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Evening had fallen. Sin Ders was on her way home, when she looked up to the skies. 
The sudden appearance, of a strange space craft, moving at an incredible speed, had caught her attention,
This, was no, usual inter planetary, trading craft. Almost twice, if not thrice, the size, of many of the biggest of them?
She, was staring, at the moving object, as it, headed towards the west. The Hiexan mountain range and NOT a good place to be.
Wild animals, strange creatures and her people did NOT go there. Learning well from those who had been dumb enough to ignore ancient advice ?
The ones, who did NOT, return.
The furthest outreaches, of forest areas, at the bottom of those mountains?
Had seen some of those wild creatures. Sometimes if they attacked locals; they would, defend themselves.
NO one, ventured into those areas, without weapons. Sharp, swift and, delivered with a lot of precision, by experienced hunters? The KILL, was seldom anything but.
That, left the carcases, to be dragged into the Vae for exhibition, to satisfy curiosities? Cut up, dissected and notes often made along with illustrations.
The appearance, of this huge monster, now moving towards Ders? Waving its claws, as it shifted albeit dragging its feet, slowly towards her? She wet her pants. Kie Zan, who was her best friend, had appeared moments later to see the ever growing wet patch ! Her best friend shaking with fear?
Cursing at Zin, she had dragged, her into the cardel hut to strip her, shove her into the hot spring.
She waited until she had calmed down and had stopped shaking before she stormed out.
Zin, had gathered quite a crowd. Kie, had shoved her way through them, to strike out at him. It could be said, those ‘country folk’ were anything but timid, {bar Ders, who had always been, of a more nervous disposition}. Her fist went up and the punch smashed into his jaw.
Ah yes. the one that would in this instance, see him thrown back, to hit the ground. The dust, kicked up around him, causing him to cough and sneeze, as he sat up to dust himself off.
Rubbing his jaw, he looked up at her. “Try waving those fecking claws, whilst hiding behind that thing, at me, like you did with Ders?
I am more than happy, to give you second helpings !
The crowd erupted into laughter.
“You better pray I don’t tell Loa (Fer) ! You know she loves her cous.. YOU are NOT one of her favourites! “
That, he had to agree, was true. Loa, was one, of the dreaded Fer sisters, who, were built like that monster, he had just dragged in.
As for Sin Fer, Ders sister? Even bigger than Loa,
The stench of fish guts? If she, were to find out, what had just happened, could easily end up being replaced by his? The mere thought of that terrified him. He shook his head, the dust scattered in front of him, causing him, to sneeze again.
Ders ‘Cojoined’ , ‘Lube’ was away with others, at some urgent meeting, in the Vae. He too, was much bigger than Zin BUT, at least they, were friends. A message, had been left, for Zin on his return, to remain there and, NOT, to leave! Also to be ARMED and, READY.
For what? Kie Zan he noticed had her favourite weapon to hand. She, was sat, watching as Ders reappeared. Kie she noted, was shaking her fist at him? Being helped to his feet. “You do that?” Kie nodded. “Good! I’m sad I was NOT here, to witness it. He better pray Ner, does not find out! “
The BEAST, was being dragged, into a large building, where two other stout males, joined him to help him.
One of them, knew what it was. A kind of as we would know it; wild black bear. Savage, unpredictable and, could run at speeds well ahead of any known locals.
Its claws, were razor sharp and, lucky for Zin, it could retract them. HE, had managed, to hit home the two bolts in quick succession, one of them, hitting the heart, of the creature catching the creature one might say, ‘off guard’.
They noted the size of the hole.as they cut it open. The new bolts were proving to be extremely potent.
A good hit. There was, an area next to it, where, if the bolt had hit there, that would NOT, have killed it.
The rage from it, woud have made it kill him, KILL him, no mistake on that! Miss the kill spot and, no single hunter, to their recollection, had ever lived!
Sian and Dubz, had been well impressed. “Only you, would have been that crazy, to tackle a thing like that, on your own.” It was, a trait, that was not unknown re him. He was reckless. Could take chances and, even if some thought too reckless; he still had a lot of respect.
His prowess, at sneaking around, without being spotted and, downwind of his prey? Another recognized skill.
He had quite a few decent kills to him name. The more ferocious the beast or cunning and the Boi (Wild boar) had left a number of his fellow hunters somewhat unwilling to hunt them.
They had ‘tusks’ that were long, sharp and could rip you open with ease. The full force of a charge from one of them was like being hit by a, well we could say; truck. Their sense of smell was astonishing. A hunter could be some distance from them and they could find them, HUNT THEM! KILL THEM.
Psychopathic Boars.. hmm now theres a thought NOT a good one. NO one lived from a wild boar attack, well unless, you were able to KILL it first. Mam it, injure it? Uhh NO, definitely NOT a good idea. If an injured wild bear, was a nightmare re its fury on being wounded? Multiply that exponentially re an injured BOAR by a factor of plus 10! .
Forest folk re their ‘hunters’; were astonishingly skilled, on land, in the forest areas, Zin, was supreme.
From an early age he had been shown to have that gift of being able to hide himself where no one and therein lies the SKILL; HIDE himself where NO one could find him.
It, created problems on occasion, when he fell asleep. Missed meals and ?! Not so good, especially with some of the clan, looking for a missing child? You get the picture! A wapping or whip, across his backside in some instances, for having had the whole vae stirred up over him being missing?
“So what’s going on, with you two, I notice you both are also heavily armed?” “Ders, had seen a craft enter the atmosphere and head towards the mountains earlier. 
Before, two strangers turned up. Jiaa was one of them. They had some food and drink, refreshed themselves. A meeting and, then left together.
We are told, to trust NO ONE. If they appear the least bit suspicious we must be prepared to seize them, hold them and send them a messenger.
Loa Fer, is on her way here. She sure can run, well certainly out pace us lot. Plus she is I swear a water voe. On the river none of us can do what she can.”.
Sian nodded, grinned. Given her size, it still has me astonished.
That trip, from the Vae to here, along the river, up through the forest, takes us several days. She does it in less than two.
Loa, had had her brother, who had been taught a few tricks by Zin, to teach her. Thus, her ability, to mimic Zin, sometimes amused him. She was as he remarked a sneaky Cai (wild cat) and he, was never doubting, that she was a lesser being, where he was concerned. .
Sure enough, before they had finished skinning the beast AND Dubz was removing certain internal organs, most of them would be cooked, as offal in stews; they heard the commotion. Leaving to walk out as Sin Fer appeared along with four others?
ALL of them, heavily armed AND, some weapons tech, they had never seen before. She threw a large closed basket at Kie and Ders. “We haven’t eaten for some time! Get these cooked?”
They nodded, grabbing the bag, to head over to the cooking Cal. If, they had wanted to know more, they had decided, as had a few others now joining them, cooking the food, was a priority.
Truth was, she had seldom ever seen Loa looking so tired; exhausted.
The fish, was as always fresh. As though it had just been plucked from the river. In the forest area where they were the river was not close by. Thus fish of this quality, was rare. Loa knew, exactly, HOW to catch it AND, what to catch!
Thimbles, was gutting the fish. She, was so quick, with the blade and, again, no surprises there. Her fingers deftly pulling the skin apart, to throw the guts to the waiting Coi (cats). Now fighting each other? Ders was seeing them off, OUT of their way. A lot of hissing taking place!
Feir with Tosi were busy with adding more fuel to the fire. The deep red, of the ‘coals’ now burning brighter, as the first fish, was added, to the greased metal plate. Sizzling away, as Loa appeared, to see how things were progressing?
“We’re in Cal 3.” She stepped past Thimbles to reach for some bottles of ‘wine’. Ders, was picking up the glas (glasses), to head out with her.
She was curious, to know more, about the strangers? Loa, wanted to know more, about the craft she had seen.
“Huge, the biggest, I have ever seen!” So IT had gone towards the West. At least everyone else was in the East OR south of the river.
Dolly and two others, were patrolling the area around the Vae.
That, was one consolation. Some, of the weapons, were clearly, very high tech.
Capable, as had been demonstrated, to be extremely powerful. Those with her, had also brought with them, their high tech weapons.
Lys, had been left with those there. She had NO desire for her to be elsewhere! Lys was too loved to be put in any danger.
She had NOT, liked the two, who had turned up and, who were joined, by another two? NOT that their presence had gone unnoticed.
Others were, keeping a careful eye on them. The Progestor, had given then some mysterious device, that they could use, should they, find the odds, stacked against them. Soon after, they left them. There was some reluctance to see the go BUT!
Shortly after they had left ? Der, had seen the strange craft BUT she had not been alone. Nibs and Des too had witnessed its arrival AND the direction it was headed in. The Progestor’s ambassador Prie had told them what it was. A Zelot transporter. IT would be carrying thousands of their military. NOT, to be underestimated.
Kie, was not far behind them, bringing some of the cooked fish. Thimbles was gutting more of that and, Feir had sent Kie off with the first lot. A decent amount, given the time, it had taken for them, to get the fish, clean, gut and cook them?
Gru (Bread) was being put before the guests as Loa appeared with her entourage.”Everyone of you, eat!
Ders will serve the wine. SO, EAT!” They certainly were hungry!
The cooked fish, was attacked slowly at first, with some caution as some of them had NOT had this type of food before? Thimbles, Loa knew, was always excellent, at preparing fish. NO bones, no scales! THAT given she was NOT one of her sisters; was always a surprise to many!
Kie arrived, with more cooked fish AND, some wild fruit. The strangers were definitely enjoying the food and wine. She liked, the look of one of them. He was big, strong, muscular looking AND, none of their ‘clan’ were as eye catching. THAT, will be annoying, to Zin and the others ! She grinned. 
“This is Jesi. He, is a Galacia Federa Squadron commander.
Sent by them, to help us. Unfortunately, he travelled ahead of the vessel, that is loaded, with the main force of over 500 ‘Qis’ troopers.
At least, he, can appraise us of the, unfolding situation. Prie has taken time to talk to him. He is more than aware of the Zealots.
They loathe them, but it is difficult to stop them from spreading across the Qiverse at the rate they do. It also depends on what GOD or GODESS they serve. Some are ancient, NOT ancients BUT ancient.
NOR are they, afraid of the G Federa. They will attack them, with no regard, to how legal or otherwise that is. They do know the G Federa, seldom, send in reinforcements; OFTEN too late.
Once the Zealots, Chx shield, is operational, the chances, of any of their forces, getting through that, are almost zero. We have however an advantage. THEY do NOT know we have him.
He, has extensive knowledge, on their tactics. Invaluable advice, on the first, steps, we must take, to find that, hidden Chx generator, BEFORE, they have that operational. IT must be destroyed.
IF that is destroyed, the Zealots seldom ever remain. To his knowledge, they only ever, bring one unit.
Which sounds kind of crazy. HOWEVER! We do have a problem.
The satellite relay units, MUST be destroyed, the moment they, are sent up! BEFORE they activate their micro shielding arrays. At the moment we have nothing that can do that.
We do NOT, have powerful enough weapons, on the ships we do have, lying off the planet. We need a miracle.
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