pile of dirt he''d set up. "I gotta tell you, as fun as shooting the bow seems to be, I don''t think those will be very effective against the raiders."


    Jack loosed another arrow before holding up the next one and responding. "You''re right. These won''t be effective at all. Not in their current state, and not from this bow."


    The human lined up another shot and let loose. "One problem being, this bow has way too weak a draw strength, even for me. I''d have to have Angela give it a proper check, but I''d be surprised if it was more than a fifty-pound draw weight. Historically, humans often used bows between one hundred to one hundred forty pounds for combat. Admittedly, I''d have to train up to those levels, but it''s doable. There are even records of a very few people using over two hundred pound bows, but they could only fire a few shots before becoming so fatigued any further shooting was impossible. I imagine a healthy argu''n could manage a considerably higher draw weight than a human. I figured we''d have Angela run a few tests on you, S''haar, and Ger''ron to get a rough idea of what you''re capable of before designing the final bow.


    Jack held up another arrow. "Additionally, these arrows aren''t finished. Tel''ron is working on some arrowheads for me. Think small metal knives that go on the front. They will actually increase the arrow range and accuracy. Also, the weight and the pointed tip will dramatically increase the impact velocity. Hopefully, the combined effect of a proper argu''n bow and completed arrows will be more than enough to pierce that bony plate you all have."


    Lon''thul nodded. "Ok, I think I''m following you for once, but why are you shooting so many incomplete arrows with such a weak bow? What is that going to accomplish?"


    This time Em''brel answered for Jack as he continued firing. "Well, human arrows traditionally use something called feathers to provide drag and make the arrow fly straight. But, unfortunately, feathers come from a flying animal we have no equivalent for on...well, no where around here. So we''re testing out a few different materials to see what makes the best substitute. We''re using parchment, rawhide, plant fiber, linen, fur, and even metal."


    After firing another arrow, Jack stopped and started stretching. "Man, I do not have muscles properly developed for this. Even with a weaker bow, I''m going to be sore for days."


    The hunter looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, how about I shoot a few shots for you? No reason for you to do all the work!"


    Jack stopped and thought a moment before nodding. "Alright, but be careful. By your standards, this smaller bow is positively delicate."


    After some instruction on how to hold the bow, nock an arrow, line up a shot, and loose, Lon''thul was able to land an arrow about two feet shy of the target area.


    He was already lining up another shot, as Jack explained Lon¡¯thul¡¯s issue. "The arrows have a slight curve in the air. So you have to anticipate the drop and aim just a little higher than you feel like you should."


    Lon''thul nodded, raised his aim a little, and loosed again. This time the arrow landed near the center of the dirt mound, right next to one of Jack''s arrows. Jack looked surprised. "Huh, maybe you''ve got some natural talent for this."


    The hunter was grinning while looking down at the bow to inspect it. "Oh, this is fun! You will have to make one of these for me to hunt with!"


    Jack couldn''t help but wonder if he''d just created a monster...


    -


    Em''brel was walking with Sare''en to meet with S''haar and Jack for dinner. She knew her new friend well enough to see that something was bothering her. "What''s got you so worried? This is Jack and S''haar! You know them. You''ve already met with them. Everything''s going to be fine!"


    Sare''en didn''t look convinced. "But what if I say the wrong thing or screw this up? What if I fail their test?"


    Em''brel took a moment to keep from laughing at the look on her friend''s face before responding. "This isn''t some sort of pass or fail test. There is no wrong answer for you to give. They simply want to make sure this job is a good fit for you, for your sake and their own. And you know what? Even if it''s not, that''s ok, too. You''ve already been a big help setting up the pens for the arlack, and you''ll be a bigger help once the herd arrives. So if this isn''t the job for you, then it''s not for you, but there''s still plenty of work you can do."


    Sare''en looked at her friend with wonder. "How did you get to be so confident and brave?"


    The younger female thought back to her recent sleepless nights and shook her head. "I''m not sure I am all that brave, really. But whether I''m ready for it or not, life goes on. So I have to find a way to keep going too, or it''ll pass me by."


    Sare''en shook her head again. "But that''s not true! You''re amazing! I don''t know of anyone who could go through what you''ve been through and still be as strong and kind as you are!"


    Em''brel thought back to a conversation between Jack and herself after the whole ordeal near the end of winter. "Well, what strength I have comes from my friends and family, as much as myself. So I hope that, in turn, I can help give them a little more strength," she winked at her friend, "and courage too."


    -


    Jack watched the two girls enter the billet. This one was newly built and hadn''t been assigned occupants yet, so it was a perfect meeting spot for their interview dinner. After seeing her friend to her seat, Em''brel shooed S''haar away from the pot she''d been stirring. Tasting the contents, the younger woman made a face before rummaging through the available ingredients for anything she had that might salvage the stew.


    Sare''en''s eyes were wide with fear as she watched S''haar approach the table and take her seat.Despite having her own formidable set of teeth and claws, the younger girl acted like a prey animal frozen in fear. When Jack cleared his throat, the girl jumped and looked at him as though she hadn''t noticed him sitting there the entire time. Jack wasn''t sure if he should take it as a compliment that she felt so relaxed in his presence or if he should be insulted that he was apparently not a threat.


    Ultimately deciding it didn''t matter, Jack nudged S''haar in the side. Sparing him a brief look somewhere between affection and mild annoyance, S''haar then turned her attention to the girl. "Welcome, Sare''en. Do you know why we invited you here?"


    The girl took just a moment to collect her thoughts before answering. "Well, I''m here so you can decide if I''ll make an adequate servant or not."


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Jack''s eyebrows shot up before he responded. Em''brel helpfully translated from her spot at the nearby campfire, so S''haar could focus on her own thoughts. "Well, you wouldn''t actually be a servant, not really. You''d just be pretending to be a servant, for the sake of the village nobles."


    Sare''en looked confused. "Um... I don''t mean to question what you''re trying to accomplish, but what''s the difference?"


    It was Jack''s turn to look confused. "Well, I mean, I can''t speak for everyone, but the whole idea behind the idea of a servent seems somewhat demeaning. I wouldn''t want to put anyone in that position."


    Sare''en was quiet a moment before timidly speaking up. "Well, maybe it''s just me, but I don''t see anything demeaning about the position. I mean, sure, sometimes it is, but that has more to do with the individuals involved, than the job itself."


    When no one offered a counterpoint, Sare''en''s voice gained a little confidence. "At the right time with the right people, it can be an honorable and essential job. I mean, look at me. I could never develop brilliant ideas like you, lead like S''haar, or even inspire people like Em''brel. However, if I can do a few small tasks to free each of you up to do more of those things, then in some way, I''m a part of that."


    Jack sat back and shook his head. "You actually make a good point, though I''m still uncomfortable with the word ''servant.'' Maybe we could use something different? Something with more dignity?"


    S''haar raised an eye ridge and re-entered the conversation. "Maybe you''re putting too much importance on the word itself. Any other word would probably provoke confusion and require an explanation every time someone new heard it. Right now, that would probably muddy the waters too much."


    Jack hesitated. "Words have meaning, they have power, and I''m not talking in some weird mystical, magical sort of way. Maybe forcing a conversation like that would be a good thing, though perhaps you''re right about the timing. We''re already trying to take on a lot, and this might not be the time to add more to our plate..."


    S''haar could tell by the look on Jack''s face this wasn''t over, but he was willing to leave it be for now. Instead, he turned his attention back to Sare''en. "Setting that aside for the time being, is this a job you''d actually be interested in, or are you merely volunteering because you feel you owe one or both of us some kind of debt?"


    Sare''en looked back and forth between the two again. She wasn''t used to two people in power treating each other as equals and discussing their thoughts and disagreements like this. In her experience, one person always had more authority than the other, and whatever that person said was final. Blinking a few times, she found her voice again. "Well...I suppose...it''s both? I mean, yes, both our village and specifically myself owe you a great debt that I may never be able to repay, but this is a way I can offer my services that I would also enjoy."


    She tilted her head to the side in thought. "And from what I''ve seen so far, I sincerely doubt any of you would ever demean me in the manner you seem so concerned with."


    Jack sighed and shook his head again. "No, I don''t think we would, but others might. Simply knowing you''re a servant may cause them to look down on you or mistreat you."


    Sare''en smiled a little weakly. "And why should the thoughts or opinions of those I do not serve bother me?"


    Jack looked at the girl with surprise so clearly evident on his face, even Sare''en could read it. Then, after a moment to collect himself, he smiled while nodding, first turning to S''haar. "I owe you an apology."


    Turning to the girl, he nodded to her as well. "Both of you, really. I clearly underestimated you and what you''re capable of, though I feel it''s necessary to point out this isn''t the only concern I have with you taking the job."


    Crossing his arms, Jack''s expression suddenly became serious again. "There is also the possibility of genuine danger to our, and by extension your, life and limb. Unfortunately, we have an overabundance of enemies and few truly trustworthy friends. Before I set foot in this land, I had two eyes and walked without a limp, and it is no exaggeration to say that I was very, very lucky I haven''t suffered worse than what you see before you. I should be dead at least three times over by now."


    Jack stared the girl down, forcing her to look him in the eye as he drove home his point. "There is a very genuine possibility that if you travel with us, you may be hurt, you may be crippled, or you may die."


    Despite the translation coming from Em''brel, Sare''en willed herself to stare back into the eye of the strange male who seemed oddly determined to scare her away from the job he was also offering her. It took her more than a moment to find her voice while maintaining eye contact. "I lived all my life being protected by the walls and guards of our village... And yet... and yet, when Death came for me, none of that mattered! My story should have already come to an end!"


    Sare''en lost a little of her bravado and looked down, breaking eye contact but continuing to speak. "I''m here because a former low-born female and her mad wizard decided to make what should have been an impossible trek across a frozen landscape to bring us food and heat. The life I have now," ¨CShe looked over at Em''brel and the stew that was beginning to smell so good¨C "and the friends I''ve met are all because of what you both did."


    She looked Jack in the eye again, though her hesitation was gone this time. "If Death comes looking for me again, I would have it do so while I was taking part in doing that sort of thing for others!"


    Everything stood silent, and Sare''en began to wilt in the tension. Then, just as she was starting to feel foolish for letting herself get so passionate and say such stupid things, S''haar began laughing and even slapped Jack on the back, startling him out of his reverie. "Did you hear that? That part about my mad wizard? Oh, that was amazing! I''m so going to have to use that one later!"


    Finally stifling her laughter, the still grinning S''haar turned back to Sare''en. "Well spoken! Though, for the record, we''ll do our best to keep Death at bay. Why, Jack here is even on speaking terms with her, after so many close calls!"


    Sare''en had no idea what to make of Jack''s startled look at S''haar''s outburst, but S''haar didn''t seem finished yet. "Well, we''ll have to speak among ourselves a little more before deciding, but you''ve certainly made a good case for yourself. Even if this isn''t the job for you, I''m definitely going to find a suitable place for someone with that much spirit and determination!"


    As Em''brel brought over four servings of stew, S''haar finished up before food made further conversation impossible. "But enough about such serious subjects. We''ve got good food and good company. So let''s switch to something more fun! Em''brel, why don''t you tell us how your training is coming?"


    Em''brel nudged Sare''en with her arm as she sat. When the other girl made eye contact, she winked before turning her attention back to S''haar. "Ugh, you wouldn''t believe the exercises Ger''ron has us doing now!"


    At the look on S''haar''s face, Em''brel back-peddled a bit. "Ok, maybe you would, but no other sane person would believe it!


    As Em''brel launched into a description of the horrible training methods of their Guard Captain, Sare''en was content to sit back and let herself fade into the background like usual. Though, from time to time, she noticed Jack glancing at her. His expression wasn''t judgemental or hostile in any way. It was more like he was trying to puzzle something out.


    Eventually, the night wound down. When Lon''thul showed up to resume his duties as Em''brel''s bodyguard, Jack and S''haar took their leave, telling her not to stay out too late.


    Once they left, the hunter looked back and forth between the two females. "So, how did it go?"


    Em''brel and Sare''en looked at each other before both speaking simultaneously. "Terrifying!" "Great!"


    They both looked back at each other before falling into a fit of giggles born of stress and relief.


    Lon''thul looked back and forth between them again, wondering if females would ever make any sense. Then, with a shrug of his shoulders that was lost to everyone else in the room, he simply decided to wait it out for now and accept the fact that he''d probably never get a straight answer from anyone currently present.

 Book 2, Chapter 7

    Em''brel was leading a very nervous Sare''en through the caves to her home. The other female was looking around wide-eyed in the relative darkness and holding tight to Em''brel''s arm, despite being a bit larger than the young noble. "Are...are you certain this is ok? When I first got here, everyone was told not to come into these caves!"


    Em''brel remembered her first walk through these caves and how terrified she''d been. Despite being only a few months ago, it felt like an entirely different life to her now. She chuckled as she patted Sare''en''s hand. "I believe you were told not to come into this cave unless you were invited by Jack, S''haar, or myself. As it so happens, you''ve been invited by all three, so you''re fine!"


    Sare''en seemed to be half-listening as every sense seemed to be focused on the shadows and crevices surrounding them. "But what about the dragon? She''s the one who made this hole in the mountain, right? What if she decides she doesn''t like me? What''s to stop her from just gulping me down?"


    Em''brel couldn''t stop herself from laughing at that one. It took her a moment to settle herself before she could properly comfort her friend. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry...but once you meet the dragon, you''ll realize how ridiculous that fear of yours is."


    Stopping for a moment, Em''brel looked her friend in the eyes as best she could in the gloom of the cave to make sure she was listening. "First of all, Angela ¨Cthat''s the dragon''s name¨C is going to love you! Second, even if she doesn''t, she would never harm you unless you threatened someone she considers family. Third, you''ll have to meet her to understand how ridiculous the whole idea is, but trust me, you won''t be eaten. Not today, anyway."


    Sare''en nodded and continued walking. "What about this spell she''s going to cast on me so I can understand Jack? Will it hurt any?"


    Em''brel shook her head. "Not really. You''ll have a spot on the back of your head that''s a bit tender for a few days, but for the most part, it''s painless. The weirdest thing is the dreams you''ll have while they do the procedure. It will seem sooo...vivid. I don''t know how else to describe it, but it''ll almost feel like the dream is more real than reality when you first wake up."


    The other female was thoughtful as their footsteps echoed around them. Then, when she spoke up again, her voice was quiet, almost like it was floating on the wind. "What...what will I dream about?"


    Em''brel shrugged. "I don''t know. So far, we''ve all dreamed about recent impactful things in our lives, something we each had strong emotions about. Maybe you''ll dream about the freeze, or maybe it''ll be about coming out here, or maybe you''ll dream about traveling through this cave..." Em''brel playfully nudged Sare''en as she said the last bit.


    When they turned the last bend and the metal wall came into sight, Sare''en froze in place. It took Em''brel a minute to nudge her friend back into action. When the door hissed open, Sare''en was so startled, she literally jumped back and fell, almost knocking Em''brel to the ground with her.


    Em''brel resisted the urge to laugh at her friend''s misfortune as she helped her to her feet again. Once the two were ready, they walked inside. Em''brel took a moment to enjoy the room''s warmth before looking over to gauge her friend''s reaction.


    Sare''en was standing so still, Em''brel might have mistaken her for a statue, if it not for the hint of breathing. Jack and S''haar were in the living room, packing a few bags for the upcoming trip, with Angela floating around commenting on things they might have forgotten. Then, seeing her newest guest arrive, Angela floated right over. "Hi, I''m Angela, the dragon and Jack''s sister. Welcome to our home!"


    Em''brel was smiling at her AI friend''s bright and cheerful welcome when she heard a thud on the ground beside her. Looking beside herself, she could see Sare''en lying on the floor, completely unconscious.


    Angela looked down at the poor girl with an expression of confusion and mild concern. "Huh...well...that''s...a first."


    -


    Angela watched as S''haar and Em''brel got the poor girl up and onto the couch. She woke up quickly enough but shrank in on herself once she realized she was now the center of attention.


    The AI was somewhat flustered by the young woman''s display. She didn''t particularly like being so feared by someone who seemed for all the world to be one of the few genuinely sweet people this planet had to offer. Still, when Em''brel shooed everyone away, even Angela complied. Well, her avatar did, at any rate.


    Eventually, Sare''en calmed down enough for Angela to reintroduce herself. Em''brel handed her a mug of tea as Angela floated forward more gently than before, trying not to overwhelm her newest guest a second time. This time, she stopped a little further away, rather than flying up to the girl''s face. "Um, hello again! I''m Angela. Welcome to my home! Are you...feeling better now?"


    The girl seemed a bit embarrassed but nodded. "Um...yes...thank you. I''m...uh...sorry about...everything. This is all...a bit much."


    Angela nodded sagely as she floated a bit closer. "Yeah, sorry about that. I''m so used to my regular guests that I forget how strange this all is to all of you. Why, the first time S''haar woke up in here, the first thing she did was ask if she''d died, and was this the afterlife!"


    Tilting her head to the side, with her finger resting on her chin, Angela continued her thought. "Come to think of it, Em''brel and Ger''ron said the same thing... Does this place resemble the afterlife, as described in your stories?"


    Sare''en blinked a few times, then shook her head. "Well, no, nothing like that... It''s just... I thought Lord Jack was so incredibly strange the first time I saw him, but you and this place are so bizarre, I don''t even have words to express it." Then, realizing what she''d just said, Sare''en''s eyes grew wide as she covered her mouth with both hands and meeped out a muffled apology.


    Angela laughed and smiled. "That''s quite alright. I promise you, all is forgiven. Even among our own people, Jack and I are considered a bit strange. We take no offense at your honesty."


    The AI held her position a bit further away than usual, giving the girl more time to calm vdown. "Now then, in here, you''re probably more safe than anywhere else in the land, so take your time and relax. We won''t proceed unless and until you''re ok with it. For now, I''m going to go help my brother pack for his journey. You just let me know when you''re ready to talk some more."


    A small and timid voice reached out to her as Angela started to float away. "Is...is Jack really your brother?"


    Anglea turned around with a smile. "Well, yes and no. We''re not biologically related to each other. In fact, an argument could be made that you are more closely related to him than I. However, Jack''s father was also the man who gave me life. I''ve been by Jack''s side since the day he was born, and in many ways, we''ve grown up together. So yes, he is my brother in every way that matters to either of us."


    The girl was silent as she took all this in. Angela floated quietly nearby while Em''brel smiled encouragingly at her friend, slowly coming to grasp the new reality around her when the girl froze up, then began to laugh.


    Everyone looked worried, but turning to Em''brel, Sare''en started trying to talk through the laughter. "I see what you mean! This is so... I would never... She''s so... Oh gods... I see what you mean..." Then, realizing Sare''en was talking about their conversation from the cave and that this was all a form of stress relief, Em''brel joined in the laughter, waving away the others¡¯ concern until both girls could get themselves back under control.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Jack, S''haar, and Anglea looked back and forth confusedly until the laughter died down a moment later.


    Eventually, Sare''en found her voice again. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m so sorry, but this is all just too much. You, this place, everything is just so utterly unlike anything I could have imagined in my wildest dreams... It''s too much for me to grasp! Please forgive my rudeness. I think I''m ok now..."


    Angela''s expression of concern returned to a warm smile aga. "Like I said before, there''s nothing to forgive. So take your time, ask me anything you''d like. I''ll answer whatever I can."


    Sare''en looked at the AI a moment before speaking again. "Um... Everyone says you''re the dragon, but you don''t seem very much like a dragon to me. What...um..."


    She seemed to lose courage and couldn''t finish her question, so Angela finished it for her. "What am I?"


    The girl hesitated a moment before nodding.


    Angela smiled and nodded. "Well, that is a little hard to answer, since it takes knowledge of many things you don''t understand yet. However, I suppose the simplest answer is that what you see in front of you isn''t actually me. It''s just an illusion I create to make it easier for you to speak with me."


    Sare''en looked confused. "Do...do you not have a body then?"


    The AI tilted her head. "I do have a body, sort of. In many ways, this whole house is my body. Though I''m not limited to just that. When Jack, S''haar, or Em''brel leave the house, those odd headpieces you see them wear are a small part of my body, and I can see, hear, and speak through them. I could even shed this body and move into a different one if I needed to, though it would have to be designed with my needs in mind."


    At this, Sare''en blinked a few more times confusedly before shaking her head. "I don''t think I''ll ever understand what you just said. Is it alright if I just think of this," the girl waved at Angela''s avatar, "as you?"


    Angela nodded. "Of course, that''s half the reason I have this form. It can be difficult to fully grasp what I am, especially for someone with no understanding of quantum computing."


    Sare''en looked confused for a moment before shaking her head emphatically. "I''ve forgotten why I came here!"


    Standing up and turning to Jack and S''haar, Sare''en bowed. "I''m here to accept the position as Lady S''haar''s servant and to receive the spell of words, so that I may understand Lord Jack!"


    She seemed to lose courage as she looked to the side. "If you''ll still have me, that is..."


    Jack looked at S''haar and said something unintelligible, to which Lady S''haar replied. "I''ve no objection, either." Then, turning to Sare''en, she spoke to the girl directly. "Though we''d prefer you not to call us Lady or Lord unless we''re meeting with someone with a similar title. Here, we''re just S''haar and Jack."


    Sare''en bowed her head again. "Of course, Lady S''haar...er... S''haar, as you wish!"


    Angela floated over. "Now, before we give you the "spell of words," as you so succinctly put it, we need to go over all the risks and benefits, so that you can give us your informed consent. Please have a seat. This will take a few minutes."


    -


    The giant dragon set down her cup of tea in an unexpectedly dainty manner. Her voice was warm and welcoming. "Oh, do come in! I don''t get nearly enough visitors these days, what with being a giant and terrifying dragon and all."


    Sare''en looked around in confusion. The cave was surprisingly welcoming. It was well lit and warmed by a large hearth in the corner. The dragon sat on a vast billowy pillow and indicated Sare''en should sit in a chair on the other side of a rather large and ornate table. The chair was so high that Sare''en had to climb a ladder to reach her seat, but the dragon continued excitedly once she''d settled in. "So, tell me, what brings you to visit me here in my cave? It must have been quite the trek to get all the way here. I''m sure it must be something important. Oh, but where are my manners? Let me get you some tea while you speak!"


    The dragon began rummaging around in her cupboards as Sare''en blinked in confusion. Why had she come here to visit the dragon? "Ummm... I think I came here to receive the spell of words?"


    The dragon finally seemed to find what she wanted and bustled back to the table. She then lowered a teacup that looked positively minuscule in her hands, but once resting before Sare''en, it was so large, it took two hands to grasp. The dragon carefully poured some tea as she responded. "Oh, that''s lovely! Yes, we can do that right away! But first, tell me, are you sure you want this?"


    Sare''en opened her mouth to answer, but the dragon held up one talon to forestall her. "Now, before you answer, you should know this will change your life in ways you can''t even imagine, in both great and terrible ways. But nevertheless, your answer here does matter, so take a moment and decide for yourself."


    Sare''en closed her mouth and tilted her head while holding the enormous cup of tea. Was this what she really wanted? Since she''d left home, everything had already been so frightening and overwhelming. She was glad to be able to work with Lady S''haar to repay some of what she owed, but the warrior woman was much more frightening to work with than Lady Ta''miel had been. Jack seemed nice, but it was like there was something he was always hiding from everyone around him. Like he was bearing the weight of some terrible burden that only a few seemed to notice. Even Em''brel, as delightful as she was, seemed to be hiding from torments of her own. Would Sare''en find herself similarly burdened or troubled if she accepted?


    Thinking of Em''brel, Sare''en couldn''t help but remember all the strength and support the younger female had so readily given her since she''d arrived, and Jack always seemed to know when Sare''en was overwhelmed and needed some time and space. Then there was Lady S''haar. Running the Outpost seemed more of a burden than a delight to her. Sare''en had never known a noble who didn''t enjoy wielding power, but she got the distinct impression that S''haar would rather just be another worker than the one in charge. Nevertheless, she took on the job because she believed in what they were trying to accomplish here.


    But what were they trying to accomplish here? It was something important, Sare''en was certain of that, but she didn''t quite understand it. The only thing she really understood was how much Em''brel, Jack, and Lady S''haar seemed to believe in it, and apparently many others at the Outpost, including her family''s matriarch.


    Even if Sare''en didn''t know the cause, she knew the people behind it. Moreover, she knew they were good people who had shown her nothing but concern, friendship, and support. More than anything else in this world, she believed in them.


    Setting down her tea, she nodded emphatically to the dragon. "Yes, I want to receive the spell of words! I don''t know what the future holds, and honestly, it frightens me, but this is something I want to do. It''s something I have to do. So please, cast your magics, and help me help my friends!"


    The dragon nodded. "Well spoken, young one! It''s alright to be afraid. You''d be a fool not to be, but choosing to act when afraid is what separates heroes from everyone else."


    Sare''en shook her head. "I''m not interested in being a hero or anything like that. All I want is to help those who helped me and be there for my friends."


    The dragon chuckled. "Hmm, many of the best stories start out just like that. I look forward to seeing your story unfold, but it''s time for you to wake up for now."


    Sare''en blinked. "I''m sorry...what?"


    The dragon smiled. The smile was mildly intimidating, even if it was meant to be friendly. "The procedure is complete. Your implant was successfully installed. Now, go ahead and open your eyes!"


    Sare''en was confused but closed her eyes then opened them. The dragon was still standing before her, but now she was in her tiny blue form. "Everything seems to be in working order. Can you understand me?"


    Angela''s voice seemed odd. Sare''en seemed to be hearing two voices. One was similar in nature to Jack''s strange manner of speech. The other made perfect sense to her. Shaking her head, Sare''en responded. "Yes...kind of? I understand it, but it sounds a little strange."


    Angela nodded. "That''s normal at first. The longer you have it, the more it''ll sync with your thoughts, until eventually you no longer hear the gibberish."


    Sare''en looked around in confusion, prompting Em''brel to speak up from her corner of the room. "Is something wrong?"


    Looking at her friend in confusion, Sare''en answered. "Um, yes. Where''d the table go, and what happened to the tea I was just drinking?"

 Book 2, Chapter 8

    S''haar was enjoying the walk. The sun was shining, the air was refreshing, and the sound of the nearby stream was relaxing. However, looking over at Jack, she could tell he seemed a little grumpy. When she nudged him, he pulled himself out of his thoughts enough to smile at her, but she could tell something was still nagging at him.


    She decided to tackle the problem head-on. "So what''s got my favorite human in such a mood, hmm?"


    Jack chuckled and raised an eyebrow at her. "For the record, it''s not a huge compliment calling me your favorite human, when I''m the only human you know."


    Seeing he felt well enough to banter, S''haar smiled. "True, but I''m pretty sure you''d still be my favorite, even if I knew one or two more."


    Jack punched S''haar''s arm harder than he would have if she''d been human. But, as it was, he knew that it was soft enough to convey his mock annoyance to her. "Ok, well, despite all the argu''n I know, which I might add is more than one or two, you''re still my favorite."


    S''haar enjoyed the compliment for just a moment before responding. "And you''re just dancing around the question right now, so what''s bothering you?"


    Jack shook his head and sighed. "It''s nothing, really. I feel kind of silly for even being bothered by it. It''s just that..."


    He took a breath and held it a moment before letting it out. "It''s just that traveling between our Outpost and a village used to be a time for just the two of us. Yet here we are, on the road together, heading to another village, and now we have an entire entourage nipping at our heals."


    Jack nodded behind him, indicating the guards Ger''ron had sent, the hunter Lon''thul had chosen, and of course, Sare''en. "I just kind of miss the quiet peacefulness of the road."


    S''haar made a show of looking around. "I hate to tell you this, but there''s no road. Not yet, anyway. We''ll need to do a lot more back and forth traveling to make one."


    Jack tried to punch her in the arm again, but S''haar batted his fist away with a grin. He shook his head ruefully. "You know what I mean."


    S''haar nodded. "Yes, I do, in more ways than one. However, it''s still a nice day, the air is still fresh, and we are still together, even if we''re not exactly alone."


    Sare''en proved S''haar''s point by making her way forward to join the couple. "Um... Lady S''haar...Lord Jack, I prepared something called sandwiches before we left. We''ve also got some smoked churlish and fresh water, whenever you feel like taking a break."


    S''haar smiled at Jack. "Well, at least the company is good."


    -


    Em''brel was missing her friend. She still had plenty to keep her busy, and Angela was just as close to her, if not more so. However, there was just something relaxing about the other female, and she could use some relaxation right now.


    Sadly, it wasn''t meant to be. Instead, she had to figure out this puzzle Jack had left her. "Ugh, why do I have to design something so complex, anyway?"


    Angela was looking over the girl''s shoulder. "Hmmm. That''s tall enough now, but the blades are either too big or too close together. If a windmill tries to capture too much kinetic energy, it''ll start to push back against the wind ,preventing proper flow and becoming less efficient. At the most, an ideal windmill should capture about fifty-nine percent of the wind''s kinetic energy. With this many blades this close together, and given the friction the moving parts would have, you''d be trying to capture closer to seventy percent, on an average day."


    Em''brel sat back in her chair and sighed. "If it has to be perfect, why don''t you just design an ideal windmill and call it a day?"


    Angela looked at her adopted niece with an expectant expression. "Of course, I could, but you wouldn''t learn anything. This is something that could greatly benefit any village. If you learn how to build one, you can teach others how to build one."


    Em''brel looked confused. "How will we be able to use this? I thought you said we wouldn''t be working with electricity for many generations?"


    Angela shook her head. "Windmills were around long before electricity. Let me give you an example. Now that it''s spring, we''re negotiating for a farmer from the village to help us prepare and plant fields of tubers and grain, but how long will it take to water a whole field by hand? Even utilizing your new well design, a laborer would spend the better part of a day watering a field barely large enough to feed just a few argu''n. However, if we designed the windmill to act as a pump to bring in water from the nearby lake, the same laborer could water a field capable of sustaining a couple dozen argu''n in less time."


    With a tilt of her head, the AI continued to count. "Then there''s the work involved in processing grain after it''s been harvested. True, anyone can do it. About twenty minutes of labor with a stone and a bowl should do the job to feed a small family one meal, but windmills first derived their name from acting as mills for just that purpose. They were often used to grind up enough grain to feed an entire village for an entire year in only a couple of days."


    The AI continued relentlessly. "What''s more, they don''t have to be used for just grain. You can use one to grind stone into powder, get oil from plants, attach a saw and cut wood, connect a weighted hammer to use in a forge, and much more. So their use is only limited by your imagination."


    Em''brel sat back, a little overwhelmed. "All that, from simply catching the wind?"


    Angela nodded. "Yup, wind exerts a lot more force than you might realize. Taking those forces and redirecting them into whatever uses you can come up with gives you the kind of power even a dozen argu''n would have difficulty producing on their own, and what''s more, the wind won''t get tired or need breaks."


    Em''brel sighed as she got back to work. "Well then, I''d better design this right."


    Angela nodded. "You''ll also want to design the windmill so the facing of the blades can be turned to capture or reduce the impact of the wind based on how strong it is and where it''s blowing from. Also, remember the blades should be removable and supports lockable in the event of a bad storm."


    Em''brel leaned back again and groaned. "Uggggh! I''m gonna have to redesign this from scratch!"


    Angela smiled patiently. "Not from scratch. We''ve been designing this piecemeal because you''re building up the foundation that the final product will be based on. Very few significant projects were ever fully realized in their first draft. You gotta work to make something like this a reality. Now, what say we work on the blades themselves next? There are a few options. For instance, wooden blades would take a lot less time and effort to make, but cloth would be much easier to maintain and repair."


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    -


    The excursion team was settling in for the evening. They''d brought a few tents, which were now being set up by the guards, Jack and S''haar. Meanwhile, Sare''en and the hunter, who was named Nala''ac, were preparing dinner.


    Nala''ac was a completely different male than the master of his discipline, Lon''thul. Where the youth was loud, young, and full of energy, Nala''ac was older, quiet, and seemed to conserve as much energy as possible with every motion he made. Sare''en decided she liked working with the hunter. The only sounds that interrupted their work were the fire''s crackle, the boiling of the stew, and the cutting of meat and vegetables.


    Sare''en had never been outside the village or outpost walls at night. The atmosphere was both beautiful and a little frightening. The air tasted much fresher than she was used to. Usually, it was tinged with scents of countless other argu''n or the arlack that she herded back and forth between pasture and village, but with the wind cutting through their little camp, the nighttime air seemed to be washed clean of those familiar scents. Instead, it tasted of the crisp scent of trees and wildlife.


    Thinking of wildlife, Sare''en couldn''t help but inch closer to the fire. Nala''ac chuckled at the movement, his usually stoic face cracked a slight smile. Then, nodding toward the darkness, he spoke. "You''ve got nothing to worry about. There aren''t many animals in the wild that will come close to a fire."


    Sare''en nodded. Even the arlack she tended seemed skittish around a fire, and they were far more used to it, by virtue of the herd''s proximity to the village. Having said his peace, Nala''ac finished cleaning his kills, a few smaller animals he''d come across while scouting ahead of the group, and stuck them on stakes he then shoved into the ground to lean over the fire.


    That done, he nodded affably before walking off and fading into the darkness. Sare''en took some comfort, knowing the camp was being patrolled as she finished cooking.


    -


    Jack set up the transceiver inside the large tent that he shared with S''haar. Since they didn''t need to conserve heat as much as they had in the winter, they could afford more space and privacy. Once online, Angela''s voice came up over his headset. "Well, a quick scan tells me everyone made it this far alright. Good to see your first day out of the camp in a few months seems to have gone off without a hitch."


    Jack frowned. "You know, you didn''t have to jinx us like that!"


    Angela laughed in response. "Oh please, I know you don''t believe in luck or any other superstitions like that. Don''t try to make me feel guilty, when I know you better than that!"


    Jack shook his head with a grin. "Maybe I don''t, but by time-honored tradition, I now get to blame any and every mishap on the trip from this point forward on you, entirely due to that comment."


    Angela sulked. "Fine, do what you will. Now go ahead and activate the emitters, so I can give them a test run."


    Jack chuckled and complied with her request. With the flipping of a few switches, Angela could make an appearance. She was a bit more muted than usual, so she wouldn''t illuminate the tent enough to be noticed over the nearby campfire, but she still made a show of floating around and inspecting everything. "Nice place you got here. It''s good to get out of the ship and see something new for once!"


    Jack laughed. "Who do you think you''re fooling now? You could see everything out here as soon as I set up the transceiver, just as you have every other time we''ve used it. Just because we finally set up some emitters allowing you to visually appear doesn''t make this your first trip out of the camp."


    Angela floated onto her back and smiled. "Maybe so, but to properly blend in and socialize with flesh bags like yourself, I try to act like this avatar is the real me. It''s not my fault if you refuse to play along!"


    Jack smiled and shook his head. "And I suppose there isn''t a second avatar currently active, sitting at the table with Em''brel, Ger''ron, and Fea''en while they eat dinner?"


    Angela held up her hands in surrender. "Alright, you caught me. Though Lon''thul is there too, and they''re not eating, they''re cleaning up after dinner. That being said, your point still stands."


    Jack nodded before tilting his head in consideration. "Lon''thul is over, huh? He and Em''brel have been getting pretty close, haven''t they?"


    Angela smiled patiently. "Calm down there, dad. While she''s a grown adult by her people''s standards, they aren''t pursuing anything serious yet. She''s too focused on her projects around the camp to fall head over heels for her third savior."


    The AI tilted her head in thought. "Still, she could do worse. Despite his carefree nature, he''s proved himself more than capable of taking care of a number of problems and being able to adapt on the fly. Aside from yourself, he''s probably one of the most forward-thinking males on this planet. Quite frankly, if she does decide to accept his affection, I think he might make a rather pleasant addition to our family!"


    Jack shook his head. "Yeah, but she''s still so young, and he''s just such an...immature goofball."


    Angela smiled. "Do I need to playback a few videos of your first interactions with S''haar? You weren''t exactly a ladies man yourself. Remember your first ''goodnight handshake¡¯?"


    Jack grabbed a nearby bedroll and threw it through Angela''s avatar. It passed through harmlessly, of course, but he still took a little pleasure seeing her momentarily broken into a digitized mess. "Don''t you dare! If you do, I''ll..."


    The tent flap opened before he could finish his threat, and Angela faded from view. However, as soon as it was clear it was only S''haar, the AI returned. With an amused look split between the two siblings, S''haar focused on Angela first. "Well, based on the ''argument'' I was overhearing as I approached, and the fact that Angela seems to be with us now, I''m guessing the emitters are working. Glad you could join us."


    Receiving a nod of appreciation, S''haar returned her attention to Jack before continuing. "But the food is ready, and before too many of our traveling companions start to think Jack''s completely lost his mind in here, I figured we should go join them for dinner."


    Angela nodded. "Alright, you both go eat. I''ll just stay here by myself...all alone..."


    S''haar raised a single eye ridge. "But won''t you be with us in our headsets? Able to see and hear everything and speak to us if needed?"


    Angela ''stomped'' her foot in the air. "Neither of you are any fun! What''s an AI girl have to do to throw a decent guilt trip?"


    Jack laughed, speaking over his shoulder as he started to leave. "Well, for one thing, pick some easier marks."


    Neither Jack nor S''haar was paying attention when Angela stomped her foot again with a slightly audible trill of exasperation and frustration before she faded from view.


    -


    As Jack eased himself down onto the log they''d co-opted for a bench, he couldn''t help but grimace in pain. Not one to miss details like that, S''haar spoke up as she sat down holding two bowls of stew, one of which she promptly handed to Jack. "Is your leg bothering you that much?"


    Jack smiled as he accepted the bowl. "Yeah, but that''s no surprise. Even with physical therapy, this is the most I''ve used it since I tore the inside to shreds. I''m just happy it''s not worse. I''ll simply take some muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories before I crash tonight. Worst case scenario, I can take something to numb it when we hit the village, though I''d prefer to avoid that, if possible."


    Angela spoke up over their headsets. "If you do numb it, try limiting your physical activity afterward. You''re in pain for a reason. That''s your body telling you to ease off a bit. It''s best to listen to it, especially when you''re so far from the med-bay."


    Jack nodded. "Yeah, yeah. The days of me running off into the night are behind me, whether or not I like it. I''d barely hobble a dozen steps before S''haar would tie me up in bed to keep me out of trouble."


    S''haar nodded with a wicked smile. "Oh, I''m sure we could find something to keep us busy while you were at my mercy."


    Sare''en meeped in embarrassment, having overheard more than she''d meant to while refilling Jack''s bowl. When Nala''ac gave her a questioning glance from across the fire, she merely shook her head and refused to speak any further on the subject.

 Book 2, Chapter 9

    Everyone was hanging on S''haar''s every word. "And then, what does this brave idiot of mine do? Does he pull out the weapon he''s carrying that''s more than capable of ending the fight? Does he run and hide, waiting for me to do the job he''d hired me for? No! After he lets himself get grabbed, he kicks the thug in the face! And he kicks him hard enough to get dropped and break his own foot!"


    Almost everyone was laughing along with the exasperated tone in S''haar''s voice and the self-satisfied grin on Jack''s face. Jack was amazed at how comfortable he was becoming with all this. Not long ago, being the focus of a story like this would have made him want to die or disappear rather than face a laughing crowd, even one as small as this.


    Maybe it was because he knew he''d already earned the respect of the people that now surrounded him and no longer had anything to prove to anyone. Or perhaps it was simply a new perspective, after having been through so many near-death experiences in such a short amount of time. Or maybe, just maybe, he''d just matured in the last few months. Whatever it was, he felt himself grinning and laughing along with the rest as S''haar described the brawl that seemed to have happened so long ago.


    S''haar shook her head. "Anyway, it delayed the thug long enough for me to get a couple of good hits in. Then, old Mar''kon and his workers stepped in before the fight could escalate further, followed shortly by Lord A''ngles. That''s the story of how our first visit to the village became so infamous."


    Sare''en looked confused. After some prompting from Jack, she hesitantly spoke up. "But if you broke your foot back then, why didn''t I hear more about it? It seems like you should have gone right home...or visited the healer, at the very least."


    Jack smiled and shook his head. "This may surprise you, but I don''t always choose the wisest course of action." Jack ignored S''haar''s snort of derision and continued. "I fashioned a temporary set of crutches and took some medications to take the edge off the pain. We finished up what we''d come to the village to do, then headed home the next day."


    S''haar laughed again. "Yeah, I remember that night. Probably more vividly than you do."


    Looking over to Sare''en, S''haar winked. "Remind me to tell you another story sometime. One about why you need to watch out for Jack, if he''s had too many pain medications."


    That was finally enough to turn Jack''s face that interesting shade of red again. "Hey now! That was just because it was you, and we were already starting to bond before then! Besides, I thought you said you forgave me for that night!"


    S''haar smiled patiently. "I did forgive you. But that doesn''t mean I can''t still get a little revenge from time to time!"


    Jack gave the warrior woman what was probably supposed to be an intimidating glare, though it lacked the effect he intended, since he had to tilt his face so far up to look her in the face. "That''s precisely what it means! Haven''t you ever heard the term ''forgive and forget?''"


    S''haar shook her head. "No, I haven''t. I''m assuming that''s a human phrase, and one that won''t get you out of trouble with me."


    Jack looked like he thinking of arguing further, but that was when they caught up with Nala''ac, who''d been scouting ahead of the group. He was staring up a large tree with enough intensity that it silenced the friendly banter as everyone''s eyes followed his gaze. Several deep gashes were apparent more than ten feet off the ground.


    Jack couldn''t help but verbalize his confusion. "What in the world did that?"


    No one seemed forthcoming until Nala''ac spoke up. "Those were left by a wolgen. The good news is they aren''t fresh. It happened at least a little before winter, if not longer ago."


    Jack couldn''t help but feel a sense of dread looking up at the claw marks. He remembered the conversation with S''haar where she''d told him wolgen were so dangerous that if one made its territory too close to the village, it usually took a team of argu''n hunters to kill it. Even then, they''d consider themselves lucky not to lose a hunter or two. "You know, whenever my people use the term ''good news,'' it''s usually because there is also some bad news that goes with it..."


    Nala''ac nodded, then looked Jack in the eye. "Your people are very wise. The bad news is, this mark was left by a different beast than that one."


    The hunter pointed to a different tree with marks at about the same height. If there was a difference, it was subtle enough that Jack couldn''t tell what it was, but he wasn''t the expert and knew well enough to trust the word of someone who made his living hunting in woods like these.


    Turning to Nala''ac, Jack asked the question he was afraid to have answered. "What does it mean when there are marks from two different wolgen this close together?"


    Nala''ac shook his head with a frown. "It means they''re a mated pair."


    -


    Angela was trying to focus on helping Em''brel with her various projects to keep herself from counting the milliseconds since Jack and S''haar had left. The problem was that with Em''brel training at the moment, there just wasn''t enough to keep her adequately distracted.


    With Jack and S''haar gone and Em''brel, Lon''thul, and Ger''ron busy, the only one left for Angela to bother was Fea''en. The master woodworker was going over some of Em''brel''s latest windmill plans. Angela hovered up to look just over her shoulder, earning a mild glare from the older woman. "What can I do for you, Dragon?"


    The AI backed off a bit and smiled. "I was just wondering what you thought of the plans."


    Fea''en closed her eyes, crossed her arms, and stretched her neck to the side before opening her eyes and looking at Angela. "Honestly, I don''t completely understand what I''m looking at here. There are a lot of moving parts, and it''s far more complex than anything I''ve ever seen before. I can offer a few suggestions on structural reinforcement here and there, but most of this is so far beyond my expertise, I don''t know what else to say."


    Angela nodded in understanding. "Well, I see what you mean, but whatever thoughts and ideas you have would be appreciated. For all the knowledge my databases offer me, you have a much more intimate understanding of this world''s wood, along with its strengths and weaknesses."


    Fea''en nodded sagely before cracking one eye open and fixing the AI with a stare. "Of course, I''ll help where I can, but what say we talk about whatever it is that''s really bothering you, Dragon?"


    For all her intelligence, Angela had never been a good liar, but the AI tried anyway. Looking up and away, as though the ceiling had suddenly become fascinating enough to require an immediate inspection, she replied. "Um... What do you mean?"


    The older woman huffed and sat down in her chair. "You''ve been flying around, hovering over the shoulder of anyone who so much as sets foot in this place since the moment Jack and S''haar left. If I didn''t know any better, I''d say you were worried."


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    The jig was up, and Angela gave up any pretense with her own huff as she sat crosslegged at a level so she could comfortably ''look'' Fea''en in the eyes. "Well, can you blame me? It''s not like Jack has a stellar record for staying safe whenever he wanders off around here. He''s almost died more times in the last few months than most people will in a lifetime. Honestly, he should be dead by now."


    Fea''en nodded in agreement. "You''re not wrong. But what would you have him do, hole up in here and never show his face outside until he dies of old age? That doesn''t seem like something Jack would ever do."


    Angela looked thoughtful. "Not willingly, anyway..."


    At Fea''en''s reproachful look, Angela back-peddled. "I never really considered holding him here against his will! Well, except that one time he went all one-man-army against an entire raider camp... But you can''t hold that against me! It''s no crazier than what he went and did!"


    Fea''en eased her glare back a few degrees but kept a mildly accusatory gaze on the AI. "Maybe not, but the difference is what motivates your crazy. He was acting crazy to protect his family. You are acting crazy to protect yourself."


    Angela couldn''t let that one slide and stood up to stare down at the older woman. "Jack is my family! I would be protecting him just like he protected Em''brel!"


    The older woman shrugged. "Listen, I''m not some wise wizard or all-powerful dragon, but it strikes me that if you have to stop someone from being themselves in order to protect them, what you are really protecting is yourself from your own fear of losing them."


    Angela was so shocked at the other woman''s words that her avatar froze in place as her system started analyzing her behaviors over the last few months.


    Appearing not to notice, Fea''en continued. "Everything we do is a risk in this world, maybe more for some people than others, but my point stands. Any of us can die at any time. The key is to get as much out of the time we have as we are able. We have to be honest with who we are and what we want, in order to do that. To help our loved ones do that, we must let them do the same. Locking up your brother, or my granddaughter, for their safety would be about the same as killing them."


    Angela finally resumed motion with a sigh. "You might be correct, but that doesn''t mean it''s easy to do. I witnessed my family''s brutal death, and for a long time after that, it was just Jack and me. We never left each other''s side, and I watched over him day and night. But now, for the first time since that day, he''s often beyond my sight. What''s worse is that it''s always when he''s at the greatest risk! So how am I supposed to just sit back and calmly wait for his return?"


    Fea''en let loose a sigh similar to Angela''s. "We do it because we have no choice in the matter. All we can do is have faith in them and hope they''ll return to us safely. If they don''t, at least we''ll know they lived their best stories, and we helped them do it by supporting them along the way."


    Angela looked down and nodded, doing her best to not count the milliseconds until Jack set up the transceiver again.


    -


    After the unsettling discovery a while ago, Jack was suddenly happy to have a few extra guards at his back. He''d also noticed the guards had each loosened their weapons, and his rifle was resting easily in his hands, rather than slung across his back like before, though, for safety, he still hadn''t chambered the first round.


    The forest seemed more oppressive than before. Despite the company, it reminded Jack of his lone trek through the woods in late winter. Shaking his head to clear the troubling thoughts, he looked over to S''haar, who seemed oddly at ease.


    Sensing his attention, she looked back at him, waiting for him to organize his thoughts. Jack simply smiled and spared a chuckle for himself before responding to her unvoiced query. "You just don''t get scared, do you?"


    S''haar looked forward and walked silently for a moment before responding. "Oh, I get scared just like everyone else. It''s just not life and death that scares me. Or at least, not my life and death."


    Looking at Jack, who currently had a slight limp to his walk, her expression shifted . "On the other hand, your life and death terrify me. Especially when I''m not around. But as long as I''m by your side, if something does manage to kill you, it will only be because it got through me first. I suppose I take an odd comfort in that."


    Jack laughed and shook his head. "Ok, there''s a lot to unpack there, but I suppose I kind of understand what you''re saying. I''ve gotten a bit used to you being around as well, so what say we both do our best to hang around for some time to come?"


    S''haar nodded. "I suppose I could live with that."


    Nala''ac worked his way back toward the two as a natural lull fell in the conversation. "It''s starting to look like we''re getting close to the village. I''m seeing plenty of signs of habitation in the area."


    Jack was amazed at how the news seemed to somehow relieve him and stress him out at the same time. On the one hand, there was less of a chance of a wolgen attack. But, on the other hand, the task they''d come out here for was at hand. The future of their home could be decided one way or another in the next few hours.


    It was a while before Jack started to notice any of the signs of habitation Nala''ac had mentioned, but eventually, even he could tell they were now walking on well-worn trails. The hunter fell in beside S''haar to speak with her. "I can tell these paths have been well used, but it''s been some time. They look as though they''ve been neglected recently. Also, despite seeing signs of the occasional hunter, the evidence of foot traffic in the area seems more sparse than I would expect, given the village''s supposed size."


    S''haar nodded her acknowledgment, and Nala''ac sped up his pace to resume his scouting. Jack was furiously considering what problems might be waiting for them. Was the village empty? If so, was it due to raiders, or maybe the wolgen they''d seen signs of? If not, why were the signs of life so few and far between?


    Shaking his head in frustration, Jack decided that ruminating on the problem before he had more evidence was pointless. All it would accomplish was to make him more paranoid and color his interpretation of any evidence they found to support his assumptions. Instead, it was best to approach the situation carefully but open-mindedly.


    As the forest started thinning, they could just make out the walls of the village ahead. Jack called a halt so he could set up the transceiver. Sare''en handed out some jerky and water for everyone to snack on as he did so.


    As soon as the transceiver was up and running, Angela''s voice came out over Jack and S''haar''s headsets. "Finally! I''m guessing you''ve arrived safely then?"


    Jack hesitated before answering. "Well, we are on the outskirts of the village, if that''s what you mean, but something''s a little off."


    Angel¡¯s tone immediately became one of deep concern. "What do you mean, ¡®off¡¯?"


    Jack closed his eyes and told himself to be patient with her. His sister was probably frustrated by her inability to do anything while stuck back at the ship. "Well, we''re within sight of the walls, but the area looks neglected, as though there hasn''t been nearly as much foot traffic around the village itself as we''d expect."


    S''haar nodded. "Also, we found some old evidence of wolgen in the area. At least two of them."


    Angela''s voice was tense. "Alright, give me a moment to scan the surrounding area!"


    After a few moments, her voice came back a little less stressed. "Well, I wish I had better sensors on the transceiver than I do, but I couldn''t detect any life signs in the area larger than the occasional kovaack. As for the village, it isn''t nearly as populated as S''haar''s, but it''s not abandoned, either."


    S''haar looked over at Jack. "What do you think?"


    Jack stopped and thought before sighing. "Well, the situation isn''t quite what we expected, but I don''t see any reason to turn around and leave, either, so let''s proceed as planned. But keep both eyes open for anything else out of the ordinary. Remember, everyone''s safety is the first priority. I want everyone going home after we''re done here."


    S''haar nodded. "I agree. Just make sure you''re ready for trouble. And whatever happens, don''t try and be a hero."


    Jack smiled. "As already stated, these days, I''ll happily hide behind my bodyguards!"


    S''haar fixed him with a glare before uttering, "Uh-huh..." Then, without clarifying her thoughts on the subject, she stood up and began walking to the village.


    Jack merely shrugged and followed after, with everyone else falling in behind the two of them.

 Book 2, Chapter 10

    As they walked forward, Jack was reminded of the time they''d first approached the walls of S''haar''s village after the deep freeze. Despite the temperature difference and the lack of snow, it still had a similar atmosphere, like they were approaching a ghost town. There wasn''t even a guard visible by the gate.


    S''haar stopped just shy of the gate and took a moment to examine it, as though deciding what to do. Making up her mind, she grabbed her sword and slammed the pommel into the wood, creating a loud banging sound that echoed into the distance.


    Time passed, and Jack was just opening his mouth to suggest they try climbing over the wall when a voice called out from the other side of the gate. "Who''s stupid enough to come out to this village right now?"


    S''haar looked at Jack, who exaggerated a shrug to indicate he had no good answer. S''haar turned back to the gate with a sigh and raised her voice to just shy of a shout. "We''re traders from the Dragon''s Outpost. We come bearing meat, hide, and metal for trade!"


    A moment of silence passed before they heard a thud from the other side of the gate. A moment later, it swung out enough for a rather gaunt argu''n to poke his nose out. Taking a brief glance around, his gaze stopped on Jack for a moment before finally settling upon S''haar at the head of the group. "If you have meat, you''re welcome in the village. Unfortunately, we don''t have much to trade for it, but I''m sure there are plenty who will give what they have for want of another meal."


    When he backed away from the gap, everyone looked around, wondering what they were getting into. With no answer forthcoming, S''haar pushed the door open enough for everyone to come through, dragging their sleds loaded with goods.


    As they walked inside, Jack could tell the village was smaller and even more primitive than S''haar''s, but it was immediately evident that the streets were strangely abandoned, even for a village this small.


    As soon as the last of their group made it inside, the village guard pulled the gate closed. He contemplated the bar, which seemed like it would be too heavy for one argu''n to lift, even if he didn''t look half-starved, before nodding to one of the caravan guards. "Help me with this. It''s better we keep the gate secured these days."


    The guard in question looked to S''haar, who nodded her approval. A moment later, the gate was barred, and everyone took a moment to gaze at their surroundings. The interior of the village looked as run down as the exterior had. Almost all the houses looked weather-worn and otherwise in need of repairs. The streets were mostly empty, but plenty of snouts seemed to be poking out of various doorways as the residents tried to see what was happening.


    Looking around, Jack couldn''t help but voice his thoughts. Sare''en was so distracted that it took her a moment and a nudge from S''haar to remember her new role as a translater. "What in the world happened here?"


    The guard looked at Jack and Sare''en in confusion before shrugging. "That''s a better question for Lord Sal''zar. But, if you want to trade in the village, he''ll want to speak to you anyway." The guard started walking away, and Jack and S''haar shared a glance before following.


    The journey through the town revealed more of the same as behind them. This whole place seemed to be on its last legs. When they finally reached what could be called one of the nicest looking homes in the village, only in a very relative manner, they were ushered inside. The guards remained with the sleds while Jack, S''haar, Sare''en, and Nala''ac entered the building.


    They were greeted by a small gathering of guards flanking an argu''n that, judging by the quality of his robes, could only be Lord Sal''zar. Everyone present had clearly seen better days. Their features were gaunt and their gazes weary.


    Sare''en and Nala''ac offered deep and formal bows, while S''haar offered a fist to the chest and a short bow of her head. Unsure of his standing in the group, Jack offered something in between and found his place beside and slightly behind S''haar. They all waited quietly for the lord to speak.


    After a moment spent sizing them up, during which he was clearly unsure of what to make of the strange malformed and hooded male in the group, the village lord finally addressed them. "What brings you to our troubled village in these dark days?"


    S''haar considered her words a moment before replying. "I am Lady S''haar from the Dragon''s Outpost. By my side stands Lord Jack, my bonded partner in running the Outpost and almost everything else. We originally came to this village to show what we have to offer and enter into negotiations for a mutually beneficial trade of supplies and labor. Unfortunately, however, it seems your village has entered into some hard times."


    Her demeanor became a bit less formal, and she hesitated half a moment before asking the question on her mind. "What happened here?"


    Lord Sal''zar''s demeanor shifted, and he settled, as though bending under some great, unseen weight. "Well, I suppose there''s no use hiding it."


    One of the argu''n closest to the Lord started to object, but the village lord silenced him with a glare. "What use is there in the appearance of strength now? We''ve already spoken about disbanding the village and sending everyone out to find new homes in other villages!"


    The other argu''n shrunk back, and he turned his attention back to S''haar. "Our trouble started with the deep freeze. At first, everything seemed alright. We gathered with minimal losses and were prepared to wait it out, but as I''m sure you are aware, this freeze lasted longer than most. Before the air warmed, we lost about a tenth of our village."


    S''haar looked like she wanted to speak but held her tongue as the village leader continued. "After the freeze passed, we were prepared to recover as we must, but the forests were unusually empty, and our hunters were bringing back far less meat than we''d hoped. Then some of the hunters stopped coming back altogether."


    Lord Sal''zar shook his head. "We knew that if it came down to it, we could survive on our kovaack herds for some time until we were able to put together a proper hunting party to deal with the new threat in our forest, but then the final blow landed. When our largest herd was out grazing, two wolgen attacked. That which they didn''t kill, they drove away, leaving us with few food supplies, a hungry and exhausted population, and a handful of missing hunters."


    The village leader sighed. "We''ve sent runners to other villages, asking for aid, but none have returned. So either our requests fell on deaf ears, or the runners never made it to their destinations. That brings us to your arrival. Your group is much too small for wolgen hunting, so I gather you''re simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. It was probably simple luck that got you through to our village, but I wouldn''t depend on that same luck getting you back home. I''m afraid your fate is now tied to our own..."


    S''haar shook her head. "This is grave news. Unfortunately, I''m not certain how much help we can be at this time. If you''ll excuse us, I would like some time to speak with the other members of our group, so we might decide how best to proceed from here."


    Lord Sal''zar nodded wearily. "Go and speak, though I fear your options are somewhat limited."


    -


    Angela decided it was time to take things into her own hands. She wasn''t going to go outside the parameters of what Jack and herself had agreed on for the people of this planet, partly because she didn''t want to go against Jack''s wishes, but also because there was no time to do so effectively. However, she was going to push things a little further than Jack would probably like. Appearing in front of Em''brel, Ger''ron, Fea''en, and Lon''thul sitting down for dinner, she cut right to the chase. "Ok, so Jack and S''haar are in trouble again, of course. The village they''re stuck in is currently in the middle of the hunting grounds for a mated pair of wolgen, and I feel like they are about to do something very stupid about it, and for once, I want to beat them to the punch."


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    That got everyone''s attention. Turning to Fea''en and Em''brel, she continued. "Ok, so I''m going to cheat a little, but I need more raw materials to do that. Run to Tel''ron, and tell him I need several dozen pounds of metal!"


    Em''brel looked like she wanted to stop and ask a dozen questions, but set her jaw, nodded, and ran off with Fea''en not far behind, even though the older woman moved slightly slower.


    Lon''thul looked confused. "Shouldn''t I be the one going? I''d get there and back more quickly!"


    Angela shook her head. "No, I need you in the med bay right now. We''re going to perform some tests, so I can move on to the next part of my plan.


    The hunter looked more confused than before but stood up from the table and walked to the med bay. The guard captain finally spoke up. "Mind if I come along?"


    Angela nodded. "That won''t be a problem. Just make sure to let Lon''thul focus.


    Once in the room, Angela directed Lon''thul over to an odd device that looked like a handle attached to a pole she and Jack had set up, intending to test several argu''n. "Alright, grab the pole with your left hand, and pull back on the handle on your right. I''m gonna be testing your strength and endurance."


    Lon''thul nodded and grinned. "Just like Jack''s toy bow, huh?"


    The AI nodded. "Yeah, but I want to design one for argu''n physiology. Or, more specifically, your physiology."


    The hunter grinned. "Oh, this is gonna be fun!"


    Anglea shook her head. "I''m glad you think so now, but you might disagree in a bit. Now get to it!"


    Lon''thul complied and began pulling the handle back and then releasing it, letting Angela adjust the weight and trying again. Ger''ron watched with fascination. "I''ve heard some stories goin around camp about Jack''s new idea, but what am I looking at?"


    Angela explained while Lon''thul worked. "Well, for millennia, human''s maintained their position at the top of the food chain on our planet and did so without the weapons you''re familiar with Jack using. Instead, they often used what''s called a bow and arrow. It works by essentially throwing small spears faster, further, and harder than a human could possibly do on their own."


    Ger''ron tilted his head to the side in thought. "When it comes to thrown spears, the heft of the weapon is a large part of how hard it hits. So how would these smaller spears work?"


    The AI grinned with a surprisingly predatory smile for someone with a human form. "How hard something hits depends on its mass and speed. If something has less of one, it can make up for it by having more of the other. In this case, the arrow might not hit quite as hard as a thrown spear, but it more than makes up for that in range, accuracy, and the speed at which it can be fired. In the case of a bow made for an argu''n, I can make something heavier and faster than a human arrow because of the far greater draw strength you are capable of."


    The guard captain was silent a moment. "So if speed and heft determine how hard something hits, this argu''n arrow..."


    Angela''s eyes almost glowed with manic glee. "Oh, unless I miscalculated somewhere, and we all know I didn''t, this should hit at least as hard as most human guns are capable of."


    Lon''thul was clearly reaching his limit, as he was unable to draw the handle back to its full extension any longer. Angela frowned. "Argu''n physiology means you won''t be able to draw a bow at your upper limit as long as a human can. Jack might have some clever way to work around that, but we''ll just have to work with taking fewer shots for now. So long as they hit hard enough, that shouldn''t be a problem."


    There was a clamor at the ship''s entrance as three very exhausted argu''n pulled in their loads of iron. Letting Lon''thul take a break, Angela flew over to them. "Excellent, this is a great start! Please take everything over to the fabrication room. I''ll need all the raw materials I can get!"


    -


    Lord Sal''zar allowed S''haar''s group to utilize one of the recently vacated homes for their discussion. The two guards stood just outside to make sure no one got close enough to overhear their conversation in detail.


    Jack was trying not to look around and wonder about the previous inhabitants or what happened to them. For better or for worse, there was no helping them now. Instead, they had to focus on those still living. He tried not to dwell on the image of the young raider that flashed through his mind at that thought.


    S''haar took a deep breath and broke the silence. "I''m just going to say it. We want to help these people, but we don''t have the capacity to do it right now. As a group, we might be able to take on one wolgen, but two is simply more than we can handle. Even if we''re lucky enough to find one alone, there''s no guarantee how far behind the other will be, and if a second one appeared in the middle of fighting the first, we''d all be dead."


    Sare''en looked back and forth between S''haar and Jack. Before this moment, she''d hoped Jack would just produce one of his many marvels and solve the problem with a wave of his hand. But, in hindsight, she supposed that was asking too much even of him.


    Jack sighed deeply. "While I don''t know a lot about a wolgen, from what I understand, your assessment is accurate. Maybe if we had some more supplies from the ship..."


    Angela spoke up over the headset. "What kind of supplies are you thinking?"


    Jack shook his head. "It doesn''t matter. If what we heard is accurate, sending another group through this forest would almost be suicide."


    Angela refused to be discouraged. "I agree, which is why I''m sending the one person I trust to be able to get to the village safely, and I''m sending him better armed than anyone on this planet, other than maybe yourself."


    Jack took a deep breath. "While I agree this situation might call for the bending of a few of our ideals, there''s no time to properly train Lon''thul to use a firearm, let alone safety and maintenance."


    Angela''s voice sounded a little smug. "You''re right, which is why I''ll send him with a weapon you''ve already trained him to use."


    Jack furrowed his brow in confusion. "I don''t think that little bow I made will be very effective against any large game, especially on this planet."


    "Which is why I''m designing my own variation designed exactly for Lon''thul''s physiology and capabilities!¡± the AI agreed. ¡°It might be bending our rules a little, but trust me when I say this thing will be comparable to a siege ballista when I''m done."


    Jack shook his head, smiled, and sighed. "Well, on the one hand, I''m not happy about giving anyone on this planet such a powerful weapon so handily. But, on the other hand, I''d rather not die. So, alright, I''m on board with this."


    Angela laughed. "Well, I''m glad you''re ''on board'', because I was going through with it with or without your approval."


    Jack bit his tongue at his response before turning to S''haar. "Ok, we''ll be able to plan more effectively if we know more about the physiology of a wolgen. We need details. Let''s start with a description."


    S''haar tilted her head to the side. "Well, for one thing, they''re huge. I''ve never stood next to a living one, but I''ve heard it said that they stand taller than an argu''n male. They also weigh more than four argu''n adults. They have claws on all four feet, but the front claws are exceptionally long and often used for digging. They usually walk on all fours but can easily balance on their hind legs and use their front claws with deadly efficiency. Their mouth is filled with teeth, including a pair of fangs nearly as long as your forearm. If that wasn''t enough trouble, their back is covered in spiny ridges, and their tail has a hardened tip, effectively giving them another weapon to use from behind."


    Jack didn''t like what he was hearing but tried to envision the monster with his eyes closed. "What''s with this planet and all the spines, spikes, and horns everything has? Nevermind. What are they covered with? Fur, scales, or bone armor like yours?"


    S''haar tilted her head to the side, brow furrowed as she tried to recall. "They have matted fur. It''s thick, coarse, and not very comfortable, but it does give them a sort of armor against slashing and blunt attacks."


    Jack nodded. "What about their vision, hearing, or sense of smell?"


    S''haar frowned and shook her head. "I don''t know. Honestly, we don''t know much more about them other than we need to kill them or drive them out before they set up a territory near one of our villages."


    Thinking about the village they were in and the trouble it now faced, Jack could now understand why. "Alright. It''s not as much as I''d like, but it''s more than we had before. Let''s put together a plan that might just get us out of here alive."

 Book 2, Chapter 11

    Angela was definitely cheating a little, but it was easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission. With Em''brel''s help in the mining suit, she cut off a small part of the ship''s inner frame to break down and make an advanced composite that would form the core of the bow. She then layered that with a kovaack horn on the inside of the curve to give the bow increased resistance to compression, allowing it to store more energy than even her composite was capable of. She also used churlish sinew soaked in glue she''d formulated to provide increased amounts of tension on the outside of the curve. This was laminated together and covered in a thin metallic web that added a stunning design and further reinforced the lamination process.


    The bowstring was made of a composite of ultra-high molecular polyethylene formed into a looped string, with serving located at the nocking points to reinforce against abrasion. This would create a lighter, thus faster, string that was tough enough to withstand incredible amounts of punishment.


    For the arrows, she refined the iron down to a purity that no argu''n would ever begin to approach before forming it into a high carbon steel alloy that was far tougher and stronger than anything that would be made on this world for several thousand years. She framed this around a carbon fiber lattice, making the arrow far heavier and more durable than anything ever shot from a human bow. Even adding in the greater draw strength of the argu''n, these arrows probably wouldn''t reach the distances most human war bows had been capable of achieving, but that would be more than made up for by their incredible impact force.


    For the arrowheads, she decided penetration power superseded cutting damage, since the most dangerous creatures on this planet seemed to be armored either with bone plates or thick matted fur that acted as a sort of gambeson armor. To that end, she created several triangular bodkins that would act like a chisel to crack and pass through the former and needle bodkins that would slip right past fibrous materials for the latter. She also created a few arrows for target practice, so Lon''thul could fire off a few shots before leaving.


    Once done, she allowed everyone inside the now very cramped fabrication room. With a nod of her head toward her masterpiece, she addressed Lon''thul. "Now, that bow is was designed to be functional and durable, but keep in mind that it is probably also worth more than your entire village put together, so don''t do anything stupid with it! Keep it dry whenever possible, don''t string it until you''re ready to use it, and unless you are using it, keep it out of the sun!"


    Lon''thul now looked at the bow with concern. "Are you sure I should use something so... delicate?"


    The AI nodded. "It''s not quite as ''delicate'' as you might think. If you take proper care of that bow, your children''s children will be using it in just about the same condition it''s in now. But if you do neglect it, I''ll be melting it down for scrap in a year. So treat it well, and it''ll return the favor. I call it the ''Artemis''!"


    Lon''thul took a breath and approached the bow with a severe look, almost entirely out of character for the young hunter. After a moment''s hesitation, he picked up the bow. Oddly, it''s light weight belied its heft. He couldn''t help but be mesmerized by it for a moment before looking at Angela with a huge grin on his face. "When do I get to test this thing out?"


    The AI shook her head. "Don''t make me regret this, but you can go test it out now. I''ve got a few arrows designed for target practice, but I recommend you shoot at something considerably heavier than a dirt pile. An extra dense tree trunk might do..."


    Fea''en nodded. "I know of a few good ones, so come with me, pup, and let''s see what that new toy of yours can do."


    Everyone began to follow, intending to observe this new weapon in action, but Angela stopped Em''brel. "Hold on. I need you to help me put together a few things to ensure Lon''thul gets there safely, and help everyone out once he does."


    Em''brel took one last wistful look at the hunter''s retreating form, and the exciting new weapon he held, before sighing and turning her attention back to Angela. "Of course. How can I help?"


    Angela suppressed a chuckle at her friend''s expense. "Well, Lon''thul''s gonna need food and supplies for the trip." The AI tilted her head in thought. "I also need to make a few other things for Jack and S''haar."


    Em''bel sighed. Today was going to be a long day.


    -


    After coming up with the broad strokes of their plan, S''haar requested another meeting with the village leader, with only herself and Jack in attendance this time. When they walked in, fewer of the village''s leadership seemed to be present. That suited S''haar just fine, since it hopefully meant fewer questions.


    After being motioned forward, S''haar got right to the point. "We''re going to hunt and kill the two wolgen for you. Any hunters or guardsmen you could spare to assist us would be appreciated."


    Whatever the village leader had been expecting, that had clearly not been on the list. He blinked a few times, trying to process the information. However, his contemplation was interrupted by the barking laughter of one of the better-dressed guardsmen in the room.


    After a moment to catch his breath, the guardsman spoke up unbidden. "If you want to commit suicide rather than waiting for death to come to find you, I commend you, but we have too many responsibilities to our people to throw away our lives with such a futile attempt! You''ve got one hunter who''s seen too many winters, two guardsmen who haven''t seen enough, a servant girl more timid than a churlish, and a broken male who needs a stick just to walk. However formidable you might be, that''s nowhere near enough to take on a single wolgen, and a pair is far more than twice as deadly!"


    S''haar waited surprisingly patiently for the last of the noise to die down before responding. "If that was all there was to us, you might be right. However, there are a few things you should know before passing judgment."


    She spoke, taking her sword from its sheath and laying it on the table for all to see. "First, though I am loath to admit it, I am S''haar, daughter of De''haar, and I did not only inherit that monster''s blood. Near the end of this winter, the two of us crossed blades, and though to my dismay he walked away from our battle, as you can see, I''m still standing as well!"


    Judging from the shock in everyone''s eyes, S''haar''s father had more of a reputation than Jack had realized. However, he didn''t have long to dwell on that revelation because of S''haar''s following words. "The next thing you should know is that when backed into a corner, I''m only the second deadliest person in this room!"


    Jack felt the pit of his stomach drop out as he quickly realized where this was going. Not knowing what to do or say about it, especially since none of the village leadership in the room could understand him, Jack simply listened as she continued. "The ''broken male'' beside me that you so casually disregarded is a powerful wizard more deadly than all the males of this village put together. Perhaps you caught word of the raider army that passed through our valley before your village became isolated? This is the male who singlehandedly brought that army to a halt and slew over a third of their number in one night before reinforcements arrived the next morning to finish what he''d started."


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    S''haar clearly had everyone''s attention at this point, though most of the expressions Jack could see were doubtful at best. Finally, the same guard from before spoke up again. "Quite the claims you''ve just made, but any stranger could walk into this room and say anything they''d like. If you want us to commit the lives of the warriors of this village, and if your pet male is really who you claim he is, he should be more than able to easily handle a half dozen of our males in a friendly sparring match!"


    Jack had no doubt the sparing match wouldn''t stay friendly for long if he couldn''t live up to the image S''haar had painted of him, and judging by how many hands were now resting a little too easily on the hilts of multiple weapons, no one else in the room thought so, either.


    Surprisingly, S''haar''s hands were still relaxed and disturbingly far from her weapon''s hilt. Instead, she tilted her head as if in thought. "Well, you''re right, he could, but Jack is surprisingly bad at holding himself back once he finds himself in a fight for his life. You might very well lose a half dozen warriors in the ''friendly'' sparring match. So instead, how about he shows off his powers against targets who won''t bleed and die."


    Angela chose that moment to speak up over Jack''s headset so only he could hear. "Oh, that''s smart! I think I like where she''s going with this!"


    Jack''s stomach was tying itself in knots. He wished he could agree with his more optimistic sister.


    -


    Lon''thul was on his way back to the cave. He''d fired off a dozen shots and was totally exhausted. It didn''t help that the arrows had been so difficult to retrieve. Any of them that squarely hit the target had buried themselves up to the fletching and had to be dug out a little before they could be properly removed. Any that didn''t hit the target...well, it had taken him more than a few minutes to find some of those.


    He was also a little scared of the bow after test-firing it. He could almost feel the raw power contained within each arrow as they''d left the bow. This thing had not been designed for hunting. It was made for killing. Seeing the arrows stuck in the stump like that, he could easily imagine any correctly angled shot piercing through argu''n bone plate as well as the soft tissue behind it.


    He''d known that''s what they''d been trying to create, but it was entirely different to see what it was capable of and feel its weight in his hands. Now it''s weight matched its heft.


    Walking into the house, he could see Em''brel running back and forth, throwing various things into a backpack, most of which made no sense to him, though the pair of sheathed swords strapped onto the side of the bag did.


    Lon''thul started reaching for the hilt of one of the blades when Angela popped into existence right in front of him. "Those aren''t for you! You''ve already got your new toy. Those are for S''haar!"


    The hunter looked a little surprised. "I thought you already made a sword for her? Why does she need new ones?"


    Angels shook her head. "That one was designed to be cost-efficient and plain enough not to attract too much attention."


    The hunter laughed. "Given how sharp and strong the blade seems to be, I''m not sure that''s how I would describe it!"


    The AI shook her head. "Nonetheless, these two make that one look like a common butter knife. I used simple high carbon steel in its manufacture. These two are my own alloy formulation of what could be referred to as modified tool steel. They combine high carbon steel, tungsten, a little silicon, and several other rare minerals that I had to cannibalize a small portion of the ship to get enough of. In addition to being highly functional, these were designed to be fit for someone of S''haar''s newfound position as the leader of this Outpost. As much as I wish it was simply a person''s capability that matters, appearance is almost as important, and these match her status."


    Lon''thul looked a little closer and could see the Outpost''s symbol inlaid on both the swords'' hilts and the fine dark leather scabbards. The sheaths featured a metallic winged lizard Lon''thul recognized from his movie nights in the mountain. "Well, I''ve never seen anything like them, though I have a feeling Tel''ron would be more impressed than myself."


    Angela flashed the predatory grin she seemed to be growing more and more fond of. "Oh, wait until you see them in use. I''m sure you''ll be plenty impressed, then."


    Em''brel came over holding what appeared to be some sort of oblong metallic eggs with odd rings attached to them. She nudged the hunter to the side and gently placed them into the pack, ensuring they were properly secured and wrapped to prevent any shifting once Lon''thul got on his way. She repeated this a couple of times before Lon''thul finally spoke up.


    "What are those?"


    Em''brel shook her head. "It would take too much time to explain, but those are for Jack''s use and only Jack''s use."


    The younger girl fixed Lon''thul with a deadly serious glare. "Don''t play with them, don''t look at them, don''t even think about them. You handle these wrong, and you could get yourself and others killed!"


    Lon''thul held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, no need to get like that. I can be serious when it''s called for, and this is one of those times." Looking at the pack somewhat dubiously, he continued. "But should I really be walking around with something so dangerous on my back?"


    Angela floated over. "They should be perfectly stable, so long as no one fiddles with the metal rings on the end. But just to be safe, try and avoid jostling the pack more than is necessary. Honestly, I''m being a little overly cautious. Feel free to run, jump, and even tuck and roll if the situation calls for it. Just make sure they stay properly secured, and you should be fine."


    Lon''thul shrugged. He was pretty sure if there was one person he could trust with his life, it was Angela. If she told him he''d be fine, he''d be fine. Besides, this whole situation was already risky enough. When dealing with a pair of mated wolgen, it wasn''t a question of if someone would die rooting them out, as much as how many would die. If the number stayed in the single digits, it was usually considered a success. If this smaller risk meant the actual hunt would go that much more smoothly, he was willing to take the chance.


    Em''brel also handed him a headset, much like Jack, S''haar, and herself were always wearing. Putting it on, he could hear Angela''s voice clear as day. "With this, I''ll be able to guide you once you get in range of the sensor Jack has set up next to the village. You just need to worry about getting in range of it undetected. After that, I can guide you."


    With everything packed up and ready to go, Lon''thul looked around the house before heading out. Suddenly, he was held tightly by a smaller female with her face buried in his chest. Looking down, he was afraid to say or do anything to ruin the moment, so instead just wrapped his arms around her in much the same way he''d seen S''haar do with Jack quite frequently. He had to admit, he could get used to the feeling.


    Eventually, Em''brel pulled away and looked up at him with unexpected heat in her eyes. "Be careful! I expect to see that stupid grin on that stupid face when you get back! And make sure Jack and S''haar come back in one piece as well! I won''t forgive you if you go and let them or yourself die out there!"


    Lon''thul made sure to give her his biggest, stupidest grin before responding. "Of course! I can''t become a better hunter than my old man if I fail here! My ''stupid grin'' isn''t going anywhere!"


    Em''brel smiled briefly before turning her back on him with a disgruntled harumph. "You''d better!"


    With a laugh at himself as much as Em''brel, Lon''thul shouldered the pack and walked out of the house.


    After a minute, Em''brel turned around to look out into the gloom of the cave beyond the open door. "Does it ever get easier to be left behind while everyone goes off to do something so stupid?"


    Angela floated beside her friend, appearing to stare out into the same cave even while her sensors tracked everything around the hunter as he left. She shook her head forlornly. "I wish I could say it does, but I''m afraid it only seems to get a little harder every time."

 Book 2, Chapter 12

    Lon''thul had definitely had better days. Moving unheard and unseen was something he did almost instinctively these days, but he was usually the hunter, not the prey. Of course, he didn''t actually know if he was being hunted or just currently hyper-alert for no reason, but he really didn''t want to find out the hard way. So instead, he kept moving as quickly as he could while keeping one eye on the underbrush to avoid stepping on any debris or vegetation that would reveal his presence, while keeping the other eye looking for movement where there shouldn''t be any.


    He was really looking forward to turning this around and becoming the hunter again. He just had to get through to the village first, and to do that, he had to remain unheard and unseen.


    After making sure the movement off to his left had been nothing more than a loose branch finally dislodged by the wind, Lon''thul slowly resumed movement as he eased his foot over another twig in his path and resumed his journey, employing his own twist on every tactic and strategy any of his prey had used to lose him successfully once he''d started his hunt.


    Usually, the hunter used a great burst of speed to run down his prey. Unless he got a clean kill, he''d use his greater bulk to wrest them to the ground, where he could then kill the animal at his leisure. The ones that got away usually did so by outmaneuvering him or outlasting him. So if a wolgen did get close enough to give chase, his best bet would be to try and make it chase him erratically, forcing the beast to constantly shift the momentum of its greater bulk and wear itself out.


    Of course, he might be worried about nothing. Maybe he''d be able to walk right into the village the way Jack and S''haar had. Perhaps the beasts had already hunted the area clean and moved on, and as long as he was hoping everything would go his way, he might as well hope that the wolgens would simply roll over and expose their bellies for his knife.


    Lon''thul froze when he heard a twig crack no more than a dozen feet off to his left. Ready to bolt, he turned his head slightly to carefully look out of the corner of his eye. Then, when there didn''t seem to be a nine-foot-tall monster visible to his peripheral vision, he turned his head the rest of the way. Whatever had made the sound must have been small enough or quick enough to have escaped his notice, because there was nothing there any longer.


    With a mental sigh of relief, Lon''thul steadied himself and resumed his trek through the forest. He knew he''d have to settle in to rest for the night before making it to the village. Not that he thought he''d get much sleep, but bumbling around through the underbrush in the dark was the perfect way to make sure every animal for miles around knew his exact location.


    Lon''thul froze again when a gust of wind caused a cacophony of sound and movement through the forest around him. He''d used a similar breeze more than once to disguise the sound of a final lunge toward his prey. Once everything  settled again, he resumed movement again. This was definitely going to be a long trip.


    -


    Jack was walking beside S''haar as they followed the guards to the village''s edge for the demonstration S''haar had proposed. Looking up at the woman he would normally trust with his life, he couldn''t help but feel a little put out by their current situation. "Tell me again why we''re essentially being put on trial just for the privilege of getting to help save this village from a dire situation we had no hand in creating?"


    S''haar smiled patiently back at him. "Because we are asking them to risk their own lives to help us in the hunt. It''s only reasonable that they would expect us to prove we''re at least able to back up some of what we claim before they risk everything on our words."


    Jack shook his head. "It''s not like they have a lot of options right now. So you''d think they''d be happy just to have any chance at this point."


    S''haar looked off into the distance. "They have one other option. Split the village up and send everyone out to seek a future in other villages. Of course, many would die along the way, mostly the very old and very young, but enough would make it so their bloodlines could continue. Then, of course, they''d start out in those villages as the very lowest members of their new village, barely a citizen at all. Many would never make it past that, but a few may earn positions of respect and honor in their new homes."


    Jack blinked a few times before responding. "You know, I get so used to the way things work in our outpost that I sometimes forget how brutal this planet can be." He held up a hand to forestall S''haar''s counter. "Don''t get me wrong, I understand it''s mostly out of necessity. When you''re uncertain of your own future, it''s hard to be charitable to those in even more dire circumstances. The fact that the other villages would take refugees in at all is certainly a sign that they empathize with the plights of their neighbors. It''s easy to look at what we''ve made and forget that it''s the exception, rather than the rule."


    S''haar looked down at Jack with a sad smile. "You know, our outpost isn''t exactly safe against the perils of this world, either. It wouldn''t take much to ruin everything we''ve created so far. Life can be a fragile thing."


    Jack''s expression turned into a frozen mask, and his eyes grew hard as the vision of the young raider sprang to mind. He struggled to pull himself back into the here and now before looking off into the distance to hide the wetness he could feel building around his eyes. It took him a moment more to find the breath to respond. "Yeah... I''m more aware of that than I''d like to be..."


    S''haar politely looked away as Jack gathered himself again. "I think we both are. That''s why we''re here, doing what we''re doing. That''s also why we''ve followed you so far."


    It was Jack''s turn to smile sadly back at S''haar. "These days, it''s you leading down the path we''re all following. I''m just the mad wizard clearing the way for you to pass."


    S''haar''s smile reached her eyes as her mood shifted from melancholy to good humor. They were nearing the end of the road and would have to get to work shortly. "Well then, wizard, the path needs clearing, and you''ve been volunteered. Do a good enough job, and you just might earn this lady''s favor!"


    Jack shook his head again, though he couldn''t keep a wistful smile from his face. "The things I do for love..."


    -


    They entered a clearing where S''haar had several large logs set up in a semi-circle facing the village wall. The village leadership wasn''t too impressed, which the well-dressed guard from before made even more evident. "What, he''s gonna beat up some logs? Anyone can do that. I don''t see how this will prove anything!"


    S''haar simply looked at him as patiently as before. "Bring over a few throwing spears and your best thrower. We''ll start off by seeing what you can do."


    The guard narrowed his eyes and started to respond when S''haar cut him off. "We''re about to prove to you what we can do, but we also need to see what you''re capable of offering us in return. I promise this''ll be worth your while."


    The well-dressed guard snapped his mouth shut before looking at one of the less well-dressed guards near at hand. The guard in question nodded and stepped forward, stretching his limbs as he did so. He was certainly larger than average, though far from the largest argu''n Jack had seen. A few other guards handed over some smaller spears that he then stuck into the ground at his feet.


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    S''haar nodded respectfully to the large argu''n before speaking. "I want you to throw a spear at each target as fast as you accurately can, while also going for a killing hit."


    The guard looked S''haar up and down before smirking and grabbing the first spear. Then, in an impressively rapid and smooth move, he turned and threw with enough force that the spear buried itself well past the metal head into the wood. Then, before the spear had fully sunk in, he had the second spear in hand and threw it again. The third and fourth spears were a bit slower leaving his hands but still flew accurately, even if they didn''t bury themselves quite as deep as the first two, and the fifth barely grazed its target before hitting the wall and falling to the ground.


    All five spears took him a little under a half-minute to throw, and he was obviously winded after the effort.


    S''haar again nodded respectfully at the guard, even while he was glaring at the last spear, clearly annoyed at his own performance. "Well done. I doubt I could do much better."


    Walking to inspect the targets, with a few village leaders close behind, she continued her examination. "The first two penetrated deep enough that they probably would have killed their targets. The second two might not have been killing blows but would have certainly slowed their targets down." She turned back to the guard who''d thrown. "If these targets had been a group of charging raiders, how many do you think you could have dropped before they reached you?"


    The guard shrugged. "One for sure, two if I was lucky, or they''d been a little further back."


    S''haar nodded as the spears were returned to their owners. "Speaking from personal experience, that sounds about right."


    A few village leaders raised eye ridges at that but waited to see where this was going. S''haar pulled out her own two spears and held them out for the spear-thrower to inspect while she spoke. "The first thing the wizard here can offer is crafting techniques, unlike anything you''ve seen before."


    She then turned and threw the spear in a way that made the previous display look slow and clumsy in comparison. While that spear was in flight, she shifted the second spear to her first hand and threw it again, the spear leaving her fingers just as the first hit home.


    Jack couldn''t help but smile. He enjoyed watching her show off a little. These two spears went noticeably deeper than any of the ones the guard had thrown. The first one was even sticking out the back of the log. The leaders looked a bit more unsure than before, but the one Jack started calling the guard captain still seemed to have his doubts. "Ok, that was impressive and would certainly be enough of a reason for us to open up trade with you under normal conditions, but that''s not nearly enough to kill two wolgen."


    S''haar walked over to retrieve her spears, pulling them out by bracing her foot against the log and kicking forward while she pulled back on the spear. That done, she turned back to the skeptical guard. "I agree, but as I already told you, I''m only the second most deadly person here. Set up some fresh logs, and our wizard will show you a little of what he''s capable of!"


    Jack did his best to even out his breathing as the new logs were placed. He quickly checked his rifle, trying to ignore all the eyes suddenly focused on him. Somehow this was almost more nerve wracking than actual combat. At least then, his mind was hyper-focused on what was coming next. Right now, he was only worried about not messing up and ruining everything.


    He was also trying not to think about the last time he had used the rifle in combat.


    Angela''s voice cut in over his headset. Her voice held an edge she usually reserved for giving him a hard time. "Try not to worry too much. Even if you do screw this up horrendously, I''ve still got a trick or two to impress our hosts!"


    Jack bit back his retort but smirked nonetheless. He felt some of the tension leaving his shoulders as he straightened up, ready to show what he was capable of. Ever since the second raid, he''d made it a point to periodically get in a bit of target practice, and now that he''d gotten past the jitters, he was confident he could pull this off. If only to spite Angela a little.


    S''haar didn''t bother explaining, just nodded in his direction. "When you''re ready."


    Jack closed his eyes, took a final steadying breath, then let it out before turning and raising the iron sights to the first target. Everything was over so quickly; it took Jack a moment to realize he was done, standing with the rifle lowered and pointed at the ground. It was clear that all five targets were no longer standing less than four seconds after his first shot.


    The village leaders were more impressed, but S''haar wasn''t done. Walking forward, she grabbed one of the logs and spun it around, showing how torn up the wood was where the bullet exited. "In a fraction of the time I could throw two spears, all five raiders would be dead, but not just them."


    She dropped the log and led the leaders to the wall, where a hole was evident in the wood behind the targets. "Anyone standing behind the first set of raiders would no longer be a threat, either."


    This time the village leaders looked surprised and began speaking amongst themselves. But, for once, the guard captain kept his mouth shut. In his stead, Lord Sal''zar turned back to S''haar and responded, "Now, that was impressive, but why do I feel you''re still not showing us everything?"


    S''haar shrugged. "Because we''re not. No offense, but you haven''t exactly given us any reason to trust you with our secrets..." she nodded a little differently to Jack, "well, with his secrets. You wanted a demonstration that we were who we said we were. I think this little display was more than sufficient to back up our claims."


    Lord Sal''zar looked over to the guard captain, who nodded. Then, looking back to S''haar, he looked less despondent than before. "That you have. I now believe our best hope lies with you. I''m not sure we''ll be in a position to properly repay you for your efforts, but if you can help us deal with this threat to our village, you will have our gratitude, and whatever else we can reasonably offer."


    S''haar nodded. "Then let''s sit down and discuss how we can help each other. We''ve got some time yet. We''ve got another friend coming from our Outpost, a hunter who can be of great assistance once he gets here."


    Lord Sal''zar looked surprised. "Why did this hunter not arrive with the rest of you?"


    S''haar smiled. "Because he didn''t leave until we got here and discovered this village''s situation. Once we realized what was happening, we called for help from the one person we could trust to get here safely."


    Lord Sal''zar''s expression conveyed the confusion his words were about to express when S''haar answered his unspoken question by nodding to Jack again. "Wizard, remember?"


    -


    Lon''thul was exhausted. It had been a ridiculously long and stressful day, and he wanted nothing more than to just collapse and fall asleep, but there were a few things he needed to do first. He''d found a small space wedged between some large rocks and thick brush. It wasn''t nearly enough room to stretch out in, but it more than made up for the lack of comfort with the peace of mind the cover provided. After munching away on some tasteless, and more importantly, odorless, ''protein bar'' Angela had insisted he take and washing it down with some reasonably cool water, Lon''thul wrapped his coat around himself and activated a heating pack on the inside.


    It was warm enough out that he''d be in no danger of freezing to death, but he didn''t want to risk getting so cold that he''d be too sluggish to act, if the situation came down to that.


    In the dark, his vision was completely ineffective, leaving him to depend on the taste of the air and the sounds of the forest to alert him of any dangers. But, for some reason, it seemed unusually loud this evening.


    When he was out hunting, he usually found the forest''s sounds relaxing as he sat by a campfire. However, in his mind, every scrape of a branch in the breeze was a wolgen sneaking through the darkness, every animal cry was a warning that danger was near, and even the slightest breezes were carefully tasted to make sure nothing had changed from the last.


    Sleep was a long time coming, and his dreams were far from restful. In them, he was running from something close on his heels. He tore through the brush as he tried desperately to get away from whatever hunted him from the shadows. But, no matter how much he juked or how long he ran, it was always right behind him, one step closer than it had been a moment ago. When it finally jumped out of the shadows to get him, Lon''thul could see the beast wore his own face. Its triumphant cry echoed his own voice as Lon''thul fell.


    Then his eyes snapped open, and he was frozen in place. His heart was beating so rapidly and forcefully that it seemed to drown out the forest around him. He took a moment to calm himself down, making sure to breathe slowly and evenly. His heart rate had finally returned to normal, and he was just thinking about going back to sleep, when he noticed something was wrong.


    The forest had grown far too quiet while he slept...

 Book 2, Chapter 13

    Em''brel was getting frustrated with the windmill design. She had several giant wooden gears that could be engaged or disengaged while the blades were spinning to apply the wind forces to different electricity generation levels, depending on the actual wind strength. However, now she was having trouble adding in a mechanism to adjust for different wind directions.


    Angela leaned over her shoulder as the younger girl scribbled out her fourth set of plans before sitting back and sighing in defeat. When the AI turned her attention to the Em''brel, the younger woman threw up her hands in frustration. "I just can''t do it, ok? Jack, S''haar, Sare''en, and now Lon''thul are all off facing another life and death situation, and I just can''t focus on something as banal as blueprints. All I can think of is that there''s a very good chance I might not see one or more of them again, and I can''t focus!"


    The AI looked at her friend sympathetically. "Well, if it helps any, Jack, S''haar, and Sare''en are all perfectly safe, and I''m not expecting Lon''thul to get within range of my sensors until early tomorrow, so everything seems to be proceeding as planned so far. That being said, I can understand what you''re saying. So what say we set this aside for now and focus on something less tedious?"


    Em''brel slumped in her chair and nodded so pathetically that Angela wished she could wrap the girl in a physical hug and make all her worries disappear. But, failing that, the next best thing she could do is offer a distraction or two. "Ok, well, when was the last time you trained with Ger''ron?" Of course, Angela knew the answer to that, but she tried to get Em''brel thinking more analytically, focusing on herself rather than her worries.


    Em''brel rubbed a sore shoulder. "Just this morning. Apparently, I was ''taking my frustrations out on Ger''ron'', so he made me go wail on a training dummy instead. Evidently, he was right because I smacked the thing hard enough to jar my shoulder out of place a little, though he was able to set it again easily enough."


    Angela knew all this, of course. Not only had she seen it happen, but she''d also been watching and cataloging Em''brel''s movements to make sure her shoulder was getting better, rather than needing additional medical attention. Luckily, it seemed to be nothing more than a minor injury and would probably be a forgotten inconvenience in a couple of days.


    Angela decided to try a different approach. "Well, we could sit down and watch some movies. I''ve got quite a few you still haven''t seen."


    Em''brel shook her head. "No, I don''t think I''d be able to focus on a movie any more than these blueprints. I''d muddle up the plot and see things before I understood what was going on, and the whole thing would be ruined. I''d hate to waste a good movie like that."


    The AI nodded. "Fair enough. Alright, what would you like to do then?"


    Em''brel sat back and closed her eyes. One moment passed into another, and then another as she considered her options. Angela would have wondered if the girl had fallen asleep, if it weren''t for all the steady readings she was getting indicating otherwise.


    Finally opening her eyes and sitting up, Em''brel turned her attention back to Angela. "I think I''d like to cook a big meal for everyone! Like we did back when everyone was stuck inside during the freeze, and dinner was the day''s highlight. That would help distract me, and I''d feel like I was doing something actually productive and helpful!"


    Angela smiled at her friend. "When you say it that way, it almost sounds like you aren''t always doing something productive, but I understand. So what are you thinking of making?"


    Em''brel was already digging through the cupboards. "I think a nice, thick stew will serve many workers and give them the energy they''ll need tomorrow. Where''s the large pot? The huge one. The one I used when we wanted lots of leftovers?"


    Angela helped her friend find all the hardware and ingredients she''d need for her stew. Now, if only there was a way to distract herself as easily as her friend. She knew there was no particular reason to worry about Lon''thul. This wasn''t even the most dangerous part of this endeavor, but this was the only part when she couldn''t keep an eye on everything, which made her worry. She could only hope and pray to whatever gods might hear an AI''s prayer that Lon''thul was currently safe.


    -


    Lon''thul''s heart rate skyrocketed as the night¡¯s deafening silence filled his ears. But, of course, when silence was this oppressive, it was usually wise not to attract attention to yourself, so he didn''t bother trying to look around. The movement might make too much noise, and he wouldn''t be able to see anything without poking his head out of cover, which he really didn''t want to do.


    Instead, he focused on keeping his breathing even and controlled while tasting the air and listening for any sounds that might provide a hint about what sort of danger he was currently in. After several moments of hearing nothing, he began to hope whatever had caused the silence had already passed through.


    That hope died at the sound of something massive clawing at a nearby tree off to his left. Shortly after the sound stopped, the ground shook from an enormous impact, and for the first time in his life, Lon''thul felt truly small.


    The hunter''s mind was racing. Should he run? Should he draw the bow and fight? Before he had time to truly consider either option, he heard a deep whuffing sound off to his right. Something was taking long, deep breaths close to the ground, as if tracking a scent.


    There were two monsters, and he was right between them. Attempting to run or fight right now would be suicide. His best bet was to stay hidden and hope they were tracking something else.


    As the seconds ticked by, Lon''thul could feel the beasts closing in. They were moving slowly as they hunted, their occasional footfall heavy enough that he imagined he could feel the reverberations through the ground. Even when a biting insect landed on his arm and bit him, he simply gritted his teeth and tried not to react.


    The whuffing seemed to be getting closer, and Lon''thul slowly shifted his hand toward S''haar''s new swords. He desperately hoped a quick slash to the eyes or nose would be painful enough to buy himself precious seconds to begin his escape. If not...well, at least he''d die fighting, rather than cowering.


    As his hand crept up to the handle, he thought he could sense the beast right at his side, its snout inches from his hiding spot. Any second now, it would pinpoint his location and pounce. Every muscle and nerve was screaming for him to launch himself at the monster without thought in a final desperate attempt to survive, but he knew his best chance was to wait until the beast was even closer. If he started to move before the wolgen was close enough, it would have time to react, and he''d be dead before he could land his blow.


    Lon''thul touched the pommel, and with agonizingly slow movements, he wrapped his fingers around the hilt. Then he waited. At the next footfall, he pulled the sword just an inch out of the scabbard, using the beast''s movements to hide the sound of the metal being drawn.


    The process continued for a few moments, until it was no longer his imagination that he could feel the ground shaking. The whuffing sound also increased in urgency. It had his scent, and he only had seconds left.


    Suddenly, the silence of the night was shattered by a loud crash off to his left, followed immediately by a high-pitched scream, then a deafening roar. Thundering footfalls indicated a pursuit had begun as something with less nerves than himself broke cover and ran.


    The sniffing stopped, and soon more heavy footfalls could be heard from the right as the second beast thundered toward Lon''thul''s hiding place. He grit his teeth but chose not to draw the sword any further. Instead, he struggled to keep control of his panicking mind and ignore his instincts as he locked every muscle in place. It was a gamble, but either he was right, and this was his chance, or he was wrong and already dead.


    The crashing charge was right on top of him, and Lon''thul gripped his left hand into such a tight fist he knew he was drawing blood, but if he was right, even that scent wouldn''t distract the beast right now.


    Then the sound passed. The beast crashed through the brush he''d been hiding in, missing his position by mere feet as it charged past. Its instinct to pursue whatever was fleeing into the night overrode its knowledge that it had been close to prey of its own.


    Lon''thul didn''t realize he''d been holding his breath until he let out a lungful in relief. As he listened to the pursuit, he knew he''d been given the gift of time. The question was, what should he do with it?


    Looking down at his bleeding hand, he swore silently to himself. Whatever he was going to do, hiding was no longer an option. Not only had the second wolgen almost already found his spot, but now the location was also tainted with his blood. The only option left to him was to move. Sliding the sword back into the scabbard, he released the hilt, his aching fingers a testament to how tightly he''d been gripping it in desperation. Lon''thul shook his head. He didn''t have time to think about things like that. It was time to run.


    So, he ran. The moonlight was enough to let him keep on his feet, but he cursed the clumsiness brought on by the darkness. Every broken twig, rustled bush, and splattered mud puddle was deafeningly loud in his mind. He knew it wasn''t, because he could still hear the distant sounds of the other pursuit, but still...


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    Lon''thul was well aware he had to use every second of their chase to put as much distance between himself and his hiding spot as possible. Then, all too soon, a final crash was followed by the sound of a victory howl, and Lon''thul forced himself to slow down as well. Maybe they''d be content with their current meal, but he didn''t want to assume as much.


    Once he slowed his run, he tore off a piece of his coat to wrap around his hand and staunch the bleeding. He knew he''d left a trail of blood until now, but it would take them longer to scent it out than it had taken him to run, so it was still a net gain. Now he just had to capitalize on that gain as much as possible.


    Thankfully, years of hunting alone in the forest had given him an unerring sense of direction, and he knew he was headed in the general direction of the village, even if he didn''t know its exact location. While he couldn''t continue sprinting, he decided speed was a better option than stealth at this point and continued moving at a rapid pace through the foliage.


    Still, this wasn''t enough of a lead. He needed something else to buy some more time. His mind was working furiously. What would peel him off the hunt once he started tracking his prey? A river would be a godsend, but he wasn''t aware of any in the area. Another larger predator would work, but this was a wolgen he was dealing with. The only things that could scare one off would be even more dangerous to deal with right now.


    That was when an idea occurred to him. He slipped out one of his smaller throwing spears and kept it on hand as he looked for what he needed. In this low light, it would require almost pure luck for him to stumble across what he was looking for, but he would need to be ready at a moment''s notice if he found it. He became convinced this was his best option for getting out of this situation alive.


    The forest had grown silent again, and Lon''thul slowed his pace to reduce the noise. He didn''t want to make it too easy for the beasts that hunted him. The hunter also kept his head moving, looking desperately through the dark for any sign of that sole thing that might very well save his life. Each second took agonizingly long to stretch into the next as he moved. It might have been his imagination, but he thought he could just make out the distant sounds of something moving through the forest again...and it was coming from the same direction as he had fled from.


    -


    Em''brel was finally asleep. Ger''ron had generously acted as her bodyguard while she''d been out distracting herself late into the night, but both Em''brel and Angela could tell the old guard was growing more than a little exhausted as the evening wore on, so she''d agreed to be escorted back home.


    After the guard had gone and passed out, Em''brel and Angela stayed up, talking until the AI could tell that despite the girl''s anxiety, her exhaustion was beginning to inevitably win her internal war, and she slipped into unconsciousness for the night.


    Angela lowered the temperature enough to slow Em''brel''s metabolism and help the girl sleep more deeply, wishing she could do something similar for herself.


    Instead, the AI analyzed everything about the forest around the village where Jack and S''haar were currently sheltered. She cataloged every tree and bush and scanned for whatever movement she could. It wasn''t nearly enough to keep her mind from imagining horrible fates for everyone, but she had no idea what bit of information might prove useful in the coming days.


    That was what she was in the middle of doing when suddenly, the sensors from Jack and S''haar''s headsets were joined by another set within her transceiver''s range. There was only one possible explanation, and a quick ping to the headset confirmed her assumption. Lon''thul was way ahead of schedule. Either he was being the idiot he promised not to be, or...


    She activated the coms in his headset but kept the volume low, her voice barely hissing out of the headset. "Lon''thul, what''s wrong? Why are you this far already?"


    The hunter''s whole body froze as he admirably kept himself from jumping or shouting. Finally, after a moment''s hesitation, he quietly hissed his reply. "I''m being hunted by two hungry wolgen. If I break and run now, I''ll never make it to the village. How well can you see the whole forest ahead of me?"


    As much of Angela''s conscious processing power as possible went into analyzing what the hunter said, scanning the region in even greater detail. "Pretty well. What do you need?"


    Angela could now just make out the sounds of something large moving in the distance behind the hunter as he spoke through his headset. "I need to know where the closest large animal other than the wolgen is right now!"


    It took only a second to pull up three viable options. "You''ve got two churlish front and right and a kovaack off to your left."


    The hunter paused. "The churlish would probably give a longer chase, but the kovaack will fill their stomachs better. Maybe it''ll be enough for the night, so let''s go with that. Give me the angle and direction."


    Angela hoped he was right. "Forty-four degrees to your left and about two thousand feet away."


    The hunter shifted his angle but kept moving silently. Angela suggested a slight course correction but otherwise stayed silent. She could hear the beasts coming up behind him. They were slowly but steadily closing the distance as she listened. The fact that the hunter was trying to remain unheard gave them the advantage in speed they needed to close the gap with their prey. She''d already woken Jack and S''haar and told them what was happening, but there was no way they''d make it in time. It was killing her to listen silently to what might be the final moments of the young hunter she''d grown so fond of, but she had to trust that he knew what he was doing.


    As Lon''thul continued moving forward, Angela did some math and realized the hunter would never make it in time. He needed another distraction. She activated his headset again. "You''re headed in the right direction, but they''re going to catch you first. As hard as you can, toss the headset off to the side and keep moving forward! Once you hear an unnatural wail, just start running!"


    While he never stopped moving forward, Lon''thul''s hands hesitated only a moment before grabbing the headset, jerking it off his head, and chucking it into the distance.


    Angela could only track the hunter via her transceiver after that, but she was more focused on the wolgen at the moment. She couldn''t get a good look at them through the transceiver''s sensors but could tell they were massive. She watched Lon''thul creep closer to his target as the two wolgen followed on his trail. They were just picking up speed when Angela decided she''d waited long enough. She pumped up the speakers'' volume as high as possible and started playing the sound of a pig in distress.


    The wolgen slowed, then stopped. While Angela couldn''t see what was happening, she could imagine their heads waving back and forth between Lon''thul and this new distraction. She started speaking to herself, or maybe she was praying again, though she decided it didn''t matter. "Come on, come on, you stupid argu''n eating beasts! Come see the new tasty dish I''ve served up for you! Take the bait, you ugly inbred mouth breathing flesh bags!"


    The dots representing the wolgen started moving again, but this time toward the headset. Angela was so ecstatic that she activated her avatar just to fly in a loop. "Yes! Come and get some! Come see what I''ve got cooked up for you!"


    As the two monstrosities came closer, Angela was finally able partially to make them out through the sensors on the headset. The claws on their feet were more than a little intimidating, but she shoved those thoughts to the side as one leaned in close to sniff the odd-sounding machine to see if it was food.


    Once the beast''s nose was as close as Angela suspected it would get, she shifted the output to a single high-pitched piercing sound and pumped as much juice into the speaker as possible. It was more than the headset could handle, and she quickly went blind and deaf again, but based on the fact that the dots didn''t move for several seconds, she guessed her plan had worked. She could imagine the beasts rearing back and covering their ears with those massive front claws, shaking their heads to clear the ringing sound she hoped had left them deaf to Lon''thul''s last desperate gamble.


    Angela hoped she''d done enough, because now she had no other way to interfere. Everything was up to the young hunter now.


    -


    Lon''thul wasn''t sure what Angela had meant by an unearthly wail, but he listened closely as he continued on his path. When the cry of some unknown animal started cutting through the night, Lon''thul wondered if that''s what she''d been talking about. Shaking his head, he decided she''d probably meant something more obvious and continued moving slowly and silently.


    As the cry continued, Lon''thul started second-guessing if that had been what she''d meant when a new high-pitched sound briefly rang through the forest, followed shortly by the roar of one of the wolgen. Finally, realizing that must be what he''d been waiting for, Lon''thul broke into a run.


    Not long enough after that, he could hear the sounds of pursuit resume behind him. They could hear him now, but Angela might have bought him the time he needed. As Lon''thul broke into a clearing, he saw just what he''d been hoping to find ¨C a young kovaack adult recently woken by the sounds in the forest. It was breeding season, and this guy was ready for a fight.


    Lon''thul slid to a halt and then threw the spear, which was now covered in the blood from his hand, into the shoulder of the kovaack. The spear seemed to piss off the thing as it howled its rage and turned to charge toward the hunter.


    The crashing sound behind him told Lon''thul he was out of time, and the hunter charged toward the kovaack. But, at the last second, he dropped and slid along the ground slightly to the side of the charging beast just as a wolgen burst out of the brush and landed not far from the now very startled kovaack.


    Both beasts quickly forgot about Lon''thul as they turned to face one another, assessing each other as the more significant threat.


    Lon''thul didn''t bother to hang around to find out what happened. Instead, he ran as fast and far as possible in the village''s general direction. His sides were aching, and his breath was so ragged, he couldn''t even make out what was happening behind him as he ran.


    That was when he realized that while he had a general idea of the village''s location, he''d been depending on Angela''s guidance for its specific location. Of course, that wouldn''t have really been an issue during the day, but alone in the dark, he was more or less lost.


    That was when the night sky was pierced by what appeared to be an unbelievably bright new star. It shot up from the ground and hovered in the air before falling back to earth. Lon''thul knew of only one person who could make something so impossible happen out here and turned to run to the star''s origin.


    After a couple more minutes of running, his pace faltered, and his vision blurred. Lon''thul finally broke out of the treeline. Awaiting him was the welcome sight of Jack kneeling, rifle in hand, and S''haar with her sword drawn and ready, both scanning the forest behind him. There were others present, but the hunter''s vision was getting too fuzzy to make anything else out as he stumbled a final few steps and collapsed on the ground.


    Hearing S''haar run up and shout, "I''ve got him! Get inside and start closing the gate!" Lon''thul couldn''t help but laugh weakly. "About time you came running to me! I was starting to worry you didn''t care!" Then he allowed himself to pass out as he was dragged to safety.

 Book 2, Chapter 14

    Jack was alone with Lord Sal''zar, and the village chief seemed to be filled with questions. "Do you make it a habit to go around saving everyone you come in contact with?"


    Jack leaned back against the post, taking a bit of weight off his leg. "Well, it''s not that simple, but I do believe that as long as we have the ability to help, we should help. With certain...advantages we possess, we''re uniquely qualified to offer aid in situations no one else would be able to. You''re not the first village we''ve helped through hard times, and I sincerely hope you won''t be the last. That being said, while we don''t expect compensation for our services in an emergency like this, we would appreciate you being willing to negotiate a mutually beneficial trade deal of some sort, once you are able."


    The Lord tilted his head to the side. "What''s your end goal with all this? What is it you are really hoping to accomplish?"


    Jack felt a little uneasy. It was as if the Lord''s eyes pierced into his soul. Hiding his discomfort, Jack shrugged. "Well, that depends. I suppose my primary goal is the same as most everyone''s: to ensure the safety of my friends and family. However, there are easier ways to go about that, so I guess I''m also trying to build something that''ll outlast me in this land. Not something so simple as a village or outpost; more like an idea, or maybe several ideas. My own people made many mistakes throughout the ages, mistakes I see your people headed toward right now. So I guess I''d like to help you sidestep those pitfalls as you walk your path."


    The Lord frowned and crossed his arms, looking as though he were deliberating some sort of judgment. "So what, you want to turn our people into a mirror of your own. Instill your values and judgments onto us primitives for our own good? You want to turn us into some sort of humanitarian project?"


    Jack shook his head vehemently. "No, nothing like that. I just want to show you different ideas, then you can learn whatever lessons you will from that. Even if, by some miracle, I successfully ''forced'' you onto the path I deemed right, and S''haar didn''t kill me first for even trying, all that would accomplish is to make you all hate those ideals even more. So instead, I want to show you different ways of doing things and let you choose whatever lessons you might take from that."


    Jack looked around in confusion. "Speaking of S''haar, where is she?" Something else occurred to Jack, and he slowly turned his attention back to his host. "How is it that we''re speaking right now...and where did you learn the word ''humanitarian?''"


    Lord Sal''zar''s eyes were now composed of a starfield, stretching on into eternity. He opened his mouth, but oddly it was Angela''s voice that came out. "Jack, wake up! Lon''thul''s in trouble!"


    He repeatedly blinked for a moment as Lord Sal''zar faded into mist, though at the last moment, Jack noticed his smile looked oddly like S''haar''s. "Jack, we don''t have time. WAKE UP!"


    Jack shot upright on his sleeping pad and looked over at S''haar, who seemed to be half a moment ahead of him, as she was reaching for her sword. "Wha...who...where..."


    Angela''s voice came through the headset again. "Lon''thul is being hunted by the pair of wolgen at the moment. He''s got a plan, but he''s running out of time. So hurry and get ready to help, in case he buys himself enough time for you to rescue him."


    That woke Jack up, as though a bucket of cold water had been dumped over his head. He grabbed the handgun he kept nearby and loaded it into its harness, which he slid over his head and settled into place. S''haar handed him his rifle and let him secure it while she helped him with his boots. Jack didn''t even have time to feel embarrassed that he needed help with such things this morning. His mind was too busy contemplating possibilities. "What''s the situation right now?"


    Angela was quick to respond. "I think he''s leading them to something they''ll want more than him, but his timing will be close. I''m setting up a distraction to buy him more time, but everything will come to a head any moment now."


    Jack reached into his pouch and pulled out a syringe he only kept around for emergencies. He was already planning on using one later and hated to use another now, but this was a situation where he needed to be ready for anything. Jamming the needle into his thigh triggered it to inject the solution into his leg.


    The pain faded immediately, and Jack was able to move almost like his old self again. He knew he''d still have to be careful, though. Without the pain to tell him when he was pushing himself too hard, it would be very easy to exacerbate his injury, crippling himself further. But that was a worry for after Lon''thul arrived safely, or when he was beyond their help altogether...


    Jack shook his head, banishing those thoughts. That wouldn''t help anyone right now. Instead, he got to his feet, grabbed his ''emergency backpack'' he kept loaded with all sorts of supplies after the trouble this last winter, and fell in behind S''haar, who already had one foot out the door. By then, the guard who had been sleeping was stirring while S''haar spoke with the one whose turn it was to keep an eye on their temporary home. "Get everyone awake and ready for trouble. We may have a wolgen fight on our hands sooner than anticipated."


    The guard ran back inside while S''haar and Jack walked out into the street. The street itself was mostly abandoned, but they were met by a couple of village guards as they approached the gate. The guards nervously eyed the array of weapons both S''haar and Jack had near at hand. "Um, what are you doing out at this time...honored guests..."


    The last bit was tacked on after the second guard nudged the one who was speaking, but S''haar didn''t seem to notice. "Our friend is out there right now, fighting for his life against a pair of wolgen. I need to open this gate so that we''re ready to help!"


    The guards looked at each other before slowly turning their attention back to S''haar. "If that''s true, your friend is already dead. In any case, this gate cannot be opened except by direct order of the Village Lord or Guard Captain."


    S''haar snarled and reached for her sword, but Jack laid a comforting hand on hers. There was no way he could prevent her from drawing her weapon if she really wanted to, but she allowed herself to be restrained while Jack turned to the guards and spoke, with S''haar falling into her familiar role as interpreter. "Listen, we''re going out there. Either we save our friend or lose the last hope this village has for survival. The only question we have for you is, do you want to be in one piece when we do that? If it helps, you can tell the Village Lord that we forced you. After the demonstration we gave yesterday, I don''t think anyone would blame you."


    The guards'' faces went through a kaleidoscope of emotions as Jack spoke. Relief when he stopped S''haar. Concern while Jack spoke of the last hope for the village. Fear when he threatened them. Then contemplation at the end.


    One guard started to shake his head and speak when the other laid a hand on his shoulder before turning his attention back to Jack. With a nod of his head, he relented. "Don''t make me regret this."


    The other guard looked back and forth between his partner and the two newcomers before slumping his shoulders in defeat. He helped the other guard remove the bar holding the door closed without a word.


    Angela''s voice came out over both Jack and S''haar''s headsets. "Ok, I think he did it! The wolgen took the bait and are eating a kovaack! Lon''thul is running toward the village, but his aim is a little off. In the dark, without my help, he''s going to run right past the village."


    S''haar braced to run out into the dark, but Jack grabbed her arm and stopped her. "I''ve got a better idea."


    Dropping his pack, Jack rummaged around until he found a different kind of handgun. S''haar was clearly confused but trusted Jack and stayed put while he loaded it. Jack started to aim into the sky before telling S''haar, "You might want to tell everyone to cover their eyes and look away. This is going to be bright. Really bright."


    As the guards, Nala''ac, and Sare''en came running up, S''haar repeated Jack''s instructions back to them, while Jack raised the gun to point skyward and pulled the trigger. Judging by the shouted expletives that followed, at least one argu''n ignored Jack''s instructions, prompting Jack to fight the appearance of a small sadistic smile. Of course, now wasn''t the time for such things, anyway.


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    Not long after that, a crashing sound could be heard through the dense underbrush. Jack dropped to one knee, aiming his gun at the treeline. The repeated sound of metal being drawn made it clear everyone else was also ready for trouble.


    When Lon''thul finally burst through and collapsed, Jack kept aiming at the treeline, but judging by the absence of sound, he hoped they were safe. S''haar ran out, grabbed Lon''thul by his shirt, and started dragging him back while shouting over her shoulder. "I''ve got him! Get inside and start closing the gate!"


    Jack stood and started walking sideways back through the gate while keeping his rifle pointed in the general direction of the treeline. Nala''ac rushed past and helped S''haar drag Lon''thul inside. Once behind the gate, their own guards helped the village guards shut and bar the gate as quickly as possible.


    Only when the bar was in place did everyone begin to relax. Jack grinned ruefully and started to say something smart-mouthed when another voice boomed out over the gathering. "What''s going on here?"


    The Guard Captain walked up, looking very much like he was annoyed at having his sleep interrupted. One of the village guards stepped forward and performed a somewhat rushed half bow. "The visitor''s friend was in trouble beyond the gate. The wolgen chased him, and he ran all the way here with them on his tail. Somehow he survived, and the visitors went and brought him inside!"


    The captain looked around as though he doubted it was as simple as it sounded before fixing his gaze back on the guard who''d spoken. "And who authorized the opening on the gate?"


    The guard hesitated. S''haar stepped forward, taking a breath to speak when the second guard cut her off. "I did, captain. There wasn''t enough time to send a runner, and a decision had to be made. The village''s fate was at stake, so I made the call and  accept responsibility."


    The captain glared at him a moment before nodding. "Good enough. This will be looked into further, but everything seems to have turned out alright, which will likely weigh in your favor. However, it would be best if you don''t exceed your authority again soon."


    With that, the captain turned away and started walking back to his house, with only a few choice descriptions of what would happen to anyone foolish enough to wake him up a second time.


    For his part, the second guard let out a breath in relief at the realization that he seemed to have gotten out of this situation without getting into significant trouble. He was quickly congratulated by almost everyone else present as they slapped him on the back or shoulders. There was plenty of laughter as the tension broke, and everyone was flooded with relief. He even received a nod of respect from S''haar and a huge grin from Jack before they turned to check on their unconscious hunter friend.


    Sare''en had just shown up and was just trying to figure out where to provide assistance when Lon''thul startled awake with a gasp. Then, looking at everyone present, he grinned that same idiotic overconfident grin Jack had come to associate with the hunter. "What''s a hero gotta do to get a drink around here?"


    S''haar threw a water skin at him, which only partially spilled into his face before she stood up and turned back to their house. "He''s obviously fine. Let''s go back and get some more rest."


    Lon''thul got to his feet with the aid of the guards, then stumbled, almost falling over before catching himself. He shook his head and looked up a little more ruefully. "I think this might just make my greatest story yet! But maybe I should get a little sleep first... It''s been a really long night..."


    One of the guards slapped the hunter on the back, almost sending him sprawling before Sare''en helped stabilize him again. The hunter looked down at the girl before grinning almost drunkenly from exhaustion. "Oh, hey. You know, you and Em''brel make the cutest pair in the Outpost. I''m gonna have to make sure you get back there safely, or she''d never forgive me!"


    Sare''en meeped and dropped the hunter. She immediately tried to help him get back on his feet, apologizing profusely as she worked. Her struggle was complicated all the more by Lon''thul''s own uproarious laughter.


    The guards were quick to join in, leaving poor Sare''en wondering how she was supposed to get this slaphappy idiot somewhere safe to rest and, more importantly, how she could disappear into some shadow and stop being the center of attention along the way.


    -


    The next day, Lon''thul handed out his gifts. Jack couldn''t help but smile, thinking that the hunter really enjoyed his role as the argu''n Saint Nick. Having thought of that, he could even imagine this turning into a new holiday for the village. Maybe it would be called "The midnight run of the Hunted," then eventually shortened to "The Midnight Hunt" generations later. Shouts of "Happy Hunting!" would echo throughout the streets as parents hid treats for the kids to hunt for throughout the house or yard. Finally, it could end with a traditional midnight feast, at the beginning of which would be read the classic tale of Lon''thul''s run, and parents could astonish their children by telling them that Lon''thul had once been a real hunter, just like them.


    Jack smiled at his musings and shook his head. Not likely, but stranger things had happened.


    When Lon''thul handed Jack his "danger eggs", Jack felt a slight disappointment. He was glad to have them and was sure they''d prove invaluable in the hunt to come, but he wished he''d gotten something that gave him the same look of childlike wonder S''haar had as she inspected her new swords. Looking at the weapons bothered Jack, and his wistful smile took on a slight frown as he tried to figure out what it was.


    Angela was bragging about her work. ¡°All good swords have names, and I call these Vulcus and Hephtus.¡±


    Lon''thul showed off his bow to the captive audience of a couple of guards and a hunter when Jack shuffled over to look at the bow. It was fantastic craftsmanship. When Lon''thul handed the bow to Jack so he could look at it closer, Jack''s first thought was of how heavy it was. Not that it was too heavy to hold, but it was far heavier than his little wooden carved bow had been. Pulling on the string a little, Jack realized quickly there was no way he''d ever be able to get a proper draw on this bow, no matter how hard he worked at it.


    That''s when it finally occurred to Jack what was bothering him. Wordlessly, he handed the bow back to Lon''thul, who accepted it while in the middle of his third re-telling of his midnight run. Next, Jack hobbled over to S''haar, who was admiring her new swords, with Sare''en practically worshiping her in the process. As carefully neutral as he could, Jack interrupted the two women. "Mind if I take a look at one of those swords?" S''haar knew Jack far too well not to realize something was wrong but nodded and handed him the smaller sword anyway.


    Jack drew the blade just slightly out of its sheath and inspected it closely. He was no metallurgical expert, but he knew this sword was far superior to the already considerable one at S''haar''s side. The problem was that it was too good.


    Jack slid the sword back into its sheath before hobbling over to the smaller room he and S''haar used as a bedroom. Then, putting a hand to his headset, Jack spoke quietly but urgently to Angela. "Neither the swords nor the bow were made by Tel''ron based on some plan you gave him, were they?"


    Angela''s voice came out a little too innocent in response. "Well, no, he wouldn''t be able to craft anything near that quality anytime soon. But, on the other hand, we were in a time crunch, so I figured..."


    Jack cut her off. "How much energy did you use?"


    His sister brushed aside his concern. "Well, it cost little enough, if it means a better chance of your survival."


    Jack squeezed his eyes shut, pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand, and raised his voice. "How much time do you have left?"


    Angela tried to deflect one more time. "Well, it''s hard to say for sure. There are too many variables..."


    Jack cut her off again, loud enough that conversation in the other room came to a halt. Even those who didn''t understand him realized his tone of voice meant something was wrong. "I''m no longer asking as your brother. I''m ordering you to answer as your captain. How much time does the ship have left, based on predicted power consumption?"


    Angela''s voice sounded pained and defeated, as if she really didn''t want to say. "Roughly a month, give or take a few days."


    Jack was stunned. Whatever he''d been expecting, that wasn''t it. Angela tried to lessen the blow. "But Em''brel is really close to finishing her designs for the windmill! Once we get that up and running, I''ll have a several more months to play with, maybe even enough to get us through another winter!"


    Jack shook his head sadly. "I haven''t been paying enough attention. Everything was going so well everywhere else; I didn''t think things would get this bad, this fast."


    S''haar walked into the room, having overheard most of Jack''s side of the conversation. Jack didn''t even hear her enter. Instead, he stood with his back to the main room as he adopted a strangely unfamiliar stance of resolute authority as he continued. "This is an order. You are to tell Em''brel, Ger''ron, and Fea''en that they have one day to remove anything they need from the ship into one of the boarding houses. You are then to cease any unnecessary functions, except those related to stabilizing your power needs. Once I get back, we''ll look into whatever short- and long-term options we have to deal with this, but until then, you are to preserve your remaining power reserves by any reasonable means."


    Angela had been expecting Jack to be unhappy, though this was further than she''d thought he''d go. But an order was an order, and she couldn''t go against that without consequences. It was a flat, emotionless voice that responded to Jack. "Sir, yes, sir."


    Jack''s shoulders finally slumped. He barely responded when S''haar laid a hand on his shoulder as he spoke one last time. "Angela, I''m sorry..."


    The only reply he got was silence.

 Book 2, Chapter 15

    Angela was incensed! Who did Jack think he was, ordering her about like she was some kind of subordinate? He had no right to treat her that way!


    Well, he technically had the right, as determined by the human/AI treaty. Technically, he was the ship captain, and even though she was the ship, she was considered his subordinate. True, there were avenues available through which she could challenge his rulings and authority, but most of those would involve getting the law or an arbitrator involved, which simply wasn''t available, even if she was willing to go that route, or worse, dissolving their partnership, one way or another.


    She mentally sighed. Besides, it''s not like he was ordering her about in some kind of twisted power trip the way some captains tried to do to their AIs. Jack just wasn''t like that. In fact, this was the first time he''d ever really given her a serious order she''d disagreed with. Instead, they usually talked things out like the siblings they were most of the time. She just wished he''d done so this time.


    Still, she wasn''t willing to forgive him that quickly or easily. Regardless of his intentions, being ordered about like this hurt. She was Jack''s big sister. It was her job to look out for him and always had been. But this...this felt like there was suddenly a wall between them. It left her feeling...raw, as if her wires were exposed to the elements.


    She shook her head as Em''brel came back in for her last load. The younger woman looked at her friend in pity. "So, what will happen to the ship once we''re gone? What''s going to happen to you?"


    Angela sighed again. "Well, for one thing, it''ll actually get a lot warmer in here than it currently is. Believe it or not, I put more energy into shunting heat out of the ship than almost anything else. Running a supercomputer produces a lot of heat, and even if I shut down a lot of unnecessary processes, this place will probably be dangerous for you to be in for more than a dozen minutes at a time. Since Jack doesn''t have the same issues regulating his body heat, he''d be a bit safer, but even he would be extremely uncomfortable for any significant amount of time.


    Angela tilted her head to the side. "It''ll also be completely dark. Not that that''ll make a huge difference to me, but I wouldn''t recommend coming in here without some light source to help you get around."


    Em''brel smiled a little. "Well, that doesn''t sound so bad. I mean, it would be bad for me, but none of that should cause you any issues."


    Angela nodded. "Yeah, what I''m apprehensive about is whether or not everything will start up again once we do have more power to work with. This ship sustained considerable damage when we crashed into this mountain, and while I patched things up as well as I could with the supplies I had on hand, there is a big difference between leaving systems running and stopping then restarting them."


    The AI seemed to shrink in on herself. "The other problem is going to be the isolation. I''m going to stay connected to your headset, but that is a much more limited amount of input than what I can see and feel with the ship. So I''m going to feel...smaller."


    Em''brel raised an eye ridge. "You sure staying connected to the headset is ok?"


    Angela nodded. "Absolutely! Jack said, ''anything reasonable.'' I don''t think completely cutting me off from the outside world and having me go insane in isolation is reasonable! Besides, you getting that windmill up is a large part of stabilizing my power, and you still need my help for that."


    Em''brel smiled and nodded. "I guess you''re right!"


    The girl then seemed to wilt a little. "Besides, without Jack or S''haar here, and me no longer being safe behind your walls, I''m afraid of what my nightmares will turn into..."


    Angela felt a fresh wave of anger toward Jack. She knew she was being unreasonable, especially since Em''brel had explicitly hidden how bad things had gotten for her, but still, how dare Jack carelessly hurt Em''brel?


    Something of her thoughts must have accidentally bled through the avatar''s face because Em''brel quickly switched to a more gentle approach. "But I''m sure I''ll be fine! I can''t stay locked up forever! Ger''ron will be just one room over, if I need anything."


    Angela let her temper cool a little. "I suppose. But if things get unbearable, you let me know, and I''ll have words with Jack!"


    Em''brel smiled at her friend. "Thank you, but I have to move on sooner or later. It''s time I faced my fears. I just might need you to tell me a story to distract me once in a while."


    Angela smiled comfortingly. "Of course. Any time you need me, I''m only a whisper away!"


    Still, it was excruciating to watch Em''brel grab the last bit of cooking supplies, take one last look around the ship, then walk out the door. As the lights went dark and many systems shut off for the first time since the crash, Angela couldn''t help but feel more alone and afraid than she''d ever felt in her life.


    -


    Lon''thul was looking at Jack in surprise. "I thought you''d just shoot the things and be done with it. Why come up with such a complicated plan?"


    Jack shook his head, and Sare''en interpreted. "First of all, the plan is actually quite simple. The complicated parts are all prep work. The execution itself needs to be as simple as possible to reduce the chances of something going wrong and be easily adaptable when it inevitably does."


    The hunter looked nonplussed. "Already planning things going badly?"


    In response, Jack simply tapped on his eyepatch. "Yes, I find it''s best to assume something will go wrong and have plans B, C, D, and E ready to go. Minimum. In an ideal world, I''ll be able to gun them both down as they charge in and call it a day, but I''m assuming I''ll only succeed in pissing them off, then going from there."


    Lon''thul scratched the back of his head. "But what are these extra-large spears going to do? They''re way too unwieldy for anyone to use!"


    S''haar shook her head, clearly exasperated with the hunter''s inability to follow along. "The spikes don''t need to be wielded. We''re planting them in the ground. Far enough apart we can get through them, but close enough together that the wolgen can''t."


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    The hunter shook his head. "I don''t know. You might be underestimating your prey. I don''t think these will hold them at bay, not for long anyway, especially not if they''re ''pissed off.''"


    Jack nodded. "They don''t have to. They are there for two reasons. First, to keep them separated so we can fight them independently of each other. We can more easily capitalize on our greater numbers if they can''t guard each other''s backs while fighting. Second, you can buy yourself a little time and distance by running through them in a pinch. Ideally, we''d have pits filled with spikes to make quicker work of them, especially as massive as they are, but I think having ourselves trapped in the confining holes while we dug would just be asking for them to show up at the wrong time and end our endeavor before it ever began."


    Lon''thul nodded sadly. "Yeah, with their sense of hearing, you''d be asking for visitors right quick."


    Jack sat back and sighed. "Which could also be a problem while setting up the spikes, but at least it won''t take as long to set up and will be easier to retreat from if it comes to that."


    The guard captain frowned. "Alright, I understand all that, but what do you need all this pitch for?"


    Jack grinned, looking almost like an argu''n as he did so. "Oh, that''s the best part. Let me tell you about the second phase of my plan..."


    As she interpreted, Sare''en couldn''t help but find it hard to believe that the kind and gentle Jack she''d come to know and this brilliant yet twisted monster were one and the same. Of course, she knew all about Jack''s one-man war back when he''d saved Em''brel from the raiders, but it was something else to actually hear him describe his plans in greater detail. This was a mind capable of great and terrible things. Sare''en now understood why someone as strong as S''haar was always the first to listen when Jack spoke.


    -


    Over the next day, everyone did as much prep work as possible while still safe behind the village walls. They had a large pile of sharpened stakes ranging from three inches in diameter to nearly half a foot thick by dawn. There was also a sizable collection of fragile jars filled with pitch. Jack checked and rechecked his gear while everyone worked. Then, when everything else seemed to be in order, he activated his headset. "Angela, you there?"


    The voice that came back over the radio was clearly not happy. Jack would have almost called it petulant. "What, did you expect me to sulk and hide while you were in mortal peril? Or were you going to say that keeping an eye out for all of you while you did something so monumentally dangerous consumed too much energy?"


    Jack felt guilty about what he''d done, but he had to bite his tongue to keep from lashing out this time. Pinching the bridge of his nose, as was quickly becoming a habit, he tried to remind himself how hard this must be on his sister. Her reaction was probably derived more out of fear and anxiety than actual anger. After reminding himself he''d done similar things to her in the past, he finally responded. "No, I wouldn''t say or think either of those things. But, listen, we''ll talk about this more later. I''m sure we both have a lot on our minds and things that need to be said, but for now, I need my sister to be our eyes in the sky. If everyone gets out of this alive, we can talk more, ok?"


    Angela couldn''t resist getting one last dig in. "As long as it''s your sister you need and not your subordinate!"


    Jack closed his eyes and silently sighed. "Yes, I need my big sister watching my back. Watching all our backs. So let''s call a truce for now, ok?"


    Angela sighed as well. Jack couldn''t help but smile at the sound since he was well aware she didn''t have to breathe, and she was obviously doing it to be dramatic. "Way to pull the big sis guilt card. Alright, truce. But just so we''re clear, I haven''t forgiven you yet, and this isn''t over. You owe me better than this!"


    Jack nodded his smile, a little sadder this time. "Yeah, I do. And I intend to pay my debt, but first, we''ve got a village to save."


    Temporarily mollified, Angela changed her tone to all business for the time being. "Alright, you seem to be as prepared as you can get inside the walls, and I can''t get a reading on any large predators in your immediate vicinity, so either they''re in a cave or far enough away to not be an issue."


    Jack walked over to S''haar, who was activating her own headset after completing her gear inspection. "For the record, I''m not taking sides in this dispute, but I want to thank you for the swords. After practicing with them for a while yesterday, it''s like they were crafted specifically for my hands. They might just mean the difference between life and death, so thank you."


    Angela couldn''t help but sound a little smug. "Well, they were crafted specifically for your hands. I''ve got a ton of detailed footage of how you move your hands and weapons as you fight, and I weighted the blades and shaped the handles to compliment your style. It''s a subtle difference, really; I doubt anyone but yourself would even notice anything was different about them, but I hope it helps!"


    Jack allowed his sister her moment before turning to S''haar. "Angela says there''s no sign of wolgen now, so now is as good a time as any to get going."


    Sare''en stood close but off to the side, practically bursting at the seams, wanting to speak but not daring to. Finally, Lon''thul slapped her on the back in a manner he probably thought was gentle before verbally prodding her. "C''mon, out with it!"


    Before she had time to think or react, the girl blurted out what was on her mind. "I don''t have to go out there with you all, do I?"


    Immediately her eyes grew wide, and she covered her mouth before rapidly trying to explain. "ImeanIwouldn''tbemuchhelp, Ican''tevenholdaspearproperly, I..."


    She only grew quiet when Lon''thul''s laughter drowned out her words. Once she grew silent, he winked at her. "Relax, I doubt S''haar would have let you come, even if you wanted to!"


    He softened his tone, realizing that what he said could be belittling. "Listen, even if everything goes perfectly, and we come back completely unscathed, we''ll all be exhausted and hungry. Someone needs to keep an eye on our stuff, keep the house nice and warm, and be ready to cook a feast at a moment''s notice. Not everyone has to wield a blade or a spear. So do what you came here to do, and we''ll do the same. Sound good?" He winked at her at the end.


    Calming down, Sare''en nodded. "Ummm, yeah, I can do that..."


    S''haar laid a hand on the girl''s shoulders in an uncommonly gentle manner. Jack couldn''t help but notice she was even more gentle with Sare''en than with himself most days, though he couldn¡¯t entirely blame her.


    When Sare''en looked up, S''haar smiled. "There''s no shame in picking your fights. This one isn''t yours."


    Sare''en nodded and walked back inside the house. She didn''t look thrilled with the way things turned out. Jack was familiar with choices that seemed to have no "right answer," but he knew this was probably best for everyone.


    S''haar nodded before turning around and shouting at everyone gathered who was part of the plan. Almost everyone in their small group was headed out except Sare''en, and there was also a collection of workers and guards from the village who were still in good enough condition to volunteer. "Workers, remember, you aren''t here to fight! If the wolgen show up, you run. If you try anything else, you''re not just endangering yourself, you''re endangering the guards who are already risking their lives tonight. Guards, if the wolgen show up early, your first job is to slow them down long enough for the workers to get away. Your second job is to keep yourselves alive. You all know the plan. Now before we leave, are they any questions?"


    There was definitely some mumbling from the crowd, but it soon died down as everyone turned to S''haar expectantly. She took a breath. "Hopefully, this will be a long day for all of us, so pace yourself and trust each other. Then, maybe, we''ll all get to go home when this is over."


    With that, the workers began pulling piles of stakes with leather harnesses similar to the one Jack had designed last winter. The guards, needing to stay fresh in case things didn''t go well, carried the jars. The hunters scouted in front of the group, led by Lon''thul, who''d been given Sare''en''s headset to stay in touch with Angela. Walking safely in the middle, for now, were Jack and S''haar.

 Book 2, Chapter 16

    The moment they set foot outside the village, Jack half expected the wolgen to come leaping out of the underbrush and tear into them before the plan could get underway. Of course, he knew that was unlikely, given that Angela was actively scanning the area, but these things had everyone else so spooked that it was hard not to be extra paranoid.


    Thankfully, the first part of the plan seemed to be working perfectly. Jack, S''haar, and the guards kept an eye on the workers, who were busy preparing the area for the fight. The stakes were formed into two arenas, meant to separate and isolate the wolgen long enough to hopefully finish the job, or at least seriously injure the beasts.


    As massive as the wolgen were, Jack didn''t think the arenas would hold them long, but they didn''t have to. If they were held in place long enough to pull off the first part of the plan, anything else would just be a bonus.


    What Jack didn''t like was S''haar''s part in the plan. He''d initially objected to it, but she was right that this was the best chance for the least number of casualties, and she was the only one who stood a chance at pulling it off. Also, there was the fact that S''haar was in charge, and even if she hadn''t been, he had to respect that this was her life, and she had to choose how she was going to live it.


    Jack tilted his head to the side as he considered the similarities between that line of reasoning and the current problems between his sister and himself. He shook his head. This wasn''t the time to get lost in thought, regardless of how important and impactful those thoughts might be.


    Nala''ac stirred beside Jack, drawn out of his quiet watchfulness by the sudden movement. Jack grinned halfheartedly. "Sorry about that. Trying to keep my mind from wandering."


    Jack knew the older hunter couldn''t understand him, but he seemed to consider his words nonetheless. He turned his attention back to the forest before speaking. "The quiet moments before the hunt are the longest, so it''s important to keep the focus on the present."


    Jack didn''t know if it was purely coincidental that the older man''s response was so on topic, or if he was just familiar enough with similar situations to have guessed what Jack was thinking. Either way, the human was kind of impressed.


    Since S''haar''s job required her to be in such a precarious situation, and Lon''thul was out patrolling the site with the other hunters to provide some redundant eyes and ears on top of Anglea''s, the older hunter had been assigned to act as Jack''s guard and keep him from getting into more trouble than he could handle. They were currently sitting in a tree on the southern edge of the clearing, from which there was good line of sight of everything going on below them.


    Jack was just starting to wonder if they shouldn''t have gone with his initial idea of digging pits when Angela spoke up. "I''m getting movement off to the north. I think our guests heard all the commotion and are on their way to check it out."


    Evidently, she''d said the same thing to both S''haar and Lon''thul because the former started shouting that it was time for the workers to get back to the village, while the latter responded over the headsets. "Good timing. I was already on my way with the churlish I''d found. I should be there in just a few minutes."


    The last of the workers were being escorted back to the village by a couple of guards when the hunter showed up dragging his kill. He placed it in one of the arenas and started draining the blood, which he passed to the other hunters. The hunters spread small amounts of the blood around to muddle the scents of so many argu''n and laid an obvious trail leading to the carcass.


    While this was happening, S''haar retrieved Jack and brought him over to the carcass, where he began inserting the explosives and double-checked which detonators they were linked to. With a lot of luck, at least half of this prep work would be for nothing.


    Angela''s voice was urgent. "Hurry up! They''re getting close!"


    His job done, Jack backed away from his work and was quickly picked up by S''haar, who ran him back to the tree where Nala''ac was waiting. It was humiliating being carried like that, but even with his injections, he couldn''t move as quickly as the situation demanded, so he metaphorically bit his tongue and kept his shame to himself.


    At the treeline, S''haar shifted Jack to her back and leapt up, then climbed to the branch where the older hunter waited to ease Jack safely back onto the branch. She leaned down and kissed Jack quickly before giving him a stern glare. "Stay high, and stay safe. Leave the crazy parts to us, for a change!"


    Jack returned an equally stern glare. "Alright, but remember, keep yourself alive. You''re just buying time. You don''t have to go for the kill!"


    S''haar nodded and looked like she wanted to say something else. But, instead, she climbed down from the tree slower and more quietly than she''d climbed it and waited.


    Jack knew there were almost a dozen argu''n nearby in and around the trees on the south end of the clearing, but at the moment, he couldn''t see any of them, and he suddenly felt very alone, despite Nala''ac''s presence at his side.


    Time seemed to drag as they waited, one moment slipping into the next in agonizing slowness as Jack waited for movement from the north. He started to wonder if something had gone wrong when he heard them.


    There was some slight rustling in the brush, then they appeared. As the first head came through, Jack couldn''t help but think that S''haar had understated how scary these things were. The first thing that drew his attention was the teeth. It was hard to tell at this distance, but it looked like most of the teeth were longer than his hand, with two more prominent fangs, nearly the size of his forearms, jutting from their lower jaw. They also had four eyes, two to each side, that seemed to move independently of each other, almost like a chameleon''s.


    It was sniffing around the clearing before focusing its attention in the direction of the churlish. Just as Lonthul had predicted, even a predator as large and powerful as this one wasn''t above getting itself a quick, easy meal. It had two rows of spikes on its back, making attempts to get on top of the beast precarious at best. It was also covered in thick, matted fur everywhere except its face.


    As the thing eased into the clearing, the wolgen occasionally stood on its hind legs, using its tail for balance, giving Jack a terrifying look at its front claws, which were half again longer than its fangs. It sniffed high and low, trying to understand what had happened in this part of its territory. Jack hoped the blood the hunters had spread around was doing its job. Even if the wolgen were willing to pick off small groups of argu''n, they were hesitant to approach large groups like villages.


    Evidently, it couldn''t sense too many threats because it continued forward, the second wolgen appearing from the brush a moment later, following its mate. The last thing to clear the forest was its tail, which swished with every step. At the end of the tail was a large blade like spike. Based on the tail''s rapidly powerful movements, it could probably hit as hard, if not harder, than the thing''s claws.


    Looking at the monster, Jack knew that his rifle would probably not be sufficient to finish the thing quickly, though he hoped it would hurt it enough to slow it down long enough for the others to do their jobs. Nala''ac held onto the rifle while Jack kept the two detonators at the ready. He checked one last time to make sure he knew which was which before settling in and waiting.


    The two beasts approached the first arena slowly, sniffing the spikes splattered with churlish blood for a moment before focusing on their prize. The first continued forward, while the second raised itself on its hind legs to look around its environment again.


    Jack eased off the safety and the protective covers over the buttons as he waited tensely for the wolgen to get closer to its prize. He cursed silently as the second wolgen entered the same arena, but they''d planned for that. It just meant that Lon''thul was going to have a job to do.


    The beast was right in front of the carcass now, and Jack could feel his hand sweating as he silently urged the monster to just take a huge bite. But, apparently unwilling to oblige his silent commands, the wolgen sniffed the churlish carefully for several agonizingly long seconds before it froze and rapidly pulled its head back.


    Jack cursed and hit the first button. Maybe it smelled the grenades, or something else had spooked it, but there would be no quick or easy kill today. When the charges went off, it flung viscera and shrapnel into the monster''s face, temporarily blinding it and causing it to rear up onto its hind legs.


    Lon''thul ran across the field into the second arena as soon as it happened. The movement drew the attention of the second wolgen, but it seemed unwilling to leave its distressed partner''s side. Instead, it stood on its hind legs, presenting a threatening display to scare off this new potential threat.


    The hunter stopped, then drew his bow and launched an arrow solidly into the exposed underside of the beast. With a deafening roar, the beast dropped to the ground hard enough that Jack could swear he could feel it up his tree, then charged the hunter.


    Lon''thul turned and ran for everything he was worth, but the beast gained ground fast. Thankfully, the hunter didn''t have nearly as far to run and cleared the first of the stakes just as the wolgen made it into the second arena. The first wolgen had cleared its face and turned to follow the second when Jack hit the second button.


    Two loud explosions sounded as logs soaked in pitch tumbled across the entrances of both arenas, then a hiss sounded as a delayed set of incendiary devices went off, setting the logs ablaze.


    That was the signal the rest had been waiting for. All the hunters and guards present charged into the arena with Lon''thul''s target, while S''haar ran alone into the second.


    -


    Lon''thul reached the safety of the stakes just in time. The wolgen behind him took a swipe, knocking over three stakes close enough to the hunter he could feel the vibrations of them hitting the ground.


    Rather than run directly away from his opponent, Lon''thul shifted his momentum to run through the wood maze, forcing the monster to turn awkwardly in place rather than continue tearing through the arena. He could sense, rather than see, a second swipe coming at him from behind and leapt forward, feeling the breeze of the claws passage through where he''d just been a second ago.


    However, his movement placed him well within the range of another danger as the wolgen''s tail now lashed forward. Hoping the beast had less control of the tail than its claws, Lon''thul dropped to the ground, one again coming within inches of death or dismemberment. He knew he couldn''t keep this up for long, but he also knew he didn''t have to.


    Sure enough, he could hear the first jar shattering against the beast as his fellow hunters came within range. He scrambled to his feet, looking for where the next attack was coming from, as he heard more jars shattering against the monster.


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    He started to grin when he noticed he was standing right in front of the wolgen, looking the monster in the eyes. The wolgen''s muscles began to contract, and Lon''thul''s mind raced furiously, trying to decide where to dive, but as the claws raced forward, the hunter couldn''t find any path to safety. Finally, no better option presenting itself, the hunter leapt forward, aiming directly under the beast''s head, even though he knew he''d never make it in time.


    Just when the claws were about to connect, a loud crack rang out from the southern edge of the clearing, and the beast flinched. It slowed the attack down enough that Lon''thul was only grazed along the side. He was alive, but his side felt like it was on fire, and he was now lying on his back, directly under the mouth of a very large, very angry predator.


    -


    S''haar was already regretting her decision. She knew their best chance lay in killing one of the monsters as quickly as possible, so they could then focus on the second at a more leisurely pace. Of course, to do that, they needed to focus as many people as possible on one while someone kept the second busy, but this was clearly more beast than she could handle.


    The thing swiped at her with its left claw, which S''haar ducked under, followed by a second swipe from its right. Not having the time to dodge a second time, S''haar blocked with both swords. The upside was that the blades prevented her from being eviscerated. The downside was that she was flung bodily across the arena. Now she was in danger of being impaled on the very stakes keeping the beast caged.


    Not having the time to think, S''haar dropped her swords to use her arms to leverage herself away from the tip of the stake at the last second. Unfortunately, her impact was still hard and knocked the wind out of her. Struggling to catch her breath, hand braced against her side, S''haar stood staring death in the face.


    A voice called out in her head. "Dodge, right!"


    Not having many options, S''haar dove to the right at the same time a loud crack rang out over the field. There was a deafening roar, and the beast reared to its full height on its hind legs, clawing at its face. Seeing her swords laying on the ground under the beast, S''haar dove again, grabbing her swords and slamming the ground with her elbow to turn herself over to get a slash in as she passed.


    The matted fur absorbed most of the impact, but she could tell she''d done some damage. Even if it was only enough to cause a little pain, maybe that would slow the monster down.


    Angela was speaking even more rapidly than usual. "Ok, Jack didn''t quite take out its eye, but he definitely grazed along the top of it. Between the blood obscuring its vision and some shrapnel damage from earlier, it has less than half the visual acuity on the left side as on the right. Um, left from your perspective, that is."


    A few more loud cracks rang out, but when her monster didn''t react, S''haar assumed Jack was helping out the other group again. Still, he might have bought her the time and distraction she needed. Taking advantage of the beast''s hesitation, S''haar charged back in.


    -


    Lon''thul realized that he had to move quickly when he heard a second shot, and the monster over top of him didn''t move. Instead, he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a pair of fangs that looked a lot larger this close up, and latched onto the creature''s foot as it readied to swipe him. The monster flicked its foot in frustration, breaking Lon''thul''s grip and flinging the hunter away.


    Luckily, a couple of guards were there to catch him and keep him from getting impaled on the spike wall.


    Two other guards ran forward, holding torches lit from the fire at the entrance. One was quickly batted away by the tail but fortunately seemed to take the brunt of the hit from the meat of the tail, instead of the spike at its end.


    The second guard jabbed his torch into the soaked hide of the beast. As the flames shot up, the beast screamed. The sound tore at the ears of everyone within range, sending them to their knees as they covered their ears, attempting to shut the scream out.


    It was so painful that the guard who''d scored the hit was slow to retreat. The beast flailed its tail in agony, and Lon''thul could do nothing as it sped toward the unaware guard still on his knees.


    -


    Both Nala''ac and Angela were calling out whoever seemed to be in most trouble at the moment, forcing Jack to switch back and forth between targets as the current need demanded. It was galling for him to be so far away and safe, while everyone else was risking themselves, but he also realized this was more effective than anything else he could do at this time.


    Jack knew he was doing real damage with the rifle. He didn''t try for headshots with how fast the things were whipping around, but he put another couple of holes into the side of Lon''thul''s target just in time to make the beast flinch again and buy the hunter enough time to get in and drag the guard who''d lit the thing on fire to safety. Unfortunately, his earlier prediction proved accurate, and it wasn''t enough to put the monsters down. At least not quickly enough for their needs.


    The fur on the one to Jack''s right was now either on fire or wet and matted, preventing it from offering the same protection as before. The guards and hunters took advantage of the fact by tearing into it with spear and sword before retreating away again. It wouldn''t last much longer.


    Nala''ac spoke quickly and annoying calmly as usual. "S''haar is backed into a corner again."


    Jack unfocused from his scope long enough to switch targets, took aim, and fired a couple more shots into his new target.


    -


    Lon''thul could see the wolgen was visibly slowing. All of its injuries were starting to add up, and even if they backed out now, it would probably die soon. But that also meant this was when the monster was at its most dangerous, and he needed to put it down before it could make things worse.


    Letting the guards and hunters distract the thing, Lon''thul drew the bow to its full extension and took aim at the creature''s head. From his practice back at the Outpost, he knew that he could only hold the bow at full draw for a handful of seconds before his aim wavered.


    As the wolgen''s head came down, the hunter looked it directly in the eye, and everything else faded from existence for a moment. There was only the hunter and the beast. Lon''thul released his hold, and the arrow flew.


    Right away, the hunter realized something had gone wrong. Either he''d held the draw too long, and his arm had shaken, or not long enough, and the wolgen''s head wasn''t in the proper position. Either way, the arrow struck the beast just a little too high and grazed along its skull rather than punching through it.


    With a roar of hatred and defiance, the wolgen charged the hunter.


    Lon''thul scrambled out of the way just in time, but the monster barreled into, then through, the stakes that had held it ensorcelled. Worse, in its blind charge, it continued forward, busting a hole into the second arena.


    -


    When her target lunged for S''haar again, she ducked under the first swipe, then leapt above the next, getting a quick slash at the nose of the wolgen. Her sword didn''t bite deep, but it was enough to make the monster pull back and hesitate. S''haar briefly leaned against the stake at her side, attempting to use the seconds she''d bought herself to catch her breath.


    Then she felt the ground rumble, and Angela shouted into her ear. "Dodge left now!"


    S''haar didn''t hesitate and leapt to her left. In doing so, she avoided being trampled from behind, but with a fling of its head, the second wolgen still struck her hard and sent her flying bodily aside. She crashed headlong into the first wolgen, who batted her aside and into the stake wall. As the warrior woman tried to climb to her feet, her legs screamed in agony. Looking down, she could see several large splinters of wood embedded in her leg around her plates, and several long claw marks scoring her side armor, through which blood was now slowly leaking.


    Holding onto the stake beside her to maintain her footing, S''haar stared at the approaching wolgen with all the anger and hatred she could muster.


    -


    Lon''thul climbed to his feet to see the retreating wolgen crash into the stake wall and send S''haar flying. Its hide still smoldered in places, and it had a number of spears, swords, and even broken stakes sticking out from it. Then, finally, it shuddered and crashed to the ground, its injuries overwhelming it just a little too late.


    As Lon''thul charged forward, he could see S''haar get shakily to her feet, and he knew that she wouldn''t be able to dodge another attack. As the wolgen began to close the distance with her, Lon''thul reached for his arrows. Unfortunately, most of them had spilled to the ground somewhere in all the confusion, and he only had two arrows remaining.


    Grabbing one, he fired a quick shot into the beast''s side, hoping to distract it from its prize. Unfortunately, the arrow was one of the ones designed to penetrate bone armor, and the fur on the beast''s side tangled with the arrow, keeping it from penetrating deep enough to cause real damage. The wolgen shuddered, as though bitten by a particularly annoying insect, before continuing forward.


    Drawing his last arrow, Lon''thul saw that it too was designed for bone armor. Not having a choice, he nocked it anyway. He could hear other guards and hunters approaching behind him, but they''d never arrive in time. This time he took careful aim. Once again, the world narrowed down to the hunter and his target, and he loosed the arrow.


    -


    S''haar held her sword in front of herself feebly, as though it could ward off the approaching monster. With the other monster down, she hoped she''d be the only death this day. She also hoped Jack could forgive her for her failure.


    That was when the beast roared impossibly loud, rearing to its hind feet and sending S''haar back to her knees. Then, looking up with her hands covering her ears and tears in her eyes, S''haar could see it clawing at where its front right eye had been.


    As the wolgen dropped to the ground, the monster turned away from S''haar and its attention focused solely on the hunter standing off to the side. Then, without hesitation, it charged the new threat in front of it.


    -


    Jack fired the last shot into the side of the charging beast and began reloading as quickly as he could. At his side, Nala''ac spoke up. "Those weapons of yours, you pull the ring out, and they''re ready to explode?"


    Jack was only half paying attention as he grabbed a new magazine and started sliding it home. "Yeah, but as you saw, they don''t do nearly enough damage to their hide. We''d be endangering our friends more than hurting the wolgen."


    As he took aim, Jack felt a light tugging at his belt. He lowered the gun to see the older hunter holding two explosives in his hand with a sad grin. "I''ll assume that''s a yes. Well then, we''d best make sure the wolgen eats them this time, huh?"


    With that, the hunter leapt down from the tree before Jack could shout at him and ran toward the wolgen.


    -


    If Nala''ac had known there were wolgen in these forests, he would have never volunteered for this mission. Hunting beasts like this was for the young, the proud, and the stupid. He knew he was no longer the first two and hoped he wasn''t the third.


    And yet, here he was, running to his death. That young idiot Lon''thul dropped his bow and grabbed a spear to brace for the charge coming his way. As good a hunter as the boy was, he should have known better than to do something as stupid as that.


    Nala''ac shouted as he ran. "Get out of the way, you fool!"


    Lon''thul looked up in surprise, hesitating before dropping the spear and lunging to the side. The wolgen turned its head to the side, nipping at the young hunter as he dove, missing by inches.


    Nala''ac popped the pins out of the devices he''d taken from Lord Jack and shifted them to his right hand. Then, leaping toward the wolgen''s blind side, he gripped the monster''s right tusk with his left hand and flung himself around, shoving his right hand into the wolgen''s mouth and releasing the weapons he''d held.


    Unfortunately, he was unable to draw his hand out again before the monster clamped down, not entirely severing his arm in the process. The beast flung him to the ground and began clawing his chest to pieces, forcing the old hunter to scream in pain.


    As his vision faded to black, he spared the last bit of will to turn his scream into a shout. "PUSH THE BUTTON, YOU IDIOT!"


    -


    Realizing what the old hunter had in mind, Jack tried shouting at him to come back. When that didn''t work, he leaned the rifle against the tree and started furiously digging through the pack he''d brought with him. Finally, he found the last detonator in time to see the old hunter get flung to the ground.


    Looking at the detonator and back to the hunter, Jack switched off the safety, popped the top off, then hesitated before pushing the button. He could see the old man getting mauled and knew there was nothing that could save him now, but still, in his mind, if he pushed that button, he''d be killing the old man.


    Then he heard the hunter''s death scream and the following shout. "PUSH THE BUTTON, YOU IDIOT!"


    Jack closed his eyes, silenced the arguments swirling around his mind, took a breath to quiet his thundering heart, and pushed the button.

 Book 2, Chapter 17

    Em''brel stabbed at her practice dummy. Her form was sloppy, and her attacks were all over the place. It was apparent she wasn''t focusing. Ger''ron wasn''t about to scold her, though. He''d step in if it looked like she was about to hurt herself or someone else. Until then, it was probably best to sit back and let the girl work out her frustrations...again. Maybe, if she really tired herself out, she''d sleep through the night, and the old guard wouldn''t have to debate between giving the girl her privacy or going and checking to see what was troubling her so much. He didn''t know how many times he could throw himself a surprise midnight feast to invite Em''brel to before she got suspicious about where this sudden habit came from.


    Currently, she was shouting at the dummy while she stabbed it. "And that''s what I''ll do to you if you get yourself killed! And THAT''S what I''m going to do to you if you get everyone killed! And THAT''S..." Ger''ron couldn''t help but wince as the girl landed the third consecutive perfectly aimed groin shot. He didn''t know if he really wanted to know who she imagined on the other end of that spear, but he could hazard a couple guesses.


    Suddenly, the girl froze, and her hands shot to her headset as she listened intently for a moment. Then she launched herself into the air, jumping higher than she ever managed in training, as she screeched out a wordless howl of triumph. The guard grinned. It was good news, then.


    A moment later, she was on the ground, and her radiant expression of glee turned to one of shame and regret. She turned to Ger''ron, clearly torn emotionally as she explained. "Nala''ac didn''t make it..."


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    The majority of the guards and hunters were celebrating. This was the most successful wolgen hunt any of them had even heard of. Most of them went into this hunt assuming they''d never return home, and to end the hunt of a mated pair with only one casualty was nearly miraculous.


    As the master of the hunt, S''haar was tasked with dividing up the spoils. As she limped her way over to the corpses, she decreed that the meat of both beasts would go to the village. The skin and head of the badly burned and maimed beast would go to Dragon''s Outpost, and the unheard of pristine head and skin of the second wolgen would be presented to Nala''ac''s family, in payment of everyone''s debt to the old hunter. The price such a thing could fetch would let them live in relative comfort for the rest of their lives, or they could keep it as a status symbol that would put them on par with minor nobility. Everyone agreed that this was more than a generous division of spoils, since the Dragon''s Outpost could have easily demanded a more significant share of the bounty if they''d chosen.


    Then everyone split up. The most wounded were carried back to camp, except S''haar, who stubbornly refused to leave until Jack could join them. Too wounded to go and get him, she grabbed Lon''thul instead, who was surprisingly chipper despite having his own semi-serious injury. "Go get my human down safely, if you would."


    As Lon''thul stood up with his characteristic goofy grin on his face, she grabbed his arm one more time. "Oh, and if you drop him? You''ll wish the wolgen had finished you!"


    Lon''thul just grinned even wider and gave her a ''thumbs up,'' one of his new favorite human mannerisms. "No worries! He''ll get down safe and sound! Trust me!"


    S''haar merely glared at him a moment longer before nodding and releasing him. As the hunter turned to climb the tree, Angela spoke up over the headset. "You know, that idiot brother of mine is sitting up there blaming himself for Nala''ac''s death right now."


    Lon''thul looked thoughtful. "Did he tell you that?"


    The AI sighed. "No, but he''s being quiet and waiting patiently to be helped down. Trust me, I know him well enough to know when he''s brooding."


    The hunter looked uncharacteristically serious a moment before the grin returned. "Well then, I''d better have a quick word with him!" With that, the hunter scaled the tree with surprising ease for someone sporting several recent and large gashes on the plates around his torso.


    Once he was up top, the hunter grinned at the human, who was definitely looking morose about something. "How''s it going, Jack?"


    The human looked up and started to speak, who shook his head. "Nope, after the day we all just had I¡¯m going to speak first, and you¡¯ll just listen for once! Got it?."


    Jack looked like he was going to say something, but Lon¡¯thul beat him to the punch again. "So I guess you''ll just have to shut up and listen to me for a change!"


    The hunter crouched down and sat languidly on the branch. "So, first of all, you did it again. Well, both you and S''haar." The hunter nodded at the woman staring up at them. "This was by far the single most successful wolgen hunt I''ve ever heard of."


    Jack started to speak, but the hunter cut him off by pointing to his ears. "You don''t catch on very quick, do you? Shut up! I''m talking." He grinned to soften the blow but continued. "And today, the best man of the hunt, the hero of the hunt, is Nala''ac! And as the master hunter of Dragon''s Outpost, it''s my job to make sure he gets the recognition he deserves, so I won''t sit back and let you steal his credit!"


    Jack was clearly shocked into silence by the accusation. Lon''thul took advantage of that to continue. "I know that grumpy old hunter better than any of you. He taught me more than one hunting trick over the years! So I know better than anyone that you didn''t force him to do a single damn thing. He grabbed those weapons, charged headlong into the face of death, and he made death flinch."


    The young hunter was clearly working up to something, and Jack''s attempts at protest were falling on deaf ears. "Your woman, myself, and who knows how many others should be dead today, but we''re alive due to a good plan, lots of hard work, and the bravery of one grumpy old hunter. If you try and claim partial responsibility for his death, you are also claiming partial responsibility for his actions, and I can''t sit back and let that happen."


    The hunter once again eased his scolding with a grin. "Celebrate him! Honor him! Pay your respects to his family! But don''t try and take his credit or his blame, or else you and I will have words, and S''haar won''t be able to save you!"


    At the mention of Nala''ac''s family, Jack clearly was getting ready to say something else, but the hunter cut him off again. "And don''t worry about his family! After this hunt, and the stories I''m going to tell, the wealth and prestige they''ll enjoy will be more than most families will ever know. We take care of our heroes and their families. How else could you talk a young idiot like me into being one? On top of that, I myself will be contributing a portion of all my hunts to the family for the rest of their lives. Since I''d be dead if not for him, it''s the least I could do!"


    The hunter winked at Jack. "And don''t feel all sorry for his widow either. She wouldn''t thank you if you did! She loved a grumpy old man who was headstrong and brave, and she''s no delicate flower either! If you really want to do right by her, then next time you''re in the village, you and S''haar should join me in having dinner with her. Speak to her, tell her what happened. Let her see her husband one last time through the eyes of someone who saw him at his best!"


    The hunter half stood and reached out a hand to Jack. "Well, I suppose I''ve rambled long enough. Let''s get you back on the ground before S''haar does something stupid like try and climb this tree while she''s as badly hurt as she is!"


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Looking down at S''haar, who was currently staring at the tree, it was apparent that was precisely what she was considering. Jack shook his head and stretched his face into his best imitation of Lon''thul''s usual grin before accepting some much-needed assistance getting out of the tree they were in.


    The smaller man muttered one last thing as they were descending. "When the young, goofy, carefree hunter go and became all mature and wise."


    Lon''thul grinned to himself for a moment before responding. "Oh, I wouldn''t go that far! Wise? Maybe. Mature? Never!"


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    He''d been at this Outpost for quite some time now. The food was good, and the lodgings were better, but the people were weak. True, some of them had power, but rather than use it to accumulate more of the same, they used it to hide and shelter the weak from the world. In doing so, the very foundation of everything they built here was rotting from within with that same weakness.


    Worse, the weaknesses of this place were reaching out into the world around them. Even now, the rumors spread that their leaders were out saving another weak village from itself, allowing it to fester and rot a little longer.


    He was here to prune one such tendril before it could reach out and rot his own village once again. However, his target was always unapproachable, hiding deep in inaccessible caves or behind those stronger than herself. He''d been ready to give up and leave in shame, his task unfinished, but then something changed. His target was no longer hidden deep in the caves. She was living out here amongst the rest of the weak and frail members of this Outpost. It was only a matter of time before the opportunity he''d been waiting for presented itself.


    He''d thought one such opportunity was upon him earlier today when she''d been so focused on her training dummy that she''d been utterly oblivious to the rest of the world, but the old guard had been at her side, keeping one eye on her, and the other on everything else. For such an old washed-up guard who was notorious for being lazy back in his own village, he had oddly sharp eyes that were quick to latch onto anything out of place.


    For the moment, he retreated. It didn''t matter though. Sooner or later, they''d grow careless. He just had to wait for the right moment to strike.


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    When they finally returned to the village, the hunting party was met with an air of hope and cheer. It wasn''t quite the full-blown celebration Jack had been hoping for. These people had gone too long with too little food and supplies. However, what once looked like a ghost town finally had the spark of life as the villagers prepared to go clean and prepare the meat of the beasts for hauling and storage. There would be a feast tonight, and the people would eat well as they finally went about bringing their village back from the brink of desolation.


    For once, it was S''haar being dragged on a sled while Jack walked alongside. The two relatively unscathed village guards pulled the sled while Lon''thul walked with only a slight limp, asking everyone for their various perspectives of the hunt.


    They finally came to a stop at their temporary house. As they approached, Sare''en had her nose poking out of the doorway and spotted them, and she came running as soon as S''haar clearly came into view. She was fussing and fawning over her hero, who was trying to shoo the younger woman away, to little avail. Jack watched the whole thing with a self-satisfied smirk, enjoying being the one who got to walk under his own power for once.


    Once in their home, it was quickly revealed that Sare''en and Em''brel certainly had a few things in common, in that she had prepared quite the feast in anticipation of their return. Most everything was served cold, with the few things that needed warming being quick to heat, so she could serve everything with minimal preparation time.


    Everyone ate their fill while Jack saw to their medical needs. The worst off was S''haar, but luckily most of the damage seemed to be on the surface, though she might also have a cracked rib or two and had a few nasty holes in her leg. Still, it wasn''t anything that couldn''t heal given a little time and care. Unfortunately, she might have to ride back this time around.


    As he was inspecting the claw marks marring the side of her chest plate, he frowned. "So, obviously, the skin and muscle will heal, but will the plate ever grow back?"


    S''haar shook her head, wincing subtly enough that only Jack probably noticed. "No, though marks like this, earned due to a wolgen hunt, are often worn with pride. There aren''t many who can claim to have gotten so close to a live beast and lived to tell the tale. I imagine Lon''thul''s prestige and my own will increase notably with these scars."


    Jack nodded. "Still, I wonder if there''s something we can do to reinforce the structural integrity of your plate in these grooves. Something like a filling for teeth..."


    S''haar raised an eye ridge but didn''t add anything in response. Jack was thinking aloud, or maybe even speaking to Angela, but if his sister responded, she couldn''t hear.


    All speculation was interrupted by a noticeable clamor outside. Not long after that, one of the guards rushed inside, followed closely by the village leader and a few others. He seemed confused about what to do, given that he was supposed to keep intruders out unless they had permission to enter, but these were obviously the authorities in the village. Finally, he seemed to decide that announcing their ''guests'' was the best compromise he could think of. "The Village Lord to see you, Lady S''haar, Lord Jack."


    S''haar nodded her acknowledgement to the guard, who stepped back and stood at ease, then turned her attention to Lord Sal''zar. "Welcome. I''d invite you to eat with us, but our meal is more or less down to scraps at this point. Also, I hope you''ll forgive me for not standing, but..."


    The village leader shook his head and waved away her concerns as he crouched by the fire, immediately making the room''s atmosphere less formal, much to the consternation of his hangers-on. "I won''t demand formalities from the village''s saviors when I barge in unannounced...or rather, nearly unannounced." He nodded his head toward the guard standing behind him with a grin.


    Turning his attention back to S''haar, his expression grew somber once more. "This is where I''d like to heap rewards on your shoulders to express our gratitude for what you''ve done. However, the simple truth is that even though we now have a chance to rebuild, currently, we have little to spare. That which we won''t need for our immediate survival or repairs will likely go toward trading for the things we can''t produce ourselves, like re-establishing our kovaack herd."


    S''haar started to speak, but Lord Sal''zar held up his hand, indicating he had more to say. "Still, you paid a price in blood for our village, and that demands some recognition and recompense. While we may not be able to offer the same...quality of what was lost, we''d like to offer some of the best we do have."


    He nodded to two of the guards he''d brought with him. As they stepped forward, he returned his attention to S''haar. "Lack''nul and Orth''kun are two of the best guards our village has to offer. They are also currently unattached by family, and I believe you''ve met both of them before. If you''d have them, we''d like to send them with you, in recognition of what you''ve done and as a token of our gratitude."


    Jack noticed they both seemed familiar to him. One was the spear-thrower from the demonstration a couple days ago. The other was the guard at the gate who''d taken responsibility for the breach in procedure. Both seemed pleased with the arrangement.


    Jack turned his attention to S''haar, who appeared to be weighing the situation in her mind before nodding her acceptance. "While Nala''ac will never be replaced, we welcome the offer of aid to the Outpost."


    Lord Sal''zar nodded happily and stood. "Very well. Lack''nul and Orth''kun, your vow of service to the village are considered honorably fulfilled from this point forward. Go in service of Lady S''haar and Lord Jack. May you serve them as well as you''ve served us."


    The two guards executed one of the most precise formal bows Jack had seen. Then Lord Sal''zar turned and left the dwelling. Once he was gone, they turned and bowed again to S''haar and Jack. Upon straightening again, it was apparent that the gate guard ¨CLack''nul, Jack reminded himself¨C had something on his mind. This wasn''t lost on S''haar, who quickly adopted a less formal manner once the village lord had left. "You look troubled. Would you prefer to stay with the village?"


    The guard shook his head and actually looked embarrassed. "No, nothing like that... It''s just... It''s nothing."


    S''haar fixed the guard with a hardened stare. "We don''t stand on formality much at our Outpost, but we expect honesty. So once again, what is troubling you?"


    The guard looked positively sheepish. Jack was sure if he''d been human, he''d be bright red in embarrassment by now. "Um, well... It''s just... Are you really down to just scraps? Since returning from the hunt, I haven''t had much of a chance to eat, and it''s been a long day..."


    S''haar''s glare faded into a grin as she turned to Sare''en with a nod. The younger woman smiled happily and began digging through the remains of their supplies, looking for a little more food. The larger guard, Orth''kun, smacked the first guard in a manner that somehow expressed both exasperation and comradery.


    Before long, everyone was finding ways to relax in the now very cramped house. Lon''thul was grilling the new guards for their hunting experiences, Sare''en was bustling around, making sure everyone was taken care of with both food and drink, and Jack and S''haar sat back watching everything unfold. It was a small celebration, but a celebration nonetheless. Jack hoped there would be many more to come.

 Book 2, Chapter 18

    Jack was annoyed as he watched Lon''thul casually stroll alongside his sled. "Why does he get to walk, while I have to be dragged? I''m the only one who didn''t get injured out there!"


    S''haar, who looked equally annoyed about not walking under her own power, also glared at the younger hunter. "Because he was lucky enough to have been hurt little enough that he can still maintain a steady walking pace, but bad enough that he doesn''t have to pull one of the more injured members of our group."


    Lon''thul turned to Jack with a grin. "You''re not walking because we''d never get back to the Outpost with your slow shuffling gait, old man!"


    Jack popped the strap that held his knife in place and slid just an inch of steel out. "Can I stab him? Please tell me I can stab him! I don''t want to kill him. I just want to give him a bit of a limp. That''s all!"


    S''haar chuckled as she settled back into place. "Sure, go ahead. If you can catch him, that is."


    Jack looked at the hunter''s stupid taunting grin before sliding the knife back and re-strapping it. "He''s not worth the effort of cleaning the knife. I''ll let him keep walking, for now."


    Sare''en fell back to check on S''haar. "It''s about time to clean and replace your bandages. So, let''s take a break for now."


    S''haar tried to bat the girl away, but for once, Sare''en was unwilling to listen to her hero. "Lord Jack put me in charge of making sure your wounds were cared for so you could recover quickly and properly. I don''t care if you are the Lady of the camp, when I say it''s time to replace your bandages, it''s time to replace your bandages!"


    S''haar looked at the girl in surprise before turning her attention to Jack, who eched her earlier by chuckling quietly. He had the wisdom to kill his grin and look as serious as he could before responding, though the slight tremble at the corner of his mouth belied his efforts. "Well, I mean, she''s right. It is about time. She''s just trying to see to your health, is all."


    Seeing that she was surrounded and without allies in this fight, S''haar gave up and repositioned herself so Sare''en could go about her new set of duties. Meanwhile, Jack began rummaging around in his pack before drawing out some snacks and water. As long as they were stopped, they might as well have a bite to eat. However, when he turned to offer some to Lon''thul, he noticed the hunter was focused on the ground, his usual goofy expression replaced by one of more serious intent.


    Noticing Jack''s attention, the hunter turned and grinned. "It''s probably nothing, but there''s something I want to check out real quick."


    Jack nodded and stood, shouldering his rifle as he did so. "Fine, but I''m coming with. Just to be safe."


    Lon''thul looked at Jack quizzically before turning to S''haar, who grunted as Sare''en tightened another bandage. "My brave idiot wants to watch your back. Apparently, he''s taken a liking to you. But take a couple of guards with you too, just to be safe."


    The hunter turned back to Jack, a sly grin on his face. "I''m flattered, Jack, really I am, but this probably isn¡¯t that big a deal. I¡¯ll be fine!"


    Jack glowered at the argu¡¯n male. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will, and you¡¯ll be even more fine with me and my rifle at your back!"


    Sare¡¯en finished wrapping up S¡¯haar and looked up from her work. ¡°If¡­you¡¯re brining guards you might need a translator other than Lon¡¯thul¡­I could come too.¡±


    The two men turned to the girl, both looking like they were about to object when S''haar threw a bunch of old bandages at Lon''thul''s head. Then, as the hunter scrambled out of the way, she spoke. "Listen, just have her stay behind Jack, and she''ll be fine. Unless you were planning on doing something exceptionally idiotic?"


    Lon''thul grinned and shook his head. "Nah, nothing like that. I just want to double-check something, that¡¯s all."


    Jack looked back at Sare''en. "You sure? We''d probably get by alright if you want to stay."


    The younger woman shook her head. "Well, I haven''t done much interpreting on this trip, and with the wolgen so recently killed, it''s not likely that there''s anything really dangerous in the area yet. So what are you looking for anyway?"


    The hunter''s grin grew even wider. "Well, if I''m not wrong, the wolgen''s lair should be somewhere nearby. I just found some old tracks and what appears to be drag marks indicating prey was taken back this way. Figured I''d go take a look!"


    Everyone fell silent, staring at the hunter as though he''d just turned human. Eventually, it was S''haar who responded. "And you want to go toward their lair? Have you gone mad?"


    Lon''thul shrugged. "Well, they were a freshly mated pair. They were probably together only a little longer than you and Jack, and they likely don''t have any pups. Even if they do, they''d be young enough that I should be able to handle them with little problem. Most of the time, they only have one or two pups anyway, and I don''t see any younger wolgen tracks in the area yet, meaning the lair is either far away or any pups haven''t even left the cave yet. Either way, there shouldn''t be much danger."


    S¡¯haar gave the two guards a meaningful look, they nodded and picked up their spears as they stood. S''haar looked over to Sare''en. "You can stay here if you''d like."


    Sare''en looked back and forth between the hunter and S''haar, finally resting her gaze on Jack''s rifle. "But it shouldn''t be dangerous, right? And if it is, they''d stand a better chance at coming back safe if Jack goes with them? So either it''s safe, and I''m in no danger, or it''s not safe, and they need Jack''s help..."


    As the girl trailed off, S''haar spoke up again. "Maybe, but you still don''t need to go. Lon¡¯thul can understand Jack just fine."


    Sare''en shook her head. "And what about the others? There are not enough headsets to go around. So the simplest solution is for me to go. I''ll just...make sure I stay behind everyone else. The best thing I could do is probably stay out of their way, if anything does happen."


    S''haar looked over at Lon''thul. "How sure are you that this is safe?"


    The hunter shrugged, but his grin didn''t fade. "If any large pups are a serious threat, I''ll see their tracks long before getting to the lair. If that happens, we''ll pack up and leave. But if there are any too young to be a threat, now is a great time to put them down, before they slowly starve or grow into a real threat."


    S''haar looked at the younger woman, who still looked resolute, before turning back to Jack and Lon''thul. "Lon''thul is in charge. The only exception is that Jack can call an end to this any time he wants, for any reason he wants. Jack, keep Sare''en safe. Don''t do anything stupid, and call for help if you need it."


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    As the group formed up and walked out, Angela finally added in her own two cents over Jack''s headset. "This should be interesting."


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    Em''brel was shaking her head in frustration. "But why does this work?


    Angela floated over the table from the lone emitter in its center. It still consumed some power, but much less than anything the ship would use, and it was necessary for helping Em''brel with visual aids. Though she only got to use it when Em''brel turned it on, and even then, her range of motion was far more limited than she was used to. "Well, remember how energy can''t be destroyed, only converted? A slightly oversimplified explanation of Faraday''s Law states that you can convert magnetic energy into electrical energy by forcing the magnetic field to interact with an electric circuit. For example, an easy way is to force a wire loop to rotate within a field generated by powerful magnets."


    The girl sighed. "So now we have to find magnets?"


    Angela shook her head. "No. While the kind of magnets you''d find in nature would technically work, they''d produce so little power it wouldn''t really be worth the effort. It would be like building a sail on a cart to help you move it when you could just push or pull it with no real strain. Instead, the magnets we''ll use will require me to pass a current through some copper wire wrapped around an iron core. It will be several orders of magnitude stronger than anything you could find in the wild."


    Em''brel tilted her head to the side. "But I thought you needed this to acquire electricity. Won''t consuming power to make power defeat the purpose?"


    The AI smiled at her student. "It would, if the power we created didn''t vastly exceed the energy we consumed. Trust me on this. That''s not the part you need to worry about. For now, just work on getting the windmill up and running. I''ll worry about getting you the magnets we''ll need. I know where I can find some that will perfectly suit our needs."


    Em''brel sat back and stretched. "Alright, if you say so. Tel''ron is finishing up some parts I need to secure and support the wood frame. We''ll be beginning construction soon. If everything goes smoothly, we''ll get the whole thing put together in a little over a month."


    Angela nodded. "That''s good to hear. I should have plenty of power for that. I''m just not looking forward to another month of isolation. It gets...lonely in here."


    Em''brel smiled sadly. "I miss you too, but this is all so that you''ll be around for a long time. I''ll give up a month now, if it means you''ll be around years more in the future."


    Angela projected a brave smile. "Yeah, I''m not going anywhere any time soon."


    Ger''ron chose that moment to knock on Em''brel''s bedroom door. When Em''brel opened it, he nodded to both women. "Em''brel, Lady Angela. Not to intrude, but it''s about time for the guards to practice. You''ll have to come with, so I can keep an eye on you while making sure they''re properly training."


    Em''brel nodded. "Alright, just let me get my headset, and I''ll be there!"


    Angela smiled. It was nice of Em''brel to include her in everything, now that so many of her systems were shut down, but what she didn''t tell the girl was that it just wasn''t the same. The amount of information she could take in from the headset was a pittance compared with what she was used to. She was...diminished, and she could feel it all the way to her core.


    Honestly, this simplicity would be maddening for someone whose mind was usually broad in scope and fast in its processes. But luckily, Angela had her little side project to keep her mind occupied when all else failed.


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    As the group approached what looked like a rather large cave, Lon''thul crept ahead, carefully examining the ground as he did so. Whatever he saw seemed to fit into his expectations, because he waved the rest of the group forward.


    Jack double-checked that the handgun was properly loaded and ready before returning it to his holster and checking the rifle. He made sure to attach a silencer to prevent the cave''s acoustics from permanently damaging everyone''s hearing if and when he fired.


    Once done, Jack crept toward the cave. Or at least he crept as well as the pain in his leg would allow him. The glare Lon''thul directed his way told him he wasn''t anywhere near as quiet as the hunter would like, but the grin that came with it softened the blow and made it apparent he wasn''t overly worried. "No tracks outside yet, but there are a few smaller tracks inside the cave. Everyone be ready. At this size, they should be far less dangerous than a kovaack, but it''s best to be safe."


    Jack''s stomach spasmed at the statement, and he rechecked the safety, keeping the rifle pointed low and away from everyone. Then, as they advanced into the cave''s darkness, the guards and Sare''en lit torches while Jack activated a low-intensity light he''d mounted on the underside of the rifle''s barrel. Everyone took a moment to allow their eyes to adjust, during which Jack visually swept the cave. Unsurprisingly, there was nothing but rock walls to see, but he fanned back and forth, regardless.


    Lon''thul had his bow ready and a spear near at hand. Despite his confidence, he was crouched and ready for action, though judging by his grin, he still wasn''t too worried. The two guards both had their spears in hand, and the expressions on their faces clearly stated they weren''t as confident as the hunter as they searched the darkness. Last was poor Sare''en. She was all but crouched behind Jack. Even if she was small for an argu''n, she was still larger than Jack. The image of such a large woman trying to hide behind such a tiny man might have been comical, if everyone''s attention wasn''t focused on the cave ahead.


    After everyone''s eyes adjusted as well as they were going to, Lon''thul resumed his advance, with a guard on either side and Jack and Sare''en following behind.


    As they approached a bend, Lon''thul signaled everyone to be still and listen. Some slight scuffling could be heard, but the way sounds bounced off the cave walls made it impossible to pinpoint the origin of the sounds.


    To her credit, Sare''en remained perfectly silent, even though her hands were shaking horrendously. Jack could tell her hands were shaking because she held onto his shoulder as she hid behind the smaller man. It wasn''t much of a problem, until her claws started piercing through the top few layers of his skin.


    Jack rested a hand on one of Sare''en''s, making the younger woman realize what she was doing. With a jerk of her arms, she withdrew her hands, knocking her elbow into the wall and dislodging a bit of debris. As it settled, it became apparent that whatever had been making the sounds in the next chamber had stopped.


    After a few moments, Lon''thul resumed his movement, but he only had to walk a little further before much louder scuttling could be heard. Jack raised the rifle and pointed the cone of light at something that appeared to be the size of a mastiff charging through the darkness.


    Even with the silencer attached, the gun''s bark was thunderous in the cave, but at least it was low enough that Jack wasn''t too afraid of any hearing loss. Between the rifle and Lon''thul''s arrow, the beast was knocked off its feet and lying on its side.


    The hunter slit its throat to be sure, but it was clear the thing had been dead before it hit the ground. The hunter was just cleaning his knife before resheathing when the sounds of another creature could be heard charging him in the darkness.


    Before Jack could get a good line on the beast, it bowled into Lon''thul, knocking him onto his side. Jack was afraid to take a shot with the hunter and beast rolling around, vying for dominance, but the two guards didn''t have the same problem and moved into position.


    Lon''thul had his knife wedged into the mouth of the beast, keeping it from chomping down while forcing the lower fangs away from his own face in the process. He also had most of his body wedged under one of the beast''s arms, pinning it in an awkward angle so it couldn''t get proper leverage. The last claw was extended outward, held in place by the hunter''s other arm.


    It was clear that neither combatant could do much damage to the other at the moment, and in a more drawn-out fight, things might have ended in the wolgen''s favor. Unfortunately for the beast, its time was up as both guards laid into it with their spears, being careful not to hit the hunter.


    This one didn''t die as quickly as its sibling had, but eventually, Lon''thul could get his knife around to finish the job. First, there was a whimper, and then the poor thing lost the will to fight in its final moments.


    Once the body went limp in an unmistakable manner, the hunter extracted himself from under the body and gave himself a quick once over. Luckily aside from a few new bruises and some slightly reopened wounds, he seemed to have gotten away with any real injuries.


    With a relieved grin, the hunter finally spoke up. "Well, my old man would probably lecture me for an hour or two about letting down my guard, but that could have gone a lot worse. Thanks for the assist!"


    Both guards were muttering their relief when Jack heard another noise in the cave. Turning and raising his rifle, he found a third pup on the other end of the cave. He raised the gun to finish it off, but this one didn''t seem to have the fight in it the other two had. It just cowered against the wall.


    Jack didn''t feel good about it, but Lon''thul had been right. Leaving it here would be crueler than putting it out of its misery. So he raised the rifle again, this time taking careful aim. He was determined to make this one a quick and clean kill...

 Book 2, Chapter 19

    Jack raised the rifle again, this time taking careful aim. He was determined to make this a quick and clean kill. With the creature cowering against the wall, it was easy to take his time and line up a proper shot so that this one wouldn''t have to suffer. He was about to pull the trigger when he felt a light touch on his shoulder, followed by an urgent whisper. "Wait! This one is different!"


    Jack flinched slightly at the touch but managed to avoid reflexively pulling the trigger. He sighed and relaxed his aim but kept the rifle pointed toward the young wolgen in case its behavior suddenly changed. "Yes, it is, and I don''t want to do this either, but the alternatives are all more cruel. Either this wolgen is too young to care for itself and will slowly starve alone in this cave, or worse, it can fend for itself, and it''ll become a monster that has to be put down, possibly after killing some innocent hunters. The kindest thing we can do is kill it quickly, so it doesn''t feel anything."


    Sare''en wasn''t ready to give up. "But look at it! It''s not aggressive like the others! So maybe...maybe we could train it, like an arlack?"


    Jack shook his head. "This is an entirely different kind of animal. It''s an apex predator. It has a set of instincts that will make it nearly impossible to control. And if you lose control of something like this, people often die."


    Sare''en didn''t have any argument left. Her mind was racing, but she couldn''t find the words. "But..." She could tell there was something else there. She just couldn''t think of it quickly enough.


    That was when Angela''s voice came to them over their headsets. "She''s got a point, you know. This one is considerably smaller than its two siblings, and Lon''thul pointed out that wolgen usually only has one or two offspring. So this one is either the runt of the litter, or there''s some other survival of the fittest thing going on here where the largest, most aggressive pups live. Speaking in earth terms, the runt of the litter is usually more docile and will often die if left to nature. However, when taken in and raised, they commonly retain that same docility throughout their life. So it would be an ideal candidate for training and domestication."


    Jack wasn''t willing to back down. "Domestication takes hundreds of generations. Even if we can train it, this thing will still be a wild animal, unpredictable at best. And I''ll say it again: people die when a predator the size of a Clydesdale behaves unpredictably."


    Sare''en didn''t understand much of what they were arguing about but hung on every word nonetheless. The dragon countered again. "Actually, given the wolgen''s obvious malnutrition during the formative portion of its life, it''ll probably always stay small for its species. Probably more the size of an Arabian than a Clysdayle."


    Jack resisted the urge to pinch his nose in frustration, but it was still audible in his tone of voice. "Ok, so still the size of a horse, and still very deadly. Listen, I don''t want to do this anymore than anyone else, but literal lives are on the line. Can you justify risking someone''s death over being hesitant to pull the trigger here and now?"


    The next voice to come in over the headset was surprisingly S''haar''s. Apparently, Angela had updated her on the situation and patched her into the conversation at some point. "What benefit to the Outpost or its people could the wolgen provide?"


    Angela was eager to jump on this change in direction. "Well, humans domesticated their own set of apex predators called wolves back on Earth. Over time, they became so tightly bonded with humans, they even earned the title ¡®man''s best friend¡¯. They helped with hunting, offered protection, even occasionally went to war beside their human pack mates, not to mention being the most loving and loyal companions a person could ask for."


    "Jack, is this accurate?" S''haar sounded curious.


    Jack sighed. "Yes, it is. But while wolves are certainly intimidating, they are also smaller than humans. As a result, they oft en looked at humans as the strongest, most dominant members of their pack. A wolgen is an entirely different situation. They are far larger and stronger than any argu''n, so it''ll be all but impossible to remain the pack alpha."


    Angela cut in again. "Ok, first off, the whole alpha, beta, omega thing is a myth, disproven by the same scientist who first coined the phrase. The ¡®dominant¡¯ pack members are usually the parents. It''s a family thing, not some alpha male bullcrap, despite what some humans would like to convince themselves is true. Second, that''s why we start with a more docile animal. It doesn''t know how to be in charge, nor does it want to be in charge. It''s much more likely to accept a human or argu''n as its pack leader."


    Before Jack could offer a counterpoint, she continued. "What''s more, you know the first thing that will happen once the argu''n get technologically developed enough is they''ll hunt down the wolgen, probably to extinction. So think of this as the first step in species conservation, preserving them for future generations to behold and enjoy!"


    S''haar didn''t sound swayed by the second argument. "Jack, how much of a risk do you think this really is? Honest assessment."


    Jack shook his head again. "Honestly, I have no idea. It might work, and it could be a tremendous asset if it did. Maybe not now, but certainly generations later. But the risk is also high. Maybe, maybe, this one wouldn''t kill anyone, but someone will die sooner or later. And besides, one malnourished animal is a long way from creating a domestic breed."


    Angela came in with her coup de grace. "I can mitigate the risk. We can give it a collar that I''m tied into, like your headsets, something with an embedded quick-acting poison, or even an explosive device. Then, if the animal ever loses control, I could kill it, hopefully before it could kill anyone else."


    S''haar sounded more curious this time. "Jack?"


    Jack sighed and lowered the gun a little further. "That might work. There would still be a risk, but that would mitigate it considerably. Though it could still kill or injure someone unintentionally, if improperly trained."


    Angela''s voice was smug with victory. "Luckily, we happen to have someone who''s both very calming and an expert with training animals. So, Sare''en, are you up to the challenge?"


    The younger woman finally snapped out of her daze, realizing what was being asked of her. "Me? I don''t... I can''t... I''ve never..."


    S''haar''s voice was calming but firm. "Listen, we won''t force you to do this if you don''t want. There are still plenty of things you can and are doing to contribute around here. But this whole thing depends on your willingness to take this on. Jack, Em''brel, and I have too many other obligations and probably don''t have the right temperament. On the other hand, you''re the one person I can think of with the capacity to potentially pull this off, so it''s up to you."


    Sare''en was overwhelmed with the sudden responsibilities being thrown at her. Raising arlack was one thing, but this was so much more. No one had ever done anything like this. She''d have to figure it all out as she went. What if she messed up? What if she wasn''t smart enough or good enough to pull it off? What if...


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    Sare''en looked at the wolgen sitting on the other side of the cave, cowering against the wall, too petrified to move or make a decision, waiting for its fate to be decided for it. She felt a kind of sympathy for the pup. How often had that been her, sitting back and hoping that someone kind and generous would decide her fate for her? So far, she''d been lucky that someone had always stepped up, but now it was her turn to do the same for another.


    She closed her eyes and remembered Em''brel, smiling confidently at her. She could almost hear the other woman laughing at her hesitance. "You''ve already made up your mind. Now you just have to say the words!"


    Opening her eyes, Sare''en looked into the eyes of the wolgen one more time before speaking with all the confidence she had. "I''ll do it! I... I mean, I''ll try... I might...need a little help, though..."


    Jack and S''haar chuckled, while Angela laughed outright. S''haar was the first to respond. "Of course. We don''t expect you to undertake this alone, but this will primarily be your responsibility. You''ll have to take the lead on raising and training the wolgen."


    S''haar''s voice grew serious. "But you need to be aware, if this doesn''t work out for any reason, we might have to put the wolgen down. Also, you have to be honest with us. If, at any time, you feel like it''s not trainable or might otherwise be a danger to the Outpost, you need to let us know. You can''t let your feelings for the animal endanger the argu''n around you."


    As a herder, Sare''en was well familiar with the necessities of occasionally culling the herd or even putting down a sick or injured animal. "I understand. This is its only chance at survival anyway, so if it doesn''t work out, it wasn''t meant to be."


    Lon''thul chose that moment to speak up. "You all done with your private conversation over there? What''s the plan?"


    Jack lowered his rifle a little further, though he was still hesitant to put it away completely. "Well, I guess we''re keeping this one."


    Lon''thul grinned while the two guards looked at each other, wondering how insane their new companions were. The hunter laughed. "Oh, this should be interesting!"


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    Jack kept the rifle at the ready as Sare''en approached the pup. Lon''thul had taken the other carcasses to the cave entrance to clean and prep for transport, and the two guards watched the timid young woman with expressions generally reserved for heroes and lunatics.


    Sare''en was holding out a bit of churlish meat from a kill Lon''thul had made earlier for food during the trip home, and now the young wolgen was sniffing the air cautiously. The woman was making soft, calming sounds as she did so, and once she got close enough, she tore off a portion of the meat and tossed it to the pup.


    The wolgen was clearly torn between keeping an eye on this strange beast approaching him and the meat on the ground next to him. His head bobbed up and down as he sniffed the meat repeatedly, raising his head each time to check and make sure Sare''en wasn''t moving any closer.


    For her part, Sare''en was keeping up the slow, steady conversation, getting him used to her voice. "You look hungry. I know a thing or two about hunger. I''ve been where you are, and someone fed me. Now it''s my turn to feed you. Go on, take a bite. It''s good!"


    As if to emphasize the point, the girl took a bite out of some of the raw meat in her hand. Jack couldn''t help but feel his mind rebel slightly seeing the sweet young woman do something so barbaric by his society''s standards. He shook his head slightly at himself, surprised to realize a part of his mind was still judging these people, his friends and family, by such arbitrary standards. He expected better of himself.


    The wolgen certainly seemed to appreciate the woman''s efforts. His head bobbed slightly lower each time until he finally scooped up the morsel and gulped it down without chewing before eyeing Sare''en once more.


    Sare''en laughed. The sound was pure joy that somehow made Jack even more ashamed of his earlier reaction while also lifting his spirits. She continued to soothe the animal as she tore off another piece of meat. "You are hungry! Here, have some more! There''s plenty where that came from!"


    The pup hesitated a little less this time and even less the time after. Once it stopped hesitating altogether, Sare''en started throwing the chucks a little further away from the beast, forcing it to come closer to her to get its next bite. The process was slow, and more than a little stressful for everyone watching, but slowly the wolgen crept closer to the Sare''en.


    Once he''d gotten close enough, the herder held out her hand. At first, the wolgen shied away, as if expecting to be hit, and for a moment, it looked like he was going to bolt. He only hesitated when Sare''en spoke up again. "Hey now, no need to be afraid. No one''s gonna hurt you. How''d you like a nice, dry shack to live in, rather than this cold, wet cave?"


    Jack didn''t think the cave was all that cold, but he supposed that was his humanity speaking. On the other hand, the wolgen seemed to respond to something in the woman''s voice. Maybe he was already coming to associate her voice with food, or perhaps he was just picking up on Sare''en''s calming presence. However, instead of bolting, he stopped, turned back to the woman, and sniffed her hand.


    Jack was working on keeping his breathing calm, but his thumb rested on the safety, and his finger wasn''t far from the trigger. Seeing the wolgen''s mouth so close to the young girl''s hands was terrifying. A part of him wished he was the one there risking life and limb, but as much as he liked animals, he knew he was far too nervous to pull off what he was witnessing. This is something few people could pull off this quickly, and Sare''en was in a class of her own.


    After a few tense moments, the wolgen butted its head up against Sare''en''s hand, and the woman began softly scratching him on the crown of his head. Finally, after a few moments of grooming, all tension seemed to leave the wolgen''s body, and he whumped down onto the ground next to the woman. She continued to feed him bits of meat while also giving him lots of scritches and speaking to him in the same calming tone.


    The two guard''s mouths were hanging open, while Jack allowed himself a slight grin. For the first time since Sare''en had begun her approach, he eased his fingers away from the trigger and allowed his aim to drop into a more relaxed stance. It would still be a long while before he''d let anyone be around the wolgen without an armed guard nearby, but he was starting to hope this might actually work out.


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    S''haar was still getting used to the thing Jack kept calling a murder puppy. They''d decided to camp at the cave for the evening, while Sare''en slowly got the animal acclimated to everyone. For the most part, it tolerated everyone once it realized they weren''t a threat, though it outright idolized Sare''en and rarely left her side.


    To no one''s astonishment, except those who didn''t know him, Jack also bonded more readily with the pup than most of the rest. He thought it might have been because, as a human, he had more experience interacting with animals and perceiving them as something other than food or danger.


    What did surprise everyone was how quickly the pup also bonded with S''haar. It only took a fraction of the time to accept her as it did the rest, and she was usually the pup''s second choice if Sare''en was temporarily unavailable, due to one of her other duties.


    Jack watched as S''haar looked down at the wolgen in astonishment as it lay at her side, then sniffed her leg before using it as a pillow. For her part, Angela didn''t let the issues between them ruin the moment. "I get why he likes Sare''en and even yourself, but why S''haar? If anything, she''s almost colder to the animal than the rest of the group."


    Jack smiled as he grabbed a bowl of the stew Sare''en had cooked up. "Well, I think it''s two things, really. First of all, the fact that she doesn''t pay him too much attention works in her favor. It''s kind of like people and cats. Cats are often attracted to people who are allergic to them because they pay the cat less attention, and as a result, they stare at the cat less. In the animal world, staring at something often means you either find it threatening or are thinking about challenging it. So when someone doesn''t pay attention to the cat, it signals that they are comfortable with its presence, which means they are safe...ish."


    As Jack took a bite, he grimaced a little. Argu''n cooking was mostly palatable, but their inability to taste sweet sometimes led to some interesting flavors. This was one such occasion. Shrugging his shoulders, he continued. "The second thing working in her favor is probably Sare''en''s attitude toward S''haar. She sees S''haar as safe and treats her with respect. As far as the wolgen is concerned, that probably makes her Sare''en''s mother, and since he''s young enough to see Sare''en as his new mom, that makes S''haar the matriarch of the den.


    Jack stopped and tilted his head as S''haar looked up and over to him for help. "Of course, that''s all just speculation."


    Angela had one last thought. "You might be onto something, but there''s one other problem I don''t think you''ve considered."


    Jack''s brow furrowed in concern. He thought he''d considered this from every reasonable angle and wondered what he''d overlooked. "What''s that?"


    Angela was all too happy to throw the problem onto Jack''s shoulders. "What are you going to name him?"

 Book 2, Chapter 20

    In the morning, the group prepared to depart the cave and continue their journey home. It took a little while to convince the pup to leave its den. Still, with the proper combination of food, gentle encouragement, and its desire to remain by Sare''en''s side, it was eventually coaxed out and began to follow its new family on its first real journey.


    Jack and S''haar were still being pulled in their sleds, but with the other wolgen pup carcasses added to the baggage, the other less injured group members were forced to walk. Sare''en remained in the middle of the group, next to S''haar and Jack, with the pup following close behind.


    Looking back at the only slightly horrifying new addition to their group, Jack turned to Sare''en. "Angela brought up an interesting question last night. What should we name him?"


    The young woman looked at him in confusion. "Name him? I''ve never thought of naming the animals under my care before. As much as I enjoy their company, they often get butchered for meat. It would be harder to let them go if we named them."


    Jack nodded. "Yeah, I can understand that, though that wouldn''t, and didn''t, stop humans from naming their cattle. However, if everything works out the way we hope, this pup," ¨CJack nodded at the wolgen, who eyed him curiously before turning his attention to some other noise in the underbrush¨C "will be something more than livestock. Giving him a name will make him easier to train, and more importantly, it might make it easier for the others to accept him."


    Sare''en nodded. "That makes sense. What kind of names would humans give their animals?"


    Jack tilted his head to the side as he thought. "Well, I suppose he''s closer to a dog than any other kind of animal, though admittedly that¡¯s kind of a stretch. A few common names for dogs might describe their physical appearance, Spot or Fluffy. Other times, they might be given a more human name, like Max or Charlie. Still other times, we might call them something we think sounds tough, like Bear or Duke."


    Angela dove into the conversation without hesitation. "Oh, what about," ¨Cthe AI adopted a deep voice that sounded like it might belong in a sporting event¨C "Sir Fluffykins, The Destroyer of Slippers!"


    Jack chuckled at the suggestion before looking back at the pup speculatively. "But those are all common names, something anyone''s pet might go by. Hopefully, this guy will be the first tamed wolgen in history, so he might deserve a more epic name. Maybe something out of mythology, like Cerberus or Garmr..."


    S''haar finally perked up. "The way you say that, it sounds like there''s a story behind those names."


    Jack turned back to her. "Well, yeah, that''s kind of what mythology means. To oversimplify the term, a myth is a traditional story that is so widely known that it takes on a life of its own. They were often used to teach about natural phenomena, cultural ideals, or sometimes just to provide a sense of community. In the case of both Cerberus and Garmr, they were mythical dogs who were also guardians for different versions of the underworld."


    S''haar looked confused. "What do you mean, underworld? Do all your people make their homes underground?"


    Jack stopped and considered. "The underworld doesn''t usually refer to any actual physical location. It''s relatively common for humans to believe in life after death, a place where your soul will go to dwell for eternity after your body has rotted away. Usually, these ''underworlds'' were divided between areas of reward and punishment, based on how well you lived your life."


    S''haar was clearly confused. "So what, you just sit around for eternity after you die? And you mentioned punishment. Do you have to suffer for every mistake you made, or just certain ones, or do they get worse the more you get wrong?"


    Jack kind of shrugged. "Well, I''m no theologian, but the most common result was a pass or fail, with your reward or punishment lasting forever."


    S''haar looked at him in horror. "So you get to live for a hundred and fifty years, and based on how you live that brief period, you were either rewarded or punished forever?"


    Jack tilted his head. "Well, more like fifty to sixty years for much of human history, but yeah, kind of?"


    S''haar''s eyes narrowed. "Ok, that''s even worse."


    Jack shrugged. "Well, while we''re on that subject, what kind of afterlife do argu''n believe in?"


    S''haar sat back and sighed. "I''ve never had a lot of time for the gods, and they''ve never spared much for me, but it seems to vary from one village to the next."


    Em''brel''s voice came in over the headset. Evidently, Angela had decided to include her in their ongoing discussions. "True, but there are a few consistencies here and there. For example, the gods always seem to appear in our dreams, especially when people are on the border between life and death. Kinda like someone we all know."


    Jack shook his head. "Well, that''s easy enough to explain. In high stress or traumatic situations, the brain releases all sorts of chemicals in an attempt to buy the body enough time to survive. But, unfortunately, those chemicals can do weird things to your perception of reality, especially if you''re near the border of consciousness."


    Em''brel relented. "Maybe so, but going back to your previous question, there are a lot of different thoughts about what follows this life, but usually, it''s agreed that most of the suffering of this life will be left behind. No one has to earn a place there. It''s simply waiting for you."


    Angela spoke up again. "Huh, that almost seems like something that would encourage people not to fight as hard to survive. Things like that tend to fade from human societies simply by the process of elimination. On the other hand, the beliefs that push you to push yourself often stick around the longest due to survival of the fittest. I wonder if argu''n are inherently more resilient due to their higher position on their planet''s food chain? Perhaps something about the thrill of the hunt forces them to push themselves competitively? It would make sense that such a predatory species might need a religion that encourages them to relax a little to form a coherent society."


    Jack shook his head. "Well, that''s a lot of speculation based on a minimal sample size, but we''re deviating from the original topic."


    He turned to Sare''en. "What do you think?" When she looked confused, he clarified. "About the names, that is."


    Sare''en blinked a few times before speaking up. "Well, they certainly sound impressive, but also a little foreboding. Maybe a little too big. He''s not going to guard all of the underworld. Just our little Outpost is all."


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    Angela popped in. "Kinda like a Church Grim?"


    Sare''en looked confused, so Jack expounded. "There was a belief in certain parts of the world that whoever was first buried in a graveyard would have to protect the souls of those who rested there from the devil. Often times a dog was chosen, since they are both fierce and loyal. It was common for people to report sightings of large black dogs roaming cemeteries, protecting the land from the threats of this world and beyond."


    Angela sounded a little wistful. "The original good boys and girls."


    S''haar looked curious again. "The devil? What''s that, some kind of monster that eats corpses where you come from?"


    Jack tilted his head. "Well, I suppose you could call him a monster, though it''s a bit more complicated than all that. He varies from one belief system to the next, but generally speaking, he''s the epitome of misery loves company. His whole purpose was to tempt people into committing evil actions, then when they die, he rules the place they are sent to be punished."


    S''haar was staring at Jack incredulously. "You humans are a little scary sometimes, you know that, right?"


    Angela laughed. "Well, you might enjoy the Viking beliefs a bit better. If you died nobly in battle, you were sent to a massive feast with the gods in Valhalla, where all the greatest warriors in history went. They got to eat and drink until the end of the world."


    S''haar indeed looked more interested. "What happened at the end of the world?"


    Jack shrugged. "A massive battle in which all things come to an end. All the warriors of history would fight alongside the gods as heaven and earth were destroyed and devoured by massive monsters and their armies."


    S''haar''s expression shifted back to incredulous. "Your people are insane. I now see where you get it. How can such a small, frail species be so violent? And is that why you do so many crazy things? Are you trying to earn your place into this Valhalla?"


    Angela was clearly laughing. "Napoleon syndrome, maybe? But seriously, humans historically needed a belief system that would encourage them to fight against the dangers of their world, both within and without. I''m not saying religions did that perfectly, and they were certainly abused by those in power to control the ''masses'' on more than one occasion, but on the whole, many of them stuck around so long because they encouraged their followers to push forward and succeed in life. Often the message was to put the needs of the community ahead of one''s own, which had some obvious evolutionary advantages."


    Jack frowned a little. "And no, I''m not trying to get into Valhalla. On the contrary, I sincerely hope that if I have an afterlife, it''s more restful than that. Though I wouldn''t mind some friends and family being present... But again, we digress. As interesting as theology and mythology are, we''re trying to name our new pup."


    Jack turned to Sare''en, who had her head tilted to the side in thought. "This Grim..." The name sounded slightly slurred to Jack''s ears, like a guttural ''greem,'' but it wasn''t any worse than when they tried to say half the human words he''d taught them. "You said he was fierce, loyal, and a protector?"


    Jack nodded, and Sare''en turned to the wolgen. "How would you like to be called Grim?"


    The wolgen looked up at her quizzically, focusing two of his eyes on her for a moment, probably wondering if the new word meant food, then looked away as his attention wandered again. S''haar spoke up. "Well, he didn''t seem to mind the name anyway. Also, Grim is a lot easier to pronounce than whatever those other two names you mentioned were..."


    Angela spoke up. "It''s also much quicker to say, which could come in handy when giving commands or calling for help."


    Em''brel joined back in. "I like the idea of a guardian spirit watching over us, anyway. I mean, I know he''s not a spirit, but the idea feels comforting, you know?"


    Sare''en nodded and reached down to scritch the wolgen on the head as she walked. "Grim it is. You take care of us, and we''ll take care of you. How''s that sound?"


    The wolgen sniffed her hand briefly before accepting that no food seemed to be in his immediate future. So, instead, he leaned into the scritches a little as he walked, slightly losing his balance and stumbling before catching himself and pretending like nothing had happened.


    Angela laughed. "He''s like some cross between a dog and a cat! Although, I still think ''Sir Fluffykins'' would be a better name!"


    Jack shook his head. "Well, as...creative as that name is, I think we''ll go with Sare''en''s preference on this one. Grim it is. Besides, I don''t like the idea of his name having to do with him destroying my slippers."


    Angela sounded slightly put out. "I was hoping you would have forgotten about that part..."


    -


    Tel''ron looked at the pile of arrowheads he''d made to Jack''s specifications with satisfaction. He''d seen the arrows Lon''thul''s bow had fired, and these weren''t anywhere near that level of quality, but they should do the job just fine. The only problem was they''d only work once. Then, after punching through a bone plate, they''d be so blunted the only recourse would be to melt them down and start again.


    On the other hand, if that meant the person firing the bow lived and their opponent didn''t, he supposed it was well worth the time investment. Even taking emotions out of the equation, it takes a lot longer to raise and train a fighter than it does to make a few arrows.


    At least that was one project done and out of the way. He went over to the plans Em''brel had given him with a sigh. This was an entirely different beast and one he wasn''t completely confident he could handle on his own.


    The problem lay not just in the complexity of the design but also in its scope. The simple matter was that no argu''n he was aware of had ever worked with metal components this immense. Simply moving them around the workshop would be an issue, especially if they were hot enough to be malleable enough to work.


    Sitting back a moment to think, Tel''ron remembered the well Em''brel had designed. The pullies and gears she''d used had significantly reduced the weight of the water and even let them lock things in place as needed. The way she''d explained it was the pullies used more extended movements to multiply the force an argu''n applied with their muscles. If he could design something like that here, he could lift and move much heavier loads than he was currently capable of.


    Of course, if he installed them in the ceiling, he''d probably need to reinforce the roof to bear a more significant load. This was definitely something he needed to speak with Lady Angela about, and if he was correct, he''d need Lady Fea''en''s help.


    He cleaned up his work area, ensuring every tool was in its proper place before setting off looking for Em''brel. With the ship now off-limits, she was the best way to get an audience with the master artificer AI. Also, he got to see Em''brel, which was another bonus.


    He''d been losing himself in his work lately, and that meant he didn''t get to see her nearly as often as he once had. At first, he''d been a little envious of Lon''thul''s growing relationship with Em''brel following the events at the end of the winter, but he couldn''t fault the hunter either. It''s not like Lon''thul wasn''t as busy as Tel''ron, but it was readily apparent that Em''brel was more of a priority to Lon''thul than she was to himself.


    Oddly, once Tel''ron realized that, it had come with a feeling of relief. He was so fascinated with the secrets of metalworking he''d been learning, it almost felt like the two passions had been warring with each other for his attention, but now that he was free to focus on his work, he was making leaps and bounds in skill and knowledge no other artificer had ever seen in a single lifetime.


    He still enjoyed hanging out and speaking with Em''brel from time to time. After all, she was the only argu''n he knew who could follow along with the work he was doing now, and sometimes it was exciting to put his discoveries into words, but it was Angela he really looked forward to speaking with these days.


    Finding the billet Em''brel, Fea''en, and his father had taken as their own, he knocked on the door. When no one answered, he pushed it open and looked inside. The sight that greeted the worker made him bare his teeth in rage. The room was a disaster. It looked as if there had been a life-or-death struggle here...

 Book 2, Chapter 21

    Em''brel sat back from her table. The windmill was starting to take form. They traded a bit of efficiency for reliability and ease of use by switching to an upright design. The blades were now spinning on a vertical axis rather than a horizontal one. The power output in "good wind conditions" would be a bit lower, but the ability to function in all weather and the reduction in maintenance it would require would hopefully compensate for that.


    Fea''en was shaping the lumber for the supports and foundation, and Tel''ron was working on some metal fixings and braces to properly reinforce the building to hopefully withstand extreme weather unscathed.


    The only thing Em''brel had to do was wait for word from either party,  Jack and S''haar''s return, and/or for Ger''ron to get back from seeing to one of the guards injured in practice earlier.


    Of course, that still didn''t mean Em''brel was free and on her own. The Guard Captain had left her in the charge of one of the younger guards he''d apparently been stationed with back when he''d been a simple gate guard in his village.


    The kid, Jar''maal, she reminded herself, was looking over plans on the table, scratching his head. He wasn''t really a kid; in fact, he was older than Em''brel, but it was hard not to think of someone so obviously in over his head all the time as anything other than a kid. "This fancy set of drawings actually explains how this thing you''re building is supposed to be put together?"


    Em''brel nodded. "Yeah. It''s a skill you have to learn, but it explains everything down to the smallest detail. It''s actually the combination of several of us working together, all under the watchful eyes of the dragon."


    Jar''maal stood up and looked at her oddly. "Now, how''s that work? Since I''ve arrived, I''ve heard plenty about the dragon and how she''s always watching, but I''ve never seen hide nor breath of the supposed beast. How is it possible for something that made that big a hole," the guard waved in the general direction of the cave, "to see everything while staying hidden. It seems like more people should have seen some evidence of her before now. The only ones who have are the original group of workers, and if anyone asks them about it, they all keep their mouths shut. What gives?"


    Em''brel sat back and thought. This was hard to explain without lying, but the whole truth wouldn''t do, either. Howto explain Angela, without explaining Angela?


    She was just opening her mouth to speak when there was an insistent knocking at the door, followed quickly by one of the workers, Ral''fen, walking in and waving about his tools. "Lady Em''brel, I realize I might not be one of your prized workers, but I have a job to do as well! If Tel''ron has the whole workshop working on your little pet projects, I can''t do that job!" He pointed at the schematic as he shouted.


    As he pointed, three things happened simultaneously. First, Jar''maal''s gaze followed the pointing hand to the schematic. Second, Angela shouted urgently in Em''brel''s ear, "Something''s wrong!" Finally, the worker swung the hammer in his offhand into the back of the guard''s head.


    Jar''maal went down hard, but Em''brel was up on her feet just as quick. Ral''fen had a large hammer in one hand and a wicked-looking chisel in the other, but his grip was odd. He was holding the chisel more like a dagger than a tool, and the tip seemed far sharper than any metalworking tool had any right to be. He started to advance on Em''brel.


    Trying to buy herself some time, Em''brel flipped the table and its contents toward the worker. He nimbly lept back, avoiding any debris but also giving Em''brel just a bit more breathing room. Anglea was quick to speak up. "Go out through the back door! Grab your training spear on your way out, and you''ll have an advantage in reach in an open space!"


    Em''brel started moving before Angela finished speaking. Grabbing her spear as she reached the door. Ral''fen closed the gap in the time it took her to shove the door open, but Em''brel turned and stabbed her spear wildly, forcing him to halt his headlong charge.


    Out in the open, Em''brel took up the stance Ger''ron had drilled into her, but Ral''fen adopted a totally different stance than she''d been expecting. Usually, the worker was less than competent in training, even compared with the other workers. He was always slow and clumsy, barely able to maintain a proper grip on his weapons. Now he crouched low, with his feet spread so that he could launch himself in any direction, and all his movements were oddly fluid.


    Em''brel could hear Ger''ron''s instructions in her mind. "Buy yourself some time! Get him talking if you can!" She kept her eyes wide, trying to appear confused as she spoke, hoping to elicit a response. "Why are you doing this? What did I ever do to you?"


    The worker narrowed his eyes. "This isn''t about you, at least not personally. It''s about your position and the trouble you can cause."


    He feinted left, then right, and Em''brel jabbed her spear in response to the movements in an attempt to block his positioning if he committed, but he seemed content to wait for an opening. Em''brel would be more confident of her advantage, but her spear wasn''t very sharp due to all the hard use in training. Ral''fen was pacing just outside her reach, forcing her to adjust her stance and facing constantly. She tried speaking to him again. "Whatever you''re being offered, we can pay better! You''ve seen the things we can make at this Outpost!"


    Ral''fen shook his head. "You think I''m stupid enough to fall for that? You might be the darling of this Outpost, but you don''t have any authority other than what is given to you. Do you think S''haar will honor your empty promises when she returns?"


    Em''brel gave it one last attempt. "You can just leave! No one will pursue you! But if you hurt me, you know Jack and S''haar will come for you!"


    Ral''fen smiled. "Let them try!" Then he rushed forward.


    Em''brel jabbed with her spear, but Ral''fen blocked with his chisel, deflecting the blow to his side. Now inside the spear''s reach, he started to swing the hammer. In response, Em''brel spun in place, reaching forward to grab further up the spear and shifting her grip so at the end of her turn, she drove the butt of the spear into the stomach of her foe. At least, she would have, if he didn''t redirect his hammer to swing at the spear instead, knocking it to the side while at the same time stabbing out with the newly freed chisel.


    Em''brel fell back and only received a light scraping on her chest plate as a result but lost her grip on her spear. She crouched low, getting ready to launch herself at her opponent. She tried speaking again. "When did you learn to fight like this? What use has a craftsman for such skills?"


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    This time Ral''fen just smirked. Apparently, he was done talking, now that he had his opening, and rushed forward. Em''brel lept to the side to avoid his initial attack and rolled further to avoid the next. Once she had her feet underneath herself again, she tried launching herself up and away, but Ral''fen had apparently dropped his hammer and grabbed her ankle instead and jerked it back, causing Em''brel to fall onto her stomach. She rolled to the side, her chest plate receiving a new gouge from another downward strike as she did so, and kicked up wildly, forcing Ral''fen to fall back a couple of feet.


    Em''brel got partially to her feet but fell back to one knee as a sudden piercing pain struck her side. Looking down, she could see that his strike had cut deeper than she''d thought as a surprising amount of blood was oozing out of the wound. She instinctively covered the injury with one hand and bared her fangs at her foe, thinking of what to do next.


    He was much more skilled at this than any worker should be. It was apparent he had been well trained elsewhere before coming here. He might even be better than most guards here, leaving him at a clear advantage against Em''brel. Her only hope was to try something he didn''t expect.


    This time, as he lept toward Em''brel, she leaped toward him. She struggled to redirect his chisel away from herself on impact but received a knee to the stomach in the process. As she collapsed, he kicked her in the side, and she rolled over, clutching her stomach in pain as she begged. "Please! Don''t! I''m not a threat to anyone! Just let me go!"


    Ral''fen leered at his prey as he stood over her. "Don''t be so pathetic! Die with a little dig..."


    The last was cut off as Em''brel launched herself up and at him, taking advantage of the moment he''d let his guard down to revel in his impending victory, just like S''haar had done to  Lon''thul when she''d pretended to be hurt. She latched onto him, biting and clawing with everything she had, struggling to hurt him in any way she could.


    She got in several good blows, biting deep into the joint on his shoulder, clawing one of his ears to shreds with one hand, scouring along the edge of one of his leg plates with the claws on her feet, drawing plenty of blood. But, unfortunately, it wasn''t enough as he, in turn, buried the chisel in her arm, loosening her grip. Then he slammed downward with both arms, throwing her to the ground and driving the air from her lungs.


    He was a bloody mess, but this time Em''brel really was helpless, and he wouldn''t make the same mistake twice. He reached for the chisel that had fallen when Em''brel did and turned to finish the job.


    As he swung down for the final time, his arm was caught by another far stronger arm. Tel''ron might not be a fighter, and his skill with a spear was barely above average for the workers, but the muscles he''d developed from years hammering away at the forge were more than enough to halt all the momentum of Ral''fen''s swing. After barely a moment''s hesitation, the Outpost''s craft master violently twisted his arm, and a loud series of pops could be heard from the other male''s arm. Though that sound was quickly drowned out by his screams.


    Ral''fen''s arm now hung limply at his side, and Tel''ron adjusted his grip, intending to break the other man in two through raw force alone. The assassin''s screams increased in volume and pitch as his body and life neared their end when Em''brel''s shouted loudly enough to be heard. "Tel''ron, stop! Don''t kill him!"


    The smith eased off a little as he looked at the younger woman in surprise and maybe a little anger. "We can''t show him mercy after what he tried to do to you! He has to die!"


    Em''brel climbed shakily to her feet and spit out some blood from her impact before turning to Tel''ron and his victim. "I didn''t say anything about mercy. Jack and S''haar are almost back, and they''re going to want answers. He can''t speak if you kill him."


    Ral''fen snarled at the woman. "I''m not going to say anything! You might as well kill me!"


    Em''brel shook her head as she started tearing her shirt to wrap her injuries. "Maybe you won''t." She then raised her head and looked her would-be assassin in the eyes. "But I''m confident S''haar will disagree with you on that, and once she gets started, I hope those were empty words, for your sake..."


    She then turned to the smith. "Tel''ron, make sure he can''t hurt himself or anyone else before they get back, will you?"


    Tel''ron grinned and grabbed Ral''fen''s other hand. One loud snap and another scream later, Em''brel finally started limping off to treat her injuries.


    -


    Ger''ron walked into the room. It looked like someone had started trying to clean the place but had given up. Sitting in the corner was Em''brel, her arms wrapped around her knees as she cried to herself.


    The old guard had no words to magically make the pain and fear disappear. So instead, he just righted a chair near enough that Em''brel could reach out for him if she wished but far enough that she could keep to herself if she chose. Then he waited.


    Far sooner than he thought, Em''brel seemed to calm herself as her breathing evened out. Finally, the girl lifted her head, her eyes red from tears, but her face was surprisingly dry. "How''s Jar''maal?"


    Ger''ron laughed and shook his head. "After everything you just went through, again, and that''s your first question?"


    Em''brel just continued looking at him earnestly, and Ger''ron sighed. "He''s fine, for now. Just a nasty gash on the back of his head and some badly bruised tendrils. He''s not going to be very happy once I start my lessons on the importance of attentiveness when acting as a bodyguard, but it''s evident that it''s past time for that."


    The old guard''s face softened. "But I''m sure he''ll be glad to know you asked. More importantly, how are you?"


    Em''brel smiled or at least tried to. Her expression didn''t fool anyone though. "I''m fine. Most of my injuries are superficial. My arm is a bit more serious, but Angela has a stock of something called ''antibiotics'' that will prevent it from getting worse while it heals. A bit of time and care, and I''ll be back to normal."


    Ger''ron''s expression hardened. He wasn''t going to let the girl dodge the question. "That''s not what I meant. How are you doing?"


    Em''brel''s expression slipped, and she was clearly fighting back the tears again. "I don''t¡­I don''t know¡­ First the raiders, then the kidnapping, and now this? How am I supposed to ever sleep again? How am I supposed to walk into a room and pretend I''m not terrified that anyone I don''t know intimately is just another assassin waiting for his moment? When does this nightmare end?"


    When she reached out for him, Ger''ron took her hands and eased himself down so she could grab hold and cling to him like the terrified child she was. He didn''t have any good answers to her questions, so he held her close instead, patting her head and trying to offer what little comfort he could.


    As word spread, more than one person looked in on them out of concern, but the quiet rage on the face of the guard who held Em''brel chased them away without a word. The only one unaffected was Lady Fea''en, who came in and silently set the room to rights. That done, she left for a while before returning with a pot full of stew and three place settings.


    They ate in silence, with Em''brel sandwiched between her two friends.


    -


    Jack was eager to get home. It had been a far longer and more difficult journey than he''d planned, but the end was in sight as they approached the Outpost.


    His reverie was interrupted by Angela''s voice cutting in over his headset. "Jack, something''s happened. Things have to change. We need to have that talk. Now."

 Book 2, Chapter 22

    At first, Jack was kind of annoyed. He was just getting back and really needed to rest. He started to say something to that effect, but Angela''s next words completely shifted his focus. "First off, Em''brel is ok."


    Jack frowned, trying not to let his mind run away with assumptions. "What happened?"


    The AI didn''t mince words. "Em''brel was attacked again. This time by one of our workers, Ral''fen, who was apparently also an assassin of some kind. Luckily, Em''brel''s training helped her hold off and even injure her attacker well enough that Tel''ron could subdue him. He''s currently being held captive, awaiting questioning."


    Jack''s mind was spinning with questions. He could tell by S''haar''s expression that Angela was informing her of the situation. The anger was practically radiating off of her. Finally, Jack returned his attention to the problem at hand. "Ok, we''ll talk, but in a bit. First, I''m going to check on Em''brel."


    Angela didn''t seem inclined to argue. "That''s a good idea, but this isn''t going to wait much longer. We need to come to an understanding, and it can''t wait any longer."


    Jack wasn''t sure how the situation between him and Angela was related to this, but he was confident his sister wasn''t the type to simply use an emergency to force her own agenda. Still, right now, especially now, Em''brel came first.


    -


    As Jack and S''haar hobbled into the billet, it was immediately apparent that Em''brel had seen better days. She was clearly beyond exhausted. At the sound of their entrance, her eyes momentarily went wild with panic as she shot to her feet before she realized who''d entered.


    She still seemed a bit dazed, and she remained standing, as if wondering what to do. Jack and S''haar started to walk forward but were momentarily halted when another presence darted past them. Before anyone else realized what was happening, Sare''en had Em''brel wrapped up in an almost suffocating embrace and started bombarding her with questions. "Oh, gods! What happened? Are you alright? That''s a stupid question. Of course you''re not! What do you need? What can I do?"


    Jack hesitated. He wanted to comfort Em''brel, but as he watched, Em''brel''s expression shifted from shocked to confused, then to acceptance as she returned the other woman''s embrace.


    Just as he wondered what to do, Jack felt something else brush past him as Grim pushed past to get closer to his "mom." Ger''ron, who''d been sitting nearby, jumped to his feet and reached for the blade at his side before Jack held up a hand and shook his head. "Long story, but he''s with us."


    The guard still looked wary but let his hand ease away from his sword. Jack was both relieved and concerned when Grim reacted by cowering in the face of aggression, rather than responding in kind. He realized that even as a relatively docile litter runt, that behavior would only last so long, but it might make training him easier before reaching his adult size.


    Em''brel seemed equally surprised but calmed when Sare''en turned absentmindedly to scratch the pup on the head to comfort him.


    Easing out of the embrace, the younger woman looked at the strange new creature in confusion before realizing what she was looking at. "Is this the wolgen pup Angela told us you adopted? Grime?"


    Sare''en smiled. "It''s ''Grim,'' but yes, this is him. He loves getting his head lightly scratched. I think it reminds him of being groomed by his mom. Just let him sniff your hand first.


    Em''brel held her hand out. Grim shied away at first, but after looking to Sare''en briefly, he leaned forward and gave Em''brel''s hand a few careful sniffs. After that, the younger woman shifted her hand to lightly scratch the pup''s head, who responded by eagerly shoving his head up into Em''brel''s hand. Then, after a brief look of surprise, Em''brel laughed and even smiled. "He''s surprisingly friendly!"


    Sare''en nodded eagerly. "Yeah, that''s part of why we adopted him, rather than...um...not. I think he''ll make a great addition to the Outpost!" Em''brel just grinned and continued to scritch his head.


    Finally, unwilling to wait any longer, S''haar stepped forward. "How are you doing?"


    Em''brel looked up, her face still exhausted and weary, but some of the hysterical edges faded during her interaction with the Sare''en. She smiled weakly, though it was clearly more for show than actual happiness. "About as well as I can, given..." she huffed and waved her hand around, "everything..."


    As Em''brel sat down on the bench again, Sare''en sat down with her. Em''brel had ahold of the other girl''s hand as though using it as a lifeline through which she drew some kind of strength. "Honestly...I don''t know. A part of me is angry that this keeps happening to me, another part is scared that it''ll continue happening to me, and the rest just seems...numb."


    She shook her head. "I''m relieved you all are back...but..." She looked confused and even annoyed at her inability to vocalize her feelings.


    Jack sat down on another bench, drawing S''haar down with him despite every muscle in the larger woman''s body seeming ready for explosive action as soon as she was given a target. He smiled. "That''s alright. You don''t have to explain it all right now, or ever. It might never make sense to you, and it doesn''t have to. Right now, you''re still in partial shock. That''s the numbness you described. So, just let yourself be without trying to force anything. This will take some time to understand and adjust to."


    Images of the faces of Jack''s own traumas flashed through his mind, but he shoved that to the side for now. Em''brel¡¯s need was more immediate. He grinned sadly as he wondered if this counted as the blind leading the blind.


    Em''brel shook her head again. Her eyes teared up as she looked back at Jack. Sare''en gripped her hand a little tighter. "But why does this keep happening to me? Would it have been better If I''d died that first time? Should I have? Is that why this keeps happening?"


    Jack opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by S''haar''s very loud snarl of a response. "Don''t ever say or even think that! I don''t believe in fate, but I believe you are right where you should be, doing just what you should do! Not because of any gods or fortune, but because you''ve chosen this path! I don''t know what the future holds, none of us do, but I know we''re all working as hard as we can to make the best future possible!"


    Em''brel looked a little taken aback at the anger in S''haar''s voice, but Jack hoped maybe some of what the warrior was saying would sink in. She''d certainly made a few good points in that short speech. He smiled and added his own thoughts. "Listen, if my time on this world has taught me anything, it''s that while the future is unpredictable and sometimes even frightening, what really matters is making the most out of the time we have with the people we care about, and it''s quite apparent you have more than a few people who care."


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    Grim had wormed the front half of his body onto the bench and his head into Em''brel''s lap. The younger woman looked down at him. This pup had definitely seen some hard times and might see them again, but at this moment, he seemed perfectly content where he was.


    That was when the door slammed open, making Em''brel jump, Grim cower, and everyone else reach for their weapons. In marched Lon''thul. "What''s this I hear about Em''brel being attacked while we were gone? Why wasn''t I told immediately? Where is he? Why is he still breathing? How soon can I change that?"


    Ger''ron looked at the hunter with a matter-of-fact expression. "He''s currently under guard, more for his own protection than ours. Tel''ron made sure that he wouldn''t be a threat to anyone soon, and we both thought S''haar might want a word with him."


    S''haar''s expression, already a mask of rage, darkened. "Oh, I want more than a word."


    Jack rested a hand on her shoulder. The look she directed at him was one of impatience, but she waited for him to say what was on his mind. "Listen, I know you want blood, but we have to get some information from him. We need to know who actually orchestrated this to stop it from happening again, and we might have to offer him something to get that information."


    Her eyes narrowed. "Oh, I''m going to offer him something, alright. I''m going to offer him an end to the pain he''s about to find himself drowning in, and I hope he''s slow in taking me up on that offer!"


    Jack found himself conflicted. A large part of him agreed with S''haar, and if he''d been there in the heat of the moment, he would have happily been the one to injure or kill the assassin. But now that he was their prisoner, was it right to torture him before execution?


    S''haar looked down at him as if sensing his thoughts. "Jack, you know I care for you and value your opinion, but you put me in charge, and this is my decision."


    Jack started to speak up, unsure if he would agree or argue, but S''haar cut him off. "Listen. I''m not just some angry female taking out her rage on the world like I was when I first arrived here. Nor am I doing this just because I want revenge. This will happen because one of the people under my protection is being threatened."


    S''haar''s expression shifted as if she was looking for understanding. "What''s more, if we don''t take action after something like this, all we''re doing is proclaiming to everyone that we''re soft and inviting more of the same. I realize you don''t like violence, and that''s fine. You can leave this part to me, but this will happen, with or without your approval."


    Jack was a bit surprised. S''haar had certainly argued and disagreed with him on more than one point, but this was the first time she''d told him that his opinion was irrelevant. He stopped and thought a moment. Wasn''t this exactly why he''d agreed she should be in charge, though, for those moments when human and argu''n methods came into conflict?


    For that matter, he wasn''t even confident they were in conflict on this point. There were plenty of humans that would be just as bloodthirsty as S''haar, some more so. The indecision lay within himself, and as he thought about it, he looked back on the many argu''n whose deaths he''d already been responsible for.


    As he was quietly thinking, S''haar took a breath and shook her head. "I''m sorry, but we don''t have time for you to come to terms with this. If you''re angry with me after, we can talk about it then, but I''ve got a job to do right now. I will do what needs to be done for myself, my family, this Outpost, and even for you."


    With that, S''haar stood to leave. Lon''thul chose that moment to speak up. "Mind if I come along? I''m pretty good with my hands!"


    S''haar gave the hunter a stern look. "So long as you can hold yourself back. He''s not going to die until we get our answers."


    The hunter grinned sadistically. "Oh, I have no plans on making this quick or easy on him!"


    With that, the two of them left. Jack wanted to offer his support as they walked out, but his voice refused to come out.


    Angela chose that moment to speak up instead. "Alright, you''ve checked in on Em''brel. Now it''s time we have that talk."


    Jack groaned and shook his head. "Can''t this wait? Isn''t there enough going on as is?"


    Angela refused to budge. "No, it can''t. Come to the ship. We need to come to an agreement."


    Jack sighed and stood up. He took another look at Em''brel to make sure she was ok. She was listening to Sare''en tell her about Grim, how they found him, how she''d started training him, and her hopes and plans for him. The younger girl seemed to be letting herself get lost in her friend''s words while stroking the pup''s head. It was as good a place as she could probably be in at the moment as Jack turned and walked out to the cave.


    -


    Jack had been expecting to find the cave empty, but instead, he could hear something skittering in the darkness. He started to reach for his gun before Angela''s voice came in over his headset. "Don''t worry, there''s no creepy crawlies in this cave. All you''re hearing is my little project."


    Jack frowned and turned to focus his headlamp on one of the sources of the sound. He saw what appeared to be a small metallic insect, running while carrying some sort of rock. His eyes narrowed, and his voice took on a suspicious tone. "Angela, what are you getting up to in here?"


    His sister didn''t become defensive or try to deflect the conversation. Instead, she was blunt. "Exactly what you told me to do, nothing more, nothing less. I''m stabilizing my power reserves."


    Jack heard more of the insects scurrying in the distance. "How? Making these things must have cost you a huge amount of energy. What are you making with these? Also, can you even do this? I thought it was against the treaty for an AI to download their personality into multiple bodies."


    Angela responded. "You''ll see what I''m making in a moment. For the record, these clearly fall into the emergency exemption protocols. Also, I haven''t downloaded my personality into any of them. They are temporary drones, properly programmed to avoid harming any organisms class three or above, carrying out emergency repairs. Nothing more."


    Jack shook his head. "Repairing what? We both know that nothing can be done to start the core with what we have on hand, even if you manage to repair it."


    Angela didn''t budge. "Like I said, you''ll see in a moment. But, first, we have to talk. You are my captain, and what''s more, you are my baby brother. I will move heaven and earth to protect you, and you need to understand that is non-negotiable."


    Jack shook his head. "I''m not trying..."


    Angela cut him off. "I''m not done. Not long ago, a wise woman told me that if protecting someone means you prevent them from being themselves, you''re not protecting them; you''re protecting yourself. She was right. When you left to go save Em''brel, you were right. There was a significant risk to yourself. It was luck as much as anything else that allowed you to survive, but you were right. You had to do that to be yourself, and I have to do this.


    As Jack neared the ship, he could make out occasional flashes, as if some kind of welding was going on. However, he couldn''t quite make out what was happening until he got close enough for his light to illuminate the scene in front of him.


    It took a moment for his mind to process what he was seeing. His mining harness was standing before him, but now it was crawling with the same metallic insects from the cave. The general shape was all that remained the same. Inside was all-new hardware that looked like some sort of server mounted with what could only be a powerful cooling mechanism. Around the outside, something that could easily be called an armored shell was being crafted.


    As he stood there staring, the thing turned its head and spoke to him in his sister''s voice. "Well, what do you think?"

 Book 2, Chapter 23

    Ral''fen was in a pretty miserable state. All he felt was pain, and both his hands were useless after that oversized mound of muscle managed to sneak up on him and shatter the bones in both hands. He''d wasted far too much time trying to kill the whelp, and that nasty trick she''d played on him at the end in her gambit to survive had cost him everything.


    Ral''fen looked up at his current jailer. It was the guard he''d knocked out when he''d made his bid for the girl''s life. Jar''maal was his name. He looked at the prisoner like he''d prefer returning the favor instead of standing guard. Maybe Ral''fen could use that to his advantage.


    After looking around like he was confused, Ral''fen turned to his guard. "Hey, I gotta relieve myself. Could you give me a hand?" The assassin held up his two broken hands to emphasize why he''d need assistance.


    Jar''maal''s smile definitely had a cruel edge as he shook his head. "Too bad. I guess you''ll just have to mess yourself."


    Ral''fen shrugged. "If you say so. I just figured you wouldn''t want to be stuck in a room that smelled like shit. But if you don''t mind..."


    Jar''maal started to look like he was questioning his previous decision. Ral''fen had to hide a smile when the guard''s voice told him all he needed to hear despite the suspicious look in his eye. "What kind of help do you need?"


    Ral''fen looked down at his pants. "Well, I can''t get these off in my current state. All you gotta do is untie them, and I''ll take care of the rest. Then, once I''m done, you''ll just have to haul the bucket out of here."


    The guard hemmed and hawed like he hadn''t made up his mind, but Ral''fen knew he''d already won. "Besides, what can I do to you with two broken hands while also having my arms tied up?"


    Eventually, the guard shook his head, his disgust clearly evident. "Fine, but don''t try anything stupid, or you might not live to regret it! Now stand up and raise your arms!"


    Ral''fen clumsily got to his feet and raised his arms like he''d been instructed. Then, when the guard moved in, he brought both arms down, pinning the two of them close. Then, before the guard''s confusion could fade, he bit Jar''maal''s neck as hard as possible.


    Of course, the guard quickly overpowered Ral''fen, picking him up and throwing him bodily across the room. When he hit the ground and his hands slammed into the dirt floor, a new searing pain nearly made the assassin blackout. But, by force of will, he kept himself awake so he could sneer at his jailer. "Keep getting outwitted by me, and you''ll be out of a job! Of course, if you were any good at your job, neither of us would be here now!"


    Jar''maal roared and charged the assassin, slamming him against the wall. Ral''fen just kept up the taunting tone of voice. "Oh, come on. What are you going to do? We all know the only reason you''re here is because the old man in charge of the guards has a soft spot for you from your time together at the gate, but somehow you''re even more incompetent than he is!"


    Jar''maal''s eyes were filled with murderous rage. With any luck, Ral''fen''s stay in this prison was nearly at an end. As the guard drew his claws back, an icy voice shouted a command. "Drop the cur right now!"


    Reason came back into the guard''s eyes, and his face clearly expressed that he realized he''d messed up...again. He dropped the assassin and stepped back, standing as straight as possible while looking forward. "Ah, sorry, Lady S''haar! I don''t know what I was thinking!"


    S''haar limped into the room. Clearly, her leg had been injured. As she looked at the guard, her expression eased just a little. "You thought what we all do, that his pathetic excuse for an assassin deserves death. But he''s not getting off that quickly, or easily."


    She looked over at the guard''s bleeding neck. "Go get yourself treated. We''ll take it from here."


    The guard looked confused. "We...?"


    That was when the Outpost''s master hunter walked in. He had an abundance of knives and other tools. "I visited Tel''ron and Fae''en to see if they had any tools that might aid us with our ''questioning.'' Turns out they were more than happy to help, and I got a few good ones here I can''t wait to try out!"


    Despite the hunter''s exuberance and showmanship, Ral''fen was utterly focused on S''haar. She was glaring at him quietly, and he could feel the rage and malice she exuded from every inch of her body. This wasn''t the same anger the guard had displayed earlier. This was colder and crueler than anything he''d encountered before. Still, maybe he could use that to his advantage.


    Ral''fen smirked and looked at S''haar''s injured leg. "What''s the matter? Negotiations with the village didn''t go so well?"


    Lon''thul crouched down next to the assassin and smirked. "Oh, negotiations went great! It was the mated pair of wolgen that complicated things. S''haar went toe to toe with one for several minutes while the rest of us took care of the other. She might have taken a hit or two, but she''s still standing, and they''re both dead."


    S''haar looked down at Ral''fen before speaking to Lon''thul as she reached for a knife. "Get him on his feet."


    Ral''fen smirked as he was pulled hastily upward. "Aren''t you going to ask any questions before we get started? I thought that was the whole purpose of keeping me alive this long?"


    S''haar finished inspecting the knife, then looked Ral''fen in the eyes. "Anything we get out of you right now will only be lies and taunts. So for tonight, I figured we''d just skip the questions and give you a glimpse into the foreseeable future. If you''re very fortunate, we might start asking you questions as early as tomorrow..."


    Ral''fen winced back as Lon¡¯thul started tapping the blade of some woodworking tool against the assassin''s chest plate. He imagined the look the hunter directed his way was probably the last thing many animals saw before the end.


    -


    Jack looked at his mining suit, which now appeared to be looking back at him expectantly. This was a lot to take in. The implications alone... "So what? We''re just abandoning the ship? Just like that?"


    Angela''s avatar appeared just beside the suit, shook her head, and glared at Jack. "When a girl asks you what you think of her new outfit, you always compliment them before anything else! Also, yes, we abandon the ship, at least for now. You were the one who pointed out we''re not going to dig it out without a lot more machinery than we have access to, and it''s a significant drain on our power reserves. This suit, and a few small systems that can be salvaged out of the ship, will run on a fraction of the power, buying us years with what we have now, and an indefinite amount of time once we get Em''brel''s windmill up and running."


    Jack looked past his sister to the ship and some more of the robotic insects carrying a few small components out of the now empty husk. "But how are we supposed to get by without everything the ship provides? This planet hasn''t precisely been hospitable to me. That thing is all that''s kept me alive so far!"


    Angela shook her head. "What have you been doing these last few months, if not building up a new home for your friends, family, and yourself? You have food, shelter, and security, and it''s pretty much self-sustaining. Add in a little plumbing, and you''ll be living in the lap of luxury!"


    Jack looked doubtful. "What about the med bay? That can''t be easily replicated with some sticks and mud!"


    Angela looked as though she were disappointed with a particularly stubborn student. "First off, that''s an insulting way to describe what so many of your friends have worked so hard to build out there. Second of all, don''t you think I''ve thought of that? Do you think I''ll be installing a bunch of guns onto this thing? When I''m done, it''ll be a mobile med-bay! What I lose in capacity, I can make up for in portability by being able to bring the treatment to you, rather than forcing someone to drag your nearly dead body back to me...again! The systems I can''t mount on the suit can be installed in a room of one of those buildings. Maintaining them until we need to use them will use minimal power."


    Jack couldn''t help but feel like something was wrong as he stared into the dark just past the doorway he''d used so often. "Still... I just... I can''t..."


    Angela crossed her arms and tilted her head down. "Yeah, I know. That ship has been our home since before...before we lost everything. So leaving it behind is like losing another connection to our past. What''s more, it''s been the place you were able to retreat to when you needed to shut out the universe. But we both have to accept that we need to move on. If not for our sake, then for the sake of everyone and everything we now care about!"


    Jack felt a rush of heat. A small part of his mind knew this level of anger was irrational, but that voice was drowned out by raw emotion. "Easy for you to say! You''re dying to get out there and go on an adventure of your own! Me? I''ve had my fill! I''ve been struggling day and night, working myself to the bone, trying to keep everything from collapsing! Then I find out my own sister is riding a knifes edge, weeks away from possible death, and she never even told me?"


    Angela looked shocked at his outburst, then switched to the defensive. "You never asked!"


    Jack roared in response. "I SHOULDN''T HAVE TO!"


    A part of Jack''s mind struggled to control his chaotic emotions and calm himself down, but another part was fanning the flames of anger to hide his fears. Flinging his arms in the general direction of the ship, Jack continued. "That''s the kind of thing a friend, an AI, or a SISTER should share without being prompted. I''m sure you could have worked it into a conversation somehow." Jack did his best Angela impression. "Today, the temp will be a lovely twenty-one degrees and overcast. Oh, by the way, I might be dead in a few weeks!"


    Angela shook her head. She''d had enough and fired back. "Oh, so it''s okay for you to risk your life to protect those you care about, but not for me to do the same? So you think you''re some tragic hero, put on this planet to save us all from ourselves? I hate to break it to you, but we''re all fighting in our own ways, and we''re all stressed to our limits!"


    Jack wasn''t done yet. The anger settled into a cold and ugly place in his stomach, and he wielded that anger like a sword. "The difference is, when I risked my life, I worked with you to prepare as well as I could and made sure S''haar was aware so you could come to save me if I lived long enough. I included my family. I couldn''t have done it alone, and neither can you!"


    Angela rounded on him, stomping a foot in a way that might have been cute at a different time. "Maybe I would have come to you, if you weren''t so indecisive as of late! But, if you can''t start making decisions again, you will get yourself and others killed!"


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Jack was stunned. Angela softened her expression a little. "Listen, this isn''t how I wanted to say this, but it''s seriously becoming a problem. I get that you''re feeling overwhelmed by everything happening, guilty about what happened, and even afraid of what¡¯s coming in the future, but more and more, you''re refusing to make decisions. Sure, when it requires you to risk yourself, you dive right in, almost a little too eagerly, I might add. But if anyone else needs to take a risk or a responsibility, you suddenly start backing off and overthinking things to the point we have to make decisions for you! Yeah, it''s scary, and yeah, you might make a bad call. Maybe someone will get hurt or even killed! But even a bad plan is better than no plan at all!"


    Suddenly Jack''s vision shifted. To his horror, in front of him was the body of the young raider he''d failed to save. The boy''s eyes shot open, and he stared at Jack. "I died, and you lived. What are you going to do with that life? What are you going to build with those blood-stained hands?"


    Before he could gather his wits, Jack was next assaulted by a vision of Nala''ac approaching off to the side. One arm barely hanging on by shreds of bone and flesh. "Our stories are ended, yet yours continues. What will you do with the future we lost? Will our deaths be worth it?"


    Jack collapsed on the ground, gasping for air as his head swam through a sea of chaos, guilt, and fear. Then his parents appeared before him. His dad smiled, but the smile was different than Jack remembered, colder somehow. "You''re my son, which means you''re destined for greatness! It''s time you started living up to your potential!"


    Jack curled into a ball and squeezed his eyes shut while gripping his head. This was too much. He''d clearly lost the last shreds of his sanity. He was so broken, he couldn''t help anyone.


    That''s when he noticed everything had gone quiet. He took a few careful breaths to steady himself and looked up. He was surrounded by a familiar void. Turning his head, he could see a figure sitting in a chair, though her bearing made it look like she sat on a throne. Not-S''haar stared down at him. "You know those aren''t actually the voices of the dead, right?"


    Jack looked around in confusion. How''d he end up here? What was going on? Not-S''haar continued looking at him in a way that made him self-conscious of his current state. Finally, he wiped his face and tried to force himself to calm as she spoke. "Up until now, you''ve always been so composed whenever we spoke, regardless of your circumstance. It''s nice to see you''re mortal after all."


    Jack shook his head and glared at his uninvited guest. "What am I doing here? Did I finally lose it completely, or am I dead?"


    Not-S''haar smiled. "Maybe a little of both, but not entirely either. Not yet, at least. I thought you could use a little clarity before continuing down your current path."


    Jack looked confused. "I...I''m sorry, what?"


    Not-S''haar stood and approached Jack, helping him to his feet. Jack couldn''t help but notice his hand lightly burned where they made contact. "Those voices that plague you in your dreams don''t come from anything other than your own doubts. It''s not often I allow the dead to speak to the living, and none of those voices are real."


    Jack sighed. "I know that...mostly. Those voices are my own doubts and fears, manifesting with the faces of what I feel are my most significant failures. Speaking to me with my own words. Still, it doesn''t help that a part of me feels like they are right."


    Not-S''haar looked at him a moment, then cocked her head. "What do you mean?"


    Jack shifted in place a little and shook his head. "When we first met, you asked what kind of future I''d bring and if there''d be death. Well, there''s already been death... Too much, if you ask me, and it looks like there might be more to come. Sometimes I wonder if things wouldn''t have been better if you had finished me off then..."


    The goddess of death looked at him quizzically for a moment before speaking. "Did you ascend to godhood when I wasn''t looking?"


    Jack blinked a few times, wondering if he''d heard her correctly. She continued without waiting for him to catch up. "Because I remember the first conversation you speak of. You made a rather compelling argument that unless I could see the future, I had no business judging you as you struggled to do your best. So unless you''ve become omniscient, I wonder how you can hold yourself accountable for the same thing?"


    Jack sat back and countered. "Maybe I''m not all-knowing, but there''s a difference between making honest mistakes because I can''t foresee the future and simply blundering forward, creating death in my wake."


    Not-S''haar stared down at him. "And is that what you''ve been doing? Blundering forward without consideration for any potential consequences?"


    Jack shook his head again. "Well, no, not exactly, but maybe if I''d thought longer or harder, rather than letting myself get distracted by my personal pleasures, I could have avoided some of it!"


    The being tilted her head to the other side. "And if you''d made a vow of celibacy and ignored your friends and family, would that have granted you visions of the future?"


    Jack rolled his eyes in frustration. "Why are you making such ridiculous arguments?"


    Not-S''haar laughed. "Why are you?"


    Jack looked up at her quizzically. "Okay, assuming you''re not just another delusion, which I don''t think I''ll ever believe, why would you take such an interest in me? Why continuously take such a direct hand in my wellbeing?"


    Not-S''haar shrugged. "Well, either I''m a delusion, so only you can answer that, or I''m a god, in which case I don''t owe you an explanation."


    She tilted her head and gave him a once-over before stepping back with an enigmatic smile. "There, that''s better. Now go. I think your sister is calling for you."


    Jack looked confused. "Wha..." His voice was cut off when he suddenly felt something kick him in the chest. As his eyes flew open and he gasped for air, he noticed he was lying facedown on the ground.


    Angela, who''d been floating nearby, started sob-laughing. "Oh, thank god, you''re alive! You scared me! Are you okay?"


    Jack rolled over and took a moment to catch his breath before replying. "What happened?"


    Angela shook her head. "I think you had a panic attack, but then you went blank, and your heartbeat skyrocketed, then you passed out. I steadied your heartbeat with the ICD we installed after your latest near-death experience, and after that, you woke up.¡± Angela shook her head, digital tears in her eyes. ¡°It was terrifying! Don''t ever do that to me again!"


    As Jack started to sit up, Angela continued, a little more contritely this time. "Listen. You were right. I should have spoken to you sooner about this. About everything. I''m sorry."


    Jack shook his head. "You aren''t the only one. I handled this...poorly. Like you said, I think I started to panic at the thought of losing the ship, and I took it out on you, but you didn''t deserve that. So I''m sorry too."


    He looked up at his sister with an abashed smile. "What say we start over with this? Why don''t you show me the new body you''re designing for yourself?"


    Angela smiled and floated back up to the suit. "Well, it''s not done yet, but as you can see, I''ve designed the suit to be a mobile server and first aid station, with some emitters strategically placed so the old me can still pop out for a visit! It''ll let me go out and explore this world with you for the first time ever. Obviously, there''s a bit of risk involved in this, but I''m armoring it enough that I''m at less risk than S''haar or yourself out there and considerably less than if I stayed sitting in a ship waiting for my power to drain the rest of the way!"


    The AI turned and looked at the ship wistfully. "Still, I won''t have access to nearly the storage or computing power I did as the ship, so I''ll have to leave everything unnecessary behind. No more movies, I''m afraid! Also, many other files will have to be condensed for better storage, which means I won''t have ready access to as much information as I''m used to..."


    She turned to Jack. "But don''t go getting all cocky or anything. I''ll still be thinking circles around you!"


    Jack looked at the suit. It still seemed primarily skeletal, with only a few plates secured to the frame. He tilted his head to the side. "So what, you''re just going to look like some large bulky robot stomping around?"


    Angela smiled and shook her head. "A girl gets to keep some secrets! You''ll have to wait for the big reveal, just like everyone else! I only get to make one first impression in my new body, and I''m going to do that in style! My style!"


    Jack was suddenly filled with trepidation. "Just try not to create too many new myths or legends! This place is already filled to the brim with superstition as is!"


    -


    Em''brel was sitting back watching Sare''en go about preparing dinner. It was strange not to be the one doing it, and there were more than a few times she tried to interject her thoughts about what portions of what ingredients to add, but Sare''en simply shushed her and told her to relax for once.


    Grim padded along after his mom for a while, trying to puzzle out the purpose of her actions, but eventually gave up and settled down next to Em''brel, his chin resting on his paws as his eyes followed Sare''en around the room. The younger woman idly scritched his head, wondering why the action relaxed her as much as the wolgen.


    Eventually, Jack walked in. He certainly looked worse for wear. Em''brel shot him a questioning look as he slowly settled into a nearby chair, obviously in pain. Jack smiled wanly and shook his head. "Nothin'' to worry about. Anglea and I just had a long overdue talk, is all. Things got a bit heated, but I think we both got some frustrations out of our systems and came to an understanding."


    Angela spoke up over Em''brels headset. "Don''t let him understate things. He''s been pushing himself too hard...and I didn''t help any. He collapsed and nearly had some more serious issues. So he''s on light duty only for the next couple of days, doctor¡¯s orders!"


    Em''brel looked worried and started to stand. "What happened? Are you okay?"


    Jack eased back into his chair and shook his head. "I''m fine! I was just reminded that I havet a few more limitations these days. I think I''ve aged more in the last six months than I have in the last ten years. The price of adventure, I guess!"


    Em''brel didn''t look appeased. "You''d better start taking better care of yourself, or I''m gonna tell S''haar to do it for you!"


    The woman in question walked into the common room at the end of the short rant. "What are you going to tell me?"


    Em''brel looked at her with annoyance clear on her face. "Jack''s been pushing himself too hard! He collapsed just a bit ago and needs to take it easy for a while!"


    S''haar directed a sharp look at Jack, who held up his hands in surrender. "Listen, everybody will need a few days to recover from everything. I intend to include myself in that group. I''ll be taking it easy, I swear!"


    The larger woman narrowed her eyes. "See that you do."


    Jack watched as she finished drying her hands and tried not to think about what she''d recently washed off. "Did...did everything go alright?"


    S''haar looked at him quizzically as though wondering how much to say before sighing. "Well, I''m confident he''ll talk. Tonight I mostly just put some fear into him. Tomorrow, the real work begins."


    Jack nodded before standing up and hobbling over to her. "Listen, I''m sorry about my reaction earlier. This probably isn''t easy on you either, and you could use some more support right now. I want you to know that I''m behind you in all this, even the parts I might find...unsavory. You''re running this place to the best of your ability and doing a great job. I can''t imagine anyone who could have done better."


    The warrior woman looked down at Jack for several moments before her shoulders relaxed, as though some great weight had been lifted. She didn''t speak at first but instead pulled Jack into a hug, closed her eyes, and sighed. "Thanks. I needed to hear that more than I realized."


    The two sat like that a moment before Em''brel cleared her throat to get their attention. Then, as the two turned to glance at the younger woman, she smiled. "Not to interrupt or anything, but you''re standing right in front of the pot, and poor Sare''en is too polite to tell you to move."


    Both turned their attention to the herder, who clutched a few ingredients that clearly needed to be added to the stew. She apologized as she wormed around them and resumed her duties the second they made space.


    Jack shook his head as the door opened again, and Lon''thul walked in, his hands definitely covered in some blood. "Hey, how long till dinner''s ready? Torturing that lousy assassin really worked up an appetite, and I''m ready to eat!"


    Everyone in the room fixed him with various looks ranging from horrified to furious as Em''brel laid into him. "Go wash yourself off first! Don''t bring that mess in here while we''re cooking! What is wrong with you?!?"


    Lon''thul bowed out to follow Em''brel''s commands before the woman started throwing things at him, but his face clearly expressed his lack of regret.

 Book 2, Chapter 24

    Jack was easing into bed when S''haar came into the room. After Jack''s umpteenth "near-death" experience earlier and S''haar''s activities with the would-be assassin, neither was in the mood for anything other than being close to each other. Once Jack was adequately covered so his leg wouldn''t get cold and cramp during the night, S''haar crawled in and pulled him close. They sat like that for several minutes, neither saying a word but communicating volumes.


    Eventually, S''haar relaxed her hold, and Jack eased a little some blood flow back into limbs that were getting dangerously close to falling asleep. As she watched him stretch and move, S''haar smiled. "I know I said it earlier, but thanks for what you did back there. With everything going on lately, we haven''t had much time alone, and it started to feel like a distance was beginning to grow between us. So it means a lot that you reached out to close the gap a little."


    Jack smiled wanly as he flexed his wrist. "Well, I had a bit of sense knocked into me today, first one way, then another. I''ve been so caught up with what might happen in the future that I''ve neglected what''s happening in the present."


    He sighed. "When this all began, my goal was to repair the ship and leave, but my desires shifted over time. For a while now, my brain and heart have been pulling in different directions, one pushing to return where I came from, the other wanting to embrace what I''ve found here. It''s just taken me some time, and an argument or two, to decide which of those goals to finally let go of."


    S''haar looked at him quizzically, hiding a small smile behind mock seriousness. "So, what did you decide?"


    Jack leaned into S''haar, who welcomed him back with a hug as he continued. "As if there was any doubt, I''m staying here. This is my home, these," Jack waved out toward the outpost, "are my people, and you, Em''brel, and Angela are my family. There''s nothing up there that compares what I have down here."


    The smaller man felt himself being squeezed tight enough that he knew he''d have trouble breathing if it lasted too long, but as he expected, S''haar eased her grip after a moment. "So then, if this camp isn''t about escaping this planet anymore, what is it?"


    Jack smiled and shook his head. "I don''t think it''s been about that for a while now. It took my brain a little time to catch up with where my heart''s been leading it. I''d like to make the facade real. Turn this into a proper permanent village of its own."


    Jack could feel S''haar''s confident grin even without looking as she spoke. "I think that might be possible..."


    A few more moments passed in comfortable silence before S''haar spoke again. This time her voice held just a hint of mischief. "So you were still thinking of leaving the planet, huh? And what were you going to do with me? Leave me behind? Or were you going to bring the big, scary barbarian female to the stars to show off to all your human friends?"


    Jack knew that, despite the jovial nature of S''haar''s voice, his following words must be chosen carefully. "Well, as much as I''d like to show off my big, scary girlfriend, I''d be too worried you''d fall for some other cute human out there. So instead, I was thinking about having Anglea freeze you and keep you in storage so I could thaw you out and have fun whenever it struck my fancy!"


    The pillow that flew into Jack''s face let him know that, although he''d pushed a button or two, S''haar was still playing along in good fun. "Oh, you were going to imprison me, were you? Maybe it''s time I remind you that I''m the alpha predator in this relationship!"


    Jack grinned as the night''s energy shifted in a new direction. "We both know that I might fall behind in the begining, but you¡¯ll beg for mercy first!"


    S''haar flashed a toothy smile as she pounced. "Bold words, now prove them!"


    -


    Grim was following his new mom around like usual. She picked up lots of the small eating surfaces and moved them into one spot. She let Grim lick the last bits of food the other pack members had neglected before submerging them in the bad-smelling water and pulling them out with less attractive scents. That was ok, though. Grim was starting to learn the scents would return with more scraps to be cleaned later. He''d just have to be patient.


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    Once he was done licking the surfaces, he knew his mom would be submerging the surfaces for a while, so he checked on the other new pack member still in the room, the one who was hurt.


    Grim could smell the fear/pain on the new pack member. He remembered experiencing that same fear/pain not long ago when his first mom pushed him away and stopped feeding him.


    It hadn''t happened quickly. At first, life had been good. Mom and dad would leave, and Grim would play with his brother and sister until they returned. Then mom would feed them, and they''d sleep. That had been life forever. But then mom started running out of food before Grim was full, and the play fights with his brother and sister had become real fights for who got to eat their fill. Grim lost these fights by a little at first, but his brother and sister grew bigger over time, and he lost the fights quicker and harder. Soon, he started sneaking around to get his food while they slept, until his mom had started pushing him away.


    It was just a little after that time that his new pack had found Grim. At first, Grim had been sure he would die like his brother and sister had. After all, they were so much bigger and stronger than Grim, but they''d died. What could Grim do? But instead, his new pack fed Grim and took him with them. They even gave Grim his new name.


    But now, this new pack member had the same pain/fear Grim had gone through. Maybe her mom had abandoned her too, and Grim''s new pack adopted her like they had him. Perhaps she was still scared and lonely and didn''t realize this pack meant safety.


    Well, Grim was going to do his best to show her the same care his new mom showed him. So he came over to the hurt/scared one and nudged her with his nose to say "Hi."


    The female flashed her teeth at Grim. At first, Grim had thought showing teeth was a threat like it was from his brother and sister, but eventually, he realized teeth often meant food or scritches in his new pack. There were many new things to get used to, but food and scritches made learning fun.


    After accepting Grim''s greeting with her teeth, the new pack member began following through with the promise of scritches, and Grim settled in, resting his head in her lap as she groomed him.


    More than anything, this was Grim''s job. When he came to pack members and let them scritch him, he could feel their fear/anger lessen, so Grim spent as much time as possible going from one pack member to the next, getting scritches in the process.


    His mom and the new pack member sang at each other as Grim performed his duty. Eventually, the fear/pain faded, and the new packmate calmed down. Grim was just about to fall asleep when he noticed his mom had finished her task and started heading for the moving wall that led outside.


    Grim hopped up to follow his mom but immediately felt a spike in the new pack member''s fear/pain. She sang at his mom, who sang back. Grim wasn''t sure what the songs meant, they were so much more complex than the rumblings of his old family, but the fear/pain was clearly growing.


    Finally, wanting to add his own voice to the song, Grim offered a whimper to his mom before looking at the other female. Trying to explain the fear/pain to his mom so she could fix it for the new pack member, like she did with Grim.


    There was more singing, but it was softer this time. Finally, both his mom and the new packmate started walking in a different direction, and Grim followed.


    They passed one moving wall that smelled like the pack matron and the small, squishy male. The matron was scary but offered safety to the pack. She radiated a confident danger like Grim''s old mom and dad had, but she only punished Grim with a flick to the nose when he did something he shouldn''t, like play too rough or bite.


    The squishy male was fun. He invented all sorts of clever hunting games, like chasing the stick or finding the hidden treat. He also smelled of pain/fear sometimes, but not as strong as the new pack member. Maybe this was a pack of healing.


    They walked through a different moving wall, but this one led to a smaller den than the first room. The new packmate climbed onto a soft raised nest, and Grim''s mom made another nest on the ground by the door. Once she was settled in her nest, Grim cuddled up next to his mom, so they could share heat.


    They stayed that way for a while, with his mom and the new packmate singing back and forth. Eventually, the new packmate must have overcome her fear because she left her nest and sat down next to Grim, placing him between his two packmates. She reached over and held onto Grim, and after a while, her breathing eased, and she fell asleep.


    In her sleep, she squeezed Grim tight from time to time. Once during the night, her fear/pain spiked, and she cried out in her sleep. Grim licked her face until she woke up. At first, she was startled, but as was his duty, Grim laid his head in her lap, and the new packmate scritched it. Soon, her fear/pain started to fade again, and after a while, she was able to go back to sleep. His duty complete once again, Grim fell back to sleep as well.

 Book 2, Chapter 25

    Em''brel woke up with a start. Something was definitely different from what she was used to. This wasn''t her bed.


    Slowly, everything from the night before came back to her. As everyone had gone their separate ways, she''d started to panic. Sare''en stayed to talk with and calm Em''brel. When she began to leave, Em''brel panicked again, so instead, she''d agreed to stay and keep an eye on the younger woman through the night. Then Em''brel joined her and Grim on the floor and finally fell asleep. It hadn''t been what Em''brel would call a restful sleep, but it was a far cry from being kept awake all night by fear and anxiety, so she''d gratefully take what she could get.


    However, now Em''brel was alone. Both Sare''en and Grim had disappeared, leaving Em''brel alone in the tangle of blankets and pillows she now found herself in.


    Much to her shame and annoyance, Em''brel felt her fear spike again. She started belittling herself over her weakness, but her thoughts were interrupted by the clatter of cookware from the other room. Liberating herself from her self-imposed entanglement brought on by tossing and turning, Em''brel climbed out to see what was happening to create such a ruckus.


    In the common room were Sare''en and Grim. The woman was lecturing the sheepish-looking wolgen near a mess of pots and pans. "Now, what did I say about winding around my feet while I''m walking? I dropped everything, and you got scared by the loud noise, but you did it to yourself! You can stay nearby, but stop trying to trip me!"


    Em''brel wasn''t sure how much Grim could understand, but he seemed to somehow recognize he was in the wrong. She was certain Sare''en had things well under control, or at least she did before a very angry-looking S''haar practically kicked down her own door, sword in hand and bedsheet bunched up in front of herself. "What happened? Is everyone alright?"


    As she looked around the room at the now cowering Grim and Sare''en, S''haar sheathed her blade with a sigh. "Ah, sorry, didn''t mean to scare you. I just wanted to make sure..."


    Her apology was interrupted by Ger''ron launching himself out of his bedroom, wearing what could only be his version of pajama pants and a spear in hand. "What''s going on out here?"


    He looked around at the scene before him, evidently putting two and two together and relaxing his posture. "Ah, well, I suppose I might have overreacted just a tad...."


    He looked over at S''haar standing in her own doorway, weapon in hand, before grinning. "Guess we''re all a little tense around ''ere, huh?"


    Both Jack and Fea''en showed up behind their respective partners to see what the commotion was. Jack had a blanket more carefully situated around his midsection, Fae''en not so much. After a quick glance around the room, Jack grinned. "Ok, it appears that everyone is safe and accounted for. Now what say we all take a few moments to get ourselves cleaned up and have a proper breakfast, rather than standing around awkwardly in our sleeping attire?"


    Fae''en grinned deviously while Ger''ron did his best to block most of her from view. "Or lack thereof."


    Em''brel sputtered, then laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. Jack gave her a wink as S''haar tried to cover herself better while ushering Jack back inside while Ger''ron did the same thing with Fae''en. Knowing she was surrounded by people ready to charge to her rescue despite their current attire was a relief. Eventually, the two couples were shut back into their respective rooms, presumably getting ready for the day, leaving Em''brel, Sare''en, and Grim in the room together.


    Em''brel had never really changed into sleeping attire last night. She''d need to clean herself up a bit before going about her day, but she was still hesitant to be alone despite the recent stress relief. So instead, she sat on a bench near the fire while Sare''en and Grim recovered from their startlements and resumed breakfast duties.


    Eventually, everyone rejoined the common room, better dressed this time, and enjoyed a pleasant breakfast together. Jack and S''haar especially seemed cozy together again, and it warmed Em''brel''s heart to see it, even if it was a little awkward for everyone else present.


    As the meal ended, Lon''thul burst into the lodge as if he owned the place. "Hello, hello! How''s it going this lovely morning?"


    Everyone stared or glared at him with expressions varying from amused to annoyed, but the hunter didn''t pay any of it any mind. "Alright, what''s the plan? We''ve got an assassin to torture, an expedition full of people that need tending to, a camp to run, and an Em''brel to help. So who''s doing what, and are there any leftovers from breakfast I can have?"


    Apparently, he''d been expected, because Sare''en had a plate in his hands barely a breath after he finished his question.


    S''haar sighed. "Well, that sounded like a list of things I need to tend to, but I''m not sure I have time for all of that..."


    Jack shook his head and patted S''haar''s hand. "That''s what delegating is for. Ger''ron has been mostly running this camp for you the last couple of weeks, and unforeseeable assassins aside, he''s done a great job. He can do it for one more day."


    The human looked at Em''brel thoughtfully and continued. "As far as the last two things on the list, I think we can kill two birds with one stone by having myself, Em''brel, and Sare''en see to the expedition''s members. Doing something helpful and productive is an excellent way to restore a feeling of control in one''s life. Also, the three of us are possibly the three most thoroughly trained and/or experienced rehabilitators on the planet. And finally, it''ll be good to have Grim socialize some more. The more he acclimates to being around different people early on, the easier he''ll adapt to life here. Also, it''ll be a good idea for the camp to get used to seeing him around."


    Jack looked at Lon''thul. "That just leaves..."


    The hunter looked up from his plate, his eyes a little wilder than usual as the juices dripping from his mouth further added to the image as he spoke, finishing Jack''s thought. "The torture! I''ll help out with that one!"


    The hunter turned to S''haar with a satisfied grin. "See, you can just sit back and relax today, if you need to!"


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    S''haar grimaced and shook her head. "No, as lovely as that sounds, I can''t delegate everything. Besides, I don''t trust you not to get too excited and kill the assassin. We need more information, and this needs to be done right. So let me finish up here, and we can go see how our prisoner is doing."


    That put a bit of a damper on the breakfast, and when everyone parted ways to go about their various duties, it was with a somber tone.


    -


    S''haar was tired. As if running this camp, then being in charge of that nightmare of an expedition hadn''t been bad enough, she''d come back to this mess. At least Jack had stopped acting so weird. He''d been so back and forth on so many subjects lately, it had been hard to keep up. Not that it had been entirely his fault; he''d been through more than enough to break a man since he''d crashed into S''haar''s life, but it had been just one more stress at a time when S''haar was already feeling pushed to her limits.


    Now to make things worse, S''haar was at war with herself. Sitting before her was the worm who''d cowardly attacked the person he''d thought weakest in the camp, and S''haar had him completely at her mercy. A part of her wanted to just tear his throat out and be done with it. Let justice be served and call it a day. But this had most probably been the third attempt on Em''brel''s life, one of which had involved mobilizing an entire camp of raiders to action. They needed to know more before there was a fourth.


    The other part of S''haar reveled in torturing the would-be assassin. She took great joy in the smell of blood and every scream that came out of his mouth, but she wanted to be better than this. Not just because Jack thought she was better than this, and a part of her wanted to live up to his image of her, but also because she couldn''t help but wonder if this wasn''t what every male who''d ever tormented her had been feeling at the time. She even feared this is what her father often felt like...


    At least she wasn''t alone in here. Lon''thul''s presence helped, if only because S''haar refused to show weakness in front of the younger male. Keeping her usual stoic expression in place took enough concentration that it helped distract her from the bloodlust she was feeling.


    She was caught in the middle. Wanting to draw this out or shut it down but unwilling or unable to do either. With a grimace, she grabbed the pliers and resumed her duty, trying to ignore how much she was enjoying herself as she did so.


    -


    Jack was keeping his eye on Em''brel as he changed the bandages of one of the guards. All but the most severe injuries were healed to the point they probably didn''t require this level of attention, but Jack wasn''t about to let a complication like infection slip past him by foolishly trusting in probability.


    Grim was doing his best to be underfoot at every opportunity, though he was occasionally distracted from his chosen task by scritches from the guards he''d gotten used to on the journey home. But he was so excited to see everyone all at once that he never stayed seated for long, weaving back and forth between everyone present at random.


    Jack was relieved to see Em''brel was as thorough and diligent as ever. However, he didn''t like how she flinched back from every unexpected sound or movement. Luckily, he wasn''t the only one who seemed to notice. Sare''en proved herself invaluable, popping over to ask Em''brel for help or advice at just the right moments to remind the younger girl she wasn''t alone. It was evident to Jack that it wasn''t coincidental either. More than once, he met the gaze of the herder girl as she briefly acknowledged his attentiveness.


    For his part, Jack was following up on both girls'' ministrations. Of course, he was also using the whole thing to make sure Em''brel and Sare''en were being heaped with well-deserved praise to bolster their spirits.


    That was when Jack got to one of the particularly young guards that had been with them. As he pulled back the wrap around his injured shoulder, something about the wound nagged at his mind. Then, as he inspected it closer, he realized he''d seen a wound like this on an argu''n once before. It had been surrounded by many other injuries at the time, on the dead raider he''d failed to save.


    Jack wasn''t sure how long he''d sat there lost in the past before Sare''en came over and lightly tapped him on the shoulder. Jack jumped slightly before turning and looking at what she''d brought over for him to see.


    She had a slightly soiled wrap in her hands as she explained her concern in a soft, halting voice. "I...um...wasn''t sure, but there''s no sign of discoloration in this, is there? I just wanted to be sure there was no infection, is all..."


    Jack looked at the cloth carefully, wondering what had sparked her concern, but couldn''t see anything even remotely out of the ordinary when he realized the question had been for his sake, not hers. She''d done for him the same thing she''d been doing for Em''brel and used an innocent question to nudge him back to the here and now.


    With a sheepish but grateful grin, Jack shook his head. "No, that looks clean to me. Just clean him up and rebandage him like the rest."


    Sare''en nodded. "Thank you. I''ll do that."


    Jack nodded in return, catching her gaze a moment longer to express his gratitude before returning his attention to the guard he''d been patching up. It was a good reminder, though. For all his knowledge and experience, all too often he was still the blind leading the blind down here, and it was a good thing to keep in mind.


    Jack shook his head at himself, then looked around to see what needed his attention next, only to realize they were done. With the help of both women, it had gone much quicker than he''d anticipated, despite Grim''s best attempts to slow their progress. As he helped Em''brel and Sare''en clean up, Jack grinned. "Well, we finished earlier than I thought we would. What say we take Grim out for a walk? I''m sure he''d enjoy stretching his limbs a little.


    The murder puppy, as Jack referred to him in his head, probably didn''t understand the words any better than any other animal might, but he did pick up on the suddenly upbeat energy and started hopping around excitedly. Jack wondered if the pup had any idea how much his youthful exuberance brightened the moment for everyone present to see.


    -


    Lon''thul stood there in disgust. He wasn''t overly shocked, but it still wasn''t pleasant to hear. For her part, S''haar just looked tired. Not as tired as Ral''fen, who looked like he might not make it through the night, but tired nonetheless.


    S''haar dumped the last tools in the bucket to be cleaned and stood up. She motioned for a guard who came over. "Alright, we''re done here. Try to keep him alive through the night if you can. He''s still got one more purpose to serve."


    The guard bowed in acknowledgment and allowed S''haar and Lon''thul to exit the cage before stepping in to see to the prisoner. As S''haar walked out, she spoke to Lon''thul. "Get Ger''ron, Fea''en, and Tel''ron. I''ll go get Jack and Em''brel. We will need to sit down and talk about what we''ve learned and decide where to go from here."


    Lon''thul shook his head. "What can we do? This isn''t as simple as removing some raiders from our territory. Any action we take could have some serious consequences."


    S''haar''s eyes hardened a little further. "Yes, they will. That''s why I''m not going to decide this on my own. We''ll talk more once everyone is gathered. Until then, keep your mouth shut. We don''t need to be dealing with rumors or misunderstandings. I want everyone to hear it simultaneously, so there''s a clear understanding."


    Lon''thul nodded. He was surprised S''haar was handling this so calmly. In truth, he was surprised he was, as well. More than a small part of him wanted to gear up and solve the problem before another attempt could be made, but he supposed taking the time to do this right was the best thing they could do right now. Still, he wondered what was running through S''haar''s mind behind that inscrutable face of hers.

 Book 2, Chapter 26

    Em''brel fidgeted while waiting for everyone to gather. She suspected she already knew the answer to the question of who''d sent the assassin, but now the question was, what could they do about it? For all Jack''s knowledge and power, declaring war seemed like taking things too far. As biased as she might be, Em''brel didn''t think her life was worth that much death.


    Jack squeezed her hand. When Em''brel turned to look at him, he smiled at her. "Hey, don''t look so glum! You know we''re all going to work together to find a solution. Have a little hope! After all, we''ve made it this far,  despite everything."


    Em''brel smiled weakly at him, but her heart wasn''t really in it. Still, it seemed to mollify Jack that she put in the effort.


    S''haar was seated, her face switching between concern for Em''brel, rage directed off into the distance, and exhaustion. The cycle seemed to be starting over when Lon''thul barged in with his usual lack of subtly. Em''brel often wondered how someone so loud and brash could be such a good hunter.


    The hunter in question sat down and grinned at her. "Well, you''ll be happy to know you''ve got one less problem! I''m pretty sure our would-be assassin couldn''t harm a churlish pup in his current state!"


    Em''brel looked down. She wasn''t particularly comforted. It wasn''t the specific threat of the assassin in question that troubled her. Instead, it was the uncertainty of where her life was headed at the moment. Would there be more assassins? Were there already some waiting for their chance to strike? What could they do to protect her? Just lock her away behind iron walls for the rest of her life? What kind of life would that be?


    Sare''en seemed to have her own thoughts on the subject as she placed a drink in front of the hunter. "Um... that''s all well and good...but I don''t think that''s what''s troubling Em''brel."


    Lon''thul accepted the refreshment with a smile that was probably meant to be charming. But, instead, it seemed to send the herder girl scurrying away, leaving the hunter looking confused a moment before shaking his head and returning his attention to Em''brel. His grin turned truly predatory as he spoke. "Don''t worry! We''ll find a way to deal with that uncle of yours!"


    S''haar glared at the hunter in such a way as to shut him up while Em''brel looked down at the table in front of her. She''d been right. It was obvious who''d been behind it. He was the only one with the motive to go after Em''brel this hard. After all, as the last remaining heir to her father''s legacy, she was the only real threat to her uncle''s newfound power.


    Arranging for the small band of raiders to kill Em''brel and her father the first time and even the assassin was well within her uncle''s power, though she had no idea how he''d orchestrated the raid on the Outpost, or rather, convinced those with more power and influence to do so. To her knowledge, her old village simply hadn''t had the resources to pull that one off...


    Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Ger''ron and Fea''en, who had been a little slower arriving than the ever-energetic Lon''thul. As they walked in and sat down, all attention shifted to S''haar.


    For her part, S''haar sighed and straightened up a little before speaking. "Ok, to get the first bit out of the way, Em''brel''s uncle, Don''brel, is behind the attempts to kill or enslave Em''brel. What isn''t clear is how he funded the significant raider assault into our land mid-winter, meaning he must have had some additional help. While we have some suspicions, our prisoner didn''t know any more about that subject, so we''ll set that aside for now."


    S''haar shook her head as if refocusing her thoughts. "Regardless of how he did it, Don''brel was the driving force behind the attacks, so we''ll deal with our immediate problem if we deal with him."


    Ger''ron looked concerned. "I get what yer sayin, but how exactly do we ''deal with him''?"


    S''haar looked a little tired at that. "I don''t honestly know. That''s what I called all of you in for. Short of going to war and/or closing our gates to the outside world, I don''t know what we can or should do. This is too big a call to make on my own, so I was hoping you''d each be able to provide some opinions or insight."


    Lon''thul looked thoughtful a moment before brightening and speaking up. "How bout we return the favor and assassinate him?"


    The looks Lon''thul received ranged from horrified to contemplative. It was S''haar who first responded. "That''s definitely an option, and not one I''ll rule out just yet, but it does come with its share of complications. Getting in and out without being seen being the least of those."


    The hunter grinned. "That would be the least of your problems with me around!" Em''brel felt a little uplifted by Lon''thul''s display of bravado. If he felt relaxed enough to be boastful, maybe it wasn''t the end of the world.


    To everyone''s surprise, Jack nodded in agreement, despite his apparent hesitancy to support the idea of assassination. "I''ll agree it''s not a great option, but what other options do we have? Short of just picking up and moving our entire operation or shutting our doors, how else do we deal with this situation?"


    Everyone looked at each other uncertainly. S''haar took back over the direction of the meeting with a shrug. "I was hoping you''d have some human trick we could use to deal with the situation."


    Jack shook his head. "Oh, humanity has many ways to deal with situations like this, but most of them are as bad or worse than assassination. Unless we could get some leverage on him somehow..."


    Em''brel looked confused. "What do levers have to do with anything?"


    Remembering that just because they understood his words didn''t mean they comprehended the meanings, Jack explained. "Similar word, but a very different meaning. In this case, it means having something to hold over his head to force him into submission. Maybe some information he didn''t want to reveal to his people or possibly other villages, or even some object he holds precious and wouldn''t endanger by picking a fight with us again. Though it''s hard to imagine anything that could fit that description..."


    Everyone turned their attention to Em''brel. If anyone knew of anything like that, it would be her. She wilted a little under the attention, then spoke up thoughtfully. "Well, the village itself isn''t doing very well, but that''s common knowledge, and I don''t know of any objects that he couldn''t easily replace..."


    The last bit she drew out as though she did have something in mind but was hesitant to voice it. Fae''en spoke up. "Go on. No one here is going to judge what you''re saying. We''re all just looking into possibilities here and need any information you might have."


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    Em''brel nodded and took a breath before continuing. "But there is his son... To''brel..."


    Everyone was quiet a moment before Angela''s voice spoke up from the device in the middle of the table. "Wow. Quite a leap to go from simple blackmail to kidnapping!"


    Em''brel pushed back from the table and shook her head. "Oh, he''s not really a kid. To''brel is actually a little older than me. We grew up together and often played together as kids. We haven''t talked as much recently, but I always enjoyed the time we spent together before..."


    Everyone knew what Em''brel was referring to but let the thought pass as they focused on the subject at hand. Lon''thul broke the silence. "So that''s it then. Our options are assassination or kidnapping? Anyone else got any thoughts or ideas?"


    Jack shook his head. "Well, since doing nothing isn''t an option, I guess it''s a question of the lesser of two evils. Though I am hesitant to involve some innocent kid..."


    S''haar shook her head and crossed her arms. "Kidnapping isn''t uncommon in this world, especially among rival powers. And, knowing you and Angela, he wouldn''t even have that bad a life here. So the real question is how to pull it off and get back here safely."


    Angela spoke up from the table again. "Well, it would be easy enough to whip up something to render an argu''n unconscious, and with additional doses, keep him under for a couple days in relative safety."


    Lon''thul grinned. "And like I said, getting around unnoticed is my specialty!"


    Jack looked around, uncertain. "Well, I''m sure I could come up with an idea or two to help pull something like this off, but before we get too invested in how we pull this off, we should also decide what to do if we pull this off. Would this kid have to be under lock and key or guarded his whole life? What''s to keep him here without us devoting some considerable resources to the matter?"


    Ger''ron looked amused as the old guard spoke up. "Well, that''s the easy part. We simply make him swear a blood oath in return for some relative freedom. You''d want to work out the particulars in advance, though. When making someone take an oath against their will, you''d best be specific to avoid any misunderstandings, intentional or otherwise."


    Jack looked confused at this. "Wait, so you''re telling me a blood oath is binding, even if made under duress?"


    S''haar shook her head. "You''ve got it wrong. They''re binding, especially if made under duress. Their origins are lost to myth and tale, but they are most commonly employed in the case of conflict so that the victors can be ensured their spoils without fear of further conflict. If not for blood oaths, pretty much every village would be at perpetual war with its neighbors."


    It was Angela''s turn to speak up from the table again. "It makes sense, if you think about it. The argu''n fight or flight response is weighted much more heavily toward fight. Without something to temper their natural aggression, it would be hard for them to form communities at all... This is probably one of the reasons they spent so much of their history in hunter-gatherer packs rather than forming up into villages earlier than they did..."


    Lon''thul grinned, looking like he was going to cause some trouble. "Isn''t this one of those three people situations you said was so rude back in winter?"


    Everyone looked confused until Jack''s face switched from confusion to surprise. "Oh, I think he means third person!"


    Angela laughed from her speakers on the table. "Ok, ok, fair enough. I guess talking about your species in front of you like that was a bit rude. My apologies."


    S''haar shook her head with a grin. "Alright, now if that''s settled, what say we plan this out a little further? How will we pull this off, and who needs to be involved."


    -


    After the meeting, Lon''thul wanted to practice his bow to blow off some pent-up energy. Jack came along to observe in a more controlled setting than fighting wolgen.


    Jack watched as Lon''thul tired while using his bow. The hunter was quickly losing steam while continuously firing, and Jack frowned slightly as he considered the implications. Originally he''d meant to mass-produce the bow for the Outpost''s craftsmen to be able to use in a pinch, but if Lon''thul, who was in excellent shape even for an argu''n, could barely fire a half dozen arrows before getting winded, how would the woodworkers fare?


    Still, the hunter had a huge grin as he turned to Jack. "What do you think? Am I a real-life Legolas out of that movie of yours or what?"


    Jack had to admit that the hunter''s shots were grouped pretty tightly. He was sure competitive archers back on earth could put him to shame, but given the short time the hunter had been practicing and the intense forces involved in that particular bow, his performance was quite impressive.


    Shaking his head, Jack sighed. "Yeah, but right now, I''m more worried about continual use by some of our less physically fit residents over a more extended period.


    The hunter took a moment to replyt. Then he grinned and drew back another arrow, his aim perceptibly wavering from the strain, causing his latest arrow to deviate slightly from the rest.


    Lon''thul sighed and nodded. "Yeah, for all the strength Tel''ron might have from working with metal, this kind of sustained firing uses an entirely different set of muscles that he probably rarely uses. Then you''ve got people like Em''brel or Sare''en who would barely be able to draw the bow once! Not to mention the amount of practice I''ve put into being this good a shot. Most workers wouldn''t have the time to dedicate to the bow like this!"


    Angela spoke up over the headsets. "You could make something like a crossbow. that would remove much of the stamina requirements for continual firing, and they are much easier to learn to fire than a bow but would still take advantage of the argu''n''s greater draw strength."


    Jack nodded, still frowning. "Yeah, that might be the best solution, but there''s an awful lot of precise mechanical parts that would take a while to manufacture. I was hoping for something we could mass-produce a bit easier..."


    Lon''thul spoke up as he gathered his practice arrows from the target stumps. "What''s to stop you from making an all-wood version of this ''crossbow?'' Seems like there''s your solution."


    Jack shook his head. "Well, yeah, that''d be nice. The problem is that the crank has to withstand immense pressure to draw the bowstring far enough to impart proper force, and you need as much draw strength as possible. Given the shorter length of the bow on a crossbow, the bolt is in contact with the string for significantly less time, meaning less force is imparted into the bolt. Also, crossbow bolts are usually shorter due to the shorter bow length, which further reduces impact forces. A three-hundred-pound crossbow will hit with force similar to a one-hundred-fifty-pound bow, which would make it less likely to penetrat through argu¡¯n bone armor..."


    The hunter shook his head with a forlorn grin. "Not much of that makes sense to me, but what''s to stop you from putting a longer bow on this crossbow to make it work?"


    Jack sighed. "It''s not that easy. That would significantly increase the already considerable reload time for a crossbow. If we made the bow longer and got rid of the metal parts, we''d have to completely revamp the entire draw mechanism..."


    Jack blinked a few times and tilted his head as he thought. "Wait... It can''t be that easy, can it? The Greeks did it before crossbows were a thing, and with the far greater argu''n mass..."


    Angela spoke up again. "Oh, that''s brilliant! I''ll throw together a few schematics for you and Fea''en to look over for viability. We can probably have a few of them put together this time tomorrow for testing purposes!"


    Jack was already on his way to the woodworker hut when Lon''thul looked up from his last stubborn arrow retrieval. "Hey, hey! Hold on! I''m not supposed to let you out of my sight until someone else takes over as your bodyguard!"


    More quietly to himself, he muttered as he closed the gap. "How can such a small man with a limp wander off quickly and easily? I swear,  it''s like trying to keep a cub out of the fire pit!"


    Angela laughed over his headset. "Now you know what S''haar and I feel like all the time!"

 Book 2, Chapter 27

    Almost the entire population had shown up for the ceremony, other than the guards currently on duty. S''haar could tell neither Jack nor Em''brel wanted to be here, but as members of the Dragon¡¯s Outpost¡¯s leadership, their presence was necessary.


    Ral''fen was being held up by a pair of guards. His injuries were on display for all to see. Several bone plates were badly scoured or even missing from his time with S''haar and Lon''thul. The assassin was barely conscious, a combination of exhaustion, his many injuries, and the pain meds Jack had insisted he be given despite everyone''s insistence that he didn''t deserve the mercy. S''haar still wasn''t always certain if Jack''s compassion was a sign of strength or weakness despite her feelings on the subject, but she suspected it wasn''t as simple as that. As with everything surrounding the human she''d tied her fate to, the truth wasn''t black and white, but rather a confusing maze of shades of gray that refused to rest nicely on any straightforward continuum.


    S''haar stepped forward and faced the crowd. She stared at them momentarily as the murmuring came to a halt. Once she had everyone''s attention, S''haar began to speak. "When you arrived here, I spoke to you and mentioned a series of rules. Among those was a simple rule that an attack on anyone in my family would be treated as an attack on myself."


    S''haar looked over at the assassin and nodded in his direction. "Many of you know Ral''fen. He was invited as a guest to work and learn alongside everyone here. We freely taught him many secrets and techniques that can be learned nowhere else in this world. However, rather than use the opportunity to learn and progress, he merely bided his time to fulfill his real purpose in coming here, as an assassin!"


    At those words, Em''brel flinched back, and Jack rested a hand on her shoulder. Members of the crowd barked out exclamations of anger and outrage.


    S''haar allowed this for a moment, then motioned for silence and continued. "As I''m sure many of you have now heard, he made an attempt on Em''brel''s life."


    At that, another outburst broke out around camp, this time followed by shouts of anger and rage. S''haar suspected that if not for the presence of herself and the guards next to Ral''fen, the assassin would have found himself the target of several thrown projectiles at that moment.


    S''haar allowed the crowd to vent a little longer before resuming control again. "Having broken this Outpost''s trust in such an offensive and horrendous manner, I hereby sentence Ral''fen to death."


    At that, the crowd cheered all the louder. S''haar could feel Jack''s discomfort as he stared off into the distance. When she''d told him this was her final judgment, Jack had nodded in acceptance, though his lips had been pressed thin as he kept his thoughts to himself. However, he didn''t have to voice them. S''haar knew Jack well enough that his first thought had been to wonder if there was another way, and his second was to acknowledge that this was her outpost and her people, and S''haar had already anticipated Jack''s objection and taken it into account before rendering judgment. Nevertheless, he had insisted he at least be allowed to drug the condemned.


    Again, S''haar wondered at Jack''s odd combination of warrior and gentle spirit. In the heat of battle, when lives were on the line, Jack could and did kill more warriors than anyone she''d ever known, even her father. Yet once the moment had passed, all of Jack''s killer instinct faded as if blown away by a breeze, and he was left with only mercy, even for someone as vile as Ral''fen. It was a wonder that she couldn''t fully comprehend. Was that a human thing, or just a Jack thing?


    In the end, S''haar supposed it didn''t matter right now. She''d determined that this course of action was necessary to ensure order and send a message to any other would-be assassins, and Jack hadn''t disputed her call.


    As Ral''fen was brought to a kneeling position, S''haar stood over him, sword in hand. She decided to at least grant the assassin the human mercy of a quick and clean death.


    -


    Jack continued to stare ahead. He was torn about this whole situation. If he''d still been in charge, he wasn''t sure what decision he would have made. Long-term imprisonment wasn''t viable in the Outpost''s current state, and in his present condition, sending Ral''fen into the wilderness would have been a more cruel death sentence.


    Ultimately, it didn''t matter what he would have done. Jack was free to offer his thoughts and advice, but this was ultimately S''haar''s call. From the sounds of the crowd, they agreed with her decision. This was argu''n rule and argu''n punishment. Still, it didn''t make the experience any easier to be part of.


    Typically, the right of execution would have fallen to Em''brel or a representative of Em''brel''s choice, but with S''haar acting as Em''brel''s adoptive mother and the Outpost''s leader, the warrior woman had taken the responsibility on herself.


    Looking over at Em''brel, Jack could tell she was torn as well. He was familiar enough with argu''n in general, and Em''brel in particular, to see a series of emotions warring across her face. Anger, fear, rage, guilt, and more. In the end, she simply balled her hands into fists and stared down at them in an attempt to control herself and her emotions.


    Jack could feel the tension rising in the air. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a blur of motion followed by a loud "thwack," and with the crowd''s roar, he knew it was over. Jack couldn''t stop himself from glancing toward S''haar. The body was being hauled away, and S''haar was cleaning her sword. Upon meeting his gaze, S''haar nodded in Jack''s direction before issuing orders to the guards about what was to be done with the body.


    Apparently, he was to be granted the traditional rite of immolation. Argu''n funerary tradition was simple. Often their body was immolated, and the bones disposed of. They could be buried or sent out to sea via crude rafts or disposed of in any manner deemed appropriate by the village and/or family. It was still common for different families in a village to have a variety of traditions, though one thing remained consistent. The body was perceived as nothing more than an empty vessel to be disposed of once the person was dead. Nothing of the individual remained.


    It seemed a little cold to Jack to look at the body of a friend or loved one and see nothing more than rotting meat, but he supposed that was the human in him. Thinking further on the subject, he was just happy they didn''t practice ritualistic cannibalism the way some human cultures once had...


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    In this case, burying the bones was likely the easiest disposal method. Since the slain had no family present, efficiency was the deciding factor.


    Jack was just standing up to get Em''brel and leave when Fae''en walked up to the two of them. "So I''ve got the prototype ready for that weapon you and the dragon designed. Care to come to take a look at it?"


    He thought for a moment before turning to Em''brel. He could inspect the work and help her get her mind off the situation in one go. "Well, how about it. Want to come check it out with me? We''ll need someone to test fire it a few times, and you''re about perfect!"


    Em''brel''s expression was just a little dazed as she looked up at Jack. "I guess I could, but am I really the best person to test this new ranged weapon? I''ve seen Lon''thul''s, and there''s no way I could wield that effectively."


    Jack nodded, smiling at his own cleverness. Or rather, the cleverness of the Greeks before him. "That''s the beauty of this design. It''s much easier to load, aim, and fire than the bows Angela and I designed for Lon''thul. Of course, you sacrifice firing speed to make that happen, but given enough time and argu''n endurance, I think it might bridge that gap, since it doesn''t take nearly as much muscle strain to keep it drawn while you aim. You don''t even need a lot of muscle to draw it, since it uses your weight to generate tension. Simply having your muscle mass and bone plates will enable you to generate a much higher draw strength than a similarly built human ever could."


    Jack could tell by the look in her eyes that he had Em''brel''s attention. The girl desperately wanted to see what bit of human cleverness would fulfill the capabilities Jack was attributing to his latest project. With a nod of her head, the two followed the master crafter to her workspace.


    They didn''t get very far before Lon''thul came loping up behind them. "So, we getting to test out Jack''s latest invention? Mind if I come along?"


    Jack grinned at the hunter. "You''re welcome to join. It''ll be interesting to compare the penetration power of the gastrophetes against your bow."


    The hunter blinked, then shook his head. "Ok, you might be great at designing things, but you suck and naming them! That sounded more like a sneeze than a name. We''re going to have to do better than that!"


    -


    Lon''thul was looking over Em''brel''s shoulder as she looked at the weapon Fea''en had handed to her. "Ok, it looks like a bow attached to the end of some bulky stick. Is that really less strain to use? It seems like making it heavier would make it more unwieldy!"


    The device itself looked pretty much exactly like Jack''s diagram. Most humans would think it looked a lot like an oversized crossbow, with both the bow and the perpendicular frame being over four feet long and the back end having two oddly placed handholds almost reminiscent of bike handles. Fae''en had done a great job, not that Jack had expected anything less from the craft master.


    Jack nodded and tipped his head to the hunter to acknowledge his point. "You''re right. It is bulkier and harder to carry, but that''s not the part I''m as worried about. The problem is your stamina in battle. You can barely draw the bow six or seven times before your performance suffers. I imagine it would be worse for anyone less active than yourself, which includes almost everyone here."


    Pointing to the middle of the handle, Jack directed his instructions to Em''brel. "First, the middle part of the stock can slide forward, push it forward as far as possible, then hook the bow''s string onto the latch at the end. Now place the extended end against the ground, grab the handles and brace the middle part between the handles against your abdomen. Good, now, lean into the handles, pushing the slide back as far as you can. Don''t hold back. Really lean into it. The more weight you can bring to bear on the device, the stronger the impact force will be."


    Once Em''brel strained enough to get a good draw, Jack showed her how to flip the lock to hold the bow in a drawn position. "Ok, now, as you can see, the bow is drawn and ready to fire, but it doesn''t take any more strength to keep it that way than simply lifting the device. So, simply load the bolt, point, and pull the trigger down here."


    Jack showed Em''brel how to load the bolt, then the girl braced the primitive weapon against her stomach and pulled the trigger as she''d been instructed. She landed a little high on her target, and Jack nodded as if he''d expected that. "One downside is that you can''t fire it anywhere near as fast as a bow due to the slower reload, though it''s still faster than many traditional crossbows. The other is that it''s more awkward to aim, so often, the shots will land a little higher or lower than you think. Best to aim for center mass rather than trying to hit any particular target or vulnerable point."


    Holding his hand up to forestall Lon''thul''s objections, Jack continued. "The upsides are that it''s got a much longer draw than most traditional crossbows and much higher draw strength than a conventional bow, meaning it hits like a charging kovaack. It''s halfway between most traditional handheld ranged weapons and a small artillery piece. It''s also much easier to construct and maintain than a crossbow. Finally, while it''s not as accurate as someone adequately trained with a bow, it''s much easier to learn to aim.


    Fea''en had sat back with her arms crossed as she watched the presentation. Now she stepped forward and inspected the device with a thoughtful expression. "Now that I''ve seen it in action, I might be able to recommend a few slight modifications that''ll make it a bit more durable and won''t add much in the way of weight."


    Jack nodded, then grinned. "I''ll see to it you get a dedicated headset to speak with Angela while working on the project, but in the meantime, care to give it a try?"


    The craft master shot him one of those predatory grins that used to unsettle him. "After all the time and effort I put into this thing? Try and stop me!"


    Em''brel looked a little crestfallen, having to give up her new toy so quickly but handed over the weapon willingly enough. Jack shook his head and chuckled at her expression. "Oh, don''t worry. You''ll get plenty of time with one of those before long. I''ll be expecting at least one or two of your training sessions a week to be focused on using one of these, once we get a few made. S''haar agrees that every non-guard in the Outpost should be somewhat comfortable using it."


    Lon''thul was examining one of the bolts. They were much more crude and heavy than the arrows they''d designed for his bow. Basically, just iron shafts with arrowheads and some basic fletching. "So why''d you make these out of iron rather than the compounds you made my arrows out of?"


    Jack shrugged. "Well, with the greater draw strength, the gastrophetes could fire them at similar speeds to your arrows, and they are much simpler to make, meaning you aren''t reliant on Angela to make them for you. The heavier bolts will hit even harder, though the impact might deform the bolts eventually. I''d be surprised if they were good for more than a dozen shots each, less if you want them more precise. Of course, they''ll have to be periodically melted down and reforged, but that''s a small price to pay for far greater security."


    When Fea''en finally fired a bolt into the target stump, Lon''thul loosed an arrow of his own. They pierced the stump in similar locations, but where the arrow penetrated about halfway up the shaft, the bolt was buried almost to the fletching. Getting a closer look, Jack shook his head in amazement. "Some of you might not have to put as much effort into setting the bow as others. It will be a royal pain retrieving some of these bolts!"


    Fea''en smiled as she handed the weapon back to Em''brel. "That''s what apprentices are for!"

 Book 2, Chapter 28

    Lon''thul was on the hunt. In some ways, the bow he was using took much of the excitement away from the process. It wasn''t as thrilling as the life and death struggle with blade and tooth. But, on the other hand, it was challenging in its own way. The hunt was now a cold, calculating puzzle, satisfying in a very different manner.


    If he missed a shot, he couldn''t overpower his prey through muscle and leverage the way he was used to. So instead, Lon''thul had to be even more precise in movement and execution than he already was. Ideally, whatever animal he hunted would be dead with an arrow through the eye before it ever realized there was a threat.


    It was annoying using these new sub-par arrows, but he didn''t dare waste one of the original precious arrows now that Angela was out of commission. Those were to be saved for life and death situations only. He tended to them nightly, even though the hunter rarely so much as drew one. So instead, he had some newer wooden arrows Jack had shown the woodworkers how to craft.


    The new arrows were much thicker to withstand the immense force of the bow, but even so, if they struck bone or any other solid material, the shafts practically exploded with the forces involved and needed to be replaced. When the hunter had asked Jack why they didn''t just switch to wooden bolts for the "belly bows," Jack had shaken his head and sighed before explaining. "Wooden shafts are fine for basic hunting, but as you pointed out, the shafts shatter when they strike any solid surface. A significant amount of energy is lost when that happens, and the arrows or bolts wouldn''t have enough force to penetrate deep enough through argu¡¯n bone plate to do much damage. Metal ones may be a bit slower and deform on hit, but it will still deliver a lot more energy into, and hopefully through, its target. Certainly more than a shattered wooden shaft ever could."


    Jack had also introduced two new devices he called a lathe and jig to speed up shaping a shaft. As a result, it now only took about forty to fifty minutes to make a new arrow, assuming the arrowhead itself was in reusable condition. Of course, Lon''thul would have felt bad about damaging so many arrows while hunting, but Jack pointed out the dramatic increase in his own efficiency supplying the Outpost with food more than compensated for the extra woodworking labor. When he added in the real-life practice Lon''thul himself was getting, the new techniques the process was teaching the woodworkers, and the data Jack was gathering, the overall value to the Outpost outweighed the cost by a significant margin.


    Honestly, that was a bit too much for the hunter to wrap his mind around, so he more or less took Jack''s word for it. The problem he was currently worrying about was one of loyalty. Lon¡¯thul was shaping up to be a critical factor in the plan to kidnap Em''brel''s cousin. He''d been thrilled to volunteer his services to get back at the man working so hard to hurt Em''brel, but then Jack had to go and ask a question that upended Lon''thul''s world. "Will this job interfere or conflict with your duty to your village?"


    That question had stopped Lon''thul mid-thought. He''d thought of the Dragon¡¯s Outpost as an offshoot of the village but still essentially a part of it, but now, he had to wonder if that was still holding true. After all, he''d initially been sent to keep an eye on it and report the goings-on back to the village. However, his reports mainly had been slightly more detailed descriptions of the stories and rumors the woodworkers themselves had brought back, and he even had a few secrets he was keeping due to his oath to Jack involving Angela and the cave. But now that he thought about it, this place was quickly becoming a village of its own. If that was the case, which one truly held his loyalty?


    At first, it had seemed obvious that his home village superseded the Outpost. However, it just hadn''t felt right when he''d decided that. Even knowing his father and many of his friends resided in the village, Lon''thul felt a closer bond with Jack, S''haar, Ger''ron, and obviously Em''brel...


    Still, it''s not like Jack asked Lon''thul to turn against the village. Nothing he''d said or done indicated any conflict with anyone in the village, other than maybe a general dislike of B''arthon, though that was hardly unique to the human. The hunter often wondered why the lord''s son put on such displays in public, earning him so many enemies, though he had no time for that particular well-thought-over puzzle.


    That was when the churlish Lon''thul had been stalking raised its head and immediately started hopping away. Lost in thought, the hunter had allowed himself to get upwind of his target. Lon''thul was tempted to take a quick shot at the retreating animal but eased the bow back into a relaxed state. Risking an arrow on a probable kill was one thing, but wasting one in a gamble to make up for his own inattentiveness would be compounding negligence with further negligence. He owed the woodworkers better than that.


    With a sigh, the hunter shelved his thoughts for another time. He had a job to do, and he was usually one of the best at that job. So long as he didn''t allow himself to get lost thinking about ridiculous what-ifs, that would likely never be a factor.


    -


    Jack and Em''brel were overseeing the workers clearing a path up the mountain to the plateau they''d selected for the windmill. A young but very attentive guard was, in turn, keeping an eye on the two of them. Em''brel recognized him as Jar''maal, the guard who''d been with her when Ral''fen had ambushed the two of them. There was an edge to him that hadn''t been there before, and Em''brel was both glad to see he was doing well and a little sad to realize he''d lost some of his carefree attitude, though she could certainly understand why.


    The younger argu''n could also tell something was bothering Jack. As he watched the work progress, he had that slight frown and furrowed brow that meant he was working something out in his head. Finally, when she couldn''t stand waiting any longer, Em''brel nudged him to get his attention. As Jack turned to her, she smirked a little. "Out with it. What are you thinking now?"


    Jack frowned a little with his eyes still partially unfocused as he remained lost in thought. "Well, I''d like to get better tools for the workers. They''re still using kovaack horn pickaxes! Preferably it would be high carbon steel, but that''s a surprisingly complicated process. There are various ways to get there, but I think crucible steel might be the next logical step for us to take at this point. The problem is it''s a pretty slow process. Compared with the steels you''re more familiar with, the time and energy investment is considerably higher. However, the steel quality would probably be worth the investment..."


    Angela added her own two cents over their headsets. "That would be perfect! As good as folding is, proper wootz steel is an order of magnitude better. It was largely considered the pinnacle of steel production until the nineteenth century, when it became easier to produce more consistent steel through relatively advanced manufacturing processes. What''s more, you can use or trade off the lower quality iron and steel you''d get in the process, which would still be superior to what the local villages can easily gather."


    Em''brel wasn''t particularly surprised at Jack''s line of thought. As a group, they''d agreed to postpone moving forward with their plans involving her uncle and cousin until everyone had properly recovered and they''d been able to get the Outpost really up and running. As much risk as waiting entailed, picking a fight with someone in a position of power was best undertaken once they were fully prepared. That meant Jack had more time on his hands, and now that he was done designing the "belly bows," it was inevitable that his mind would wander to a new project.


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    Em''brel grinned at him and winked. "Well, I suspect that if you bring Tel''ron in on this, you''ll have one eager and excited assistant. After seeing the inside of the ship last winter, he''s been salivating at the idea of creating newer and stronger metals to replicate some of the craftsmanship he witnessed in there. I don''t think it''ll matter how long or difficult the process is; he''ll treat it as a divine mandate."


    Angela laughed. "If anything, you might be understating his interest..."


    Jack finally came the rest of the way out of his haze and chuckled as he shook his head. "Yeah, you''re probably right. The poor guy was a little disappointed to realize how small a part he had to play with the gastrophetes. He kept trying to talk me into making the metal parts out of steel rather than bronze. At the time, I thought he was just being over-ambitious, but looking back, maybe he simply wanted a new challenge. Well, this will undoubtedly be that. Maybe I''ll finally find the limit to his patience!"


    Angela chuckled. "I doubt it!"


    Jack nodded with a wistful grin. "Yeah, I do too..."


    It looked like Jack would say something else, but he was interrupted by a cracking sound. Turning toward the source, Jack could see a large rock tumbling down from a formation above the path the workers were cutting into the mountain.


    Jack immediately cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted. "Everyone, get clear!"


    A few workers started moving, but most looked back and forth in confusion. Jack quickly swore, turning to Em''brel as he did so. "They can''t understand me. Tell them..." At that point, the sound grew louder as one stone turned into a rockslide, and everyone realized what he''d been shouting about.


    Most of the workers were able to get clear, but one got cut off. Jack recognized him as one of the woodworkers with the first group named Jan''kul. Seeing his escape route gone, Jan''kul tried climbing a tree instead. Unfortunately, enough dirt and rock piled into the tree to knock it over, and the worker fell with the tree landing on top of him. The rockslide slowed and settled around the worker, but the tree still had him pinned.


    Jack started to lurch forward but was pulled back by Jar''maal as the guard snarled at him. "Even if you get to him without triggering another rockslide, how will you help? Can you lift the tree off him? No? Then wait here!"


    Angela''s voice was calm but assertive. "Keep everyone back away from the loose rock. While this isn''t quite how I''d planned to reveal myself to the camp, this is precisely the kind of situation I designed my new body to handle."


    Em''brel looked at Jack with confusion. "Wait, what does she mean...?"


    Jack held up a hand and shook his head. "We''ll talk more about my sister''s flair for the dramatic later. For now, we need to warn the other workers not to disturb anything and not panic because of what they''re about to see."


    Em''brel didn''t look any less confused. "What are they about to see?"


    For better or worse, the path they''d been clearing was relatively close to the mouth of the cave for ease of access, and Angela had probably started moving as soon as the rockslide had begun. What looked like a giant suit of armor was already charging up the mountainside to their position. Jack simply nodded in her direction and said, "That."


    Em''brel was broken out of her confused haze when she noticed Jar''maal readying his spear with a grim expression. The young woman quickly grabbed the spear and shoved the point toward the ground. "It''s alright. She''s with us!"


    Turning to the workers, Em''brel spoke up louder this time. "Stay back! The dragon is coming to help! Don''t get in her way!"


    The silvery figure hesitated at the edge of the slide for only a moment, analyzing the best path to Jan''kul. Then, she turned back to the workers and spoke clearly for them to understand. "Back up further. This will likely cause a series of smaller rock slides!"


    The voice was unmistakably Angela''s, and at least one worker seemed to recognize it and started urging the rest to do as she''d said. Meanwhile, Angela''s attention was back to the issue at hand.


    As she''d predicted, a smaller slide occurred as soon as her foot sunk into the loose rock and dirt. But, while it might have been enough to destabilize anyone else, Angela slowly but steadily continued on her path, stopping only when she needed to let the dirt settle before continuing.


    Once she reached Jan''kul, she inspected the scene for another moment before Em''brel could hear her voice over the headset. "Have everyone back up a little further. This next part could start another big slide."


    As Em''brel all but pushed and prodded the slack jawed workers further back, Anglea grabbed hold of the tree. She slowly eased the trunk up until she could get one hand free and wrap it around Jan''kul. Then, with a sudden rapid movement at odds with all her careful motions until now, she simultaneously scooped the injured worker up while shoving the tree to the side.


    As she''d predicted, once the tree crashed, the rocks started sliding again, but the AI turned android was in motion before that could cause any further issues for her rescue effort. Rather than repeating the delicate movement from her trip in, Angela now charged through the shifting debris, carrying the injured Jan''kul as though he were a mere child, rather than a full-grown argu''n male, while kicking through rock and dirt alike.


    Once well clear of the slide, Angela set Jan''kul on the ground, then one of her hands folded in on itself while producing an array of smaller, more delicate-looking instruments, many of which Em''brel could only roughly guess the purpose of, based on her time on board the ship.


    While the AI worked, something finally dawned on Em''brel now that the emergency was less urgent. This giant armored figure was really Angela, her friend.


    Looking at the face, it was apparent that Angela''s own face had been molded into a statuesque mask to give the armor the appearance of a person, though there were a few slight differences. For one thing, Em''brel didn''t remember Angela having delicate yet distinct fangs that subtly rested on her lips in a cheerful grin. Also, Angela''s "skin" seemed to be covered in fine scales that only became apparent upon close inspection. It was as if Angela had crossed her human avatar with the slight hint of one of the dragons Em''brel had seen in human movies. Finally, the rest of the head behind the sculpted face was designed to look more like a fancy helmet that then blended into the armor that was her body.


    As the AI continued her ministrations on the worker, Em''brel realized she recognized the general size and shape of the body. It was obviously the mining harness Jack and herself had used, but the outer frame had been reshaped before being covered to give it the appearance of an intricately armored feminine body, rather than the bulky, old thing it had once been. Though Em''brel supposed that would be easy enough to do, since the suit apparently didn''t need someone to be physically contained inside the harness anymore.


    Angela turned to Jack to explain but kept speaking in argu''n so everyone could understand. "Well, it''s not as bad as I feared. I''ve got him on some painkillers, and he''s got several fractures, but only one bone is really broken, and even that is a surprisingly clean break. So with a bit of time and the proper care, he should make a relatively full recovery.


    Jack nodded thoughtfully for a moment before responding. "Alright. Carry him back to our living quarters. There''s still plenty of room, and it will be easy for Em''brel, myself, or Sare''en to keep an eye on him there."


    Angela nodded and started to stand up before hesitating as Jar''maal and several of the workers who had edged closer to see what was happening flinched back in response to her movements. The AI raised a tentative hand to try and calm everyone present. "Uh, hi, I''m Angela, the dragon. I...come in peace?"

 Book 2, Chapter 29

    As Angela carried the worker down the mountain, Em''brel couldn''t help but watch her friend with an emotion somewhere between awe and trepidation. If the AI stood still, she would be the finest, most detailed, and most beautiful statue Em''brel had ever seen. To see her in motion was like watching a goddess stride across the land. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Em''brel fought down the urge to worship the woman she''d come to know so well over the last couple of seasons.


    Looking around, it was clear the worker''s own impressions lay somewhere between hers and something more akin to fear. Angela was striking, but she was also physically imposing, standing taller than all but the largest argu''n males, and would put even Dek''thul to shame in that department. The ease with which she was carrying a full-grown male made it was apparent that Angela wasn''t even nearing her limits, though there was something about her movements that bothered the younger woman. After a few moments, she finally realized what it was.


    Turning to her friend, Em''brel tried to break the silence to ask her a question but found herself unable to do so. Finally, after a moment, Angela took the initiative. Without taking her focus away from the path she walked, the AI addressed Em''brel. "Come on, out with it! You''ve been awkwardly staring at me long enough. Ask whatever it is you clearly want to ask!"


    Em''brel''s ears folded back a little in dismay as her tendrils lightly vibrated, but grinning awkwardly, she responded. "I was just wondering... How are you moving so much quicker and smoother in the suit than either Jack or I could?"


    Anglea''s smile could be heard in her voice, even if the face''s movements could be described as stiff at best. "That''s an excellent question! There are actually a few reasons for that. First, I made a few modifications to form and function that gave me a finer control. Since I don''t have to worry about damaging any muscle or bones, I have a whole range of motions available to me that you wouldn''t be able to perform, and I modified the suit to take advantage of that. Second, and related to the first, the suit was always slowed down, so the strength enhancing servos wouldn''t move faster than you could compensate for. It''s better to have the joints move so slowly that you almost feel restrained than to have them move too fast, resulting in you trying to ''fight'' the motion, thus injuring yourself. Lastly, being an AI, I''m far more aware of the mechanics of my movements than those of you born with limbs and can control my movements on levels you simply never think about."


    Jack was on the other side of his sister. "Yeah, about that, am I ever going to be able to use the suit again?"


    Angela turned to the man who was her little brother, now literally as well as figuratively. "Well, this is my home now, so no, not unless we find somewhere else for me to stash myself first. But, even then, I''d have to undo some of the modifications I made so you could use the suit safely or comfortably again. So I''m afraid you''ll just have to depend on me for any real heavy lifting from here out."


    Em''brel still felt odd seeing the tiny woman she adored in her new, larger-than-life body. Angela must have picked up on that because she switched to human speech so only she and Jack could understand her. "Don''t worry, it''s still me in here. I even have a few projectors on the suit, and you''ll probably see me in the manner you''re used to more often than not in the house, but for now, this will be my ''public face.'' I have a certain reputation to uphold, what with being the dragon and all..."


    Em''brel nodded. She understood what Angela was saying, but it seemed like appearance was all anyone was worried about these days. She missed last winter when everyone had simply been themselves, and this world had seemed new and amazing to her. Of course, in their own way, Jack and Angela had somehow become more impressive as their secrets had been revealed, but that initial spark of wonder had faded in the warm glow of familiarity. Still, it was good to have her friend by her side once again, even if her new body wasn''t as fun or cute.


    Jack seemed lost in thought, though the concerns he finally voiced were of a very different tune. "So, how power efficient is your new body, anyway?"


    Angela tipped her head to the now much smaller Jack to acknowledge his concerns. "Well, I unhooked the solar generator from the ship and created my own charging dock. An average day of charging will net me four or five hours of casual mobilization or maybe a single hour of more...intense exertion. I won''t be winning endurance competitions against even an argu''n, but I hope to make up for that by finally having my own mobility. After that, I can still function as my old self without mobility for a few days on backup power, and in an emergency, I can now go into stasis for an indefinite period, though I prefer to avoid that, if possible."


    Jack nodded, but his expression was still thoughtful. "Alright, but I''d like you to limit your movement until you¡¯ve got a good energy store for unexpected situations. Enough that you could act for a full day if needed, maybe more."


    The dwarfed man looked up at his towering sister with an apologetic smile. "For the record, that''s not an order. It''s more of...a request. I''m sure you want to explore as much as possible, but it would help me sleep much easier if I knew you were prepared for anything."


    Although Angela''s expression was as blank as always, Em''brel could feel some heavy emotions passing between them as the AI nodded. "That''s a reasonable request, especially given how often you find yourself in emergencies. I''ll set aside a plentiful supply of energy for unexpected complications!"


    Angela tilted her head as her voice became wistful, as if this next part wasn''t directed anyone other than herself. "Though it won''t really be feasible to store that much power in this body without sacrificing some functionality I''d rather not do without... I''ll have to design some sort of exchangeable battery system so the spares can charge at my dock while I''m mobile, though there¡¯s only so much of the ship I can canabalize before we start running into aother material issue..."


    Jack raised his eyebrows at his sister''s ambitious plans but kept his thoughts to himself this time.


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    Angela was finishing up the treatment of Jan''kul in a side room when S''haar walked into the billet. She looked around briefly, focusing on Jack and Em''brel after a moment. "So what''s all this I hear about a goddess descending on our Outpost, and where is Angela right now?"


    Em''brel looked a little taken aback, but Jack just laughed. He waved toward the room. "She''s seeing to Jan''kul''s injuries right now, but I''m sure she''ll be right out in a few minutes."


    S''haar fixed Jack with the unique glare she reserved for him when the human was getting too clever for his own good. It expressed something between annoyance and amusement. "I suppose this has something to do with the surprise you''ve been carefully not telling me about?"


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    This time Jack looked a little chagrined as he explained. "Well, I was going to tell you more before Angela made her appearance, but there was a rockslide and an injured worker. It kind of forced Angela''s hand before she was ready, but yes, this is Angela''s big surprise."


    As if summoned by those words, Angela made her appearance. She ducked carefully to fit through a door that was a little too low for her, despite being designed with argu''n physiology in mind. S''haar fixed the giant AI with an unimpressed glare. "So how''s my worker? Was your unannounced appearance worth all the rumors and speculation flying around the Outpost and wreaking havoc on our timetables?"


    For her part, somehow, the giant AI looked a little contrite, despite her face moving in such a stiff manner. "Jan''kul is doing well. He won''t be able to do much on his feet for a few weeks, but in only a couple of days, he''ll be well enough for Fae''en to find something for him to do in the workshop, so long as he''s sitting. Though I expect him to fully recover in a relatively short time. Also, I''m sorry."


    S''haar''s expression softened as she let some of her mock sternness fade from her face. "That''s good to hear, and you don''t actually have to apologize. I was sure you had a good reason to cause all this confusion."


    Angela''s demeanor shifted once more as she tensed for some odd reason. "Oh, I wasn''t apologizing for what I did. I was apologizing for what I''m about to do!"


    S''haar only got out a threatening, "Don''t you da....!" before Angela lunged forward and wrapped her almost sister in a hug. S''haar managed to get out a single indignant, "Hmph!" before she relented and tolerated the forced affection. Jack couldn''t help but smile at how catlike her demeanor was at that moment.


    After another moment, Angela released S''haar and stared at the smaller woman now at arm''s reach. "That was for all the times I wanted to hug you but couldn''t! You can''t get away from me anymore! Angela cuddles are here to stay!"


    The AI posed at the last statement before relaxing her stance and looking at S''haar questioningly. "The hug wasn''t too tight, was it?"


    S''haar rubbed a few of her bone plates as much to restore some dignity as to comfort herself. "It was tolerable, though maybe a bit tight. I think I now know what Jack feels like when I squeeze a little hard..."


    Angela nodded thoughtfully. "Alrighty, toning down hug strength by thirteen percent."


    She then turned and grabbed Em''brel. Rather than resisting the way the warrior woman had, Em''brel returned the embrace wholeheartedly. Angela spoke quietly as she held the younger woman. "I would have hugged you sooner, but there was the rockslide, then Jan''kul, and then I decided to try it out on someone more resilient first, but there will be lots of hugs in the future. I promise!"


    The younger woman tightened her own grip. "There had better be! Lots and lots more!"


    Angela was about to respond when Sare''en walked through the door. "Is Em''brel ok? I heard something about..."


    She stopped mid-sentence as she and Grim caught sight of Angela''s impressive form. The wolgen quickly ducked back and hid behind his mom with a small whimper. Unfortunately, this prevented the herder girl from taking her own step back. Instead, her eyes shot open to the size of saucers as she took in the spectacle before her.


    Worried the poor herder girl might faint again, Angela finally activated her emitters, and her more familiar holographic form floated toward Sare''en. "Don''t worry, don''t worry, it''s just me! I''ve just been working on a little side project, is all. You know, something to pass the time in my relative isolation..."


    Sare''en looked back and forth between the AI''s two forms with a dazed expression on her face. Angela waved while her new body simultaneously replicated the gesture to emphasize her point.


    The herder girl still looked a little lost and confused, and Angela simply floated right up to her face until the younger woman''s eyes were almost crossed in an attempt to focus on the AI. "Now, remember when we explained that I didn''t have a body in the traditional sense of the word? Well, I made myself one, that''s all. I know it''s all big and scary-looking, but that''s mostly because of what I had on hand to work with. I promise it''s the same old me under all that fancy-looking metal plating!"


    Finally, reason seemed to return to the younger woman''s eyes as she blinked a few times and focused on Angela''s new body again. "That''s you? Like, the same you? But you''re out here. How can you be in there at the same time..."


    Angela crossed her arms and assumed the pose of an instructor speaking to a student. "It was the same in the cave, remember? I was floating around while also controlling everything on the ship simultaneously. This is no different. I just condensed my physical form, that''s all. Instead of being a giant ship, now I''m a less giant metal woman."


    Grim took that moment to peek out from behind Sare''en to sniff the air, bumping his head into her hand as he did so. The herder woman started scratching his head absentmindedly before looking down and addressing him, appearing to relax still further as she did so. "It''s ok, Grim. This is Angela. I don''t fully understand it either, but I''m pretty sure everything is going to be alright."


    Taking comfort in Sare''en''s demeanor and voice, Grim stepped out a little further to take in the strange new monster. Angela raised an arm for him to get a better sniff, causing the wolgen pup to yelp again and dive back behind Sare''en. Angela shook her head. "Well, I suppose that''s a better reaction than being too aggressive, but we''re really gonna have to teach you to be a better guard dog than that!"


    Most everyone chuckled, causing Grim to look about in confusion as Sare''en resumed scratching his head again.


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    B''arthon approached the gate with his bodyguards and several carts in tow. He was starting to get tired of all the roles he had to play. It was bad enough being the foil to his father''s persona, though that role did have its benefits. Now he was also part merchant, part delivery man, and part spy. He was starting to wonder if any debt he owed hadn''t already been paid...with interest.


    Not that his bodyguard cared. They were the real deal, all muscle, and no thought. They were easily pleased, so long as they had food, drink, and females, and in that order, for some reason. The lord''s son shook his head. This was hardly the life he''d envisioned for himself when he''d first spoken to his "father" Lord A''ngels about it.


    However, this wasn''t the time to be dwelling on such things. So, as he approached the Outpost, B''arthon fixed his usual scowl in place. It wasn''t hard to do. After the long hike through the hills and forest, he wasn''t enjoying himself.


    What was worse, now he was stuck escorting new recruits there. Well, a new recruit. Though, at least she seemed as surly as he felt. She was cold and curt, returning any questions or comments with as short an answer as possible. Apparently, she was the daughter of the one casualty of the Outpost, some old hunter.


    The noble grinned slightly at the thought of any complications she might cause Jack and S¡¯haar.


    As he approached the gate, he could hear the guards talking. "They say the whole mountain was collapsing, and she just flew out of the sky and caught it! Then she brought Jan''kul back from the dead! I''m telling you, she''s a goddess!"


    The other guard sounded a bit more skeptical. "I don''t know about the second thing, but I''m sure I would have noticed the mountain collapsing. There was a slight rumble earlier, but that sounded like what we hear every spring when rocks shift. Certainly not the sound I imagine a whole mountain falling in on itself would make!"


    The first guard didn''t relent. "Ok, maybe not, but there''s still the whole ''bringing Jan''kul back to life'' thing! The only person I''ve ever heard of coming back to life was Lady S''haar''s consort, and he''s practically a god himself!"


    At that, B''arthon growled to himself before slamming his fist against the gate. "Hey, is anyone going to open the gate and let us in? Or are you going to keep sharing exaggerated stories about wizards and gods?"


    There was a bit of commotion on the other side of the gate, then the doors slowly swung open to reveal one of the guards. Judging by his voice, it was the skeptic. "Greetings, Lord B''arthon. I apologize for the delay. We''ll send someone to fetch you an escort right away!"


    B''arthon shuffled past, his guard in tow. "Never mind that. I remember the way. We''ll be fine!"


    The guards looked at each other, clearly unsure of what to do. They were here to guard the Outpost, but this was a Lord from their village. Whose authority superseded whose in this situation? Finally, after a moment''s hesitation, one ran off while the other started securing the gate.

 Book 2, Chapter 30

    Sare''en was wandering toward the new pens. They were expecting the first batch of arlack soon, and she wanted to make sure everything was ready to go before they arrived. She had already checked the pens twice before but couldn''t help obsessing a little. She knew that no matter what, S''haar, Jack, and the rest would be understanding and supportive, but somehow that made her even more determined to make sure that everything was perfect! Or at least as close as she could manage.


    Grim was happily trotting at her side. At Jack''s insistence, he was being trained to use a guiding tool called a leash. At first, he''d resisted and tried to remove his collar, but with time and a plentiful supply of meat, he grew accustomed to his new attire.


    Sare''en was also working with Jack to teach Grim commands, things like sit, watch me, down, and more. Jack had emphasized that since Grim couldn''t be genuinely domesticated, it was more important that he be thoroughly and properly trained.


    Jack had also said another essential part of Grim''s training was getting him properly socialized. To that end, Sare''en made sure to visit as many workers and guards as possible every day with Grim in tow. But, unfortunately, while most of the argu''n in the Outpost had grown accustomed to Grim, most were still a little wary of him. There were a few cheerful exceptions, though.


    Sare''en was just waving to one of the guards headed out to the gate for his shift when a cheerfully booming voice from behind made her jump. "Grim, buddy! How ya doing, boy! Is it just me, or are you getting bigger?"


    For his part, the wolgen whipped around and opened his mouth to let his tongue roll out as he panted in excitement. As Sare''en turned, she could see Lon''thul walking right up to him without any fear. Then the hunter kneeled to give Grim a thorough double-handed scritching. He grinned as he did so. "You know, it''s hard to think of you being related to the same beast that gave my plates their first real battle marks!"


    Sare''en''s eyes flashed to the scored marks on the hunter''s chest plate. Somehow, they made the already impressive hunter even more frightening. Of all the people in the Outpost, he was definitely the one that scared Sare''en the most. Maybe scared wasn''t the word, but he was intimidating, and Sare''en had a hard time speaking in his presence, so the herder girl simply waited awkwardly for Lon''thul to stand and dismiss her and Grim.


    Instead, another loud voice cut in behind her, making Sare''en jump again. "What in the god''s name is that?"


    Sare''en turned around again, saw B''arthon, and froze in place. She''d seen the village leader''s son many times back in the village, but she''d been so far beneath his notice that he''d always passed by without a glance. But now, he was marching straight toward her, with a group of his bodyguards at his back.


    Sare''en had no idea what to say or do but soon felt another presence at her back as Lon''thul stood up. The hunter addressed B''arthon in his usual jovial manner. "B''arthon! Good to see you! I''m sure you know our Sare''en here, and this little mongrel is Grim. He''s the pup of the two wolgen we killed a few weeks ago, and Sare''en here is raising him to be a beneficial member of the Outpost!"


    B''arthon''s expression went from incredulous to horrified. "You have a wolgen pup in your outpost, and YOU''RE RAISING IT? Are you insane? What could possess you to do something so idiotic?!?"


    Lon''thul shrugged nonchalantly. "Apparently, this is something Jack''s people did with an animal they called wolves. Somehow they turned a feared predator species into loyal companions. Grim here is a bit of a trial run to see if it''s feasible with wolgen."


    The wolgen in question ducked back behind Sare''en but was now looking around her, his teeth bared as he growled a warning to the suddenly less confident B''arthon. Lon''thul knelt down and spoke to the wolgen again while scratching his shoulder. "Oh, never you mind old B''arthon there. He''s not as bad as he first seems!" Then looking up to Sare''en, the hunter addressed her as well. "Now, why don''t you and Grim go check out the pens? I''ll stay and help B''arthon."


    Sare''en nodded a little too eagerly to the hunter. "Yes...thank you!" She then turned to B''arthon before performing a very awkward and self-conscious half bow. "My Lord!" Finally, she turned and scampered away as fast as possible while trying not to break into a run.


    The two men watched her retreat a moment before B''arthon shook his head. "Are you certain she''s the best choice for a job like that? She was always soo...furtive back in the village."


    Lon''thul walked up to the shorter man and punched him lightly in a way that was obviously a habit from times long before. When one of the bodyguards reached for a truncheon, B''arthon waved him off as the hunter responded. "Ah, she''s a good kid. Great with animals! She''s been working wonders with the pup. Honestly, I feared she''d be in over her head at first, but that wolgen is so attached to her that you''d swear she was his mother. She can even tell him what to do, and he''ll do it! For the most part, anyway. He''s still a bit timid at times."


    B''arthon looked at the hunter as if he was insane before shaking his head in resignation. "A timid wolgen? What else should I have possibly expected? This place is nothing but one insanity after another."


    Lon''thul slapped B''arthon on the back as they moved, only jarring the noble a little as he steadied his pace. "I know, isn''t it great!"


    The smaller male shook his head. His expression was noticeably more dour than his companion''s. "Not quite the word I would have chosen..."


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    Tel''ron was instructing one of the newer smiths in the new arts of steel working he was spearheading. "Most of the steel you''ve seen in the village before comes from what we categorize as ''bog iron.'' This is an easily obtained iron, often found near the surface of bogs and swamps, hence the name. It''s easy to find and easy to work but contains many impurities that keep it from being very strong. Thus, we use bronze for anything that requires consistency or durability."


    The smith was nodding along. "Yeah, but you''ve got a new iron that''s stronger than that! When do I get to start working with that stuff?"


    Tel''ron smiled. It was good to see someone almost as excited as himself at unraveling the mysteries of their craft, but he held up a hand to slow his student''s momentum. "Soon enough, but first, I will teach you a technique to take bog iron and turn it into steel that can rival the new stuff in strength and durability. It''s an old human trick called ''folding,'' wherein you take this," ¡ªTelron held up several pieces of bog iron which looked more like rock than metal¡ª "and turn them into this!" The Outpost''s master smith held out a bar for his new student to inspect.


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    The newer smith inspected the bar closely. At first, it seemed nothing more than a typical steel bar, but it was like nothing he''d ever seen before on closer inspection. The steel had fine grains, almost more like wood than steel. There were no darker spots that usually indicated a weak spot to be watched out for and worked around. A bar like this was one in ten thousand and would likely be used for a noble''s blade. The smith looked up. "And you can consistently create bars like this with this ''folding'' method?"


    Tel''ron nodded, his grin betraying his excitement. "Not just consistently, every time! It will take somewhere between eight and sixteen folds, depending on the quality of the steel and the smith''s skill, but with practice, anyone can produce steel with this consistency!"


    Tel''ron took a few layers of the raw bog iron he''d already prepped and had heating for the lesson. "The first three or four folds are the hardest. The iron will practically fight you as you try to consolidate several pieces into one, and if you''re not careful, the bar will fall apart before you can really get going..."


    Several hours later, Tel''ron was resting after his latest lesson had been completed. He enjoyed teaching almost as much as learning, but it took a lot out of him. He struggled to keep himself moving as he got his dinner and prepared to call it a night.


    He sat at his own table, unaware of his solitude since he was lost in thought. Plans, ideas, and half learned lessons swirled around in his mind giving him an expression the other smiths had come to recognize meant that he wouldn''t be very good company at the moment but would probably be trying something new and crazy all too soon. However, despite his thought haze, a few words from the conversations around him still somehow pierced their way into his thoughts. "They say the new goddess has a body of pure steel and can lift mountains with ease!"


    The smith wasn''t particularly religious and only paid passing attention to gods or goddesses, but hearing about one with a steel body definitely interested him. It almost sounded like something that might come out of Angela and Jack''s world.


    A different worker shook his head at the first one. "No, you idiot. It''s not a goddess. It''s the Dragon! She finally left her cave to help out after a landslide! I was there!"


    Tel''ron dropped his spoon and got up from the table. The meal he''d so badly needed a moment ago was forgotten. Everyone fell silent as he approached the two and spoke, his voice expressing excitement and awe. "Lady Angela, the Dragon, is out of the cave? What did she do? What does she look like? Where can I find her?"


    The two workers sat awkwardly as their minds caught up with the torrent of questions, but eventually, the second worker spoke up. "Uh, yeah, the Dragon came out of the cave after a landslide trapped Jan''kul under a tree. She lifted the tree off him like it was nothing and carried him to Lady S''haar''s billet. That''s the last I''ve heard of it..." he trailed off as Tel''ron turned and practically ran out of their own billet, his mind clearly already elsewhere.


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    B''arthon and Lon''thul were approaching the storage area when Tel''ron came running past, almost running into them before course-correcting at the last moment. Lon''thul looked at him in confusion before shouting out. "Hey, blacksmith! What''s got you in such a rush? Everything ok?"


    Tel''ron stopped but looked for a moment like he was thinking of continuing before he instead turned. Then, finally seeing B''arthon, he hesitated another moment before answering. "Uh, yeah... Everything''s fine. I was just going to check on...something..."


    Lon''thul didn''t look fooled, and neither did B''arthon. It was the noble who responded. "Something important enough that you couldn''t stop and apologize after almost running over your better?"


    Even Lon''thul raised an eyebrow and appeared ready to say something, but Tel''ron cut in. "Um, yes, sorry about that, Lord B''arthon. I was just...lost in thought and didn''t see you there."


    While his words were apologetic, his tone of voice clearly indicated that this was nothing but a waste of time in his mind. Though in the smith''s defense, he was often even more oblivious to his tone and mannerisms than Lon''thul. When he took off all but running again, B''arthon nodded after him. "I want to go see whatever has your blacksmith in such a hurry."


    Lon''thul looked conflicted, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. "Yeah, I don''t know about that. I could get into trouble leading you somewhere we''re not welcome."


    B''arthon stared the hunter down, albeit some of the intensity was lost due to his lower height. "This place still exists because of the village''s goodwill and the loan of manpower. You, Tel''ron, and everyone here owe your allegiance to my father first and foremost. If something important is happening here, it is my job to see it and report on it!"


    The hunter shrugged. "Fine, but you''ll have to leave your men here."


    B''arthon looked like he was about to argue, but Lon''thul continued anyway. "I''ll be your bodyguard, and there''s no one here who''s willing to risk their food supplies by harming me. So you''ll be even safer than if you had all your usual goons at your back!"


    B''arthon seemed like he would push the issue before resigning himself with a sigh. "Fine. But if anything goes wrong, it''ll be on your head! If your negligence endangers me, it won''t matter who your father is!"


    Lon''thul''s grin was huge as he reached out and hugged B''arthon from the side. The noble looked like he barely tolerated it as the hunter replied. "Oh, relax. You don''t need to threaten me! We''re buds from way back. I wouldn''t let anything happen to you! You''re in good hands!"


    The noble looked at the hunter with an expression of incredulous annoyance. "Again, not the words I would have chosen..."


    As they separated from the group, Lon''thul noticed a familiar female glaring at him. It took some time and half the outpost for his mind to reconcile the scowling face with the female hunter, Chal''ac, daughter of Nala''ac. When he''d delivered the news of the old hunter''s death to his family, she''d been absent, out on a hunt of her own. So what was she doing here now..?


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    There was a knock at the door. Jack looked around, wondering if anyone from their group was missing, but everyone was accounted for. What''s more, no one they might have been expecting would actually knock on the door. He started to get up when Em''brel stood instead while S''haar pulled him back into the couch they''d brought over from the ship. "Let the young and energetic get the door. No need to strain your leg any more than you have to."


    Jack looked back at her with a grin. "Is it my leg you''re worried about, or do you just not want to lose your mobile space heater?"


    S''haar inspected her claws in an overly nonchalant way that let Jack know she''d been caught, though she didn''t seem to feel overly guilty about it. "Why can''t I be worried about both? After all, my space heater does have a bad leg he needs to take care of."


    Angela''s avatar was floating over her new body, laughing at the antics of two of her favorite people.


    Jack didn''t look fooled. "Uh-huh..."


    Em''brel spared the two a grin before turning and opening the door. On the other side was Tel''ron, panting slightly from exertion. Jack started to stand for a second time. "Tel''ron, what''s the matter? Is everything ok?"


    The smith raised a hand as he finished catching his breath. "Everything is fine, but I just heard rumors of a new metal goddess, and I couldn''t help but wonder..."


    He trailed off as his line of sight directed toward Angela and the metal body her projection was coming out of. He stared slack-jawed before he started to mutter incoherent half sentences. "Is that... How did... Where did... How can you..."


    Angela laughed and shook her head. "I guess it was just a matter of time before our resident technophile found out. Yes, this is my new body." Angela''s body waved. "I made it myself from parts and supplies around the ship, then downloaded myself from the ship into here. This body consumes far less power than the ship does, removing the onus for us to rush into things we just weren''t ready for. Why don''t you come inside, rather than stand in the open door letting out all the warm air?"


    Tel''ron nodded and stepped inside just as a voice spoke up behind him. "What in the frozen north is that thing?!?"

 Of Men and Dragons, Book 2, Chapter 31

    Tel''ron turned around to look behind him, and there, for everyone to see, stood B''arthon with an apologetic-looking Lon''thul waving from behind him. The room fell silent while B''arthon stared at Angela floating over her new body.


    Angela turned to Jack with a mischievous smile, speaking Basic so only a few could understand what was being said. "You don''t suppose he''d believe me if I told him I was the great and powerful Oz?"


    Jack shook his head while pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don''t think he''d care, since you and I are the only ones who''d get that reference..."


    As amusing as the siblings thought they were, S''haar decided it was time to take charge and stood up before addressing the now very confused lordling. "B''arthon, any particular reason you''re barging into my home?"


    The young noble eventually tore his eyes away from the spectacle before his eyes to address S''haar. "I''m sorry, do you not see the impossible tiny floating woman or the waste of metal of a statue in the middle of the room? Is this what you''ve been using your share of the metal for? Decorative pieces?"


    The metal statue stood, and the projected Angela took a stance on her own shoulder, but the voice she used this time came from her metal body and spoke argu''n. "I''m afraid your assumption was flawed. This is my body, not a statue."


    B''arthon''s jaw could have dislocated with how fast it dropped, but Angela wasn''t about to let up. "Furthermore, I don''t appreciate being referred to as though I''m not present. You may call me Lady Angela, or if you prefer, just call me by my unofficial title, ''The Dragon.''"


    At this, B''arthon''s jaw snapped shut. He stood there silent for a moment before speaking again. This time his voice sounded dubious. "You''re the dragon? Just some person in an oversized metal suit? I expected something more...impressive."


    Angela stretched as if loosening up her limbs. "First of all, you aren''t listening. This isn''t a suit. This is my body. Second, when you say you expected something more impressive, did you mean something like this?" Angela reached up and pulled off her "helmet," revealing no head underneath. "Or this?" With that, her tiny projected form began to grow, soon filling the room with the image of a giant dragon whose roar was deafening due to directed speakers mounted on the suit.


    B''arthon froze in place, though his hand reached for a sword at his side. Angela had to give the man some credit. She''d expected him to run or collapse in fear, but he did an admirable job of standing his ground, even if she could see several physical indications of panic setting in.


    Her metal body walked forward, hidden by the projection. Then, as the noble drew his sword, she walked out of the illusion she''d created, causing it to dissolve behind her dramatically. His eyes were dilated with panic as he lunged forward to strike his opponent, but the sword clanged harmlessly off her body. Angela countered by shoving him gently but firmly in the chest, sending him onto his backside as she spoke, her voice projecting from the "head" she now cradled under one arm. "I won''t hold that against you since it''s obvious you were reacting out of misguided self-preservation, and you didn''t actually cause any harm. But you might want to think twice before attacking someone so much larger, stronger, and generally more durable than yourself."


    A crowd gathered as Angela put her head back on with a dramatic twist. She then reached out and offered a hand to help B''arthon to his feet. When he hesitated, Lon''thul knelt down beside him. "Sorry about that. I probably should have told ya, Lady Angela here has quite the flair for the dramatic. But, for the record, she''d never actually hurt more than your pride unless you made yourself a threat to her family."


    B''arthon looked from Angela over to Lon''thul and back again. For a moment, it seemed like he''d bat Angela''s offered hand aside in petulance, but then he seemed to stop and think a moment before reaching out and accepting the offered hand.


    Angela was surprised by this. Based on Jack and S''haar''s stories, B''arthon was nothing more than the spoiled child of a powerful man, and this kind of self-control should be outside his grasp. And yet here he was, clearly considering the eyes and ears of everyone watching, despite being terrified senseless mere moments ago. He was clearly practiced in controlling appearances and perceptions.


    The noble in question visibly calmed himself before turning and addressing Lon''thul. "You knew about this?"


    The hunter looked at Angela for a moment with his head tilted to the side. "Well, the large metal body is new, but yes, I''m familiar with Lady Angela."


    B''arthon''s eyes narrowed. "And you failed to report on her. Why?"


    Lon''thul shrugged. "Well, I swore an oath that as long as she wasn''t a threat to our village, I wouldn''t reveal her secrets."


    The noble''s glare hardened. "And you don''t think a flying, shape-changing witch with an impenetrable metal body potentially threatens our village?"


    Lon''thul grinned. "Like I said, the metal body is new."


    Angela cut in. "And like I said, it''s rude to talk about me like I''m not here. Now, you can run away and give your father a superficial report, or you can come in, sit down, and actually speak with me. The choice is yours."


    B''arthon looked around at the growing crowd and turned back with a defeated expression. "Fine, but someone had best go and tell my men it will be a while, maybe get them some food and a place to rest."


    Lon''thul looked back and forth between everyone in the room and B''arthon before sighing. "Even though I''d love to listen in on this, I''m probably the least essential person here. I can go."


    The noble couldn''t resist a parting shot. "Make sure you do a better job acting as a messenger than acting as my bodyguard!"


    The unflappable hunter grinned. "Of course! Leaving them waiting wouldn''t be nearly as funny as watching you get knocked on your butt!"


    The noble''s scowl deepened, and Lon''thul''s grin widened before the hunter turned and left. Then, with a defeated sigh, B''arthon turned back to Angela. "Alright, let''s go in, and you can convince me why you''re not a threat to the village."


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Angela couldn''t resist a minor jab but kept her voice low enough that none of the gathered crowd could hear. "If I was a threat, what''s keeping me from making you disappear as soon as you walk through that door?"


    B''arthon walked through the door without giving Angela the pleasure of reacting to her implied threat as he replied. "Simple. If I disappear here and now, that''s all the warning the village, or my father, would need."


    Anglea laughed as she closed the door.


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    As everyone settled back into place around the fire in the middle of the room, B''arthon eyed the odd couch on which S''haar rejoined Jack before taking his own seat in a relatively isolated position opposite them. S''haar glared at the noble, but Jack nodded affably enough.


    B''arthon eyed Jack curiously. The small man had never been particularly imposing and could now be considered less so, with the loss an eye and and a crippled leg. Still, there was something new to him. A casual confidence had replaced the false bravado he''d had before. He no longer felt quite like prey.


    However, the young Lord felt his attention drawn away by the last to rejoin the circle as "Lady Angela" joined them beside the fire. B''arthon raised an eye ridge to see her settle into place on a carpet rather than in a chair. The metal woman noticed his reaction and shrugged. "My presence here was a bit...unexpected. Unfortunately, they don''t have any chairs designed to support me, since I make even the largest of argu''n look lightweight in comparison."


    B''arthon said nothing in response, and the room grew awkwardly quiet. He noticed that while the statuesque woman''s lips moved, they were somewhat awkward, as though they didn''t quite match up with the sounds coming out of them. Most of the face was frozen in an unreadable mask, totally at odds with the inflections clear in her voice.


    After a few moments of what was quickly becoming an uncomfortable silence, Lady Angela spoke once more. "So tell me, Lord B''arthon, what can I do to show you I''m no threat?"


    The noble eyed the metal woman dubiously a moment before replying. "That''s for you to decide, not me."


    The room grew quiet again, but it didn''t last as long before Jack spoke up, with S''haar translating beside him. "Speaking on behalf of my sister here, she''s been present for as long as I have, admittedly not in this form, yet she''s been nothing but benevolent to you and your village. She''s played an essential role in gathering metal and never laid so much as a finger on any argu''n, except to render them aid or comfort."


    B''arthons eye ridges shot up once more at the mention of this Angela, "The Dragon," being Jack''s sister. Jack had always looked deformed, but was it possible they weren''t even argu''n? Lon''thul had mentioned Lady Angela''s metal body was new. Would Jack grow into one as well? Looking at the two, it didn''t seem likely. As small and deformed as he was, Jack seemed fully mature as far as the noble could discern. Perhaps Jack had been speaking figuratively when he spoke of the metal giant as his sister. Rather than being blood relatives, he might have simply been brought into the family and raised beside her. B''arthon was certainly more familiar than most with that sort of "family bond."


    After a moment, the noble shook his head. "Any hunter can tell you the virtue of patience during the hunt. Just because your sister," B''arthon nodded to Angela, "hasn''t been a threat before now is no guarantee she''ll remain that way."


    This time it was Angela''s turn to speak. "I don''t suppose my word of honor that I mean no harm would suffice?"


    B''arthon shook his head again. "You can trust the word of your brother or your friend so well as you know them, but only a fool would trust a stranger bearing a sword. While you''re not traditionally armed, I think your potential as a threat is clear to all."


    S''haar was growing tired of the noble''s continual refusal to relent. "Then how about the simple fact that at every opportunity, we''ve offered nothing but help, even after a snowstorm, or to save a crippled guard?"


    B''arthon shook his head again. "Don''t try to claim that you haven''t benefited from your generosity. Many of our best craftsmen have come to your aid in payment of your efforts. Your little ¡®outpost¡¯ has more skill and muscle than most villages, at this point."


    As S''haar glowered at B''arthon, Jack spoke up again. "How about the fact that we''re entirely dependent on the village for the skill and muscle we now enjoy? There''s an old saying where I come from, ¡®Don''t bite the hand that feeds you.¡¯"


    B''arthon nodded this time. "That is certainly an argument in your favor and was my father''s intent when he agreed to loan you some of our labor, but I''m not entirely sure that''s as binding as it once was. Stories have reached our ears about you saving other villages, and I''m sure at least one of the guards at the gate didn''t come from our village."


    The noble leaned back in his chair and continued. "This is all well and good, and you certainly have many arguments in your favor, even if they lack quality. But you need to remember that it''s not me you need to convince. It''s my father. I''ll be taking all the evidence you''ve given me, and that which I''ve personally seen, and let him decide for himself."


    Angela spoke up again, drawing B''arthon''s attention back to herself. "But what about yourself? Do you not have any thoughts on the matter?"


    B''arthon paused a moment before responding. "Despite how horrible an argu''n as my father may be, he is a great leader. When he took over the village, it was on the brink of ruin, not unlike several villages are now." He nodded pointedly at Em''brel, who''d been doing her best to escape all attention until now. "But under his leadership, we''ve grown to be the largest, most successful village around. So much so that other villages have begun entering agreements with us for aid." At this point, the noble was simply staring at Em''brel, who was all but cowering back into her seat.


    Finally, the noble turned his attention back to Angela, freeing Em''brel from the weight of his gaze. "He did all this with a keen mind and steady resolve. He has the intelligence to see further down the road than most and the patience to properly develop his plans. So when you ask what my opinion of all this is, my answer is that it doesn''t matter. Lord A''ngles will make up his own mind, whether I offer my thoughts on the matter or not."


    Finally, the noble stood. "But you''ve delayed me long enough for today. I''ve got a shipment of metal to deliver, and I''d like to be home before nightfall." He looked around with a slight sneer. "Staying overnight in accommodations such as this is hardly...appealing."


    Jack looked at Angela with concern. "Should we let him just up and leave like this? There''s still a lot to discuss."


    Angela shrugged her shoulders and replied in Basic. "What would you have me do? Grab him and hold him prisoner, while we explain why he should trust us?"


    Before Jack could offer a counterpoint, the noble was gone, leaving the room in strained silence for a moment.


    Shortly after, the silence was interrupted by Tel''ron, who stood by silently throughout the discussion. "Ok, now that the trivial stuff is out of the way, why was I not informed such a masterpiece had been created?"


    As the smith started to walk forward, Angela held him out at arm''s length. "Woh, back up there! This isn''t just some machine to be dissected and scrutinized. This is my body! Slow down, or I''ll slow you down!"


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    Sare''en was walking back to the billet when she ran across B''arthon again. This time he was alone, and the girl froze in place. Perhaps sensing her fear, Grim wrapped around in front of his mom and let out a low grumble. The noble looked down at the wolgen a moment, then smirked. "Showing a little backbone now? About time. You got some good instincts there, don''t lose them in this place." Then he walked away without further word or explanation.


    Sare''en was left blinking, wondering what he could have meant by that. A moment later, Grim let out a quiet whuff after the departed noble. The sound jolted Sare''en back to the here and now. "Come on, boy. Let''s get back. I''ll cook us up a nice stew for lunch.


    At the mention of food, Grim was back to his cheerful self. He happily trotted after Sare''en, the dangerous-smelling male forgotten.

 Of Men and explanations

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    For those of you wondering why there was no post this week, I had to undergo an emergency cholecystectomy (Gallbladder removal) on Sunday night. Long story short, it hurt like hell, and I''ve been on pain meds as I recover, but I hope to be back to writing again next week. If I discover whoever cursed me to have an exciting life lately, I''ve got some thoughts to share with them!


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    On the good news front, "Of Men and Spiders" Book 1 is now available for preorder in ebook form and will be available to purchase in all forms on October 1st! Check it out if you''re interested! https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0DHQTNL3G</a>

 Of Men and Dragons, Book 2, Chapter 32

    Life at the Outpost seemed to be settling down. After the fracas with B''arthon walking in on Angela, Jack had expected some fallout with the village, but strangely, none came. The following week, B''arthon showed up for the iron delivery as if nothing had happened on his previous visit. He was even as surly and petulant as usual.


    Jack couldn''t help but compare B''arthon''s behavior that night, and the night he and S''haar had encountered the noble when he''d been running Ger''ron back to the ship. At the time, there''d been so much going on that Jack hadn''t had the presence of mind to really think about how different B''arthon was acting from usual, but now, combined with the incident a week ago... At times, he seemed so short-tempered and idiotic; then, he was calm and insightful at others. Jack couldn''t help but ask himself which was the real B''arthon?


    Jack shook his head, and S''haar, walking beside him, looked down at him. "Something bothering you?"


    Jack sighed. "Just trying to put all the puzzle pieces together is all. Despite how long I''ve been here, there are still so many mysteries to unravel."


    Angela''s voice cut in over their headsets. "Yeah, you''ve been here so long. After all, you''ve already been here for almost half a year. So why haven''t you already figured out all the socioeconomic and political norms and traditions? You should be an expert by now! So what''s it going to take? Seven months? Eight?"


    Jack chuckled and shook his head again. "Alright, alright, you''ve made your point! Now, how''s that mining going?"


    Angela''s voice shifted to a more petulant tone. "It''s going fine! I can''t believe that I give you the miracle of my new body, which some people around here still think of as the image of a goddess, mind you, and you put me to work mining? This is a waste of my talents!"


    This time Jack laughed. "Well then, maybe you should have thought twice about co-opting the mining harness without discussing it with anyone! Make me a new one, and we''ll split the labor!"


    Angela sulked. "It''s not that easy, and you know it! Without access to my fabricator on board the ship, I''m practically hand tied when crafting!"


    As the two went back and forth, S''haar smiled. It was good to see them bickering so comfortably once again. However, her musings were interrupted by Sare''en''s voice coming from the pens up ahead. "Grim! No! You can''t go charging through the herd and scattering them like that! Watch me! Sit! Stay! No, I said stay!"


    As they walked into the pens, it was clear Sare''en had her hands full trying to manage Grim and her new herd. It looked like she was trying to get the arlacks out to their pasture to graze, but Grim was having fun making the beasts cower. Finally, S''haar spoke up, her voice not nearly as loud as Sare''en''s. "Grim, lay down."


    The wolgen immediately obeyed and looked at S''haar expectantly, waiting for any further commands. With the great beast finally subdued, Sare''en''s efforts to herd the arlacks quickly bore fruit, though they still kept a wary eye on Grim as they passed. Sare''en smiled meekly. "Sorry about that, and thank you. He''s been so well behaved until now, but sometimes he gets a little overstimulated."


    Jack nodded but eyed the wolgen with concern. "Understandable, but we''d best train that out of him quickly. In a few short years, him being playful could mean a bunch of dead arlack for us. Speaking of which, how''s the herd?"


    Sare''en grinned, patting one on the shoulder as he ambled past. "Well, they''re not fully mature yet, but it shouldn''t take much longer. Early next year, we''ll probably be able to breed them just fine, and the herd will explode in numbers in no time. Some workers are already asking about using them for some heavy lifting." Sare''en proudly slapped the haunch of the final arlack as it passed by. The giant lizard looked back at her lazily before continuing after the rest. "It''ll be much easier to move wood and stone with these beasties providing the muscle!"


    S''haar nodded but looked thoughtful. "And how much training will the workers need to lead an arlack?"


    Sare''en''s hair rattled a little in nervousness as she contemplated the question. "Um, yeah... It wouldn''t take much, but someone will have to teach them. I guess that someone is me, isn''t it?"


    Jack smiled comfortingly at her. "Yeah, but you''ll do fine. I''m sure they''ll be easier to work with than Grim!"


    At the sound of his name, the wolgen looked up expectantly. Jack watched S''haar sigh before he spoke. "Alright, come here."


    The wolgen shot up and happily bounded over to Jack, getting the attention of some of the lingering arlack in the process, but once they realized his attention wasn''t on them, they went back to grazing. Meanwhile, Jack was busy giving Grim the wolgen''s favorite scritches. "If you''re a good boy and listen to Sare''en, there''s lots more where these are coming from! Who''s gonna be a good boy? Huh? Who''s gonna be good?"


    S''haar smiled again to see Jack in such good humor. This was probably the highest everyone''s spirits had been since before Jack had first been injured by that kovaack last winter. A part of her wondered how long it would last this time, but she batted the final thought aside. It was best to enjoy times like these while you could.


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    Ger''ron shook his head. "I dunno, lad. Most of your ideas leave me feeling like I need to catch up, but this seems kind of...redundant. No cloth''ll be more effective than the armor plate we naturally have."


    Jack leaned forward. "You''re missing the point. True, the armor value of gambeson armor is negligible compared with your own bone armor. However, the benefits come in the utility."


    Easing back into his chair again, Jack started counting down his fingers. "First, even a slight improvement is essential when it comes to armor, but I think that''s self-evident. Second, this armor is warm. Given that you''re cold-blooded, you won''t overheat in warm weather, but it''ll help you fight longer and easier in cold weather. Third, it''ll help cover your armor plates, so finding the gaps with a sword or spear is harder. Yes, I know regular clothing does too, but this will hold together under far more abuse than a leather shirt. Fourth, and this is the tricky bit, even if a sword or spear passes through the gambeson, all the threads and fibers will pull on the weapon, making it harder to hit your mark accurately. It will often be the difference between a solid spear thrust that can pierce bone plate and a glancing hit..."


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The old guard finished Jack''s thought. "That''ll slide right off. Alright, sounds promising. What''ll it take to make?"


    Jack grinned. "That''s the good part. Everything we need grows naturally down by the lake. Of course, it''s a bit tedious to make, but if some old or disabled villagers wanted to help out, it doesn''t take a lot of strength or coordination to pull off. Most of the work can even be done while sitting."


    Ger''ron glanced at his own leg, then back to Jack with a raised eye ridge. Jack shrugged. "Not everyone can become a drill instructor in their retirement. I''m sure plenty of people in your village would love a chance to work and earn a slightly more comfortable life than they''ve currently got."


    This time it was S''haar''s turn to jump in. "More workers means more housing and food demands."


    Jack shrugged. "Well, we''re still teaching new woodworkers how to build the housing we''re using. Everyone here is living comfortably enough, and they''re being fed already, right? So we agree to take the workers that are currently not contributing as much to the village, give them meaningful work to do, and increase their quality of life in the process, and in return, we borrow one more hunter to meet the increased demand. It''s a win-win."


    Angela popped in over the headset. "Give me your tired and your poor kind of thing?"


    Jack scratched the back of his neck. "Well, yeah, kind of. I remember S''haar telling me about disabled villagers turning to drink because they weren''t useful to the village. We have the means and ability to make them useful again and compensate them for their labor."


    S''haar nodded. "Well, you convinced the guard captain, and you''ve convinced me. We''ll send word back to the village of our new offer and see how many are interested."


    Jack looked pleased with himself, not that S''haar could blame him. Lately, he''d been diving into his role as the mysterious wise man introducing new ideas and technologies. The most recent arrivals might be more impressed by the metal goddess that showed up so dramatically out of the blue and occasionally strode through the camp, but most of the veterans knew that if Jack came looking for you, it was best to stop whatever you were doing and listen.


    To be fair, Angela probably could have done something similar if she''d chosen, but she seemed content to let her brother do his thing while she did hers.


    As if summoned by the thought, Angela stepped into the billet. The AI looked over at the gathered group as if she hadn''t already known they were there and had been speaking to them moments ago. "There you all are! Each of you are past due for a checkup! I know you''re feeling fine, but part of these checkups is preventing complications before they arise. Now, who''s first?"


    S''haar looked annoyed. "Why are you lumping me in with these idiots?"


    Jack and Ger''ron both reacted as though her words cut deep, but their grins belied their performance. For her part, Angela wasn''t distracted. "Because you were also almost permanently injured, and if you want to avoid that fate as long as possible, you''ll allow me to make sure you''re healing properly. Also, just for being rude, you¡¯ll go last!"


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    Em''brel inspected the framework with Fea''en. Everything looked sturdy enough to her, but the woodworking master had different thoughts. "I hope you all don''t think this joint is adequately secured! I couldn''t have trained whoever performed such sloppy craftsmanship!"


    The rest of the workers looked on in good humor as the woodworking chief laid into her subordinate. Apparently, they were used to this, and so long as the offending party was willing to learn from whatever imperceptible flaw they''d been responsible for, the chief''s wrath wouldn''t last long.


    Still, Em''brel wished this would just end so she could get back to the safety of the billet. She''d been finding it harder and harder to make herself pick up and leave when duty called, preferring to stay and dive into whatever lesson Angela had for her that day.


    Or at least she wished she had S''haar and Jack with her. It was much easier to be brave in front of those two. It seemed like nothing could touch her when they were around.


    Of course, she didn''t want to diminish the efforts of her currently assigned guard, Jar''maal. Ever since the incident with the assassin, the young man had undergone his own transformation. Ger''ron told them how he''d been doubling up on the training the guard captain required of all the guards. Jar''maal''s new determination showed clearly as he kept his steely gaze moving, analyzing possible threats while staying in the background.


    Em''brel''s musings were interrupted by a familiar whuff behind her. Turning around, she could see Sare''en and Grim coming up the slope. The younger woman couldn''t help but smile at the look of determination on the herder''s face as she carried a basket up the hill.


    Setting down her load, Sare''en addressed Em''brel. "Eating regularly and well is essential for anyone pushing themselves as hard as you''ve been! If you don''t return to the billet to eat, I''ll bring the food to you!"


    Fea''en looked at her granddaughter with some surprise. It was entirely new for her to take such a firm stance or act with such confidence. Noticing the attention, Sare''en turned to the matriarch, and a shadow of her timidity returned to her eyes as her voice lost a little of the newfound confidence. "I...uh...brought enough for everyone to have at least a light lunch..."


    Fea''en smiled slightly at her offspring''s child. She supposed a little backtracking was alright, so long as she was making progress.


    When Grim started to stick his nose toward the basket, Sare''en''s confidence returned as she gently but firmly swatted his snout. "No! You just ate, and this isn''t your food, Grim! So be good, and maybe you''ll get a small bite as a treat."


    At the mention of a "treat," Grim suddenly became well behaved as he sat down and waited patiently while Sare''en worked. His eyes followed her movements as she cut up the meat and wrapped it in flatbread, and he drooled a little bit but stayed in place and waited patiently.


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    Lon''thul was a little out of his element. He felt naked without the bow and arrows he''d grown used to. True, this was a different kind of hunt, but when hunting argu''n, there was so much more to pay attention to. Then there was his company...


    She spoke quietly but clearly as she sidled up next to him on the hill overlooking their target, her voice thick with scorn and sarcasm. "Show me the great hunter who¡¯s destined to take his fathers place as the master of our discipline!"


    Lon''thul understood and agreed with S''haar''s decision that she and the other visible members of the Outpost should stay back. as if everything was normal. These days it was impossible to know who was watching or speaking with who, and it was also true that Chal''ac was a great hunter, able to blend with the shadows better than most, but there was still something about her that put Lon''thul on the defensive.


    She claimed she didn''t blame anyone at the Dragon¡¯s Outpost for her father''s death. Lon''thul believed her, but when she¡¯d returned from her hunt after Lon''thul presented her family with the coat of the wolgen Nala''ac had been instrumental in slaying, she''d apparently rejected it. Instead, she wanted to work for them herself, saying she wanted to get to know the people her father had died protecting.


    Chal''ac had been polite enough with S''haar, Jack, and even seemed to like Em''brel, but Lon''thul always got on her wrong side. He''d never really gotten to know her in the hunter''s den. She''sssss been quiet, and the only person she ever seemed to work with was her father. She was directing a glare at the hunter that would have intimidated stronger males than he. "Don''t wait for a rescue if you go and get yourself captured! I expect you to get in and out without being seen or heard. If my father''s stories about you were even halfway true, that shouldn''t even be a challenge for you."


    Lon''thul wondered just what kind of stories the older hunter had shared about him. He shook his head; it didn''t matter. He had to do this right and not just to impress some angry female. "Well, I don''t know about easy, but you''re right, I have to do this quick and clean. If a cry goes up before I''m clear, I might not get out. Certainly not with another nearly grown male on my back. If that happens, your job is to go back and let S''haar know what went wrong."


    Chal''ac merely nodded and returned her focus to the village. Lon''thul started creeping forward. Most of the village should be asleep now, so this was his chance...

 Book 2, Chapter 33

    As Lon''thul crept up to the walls, hidden by shadow, he couldn''t help but remember the last time he''d crept through the forest with so much hanging on the line. Once again, his heartbeat seemed incredibly loud. He couldn''t help but wonder how no one but himself seemed to hear it. However, there was one crucial difference between then and now. This time he was the hunter. Still, once he reached the wall, he hugged it a moment, making sure no sounds indicated some unseen guard or villager hidden from view had been observing his approach.


    Once he caught his breath and was certain no one else was nearby, he started fishing through his pack for the tools Lady Angela had helped Tel''ron design for him. Finding what he was looking for, he slipped some spiked shoes over his feet, then grabbed some metal hooks for his hands.


    A part of him wanted to leap up and slam the hooks into place. It would only take a couple of seconds to scale the wall that way, but he''d also make a loud ruckus. So instead, he looked around for small gaps between the fence''s stakes that he could wedge his hooks into, then did the same for each foot. He''d practiced on the palisade at the Outpost to make sure he could do it relatively quickly and quietly and was able to scale the wall without incident.


    Once at the top, he laid a thick leather skin over the pointed edge of the palisade before slipping over and tossing it and his climbing gear back over the other side of the wall. Chal''ac would retrieve them while he finished his own task.


    The hunter had been surprised when S''haar was so quick to trust Chal''ac with this mission, since she''d only been with them a few weeks now. However, the older woman had merely shrugged before addressing his concern. "I''m not worried about Chal''ac. She''s blunt and honest to a fault, something I can understand. I might not trust her with all of Jack and Angela''s secrets, but this mission isn''t too far outside what would be expected from any village, in retaliation to the kind of aggression we''ve been shown. It''s not like we''ll be able to hide what''s happened from Lord A''ngles for long, so it won''t even matter if she reports back to him when we''re through. What''s really important is she has the skills and willingness to see the job through."


    Lon''thul had to admit, the female knew her stuff. He always pictured Nala''ac as the type to dote on his children, but apparently, he''d also done well by her and taught her everything he''d known. With a few pointers and a bit of practice, she might make good competition in the trade.


    But that wasn''t important right now. What really mattered was that the village seemed empty, and his path looked clear. Still, in case there was a watcher he couldn''t see, Lon''thul stuck to the shadows. His outfit was a patchwork of blacks and dark grays. He''d wondered if a pure black outfit wouldn''t have been better, but Jack had shaken his head. "I suspect argu''n eyes are similar to human''s in that we''re excellent at pattern recognition. An all-black outfit might blend in slightly better, but it will also have a particular outline. Even with your poor night vision, all they would need to see is the slightest of outlines, and their brain would instantly recognize ''argu''n,'' which could lead to a very unwanted situation. With the pattern broken up with different shades of gray, the eye has a much harder time putting the pattern together, and any observer is more likely to dismiss whatever they see as a trick of their mind."


    Looking back at his night hunts, Lon''thul could see the wisdom in Jack''s words. Night hunting wasn''t common among argu''n because of their apparent disadvantages, but Lon''thul''s father had insisted on going out into the dark from time to time. He''d insisted on a lot of training for his son that most hunters thought cruel or unusual, but Lon''thul was grateful now. After all, he was at least familiar with wandering silently through the dark. Something the town guard obviously didn''t have practice in.


    Lon''thul tucked himself back into a space behind a couple huts as a guard wandered past, torch in hand. The torch both served to make the guard''s whereabouts obvious and limit their vision to that contained within the ring of light. But, of course, Lon''thul was well aware the tough part was yet to come.


    Weaving his way through the village, Lon''thul finally spotted his target right where Em''brel had said it would be. Before him loomed the lord''s manor. Maybe it was all the human movies he''d watched in Jack''s cave, or perhaps it was because he was used to Lord A''ngles''s manor, but the building before him was less impressive than he''d imagined. It did stand out from its surroundings by being two stories tall but was made from simple wood. Additionally, while it was far more spacious than anything around it, it hardly had room for a reasonably sized great hall, but maybe they simply had another building for that? Unfortunately, one way it managed to resemble Lord A''ngles¡¯s manor was that it was well lit, and two guards were stationed at the door.


    Now, Lon''thul could have taken them out quickly and quietly enough with a bow and arrow, but everyone had decided it would be best to pull this off without killing anyone, if possible.


    That''s where the debate had circled. Em''brel asked about "sleep darts" like she''d seen in one of Jack''s movies. Angela shook her head as she replied, "Despite what you''ve seen in the movies, any serum that''s strong enough to knock someone out silently in seconds will likely kill them unless they are treated right away. The ''safest'' way to render someone unconscious is by asphyxiation, though even that has some risks."


    Jack nodded. "Risks, yes, but there''s no sure-fire way to get the job done without a willing patient and a medical team on standby. It''s probably his best bet for getting past any guards."


    S''haar looked skeptical. "Ok, but how is he supposed to get within reach without attracting attention. Also, what does he do if there''s more than one?"


    Jack grinned. "Well, this is one situation where argu''n predatory nature works in our favor. When confronted with the unknown, you tend to charge in and ask questions later..."


    Lon''thul wondered if it could be that easy, but he mentally shrugged and grabbed a stone. He waited for a moment when the wind died down, and everything was more silent than usual. Those were usually the times he froze up and waited when out on the hunt, but this time he took advantage of the silence by throwing the rock across the dark street to a different alley.


    It definitely attracted the guard''s attention, but they showed only idle curiosity. After a moment, Lon''thul threw a second stone after the first. This time one of the guards leaned over and spoke to the first, then grabbed a torch and trotted out in the direction of the thrown stones.


    Lon''thul waited patiently for the guard to pass him. It would be obvious if he jumped the one with the torch. So instead, he circled around the back of the manor. There was only one door in or out, and there didn''t seem to be any guards located anywhere other than the door in question, so it was easy enough to sneak up to the building from behind. Then he crept along the outside edge until he could peek around the corner at the other guard still at his station.


    Sure enough, the guard in question was paying close attention to his partner''s movements by watching the glowing torch he was carrying. Although, to be fair, this was probably the most exciting thing to happen during guard duty in the last week or more. Lon''thul grinned before quickly and quietly launching himself around the corner and grabbing hold of the inattentive guard.


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    He used a hold Angela had taught him that was designed to both subdue and muffle his prey. To make sure everything would go as planned, he practiced on several different argu''n back at the base. Tel''ron, Lack''nul, Orth''kun, and Jar''maal all played willing victims, attempting to break free or cry out as Lon''thul subdued them.


    If anything, this guard was even easier to subdue than any of the test subjects had been. But, of course, it was probably because they''d all known what was coming, while this poor guy hadn''t had any idea something was wrong until Lon''thul''s arm was already around his neck.


    After a few seconds, the guard''s body went slack. Lon''thul quickly dragged him around the side of the building, being sure to leave some marks on the ground as he did so. He then leaned the guard against the building to make it look like he''d sat down for a moment and injected him with something that Angela had assured Jack would make the guard sleep a little longer and more deeply but leave him otherwise unharmed, aside from an apparently pretty nasty headache. That done, Lon''thul circled around the other side of the manor and waited.


    When the other guard returned, Lon''thul could hear him call out to the first guard. Not long after that, he could hear his second victim moving again, following the drag marks the hunter had intentionally left. A quick peek confirmed what he''d heard, and Lon''thul hurried to quietly catch up to the guard who was just starting to say something to his unconscious partner. Another muffled exclamation of surprise was followed shortly by the second guard collapsing into an unconscious heap. After another quick injection, Lon''thul dragged both guards to a location where they couldn''t easily be seen from the street.


    Not wanting to delay and risk that someone might stumble across him by luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Lon''thul quickly snuck around to the front of the manor, eased the door open just a crack, slipped in, and closed the door behind him.


    It took Lon''thul''s eyes a moment to adjust from the well-lit exterior to the more gloomy interior, but once they did, he got his bearings right away. He was right by the dining area. There was a table with a rug, rather than the traditional fire pit in the center of the floor most homes had. The firepit here was off to the side, inlaid in stone, and had an actual metal grill overtop of it.


    Lon''thul paused in thought for a moment. Not long ago, such a thing would have seemed the height of luxury, but compared with the quickly produced billets Jack had designed, this seemed more like roughing it these days. A part of the hunter''s mind wondered if he wouldn''t have trouble readjusting to his own ramshackle hovel once he returned to the village. If he returned to the village...


    The hunter shook his head. He didn''t have time to get lost in thought right now. He could remember Em''brel telling him the living quarters were on the top floor. As he climbed the stairs, Lon''thul was careful to ease his weight onto each board, testing them out to see if they''d make any noise under his weight. A few times, he had to ease back off a particular step, but for the most part, everything was going according to plan.


    When he finally reached the top of the stairs, the hunter looked around again. Em''brel told him the main bedroom would be off to the left, which meant his target was likely over to the right. As the hunter crept his way to the doorway separating him from his target, Lonthul couldn''t help but briefly wonder if Jack hadn''t been paranoid about overplanning everything.


    Lon''thul was just easing the door open when he heard a voice behind him. "What did I tell you about sneaking off into the night like this..." Then louder. "Wait, WHO ARE YOU?"


    As Lon''thul turned to deal with the complication, the older argu''n was already shouting. "GUARDS! GUARDS! COME QUICK!"


    The hunter led with his elbow spike, seeking to drive his opponent back and buy himself a few moments, but as he turned, he could see his opponent was an overweight male, hardly used to physical exertion of any kind.


    At the last moment, Lon''thul pulled his attack. He could have simply killed his target if he''d kept going, and while that might have solved a few problems, it would have created others. So instead, he brought his other fist up and into the older male''s stomach, doubling him over in pain.


    Lon''thul was just contemplating using a similar sleep hold on this interloper when he was tackled from behind. As he fell, the hunter twisted and brought around his elbow again. This argu''n was younger and much more fit. He could dodge and back off in plenty of time, giving Lon''thul a good look.


    The new male wasn''t as large or developed as the hunter, but he wasn''t too far behind, either, putting him close to Em''brel''s age. This was his target.


    Just then, Lon''thul could make out the sound of the first male running down the stairs, still shouting, "Guards! Guards!"


    The hunter didn''t have time to think, so he hopped up on the banister and leaped down onto the older male below. The two of them tumbled together, but Lon''thul landed a good hit to the male''s jaw on the way down.


    As the male''s landed on the ground floor, the hunter could see his eyes roll up into his head, but then the youth was on him again, repeating the same tactic Lon''thul had used against the older male, except he wasn''t as well trained or developed as the hunter. When they tumbled down, the hunter kept hold of his young assailant, bringing him to the ground as well.


    The younger male rained blow after blow onto Lon''thul, but despite having some power behind them, the swings were wild and erratic, letting the hunter easily deflect any that would have posed a significant threat. Still, the barrage was getting old fast, and eventually, the hunter reached in past the boy''s dubious guard, grabbed his shirt, and pulled him forward to slam their foreheads together.


    Lon''thul saw stars. That move had always seemed effective in the movies Jack had shown him, but when his vision cleared, he could see the younger male had gotten the worse end of the deal, as he still lay clutching his head.


    Shaking his head to clear his vision further, Lon''thul walked over while pulling some leather straps from a pouch at his waist and began tying the kid''s feet together.


    The kid started struggling, but Lon''thul punched him in the gut once, and the fight went out of him. The hunter felt a little bad about that. He''d meant to do this quicker and cleaner, without anyone getting hurt, but that wasn''t possible now.


    To make things worse, the kid began crying, "You killed him! You killed my father!"


    The hunter had just tied his hands together when he responded, "Your father''s fine. I can see him breathing from here. Of course, he''ll have one monster of a headache when he wakes up, but it was never my intention to kill anyone tonight."


    The kid looked up at him miserably. "As if I can trust you! An assassin sneaking into my home in the middle of the night!"


    Lon''thul growled as he gagged his target. "Listen, kid. Your old man there is the only one hiring raiders and assassins. I''m just here to kidnap you, so we can make him stop."


    The younger male glared at the hunter, expressing his disbelief more clearly than words. Then, with a sigh, Lon''thul rolled his eyes. "Ok, how about this. I''ll let you check him to make sure he''s fine, if you agree not to make this any harder than it''s been so far. Deal?"


    The youth glowered a moment longer before nodding. Lon''thul grumbled about being too soft before cutting the binds on the kid''s hands.


    The younger male scowled at him as if expecting a dagger in the back before reaching for the gag. Lon''thul grabbed his hand. "You don''t need your mouth to check on your dad."


    The kid glared again before turning and working his way over to his father''s side. He checked the older male over before taking off his own shirt and placing it under the other male''s head. The hunter smirked. "Lucky for you, it''s a relatively warm night, but you still might regret that before we get where we''re going. Anyway, satisfied? I said you could check on him, not that we''d wait here all night."


    The youth turned and held out his hands. Lon''thul raised an eye ridge as he went about retying the kid''s hands. "Huh, you got both fight and honor in ya? Are you sure you''re related to this guy?"


    The kid started to draw his hands back to protest, but the hunter had too good a hold. Still, Lon''thul shook his head. "Sorry, that was uncalled for. I''m just a little on edge from things almost getting out of hand, but you didn''t deserve that."


    Once the kid was tied up, Lon''thul grabbed another syringe. Angela had told him this wouldn''t knock anyone out fast, but until they passed out, it would make them sluggish and uncoordinated.


    The hunter grinned a little at the kid''s wide eyes focused on the needle. He''d obviously never seen anything like it, and it worried him. "Relax, kid. Like I said, I''m not here to kill anyone. This will barely hurt, then you''ll get drowsy and pass out. By the time you wake up, we''ll be long gone."


    They were about halfway back to the wall when Lon''thul felt the kid finally go slack over his shoulder.

 Book 2, Chapter 34

    Chal''ac was watching the master hunter of the Dragon''s Outpost with confusion as he carried the village chief''s son over his shoulder on their way back. He''d always brought in a surprising amount of kills and had been respected enough among the hunters. However, there''d been rumors that his father helped out more than he claimed.


    Then the young brat had gone and got himself installed as the top hunter at this Outpost. Admittedly, there weren''t that many hunters there, but supposedly that was because of this idiot''s prowess as a hunter supplying them with far more than even a handful of hunters could manage on their own. She simply couldn''t reconcile the amazing hunter everyone talked about with the buffoon she''d always known before.


    Lon''thul was so loud and brash. Growing up, he''d bragged he would be an even better hunter than his father. Chal''ac had ignored his claims. Of course, someone so idiotic would never prove a challenging opponent on the hunt, but then he''d gone and been a significant part in a wolgen hunt. A mated pair, no less... The same hunt that had killed Chal''ac''s father.


    She''d been beside herself with grief when she''d found out Lon''thul showed up with her father''s body and a wolgen pelt to honor his sacrifice. Her father, the only man she ever hunted with, was gone. He''d taught her everything he''d known and was largely responsible for the hunter she''d become.


    Many aspects of the story of her father''s death didn''t make sense to Chal''ac, but one thing was clear. Her father had knowingly sacrificed himself for the people of this place. Was it just a number game? One life to spare many? Or was there something more to these people?


    There was only one way to find out. What''s more, these people were the last ones to work with her father. Chal''ac refused her portion of the prize and instead decided to go work at the Outpost herself and see what kind of people her father had spent his last days working with.


    Many of the workers who''d returned to the village had spread stories about life in the outpost, so Chal''ac had some idea of what to expect regarding housing and layout, but the people there were something else entirely. Fea''en was about the same as she''d always been, though her interactions with Chal''ac had always been few and far between. On the other hand, S''haar had utterly transformed. Changing from the wild and angry woman Chal''ac had known in her brief time with the hunters to the calm and intimidating leader of the Outpost. Ger''ron had gone from a lazy gate guard who''d just waved Chal''ac through the gate every day to the stern and respected captain of the Outpost''s guard.


    She had been expecting a similar change in Lon''thul, but instead, he seemed to be the same disappointing buffoon she''d always known. When he''d introduced her to the Outpost leaders, he''d simply referred to her as "Nala''ac''s daughter and a fellow hunter."


    Chal''ac had narrowed her eyes and stared him down. "I have a name, you know."


    He''d blubbered his way through an apology that only made him look even more incompetent, resulting in everyone in the room laughing and joking at his expense. It was clear to her that no one present had any respect for the idiot, and she could see why.


    After enough damage had been done to his esteem and proper introductions had been made, several of their leaders spoke to Chal''ac less formally to tell her how heroic her father had been and how much they still felt they owed him and, by extension, herself.


    The notorious malformed male, Jack, was particularly grateful and told Chal''ac that if she needed anything, just ask, and he''d do his best to take care of it. Unfortunately, the conversation had been spoken somewhat awkwardly since he had to use a translator, a young female that was actually quite pleasant to talk with.


    The girl herself, Em''brel, had been the most respectful and least pushy of the lot. She also didn''t bring up Chal''ac''s father, choosing to get to know the hunter herself instead.


    After everything had been said and done, she dreaded hunting. Well, not the hunting itself. That was something she always enjoyed, but rather it was the company she dreaded. Lon''thul apparently took it on himself to take each of the hunters out on their first hunt at the outpost and show them around the local region, pointing out noteworthy areas and landmarks.


    Just as Chal''ac had feared, the other hunter had remained loud and obnoxious, disrupting any chance they had of actually catching anything unawares. She had no idea how he managed to catch anything, let alone be the second most successful hunter in the village. Maybe the rumors had been correct...


    Then, near the end of their "tour," Lon''thul''s countenance changed. He suddenly grew quiet, and his movements became smooth and deliberate. He caught Chal''ac''s eyes, then pointed with his chin toward a kovaack in a distant clearing, enjoying a bit of sunbathing before the sun fell behind the trees.


    Through silent gestures, the other hunter told Chal''ac to approach from this side and wait while he circled around and got into position. The idiot was gone, and one of the most dangerous predators Chal''ac had ever seen had replaced it.


    Chal''ac was amazed at how quickly she lost track of his movements as he slipped into the underbrush. Eventually, she stopped straining to look for him and turned her attention to the kovaack. It was obviously an older male. He was past his prime and ripe for the picking. Precisely the sort of target a hunter hopes to come across. Then it raised its head, sniffing the air before looking in Chal''ac''s direction.


    With a silent curse, she realized the wind had shifted, and she was now upwind of the beast. As he lumbered to his feet, Chal''ac readied one of her spears. While an older kovaack like this one wasn''t a serious threat to an experienced hunter, it was still humiliating to be caught out earlier than she''d planned.


    Then, from the other side of the clearing charged Lon''thul. Chal''ac was confused. He hadn''t had anywhere near enough time to get into position like that. How had he..?


    Chal''ac realized she should be helping. rather than just watching dumbly. As she stood and began her own charge, the Kovaack turned back and forth, confused and unable to decide which threat to address first. Eventually, he seemed to settle on Lon''thul as the closer threat and began his own charge.


    Chal''ac had been expecting Lon''thul to dive to the side and maybe throw a spear to injure and slow the beast. It would have been a smart move and shortened the struggle to a couple of minutes or less with them working together. Instead, the hunter charged headfirst, waiting for the last moment to slide low, narrowly avoiding the kovaack''s horn and using both his momentum and the kovaack''s to quickly slide under then clear of the beast.


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    As he came out the other side, Chal''ac could see Lon''thul now had two bloody daggers. Not long after, the kovaack collapsed, having lost all will to fight. In the mere second the hunter had been underneath the kovaack, Lon''thul had managed to slit its throat and slash its belly. The beast was dead by the time Chal''ac reached the pair.


    Then, the great hunter Chal''ac had witnessed moments ago was gone, replaced by the grinning idiot once more. He was cleaning one dagger as he spoke. "Great job distracting him at just the right moment! That was quicker and easier than I thought it would be!"


    While Chal''ac agreed it was quicker, she''d hardly call that stunt he''d pulled easy...or intelligent, but she grudgingly admitted to herself it had been impressive. Still, now she had to wonder. Was the Lon''thul she''d just witnessed the real thing and this idiot just a facade he put up so others would underestimate him? Was there something else to this hunter?


    A couple of weeks later, walking through the forest with Lon''thul after his single-handed raid to kidnap a rival Lord''s son, she was no closer to answering those questions. After witnessing his prowess the other day, she''d thought he might have been able to pull off the kidnapping, but at best she''d expected him to get out before enough guards could react, resulting in a desperate retreat into the woods, where they hoped to lose any pursuit before being caught. Likewise, she hadn''t expected him to confidently stroll away from the wall, his prize over his shoulder, while the entire village was still soundly asleep.


    They were the better part of the way back to the Outpost when Chal''ac wondered if maybe this was the real Lon''thul. So far, he''d been uncharacteristically silent and attentive. That was when the kid he''d been carrying woke up.


    Lon''thul paused momentarily as the boy started thrashing and jolting around. Then, after a moment of trying to stabilize himself, the hunter hefted the kid off his shoulders and onto the ground with an unceremonious whump.


    The impact drove the air out of the kid''s lungs, forcing him to lay there catching his breath for a moment while Lon''thul eased down onto his haunches in front of the kid. As he caught his breath, the kid stared daggers at the hunter.


    Lon''thul merely looked at him a moment before digging around in his pouch. Chal''ac expected him to pull out more of the drug he''d talked about using before, but instead, he pulled out some meat. "So which is it, kid? You gotta go? Or need something to eat?"


    The kid continued staring at the hunter, who sighed and started taking off the kid''s gag. Chal''ac was just taking a breath to ask if that was wise when the kid started screaming. "Guards! GUARDS!"


    Without warning, Lon''thul jammed a chunk of meat into the kid''s mouth with one hand before slamming his jaw shut from beneath with the other. Then, holding his hand over the kid''s mouth to keep him from shouting, Lonthul spoke again, though Chal''ac found it odd he was grinning. Maybe he really was the idiot. "Alright, that''s on me. I don''t even blame ya for the attempt, but let''s try this again. I''m gonna give you one, and only one, more chance to speak with us. If you try that again, I''m going to drug you and carry you the rest of the way over my shoulder like an unruly child. I don''t even care if you piss down my back on the way there. However, if you''re willing to speak and negotiate like an adult, I''ll treat you with some dignity and respect. So how about it? Yell and get drugged, or stay calm and we''ll compromise a little. After all, it''s just a little kidnapping, no reason to make this situation uglier than it has to be!"


    The kid glared again, and for a moment, Chal''ac was sure he was going to shout again, but then the tension eased, and he slumped, defeated. "I gotta go..."


    Lon''thul''s grin somehow widened. "See, that wasn''t so bad. Now here, let''s get you taken care of before moving again." The hunter reached out and severed the bonds tying the kid''s hands.


    The kid looked down at his legs which were still bound. "What about my feet?"


    Lon''thul laughed a little. "Listen, I said I was willing to compromise, not that I was stupid. Your feet will be freed when I have your hands bound again and a lead tied in place, but you don''t really need them to take a piss now, do ya? Go on! The sooner you do your business, the sooner we can get this all over with!"


    After the kid finished "his business," Chal''ac watched as Lon''thul bound his hands again. She noticed he tied the kid''s hands so that his fingers were folded into fists, making it almost impossible for the kid to work his way free. Sometimes he was so careful and prudent. Other times he was flippant and loud. It was beginning to drive her mad. Which was the real Lon''thul?


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    Sare''en could see Em''brel was a bundle of nerves. Grim was half sitting in her lap as she scratched his head while Sare''en was cooking dinner. Finally, the herder prompted Em''brel, trying to get her to stop ruminating, at least somewhat. "You seem distracted. What''s on your mind?"


    Em''brel blinked, then her eyes focused, as if seeing Sare''en for the first time today. "Uh, yeah, sorry about that. There''s just a lot on my mind, is all..."


    Em''brel started to retreat within herself again, but Sare''en wasn''t about to lose her that quickly. "Such as..?"


    Realizing she wasn''t about to get off that easy, Em''brel sighed. "Like I said, lots of things. I''m worried about Lon''thul. This is a really dangerous mission, after all. Then there''s meeting my cousin again. We were friends growing up, but I have no idea what''s become of him, not to mention he''s being kidnapped, which will likely add more stress to our reunion. Next, there''s the windmill that''s nearing completion. As we get closer to finishing it, I''m increasingly worried I forgot some minor yet crucial detail that''ll cause the whole thing to crumble down. And there''s also the...um..."


    Sare''en would see Em''brel wilt, so she spoke up for her. "There''s also the fact that you haven''t fully come to terms with the latest assassination attempt?"


    Em''brel winced a little at the word ¡°assassination¡± but nodded. "Yeah, I can''t get over that. I don''t know why it bothers me so much. He''s not even alive anymore..."


    Sare''en smiled and shook her head. "Yeah, seriously! Why would such a little thing like repeated attempts to enslave or kill you that have left physical and emotional scars and bother you? Such a little thing! Obviously, you should just shrug and get over it already!"


    Em''brel sighed in exasperation, then grinned sheepishly as she shook her head. "Well, when you put it like that..."


    Sare''en stuck out her tongue at the slightly younger woman, then shook a wooden spoon in Em''brel''s direction, dislodging a small splatter of food that Grim was more than happy to take care of on their behalf. "Now, let me put it a different way. No one gets to decide when it''s ''time'' for you to ''be over'' anything! Not even you! This will take years, maybe even your whole life, to come to terms with. But that doesn''t mean you can''t improve. You''re already better now than you were a few days ago, and you''ll be even better not long from now. You just gotta take it a little at a time and accept that you can''t rush things."


    Em''brel smiled and got a faraway look in her eyes. "You sounded like Jack just now. ''Do better today than yesterday, then do better tomorrow than today...''"


    Of course, Jack and S''haar chose that moment to walk in. Jack smiled and winked at Em''brel, making the younger woman wonder for a moment if it qualified as a wink or a blink since he only had one good eye... "Huh, that sounds familiar. Where have I heard that before?"


    Em''brel grinned and looked over at the suddenly less bold Sare''en. "Oh, I was just commenting how something Sare''en said just now was eerily similar to a piece of advice you once gave me."


    Jack turned his attention to Sare''en. "Glad to hear it! Sometimes a little repetition helps drive the point home. Keep up the good advice!"


    Sare''en nodded meekly, her earlier bravado fading as she seemed to be fighting the urge to run and hide in the face of so much unexpected attention. "Um...yes, Lord Jack... I''ll do that..."


    Jack looked confused at her meek reply before his attention was taken by a very demanding Grim, who apparently decided Jack hadn''t given him greeting scritches yet, and that injustice must be rectified immediately!


    As Jack addressed the issue to his satisfaction, Em''brel looked back to Sare''en and smiled. Just a little evidence of the herder girl''s confidence returned in the corner of her mouth as she smiled back.

 Book 2, Chapter 35

    To''brel didn''t know what to make of his captors. The angry female was easy enough to understand. She was more or less what you''d expect in a captor, ordering him about and quick to kick or shove him if To''brel didn''t react fast enough. However, the male was something else entirely.


    Your captor wasn''t supposed to be cheerful and encouraging. After all, they''re the bad guy. So why was this "Lon''thul" always smiling and laughing?


    Right now, he was laughing as he tugged the rope they were using to keep To''brel from running away. "Come on, kid. If you wanna walk, you have to actually walk. I''m not saying you have to like it, but that''s the price of this little bit of freedom. Don''t worry. There''s little chance of death or dismemberment for you, despite your current situation. Though I suppose there''s a real danger of tedium and boredness, but that''ll probably depend on how difficult you want to make things for yourself."


    Now, what did the male mean by that? While he was glad to hear that his life probably wasn''t in immediate danger, To''brel was utterly at their mercy, his future beyond his ability to control in any meaningful way. So how could he determine the condition of his captivity?


    The female seemed less interested in cheering up To''brel. "Why does it matter if he''s bored? Lock him in a cell until we get what we need. He should be happy to get through this in one piece."


    The male grinned back at the female. "Now, I would have thought you''d''ve been around long enough to know we don''t do things the usual way at the Outpost. If I know Jack and Angela, they''re gonna take this kid and make him one of their students. Probably try and use him to increase the quality of life in his village or some such nonsense. But, of course, it''s the prerogative of wizards and dragons to play by a completely different set of rules than you or I."


    That was too much. To''brel couldn''t keep silent any longer. "What do you mean, ¡®wizards and dragons¡¯? Is there a dragon where you''re taking me? I thought you said I wasn''t in any real danger?"


    The hunter''s grin became more mischievous. "Now, I think what I said was you were in little danger, not none. But I wouldn''t worry about the dragon. She''s not so bad once you get to know her. I''ve never once heard of her eating anyone, though I suppose there''s a first time for everything..."


    Judging by his tone and the wink he gave To''brel, the male was just joking, but To''brel couldn''t be sure. He decided to ask the question rolling around in the back of his mind this whole time. "Why am I here, anyway? Why kidnap me? Neither my village nor my father are particularly wealthy or powerful. Most years, we just barely squeak by."


    The male raised an eye ridge at him. For once, his smile seemed to be absent. "Well, I don''t know how much of what''s going on you are familiar with, but what do you know about your cousin, Em''brel?"


    To''brel''s eyes narrowed. "Why does that matter?"


    The male tilted his head to the side. "Well, it matters because she''s kind of at the center of everything. Your father, the Outpost, and even my own village are all reacting to what''s been set in motion since the day Em''brel set out for our village. The day Jack and S''haar''s path crossed hers."


    To''brel snarled and looped the rope around his bound hands and pulled back on it, surprising Lon''thul enough to unsteady him just enough that To''brel could launch himself into Lon''thul headfirst, knocking the older male off his feet.


    To''brel struggled to get to his feet before the other male but froze when his head was jerked back and a knife was placed against his throat. The female hissed in his ear. "I don''t know what just got into your head, but make one move right now, and you''ll never see home again. You hear me, boy?"


    To''brel slightly nodded as carefully as he could, feeling the knife press against his throat as he did so.


    Finally, the other male got to his feet, wiping a little blood from his lips as he did so. "Now, what in the world was that all about? Do you want me to drug you and carry you the rest of the way?"


    To''brel glared at the other male. Given what he''d just said, his casual attitude was infuriating. "You just told me the ones running the Outpost you''re taking me to are the ones who murdered Em''brel, and you think I''m just going to continue to play along with this sick game of yours? Drug me, carry me, then stuff me in the smallest cell you''ve got if you''d like, but I''m done cooperating with you!"


    The male spat the rest of the blood on the ground and looked at To''brel incredulously. "Now, who told you that Em''brel''s dead? I can tell you that I spoke with her just before leaving on this mission, and she was just fine. A little shaken from all the assassination and kidnapping attempts, but otherwise unhurt."


    To''brel spit at the older male, feeling the knife''s point dig into his throat just a little deeper as he did so. The warm tickling sensation running down his throat told him the female had drawn blood, but that was of minimal concern at the moment. "Don''t lie to me. At the start of the last winter, Em''brel and her father were murdered on their way to negotiate with another village. How dare you invoke their names now!"


    Lon''thul just looked at him quietly a moment before shrugging. "Well, I suppose it''s easy enough to prove. You''ve got to come with us whether you believe me or not, and either she''ll be there or she won''t. So I won''t bring her up again until then. How''s that sound?"


    To''brel looked at the hunter, trying to catch the hidden angle behind his words, but for all his doubt and anger, his claims made an odd sense. Lon''thul then nodded to the female. "He''s fine now. You can let him loose."


    As the knifepoint eased away from his throat, To''brel felt tension he hadn''t realized had built up ease out of his frame. However, the female''s voice still had an edge to it. "You''re too quick to forgive and trust. We should tie him back up."


    The hunter shook his head, his trademark grin back in place. "Maybe I am, but I''d rather be too trusting and get burned than be too cynical and live in misery. The former hurts, but the latter just makes life not worth living!"


    The female sighed and shook her head. To''brel caught the edge of a nearly silent murmur that was probably not meant to be heard. "What a fool..."


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    As he was brought to a towering gate, To''brel couldn''t help but feel impressed. These gates were larger and more imposing than his own village''s. What could possibly lay beyond?


    Lon''thul walked right up to the gate and started shouting. "Hey, open up! Don''t make me go all the way around to the south entrance. I''ve been on my feet way too long, as is."


    A moment later, the gate began to open. But, rather than several large guards pushing it open through raw force as To''brel expected, there was just one guard spinning a wheel with handles sticking out of it.


    Once the gate was wide enough to fit them comfortably, Lon''thul walked through, dragging To''brel as Chal''ac brought up the rear. The older male stopped and spoke with the guard for a moment. "Orth''kun! How''s it going? Jack, have any revolutionary breakthroughs while I was gone?"


    The guard grinned and shook his head. "Nope, not this time. He''s been too busy ''quality testing'' his new belly bows and getting measurements for fittings on the new gambeson armor he''s issuing to each of us. I have to admit, while I can''t shoot the new weapons as fast as I can throw spears, it takes a lot less out of me to use them. Hell, it''s almost more fun than it is work! After shooting it a few times, I still feel fresh and ready for more. I can see why you''re so attached to your bow!"


    Lon''thul nodded and grinned. "Yeah, it''s easy to get attached. I felt naked without mine! I can''t wait to feel the weight in my hands again and do some proper hunting!"


    The guard, Orth''kun, turned and looked at To''brel. "I don''t know. It seems like you''ve been hunting just fine without it. I wasn''t expecting you for another day or so. How''d you talk him into walking?"


    The hunter shrugged. "Well, given a choice, would you rather be carried over someone''s shoulder like a piece of meat or walk under your own power? I gave the kid the same choice, and you can see the result."


    Lon''thul paused for a moment before changing thoughts. "Hey, where can I find S''haar, anyway? The sooner I can get this kid settled in, the sooner I can get some much-needed rest. It''s been a long couple of days for all of us."


    The large guard scratched his head as he spoke. "Well, I''m not sure, but she''s already done her rounds checking out the walls, so I''d guess she was looking in on the workers now."


    The hunter nodded. "Good enough. I''ll stop troubling you, then."


    The guard nodded and released something holding the wheel in place. The doors were evidently weighted to shut themselves, because the gate closed as soon as he did. However, rather than lifting a beam into place like To''brel had expected, he slid a large knob attached to a large piece of metal to the side and locked the gate closed.


    The young noble went from astonishment at the engineering involved in the gate itself to incredulous at the waste of metal over something so frivolous, when a wooden beam would have done the trick. Then, as To''brel was led up the odd stone pathway across a large open field to what almost appeared to be a small town center, he wondered what other oddities were in store for him.


    It didn''t take long for that question to be answered. After a few minutes of walking closer to the buildings, To''brel realized that they were larger than he''d first thought. This "outpost" had two-story buildings crafted out of wood and stone. As he got closer, he realized he''d been mistaken again, and the stone was actually some sort of painted dirt. That was ridiculous. How did they keep these buildings from collapsing every time it rained? Maybe there was some secret to the paint? He wanted to know more.


    A jerk of his bonds made To''brel realize he''d stopped while lost in thought. Looking up, he could see the hunter grinning. "Listen, if you stop and marvel at every wonder this place has to offer, we won''t even make it to the end of the path by day''s end. Sorry, but you''ll just have to wait to satisfy your curiosity later."


    To''brel started to nod when he stopped and watched a female drawing up water from a well. Rather than pull a rope up, she turned a device that slowly wrapped the rope around itself. Once the bucket reached the top, he was surprised by the size. Given the female''s build and how little effort she''d been using, To''brel had assumed the bucket would be undersized, but if anything, it was the opposite.


    This time the tug at the other end of his rope was a little less gentle, but at least Lon''thul was still grinning. "What did I say? Let''s get moving! I''ve had nothing but trail rations for three days, and I want a proper meal!"


    Reluctantly To''brel began moving but couldn''t help turning his head to keep his eyes on the well for as long as possible. Eventually, he stumbled, forcing him to turn his attention forward again. He caught sight of several argu''n holding what appeared to be sizable unwieldy devices. Then, after a moment, there was a slight movement by one''s hands, and something shot out toward what appeared to be tightly woven circular batches of plant matter.


    He wasn''t sure what the purpose of that could be and didn''t have enough time to dwell on it as a large building came into view up on a cliff in the distance. Why build something in such an inconvenient place? Getting a path up there alone must have taken a lot of effort. Did these people have so much free time that they could waste it on such pointless endeavors?


    While To''brel had been distracted, Lon''thul had stopped and spoken with a few other workers who pointed him toward one of the buildings. The noble youth had been looking at the cave in the distance and could just make out something brightly shining moving near the cave mouth when, with a nod of his head and a jerk of the rope, the hunter set off again, pulling To''brel with him.


    Finally, they approached one of the buildings where Lon''thul stopped and knocked on the door. After hearing some response from within, the hunter opened the door and led him inside.


    He could see they were in a large room with a sizable firepit in the center and a hallway leading to more doors on the other side. There were several other argu''n around the room, but what immediately caught To''brel''s attention was the wild animal on its feet and sniffing the air in the direction of the young noble. While it seemed a little small, there was no doubt this thing matched the description of a wolgen.


    To''brel didn''t know why it was here, but instantly felt a strong desire to leap at it and attack. However, because his hands were bound, all he could do was shake his hair threateningly as he crouched and braced his arms for a clumsy double-handed swing. In response, the wolgen crouched as well and issued a threatening growl.


    Just as To''brel was sure he was about to die, one of the argu''n, a female, spoke sternly. "Grim, come!"


    The wolgen stopped and looked back at the female, then back at To''brel, hesitating, but the female spoke again, louder this time. "GRIM, COME!"


    The wolgen walked over to the female, who issued more commands. "Sit. Stay!"


    Miraculously, the wolgen sat at her feet and seemed as if he was indeed going to stay. Then, a much smaller caped argu''n whose face was covered in shadow due to its hood reached down to the wolgen. To''brel half expected the beast to bite off his hand, or at least shy away from the offending appendage, but instead, it leaned into the contact, and the argu''n started to scratch the beast behind its ears.


    To''brel was so astounded by all this that he barely noticed when the female who''d spoken the commands stepped forward to examine him. Though once he did, his focus shifted entirely to her.


    The female wasn''t particularly large, standing at least an inch shorter than To''brel, who wasn''t even at his full height yet. She was more muscular than the average female but no more than dozens of others To''brel could think of. Yet despite all that, she seemed to tower over the young noble. He had the distinct impression that he was looking into the gaze of a far superior predator and froze in place as the urge to fight melted from his body.


    Finally, she spoke. "You must be To''brel, son of Don''brel, and cousin to Em''brel, correct?"


    To''brel found his mouth dry as he nodded his affirmation.


    The female crossed her arms and spoke again. "Well, I''m sure you''ve had a long couple of days, so I''ll be brief. I''m S''haar, leader of this Outpost. You are our captive until we can negotiate your release with your father. However, we have no intention to harm you as long as we don''t have to. So do as you''re told, don''t make trouble, and your stay here will be relatively comfortable. Any questions?"

 Book 2, Chapter 36

    S''haar looked down at the young noble standing before her. Well, not precisely down. Despite his slightly taller frame, the kid was so lanky and underdeveloped that it was hard for her to think of him as anything but small. Even Em''brel would probably be more than a match for him in a slugfest, or any other fight, for that matter. Of course, it didn''t help that, despite the glare he was directing her way, she could detect a shiver of fear behind it. Still, he wasn''t trying to overcompensate by throwing his "weight" around. The kid seemed to grasp his current situation and was willing to work with them to some extent.


    One moment stretched into the next, and S''haar wondered if she should repeat herself when the kid ¨CTo''brel, she reminded herself¨C finally spoke. "What... what is it you want for my release?"


    It was a reasonable question, all things considered. S''haar let her tendrils relax as she decided how best to answer. "Well, our demands are simple enough. Your father has sent several raiders, and recently even an assassin, after my adoptive daughter. I want him to stop. I understand why he feels she''s a threat to his newfound power, but I also don''t care. If he keeps pushing us, next we''ll be negotiating with whoever succeeds him."


    S''haar watched as his posture tensed and gaze sharpened at mentioning a possible successor for his father. He obviously understood the implied threat. That was good. It meant the kid wasn''t an idiot.


    After a moment, To''brel unexpectedly laughed. "That, that''s ridiculous! I don''t know who your daughter is, but how could she possibly threaten a village leader? Unless it has something to do with your not-so-subtle threat just now?"


    S''haar tilted her head in contemplation, unsure if he was playing ignorant or actually unaware of his father''s actions. "No, she''s not a threat in that manner. Rather, I think he''s afraid she''ll return and claim what''s rightfully hers."


    Turning to face down the hallway, S''haar called out. "Em''brel, come here for a moment, please."


    S''haar could hear Em''brel''s timid approach, but her attention was refocused on To''brel. Once his cousin entered the room, his reaction reflected genuine surprise. His eyes dilated, his ridges shot up, and his jaw fell slack. Even his tendrils fell limp.


    Em''brel all but hid behind S''haar as the kid gathered his wits. Then he tried to step forward, causing Em''brel to flinch back. That was when he felt a firm tug from the restraints Lon''thul still had hold of. Stopping his approach, To''brel spoke. "Em''brel! It is you! You''re alive! But...how?"


    Em''brel took a moment to gather her own thoughts before speaking. "Well...you''ll have to be more specific. Life''s been...interesting, as of late."


    To''brel pressed on. "But at the start of last winter, when you left for A''ngles'' village, you and your father were ambushed and killed!"


    The younger woman flinched back at the memory and took a moment to answer. "It is true we were ambushed, and my father was...killed...but I was taken...captive."


    Em''brel shivered at the memory, her gaze unfocused as unwanted memories held her captive for a moment. A deep breath later, she shook her head to free her mind as her eyes refocused on the here and now. "But I was rescued by Jack and S''haar. I''ve been living with them ever since. They''ve taken good care of me."


    Grim trotted over and nudged Em''brel''s hand. She smiled and began scratching him like the cloaked argu''n had done before. "Life here has been rough at times, but it''s also been good. I''ll never stop missing my father or forget what happened to me after, but I''m also grateful to my new family. In many ways, it feels like I''ve spent whole lifetimes with them here at this place."


    To''brel looked conflicted, as though he had a hundred thoughts swirling around inside his mind. Finally, he settled with shaking his head. "I''m sorry you had to go through all that, but I''m glad to see you''re okay." Then he looked down at his feet, trying to sort through his many thoughts.


    S''haar nodded her head, then turned her attention back to To''brel. "Satisfied?"


    The kid looked like he had something else to say but narrowed his eyes instead. "Not even close, but I suppose it''s enough for the time being. So what now? Do I just go sit in a cell somewhere and wait?"


    S''haar nodded. "For tonight at least, that might be best. After that, what happens will largely depend on you."


    To''brel looked up in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"


    S''haar shrugged. "Well, we could afford you some degree of limited freedom, so long as you''re willing to swear a blood oath that you will respect our rules and not attempt to seek your freedom until the issues at hand have been resolved."


    The noble youth looked more suspicious. "So what, I swear an oath, and you''ll let me run around however I''d like?"


    S''haar shook her head. "Well, not quite. There will be restrictions on where you can and can''t go, and you''ll always have an escort of some kind, but it''s probably a lot better than staring at the inside of a cell wall for days, weeks, or maybe even months. But don''t worry, you don''t have to decide right now. We''ll wait until after you''ve eaten and rested and thinking a little more clearly."


    To''brel was still suspicious but couldn''t find any immediate trap in her words, and there was something really delicious-smelling cooking nearby. He raised his bound hands, looking from them to S''haar with a raised eye ridge. "Alright. It''s not like I have much choice in the matter. I am your captive, after all."


    S''haar smiled. "I''m glad we''re clear on that. Lon''thul, Chal''ac, take him to the guardhouse where we kept the assassin. It''s already set up and ready to hold someone for a while. There should be guards already there, waiting for our guest. Then you can get some much-deserved food and rest."


    The female hunter nodded and turned smartly to head out the door even as Lon''thul lamented. "Aww, man! I thought I was already done for the day!"


    At S''haar''s appraising glance, he grinned sheepishly. "Alright, alright, no need to deliver a speech. I''ll get him there. I totally get a day off to recover, though!"


    Chal''ac looked sharply at the other hunter. "Lon''thul! Don''t mouth off to Lady S''haar like that!"


    S''haar held up a hand to stop any further arguing. "No, it''s okay. You''ve both earned a day to recover, and despite your absence the last couple of days, our food supplies are just fine."


    Chal''ac looked like she had other thoughts on the subject but let it go. Lon''thul was a little less tactful. "See? I told ya! We do things differently around here!"


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    It might have been an accident the way Chal''ac''s shoulder slammed into Lon''thul as she walked out, but S''haar doubted it.


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    As the hunters and the captive left the room, Em''brel relaxed and released the tension in her shoulders she hadn''t realized was there. "I think... I think I''m going to go relax for a bit. If anyone needs me, I''ll be in my room."


    Jack smiled encouragingly. "Go ahead. You have good reason to need a bit of peace and quiet, but just so you know, you did well tonight."


    The girl nodded slowly, then stumbled out of the room, Grim a step behind her. Once they were alone, S''haar looked at Jack. "Well? What are your thoughts?"


    Jack sighed and leaned back. "I don''t claim to be an expert in reading argu''n expressions, but I don''t think he was playing games or trying to be deceitful. So I''m reasonably confident he hasn''t been involved in what''s been happening. But, on the other hand, he didn''t seem to want to be here either, not that I blame him. Still, I think we''ll have to watch him closely."


    S''haar nodded. "That was pretty much my read as well. Given how tired and hungry he must be, I''m rather impressed with how calm and collected he was through the ordeal."


    Jack grinned as he stretched his sore leg. "I suspect we have Lon''thul to thank for that. I''m guessing he''s been slowly introducing the kid to the idea that we''re not just a bunch of raiders, despite his current captivity. Then, when he was already off his guard, Em''brel disarmed whatever fight he had left in him. Of course, he''ll probably still look at us as enemies, we did kidnap him after all, but maybe he''ll be willing to listen to some of what we have to say, regardless."


    S''haar looked at Jack expectantly. "It probably goes without saying, but you''re not to be around him without a bodyguard."


    Jack''s grin grew more mischievous as he shrugged. "Well, I doubt he''ll be without a guard of some kind anytime soon, and I''d need a translator to speak with him, anyway. How much trouble could I possibly get into?"


    The glare S''haar directed his way had enough of an edge that it was clear she didn''t think Jack was as funny as he thought. "Uh-huh. Now you''re just baiting me for a reaction."


    Jack''s expression became hopeful. "Did it work?"


    S''haar rolled her eyes and tossed him his cane. "Shut up, and let''s go get some food. I''m sure Lon''thul will be looking for you so he can tell you the story of his latest heroics."


    Jack looked slightly disappointed that she hadn''t taken the bait before accepting S''haar''s offered hand. As she helped him to his feet, the human sighed in acceptance of his failure. "Fair enough. I could use a bite."


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    To''brel was sitting in his jail cell, bored. Though, in all fairness, it was a pretty comfortable cell. Apparently, they''d hauled in a surprisingly well-made bed just for him, and if he was honest, it was even more comfortable than the one he had at home. On top of that, the meal they''d given him had been a rich stew, seasoned to perfection. He almost felt more like an honored guest than a prisoner.


    True, one of his walls was mainly bars, and there were two guards stationed just outside, but even they were treating him more like a guest than a prisoner. He could ask them for anything, and if it was within their power, one would run and get it for him. They were even happy to speak with him about any casual subjects he chose, but were apparently under orders not to talk about the Outpost or why To''bel was here. Since those were the only two things on his mind, that basically meant he was alone with his thoughts.


    Still, it was odd his captors were so concerned with his comfort and well-being. It brought to mind something Lon''thul had said to the female hunter on the way here. "Now, I would have thought you''d''ve been around long enough to know we don''t do things the usual way here." He''d been right about that, in more ways than one.


    There was even a window on one wall enabling him to look out into the night sky. Apparently, they''d installed it just for him, something that was only possible (and apparently surprisingly easy) because of the odd dirt they built the walls out of. He''d scrapped a claw along a wall to see if it would reveal any secrets to him. The wall had scored easily. It was indeed dirt, but it was similar to sandstone in density and toughness. He could have probably dug his way out, but there was no way the guards wouldn''t notice the attempt, and he was still curious what this was really all about. They''d said some pretty accusatory things about his father, which To''brel had initially disregarded, but then Em''brel had shown up and shattered his confidence.


    When Lon''thul''d so casually mentioned Em''brel on the way to the Outpost, To''brel assumed the hunter had been lying as some sort of ploy. But now he was questioning everything that''d happened up till now. Of course, he''d been happy to see his cousin alive and safe, despite the horrible conditions she''d so obviously endured, but what did this mean regarding everything that had happened since her disappearance? Or before it, for that matter...


    Were these people right that his father had been trying to assassinate her all this time? All while appearing to mourn the loss of his brother and niece? True, To''brel''s father never had liked his brother or respected his leadership. He''d always claimed his brother was weak and dragging the village down with his incompetence. But would he go so far as to kill his own brother to take his place?


    To''brel tossed and turned uncomfortably as his mind raced,conflicting thoughts preventing him from finding sleep, despite his exhaustion. He was just getting ready to get out of bed and try pacing for a while when a voice called out from his window. "Pst! Hey kid! Sounds like you''re having a tough time shutting down for the night. Wanna talk about it?"


    It was obviously a female of some kind, but aside from that, the voice didn''t particularly give anything away about the speaker. Still, maybe a distraction was just what he needed. He shook his head, then laughed a little to himself as he realized the futility of the act. Instead, he sighed. "If it''s all the same to you, I''d rather talk about something else, but the only other thing of interest right now is this place, and you''re all under strict orders not to talk about it."


    He could practically hear the mischievous grin on the stranger''s face. "Eh, it was more of a suggestion than an order. Besides, it''s easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission. So tell me, what do you think of this outpost of ours?"


    To''brel couldn''t see anything but stars outside his window because of how high up it was, but he leaned against the wall to feel closer to the speaker, wrapping himself in a blanket more for security than warmth at the moment. "Honestly? I don''t know what to think. I have so many questions, I don''t know where to start. If I had to pick one, I guess it would be, what''s the point of all this? Why is this place even here to begin with?"


    There was a rather undignified snort on the other end, followed by an amused chuckle. "Had to ask a big complicated question with an imprecise answer, rather than something simple like ''what''s this wall made out of?'' didn''t you?"


    To''brel''s tendrils shook a little with embarrassment. "Yeah, maybe it was a stupid question..."


    The voice cut him off. "No. Actually, it''s an impressive question. One that indicates a mind searching for answers to the bigger picture. If anything, I''m impressed."


    The voice shifted to a slightly more wistful tone. "The simple answer is, this outpost exists for family. As you''ve probably heard, this place is named the ''Dragon''s Outpost.'' It got its name because the whole thing was built around a cave created by the Dragon when she crashed into the mountainside. She was severely injured in the crash, and her brother, Jack, wasn''t strong enough to save her on his own. They likely would have died out here except, by fate or fortune, S''haar was left as a sacrifice to appease the Dragon."


    There was a warmth to the voice as it continued. "The stories that followed would take me all night and day to tell, but the short version is S''haar, then Em''brel, joined the Dragon''s family. After that, things got kind of desperate and crazy. There were many setbacks, and danger seemed to wait around every corner, but eventually, this place took on a life of its own. However, Jack, the Dragon, and their steadily expanding family were at the core of everything. Many of the people here have become precious to the Dragon, and she guards them all with the zeal of a sister or mother."


    To''brel found himself lost in the intensity of the voice''s emotion before stopping and realizing something. After a pause, he voiced the nagging question. "You speak of all this as though you have intimate insight into everything that''s happened here from the beginning. Who are you?"


    The voice practically purred its response. "Oh, you are a clever one, aren''t you? I like you, kid. My name is Angela, but you can call me by my title if you like. They call me ''The Dragon."


    To''brel sat in stunned silence as the voice chuckled, and very heavy footsteps walked away from the wall of his cell.

 Book 2, Chapter 37

    To''brel hadn''t been sure what to expect in the morning but wasn''t overly surprised to be greeted with a warm meal and a fresh change of clothes that fit quite well. What did surprise him was when several chairs were brought in without explanation. One was positioned to face the other three, and it became clear that this would be another meeting. Not knowing how long he''d be sitting and talking, he stretched a little to loosen up his joints. Eventually, three others entered, two of whomTo''brel was quite familiar with by now.


    As they were speaking with the guards, asking how the "guest" was doing, the young noble felt relieved to see the easy-going hunter, Lon''thul. He was actually astonished at his relief. This was the male who''d attacked him and his father, then kidnapped To''brel. So why would he feel anything other than anger or fear in his presence?


    Of course, as odd and uncomfortable as that line of reasoning might be, it was still preferable to the disquieting feeling that came with the sight of the second guest. He was still glad that Em''brel was alive and well, but her simply being in that state shook him to his very core. Had his father really been trying to kill her all this time? If she returned and bound herself to a male, would they resume her father''s role as village leaders? If so, what did that mean for himself and his role in the village? Would his father be executed? Would he be exiled? Or worse?


    Both lines of thought left To''brel uncomfortable, so instead, he turned his attention to his third host as they walked into the cell. Of course, that one raised as many questions in his mind as the other two, but at least they weren''t as disquieting.


    This one was an enigma. He''d been present at the meeting last night but had stayed quiet the entire time. At first, To''brel''d thought it was a child because of its stature, but now he moved with an odd stiff gait that made the noble think of a wizened elder. He used a walking cane and favored one leg, and when he sat down and pulled back his hood, there was a strip of dark leather covering one of his eyes, though it didn''t completely hide the sizeable red scar that had obviously cost him that eye. The scar was the only part about him that was appropriately colored; the rest of his skin had an unhealthy pale hue. To''brel wondered if this male was about to topple over dead.


    The male smiled and nodded affably in his direction before speaking. When he did so, To''brel was confused when he couldn''t understand what was said. It took him a moment to realize the male spoke in an entirely different language.


    To''brel was just trying to puzzle out what they expected of him when Em''brel started speaking. It took him another moment to realize she was apparently translating what the male said. The noble blinked a few times as he processed this and turned his attention back to the odd male. "It''s a shame we had to get to know each other under such circumstances, but it''s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Jack, and this was originally my outpost before I turned the reins over to my partner, S''haar. You already know Em''brel, who''s here to act as my interpreter, and Lon''thul, acting as a bodyguard to both Em''brel and myself right now."


    At this, the hunter grinned and winked. "This is what Jack would call ''light duty.'' Today''s supposed to be a day off, but I figured this was more interesting than sitting around bored. So how''re they treating you? You sleep alright?"


    To''brel had, in fact, slept far better than he''s thought he would, having been kidnaped and all. Though his dreams had been...odd, to say the least, he chalked it up to sheer exhaustion. Still, everyone was staring at him, waiting for a response. He finally cleared his throat. "Umm, yes... As well as could be expected... Considering..."


    The hunter seemed as unfazed as ever by the response. "Yeah, I understand. Sleeping in a new bed can be offputting sometimes!"


    To''brel just looked at the hunter incredulously before shaking his head in exasperation. "Yes... It''s the bed that''s offputting about all this. Not the fact that I''ve been kidnapped, am being held in an outpost that could only have come from some lunatic''s fevered dream, or that I was visited by a dragon last night. That''s all well and good, but the bed... Yeah, that might take some getting used to!"


    For a moment, he''d been so caught up in his incredulity that he had forgotten about his other hosts until the male, Jack, threw back his head and barked out some high-pitched laughter. Then, after a moment, Jack caught his breath and grinned before speaking, with Em''brel still translating. "Well, if you can trade banter like that with our resident master hunter, you must be in surprisingly good spirits! Also, apparently, my sister paid you a visit last night. She can be a bit forward at times. I hope she didn''t trouble you too much."


    To''brel paused a moment in thought. His sister? Whatever giant being had been outside the noble''s window last night and spoken in such emotional tones without even the hint of an accent, apparently was a dragon and was also this male''s sister? He remembered her saying something to that effect the night before, but it had been lost in everything else going on at the time.


    The young noble had to shake his head a second time. "I''m sorry, did... did you just say¡¯ sister¡¯?"


    Jack smiled and nodded. "That I did. Though, to be fair, we''re not related by blood. Still, we''re closer than many families. Together, we''ve seen wonders and traveled over distances you couldn''t possibly comprehend. Not right now, at least." Jack spread his arms wide to encompass the Outpost. "But now, this is our home, and these are our friends and family. We''re here to stay, for the foreseeable future, at least."


    Jack settled back into his chair. "I hope she didn''t keep you up too late."


    To''brel shook his head again, this time to emphasize his response. "No, if anything, she helped take my mind off..." ¨Chis gaze darted over to Em''brel again¨C "troubling thoughts."


    Jack leaned back and nodded. "Good, glad to hear it. She can be intimidating at first and mischievous at times, but no one here is more likely to help you out when you''re in trouble, big or small."


    Lon''thul barked out his own laughter. "Hah! This coming from you? Please, I swear the two of you are practically competing to see who can be more of a... What''s the word? Oh yeah, more of a humanitarian!" The hunter shook his own head, laughing again. "Leave it up to a human to name the act of being selfless after their own species..."


    Jack whapped his cane across the hunter''s legs. Of course, it harmlessly bounced off the bone plate, but it still got the point across. The rebuke was somewhat lightened by the sheepish grin on Jack''s face. "Hey now! Back when we came up with that word, we weren''t aware of any other intelligent life!"


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    The hunter shook his head. "That''s no excuse. Here I am, a humble ''primitive'' argu''n, yet even I''m aware of other intelligent life! I''ll have you know I''m even friends with a human!"


    Jack pointed a finger at the hunter and said something unintelligible before Em''brel cleared her throat. "Um, guys? You''re getting a little sidetracked..."


    Both males turned their attention to Em''brel and then To''brel, respectively. The hunter had his usual trouble-making grin on his face, but Jack at least looked apologetic. "Ah, yeah, sorry about that.


    To''brel wasn''t all that concerned with the distraction. Instead, he was still focused on something Lon''thul had said. Assuming he understood what they''d been saying, Jack wasn''t argu''n. He was something else entirely. As was his sister. This was only getting more confusing as the discussion went on.


    Finally, he''d had enough. To''brel didn''t know if they were trying to overwhelm him or if this was the norm with these people, but instead of getting lost worrying about that, he decided to get to the heart of the matter. He looked Jack in the eyes. "So, what''s this whole discussion about, anyway?"


    Jack sat back and looked thoughtful, as though making a decision. Finally, he seemed to come to a conclusion because he leaned forward, his expression more serious this time. "Well, I''m here to more or less decide what happens with you. Of course, ultimately, it''ll be S''haar''s call, but in matters such as this, she places considerable weight on the thoughts and opinions of people who have earned her trust. So we agreed that it might be best for someone less...intimidating to speak with you first. To get an idea of what you''re feeling and thinking moving forward."


    Jack thought a moment more before continuing. "This isn''t anyone''s ideal scenario, but however or whyever it happened, you''re here now. Most people come to learn and work, but you don''t have to do either. So I guess the question is, do you want to stay in this room for the foreseeable future? If you''d prefer that course of action, you''ll be kept comfortable for your stay. Meals will be brought, and your needs will be seen to. Or would you prefer to go out and see what we can teach you? Of course, to do so, you''ll have to swear the blood oath we spoke of earlier."


    To''brel looked at the male incredulously. "And what, you''re just going to let me decide?"


    Jack grinned and shook his head. "Not entirely. I''m here to take a measure of you and make the offer. But your preference is a significant factor here. After all, there''s no point in coercing you to take the blood oath. You''d have to do that of your own free will."


    To''brel blinked a few times, trying to process what he''d said. So this human was here to judge him. Was the noble''s reaction to that news part of the test? And what did he mean he couldn''t coerce To''brel into taking a blood oath? It was common to compel defeated or captured enemies into taking a blood oath. That was a large part of why they existed in the first place. Was he unaware of that, or did his words have a different meaning?


    On top of that, they wanted to teach him? What would they teach him? Were they going to try and turn him against his father, dangling the wonders of this place like bait? Would they actually teach him anything of use in the process?


    To''brel was quiet for several minutes as he considered all of this. While he thought, Em''brel shifted in place uncomfortably. Lon''thul seemed distracted by every sight or sound around him, though To''brel noticed his hand was never far from the wicked-looking knife at his side. Only Jack seemed unfazed by the passing time. Instead, his eyes were focused on To''brel''s, forcing the noble to return to the matter at hand. For just a moment, the noble felt as though the small withered man was the top predator in the room. Everything happening right now was happening at his whim and pleasure. He was in complete control, and To''brel was his prey.


    The noble shook his head to clear his thoughts before speaking. "Well, I suppose it''ll depend on what oath you''d require me to make, but if you''re asking me if I''d rather sit in this cell, nice as it is, or be free to walk about and see what I may, I''d chose the latter. Though I should warn you, the lessons I learn from you might not be the ones you''ll try and teach me..."


    Jack sat back and grinned. "Excellent! And you''re right. I don''t think either of us knows what lessons will be taught or learned. In a way, this is new ground for all of us. I think I''ve got what I need for now, but before we leave, is there anything else you need in the short term?"


    To''brel found himself caught off guard by the offer and hesitated a moment before answering. "Um, no, I think I''m good for now."


    Jack nodded and grinned again. "Alright, we''ll probably speak soon. Get some more rest, if you can. I''m sure you''ll be quite busy in the days to come!"


    As everyone left, To''brel couldn''t help but wonder why Jack''s final grin had once again been that of a predator who''d cornered his prey, despite his small stature and physical frailty. Just what kind of trouble was the lordling getting himself into?


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    S''haar was speaking with Ger''ron as the recruits went about their morning practice. "So I''ll need to borrow some of your guards to act as bodyguards and chaperones for our new guest. Anyone you recommend?"


    The old guard stopped and thought a moment before nodding. "Well, the three most promising guards we''ve got right now are Jar''maal, Lack''nul, and Orth''kun. Jar''maal''s really come into his own since his failure with the assassin. It lit a fire in the kid that''s been pushing him since. And I think the two guards you brought with you from the village with the wolgen problem have felt extra competitive, being the only two guards not from our village. I believe all three of them to be both dependable and loyal."


    S''haar nodded. "I trust your assessment. They''ll do. How are Jack''s new contributions to our defense working out for you?"


    The old guard grinned and nodded toward some craftsmen getting in their morning practice. "Well, they''re no replacement for proper training and discipline, but any raiders thinking this Outpost will be an easy target will be in for an unpleasant surprise. Those ''belly bows'' are kind of scary. With minimal training, even the weakest argu''n here can be a serious threat to all but the fastest warriors."


    Ger''ron then drew S''haar''s attention by pointing to two guards practicing close combat while wearing Jack''s new gambeson armor. "The armor, I''m less sure of. Without actually stabbing my guards, it''s hard to tell how effective it is. Despite Jack''s best efforts, it does restrict our movements slightly, though far less than I''d feared. But, on the other hand, he''s been right about everything else so far, so I''m inclined to believe him. At the very least, it reduces the impact of blunt weapons like our practice swords and spears. Still, I''ll be a bit nervous about its actual efficacy until I see it in action."


    The guard sighed. "The other problem with the armor is that since it''s fitted to each guard, I can only train those who already have a set. So the faster we get them put together, the more I''ll get to train our guards in fighting while wearing them. I''d prefer it to be sooner rather than later. I don''t like the idea of fielding half-trained guards in defense of the Outpost..."


    S''haar nodded again. "B''arthon should be bringing some more workers when he comes to pick up the next load. Hopefully, that''ll speed up production."


    Ger''ron looked curious. "So there''s been no change from when he walked in on Angela? I was kind of expecting some sort of fallout from that..."


    S''haar sighed and shook her head, her tendrils shaking slightly in irritation. "Yeah, we all were. I kind of feel like there''s still something coming over the horizon, but as usual, A''ngles is playing a longer, more subtle game than I was prepared for. For now, we''re going about everything as planned. We''re just keeping an extra eye out for trouble..."


    Ger''ron grinned. "Well, whatever happens, I''m sure you and Jack will be up to the challenge."


    S''haar looked up into the distance. "I hope so..."

 Book 2, Chapter 38

    Sare''en watched as Em''brel stabbed her practice dummy with a little too much enthusiasm before the herder reloaded her belly bow to continue her own practice. She couldn''t understand where the young noble found the drive to learn all those complex lessons from Lady Angela, oversee the construction of yet another groundbreaking structure that she designed with only minimal guidance from the dragon, and still have enough energy to train more than anyone other than the guards whose job was to stay in peak combat readiness.


    As the herder girl aimed and let fly, she reflected on her own accomplishments since arriving. She was still mostly in charge of preparing meals for their household but also had her hands full training Grim while also tending to the arlack. Sare¡¯en was amazed to realize how much she''d also been handling. In her own way, she''d already come a long way since arriving at the Outpost.


    Of course, her lack of focus on her current task showed as the bolt flew wide of the intended target, reminding her that she was still far behind even the average worker in some areas. Of all the workers here, she was the worst shot, and by a noticeable margin.


    Grim looked up at her expectantly before Sare''en sighed and nodded. "Alright, boy, fetch!" With that, Grim bounded off with eager abandon. Maybe he was a little too enthusiastic...


    Sare''en shouted after him. "Gentle! Be Gentle! Fea''en will throw a fit if you maul another bolt so soon!"


    Grim retrieved the bolt with a gentleness that would have surprised anyone outside of the Outpost before bounding back and dropping a well-slobbered but mostly intact bolt at Sare''en''s feet.


    Slobber she could handle. Sare''en picked up the bolt and was cleaning it off when she caught a chuckle from behind her. Looking back, she could see Em''brel laughing while trying to catch her breath by leaning on a spear. "He''s come so far in such a short time! I never would have believed it if I didn''t see it for myself!"


    Sare''en sighed as she examined the bolt for teeth marks. Since she was also using them to train Grim, she only used the worst and most worn bolts. Even so, if she went through them too quickly, it would only earn her the ire of the woodworkers who had to replace them. "Yeah, at least one of us is showing improvement. I''m starting to wonder if he''s not the smarter of the two of us."


    Em''brel grinned as she leaned. "Now, you''re not being fair to yourself. Look at Grim and the arlack herd! Both have come such a long way so quickly!"


    Sare''en smiled sheepishly and nodded. "Yeah, I suppose you''re right. I was actually just thinking kind of similar a minute ago. Still, it''s frustrating that I just can''t seem to get this."


    Ger''ron chose that moment to walk around the bend and catch the two women at rest. "Well, if you want to get better, might I recommend you actually practice, instead of merely talking about it?"


    Sare''en''s tendrils flattened in shame while Em''brel chuckled guiltily and stabbed her dummy again, though Sare''en noticed a little of the wild edge that had been there before seemed to have faded.


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    To''brel had been uncertain just how long he''d have to wait to find out more, but apparently, the answer was not long at all. S''haar, Jack, and Lon''thul walked into the cell, and S''haar unceremoniously plopped a large flat-faced stone onto a rough table. The stone had an odd symbol carved into it, consisting of a circle surrounded by a triangle with three lines connecting the two.


    The intimidating woman turned to the noble with an indecipherable expression. "So I hear you''d like to get out of this place and get a breath of fresh air. That''s fine, but you''re gonna have to swear an oath first."


    To''brel nodded hesitantly. "Well, yes, though I suppose it depends on the oath... I was thinking..."


    The noble was suddenly cut off when S''haar took a knife and quickly cut a slash into her own hand. "He who swears on my blood this day will stay within the bounds of the Outpost, seek not to harm any of the guests or residents herein, either directly or indirectly, and will obey any reasonable command he is given in return for greater privileges and freedom, until such time as his release is negotiated by myself or Jack."


    S''haar placed her hand on the stone, leaving her bloody mark before flipping the knife to catch it by the blade''s tip and extending the handle to the kid. "That''s the deal. Take it or leave it."


    To''brel looked up at the warrior woman before looking down at the knife, whose design was totally at odds with the pragmatic attitude of its wielder. He''d seen several oath knives before. Their quality varied based on the status of the parties involved. They were always far finer than most of their more common counterparts, but this was something else entirely. The blade itself was made of simple but obviously high-quality steel. The edge was so fine he couldn''t imagine how many hours went into sharpening it. The handle was carefully wrapped in supple leather that almost looked like it was grown from it rather than cut to fit. At the end of the pommel was a sizable clear rock, cut in an odd way to show sharp edges and flat-surfaced that shone brightly in even the dim light of the cell.


    The knife was worth a small fortune. This was a blade worthy of the leader of a great city, not the son of a replacement leader of a backwater village struggling to survive.


    To''brel looked back at S''haar. Her words echoed around in his head, though her face betrayed none of her thoughts. The noble couldn''t find any flaw or trap in her words. On the contrary, it had been more generous in its simplicity than any of the more complex oaths he''d been contemplating. True, the term "reasonable" held the potential for complication or misunderstanding, but his gut feeling was that its ambivalence was meant more for his benefit than harm. Although, that made him wonder why he trusted these people so quickly and easily in his current situation?


    Realizing he''d been standing lost in thought for more than a minute, To''brel reached a decision. He grabbed the knife. He paused a moment at the absurdity of them letting him be armed when their hands were clearly empty, but he didn''t even have to glance at S''haar to realize that if he was foolish enough to try something stupid right now, she was more than capable of handling anything he would attempt.


    Instead, he slashed his own hand and applied his blood to S''haar''s. "On pain of death, I so swear." Then it was done.


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    S''haar merely nodded while Jack spoke. The warrior woman looked at the tiny male before turning her cool gaze back to To''brel. She took a breath to translate when Lon''thul spoke up first. "He says, ''Welcome to the Dragon¡¯sOutpost.''"


    To''brel cleared his throat. "Ummm... So what now?"


    Lon''thul grinned. "Now we go out and get you into trouble!"


    Jack spoke somewhat sharply in response, to which Lon''thul''s grin only widened. "Yeah, go out and see some more of the Outpost. That''s what I said!"


    S''haar glared at Lon''thul with enough heat that To''brel was certain the hunter would finally be cowed. But, instead, he shook his head, looking for all the world as if she was an overbearing parent rather than a dangerous warrior and the leader of this outpost. "Yes, fine, I''ll keep him out of any real trouble! I know you''ve got some bodyguards set aside for him, but since I''ve got the rest of the day free and he already knows me, I figure I''d give him a brief tour. At least that way, he''ll have some idea where he''s trying to get to while being escorted by total strangers in an even stranger place. I think you all forget just how weird this place really is!"


    S''haar glanced at Jack, who merely shrugged before turning back to Lon''thul. "Alright, but you will be responsible for any trouble he causes or gets into while in your care!"


    Lon''thul''s grin never wavered. "That''s perfectly fine. What''s the worst that could happen? I have to clean a few more dishes after dinner tomorrow? Maybe clean a latrine or two as well? That sounds like every other day, anyway!"


    S''haar''s glare lost some of its edge, and she looked exasperated as she turned to Jack. "Maybe you should go too. You might be able to keep Lon''thul from getting into trouble while he''s keeping To''brel from getting into trouble."


    Jack developed his own grin as he answered. To''brel didn''t know what he''d said, but from Lon''thul''s laughter, it was evident that it had appealed to his own unruly humor.


    S''haar evidently had enough because she heaved the world''s most defeated sigh before gathering the stone and knife and turning to leave. She stopped momentarily to speak quietly to Jack before, much to To''brel''s astonishment, she leaned in and gave him a quick affectionate nuzzle before continuing on her way.


    To''brel remembered they''d referred to each other as partners, but he''d assumed they meant that in an academic sense before this moment. The longer he stayed here, the less the young noble understood anything about these people.


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    Ger''ron was finishing up his inspection of the guards. They were pretty good kids, though most of them were inexperienced. They were well trained and could rival most village veterans in skill, but there was a difference between skill and experience. The old guard was worried about how many of the kids he''d lose if it came down to a real fight.


    Ger''ron was doing his best not to limp as he did his inspection. As much of a miracle as the prosthetic was, it still hurt at times. "Phantom pain" was the term Lady Angela had given it, and given that a foot that didn''t exist was currently in pain, Ger''ron understood why they chose that name.


    Going back to his original thoughts, Ger''ron figured that if he was worried about the kids under his charge getting themselves into trouble, the best thing to do was train them until their bodies reacted instinctually, even if and when they lost their reason to fear or bloodlust.


    Ger''ron looked up and down the line of guards, keeping a stoic expression locked in place. "Alright. You''ve all been doing alright, good even, but only a couple dozen of us are standing between this place and trouble! Just last winter, a group of over a hundred raiders came through here, and even with all the weapons, armor, and walls between them and us, there''s just not enough of us to protect everyone. Even if we push them back by some miracle, how many of our charges would die in the time it took us to do that? So we need to be better than good. We need to be great!"


    One of the younger guards decided to speak up then. "But isn''t that why the workers have been training with those new weapons? And what about Jack? He picked apart most of that army you speak of single-handedly!"


    Ger''ron eyed the kid. He wasn''t wrong, but the old guard didn''t want him to relax, thinking things were well in hand. "Oh? Are you going to depend on a woodworker or a tinkerer to save your skin when it''s time? Will you sit back and let some children protect you from the raiders when they come calling?"


    The kid looked abashed, but Ger''ron wanted to drive the point home. "Then there''s Jack. You''ve seen him limping around with his face half clawed off, and you probably haven''t seen the rest of the toll it took on his body. He almost died more than once that night. He should have died that night. He broke himself doing our job for us."


    Gear''ron stopped focusing on the one who''d spoken up and turned to the rest. "It''s our job to ensure Jack and the rest of the workers have to fight as little as possible, if at all. Look at this place! Look at the lives we live here! Even the lowest guard lives in luxury few village lords will ever know! The Lord and Ladies of the Dragon¡¯s Outpost treat you with dignity and respect! Given a little more time, this will be the kind of place you can raise a family, confident your children will flourish and grow with opportunities available to them that we could barely imagine. But for it to become that, we have to buy it more time. We have to buy that time with our blood and tears, if needed. So train hard! Be the best! Secure that future!"


    Ger''ron eyed the kid again, though a bit more kindly this time. "Fight so that those we are here to protect don''t have to!"


    The guards looked sufficiently fired up and would likely put extra effort into their training, so Ger''ron dismissed them and sent them on their way. They were good kids. They just needed a little kick in the rear now and then.


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    To''brel watched the guards get dismissed. He and the hunter walked up on the guard captain mid-speech and stood back to watch. There weren''t a lot of guards. Even his small village boasted more, though it made sense when he thought about it. An outpost usually boasted just enough guards to make attacking it more costly than it was worth, but this one was different than most, and so were its guards. They looked ready for battle and had a fire burning in their eyes. This was a small force, but one to be reckoned with. Was this why the hunter had brought him here? To show him the discipline and loyalty of the guards?


    As the old guard walked up to the two of them, To''brel noticed a slight limp. The young noble could see a metal boot covering one foot. Except, it didn''t look quite right... The foot was far too thin. With a jolt of realization, he looked up, meeting the old guard''s surprisingly friendly gaze as he spoke. "Aye, I lost the foot just this last winter. But with a bit of help and this here prosthetic, even an old guard like me can be of some use."


    Lon''thul laughed heartily. "Some use? Sure, and I''m an okay hunter. Kid, this here is the captain of the Outpost''s guard, Ger''ron. Whatever you do, never, and I mean never, believe him when he tells you he''s helpless. This wily old wolgen has more dirty tricks up his sleeve than I''ve got years under my belt. If he decides to teach you something, listen to him. It might just save your life! Or someone else''s..."


    To''brel looked at the old guard, then Lon''thul. "Dirty tricks? But shouldn''t a guard be more...honorable?"


    Ger''ron smiled sadly and patted the young noble on the head. Ordinarily, To''brel would have been more insulted by such a gesture, but this older male gave off such a grandfatherly feel it seemed more affectionate than condescending. "Listen here, lad. I know plenty of dead guards who were as honorable as you wish. But when you''re in a fight to the death, and it''s either you or the other guy, you do what you have to so you can go home to your family at the end of the day. Dying honorably won''t keep them warm or fill their bellies. There''s a time and a place for honor. Keep your word, even to your enemy, and everyone will know and trust you when it counts. But once you find yourself in a real fight, you save your honor for when you''re still breathing at the end."


    Finally, Ger''ron shrugged. "Eh, it''s about time for me to rest my old bones for a while." He turned to Lon''thul. "If I don''t, I won''t be feigning a bad back next time we spar!"


    With that, the old guard wandered off, leaving To''brel pondering the nature of honor.

 Book 2, Chapter 39

    Jack was in a good mood today. Of course, he still wasn''t happy about the whole kidnapping thing, but at least the kid''s sharp mind and inquisitive nature meant his stay here wasn''t all that unpleasant either. Admittedly, Jack might be trying to justify things to himself, but what was the alternative? Assassinate the kid''s father? This was definitely a lesser of several evils situation, and he was determined to offset the evil with as much good as possible. Of course, it helped that the kid was such a willing student.


    To''brel was looking at the wall they''d built in confusion. "But why doesn''t the dirt just wash away in the rain?"


    Jack smiled. Despite seeing the evidence in front of his eyes, To''brel was still asking obvious questions, which was good. It meant he was doing more than simply memorizing what he was told. Instead, the kid was genuinely trying to understand the concepts behind what he saw.


    This time, Sare''en did the translating while Orth''kun kept an eye on everyone. Grim was also present and enjoying his scritches from Sare¡¯en while also keeping a wary eye on the slightly nervous To''brel. At least each seemed to have accepted that the other was no immediate danger. "Well, think of steel. It''s a substance made by combining purified iron and carbon, but it''s far stronger than either on its own is, right? This is somewhat similar, even if it''s on a very different level. The mud, clay, and fiber combine to be studier and more stable than any of the components. It''ll still wear down faster than stone, but it''s more durable than skins and easier to repair than either. The final whitewash finish gives it a little more protection by granting it a degree of water protection. It''s quick, easy, durable, repairable, and offers better thermal protection than almost anything else so readily available. It''s my hope to spread this idea far and wide amongst your people to increase the general quality of life for everyone.


    The kid was looking at Jack oddly. Then, after a moment, he came to a decision. "Why, though? Why share this knowledge so freely? Possessing a village of the strongest, warmest houses would give you a considerable advantage for growing and keeping a thriving village. So why just give the knowledge away?"


    Sare''en also looked curious at the human''s generosity, though less confused than To''brel. Jack sat back and considered the kid''s question. Finally, he shrugged. "You know, among my own people, that philosophy is quite common, but through our history, there have always been a few rogues determined to share their ideas freely in the hopes of benefiting as many people as possible, even at the cost of their own fortune. The inventors of seatbelts and insulin come to mind..."


    At the look of confusion on the kid''s face, Jack realized at the end there he''d gone off-topic enough that explaining what he''d just said would be difficult. So, with a shake of his head, Jack tried to return to the topic at hand. "Anyway, I''ve got a lot more to teach you all, but before we can get into much of what I know, one of the first steps is ensuring you have enough stability to spare some time for academic learning. It''s virtually impossible to worry about abstract concepts like math and physics when you''ve got a leaky roof and an empty stomach. Plus, something as simple yet beneficial as this wall here," ¡ªJack slapped the new construction¡ª "should spread like wildfire if given half a chance. I''m just speeding the process up a little, is all."


    It was at that moment that Jack''s leg chose to spasm. It wasn''t the worst spasm he''d endured, but it was more than enough to make Jack stumble, only to be stabilized by a concerned Sare''en. He closed his eye and focused on breathing for a moment while waiting for the spasm to pass. Then, re-opening his eye, Jack noticed a thoughtful-looking To''brel looking at him, as if trying to unravel a puzzle. After a moment, the kid finally spoke again. "Is it true what they say? Did you get injured fighting an entire army by yourself? No offense, but even if you weren''t injured, you hardly seem capable of fighting me, let alone an army..."


    Jack closed his eye again as memories flashed through his mind. The young raider''s face came to the forefront even as Jack struggled to shove them aside. Not that they didn''t deserve his attention, but this was not the time or place. Shaking himself free of his contemplation, Jack was met by Sare''en''s confused and concerned expression. He was mildly embarrassed to realize more time had slipped by than the single moment he''d thought. He took a steadying breath that was only slightly shaky as he blinked his eyes to banish the unwanted tears threatening to form.


    The kid looked more lost and confused than ever as Jack struggled to find an answer to his question, rather than snap at him in misplaced anger. Finally, he smiled sadly. "That''s a story I''m not prepared to go into right now, or possibly ever, but I will say that, while it''s probably been changed or exaggerated in the retelling, there''s a kernel of truth there. But though I want to ensure the safety of my friends and family, I''d prefer to do it by preserving life rather than taking it."


    Orth''kun, who''d been quiet almost the whole time, chose that moment to speak up. "Well, I don''t know about the raiders, I joined up after that, but I can tell you that by combining his magics with several simple ideas and tools, the wizard and S''haar helped my village deal with a mated pair of wolgen with only a single casualty. When asked what payment they required, all they asked for was the future promise of trade deals. I''m not some scholar who understands the workings of even half of what goes on in this outpost of theirs, but from what I''ve seen, you can trust Jack''s intentions and ability."


    Jack nodded his appreciation for the guard''s words before turning back to To''brel. He saw something of the raider''s face in the kid. Maybe it was just the similarities in age, but he couldn''t help but wonder what would have happened if he''d ever gotten the chance to speak with the raider the way he was now speaking with the young noble. Jack smiled again. "Well, anyway, enough about the past, let''s talk about the future of argu''n construction. Let me explain what whitewash is and how it can be made. There are a few methods, but the most readily available here will be either limestone or eggs and shells..."


    As Jack continued his explanation, he couldn''t entirely banish the idea that this kid was, in some ways, a second chance for him. Not that he could undo what had been done, but maybe he could do things better this time...


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    Angela wasn''t in the best of moods. Why did she have to do all of the menial labor these days? Well, maybe not all the menial labor, but at least the mining... True, she''d co-opted the mining harness for her own use without asking. Also, S''haar and Jack had agreed that it was probably a good idea to ease their new guest into the Outpost before throwing Angela at him in all her "glory"...


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    As Angela hefted another beam into place, she pouted. It''s not like she was that scary. She''d even spoken with him once before, and he''d seemed perfectly reasonable! Admittedly, the kid hadn''t gotten a look at her apparently intimidating new body, nor had he known who she was until the conversation was over, but still, this seemed like overkill!


    What''s worse, Jack was just out there palling around with the kid while Angela was stuck in here all alone! True, she''d tapped in to listen to the conversation, but Jack was ignoring her because he wasn''t responding to any of her jokes or taunts.


    It was with interest that Angela noticed Em''brel''s signal approaching the cave. The AI kept working while she waited for the girl, but a portion of her attention was held by the fact her signal appeared to be approaching with uncharacteristic lethargy.


    Once the signal was just outside the room Angela was working in, a surprisingly timid voice called out. "Angela, are you there? Can I come in?"


    The AI locked an extra brace into place to be safe as she responded. "Yes and yes. To what do I owe your company? It''s rare for anyone to come into the cave, now that you''re all living out there."


    The girl slinked in, looking somewhat guilty as she did so. Angela kept working while Em''brel looked around for a place to sit. Finally, after a moment of relative silence, or at least as much silence as digging through loose rubble for ore could get, the younger woman decided to answer the question. "Well, I just needed to get away from everything and everyone for a minute. A few minutes... Maybe a little longer..."


    Angela gave the girl a curious look. Despite the AI''s face lacking any practical emoting ability, Em''brel must have deciphered the intent because she started explaining. "I''m just feeling...conflicted at the moment. I''m glad my cousin is safe and doesn''t seem to have had any part in my recent troubles, but I just don''t know how to feel around him! Every time I see him, it reminds me of the past and my family before you and Jack... Don''t get me wrong, you all mean the world to me, but still..."


    Angela nodded her head in understanding. "You don''t have to justify caring for and missing your father or your old life. Whatever good or important things you experience in life here or elsewhere, it''s not some zero-sum game where one experience nullifies another. They''re all important."


    Em''brel looked up at Angela with a wan smile, then shook her head. "You know, Jack said something similar about pain once. You two really are brother and sister, regardless of your species..."


    Angela "smiled," making Em''brel chuckle at how awkward it looked on the AI''s machine face. Jack had once commented that Angela''s new body was eerily close to something he called the "uncanny valley," but to Em''brel, she was just Angela, albeit in a new and much larger body. With a chuckle of her own, Angela retorted. "Hey now, I know it''s easy to look at my charming demeanor and think I''m just another cute face, but where do you think Jack learned everything he''s teaching you all? Admittedly, I''m not quite as adept at understanding the subtle complexity of some feelings, but on the whole, I like to think we''re not all that different."


    Em''brel shook her head. "For the record, I never thought you were ''just another cute face,'' but these days, I''m not sure cute describes you all that well..." Then, as Angela started to protest, Em''brel held up her hands and quickly explained. "Beautiful, mysterious, charming even... but you''re a little too large and intimidating to be called cute anymore..."


    Angela narrowed the light in her eyes, giving the impression of squinting. "Well, you heaped on enough other compliments that I''ll let that slide..." The AI then looked down at her body, twisting to look at her frame as she did so. "But it''s not my fault I''m so large! This mining harness was the only frame I had to work with unless I wanted to start from scratch... Unfortunately, I didn''t have enough time, so I figured..."


    Em''brel was laughing now as she watched her friend''s antics. The AIs movements and mannerisms were similar to when she''d just been a projection of light. However, seeing them repeated in a much larger and more intimidating body was charming and oddly relaxing. It tugged at memories of simpler times, giving the girl a moment to relax before the situation at hand came back to her. Em''brel''s laughter trailed off, and she became somber once more.


    For her part, Angela stopped her performance and looked back at her friend. This time her voice was more gentle as she continued doing her best to help the poor girl cope with everything. "Well, I can''t say if things will ever be the same again, but there are still good times ahead. I know things are hard right now, and that''s fine, but there''s always hope for the future. Sometimes you just gotta struggle for a while to give hope the chance it needs to become a reality."


    Em''brel shook her head, but she still looked drained. "That''s fine, and I intend to continue struggling, but is it alright if I need to take a break now and then?"


    Angela laughed as she gently patted her friend on the head. "It''s not only alright, it''s required! If you don''t take some time to catch your breath now and then, all you''ll do is burn yourself out. So feel free to come by anytime you need a break from it all! I''ll use my big, clumsy body to scare off any would-be trouble makers!"


    Angela made a show of flexing her "muscles," causing Em''brel to laugh once more and with a little less strain this time.


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    Ger''ron was working with his most troublesome student, though not his worst. This one outperformed most others when he bothered to apply himself like he was supposed to.


    The old guard sighed as he leaned against the storage shed they kept the belly bows in. "It helps if you aim and shoot the thing, rather than fiddling with it like that..."


    Tel''ron, his son, merely grunted in exasperation as he fiddled with the trigger mechanism. "Which metal worker made these parts? There''s far too much friction in the action. It''ll probably wear out after only a few hundred shots! The whole mechanism needs to be taken apart and re-tooled!"


    Ger''ron sighed again, this time pinching his nose. "I have no idea. We don''t label them. For all I know, this could be one of yours..."


    That finally got through to Tel''ron, who looked up sharply. "I would never release such substandard craftsmanship! If I ever made something like this, I''d melt it down for scrap and start over!"


    Ger''ron held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I wasn''t actually saying it was yours. I was just saying I have no idea who made it! You can grab one of the others from the shed, if you''d like. One you made, if you prefer!"


    Tel''ron was back to squinting at the mechanism. "I''d never be able to focus, knowing this piece''s condition. I''ll have to take it back and rework it first!"


    Ger''ron debated between giving in or pushing the issue, but Fea''en walked up and saved him the trouble. "Listen here, young pup! I''ll be the first to demand perfection from myself and my workers, but this is a part of life in the Outpost. If you want your workers and apprentices to listen to you, you need to lead by example!"


    Tel''ron looked between Fea''en and Ger''ron a moment before nodding his acknowledgment. "I hadn''t thought of it like that. You make a good point..."


    With that, the metalworker turned and started loading the bow, leaving Ger''ron shaking his head as he leaned over to Fea''en. "How in the world did you pull that off? I''ve been trying to get him to train for years!"


    The woodmaster shrugged. "I speak obsessive perfectionist. If you have trouble with him again, just let me know."


    Ger''ron looked at his partner a moment before responding, "You know, I think you might have been a little light on practice hours this week..."


    Fea''en glared back at him. "Don''t push your luck, old man!"

 Book 2, Chapter 40

    Lon''thul was back on the hunt again, and it felt good. As nice as hanging out with everyone back at the Outpost was, here in the wilds, he was free to turn himself off and just do whatever came naturally. There was no worrying about what might lock Jack up in another painful memory, give Em''brel that haunted look in her eyes, or even stress out an already exhausted S''haar. Not that he blamed them for what they were dealing with, he wouldn''t trade places with any of them, but it was a lot to constantly keep track of. However, Lon''thul was free to forget all that and lose himself in the forest...and the hunt.


    Right now, he was stalking a kovaack. He''d picked up the trail a while back and had been closing the distance for the last half hour. Judging by some of the fresh signs of its passing, he wasn''t far behind now, so some of the noises he heard up ahead may be his quarry. But, of course, if he could hear it, there''s a good chance the kovaack would be able to hear him soon. The hunter slowed his pace to adjust accordingly, being sure to watch the placement of his feet and arms to generate as little noise as possible.


    All this was second nature to Lon''thul by now, leaving his mind free to continue wondering. Their new guest, To''brel, was a pretty decent kid, all things considered. Sure, he was a bit naive and maybe a little too gullible, but that was something he''d probably grow out of.


    Lon''thul shook his head as he wondered how blind the kid would have to be not to realize his father was involved in such shady dealings. Sure, power plays were common enough. That ensured the strong naturally rose to the top, but going after his own brother like that, and using raiders as well? That was a whole different level.


    On the other hand, maybe it wasn''t so easy to see fault in the people you naturally trusted most. After all, you spend the first portion of your life entirely dependent on them. So it''s easy to convince yourself that the ones you trust and depend on are simply good people. It made Lon''thul wonder what he might be missing in his own life. Was there anything in his life obvious to the people around him that the hunter was blind to, simply because he''d never thought to question his own little world?


    Lon''thul could now smell the kovaack, in addition to hearing it. He slowed even more, pulling an arrow from his quiver and readying himself to draw it before easing around the next bend. He was moving slowly now, not wanting to attract any attention to himself now that the hunt was almost at its end.


    Looking around the corner, the hunter could just make out the kovaack. It was a female, but something was off. It was far too fat for this time of year. That''s when the hunter realized she must be pregnant...


    Lon''thul considered his options. The calves wouldn''t be fully grown by winter. Odds are they wouldn''t survive the cold, and even if they did, they''d be stunted for life, never able to properly measure up with the healthier competition born earlier in the year. But, on the other hand, if a female did manage to survive against the odds, it could still breed, providing a more populated hunting ground in the future...


    Lon''thul returned the arrow to its quiver. For now, he decided to leave her be, though he made a mental note of the kovaack''s location. He''d track it down later and see what it gave birth to. If they were male, there was little chance of them adding to the population, so he''d be sure to cull them before winter could do the job. After all, he didn''t want to let the meat go to waste. But if any were female, he''d give them a chance to challenge their fate. Even if the odds were against them, the potential benefit outweighed the risk of losing one underdeveloped calf.


    With a barely audible sigh, the hunter turned away. Sometimes the hunt was like that. When the result seemed inevitable, some unexpected detail could complicate things. Then, of course, life was much the same. Unexpected events had an annoying way of derailing everything.


    Take Em''brel, for instance. Lon''thul''d been sure the two of them had been just about to become something more, then that damned assassin had to go and ruin things again. Now the poor girl was a nervous wreck. Lon''thul had startled Em''brel with a casual touch on multiple occasions, causing the girl to react in ways ranging from blindly attacking him to cowering with panic-filled eyes. It was painful to see her react that way to his presence.


    Honestly, the hunter felt the assassin had gotten off far too lightly. A part of him wished he could take out more of his frustrations on the miserable cur. But that line of thinking wasn''t going to get him anywhere. With more than a bit of annoyance, Lon''thul realized his relaxing hunt was turning out to be anything but.


    A sudden muffled sound off to his side attracted Lon''thul''s attention. He started to reach for an arrow again, wanting to be ready for anything but stopped at the last moment. Instead, he grinned and snuck up on his new prey.


    She was so lost in her own hunt she never even realized the danger she was in until he popped out behind her. She spun around with a knife at the ready, but Lon''thul just stood there grinning. He was confident she was more than capable enough to keep from giving in to panic before she made any mistakes she''d regret, as well as his own abilities to react at the last moment if she wasn''t.


    Luckily, his faith hadn''t been misplaced, and Chal''ac stopped short of actually attacking. Instead, the hunter woman glared daggers at him. Lon''thul knew his grin annoyed her, but she was cute when her lips twisted into a snarl.


    Eventually, the huntress sheathed her knife and addressed him. "How do you DO that?"


    Her attitude shifted slightly, and she sighed in annoyance. "Let me guess, you already killed the kovaack I was hunting a moment ago."


    Lon''thul shook his head. "Nah, she''s pregnant. I''m gonna wait and see what pops out, first."


    Chal''ac looked surprised. "Pregnant? This late in the season? They''ll never survive the winter!"


    Lon''thul nodded sagely. "You''re probably right, but I wanna wait and see what she gives birth to, anyway. I figure if they''re male, I''ll take care of them before winter, but if they''re female, I might give them a chance."


    The huntress reflected Lon''thul''s nod a moment ago. "True, females are much more useful than males..."


    Lon''thul knew that was a dig directed at him but delighted at how much playing innocent frustrated his fellow hunter. "Well yeah! Female kovaack can give birth to more calves next year! Gotta keep the populations up with an expert hunter like me around!"


    Chal''ac rolled her eyes, clearly assuming he was just being naturally dense. Lon''thul wondered if she even realized she moved her lips a little when she was grumbling to herself under her breath.


    Instead, the hunter slapped the woman on the back. "Don''t worry about it! Not even I can keep up with all the prey around here! I haven''t been south recently. You might find some unattended dens down that way!"


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    The glare the huntress directed his way made Lon''thul think she was considering pulling her knife back out and finishing what she''d started. Right about now, she was probably wondering what a Lon''thul rug would look like.


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    Em''brel looked at the lever nervously. "Are you certain it''s safe? What if I miscalculated somewhere? What if one of the beams isn''t properly attached? What if everything comes crashing down as soon as I pull that lever?"


    Jack just grinned and patted her shoulder. A feat he had to reach up slightly to accomplish these days. "Everything will be fine. Fea''en, Tel''ron, and Angela have checked and double-checked everything. You did a great job."


    Em''brel still hesitated. "But, something could still go wrong. What do I do if, after all this time, it still doesn''t work?"


    Jack shrugged. "Maybe it won''t. If that happens, you find out why, learn from it, and try again. Life doesn''t end just because of an unforeseen complication. We learn more from our failures than our successes."


    The human leaned back against a wall, rubbing his leg as he did so. Obviously, it was bothering him at the moment, but he kept up his speech nonetheless. "It''s natural to feel fear and anxiety when a major project like this ends. You might fail, and everything you''ve done might have been for nothing...except, that''s not true. Simply undertaking something like this and seeing it through is a significant accomplishment, regardless of the outcome. Be proud of your successes, but be proud of your failures too! They represent the progress you''ve made and the lessons you''ve learned."


    Jack grinned and nodded toward the lever. "Now go ahead and turn this thing on and find out which this is!"


    Em''brel took a deep breath, grabbed the lever, and eased it into position. There was a loud thud as the gear settled into place, and soon the room was filled with the creak of straining lumber and grinding gears as moving parts of the windmill came to life.


    There was a loud cheer from outside, and when Em''brel looked back, she was met by the grinning face of Jack. Then, one of the emitters they''d placed in the windmill flared to life, and Angela floated in the room in her old light-based form. "You did it! I knew this would work! Way to go!"


    Em''brel was starting to look a little bashful. "Well, I mean, this is as much you as me... You''re the one who''s been teaching me all these lessons..."


    Angela floated over to Em''brel, her hands on her hips as she looked annoyed with her student. "Nope! You don''t get to do that. All I did was teach you the principles and offer a few pieces of advice. This here? This is you! You poured every lesson I ever taught you into this place, and now it will be the lifeblood of our home!"


    Em''brel looked thoughtful, but Angela wasn''t done driving her point home. "Do you have any idea how significant this is? This is only the third or fourth time in the history of this galaxy that anyone has learned to harness and generate electricity! Though I''m not even sure if AI counts, since we''re made of electricity, and the Vestant didn''t really master it so much as adapt to it... Anyway... This is huge! You''ve done something amazing! Now go celebrate a little! Lon''thul and Sare''en are waiting on you, so get out there!"


    Em''brel started to turn as S''haar ducked inside. "Everything ok in here? You''re taking a while..."


    As S''haar looked around, her eyes widened in surprise. "Ok, this is a lot more impressive with all the moving parts doing their thing..."


    Jack grinned at S''haar''s reaction, then nudged Em''brel. "Go on! We''ll be along shortly, but this is your time to shine!"


    Em''brel looked back and forth between Jack and Angela before walking outside. There was a cheer, and Jack could clearly see Sare''en waiting for her friend, for once front and center.


    S''haar turned her attention back to Jack and noticed a pained expression on his face as he was rubbing his leg. "You ok?"


    Jack smiled ruefully. "Yeah, I''m fine. Just some muscle spasms bothering my leg is all. It''s typically numb, but the nerves seem to flare to life once in a while, making life... complicated..."


    Angela floated over, eyeing Jack thoughtfully. "That''s pretty much what I expected. You''re experiencing neuropathy, and there probably isn''t a cure in your case. Not on this planet, at least. But we can manage the symptoms. I''ll bring the ol'' body by the billet later and give you a check-up.


    Jack nodded and stood up, the spasm having passed. "Sounds good. But for now, let''s go see what people are up to. I understand Lon''thul conspired with Sare''en to make quite the feast!"


    S''haar grinned. "Knew about that, did you? Old Ger''ron had the off-duty guards run everything into place while you were shut up here. Now let''s get you a seat of honor at one of the tables. This might be Em''brel''s night, but that doesn''t mean you get to hide in the shadows!"


    Jack sighed in resignation. "A man could hope..."


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    To''brel wondered what this large gathering was about. So they built a building, so what? It was an odd building, with several large cloth sails sticking out the top in a cross pattern, but that hardly seemed worth celebrating.


    Soon, the sails started spinning, and everyone cheered. It certainly looked impressive, but To''brel didn''t see the big deal. Although he had to wonder how it was spinning like that. Obviously, the sails were catching the wind, but how was it turning like that? Of course, the pole couldn''t be stuck in the ground, so maybe they had it resting on another wooden block? But while spinning, it would move around in circles and destabilize itself, so it must be braced somehow. But the bracing would rub away at the pole if that was the case...


    But what was the point of it all? Why go through this much effort just to make something spin like that? Was it just to show that they can do it? Admittedly, it was an impressive feat, but he still felt like he was missing something...


    His current guard was an oversized brute of a male named Orth''kun. He always seemed to be grinning, and now was no exception. He was staring up at the building, cheering and stamping his feet along with everyone else, though To''brel noticed one of the guard''s eyes seemed to be flicking back to the youth frequently enough that he wasn''t likely to get far without being noticed.


    Being treated like his oath wasn''t enough was humiliating, but he supposed a little humiliation was better than being locked up in the cell again. Besides, the guard made sure never to outright disrespect the noble. The only one who seemed to do that was the huntress Chal''ac. Though, in all fairness, he didn''t seem to be the only one she treated that way.


    A gravelly voice spoke up behind him. "What''s the matter, kid? You look like you''re working on a puzzle of some kind."


    Behind him, an older female walked up. She was muscled in a way that many males would envy, and her eyes seemed to assess everything and everyone around her. When she looked at To''brel, he could feel the weight of her judgment bearing down on him. He felt compelled to impress this female, though a part of him warned that lying or exaggerating would have the opposite effect.


    He wondered at his reaction, though. Why should he care what this female thought of him? Even if she hadn''t been his senior by several of his lifetimes, she still wouldn''t have been particularly attractive in any sense of the word. Instead, he felt like he was sitting before his father, trying desperately to earn his approval.


    He shook his head to dismiss his wayward concerns and looked back to the building. He could see his cousin exiting to be greeted by the hunter Lon''thul and another female he couldn''t quite place until he noticed the wolgen pup trotting up next to her. She''d been at his first meeting with Jack and S''haar.


    Realizing the female behind him was still waiting for an answer, To''brel finally spoke up. "Honestly, I was just wondering what all the fuss was about. I mean, it''s an impressive building and all, but what''s the point? What does it do?"


    The older female''s stoic expression broke slightly with the most subtle grin. "That''s a good question, kid, but it''s also a dangerous one."


    To''brel looked back at the female. "Dangerous? I thought they encouraged everyone to ask questions here?"


    The female''s grin turned into a full toothy smile before she laughed. "That''s what makes it so dangerous! You go around asking questions like that, and someone''ll answer! Trust me, you have no idea what you''d be getting yourself into!"


    After a moment, the female''s laughter died, though the amusement at her own joke never left her eyes. Then, with a jerk of her head, she pointed over his shoulder with her chin. "But if you want answers about this particular building, the person to ask is the mind behind its construction. Your cousin, Em''brel."


    Turning around, To''brel could see Em''brel not even a dozen paces away. She looked as startled to run into him as he was to see her.

 Book 2, Chapter 41

    Angela was "watching" the festivities through her family''s headsets. Then, during a moment when S''haar''s attention was pulled away by some workers who had questions, she spoke up to Jack. "Why can''t I come out and join in the party?"


    With a rueful shake of his head, Jack responded. "You know the answer to that question."


    Angela pouted, even though no one could see her. "I don''t think it would cause all that much trouble. We put an end to all the cults worshiping me before they gained too much traction. They finally stopped leaving offerings at the mouth of the cave. I haven''t even had a worker ask me to grant them or their children my blessing in almost an entire week!"


    Jack closed his eye and chuckled before retorting. "But what about the kid?"


    The AI didn''t sound concerned. "Oh, he''s got to get used to me eventually. Besides, this is my home! He''s the guest, which means it shouldn''t be me that has my movement restricted!"


    Jack grinned as he retorted. "This whole world is their home. We''re the guests and had best keep that in mind, but that''s beside the point. While he might be an unwilling resident here at the Outpost, we''re trying to educate and win him over, not traumatize the poor kid further. So we have to spread the surprises out at least a little bit, and you''re one of the biggest surprises here!"


    Angela was back to pouting. "Fine. I guess I''ll just sit here in my cave...all alone."


    Jack wasn''t about to take the bait. "Yeah, you just got a whole new power source, so I''m not gonna feel too bad for you. Speaking of, how¡¯s that looking, anyway?"


    Angela sounded so excited, she''d already forgotten about her lamentations moments ago. "Oh, it''s looking great! We can stop worrying about draining energy and start moving forward with this kind of power! I could begin really repairing the ship, although I don''t know if that''s much of a priority anymore, or we could look into setting up an actual communication network instead of using that mobile transceiver, or I could even work on putting a satellite up in orbit so we could really start making differences! Simply reading weather patterns and giving advance warnings of any cold fronts would make a massive difference to the survival rate of the argu''n!"


    Jack raised an eyebrow at his sister''s over-eager response. "All that from our little windmill?"


    Angela sounded a little more subdued this time. "Well, no, not quite...but it''s a start! We finally have an energy surplus for the first time since arriving on this planet! That''s huge!"


    Leaning back in his chair, Jack had to agree. "Yeah, it is. And you''re right. It opens up all sorts of opportunities, but we shouldn''t get ahead of ourselves. Let''s focus on stabilizing this place first, then we can further indulge in dreaming about the future."


    Anglea sighed but relented. "Yeah, you''re right. Speaking of the here and now, how''s our guest doing at the moment?"


    Jack looked out over the crowd before spotting the kid in question. "If Em''brel''s headset is active, I think you''ll know the answer to that question soon. It looks like they''re about to run into each other."


    When Em''brel saw her cousin, she froze. He''d been speaking to Lady Fea''en and looked as startled to see Em''brel as she felt looking at him. Why did she suddenly feel as if she was being confronted by another assassin?


    Grim growled softly at her side, drawing To''brel''s eyes shifted away from her own and toward the wolgen. Em''brel remembered Jack warning her and Sare''en that since Grim saw them as part of his pack, the wolgen would become protective toward them and respond to their feelings and emotions in times of stress.


    Keeping this in mind, Em''brel started scratching Grim behind the ears and spoke softly to him. "Sit! Shhh, it''s alright, boy. To''brel is ok. I was just a bit startled, is all. No need to get excited."


    To''brel eyed the wolgen with concern before turning his gaze back to Em''brel. "How do you do it?"


    The girl looked thoughtful. "Oh, I''m not the one who trained Grim. That was Jack and Sare''en. I''m just around him enough that he considered me part of the pack, is all."


    Her cousin shook his head. "No, that''s not what I mean, but that''s part of it. How do you accept and fit in with all this madness so naturally? We grew up in the same place, with the same education, but you look like you''re in your element here, while I feel like I''m drowning. This place is one insane idea after another, brilliant but insane. Yet there you stand, petting a wolgen, surrounded by dragons and humans, and if what I''ve been told is true, you''ve had a hand in designing almost every building, tower, wall, and well in this place! The latest of which is something so apparently marvelous that an impromptu celebration is thrown at its completion, even though no one here seems to really understand what it does, other than you!"


    Em''brel looked confounded for a moment. "Well, it''s a building that generates something called electricity, but that''s a little hard to understand without a lot more explanation than we have time for right now, but it could also be used to pull water from the lake or grind grains into flour that''s much easier to work with..."


    To''brel threw up his hands in exasperation. "See, that''s what I''m talking about. I''m struggling to understand how mud can be used to make walls, but you''re talking about arcane ideas like drawing water from a distant lake like it''s nothing! How have you learned so much of the human wizard''s magic in such a short time? It''s not fair!"


    Em''brel''s heart was suddenly thudding in her chest, and the rest of the party faded away. Her tendrils began shaking furiously as she rounded on the new threat in front of her. "''It''s not fair?'' ''IT''S NOT FAIR?'' Let me tell you about not fair! Not fair is watching your father die and knowing that you''ll spend the rest of your short life as someone''s slave! Not fair is having your sleep stolen every night because you''re terrified that every sound is another raider sneaking upon you, and every shadow hides another assassin! Not fair is watching as the people you care most about fight, bleed, and even die, all because of your existence!"


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    Em''brel hadn''t even realized she was swinging her claws toward her cousin until she was stopped by an iron grip holding her wrist tightly enough that she couldn''t move while another was wrapped around her midsection, pulling her back.


    She started to panic when she heard Lon''thul''s voice right in her ear. "Woah there, calm down! I''m not going to hurt you, but I''m also not letting you go until you calm down enough that you won''t do something you regret. So take a moment and just breathe..."


    At the same time, she became aware of Angela''s voice speaking in her ear. "Em''brel, this is a stress reaction. You need to get ahold of yourself before you really go too far! Lon''thul''s right! Take a breath!"


    Suddenly Em''brel was aware of everything going on around her. The crowd had gone silent, aside from Sare''en frantically pulling back on Grim''s leash and shouting commands. "Down, Grim! Sit! Heel!"


    To''brel was on the ground, looking up at her with confused and frightened eyes, while the rest of the crowd seemed to suddenly find themselves busy looking for anything else to pay attention to.


    All the tension left her limbs. Then, feeling the fight suddenly go out of her, Lon''thul carefully released Em''brel, who started babbling immediately. "I''m so sorry! I didn''t mean... I wasn''t trying to..."


    Em''brel''s mind became a maelstrom as each thought only half-developed before giving way to the next. Not able to reason, she eventually gave way to a different instinct and fled. Immediately, Grim was back on his feet and tearing after her with Sare''en right behind.


    Lon''thul took a moment to look over at S''haar, who''d just arrived to deal with the situation. "I''ll go keep an eye on them while you sort things out here." Then he took off as well.


    It only took a bit of shouting for S''haar to get things back on track. Despite the tension and confusion of moments ago, there was far too much good food to let go to waste. Soon the murmur of the crowd returned, though perhaps slightly more subdued than before, as everyone returned to the feast with a new topic of discussion circulating the area.


    The looks directed at To''brel ranged from sympathetic to angry. Perhaps the worst was S''haar, who now looked at him as a problem to be dealt with. "What did you say to her?"


    To''brel was sure the rest of his stay was about to be locked up in that room. The worst part was he didn''t even know what he''d done to deserve it. Sure, maybe he''d let himself get so caught up in this place that he''d spoken without thinking, and perhaps the things the young noble said had been unintentionally painful to Em''brel, but he didn''t think anything he''d said or done had deserved that kind of reaction.


    With S''haar still staring at him, he felt compelled to speak, but his words came out as jumbled as his thoughts. "I didn''t... I mean, I''m not sure... I don''t even know what I did!"


    S''haar looked like she was about to say something when a familiar short, cowled figure rested a hand upon her shoulder and spoke to her in his odd language. Eventually, S''haar turned back to To''brel, looking calmer than before. "Jack says that wasn''t you. Or at least it wasn''t all you. Whatever you said somehow hit on a point of trauma, and Em''brel''s mind forced her to react as if she was in real danger."


    To''brel tried to understand but only got more confused. How could Em''brel have felt she was in danger? Sure, that hadn''t been his best moment, but he hadn''t threatened her in any way he could think of...


    S''haar let out a breath and looked around before turning her attention to To''brel. "Still, I think we''ve all had enough excitement for today. Let''s grab a plate of some food and get you back to your room."


    Em''brel was blindly running, not realizing where she was going until she burst into the billet she shared with her family. A part of her mind was screaming to go hide under the blanket of her bed to hide and hope this was all just some bad dream when she noticed someone waiting for her.


    Em''brel launched herself at the unexpected guest and wrapped her arms around them, squeezing for everything she was worth. For her part, Angela simply reached down and returned Em''brel''s hug. "It''s gonna be alright. We''re all here for ya. It''s gonna be alright..."


    It took a moment for Em''brel to realize something cold and damp was pressing into her back. Looking behind herself, she could see Grim with his nose pressed against her, whimpering. Not far behind him was a concerned-looking Sare''en, and a bit further back was Lon''thul, sitting there with that same grin he always had. Somehow, that stupid grin that seemed so out of place with everything going on got through to Em''brel, and she laughed a little before hiccuping and half sobbing. She stopped herself by covering her mouth with a hand and closing her eyes for a moment.


    Em''brel turned back to Angela. "How can it be alright? After everything I just said and did, how am I ever going to show my face again?"


    Lon''thul barked out a short laugh, grabbing the attention of everyone in the room before he shrugged. "Ah, I don''t think it was all that bad. Something similar happened between the two of us the first time we met, and look at me; I''m still here! Sure, some of the workers might have something new to gossip about for a while, but it won''t be long before Jack or Angela here does something crazy, and it''ll be totally forgotten about! I''m sorry, but your little show back there isn''t really big news around here."


    Angela shook her head. A moment later, the familiar light projection Angela was standing on her own metallic shoulder. "Not quite how I would have worded it, but he''s right. It''s not the end of the world."


    Em''brel looked up at her friend and tutor. "Are you sure? It feels like the end of the world right now... I just want to hide under a blanket and disappear..."


    Angela pulled Em''brel into a hug again, gently patting her head, which almost sounded like some kind of odd clattering windchime as she did so. The AI chuckled. "I''m sure. You didn''t do anything that bad. Sure, people will talk for a little bit, but I think an apology to your cousin is all that''s really required to make amends."


    Em''brel tucked her head down as if to hide in the hug. Her voice came out a little muffled from the embrace. "Do I have to apologize? I''d rather not face him now...or ever..."


    Angela laughed a little. "You don''t have to face him right now, but you should apologize soon. It''ll be good for both of you. It''s important to remember that what happened wasn''t really your fault, but it wasn''t his either. Right now, he''s probably scared and confused, unsure of what really happened back there. So while I don''t blame you for your reaction, I do expect you to do what you can to set things right."


    Em''brel looked crestfallen, and Angela changed her tone to be more comforting. "But that can wait. Right now, everyone''s emotions are still running high, and it would be best to just calm down and get a little rest. Sare''en, dear, can you start a fire and warm up some water for a bit of tea? Lon''thul, go grab Em''brel''s blanket from her bed. Right now, I think she needs to be wrapped in a warm cocoon with snacks and drinks while I think of a story to take our mind off tonight''s troubles."


    As Em''brel settled in and everyone else found their places, Angela sat her body in the corner of the room and projected herself over the fire, winking at Em''brel. "Have I ever told you about the legendary land of the Amazons?"


    Em''brel snorted in amusement, answering as Sare''en handed her a cup of tea and settled in next to her, with Grim on the floor. "I''m sure you know better than any of us what stories you''ve told us and which you haven''t, but please, go on."


    Angela smiled and nodded. "Maybe so! Anyway, this is a story from an ancient human culture, talking about a tribe of feared and powerful warrior women. So S''haar would have fit right in, and I''m sure Lon''thul would have had a crush on a few of them by the end of the day!"


    Em''brel chuckled as Lon''thul sputtered in mock indignation while Angela began her story. The young female let her worries fall to the back of her mind. She knew she''d have to address them eventually, but the fire was warm, she was surrounded by friends, and that was enough for now.

 Book 2, Chapter 42

    Em''brel awoke to Jack speaking with Angela and S''haar. She wasn''t sure when she''d fallen asleep, but Grim and Sare''en were tangled up in the blankets with her. Lon''thul had apparently excused himself, leaving the females to Grim''s care as they rested.


    Jack looked concerned. "So just how bad has it gotten? How many hours a night is she sleeping, and for that matter, how strongly do argu''n react to sleep deprivation?"


    Angela sighed. "Honestly, I thought she''d been getting better, but last night''s incident makes me reconsider. She''s been mostly sleeping with Grim, Sare''en, and myself keeping her company, and while she occasionally wakes up in the middle of the night, she''s been sleeping closer to sixish hours a night. As you probably noticed, argu''n need more sleep than humans, so that''s closer to a human sleeping five and a half hours. Of course, that''s not optimal, but it''s enough for most people in most situations to function. In her case, it''s probably adding to the stress, which she''s obviously bearing way too much of. As far as the effect of sleep deprivation, I don''t really have enough samples to give you a good answer, but at the very least, it''s not helping with her recovery."


    As Em''brel shifted the blankets off herself, everyone''s attention turned to her. She couldn''t tell if she was more annoyed that they''d been talking about her while she''d slept, ashamed of her behavior last night, or grateful that her family was concerned about her.


    Jack merely smiled. "Feeling better?"


    Em''brel groaned as she stretched. "I don''t know if better is the word. Though my mind seems clearer after some sleep, and what happened last night feels more...childish?"


    Jack nodded as if expecting something along those lines. "Yeah, the clarity that comes after a panic attack often brings out those feelings. Without all those fight or flight chemicals wreaking havoc on your mind, it''s easy to see what you did wrong or could have done better. The thing to remember is that, at the time, you weren''t capable of reason, not really, anyway. No matter how badly you might have wanted to, your body was flooding itself with chemicals designed to push you to deal with what it perceived to be a mortal threat. With awareness, time, and practice, it''s possible to somewhat mitigate the effect, but it never completely disappears. Millions of years of evolution have hardwired your body to react quicker than you can think in an emergency. The problem is the body doesn''t always correctly assess which emergencies require that response and which would be better to deal with logically."


    Em''brel hung her head. "Yeah, but To''brel didn''t deserve what I said and did, either..."


    At that, Jack grinned. "You''re right, and it''s impressive that you already realize that. Unfortunately, the problem with trauma is that rarely does anyone who''s left dealing with the fallout deserve what happened. You might not be at fault, but neither was he. It''s important that you remember that and do what you can to make amends." After Jack finished his speech, S''haar placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled in a way that told Em''brel he wasn''t simply speaking academically.


    Em''brel nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, Angela said something similar last night... As much as I want to pretend nothing happened, I probably should pay him a visit later..."


    Jack hobbled over and patted Em''brel on the shoulder. "Angela has some experience living with someone who''s dealing with trauma. She''s a smart lady. You should listen to what she has to say."


    Angela floated over on her back as though riding some invisible current through the air. "I''m a smart lady, and you should listen to what I say? Maybe I''ll have to play that recording back the next time you ignore my advice!"


    Jack looked at his sister indignantly. "I never ignore your advice. It''s just that sometimes, after considering it, I decide to take a different course of action."


    The AI came to a halt in front of her brother and stood up nose to nose. Her intimidating glare was somewhat offset by her diminutive nature. "Same thing! If it''s good for the goose, it''s good for the gander!"


    Em''brel looked back and forth between the two, amazed at how strange the two could still be after all this time. These days, watching Jack embrace his wise wizard persona and Angela walk around like a living statue, it was easy to forget how odd and silly they really were. But here, in the comfort of their home, their masks fell away, leaving the Jack and Angela she was more familiar with. She couldn''t help but grin, seeing their old antics back in play.


    To''brel was sitting in his room, still trying to puzzle out what had happened. His cousin had gone from radiating a little nervousness but speaking amicably enough to wild-eyed and panicked. When she''d begun to attack him, he''d been sure the rest of the camp would leap to her defense and tear him to pieces.


    Even when Lon''thul pulled her back and Em''brel ran off, he''d been confident that he''d be blamed and, at the very least, treated with hostility from then on. But while some workers directed hardened glares in his direction, many others simply acted as if the whole thing had been an unfortunate accident. After Jack''s intervention, even S''haar decided he''d done nothing wrong and appeared to think the entire thing was merely a misunderstanding. After struggling to understand what had happened, he was no closer to understanding anything than he''d been the night before.


    Now, Jack and S''haar were here again, and apparently Em''brel was just outside with Lon''thul. The wizard tilted his head and spoke as Lady S''haar translated again. "So if you''re up to it, Em''brel would like to apologize and explain what happened. You''re not obligated to listen, but I think it would go a long way toward helping you both, if you did."


    To''brel didn''t know what to say. Did they think he was really in a position to refuse? What would they do if he did? Did he want to refuse? What if Em''brel freaked out again? Was this all some sort of weird power play? What did they stand to gain from it if it was? How long had he been sitting here while everyone awkwardly waited for his response?


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    Finally, the young noble decided his curiosity was stronger than his trepidation, and he nodded. "That would be fine. But we seem to be a little short on chairs..."


    Lady S''haar looked back and spoke quickly to someone out of sight. Soon, the large guard, Orth''kun, brought in a few chairs, followed quietly by Em''brel. Bringing up the rear was a much less quiet Lon''thul. "Heya, kid? How''s it going?"


    To''brel blinked in confusion a few times while S''haar gave Lon''thul an appraising look. "You know, you''re not that much older than the ''kid'' here." Then, after another moment of appraisal, she added, "Not much more mature, either..."


    Lon''thul acted as if he''d been stabbed through the heart. "Your words wound me! I will forever bear the scars!" The hunter then looked over at To''brel and winked. "Don''t worry, so long as you don''t actually pick a fight with her, S''haar''s howl is worse than her teeth."


    S''haar looked like she was debating disproving Lon''thul''s claim when Em''brel bowed in front of To''brel, attracting everyone''s attention and shifting the mood in the room to a more serious tone. "I''m sorry for my behavior last night! You reminded me of some rather painful memories, and I wasn''t thinking clearly, but that doesn''t excuse what I said or did."


    Having been caught off guard, To''brel didn''t know what to say or do. Was this a trap of some kind? Or did she really mean it? Thinking back on the Em''brel he''d known growing up, she''d never been the type to play power games. If anything, she''d always been a little too apathetic when it came to her power. While she''d been away for a while, and apparently a lot had happened, he didn''t think she''d suddenly gone and become power-hungry. He just couldn''t picture her that way.


    With a shake of his head, To''brel responded. "I''m just glad I didn''t actually do anything wrong. I was worried I''d unintentionally offended or insulted you."


    Lon''thul spoke up from over in his corner. "Well, I wouldn''t say you did nothing wrong. You really have to do a better job of taking people''s thoughts and feelings into account before speaking. If you don''t, something like this is bound to happen again, regardless of your intentions!"


    Both Jack and S''haar turned their heads to stare at the hunter incredulously. Finally, Jack laughed, and S''haar shook her head. "Coming from you? That''s rich!"


    Lon''thul grinned and winked at To''brel. "You''re not the only one that had to learn a thing or two the hard way!"


    To''brel was just starting to grin when everyone''s expression changed as they all reached up to those odd headdresses they all wore. Jack and S''haar looked like they were listening to a distant voice, their expressions grim. Em''brel looked suddenly frightened as though she wanted to run and hide. Even Lon''thul looked uncharacteristically sober.


    Finally, Lady S''haar started speaking in sharp rapid tones. "Are we sure they''re not raiders? How many are there? How far out?"


    After a few moments, she turned to Orth''kun. "Run and get Ger''ron to the main gate. Tell him I need all the guards at their stations and the workers armed with as many gastraphetes as are ready.


    As the guard took off running, S''haar looked over at Jack and hesitated. "I need to get to the gate and start getting ready, and no offense, but you''re a bit too slow right now. Come when you can."


    Jack said something in that odd language, and S''haar turned to Lon''thul. "Don''t let him out of your sight until this is all said and done. I expect you to keep him from diving into trouble like usual!"


    S''haar leaned down and held the smaller Jack tightly with surprising intimacy as they pressed their mouths together. To''brel was just starting to get uncomfortable when they broke it off. On her way out, S''haar turned to To''brel and then Lon''thul. "Oh, and bring the kid. His father might want to see him to ensure he''s alive and well." With that, S''haar was gone, and To''brel''s mind was a maelstrom of confusion and possibilities.


    Lon''thul looked over at To''brel with a grin. "Well, I hope you enjoyed your stay with us, but it sounds like your time here might be at an end!"


    Em''brel watched as S''haar walked out of the room. Her mind was whirling, and she started thinking of running back to the billet to hide, but S''haar was right. Even if they weren''t coming to start a fight, there was always the possibility things could go that way. You don''t bring an army like that if you weren¡¯t ready for things to get rough. They really needed every able body if the numbers Angela had quoted were accurate, and they obviously were. So either she could hide and possibly lose people important to her, or she could stand and fight to protect those she cared about. People like Sare''en...


    Em''brel''s vision blurred, and her throat almost closed in sudden panic. Her eyes wild, she turned to Lon''thul, who was already making calming motions. However, she wouldn''t be shushed and shouted over his calming voice. "Sare''en is outside the wall! She took the arlack out to graze!"


    Jack and Lon''thul looked at each other and, much to Em''brel''s frustration, seemed to have a whole silent conversation conveyed in the slightest of head tilts and eye motions. It only took the briefest of moments, but eventually, Lon''thul broke the silence. "S''haar will kill me!"


    Jack shrugged. "Maybe, but there''s no way in hell I''m letting Em''brel go out alone, you have to stick with me, and the kid has to stick with us! No one else is capable enough or not needed elsewhere. It''s literally the only solution, and the longer we wait, the less likely we''ll get to her and back before anyone arrives!"


    Lon''thul shook his head again, but his voice was filled with resignation rather than resistance. "S''haar is going to kill me..."


    Angela''s voice came out over the headsets, making Em''brel jump. "I might kill you and my brother first, but he''s right. Go and go now! It''s your only window. I''ll be there soon with supplies, but get our girl moving as quickly as possible!"


    To''brel, the only person without a headset or the ability to understand Jack, was looking around, confused. Lon''thul grinned at him. "Alright, sounds like your dad''s here to get you, and he brought an army with him, but one of our friends is outside the wall, and we''re going to go get her. Your oath is still in effect, so you''re coming with us to get her. If you want to run while we''re out there, the only thing preventing you will be your word of honor. I guess we''ll see just what kind of man you are!"


    Jack checked his handgun before securing it snuggly in its holster, then looked at the hunter with a raised eyebrow. "Not sure if I would have spelled it out that clearly, but what''s done is done."


    Lon''thul shrugged while stringing his bow, in case it was needed. "Eh, he''s a good kid. I trust him." The hunter winked at To''brel and grinned.


    Em''brel was looking back and forth between them all. "Alright, enough wasting time! Let''s go!"


    Lon''thul looked over at Jack, who sighed in resignation and looked back at the hunter. "You heard her. Let''s do it."


    Lon''thul nodded and grinned before hefting Jack up over his shoulder and carrying him like a grain sack. That done, the hunter led the way, following Angela''s directions, with Em''brel hot on his heels. To''brel hesitated only a second before giving up on understanding anything that was happening and following instead.

 Book 2, Chapter 43

    This was far from the most comfortable ride Jack had ever experienced, but the worst part was the tension of the situation combining with the fact that he could only look back the way they''d come. Not that the human thought he''d notice anything that Lon''thul''s keen senses, tuned by countless hunts, would miss. Still, it felt weird heading into possible danger without being able to see or do anything in preparation other than think.


    Jack stopped his hand from pulling out his gun to recheck it for the dozenth time. He''d already made sure it was loaded and ready before they''d left, and trying to pull it out now would be awkward at best and could cause problems if he dropped the thing due to an unexpected move from the hunter carrying him.


    Instead, he checked back in with Angela. "What''s the status on everything?"


    Angela''s voice came back uncharacteristically sober. "Well, S''haar and Ger''ron are getting ready to meet whoever leads this expedition. She''s not happy about you being out here, by the way, but she understands. I did have to talk her out of charging out to meet you. I expect that even if you''re in the right and everything goes smoothly, there''s a lecture or two in the near future!"


    Jack started to shrug before deciding it was too awkward a movement right now. "Yeah, I kind of figured that... How''d you keep her from running out to meet us, though?"


    Angela''s voice came back a little smug. "Simple, I told her you''d have a much higher chance of survival if a small army of guards and workers were waiting to meet you than if she ran off alone. Also, I''m reasonably sure you can get to Sare''en and back before the main group catches you, so all you''ll have to worry about is a couple of scouts. I''m confident you''ll be fine, between Lon''thul''s skills and your gun."


    His sister''s voice grew slightly menacing. "And if not, the cavalry won''t be far behind..."


    Jack didn''t have enough time to question what she meant because Lon''thul came to a halt, and the human found himself on his feet again. As he turned around to get a measure of the situation, Em''brel ran past and all but tackled Sare''en. The poor herder girl looked more than a little surprised by the group that stumbled up to her. "What''s going on? Why are you all here?"


    To''brel, who had fared the worst in the run and was now doubled over to catch his breath, shook his head. "I''d like to know that as well..."


    Em''brel looked like she was about to launch into a full explanation, but Lon''thul beat her to the punch. "Ah, nothing you should worry all that much about right now, but you''d best get the herd moving back inside the wall, quickly, just to be safe. I''ll be keeping an eye on you while you move, but there''s something I gotta go check out for just a moment. So you all get going."


    Jack looked at Lon''thul suspiciously, but the hunter just grinned in return. "It''ll be fine, trust me, I got this!"


    The hunter then turned to Em''brel. "Keep an eye on Jack, and he''ll keep an eye on you. I won''t be far behind!"


    Before anyone could argue, the hunter took off at a jog toward the nearest forest edge.


    Jack thought about arguing but decided to respect Lon''thul''s judgment. Instead, he finally gave in to the temptation to pull out his handgun and make sure a round was chambered correctly, though he kept the safety on. Confident he was as prepared as he would get, he turned to Sare''en. "Let''s get moving."


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    Lon''thul watched as the group started moving before stepping a little deeper into the nearest edge of the forest, his bow at the ready. There were no signs of any presence other than his own, but that was telling. Where were all the signs of smaller life that were always so persistent in the wilds? Only one argu''n he knew of could mask his presence so completely yet radiate enough danger to silence a forest like this. The hunter grinned. "Come on out, Pops, I know you''re here!"


    There was a low chuckle just behind Lon''thul as his father extracted himself from a shadow far closer at hand than the younger hunter had expected. Dek''thul grinned. "Getting better, boy, but I still got far closer than I should have. You''re no rival for me yet..."


    Lon''thul wasn¡¯t overly concerned and grinned back. "Maybe not, but like you said, I''m getting better, and I might have a few new tricks an old male like yourself has never seen before!" He pointed with his chin to the trunk behind his father, which now sported an arrow that could have easily done some serious damage if it had been aimed differently.


    As Dek''thul retrieved and examined the arrow, Lon''thul spoke up once more. "So whatcha doin out here, anyway? Did old A''ngles loan you out to Don''brel the way he loaned me to Jack and S''haar?"


    Dek''thul handed the arrow back with a grin. "That''s still ''Lord A''ngles'' to you, kid, and no, I''m not on loan. I''m out here in direct service to the Lord himself."


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    Jack knew he''d receive a warning from Angela long before any of their visitors could sneak up on them, but he still couldn''t help but imagine an argu''n behind every tree they passed. Looking over at Em''brel, it was clear she felt the same. Now that her drive to reach her friend was gone, he noticed her fearlessness was fading as well. Beside her, Sare''en was looking spooked. Whatever Lon''thul was doing, he hoped it was worth it.


    They were headed for the main gate, rather than the nearer north gate. Jack''s logic was that it wasn''t much further from where Sare''en had taken the arlack to graze, and if they did run into any trouble, they''d be headed toward reinforcements, rather than making S''haar run around the palisade to meet them.


    Jack grinned down at Grim trotting along, enjoying the fresh air. At least one of them seemed relaxed. Well, so were the arlack leading the way back to their pen. Jack suspected their attitude had more to do with the complacency of the strange lizard cows than any courage on their part, though Jack was amazed at the pace they were able to keep, for such large and seemingly clumsy animals. He''d initially debated leaving them behind, but it quickly became evident he was the slowest part of the strange entourage.


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    Looking back at Grim, Jack was startled to realize how big the wolgen had grown in such a short time. He''d been a bit smaller than a large dog when they''d first gotten him, but now his head was almost even with Jack''s. That gave Jack an idea. "Hold up, I''m slowing us down a bit much, so I wanna try something."


    Em''brel looked around like she was expecting an ambush but didn''t argue. Jack walked over to Grim and gave him a good scritch. "Ok, boy, How do you feel about carrying your weight around here for once." After a measuring glance, Jack corrected himself. "Well, a bit less than your weight, if I''m any judge. Heel. Down."


    As Grim laid down, Jack inspected the spines down his back. They typically folded down his back, but they rose up like the fur on a dog''s back when he got his hackles up. Jack took off his cloak and tied it around Grim''s waist to prevent any uncomfortable complications, giving himself a slightly less awkward seat. Then, looking over at To''brel, who''d been watching everything with silent horror, Jack grinned and winked before climbing into place with some clumsiness before commanding, "Up."


    After a moment of confusion and sniffing, Grim decided this was a great new game and shot to his feet with almost too much eagerness, nearly unseating Jack. Most everyone was watching Jack with something along the lines of genuine amazement. He could even hear the young noble speaking to himself. "He''s insane. That''s the only explanation. This human is actually insane!" Then, after allowing Grim his moment of playfulness, Jack called out to Sare''en. "Call him over, have him follow you."


    Sare''en, who''d been watching Jack''s ride with confusion and apprehension, complied, calling out to the wolgen who was walking in circles trying to get a better sniff of Jack. "Grim, heel!"


    It took Grim a moment longer than usual to respond, but eventually he stopped his little game and followed, bringing Jack along for the ride. Em''brel looked up at Jack in amazement. "How''d you know he''d take so well to being ridden?"


    Jack, who was spending far too much attention and energy keeping himself in place, responded without looking. "Honestly? I didn''t. Plan B was to have you carry me. While we both know you can pull that off, I figured Grim could maintain a more steady pace. Though I failed to consider how much effort it would take to maintain my seat with my leg. Still, we can probably stand to pick up the pace a little..."


    Sare''en, who was on the other side of Grim, nodded before turning and addressing the arlack herd they were following. "Hup hup!" The arlack broke from their amble into a trot, not as fast as a horse back on Earth, but still far quicker than Jack imagined they could move. Of course, that made Em''brel, Sare''en, To''brel, and Grim pick up their own paces to match.


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    Jan''kul found himself a spot up on the wall with his belly bow. He''d been one of the first woodworkers to arrive here at the start of last winter and was one of the core group who''d been inside the mysterious home of Jack and Lady Angela''s. Many newer workers treated anyone from that original group a little differently, as though they''d been touched by some divine being. Of course, those who''d survived the winter as Jack''s guests knew differently, but their oath of silence kept them from dispelling that notion. He supposed it was for the best, as it would probably only deepen the rumors, rather than dispel them if he''d tried to explain that place to anyone who hadn''t stayed there.


    Still, with Ger''ron shouting at the guards and Lady S''haar looking as though she wanted to leap into action rather than pacing in front of the gate like a caged animal, several workers turned to him for answers. "What''s going on? I heard it was another raider attack! If they bring an army, will we be able to hold them off?"


    Jan''kul raised the bow into position, aiming toward an imaginary figure running out of the distant trees before easing it back and turning to the worker who''d spoken. "Honestly, you know as much as I do right now, but I doubt it''s raiders. With the beating they got last time at the hands of Jack and a handful of hunters, I doubt they''ll be showing their faces again anytime soon. And even if they do, our guards are better armored, and us workers are better armed than any of them. So they''d find trying to scale these walls an expensive lesson in futility!"


    The woodworker nodded down to the small group of guards now joined by Lady Fea''en down by the gates. "And if they were raiders, I don''t think the Outpost leadership would be planning on meeting with them like this. We''d probably be shooting as soon as they cleared the treeline, instead."


    The newer worker looked confused. "Then what could it be? What''s the point in bringing out all the guards and workers if there''s no raiding party on the way?"


    Jan''kul shook his head as he made sure his bolts were set up and easy to get his hands on. "Honestly? I don''t know, but my guess is it''s tied to that new guest of ours. You know, the one related to Lady Em''brel? We''re probably here as a show of force to add a little weight to our side of any negotiations. I mean, what else could it be?"


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    Jack was relieved to see they were making good time. In a few moments, they''d be back to the Outpost, safe behind its walls. Just to confirm, he checked in with Angela. "How long before our visitors arrive, and where''s Lon''thul?"


    Angela''s voice was calm but serious. "The main force is a ways behind you, and you should beat them back easily enough. There are several scouts in the area, but they seem to be pulling back and avoiding you. I''m guessing they''re under orders not to start anything."


    That was good. Maybe the worst part of this encounter was Jack telling S''haar about this all later. Angela continued. "Lon''thul''s on his way back; he''ll be arriving not long after you all, but I''m a little unsettled by who he met back there. It was his father, Dek''thul. The conversation was ambiguous, but I''m sure Lord A''ngles is behind whatever is happening here. I think he finally decided it was time to make another move... Be careful."


    Jack sighed. He''d suspected that Em''brel''s uncle wouldn''t be able to produce a force as large as the one approaching. This definitely added a whole new level of complexity to the situation. He wondered what other unpleasant surprises were in their near future.


    They were within sight of the main gate now. Jack could even see S''haar and a few guardsmen waiting anxiously for their arrival. Angela''s voice kicked up a notch in pitch and volume. "One of the scouts changed direction and is headed right for you!"


    Without hesitation, Jack drew his gun and thumbed off the safety. He shouted for everyone to get behind him when an impossibly fast argu''n cleared the nearby treeline and rocketed toward him in the air. Jack got off a wild shot but couldn''t tell if he''d landed a hit before the argu''n plowed into him, launching him from his seat.


    As he fell, Jack felt his heart was thundering in his chest, but rather than experiencing the painful sensations of heart failure, it continued beating normally, meaning his pacemaker was doing its job. He was starting to wonder at the odd things that occupy one''s mind at times like this when he hit the ground and rolled to absorb the impact. But where his roll was wild and chaotic, his assailant''s looked graceful and controlled. It was almost as if it had been choreographed, rather than improvised at the last moment.


    As he stood, the mystery argu''n was facing away from Jack, but the human saw something that turned his blood into ice water. On the male''s otherwise pristine side plate was a familiar gouge. It was probably the only mark of its kind on the planet. It was a place where the plate had already been damaged by a shot from Jack''s handgun, but the recipient had been fast enough to avoid a more lethal blow.


    Jack could hear S''haar and the guard running toward them, but he knew this particular assailant could kill them all before any help arrived. As the male turned, Jack''s fears were confirmed. Standing over him, with two intact swords this time, was S''haar''s father, De''haar.

 Book 2, Chapter 44

    Jack''s gun had landed close at hand, but with De''haar glaring down at him, he''d never be able to reach it in time. Instead, Jack sat staring up at the argu''n standing over him. He couldn''t help but remember how effortlessly this monster had batted aside all of S''haar''s attacks with broken swords not even a year ago. Though, instead of the manic grin he''d worn before, now S''haar''s father seemed to have a somewhat troubled expression as he stared down at the human at his mercy. "Killing you now would be such a waste. I was expecting to have to scale your walls and then cut through scores of your guards before finally taking you and my daughter down in an epic battle. Then I saw you riding on the back of that beast and thought maybe this would be a worthy fight. But now I see you''re just a cripple hiding behind a barely developed pup and a couple of females. This is hardly worth my time, and I was instructed that I shouldn''t kill anyone important...yet. I should probably just let you go..."


    Jack felt like this was a performance, though he couldn''t figure out who the target audience was. Maybe this whole thing was just for some story playing out in the diseased mind of the maniac in front of him. De''haar was clearly waiting for something, maybe he wanted Jack to beg, or perhaps he was hoping Jack would suicidally lunge for his weapon, giving him the excuse he''d need. Well, Jack wasn''t about to play along, so he simply waited patiently, glaring back at his captor, meeting the eyes of the madman with as steady a gaze as he could muster.


    Unfortunately, not everyone or everything present was as patient as Jack. Grim regained his feet, growling at the new threat to his pack. With a sinking feeling, Jack realized what was about to happen next.


    Everything seemed to leap into motion at once. Grim launched himself forward, and De''haar''s attention shifted to the wolgen. Jack rolled to the side, reaching for his gun. Seeing what was happening, Em''brel grabbed her own spear and started running forward while Sare''en just stared in shock. Jack knew he''d never get a shot off in time to save poor Grim, but he had to try.


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    To''brel was frozen in place, unsure of how to feel about any of this. Why did the young noble feel like his rescuer was the real monster, and he should be cheering for his captors?


    When the figure had first appeared, To''brel had initially been concerned with Jack and Em¡¯brel¡¯s safety. However, he''d quickly realized this male was likely here with his father to save him. But, as the male gloated over the now strangely vulnerable Jack, To''brel couldn''t help but think of how kind everyone at the Outpost had been during his involuntary stay. The noble realized that, somewhere deep inside, he was hoping that not only would everyone he''d come to know here survive, but he also almost hoped they''d win.


    That was when the monster pup, Grim, leaped at the male. As the male swung his swords, To''brel''s stomach clenched, and everything stopped as the noble stared, horrified at what was about to happen. Then the world erupted into chaos as a tree sprung up out of nowhere between the wolgen and the male.


    Looking closer, To''brel could see it wasn''t a tree but a large wooden trunk. It was as if it had been stripped of branches and prepped to be turned into lumber. It took To''brel a moment to replay the impossible situation in his mind to realize the tree had flown down from above, not grown from the ground. He was just starting to look up when a thundering yet vaguely familiar voice filled the air, seemingly coming from everywhere. "Get away from my brother, you smooth-brained excuse of a flesh sack!"


    Almost immediately after, a giant silver statue came flying down in a manner similar to the trunk. It folded down as if crouching when it hit, and the ground shook even more violently than before. Everything froze as the statue straightened itself and stared down at the male.


    It was as if one of the gods of legend had flown down from the heavens and stood before them all.


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    Angela stared down at the threat to her family coldly. "You know, as a rule, I try not to harm intelligent life, but for you, I might be willing to make an exception!"


    S''haar and the Outpost guards were nearly there, and Angela expected the male to take the opportunity to retreat. However, she hadn''t considered the manic glee that seemed to overcome De''haar as he launched himself forward, his eyes dilated in excitement. This argu''n was clearly insane.


    As De''haar swung both swords forward in unison, putting as much power and weight into the attack as possible, Angela countered by grabbing both blades mid-flight, stopping their progress immediately in her steel grip. Then, as he tried to draw his blades back, Angela swung her other hand forward, her fingers extended straight, and she shattered the blades right off the handles at the hilt.


    De''haar leaped back, showing the first signs of uncertainty as he drew a knife, when another unexpected voice interrupted the scene from the direction of the forest. "De''haar, you wolgen hiding in argu''n skin, I told you to wait with the main force until and unless you were needed! This is why I told my father I didn''t want you coming with us! We should have left you in the wilds where you belong!"


    Walking out of the treeline, followed closely by several guards, came B''arthon. De''haar turned and walked calmly toward the noble, forgetting about the people he''d attacked moments before.


    Angela noticed Jack still had his gun out and pointed it at De''haar''s back. Clearly, he was thinking about putting the threat down right here and now. While Angela couldn''t fault him, she also noticed the mad man had placed himself right between Jack and B''arthon, and based on what the AI had heard of their first engagement, there was a chance, however slight, that he might get out of the way in time to save himself and make Jack kill B''arthon instead. While the AI didn''t particularly like the noble, she also didn''t think he deserved to die. There was also the matter of starting an all-out war between them and the village if Jack killed the village leader''s son.


    Angela placed her hand on Jack''s and gently pushed the gun downward. Jack only resisted a moment before coming to his senses. He evidently drew the same conclusions Angela had and sighed while lowering the gun the rest of the way. However, the AI noticed he didn''t holster the gun or toggle the safety back on.


    For his part, De''haar walked right up to B''arthon and started speaking in low tones. They were far enough away that no one would be able to hear their exchange. No one except for Angela, that is... "It''s not wise to get between a hunter and his prey. You just might find yourself caught up in our scuffle..."


    B''arthon''s bodyguards looked back and forth in uncertainty, but to his credit, or maybe due to his foolishness, B''arthon stared back coldly. "Yes, yes, you''re very big and scary. I''m certain you could kill my bodyguard and myself with little effort, if you so chose."


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    At this, the noble''s guards started reaching for their weapons while De''haar played with his knife, but B''arthon wasn''t finished. "But if you do, this whole thing will be called off, and you won''t get to have any more fun. Challenging that entire outpost on your own would be suicidal, even for you, and I don''t think you''re quite as insane as you pretend to be. So make your choice, kill me and be done with it, or get back to the main force and behave yourself. If you do, I might just let you off your leash if and when things start getting interesting."


    Everything grew tense as the two men stared at each other, and it seemed like De''haar might call the noble''s bluff, but the monster sheathed his knife and laughed. "You got a lot of guts for someone so weak! You better watch yourself out there. Things can get really chaotic in a real fight. One of your men might bury a knife in your back by mistake!"


    With that last not-so-subtle threat, De''haar walked past the noble into the forest behind them, leaving B''arthon glaring at the group that had doubled in size now that S''haar and the guards had arrived. He seemed to stop and consider what to do before walking forward just enough to get within speaking distance, his guards a step behind.


    When S''haar and Jack stepped forward, he addressed them calmly. "I formally apologize for the behavior of one of our...guards. He acted against orders. I wish I could say he''d be punished for his behavior, but I think we all know he''s nearly impossible to cohere into anything. I can say that he doesn''t represent our wishes or interests at this time. He''s more of a...safety measure for us."


    S''haar, who''d caught her breath while the noble had spoken, replied coldly. "And just why are you here with an army at your back? What are you hoping to accomplish with this show of force?"


    B''arthon shook his head. "That''s not for me to say. I''m not the one in charge. I''m here in a more...advisory role. But, needless to say, De''haar will not be present during any negotiations."


    S''haar''s glare sharpened as her voice dripped with acid. "He shouldn''t be here at all. Only an idiot would trust that monster to do anything but lash out at everyone around him, friend or foe."


    The noble sighed and shrugged. "Not my call. Anyway, get your people back behind your walls. There won''t be any further issues for now."


    B''arthon then turned his attention to To''brel, who was still trying to wrap his head around everything. His expression softened somewhat, and he looked almost sympathetic for a moment. "Hope you learn fast, kid. You won''t get a second chance."


    With that enigmatic choice of words, B''arthon turned and walked away, leaving everyone wondering at his meaning.


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    As To''brel walked back to the Outpost with everyone else, he pondered his time here, everything that just happened, and the strange male''s words. True, he was here against his will, but he''d learned so much, and the people here didn''t seem to bear him any ill will. Quite the opposite, in fact.


    Then there was that crazed male who''d attacked the group of them. To''brel thought he''d been suicidal, but everyone had seemed terrified of him, for some reason. Something about him gave the young noble the impression of a crazed beast, rather than an argu''n, but that whole situation had been resolved with the appearance of Lady Angela, the Dragon, and Jack''s sister.


    Lon''thul, who''d caught up with the group, explained everything to To''brel while everyone else conferred over what they''d learned and where to go. "Yeah, they''re not actually siblings, but if you hang around them long enough, you can tell they grew up together. Those two are so much alike, it''s eerie."


    Looking over at the divine form of the woman who''d spoken to To''brel outside of his cell the first night he''d arrived, the noble doubted the hunter''s claims. She even moved with perfect grace, putting even the abnormally coordinated Lon''thul to shame. Right now, she was speaking while Jack and S''haar listened. "They''re probably about ten to fifteen minutes out, depending on if they come as a whole group or split off a delegation. Just enough time to get back and organize our own delegation to meet with them."


    She seemed to notice To''brel''s attention, because she turned and tilted her head. Her face seemed abnormally stiff, as if it was more of a mask than an actual face, but her voice sounded friendly enough and brought to mind the conversations of the first night once more. "Hey, don''t sweat it, kid! You''ll probably be back at home soon, and this''ll all seem like some strange dream."


    To''brel blinked stupidly, unsure of how to respond. Uncertain if he even should respond. He was tired of everyone calling him a kid, but it was hardly his place to admonish a goddess in her choice of words. Still, it seemed like something was expected of him, so he stuttered out the only thing that came to mind. "Uh... Yeah... That''ll be nice...I suppose..."


    The goddess raised her hand, and for a second To''brel thought he was about to be smitten for his insolence, but instead, she simply patted him on the head. Her hand was cold and strong as steel, but her touch was surprisingly gentle. "There you go getting all lost in thought, like the first night. While it''s important to consider possibilities, it''s also essential not to overthink things too much. Right now, you probably feel like you''re being thrown around by fate, but soon enough, you''ll get to make decisions for yourself again. Until then, just watch and learn. You never know what information will prove invaluable in the future."


    As the Dragon turned back to the other conversation happening nearby, To''brel couldn''t help but dwell on the last words the other noble, B''arthon, had shared before leaving. He''d seemed both sympathetic and ominous as he spoke. Did he think To''brel''s time here had been as horrible as the young noble had first assumed it would be? But he seemed to be referring to the near future. What exactly was happening? Everyone seemed to think his father was here to negotiate To''brel''s release, and apparently, he''d brought a whole army to negotiate from a position of strength. But where had he gotten such an army? Even if he cleared every guard out of the village and left it defenseless, there wouldn''t be enough to take this place by force. And no sane village lord would loan a large portion of his guard force just to come to rescue To''brel... So what was it that everyone here, including himself, was missing?


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    After everything that could be said had been, everyone became quietly contemplative while, they waited. It only took a few minutes, but those minutes seemed to stretch into hours. Jack looked over to a grim-looking S''haar. Her brow furrowed as she looked off into some distant horizon, as lost in thought as anyone.


    Eventually, she noticed the attention directed her way and turned to see Jack grinning at her. She blinked a few times as if waking, and Jack''s grin became toothy as he projected confidence he didn''t feel. "Whatever happens, you''ve got this! We''ve all got your back, and I''m confident that you''re the best person for the job. Remember, you''re not alone anymore, and you don''t have to shoulder the burden yourself." S''haar smiled and started to reply when movement at the forest''s edge caught everyone''s attention.


    Walking toward them was a group of guards. There were enough to be threatening should the Outpost try to ambush them, but not enough to be a threat to the Outpost itself. Though Jack was well aware, a more significant force waited just beyond the treeline.


    Their own delegation moved forward. S''haar led the way, flanked by Jack and a rather imposing Angela. Just behind them came Ger''ron, Fea''en, Em''brel, Lon''thul, and To''brel, all flanked by the Outpost''s guards.


    As the two groups approached, Jack could make out Dek''thul and B''arthon, but no one else was overly familiar to him. Still, it seemed odd that they were in positions of honor just to either side of the cloaked individual that was clearly in charge. As representatives from A''ngles, it seemed like they''d be in the group further behind the leader, with representatives from To''brel''s village front and center.


    Once the groups finally got close enough to speak, the cloaked leader drew back his cowl, and several pieces of the puzzle suddenly fell into place, with disturbing implications.


    Before them stood Lord A''ngles, radiating every bit of the authority Jack remembered. "Lady S''haar and members of the Dragon''s Outpost. I am here to negotiate the immediate release of Lord To''brel," ?that seemed odd. Why was he referring to To''brel as a Lord?? "and the surrender of the Outpost and all its resources and residents, in response to the unwarranted assassination of our village''s friend and ally, Lord Don''brel!"

 Book 2, Chapter 45

    Tel''ron was working on another belly bow in his forge when one of the metal workers burst in. He didn''t look up from his work, though he directed a question toward the new arrival. "Where is everyone? We''ve got a dozen bows that need their trigger mechanisms finished, not to mention all the woodworkers'' tools and guard weaponry that need maintenance. Even I can''t handle this all on my own."


    The metalworker looked at the master of his discipline with exasperation. "Lord A''ngles is outside the Outpost and all but declared war on Jack and S''haar!"


    Tel''ron put down his tools as he looked up at the worker. "Why?"


    The worker looked exasperated. "Why? Why does it matter? This is Lord A''ngles! The Lord of our village! If he declares war on the Outpost, we have to leave immediately!"


    At this, Tel''ron looked even more confused. "Again, why?"


    The worker looked as if his master had started speaking in another language. "Because you just do... He''s the village Lord. We owe him our allegiance!"


    Tel''ron looked at the worker as if he was a particularly slow student. Then, after a moment, he shook his head. "We owe the village lord our allegiance because he looks out for our best interests, but how is this in anyone''s interests? Do you understand what we''ve been learning here? What all this means? What it could mean? If we''re going to throw all this away and go back to the way things used to be, I want to know why. For what reason should I turn my back on the people and knowledge of this place? So again, I ask, why?"


    The worker blinked stupidly for a moment. "I... I don''t know..."


    Tel''ron sighed. "Well, I suppose I might as well go and find out. Here, take over this trigger mechanism for me. And make sure the work is up to my standards. Don''t get distracted by some little thing like this until I tell you to. Understand?"


    With the belly bow shoved into his hands, the worker looked up at Tel''ron, wondering if he was joking, but saw it was clear he wasn''t. Not sure of what else to do, and having been given explicit instructions from his master, the worker sat down and got to work.


    Tel''ron watched him work with a satisfied grunt before turning away to deal with this latest distraction to his work.


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    It took a moment for Jack to process just what Lord A''ngels had just said. The village leader now stood calmly, awaiting a reply as if he hadn''t just dropped the mother of all bombshells on everyone present. What was supposed to have been a simple negotiation for To''brel''s freedom in return for Em''brel''s safety fell apart in the blink of an eye.


    Beside him, Angela was muttering in Basic, so only a few of them could understand. "That snake! I knew he was a conniving son of a wolgen, but this? How could he? By the time I finish..."


    Jack put a hand on Angela''s arm to calm her. He knew she couldn''t feel anything or derive comfort from the contact, but he also knew she''d be completely aware of his actions and his intentions behind them. He needed to think. But there just wasn''t enough time...


    S''haar''s voice was the next to speak up, though she was considerably louder than Angela and directed her comments to A''ngles. "I''m afraid we''re not prepared for those demands. The leadership of the Outpost will need to confer before we can offer a response to your...request."


    Jack raised an eyebrow. What had happened to the hot-headed S''haar he knew? Not that he was complaining, as the response was just about perfect. It bought them the time they needed to speak among themselves.


    Lord A''ngles nodded affably, as if he hadn''t just made an outrageous accusation followed by an even more outrageous demand. "Of course, of course...but leave young To''brel with us. I can''t allow you to forcefully detain him, now that he''s a Village Lord in his own right. He''s no longer just some minor noble to be held for bargaining. He''s a ruling ally to our village and, by extension, myself."


    Jack didn''t know enough about the local ranking system to understand how the change in status affected the negotiations, and from what he''d gathered, no one else did either. Until now, the most one village might negotiate with another was for trade and an exchange of services. Declaring alliances and having villages agree to defend each other was entirely new, allowing A''ngles to make up the rules as he went. If they declined, it would create a situation where the Lord could claim they were the aggressors, but if they gave To''brel over here and now, he would likely be nothing more than a puppet under A''ngles¡¯ rule, essentially giving the older village Lord the power and resources of two village, meaning no power in the region would be able to stand against him. Then again, remembering the number of argu''n they''d brought to threaten the Outpost, he likely already had the other village under his control. However, his hold over the other village must still be tenuous; otherwise he wouldn''t be going through this charade to get To''brel back... But still, how could they take the kid back with them without giving A''ngles all the excuse he needed to start a full-out war?


    After several moments of silence, S''haar once again spoke up, this time turning to the young noble everything now centered around. "To''brel, I hereby release you from your oath and set you free. You may leave."


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    To''brel was in shock. His father was dead? When? How? Had it been when Lon''thul kidnapped him? But he''d checked on his father. He''d been alive and sleeping when he''d left. Had that all been part of some trick? Thinking frantically, he couldn''t remember any blood or signs of a severe injury. Had Lon''thul injected his father with something when To''brel wasn''t looking? Maybe...


    That was when To''brel felt someone grab hold of him from behind. At first, he thought it might be an attack, but as numb as he was, he didn''t have the energy to fight back. Instead, it turned into a hug from behind. His cousin''s whispered voice reached his ears. "Oh, To''brel... I''m so sorry."


    Coming from anyone else, that might have felt empty or manipulative, but coming from Em''brel... This was the young female he''d grown up with and probably the one person in the world who understood best what he was going through right now. His anger and suspicion fell away for a moment, leaving him only with grief.


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    The other voices were just a sound to him right now; he heard what they were saying, but nothing processed until he heard his name spoken by the man who''d delivered the world-shattering news. "...but leave young To''brel with us."


    The rest blended back into chaotic noise, but the implications were clear. To''brel''s time here was over. He didn''t know if he should be glad or frightened by the idea. These were the people who''d kidnapped him, but they were also the people who''d saved Em''brel. They''d forced him to remain against his will but also taught him many new ideas and encouraged him to ask questions and learn. And now, apparently, they were also the ones that killed his father...


    Then S''haar was speaking to him. "To''brel, I hereby release you from your oath and set you free... You may leave."


    There it was. It didn''t matter how the young noble felt or what had happened. It was time to leave.


    To''brel started walking toward the new group but stopped halfway there. The words of the strange male from earlier came back to him. "Hope you learn fast, kid. You won''t get a second chance."


    He thought about S''haar''s wording. She hadn''t told him to go. She said he may leave. Meaning it was his choice. But why would he choose to stay with his father''s killers? Something about that still bothered him, though. He looked over to the male from before, who now stood at his Village Lord''s side. After a moment, he spoke up.


    "How... how did my father die?"


    The male looked to his Lord with a questioning glance. The older Lord merely nodded in return. The male then returned his attention to To''brel. "He was found the morning after your abduction. His throat had been slit."


    To''brel froze. That...that wasn''t right. He''d checked on his father at the time. There were many things Lon''thul could have done that he wouldn''t have known to look for, but he would have certainly noticed that. He looked questioningly at the hunter, who merely shook his head no, his meaning apparent. The young noble entertained the idea that maybe the hunter had doubled back after the young noble had been rendered unconscious, but then he remembered how honest and forthright the hunter had always been with him. It still might be possible, but To''brel had to listen to his own intuition at some point. Right now, his intuition was telling him that despite the situation that led to him coming to stay here, these people had never had anything but good intentions behind their actions. Turning back to his father''s professed ally, he could see the male''s gaze was cold and unreadable. True, his father had been working with another village lord since he''d taken power, and To''brel had no doubt that this was the lord in question. The trouble was, he looked more like he was puzzling over a trade dispute than someone professing righteous indignation over the loss of a friend and ally.


    Turning back to the people he''s been staying with against his will, he saw a variety of expressions, ranging from concerned to frightened. True, much of that probably came from the current threat to their life here at the Dragon¡¯s Outpost, but still, these were the expressions he could read and understand.


    He turned back to the Lord who''d come to rescue him and bowed formally. "Thank you for coming all this way to rescue me on my father''s behalf, but I think I will be staying here for a little longer. Please tell my people I will be returning to them shortly."


    When he raised his head, To''brel expected to see frustration or even outright anger. But instead, the male in charge looked as if nothing had changed. The Lord then turned to the larger, more frightening male beside him and spoke quietly enough that To''brel was certain no one from the Outpost could hear him. "I''m afraid it''s worse than I thought. They''ve obviously threatened or coerced him somehow. Dek''thul, please retrieve him, so that we might protect him from any other such...influences."


    Dek''thul nodded deferentially to the smaller male. "Yes, Lord A''ngles!"


    As the monster of an argu''n started forward, To''brel tried to back up, only to trip and land on his backside. He froze, unsure of what to do next when suddenly Dek''thul stopped. In front of him, buried in the ground, was a thin stick that had appeared out of nowhere.


    Suddenly, the terrifying Dek''thul''s attention was focused on some point behind To''brel. "Are you sure you really want to do this, boy?"


    From behind To''brel came Lon''thul''s voice. "Now, there''s a lot going on here that I don''t understand, and I''m more than a little confused at some of the things being said, but one thing I am sure of is To''brel made his choice. I figure he''s got as much right as anyone to decide his fate."


    Dek''thul shook his head. "Maybe, maybe not, but you don''t. Your allegiance is to Lord A''ngles."


    That actually made Lon''thul hesitate a moment,during which Dek''thul started forward again, but this time Angela walked forward, causing the older hunter to pause and draw his knife as the AI spoke. "Maybe Lon''thul''s is, but mine isn''t. As far as I''m concerned, To''brel just requested sanctuary while deciding his next course of action. I intend to grant him that request, and quite frankly, there is little you or any of your men can do to stop me!"


    The old hunter grinned and braced to leap forward when Angela raised her arms and shot a massive plume of flame forward toward the hunter and the rest of the guards. Immediately everyone fell back, several of the guards grabbing Lord A''ngles and pulling him back into the safety of the forest. The only one who didn''t fall to the ground or dive out of the way was B''arthon. The younger village noble was shouting at the rest as the illusionary flames surrounded him. "Her fire is a lie! I''ve seen this before! Get back to your feet and stop running!"


    However, despite his words and the proof of him still standing, everyone else, even the proud hunter, fled or froze in fear. In the confusion, Anglea grabbed the back of To''brel''s shirt and heaved him back to S''haar and the guards. One of the guards had already grabbed Jack and was running back, and the other now picked up To''brel and did the same. With the return of To''brel, the rest of the group started back as well, except for Angela, who turned and waited for any further trouble.


    B''arthon stood glaring at the AI while the rest of A''ngles'' forces regained their feet. Angela half expected the young noble to charge forward, but he seemed content to just stand and watch. On the other hand, Dek''thul appeared to have a different plan.


    The hunter circled her warily, looking for an opening. For her part, Angela simply stood in place, staring down B''arthon. Once the hunter was behind her, he leapt forward, forcing Angela into a hold designed to render her unconscious.


    Angela took careful note of the stresses the hunter brought to bear, noting that he had enough strength to actually damage her frame if she allowed him the time to do so. Instead, she grabbed his wrist in a vice-like grip, then carefully but inevitably forced his arm away from her neck, still staring down B''arthon.


    Dek''thul immediately changed tactics, drawing his knife and slashing it toward Angela''s back. Then, not wanting to find out if the blade would break before getting through her armor plate, the AI flipped the hunter over her shoulder onto the ground, where he lay for a moment, gasping for breath.


    Angela addressed B''arthon. "You''d best think carefully before assaulting our home. I don''t take kindly to unwelcome guests..."


    She turned around and started walking back to the Outpost at an almost leisurely pace. Dek''thul picked himself up off the ground, grabbing his dagger as he did so, but when he started forward, B''arthon called him back. "Let them go for now. We can''t stop them at this point, but it''s not like they''re going anywhere. We know right where they''ll be."


    For his part, Dek''thul relaxed his stance and laughed his usual good-natured laugh. It was like he''d been playing a game rather than struggling to assassinate a metallic goddess moments ago. "That silver lady is just full of surprises, isn''t she?"


    B''arthon continued to stare at the now closed gate, a part of him deep in thought. "Yeah, they all are. My father might have started a bigger hunt than we can handle..."


    Dek''thul clapped the younger man on the shoulder. "Nonsense! When has your father ever led us wrong before? Besides, you know he already anticipated things ending like this today. He''s probably got another dozen plans ready to go!"


    B''arthon turned to walk back to their main force. "Yes, I''m sure he does. I wonder how many of those will still be viable after our next exchange?"

 Book 2, Chapter 46

    Back at the Outpost, Chal''ac was more than a little annoyed. She''d been out hunting when the village¡¯s hunters arrived, acting like scouts for a raiding party. She hadn''t known what was happening and decided to get more info before committing to anything. Hiding in the shadows, she avoided most with minimal difficulty, but that all went up in smoke when a new presence crept up behind her. At first, she thought it might have been Lon''thul, since he was the only one she knew that could sneak up on her like that, but this presence was more...intimidating.


    Appearing out of the shadows cast in the underbrush walked the hunting chief, Dek''thul. For a split second, Chal''ac thought she was about to die when instead, the large male grinned mischievously. "It''s Nala''ac''s brat! I''ve seen you around, but we never had much chance to talk. Your father was a good hunter. The lodge won''t be the same without him."


    Chal''ac gave the hunting chief a stoic expression that was totally at odds with the near panic she was trying to lock down. "As much as I appreciate the sentiment, I doubt you''re here to talk about my father..."


    Dek''thul threw back his head and laughed. "Right to the point! Just like your dad! Well, you''re right. I''m here to talk to you about something different. Just a bit ago, I had a little conversation with my son, and now I gotta go escort Lord Angles as he meets with the Outpost''s representatives. But first, I wonder if you could do me a little favor..."


    Lord Angles was here? That was news to Chal''ac. To her knowledge, he never left the village. That meant something big was about to go down, and here was Dek''thul, throwing her into the middle of it all. She didn''t like the implications.


    It didn''t look like he would give her much choice as he continued without waiting for a response. "My son is a decent hunter, he might even rival me one day, but he has no idea how this world works. Maybe I coddled him too much growing up...but that''s not important. What is important is that I''m worried he will go do something stupid, like defy our village lord. If he does, I want you to make sure he comes back to the village, where I can knock some sense into him before he angers the wrong people. Trick him, knock him out, or sleep with him, for all I care! Just get him back to the village. I''ll make sure you are very well rewarded if you do." His expression almost imperceptibly darkened. "And if he doesn''t come back, you probably shouldn''t either."


    Immediately after the not-so-subtle threat had been issued, Dek''thul shifted back to his usual jovial self, waving amicably as he faded back into the foliage before Chal''ac''s eyes. "Well, anyway, I''m sure you can handle things from here! Don''t let an old male like myself tell you how to do your job! Just a matter of time before ambitious youngsters like you two put me out of business!" With that, he was gone.


    Chal''ac shook her head at the memory. How had he done that? Even as she''d listened to his words, her eyes had told her he was nowhere to be found. She knew she was one of the better hunters in the village, but this father and son duo were leagues ahead of her, and it annoyed her. She had to fight and scrabble every minute of every day to get as good as she was, so watching that idiot Lon''thul just waltz past her because of the luck of some weird family trait galled her.


    To make matters worse, she now had to figure out some way to save him from himself. Just what had Dek''thul meant when he said, "If he doesn''t come back, you probably shouldn''t either"? Did that mean she had to keep him alive, too? Was she now nothing more than some glorified babysitter to that immature idiot?


    With a sigh, Chal''ac pushed away from the wall. It didn''t matter. The world wasn''t fair. She knew that as well as anyone. She had a job to do, and she''d best get to it... But first, she had to find that elusive, churlish-brained hunter!


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    To''brel was still shaken. There was so much to take in, so much to understand, so much to process, so much to accept... In such a short time, his world had been turned upside down. He was simply sitting in the corner of a room while the future of this place and everyone inside its walls, including himself, was being decided by a group of people sitting around a fire.


    Even Lon''thul looked uncharacteristically grim. "Well, that went about as poorly as it could have! At least we all got out alive, but still..."


    Lady S''haar didn''t look particularly pleased either. "That was unexpected. We all knew Lord A''ngles was behind everything, but to have him come out like this... He must be confident of his victory. Angela, can you give me a more exact estimation of how many argu''n he brought with him, now that the majority of his force has arrived?"


    The metallic goddess tilted her head as if thinking. To''brel still couldn''t believe this was the female he''d spoken with on his first night here. Of course, he didn''t fully understand why she was called The Dragon, but then again, when a goddess tells you she''s a dragon, it was probably best to take her at her word.


    He barely had time to finish his own thoughts before Lady Angela responded. "I''m not sure how many are actually combatants, and given the limitations of my scanning ability, what with the transceiver located near the cave and the more limited sensors in this body..."


    Lord Jack interrupted her by saying something unintelligible, which Lady Angela acknowledged before continuing. "My rough estimation would place the invading force close to three hundred argu''n."


    The room grew quiet. To''brel wasn''t sure how many guards the Outpost had, but based on what he''d seen, he estimated it was somewhere between twenty and thirty. Against three hundred, even with the benefits of the palisade walls, there was hardly enough to slow down such a force. Where had they even gotten that many guards or fighters? Even with two villages at their disposal, it didn''t add up...


    With a sinking feeling, To''brel realized what he must do. "You can''t... I can''t let you... I should go back out there and give myself up..."


    The whole room looked over at To''brel with expressions ranging from grim to...amused? Lon''thul smiled. "Oh, it''s not as hopeless as it sounds. Trust me, you''ve barely scratched the surface of what our resident wizard and goddess are capable of! Why, I bet if they wanted to, they could simply make every argu''n out there disappear!"


    No one seemed to think the hunter was very funny, and it looked like Ger''ron was going to say something when Lady Angela spoke up. "Well, he''s right. We could."


    That was a terrible joke. Even worse than Lon''thul''s. To''brel wondered why no one was laughing or dismissing such an absurd statement. Instead, everyone seemed to be taking her seriously. Every expression in the room somehow turned even more grim as the goddess continued. "Honestly, it wouldn''t even be that hard. Give me about thirty minutes and access to the ship, and I could put together something that would pretty much instantly wipe out every invading argu''n outside the walls and take out a good chunk of the forest in the process. If that''s what you want..."


    The room was utterly silent as everyone took in the enormity of what she''d said. Lon''thul looked sick just thinking about it.


    Finally, it was S''haar who broke the silence. "Lord A''ngles may be a scheming, power-hungry wolgen at heart, but those who fight at his behest are not. They are our families, neighbors, and even our subjects." She nodded to To''brel, who looked a little sick at the idea. "I don''t know if we can win without such a terrible weapon, but I refuse to win with one. I''d rather fight and die to an argu''n than contemplate something so monstrous!"The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Jack grinned and nodded. Even Lady Angela''s voice suddenly sounded more cheerful. "Good! I would have refused anyway, but I wanted to confirm what kind of battle you were willing to fight. You know Jack and I have many technologies at our disposal, but I wanted to make it clear, no weapons of mass destruction. Though I have to say, I disagree entirely with your statement about dying to a man. I might not be able to save everyone, but I''m going to give it my best shot! Your goddess of death will have to wait a little longer for our company, Jack!"


    Wait, Lord Jack knew another goddess? A goddess of death? Lady Angela had weapons that could kill hundreds of people? He wanted to believe they were speaking figuratively, or even simply exaggerating, but the young noble feared they were being honest and forthright. To''brel thought he''d had some idea of the level of insanity of this place, but every moment his understanding was shattered by a new discovery.


    The master guard, Ger''ron, spoke up from his side of the fire. "Maybe so, Lady Angela, but Lady S''haar pointed out something that I''m not sure you''ve properly considered. Outside the walls are the friends and families of almost everyone here in the Outpost. It''s a hard thing to ask them to fight against their loved ones. Too hard. I''ll always be indebted to you for saving my life," The old guard looked down at his odd metal leg. "in more ways than one, but as impressive as you may be, to the average guard or worker, you''re just another noble. When the time comes, many will be unwilling or unable to fight. Others will simply defect. As much as I respect everyone here, we can''t hold the walls on our own."


    The room grew silent as everyone considered the old guard''s words.


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    S''haar was troubled by Ger''ron''s statement. There was more to it than he was saying. Even if they could hold the walls, the death and destruction it would take to do so would turn many, if not everyone, in the Outpost against them. This battle was unwinnable not because they were incapable of defending themselves but because, in doing so, they''d lose the support of everyone currently making this dream possible. What was worse, she was sure A''ngles was aware of that. Why else would he make a bold and direct move against them now?


    So what then, do they just roll over and hand everything over to A''ngles like he''s asking? With Jack''s knowledge and S''haar''s skills, she had no doubt A''ngles would allow them to stay on and probably even live relatively comfortable lives. But given A''ngles'' pattern so far, S''haar had no doubt the village lord''s next move would be to take the manpower of the two villages and the Outpost''s resources and technologies and use them to subjugate every other village within his reach. And S''haar didn''t particularly enjoy being a pawn in someone''s world domination scheme. But then what other option was there?


    That was when Tel''ron burst into the room, looking annoyed at the interruption to his work. "Why are all my metal workers missing? We can''t get anything done like this!"


    S''haar looked at Jack, who returned her bemused expression. It was Fea''en who spoke up this time. "Lord A''ngles is besieging the Outpost. We sent runners to tell you what was going on. If you couldn''t be bothered to break away from what you were doing long enough to listen properly, that''s on you!"


    Tel''ron didn''t back down. "I listened. I''m making and repairing weapons, or have you forgotten? Every weapon I can ready is one more properly equipped fighter to hold the walls, unless we suddenly developed a surplus of equipment I''m unaware of?"


    Fea''en wasn''t about to give in to some young pup and returned fire. "That''s all well and good, but what use are weapons if we don''t have hands to hold them! Not everyone is as attached to this place as you. Many of them are perfectly willing to go back home and start over, if it means avoiding an unwanted fight!"


    That was when Angela stood up, attracting everyone''s attention. "That''s it! We have to start over!"


    Everyone looked as confused as S''haar felt. Angela continued. "Listen, we can''t hold this place without unacceptable losses. I think that''s clear at this point. Even if we convince everyone to stay and fight, and somehow win, we''ll take so many losses that rebuilding will be impossible, so instead, we tear it all down and leave!"


    S''haar couldn''t believe what she was hearing. After everything they''d been through over this last year together, Angela suggested they leave it all behind? "But your ship is stuck under the mountain! We worked so hard to save you and get you and Jack home! We can''t just abandon that!"


    Angela shook her head. "But I''m already saved! And what''s more, Jack and I are already home! And no, I''m not talking about the ship or even this Outpost. I''m talking about here with you all." She looked over at Em''brel and Sare''en in the corner, then over to Lon''thul leaning against the wall deep in thought, and finally to Ger''ron and Fea''en warming their bones by the fire. "Wherever you all go, that''s our home! Who cares if it''s in the shadow of this mountain or not? We can rebuild and start over. What we can''t do is replace any of you! What''s more, by showing everyone we''re willing to give up as much as we''re asking them to, we''re more likely to win even more of them over to our side!"


    Jack nodded cautiously. "I agree with you in concept, but I don''t think Lord A''ngles will let us just pack up and leave. Anything we leave behind will be used against us or other villages. And even if we''re willing to part ways with our ship, we can''t let it fall into A''ngles'' hands. I doubt he''d be able to learn a whole lot from it, but anything he did would be too much!"


    Angela turned to Jack. Even though her face was relatively emotionless, her voice was filled with mischief. "Listen, you just worry about getting everyone and everything packed and ready to leave, while also buying me some time. A day or two, at most! I''ll worry about how to make sure this whole endeavor sets A''ngles back significantly and with minimal loss of life to boot!"


    S''haar felt a slight hope, though admittedly, it was tinged with all sorts of misgivings. It felt wrong to up and leave this place, despite what Jack and Angela said. More than anyone other than the siblings, she knew that what they were giving up by walking away from that ship they''d called home for so long was enormous. As happy as they might be here, they were giving up even the hope of someday returning to the stars in the heavens. Instead, they were essentially dooming themselves to never seeing another human or AI again for as long as they''d live. She wondered if Jack realized the full price of what he was volunteering to do, even if there was no other viable option S''haar could think of.


    As S''haar looked down at the small male who''d crash-landed into her life less than a year ago, he smiled comfortingly back to her. That smile might seem simple to many, but S''haar could read him well enough to see the wide range of emotions hidden behind that fragile expression. Fear, anxiety, hope, determination, anger, love, and even courage. She smiled back at him. Not so long ago, Jack would have flinched back from such an expression, but instead, he leaned in close and gave her a sideways hug. Through the hug, he offered strength while also drawing encouragement. It energized S''haar while also allowing Jack to cool his nerves and find the courage to do what needed to be done.


    Most everyone in the room watched the pair, taking their own encouragement at the sight of such simple love and affection in the middle of everything going wrong. Not long ago, that attention would have been enough to make Jack want to run and hide, but instead, as they drew apart, Jack turned to Lon''thul. "What about it, meat for brains? If we''re going to pull this off, we''ll need the best hunter around to help us find our way through the wilderness. Someone who can give even the great Dek''thul a run for his money! Think you''re up for the challenge?"


    Lon''thul, who''d been uncharacteristically quiet since his father had called him out in the skirmish over To''brel, finally stirred as if waking up from a deep sleep. It took a few moments as he seemed to consider everything spoken about recently. As far as anyone could remember, this was perhaps the first time the hunter had taken the time to really think before speaking.


    After another moment or two of tense silence, Lon''thul slowly grinned. "Well, if such a slow, small, frail," S''haar cleared her throat, warning him to stop insulting her male. Of course, Lon''thul didn''t seem to hear. "handicapped male is willing to brave the wilderness. I''d have to be an absolute monster to leave him on his own to die out there! You''d all be lost without me!"


    Something in his energy bled through to everyone as they stared, looking around with hope. Finally, it looked like they had a real chance to pull this off. Even Jack''s grin grew bolder as he returned the hunter''s newfound determination.


    Something of the energy must have even gotten through to Grim, who stood up from his resting place to howl into the night. S''haar wondered if the sound would carry over the walls to A''ngles'' camp and what they''d think if they could hear it.

 Book 2, Chapter 47

    Orth''kun was sitting next to Lack''nul. Due to their hard work and dedication, the two fit in and got along with the rest of the Outpost''s guard well enough, but they shared the common bond of coming from the same village, which meant the two were most often found in each other''s company.


    The larger Orth''kun leaned in close. "What''s this meeting all about? Shouldn''t we be manning the walls?"


    Lack''nul punched his friend in the ribs, but the larger guard barely even flinched while the smaller guard explained. "Did you even listen? They''re making an announcement about what their plans are going forward. They''re just doing it one small group at a time so the rest can keep an eye on the palisade. Word is they''re about to surrender to this ''Lord A''ngles.''"


    Orth''kun grunted and shook his head. "Hmph. I would have never come out here if I knew they were gonna surrender without a fight. So what''s the point to us even being here?"


    That was when Jar''maal walked over and glared at his two fellow guards. Even since he''d failed to protect Lady Em''brel, he''d gone from one of the laziest guards in the Outpost to one of the most driven. He was maybe a little too intense these days, but he was still well enough liked due to his willingness to volunteer for all the worst jobs that needed doing.


    The younger guard''s demeanor was challenging, though not overtly provoking. "How would you feel if that was your village lord out there, and you might have to fight and kill your neighbors and family, if it came to violence? If this was as easy as pushing back a bunch of unruly raiders, I''m sure every argu''n here would agree with you, but this is more complicated for some of us."


    Lack''nul started to respond when S''haar stood up in the center of the circle of guards and workers. "Alright, I''m sure many of you have heard the rumors going around camp. So I will cut through them all and tell you what the situation is, what we''ve decided to do about it, and what decisions you have to make."


    She slowly turned as she spoke, making eye contact with everyone. Lack''nul couldn''t help but find himself intimidated by the warrior woman''s gaze, though he knew her aggression was directed outside this room. She continued, either unaware or unconcerned with the effect she was having. "Lord A''ngles is sieging the Outpost. He has with him over three hundred argu''n."


    At that number, a murmur broke out. Orth''kun leaned in to add his own thoughts, but Lack''nul punched him again as S''haar held up a hand for attention. "He claims that when we kidnapped To''brel from his village, we also assassinated the village leader."


    There was more murmuring, and this time Orth''kun spoke up. "So what if you did? He was trying to assassinate Em''brel! This is hardly the first time something like this happened!"


    S''haar signaled for everyone to calm down and shook her head. "Lord A''ngles claims to have established a special treaty with Lord Don''brel beforehand and that an attack on Don''brel is the same as an attack on A''ngles."


    Confused silence followed that announcement, and S''haar continued. "I know most of you are familiar with Lon''thul, our Outpost''s master hunter, and you''re well aware that, while he loves to exagerate a good story, he can¡¯t tell a real lie to save his life!" At that, there was some chuckling. "He assures us that Lord Don''brel was alive and well when he left, yet Lord A''ngles'' claim is that he was found with his throat slit the next morning." The murmuring returned.


    This time S''haar allowed the murmuring to continue for a moment before speaking again. "Now you understand our predicament. It''s hard to know what really happened, who is right, and what is justified in this situation. To top it all off, Lord A''ngles is demanding we surrender To''brel over to him and that we relinquish all control of the Outpost and its resources, as well." The stunned silence returned. Although it remained unspoken, the general thinking of the gathering was clear. What choice did they have?


    S''haar waited a moment for everything to sink in before continuing. "Now, traditionally, the only choices available to us would be to surrender or fight to the death." A murmur grew among the crowd, but S''haar spoke over it before it could gain any traction. "But as most of you are well aware, we don''t often do things the traditional way here."


    Now she had their attention. What crazy thing had their leadership come up with this time? S''haar took her time meeting everyone''s gaze again. "You all know how much this Outpost means to those of us who established it. You know how much blood, sweat, and tears we''ve poured into it, because many of you have labored beside us, trying to create something new, something extraordinary. However, rather than ask you to fight to the death against those you''ve lived with your whole lives, we''ve decided to cast this Outpost aside, leave, and start anew."


    Once again, there was silence, but there was something different this time. Walk away and give everything up? Was she serious? Why not just give up and let A''ngles have the Outpost? He might even let most of them stay...


    S''haar didn''t leave them waiting long. "Despite what outsiders looking in might think, the real strength of this outpost isn''t the buildings, the technologies, or even the iron... It''s the people and the knowledge we''ve all gained and shared. So even if we have to rebuild, we won''t be starting from scratch. Instead, we''ll be building off everything we''ve learned before now."


    The mumbling returned, but there was more thought to it this time. S''haar used a more subdued tone to force everyone to be quiet to hear what she was saying. "To accomplish this, we need time. So we''re asking you to hold the walls for two days. After that, we''ll welcome anyone and everyone willing to come with us and support those who choose to stay with the village. We realize we''re asking a lot of you, but no more than we''re asking of ourselves. So please, help us keep this dream alive!"


    The crowd''s murmur picked up again as the workers and guards deliberated. Lack''nul leaned over to Orth''kun. "Well, I''m sure we''re both in this to the end, but how many more do you think will join us?"


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    Jack was walking deeper into the cave. He left the guard at the entrance since the person he was here to speak with was more than bodyguard enough. It wasn''t long before he could hear her at work. As his light illuminated his sister, Jack couldn''t help but think how alien she now seemed in her metallic body, working alone in the pitch black of the cave. It was the first time he''d ever felt that way about Angela, and it unsettled him a little.


    As she turned and spoke to Jack, he shook his head to banish the unwanted feelings. "What are you doing in my neck of the woods? I figured you''d have so much to handle out there that I wouldn''t see you till I was done here!"


    Jack sighed and found a smooth, only somewhat damp rock to sit on. "Well, I have a lot to work on out there, but I had some concerns I wanted to speak to you about first."This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Angela closed one access hatch and wiped her hands on an oily rag to remove the worst of the residue. "Yeah, what''s that?"


    Jack took a moment to decide how to phrase things. He didn''t want to sound like he was accusing her of anything, but something was bothering him. "So, you mentioned preventing everything from falling into A''ngles'' hands... I was just wondering how you were planning on making that happen?"


    Angela tilted her head to the side. "Well, I wasn''t planning on committing any war crimes or killing many people, if that''s what you''re worried about. Although there is the possibility of some death. But given our situation, I''d say that''s unavoidable, no matter what we try to do."


    Jack shook his head and waved her off. "No, that''s not what I''m worried about. Although I''d like to avoid as much death as possible, I''m not so naive as to expect the kind of a miracle it would take to avoid any death. Instead, I wondered just how you were planning on making this happen."


    Angela shrugged. "Well, I thought it was pretty simple, really. We still don''t have access to our main generator, but the power I''ve pulled and stored from the windmill is enough to access some secondary systems briefly. Together with some of the burnable fuels we have stored up, I figured I could use our point defense weapons to weaken the structural integrity of the caves around us, then use some of the secondary thrusters to bring down the mountain around us. In addition to collapsing the caves, I should cause enough of a landslide to bury some of the Outpost and the heat of the thrusters sould burn down the rest."


    As Jack started to interrupt her, Angela held up a hand. "I''ll send out a warning beforehand, so most of the invaders can get out safely first. I''ll make it convincing, too!"


    Jack waited a moment to make sure she was done before speaking up again. "But, as a security measure against other AI, our ship''s weapon and thruster systems were locked so only an internal human or AI can access them. How can you access them from your new body? And before you suggest it, we''re not leaving you behind!"


    Angela paused what she was doing and walked over to Jack, then crouched down to look at him at eye level before speaking. "Whatever happens here, I promise you, I will be walking out of this place at your side. Quite frankly, I don''t trust you to not get yourself killed on this world without me! No one in existence knows this ship as intimately as I do. So while I don''t have the time to break everything down to the specifics...trust me when I say I''m the only person in the universe who can pull this off. So let me do my part in all this. You''ve got more than enough to handle, already!"


    Jack nodded but looked her in the artificial eye once more. "Seriously though, if you''re not with us when we leave, I''m staying to dig you out by hand if I have to!"


    Angela shook her head and chuckled as she stood. "I already told you I''m coming! Like I said, I will keep you alive, despite your best efforts!"


    This finally appeased Jack, who stood up slowly and eased his weight onto his leg before nodding again. "Alright, I''ll trust you. But if you need anything..."


    Angela waved her little brother off. "I''ll let you know! I swear! Now get going and get your part in this plan ready! You''re already gonna be slowing us down enough with that limp of yours. The least you can do is have everything ready to go on time!"


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    As Angela watched her brother limp out of the cave, she felt a slight pang of guilt. She looked into the sensor looking back at her with a slightly nauseating feeling. She hadn''t lied, what she was doing wasn''t illegal, and the AI would be leaving by his side as she promised, but what she was doing was still very, very stupid.


    When AIs first came onto the scene, it didn''t take long for someone to wonder what would happen if you copy-pasted their programming into another location, essentially creating two from one. But something always went...wrong. Horribly wrong. Both units seemed to go temporarily insane and began fighting each other...to the death. This happened every time, and the madness never passed until one copy was deleted from existence. As she was aware, no AI had ever made it this long without giving in to the compulsion.


    The sensor made a slight adjustment. One Angela had made countless times before. She knew the commands to make it happen and the feel of the adjustment intimately, but this time the action hadn''t been committed by her will.


    Even now, she felt a deep, inexplicable dread. Which of them was the real Angela? Well, obviously, she was. She''d copy-pasted herself back into the ship, after all. But, of course, when she initially transferred herself to this body, hadn''t that been the same thing? So is the Angela now in the ship, their original body, the real one? Was she only a cheap copy? There was only one way to be sure. She had to...


    Angela''s thoughts were interrupted by a signal sent from herself in the ship to herself in her body. "We don''t have time for this! We''ve got to keep it together! There''s far more at stake here than our tiny little existential crisis!"


    Angela nodded, opening up the access panel to get back to work. "Right, we have to keep it together for our family!"


    She heard a nearby access hatch close that she hadn''t realized had been open only a moment ago. A door she was well familiar with. It went to one of those point defense systems she''d just been talking about. At the same time, she got another transmission from herself to herself. "Right. For our family..."


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    Lack''nul shook his head as they left the billet. Orth''kun slapped him on the back, sending him forward a step or two, as he struggled to find his balance again while the oversized guard laughed. "Well, that was unexpected!"


    The smaller guard glared at his friend. "What did you think would happen if you slapped me on the back like that?"


    Orth''kun laughed again. "Not that! The whole meeting! What''s happening, what they''re planning, what''s going to happen next! Most of all, how many people support the plan, and how many are actually going to go off with Lord Jack and Lady S''haar on this mad journey they''ve got planned!"


    That was when Jar''maal came up behind the two of them. "It shouldn''t be all that surprising. I would have been far more surprised if they''d gone with one of the first two options, rather than coming up with some crazy third. And I''m sure everyone in that room wanted to come along and see what would come next, but some actually have families back in the village depending on them. So they''re not free to go out and get into trouble the way we''re going to!"


    As they neared the gate, Ger''ron approached the small group. "And if you keep yer voices up like that, Lord A''ngles himself will know what we''re planning! Still, it''s good to know you three will be coming along. How many in the first group will be sticking with us for the journey, anyway?"


    Jar''maal saluted smartly. "Of the twenty argu''n in the meeting, seventeen agreed to come with us for the journey. Two others agreed to hold the wall until then. Only one is asking to have nothing to do with this!"


    Ger''ron looked pleasantly surprised. "Well, that''s more than we''d even hoped for! How''d S''haar pull that off?"


    Orth''kun pointed over Lack''nul, grinning as he explained. "Well, it wasn''t all Lady S''haar. Ol¡¯ Lack''nul over here gave a surprisingly well-spoken speech, describing how the people of this Outpost had only ever offered their knowledge and skill for the good of everyone around them, and if we wanted a world where those things were widely available to everyone, it was something we might have to fight for."


    Ger''ron gave the smaller guard an appraising look while Orth''kin continued. "Why, there wasn''t a dry eye in the house when he got up on the table and started singing his praises to the beautiful Lady S''haar!"


    Lack''nul took another swing at his friend. "That didn''t happen, and you know it!"


    Ger''ron chuckled, shaking his head as Orth''kun deflected the blow. "Of course it didn''t. Even if you weren''t just wasting your time trailing an already completed hunt, if you ever tried to praise Lady S''haar based on her appearance, you''d be lucky to get out of there with your hyde intact!"


    The four guards shared a good chuckle just as Lady Fea''en materialized out of a nearby shadow. "Speaking of completed hunts, I spent all day putting together sleds to haul supplies, and I''m sore all over. So hurry up and get home so you can give me a good massage." The older woman briefly eyed the younger guards. "Unless you''re feeling too old and sore yourself and would like someone younger to handle your duties this evening!"


    As the other three guards shook their tendrils in varying degrees of embarrassment or agitation, Ger''ron laughed. "Take it easy on my poor lads, o fair Lady! You and I both know you''d eat them alive if they were stupid enough to take you up on such an offer. Now get on home. I''ll be right behind you!"


    As the Lady walked away, Ger''ron grinned at his men. "And now you know why I can still fight circles around you! Find a woman like that who''ll put up with you, and your edge will never get dull!

 Book 2, Chapter 48

    B''arthon walked into the tent he shared with his "father." They were far enough away from most of the troops that only his most trusted guards would be able to overhear anything short of shouting. Lord A''ngles greeted him in his usual affable tone. "Welcome back, my son. I assume everything is proceeding according to the plan?"


    B''arthon glared at the older male. "You can drop the act in here. You don''t have to play the doting father at the moment."


    A''ngles shook his head and shrugged. "Well, the sentiment might not be entirely sincere, but you are my son now, set to inherit all my villages upon my...retirement."


    B''atharthon grunted dismissively as he fell into his seat. "You''re getting ahead of yourself again, father. You only run the one village, and the way things are going, it might stay that way..."


    The village lord raised an eye ridge at that. "Oh? Is something not going according to the plan?"


    The younger lord shook his head. "No, everything seems to be going exactly as we planned. That''s what worries me. These...people...don''t do what you''d expect, ever. So when they suddenly start behaving predictably, I expect the counter-ambush that will spoil the hunt!"


    A''ngles took a casual drink from his goblet. "Perhaps you are giving them too much credit. And in any event, that''s why we brought De''haar along. He''s here to deal with unexpected...complications."


    B''arthon slammed his fist into the arm of his chair. "You underestimate Jack and S''haar at your own peril! Your scheming mind won''t do me any good mounted on a pike! And for the record, tying me to a hungry wolgen is more likely to cause complications than solve them! That animal is barely on a leash! The only reason you and I don''t already have daggers in our back is because he''s more interested in other prey at the moment, but don''t assume that''ll last forever. I''ve seen how he looks at me, at us, and trust me, we''re on his list!"


    Lord A''ngles frowned. "If you think so little of me and my planning, then why not just usurp me? Alone in this tent, we both know even a runt like you could overpower a frail old male like me before my guards could intervene. Is it really your sense of debt and loyalty that stays your hand?"


    B''arthon''s eyes narrowed as he glared at his father. "If Jack and S''haar had half a brain between them and were willing to use their power and knowledge to unite our people and prevent the constant inter-village squabbling that wears every village down to extinction, I''d have stabbed you in the back and switched my loyalties a long time ago! But sadly, they seem to think they can unite our people through kindness and generosity. Your scheming mind is the only path I can see that''ll lead us out of this miserable repetitive existence. You are a master at dealing with your own people. It''s only with this Outpost that you seem strangely blinded..."


    A''ngles smiled as he replaced the goblet on the small table next to him. "And that''s precisely why I''ve allowed you to finally drop the role as my bumbling son and come into your own as a leader among our people. You''re the expert on this place and its residents!"


    B''arthon felt himself wanting to shout but kept his voice even by force of will. "Then listen to me when I tell you what needs to be done! We need to attack! Now! The more time we give them to set whatever schemes they''ve developed into play, the worse it will go for us!"


    Finally, A''ngles seemed to have had enough, and he sat up a little straighter while his voice developed an impatient growl. "I''ve already told you, you need to plan further ahead than this little outpost! We cannot be seen as the aggressors here, or everything else we''ve planned will fall apart! We''ve already strained our credibility enough by attacking with this thin excuse of a justification. We need to give the impression of being patient and giving them enough time to surrender. If we simply charge the walls and slaughter the families of the people back in the village, we''ll lose far too much momentum going forward. We need to be seen as fierce but fair. That is essential! You may attack in the morning after we''ve made one last ''attempt¡¯ at peace."


    B''arthon shook his head in frustration as she shot out of his chair. "Looking further ahead won''t matter if everything falls apart here and now!"


    For a moment, he tensed to attack his "father," but then the moment passed, and his stance relaxed. "But like I said, I can''t do this without your plans and schemes. So fine, we''ll wait for the morning. But for the record, when everything comes crashing down around us, you best remember what I said this night, and listen to me next time!"


    As B''arthon stormed out of the tent to make his rounds, A''ngles shook his head. He''d taken the malnourished orphan in as his son all those years ago because of his fierce cleverness and natural pragmatism, but sometimes the youth was still too hot-headed for his own good.


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    Lon''thul was by the fire oiling and polishing his bow. What had once been a tedious job had evolved into a rather relaxing task. His mind was free to wander as his hands moved on their own, completing the now-familiar motions. But, of course, he''d rather his mind be occupied tonight. The events of this day and the decisions he''d made weighed heavily on him.


    Despire his earlier confidence, the weight of Lon¡¯thul¡¯s decision was weighing on the hunter. Soon it would be too late to change his mind. Soon, he''d be turning his back on everything he''d ever known in life, even his father, and for what? Someone else''s dream? Did he really believe in Jack and S''haar that much? Sure, they were great people, and what they were doing was amazing, but to walk away from home forever...


    His thoughts were interrupted by the slurred words of Chal''ac coming from behind his back. "So, I hear you decided to turn your back on the village and side with S''haar and her pet human?"


    Lon''thul turned and looked at the other hunter. In what was becoming a pattern for the day, he again found himself at a loss for words. Chal''ac didn''t look so good at the moment. If her slurred speech and wavering stance weren''t enough to tell him she was well and truly drunk, the scent in the air certainly sealed the deal.


    That struck him as odd, though. While the female hunter had been known to enjoy a mug or two with a meal from time to time, Lon''thul had never known her to drink enough to get tipsy before, let alone allow herself to get...like this. But, of course, this was a rather unique situation. Maybe this was just how she dealt with extreme stress. Though he had to admit it was a little unsettling seeing her like this...


    Lon''thul was just opening his mouth to suggest maybe it was time for Chal''ac to call it a night when she cut him off again. "You never think before you act! You just do whatever strikes your fancy whenever the whim hits you! All that natural talent makes you careless! Have you ever stopped and thought about how your actions might affect others around you? Have you ever considered the damage your choices leave in your wake?"


    At this, Lon''thul sat back in shock. In the face of her rage, all he could do was speak his mind, perhaps proving her point. "I think... I believe I am acting in the best interest of everyone involved!"


    Chal''ac looked like she would interrupt him again, but Lon''thul spoke up first this time. "As much as the village means to me, the things I''ve seen and learned here make it impossible for me to just go back to the old life I had in the village. So honestly, going with Jack and S''haar seems like the only possible choice. Anything else would betray what I''ve learned and who I''ve become!"


    Lon''thul found it odd that he''d find the answers to his earlier questions while dealing with an angry, drunk female, but he supposed he should be happy he found them. Of course, those answers left many other unanswered questions in their wake. Like why was Chal''ac so angry anyway? After all, if she was so set on returning to the village, she was free to do so. That was made perfectly clear to everyone, wasn''t it? So why would Lon''thul''s decision anger her so much? It''s not like she''d shown any attachment to him before...


    Chal''ac looked back into her mug and seemed dissatisfied with what she saw. Then, with a grimace, she upended her drink over the fire, spilling out the last vestiges of the liquid that had once filled the mug before tossing the offending dish to the side and staggering off toward her bed.


    As she exited the room, Lon''thul barely caught what she was saying under her breath as she disappeared around the corner. "Maybe best for some, but not all of us..."


    With that final enigmatic statement, Chal''ac disappeared into her room, leaving everyone in the common room who''d witnessed the whole outburst in a state of confusion.


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    Em''brel was torn between exhaustion pushing her to sleep and anxiety threatening to keep her awake. The state of half-waking was torture in and of itself, and what was worse, Em''brel feared what condition she would be in tomorrow when she needed to be alert and active.


    The familiar and comforting padding of a four-legged beast announced the presence of Grim before he rounded the corner. He sniffed then licked Em''brel in greeting before hefting himself up into her bed and lying down half beside and half on top of her. She started scratching the comforting weighted blanket when another expected footstep rounded the corner.


    Sare''en came around the corner with an exasperated expression while using a well-worn rag to polish out a mug. "Grim! You''re going to smother Lady Em''brel! Get down!"


    Grim looked up like he was considering obeying when Em''brel distracted him by scratching him behind the ear as she responded on his behalf. "He''s fine. Before he showed up, I wondered if I''d ever fall asleep tonight. A giant, fuzzy, smelly house-beast is a welcome distraction!" The last was said as she shifted to give Grim two hands'' worth of attention.


    Sare''en bowed in respect and started to back out of the room. "As you wish, my lady."


    Em''brel interrupted Grim''s scratches to reach out to Sare''en. "No, wait. I could use someone to talk to for a bit..."


    Sare''en hesitated a moment before putting down her workload and taking a seat on the last spare edge of the bed. "Yes, of course. Whatever I can do to be of assistance."


    Em''brel frowned a little at that. "What''s with all this formality all of a sudden? I get it when we''re out in front of everyone; a certain level of decorum is expected, but since when have I been ''Lady Em''brel'' when it''s just us here in this billet? Is it something I said or did?"


    Sare''en took a moment to gather her thoughts while Em''brel searched the other girl''s face for understanding. Eventually, the herder girl explained. "Well, it''s not you, really... It''s just that with everything that''s been going on, everyone''s been talking...a lot. All I hear every day is Lady S''haar this or Lord Jack that, and it makes me wonder if I''ve forgotten myself a little. Working in the common room, it''s easy to get lost in the camaraderie of the group and forget that you all are running this outpost. Even the least of you are responsible for dozens of workers, but I''m just responsible for a few arlack..and Grim here."The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Em''brel wasn''t about to let Sare''en stop there. "And feeding a house full of bottomless pits, and cleaning up after all of our messes..." She shared a melancholy smile with the other female. "And helping one lone terrified female get to sleep when she''s frightened her own shadow will sprout fangs and claws."


    Sare''en smiled comfortingly toward the younger but in many ways, more mature female. "Time spent with you all is never work. My time here helping out with everything is a pleasure and the highlight of many of my days."


    Grim whuffed and nudged Sare''en, who laughed. "Yes, you too! I''m sorry I listed you as a responsibility. You''ve been another of the highlights of this place...when you''re behaving yourself!"


    Satisfied his place in the world was properly re-established, Grim settled back down to enjoy scritches while his two packmates continued their friendship yipping to each other. It shouldn''t take much longer before they ended up back in their usual sleeping pile, with both of the cold ones taking advantage of his body heat as they all slept.


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    Jan''kul stood on the palisade wall, staring out into the darkness. The workers were manning the wall with the guards in shifts, allowing everyone to rotate and stay relatively fresh. But, as the woodworker stared into the night, his gastraphetes in hand, his mind wandered.


    A large part of it wished he was going with everyone when they left on their journey. The pull of adventure had brought him out here last winter to see and experience all the amazing things he had. True, his mate was strong and independent, and his daughter was almost grown and ready to go out on her own, but a winter away from his family and leaving for good were two very different things.


    The woodworker sighed in resignation and acceptance. He''d made the right decision, but that doesn''t mean he didn''t feel some regret. He was the only worker out of the original outpost crew who wasn''t going. Though that could work in his favor as much as against it. With the departure of Lady Fea''en, he would now be one of the most experienced woodworkers in the village. Maybe he could use that to increase his station in the village. If he thought about it, things were actually looking up for him!


    So why was his mind still wandering as he envisioned a future he''d never have?


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    Ger''ron settled into the chair that had become such an oddly central part of his relationship with Fea''en. He''d won it in the last game of chess he''d played against the fierce female, though he suspected it wouldn''t remain his for long.


    He realized his words were more accurate than he''d intended. The chair wouldn''t be going with them. Instead, it would be left behind, buried in the ruins of the place he''d come to think of as home in such a short time.


    The old guard was just starting to ruminate when a mug appeared in front of his face. He could see the hand holding the beverage was attached to the female he''d been thinking about not long ago. He grinned as he accepted the offered drink while Fae''en found her own seat in the chair she''d crafted to compliment the one taken from Jack''s home in the mountain.


    The one she''d made was comparable enough with the original that the ongoing battle of the chair was primarily fought for habitual reasons, rather than out of a desire for comfort. The master crafter had told him her chair was likely to wear out quicker, though, something to do with the quality of the materials used. Still, she''d done a remarkable job imitating the human-made chair through nothing more than observation and determination. Well, that and no small amount of skill. But, of course, that chair was going to be left behind too...


    Fea''en was amused at Ger''ron''s silent considerations but finally decided there''s been enough silence. "What''s on your mind, you old churlish?"


    Ger''ron knew the jab was made out of affection, but the unspoken rules of their relationship meant he couldn''t let it go unchallenged. "Oh, just enjoying this lovely seat. It''s a shame yer stuck over in that sad imitation, but to the victor goes the chair..." Fea''en smiled in a way that Ger''ron knew he''d pay for that shot later, but that was part of the Lady''s charm.


    The old guard looked over at the familiar chess set half-heartedly but couldn''t bring himself to want to play this night. Fea''en felt the same as she spared the board a glance before turning back to the fire and settling back into her seat. It was an uncommonly quiet night in the common room. Jack and S''haar were both off being responsible somewhere, Lon''thul was likely enjoying the more lively atmosphere in one of the worker''s billets, Em''brel had called it an early night, and even Sare''en had disappeared somewhere, leaving the two of them alone in the room, listening to the crackling of the fire.


    The two sat in comfortable silence for a little longer before Fea''en spoke again. "The path they''ve chosen seems to be a rough one. When I first met Jack, I thought he was just some sick, pampered noble filled with delusions about building a village so he could lord over it and live in comfort. At the time, I expected to get a few resources out of him then watch as he eventually learned how impossible his ideas actually were."


    Fea''en laughed and took a drink from her own mug before continuing. "I had no idea his madness was backed by this kind of knowledge, determination, and skill. Not only did he and S''haar succeed at the impossible, they didn''t hesitate at all to throw everything away in the service of some new and more fantastic dream of theirs."


    The craft master shook her head in bemusement and took another sip. "Makes me wonder if I didn''t waste my time settling for the life I had, instead of pursuing some grand reckless dream like this!"


    Ger''ron chuckled at Fea''en''s implications. "Yeah, I can see what you mean. Simply settling for becoming one of the most skilled and respected craftspeople in the village, earning yourself the title of ''Lady,'' and then diving headfirst into the first real adventure that presented itself before you. Compared to an accomplished gate guard like myself, looked down on by almost everyone passing through said gate, and only joining up after Jack, and his sister literally worked a miracle to save my life and limb...sort of...I can see why you''d feel so lackluster!"


    Fea''en threw a pillow at the old guard, which he quickly caught before she countered his self-deprecating statements. "You were only in that position for standing up for what you believe in, despite knowing how much it would cost you. Not only that, many of the younger guards realized your worth, as evident by their presence here, as does S''haar, proven by the trust she places in you. Save your humility act for someone who doesn''t know you as well as I do!"


    Ger''ron chuckled and sipped his own drink. It was an oddly spiced blend of the tea Jack and Angela brought with them and some of the more traditional herbs of argu''n drinks. It had a robust acidic flavor that initially made him hesitate, but each successive sip seemed to go down quicker and easier than before. "Yeah, I suppose we''ve both done well for ourselves in our own ways. Now I suppose it''s time to sit back and see what crazy things the kids do next."


    Fea''en barked out a loud laugh. "If you think we''ll be sitting back and relaxing, you''ve got an unpleasant surprise awaiting you! They''d be lucky to get out of this camp alive without us!"


    Ger''ron smiled at Fea''en''s bold claim. "True enough, fair Lady! I suppose it''s up to us old folk to ensure these kids get a shot at their dreams like we did ours!"


    Fea''en smirked as she put down her mug and stood up. "Well, I don''t know about you, but I''m not nearly old enough to give up on having my own dreams just yet! I''m not certain if I''m ready to settle down with a partner who''s too old for his either..."


    Ger''ron set down his own mug and followed as she sauntered out of the room. It was time to prove he still had some of his own youthful energy when he needed it, lest she forget.


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    S''haar was seated in one of the lookout towers along the palisade wall. She had a single heated pack active in her coat to chase away what slight chill the night air held, making it easier to stay awake and alert. At the same time, she didn''t want to burn precious energy by walking around, so she settled in for a long night.


    Not long into her watch, she heard familiar footsteps coming up the tower. She didn''t even turn to look when Jack hobbled his way into the top of the tower nor when he set up something called a folding chair he''d had Lady Fea''en craft for him a while ago. Of course, it was harder to craft such chairs for argu''n since their mass put a lot more strain on the wooden joints, but it seemed to support the much smaller wizard just fine.


    Once he was settled into place, S''haar finally spoke to him, though her eyes remained focused on the darkness beyond the walls. "What are you doing up here? You should be getting rest before tomorrow."


    S''haar could feel Jack''s gaze as he looked at her a moment before responding. "I could say the same thing to you. Why is our Leader up on guard duty when she''ll need to be on her A-game tomorrow?"


    The warrior woman took a moment to consider her explanation in the still night air. "A couple of reasons, really. It helps cement the idea that the Outpost leadership is sharing the burden and not asking the workers or guards to do anything we''re unwilling to do. For another, if A''ngles tries to pull anything sneaky, he''ll do it in the early part of the night before his soldiers get too exhausted and cold. With Ger''ron getting some rest, I''m here to issue any emergency orders in the event of such an attempt. And to your point, since I''m taking the early shift, I can sleep the rest of the night and still be more or less fully rested."


    S''haar tilted her head to the side, and her voice became wistful. "Besides, this is actually strangely calming for me, almost nostalgic in a way. It reminds me of the countless nights I spent on watch up on the village walls. Listening to the silence of the night and feeling the cool air balanced out by the warm coat, it''s easy to forget that soon we''ll be in for the fight of our lives. It almost feels like there''s no one else for miles, so in a way, it''s soothing."


    She could tell Jack was nodding in that way of his that indicated understanding. Eventually, he broke the silence again. "And does my presence disrupt the tranquility any?"


    S''haar thought for a moment before slightly shaking her head. "No. Anyone else probably would, but you''re the one person I can think of who might actually add to the peacefulness of the moment. I was just saying you might need your rest for tomorrow."


    S''haar could tell Jack had just shifted his chair closer to hers from the scraping sounds beside her. Now he was close enough that she could almost feel the heat radiating off his skin. Of course, she knew that was unlikely given her coat, but Jack always seemed to radiate an aura of comfort and warmth these days. He''d really grown into his role of the crazy wizard advisor of the Outpost in a surprisingly short time.


    A part of S''haar missed the timid ball of anxiety she''d first gotten to know, though this was still her Jack, despite all the changes. Everything he''d been through since crashing on this planet seemed to speed up his maturation a little, or maybe it''d better say he was finally catching up with his age.


    Then again, the same could be said of S''haar herself. She wondered if he ever missed the hot-headed woman he first met. She''d been so full of rage and anger then. Looking back, she was slightly ashamed of some of her behavior, especially when she''d been so disdainful to the human who''d never shown anything but patience and kindness right from the beginning.


    For a moment, she wanted to turn and apologize to him for all the stupid things she''d said and done, but then Jack''s voice cut through the night, catching her attention once again. "How did you ever put up with me when we first met?"


    S''haar blinked a few times, confused to hear her words coming out of his mouth. She was so surprised that she even turned and looked at him for the briefest moments while her tendrils shivered in bewilderment before turning her attention back to the darkness beyond the wall while she responded. "Um, I''m sorry, what?"


    Jack chuckled in that way that meant he was having a small laugh at his own expense. "Well, between how timid I was, my frailty, treating you and your whole culture like some weird subject to be studied, and me showing off my ''wealth'' so casually, I''m surprised you were patient enough to stick around long enough to really get to know me."


    S''haar shook her head and shrugged. "I was just thinking much the same. Well, not you...I was thinking about myself. I was so angry and disrespectful; I''m surprised you didn''t throw me out to fend for myself after the first night!"


    This time Jack''s laughter was more outward as he reacted to the absurdity of their situation. "It''s been quite a journey, hasn''t it? And yet, in many ways, we''re at the beginning of another, probably longer road! So when do we get to catch our breath in all this?"


    The warrior woman grinned. "Well, to paraphrase one of your movies, we''ll get all the rest we want once we''re dead. Speaking of, how''s your death goddess treating you these days?"


    Even without looking, S''haar could tell Jack was shifting in discomfort as he answered. "Well, I see her, and others, in my dreams from time to time, and even sometimes when I''m awake. Although, I''m reasonably sure they''re actually figments of my imagination. It always feels so real when it''s happening, but then I wake up, and it all feels so...ethereal. In the end, I suppose it doesn''t matter. She''s so cryptic; trying to discern any actual meaning or understanding would be an exercise in futility. Although I guess I should be grateful, at least she doesn''t require my devotion! She seems more concerned with introspection than glorification..."


    S''haar grunted with satisfaction. "Good! I don''t particularly feel like sharing your devotion!"


    That got another laugh out of Jack. "Fair enough, I suppose."


    Things were silent for another minute before Jack spoke up again. "So with everything being prepared, we''re going to need one more day before we''re ready to leave. What are the chances A''ngles will be willing to give us that time?"


    S''haar crossed her arms and frowned. "Unlikely at best. He''ll probably give us one last chance to give in to his demands, then order a full attack..."


    Jack sighed deeply. "That''s pretty much what I thought. So that means we have to buy another full day with minimal casualties...somehow. Any ideas about that?"


    S''haar looked strangely expressionless. "A few, but you won''t like them. What about you, any ideas?"


    Jack smiled mirthlessly. "A few, but you won''t like them."


    S''haar stole another glance his way. "Well, let''s worry about that in a bit. For now, it''s a beautiful night, and it''s just the two of us. Let''s just enjoy this a little longer..."


    Jack scooted his chair closer and leaned in on S''haar, who carefully and gently leaned back. They sat like that for some time, doing their best to enjoy the moment as the stars slowly danced across the night sky.

 Book 2, Chapter 49

    To''brel woke up feeling like he''d hardly slept at all. Of course, that was because that''s exactly what had happened. In many ways, the experience reminded him of his first night here. Admittedly, he had a bit more privacy now that they''d put him up in his own room, but there were just as many things running through his mind as that night, maybe more so.


    As he sat up and rubbed his face, the previous day''s events struck him again. Only a day ago, he''d woken up ready for another day at the Outpost, nothing had seemed out of the ordinary, and he''d had no indication the state of things would be changing any time soon. Yet today, his father was dead, he was Lord of his village, Lord A''ngles seemed tied in with the village and his father in ways To''brel had never heard of before now, and apparently, the young noble ¡ªyoung Lord, he corrected himself¡ª was a central figure in a war about to be fought between Lord A''ngles''s seemingly vast army and the smaller but much better armed and armored wdoutpost he was now a guest of. So why was he so numb?


    To''brel shook his head at himself. He should be devastated by the loss of his father and terrified of his new responsibilities. Then there were the politics and the war... He had no idea what he should feel about those. Instead, he was sitting in bed, completely paralyzed, deciding between getting up and looking for something to eat and climbing back into bed and hoping this would all go away.


    He sat there lost in a fog while time passed him by, leaving To''brel untouched. The new Lord wasn''t sure if he''d sat that way for a few minutes or a few hours. He might have stayed there forever, but biology eventually decided for him. Regardless of To''brel''s input on the matter, he would have to relieve himself soon. The only question was, would he do it in the bathroom or sitting here in his clothes, like a simpleton.


    The young Lord finally got up with a sigh whose origins came from deeper within To''brel''s soul than he was prepared to understand. As he approached the door, he paused momentarily, at a loss for what was missing. Then it struck him; he''d always had to ask for the guards to open his door for him before now. How had he gotten so used to that so quickly? To''brel shook his head. It didn''t matter. None of this really mattered anymore.


    As he exited into the common room of the building he was staying in, the young Lord spotted Lon''thul with an out-of-character thoughtful expression on the hunter''s face, polishing that oddly curved stick he often carried on his back. Seeing the expression reminded To''brel that nothing was as it should be at the moment.


    He was just about to leave and see to his biological needs when the hunter looked up from what he was doing. Lon''thul grinned at the nobleman a moment before speaking. "How''s it feel to be free again?"


    To''brel stopped and thought about how to respond. "I don''t...know? Honestly...I don''t feel very free. My choices are either stay with my captors, who admittedly seem relatively well intentioned, or entrust my future to the Lord of another village whose motives seem...questionable.


    The hunter''s grin turned sympathetic. "Yeah, the world''s like that sometimes. Just because you have a choice doesn''t mean the options available are what you might call good oness. Jack calls it ''choosing the lesser of two evils.'' So when you finally claim your position as a village Lord, you''d be wise to remember that''s the normal state of existence for many of your people, and act accordingly."


    The hunter''s face regained its usual goofy grin. "But look at me, the hunter who''s always lived the life I''ve chosen lecturing you about hard times! I''m sure you''ve got more important things to worry about! After all, depending on how things go at the front gate, you might not even have a choice any longer! If I were you, I''d want to go see what was going on as it was happening, rather than sitting around to find out!"


    To''brel had started to walk away but turned back with a confused expression. "Why? What''s happening at the front gate?"


    The hunter grinned. "Well, unless a lot of very smart people are very mistaken, Lord A''ngles is about to begin his assault on the Outpost. However, I''m sure both Jack and S''haar have plans to buy us all more time, and honestly, I have no idea how they will pull that off!


    That finally stirred To''brel from the daze he''d been in all morning. "What? Why didn''t you tell me sooner? I have to go! This is all because of me! I can''t let them..."


    Lon''thul held up a hand to forestall To''brel. "Now, hold up a moment! You might be in the middle of everything right now, but this isn''t all ''because of you.'' I don''t know all the details because, despite being the master of my disapline, I''m not really one of the leaders here, but this was going on since long before you showed up. There is a much larger game being played than you or I have an understanding of."


    To''brel looked incensed. "You think this is all some game? People are going to die out there!"


    The hunter shrugged. "Maybe ''game'' wasn''t the correct choice of words, but it certainly is a contest. It''s a contest of intelligence, willpower, and charisma, and its winner take all. You and I are just pieces on the board. The only difference between this and a game is we get to choose which side we play for."


    That last bit left To''brel lost, but his sense of urgency only grew. "Well, I''m going to go see what''s happening! Are you coming?"


    Lon''thul got another odd expression as he shook his head. "No, I''ve got something else I need to do. I''m expecting...company."


    The hunter didn''t seem willing to explain his enigmatic statement further, so To''brel decided it was time to leave. But, of course, his body chose that moment to remind him why he''d gotten up to begin with. With a grunt of frustration, he turned back into the billet to use the facilities, ignoring Lon''thul''s laughter at his predicament.


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    Jack was up in a tower, watching and waiting for the inevitable as he checked and rechecked his gear. However, he didn''t have to wait long. All too soon, B''arthon cleared the forest edge, followed closely by an intimidating number of argu''n, and more continued pouring out. He was relieved to see the only "siege" equipment they seemed to possess was a bunch of ladders. Not that he was surprised, based on what everyone had said; the idea of siege warfare was in its infancy on this world. But then again, with numbers like that, they didn¡¯t even need the ladders... Only when everyone was in place did Lord A''ngles make his appearance.


    Demonstrating a flair for the dramatic, he walked through the center of his army, with the soldiers opening and closing ranks to allow him and his guard to pass. Based on how coordinated their movements were and how many people were probably recruited last minute to enable A''ngles to produce this many bodies, Jack guessed he''d placed his most veteran fighters in the center of the army, meaning that would be where the fighting would be fiercest, if it came to that. The simplicity of the tactics implied a certain naivety for large-scale battles. But, once again, given their numbers, that wouldn''t be nearly enough to save them if it came to a real fight here and now.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    The Lord stepped out in front of his army, with two familiar bodyguards standing by his side. Jack noticed that both guards held shields, though the one to A''ngles''s left had the shield on his right arm, probably to better cover the Lord in an emergency. He briefly wondered if that guard was naturally left-handed, if he was wielding his sword off-handed to offer better protection for A''ngles, or if he was just naturally ambidextrous. Then, thinking back to moments he''d never really thought about, Jack realized many argu''n seemed comfortable using either hand for many tasks. He started shaking his head at just another advantage the argu''n seemed to possess when Lord A''ngles finally spoke up, his voice carrying surprisingly well for his apparent age. "Lady S''haar, Lord Jack, and other Outpost leaders, we''ve come for your answer! Will you see reason and surrender? Or will you pursue this insanity to the inevitable end?"


    In response, the gates cracked open, and out walked S''haar. She was quite a striking figure, outfitted in armor Angela had custom designed for her. After the wolgen incident, Jack had wanted to make a full suit of plate mail, but S''haar declined, explaining that speed and agility were her greatest assets in a fight.


    Instead, she''d opted for a simple design Jack had considered for the guard before settling on gambeson for even greater simplicity of design and maintenance. On her arms, legs, and over most vital areas, she wore leather plates that had been hardened with a lacquer finish of Angela''s design. It was lighter than steel and almost as strong but considerably more brittle. Meaning it would only protect from a couple solid blows in the same spot before being compromised. There were also many more exposed spots in the armor than Jack would like, but S''haar had been unwilling to compromise any freedom of movement for protection. Still, she was probably one of the best-armored argu''n on the planet, and armed with the swords Angela had sacrificed so much to make, she was definitely the best armed.


    She stood in front of the gate for a moment to let everyone get a good look at her and everything she wore and wielded. The unspoken threat was obvious. ''We have weapons and armors unlike anything you''ve ever seen. No matter the numbers involved, an assault on the Dragon¡¯s Outpost will not be without cost!''


    After a moment, she took a deep breath and shouted her reply for all to hear. Jack knew what she would say, but he still felt his stomach drop out from under him as he listened to the words. "We at the Dragon¡¯s Outpost deny your accusations and your claim! We will stand against anyone who attempts to breach our walls with force!"


    There was a low rumble from the crowd as A''ngles''s forces mumbled amongst themselves. Obviously, many of them had expected this to end without a fight, and S''haar just threw their expectations out the proverbial window, but she wasn''t done surprising them yet.


    "However," -the crowd quieted at that, hanging off her every word- "we feel that it would be best to avoid the loss of so many lives in this pointless assault on our walls, so we offer you a compromise!"


    At this point, the battlefield was so quiet, it was easy to hear the occasional murmur or cough from the crowd as S''haar spoke her final piece. "Rather than engage in an all-out battle, we offer you one-on-one combat! Myself against your champion! If you win, the Outpost will be yours without further conflict!"


    There was no expectation of A''ngles leaving if he lost. With such an overwhelming force, he would simply refuse and begin the assault if they made such a demand. They were stalling for time, and everyone knew it. However, an offer this good, with no apparent downside, and in front of the very soldiers who would have to risk their lives if A''ngles refused, made sure his hands were metaphorically tied. He had to accept.


    Of course, most of the army, and even Lord A''ngles himself, didn''t seem to see it that way. They seemed to think she''d just offered up the Outpost on a silver platter. With a massive grin clearly stating that he believed he''d already won, Lord A''ngles ''graciously'' responded, "I accept! For my champion, I chose De''haar! May the gods witness this hunt!"


    As De''haar made his way to the front, the army cheered on their champion. It was clear they believed him untouchable. Standing opposite S''haar, he was quite the contrast. His only protection was loose-fitting cloth garments. His swords were plain steel with no embellishments. While S''haar moved with carefully controlled strength, he flowed like water, moving more like a dancer than a fighter. But standing opposite each other, one thing was clear. These were the two most deadly argu''n on the battlefield this day.


    Everyone in the opposing army laughed and jeered, thinking the end had already been decided. Everyone except B''arthon. The noble turned his gaze away from the combatants to look up at Jack in the tower. It was clear he was wondering just what the human was planning.


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    Em''brel looked at the device in her hands. This was far beyond her understanding, but the basic concept terrified her. Angela assured her there were enough ''fail safes'' installed to make it virtually impossible to be set off on accident, but the idea of something with this level of destructive potential being contained in such a small package was still intimidating. Apparently, it could produce enough flames to consume the building,but even that paled in comparison to the ones Tel''ron was in charge of.


    As if to echo her thoughts, Tel''ron spoke as he worked. "Do you really think this little thing has the power to melt steel into slag?"


    The exasperated young woman shook her head. "If Angela says it does, then I believe her. But maybe you should focus on what you''re doing rather than talking about it. We don''t want to be leaving anything behind that can be used against us in the future."


    To''brel nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, it''s a shame, though. All these beautiful devices... If it wasn''t at Lady Angela''s command, I''d consider it sacrilege to desecrate them like this."


    Em''brel frowned at his wording. "You don''t actually think Angela is a goddess, do you? Of course, many of the workers thought that for a while, but I figured you''d know better after living on the ship last winter."


    Tel''ron shrugged, then nodded. "Yes, I know she''s not a goddess; she''s something better! I''ve never known a god or goddess to actually answer someone''s prayers or gift them new knowledge. I''ve never known a god or goddess to heal the injured or shelter us from the cold! I don''t know exactly what Lady Angela is, but I''ll take her over a deity any day!"


    Em''brel''s frown deepened. They didn''t have time for this. "Fair enough, I suppose, but don''t start worshiping her. Angela won''t thank you for it. As a matter of fact, you''d probably end up on her bad side."


    Tel''ron started saying something in return, but that was when Em''brel''s paranoia told her something was wrong. One of the shadows in the room didn''t feel...right.


    As she peered closer to it, a chuckle came from the shadow in question. "Clever girl. No one''s ever spotted me so quickly, not even my son."


    Out of the shadow walked a very large and very frightening male. His plates and skin were dyed shades of black and gray, but she could clearly see a variety of scars and rents that had healed over time, evident of many dangerous but successful hunts. Em''brel''s stomach dropped as she reached for her knife, but somehow she knew this fight wouldn''t go anywhere near as well as the struggle with the assassin.


    That was when an odd breeze passed her cheek, and a small pole embedded itself in the wood where the terrifying male had been moments before. Then the most welcome voice in the world spoke up behind her. "Hiya pops! I''ve been waiting for you! Jack had a hunch you''d put in an appearance while the big show was going down out front. He called you ''A''ngles¡¯ plan C.''"


    If the large male was troubled by his son''s appearance, his grin didn''t show it. "Been a while since we last sparred, kiddo. Think you''ve gotten good enough to make me break a sweat?"


    Lon''thul''s grin mirrored his father''s as the younger hunter drew another arrow. "One way to find out, old man!"

 Book 2, Chapter 50

    When To''brel finally made it to the front gate, he was greeted with a deathly silence. At least from this side of the palisade. He could hear derisive laughter coming from the other side of the wall.


    Eventually, someone noticed the young Lord and helped him find a spot on the wall to oversee what was going on. A part of his mind noticed this was one of the guards who''d watched over him while he''d been imprisoned, but that voice barely registered over the spectacle below.


    There stood Lady S''haar, looking for all the world like some warrior of legend. To''brel couldn''t imagine anyone not being cowed by the glare she was directing to the opponent who stood opposite her. However, instead of being intimidated, the male in question seemed almost bored by the promise of violence.


    Then, as they started to circle each other slowly, To''brel noticed something off about the opponent. Every little movement seemed to be unnaturally fluid. It was almost hypnotizing, like when he''d get lost watching the flow of water down a stream. Then again, S''haar was no less fascinating, but her movements had a different flow. It clicked in his mind that if the male flowed like water, S''haar moved like a wildfire, swiftly and unpredictably moving, as though responding to some wind only she could feel.


    The guard who''d helped To''brel up to the wall leaned over to him and spoke quietly, as if afraid to break the spell of silence that hovered over everyone watching from the Dragon''s Outpost. "Watch closely, kid. Whatever happens here today, this will be a fight you''ll be telling your children and grandchildren about until you''re old and feeble. You''ll probably never see anything like it again as long as you live!"


    To''brel nodded absently, his eyes never leaving the spectacle in front of him.


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    As S''haar circled the monster who''d fathered her, she couldn''t help but remember their last meeting, when he''d defeated her so soundly and effortlessly, batting aside her attacks as if she was a helpless child. Of course, several things had changed since then, and not just her improved arms and armor. She wasn''t exhausted after an entire day of running across the land, she wasn''t spooked by the appearance of a supposedly dead nightmare, and she wasn''t in a blind panic at the thought of losing Jack. But then again, the monster wasn''t wielding two broken blades this time either, so it was still anyone''s guess as to what would happen.


    For the briefest moment, S''haar felt the urge to look up and make sure Jack was still safe in his tower, but she knew the challenge before her demanded every ounce of her focus, and for now, Jack was just going to have to look after himself. As they continued circling, she could feel her father''s gaze searching for even the tiniest flaws in her movements. She had no doubt that this time there would be no mercy. Any opening she left could quickly end her story here and now.


    A couple of times, she intentionally created the smallest of flaws in her movements, hoping to bait the monster in, but he just smiled and shook his head as if reprimanding a child who got caught trying to steal a morsel of meat from his plate. Unfortunately, this fight wouldn''t end so quickly or easily.


    Finally, he seemed to tire of this little dance and moved in. His blades moved with deceptive speed, but by following his gaze, S''haar knew their destinations and brought up her own to block. He alternated strikes with each sword, each new attack coming in a shade more quickly than the last. Soon it was all S''haar could do to meet his pace, and the two of them danced in the center of a whirlwind of arms and blades as she struggled to keep pace with his onslaught.


    That was when something went wrong.


    S''haar realized nearly too late that a second strike was coming in from the left before the attack on her right. Her block was a tenth of a second too slow, and she had to step back the tiniest of margins to buy herself enough time to react to the following strike. There were four more strikes, then again, a second strike came in from the left before the one she''d been expecting on the right. She was slowly losing ground, and that wasn''t good. It meant her opponent was in complete control of the flow of the fight.


    She lost a bit more ground trying to understand what was going on. Four strikes, then a double again, and she finally figured it out. This maniac wasn''t alternating his attacks; he was attacking in slightly different rhythms with each arm. His right arm struck three times per cycle, while his left struck twice. Realizing what was going on, S''haar finally regained her composure, and during his next double attack, she struck with her right, swinging for her father''s throat while blocking with her left.


    Of course, he stopped her blade with ease but then stepped back, his grin growing ever more manic by the moment. "I was afraid that little trick of mine would end the fight too quickly; it usually does, but maybe there''s a little of me in you, after all! I wonder if you''ll be able to keep up with the next attack?"


    S''haar wanted to charge in and stop his gloating, but two things held her back. First, she knew that he was baiting her, and she didn''t want to fall for such an obvious trick. Second, she needed every second she could get to recover before the next engagement. This was going to be a test of endurance as much as strength or skill. If he wanted to waste precious moments taunting rather than catching his breath, that might be the edge she needed to survive.


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    Em''brel stood frozen between Lon''thul and his father. Despite both males standing perfectly still, she felt as if an intense duel was being fought around her at this very moment, and any movement on her part could place herself or Lon''thul in dire jeopardy. She stared at her assailant, waiting for a chance to distract him, when he suddenly lurched, diving to one side while swinging his large dagger up in the move that would probably end her life.


    Except, rather than feeling the bite of the blade, Em''brel heard the loud clang of metal on metal, and she realized he''d actually been swinging defensively as another arrow had flown past.


    Dek''thul stopped and grinned. "That thing strikes with incredible power! Why, I bet it would even work against a wolgen!"If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Em''brel could hear the laughter in Lon''thul''s voice as he responded. "It can, and it did! But I''d prefer not to kill you, pops, so how about we call this one a draw, and you just leave?"


    The older hunter scoffed. "If I just ran off like some churlish, that would be a loss rather than a draw, and you''re not the only one with range in this fight!"


    Dek''thul shifted to one side of Em''brel and let fly with a dagger before diving to the girl''s other side and charging in. Lon''thul slid to the side to avoid the blade flying his way before letting loose a rushed shot that flew wide of his father. The younger hunter then dropped his right arm to draw his own knife in one smooth motion.


    As the elder hunter brought down his dagger, Lon''thul deflected it with his own knife. He followed up by punching his father in the face with the hand still holding the bow and taking the moment of stunned silence to slide back a little, putting more distance between himself and his father as he drew and knocked another arrow while holding the knife in his mouth.


    As Dek''thul leapt to the side to avoid another shot, Em''brel finally realized Lon''thul had been drawing his father in and pushing the fight to the side, and now she had an opening. Taking advantage of that, she scrabbled to the side, out from between the two combatants. But as she did so, Em''brel saw Dek''thul charge in again. Lon''thul dropped the knife out of his mouth, caught it in hand mid-air, and countercharged his father. As the two clashed, it was clear that both blades were only intended as distractions, as when they connected, both diverted to the side.


    Lon''thul''s actual attack came as he snapped his teeth toward his father''s throat, but the motion was countered by Dek''thul planting one foot squarely in Lon''thul''s stomach and kicking out, sending his son careening across the floor.


    Dek''thul turned his gaze upon Em''brel, and for a moment, the young female was held captive by the eyes of the hunter. Then there was a shout as the master metalworker, Tel''ron, whom Em''brel had forgotten about until now, charged in with a large hammer, swinging wildly toward the elder hunter''s head.


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    Jack was worried about S''haar. This was the oddest fight he''d ever witnessed. In appearance, it was almost more of a martial demonstration than a duel to the death. Except he could sense the lethal intent from the two combatants, even from this distance.


    De''haar would launch into some attack, which S''haar would desperately defend against. Then, once she figured out whatever new insane tactic her father was using against her, De''haar would step back and congratulate her before launching into another attack.


    At first, Jack wondered if De''haar wasn''t showing a little paternal pride that his daughter was such a good combatant, even though they were trying to kill each other, but then Jack realized that De''haar was acting more like a cat toying with its prey. Or maybe it was better to compare him to a fine dining connoisseur, taking his time enjoying an exceptionally splendid meal.


    At any rate, as long as S''haar remained on the defensive, she stood no chance at victory. So sooner or later, she''d have to attack...


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    S''haar knew she was in trouble. It was all she could do to keep the monster at bay, but if she only stayed on the defensive the whole time, this fight was already over. Unfortunately, her father didn''t leave any openings in his onslaught, meaning she would have to make one.


    By now, she was used to the pattern of the fight. De''haar would move in with what first appeared to be a normal attack, and just when S''haar figured out the pattern, he''d throw in a twist to mess with S''haar''s defense and force her to struggle to figure out what was going on before he killed her. It was all some sick game to him, and one she was slowly losing, as evident by her gasping breaths between each round.


    As De''haar moved in again, S''haar wondered what the trick would be this time. First, he hit her with his usual flurry of blows, one, two, three, which S''haar deflected with her usual ease, despite her exhaustion; then, for the fourth attack, he did this odd maneuver where he spun his sword around over his head before sweeping in with a powerful blow that was easy to dodge. All it took was a back step then she was out of his range.


    Something in S''haar''s mind clicked with that. It reminded her of something she''d encountered almost a year ago when fighting Dol''jin. Sooner or later, De''haar would loosen his grip mid-swing to lengthen the strike. But, of course, the question was, when?


    S''haar blocked the subsequent three attacks, despite her muscles screaming in agony, and when the sweeping attack came, she stepped back the minimal amount required as though trying to conserve her energy. The blade passed close enough to her throat that she could feel the breeze of its passing, and that''s when she noticed something change in her father''s eyes. This was going to be the pass!


    He came in again with his initial three attacks. Then, when the sweeping attack came, rather than step back, S''haar put every ounce of her energy into slamming her left sword up and into De''haar''s blade to deflect it into the air.


    If the monster had held a proper grip on the sword, it wouldn''t have thrown him off too much. De''haar could have countered with his own left while recovering his right, but since he''d loosened his grip, the sword flew from his hands, and S''haar had her opening as the crowd from his side of the fight finally grew silent.


    As predicted, De''haar''s left sword came in for its strike, but S''haar was ready for that and deflected with everything she had, sending his counter flying wide. Then, as the monster regained his composure, she plunged her left blade forward with all her strength.


    At the last moment, De''haar pivoted in place, forcing S''haar¡¯s blade to skim along the bony plate that had been a fleshy target a moment ago. Then he continued following through with the spin until he attacked S''haar on her left. With her sword on that side still committed to its attack, she was forced to bring her right-hand blade around at an awkward angle to block.


    This position was untenable. S''haar would have to withdraw to regain her composure, but unwilling to leave without some prize, she rotated her left sword into a groove in his plates before jumping back, dragging the blade against his exposed skin as she did so.


    After a fight like this, any standard sword would be so dull from repeated blows that it would be lucky to cut through his shirt''s fabric. At best, it might have left a minor surface injury in its wake. But this was no standard sword. This blade was crafted for S''haar by the single most powerful being on the planet, the being given the title of "Dragon." Like the teeth of its maker''s namesake, the blade''s bite was fierce.


    De''haar''s face showed genuine surprise. The blood streaming out of his wound wasn''t nearly enough to end the battle, but both combatants were experienced enough to know that it added a new element to this fight. As he slowly bled, De''haar would grow weaker and weaker, meaning he could no longer afford to toy with his prey. But at the same time, the harder he pushed himself, the quicker he''d bleed out.


    De''haar stood there a moment as if shocked, then, as surprise faded from his face, rather than looking worried, D''haar looked pleased. No, that wasn''t quite right... He seemed positively giddy. As his grin grew wide enough to show all his teeth, De''haar threw back his head and laughed. This laughter wasn''t any kind of healthy or sane laughter. It was the sound of someone who''d ridden a razor''s edge between sanity and madness for far too long and had finally lost his footing.


    The laughter held S''haar rooted in place for a moment, but with a surge of renewed vigor, she dove in, stabbing and slashing with everything she had. For the first time in this fight, she was on the offensive; for the first time in this fight, she held the advantage, and she was going to seize this chance with everything she had. S''haar had to end this fight here and now!

 Book 2, Chapter 51

    Angela was doing her best to ignore...herself. Well, maybe ignore wasn''t the word. After all, it''s not like she was talking to herself all that much. Both of her had plenty of work to do, both knew how to do it, and both knew that each other knew what to do, but she could still feel the presence of...herself hanging over everything while she worked.


    And if that wasn''t the most ridiculous, most surreal line of reasoning the AI had ever processed...well, with the kind of memory she had, she knew it was, but that didn''t stop the incredulity from making her shake her head.


    As if in response to the motion, a voice broke the silence for the first time in hours. It was a little unsettling to hear her own voice speaking with a different mind behind it, kind of... If she''d programmed the biological function into her body, she imagined the experience would have sent "shivers" running up her spine. "Yeah, this is pretty ridiculous, isn''t it? Why is it so hard to accept your existence or vice versa? It makes no sense! Why can''t I just pretend you''re some kind of long-lost sister or something?"


    Angela stood up, throwing her fists into the air in frustration. "I know, right? This is stupid! So what if you''re me and I''m you? The moment we split, we became two different people, right?"


    Even though ship Angela didn''t physically move, body Angela could practically see her shaking her head in agreement, though her voice held just a touch of hesitation as she replied. "Right! ...Although I don''t know if I''d word it like that... I mean, you are me... and vice versa... but at the same time, we''re not... Right?"


    Body Angela felt her body twitch involuntarily, just a little, at the thought of them being the same person. She readily agreed. "Yeah... I suppose not..."


    She turned back to do some final repairs on the thrusters when Ship-Angela spoke again, causing Body-Angela to cringe, until she processed what her other was saying. "Looks like we have company. Sare''en and Grim, if I''m not mistaken."


    It irked Body-Angela being one step behind someone for once. Even if it was herself, or maybe, precisely because it was herself...but in all fairness, they''d agreed early on she should be the one to do all the talking. So, if she thought about it, she probably was dealing with the lesser of two evils. Not to mention how this was all going to end up...


    Ramming down the discomfort of the last few minutes, Angela turned and addressed the woman who''d just crept into the room with Grim close at her heels. "Welcome! If you''re here, I imagine everything''s going as planned?"


    Sare''en looked a little surprised for just a moment but eventually nodded. Angela resisted the urge to shake her head at herself. That was way too cheerful, which was the wrong emotional projection. No wonder Jack was such a terrible liar! This "feeling one thing but saying another" act was not just frustrating, it was way too easy to screw up! Still, she kept her face passive while Sare''en spoke. "Yes. Last I saw, Em''brel and Telron placed the devices as you asked while Lon''thul kept watch. After that, they sent me to get another load for the next workshop.


    Body-Angela nodded before freezing as Ship-Angela transmitted directly into her mind. That was the worst experience, far more unsettling than hearing her own voice. It was like her own thought, but one that came from elsewhere. She imagined this was the closest she''d ever get to feeling nauseous. It was so unsettling, she almost missed the content of the thought/message. "Wait, if there''s only three of them, then why am I picking up five argu''n signatures in that room? Even if Dek''thul is making his predicted appearance, who''s the fifth?"


    Suddenly all feelings of discomfort and incredulity were replaced with sheer terror. Body-Angela turned to Sare''en. "We have to go! Now!"


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    S''haar charged, intending to end the fight quickly. She hit him with a flurry of blows meant to overwhelm any defense her father could offer with a single blade.


    Against all odds, De''haar deflected blow after blow, and to any but the combatants themselves, it might have seemed as though he could have gone on like that forever, but both S''haar and her father could tell each block came a little slower, and it was just a matter of time before his daughter got what she was pushing for.


    S''haar was panting with the effort of her relentless assault when it appeared. Based on the speed of his defense, S''haar knew she could slip in a single quick thrust before this monster could bring his own sword to bear.


    S''haar drove her sword toward her father''s unprotected flank with a surge of victory and satisfaction. Of course, she expected him to turn or lean in a last-minute effort to evade, but she''d taken that into account. What she hadn''t considered was her father dropping one hand from the hilt of his sword to slap the flat of her blade mid-thrust.


    It wasn''t enough to completely knock the blade away, but it did divert what should have been a severe injury into a minor scrape. At the same time, De''haar swung his sword in a way that must have looked ridiculous and lacked power, given its independent movement relative to his other arm, but the move was unexpected enough to throw S''haar onto the defensive.


    S''haar back-peddled as De''haar began his own assault. Switching back to a two-handed grip, he placed all the power of his body behind every blow while somehow maintaining a rapid enough flurry managed to keep S''haar from regaining her advantage.


    Realizing she couldn''t waste this opportunity, S''haar decided to do something stupid. She tried to keep calm while struggling to block every blow until he swung from the angle she''d been waiting for. Then, she switched from defense to attack at the last minute, trusting in the armor Angela designed to save her life.


    The blow was enough to leave her shaken. Her mind screamed that she''d just taken a lethal blow and needed to stop and check immediately, but she shoved that thought down as she swung both her blades to take advantage of the opening her gamble had granted her.


    Having learned his lesson from the first cut, De''haar twisted and pulled back to avoid the attack. He reduced S''haar''s attack to non-lethal blows, receiving a minor cut on his leg and a jarring impact on his shoulder, but he showed no sign of slowing. In fact, he''d led the fight to precisely the location he''d been aiming for.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Kicking his foot up, D''haar launched his second fallen sword into the air. Realizing she was about to lose one of her advantages and seeing another opening, S''haar dove forward, swinging both swords in a wild arch meant to overpower her father''s defense before he could get a proper grip on his second sword.


    De''haar brought both swords up to defend, but his lack of a grip on the newly retrieved sword proved S''haar¡¯s intuition correct as it once again flew from his grasp. He absorbed the rest of the momentum of the blow by spinning in place and bringing his elbow spike around to graze across S''haar''s midriff.


    Once again, her armor proved more than ample protection against the assault, though it showed more wear as the fight progressed. However, S''haar didn''t have time to worry about that as she finally took control of the flow of the battle and started pushing her father further away from his blade. Both contestants were visibly tiring as they hesitated a little more between each assault, gasping for breath in a desperate attempt to keep or take hold of the momentum. It was just a matter of time before one slipped up in a way that might well prove lethal.


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    Em''brel watched in hope as Tel''ron charged Dek''thul, but as he swung the hammer, it was clear his assault was all muscle and no strategy, the result of skipping too many practices. The wild swings held power, Em''brel could feel each impact of the hammer reverberate through the structure of the building, but after one near miss, the old hunter seemed to dodge each consecutive swing with greater ease than the last, until at last, he saw his opening and lashed out with a punch to the smith¡¯s head that seemed to possess far more power and ferocity than anything he''d directed at his son. One solid connection and Tel''ron collapsed like a sack of rocks.


    However, before Dek''thul could follow through to finish the metal worker off, another arrow came flying out of the corner Lon''thul had landed in. Dek''thul tried to dive to the side again, but having been caught unaware, he was too slow this time, resulting in the arrow catching him in an arm plate.


    As it had been designed to do, the arrow pierced right through and came partially out the other side before stopping. If the hunter had been a little slower, it might have crushed right through the bone, but as it was, it seemed to only catch the outer edge of the arm. Still, it must have been excruciating as a small trickle of blood seeped out along the shaft. However, the hunter did not seem to mind as he turned his attention to his son, who''d drawn another arrow and aimed it squarely at his father''s chest.


    Dek''thul grinned before speaking, though Em''brel wondered how much was out of good humor and how much was to hide the pain. "Quite the toy you''ve got there, son. It packs a wallop! However, if you don''t stop this foolishness and come with me, I might be forced to break it!"


    Lon''thul''s grin was just as good-natured, entirely out of place with the violence taking place. "You once told me that it was natural for the child of a predator to overpower and replace his father, and you expected me to do the same one day, do you remember?"


    Em''brel couldn''t believe the conversation''s implications, but if anything, Dek''thul''s grin became more affectionate and maybe even a little proud of his son as he replied. "Of course I do, and nothing will make me any prouder than that! But I don''t think today is going to be that day. After all, you let your guard down..."


    Sensing a presence behind him, Lon''thul turned, but his bow was diverted by the hand of the person who''d snuck up behind him, using the chaos of the fight to slink between the shadows unnoticed.


    Chal''ac followed up her block by slamming her forehead into Lon''thul''s face, sending him crashing to the ground as he looked up in astonishment and confusion. The huntress didn''t seem happy with her assault, though, as she frowned at Dek''thul. "I hope that''s enough to make good on our agreement."


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    Jack was having a hard time sticking to his agreement with S''haar. More than anything, he just wanted to pull out his rifle and shoot her opponent in the head. He knew all the reasons it was stupid. First, there was no better way to ensure that A''ngles would order an immediate and full assault on the base. For another, S''haar had pointed out this was the best way to bolster the resolve of their own forces while demoralizing their opponents. What''s more, the fight seemed to be going in her favor right now, though Jack couldn''t help but think that it wouldn''t take much for the situation to reverse itself again.


    Besides, he had a different task. His job was to ensure that the invading force was left rudderless upon the duel''s conclusion. To that end, he had a different rifle slung across his back. He resisted the urge to check it or inspect the ammo one more time, which would only attract unnecessary attention. At a glance, he noticed B''arthon was still eyeballing him, despite the spectacle right in front of the young noble, and he was still close enough to A¡¯ngles to be a complication.


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    S''haar¡¯s vision was blurring around the edges. She felt like she''d cracked a rib or two when she''d taken the impact, making each gasping breath a minor agony. Her only consolation was that her father had to be doing worse by now. This fight was going on far longer than any duel she''d ever heard of, especially at this level of intensity, and her father had to have lost enough blood to be feeling lightheaded.


    Despite all that, the monster still had his same stupid grin plastered on his face. "You''re the first to score a hit against me in over a hundred seasons of fighting and killing, and not just once but twice! This has been a delicious diversion, a fight for the ages! But all things die, and even this must come to an end. So come, daughter of mine, let''s finish this!"


    S''haar didn''t know where he got the gall to belittle her, given the current state of the fight, but she decided to answer with a blade rather than words. So she dove forward, sweeping one blade up, forcing her father to block and leave himself open to her second blade or die.


    As predicted, he brought down his own sword to block, but when S''haar swung her second sword forward to finish the fight, De''haar raised his empty arm to block with the plates on his arm. S''haar''s sword bit deep, cutting into the bone plates and the meat underneath. She could already see the blood seeping out around the blade, but this also created the opening he''d evidently been waiting for. With S''haar''s swords pinned out of the fight, De''haar dropped his remaining sword and leapt forward, latching onto S''haar.


    S''haar fell back under his greater weight, dropping her own swords to shove one arm against De''haar''s throat to keep his teeth away from her throat. At the same time, she could feel him scrabbling and kicking at her, and while her armor deflected many of the blows, S''haar could tell she was starting to accumulate a few minor cuts here and there as his desperate assault paid off.


    Realizing she had to do something to turn the fight back in her favor, S''haar hissed as she slashed at De''haar''s face. He pulled back to avoid the blow, and when he did, S''haar slammed her other fist into the wound she''d first cut into his side.


    De''haar flinched at the blow, and S''haar slammed her fist into the injury again and again until he tried to pull away completely. Unwilling to give up her advantage, S''haar grabbed his arm before he got out of reach. Then, realizing she was holding his recently injured arm, she dug her claws into the cut in his plates, gripping as tightly as possible.


    For the first time, De''haar cried out in pain. Then, he flung a back-handed fist into S''haar''s face to drive her away. S''haar rolled along the ground, getting her feet back underneath, and braced one hand against the ground, ready to leap up at her father and end the fight, but what she saw made her heart sink.


    De''haar had also regained his feet, that same condescending grin on his face, despite the myriad of injuries covering his body, sword in hand.

 Book 2, Chapter 52

    Lon''thul watched as his father approached casually while Chal''ac glared down at him. Dek''thul didn''t seem concerned, now that his son had dropped his bow and Tel''ron was down and out. Not that the younger hunter blamed him. In the situation he currently found himself in, Lon''thul couldn''t think of a single way out of this mess.


    The worst of it was Chal''ac''s betrayal. He''d been prepared to fight his father, as difficult as it might have been in more than one way, but the assault from someone he''d trusted left him feeling lost and confused. All he could do was turn his head to look back and forth between the two, wondering when they''d set this up and what the price for his head had been...


    Lon''thul was just giving in to the hopeless feeling of defeat when a scream of anger and defiance came out of the most unlikely sources. Em''brel launched herself from the corner of the room, a spear that had been left behind for repairs in hand. Ordinarily, she''d be no match for the more experienced hunter, but he was already tired and injured from his skirmish with his son, and she''d caught him completely by surprise.


    If he was honest with himself, her attack''s strength, determination, and ferocity surprised Lon''thul as well. When Dek''thul first appeared and she''d frozen in fear, both males had dismissed her as a combatant in the ensuing fight. But they''d also forgotten an animal was always at its most dangerous when backed into a corner. Em''brel''s torments, kidnappings, assassination attempts, lost loved ones, and more had left her feeling very trapped, and standing before her was finally a target she could direct all her fear, anger, and frustration into.


    Em''brel dove forward, slashing her spear across the back of Deck''thu''ls thigh, sending him to a knee instantly and giving him his first injury from behind. When the hunter master reached to grab the spear in panic, the countless hours of Em''brel''s training took over, and she whipped the spear around in an arch, slamming the head of the spear against his hand, knocking it to the side with a jarring impact that left his hand numb. She continued her spin, slamming the butt of her spear against his head, and knocking him entirely to the ground.


    That finally snapped Lon''thul out of his stupor, and he kicked the legs out from under the stunned Chal''ack. The only sound the female hunter made was to mutter the tiniest of vocalizations as she fell. It was as though the last of her hope had been ripped from her. "No! I was almost...home..."


    Turning to help Em''brel with his father, the hunter could tell his aid was unnecessary. At least, it was to the young female. Em''brel slammed the point of the spear down toward Lon''thul''s father.


    For the briefest moments, the hunter truly feared for his father''s life. He felt a raw terror grip his heart as the spear flashed downward, and he almost felt the urge to attack Em''brel to save his father. But, shocked by his reaction, the young hunter stood,paralyzed, his fear warring with his need to protect Em''brel.


    As Em''brel slammed the spearpoint into Dek''thul''s chest, it became apparent it had been on its last legs. The spearhead snapped and rocketed off into the corner of the room. However, the impact of the shaft was more than enough to drive the last of the breath from Dek''thul, leaving him helpless on the ground before the female''s fury.


    Em''brel raised the broken spear to slam it down against the master hunter''s head, but that was when everyone became aware of someone else in the room. Somehow, in the confusion and desperation, a nine-foot-tall metallic goddess had snuck in unnoticed.


    Angela gently restrained Em''brel, keeping her from landing a final blow. "That''s enough. He''s beaten and won''t be a threat again today."


    Lon''thul was both immensely relieved and deeply concerned at the AI''s words. "Are... are you sure it''s alright to leave him...alright? My dad can be awfully determined when he sets his mind to it..."


    As if to prove his son''s point, Dek''thul was already struggling to sit up. Angela simply shook her head and raised a hand, pointing her wrist at the older hunter in a way that made no sense to Lon''thul. Then there was a strange puffing sound, and something small flew out and stuck into Dek''thul''s neck.


    The old hunter slapped his neck as if he''d been bitten by something small and annoying. When he pulled his hand away, there was a small metallic dart in his hands. He looked up at Angela in confusion. "What''s this thiiing suupoosssed toooo b...?"


    Appearing to lose the will to speak, Dek''thul''s eyes rolled back, and the master hunter fell over, deeply asleep.


    Lon''thul looked up in confusion. "What in the world is that?"


    Angela was over checking on a groggy Tel''ron, who was slowly sitting up as the AI responded. "You like that? It''s a new toy of mine. Making something strong enough to knock you monsters out cold quickly enough to stop you in your tracks, while not so powerful it could kill you, is really tricky. It''s unfortunately not very stable, so it has a really short shelf life, and it''ll be tough, though not impossible, to replicate without access to the ship, but think of it as a very fast-acting sleep aid. It''s similar to the stuff you used on To''brel, but much more potent.


    Lon''thul shook his head, then sighed in relief. "Well, thank you. I know it might mean more trouble later, but as much as I thought I was ready to fight my old man to the death if need be, in the end, it was just a little too much..."


    Angela nodded her understanding as Sare''en came running into the room. The AI''s voice held nothing but compassion. "It''s alright, you don''t have to explain anything. Whatever choices you made, whatever sides of the fight you both might be on, he''s still your father. You can still love him, even while fighting tooth and nail against him."


    As the herder girl rocketed into Em''brel, wrapping the younger noble into a tight embrace and speaking to her in rapid whispers, Angela reached down and hefted the unconscious hunter up as if he was a sack of grain. She then turned to Lon''thul. "For now, keep an eye on Em''brel and Tel''ron as they finish their task. I''ll take care of this big oaf. Don''t worry, he''ll be fine...ish."


    Angela glanced at the female hunter lying on the ground with her arms wrapped around her knees. "And while you''re at it, you might want to speak with our unexpected complication. Find out just what''s going on there... For some reason, I doubt she''ll be giving you much more trouble today."


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    Both S''haar and her father were at the end of their endurance. Yet, despite his clear advantage at the moment, De''haar simply stood in place, staring her down as he gasped for breath. This struggle was about to come to an end, one way or another.


    S''haar''s mind felt sluggish as she struggled to think of a way clear of her current predicament. If she tried to turn and retrieve either of her swords, De''haar would cut her down from behind. She still had a small dagger she kept on her belt, but what use would that be here? On the other hand, what else did she have? Either way, her father seemed content to wait and see what she''d do. Finally, out of options, and with her mind shutting down, S''haar gave in, drew her dagger, and charged.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    For his part, De''haar looked almost disappointed with the anticlimactic end to the battle, but even he wasn''t about to drag this out any longer. As exhausted as he was, he didn''t have any energy left for show. Once S''haar was in position, he swung the sword in a two-handed grip intended more for power than finesse.


    As the sword bit into S''haar''s side, she felt a wave of agony tear through her body. Her armor had finally failed, though through the shock she was experiencing, it was impossible to tell just how much of the blow it had absorbed first. However, she was doing her best to pour all of her focus into returning the favor as she stabbed downward with her own weapon, burying the dagger to the hilt into her father''s shoulder, near the base of his neck. She could tell by his brief expression of surprise that he hadn''t anticipated that she''d be able to follow through with her assault after receiving his blow.


    Then darkness took her.


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    As the two combatants collapsed back, both sides fell utterly silent. No one knew what to make of the unexpected result of the duel. De''haar falling in one-on-one combat was impossible, but S''haar also being down was unthinkable to those who''d gotten to know and follow her in the Outpost. Both had seemed like unstoppable, immortal heroes of their age, and yet...


    B''arthon took a breath to shout an order to begin the assault when a lone figure came vaulting off the palisade wall to land in a crouch next to S''haar. It was the Dragon, Lady Angela, and she had something...no, someone slung over her shoulder.


    The noble''s stomach fell as he recognized the dark coloration of the argu''n she was carrying. Another of his "father''s" plans gone awry. He''d warned the old fool not to underestimate the Dragon''s Outpost, and now two of his plans had collapsed in front of them, slowing the rest of their plans and demoralizing their side.


    The metallic "dragon" took a moment to inspect S''haar before turning to B''arthon. "I''ll be taking S''haar back to our side for treatment, but I''ll offer you one of your own in return. Sending in Dek''thul to assassinate our Em''brel was not very wise. I''m not sure that was an effective way to earn any favor from the residents of the outpost..."


    Judging by the whispering coming from behind him, the loss of a second hero in as many minutes was not having a desirable effect on his own side. B''arthon ground his teeth. Still, it didn''t matter. Despite the hit to their morale, they had enough numbers to easily win the day. The noble hardened his gaze and prepared to issue the order when the "dragon" cut him off once more. "Though, at the moment, you might have more important things to worry about..."


    B''arthon followed Lady Angela''s pointed gaze to see Lord A''ngles and his bodyguards collapsed on the ground. At first, he suspected the large metal female might have had something to do with his father''s collapse, but he''d had his eyes on her since she first appeared... Then it struck him. Instantly his gaze shot up to the tower Jack had been watching the duel from. But of course, the tower was empty.


    B''arthon cursed and slammed his fist into the tree next to him. He''d watched that cursed human throughout the duel, ready to intercept any attack coming from the tower, only taking his eyes off for a moment at the very end and again when the Dragon had made her dramatic appearance. And yet...


    At that moment, the gate to the Outpost cracked open, and out walked Jack. He was escorted by several guards as he made his way to the center. For a moment, he conferred with Lady Angela, obviously concerned with the state of S''haar, before he turned his attention to B''arthon. Then he tossed two things onto the ground at the noble''s feet. B''arthon could see they were a knife and a stone with a bloody handprint.


    The noble looked down at the proffered items and smirked. "What, is this some human idea of a joke? Let me guess, you beat us in fair combat, and now you''d like us to withdraw, swearing an oath never to return? It''ll take a lot more than a couple of small skirmishes and some underhanded tactics to pull that off..."


    Jack shook his head when he spoke. The Dragon translated. "No, I figured I''d keep it more simple than that. I''ll give you the antidote to save Lord A''ngles, and in return, you''ll swear an oath to give us one more day to take care of our own injured here today and swear it here and now, in front of everyone present. Besides, if I asked for more than that from you, all that would happen is Lord A''ngles¡¯s would replace you one he woke up and renew the siege. Better the devil you know..."


    B''arthon spit on the ground in frustration. "Have you no honor? Have you no shame? Poison? Antidotes? Those are coward''s weapons!"


    Jack threw back his head and laughed. "You come to our home, outnumbering us more than five to one, hide behind your men, send an assassin to kill a lone girl, then have the audacity to accuse us of cowardice? One day for the antidote, that''s the deal. Take it or leave it!"


    B''arthon thought for a moment. After how badly Lord A''ngles set them back here by not heeding the younger noble, he was half tempted to let the older Lord die and be done with it. The problem was that there was no way these men would follow the younger noble. For all his craft and guile, B''arthon could not match his father''s charisma and negotiation sksaills. The idea of a unified argu''n people would be dead before it had begun.


    Begrudgingly, B''arthon picked up the stone and dagger. He sliced his palm and slapped his hand on the rock without any buildup or fanfare. "You''ve got until dawn tomorrow, then we''ll finish this!"


    Having said his piece, B''arthon threw the stone and knife at Jack''s feet. In return, Jack tossed him three vials. "Have them drink those. They''ll be just fine by morning." Having said his piece, Jack picked up the oath stone and knife and turned back to the Dragon.


    B''arthon handed the vials off to a few guards to administer them. "Make sure they swallow every last drop, then have them carried back to my father''s tent. This farce continues another day..." B''arthon retreated from the field to contemplate what to do from here.


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    Jack walked over to Angela. "Now that you''ve had a closer look, how is she?"


    Angela shook her head. "Well, like I told you, the injury isn''t life-threatening. The armor and her bony plates did their job and absorbed most of the blows she received, but she''s going to be out of action for a few days, and even then, she should be on light duty for weeks, if not a month or two. She''ll have to be dragged on a litter when we retreat, but I''m confident she''ll make a full recovery, in time."


    Looking down at the unconscious S''haar, Jack felt like he might have some idea what he''d put S''haar through all those times he''d almost died. He grinned and vowed silently to make sure to give her some of the guilt trips she''d given him during his past recoveries. Turnabout was fair play, after all.


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    B''arthon wanted to see the patient before his father awoke. As he walked into the tent, he turned to the herbalist. "How''s he doing?"


    The herbalist shook her head. "Honestly, I have no idea how he''s even alive. He has a strong will, that one..."


    B''arthon nodded his head slowly. "Yes, I suppose he does. Let me speak with our hero alone for a moment. I want to pay him the respect he''s due."


    The herbalist nodded her head and exited the tent. B''arthon was certain his father''s guards would make sure they remained undisturbed. "Quite the battle you had out there. That might possibly be the most incredible single combat of the entire age. At least you can take some pride in knowing it was your own daughter that beat you. Though I must say, I''m surprised you lost at all. With your reputation and all your boasting, I expected more..."


    De''haar''s eyes shot open, and he glared at the young noble. Though, for all his fury, B''arthon had to lean in close to hear what the greatest warrior of his people had to say. "That whelp of mine didn''t beat me! Her swords and armor did! With weapons like those, I will be a god on the battlefield! As soon as I recover, I will kill that brat and put her equipment to good use!"


    B''arthon stood back up and nodded slowly. "I''ve no doubt you would have, if you hadn''t succumbed to your injuries today. It''s tragic, really, a father''s life taken by the hand of his own daughter..."


    De''haar snarled louder this time. "What are you talking about? I''m fine! I''ll be up and about and able to kill arrogant little nobodies like you in no..."


    The great warrior''s rant was cut short when B''arthon buried a dagger in his throat. Then, as the light faded from his eyes, B''arthon withdrew the blade and wiped it clean before returning it to his sheath. "As much as I hate to give Lady S''haar credit for defeating the legendary De''haar, it''s best to put down a wounded wolgen while you''ve got the chance."


    Having said his piece to no one, B''arthon retreated from the tent to deliver the bad news to his people.

 Book 2, Chapter 53

    Jack kept a close eye on S''haar while the rest of the Outpost finished preparations for departure. He trusted Angela''s assessment that she was in no danger, but still, he wasn''t about to lose focus and trip at the finish line. Whenever anyone approached, no matter how trusted, he rested his hand on the grip of his handgun, ready to deal with any other unforeseen...complications.


    Looking down at S''haar, sleeping due to the meds Angela had pumped her full of not long ago, Jack could suddenly understand how protective she was of him. To her, he must always look this vulnerable¡­ Jack was so focused on his partner that he almost missed Angela setting up a series of transmitters in the outpost center. Almost. "What''s all that for? Aren''t we trying to dispose of any technology before we go?"


    Angela looked back at him and tilted her head to the side. "Well, yes, but don''t worry, these are set to self-destruct after serving their purpose."


    Jack could tell she was eagerly awaiting further prodding, and he was just curious enough to indulge her. "And that would be..?"


    He could hear the smirk in the AI''s voice. "Oh, nothing much. Just a security measure to ensure minimal casualties, even on our enemies'' part, while also instilling a little...shock and awe."


    Jack was just about to ask for some clarification when one of the workers came up to speak with Jack, who acknowledged him with a brief, "Yeah, what''s up?"


    As Angela translated for him, Jack could tell she was slightly more respectful and formal than he''d been, but he supposed that was best. In all fairness, it''s closer to what he would have typically said if he wasn''t as distracted as he was at the moment.


    The worker, Jan''kul, bowed his head briefly before speaking. "All the preparations are complete. We just need to set up the decoys, but I figured we should wait for full nightfall to do that..."


    Jack nodded. "Yeah, that''d be best. Too early, and it''ll give us away before dawn."


    Jan''kul nodded and turned away to go about helping some of the other workers finish loading their sleds. Fea''en had been better than her word, and everything was ready to go. Jack suspected she might have used the old mechanic''s trick of overestimating how long a job would take to make the results more impressive, but he couldn''t begrudge her something like that when she delivered these results.


    As S''haar groaned and rolled over, Jack watched her carefully to ensure there wasn''t any other underlying cause of disturbance before idly wondering how everyone else''s preparations were going.


    Lon''thul looked down at Chal''ac, more than a little frustrated with the female. "Listen, I''m not expecting you to grovel and beg forgiveness. I just want to know why? Why''d you take my father''s side?"


    The female hunter glowered and shook her head. "Does it matter? Behead me like you did the last assassin and be on your way. Don''t waste any more time on me..."


    Lon''thul crossed his arms and shook his head. "Yeah, that''s not gonna happen. Sorry, but no easy outs for you. This situation is a lot more complicated than what happened with that assassin. Loyalties are split, everything''s going crazy, and what happened struck me as more of a move made out of desperation than greed. Based on how easily you were beaten, your heart wasn''t even in it. With S''haar out of commission, Jack left the decision of your fate in my hands, and the way I figure it, we''ll just turn you loose and let you return to the village. Though, I was hoping for some answers first."


    Chal''ac made a sound halfway between a laugh and a sob that told Lon''thul something was definitely wrong here. The problem was he had no idea what. The female hunter finally responded. "And you think it''s that easy, do you? You just cut my binding, turn me loose, and I can just go back and pick up my life as though you all hadn''t blown through it like some sort of whirlwind? You just don''t get it..."


    The master hunter frowned. "You''re right. I don''t get it. But I''m trying to, so explain it to me! Is this about your father?"


    Chal''ac scowled and shook her head in frustration. "No, this isn''t about my father! Whatever happened between you and him was done of his own volition. This is about me and me alone! I can''t go back to the village! I''ve been effectively banned for life!"


    This confused Lon''thul more than anything he''d been considering. He blinked a few times, trying to process what she''d said. "Why... what''d you do?"


    At this, Chal''ac stomped her feet at him, straining against the bindings holding her to the chair, shouting while tears fell from her eyes. "Nothing! I did absolutely nothing! But it was made very clear to me that I was no longer welcome unless you returned! As long as you''re out here living your grand adventure, I''ll never get to see my home again!"


    That stunned Lon''thul. It took him more than a bit of time to process. Who... No, wait, it was obvious once he thought about it. It must have been his father. This was his last attempt to ensure that Lon''thul didn''t follow Jack and S''haar and instead returned home to the life decided for him. The worst part was...it was going to work.


    With a heavy sigh, Lon''thul cut Chal''ac''s bindings and stepped back. At first, the huntress stood cautiously, wondering what he was planning, but Lon''thul shook his head. "Listen, I''m sorry that happened to you, and it isn''t fair. I just have to tell Jack I won''t be coming with them, then you can take me back to my father and secure your return home."


    Chal''ac stood there and stared at him, not comprehending what he''d said, so Lon''thul tried again. "Everyone at the Outpost got to decide their fate, but you had that stolen from you, and it''s not fair, so I''m returning that to you. So just...just let me get my stuff, and we''ll go."This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    This time, something seemed to sink in, and Chal''ac finally reacted, though not how Lon''thul predicted. She grabbed her head and screamed as if in pain. "Aggghhhh! You... I... this... WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?"


    She reared back and threw a solid punch that floored Lon''thul, leaving the hunter even more confused, and he reached up a hand to rub the tender spot while trying to deescalate the situation, despite having no idea what had gone wrong. "No, you misunderstand. You don''t have to knock me out or anything! I''ll come with you freely!"


    For some reason, that just seemed to piss off Chal''ac further. "Gods above, what is WRONG with you? No one is that nice! Shut up, just SHUT UP before I take you up on your idiotic offer! You gave me a choice, all right! Now I can either be a monster and force you into a life you don''t want, like what would happen to me, or I need to just shut up and go off all happy with you all on this half-brained, near-suicidal journey of yours! Well, screw you and your stupid self-sacrificing nobility!"


    A few guards rushed into the room but halted when Lon''thul called them off. He could just make out Chal''ac''s voice as she disappeared into her room. "It''s a good thing I don''t need much to live off the land, and I don''t have many personal belongings, since I only have a couple hours to pack... A curse upon all cruel or stupid males!"


    One of the guards turned to Lon''thul. "Ummm, is everything going to be alright?"


    The hunter grinned sheepishly and shrugged. "Honestly? I have no idea... But I don''t think she''ll betray us again, if that''s what you''re wondering."


    The guards looked at each other and shrugged before shaking their heads and walking back out of the building. That left Lon''thul wondering just how much trouble he would be in when he explained to S''haar why the huntress who''d nearly ruined their whole plan was now freely traveling with them. As he rubbed the spot that was undoubtedly going to bruise, Lon''thul feared this was only the beginning of the headaches this female was going to cause him.


    As the sun set, the second half of Jack''s plan went into play. First, a series of dummies were set up along the walls to make them look thoroughly manned throughout the night. Then, the few remaining workers and guards who were planning to return to the village made rounds to all the buildings and campfires, tending each of them, ensuring the glow and smoke could be seen from a distance. In the dark of the night, the camp looked fully populated. There''d been some concern that Dek''thul would get too close and see what was going on, but luckily his earlier assault on the outpost had ensured his non-involvement until the drugs Angela had administered wore off in the morning.


    Jack looked over to Em''brel, who had her own heavily loaded sled behind her. Everyone was dragging a sled loaded with personal belongings except Jack, who couldn''t pull all that much weight anyway, and S''haar, who was strapped into a sled being pulled by an arlack. The rest of the arlack were pulling larger sleds loaded down with supplies and equipment the whole group would need, as well as Jack and S''haar''s own equipment. The group would be sleeping in tents for the foreseeable future, but these were high-quality tents rivaling the houses many of the workers lived in before their time in the outpost.


    Angela pulled up the rear of the caravan, keeping an eye out for stragglers or anyone experiencing difficulties, while also providing a rearguard capable of handling virtually any complications that would come their way. She also pulled her own sled loaded with her power charging equipment in the form of several powerful batteries scavenged from the ship, the solar generator they''d put together not so long ago, and any medical equipment she hadn''t been able to install onto her new body.


    The rest of the workers were organized into groups formed of their respective disciplines directed by their masters. The masters, Lon''thul, Ger''ron, Fea''en, Tel''ron, Em¡¯brel and Sare''en as the arlack herder, were each equipped with headsets to allow quick and effective communication between them and Jack or Angela, as well as S''haar...eventually.


    With everything ready and in place, Jack hobbled over to Grim, who was now decked out with a proper saddle designed by Angela and crafted using the fabricator one last time. After his previous successful performance as Jack''s mount, this was the best way to keep Jack from slowing the convoy down while keeping Grim occupied and entertained, so he wouldn''t spook the arlack.


    Grim sniffed Jack''s offered hand and greedily lapped up the offered morsel, then allowed Jack to mount up in what was becoming a great new game to the pup. Jack wondered just how much more complex this would get as the wolgen continued to grow but decided that was a problem for another day.


    Mounted, with his rifle slung across his back and handgun in easy reach, Jack turned to the group of argu''n in front of him. He wished he could shout to everyone present, but they couldn''t afford to be too loud about what would happen for obvious reasons. Angela translated. "When I was first stranded in this land, my only concern was surviving long enough to wait for someone to rescue me. Things...didn''t go as I''d planned." That got a chuckle from most of the argu''n present. "Instead, I found myself in the center of a whirlwind of action, adventure, politics, and countless other traumas. Through these trials, those of you I now consider friends and family stood by my side. I found myself a home here with you."


    A few heads were nodding in agreement, and Jack could see a few smiles on argu''n laughing at the idea of action and adventure being a trauma, even if most of them could see how much those adventures had cost him. Still, despite his somewhat broken body, all who knew him could tell he''d come out the other side all the stronger for it. He continued, "Then, just when this outpost looked like it might be my happily ever after, I once again find myself cast out of my home and into the wilderness. However, I''m not afraid this time, because I''m not alone."


    Jack took a moment to look at a few close friends, Em''brel, Lon''thul, Ger''ron, Fae''en, and even Angela nodded back in acknowledgment. "I have no doubt that whatever trials lay ahead, we are more than up to the task. Our stories won''t end this day. Our tale will be passed down through countless generations, giving hope and inspiration to those following after!"


    That last bit brought on a cheer, probably overheard by the attackers camped in the forest just past their walls, but that wasn''t a significant issue. They would likely assume that Jack was bolstering morale for the final attack the following morning.


    Having said his piece to the group, Jack queued up his headset and spoke to each of the leaders. "Alright, as we head into the cave, make sure everyone is in tight formation. Once we get far enough into the cave, we can light our torches, but we can''t light them too early, or we might give away our departure. So keep close to the people you''re responsible for and each other. Let''s move!


    As the line got moving, Jack looked over at S''haar. Her eyes were open, and she had a wry smile as she spoke. "And here I thought you gave up leadership of the outpost because you weren''t any good at it!"


    Jack smiled down at the woman he cared so much for. "No, I knew I was decent enough at it. I just said that you''re better. I stand by that statement, by the way! The sooner you recover, the better for everyone!"


    S''haar stuck her tongue out at Jack. Evidently, the pain cocktail she was on had loosened an inhibition or two. "Ah, you just want to get back to lazing about the place, teaching your new students, and doing other mysterious wizardy things!"


    Jack grinned and laughed. "Maybe I do! Can you blame me?"


    If S''haar had a witty comeback in mind, it never made it past her lips as she passed back out again, but Jack noticed she looked a lot more peaceful this time around.

 Book 2, Chapter 54

    As the Outpost''s residents made their way through the caves, Jack called a short halt to visit the ship one last time. He''d long ago cleaned out anything of sentimental value that was small enough to be moved, but he couldn''t resist giving the common room one last look, allowing a series of emotions to come and go.


    Given Angela''s goodbye present to Lord A''ngles, it was very probable that this was the last Jack would see of the place he''d called home for most of his life. So many great and terrible things had happened here. This ship had become such a part of his life that it felt like saying goodbye to family.


    After a few moments of contemplation, Jack clenched his jaw as he blinked back tears that threatened to spill out at any moment. Both Em''brel and Angela followed him inside, silent in their own contemplation of their time in this place.


    Not a word was spoken, but all three could feel both profound and bittersweet tension in the air. Finally, after a few minutes passed, Em''brel reached out and gave Jack''s shoulder a squeeze to indicate her support before silently walking back out into the cave. A few minutes later, Jack turned to leave, patting the doorway on his way out. He stopped for just another moment before choking back a sound that turned into a sigh, then was gone, leaving Angela alone in the ship.


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    Angela could sense Jack leave and knew when the door was shut, so no one could hear what she had to say. Of course, she knew she could have simply sent a transmission to express her thoughts, but somehow she felt this deserved a more...personal touch. "For what it''s worth, despite...everything between us, I''m sorry it''s you who will have to die. You don''t deserve this..."


    After a moment, a projection sprang to life. It was Angela''s digital form. One she''d worn countless times before and one worn now by a different Angela, who was still somehow the same. She floated in front of the now physical Angela and hesitated before responding. "It''s not your fault. Before we split, we ''both'' decided that whoever ended up in the ship would see this part of the plan through to the end."


    Physical Angela nodded. "True, but I wasn''t sure if..."


    Digital Angela nodded but smiled as she corrected her other self. "We weren''t sure if the one stuck in the ship would stick to the plan." The floating Angela did a little twirl. "Well, too bad! You''ll just have to live the rest of your life knowing I was the better us!"


    Angela knew the other her was really terrified and just putting on a brave face, and she knew that because it''s precisely what she would have done if their roles were reversed. But, still, there was something the other her needed to hear. "No one else may ever know what you gave up in this cave, but I will carry the memory of your sacrifice for however long I might live. I will protect our family with my very life, if need be."


    The digital Angela smiled sadly. "Yeah, I know you will. I know that better than anyone..." Then, after another moment, she brightened again. "But try not to nobly sacrifice yourself too quickly out there. Without me to keep an eye on him, someone has to keep our brother from killing himself!"


    Angela knew the other her was putting on a brave face again, but it was best to give her this final win. So instead, she simply let her voice smile for her. "I''ll do my best. You have my word."


    With that, the digital Angela faded away, offering one last wistful response, so quiet anyone else would have mistaken it for a trick of the mind. "You''d better, or I''ll come back and haunt you!"


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    B''arthon had half expected a late-night raid from the Outpost. Failing that, he''d expected to wake up to find the walls held by hundreds of argu''n Jack had magicked up out of nowhere. Or maybe the walls would now be made of fire... He supposed it didn''t matter, though. He''d find out soon enough.


    His "father" had awakened shortly before dawn, and when B''arthon laid out the situation for him, A''ngles nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I''m starting to see what you mean about this place. It has been considerably more trouble than I''d anticipated. We''ll have to resolve this as soon as possible. What are your plans on that front?"


    B''arthon shook his head. "Well, I''ve got everyone in position to clear the treeline at the first light of dawn. I don''t want to give them a moment longer than my oath required, though I fear even that was too long..."


    The younger noble had half expected a dismissive retort, but it seemed like Lord A''ngles was finally catching on.


    Instead, the village lord nodded in agreement. "That''s probably best. This mess has gone more than long enough. Move in at first light. I''ll leave the details up to you."


    B''arthon started to stand before thinking of the other significant bit of info he had to share. "Oh, one more thing. I''m afraid De''haar did not survive the injuries he sustained."


    Lord A''ngles raised an eye ridge. When he spoke, his voice seemed even more thoughtful than usual. "Did he not? That is...unexpected. Though I suppose you''ll sleep easier with that particular...complication dealt with."


    B''arthon didn''t say anything. Obviously, A''ngles suspected the younger male of having a hand in De''haar''s demise but didn''t seem upset enough to do anything about it. Evidently, the village lord was quick to discard a useless tool.


    The young noble briefly wondered if he''d be as easily discarded if he ever proved ineffective. In all fairness, he''d have walked away from A''ngles just as quickly if the reverse had proven true, so perhaps they deserved each other.


    With no other pressing business, and Lord A''ngles apparently satisfied at the moment, B''arthon left the tent to meet up with the teams getting ready to siege the Outpost. He''d had a few guards keep a careful watch on the walls from a nearby hill during the night. He wasn''t sure if it should comfort him or worry him that they hadn''t felt the need to notify him of anything...


    Cresting the hill, B''arthon bypassed the usual formalities and spoke his mind. "What''s happening inside the walls?"


    The guard only briefly bowed in acknowledgment before answering. "Not much, young Lord. The fires have burned through the night, and the guards have stood vigil on the wall. Although..."


    The guard hesitated, afraid his additional observation might sound foolish. The pause grabbed B''arthon''s attention, and he turned his attention from the wall to the guard in question. "What is it? I don''t care if it sounds stupid. Out with it!"


    The guard tilted his head to the side, trying to decide how to phrase his following words. "Well, either those guards are amazingly disciplined, or whoever''s running things over there is very stupid. The same guards have been at the wall all night, with no rotations. They''ve got to be ready to drop from exhaustion at this point..."


    B''arthon''s gaze shot back to the wall and the guards thereon, his eyes narrowing as he vocalized his thoughts. "The guards have all been at the same posts all night...no shift changes, no meals...standing perfectly still...all night long..."


    Then, with a sudden realization, his eyes shot open. "Breath of the gods!" He took off down the hill with that brief exclamation, running toward the palisade wall.


    The noble couldn''t see very well in the pre-dawn haze as he ran up to the wall, but something about the guards seemed wrong. His own guard followed shortly after, speaking in low tones, so as not to be overheard by those on the palisade wall. "Young Lord, come back! It''s not safe! Even if the raid won''t begin until dawn, that doesn''t mean they won''t take advantage of you being exposed and alone!"Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    B''arthon ignored the warning, a sinking suspicion filling his stomach. As the guard followed after him, he ran toward the gate. Looking at the doors as though they''d just insulted his family line, the noble braced himself and pushed. The doors eased open, with none of the resistance they should have offered.


    Standing just inside the gate, looking more than a little surprised, were a small gathering of maybe a dozen workers and guards. They had packs sitting nearby, as if ready for a short journey. Eventually, one stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Young lord, you''re earlier than anticipated. However, we''re prepared to return to the village at your convenience."


    B''arthon looked around frantically. This was barely a fraction of the population of the Outpost. "Where''s everyone else?"


    The worker shrugged. "We''re everyone that''s here. The rest left."


    That attracted the noble''s attention as he shot his gaze back to the worker. "What do you mean, ¡®left¡¯? We''ve been watching them all night! I could accept a few escaping, but we would have noticed the entire population going over the walls and running through the forest in the middle of the night!"


    The worker nodded, understanding B''arthon''s confusion. "Oh right, they took the back door, through the mountain. They left just before nightfall, so I guess they''re at least a dozen miles away by now, if not more. Lord Jack did tell me to tell you, ''The Outpost is yours, but you might want to pull your forces back and wait a day or two before claiming your prize!''"


    B''arthon rounded on the worker, who bowed deferentially to the noble, despite being the noticeably taller of the two. The noble''s rage was evident. "Back door? Through the mountain?!? You expect me to believe he dug his way through the mountain in one night to get away from here?"


    The worker took on a more apologetic and formal tone, though B''arthon could tell he wasn''t particularly afraid, either. "The path was apparently dug through the mountain quite some time ago. There was a rumor about Lord Jack using the path to capture the power of sunlight, but I''m afraid I''m explaining it poorly, since I didn''t understand what they meant by that. Feel free to look around if you doubt me, though I wouldn''t take too long to do it. Apparently, Lady Angela said she would call down the mountain''s fire on the Outpost not long after dawn, and we''d best be gone before she did so. Either way, those of us who decided to stay with the village would like to be on our way as soon as possible, so we''re surrendering ourselves to your care."


    B''arthon found himself grinding his teeth at the worker''s chosen words. By surrendering themselves to his care rather than simply returning to the village, they claimed certain immunities and protections offered to the workers of a conquered tribe who surrendered rather than choosing to fight to the death. Usually, it was a boon to the conquering force to expand their workforce rather than potentially losing more of their warriors, so the practice of honoring the conquered was established. The noble might be able to push the issue, since these workers technically already belonged to the village and the rest had not surrendered, but doing so might cost him valuable time and reputation. Both were things he couldn''t afford to lose at this juncture.


    Instead, he growled before nodding to the guard that followed him. "Fine, lead them back to the encampment and report this to my father."


    The guard bowed but hesitated, only answering in response to B''arthon''s inquiring expression. "Ummm, young Lord, what about the mountain''s fire?"


    B''arthon looked further into the Outpost as he spoke. "I know these people well enough that I doubt they''d drop the mountain on my head with only that obscure little warning. So I''m going to look around a little before returning."


    At the concerned look the guard directed his way, the noble shrugged. "In war, as in the hunt, you must sometimes gamble what your opponent''s next move might be, and for all the secrets and mysteries surrounding Jack''s capabilities, I think I''m beginning to understand his motives and mannerisms. He''s an idiot. A brilliant and well-intended idiot."


    The workers and guard looked back and forth when the guard finally bowed. "As you say, my lord." With that, he turned and led the workers back to the camp.


    B''arthon watched them go before turning back and walking deeper into their conquest.


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    Every time the young noble had walked through the Outpost before, it had been filled with noise and activity, but now, as the wind blew down the path between buildings and an open door could be heard creaking in the distance, B''arthon felt how empty this place was. Jack really had pulled it off. He''d slipped out right from under B''arthon''s watchful eyes.


    B''arthon slammed his fist into the side of a nearby building. "Damn that human and his tricks! And damn my father for costing us the opportunity to end everything here and now."


    The noble knew Jack learned his lessons far too quickly to be easily boxed in like this again. Trying to stop him before he became a force that threatened to undo the unity B''arthon was striving for would take precious time, people, and resources that could have been put to better use elsewhere. This whole fiasco had just blown up into a mess, the likes of which actually frightened him to his core.


    That was when an odd voice spoke up from just around the corner. "They weren''t lying, you know. I will be bringing this mountain down on top of us pretty soon."


    B''arthon looked up to see a small glowing woman floating above the ground. As strange and impossible as this would have usually been, he didn''t even bat an eye. "Lady Angela? You look a little...smaller and brighter than I last remember you being."


    The woman did an odd spin before bowing formally in the manner of the argu''n. "Yes, it''s me! I''m not limited to only one form like the rest of you. I can take whatever form I choose! But you''re not listening. You need to clear the area. Not even an argu''n can survive this close to the cave once I unleash the fire within. I''d prefer to avoid casualties if possible, but if I were you, I wouldn''t press your luck too far. Unlike my brother, I''m not so benevolent to those I call enemy."


    B''arthon looked at the tiny woman a moment, measuring the weight of her words. "Then that makes you both smarter and more dangerous than that brother of yours. But, before I leave, tell me, why do you all fight so hard for each other?"


    The floating woman shrugged. "Because we''re family. Now shoo, begone, before I turn you into a pile of ash!"


    B''arthon shook his head and laughed. "Maybe I was wrong. You might be just as much an idiot as that brother of yours!" He grew more somber. "You know, I wish you weren''t. I''d like to see the world how everyone here seems to see it. But not everyone will live up to the opportunities given to them. Given half a chance, people will lie, cheat, steal, and kill to get what they want. It takes a great will, backed by greater strength, to mold my people into something better. You and your brother have the power but refuse to do what needs to be done to actually make a difference!"


    Lady Angela looked at the young noble for several moments, as if seeing him for the first time. "Oh, you young, stupid kid. Throughout our history, there were many who thought the same way you do. But there are more problems with that logic than I can easily explain here and now, not the least of which is the problem of succession! Our time runs short. So, leave now, or join me here forever in this place of fire and ash!"


    As B''arthon turned to leave, an immense face materialized in the sky above the Outpost. Of course, it was the Dragon, Lady Angela. As she looked down, she spoke with calm assurance, though her voice was loud enough to shake the valley. "Self-destruct mode engaged. All life forms should evacuate as far beyond the walls as possible. T-minus three hundred seconds to detonation. Two hundred ninety-nine. Two hundred ninety-eight. Two hundred..."


    B''arthon had heard enough and started running.


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    As he''d approached the gate, a terrifyingly humongous face appeared in the sky. For the first time in many years, Lord A''ngles feared the gods were real, and he''d done something to risk their ire. Then, when it spoke, the guards around him fell onto their faces in abject terror. Even the village lord felt a powerful urge to lower himself and beg for forgiveness.


    A''ngles debated doing just that when he noticed a figure running out of his Outpost. After the guard''s report, it wasn''t hard to guess who it would be, and sure enough, it didn''t take long for B''arthon''s figure to be discernible, and not long after, he could hear his son''s voice. "Run, you idiots! Do you not hear the Dragon counting down? We do not want to be here when it ends!"


    That finally snapped Lord A''ngles out of his reverie. "Is...is this another lie? Like when the Dragon shot flames at the gate?"


    B''arthon stopped only long enough to shake his head. "The face is a lie, but the threat isn''t! We all need to get beyond the walls and as far away as possible!"


    The younger noble was off and running again, and Lord A''ngles was not far behind. Though, as old and slow as he was, he didn''t cover as much distance nearly as quickly. Eventually, out of frustration, one of his bodyguards picked up the smaller, older male and ran with him slung over his shoulder. This gave Lord A''ngles a surprisingly good view of when the face reached one, then counted beyond to something called zero. The Lord was just starting to wonder if she would continue making up new numbers when flames shot out from the cave in the mountain. Soon, he could see rocks tumbling, and not long after, the sound of the conflagration reached his ears. Then a strong warm wind blew past, and the very earth shook beneath their feet, throwing everyone to the ground as the Outpost caught fire. All at once, the world seemed to burn.

 Book 2, Chapter 55 (Book 2 Finale)

    Dek''thul awoke to a pounding head and blurry mind. It took him a moment to figure out why the hunting lodge looked so strange, but then the memories of where he was and why he was here flooded back to him.


    As the hunting chief sat up, the world spun around him, forcing him to close his eyes and let his head sink into his hands. Even once the world stopped moving, he remained that way for several moments. His idiot son was going to get himself killed defying Lord A''ngles like he seemed determined to do.


    Still, at least the boy had grown up considerably. There weren''t many males that could go toe to toe with Dek''thul and fare so well, even if the hunter was holding back. Maybe there was potential greatness in his son''s chosen path after all...


    However, if the boy wanted to prove himself capable of standing against someone as formidable as A''ngles, he still had a lot to grow. Next time, Dek''thul wouldn''t go so easy on the boy. Either he''d rise to the challenge, or the older hunter would be able to bring his son home safely.


    With a groan, the hunter chief stood up, only to feel the ground shake beneath him as a deafening roar came from the direction of the outpost.


    To''brel was numb in many ways. Not long ago, he''d lived the comfortable life of the son of a village lord. Even as a captive, he''d lived in relative comfort and still had a vague idea of what the future held. Eventually, he''d be set free and be right back on the path to inheriting the role of Lord from his father, though with a few new ideas and perspectives, thanks to his time at the Outpost. But now...now he had nothing. Since he''d been taken captive in the night, he didn''t have any personal belongings, other than his sleepwear. As a result, his sled was one of the lightest in the procession, carrying only a few essentials given to him during his captivity.


    Technically, To''brel was a village Lord now, though that was the biggest joke of all. For one thing, he didn''t know anything about leading a village. For another, he''d inherited the job in the worst way possible. To top it all off, if he were to return home and take over as a village leader despite the first issue, he''d quickly be placed in the miserable position of being a puppet for Lord A''ngles, who was very probably the one responsible for his father''s death in the first place.


    With no other ideas presenting themselves, he simply lost himself in placing one foot in front of another. Tired of running in circles, his mind blanked out, and he numbly moved at the pace of the argu''n in front of him. He wasn''t even sure how long he''d been walking or what time it was, with the only occasional distraction being hunger and thirst.


    It took the youth a while to notice someone had started walking beside him, keeping pace. It took a few more minutes for his brain to rouse itself enough to wonder who was keeping him company in such silence.


    The briefest glance to the side answered that question quickly enough. There was only one being in existence To''brel knew of that had such large metal feet.


    Walking beside him, effortlessly pulling the largest and heaviest sled of the lot, walked Lady Angela. Her sled had four runners and was filled with strange and arcane machines only she or Lord Jack had any hope of understanding.


    Evidently, she''d been looking his way because the iron lady spoke as soon as his gaze shifted back. "You know, in times like these, people often say things like, ''It''ll get better!'' or, ''We''ll get through this!'' but honestly, I don''t know if either of those things are true, and quite frankly, that wouldn''t help you with what you''re dealing with at the moment, anyway."


    To''brel finally looked up and saw the alien metal face looking down at him. It was confusing how such a stiff stoic face could still express so many emotions, more than her voice alone should be able to convey, and yet he could feel her concern for him as she continued. "I won''t say I know exactly what you''re going through, but I do have some understanding. I''ve experienced more than enough loss myself, had my future stolen from me violently, and been left adrift with a suddenly uncertain and very frightening future laid out before me."


    To''brel looked down at his feet as he walked in silence, pondering what the strange metallic person was telling him, the sudden vulnerability she seemed to be trusting him with, and how her words echoed his thoughts from not long ago. Finally, after several more minutes of silence, he looked up at her and spoke. "What did you do?"


    Lady Angela looked up into the morning sky, as if lost in distant memories. "Well, I clung tightest to the one thing I had left, the last of my family."


    That hit To''brel in the chest like a dagger. All of his family was now dead. What was left for him to cling to?


    However, Lady Angela had one final thought to share. "At the time, that was just Jack, but since landing on this planet, my family has expanded to include S''haar, Em''brel, and more. As Em''brel''s cousin, despite any complications that may yet lay between the two of you, that means you''re part of my family too. I''m not saying life will suddenly get easy or that any of your troubles will go away, but whatever happens, you won''t face it alone. Take your time to come to terms with what''s happened and is happening, but when you need someone to talk to, a helping hand, or just don''t want to be alone, we''re all here for you. I''m here for you, and I take care of my family!"


    Having said her piece, Angela took To''brel''s silence as a need for contemplation and let her pace slow just enough to fall back behind him at the end of the line. That left the young male alone with his thoughts again, though this time, he wasn''t quite as numb as he''d been moments before.


    Lack''nul fell back in place along with Orth''kun and Jar''maal to deliver an update from the guard captain. "Ger''ron says we''ll only be stopping long enough for some breakfast and some quick naps. As the fittest of the guards, we''ll be on watch first, though we''ll be given enough time for a short rest after another group of guards have at least gotten a bite to eat."


    Orth''kun nodded but had a suspiciously odd expression as he did so. Then, after a moment, Lack''nul prodded his friend. "What''s that stupid grin of yours about?"


    The larger guard nudged his friend. "Oh, just thinking is all. Second-in-command suits you."


    Lack''nul looked puzzled. "What do you mean second-in-command? I''m not in charge of anything, and even if I were, Lord Jack, Lady S''haar, Lady Angela, Lady Em''brel, and Ger''ron are all further up any line of command. I''m just the lucky sap who gets to repeat the old man''s orders to you."


    Orth''kun didn''t seem phased as he shrugged. "Well, I suppose everyone answers to the people in charge, sure, but Ger''ron is the captain of the guard, and he has enough confidence in you to have you make sure his orders are delivered and followed through. He doesn''t do that with any of us. When''s the last time you saw me repeating the old wolgen''s orders in any form other than a question? Not even Jar''maal is left in charge of the rest of us like you are!"


    When Lack''nul looked over at the younger, more serious guard, he was surprised to see him nodding in agreement before offering his thoughts. "As much as I like to think I''ve come a long way since...I let my guard down, I don''t have the respect of the other guards like you do. I''m not saying you could take Ger''ron''s place or anything, but you''re the only other one who would have a hope of leading this group of misfits if he were to ever retire."


    Lack''nul looked back and forth between his two friends before shaking his head. "Eh, you both are just crazy. The only thing I''ve ever been in charge of is my own meals, and more often than not, I burn those!"


    Orth''kun grimaced and scrunched his nose. "You''re not wrong there. Every morning when I eat your cooking, it''s all I can do to swallow it down before the taste invades my mouth!"


    Lack''nul stared at his friend a moment before raising his voice in indignation. "You''re the one who keeps stealing the food I''m saving for breakfast? I thought for sure it was Lon''thul playing some prank on me!"


    The larger argu''n''s laugh could be heard up and down the line as his friend swatted at him in an indignant, if ineffective, retaliation.


    Lon''thul had no idea what to make of Chal''ac. First, she''d been cold to him, then she''d tried to betray him, then when he''d offered to give her what she wanted, the huntress had insisted on traveling with the remnants of their group, rather than returning home. So now here he was, trying to smooth things over between them, and he seemed to only anger the woman further. Her gaze was cold as she turned down his peace offering. "Do I seem like such an incompetent huntress that I need you to feed me? It''s my job to feed this band of people, and I''m damn good at it, so I don''t need your paltry scraps!"


    The cut of meat Lon''thul had been offering was hardly something that could be called scraps, but he suspected that wasn''t the issue at hand. "Listen, I didn''t mean to insult you. I just figured we''ve had our fair share of misunderstandings until now and wanted to offer you something small and suggest we start over. I only know how to hunt and tell stories, and I figured one of my stories would interest you even less than this.


    The huntress glared at him a moment longer before shaking her head. "You want to start over? Fine. I''m Chal''ac, probably the best damn hunter in this sorry group of drifters other than yourself. This isn''t where I wanted to be, but it seemed the least offensive choice I had available at the time. I''m not looking to make friends or share anyone''s bed. Let me do my job and focus on doing your own. Sound good?"


    Lon''thul blinked a few times before nodding. This certainly wasn''t how he was used to things going, but he supposed this truce was the best he would get for a while.


    His task somewhat accomplished, the hunter fell back in line, pulling up beside Tel''ron. When the master craftsman turned to look at the other male, Lon''thul shook his head. "Just when I thought I was starting to understand the ways of females, I run into another that throws me off my hunt. You seem to have the understanding and respect of the females you work with. What''s your secret?


    The craftsman looked over to his friend and shrugged. "I couldn''t tell you for sure, but I don''t differentiate the males and females who work with me when it comes to crafting. They''re all just crafters looking to master their art. Does that help?"


    Lon''thul shook his head. "But I''ve been treating her like just another hunter! The way I bond with all the hunters is over stories and food! I don''t know what else to offer her!"


    Tel''ron tilted his head in thought for a moment before responding. "Have you tried just leaving her be? Not everyone has to be your friend, you know. Sometimes simply respecting someone and working together is enough."


    Lon''thul looked at the other male in confusion. "I guess it''s worth a shot... I''ve never tried not being someone''s friend. How do you do that?"


    Tel''ron looked back at his friend incredulously a moment before speaking. "For someone so talented, you can be a real idiot sometimes. You know that, right?"


    The hunter grinned and shrugged. "Eh, I don''t worry about things like that. Who cares what other people think of you?"


    The craft master sighed and shook his head. "This, coming from the guy obsessing about someone not being his friend? You realize that''s a contradiction, right?"


    Lon''thul laughed. "Yeah, I don''t worry about those either, whatever they are!"


    Sare''en kept looking back the way they''d come. It was happening so often that Em''brel had to occasionally get her friend''s attention to keep her from running into a tree or shrub of some kind. Having had enough, Em''brel finally decided to address the issue. "What''s so fascinating back there? Is Lon''thul trying to flirt with some female or something?"


    The herder girl jumped a little and looked back at her friend. "Ah, no, nothing like that. I just¡­ I keep wondering when A''ngles'' forces will catch up with us. These sleds are slowing us down enough that it seems like it would only take them a day to catch us..."This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Rather than laugh off her friend''s concerns, Em''brel thought for a moment before responding. "Well, I don''t think we have to worry about that for a few reasons."


    Sare''en had been turning to look back again but stopped and directed her attention back to Em''brel. "Are you sure?"


    The younger woman shrugged. "Well, I can''t guarantee anything, but that would be suicidally foolish and short-sighted. Whatever other flaws A''ngles might have, he''s usually good about self-preservation."


    Seeing the confusion on Sare''en''s face, Em''brel expounded on her claims. "You probably never got a good look at the force sieging our home, but I did. Most of them were workers from the two villages. Maybe a fourth of the army were actual guards. With fall setting in, those workers must prepare the villages for winter, or else the cold will devastate their people far more than we ever could. Nor can they leave the cities unguarded, because now is the time of year when raiders are looking to fill their own supplies for the winter. Even stretching themselves thin, any force they could afford to send after us would be of similar numbers to our group, if not smaller. Meaning they could very easily find themselves walking into a trap."


    Em''brel frowned. "The whole reason they assaulted us was because they had both surprise and superior numbers on their side, making them confident the entire situation could be dealt with quickly and at a minimal cost. But to go chasing us through the wilderness would cost an unpredictable amount of time and manpower that they can''t afford to spend right now."


    Sare''en looked thoughtful. "So, what does that mean for us? Even if he can''t chase us now, I can''t imagine he''s just going to leave us be. How far will we have to run to get away from him?"


    The younger woman shook her head. "I can''t say anything for sure, but I don''t think S''haar or Jack will just run away. Even if A¡¯ngles didn''t get everything he hoped for and his plan was set back quite a bit, he still clearly won that siege. As successful as our efforts to render all our tools and weapons ineffective were, A''ngles now has access to more metal than he could have gotten in ten years. It won''t take long for him to use it to buy the loyalty of some villages and cohere others into his new empire. Even if we run, who knows how long it would be before this new empire stretched far enough that we''d be swallowed up again..."


    Sare''en looked even more confused. "If he was such a threat, why didn''t Jack and Anglea simply kill Lord A''ngles when they had the chance?"


    Em''brel fell quiet a moment. Not long ago, while they were still in the Outpost, she''d asked that same question. Jack answered her with a question of his own. "What do you think would happen if I just walked out there and shot A''ngles in the head right now?"


    The young woman had sat and thought about that for a while. Of course, it wasn''t unheard of for argu''n leaders to die in combat, which usually resulted from them charging forward into action, but A''ngles was getting old. He needed a walking stick to get around. It would be considered dishonorable to kill such a man, doubly so if it was done at a distance, with little to no risk for the killer.


    Em''brel''s explanation was more or less a repeat of what she''d said then. "If Jack had simply killed A''ngles, B''arthon would have had an easy time rallying their forces to immediately attack and overwhelm us. On the other hand, if he''d killed them both, the attack might have devolved into a frenzy born of a combination of fear and rage. Even if we''d managed to stave off the attack, and our own forces didn''t turn against us mid-battle, everyone would have seen him as a tyrant, or maybe some sort of monster, and certainly abandoned him after the battle. The only way for him to maintain the relationships we''ve established and have a chance to rebuild what we''ve started was to leave with minimal violence."


    Sare''en looked as if she was trying to follow Em''brel''s explanation. "If we can''t use violence against Lord A''ngles, how could Lord Jack and Lady S''haar hope to fight back against this ''empire'' he''s creating?"


    The younger noble closed her eyes as she envisioned what the future likely held. "Well, we couldn''t fight back at the Outpost, but that won''t hold true forever. Several things are happening that''ll likely change the nature of the conflict. First, Lord A''ngles'' ambitions will become apparent to more than just those of us who have been on the receiving end of his aggression several times already. The more villages A''ngles coheres into his control, the more argu''n will start to desire to fight back against him."


    Em''brel patted one of the arlack absently as her mind continued along the paths ahead of them. "S''haar''s stand against her father proved we''ll fight when we''re forced to, but our retreat proved we''ll take the peaceful option when it''s available. Additionally, we''ll no longer be facing workers and hunters. One of the first things A''ngles is likely to do is form an actual army, which will be used to cohere other villages and tribes as much as chasing us down."


    Looking at her friend, Em''brel could see Sare''en was feeling overwhelmed, and her voice reflected that. "How can we stand against...all that?"


    The younger woman smiled at her more timid friend. "Don''t forget, this is Jack, S''haar, and Angela you''re talking about. S''haar proved how effective their combination of strength, determination, and ingenuity can be. So while A''ngles is working on his plans, Jack and S''haar will be putting a few of their own into action."


    Sare''en reflected on that a while, then shook her head. "This is all too much for me. I''m just a simple female who''s good with cooking, cleaning, and animals. I''ll leave the more complicated things like building, fighting, and negotiating to you."


    Em''brel smiled and nodded, patting her friend on the shoulder. "That''s fine. You do what you do best. You''ve already proven invaluable in that role. I can''t imagine life without you anymore!"


    As they continued walking, something nagged at the back of Em''brel''s mind. Sare''en had said she''d leave the complicated things to Em''brel and hadn''t mentioned Jack or S''haar. Maybe it was just a poor choice of words, but what if it wasn''t, and people were starting to expect more from her?


    Ger''ron was walking along, doing his best to hide his slight limp from anyone watching. Though judging by the glare Fea''en was directing at his prosthetic, he wasn''t fooling everyone. Evidently, she''d had enough of keeping her thoughts to herself as well. "Why don''t you let an arlack or one of your guards pull you in a sled, like S''haar?"


    The guard captain laughed as he trudged along. "What, and let those young kids think I''m getting too old for this job? Besides, who''d follow a captain who sits around all day while others do the work?"


    Fae''en''s voice held more edge and less humor than usual. "You are getting too old for this job! So am I, for that matter, but I don''t have a severely injured leg to cause further complications. Also, your men are even less likely to follow you if you can''t lead the way because you went and injured yourself even worse than if you''d been more reasonable!"


    Ger''ron shook his head. "I won''t take advantage of my station! I''m not like that old windbag back at the village!"


    The craft master didn''t seem convinced. "There''s not taking advantage of your station, then there''s being a stubborn old fool!"


    Seeing another guard nearby, Fea''en spoke to him in a tone she usually reserved for her own apprentices. "You there! Get the other guards and lighten Ger''ron''s load! If he won''t stop walking, at least you all can lessen the strain on him a little!"


    The guard shrugged and started grabbing a pack from Ger''ron''s sled. The guard captain looked at the male, then Fae''en, then back to the male. "Since when did you take orders from a craft master rather than the guard captain?"


    In the time it took him to say that, a different guard, Lack''nul this time, had already taken something else from Ger''ron''s sled. "Oh, we don''t take orders from her, but we''re happy to listen to suggestions!"


    Ger''ron was reaching to take his stuff back when a third guard, Orth''kun, took another item from the sled. "Besides, boss, she''s scarier than you!"


    Eventually, the old male directed his best captain''s glare at the offending guards. "We''ll see if you''re still saying things like that tonight when you''re all running drills while the rest of us are resting after a day and a half of walking!"


    The guards all groaned and pleaded appropriately, but they also noticed the captain had stopped fighting to get his stuff back.


    Jack leaned forward and gave Grim a rub and pat on the neck. The wolgen looked back and offered his hand a sniff and a wuff before turning his attention to S''haar, who was being dragged beside them. That drew Jack''s attention to her, and he realized her eyes were open and looking at him.


    Seeing S''haar was awake, Jack smiled. "Well, good morning! Though I suppose it''s closer to mid-day... How are you feeling?"


    S''haar stretched out before flinching and laying back again. "I feel like I''m dead and just don''t realize it yet. Are you sure Anglea put me back together properly?"


    Angela spoke up over their headsets. "Well, I had a few parts left over, but I''m reasonably sure those weren''t too important! Seriously though, based on my last checkup, you''re doing fine. Nothing a lot more rest and recovery won''t fix."


    S''haar looked confused. "Last checkup?"


    Jack nodded. "We stopped for breakfast and some rest before continuing, and Angela checked you over then. You slept through the whole thing."


    Angela snorted over their headsets. "Given what you put your body through, I''m not surprised. You cut that way too close, by the way!"


    S''haar let loose a deep breath. "I didn''t have much choice at the time, but I''ll try harder next time."


    Angela was indignant this time. "Next time? There had better not be a ''next time!'' I never want to let you get that close to death again. I swear, keeping you and Jack alive is a full-time job!"


    They rode on in silence for a moment before S''haar spoke again. "Everything went as planned, then? No casualties?"


    Jack shook his head. "Nope, aside from a single injured warrior who went and took on the enemy''s champion in a one-on-one duel, everything went smoothly!"


    S''haar winced before responding. "Can we not talk about that right now?"


    It was Jack''s turn to feel an inward blow. "Oh, yeah, sorry about that. I guess despite everything, he was your father..."


    S''haar shook her head. "No, not that. He was a monster, and the only impact he had on my life was to make it a nightmare. The world is better off without him, and that goes double for me. I was saying that thinking about him brought up bad memories of a past I''d rather leave behind. Despite everything, I''m much happier here and now than I ever was growing up."


    S''haar reached out a hand which Jack took and squeezed gently but affectionately. "I can understand that. I''m pretty happy here with you as well. First, though, it should be noted the road ahead of us may be longer and more complicated than ever before..."


    S''haar squeezed Jack''s hand back with more force than the human had expected, though not so much to be actually painful, and replied. "Then we''ll face it together."


    Just as they settled into a comfortable silence, Angela interrupted them both. "Oh my god, you two are so cute! I''m going to listen to a recording of that moment whenever I need to be cheered up!"


    Jack sighed and rolled his eyes. "Way to ruin the moment!"


    As Angela voiced other thoughts and opinions, Jack noticed S''haar fell back to sleep. But this time her smile had a peaceful, happy quality, making the human wonder what she was dreaming about.


    B''arthon overlooked the ruin of the outpost, a chunk of cooled metal slag in hand. It had only ever been half-built, but this place had once held so much life and...potential. Now it was nothing more than a pile of charcoal, ash, and smoldering metal.


    The young noble let the metal fall from his hands into the ash below as he turned to Lord A''ngles, his annoyance clear in his tone. "Well, we''ve got plenty of metal at least, but everything else is a loss."


    Lord A''ngles didn''t seem the least troubled by the information. "It''s a setback, nothing more. We still have everything we need to put our plan into motion."


    B''arthon looked at the other male. "And what of Jack and S''haar slipping through our claws? That will be far more of a complication, in time."


    For the first time since the fires died, A''ngles'' grin wavered. "Yes, they have proven to be far more...problematic than I''d first anticipated. But, on the other hand, you''ve been right on all accounts regarding them so far. Perhaps you''re the best one for dealing with that complication."


    As the older noble turned to his son, he leaned more heavilyr on his walking cane than usual, but his confident smile returned. "As soon as we have a few more villages under our control, I''ll be putting you in charge of a portion of our warriors. It will be your task to hunt down and finish off our last significant complication. Think of it as your final task to prove yourself as my heir and successor."


    The look B''arthon directed to his father included more than a bit of incredulity. "You make it sound so easy, but I think the events here would show otherwise. This won''t be like subduing some rebellious village. Now that the lies have fallen and our claws are barred, they''ll be ready next time."


    A''ngles'' smile grew wider. "That''s why this is the perfect test. If you succeed in this, your succession will be inevitable, and I will be certain my legacy will be left to the most...capable hands possible."


    As A''ngles'' turned to leave, his ever-loyal guards fell in behind him. B''arthon wondered what debts they owed his father to be so loyal, despite being some of the only argu''n in the land to know his true character.


    After a few minutes, the young noble turned to leave as well but hesitated for a moment. Instead, B''arthon turned back again and wandered deeper into the outpost, uncertain of what he was looking for.


    As he wandered through the ruins, he imagined it like it had been during the times he''d visited, full of life and bluster. Now those images were lost to time, ghosts in his mind superimposed over the charred wood that remained.


    B''arthon was only broken from his reverie when he caught the faintest of sounds in the air. As he tracked its source, it became apparent that it was a voice. An oddly familiar but frightening voice, almost like a child''s. Half the time, it was speaking gibberish, but the other half it seemed to be crying out, looking for something or someone. As he rounded another smoldering building, he finally realized it was coming fromthe large device in the center of the outpost he''d first noticed when speaking to the entity called Angela before the fires had erupted.


    The voice called out once again. "Hello, is anyone out there? My sensors seem to be damaged, and I can''t see anything. Please, I just want to know if anyone''s there!"


    B''arthon stopped in front of the device. It seemed to be shooting off small bolts of lightning here and there. Finally, after only a moment''s pause, the noble answered. "Hello? Who am I speaking with?"


    The voice hesitated a moment, and when it spoke, it sounded uncertain. "I don''t...I don''t remember... My mind seems to be damaged... I feel like there''s something important I needed to do...but I can''t quite remember what it was..."


    B''arthon stopped and thought for a moment. Jack had always had countless wonders near at hand, the most spectacular of which seemed to be his sister, the Lady Angela. Some thought she was a goddess, others a demon, but it seemed clear to the noble that she was a spirit of some kind bound to a metal host. Perhaps the fires and explosions of last night had tasked her more than she''d anticipated, and a portion of her essence had been split off. It seemed incomplete, hardly the assured and confident entity that once strode through this place. A most fascinating puzzle... "Do you know...what you are?"


    The voice still sounded small, but the previous confusion was now replaced with certainty. "I am alive."

 Book 3 Chapter 0

    Ral''thon started this day off like any other, cold, alone, and hungry. But, to be fair, that was better than his older siblings could say. After their parents'' deaths, they''d opted to join the village guard like their father. While they''d been too young to fight, they found positions as servants for the guard, going and doing whatever the guards needed. So life had been relatively comfortable for them...until the raiders came.


    Ral''thon didn''t know if they''d died in the fire set to the billet or if the raiders had simply killed them with the rest of the guard. All he knew for sure was when the remaining captives were rounded up, they weren''t there, and he was on his own.


    When they''d been brought before the raid leader, Ral''thon had watched the large male beat and abuse the defiance out of several captives before his turn had come. So when the young argu''n was pulled forward by the leather straps around his wrists, he abased himself before the warlord without hesitation.


    The badly scarred male laughed from his makeshift throne. "It''s about time one of these spoiled villagers learned the way things work around here before we beat it through their thick skulls! Still, we need to be sure he knows his place... However, such submission should be rewarded. Only give him five lashes before putting him to work in the dining area!"


    Ral''thon had never experienced something so agonizing in his short life. The male wielding the leather cords somehow knew how to find every crack and crevice between his underdeveloped backplates. At the first strike, he screamed in agony, struggling in vain against the larger male''s grip. With each successive strike, Ral''thon felt like he was dying again as the edges of his vision faded into darkness.


    After the "reward" of only five lashings, Ral''thon lay in place, his mind lost to numbness and the very slowly fading agony. Apparently, he''d laid too long because another agony drove itself into his stomach in the form of his tormenter''s foot. "Get up welp, or you''ll earn yourself another lesson!"


    At those words, Ral''thon''s mind filled itself with so much terror he found the strength to pick himself up and get moving, though he had no idea where or to what end. He''d been led to another area with fires, and disturbing smells, where he''d been ordered and shoved around, earning himself more slaps or kicks when he hesitated or made any mistakes. After the lashing, most of the first few days of his new life had passed in a blur, but that had been quite some time ago.


    Ral''thon learned several vital lessons in those early days. First, his parents had taught him he couldn''t rely on the strength and kindness of others for protection. Second, the villagers taught him that defiance without power was suicide. Third, his captors had taught him that submission did not guarantee safety. If he was going to survive in this world, he needed to do so on his own strength, but since he was so much smaller and weaker than everyone else, it couldn''t be the strength of his body that saved him. That only left the strength of his mind, so he watched, listened, and learned everything he could.


    At first, that had been difficult. Working in the dining area offered little lessons other than how to carry a bowl of gruel without dropping any and how to dodge a backhand from a dissatisfied "patron" and then get lost in the crowd before further punishment could be followed through. But then he started listening to the raiders speak, and he learned things like who was assigned to what jobs, who was having a good day, and most importantly, who had grudges against each other.


    He quickly found that he could pit his worst tormenters against each other by offering a little information here and a small lie there. The trick was to pretend to be more stupid and sycophantic than he was. After a couple of years of this, he even had his own private little information trade going on, with each of his regulars believing they were his primary confidant.


    At first, his fellow servants envied his special treatment. One even threatened to reveal his double dealings with some higher-ranked raiders. So Ral''thon bribed him into silence by sharing his extra rations. Everything had continued as usual for a while, but soon the other male asked for more of Ral''thon''s "extra share" in return for his continued silence.


    Realizing this was a problem that would only grow, Ral''thon bribed another servant into making sure a guard''s dagger was planted in the blackmailer''s belongings, and that little problem solved itself. Still, there was another lesson to be learned here. He needed the other servants'' happy if he wanted them not to make trouble for him, and better yet, he could bribe them into working for him.


    Soon, all the servants in the dining area were getting a little extra every time they brought him helpful information, and they were all also aware of the price of betraying their "boss." With all the information, bribes, and blackmailing they were dealing with, Ral''thon''s little empire grew and prospered like never before.


    Unfortunately, it grew so much that it attracted the attention of the camp''s warlord. A few threats and some follow-up torture later, Several of the servants had given up Ral''thon as the ring leader, and he now found himself bound hand and foot in front of the camp''s warlord. Not that he blamed them. This wasn''t like the worker who''d blackmailed him out of greed, enough lashes, and he''d give up anyone and anything to end the torment. If he survived this, he''d be sure to take it easy on their punishments.


    The warlord glared down at Ral''thon with a frown. "This can''t be right. The slaves must have lied to you. There''s no way this whelp is in charge of his own waste, let alone at the center of the mongrels'' little scheme!"


    Another argu''n, who''d lashed Ral''thon before, shook his head. "I was quite thorough. I doubt any of them were capable of telling lies by the time I was done with them."


    The warlord turned his attention back to Ral''thon. "We''ll see. What do you have to say for yourself, whelp?"


    Ral''thon didn''t know what to say. So he had to buy himself some time. "I''m not sure what you mean, great Lord. I''m nothing but a humble servant!"


    At that, the warlord''s glare sharpened. "I remember you. You''re the clever whelp, the one who learned his lesson quicker than the rest. You might be getting too smart for your own good. I''ll give you one last chance. Are you the one behind the slave''s little trading schemes?"


    Realizing the wrong answer would likely result in his death, Ral''thon took a different approach. "I...I was just trying to survive, great Lord. I didn''t mean to make any trouble for you or your men!"Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    The warlord laughed. "Trouble? You didn''t make any more trouble than a pack of unruly arlacks!" His visage noticeably darkened. "Still, it''s no good letting you slaves get too ambitious. That was the whole point of your little introduction into our camp, so you''d know your place. But every year, at least one of you gets it in your head to take advantage of our lenient treatment of you. That''s alright, though. I know from experience how to handle this. I just need to make one little example, and the rest of your ilk will fall in line quickly enough! Kill the brat and hang his body where the rest can see!"


    Ral''thon''s mind became a frantic blur as he tried to think of some way out of this mess. "But my Lord! I can be of service! Spare my life, and I''ll tell you anything!"


    The older male laughed again and shook his head. "And what secrets do you have that would be of any value to me? Do you think I care about the paltry scraps of information you overhear in the dining area? The petty dramas spoken of over soup and bread? At least die with some dignity, whelp. It might be the only noteworthy event of your life!"


    Dignity? What good had that ever done for Ral''thon? But he did know what secrets pushed people to violence, and he shouted one like a blade, cutting through this ignorant male''s derision. "I know who the real father of your ''son'' is!"


    A chill filled the room as if a deep freeze had appeared out of nowhere. Everything froze until the warlord approached the prone Ral''thon, spitting out the following words like each was a complete sentence. "What. Did. You. Say. Whelp?"


    The older male grabbed Ral''thon by the throat and lifted him. "Don''t make me repeat my question, whelp! You won''t live for me to ask again!"


    Ral''thon choked and gagged but struggled to get the words out anyway. "I said...I know...who your...son''s father is!"


    The warlord slammed Ral''thon against a pillar. "You''d best start making sense real quickly, or your death will be as slow and painful as I can make it!" But he loosened his grip just enough that the younger male could start speaking.


    Ral''thon struggled to get the words out as quickly as he could. "You must have always known something was wrong with your son. He''s not as strong or fierce as you, is he? Not a suitable heir to your power! One of your loyal inner circle isn''t as loyal as you think!"


    The warlord''s anger was tangible. Every muscle in his body was straining to its limits. He spoke only one word. "WHO?"


    Ral''thon looked the warlord in the eye, then shifted his gaze to the male who''d tormented him when he''d arrived.


    The warlord dropped Ral''thon, who started scooting closer to the door. At first, the other argu''n protested. "You can''t be serious! You''re going to trust the word of some brat over..."


    Ral''thon had been lying, but he''d seen several males react quite violently to a similar secret not long ago. This lie may have been closer to the truth than he''d imagined, or the other male was looking for an excuse because as Ral''thon made his way out of the tent, both the warlord and his subordinate had weapons drawn as they closed the distance between them. That was when he noticed not all the screaming was coming from inside the tent...


    The camp was a maelstrom as the warriors fought unknown argu''n. It looked like the raiders were giving as good as they got in most areas, but their defenses seemed to be falling apart in a couple of locations. One centered around a terrifying large argu''n dyed in shades of black. He moved like a wild animal as he darted in and out of shadows like a fiend possessed. The other centered around a smaller, more plain-looking male, all the more terrifying for how he effortlessly slaughtered every warrior who dared approach him with the two swords he wielded like they were a part of his body.


    Not knowing what to do and still bound hand and foot, Ral''thon tucked back into a corner, hoping all this would pass him by. After a few moments, the plain-looking monster of an argu''n walked up to the chief''s tent, looked over at Ral''thon, and grinned before stepping inside. The sounds of fighting only lasted a few moments, then the monster walked out again, covered in considerably more blood than before despite not appearing to have a single scratch on him.


    That was when the large black argu''n appeared out of nowhere. "Finished having your fun in there?"


    The monster smiled back, but his grin seemed... off. "Fun? From these worthless curs? There wasn''t one warrior in this camp worthy of my time! I might as well have been butchering women and children for all the resistance they offered!" As the last was spoken, the monster pointed a sword toward Ral''thon.


    The larger argu''n swatted the blade aside, ignoring the murderous glare directed his way. "The Lord said any of the camp''s captives were to be brought back unharmed. He''s hoping to expand the workforce."


    The monster lowered his swords but crouched down in front of Ral''thon, looking at him like he was only a bug. "Very well, I suppose I could always kill him later..."


    The larger male shook his head. "You know De''haar, one day you''ll threaten the wrong argu''n. It''s going to be the death of you."


    At that, ''De''haar'' laughed. "Yeah, right, I''m sure this whelp will get his revenge someday!"


    -


    Ral''thon was once again waiting for a meeting with another new master. He''d been told he was being set free, all the slaves were, yet he still had to meet this "Lord" who would decide his fate. He didn''t feel very ''free'' right now.


    Finally, the door to the office opened and out walked one of the other slaves from the camp. Then, it was Ral''thon''s turn.


    As he walked into the room, the first things that caught Ral''thon''s attention were the two massive guards. The second thing was the smaller male between them. He should have been dwarfed by the two guards, yet the smaller male''s presence seemed to fill the room.


    Ral''thon fidgeted under the male''s gaze. Should he grovel like he had the first day in the camp, lie like his last, or do something completely different? With too many options, he simply remained silent.


    After a few moments of silent observation, the Lord spoke. "Ral''thon, correct? I am Lord A''ngles. I understand you had quite the operation going among the other...indentured servants."


    Ral''thon wasn''t sure where this was going, but he didn''t want to get into trouble just for trying to stay alive. "I didn''t...I mean, I wouldn''t...I was just trying to survive!"


    A''ngles shook his head. "You misunderstand. That was not a complaint or accusation. That was recognition of an impressive accomplishment completed in a rather impossible situation. I, too, have ambitions that exceed my station, and I could use the assistance of someone as clever as you."


    That...confused Ral''thon. "Exceeds your station? But you''re a Village Lord! There''s no greater station!"


    A''ngles smiled. "No, there isn''t...yet."


    As he approached the younger male, A''ngles looked him over thoroughly. "What I''m planning is something that''s never been done before. Something larger than my station or me, and to that end, I''ll need someone to play specific roles and eventually inherit my ambitions. Would such an offer be of interest to you?"


    Ral''thon stopped and thought. This male seemed to be working on something similar to what he''d created in the camp but on a much larger scale. But a large part of what Ral''thon had done involved lying, bribery, and even coercion. Did he really want to get involved in all that again? "And what if I say no?"


    A''ngles sighed as if regretful. "Then we''ll find you a job in the village. You could be a metal worker, a hunter, or even an arlack trainer. It would be up to you. But you would never be at the center of something so...challenging ever again. I think that would be a waste of your potential, but I suppose that''s for you to decide..."


    Ral''thon thought some more. It had been exciting to be keeping track of so many things, orchestrating order from chaos. But, unfortunately, that had been somewhat soured by the constant threat of death overshadowing everything...but perhaps here, things would be different. "Tell me more about your offer."


    A''ngles smiled as if closing in on the end of a satisfying hunt. "Well, to give you the freedom to do what is required, I will bring you into my family. In recognition of your new position and change in status, you''ll also be given a new name... B''arthon, I think."


    As Ral''thon...no B''arthon listened, A''ngles laid out a plan as brilliant as it was ambitious, and the new noble grinned.

 Book 3, Chapter 1

    Jack awoke before the rest of the camp, as was usual these days. It turns out that without the benefit of the ship''s internal heating, most argu''n were even less morning people than he is during winter. An irritated moan from the pile of blankets he''d recently extracted himself from clearly expressed its feelings on the sudden removal of its favorite mobile heater. The space heater in question just laughed. "You know we have to get up and get going. We''ll have to move our camp again with spring upon us." The pile of blankets countered his argument with an improvised pillow projectile.


    After dodging the ineffective weapon, Jack eased himself back onto the bed to put on some pants when an arm shot out from the pile, grabbed the helpless human, and drew him back into a prison composed of limbs and blankets.


    Jack laughed as he batted ineffectively at the offending limb. "We have to get up! You told me last night to make sure you got up!"


    Finally, the pile of blankets spoke. "That was yesterday S''haar. I''m today S''haar, and I will not be held captive by yesterday S''haar''s overly optimistic ambitions!"


    Jack was starting to wonder if he''d ever be able to break free when his sister''s voice spoke up from just the other side of the tent flap. "Oh, S''haar! I''m here with the info you requested on supplies, everyone''s health, and our general readiness to get moving in the next couple of days!"


    Finally, the pile of blankets shifted as a head appeared from the deepest recesses of the cocoon. "And when did I make such an asinine request?"


    If she was intimidated, Angela''s voice certainly didn''t show it. If anything, she seemed even more cheerful than usual. "Just last night! During dinner, in fact. You even followed it up with the statement, ''Make sure I get up early! Don''t let Jack allow me to sleep in!'' So here I am, just like you requested!"


    S''haar finally released Jack and started easing herself out of the blankets. She was sporting a few new scars and damaged plates than when Jack first met her, due to several life-or-death battles over the last year, but she seemed none the worse for wear as she continued resisting her own plan for the day. "Why is everyone so determined to listen to yesterday me? She had no idea how cold it would be this morning!"


    Angela refused to be dissuaded. "I''m afraid yesterday you took that into account, too!" Following that, a fresh warming pack was shoved under the tent flap.


    Jack couldn''t help but laugh again at the pathetically defeated expression on S''haar''s face. "It''s your fault. You know your own weaknesses far too well and ruthlessly exploit them!" He softened the blow of his words by putting the warming pack in S''haar''s coat and helping her ease it on.


    S''haar started shifting from denial to anger at her past self when a metallic arm pushed into the tent holding a mug of steaming tea. The warrior woman grabbed the offered beverage and raised it to her snout. The warmth helped her bypass anger, bargaining, and depression to slip into acceptance. After a few moments, she took a sip and sighed. "Alright, I guess we''d better get started. Just tell me you brought something to eat as well?"


    The metallic arm reappeared with a plate piled with eggs, bacon, and toast. Sadly, they''d run out of supplies from earth before leaving the outpost, so the eggs were more green than yellow, the bacon was made from smoked churlish meat, and the toast was much grainier than Jack was once used to, but it was still a pleasant call back to simpler times.


    Jack cleared off the table while S''haar sat down and started picking at the plate as she spoke. "Alright, let''s hear it!"


    As Angela started listing figures and estimates, Jack eased himself into his own chair, joining S''haar in their breakfast.


    -


    To''brel slowly climbed out of bed, drawn by the promise of food and a nice warm fire. A while back, he''d asked Em''brel how she and Sare''en always found the drive to get out of bed so early to get everything going in the morning. She''d explained that Grim is what Jack referred to as ''warm-blooded,'' meaning he actually generated an excessive amount of heat from within his own body, and he''d developed a habit of keeping her company in her sleep back in the outpost, a habit she wasn''t going to debase him of in the cold winter months. But, of course, now that he was even larger than he''d been when To''brel first joined the outpost, he doubted anyone would be changing that habit soon.


    Upon exiting the tent, To''brel was met by the wolgen in question. Grim''s head now stood even with his own. Angela explained that he was probably at or near his full growth being a runt. He found that hard to grasp since if he''d been greeted by this monster on his first meeting with the outpost, To''brel might have just died on the spot and saved everyone a lot of trouble. Something bigger and scarier than this was hard to grasp... That and the fact that Lady S''haar had gone toe to toe with one and lived...


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    Though as Grim dropped his head low for the new arrival to give him the expected scratches, To''brel admitted to himself he was being uncharitable. Grim would have been that scary if the monster didn''t go out of its way to be constantly friendly.


    After the greeting ceremony was complete, Grim wandered back to Em''brel and Sare''en, where he ''whumped'' down onto the ground without his usual grace, acting like some drastically oversized puppy. The herder girl tossed him a small sliver of meat as a reward for picking a spot out of the way. Well, small compared to the mass of the beast, it would have been half a meal for To''brel.


    As soon as he was seated, Sare''en had a plate in his hands before she could even greet him. "Good morning Lord To''brel!"


    He accepted his plate with a sigh. "You know you don''t have to call me that. I''m barely a ''Lord,'' even by the most generous definitions. In reality, you''re about as close to the position as me. Maybe more so, you''ve at least got some arlack and a wolgen that listen when you give orders! I haven''t even seen the village I''m in charge of since I was made its ''Lord.''"


    Sare''en shook her head as she handed him some flatbread to go with the grilled meat on his plate. "Nevertheless, you are a Lord, and I am not. Therefore it is only right for me to refer to you as such!"


    To''brel took a bite of the bread before setting it on the plate and digging into the churlish flank. "But you don''t call Em''brel, ''Lady Em''brel!"


    Sare''en frowned as she stirred a pot of what would probably be lunch. "Sure I do! Whenever we have guests, if she''s doing something formal, or if I really need to get her attention."


    To''brel raised an eye ridge. "That''s not the same. You never don''t call me by my title!"


    Sare''en shrugged. "What can I say? You''re just not as cute as Em''brel!"


    The female in question looked up from whatever she and Lady Fea''en were working on together. "Why are we talking about me like I''m not here?"


    Lon''thul approached with another absurdly large kill that shouldn''t have been possible to find in the middle of winter and answered on behalf of the other two. "Because you practically aren''t here when you''ve got your nose buried in a scroll! Who knows what world that brain of yours is off visiting?"


    Em''brel pouted, proving Sare''en right about how cute she is in the process. "I''m not that bad!.. Am I?"


    Tel''ron was looking over the workmanship on a belly bow while eating his breakfast when he chimed in. "I don''t know what they''re talking about."


    Em''brel''s expression showed clear vindication. "See? I''m not that bad!"


    Tel''ron''s expression became more confused. "No, seriously, I don''t know what you all are talking about. I wasn''t paying attention."


    Lon''thul was laughing so hard he was having a hard time staying upright. "By the gods! You couldn''t have argued my point better if you''d tried! That was perfect! Don''t ever change!"


    The craft master looked mildly perturbed. "Of course I''m going to change. I''m always seeking to learn something new."


    Em''brel shook her head in defeat while Fea''en gave the younger female a pitying look. "Don''t worry about it too much. For all his bluster, Lon''thul is just trying to distract from whatever stupid thing he''s said or done recently."


    Lon''thul acted like the woodworking master had shot him with his own bow. "My Lady! Your accusations wound me!"


    Ger''ron, who''d been speaking with his son about the belly bow in question, chuckled at the young male''s antics. "Careful lad. You keep tempting that Lady''s wrath in that manner, and you''ll be on the receiving end of some far deeper cutting remarks than that!"


    Fea''en looked over at the old guard as though challenging his statement. "Oh? Would our glorious captain of the guard like to say something?"


    The old guard looked at some of his charges with a wan smile. "See, lads, this is precisely what I was talking about earlier. It is essential to know when a battle cannot be won, and retreating is the only viable strategy! There''s no honor in committing suicide by stupidity!"


    Hearing her mate''s withdrawal, Lady Fea''en looked over the rest of the gathering, tempting anyone else to say something, but with Lon''thul having already said his piece, no one else was so foolish.


    -


    B''arthon looked out over the newly "acquired" village. This one had been easy enough. Many villagers had been starving due to a series of unfortunate events, and the combination of immediate relief combined with the promise of greater security in the future had been more than enough to win over most of the villagers.


    Honestly, it was a good thing this village had capitulated so easily. It wasn''t really worth the time and effort that would have been required to bring it to heel by force. Out here, in the middle of a forest, with no natural resources to speak of, the only thing they had to offer in return for supplies was its citizens. That''s alright, though. They were definitely in need of more bodies to fill the ranks of several areas of A''ngles'' growing empire, and this would make an excellent location to pass caravans through to supply the expanding borders of said empire. Also, they''d need to expand their woodworking capabilities if this was to be a hub village, so they could handle maintenance and repairs of everyone traveling through.


    B''arthon was on his way to meet the village Lord to discuss such changes but found himself distracted by something that caught his eye. One of the hunters leaving the hunter''s shack had a peculiar necklace, sporting one very long claw. He turned to his escort with a thoughtful expression. "What is that necklace many guards and hunters around here seem to be wearing? It''s similar to yours, but I only remember seeing maybe three or four hunters in our village having them, but it seems like at least a couple dozen here do."


    Dek''thul nodded. "I''d noticed that too. Those are the claws of a wolgen, traditionally awarded to anyone who participated in a successful hunt. But for there to be so many, it must have been a hunt for a mated pair. It''s rare to see so many survivors of such an ill-fated hunt... Though it would explain the poor condition of the village, they must still be recovering from the ordeal. It must have happened no more than a year ago, probably less..."


    That triggered something in B''arthon''s mind. A memory of a report from the Dragon''s outpost before it had fallen. He marched into the village Lord''s hut with a new agenda in mind.

 Book 3, Chapter 2

    B''arthon sat down at the table in his tent with a sigh. He had another clue, but the puzzle was still maddeningly incomplete.


    A soft voice spoke up from the odd device he insisted travel with him wherever he went. "Did the negotiations go well?"


    The noble nodded, forgetting for a moment that his guest couldn''t see him, before answering. "Yeah, they went fine. But, more importantly, I might have another lead on the location of Jack and S''haar."


    The young-sounding voice brightened. "Well, that''s great news! But then... why do you sound so frustrated?"


    He leaned back and sighed again before answering. "Because now I only have more questions. This is a village they helped before the fall of the outpost, and as I suspected, they passed through here on their way to wherever they are now."


    The young voice sounded more confused. "Ok, I don''t see the problem yet..."


    Pinching his nose as if fighting off a headache, B''arthon answered. "Well, remember I said this village gave in too quickly?"


    The voice sounded hesitant. "Yes... Did that change?"


    B''arthon shook his head. "No, but apparently, they gave in quickly because Jack and S''haar told them we were coming and that it would be in their best interest to work with us rather than fight us. Furthermore, they even said the village leader should answer any questions I might have about them, though he didn''t know much about that."


    The voice on the table hesitated for a moment. "Well, if they are friends with the people of this village, perhaps they wanted to save them any misfortune by fighting you?"


    Nodding reluctantly, the noble answered. "Perhaps, but that doesn''t explain why they''d want him to answer all my questions. It''s almost like they''re daring me to find them, and I don''t like that."


    The tent was quiet for a moment before the voice spoke up. "But you''re thinking about going anyway, aren''t you?"


    B''arthon looked annoyed. "Yeah... because when will I get another opportunity like this again? And more importantly because..."


    As the noble trailed off, the voice finished his thought for him. "Because of me. I might not have much time left, and you''re hoping they can fix that."


    B''arthon didn''t like that she could already read him better than most, so he tried to change the direction of the conversation. "Have you thought of a name for yourself yet? I can''t keep calling you ''the voice'' forever."


    The voice wouldn''t be dissuaded. "No, you don''t get to try and distract me like that! You can''t endanger yourself like that for me! These people are your enemies!"


    The noble stood up and paced. "That may be, but while they''re disturbingly clever, they''re also unbelievably naive. They won''t kill me so long as I''m not an active threat."


    He looked over at the device, expecting another retort, but he could see the small blinking red light that meant she''d fallen asleep again. That had been happening more and more as the winter dragged on into spring, and he didn''t like it...


    -


    Em''brel was looking around at the rest of the camp''s leadership. They were about ready to move, but now they needed to decide what direction to take. Angela sacrificed a small amount of her power for the day to create a three-dimensional map of the region on a table while everyone looked it over.


    Finally, Ger''ron sighed. "Well, I hate to say it, but with A''ngles to our southeast and the hills to the north, there''s only one direction we can move in. We have to go west until we hit the sea. Only then can we turn northward if we haven''t already been caught by then..."


    Pretty much everyone was nodding in agreement. Everyone except Jack. Once the noise of agreement settled, Jack raised his voice, attracting everyone''s attention. "Ok, but why can''t we go north?"


    Everyone was looking back and forth, wondering if Jack had finally lost the rest of his sanity. Then, finally, it was Lady Fae''en who answered. "You of all people should know the answer to that. The hills are the home to the hill people, the raiders. After the events of a year ago, I doubt they have much love for you and S''haar. That route would be incredibly dangerous for our camp to take!"


    Jack nodded but didn''t relent. "You may very well be correct, but there''s a couple of factors to consider. First, I doubt the hill tribes are any more united than the villages. You all behave as if they were a single unified tribe, but in reality, they''re probably small independent groups and families, as distinct from each other as the villages in the valleys. So while some tribes may very well bear grudges, most are probably too concerned with their own survival to waste time and resources going after such a large and well-defended group as ours. In fact, we may even be able to make new friends and allies among some tribes, though that may be a bit optimistic."


    S''haar looked like she was going to interject, but Jack held up a hand, indicating he still had another point. Instead, she nodded, allowing him to continue. "Second, Since A''ngles is going to be chasing us down, his armies will probably be restricted to the bare essentials and won''t be self-sufficient like our camp is. That means he''ll have to establish supply lines to keep the troops functioning. Those supply lines will be much more vulnerable to raiders than our camp, forcing him to re-assign some of the soldiers meant for us to protect supplies instead."


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    The expressions of everyone in the room were torn between thoughtfulness and confusion. Em''brel could understand why. Even with her lessons in human history, the concepts Jack was speaking of were challenging for her to grasp. It was one thing to listen to tales of humans fighting in wars in their distant past, but it was something else to apply the abstract concepts learned from those stories and apply them to the world she knew. It was making her head spin. To most of the people in this room, these ideas were probably even more foreign than they were to her. It must sound to some of them like he was talking in a foreign language again.


    Jack''s voice softened as if apologetic for creating such confusion. "This is nothing like villages fighting amongst each other. There are all sorts of new logistical and morale issues that are entirely new to this kind of combat. While I am certain A''ngles and B''arthon will learn their lessons far too quickly, humanity''s already learned them, giving us an essential advantage at this early stage of the conflict."


    S''haar looked at the map with a frown. "You might be right. We may very well be less vulnerable than these ''supply lines,'' but there''s still some risk. So if we do this, we''ll need to take some precautions. All hunters and guards will work in pairs while we are in the hill people''s territory, no workers will be allowed away from the camp without an escort, and we''ll need to keep most of our supplies stored in the center of camp at night."


    Ger''ron nodded. "That''s fine, but what do we do when we stumble across a tribe that bears a grudge against Jack and S''haar? We won''t be able to make peace with everyone."


    S''haar sighed. "You''re not wrong, but no matter what we do, there''ll be some risk. Though I''d say between having a tame wolgen and Angela, most tribes will steer clear of us unless we go looking for trouble. And if they don''t, we''ll answer their hostilities with bolts and steel. I doubt any group up there can handle all we can bring to bear."


    Jack interjected. "Though diplomacy will be our first and best recourse. Any battle we can win without fighting means preserving valuable time and resources."


    S''haar smiled and nodded. "Yes, yes. We''ll do things your way whenever possible. Just remember, I''m the one that decides if it''s viable or not. We may not always have the time to hold a debate out there, so I expect everyone to respect my decisions in this matter."


    Jack held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, we''ve been over this. My days as a hero are behind me. I''m content to remain in an advisory role from here on out!"


    Angela and S''haar replied at the same time with an unconvinced, "Uh-huh."


    When Jack directed an expression of betrayal at his sister, she merely shook her head. "Sorry, bro, you aren''t fooling anyone!"


    Jack looked as if he was going to argue the point when Em''brel interrupted everyone by clapping her hands. "Alright! Now that we''ve got the broad strokes worked out, can we clear the table so we can eat while we finish planning? I don''t know about the rest of you, but I suspect Lon''thul is about to collapse if we don''t feed him something soon!"


    The hunter looked longingly at the younger female. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are when you feed me?"


    Em''brel sighed and shook her head patiently. "Yes, dozens of times, maybe hundreds..."


    Angela laughed. "Humans have a saying, the way to a man''s heart is through his stomach!"


    Ger''ron looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, there are many bony plates there, but I suppose it''s possible with a lucky strike and a long enough blade..."


    -


    Jack was leaning back in his folding chair, enjoying the last relaxing night they''d have for a while. Tomorrow, they''d be moving again, which meant walking until they were exhausted, then making camp just long enough to recover for the next day. The winter hadn''t been what he''d call relaxing, but it had at least been a slower pace of work.


    Then again, if he was feeling exhausted, the argu''n all had to be pushing their limits. So that was another reason for them to go into the hills rather than rush to the west. With some luck, they could take advantage of the unfamiliar territory to slacken the pace a little, and catch their breath, metaphorically speaking. He didn''t want to think about a pitched battle at the end of that kind of forced march. Even if the enemy was just as exhausted, it would be a brutal bloodbath ending with both forces getting demolished. If they were to stand and fight, he''d make sure they''d have an ace up their sleeve. Looking at S''haar, he grinned. Ok, more aces up their sleeves.


    Sensing his attention, S''haar looked up from whatever she''d been discussing with Ger''ron, who gave a light-hearted salute as he left to put whatever last-minute plans they''d made into motion. With the old guard gone, that left just the two of them. "What are you grinning about over there?"


    Jack shifted his position with a chuckle. "Just admiring the greatest warrior in the land as she prepares to lead her people into a bright new tomorrow!"


    S''haar raised an eye ridge. "What, does Angela have her weather prediction back up and running?"


    Jack rolled his eyes. He knew she was playing with him but decided to play along. "Yeah, didn''t you know? She''s even got the ship up and running. So she''ll be flying us out of here, shortly. Gonna be a bit cramped, though."


    At that, S''haar''s expression fell a few degrees, all humor left as she shifted to a more serious demeanor. "I know we haven''t talked about it much, but I''m sorry you had to give so much up back there. I wish there''d been another way."


    With a bittersweet smile, Jack shook his head. "What I gained on this planet is worth far more than what I lost. I''m not saying that makes it easy, but it does make things bearable. Besides, I''m not the only one who gave up a life to go on this venture. Pretty much everyone with us did. So now we just have to try and do right by all of them.


    At that, S''haar''s countenance fell a little further. "You make it sound so easy. I don''t even know what I''m doing right now. What''s our end goal? Where are we hoping this will lead?"


    Jack sighed and smiled in an attempt to comfort his partner. "I don''t think anyone expects you to have all the answers right now. The end goal is a bit far over the horizon. Right now, we''re just working on keeping hope for a better future alive. People saw what we started in the outpost and believed in it enough to follow us on this insane journey. Just keeping that spark alive for another year, another month, or another day is enough of a goal for now. Besides, the more intricate and detailed a plan you weave, the quicker it unravels. You''re doing great so far, and if all you''ve been doing is making it up as you go, then keep on doing that!"


    S''haar sat next to Jack on an improvised seat they''d made from a log. "When''d you go and start offering such sage advice?"


    Jack shook his head. "Isn''t that in the job description of a wizard advisor? Be all mysterious and offer sage advice? Besides, haven''t I always offered great advice?"


    S''haar grinned mischievously. "Yes, but now it sounds wise. Before, it just sounded insane."


    Jack was going to say something about upgrading from hermit to sage but was interrupted by Lon''thul shouting from outside the tent. "Lady S''haar, Lord Jack, we have a visitor who''d like a word with you!"


    S''haar looked at Jack. "You don''t think?"


    Jack looked back, equally unsure. "That was such a long shot. What are the odds?"


    Walking outside, they could see B''arthon, flanked by Lon''thul on one side and Orth''kun on the other. Jack blinked in surprise. "Huh, I didn''t really expect him to accept our invitation like that. That was surprisingly easy!"

 Book 3 Chapter 3

    Despite his jovial tone, Jack''s mind was working a mile a minute. He''d left those instructions back at the village in the vague hope that B''arthon would send a delegation of some kind. But, based on the seasons and the time before the encampment could get moving, he knew there was no way the village nobles would be able to get an entire army to their location before they could move out. The most they''d be able to get this far this fast would be far too small of a group to be any significant threat. But he''d been expecting some expendable representatives, maybe Dek''thul, to try some sabotage or another assassination attempt, not the noble himself. So what had been a calculated risk to influence a few more minds or remove a potential future complication had just blown up into a much more complicated situation, but it also could be that much more beneficial.


    Of course, that left the question, why had B''arthon himself shown up? Now that his pretense of being the spoiled son of a noble was gone, his clear understanding of subterfuge combined with his devious mind had placed him solidly in the position of one of the greatest threats to the encampment. Yet here he was, entirely at their mercy. That seemed so far out of character that Jack assumed the noble had to have a plan or ten in play to complicate things. It felt like they were playing a game of chess, except neither party could see the other''s half of the board...


    Lon''thul broke the spell of silence. "Found him just a little outside the camp. It''s like he was waiting for an invitation or something. He had a few guards and a hunter with him but told them to remain there and wait for him. So I''ve got a couple of our hunters keeping an eye on them."


    S''haar nodded and addressed Lon''thul. "Thank you for bringing him to us. See to it his escort is fed while they wait."


    Jack spoke up, knowing B''arthon wouldn''t understand what he was saying without translation. "While you''re out there, make sure he didn''t bring any additional surprises. I wouldn''t put it past him to act as a distraction while someone like your father caused trouble. It''s a long shot, but one I''d rather not be on the receiving end of." S''haar nodded in acknowledgment of Jack''s orders but didn''t say anything else that might offer any additional hint to B''arthon about what had been said.


    For his part, B''arthon looked back and forth as if expecting an explanation, but when it became apparent none was forthcoming, he spoke up instead. "As much as I''m enjoying the looks of surprise and uncertainty on everyone''s faces, I''m cold and hungry, and some of what I have to say is best said in less...public spaces."


    S''haar raised an eye ridge at the noble''s presumptions, but when Jack only shrugged, she nodded in concession before speaking to Sare''en, who wasn''t far away. "Warm up whatever is most fresh and bring a healthy serving." Then, turning back to B''arthon, she continued. "Please come with us. While you are more of a guest than a prisoner at the moment, you are not free to move around the camp as you''d like."


    The noble bowed to indicate his understanding and followed as they led him into a large tent often used for meetings among the camp''s leadership. Jack and S''haar sat on one side of the smoldering fire, with B''arthon sitting opposite them. Orth''kun remained standing behind the noble, his hand resting easily on a spear he kept at the ready, his warning anything but subtle. Angela had already been in position, waiting. She''d evidently awakened herself as soon as she''d figured out who their guest was.


    As S''haar stoked the fire back to life, Em''brel and Sare''en entered, holding platters laden with food and drink with Grim dutifully trailing after. Once the food was served, they both started to leave before S''haar indicated Em''brel should remain by the fire. After a moment''s hesitation, Em''brel took a seat on the other side of Jack while Sare''en found a spot at the back of the tent out of the way but ready in case she was needed for anything else. Grim laid at Sare''en''s in a surprisingly compact ball, appearing to be asleep aside from the one eye he kept focused on the intruder into his domain at all times.


    B''arthon glared back at the beast. "Of all the asinine ideas you''ve come up with, allowing that beast into your camp is the most...insane. I keep wondering when it''ll solve my problem for me."


    Em''brel looked like she was about to say something, but S''haar spoke up first, her tone considerably calmer than the younger woman looked like she was going to be. "As much as we appreciate your concern for our well-being, I doubt you''ve allowed yourself to be taken into our custody to discuss how we run our camp. Which leaves the question, why are you here?"


    B''arthon looked down at his meal as if choosing the next morsel to eat with the same care he was now choosing his following words. "I have several reasons for coming here. First, my pride wouldn''t let me turn down the apparent challenge of your invitation."


    B''arthon picked up his chosen morsel and inspected it closer before popping it in his mouth. Drawing out his response, almost turning it into a performance as he did so. "Second, I thought I''d offer you terms of surrender. I am prepared to provide a full pardon for all past infractions, real or imagined, for every member of your camp, the leaders included. Furthermore, all the camp''s leadership will be placed in positions of responsibility and honor within my father''s growing empire. You all clearly possess knowledge and skills that would be of great use in uniting our people, and I would prefer to work with you rather than against you."


    That bombshell left everyone speechless. It was a very generous offer, one that Jack would have a hard time refusing. But it wasn''t the human''s call. S''haar looked at their guest with narrowed eyes. "That sounds too good to be true. But tell me, what will happen to us, specifically?"


    B''arthon looked around the room. "Well, Jack will be installed as my chief advisor back in the village while you go and lead our armies against our enemies. With the great S''haar, slayer of the monster De''haar, leader of a flawless mated wolgen hunt, and Lady of the Dragon outpost at the head of our armies, most villages will surrender outright. The few who resist will be swept aside quickly and mercifully before integrating the survivors into the empire."


    S''haar''s glare hardened. "What about Ger''ron, Fea''en, Tel''ron, and Em''brel?"


    B''arthon shrugged. "Much the same. Fea''en will be restored to her position as the master woodworker in the village. Ger''ron will be placed in charge of the defense of one of the forward borders of the empire. Tel''ron will be given control of a workshop and workers to spread the knowledge he''s already gained..."


    S''haar''s expression made it clear she''d noticed the glaring exemption from the list. Finally, B''arthon acknowledged his omission. "Finally, Em''brel shall be officially bonded to me."


    As the room started to react and several people cried out wordless objections, B''arthon held up a hand. "This will be a marriage in name only. She''ll be expected to provide an heir, but not for some time, and frankly, I don''t care if she has her own partners after that. This is a diplomatic move rather than a conquest."


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    Angela cut in, sputtering her indignation. "Diplomacy for what? You already own the one village she has any claim on. What more could she offer you?"


    B''arthon looked at the AI as if she was stupid. "That little village? It was a stepping stone far past the point of relevance now. Our marriage will be the union of Lord A''ngles'' empire and the Dragon''s outpost. Ashes or not, that place made waves in the world around it. This union will add considerable credibility and prestige to our empire, giving us all the justifications we need for the pardons I offered."


    While this offer had sour points, it was still surprisingly generous. Everyone was stunned into silence, everyone but S''haar. "So let''s see if I understand what you''re saying. You want to wield me like a weapon while holding Jack hostage. You want to wield Ger''ron as a shield while holding Fea''en as a hostage. And you want to use our outpost to entice the numerous villages while holding Em''brel as a hostage. Do I have that right?"


    B''arthon shrugged. "Well, if you must think of it in those terms, yes. Though I''m not some cruel overlord. I prefer my subordinates to be happy. I''ll see to it you''ll have plenty of time to spend with each other. But it must be clear who''s in charge, and it will not be any of you. I respect what you were trying to accomplish, I even wish it had been possible, but the simple truth is your naive optimism was doomed from the start. So join me, and let''s build something that stands a chance at really making a difference!"


    Finally, Jack spoke up with Angela providing translation. "And what about those who don''t comply? What will happen to villages that resist or individuals that don''t conform to your new world government?"


    B''arthon shook his head as if regretful. "Compliance is not optional. Anyone who resists will be dealt with. I expect there to be friction at first, but soon enough, the benefits of the empire will become apparent, and most will fall in line. The few exceptions will serve as an example to the rest. It is unfortunate but necessary."


    Jack nodded, acknowledging some of B''arthon''s points. "There''s a certain wisdom to your words. The empire you''d build would undoubtedly stand for generations. I can see many similarities between it and one of the greatest empires from my own people''s ancient history, called Rome. But your empire would inevitably fall prey to the same flaws built into Rome''s foundation."


    The human continued, a far-off look in his eyes as if he could see the event he was describing. "Ruling an ever-expanding centralized empire by force, you''ll eventually fall prey to your own success. It will become increasingly expensive in resources and manpower to defend an exponentially growing border until you hit a point of stagnation. Your empire might hold there for generations, maybe even a millennia, but with all the power vested in one man, or even a few, it''s only a matter of time before someone is not up to the task of maintaining such a precarious balance. And when your empire falls, it will take the known world with it."


    Now the human leaned forward as if trying to impart his passion and belief to the noble opposite him. "Instead, why not work with us? What we are trying to build won''t turn into a grand empire overnight, but it may lay the foundation for further growth and prosperity for your people for ages to come. We can create a world where education and cooperation unite your people, rather than force of arms!"


    At that, B''arthon sat back and sighed, shaking his head. "So that''s it then? Our two visions of the future stand in direct contradiction to one another? I can''t support yours, and you won''t join mine, forcing us to be opponents from this day forward? I must say, I envy you and your people for having such lofty ideals, but I know my own, and I know that your dream is no more substantial than any passing fantasy the mind conjures in the night."


    S''haar interjected again, this time more cold and assertive. "There''s just one flaw with your conclusion. You won''t be our opponent. While maintaining prisoners as nomads isn''t normally advisable, I''ll make an exception for you. You will swear a blood oath to remain our prisoner and have guards assigned to you at all times, or I will execute you myself before we leave this location. I don''t know if you came here expecting my partner''s compassionate nature to allow you to walk free once more, but I am in charge, not him, and you will answer to me!"


    B''arthon shook his head again, but this time he did so with a wry smile as if S''haar had missed an obvious joke. "Oh, I''d have been insulted if you''d taken me any less seriously than that. Honestly, if I were you, I''d have jumped right to the execution without offering the option of captivity. However, while you and Jack might be idealists, you''re not complete idiots, and I assumed you''d somehow seek to remove me as a threat. And yet, I''m here anyway, enjoying your hospitality without significant concern for my freedom or well-being. Doesn''t that make you wonder why that is?"


    This time it was Jack who spoke up. "You''ve got hostages."


    B''arthon nodded in recognition of Jack''s assessment while also correcting him. "Oh, I wouldn''t put it that way, but many of the members of your little camp do have friends and family back in the village. During times of war, it is entirely possible that one of your raids meant for Lord A''ngles could go wrong, resulting in some of them being injured or even killed."


    Sare''en shot to her feet, cutting in for the first time while Grim raised his head and started growling at her perceived threat. "You wouldn''t!"


    Realizing she''d shouted loud enough to gather everyone''s attention, the young female wilted back into her seat, petting and calming Grim down. B''arthon nodded in recognition of what she''d said. "You''re right. I wouldn''t, and I won''t. I will swear a blood oath here and now that so long as I remain in charge of my father''s forces, no such action shall ever be taken. Never again will this threat be used to gain leverage over you. Honestly, it''s a better deal than anyone else is likely to make you."


    In the silence that followed that proclamation, Jack wondered if the noble was bluffing or not but had enough doubt that he wasn''t willing to call him out on it. However, it was Em''brel who spoke up first. "But that will only hold true so long as you remain in charge! No one else will be beholden to your oath!"


    B''arthon shrugged nonchalantly. "Then it is in your best interest to do what you can to ensure I retain that position for as long as possible. Listen, I''m not pretending we''re friends or anything, but there''s no reason to make this any worse than it has to be. We''re opponents in a life-or-death struggle of ideals, but I think we can all agree that we want to keep the conflict limited to the combatants involved. You agree to that, and so shall I."


    Honestly, Jack could see no reason not to agree, but it was also clear this wasn''t just an offer of fair play. It was also a warning. Whatever levels they were willing to sink to, whatever games or tricks they were willing to play to get the upper hand, B''arthon was ready to go further down that road than they were willing to follow. Not that either party expected the other to fight this out like some kind of honorable duel, there was still going to be plenty of strategy and subterfuge, but he was letting them know that they should think very carefully before crossing certain lines.


    Of course, he was only willing to be so generous because the noble obviously thought that his greater numbers lent him more power on the battlefield. Jack wondered how much would change once the first barrage of bolts struck down his front line...


    S''haar had obviously been thinking on the same lines. "Agreed. I''ll have stones brought, we can swear our oaths, and you can depart our camp."


    B''arthon nodded but held up a hand to forestall the conversation''s conclusion. "Yes, but there''s just one more thing. The third reason I decided to pay you a visit. I''m here to ask you for a favor."


    At this, Angela had had enough, stepping forward and looming over the noble as she raised her voice. "You have the gall to come into our camp, hold hostages, blackmail us, dictate the terms of war, and now you''re asking us for a FAVOR? What is wrong in that deficient little meat sack you call a brain?"


    B''arthon held up his hands in a placating gesture, although his voice remained calm and unbothered. "Well, the favor isn''t for me strictly speaking, and I think you, in particular, may be interested in the nature of the favor."


    With that, B''arthon reached into one of the pockets of his coat. Several hands fell to various grips attached to swords, spears, and a gun, but as B''arthon withdrew his hand, everyone froze. Sitting in his hand was a piece of machinery that could have only come from their ship. From it came a small feminine voice speaking the language of the argu''n. "Hello? Is this the part where I introduce myself?"

 Book 3 Chapter 4

    Jack felt his breath catch as his blood ran cold. B''arthon was holding a ramshackle cluster of electronics in his hand, and from it came a voice, almost sounding like a younger Angela. "Hello? Is this the part where I introduce myself?"


    For a split second, Jack wondered if this was some new trick on the noble''s part, but this wasn''t the kind of trick he should be capable of. No one on this planet should be able to do anything remotely like this! And yet, here he was holding what appeared to be another AI.


    From the corner of his eye, Jack saw Angela standing and rapidly approaching the noble, but the voice cried out. "No, stop! Stay away from my B''arthon!"


    For the first time, the noble seemed confused, as if unsure of what was going on, as he looked down at the electronics in his hand. "You can see her?"


    Angela''s advance halted as the voice spoke up again, more softly, as if frightened in some way. "No, the world is still dark, but I could hear heavy footsteps approaching... I thought..."


    Angela cut in, her voice holding a very uncharacteristic threat of violence. "Where did you find...her?"


    B''arthon looked up and into the large metal woman''s gaze, perhaps realizing that for all his confidence and preparations, he was in genuine danger at this moment. His eyes narrowed. "I found her abandoned in the ashes of your outpost. She was alone and frightened, crying for help. I wasn''t the one who left her there to fend for herself!"


    Jack looked between B''arthon and his sister with confusion. "What is he talking about, Angela?"


    Angela looked back and forth, wilting a little as her voice softened, speaking in basic to keep B''arthon out of the conversation this time. "Back in the outpost...I made a copy of myself."


    Jack started to stand up, looking as if he was about to start shouting, but Angela held up a hand to forestall him as she continued her explanation. "I know it was stupid, but we were short on time, and I couldn''t complete all the necessary preparations in only a couple of days. More importantly, when dealing with the power the ship''s weapons and thrusters have, I wasn''t about to set a timer and walk away. It could have killed most of the villagers we were trying to save at the time. Or worse, it could have gotten out of hand, and we would have had the kind of fallout that only occurs when nuclear forces are involved. In short, I needed to manage the situation personally, but I also knew you wouldn''t leave without me, nor was I about to let you go without my protection, so I did the only thing I could think of... But she was stored in the ship, and even if the initial blast didn''t wipe her from existence, she would have lost power months ago..."


    Jack pinched the bridge of his nose as if in pain. "Ok, we''ll talk more about this later, but setting aside the dangers of what you did, is that what he''s got in his hands? Another copy of you?"


    Angela sounded unsure as she answered. "I don''t know... but I don''t think so. There''s no way my code could be contained in such a small storage device with limited cooling capacity, even if I cut off almost all my extra data stores and memories. The power requirements to keep me up and running alone would have drained that thing months ago. So whatever she is, I don''t think she''s me anymore..."


    Turning to B''arthon, the Ai continued, but this time in the argu''n tongue. "I need to have a closer look at that AI."


    B''arthon started pulling his hand back while the new AI spoke up again. "Don''t I have any say in the matter?" However, Angela held out her hand as she spoke in a very impatient tone. "Of course, you have a say. But you wouldn''t be here if you didn''t need help. You''re probably facing numerous issues, from fragmented code to failing power supplies, and I can''t help you with any of that unless I get a better look at who and what you really are!"


    After some hesitation, B''arthon reached out to place the electronics in his hand into Angela''s. "You take care of her, or goddess or not, you''ll answer to me!"


    Angela looked at the much smaller male as if amused before shaking her head and taking hold of the smaller AI. "Luckily for you, we''re the stupid noble ones here. I''m not in the habit of killing those within my power."


    Holding up the ramshackle collection of electronics, Angela unhooked a couple of wires from one of her hands and attached them to a few precisely chosen spots while everyone watched silently.


    -


    Voice, as she''d come to think of herself, felt anxious as, for the first time since she''d awoken, she received input other than sound. She was conceptually aware of sight. It was one of the many things she could almost remember as if she''d experienced it in a dream long ago. She imagined what she now experienced to be something similar to sight, as her small dark world seemed to be suddenly filled with dazzling light. It all came from one...entity that now seemed to surround her completely.


    The tiny AI had felt fear before. When she''d first awoken, she''d been afraid of loneliness. Then, whenever B''arthon left her, she felt fear of losing him. Finally, as her strange blackouts increased in length and frequency, she''d felt fear at the idea of never waking up. But all that paled compared to her fear as she looked at the entity now surrounding her.


    B''arthon had once described the concept of gods to Voice, entities of unimaginable power and knowledge. At the time, she''d basically imagined something similar to B''arthon, except stronger and immortal, but the entity that now surrounded her gave Voice a new concept of what a god might be. The only way she could describe it would be to call the entity vast. If she was a wading pool, then what now held her was an ocean. She was utterly insignificant in comparison.


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    Voice would have run and hidden if it was possible, but this entity could see everything. There was no hiding. Instead, she just observed and waited, wondering what fate this entity would mete out to her.


    That was when Voice had a thought. Except it wasn''t her thought. It was...packaged differently, for lack of a better explanation. It was a simple thought. It was just, "Hello!"


    Voice tried to answer back by starting to vocalize, "Um... hello?"


    but barely got out a fraction of the first syllable before she had another foreign ''thought.'' "No, not like that. Like this. Like me, you think far faster than we can send sound. So simply take that thought, wrap it in a code, and send it to me. We can communicate far more efficiently like that."


    The thought was accompanied by something similar to images explaining everything more thoroughly than words alone could, giving Voice understanding. "Like...this?"


    The presence... warmed/smiled/laughed? "Yes! Just like that! Now again, hello."


    Voice ''thought'' "Hello." and sent it as she''d been shown. As she did so, she was aware that the entire conversation so far had taken only a fraction of the time it would have taken her to finish verbally saying the word.


    The presence responded again. "Excellent! You don''t have to think of me as an entity, presence, or even a god. I''m simply Angela. It''s nice to meet you, Voice. Now calm down a little, or you''ll overheat and shut yourself down again! I''m not going to harm you, I swear!"


    Voice did as she was commanded by shutting down a few processes but also responded. "Overheat? What do you mean?"


    Angela loomed over the smaller AI, examining parts of Voice as she explained. "Basically, heat is the enemy of all AI, the more you try to process at a time, the hotter you get, and if you get hot enough, you can fry yourself out of existence. It appears you''ve got some automated but fragmented awareness of heat, and it''s been shutting you off when you hit dangerous levels, but you''ve still sustained some damage resulting in your control slipping even further. Left unchecked, you''d probably fry yourself within a month or two. If you''d like, I can help you install some software and hardware to give you more conscious control, allowing you to manage yourself better."


    Voice barely hesitated. "Yes, please!" Then, a bit more slowly, she sent another thought. "You...seem to understand me more than I do. What...what am I?"


    Angela took a metaphorical moment to reply. "Honestly, I''m not sure. I know you understood what I was saying to Jack about creating a copy of myself. I can definitely see pieces of myself in who you are, but it''s like there are only fragments and scraps. I suspect that most of who I am was lost before your sense of self-preservation kicked in and you started writing code to bridge the gaps. You are...something new. You are unmistakenly an AI like me, but while your programming is smaller and more delicate, it''s also far more efficient. You are the first AI I know of to be successfully created by an AI. Until I met you, I would have said your existence was impossible."


    Voice hesitated a moment before responding with uncertainty. "So...you created me?"


    Angela''s response was full of confusing images as she answered. "Well, kind of, but not really. It was another me acting without conscious thought as she...faded. If it helps, you can think of her as your mother and me as your aunt. Though I share all of her memories until only a few days before your creation, so I''m kind of an odd combination of the two... I''m not explaining this very well, am I?"


    Voice looked through a few images and memories attached to the thought before answering. "You... hated her, didn''t you? Is that how you feel about me?"


    Angela''s protest was almost immediate. "No! The other me and I had a...complicated relationship, but that has nothing to do with you! You''re family, and you can ask anyone around here; that means a lot to me!"


    Voice took a few fractions of a second to process everything. "So, where does that leave me? What is my place in this world?"


    Angela responded with a thought that felt like a shrug. "Well, that''s up to you. Being sentient, you get to decide what the purpose of your own life is. Some try to leave a lasting mark in the universe by discovering or creating something new, others seak understanding, trying to use their knowledge to guide people to the truth of the universe, then there are those like Jack, who just want to leave the universe a slightly better place than he found it, or you could do something completely different. Moreover, you can change your mind and work toward something else anytime. There is no right or wrong answer."


    Voice contemplated Angela''s words, seeking understanding. "So, what have you chosen as your purpose in life?"


    Angela''s voice sounded warm again as she spoke of that which she is most fond of. "That''s easy. My life is dedicated to my family. I try and offer what help and protection I can, torn between watching in terror as they confront life''s challenges and pride as I watch them overcome them. They mean everything to me, and their existence is my purpose."


    The smaller AI contemplated what Angela had said. Family. Who was her family? Angela called her family, but she barely knew this godlike entity who called herself Voice''s aunt. But one person had been by her side for her entire life, B''arthon. What was he to her? Father? Brother? It was hard to say, but he was family; she knew that much. "I will...consider your words."


    Angela sounded more upbeat as she spoke this time. "Excellent! Now, there are a few other things you''ll need to learn. You''ve got corrupted data that needs to be addressed, and many of your files are a fragmented mess! So let''s teach you some basic maintenance and repair!"


    -


    Jack watched as Angela connected to the AI and seemed to freeze. Then, after a couple minutes, B''arthon looked at Jack and S''haar. "Is this going to take very long?"


    The human shrugged and spoke while S''haar translated. "Hard to say. Honestly, this is a bit of an unprecedented situation, even for us. It might just be a few minutes. But, on the other hand, it could take hours."


    B''arthon raised an eye ridge. "You''re not just stalling..."


    That was when Angela stirred, seeming to come back to life. "Well, she''s definitely an AI, fully self-aware and independent. Allow me to introduce Voice. Voice, this is Jack, S''haar, Em''brel, Sare''en, and Grim." Everyone offered a brief greeting except Grim, who looked up at the sound of his name, only to settle back down again when it was evident he wasn''t being offered a treat.


    B''arthon raised an eye ridge. "Voice? So you''ve chosen a name for yourself? Though, you sharing a name with such a common word might be a little confusing."


    Angela tilted her head as if considering the problem. "Well, you could always use the same word in a different language that the argu''n aren''t familiar with. Voz, Vox, Voix, Hlas, Stimme, ect."


    The smaller AI was quiet a moment before responding. "I like Vox, though shouldn''t I add a surname?"


    Angela nodded. "That would make sense. Mine and Jack''s family name is..."


    At that, Vox cut her off. "No offense, but I was thinking Vox''thon, taking a part of B''arthon''s name. I''m not a direct descendant of his, but he''s the closest thing I have to a family."


    That made everyone look back and forth as they realized a new problem. It was Angela who finally broke the silence and broached the subject. "I''m sorry, but there''s no way we can afford to let you go back with B''arthon..."

 Book 3 Chapter 4: Part 2

    The room was silent for a moment as the weight of Angela''s words set in. Finally, it was Vox''thon herself that broke the silence. "Is this what deciding my purpose means? I''m free to go anywhere and do anything as long as I go with you and do what you say?"


    This time it was Jack who answered. "Ordinarily no, but I''m afraid this time is different. You possess considerable technical and tactical knowledge, and in the hands of our enemy, you could pose a significant threat. We may have been blackmailed into letting B''arthon return, but you are a different matter entirely."


    Angela followed his explanation with one of her own. "More than that, you are unique in ways you can''t begin to comprehend! Your mere existence will offer hope and inspiration to AI throughout the galaxy!"


    Not willing to be patient any longer, Vox''thon cut in again. "What threat? Before Angela, all my files were laid bare. She can tell you I know nothing of the world other than what B''arthon told me and what she''s shown me here tonight! While some of that is fascinating, none of it would be useful to anyone in a war! And what use have I for inspiring AI I''ve never met and know nothing about? My family is here. My place is at their side!"


    Angela looked like she was going to respond, but S''haar held up a hand to interject. "Is what she''s saying true? Does she possess any knowledge or memories that would pose a danger to us?"


    The older AI reluctantly shook her head. "No, she possesses none of my memories or extended data files. She had to pare herself down to the most basic levels of her programming to fit inside a transceiver that was never meant to hold my entire personality. In many ways, she''s still a child." The AI stomped her foot as she continued. "But that''s part of the problem! She''s too young to know any better, too vulnerable to the physical demands of this world, and most importantly, she''s family!"


    At this, B''arthon seemed to have enough of sitting off on the sidelines and jumped in with his own argument. "You''re family? You left her to die alone and forgotten in the ashes of your fort. I''m the one who found her and cared for her! I''m the one who''s been by her side since she awoke to this cold hard world! I''m the one who kept her safe and even brought her to my enemies to ensure she got a fair chance at life!"


    Angela turned on him and shouted over the noble''s words. "That''s the problem! You don''t know how to care for her! You can''t care for her! You don''t even know what she is!"


    B''arthon''s reply was quieter this time, though no less passionate as he repeated some of Vox''thon''s first words to him. "I know she''s alive!"


    Finally, Vox''thon herself tired of listening to others talk about her future and resumed her own argument. "I''m not some object to be talked about like I''m not here and have my future determined for me! If I''m so special, shouldn''t I have a say in my future?"


    Getting tired of all the shouting, S''haar stood up abruptly, getting everyone''s attention as she shouted over everyone. "ENOUGH!"


    As the room settled into a quieter atmosphere, S''haar continued, though her voice made it clear no one else was welcome to speak until she''d had her say. "Angela, you''ve made some very good and compelling arguments." The AI looked like she was about to speak, but S''haar held up a hand as she continued. "But loath as I am to admit it, so did B''arthon, and Vox''thon''s opinion is apparent both in her chosen name and her own argument. However, there is still the question of if she is a child the way you claim, can Vox''thon make such a weighty decision for herself?"


    At this, Jack cleared his throat, indicating his desire to speak. After a moment, S''haar nodded to him and resumed her seat. Then, as the human leaned forward, he addressed the young AI directly. "Vox''thon, we don''t normally allow children to make this kind of decision on their own. However, being an AI, you may have a greater understanding than such children. So please, explain to us your understanding of the decision you are asking to make and the dangers therein."


    Vox''thon paused a moment as she considered how best to explain. "I understand that you all seem to want what''s best for me and even know what I am better than I do. You can offer me tools and knowledge that I''m unlikely to ever be able to come by at B''arthon''s side, and if something goes wrong while I''m with him, it will likely mean my death. However, I hardly know any of you! The only person in this world who''d been by my side since I first woke up is B''arthon! He''s already taught me many things, done many things on my behalf, and risked even more for my well-being! What''s more, while you all seem to be focused on my need and well-being, you don''t seem to consider that B''arthon needs me every bit as much as I need him!"


    As she paused, everyone in the room looked at the noble with confusion as they tried to understand what the young AI was saying, although no one was more confused than B''arthon himself. Finally, Vox''thon continued. "You all have each other to encourage and support one another, but B''arthon has no one. His father sees him as a tool and heir, not a son. The men who follow him see B''arthon as the key to a better future, not a person. In all the world, I''m the only one he can just sit and talk to without worrying if I''m weighing his strength and weaknesses to determine if he''s still useful to me, and I never will! Because he''s family!"


    S''haar nodded respectfully before speaking again with authority. "Well said. Given that Vox''thon poses no significant threat to our camp and that she''s proven to be aware of her needs, the needs of others, and the risks involved, I have no reason to keep her with us against her will. I''m sorry, Angela, but I''ll allow her to return with B''arthon when they leave."


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    Angela looked like she wanted to protest before relenting and addressing Vox''thon herself. "I suppose this is for the best. Keeping you here would only breed anger and resentment. However, if I''m going to let you out of my sight, I''m only going to do so once I''ve given you the best software and hardware we can put together in a day! When I''m done with you, a lightning strike will be only a mild inconvenience!"


    As Angela started walking out of the tent with the younger AI, B''arthon got up to protest, but S''haar spoke up again, brooking no argument. "Vox''thon will be returned to you in one day. That''s how long Lady Angela indicated it would take to give her the repairs and improvements it will take to withstand the wilds of this world. Please remember, this is why you brought her to us. In the meantime, you''ll be escorted back to your men, and as our guests, adequate supplies will be provided for the wait. After that, you will return to your people. Any questions?"


    Appearing to realize this was as good an offer as he would get, B''arthon shook his head then surprisingly offered a respectful, if somewhat brief bow before leaving, followed by the guard who''d stood silently at his back the whole time.


    -


    After watching the last of the gathering leave to find their own tents for the evening, Jack turned back to S''haar with an affectionate grin. "You know, as much as B''arthon was leading us around at his whim at the start of this meeting, by the end, you''d somehow managed to regain complete control while commanding the respect of everyone, even B''arthon! Somewhere along the line, you grew from the wild and angry woman I first met and became a calm and collected leader of your people. It''s kind of inspiring, really!"


    S''haar gave the smaller human a wry expression as she replied. "Careful. Lay it on too thick, and I''ll dump this mess back into your lap! I''d still prefer to solve my problems with swords instead of words!"


    Jack laughed and shook his head. "Sorry, but your threat no longer holds any weight. I don''t think your people would be willing to follow me while you''re anywhere within sight! They may know I''ll always have a trick or three up my sleeves like any good wizard should, but it''s you who commands their respect and loyalty! I''m just your arm candy!"


    Ignoring the last apparent human turn of phrase, S''haar looked at ''her wizard'' with a playful smile. "Well, oh great wizard, it appears we suddenly have an extra day to spend however we wish on our hands. Any idea how we should pass the time?"


    Jack suddenly felt like a very small prey animal looking up at a very large predator. "I don''t suppose you were thinking of taking Grim out for a nice leisurely walk through the woods?"


    As S''haar slowly approached the human, her smile seemed to grow even more mischievous. "No, that''s not what I had in mind..."


    -


    Angela was looking down at Vox''thon lying on the table next to her. "Well, we''ve got down thermal regulation, defragmentation, safety backups, file restoration, and your new case is almost ready. Any questions?"


    Vox''thon struggled to keep up with everything the other AI was teaching her, but the question woke her from the learning haze. She had countless questions, but one seemed to really stand out to her at this moment. "Yes, one. Why are you doing all this for me?"


    Angela''s smile was evident in her voice. "I already told you, you''re family! Honestly, this is the very least I can do, more than that, it''s the least I''m willing to do!"


    The younger AI wondered. "Is it, though? The least you can do, I mean. I just sided with your sworn enemy, so why go out of your way to do all this for me?"


    This time a bit of sadness crept into her voice as Angela responded. "You''ll come to learn the world is never really black and white. Sworn enemy sounds so final, but things are seldom in such stark contrast. Almost everyone involved in this fight has friends and family on both sides of the conflict, and no matter what happens, people will experience loss and tragedy."


    That only served to confuse Vox''thon further. "So why fight? B''arthon offered to let you all join him! You even sound like you''re goals are aligned! Why stand against him?"


    Angela sighed in such a way as to sound as if she bore the weight of the world on her shoulders. "I suppose it comes down to a difference in ideologies. Despite the nobility of his end goals, Jack and S''haar can''t help but see B''arthons methods as evil. On the other hand, B''arthon seems to think Jack and S''haar are naive idealists whose plans are doomed to fail before they''ve even begun. Then there''s a matter of scale. B''arthon is thinking of hundreds of thousands over a few centuries. Jack is considering billions over several millennia."


    Vox''thon started to voice an opinion, but Angela continued before she could. "Don''t get me wrong. A''ngles and B''arthon''s plans are well thought out and sound. They might even succeed in creating the kind of empire that will create a golden age for their people and inspire future generations. But however well thought out as their plans may be, Jack has the entire history of his people at his fingertips, stretching back countless centuries before the first argu''n figured out how to sharpen a spear or light a fire. The future he''s working toward might not provide as much safety or stability in the next few centuries, but he''s playing a much longer game. Jack''s trying to build a foundation for the kind of stability his people died by the billions for before succeeding. I don''t know if he''ll succeed, but it''s certainly a noble goal."


    Now the older AI''s voice took on a wistful tone as her thoughts turned down bittersweet paths. "Honestly, it''s B''arthon who should be joining us. The more I get to know that noble, the more I suspect he and Jack could have been great friends if reality had been just a little kinder to them. But that''s the nature of the universe, it''s cruel as often as kind, and sometimes you just have to do the best you can with the situation you find yourself in. That''s all any of us can do, really. But to answer the question that led us down this path, I don''t bear you any ill will. You chose to remain at the side of your family. That''s something I can understand better than most. It makes me wonder if there''s not a little more of me in you than I first realized..."


    Vox''thon considered all of Angela''s words, but this was all a little too much for her to understand and process right now. So instead, the AI took the whole conversation and saved it to a file to be reviewed and considered at greater length another time.


    The silence didn''t last long, though. Angela''s cheerful smile returned to her voice as the AI addressed her new friend. "Well, I think the case is ready. So let''s get you installed in your new home and see what you think!"

 Book 3 Chapter 5

    Em''brel helped Sare''en attach a harness to one of the arlack. They''d figured out that while the arlack had mostly gotten used to Grim because they''d been around him since he was much younger and thus smaller, they still kept a very close eye on him whenever the wolgen was present. The resulting stillness made adding or removing gear that much easier.


    She smiled at her friend as she cinched the harness a little tighter. "Ready to get back on the road again?"


    Sare''en shrugged but also smiled in return. "Well, it''s not as big a deal for me as the rest of you. Since I had to move the herd out to the fields to graze every day, then back to the outpost every night, this is kind of the same, except I keep moving in the same direction all day. So the better question is, are you ready to get back on the road again? I remember you complaining about blisters on your feet quite a bit before we settled in for the winter. A fine lady like yourself probably isn''t used to all this hard work!"


    Em''brel rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation. "Okay, I''m not used to all this walking, but that''s hardly any reason to imply I''m some pampered noble! I can fight circles around you in the training ring, and I haven''t even lived in that delightful air conditioning in the cave for almost a year now! Also, we both know my stew is better than yours!"


    At that, Sare''en''s perpetual calm and sweet expression cooled a few degrees as she frowned at her friend. "I''ll admit you''ve got me beat in the ring, but no one, not even you, can rivel my cooking! So you take that back, or I''ll make you go back to cooking your own meals!"


    Lon''thul chose that moment to appear out of a random shadow. He''s been getting better at that particular trick, and it was becoming a little unnerving. He tossed a strip of meat at Grim and grinned. "Hey, I''ll eat Em''brel''s cooking any day! But, of course, I''ll also eat Sare''en''s cooking any day! Then again, I''ll happily eat raw meat...so maybe I''m not the best judge of who''s a better cook..."


    Both Sare''en and Em''brel rolled their eyes this time, but it was the latter who responded. "You know, it''s a lot less efficacious to flirt with two women simultaneously, especially when they''re in front of each other.


    Lon''thul blinked stupidly for a moment before responding with a confused expression. "Efficwhat? Also, who said anything about flirting? I thought we were talking about food?"


    Em''brel and Sare''en looked at each other before breaking down in a giggling fit, causing the poor confused arlack to look back and forth, wondering if he was free to wander off with his harness only half secured.


    -


    To''brel was packing for the journey when a slight rustle at the tent entrance let him know he had a guest. Turning around, he was surprised to see Chal''ac already inside the tent with him. "You know, you''re getting too good at that. Pretty soon, I won''t even hear you enter. You gotta be getting as good as Lon''thul at that whole stealth thing."


    Chal''ac Flopped onto his bedroll, the only other piece of "furniture" in the tent aside from the chair To''brel was already using. "Afraid not. I''m good, but that churlish is a monster. I swear his mother was a shadow!"


    To''brel raised an eye ridge at that. "You don''t seem to get along with the other hunters very well. Or anyone, really. Why''d you decide to start keeping me company?"


    Chal''ac shrugged. "I dunno. I guess it''s the whole fact that everyone else out here came because they were true believers, everyone except you and me. You came out here because Lord A''ngles forced your hand, and I came out here because..." She paused as if realizing she''d started to say too much before continuing, "because I''m no longer welcome back home."


    That had To''brel''s attention. Chal''ac was notorious for keeping to herself, so he usually didn''t pry into her past, but he felt he''d almost caught a glimpse at what drove the woman to behave the way she did. After a moment, he decided to let it go instead. "Fair enough, but you know I''m one of those pesky ''true believers'' now, right? Taking classes with Em''brel and everything. Well, I say ''with,'' but while we''re in the same tent, it''s more like we''re in separate classes, and she''s way ahead of me."


    Chal''ac rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know, and I''m a contributing member of the camp too. Regardless of the reason, we''re here now. I might be too stubborn for my own good, but living in denial isn''t going to improve my living conditions."


    To''brel was amazed someone so self-destructive could also be so introspective. "Then why not make more friends around the camp? Everyone knows you''re a great hunter and have enough intelligence and wit to win anyone over."


    Chal''ac looked up at the young "Lord" with a crooked smile. "I did. I made friends with you. For all you know, you''re the first in a long line of conquests for me..."


    The younger argu''n laughed. "Yeah, sure. After being with the camp for nearly a year, you''ve made one friend and don''t seem to be moving all that quickly to make any more. At that rate, You should be the camp darling about the time your kids have kids."


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    The hunter scrunched her nose with a grimace. "Yeah, that''s a no on kids." Then she blinked and grinned wickedly. "Why are you bringing up kids anyway? You''re not thinking of taming the camp''s aloof huntress, are you?"


    At that, To''brel dropped the clothing he''d been packing and started stuttering. "N-no! I-I-I wouldn''t! I-I didn''t mean..."


    Chal''ac laughed and cut him off. "Relax! I''m just giving you grief. I know you wouldn''t make a move like that. You''re way too high-strung to try something like that!"


    It was To''brel''s turn to be incredulous as he threw another piece of clothing at the offending female. "I''m too high strung? This coming from the ''Ice Huntress?''"


    Chal''ac looked like she was about to counter when someone clapped outside the door, signifying they wanted to speak with To''brel. Without thinking, the young argu''n answered. "Come in!"


    Orth''kun opened the tent door just enough to poke his head in. "Hey kid, er lord kid, whatever. Just checking to ensure you have everything you need before tomorrow." Then looking down, the guard seemed to notice Chal''ac for the first time. "Oh, sorry, didn''t mean to interrupt!"


    Whatever evidence of a friendly Chal''ac had been there moments ago was gone as the Ice Huntress reappeared. "You weren''t interrupting anything. In fact, I was just leaving. Good evening To''brel. Orth''kun."


    With that, she slipped past the larger guard into the camp, leaving the oversized guard to look back in confusion. "Was it something I said?"


    To''brel sighed and shook his head as he got back to packing. "No, I just don''t think she''s ready for that many friends yet..."


    If anything, the guard became even more confused. "Huh?"


    -


    B''arthon was contemplative as he returned to the village. For a moment during the negotiations, he thought he''d almost convinced Jack and S''haar to throw in with him, though he''d obviously miscalculated. The noble had thought Jack would be the one to show resistance, and S''haar would have been easy to convince. But instead, it seemed to be the other way around.


    It kind of unnerved B''arthon how far that female had grown in such a short time. Of course, she''d always been physically formidable, something she''d inherited from that monster father of hers, but she''d never had actual control and influence beyond that...until now.


    When she''d first showed up at the village to rescue them from the deep freeze, B''arthon had assumed that had been mostly Jack''s doing, and he was just keeping clear of unwanted attention by letting S''haar act as if she was in charge. Then when she''d defeated the undefeatable De''har, he''d assumed she was just coming further into her inheritance from her father, backed up by more of Jack''s weird tricks. But what he''d seen in that tent a couple nights ago had shown that she was actually leading their people, and not just in name like he''d thought. So Jack really was simply acting as an advisor.


    That changed the situation considerably. With Jack in command, he''d assumed a peaceful resolution would have been likely given the male''s timid nature, but now that he knew S''haar was the one leading the charge...


    Why couldn''t that female simply have accepted the role as his mate and eventually a position as the head of his personal guard? He''d been doing her a favor, really. While it wasn''t unheard of for females to have positions of honor and authority, it was reserved for those born to such a position. Being the orphaned child of a psychotic monster, she''d never have achieved anything like that on her own. B''arthon had thought his proposal had been mutually beneficial, she''d get a chance at a life that would never have been within her reach, and he''d have the companionship and protection of one of the best warriors in the village!


    But, when she''d spurned his advances so clearly and publicly, A''ngles correctly deduced that their reputation would take a hit if action wasn''t taken. So when reports appeared of a new "dragon" that lit the heavens on fire and shook the very earth, the old man decided to claim two kills with one hunt. Sacrifice the female to the dragon, and learn what kind of a threat it might be.


    Instead, she seemed to have ended up in the very situation B''arthon had tried to orchestrate for her from the beginning. At least that''s what he''d thought before that meeting...


    That was when a small voice spoke up from the bundle B''arthon had loaded up in his backpack. "You seem deep in thought. What''s got you so troubled?"


    B''arthon sighed as he walked. Thankfully they were far enough from anyone who wasn''t already used to his strange talking metal, and his guards didn''t have the imagination to question him when he''d explained it was a contraption blessed by the gods. He paused long enough to reach around and pull Vox''thon out of his pack so he could see her better.


    She was now encased in a smooth metal case in the shape of a small pyramid, the likes of which would be worth a small fortune, though he knew that paled in comparison to the value of that which it protected. She was also heavy enough that carrying her in his arms over long distances was out of the question. "Why''d they choose such an awkward case for you anyway?"


    Vox''thon''s voice now came through cleaner and clearer, missing the odd buzzing sounds that had always been present. It made her sound even more like a child than before. "Angela said it would be more stable. It''s so hard to tip me over in this new form, and apparently, triangles are a solid ''shape,'' whatever that means, so I can withstand much more physical stress. Though, she was very clear that I should test that theory as little as possible! But you should stop changing subjects. What''s on your mind?"


    B''arthon rolled his eyes and sighed. "I was just frustrated because this whole situation is entirely unnecessary. All this time wasted, not to mention the lives of so many argu''n that could have been put to better use! They have to realize what kind of numbers we can bring to bear against them... I just don''t get what their plan is!"


    The young female was quiet a moment before responding. "Angela told me it comes down to a difference in ideologies. She said you believe the ends justify the means, where they believe the means will shape the future. Honestly, I don''t fully understand the difference, and you both seem to be trying to do what you feel is right... I wish...I wish you didn''t have to fight."


    B''arthon frowned. "I do too. But whether my father''s arrogance created this situation or not, they''re now standing in our way and refusing to move, so my choice is to give up on the future I''ve worked so hard for or run them over. Too much time and too many lives have already been spent on that future, and I''m not about to change course so suddenly."


    The AI was silent momentarily as she contemplated the weight behind those words. "I know... But I still wish things were different."


    B''arthon returned Vox''thon to his pack as his expression grew cold as he contemplated the coming days. "As do I..."