* 21 *

             "O'vettun, In The Forest, this is truly a remarkable place," Ky'tulendu remarked with satisfaction, climbing off the skimmer and coming over to where they stood in the middle of what would be the landing field.
             She smiled, "I'm glad you approve, Asenti. I think you will find that this site is perfect for our people's needs, without having to make major changes in it," she emphasized.
             "Well, yes-- that we will have to see. So far I don't think we will have to," he replied carefully, and saw that this answer pleased both her and the native. Good, he thought to himself, maybe I can defuse this situation before it has a chance to build up.
             The Soaette had reported everything that had transpired here between the scout, the native, and the specialist immediately to his superior. That was why Ky'tulendu had decide to come here rather than return to the ship as he had originally planned.
             He was especially interested in the views of the native and wished to keep good will going between his people and the native's yet unknown people. He had seen too many diplomatic missions fail because the first contact group had failed to take in the ingenious populations' desires and wishes. There were too few of his people to put up a heavy resistance and win without backup.
             "Where do you recommend that we begin constructing living units and out of what materials?" Ky'tulendu asked of both of them.
             They both looked surprised and flattered that he wanted their input. It was In The Forest who spoke first. "Up above the creek line, starting at those second strand of trees. In the spring, the creek floods and that will be high ground when that happens. Any closer and you will lose what you have built. The trees there will also give you shelter from the winter storms as will the bluff."
             Ky'tulendu looked to where he was pointing and had to agree with his suggestions. They would be close to fresh running water but not too close and the ancient trees surrounding the new growth in the center of the glade would act as wind barriers. The younger trees could be used for building materials after they were cleared. The huge flat stones in the area could be used to make foundations and floors.
             He was glad they had found some undamaged anti-gravity units that still functioned in the hanger bays along with other heavy equipment like the diggers, cutting lasers and fabricators. Their sophisticated tools would make the building of this settlement easier and faster.
             "Yes, it will work," Ky'tulendu told In The Forest. "I'll have the work crews begin clearing the younger trees out immediately, and keep the older ones intact. What other trees and materials would be good for our shelters?" he asked, estimating that even utilizing all the young wood in that glade would not be enough to build more than a few small huts of very simplified design.
             In The Forest caught on quickly and pointed out other stands of hardwoods that would be suitable for their purposes. Then he pointed to the breech trees growing along the creek. "That peeling bark is what we use for roofs and to make large things waterproof. We also use it to make boats after we have stretched it around a frame of willow branches. We also weave the willows branches and heavy grasses together to make mats and large sections of our inner walls, but you do not have time to do that. Will you be using pieces of your ship to build with instead?" the native asked, understanding the urgency of getting the people settled.
             "Yes, to make temporary shelters for some of the people until permanent ones can be built," he replied. "We will salvage all that we can from the wreck, tools, furniture, clothes, and food. We want to be as self-sufficient as we can and not overuse the natural resources here."
             In The Forest nodded in understanding. That was one thing he had worried about. That these people could deplete within a short period of time the immediate food supplies of this area if they didn't have enough of their own initially. As it was, the first summer harvesting time was fast approaching, and then in not too distant moons winter would be upon them all. They not only had to get their shelters built for that coming time, but they would also have to start laying in food and supplies. Did they even know how to do that? He thought not.
             "That is good, Asenti Ky'tulendu to take care of your own, but you must hurry and not take long in building your camp. There are many more tasks you and your people must do if you are to survive here in the coming days of the cold time," he told him.
             The Asenti looked puzzled wondering what he meant. "Cold time? Winter? Ahh--you have seasons, hot, cold?" he asked.
             "Yes, seasons. This is the hot time but soon it will begin to cool and the days will grow longer, and the grasses and trees will change color as the world prepares itself for the cold days. And it gets very cold here, Asenti," he warned.
             "Thank you for the warning, In The Forest. I will try to get my people prepared for that. How long until the cold time is upon us?" he asked, hoping he would be able to understand the answer.
             The native looked thoughtful, wondering the same thing as the Atanzi was. How to be understood, but he could only phrase it in the same terms that he had always understood. He pointed upward where the ghostly shape of the planet's single moon hung in the day lit sky.
             "That is our time keeper along with the sun. Normally, you see the white Ka-hay'sa-na only in the night sky but sometimes she shows herself in the day. When she has gone from full to thin and back to full three times the cold time will come. There will be cool days before that mixed with warm, but after the third moon there will very few warm days at all for three to four moons after that, then it will warm again and new life will appear in this land."
             Ky'tulendu listened and made a mental note to have sciences check the lunar and solar patterns, so that they could have an accurate account of the days and seasons on this planet. He hoped some of the preliminary survey files survived the crash, otherwise they were going to have to reconstruct all this data from scratch. There was too much to do and learn all at the same time and not enough time to take it in properly.
             "I think I understand, In The Forest. My world's seasons were very minor. We had no very hot time or very cold just very warm all the year around with some cool for a short period," the Asenti replied, seeing the native was having a hard time with that concept.
             "When there is more time, I wish to know about your world Asenti, it sounds so different from mine. I take it not all worlds in the sky are like this one since you and the Soaette's are so different from myself?" he asked.
             The intelligence of the native was astounding him more and more. His people will probably score very high on original thinking and reasoning once they had a chance to do careful, discrete testing. These seeming humans were unlike any that had been encountered elsewhere in the galaxy. They definitely merited detailed study to find out why they were different.
             He brought himself out of his thoughts to answer the native who was waiting expectantly for a response to his question. "You are correct, there many worlds each of which are unique and different in their own ways. What the planetary conditions are determine the type of beings that evolve there," he said as simply as he could, not adding that there were many worlds that had been apparently seeded with life because the dominant life forms could not have evolved there on their own without help. Even his homeworld was suspect as a seeded planet, but that was still a thing that was hotly debated among the scientists.
             "That is what I have always thought, Asenti. It is good to find out that my thoughts were correct," he said smiling, pleased that he was understanding the ways of the larger universe outside his small planetary sphere. "I see O'vettun has gone to talk to your people about where to build. I will go join her and see you later," he said excusing himself and going over to one of the teams checking out the large glade.
        Ky'tulendu left alone looked up and noted the Sun's position in the sky. He estimated that they did not have that many more units until the sun set and darkness was upon them. The survey teams were already out in the field doing their jobs. At least they would have preliminary reports to look over before they decided where to start construction. In his mind's eye he could already envision the camp. It was going to be a little bit more primitive looking than his people were used to because they did not have the capacity to make molded or pored building sheets or do heavy metal smelting for support beams or roofs. Maybe later they could have raw metal working facilities but not now. He wasn't sure what types of minerals and metals were native to this planet or could be found in their immediate area. They had years of exploring and mapping to do. A lifetime of work to keep them busy along with just day to day survival.
        It was beginning to sink in to him how enormous a job they all had before them and especially to him as their leader. He was beginning to feel how much the responsibility of their survival depended on his decisions and choices. He had Vokolin and now B'tunku and even O'vettun to a certain degree to shoulder some of the responsibilities but ultimately all decisions reverted back to him. He knew now was not the time to worry if he had done right or wrong in coming here instead of trying to make it back to Alliance space. They were here. They were going to be here--permanently. This was going to be their home for the rest of their lives and for future generations.
        Even that thought scared him. Future generations--children. And there would be children born to the survivors, given time. He didn't seriously doubt that after they had been here awhile that his people wouldn't start pairing off and creating family groups. The settlement would soon cease to be a collection of individuals and start becoming a community. He was going to have to start thinking along those lines and start seeing the larger picture and not just the short term survival one. They needed to plan their construction of their settlement in those terms as well. At first it would mirror ship structure in organization but then they would have to expand and rebuild as conditions, interests, and personnel changed.
         Then there was the unknown native population to consider. They had only met one individual whom Ky'tulendu knew somehow was not a typical representative. All too soon that would have to deal with the real natives. He was also waiting to see when In The Forest thought they should go visit his people. Ky'tulendu knew they were being watched, even if the security sensors hadn't reported that there were natives hidden in the forest on the rim of the small valley, he knew they were there. He could feel their presence and their fear. What must they think of us, he wondered, gazing towards the hidden watchers. He knew what In The Forest's reactions had been to the Atanzi, but he sensed that the members of his tribe were more hostile and afraid of the strangers on their lands. He didn't see them as any serious threat, so he had left orders that they be left alone unless a large group approached.
        His teams were busy with their work Ky'tulendu saw as he started touring the area. He walked down to the creek and sat on one of the large flat rocks and noted the large flattened area in the tall grass as well as a piece of blue cloth. He picked up the blue cloth and recognized it as an engineering ranking headband. He smiled and put two and two together. Despite orders the specialist and the native had gotten together.
        He looked back at the creek and saw faint bare footprints in the mud, one large and one smaller, going back and forth from the water. Swimming, he thought to himself? And he did remember that the specialist looked a little cleaner than she should have and a lot more nervous as if she were trying to hide something. He didn't know whether to be concerned or not for a variety of reasons, not at least was the woman's safety and health from yet unknown microorganisms and contaminants. When they got back to the ship he would have MS B'tunku isolate her and run a complete physical on her to make sure she wasn't carrying anything harmful or fatal to the rest of the survivors.
        Stupid, really stupid, he thought. Was he going to have more problems like this among his crew? Were they all going to disobey orders and regulations that had been handed down for centuries on what to do when exploring an unknown planet? That should have been part of their basic shipboard training whether they were Command or civilian. Until you know what something was and what it might possibly do or not do to you, you didn't touch it or get near it. If you got contaminated by an unknown substance you went into isolation and let medical determine whether you were going to survive or be contagious. He could curse himself for his stupidity as the specialist had been in contact with most of the survey teams and himself along with the Soarette who had gone back to camp. He needed to alert B'tunku immediately and let her know.
        He took his communicator from his belt and turned it on. "B'tunku, come in, Priority One. This is Asenti Ky'tulendu, come in now!" he ordered impatiently.
        "This is B'tunku, Asenti, what is the problem?" she asked worriedly.
        "The specialist O'vettun appears to have had intimate contact with the native despite orders. Then to compound the problem it appears that they went swimming together in the creek here. I was not aware of this until just a short time ago. She has also been in contact with me, several of the survey crews and the Soarette scout. What do you advise?" he asked.
        "You are positive that she has had intimate contact with the native?" she asked.
        "The evidence seems to suggest that, but I have not asked her directly as I just determined that this might have occurred," he replied.
        "I see. And the swimming, you are sure about that?"
        "Yes, there are footprints both on the bank and in the mud in the shallows of the creek. Sensor scans also confirm that they were in the water earlier," he relayed.
        "I see," she said grimly. "And she and the native have been in contact with most of the survey teams?" she questioned.
        "That is correct," he replied waiting for her to go on or make a decision.
        "I will send out a med tech and I suggest you keep your party isolated for tonight until everyone can be thoroughly checked out. In fact I suggest you camp there for the night. We should know by morning if there are any problems. We'll send supplies out with the med tech too," she said professionally.
        He had to reluctantly agree with her plan. He really didn't have any choice until they could see whether there were any problems with the specialist and her being in contact with the other survey personnel. The specialist and the native were going to get a very long lecture over this.
        "Thank you, B'tunku, that will be appreciated. I'll be at the landing field to meet the tech when they come in. I'll keep you posted. Ky'tulendu out," he said turning the communicator off and started to reclipping it to his belt when he remembered he wanted to talk to O'vettun and the native. In the far distance up the hill he could see them under a large tree. He turned the device back on. "Specialist O'vettun, report in immediately," he said, and saw her jump
 as she grabbed her communicator.
        "Specialist O'vettun reporting in, Asenti," she replied, uncertainty in her voice.
        "I need to talk to you and the native in person. Stay there and I will join you," he said, an edge in his voice.
        "Yes, sir," she replied and looked over at In The Forest puzzled. She shrugged her shoulders in confusion over what the Asenti wanted or was upset about. She looked towards his direction but the glare of the sun made it impossible to see clearly. The only thing they could do was wait and see what happened.
        "Good. I'll be there shortly. Ky'tulendu out," he said, and reclipped his communicator on his belt and starting walking up the hill.

                                                        * 22 *

        Back at the camp B'tunku was not pleased as she finished her conversation with Ky'tulendu. That was all they needed, one of their personnel disobeying orders and getting personally involved with one of the natives, and environmentally contaminated as well. Preliminary scans had shown that most substances on this planet were safe within limits to Atanzi biology. However, no planet was completely safe for living organisms. There was always going to be something lethal or potential harmful to any lifeform. The idea was to not willfully put yourself in danger.
        The rainwater samples had passed most of their tests and careful sterilization would kill most viruses and contaminants so that the water would be safe to drink. The waters in the fresh water creeks had not been tested yet, nor had any of the soil surrounding it. This planet was teeming with unknown life. It was a veritable biological soup. Rarely had they come across a planet so rich in so many different kinds of lifeforms. Unfortunately, data was coming in too slowly for them to be hundred percent positive that the planet was safe for any of them. Until they were sure, standing orders were that the crew eat and drink from their emergency field rations until further notice.
        Until they got the results back all they could do is wait and hope no one else disobeyed orders. Though given the current conditions of the crew she didn't think that was likely.
        Most of the crew was still in shock, or shock was just beginning to set in as the day wore on. They were compiling lists of the missing and dead along with the survivors and their departments. That was what was causing the most shocks, the knowledge of who had survived and who hadn't. Vokolin had already had words with the personnel that had buried the dead outside the ship before anyone had had a chance to id the dead crew members. That was being rectified. The new lists reflected those casualties and the dead had been reburied.
        That evening they were going to hold a memorial service. She was not pleased that the Asenti was going to have to be quarantined and miss it as his presence was very much needed her for ship moral.
        She looked over her medical personnel tending the wounded in the makeship hospital inside one of the hanger bays. The skimmers and other equipment had all been removed which left the huge bay vacant. It seemed like the ideal solution to turn it into a field hospital and put the wounded inside out of the elements. Only five of her medical personnel had survived the crash and the rest of the people working among the injured were volunteers. She was going to have to spare one of them to go check over the survey team and it needed to be someone experienced in xenobiology to check for harmful microorganisms. She quickly narrowed it down to Tanz Lanyl, an older medical specialist and nurse. The older grey haired Atanzi female had the experience and background necessary for the job.
        B'tunku went over to where the woman was dressing a young male's chest wound. The woman looked up at her approach and then went back to her work. "Tanz Lanyl, I have a special assignment for you," B'tunku told her and saw the woman regard her warily and then straighten up as she finished.
        "What kind of assignment?" she inquired cautiously. "We're already overloaded and don't have even enough volunteers to take care of these people," she said.
        "I know," B'tunku replied in sympathy, " but a situation has come up with the survey team and I need to send you out there to run complete physicals on our people."
        The heavy set woman digested that information. "I see. Possible contamination by some of the ingenious life?"
        B'tunku nodded, trying to keep this between the two of them if possible.
        "The Asenti is with that group, isn't he? And one of the natives?" the medical specialist asked.
        "Yes, to both questions. The Asenti will explain it when you arrive. I want you to go with a full field lab and be prepared to stay overnight and possibly a few days until we are sure there are no possible contaminants that can infect the survivors here," B'tunku explained.
        There was a hint of alarm in the dark brown eyes but then it was masked with professional calm. "I understand MS B'tunku. What about my duties here?" she inquired.
        "I will take car of that. The skimmer is being loaded now to send supplies to survey team. They will deposit you and the supplies at the landing field and then leave. Until you have certified that either the survey team is clean or there is a problem you and the survey team will remain in quarantine," she told her.
        "And if there is a problem?" she asked calmly, trying not to betray her own fears.
        "Then we all have a very serious problem," B'tunku said bluntly and saw that she was understood.
        The medical specialist shivered inwardly, but she maintained her professional cool, keeping her fears to herself in the face of the job she had to do. "I understand, doctor," she replied. "I will get my kit and go."
        "You are dismissed. And good luck," B'tunku wished her.
        The specialist turned and went to go pack her field kit and personal items for the trip. She was nervous and scared, but she had a job and she had to do it. She didn't have any choice. Someone had to do this field work and determine if contact with the environment and the natives was going to be safe or not. So far the reports had said they were safe here, but her work would prove it one way or the other.
        The specialist got her field pack packed and went to where she saw a skimmer being loaded. The pilot saw her white uniform and motioned her forward when she stopped some distance away looking uncertainly at the small compact shuttle.
        "Welcome on board," the pilot told her, and helped her up the ramp to one of the passenger chairs. He was young but not terribly so it was hard to tell with the biosuit he was wearing. He had taken off his helmet, but it lay close by on dash board in front of him. The golden haired pilot looked like he knew what he was doing and the older woman relaxed.
        "Thanks," she replied, looking over the mound of boxes in the back storage compartment.
        "Nervous?" he asked as he handed her a biosuit and she put it on making sure all the seals and the air supply was good. She took her helmet off too. She was going to be wearing it enough and it wasn't going to be necessary until they touched down and made contact with the survey team. Seeing that she was checked out on the suit, he settled in his pilot's seat and buckled in.
        "A little. I'm not used to flying in these things. Most of my traveling has been in large ships or by transporter," she commented as she sat down next to him in the co-pilot chair and fixed her own straps.
        "Well, there won't be any transporters here, and these skimmers and the transports are the biggest things we've got. I just hope we can keep them all from breaking down for awhile, otherwise we're going to have to do a lot of serious walking and I'm not ready for that," he said seriously as he went through his preflight check and warmed up the engines.
        It just the two of them on this flight she noticed. The other personnel had cleared out and then shut the hatch which locked with a noticeable click. She felt the thrusters kick in and the ship glided upwards into the darkening sky. They cleared the top of the huge trees and flew above the forest. The land lay spread out green and golden before them. Out her window she could she rolling hills, and wild fields dotted with thick patches of forest. Birds of unknown type flew by them. Huge flocks of them flew in formations across the deep blue sky following the air currents heading for the ocean which stretched like a band of blue on the far horizon. Far below on the ground she could see gracefully running four legged animals with horns, who startled at the huge shadow of their silent craft as it guided across the sky.
        In all too short of time they were landing. What had taken the Asenti and his exploring team several secunits to walk only took the skimmer five units. The ship set down in the middle of a large grass covered field near a grove of trees. The Asenti , the native and a young female Atanzi stood near the field. The Asenti took out his communicator and motioned the pilot to turn on his ship's communicator, which he did.
        "Greetings, Tanz Comm J'doff. We will remain here while you and the specialist unload the ship. Until we know that you and the camp or in no danger from us we will not approach until you leave. Wish we could give you a hand, but circumstances being what they are. . . ," Ky'tulendu said with a shrug and left the rest to hang meaningfully.
        The pilot and the med tech put on their helmets and sealed them to the suits. When they were ready, the pilot cracked the hatch carefully. He didn't fully understand the situation but he was familiar with quarantine procedures. Lanyl helped as much as she could working in the bulky transparent suit, getting the supplies and herself unloaded. Finally the ship was unloaded with the boxes and containers piled neatly by the ship. The pilot then closed and locked the hatch, and Lanyl moved away as the ship took off and then she was left alone at the landing field.
        Ky'tulendu and O'vettun approached her cautiously. In The Forest hung back . He was unsure about the Atanzi female in the strange see through clothes that covered her from head to foot. Lanyl already had her sensor equipment out doing preliminary scans of the three. So far nothing out of the ordinary was showing up. Even the native was reading healthy for an Atanzi, which puzzled her because he wasn't coming across her scanners as a siman-human as she had been told the natives were. It was more like Atanzi readings she was getting with siman-human overtones. She shook her head and resisted the impulse to hit the device to see if it was functioning correctly.
        Since the scanner had showed nothing abnormal the next step was going to be getting samples of blood, mucus, and skin. The Asenti and the specialist O'vettun were bracing themselves for that ordeal while the native regarded her warily. He was ready to bolt at the slightest danger. Unless he cooperated they were going to have to knock him out to get the necessary samples. She hoped that wouldn't be necessary.
        In The Forest had drawn closer and was watching very carefully what the strange woman was doing. He had decided that she was some sort of medicine woman from what O'vettun had told him. He had not realized that the Asenti would get so mad over them swimming and making love. He didn't quite understand why they had placed all the Atanzi in danger but O'vettun did and she was very scared. She had told him he should be scared to as she might have given him something and if she had it could hurt his people so that he must stay there with her until they knew for sure.
        He knew from his Uncle that the symptoms of a sickness sometimes took awhile to show up, sometimes days or weeks. He had seen strangers from other tribes come to visit and make everyone in the village sick. He prayed that this was not going to happen between his people and the Atanzi. He was beginning to like the strange people from the stars. They had suffered so much already. But if their medicine woman could tell with their magics if they were sick or not, then he would go along with it for the sake of being with O'vettun.
        In The Forest watched the Asenti be the first to have samples taken. Ky'tulendu knew he had a very interested audience so he bore the discomfort of the exam stonily. Sitting down on a small folding stool, the Asenti removed his tunic top to let the medical specialist check his heart and lungs, and to see if he was developing any rashes. In The Forest noticed that except for the Asenti's chest and forearms the Atanzi was just a little hairier than he was and was considerably paler in skin color like O'vettun. The Asenti allowed the woman to take skin samples from his arms, chest, back and neck. Then with a small tube device she began taking blood samples. She filled several small containers with the dark red blood. With other devices she took samples from his mouth, nose, eyes, and ears and then told him he was finished. He got up and O'vettun sat down.
        The Asenti turned his back, and motioned In Forest to do so as well. The native comprehended that O'vettun needed privacy for her exam. But In The Forest listened through the bond and sent her reassurance that everything was going to be all right. O'vettun was quickly done and then it was In The Forest's turn to sit in the chair and be examined.
        He cooperated because he knew he must and he made no sound or flinched when the medicine woman took skin samples or his blood which he noted was the same color as the Atanzi's. He was as curious as they as to find out how similar or different they were from each other. He was not happy about the eye, nose, throat, and ear exams but as a warrior he endured them. Finally he too was through.
        The specialist put the carefully marked samples in a case and straightened up. She was sweating in her suit because of heat of the day and the sun. "I am going to move to that group of trees there and make my own camp. Would you call your field teams and have them report to me for examinations," she asked through her suit's speakers.
        "I've already started calling them in. They should be here shortly. Can we help you set up your camp?" Ky'tulendu asked.
        "If you carry my tent and the portable lab over I would appreciate it. I'm getting too old for these kind of field trips," she said trying to be cheerful under adverse circumstances.
        Ky'tulendu and In The Forest went over to where the supplies were piled and located a tent, bedding and other supplies and the lab equipment. In The Forest carried the tent and supplies while Ky'tulendu pushed the portable lab which rolled on its own wheels. In The Forest had only seen children's toys roll, not anything larger. He was fascinated with the concept of wheels to make moving heavier objects easier. Occasionally, his people would use logs to launch boats, but true wheels had never been developed.
        The two men picked out a level spot and cleared it of sticks and rocks. Ky'tulendu showed In The Forest how to fix the inflatable tent and within minutes it was set up. In The Forest just stood back and shook his head in amazement. It would have taken the women of his village several hours to do the same using cut saplings and hides. He looked inside the large tent and saw that it came with it's own clean floor. They put the bedding and supplies in the tent and left the portable lab by the door. They were not sure where the medical specialist wanted it.
        Lanyl and O'vettun had come over while the men had been setting up the tent. From one of the pack units. Lanyl found a portable table and set that up with extra chairs. She set the field unit she had been using beside the table and got a smaller package from it. She looked up at the darkening sky and frowned.
        "Where is this creek I need to take samples of?" she asked.
        "Down the hill in that direction," Ky'tulendu replied, pointing to where the willow and breech trees were.
        "I am going to go get my samples of the water and soil before e it gets too dark to see. If your other people arrive while I am gone have them wait. I also need to have some lights set up so I can work. You do want an answer very soon?" she questioned meaningfully.
        "I do. We'll have lights set up before you return," he promised.
        She nodded in acknowledgment and then with her sample case tucked under her arm she walked very carefully down the hill towards the creek.
        In The Forest watched her go with a worried look. Ky'tulendu saw the look. "What bothers you, In The Forest?"
        "You should not have sent her by herself. Does she have a weapon?"
        "Not that I know of, why?" he asked concerned now.
        "The night hunters will start coming out. Earlier I saw signs of a large bobcat as well as wolf signs along the creek. They are not that afraid of man," he said watching the woman's retreating form.
        "Why didn't say something before?" Ky'tulendu asked.
        "My people's women don't go places alone especially to get water when it get dark. I did not know your women had no rules. You must stop her, Asenti," he said seeing that Ky'tulendu was unsure what to do.
        Ky'tulendu pulled out his communicator. "Tanz Lanyl, stay where you are. There may be danger. We'll be there shortly," Ky'tulendu told her, and then turned to In The Forest and O'vettun. "O'vettun you stay here and In The Forest come with me," he added as he and In The Forest ran down the hill after the woman who was still walking.
        Either her communicator inside the suit wasn't working or she had chosen not to hear him. She walked on determinately towards the heavy growth of trees by the creek. She was almost in sight of the water when an earsplitting howl rang out followed by an explosion of leaves as a huge grey furry body burst from the bushes to land on her chest and knock her to the rocky ground. The frightened woman screamed in terror at the slaving mouth full of pointed teeth only inches from her face through the transparent helmet. The two men saw the wolf attack and throw the specialist to the ground. They ran faster and Ky'tulendu pulled his stunner as he ran and getting in range he dropped to his knees and fired. The killing blast hit the wolf in the head just as the wolf was dipping his head down to sink his teeth into the women's neck. The wolf spun end over end with the impact of the blast and landed in a tangled heap on the ground.
        The two men rushed to the side of the hysterical woman who was sobbing and shaking now. The shock of her experience was beginning to set in. Her biosuit was ripped and torn in several places from the wolf's claws and teeth. Through the rips they could see scratches and gashes on her skin through her uniform. She was now as compromised as they because of the animal and being exposed to the environment. They helped her to sit up but she was looking around wild eyed and frightened afraid that another beast would jump out at her.
        Ky'tulendu took the tattered helmet off and she became even more hysterical. He slapped her and she calmed down, looking at him from tearful eyes like a small child. "Thank you," she finally said getting a grip on herself.
        "Let's get this suit off. It's finished," he said looking her over. "Can you move?"
        "No! Don't take the suit off. Contaminates, have to check for contaminates. Danger here. Can Die. We can all die," she babbled, going deeper and deeper into shock. It wasn't from her injuries which were superficial but it was from the stress of the last couple of days which had been building under the surface and with this final blow was now exploding. She wasn't even seeing them now. She was seeing the wolf's attack and his teeth, over and over again in an endless loop.
        In The Forest looked to Ky'tulendu and saw he was saddened and confused. "Her mind is gone," he said simply. "The wolf did not hurt her, but the fear of it did," he added.
        He got up from where he had been kneeling and went to go look at the wolf that lay in a tumbled heap. He turned the animal over. Most of the face and skull were gone, burnt away as if a huge lightening bolt had struck the animal. He turned it to seethe other undamaged side and frowned at the odd yellow color as well as the redness in the good eye. He sniffed the animal close to its mouth and saw the frothing spittle drying on the fur on the undamaged side.
        "Asenti, there is now a big problem," he called out to Ky'tulendu.
        The Atanzi looked at him and saw the young man was very worried. "What kind of problem?" he asked, bracing himself.
        In The Forest still examining the wolf replied back very concerned, "I wondered why the wolf attacked her. It shouldn't have, not at this time of year unless it was sick. And this was a sick wolf. It has the madness that kills, and now she has it. And when one has it there is nothing that can be done. The victims die horribly, going completely out of their minds, acting like animals, having terrible stomach pains, and fever. I saw a man bitten by a raccoon die with a week from this," he told the Asenti who was looking from the woman to him then back to the wolf.
        "They all die? There's no cure?" he questioned, wanted to be sure he understood correctly.
        In The Forest shook his head sadly, "no, none that people know of. I'm sorry, Asenti, I should have warned you not to let her go alone. Then this might not have happened," he apologized, and then drew his knife and began to strip the skin from the carcass.
        Ky'tulendu watched him debating what to do with the woman who had passed out in his arms. He was going to have to call B'tunku and report this and see what she wanted to do with the injured woman. For now all he could do was carry her back to the tent. He heard footsteps approaching and turned, his stunner in his hand and aimed at the intruders. The two men stopped still in their tracks.
        "Specialist O'vettun sent us. She thought you might need help," one of the two Atanzi techs told Ky'tulendu.
        "Sorry men, I'm a bit jumpy. One of the animals this woman and I heard footsteps and reacted," he apologized putting his stunner away and the two techs relaxed and approached closer.
        As they got nearer then began looking from their Asenti to what In The Forest was doing to the wolf. One of them adverted his face while the other looked up, trying not to see anything. "Your orders, sir?" one of them asked, trying not to get ill.
        Ky'tulendu nodded, still watching In The Forest skin the animal. He had almost forgotten they were standing there. He remembered finally and told them, "yes, this woman needs to be taken back to her tent to be checked for injuries. Have all the teams reported in?"
        Still adverting their eyes, one of them replied, "yes, Asenti. We have the other tents set up and lights. We also have put up a forcefield to keep animals and insects out. Was that the medical specialist that base sent us?" the taller of the two techs asked.
        "It was. Where you on the biological, botanical, xenological, or geology survey team?" he asked the young Atanzi.
        "Biology, sir. I was sent to get samples of the water, soil, air and determine what microorganisms and viral agents were native to this area and determine what effects they would have on our personnel but short and long term. I understand that the specialist was doing similar work. I had planned on coordinating my research with her when the lab equipment arrived," he said keeping stiffly at attention to avoid watching In The Forest.
        The native had finished skinning the animal. He cleaned off his sharp flint knife in the grass and dirt. He then picked up the animal by its hind legs and tossed it into the heavy weeds above the creek. The fur he rolled up into a compact bundle and tucked under his arm. He looked at his audience questioningly. By their expression he could tell that none of them had ever been hunting and had had to skin and clean an animal. "I did not wish to see the fur go to waste. The spirits would have been angry," he said in explanation and then looked to Ky'tulendu to see what to do next.
        It was rapidly getting dark and hard to see. One of the techs produced a pocket light which scared In The Forest when he turned it on. "Is it a small sun or captured fire?" the warrior asked wanting to touch it. He ran his hand through the beam and was amazed that he was not burnt or did he feel any heat , but the light was a bright as a large fire.
        "Neither, it's called a pocket light,' Ky'tulendu explained, to help us see in the dark. Fire without fire," he added and then turned to the techs waiting for orders. "Both of you carry the specialist back to camp. Then you will cross check your samples with the ones the specialist made of O'vettun, In The Forest and myself. We need to know tonight whether we are biologically compatible with this planet and its people. And what we need to do if we are not," he ordered.
        The two techs nodded and handed the light to Ky'tulendu while they picked up the woman, locking their hands together to carry her supported between them. Ky'tulendu led the group back up the hill with In The Forest in the rear keeping a close eye on the dark forest for hidden dangers, such as another rabid animal. For where there was one there was generally another, more dangerous one lurking in the shadows waiting to strike.

                                                        * 23 *

        They were returning. O'vettun ran to meet them, her hair flying loose behind her. Drawing closer she saw that the woman was unconscious and her suit was torn in places. She had heard the scream and the sound of the stunner firing, what had happened down by the creek?
        Ky'tulendu answered before she had a chance to ask, "An animal attacked her. It bolted out of the woods and had her down before I could shoot it. In The Forest said it was a sick wolf that attacked her. She passed out from the shock. She's got some deep scratches and gashes but he's afraid that the wolf gave her its sickness and as far as he knows there is no cure for it among his people," he told her as he stopped and she examined the woman.
        "Have you contacted MS B'tunku yet?" she asked alarmed as she helped them get the woman into her tent and on a cot. O'vettun finished stripping the rest of the biosuit off so she could see where the woman was injured. It was hard to tell what was wrong with all the blood and dirt. What injuries she could see did not look too bad, but she was not a medical tech.
        "Not yet, there hasn't been time. Tanz K'ratx was doing similar work to specialist Lanyl. He'll take over for her and give us answers on the contaminants. As to Lanyl's injuries, we treat them as best we can and see what advice medical can give us. Until we get definite answers one way or the other on the contaminants the camp is still under quarantine and I don't want to risk any more personnel coming out here," Ky'tulendu told her, making his position very clear and also letting her know she wasn't off the hook for her part in this situation. "In the meantime, specialist O'vettun clean her up and dress her wounds out of the medkit."
        O'vettun went to work as she was ordered while Ky'tulendu left the tent and almost walked right into In The Forest who was hovering outside the tent door. "Sorry," he apologized. "O'vettun has work to do right now. And I do need your help," Ky'tulendu told him, steering him over towards the camp table.
        "My help?" the young warrior asked surprised as he followed Ky'tulendu.
        The Atanzi nodded his shaggy head in confirmation as he got to the point, "what can you tell me about this sickness that the wolf, I think you called it, had? I am going to call MS B'tunku and need to tell her what happened and see if she has any suggestions for treatment of specialist Lanyl," he told him, grabbing a cup of klass from the dispenser at the end of the table and sitting down at the table. He motioned for In The Forest to sit but the native declined and stood facing him.
        "I am not a shaman so I do not know all the signs," In The Forest shrugged apologetically. "I do know the animal was sick. His breath was sour and his eyes were yellow and bloodshot. He had been foaming at the mouth. I saw the thick spittle on his fur and his mouth was bright red, dry and cracking. He was also very thin and bony. He had not eaten in several days. A person that gets bitten by such an animal loses all appetite, it is hard to swallow, and sometimes breathe. They run very high fevers, and shake as if very cold. It affects their mind, and they become crazy and have to be tied down. They try to bite others and foam at the mouth. They are in much pain. Towards the end they have seizures and die. This can go on for many days and nothing we know of can give any relief," he reported as best he could. He saw the Asenti digesting in his words and wondered if he had helped or not.
        Ky'tulendu smiled at him reassuringly, sensing the young warrior was nervous. He told him, "that will give us something to work on. I will get one of the techs to take blood samples and see if they can come up with something," Ky'tulendu replied.
        "Blood can tell you what is wrong with a person? That is why you took the blood earlier?" In The Forest asked, digesting that information. "How? I have looked at blood many times and have not seen things in it."
        Ky'tulendu tried not smile but it was difficult. There was so much the young man knew of his world and so much he didn't. What his people considered basic level biological knowledge was beyond the native's comprehension. He had to figure out a way to explain this in terms In The Forest could understand.
        "We have special machines that can see things our eyes can't see, and that can tell is what's wrong or right with a person," the Asenti explained to the puzzled warrior.
        "More magic," In the Forest decided, putting it in terms he could understand. He just shook his head, struggling with the concept. "Asenti, I believe this is so, but one day I wish to see with my own eyes this magic that can see inside blood and I know my uncle will want to too," he replied thoughtfully, his eyes gazing across the camp in the direction of his village.
        "Yes, one day," Ky'tulendu agreed. He pulling his communicator from his belt and turned it on. "MS B'tunku, I need to speak to you," he requested.
        "B'tunku here, Asenti, what have you to report?" she asked sounding harried and impatient.
        "Your tech arrived safety, and gave O'vettun, In The Forest, and myself exams and took samples. She was on the way to the creek to collect water and soil samples when she was attacked by a sick animal. The animal gave her some nasty scratches and gashes and it may have bitten her. O'vettun is checking her now and cleaning the wounds. In The Forest says the animal is called a wolf. It was very sick. That's why it attacked her. He also says that people that are bitten by such animals die. His people have no known cure for this. The victim will get a high fever, chills, deliriums, pains and become like the animal. The victims have to be restrained, and their bite could infect another. They die in intense pain," he relayed and waited for her answer.
        " I see," she said slowly as she digested this information. "Asenti, until I can get a blood analysis, this could be anything from a simple infection to much worse. Ask him if anyone who cares for the person contracts this sickness."
        In The Forest had heard the entire exchange. He shook his head no. "No, only those that get bit by the sick person. No one else does," he replied.
        Ky'tulendu wasn't sure if she heard the native so he relayed, "he says, no. Only if the caretaker gets bitten by the victim. Which I believe rules out airborne infections or viruses," Ky'tulendu speculated.
        "Maybe . . . . Ask him if he knows how the animals get sick," she questioned.
        In The Forest shrugged his shoulders. "We don't know. One day the animals will be fine and then the next. . . it will become very sick and start foaming at the mouth and acting crazy. It usually happens in warm weather like this. But not all animals are effected. One does not eat the meat of such an animal and an animal that eats the meat of a sick one gets sick and dies too," he explained, trying to remember.
        Her voice sounded perplexed as she replied, "it sounds like this disease effects the bloodstream and probably just warm blooded animals. Have the bio techs do an analysis of the dead animal too and keep me posted on Lanyl's condition. If your tests come out negative then I'll lift the quarantine and come out in the morning and check on this new disease. Anything else, Asenti?" she asked.
        "How did the salvage work go today?" he asked, glad to change the subject. He settled back in his chair to listen to her report as he slipped his klass.
        "We got the other hanger dug out and recovered the ships. We now have twelve working skimmers, eight transports, six all terrain, three water craft, eight earth movers, three molders and fabricators, twenty antigravs and a very good supply of smaller power tools, and a large assortment of hand tools, plus construction supplies. We are still downloading the library files from the main computers as you requested and creating hard copies. The fire in stores did not do as much damaged as we first believed, but it did destroy a lot of the heavy weather gear and equipment. Some of the ancient books were also damaged, more by the water and chemicals than by the fire. They may be still usable. We managed to get into the biolabs. It's a real mess down there. Some of the specimens escaped, while others are dead or dying. Luckily, most of the refrig-units are still functioning, running off the emergency power and we are transferring the containers to the portable units until we can determine what to do with them. Meanwhile, I have techs trying to salvage what we can of the embryos in storage."
        "Embryos in storage? What embryos?" he asked, sitting up suddenly in alarm as he wondered what they did have down in sciences.
        "Lifeform samples, experiments. You weren't aware?" she asked surprised.
        He shook his head. He was surprised and wasn't sure whether to be worried or not. "No, not really. I let the department heads deal with all that. I see problems. We can't afford to let alien lifeforms get loose on this planet. It's bad enough we're here. And you said some things have escaped from their containers and might be loose on the ship or maybe worse have gotten outside already?" he asked worriedly, afraid to know but needing to.
        "That is a possibility," she said coolly, trying to minimize that angle. "Bio is trying to determine what specimens are missing and whether they could survive outside the ship in this environment.," she said calmly, waiting for his explosion.
        Which wasn't long in coming. "That's just great! Loose lab animals of unknown origins, and possibly dangerous ones at that. What next? This situation is getting worse and worse. Definitely keep me posted on what we might have unintentionally loosed on this world. What else should I know about?" he snarled, not happy at all about this new development.
        She didn't let his anger deter her, with steel in her voice she went on with her report, "we have inspected almost every part of the ship and the salvage parties have followed the entry path back to the sea. We found five more survivors in a life pod by the sea. They say they are from engineering. We now have two hundred and twenty-five personnel accounted for., seventy-two missing, and a hundred and thirty-three dead. Of the living twenty eight are so injured that they are not expected to make it given our current circumstances. Most of our people are still in shock and I have been medicating the more severe cases. Medical supplies are beginning to get low and we haven't been able to locate the emergency ones in stores yet.," she said.
        "So what do you think our chances for survival?" he asked frankly, wanting the truth.
        There was hesitation on her end for a moment. "Short term, we'll pull through if we get our people's basic needs taken care of and if we aren't allergic to this planet and can adapt to it. Long term, I don't know. There is so much we don't know about this place. And it's the not knowing that will kill you. If things all go right and we can adapt, I see a long term settlement here. We should try and plan for the long term because unless we were very lucky and our message buoy got through, we are stuck her for the rest of our lives and maybe several generations down the line," she said truthfully, with a tinge of regret in her voice.
        "That's they way I see it too, a long term settlement, if our neighbors let us."
        "Neighbors?" There was puzzlement in her tone.
        "The Rumnulska out there and the natives down here."
        "Oh . . .," she said slowly, not having put the two in that kind of context before. Then she asked, "you don't think there's any chance that they'll leave us alone in peace?"
        "Not a chance," he replied grimly.
        "This really isn't covered in the command books is it?" she asked.
        He sighed, feeling her fears and frustrations. "No, we're on our own on this. And we better hope we do it right because we're going to have to live with our mistakes and so will our children and our children's children."
        "Children?" she questioned.
        He laughed at her naive. "You think there won't be? If there aren't any among our people by the end of the year I'll be surprised. I don't see our people as stagnating and not growing. They are going to have to grow and learn to survive here. We have an opportunity that no one has had in generations. We get to build a world unfettered by rules and regulations and outside help. We are going to be pioneers, explorers. The last time a new world was colonized was over a hundred years ago."
        "But what kind of colony, sir?" she questioned seriously. "I believe there is roughly two hundred of us and several hundred million natives on this planet. I think we are slightly outnumbered and they might have a few words to say about our being here," she reminded him.
        "True, but on this island, there is roughly a little over a thousand people. We should be able to hold our own against that number," he said.
        "Only as long as our weapons and technology hold out. Then we will have real problems," she chided him.
        He smiled as he told her, "probably, but for now we can defend ourselves, and by the time our weapons do quit working we should have established a secure base and come to some sort of agreement with the local natives."
        She sighed in defeat. "You win for now, Asenti. It's late and I have been working nonstop for thirty-six hours and I believe you have too. I suggest we both get some sleep and discuss what needs to be done in the morning. By the way Vokolin has picked up the same respiratory bug that her people have been getting. I sent her to bed several secunits ago. I'm hoping she will be better in the morning."
        "I hope so too," he said not pleased to hear that his second in command was getting ill. "I'll call you if anything develops. Ky'tulendu out," he said signing off.
        He sat back in his chair and looked around for In The Forest who had wandered off while he was talking with B'tunku. He caught a glimpse of the native in the tent with O'vettun. It was going to be hard separating the two. If that was even possible or advisable. Did these two have a true bond or was it just sheer physical attraction and nothing more. He couldn't be sure, no one could until the tests were in.
        He got up and stretched. It was now dark and on the eastern horizon this planet's single moon was rising. It was gold colored and large as it began to top the trees. Above it stars blazed. He turned in a circle and as far as he could see there were stars dusting the midnight blue sky. It was a sight he had rarely seen because most of the planets he had visited had been too built up with industrialization and lights to see the stars. Then too the stars here were not so tightly clustered on this rim of the galaxy. This was his second night on this world and the first he had spent outdoors. He knew it would not be his last.
        "Have you eaten , sir?" asked a voice from behind him. It was O'vettun's as she came up and offered him a field pack and a cup with steaming hot soup in it.
        He turned and faced her. "No, I haven't. I forgot to eat," he admitted and took the soup and the pack from her and sat down at the table.
        "It has been a busy day for all of us," she agreed. "Specialist Lanyl was awake, but in a lot of pain. I found some sleeping medication in the medkit and she's back asleep. She woke up crying and raving about the animal that attacked her. I think she was having a nightmare. As to her physical condition, she has a few puncture marks near her neck and breast. I treated them but they might still be infected. I gave her antibiotics though if In The Forest is correct, they may not help. Tanz K'rantx came by and took blood and tissue samples from her and we should hear something shortly. The good news is he's determined that we are safe to be around the natives and vice versa. The local flora and fauna will not hurt us nor will the water from causal ingestion. He says it's the purest water he has ever seen with all microorganism in tolerable levels. He says it is safer than our water rations,' she said with a satisfied smile.
        Ky'tulendu lifted an eyebrow between bites of his meat substitute. "He's positive? No mistakes?"
        "There are no mistakes. He ran the tests four times to be sure. The interesting part is that In The Forest checks out as an Atanzi male with minor blood type and genetic variations. Like someone on a closed colony planet that has been removed from the general population for many generations. He also said that In The Forest and myself show every sign of beginning the bonding cycle and that true bonding might be possible between us and the natives as well as interbreeding," she said with a happy smile. She let that information sink in and waited for his response.
        "I see," he said noncommittally, studying them. They were ecstatic with the news, and why shouldn't they be? They had been give a go ahead for their romance and bonding. Now he wasn't sure what to do or say. He had been sure that the natives were not going to biological compatible that he hadn't thought what would happen if they were. This did change their situation on this planet drastically. Atanzi-native alliances, marriages, offspring, it was a lot to think about and he wasn't sure he approved.
        "There's no mistake?" he questioned again. He wanted to be very, very sure on this.
        "None," she answered happily looking up at In The Forest who was also pleased.
        "In view of this starting information, I can't deny you the right to see one another. However, this is still a Command operation. With that in mind, specialist, You will stay with specialist Lanyl and keep watch on her. In The Forest, however needs to sleep elsewhere," he
told them both meaningfully. They frowned as Ky'tulendu went on, "he can sleep either with the other men or where he feels comfortable. And no one is leaving this camp and sleeping outside the forefield tonight, is that clear," he told them both, pinning them with a don't even think of trying it look.
        "Yes, sir," she reluctantly agreed and looked apologetically up at her mate, who shrugged, understanding orders were orders. "Then we'll say good night, Asenti," she added as she stood up.
        "Good night," he told them and watched her go into the tent while In The Forest, took the bed roll she handed him and laid it out in front of the tent. If he couldn't sleep with her at least he would guard her and stay close.
        Ky'tulendu shook his head and sighed in defeat. He got up and stretched then poured another cup of klass from the dispenser, as he wondered where he was going to sleep He looked around and saw that someone had put up a tent for him. That was a relief. He was too tired to struggle with putting one up. Carrying his klass he went in and closed the door flap. There was enough light from the spotlights outside that he didn't bother turning on his own light, instead he just sat down on the cot. He sipped the last of his klass enjoying the quiet and privacy of his tent. Finally he undressed and got into bed vowing to sleep the sleep of the dead. As soon as his head touched the pillow he was asleep.

                                                        * 24 *

        "You're sure about that, Tanz K'ratx?" B'tunku questioned. "I'm receiving your data right now. I'll confirm your preliminary findings and get back to you. Meanwhile, keep up the antibiotics on specialist Lanyl and report any changes. B'tunku out," she said cutting off the link.
        Dawn had come too soon, B'tunku thought as she yawned. She sat with a communicator in one hand and a cup of cold klass in her other at her makeship desk inside the former hanger, now hospital. She had been at work for a number of secunits going over reports, listening to complaints and organizing work crews. Vokolin was doing her share but there was more work than the two of them could do to keep this camp running. At least Ky'tulendu would be back today, she sighed in relief.
        Outside the hanger the day was clear and intensely bright. Sun reflected blindingly off metal pieces and shiny plastic surfaces and was heating up the bare ground. Already it was promising to be another hot day. She was beginning to sweat in her uniform and due to lack of power to this area, the hanger could not be air conditioned. Only the most critical cases were allowed that luxury from the portable units they had found.
        In front of her on her desk were hardcopies of the patient files. There were seventy-eight files, with twenty-eight of them with red stickers meaning they were critical. She had never had to deal with this many before, even when she had served her internship. Luckily, the majority of the patients would be up and about in three or four days. But there were some that would never make it. They were beyond the capacity of her salvaged medical equipment to repair. Then there were the ones that had flat given up and were willing themselves to die rather than face the fact they were marooned here and had to start life over on a new planet. Those were the ones she found hard to deal with. It was the ones with psychological problems from the crash that were going to be the long term problems. They could fix a body but even with their science they couldn't fix a mind, not without a complete memory wipe and retraining and they didn't have that kind of equipment or time. Nor did they have any capable pysch techs left. Of the five that had been on board--three had died in the crash, one was not expected to live, and the last one needed a psych tech themselves.
        The way she saw it was that their basic problem was a lack of hope. That was the prevailing mood among the survivors. Once the crew realized their situation and had gotten over the shock of the landing, the loss of their crew mates and the ship, they began to realize they were stuck here. They were cut off from all they knew, family friends, everything. They were expected to forget that and start a new life here on an unknown planet, surrounded by possibly hostile natives, and the possibly of attack from the Rumnulska if they ever returned. The crew was finding it extremely difficult to just turn their backs on their lives and start over. Quite frankly, they didn't want to do it. They didn't care if they survived and many wished they hadn't. The Asenti might be all enthusiastic about creating a colony here but his crew wasn't. So far the discipline was being maintained but unless things changed drastically to boaster moral and to give the crew incentives to go on, they were going to have a disaster here.
        B'tunku shifted uncomfortably in her hard chair and looked over the hard copy of Tanz K'ratx's report on physicals done on the survey team. She was glad that she could lift the isolation ban on them and start sending crews to the site to begin building. Everything had a clean bill of health. There might be problems from yet unknown factors but the data had confirmed that so far the Atanzi personnel were compatible to the planet.
         She could not say the same for the Tranquils. They were dying and there was very little she could do. Their immune systems were shutting down. Even keeping them in isolation units was not helping. They were allergic to the planet. Whatever was destroying them they had caught when they first stepped out on this planet's surface and had been exposed to its air. Now it was too late to help them. She estimated that they had a week, maybe two at the most.
        It was too early to say about the Soarettes. Their problems were mainly from physical injuries sustained during the crash. The two that were uninjured and able to fly were happy to get out and work as scouts. Their observation reports would prove to be invaluable once the permanent camp was set up and they could start sorting through the preliminary reports and studies from the various survey teams. So far neither of the scouts had gone to the mainland off the western side of the island but there were plans for it. They had reported that the islanders did very active trading with the mainlanders.
        From the report she had scanned. The local native population appeared to be class 2, level 4's on the rating scale. Intelligent hunter-gatherers, with a complex social structure. They appeared to be very religious, but believed in nature spirits, their local deities, and to identify with the characteristics and attributes of the local animals and plants. Their personal names all seemed to reflect these beliefs. They seem to be ruled by a chief and a council of elders. That verified what their native guide, In The Forest, had told them. The natives were very family and community oriented with jobs divided along gender lines. The scout surmised that they are war-like and aggressive when they have to be but on the whole they prefer a peaceful lifestyle.
        They have some limited agriculture, and supplement that with food gathering and hunting. Though they appear not to have any domesticated animals except small canines as pets and pack animals. There is no heavy metal smelting or industrialization. They dress simply in animal skins and some simple hand woven fabrics from plant materials. The men wear very little clothing while the women wear one piece dresses or skirts. The children up to a certain age wear no clothes at all. The scout apologized that he could only observe from a distance as each village is very well guarded and has sentries at all times.
        Feeling the heat more and more, she was beginning to understand why the natives wore so little. The sun and heat here were very intense. Heat exhaustion and dehydration were going to be problems until they adjusted to the climate. Even wearing light weight uniforms wasn't helping. Though she had seen some of the younger males working in the salvage crews strip their tunic tops off and work bare chested. It was against regulations but if it helped them cool down and keep working she'd let it slide.
        Some of the younger females had torn the sleeves off their uniforms and left some of the top fastenings undone. She had even seen a few that had cut the lower parts of their pants off exposing their bare legs. Then there were a few that had abandoned their uniforms all together and were wearing civilian warm weather clothes.
        More inventive members of the crew had designed head coverings to shade their faces. While someone had raided ship's stores and had handed out tinted glasses. She wasn't sure to applaud their efforts or put the violators on report.
        B'tunku was afraid that discipline was going to break down completely and nothing would get done. Today Ky'tulendu would be coming back. His crew trusted him and Vokolin. Unfortunately, Vokolin was coming down with the Tranquil sickness and having a harder and harder time performing her duties. B'tunku was already stepping into her shoes and keeping things going until the Asenti came back. The crew didn't know her but they would.
        She saw a furry of activity outside the hanger and she got up to investigate. She saw a cloud of dust billowing up from the ground and saw one of the skimmers come in for a landing in the center of the pit. The small ship landed and the hatch opened. It was Ky'tulendu. The ground crew looked relieved. He saw her and waved her over.
        "I brought specialist Lanyl back," he told her as he came in range. "Tanz K'ratx felt she would be better off here and that maybe your medical staff could figure out what is wrong. She's beginning to run a fever and hasn't been conscious since early this morning. She's also having nightmares off and on and has had to be sedated," he explained moving aside so she could enter the ship and look at the woman.
        B'tunku bent down and unbelted her medical kit as she squatted down next to the makeship bed made out of two of the passenger seats. Quickly she began to do scans on the unconscious woman, shaking her head at the readings. "She'll have to go to the hospital immediately," she said looking up at him.
        "I thought so," he replied as he moved back to let two orderlies with a stretcher enter the ship and load the woman on it. "Any guesses?"
        "Besides allergic reaction to an unknown animal bite, no. Did anyone find the carcass?"
        "By the time we could go out and look for it the local scavengers had gotten it and drug it away. I did bring the pelt. Maybe that will help," he said handing her a transparent bag with a ball of grey colored fur inside it.
        "It might," she agreed, taking it and then handing it to one of the medical techs who had come with the stretcher crew. "Have this analyzed. A complete work up, and do a complete physical of the patient. Report to me when you have results," she said dismissing the young female.
        Ky'tulendu watched them leave and then he turned back to B'tunku. "I understand that Vokolin is sick. Is she able to talk?" he asked.
        "She's still mobile and able to talk. She's set up by the forward hull breech in one of the temporary buildings. She wanted to make sure she was assessable to the crew. She's got everything in hand, work crews, salvage, supply, survey teams, and data retrieval. She amazes me how she does it," B'tunku commented and saw him smile.
        "She always amazed me too. She always knows what I need. You're sure there's nothing you can do for her or her people?" he asked seriously.
        "We haven't been able to isolate the problem but I've got my staff working on it. If I had a fully functional lab and was back at headquarters, yes, we could isolate it. Here we just don't have the equipment and the personnel," she apologized.
        "Well do your best. I hate to lose her. She's been my right hand for years. And Doctor, no offense, I don't think you're going to be up for the job."
        She looked at him startled and then glared. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, angry now.
        He ignored her anger as he continued, "not much, but already you have your medical duties and then you want to pile administrative ones on top of them? That's asking too much."
        "Maybe, but I don't see any likely candidates for the job. You have a few junior officers, two or three department heads and the rest are just general crew mixed with scientists and civilians," she told him quite bluntly.
        "Situations like this tend to bring the leaders out. I've already promoted specialist O'vettun and left her and the native in charge of the survey teams and setting up the new camp."
        "You what?" she asked incredulously, wondering if he had been out in the sun too long.
        "I left them in charge. They seem to have a very good grasp of what needs to be done and how to get it done. As a team they work very well together."
        "But he's a civilian?"
        "So? This is going to remain a command operation only as long as it takes to get this new camp set up and running. Then we will all be civilians, a community. We won't have Central Command to report to. We're on our own. I also see having quite of native input in our operations. We cannot remain alone and isolated. Even if we could the natives would make that impossible. We need to learn as much as we can from them if we are going to survive here," he said determinedly looking over his people as they did their assigned work.
         "I agree with you in theory, but in practice . . . there are too many differences."
        "Maybe, but we can adapt. We have to adapt if we are going survive. We have to be willing to make changes in the basic ways we do things. Learn the native way of doing things, because our way of life is going to be over when the power runs out," he said truthfully. "We have to prepare our people for that."
        "So that's why all the non powered tools, non regulation supplies, and old books? You knew?"
        Ky'tulendu nodded, trying not to face her, he told her hesitantly, "I had dreams, visions. I could feel even before we left the homeworld that something bad was going to happen. I just made sure we were prepared or tried to. I didn't deliberately land us in this situation. It just happened," he explained with a shrug and a sigh, brushing back his hair from his face. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he had somehow engineered this crash. He may not have fought the Rumnulska, but he had done everything he could think of to make sure this crew survived.
        "I know. I felt something was going to happen too. And I had dreams as well --about this place," she admitted nervously looking away from him.
        Ky'tulendu looked at her shocked. "You dreamed this place? What else did you dream?" he asked curious now, his heart racing.
        She stood up from where she had been sitting and looked out across the pit. She put a hand on the door frame to brace herself and debated what else to say. She was embarrassed and frightened in view of his revelations. They both shouldn't have dreamed of the same place. It wasn't normal or possible. Finally she decided to speak, "I saw a man like the native, In The Forest, but not him, someone older. I can't see his face too clearly, but I did see a golden field and blue skies and native people in a village," she admitted, leaving out the more personal parts of her dream.
        Ky'tulendu nodded. "I saw that field too. I think it's the landing field at the survey camp. But in my dream it was a native woman with long black hair. She knows me and I know her, and she makes me happy," he said suddenly sad. "I dismissed my visions as dreams but now I'm not so sure. Have you heard anyone else report dreams about this place?"
        She shook her head. "No, not yet. But I have observed that some of the crew know instinctively where things are and they are not unnerved by this place. They seem to be glad they are here and are also anxious to begin building the new camp," she reported.
         "Then we might not be alone in this," he said not daring to say more but his thoughts were racing. Had they been called here? Or had it just been fate or destiny that had brought them here? He was afraid to speculate, afraid to get an answer to his question.
        "Asenti, are you all right?" B'tunku asked looking at him worriedly. His expression was so strange, so unreadable.
        He shook his head to clear it. Then looked at her and smiled. His bright blue eyes were thoughtful. "It's okay, I'm fine. I need to check in with Vokolin, can you take me to her?" he asked stepping out of the skimmer and helping her down.
        "It's this way," she said and they walked off in the direction of Vokolin's office.

                                                        * 25 *

        In The Forest and O'vettun followed the survey team out to the large glade. O'vettun had been left in charge with orders to determine the best layout for the new camp. Building construction and architecture were not among her specialties, but she had enough of a grasp of the fundamentals that she could at least give suggestions. Coming from a farming community she also knew what was practical and what wasn't for these kind of primitive conditions. She had also been listening to In The Forest and other members of the teams for input.
        She had requested all data on construction of colony type buildings and layouts from Control and received hard copies. She and In The Forest had spent the morning pouring over the plans and data. Some of it he could understand but most of it was incomprehensible even when she explained what he was looking at. Taking sheets of paper she roughed out layouts and designs, making modifications to the existing blueprints to fit the terrain and native materials they would have to use.
        She worried if she was up to the responsibility of such a job but even Control reassured her that she was the most qualified for the job. On the next skimmer she would be sent crew persons that said they had knowledge of construction and building and were able to use the tools and equipment they had brought on the ship. They also would be sending the five engineering survivors who had knowledge in plumbing, electrical, and mechanical areas. That eased her mind, but still the responsibility of the new camp was placed on her shoulders.
        With rough plans in hand they had gone out to the glade to look over the grounds and decide where the buildings were going to be built. That was the next hardest step, the layout of the camp. Sitting down on the ground itself she tried to envision where things should go. It was hard, finally she could see it. Administrative buildings surrounded by living quarters, then research, stores, and other outbuildings for equipment storage. Beyond those buildings near the creek she could see where sanitation, and power facilities should go. She wasn't sure whether they were going to be growing crops or raising livestock so she left those out of the plans for now.
        Using the extra paper she had brought she began making crude sketches and notes. O'vettun decided to lay out the buildings in a series of rings from a center point which was the administration building, surrounded by communications, the hospital and medical, plus security. The living quarters for all personnel were on the next ring. The outer rings were for bio and other sciences labs and offices, stores, equipment sheds and hangers and for any expansions. Near the creek would be the sanitation and water processing as well as power generators. Wide streets and pathways would connect them all.
        She looked over all the huge trees that dominated the glade. She would try to keep as many of the huge trees that dominated the glade for shade but normal procedure was to remove all the trees and then replant or leave the area bare. Already she felt like an invader here and they hadn't even started building.
        In The Forest sat in the grass nearby quietly watching her work. He had made shapes and figures on the ground when he was going to build something so he understood in general terms what she was doing though he had not fully grasped the size and scope of the true project yet.
        "I think I've got it roughed out. I'm not a builder. I wish there was someone else that could do this because I don't know what I'm doing," she said frustrated, and sat back in disgust. She brushed her wind blown hair out of her eyes, but it didn't help it just blew back and that made her even more frustrated.
        "You seem to be doing okay," he said supportively, feeling her mood. He leaned over to see what she had drawn. He couldn't make heads or tails of it from that angle so he picked up the paper. He studied it for a moment and finally related the diagrams and sketches to the land itself and shook his head. "This is a big village," he said in awe as he comprehended how big this small camp was going to be.
        "Yes, it will be. As big as the ship, maybe bigger," she said, hoping he understood. "My people need different buildings to do different things in. And most of the crew is unmarried so that all these people will need their own quarters in time. At first they will live in big two or three story barracks until private homes can be built."
        He shook his head trying to understand the Atanzi's strange ways. They did not live as his people did where all in the family worked and lived together under one roof. The only separate building was the ceremonial lodge where the Council met and religious ceremonies were held. Everyone shared things, and unmarried people lived with their familles, or the young unmarried hunters would sometimes have their own lodge.
        "Your people must be lonely then if they keep so much distance and wish separate lodges to do things in," he commented, telling her how he saw their way of wanting to live.
        She was puzzled at his statement then she grasped what he was saying. "I never thought of it in those terms, but you may be right. On most of the worlds our people live on there are very many of us in villages like this but these villages are very large. Some are larger than this island even," she tried to explain.
        "Bigger than this island?" he asked incredulously, trying to grasp that idea and failing.
        "Many times bigger with buildings that are higher than the clouds and sometimes even floating in the clouds. I have seen cities that fly through the air, that never touch the ground. There are a huge cities in space as well as some under the water and far beneath the ground. Our people adapt to whatever it takes to survive on a world," she told him.
        He was looking at her frightened. "O'vettun, it is very hard for me to believe that such things exist, but in my heart I know it must be so because of your flying ship. Truly your people's magic is beyond anything I could dare dream of. Sometimes your words and the pictures in your mind frighten me because I am not of your world and know that I would never fit in there. I am like a small baby compared to you so vast is your knowledge compared to mine. I wonder now if I am worthy to be your mate," he said, hoping she understood.
        She could feel his fears and growing uncertainties as the differences in knowledge began to impact on him. On one level they were perfectly compatible as just male and female wanting a life together. On another her knowledge and experiences were so vastly different from his it was sometimes hard to find common ground. Even daily living and ways of doing things were so different. It was going to take a lot of work on both sides to bridge their gaps.
        "You are more than worthy," she reassured, touching his hand. "I am now in your world, and you must teach me how to live in it. We do not have the magic or the people to build a huge city, nor do we want to. This will be just a simple village for us and I want it to blend into this place like you said your people's villages do."
        "I don't think it will but we can try," he said, following her lead and letting their conversation go in less threatening directions.
        After awhile they had worked out a better layout for the camp than what she had originally designed. They roughly paced and staked out where the buildings would go. In The Forest just shook his head at their sizes. Most were many times the size of any of his peoples lodges and ceremonial buildings. Then she explained that these buildings would be as tall or taller than the trees. That too was hard to comprehend. It was still hard for him to comprehend why they needed so much space and so many buildings for so few of people but if that was what made them comfortable than so be it.
        The sun was high overhead when they took a break and walked back to the survey camp to eat. In The Forest had been keeping his emotions in control and so had O'vettun while they worked on the plans for the village. Halfway up the hill he reached out and grabbed her hand, and then they walked holding hands. He smiled at her and she smiled back. Almost in sight of the camp he stopped by a tree and pulled her to him and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed back.
        "I wondered when you were going to do that," she said with a smile when he released her.
        "I had been waiting to do that all morning but I thought it best we get your work done so your Asenti did not get mad," he said seriously.
        "Thank you. I really hate to go back to camp. It's getting so hot. I just wish we could go swimming again," she sighed.
        He shook his head. "The others would see us. Your sensor machines see very far, that much I have learned. And our swimming leads to other things and you are now my mate, my wife. Our loving is not for others to see. We will find a place to be alone in that your sensors can not see, I promise," he said with a grin.
        "Oh?" she questioned, intrigued now and amazed at how fast he had caught on to what sensors and scanners could do, or not do. "I don't see any places the sensors could not find us," she said puzzled looking around.
        "You will see tonight," he said mysteriously as he continued to grin. After he kissed her one last time he took her hand and then they continued up the hill to the survey camp.

        After they had eaten. She gave her reports to Ky'tulendu and Vokolin via the communicator and then sent hardcopies of her plans to the ship. Ky'tulendu was pleased with what she and In The Forest had come up with. The ship's computer would take her raw plans and then translate them in to finished blueprints and specs for the workers to follow. Even she wasn't sure how that was going to accomplished, but if they could do it, fine. The Asenti told her they would get back to them and then ended the transmission.
        The eight survey techs were out in the field collecting data, so that left O'vettun and In The Forest alone in the camp. For the moment she had no further orders so they had time to themselves. But she couldn't wander too far from camp until she heard from Ky'tulendu so she was at loose ends.
        In The Forest was studying the pictures of buildings and examples of habitats on colony planets that had been sent to her earlier. He was comparing what he was seeing in the pictures to what she had described. It was still hard for him to comprehend but he was trying. He was seeing strange planets and animals and even stranger people and buildings. In none of the pictures were there any world's like his except in the vaguest terms. There were definitely no people like his. Was his world so unique, he wondered? O'vettun wandered over and put her arm on his shoulder and saw what he was looking at.
        "He looked up at her and smiled. "Is your world that you come from here?" he asked.
        "I don't think so. I didn't see any pictures earlier. I never really thought about how many different ways there was to make a city before. I guess I just took it for granted," she said.
        "As I did too. I see my village and that of the Turtle and Cat clans, and they are like my own, but different in subtle ways. On the mainland the other tribes build different lodges, look differently, and do things differently. Why shouldn't your people do so too?" he commented. "When I look at these pictures at first all I saw was the magic that made them, now I can see them as people with lives like ours, making lodges to fit their world and needs," he told her.
        She was surprised and amazed that he could adjust his thinking so quickly and easily and wasn't afraid of new ideas. She bent down and kissed the top of his head. "Yes, they are like us. There is so much I want to show you, tell you, share. It's like a dam inside waiting to burst," she said sitting down next to him.
        "And I am the same way. I want to know everything there is to know. I have always gotten into trouble for asking too many questions and being too curious about everything. My father says a good warrior should not be no nosy. A warrior fights, follows orders, and does not question. But my uncle says it is good that I question everything and don't follow orders blindly. It shows that I think and want to be my own person. There have been more than a few angry words over my thinking and being myself, " he said with a slight smile.
        "I take it your father did not approve of you're wanting to see what fell out of the sky?"
        "No, he was very afraid and very mad when I told him I was going. And no one else was brave enough to come with me so I told them they were all old women and left."
        "They still must be scared because no one has reported any one approaching the ship or here."
        He lifted a dark eyebrow on that news. "That is strange as I know your scanners would know. Maybe they are waiting until I return before they send anyone else out," he said and shrugged his shoulders and dismissed it from further thought. He was more interested in where she had come from. Without hesitation he asked, "tell me about your world, O'vettun. What it was like when you were growing up. Tell me what is like to fly among the stars," he begged.
        She smiled at his enthusiasm, "I'm not sure where to begin but I can try," she said as she thought about where to begin. "My planet is called, Gzanzan. It is close to the center of the galaxy, and has two suns. One red, and one white and fifteen planets. Ten of the worlds are inhabited, the others are too hot or too cold to use except for mining. My world has three large continents and many islands surrounded by shallow oceans. I lived on a large farm bigger than this island with my parents where we grew many types of plants for other people to eat. We also raised animals too," she explained, hoping he could understand, which he seemed to.
        "What did your world look like? Was the sky blue like this?" he gestured.
        "A little, it was more reddish like your sky gets when the sun is going down. It is never completely dark there because of the two suns and we had four moons as well. One that was big enough for people to live on."
        He shook his head over that trying to conceive of that, but he couldn't.
        She continued, "the closest city was very far away and we didn't go there too often and our neighbors were far away too. As a child I spent a lot of time alone with my books and toys. I had friends that I visited on the commcon, but none that I could really play with in person. Even my teachers I never saw in person only on screen. When I went to go to the Command academy it was the first time I was around so many people. It took me a long time to get used to so many people."
        "Like on the ship?" he asked, beginning to understand.
        "Sort of, but more, many more. There were a thousand people in my beginning class at the academy and ten times that number where at that school."
        "I cannot believe that there can be that many people in one place. It sounds like more than the stars in the sky."
        "Close," she smiled, "but not quite. I was scared, but my teachers and the other students helped and I began to make a few friends. Then it wasn't so bad. It took me five years to finish school and this was the first time I had ever been on a deep space assignment."
        "So you had not been out among the stars very long?"
        "Not really. I traveled from my world to that of the homeworld Atanza. Visited some of the resort planets with friends and did some training missions but this time was the first time I had been in unexplored space," she explained.
        "I think I understand. Space, empty places, stars, your people had not visited before. My world is that far from yours?"
        "Yes, it's very, very far," she replied not letting herself think about how far they were from the closest outpost of the Alliance.
        For In The Forest it was still difficult to comprehend all that she said even with the translators and with the bond that brought pictures, and glimpses of what she had seen to his mind and eyes. Though her thoughts he could see what she talked about even if his mind did not have words or concepts for them. She had not fully comprehended how strong this telepathic ability was in him as hers was not as strong.
        "Maybe I should not have asked you about your world and your life. It makes you so sad, my love," he said touching her face and stroking her silky cheek.
        "No, it's okay. It doesn't bother me. You wanted to know so I told you. I get a little sad about never seeing my parents again but that was always a risk when I joined Command and decided to go to deep space," she said reaching up and touching his hand.
        "It would be sad for me as well if I could never see my family again. You were very brave to take such a risk. Most women do not have your courage or are as smart as you," he said.
        "I'm not sure how to take that. If you are saying that most women are not as smart as men. Then it's because they are taught to think so. On the worlds of the Alliance women are treated the same as men, and learn the same. Women can be Asenti's of ships, run cities, run worlds, be anything they want."
        "Don't their husbands object? What about children? Who takes care of them?" he asked.
        "Whoa, slow down. Many women don't marry, don't want to get married. They are happy with their careers, their jobs. Sometimes their mates, if they have them, live very far away, sometimes on different worlds."
        "That doesn't sound too happy."
        "There might be a few husbands that object to their wife's activities but she has to the right to object to his. It's called equality. As to children, they can have or not have children. It's their choice. No one demands that couples have children and there are many single parents. As to who takes care of them sometimes the mothers do, but most families have caretakers like mine did to take care of children until they are old enough to go to school. Most parents have very little contact with their children unless they are very poor or want to," she explained, and he was saddened by her description of how families were like among her people.
        "Your people are strange and sad. They have lost the ability to get close to another it sounds like if they do not seek to be around their children. That is why you have a hard time letting me get close. Love, letting yourself feel, still frightens you because you have never learned to do so or to let another in. There are many depths to love. Maybe that is what I can teach you," he said seriously looking into her grass green eyes.
        "Teach?" she questioned. "Teach me what?"
        "What love can be and is. How not to be afraid of your feelings and mine. To let yourself be close and reach out, really reach out to another," he told her taking her face in his hands.
        "Maybe I do need lessons," she said suddenly afraid. Her heart was beating wildly. His touch was like fire and ice on her skin and she was mesmerized by his dark eyes and look of absolute commitment and love she saw in their depths.
        "You are already beginning to learn," he smiled and bent forward and kissed her tenderly on her mouth
        She kissed him back and was beginning to deepen it when they heard a persistent buzzing, her communicator. She broke off their kiss and looked at him apologetically. "Sorry, back to business," she said exasperated, and he just sat back and grinned.
        Turning it on she replied, "Specialist O'vettun here. What can I do for you?" she asked.
        "Specialist, this is Asenti Ky'tulendu, I will be arriving at the survey camp in five units. Prepare to meet me at the landing field," he told her.
        "Who else is coming, sir?" she asked.
        "Just the construction crews with heavy machinery and supplies," he told her. "Any problems out there?" he asked.
        "None, sir. We will be waiting at the field. O'vettun out," she said signing off. Then she turned to In The Forest, "It looks like we go back to work. Ky'tulendu wants me to meet him at the landing field. Are you coming?" she asked.
        "Yes, I want to see the Atanzi's really make magic with their machines," he said getting up and helping her up.
        They left the small camp and walked up the hill to what was becoming the landing field. In the distance above the trees were large shiny specks that were rapidly growing larger. There were at least ten different ships of various sizes approaching. The skimmers, In The Forest had seen before but not the transports and antigrav units. He could only stand and watch in amazement as they loomed larger and larger and the ships were soon at their position.
             "Look O'vettun, your people come in skimmers and there are bigger ships carrying big, shiny things between them," he said pointing southward where the ships could be seen topping the great trees that surrounded the landing field.
             The skimmers and the small transport ship were guiding the anti-grav units carrying the construction equipment and the fabricating units. Some containers held hand and powered tools for various jobs, a portable medical unit, field sciences lab, food, clothing, and weapons.
             The ships were to unload and go back for more loads of equipment and supplies and transport personnel to the site as soon as there was room. The injured would be coming on the second and third waves after the shelters were erected. Only able bodied beings who could help with the work were being shuttled here for the moment.
        The lead skimmer landed and Ky'tulendu opened the hatch and stepped out to meet them. "Greetings, O'vettun," he said as he walked over to where she waited with In The Forest.
        "Greetings, Asenti," she replied. "I did not think we were going to begin construction until tomorrow," she asked.
        "It was decided that we needed to start as soon as possible so we can get the injured moved from the ship within the week. It is considerably cooler and cleaner here. And we are closer to fresh water," he told her.
        "I see," she said noncommittally. It was a reasonable idea to move the wounded, but she had hoped they wouldn't be rushing things. She had thought that it would take longer to get the layouts and housing specs approved. Then there was all the preliminary work on the sanitation, water pumps and power supplies to be done, not to mention gathering raw materials for construction. "Have you worked out the electrical, communication, and pluming problems?" she asked concerned.
        "By the time we do start construction we should have solutions for those problems in hand. We came across plans for a water based electrical generator in the data files. We are going to try that along with the regular power generators. We will have to make pipes if we can't salvage enough from the ship. One of the geos techs thinks they can be made from sand and other elements near the ocean. He described the process but it sounded feasible. The same with our wiring needs. There was wiring in stores but most of it got destroyed. One of the teams is now searching for suitable metals to be extruded into electrical wire," he told her.
        "And you plan to have the first buildings up with the week?" she asked shaking her head.
        "Within days, actually. The first ones will be out of what we have salvaged. The ones following that will be out of what we can fabricate from the raw building materials in this area. If we have to we will go further afield for raw materials. "
        "But, sir? I think you are asking the impossible of our people. They've never done any kind of work like this," O'vettun protested, worrying how the crew would handle this and wondering if they could adapt and do the jobs they were going to be asked to do.
        "Maybe. I admit that none of us are pros at construction work. And I am asking scientists, and techs to do things that they've never dreamed of doing--build a world--their world. But I believe it can be done. I believe they can do it and if I believe it then they will too. They have to if we are to survive here," he said determinedly, fixing her with his bright blue eyes that burned with the inner fires of his strong will.
        "But the sheer technical knowledge?"
        "So we don't build quite to colony specs. We simplify. We have to. I sent you the information on early colony settlements similar to this. I noticed you didn't use them as models in your plans," he questioned.
        "I thought them too primitive, too outdated to be of use," she admitted.
        "They maybe, but that is in line with what we have to work with here. Our camp will be more primitive looking than we all may be used to but it will be functional and hopefully be close enough in appearance to native lodges to not attract too much attention from visitors," he added.
        She nodded in understanding. "Yes, sir. I did not take that in consideration. Do you have the new specs?" she asked.
        "In here," he said taking his carry pack off and reaching inside to pull out the new blueprints and diagrams with pictures of what the completed buildings would look like. He handed them to her and she looked them over.
        "They are quite unlike the usual colony building," she commented, and showed In The Forest who was fascinated. "Will they work here?" she asked him.
        "Yes, very much. They are like my people's lodges but much, much bigger. But why so many openings in the sides? Too much air will get in and there are no smoke holes for fires that I can see," he asked looking over the pictures carefully.
        "Those are windows," she explained, pointing to the open spaces he was worried about. They have large sheets of transparent material that you can see through, like clear water, but they keep out wind, and rain and cold. When it gets cold we have heat that doesn't come from fires, so we don't need smoke holes."
        He looked doubtful at that. "What if magic quit working? Then you will get very cold without fires. Should have fires inside just in case," he suggested.
        The Asenti looked at him and considered it. "We will see."
        The trio had begun walking to the building site and Ky'tulendu saw the stakes in the ground. "I see you already have started laying out the placements."
        "I have. That was also to help visual where things were going to be in relation to each other. I thought that building in rings around a central hub was the best for efficiency as well as protection," she said waiting for his comments.
        "Good thinking. Your basic layout was good and we'll be using that design as a base. The only changes will be moving the hospital and medical to a more central area towards the landing field and security on the edge near stores and equipment. I noted you didn't make recommendations for crop lands or livestock?" he inquired.
        "No, sir. I wasn't sure on that and the geos techs who could have given me that information were out in the field. On the livestock, I wasn't aware we had any and what I have be told the natives don't have any either," she stated.
        "We will have. I got a list of suitable domestic livestock from bio earlier today. There are several species in frozen storage that can be restructured for this planet for meat and other uses."
        "Won't that impact on the local animals?"
        "Not if we keep ours confined. Then too we have just begun cataloging the animals on this planet. There may be ones more suitable that we can import from other parts of this world. The survey file showed several species of domesticated animals of the type we need on the large continents east of us across the ocean. But these are all projects that have to wait until this camp is completed," he said, and taking a final look around he turned and began heading back to the survey camp with the two young people following him.
        
             The Asenti left O'vettun and In The Forest, and began directing his people where he wanted them and in what order. Soon the quiet forest was filled with the noise of lasers cutting down trees, earth moving machinery, power tools, and shouted orders.
        In The Forest stuck close to O'vettun as she helped direct the workers, following the Asenti's recommendations as to where to begin building and the general layout of the complex. The priority buildings were the medical center, command headquarters, followed by the living quarters or barracks. By sunset the foundations had been dug for most of the complex with several foundations poured for quick setting overnight. A large part of the necessary lumber had been cut and was being shaped for use. Raw materials had been located nearby for metalworking and for making the plastics for windows and hardware. From the rocky shoreline rocks were brought to be mixed with quick setting cement and used for foundations and roadways.
        For overnight accommodations more large tents were being erected around the original survey camp to house the building crews. Over half of the surviving crew was remaining with the ship until the living quarters and facilities had been completed. Those left behind were mainly data technicians, salvage crews, the medical personnel and the injured.
        The Asenti was not happy that he had to leave so many with the ship but there was no room for them yet in the new camp. He was all too aware that the danger from their enemies was still real and present, but scanners had not showed even a hint of ships searching for them. Luck was with them but for how long? He hoped long enough for them to be able to thoroughly sift through the wreckage and get everyone and everything they needed out of there before the Rumnulska did return.
        He looked up at the sky still searching for the flash of a speeding ship instead he only saw flocks of birds flying lazily in the deep blue of the upper sky. At least the weather was cooperating. The night promised to be clear and mild as the sky started darkening in shades of pinks and lavenders with golden clouds.
             Changing focus he looked back over the camp, trying to visualize how it would shortly look. In two days the medical complex and three large, long multistory log cabin type structures would be completed by the crews, each complete with its own power unit, mess, and self-contained environmental and sanitation systems. Six smaller units, stores, equipment sheds and headquarters would be completed in the following days. In the weeks following more buildings would be added for labs and other uses.
             The all structures would have self-polarizing windows of unbreakable clear materials that could be regulated to let air flow in and out but not small insects or animals. A low level force field would surround each structure which would allow ship personnel to come freely and go through it, but not alien life forms.
             They had not had a chance to recalibrate for In The Forest's bioform when they began installing temporary force field units to surround the tent areas . It was a shock to one of the techs who had set up the units to see the native walk through the force field with no ill effects. He shouldn't have been able to do that because he was an alien and not programmed into their sensor screens. The worried tech then reported the news immediately to the Asenti, who took it with a great deal of shock as well.
             "There's no mistake? The unit was on and fully functioning?" he asked again, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. He shifted restlessly on his feet as waited for an answer.
             "Yes, Asenti. I tested it with specimens we had captured during the construction. The field stunned them. The indigenous life forms are repelled as they should be--but not the human! He should be repelled like the animals because no changes have been made to any of the units nor have they been tampered with," the young female Atanzi tech reported with wide eyes.
             "Thank you for your report, Tanz U'kalli. You may go back to your duties. I'll handle it from here. Please don't mention this to anyone until we get more data on the humans here," he requested, filing the information away.
             "Very good, sir. Are the skimmers bringing people from the ship now?" she asked, hoping to be reunited with her husband who was back at the crash site.
             "No, not for two more days or until we get some of the living units finished.," he told her and saw her disappointment.
             "I understand, sir. I'll be going to the my tent then," she said and walked back towards the camp to join her fellow workers.
        Ky'tulendu watched her for a moment then headed for his own tent.

End Part 3/10