The group is awakened early in the morning, shortly after the sun spreads its rays onto the nearby mountain peaks, buy the sounds of a large and busy household. A simple breakfast is available for those who want it, and the building soon empties as people wander out to begin their day.
Chimera and Charon hover close to the entrance, so they can see what's going on outside.
Jenora yawns, stretching as she peers out to greet the day.
Andromeda murrrs and mrrrrs in her sleep, rolling over onto her back when she feels Jenora wake up.
Michael smiles, awake and cheerful to the humans who bow to him on their way out to their occupations. Clearly, he is in his proverbial element.
Jenora gathers her clothes about her, getting herself dressed before going out to see who else is up.
Andromeda stretches out, rolls back onto her side and returns to full sleep.
Chimera smiles to Jenora when she appears, "Good morning, Queen Jenora."
Jenora blushes a little, and bows. "Good morning."
Michael chats quietly with Frasil, who stays behind in the building, along with several children and two women.
Chimera says, "Did you sleep well?"
Charon makes snoring sounds from his perch near the doorway.
Jenora says, "Quite well, thank you."
Andromeda's soft purrrrring can be heard in the background. She's definitely living up to her feline heritage.
Chimera says, "Should we awaken Andromeda?"
Jenora says, "Not just yet, I think. Give her a little while longer. Unless we're getting ready to go."
Michael stretches and stands, leaving Frasil to finish his breakfast, and joins Jenora and Chimera at the doorway.
Jenora smiles to Michael. "Good morning."
Charon peeps, "She sleeps a lot. Is that because she's a predator, or just because she likes it?"
Jenora chuckles to Charon. "Probably more of the latter."
Michael smiles back. "Isn't it a very nice morning?"
Jenora says, "Yes, it is."
Prrrrrrrrr...mfff...mmmmm...prrrrrrrrrr
Charon heads into the back room to sit on Andromeda and watch her purr.
Michael smiles and watches the sun rise over the mountains.
Chimera says, "What is the weather usually like around here, Michael?"
Jenora grins, shaking her head as she watches Charon wander back.
Michael says, "This time of year the skies are clear, but very windy."
Michael says, "Why do you ask?"
Chimera says, "I can fly, so it helps to know what weather conditions to expect."
Michael says, "I would not ask that, where we are going."
Meanwhile, Charon tries pressing a paw against Andromeda's left nostril, to see if he can change the pitch of her purring.
Chimera smiles to Michael, "Where are we going?"
Michael points to a nearby peak, capped with snow and wind-blasted rock. "Over there, Frasil said."
The pitch changes slightly, but apparently doesn't interfere enough with her breathing to bother Andromeda. Though it might suggest to Charon that maybe he can change the pitch even more.
Jenora perks an ear up. "Just a moment..."
Curious, Charon covers both nostrils, but spreads his tiny fingers slightly.
Jenora turns and heads back into the bedroom to see what's going on with Andromeda.
Charon smiles up to Jenora.
In a true sense of the universe's justice, a feline is finally woken up by the equivalent of someone sitting on THEIR face.
Andromeda starts and snorts, "Huh? Wha?"
Jenora sighs, and walks over to grab Charon.
Charon frowns, "You weren't supposed to wake up, Andromeda. Can you keep purr.. eep!" The little dragon is snatched!
Andromeda grumps and then looks at the early morning light, then looks at Jenora accusingly, "You're one of those people who get up when the sun does, aren't you?"
Jenora picks Charon up. "Not nice to interfere with someone's breathing..."
Charon giggles.. "When Jenora gets up, the sun is up by definition!"
Jenora turns a sunny smile on Andromeda. "But of course."
Jenora lets go of Charon for that comment, dropping him.
Charon drops his ears at Jenora's chiding. He knows Chirr'T'Thar can hold their breath a long time, so there wasn't any danger..
Jenora doesn't even turn her head as she lets go, still smiling to Andromeda.
Andromeda groans, "It's too early in the morning for puns like that. Sigh. Wellllll then, what's for breakfast before we get...climbing. :P"
Charon wanders out into the main room, looking for something else to play with..
Jenora says, "I didn't ask"
Andromeda hmmms as she and her stomach growls a bit, "Maybe I can snag something on the way up. Oh, Hello Michael. Morning to you."
Michael smiles and nods. "It is a good morning. Did you sleep well?"
Andromeda strrrrrrretches sinuously and nods, "Sleep is always good. ;)"
Chimera says, "Good morning, Andromeda!"
Michael points to the table, with bowls and a large pot of some sort of gruel-like porridge. "Breakfast?"
Jenora says, "Sounds like a plan."
Andromeda pads over and sniffs, and hides her reaction rather well, "Er, no thanks. I'll see if I can catch something on the way."
Michael smiles at Andromeda. "I will see what I can find. Are you ready to go?"
Jenora wanders over to the table and scoops out some of the porridge for herself.
Andromeda nods, "I'm ready when they are done."
Chimera says, "I'm ready. :}"
Frasil stands from the table and walks over towards the doorway with everyone else.
Jenora finishes off her porridge fairly quickly. "All right."
Jenora cleans off the bowl, then walks back to join the others.
Looking around to make sure everyone is ready, Michael nods to Frasil and heads out of the town. Curiously, Frasil is supposedly the guide, yet Michael is in the lead. The group heads out of the town and past the fields, and is soon on a well used trail through the mountainous wilderness. After some time, Frasil makes a comment and points off to the left, to which effect Michael follows the directions. The going is slow, due to the lack of a path up the mountainside, and slower, due to Frasil's apparent frailty, but the brisk morning winds are quite refreshing.
Jenora watches the scenery, taking it all in as she enjoys the feel of the wind through her fur.
Andromeda seems to be in a better mood today. Amazingly, her feet and legs already seem to be in better shape for such travel. The soft growls from her flanks are the only sign of discontent from Andromeda. And even she's enjoying the scenery so much that it's not her main concern, yet.
Chimera, as usual, watches everything he can while Charon makes short forays into the treetops.
Michael calls back, "How is everyone, all right?"
Andromeda purrs, "Doing pretty well. Though if you see any prey around, I wouldn't complain."
Chimera says, "No problems here."
Jenora says, "Doing well."
Michael blinks at Andromeda, then mutters something to Frasil, who responds with a smile and nod. He stops when he gets to a small plateau-like spot, waiting for everyone to catch up.
Jenora hops up the last few steps onto the plateau.
Andromeda pads up quietly, tail swishing.
Michael says, "we'll stop here to let Frasil rest and get some of us our breakfast."
Chimera looks around the area, then sits down on the ground.
Jenora sits down near a medium-sized rock, lying back against it.
Andromeda sniffs the air, "What kind of game lives around here?"
Michael looks around. "Furry Broot, this time...wide-foot rabbit, too. Some others."
Andromeda's whiskers twitch and nods, "What is the best way to hunt them? I don't want to slow us down too much."
Charon flies down and lands on Chimera's head.
Michael says, "Do you need to catch it yourself?"
Andromeda grins widely, "No, I've got nothing against room service. ;)"
Jenora hmmphs.
Chimera blinks, "But we aren't in a room."
Andromeda pads over and rubs her tail along Jenora's legs, "What's the matter? Even I have to admit it's beautiful up here."
Michael nods and smiles. "Wait here." He promptly runs off into the underbrush.
Jenora grins. "Nothing's the matter, just your 'room service' comment..."
Andromeda ahems and tries to keep a straight face, "Ok, so I'm not as outdoorsy as my brother. Though I do think I can learn to like this."
Frasil just looks around blankly and smiles at you all, not comprehending a thing.
Jenora sits up. "Good. Nothing like new experiences to give you a new outlook on life."
Andromeda nods, "I agree more and more with that Jenora."
Andromeda hmmms and looks at Frasil.
Jenora grins.
Frasil notices he's being noticed, and looks back, smiling.
Andromeda grins and flicks an ear at Frasil, "Shame the translators can't work on a brand new language right away."
Chimera sits and watches the felines chat.
Frasil replies, "Ha'aba es trena."
Andromeda giggles, "I think you're cute too. :)"
Frasil smiles back. Then he yawns.
Charon mimics Frasil's yawn.
Frasil blinks and chuckles at Charon.
Andromeda curls up next to Jenora while she waits for her meal, "Its so amazing. How many worlds like this do you think exist Jenora? Have you ever wondered about that?"
Michael seems to melt back out of the underbrush, making rather little sound. That, coupled with the three large rabbits he's speared on a stick he didn't have before attests to his training in the hunting arts.
Jenora says, "How do you mean 'like this'?"
Chimera says, "Do you mean worlds with this sort of biosphere, or worlds gone fallow after being seeded by spacers?"
Andromeda purrs, "So full of life, of many different kinds I guess. No Chimera, I'd expect that to be rare. "
Andromeda's ears perk forward as she finally notices Michael and licks her nosepad in anticipation.
Michael swings the spear around and smiles. "I am back!"
Jenora says, "Quite a number, I would expect. Life tends to proliferate when it occurs."
Andromeda nods to Jenora, her attention more on the rabbits, "I see Michael. Thank you, you're a life saver."
Chimera blinks, "You are in critical condition, Andromeda??"
Michael smiles and mutters to himself.
Michael offers food around, to whomever wants it.
Andromeda giggles at Chimera, "No, it's just a saying."
Charon moves closer to watch Andromeda eat.
Andromeda pads up and takes a rabbit off the spear and chomps it down in about 5 bites, bones crunching loudly.
Jenora says, "Sure, I'll have a bit, thanks."
Michael sees no one else moving for his catch, so takes on himself, and too, proceeds to eat it (quite raw, as well), while also skinning and cooking the third on what seems to obviously be magical fire, for Frasil.
Frasil views this a little unsettled, but it seems he's not watching anything he's not seen before.
Chimera goes over to investigate Michael's fire.
Andromeda pads over and headrubs Michael, "Thank you again. So, how much further till we get there?"
Jenora takes a little of the cooked meat for later.
Michael smiles at Chimera, abruptly putting out the flame, and offering the cooked rabbit to Jenora and Frasil.
Michael blinks at the headrub, but smiles. "We should be there by mid-day, at this speed."
Andromeda nods and takes the ring out of a pouch at her waist and looks at it again, "One thing that has always kept us going, curiosity."
Jenora says, "Gee, no, really?"
Andromeda thtptptptptptps at Jenora.
Chimera hmms at the display of magic.
Michael says, "Everyone ready to continue?"
Andromeda purrs, "You know what I meant Jenora. And to not know about your own past. Yes Michael, let's get going."
Jenora grins, then nods to Michael, standing up in a single bounce. "Let's go."
Chimera nods to Michael.
Michael continues on, directed by Frasil. The group winds its way higher up the mountain, the air slowly becoming just the slightest bit thinner. After a while, everyone has reached a point where dense conifers are interspersed by large rocks and boulders, making travel rather slow. Amongst this darker maze, Michael stops suddenly and looks around.
Jenora hmmmms...
Andromeda has been doing ok in the terrain. Her four footed design works well, though her size and her wings have been troubling her more. She blinks as they stop, ears flicking about.
Chimera says, "Is something wrong?"
Michael looks about for a minute more, then shakes his head and moves on. "I though I heard something."
Jenora tilts her head to listen.
Michael has no sooner gone between two boulders, than a bright yellow streak tackles Michael to the ground, he giving out a cry of surprise.
A sound of metal sliding over metal comes from Andromeda's wings as her wingspurs extend she tries to see what is going on, as she'd rather not leap through her friends if she can help it.
Jenora leaps up over heads and onto one of the boulders, crouching down to see what just happened...
Chimera tosses Charon up into the trees, to get a better look.
Michael laughs from behind the boulder.
Andromeda growls as she runs afoul of the trees with her wings, "Is he ok?"
Jenora stands up and turns back. "Yes, I think you could say he's okay."
Chimera nods, "It's a woman, dressed like he is."
Frasil peers around the boulder cautiously.
Charon spirals down from the treetops and lands on the boulder.
Michael appears back from where he disappeared, smiling and laughing, beside him, a female human in identical golden scales.
Jenora hops down off the boulder, and brushes herself off.
Michael regains himself. "I am sorry for the interruption...It was not expected..."
Frasil bows to the new woman.
Andromeda finally pulls herself free and pads over, her spurs retracting with a sliding sound, "Oh, a friend of yours Michael? She is kinda cute."
Chimera smiles to the human. :}
Jenora grins to Michael. "I sort of gathered it was unexpected, yes..."
Michael nods, "Yes, an old friend. She is Tanni." He hugs and smiles at her. Tani peers curiously at the four curious beings...
Andromeda hmmms, "Actually, on Tharhome, that's a normal family greeting. ;)"
Jenora bows to Tanni.
Michael points to each person in turn. "Tani, ba Chimera Charon Jenora Andromeda, tx r'kt Frasil."
Chimera says, "Pleased to meet you, Tani. :}"
Tani nods regally. "I gave fruit to you."
Michael chuckles.
Andromeda scritches her side with a back paw and hmmms, "I must say, you both seem to like gold clothing."
Jenora says, "Greetings."
Michael says, "It is something like a job requirement."
Andromeda sighs, "Unions. They're everywhere."
Michael murmurs to Tani now and then, obviously translating and explaining from the looks of recognition that cross her face.
Michael says, "We should continue on. We are almost there, I think."
Chimera collects Charon from the boulder.
Andromeda chirrrrrs, "I'll have to find more about you and your friend sometime Michael, but yes, let's go. I want to see if there is anything there in the way of clues."
Tani comes over closer to Andromeda, looking her over. Michael calls back, "Trrt'to-baq." She looks up curiously into Andromeda's face, thinking.
Michael smiles, "I think she means to come along."
Andromeda smiles slightly, to keep her fangs covered and purrs to Tani, "Good hunting sister. And you are welcome to join us."
Chimera says, "Does she live out here in the wilderness, or in the village?"
Jenora says, "I won't complain about an extra hand."
Tani smiles and nods to Andromeda, "Ksar eh vr-tx," then hurries up near Michael and swats him playfully on the rump with a 'what are we waiting for' look on her face.
Jenora shakes her head, grinning, and picks up the pace to follow along.
Chimera watches the new human closely.
Michael jumps a little and hugs Tani against his side before beginning the hike up the mountain again. The going is very treacherous, and hence, rather slow. As the sun makes its way to the apex of its path, Michael leads the group to a clearing high up on the side of the mountain. Frasil seems to indicate this is the place. This clear plateau is surrounded by rocks and trees, twisted by the powerful wind which storms across this flat, empty spot. The wind makes things rather chilly here, and there is even some snow hiding beneath some trees and rocks, where the sun can't reach it to melt it.
Andromeda mrrrrrps, "Here? He says it's here? Does he know exactly where?"
Michael dully translates to Frasil, gesturing across the clearing.
Jenora hauls herself up to the plateau, looking around at where Frasil is pointing.
Andromeda's excitement is showing as she purrs, "I hope you'll all help me search. We need to start with the exact location as a center point."
Tani kicks at the loose stones on the ground, huddling against Michael.
Andromeda turns to look at Chimera and Charon, "You two want to help also? We're looking for more of this jewelry, or anything related to the Chirr'T'Thar."
Jenora looks over at Tani, then to Michael. "What's wrong?"
Frasil walks over to a spot on the plateau, off to the side from center, and stomps his foot, saying what can only mean, "Right here."
Chimera nods to Andromeda, "What do you want us to do?"
Andromeda nearly pounces on the spot that poor Frasil indicated and purrs, "Fan out from this point. Look for metallic objects, even bones. Anything out of the ordinary."
Tani looks up at Jenora, and smiles, shrugging.
Jenora smiles back, then pads into the clearing. She hmmms, tapping her chin with one finger as she looks around...
Michael and Tani head over to the spot Frasil stands on, and both drop to hands and knees, fanning out in different directions, scratching away at the pebbles and grasses on the ground.
Chimera gets down on his hands and knees and starts examining the ground, while Charon probes the underbrush.
Andromeda starts digging away at the location where the ring was found as the others search around.
Frasil bows and backs off to sit on a rock, still out of breath and tired from the long climb.
Jenora licks one finger on each hand, then taps them together. There's a quiet 'snap' from her location.
Charon squeaks, and pulls a little skull out of some snow-covered underbrush.
Andromeda's armband flashes, "What's up Jenora?"
Andromeda looks up, "What did you find Charon?"
Jenora says, "Hmmm? Oh, sorry, just trying to do the old 'metal detector' trick by setting up an EM pulse and looking for conducting material that reflects the signal."
Tani makes some kind of eeping sound, digging quickly, tossing dirt and pebbles one way, and to the other way, a small pile of bones and metallic objects gathers.
Andromeda is finding nothing so far, so she looks at Charon's find, "I don't think that's what we're looking for little one, but nice try."
Jenora bends over, tapping her fingers together with quiet snaps of electric discharges as she searches out metallic objects.
Andromeda notes the digging and blinks, "Michael, did you and Tani find something?"
Michael looks up at Andromeda, shaking his head, then over at Tani. "She found something..." Michael heads over to look and sort through the small pile. "This is a bird and some sparkly things...I don't think you are looking for it."
Tani looks up at Michael and Andromeda, then goes back to digging.
Jenora hmmmms. She looks at Michael and Tani. "Okay, that's them..." She turns to Andromeda. "Try about a foot to the left, Andromeda."
Charon goes back to searching the snow drifts.
Jenora turns and starts walking towards the cliff face.
Andromeda nods and shifts back and starts digging again, trusting Jenora.
Jenora pads right up to the cliff face, and taps her fingers together again, listening to the reflections...
Michael goes back to his digging area and gets back to work.
Andromeda hmmms, "Charon, Chimera, see if Tani's bird skeleton looks anything like the Chirr'T'Thar. I'll keep digging here."
Chimera goes over to examine the skeleton.
Jenora walks along the cliff face, tapping her fingers together as she checks out features of the cliff.
Andromeda mrrps, "I've found something." and keeps digging, as the top part of a skull starts showing.
Michael looks up at Andromeda, and walks over to check it out.
Charon's head pokes up out of a snow drift like a periscope.
Chimera looks up from the pile of hollow bones to watch as well.
Jenora mutters "Weird", and walks back to a point near the middle of what she was looking at before, staring up and down the cliff face.
Andromeda starts uncovering more of the skull, and it does look like a large feline skull. After several more minutes, she finds what looks like a pledge ring, but obviously of a different type. She purrs, "Could you help me uncover this some more. I can't tell if it's Chirr'T'Thar yet or not."
Michael leans down and starts pulling the larger rocks out of the way with ease. He calls Tani over, and she looks at the find curiously for a bit before leaning down to help.
Chimera comes over and starts digging near Andromeda.
Jenora raps at the cliff face, listening for audio echoes.
Frasil moves over to the far side of the clearing, watching intently from his seat.
The head and skull continue to look right, and as the body continues to be exposed, it takes on taur like proportions, Andromeda becomes very excited, "Just a bit more and we'll be where the wing bases are at!"
The cliff, in that area, just absorbs the sound.
**EM energy detected. Exiting sleep mode. Run diagnostics.**
Michael looks up and around.
Jenora takes a quick step back from the cliff face, frowning. "That wasn't an echo."
Michael blinks. Must have been nothing. Keep digging.
Andromeda is still digging away and murrrs, "Wing bases. So it was a Chirr'T'Thar, but an ancient one."
**Run mode error. Core operating system degraded. Restore from backup.**
Jenora says, "There's something back here... behind the cliff."
Michael looks up again. "What?
Michael hops out of the ditch and walks over to Jenora
Jenora says, "There's something metallic behind the cliff. And a power source of some sort."
Andromeda just nods to Jenora, her behind facing the cliff as she digs, "You check it out, I want to see if there's any evidence of how this Chirr'T'Thar died."
Michael gets a better look at the cliff.
**Backups incomplete. File systems repair sufficient. Running sensor sweep of perimeter.**
Jenora rubs one of her ears. "Okay, something definitely in there that's higher than the local tech level."
For Jenora, and Andromeda's devices, a modulated EM pulse sweeps the entire clearing.
Charon comes to perch on Jenora's shoulder. "My head is buzzing."
Tani looks up out of the trench as Michael picks up a stone and taps it on the cliff face.
Jenora starts drawing a circle on the cliff face.
**Analyzing. 6 unknown bipedal lifeforms. Non threat status. One hexapedal winged creature. Checking.**
Andromeda blinks, "It looks like a hole was blasted through his chest."
Tani looks back at the skeleton and runs a finger around the hole.
**Cross referenced and confirmed. Renegade. Initiate proper countermeasures.**
Jenora frowns. "Drat. Obviously something in there, but I can't get details."
Michael grasps a shard of granite and pulls.
Jenora looks up. "Everybody down!"
Only a small piece of granite comes off, but a glowing spot appears on the cliff face and a powerful energy beam blasts right next to Andromeda's hind feet, knocking her towards the trees.
Chimera ducks!
Andromeda yipes!
**Targetting scanners still damaged. Continue firing sequence.**
Michael climbs up the cliff face.
Charon's eyes bug out! "Coooooool!"
Jenora says, "Andromeda, I think we know how that skeleton got its hole. Get moving!"
As Andromeda scrambles away, another beam clips the edge of her wing and feathers go flying as she stumbles. The next beam, not anticipating her fall, annihilates the small tree in front of her instead.
Tani peeks out of the ditch, growling.
Chimera says, "It's only shooting at Andromeda!"
Jenora says, "Just keep moving, as it fires we can track the source of the beam..."
Jenora looks up along the cliff face, searching...
Andromeda yowls and stumbles and jumps erratically around the clearing. Despite it's problems targeting her, the beam never comes close to hitting any of the bipeds in the group.
Jenora says, "Aha..."
Michael searches for a sharp rock shard, and holds onto the cliff...upside down, looking at the cliff below him.
Three more shots in rapid succession. Two miss, one grazes Andromeda, but her right hind leg stops working. Each time it fires, a small glowing dot appears someplace within the circle Jenora detected earlier.
Michael moves over to that circle and waits...waits...with the rock shard in hand.
Jenora says, "Okay, there, there, there... pattern, pattern..."
Tani motions with her hands, and some of the air in front of Andromeda starts to waver.
Chimera takes a risk, and stands between Andromeda and the circle.
Jenora says, "Aww, forget it. Michael, move clear, will you?"
Michael says, "Hold on..."
Andromeda is hopping as best she can, keeping her movements random. The beam targets around Chimera nicely, singing the tip of Andromeda's tail.
Chimera says, "So much for that idea.."
Jenora sighs, and waits for Michael...
Michael jams the sharp shard of rock against the green dot that appears just before the beam shoots towards Andromeda.
The shard heats up and explodes, blowing Michael to the side, and apparently damaging the mechanism inside, as the firing stops.
Jenora leaps to the side to catch Michael if he needs help.
**Weapon's system damaged. Activating auxiliary.**
Michael yowls and skids along the ground.
Chimera says, "Is it dead?"
A large power build up can be detected by those sensitive to it in the mountain.
Jenora says, "I don't think so."
Michael shakes his arm.
Jenora says, "All right, that does it. Everyone clear!"
Andromeda pantpants, "I'm trying, I'm trying!"
Andromeda hobbles out of range as fast as possible.
Michael climbs over to the trench and ducks down, leaving a little trail of blood.
Jenora's hand flares up, glowing brightly as she powers up herself...
**Warning, localized EM source. Initiate Countermeasures.**
**Countermeasures not found.**
Jenora slaps her hand against the center of the circle she drew before, causing the rock in the area to heat up to glowing...
Chimera wraps his body around Charon and hides behind a tree.
**Wall breach imminent. Temperatures exceeding present system tolerance. Initiate...Bad sector warning.**
Jenora draws around the circle again with her finger, vaporising sections of the rock, then rips the entire chunk of the cliff wall out.
**System failure. Countermeasures inactive. Emergency shutdown.**
Michael and Tani watch from the trench.
Chimera pokes his head around the tree, since nothing has exploded for a while.
Inside, a series of darkening rooms can be seen.
Jenora is panting somewhat as she glares into the hatch... then slowly relaxes.
Michael says, "This is new..."
Finally, the last set of lights power down, and only one single glowing blue light remains.
Jenora says, "Looks like an old spacer site of some sort... with a grudge against the Chirr'T'Thar."
Andromeda is lying in a heap, trying not to mewl as she attempts to straighten her back leg.
Tani creeps out of the ditch towards Andromeda.
Jenora says, "Michael, could you help Andromeda over there? I want to see what's left in here..."
Michael looks over towards Andromeda and walks in that direction, holding his arm.
Andromeda is cursing under her breath, "Monogamous, celibate, up tight bunch of ....!!!!"
Chimera goes over to examine Andromeda's leg. "Does it still hurt? Can you move your claws?"
Jenora pulls herself in through the ragged hole, climbing inside.
Tani rests a hand on Chimera's arm. "No move."
Andromeda growls softly and finally looks up at Michael, "Your hand? Are you ok?" She's obviously trying NOT to look at her smoking wing.
Michael frowns a little, in pain, or annoyance, is unknown. "Don't worry about me."
As Jenora pads inside, it's clear this had been a base of some sort, though from the age of the very advanced machinery, it seems to have been for research of some sort."
Tani beckons to Michael and mutters to him, cleanly tearing a few long strips off the bottom of his silk robe.
Jenora walks over to the one remaining blue light she had seen from outside.
An odd series of tubes, cables and sensors connect to a column on the wall. The blue light is next to what appears to be a switch. And a vile, hardened brown substance coats the inside of a glass chamber near the bottom.
Charon perches on the lip of the entrance to watch Jenora.
Jenora creates some of her own light as she looks around... "Ew."
Tani talks softly, moving Andromeda's wing into a folded position, and binding it tightly to her side.
(When the writings are translated in the future, it will be noted that the blue light indicates that the equivalent of coffee has finished brewing)
The walls are lined with diagrams and charts on screens that alter their appearance when touched. Obviously, not all the power is dead.
Chimera watches Tani minister to Andromeda with interest.
Andromeda whispurrs very softly to Michael, "Is she a healer? Is my wing ok?"
Jenora sighs, and walks back to the opening, trying to knock the opening a little wider.
Charon asks Jenora, "Find the brain?"
Tani speaks to Michael, who walks to the edge of the clearing and comes back a short while later with a stout stick. She speaks again and Michael translates: "This is going to hurt a lot...try not to move." He puts the stick down and strokes Andromeda's side calmingly. "Yes, she is a very good healer."
Tani pulls an needle and thread from a belt pouch and works on Andromeda's leg.
Andromeda blinks, "It already hurts. What are you going to do?"
Jenora says, "Such as it is, I think so. Will want Andromeda to take a look later, as she's more likely to recognize something, but that can wait."
Charon asks, "Is it okay to go look then?"
Jenora says, "I think so, just be careful."
Michael says, "Allow you to use all four legs again."
Andromeda looks at Tani and growls to Michael, "They'll heal eventually. How is a sharp point and some thread going to help?"
Charon flies into the complex then, and starts poking and pushing and prodding at everything.
The only thing that responds to Charon are the charts, and he eventually brings up some interesting ones. Some on the physiology of Chirr'T'Thar. Some on the anatomy of various life forms, some found on Haven. Including a bipedal feline, and one hexapedal feline.
Michael translates to Tani who pauses for a moment and replies. Michael nods and returns to Andromeda. "It will hold the tendon together so that it can heal. Otherwise, the two pieces won't heal, or be too long, if they do.
Jenora finishes widening the opening so that Andromeda would be able to fit through, then goes back to see what Charon has got himself into now.
Andromeda growls through gritted teeth, "Hold together? How?"
Michael says, "Tie it together, like fixing a cloth."
Charon smiles and waves to Jenora, "Look what I found!" He leaves the screen so Jenora can see it, and pokes around with a collar sitting on a nearby bench.
Jenora hmmmms. "Interesting..."
Andromeda nearly roars, "By the first mother's furry rear end, I'M NOT A PIECE OF CLOTH!! Jenora! Help!"
Chimera says, "How do you tie a tendon so that it will work??"
Jenora sighs. "Just a moment." She walks back outside...
Tani gives Michael this glance that says volumes. She mutters and walks off to examine the hole in the cliff.
Michael sighs.
Jenora walks over to Andromeda, giving Tani a sympathetic smile as she passes by.
Andromeda is in a lot of pain, and even more abrupt than is normal, as she purrs, "She wanted to sew me up like a ...like a shirt!"
Charon hmms, since everyone is outside now, he might as well take things out there for them to see. He picks up the collar and flies it outside to the others.
Tani first peers into the darkness, then wanders into the cliff.
Jenora says, "You're being a difficult patient, hmmm? You're forgetting the level of technology on this planet."
Michael says, "I do not think a healer skilled as Tani thinks you are a shirt."
Andromeda sighs, "Listen, it'll heal in a few days, assuming I can get enough food. I'm just not going to be able to hunt for myself at all. I know she was trying to help, but to be sewn up like that. No thank you."
Charon finally makes it to the group, and drops the collar next to Jenora's foot.
Michael says, "You could have told her that."
Jenora sighs, and sits down. Then turns to look at the collar. Then at Andromeda. then back at the collar again. She then mutters something that is almost certainly profanity, trying it out in half a dozen languages Andromeda might have heard of and then continuing through a couple dozen more.
Andromeda suddenly acts as if she's drugged, and nods to Michael, "Yes."
Michael stands. "Her pride is not healed as fast as your leg." And he wanders off into the cliff as well.
Chimera says, "Are you all right Jenora?"
Andromeda lies there quietly, very quietly, staring blankly at Jenora.
Jenora says, "Let's just say I think I know who built this little installation."
Jenora says, "Andromeda..."
Jenora stops as she looks at Andromeda.
Andromeda looks at Jenora, "Yes?"
Jenora says, "Are you feeling all right?"
Andromeda seems to take several seconds to respond and then nods.
Michael and Tani talk quietly as they examine the pictures, figuring out how this works and soaking in all the information.
Jenora picks up the collar. "You recognize this?"
Andromeda seems to be getting drowsy, and looks at the collar as commanded and purrs, "No."
Charon prompts, "It's a collar."
Jenora nods, and throws the collar back at the cliff face, getting it far away from Andromeda.
Andromeda sits there quietly for nearly 2 minutes, then starts blinking and finally shakes her head, "Did I pass out?"
Jenora slaps Andromeda on the face a couple of times to help wake her up. "No. Worse."
Andromeda blinkblinks, "Hey, we're supposed to do that to males. What do you mean worse? "
Jenora says, "That was a collar. The moment it got near you, you went into a trance. And the beam was only shooting at you."
Jenora says, "I think we know who built that little site."
Chimera says, "That collar was made to control Chirr'T'Thar then?"
Jenora nods.
Andromeda sits quietly for a moment, but this time from shock. She growls, eyes widening as she fumbles with her armband, cursing some more when she sees the communications module is melted.
Jenora says, "This would explain a few things."
Andromeda growls, "The one time my brother would be good for something and I can't get a hold of him."
Tani comes back out of the hole, towards Andromeda, with Michael close behind.
Chimera gets up to investigate the site himself, especially if there is alien genetic engineering technology in it.
Tani walks up to Andromeda and starts talking off at her in her own language.
Jenora grumbles. "You got anything else that could work as communications equipment?"
Andromeda growls some more, hard to tell if from fear, pain or excitement, "No, not really Jenora. I didn't expect a combat mission. Though a big flare might show up for our ships in orbit, if they're paying attention."
Michael catches up and fills in, looking from Tani to Andromeda, "She says that if you want to heal quickly, then you need her help. Otherwise, you will take much longer to walk.
Jenora says, "I could try something. Just need to get the right frequency."
Charon asks, "Combat?"
Tani continues on, but Michael chooses not to translate.
Andromeda grits her teeth momentarily, then tries to talk as calmly as she can, "Look, I'm sorry Michael. Tell Tani I was hurting and scared, and I'm a horrible patient even when well. I know she was trying to help. But being shot at can really ruin your behavior."
Jenora says, "Andromeda, can you give me what's left of the communicator?"
Andromeda nods and removes one of the facets of her armband and hands it to Jenora, "I never checked, I was so busy trying to outrun that thing. Is everyone ok?"
Michael nods. "OK. But do you want her help or not? I can...make the pain go away, for a time."
Jenora says, "Michael got hurt taking the laser out. Everyone else seems to be all right. It was only aiming at you, and doing a good job of missing everyone else."
Charon looks at Michael, and asks, "How long has your village been in this area?"
Michael scratches his head. "A long time. Very long."
Andromeda hmms at Michael, "If we can't get my brother here, or I can't get Jenora to fly our shuttle here...I'll...I'll be happy to have Tani help."
Michael talks to Tani, who nods.
Jenora holds the communicator up in the air, and concentrates for a moment, sending off a quick series of EM Pulses, trying to attract attention.
Charon doesn't offer to act as a communications relay, since his main body is almost a light-hour away from the Chirr'T'Thar fleet.
Andromeda purrrrs softly, the pain numbing her a bit, though it is getting better, "It'll be a while before anyone can get here, and they'll find the shuttle first. I hate to ask this of you Michael, after I was so mean, but... I really need something to eat."
Michael nods, "How much?"
Jenora sighs, and keeps sending off the beacon signal.
Andromeda frowns, "Several rabbits would be good. More would be great."
Tani wanders off towards the edge of the clearing.
Michael nods and begins to head off, but then turns to Charon. "You ask how long we've been here?"
On the mining station, where Ceres is heating a bottle of oil, the microwave malfunctions and the bottle explodes. After taking a few minutes to clean up and run diagnostics, the EM pulse responsible is tracked down to a location on Nexus, and when notified, Copernicus takes a shuttle out to check on his sister when he can't raise her on her armband communicator.
Charon nods to Michael. "Yes, have you been here for a long long long time? Do you have legends of your origins?"
Jenora says, "Wheee, I'm a living antenna."
Michael nods, "Very long...The dark ones in the earth tore a hole in the ground, and my people fell here. But we have lived for...I don't know the time..."
Charon nods. "And you have no stories of anyone living in these mountains?"
A contrail starts moving towards the mountain, homing in on Jenora's signal.
Michael says, "Not this mountain, no."
Andromeda is looking pale, if that's possible with her fur, and very weak.
Tani walks back to the group, a limp shape slung over her shoulder.
Jenora looks over to see what Tani is carrying...
Michael looks over and notices Andromeda, mutters something, and runs off into the forest.
Tani puts an unconscious Frasil down and leans him against a tree stump.
Andromeda purrs weakly, "Is Frasil Ok?"
Charon watches the contrail.
Tani manages. "Yes." And motions to indicate he bumped his head.
Tani looks up and notices the long white cloud headed in their direction. She backs up towards the forest.
A distant sound of thunder indicates the pilot isn't following the speed recommendations. Andromeda picks up the sound and purrs, "Thank the first mother. Someone is on their way. We need to move everyone out of the clearing. They should have enough room to land here, barely."
Jenora nods, and hands the communicator back to Andromeda.
Michael comes running up the trail, a large furry shape slung over his shoulder.
Jenora calls out, "All right, everyone out of the clearing! Charon, you help me with Andromeda?"
Charon hops over to Andromeda, and wonders what he can do to help a cat that out masses him a hundred-fold.
Chimera comes out of the hidden base and heads towards Andromeda as well.
Michael hurries up to Andromeda, looking at bit askance about his cargo.
Jenora says, "All right, let's see if we can get you out safely here..."
Andromeda puts her armband on and purrs, "I need to eat too. Oh, thank you Michael. I just need your help to move out of the way."
Michael reaches around Andromeda's side with one arm and lifts her to her feet, helping her to the side of the clearing.
Jenora lifts another corner of Andromeda so she's not dangling too much.
Chimera helps take the weight off of her hurt leg.
Andromeda is carried by three friends to the edge of the clearing as the shuttle passes overhead to check out where they are, and where to land.
Michael places the slightly and curiously torn goat-like creature on the ground near Andromeda, and removes his torn and dirtied robe.
Andromeda pants for a few seconds and then chomps into the carcass, eating ravenously.
Michael rubs at his scales with the mangled robe, cleaning the ruddy stains off.
Dust and leaves get kicked up in the wake of the shuttles repulsors as the pilot makes a difficult landing in the clearing.
Charon wonders if the shuttle crew will be hungry too.
Tani covers the unconscious Frasil with her own body.
The shuttle powers down and the ramp opens and Copernicus rushes out, looks towards the woods and sees Jenora, then Andromeda and rushes over to them, "What happened?"
Jenora says, "We discovered what's left of a slaver outpost."
Two other Chirr'T'Thar pad out, and go over to explore the cave opening they saw upon landing.
Michael peers under the shuttle, after the trench and its skeletal contents.
Copernicus blinks, "A what?"
Jenora yells out, "Don't go into the opening!"
No response comes from the two felitaurs.
Chimera says, "Actually, it discovered Andromeda first.."
Tani just sits in amazement next to Frasil.
Chimera says, "Some of the systems in there are still active, but Jenora seems to have burnt out the primary power source."
Michael says, "And there was a belt..."
Michael looks over towards the cliff edge.
Copernicus is checking his sister out, who continues to eat rather than speak, "Those burns are bad, so is the leg, but she'll be ok. We'll just carry her to the ship. And I'll put a guard on the cave till we can get this sorted out. Felin! Heather! We need some assistance over here!"
Jenora says, "Damn. I'd better go rescue those two. There was some form of mind-control collar."
Copernicus's eyes go wide, "Joy. And you claim you're not like me Andromeda? This tops a city wide riot any day."
Jenora ducks past the ship, heading towards the opening.
Tani stands and looks at Frasil, making sure he's ok, then moves over to look into the open hatch of the flying silver house.
Andromeda finishes off nearly a quarter of the carcass and then turns around and gives her brother a hug, "Thank the first mother you're here. It was horrible."
The two felitaurs appear to be out cold within 5 feet of the collar.
Jenora sighs, picks up the collar, and tosses it up the cliff face, hanging it off a small promontory.
Tani walks up the ramp and peers at the inside of the craft.
Chimera hmms at the collar. How could it only affect Chirr'T'Thar.. especially ones so many generations removed from the original slaves?
Michael blinks and looks around for Andromeda. "Oh...What about the body?"
The two felitaurs take about 3 minutes to recover. Copernicus purrs, "Michael, you want to help me carry Andromeda on board the shuttle?"
Jenora helps turn the felitaurs around. "Sorry about that."
Felin blinks and leans against Heather, "What happened?"
Michael nods, and walks over to Andromeda, pondering how one picks such a person up.
Jenora says, "I'll explain in a bit. Right now Andromeda needs some help."
Copernicus puts one arm under the front part of Andromeda's taur body and an arm around her torso and purrs, "Michael, can you grab her back, careful of the leg? Jenora or someone can help with her wings."
Michael moves and does so, easily lifting up the back half of Andromeda.
Jenora hauls Felin and Heather back around to the other side of the ship to help deal with Andromeda.
Copernicus helps get Andromeda settled, then gives Felin and Heather orders to guard the place, and to flat out destroy the collar with their weapons if someone tries to take it. He tells them he'll send a remote drone to retrieve it for study soon.
Copernicus purrs, "Ok, everyone else who wants a ride. Let's go."
Michael smiles and gently pulls Tani's hand away before she starts punching buttons. "No, wait Coper."
Michael says, "Tani should stay here and take Frasil back to his home."
Copernicus nods, "Does she need any help?"
Michael talks to Tani, presumably conveying that message. She frowns for a moment, then smiles, hugs Michael and kisses him on the nose. She backs for the door, purrs a sentence and winks before disappearing outside.
Michael says, "She is able to handle herself, I think."
Michael smiles and waves out the door to Tani.
Jenora says, "And you, by the looks of it."
Michael shrugs and blushes slightly.
Charon pokes around in the shuttle airlock.
Copernicus nods, "No doubt. Well, everyone have a seat. The winds around this mountain are pretty treacherous. I'm going to head for the mining station, unless you need to be dropped off in Haven Michael?"
Outside, Tani eyes the guardian Chirr'T'Thars curiously before slinging Frasil over her shoulder and starting down the path.
Michael says, "That would be nice, if you please."
Jenora says, "All right. I'll explain what happened on the way..."
Copernicus nods and fwumps into the command couch and within minutes the ship is taking off from the clearing, exposing the partially dug up skeleton. After a quick stop at the edge of Haven, the shuttle docks with the mining station where Andromeda can get some medical help. At least, help she's comfortable accepting. Copernicus listens to Jenora's tale throughout, with a grim look on his face.
Jenora says, "So, I think now we know where some of the spacer artifacts came from... and the fact that the base went into 'shoot on sight' mode implies it was programmed after your people's break for freedom..."
Copernicus nods to Jenora, "No doubt. And the collar was apparently a way to gain control of us again. I wonder why the post was abandoned?"
Chimera says, "Maybe they were evacuating the planet."
Jenora says, "I wish I knew. One does have to wonder, though, if all of them left, or if any of the people here are descended from them."
Copernicus growls, "Joy. Well, we'll just have to learn what we can, and find a defense against them. Jenora, thank you for saving my sister's life."
Jenora says, "Glad to be of some help."
Copernicus leans over and gives Jenora a kiss on the forehead, "I'd say more than a little help from you all. You can go with Andromeda, she'll be back on her feet in a few days. Wing may take a few days more, maybe even a full week."
Jenora says, "And she won't be enjoying any of it, being grounded."
Copernicus smiles softly, "Oh, I'll drop by and do my best to cheer her up. And you being around will also help Jenora. Take care, it's going to be a LONG night I fear."
Chimera says, "I like long nights. :}"
Jenora sighs, and nods. "I bet."
A bit later, a team with a robot probe retrieves the collar. Volunteers are raised to test it's range. Oddly, it no longer works on Felin or Heather, who were knocked out by it hours ago. The chamber in the hillside is kept a strict secret, with only a handful of Chirr'T'Thar knowing of it, for now.