Hellas Station was called this, when given its full name, because it was very much a place to stop, a manned post, a communications center and home to a certain caste: the two young couples who already had a dialect and lifestyle of their own.  The station was a series of buildings framed in metal girders and trusses all fit into carved out hollows around the rim of the enormous depression, quite farther south than any of the other settlements, only recently built by those who had previously been nomadic. 

      From the many wide thick windows of the station one could see the projects they were involved in.  Robots dismantled the large glacial mass of CO2  ice that covered half of Hellas Depressio during southern winter and fed large machines that spit out blocks or filled canisters that were collected by yet more automatons.  All around the rim retractable dish antennae were being installed, to track the skies for radio signals, the sounds of stars, of the static of background radiation, of broadcast transmissions from intelligence species, twenty minute delayed messages from Earth, and could retract to hide their capability from prying earthling eyes.

      Down in the center of this depression, over four kilometers lower than the ground at the edge of the depression there was water.  It was frozen now, a small mass of ice, slushy water beneath, but, it was exposed to the surface, and it was water.

      Xian looked out across the foggy basin equal in area to the Caribbean, at the mountain of dry ice looming to the south and the blue tinged lake of water ice at its bottom.  He couldn't stay long.  These Shiv were smart, they'd track him in time, he thought.  Xian had managed to raise the thus far completed array of dishes in hopes of better getting messages from Earth.  He had not known there would be so many, but he had looked through the glass of their six great pyramids and seen. 

      So, there was likely a good-sized settlement in the Cydonia area, the massive complex in Sinai, that small stop in the tunnel, and now this place.  Xian went through the clean room with all the atmosphere of a university laboratory: clean and yet cluttered with makeshift gear.  Xian knew that Mars was only in complete conjunction with Earth once in every 780 days, during their entire scheduled trip they would not be out of contact with Earth except for a short period during their return voyage.  He had managed to track the dishes toward Earth, or the monitor before him told him this had just been completed. 

      Now Xian had to send a message.  He sat down to type the encoded text message.  He could not make it easy for anyone to decipher.  Too many others had failed. Darkling, or humans who were darkling sympathizers ruled nearly the entire populace of earth.  Five centuries now the world had been coming apart, every century the world was said to be coming to its end.  But five centuries or so had passed with the Darkling openly living among humans and they had only gained more and more rights, freedoms and political victories while decent hard-working humans were constantly put out of jobs and degraded in every professional sport because Darkling had special dark powers.

      Now there were these Darkling that could nearly pass as human, could eat the same food, father or mother children with humans or with others of their kind, were long-lived and free of illness, were stronger and faster than humans.  Vampyres or Halfangels were one thing: you could pick them out of a crowd.  You knew they had their freakish weaknesses.  But crosses, sugar spray, bullets, biological weapons: they did not work on Shiv.

      Bathsheba was supposed to have them killed.  She had failed.  So far as Xian knew from the stories he had heard as a child she had been turned into a Vampyre as punishment for sending mercenaries to kill the Shiv.  Damn Vampyres!  Xian hated them, they thought they could just give you their undead un-life and that you would think this a gift. 

      Now Xian had been given his turn.  Those who shared his beliefs had approached him and made him an offer.  They knew that the Shiv were not dead. They were on Mars.  They should have been exterminated, but instead they had been banished from the planet and turned their banishment into their sanctuary. 

      It was Xian's people who needed a sanctuary.  They would have it.  Too late for Earth.  They would take Mars.                                     

                      ?                ?                ?

      The three women approached stealthily and Xian did not notice.  He was intent still on listening for a message from Earth.  And silently the women shared utter disappointment that they had arrived too late to stop Xian from sending a message.  Lade moved closer to their prey, accustomed to hunting animals within the boreal biome of A den.  Only this prey would not be easily taken care of with crossbow or dart gun. 

      Their decision not to construct firearms now seemed almost foolish.  They wanted to take him alive.  So it was up to witchcraft and strength of force now.  Even so Blath held a crossbow on their intended as they approached.  Silently Iolanthe told the two with her that she knew of another way around, that she could get to Xian's opposite side without him seeing her cross.  Lade nodded as Iolanthe disappeared. 

      There was, behind a wall panel, a duct connected to the large air compressors and also to each room of the station.  Iolanthe could crawl through it and enter the station proper at a location beyond Xian...if he did not hear her approach and find her out.  It was a tight crawl, but Iolanthe had crawled it many times in its construction and repair and amid collapse during construction that blocked two rooms from each other.   She left her helmet and gear she carried near the entrance and made the crawl.

      Lade watched Xian, scanning his mind.  So far he did not have the extra sense needed to pick this up, or at least that sense was so underdeveloped that he was unaware all the same.  She saw what he had told them, those people he was allied to: there were many more of the Shiv than expected and he feared he could not take care of them on his own.   It hurt a little to hear the word Shiv because Astoric and Sadian had told stories of those humans who were hurtful.  Like Bathsheba Zion, the Rowan, certain factions within the Estates Liberte, all those people that Trepidation referred to as crackerjacks.  Xian had told his contacts that he knew of four separate settlements.  And he had told them he suspected the opposition had compromised his team's selection process as well.

      A silent nudge of the mind.  Blath was signaling her daughter, Lade, that Iolanthe was in position.  Blath loosed an arrow from her bow, expertly missing Xian by centimeters so that he quickly stood, turned and looked in her direction.  In one instant Iolanthe was in a hard run and then sliding feet first across the slick resin floor toward the man.  Her boots made contact with his ankles and Xian went down, landed with Iolanthe in reclining position beside him and as Blath and Lade ran forward Iolanthe turned quickly and placed her knee over Xian's crotch and went for both wrists with her gloved hands. 

      Strong as she was Iolanthe weighed little and Xian was able to gain an advantage: flipped her back to the floor and reached for something in a leg pocket of his suit.  Blath was quick, caught his wrist as he reached back for his pocket and clicked a bondage cuff around his wrist.  In another second the chain that had seemed decoration, perhaps flirtatious symbol of her dominance, was connected to the cuff and pulled across the front of his neck, biting the soft flesh as she pulled on it.  As Iolanthe kicked Xian in the gut Blath cuffed his other wrist and connected the other end of the chain to the pair so that any movement of his hands choked him. 

      "Mother," Lade breathed.

      Blath laughed. "I've no desire for him, or to play a game of domination...but even toys can serve useful function.  We've never had a real enemy we had to dominate before."

      "I suppose it's not a game when he isn't totally willing?"

      "Like taking down an animal," Blath said, "It's not too cruel if a lover can stand the same.  It only hurts when he struggles."

      "I dono trus this man," Iolanthe said, "bind his legs and mouth."

      Blath looked about her.  "What about the tape we use to make temporary seals?"

      Iolanthe nodded.  She scanned the room with her eyes, then went to a cabinet and retrieved a roll of tape.  Lade held Xian's feet for Iolanthe to tape them, then they taped his mouth shut.

      Quickly Iolanthe looked over the communication console and then the other rooms to make mental list of what Xian had used.  They recovered some of the food stores from Midway and were able to restock all their air tanks. 

      "Im going to stay here," Iolanthe said, "I'll call for Ebrian to join me, you can make sure he has gear for the trip when ya pass im.  Someone needs to capture the message from his allies, this is our best listening station."

      "Shall we send Begh and Irais to you as well?"

      "Ja, when they have done their trading.  I will be in contact with Claudia once I find anything."

      "We'll leave the bike?"

      "No need.  I have other vehicles here.  Take care with the captive."

      Blath nodded.  She spoke to her daughter, "You ride ahead of us, take the gear for Ebrian.  You can warn the others to meet us at the tunnel mouth."

      Lade snapped a sort of salute, touched the place over her heart then showed the palm of same hand.  She ran for the airlock.  Blath picked Xian up from the floor and lay him over her shoulders for the walk to the mini.

                      ?                ?                ?

      Rachael sat before the communications console with Etan standing out of the way.  She was preparing a video transmission to be sent to NS1.  She concluded their progress report which had told of all their positive accomplishments by saying that Xian was lost in a storm and they could only presume he was dead despite their efforts to find him.  She added then that she suspected the mission team selection process had been compromised and that Xian had go off on his own without a word of explanation because he had orders from elsewhere.

      The recording was complete.  Etan helped Rachael with the particulars of sending the message toward Earth and NS1.  They exchanged glances.  The story was given.  From now on they were following their own orders.

      "I need to rest," Rachael said.

      "Sure," Etan said, but he felt that Rachael was not well.  "Would you like to go to Sinai?"

      Rachael knew just what Etan was thinking, and they were alone.  "We all have work to do here, but it is harder than I thought.  The amount of radiation that gets through this thin atmosphere...even being farther from the nearest star...the amount of energy I use is not easily compensated with the blood I am drinking."

      "You should go to them, Rache, they could help you."

      She nodded.  "I want to sleep now."

      Etan nodded in return.  "But if you want to go, I would cover for you."

      Rachael said nothing and slunk toward the hatch that led to the far modules and her room.   Etan would go find the others.

                      ?                ?                ?

      They were meeting at Brittany's again, enjoying the remainders of the gift foodstuffs from Sinai and discussing their plans.  The bugs were working hard on room by room construction of the large industrial plant that was located two kilometers west of the main base and an underground tunnel that would allow transportation there and back.  At the construction of each sealed room a number of bugs went into construction of the industrial machinery that room would house.  

      Now they already were in production of limited quantities of metal girders and glass sheeting.  Construction of the factory itself had slowed slightly as the manufacturing had gone into process.  Etan arrived, came through the air lock and glass beaded curtain into the public room of Brittany's coffeehouse.  Recently they had added to it's furnishings some hand crafted board games: checkers, chess and Parcheesi.  The others greeted him, offered him some food.

      Etan took a seat at their table littered with food and thin foil computer printouts.  "Try the quinoa," Carlo suggested, pushed a plate at Etan.

      "Rachael coming?" Brittany asked.

      "No, she's resting."

      "Brittany had an idea, to dig down beneath this building," Martin said, "To build down as they build up on Earth."

      "Also hides from most scans the amount of man-made structures in an area," Brittany said. 

      Etan shrugged. 

      Brittany frowned.  "All you do is think about going back there," she said quietly, but not so that the others could not hear.

      Etan glanced to Martin, "It was amazing.  It was unexpected and in a way romantic, seductive: to find on a barren planet places more pristine and lush than still exist on most of the Earth."

      "It is a great accomplishment," Martin agreed, "But doesn't it excite you that we can build that here?"

      "Ja," Etan murmured  but he feared these friends would live out their lives without witnessing the fruition of their work.  Etan was unsure how long he would live.  He was still feeling this way when he had finished eating.  Etan excused himself and went to rest in the loft above. 

      Below the others continued to talk.   Carlo was saying that the atmospheric readings were slightly off from what he suspected, as if the group that had arrived sixty years before them had originally concentrated on their underground habitats and then recently experimented with building up the planet's atmosphere in the traditional terreforming method.  "I am curious to know where their machines are located, the large processors required in terreforming are not easily hidden."

      "Maybe they are not functioning right now," Kei suggested.

      "They shut down in order to hide from us?" Carlo asked.

      "It's only a theory," Kei smiled. 

      "Perhaps their hologram can tell us," Carlo said.

      "No, I tried asking for all the structures, she gives the same response always, allows us information on the dens."

      "In any case, Carlo, I am somewhat interested in knowing what these machines would be," Brittany said.

      Carlo gathered up some of his notes.  "Martian terreforming is something that has been discussed for centuries, there are so many approaches to the problem, but in most plans large machines, processors are constructed in the fashion our smaller air processors are.  Sometimes they are specialized, to only convert CO2 to O2.  Similar machines have been proposed to take the place of rainforest  on Earth, which has been depleted, to make up at least for the conversion of gases the trees supply.  Over a number of years a properly dispersed number of these processors would build up an atmosphere, along with vaporators that supply water vapor to the air to build up a cloud cover.  The more cloud cover and thicker the atmosphere the more the greenhouse effect comes into play.  Warmth is then trapped below the atmosphere.  Precipitation takes place as water vapor is drawn up into the clouds and then falls with the cooler temperatures above."

      "How long does it take, usually?" Martin asked.

      "With proper equipment, in theory, all the planet could be under this created atmosphere in 50 years," Carlo said.

      "How far along are we now?" Brittany asked.

      "Ten years, generous estimate.  It does not seem they have done much work in this area, though I understand from Martin and Etan that their other work is extraordinary."     

      "You must see it," Martin said, " I admit, I felt ill at ease there some of the time, but it would not be bad if we went together, knowing better what to expect."

      "Rachael did suggest we have something to trade," Brittany said.

      "That is a problem," Kei said, "I figure all we have over them is information."

      "And it may not be wise to give everything away."

      "I gather they read minds," Martin reminded the others.

      "Perhaps a service?" Brittany asked, "An offer to allow them to stop here while traveling, to come for coffee if they can supply more beans.  Or we could share our house design, perhaps that would interest them.  Maybe to bring meals prepared with food they have given us would be at least a token gesture of friendship.  We might even offer to join in some venture together."

      "If they are willing to join in a partnership that we can all be satisfied with I would be glad of their assistance in terreforming."

      "I think that Rachael would say to be cautious, but if the offer is fair, I see no problem," Brittany said.

      "We should contact them and ask permission to visit, so to not arrive at inopportune time," Kei said.

      "I will contact them," Brittany said, "For some reason a few of them have said they are eager to meet me."

      "Perhaps some evil plot to kidnap the only woman among us," Carlo laughed.  He rose and went to put on his helmet. 

      Kei and Martin also stood up.  "We should be going also," Kei said, "I will meet you at the garage tomorrow to continue the construction."

      Brittany agreed with a nod, felt Martin's hand on her arm. "Brittany, I know Carlo was joking but I had this weird feeling when I was there...please, don't take this the wrong way because I am serious, but I felt as if the women were unusually interested in me.  And they literally were fighting over Etan, weren't they."

      Brittany nodded again.  "Martin, I'm sure it wasn't anything we don't feel ourselves after living for nearly a year in such close quarters with the same people to look at day after day."

      "That must be it," Martin sighed.

      Brittany gave him a playful wink, "If you find any of them interested in you again and you find them interesting yourself go on and do something about it."

      Martin took her hand and kissed it.  "Give him a kiss for me."

      Brittany almost laughed.  She and Etan had not gone so far, it seemed almost a child's game, the wearing of locks and pledges of attraction. 

                      ?                ?                ?

      They were resting in bed, behind layers of mosquito netting in light or dark fabric because there were many species of small insect in Eden, all part of the food chain.  The climate control system caused a slight breeze and drop in temperature at night plus was now simulating a mild winter.  They had determined that plants and animals including people seemed to progress more quickly where there were noticeable seasons. 

      Claudia appeared over the bed, nearly invisible against the simulated moonlight that came from lamps positioned at surface level and through the bedroom window of the Redstone.  She called to Trip and he woke shortly, not happy, but conscious.  "Is it Elise?"

      "Elise is fine, I have not picked up the usual electromagnetic disturbance that would indicate presence of a spirit attempting to communicate distress.  I would regret waking you if this was not important—"

      Mara was waking up.  "Tell her to go away, Trip," she said sleepily.

      "Reduce volume, Claudia," Trip said quietly, sat up in bed and pet Mara's arm, which was close and exposed. 

      The hologram seemed to speak, the speakers in the room conveying the voice that was nothing but digitized syllables lifted from recordings of Trip's mother's speech.  She was lower in volume now. 

      "Lade has just arrived at the tunnel junction in A Den, Blath is close behind with Xian captive.  They will require assistance and instruction."

      "Any luck decrypting the message Iolanthe picked up?" Trip asked as he went to the chest of drawers and took out some clean pants, loose and off-white in color.  Claudia stood speaking to him as he dressed. 

      "I am working on it. Given the general translation of his transmission from Hellas Station and the actual transmission from Hellas Station I have worked out a good part of the code.  I will need more time."

      "Inform Lade I am on my way.  Ask Sadi, Astoric and Dori to meet me at the mouth."

      "I am contacting them now," Claudia said, quite capable of appearing to be in many places at once.  "they will meet you there, Theodoric is already close you realize."

      "I realize."  Trip ran his fingers through his hair such as he could, by habit.  He went back to the bed and kissed Mara's shoulder.  "I have to go out, I'll be back as soon as I can.  I love you."

      "Not long," she whispered, only half awake.

                      ?                ?                ?

      Lade was standing at the mouth when her father arrived, slim denim pants, unlaced boots and old sweater all signs of being woken from bed to come out into the cold night filled with flurries of artificial snow and the glare of false moonlight reflected from every icy surface.  "Your mother is not far behind?"

      "Don't be shocked when you see what she's done to him," Lade said quickly.  They both glanced at the small terminal in the open pull-down panel beside the air lock that sealed them off from the tunnel.  "She's at the last beacon."

      Theodoric glanced up to the high road above.  His half-brother Astoric and older sister Sadian were on bicycle, almost to the turn off that would bring them here to the tunnel. 

      They parked their bikes below the road and rushed to the mouth.  "Hello Dori," Astoric said.  They both kissed their brother, rather had a smell about them that suggested Claudia hadn't been interrupting sleep.  Theodoric smiled, everyone looked up to Sadian and Astoric as a wonderfully loving couple.  Theodoric was young enough that they had been like second parents to him. 

      There was a beeping from the terminal, someone was within the airlock now, would  be before them as soon as the pressure and temperature could be equalized.  "Where's Trip?" Lade asked.

      "He's coming," Sadian said.  They could all sense this, even if they asked questions in doubting tone.  Trepidation had to travel all the way from E Den. 

      The two doors opened at once so that some were drawn to look up and see Trip come from the airlock along the road on horseback and two figures alongside on foot while others saw Blath standing with bound, struggling man with strange features at her feet.  She removed her helmet and shook out her long red hair, showed some small bit of pride at having brought in the prisoner. 

      Trip left the sleek black stallion above and walked down to join them, Valor and Edil just behind.  "you were going to leave us out?" Valor asked.

      Lade rolled her eyes as Sadian answered, "Honey, Trip was in charge of that."  Valor was Sadian and Astoric's first child, born on earth, had recently taken up residence with Edil, who was brother to Lade, after many years of taking up various lovers and having children who, in following her example, caused her branch of the family to become more inbred than any of Blath's descendants.  It was only this knowledge and the fear of how easily it happened that caused the others to seek distance from Valor and her family. 

      But in reality Valor had not done any wrong.  Her daughter Minerva was well liked and had done fairly well mothering three children by her father's son.  And Valor herself had done very well since taking up with Edil.  He seemed to have a good effect on her, to have inspired genuine love in Valor and she had mellowed, mellowed even more since having his daughter Ethe.  Her show of anger at not being invited was in jest.  The others knew it.

      Now all of them, roughly the first four generations of their kind, or at least fair representation of those generations looked upon their first enemy.  "He's Asian," Sadian said in answer to the younger ones' silent question.  None of their family was Asian but all either European Caucasians or American Negroes or else mix of the two. 

      "Chinese possibly," Trip said.  "Jon Xian?" he said for pronunciation of the name.  "From the Canadian States, USNA Army officer."

      "You put your bondage cuffs and leash on him?" Theodoric asked aloud as he stared down at the man in jade green suit, glowing nametag intact. 

      "He wasn't going to come along peacefully," Blath said, "I'm tired, what do you want me to do with him now that he's here?"

      The group conferred with each other without speech, silently and in collective decided what should be done.  It was not good to give him comfortable rooms and lovingly prepared meals, he was not a guest like the others had been.  This man was an enemy.  He had stolen from them, broken into their homes.  He was conspiring against them with unknown parties on Earth.  And it was apparent from his transmission that he had done all these things with forethought.

      "For now we can lock him in a room of the castle," Trip said aloud so the captive would hear his fate, "The less he saw of the dens the better and the castle was a short walk across A den.  It had a number of stone walled rooms with narrow high windows and solid doors.  As long as the room and his person were stripped of tools of any kind he would not be able to escape.

      "I'll run ahead and prepare a room," Lade offered.

      "Go," Theodoric said.

      "Astoric," Trip called, "Perhaps you and Sadian could stay at the castle for tonight, I have to get back to the house and think about this."

      "Sure," Astoric said.  He went to Theodoric and put an arm about his shoulders, "You don't mind having us as guests?" he teased.

      Theodoric laughed as the two brothers fell into stride with each other.  "We could manage if you and Sadi want to be at home."

      Astoric nipped at his brother's jaw with his teeth.  "I'm quite satisfied, I'm sure if Sadi's not she'll make sure I know about it.  Besides, I haven't been to see you very much lately.  Did you see Etan when he was in your house?"

      "No, Blath did."

      Blath and Sadian said good-byes to Valor.  She and Edil were going to walk back to D Den where they lived in the lakeside house, a bit lower within the den than the treehouse where Minerva lived with her mate Aedan and their youngest child Athene. 

      When Valor had gone with Edil and Trip had left Sadian helped Blath to carry Xian to the castle.  They spoke little, there was no animosity, Blath was twice Sadian's niece, being daughter of two people who were both Sadian's half-siblings yet unrelated to each other.  They were just not so close, being matriarchs of two separate branches of the family now that Yera had died. 

                      ?                ?                ?

      Lade had chosen a room high in the castle with very narrow windows.  Her two mates Adrian and Airy, both sons of Minerva and Aeden, had greeted her and helped Lade to clear the room.  They had been using it as a storage space and sometimes guestroom.  It was not uncommon for many of the family to seasonally switch houses, so many of the larger residences had guest rooms to allow for those who were nomadic to live alongside those who were not. 

      They left the bed in the room with simple bed sheets and woven blankets.  They set out a change of clothing that they would not mourn the loss of.  Airy retrieved some bread and cheese and water from the kitchen below and set these out.  Everything else was taken, wall mirrors, tapestries, everything.  As it was cold and they did not want to be too cruel Lade lay some additional woven blankets folded on the bed for Xian to use as he would.

      They heard Theodoric and Astoric come in.  Often they called Theodoric Dori, but everyone called Astoric by his full name, he preferred that.  Only when far out of range did they dare call him Tori, and he only allowed Sadian to call him by the name Star. 

      Lade and her two lovers went down to tell the others they had prepared a room.  Usually they tried to keep things so that the women did not have multiple mates especially those that were themselves closely related.  But in Lade's case Airy and Adrian were so closely related that genetically it was like having one mate who might be in two places at once.  Their children considered themselves full siblings.  The brothers did not seem to mind, each kept their own room apart from Lade. 

      Theodoric and Astoric were in one of the large downstairs rooms often used in entertaining guests.  Astoric and Trip had spent time in the castle that was home to the Earthen leader of Goth and had tried to build something similar, and so they had rooms that were used for reception, and as offices, they even had outbuildings that included a stable. 

      The castle was Lade's favorite living place.  Right now only her two parents her two mates and herself lived there, but Astoric had always been one of the most welcome guests.  He could tell stories about Earth and Goth and castles.  He had been something of a prisoner in a castle room the first fourteen years of his life.  Astoric had told them faerietales and sung doomy rock and roll songs to them.  Astoric did have the fear, Dori had it also, and even Lade had a touch of it, so they had all learned to live with it. 

      Theodoric was re-lighting the fire in the large fireplace as he felt Lade and her boys had entered the room.  Astoric was sitting with his back to the fire lighting a pipe.  Sometimes they smoked, it was something to share on special occasions or intimate gatherings.  Astoric and Theodoric along with their father were best known for blending the various herbs and other plants for their pipes.  Often they smoked a moderately low THC content marijuana leaf blended with herbs that created lovely sweet taste and smoke.  Sometimes various ground herbs or plant oils were mixed into the preparation for taste or effect. 

      At once they all sensed the entrance of Blath and Sadian with their captive.  Lade went to help them.  Together the three slightly fatigued women carried Xian up a spiral staircase into the room Lade had prepared.  Blath locked the door with a key then fixed a chain and lock to the outside.     "You are staying then?" Blath asked Sadian.

      "I'm sure Astoric would like to, and Trip did suggest it."

      "You look tired, those boys will be up all night now.  Your welcome to crawl into bed with me."

      Sadian sighed.  "Thank you, Blath, I'll do that.  It gets cold, and I'm quite exhausted."

      "I'll be downstairs," Lade called.  Already Sadian and Blath walked slowly down the stairs to Blath's bedroom. 

      "Sadi...I have been thinking since we met Etan...he was somehow very attractive...would Dori and Astoric be thought of as very attractive even on Earth?"

      "Yes," Sadian said slowly.  "You know Astoric's mother Salome was Trip's half-sister, so that Astoric only had a single grandfather."

      "As Valor's only grandfather is Trip."

      "Yes.  Astoric shares a close resemblance with his grandfather, who was considered by many people to be a very beautiful young man.  So, Astoric would be considered by many beautiful.  Of course, there are billions of people on Earth, and they do not all share the exact same aesthetic.  But nevertheless I think our Dori and Astoric would be beautiful among men from Earth."

      "Do you think relationships there are very different?"

      Sadian shook her head as they came to the bedroom.  Blath, who was one of their better weavers and  also designers of clothing had heavily draped the wrought metal bed in fine embroidered fabrics.  "I think that some are as warm, but Americans and those influenced by them, the English also were influenced by this ancient religious group called the Puritans who thought that all intimate acts between all people that were not those that were expressly intended to conceive children between two people vowing monogamous union with each other were very bad.  Of course this horrible repression of beautiful and innocent gestures of intimacy between siblings, and friends and parents with children caused many generations to grow up with very twisted views of their own sexuality and the nature of intimacy.  There were many sex-offenders that forced others into acts.  There was much discrimination and hating of homosexuals and even non-sexual intimate gestures between friends of the same sex.  It was all pretty horrible.  They are still getting over it.  That is why we tried to teach all of you to express all feelings openly and to thus learn early how to manage them.  Sometimes we make mistakes, don't control our feelings in constructive manner and hurt people.  But we try not to.  I think most of us have beautiful relationships.  I am certain you and Dori do."

      "A mouthful, Sadi," Blath said, but appreciated all that Sadian had said.  "I'll just be a minute.  Blath went to another small chamber of the bedroom to remove her suit she had been long wearing and wash.  Shortly she came to the bed where Sadian was sitting up half-covered by the sheets and quilt. 

      "It's a really lovely quilt," Sadian said.

      "Would you braid my hair?" Blath asked, "it tangles otherwise."   Sadian began to gather the larger part of Blath's long red hair into a braid.  "The quilt is one of my recent ones," Blath said.

      "Do you have any you could trade me?" Sadian asked.

      "I may have a slightly older one, I am busy with other work right now but could also make you one if you wait.  Do you think you could develop a sort of long-woolen mountain dwelling goat or sheep of some kind?"

      "I'm working on such a project recently, actually," Sadian said, "If Thierry can help me figure out the best gene sequence, or I figure out a way to breed one, maybe alter that further I will surely give you a pair to breed in A Den."

      "That would be worth a good trade," Blath said, "I could use a source of wool like that, and their blood and meat, maybe I could use their milk to feed the cats, or trade dairy products to the humans."

      "Mara drinks milk," Sadian offered.

      "If they had small horns I could also find a use for those."

      "They always craft lovely things from horn and bone in B Den," Sadian said, "Caith and Eleria brought me a chair with horn frame."

                      ?                ?                ?

      Dawn approached, the first indirect rays of sunlight crept over the rocky horizon and lit the thick round windows of Brittany's house.  Only a fraction of this small light reached the sleeping loft yet Etan felt the sun on him.  Starlight invigorated those who were part angel as it debilitated all manner of Vampires.  Etan was awake, feeling relaxed to the point of giddiness.  It crossed his mind that this restful state always came with having another to share the bed with and so he could appreciate why the Shi Vampires living here insisted on it.  Brittany was with him now.

      "Britt," Etan called to her, he had not yet turned so that he could see her.  She did not answer.  Etan turned himself slowly, felt that Brittany's hand had lain against his ribs and slid over his skin now to his back.  She was asleep, dreaming, Etan could see the movement of her eyes beneath her lids and the tense expression on her face.  "Brittany," he called in a whisper, "Bri?"

      Etan watched as she fell to her back, arching it and sucking in air as if drowning.  Her eyes opened wide quite suddenly and then she called his name.

      "Brittany, you OK?"

      Her eyes moved to see him while the rest of her curled into a ball, both hands withdrawing to her chest.  "It was a dream?" she asked.  "I was dreaming," she said.            

      "Yeah, just a dream."

      She did not seem reassured by this but looked at her hands.  "How do you stand it?" she asked.

      Etan pulled Brittany back to him so that his arms were about he and then kissed her cheek.  "What's that?" he asked.

      "I hear these stories about the family and I try to pretend I'm not one of them, not different, and hide my name, but it changes nothing.  You know my father somewhat, that our branch of the family has had as many historians and archaeologists as your branch of the family has had supermodels and famous musicians and television personalities.  I inherited abilities from them but never learned to use them.  But when you were missing Rachael convinced me to try, if it would help find you.  So I lay hands on that corpse, and I could see things.  And now it's out of control, I touch something and information comes to me whether I want it or not."

      "You're psychometric?"

      "Yes, my father and grandmother were skilled Psychometrists.  Etan, I did it in my sleep.  I dreamt you."

      "How does it feel?" Etan asked, so curious to know.

      Brittany squinted a bit.  "It feels so real...like being part of another person...sometimes frightening.  It frightens me now.  I don't want to speak of it, almost not even to you.  When the feeling was gone it hurt."

      "I'm sorry."

      Brittany sat up, knees drawn to her chest.  "It's not you.  It's this thing I have to figure out for myself.  Maybe there was a danger in not accepting that I was going to be different, in not learning control."

      "When I was little I had this imaginary friend, his name was Daniel.  He was this silly boyish man that would play with me and would try to cheer me up when one of my parents had scolded me.  Britt, when I was with them in Sinai I saw him.  He's not imaginary.  They can see him.  Blath told me most of them see him, was surprised I did not know what he was, a spirit quite familiar to them.  We need to go be with them.  For some reason the both of us are up here on this planet, related to them and clueless about what we are ourselves.  They can help us."

      "We're not vampires."

      "No, but being a new mutant form of vampire is only half of their family's traits.  They are also Jewels and witches, and obviously expert at using their powers."

      "I need this confusion to go away.  I need to control this."

      "Was it very bad dreaming me?"

      Brittany tried to laugh but she was too upset, it sounded a cry.  "No, not bad.  I can't describe it in words really."

      Etan nodded.  "Will you go with me to visit them when our immediate chores are done?"

      "Yes," Brittany said quietly. 

                      ?                ?                ?

      Sadian and Blath had woken, washed dressed, prepared breakfast and then walked into the parlor to find Astoric and Theodoric tangled together on one of the couches asleep.  A collection of goblets and mugs lay littered about the woven rug and the slipcover was dirtied with ash and smoking weeds.  The air reeked of old wine, ale and smoke. 

      Blath hesitated not a moment, she slipped the chain from about her hips with the slightest noise of clinking metal links and darted forward to fasten one end to the collar Theodoric already wore.  She yanked hard, heard Dori cough.  He fell to his hands and knees on the floor, looked as if he might be sick.  Blath stooped down and jabbed at his wrist.  "Don't you even.  You pick up this mess."

      "Thank you, Blath," Dori said, trying to keep the room from spinning by holding his head in one hand.  He slowly began to collect the drinking vessels from the floor. 

      Sadian smiled.  No one was sure where Blath had learned this game of hers, Sadian thought the Thierry AI must have explained bondage and domination to her; in any case Theodoric responded well to it.  Coincidentally, of all Mara's children Theodoric most resembled her half-brother Thierry in his stature, unusual shade of red hair and wit. 

      Sadian couldn't play these games with Astoric.  Their very relationship was based on a sort of bargain between the two.  Astoric would always be too much Sadian's equal to fall prey to such posturing.  He'd only laugh in her face if Sadian tried to put him on a leash, probably use the leash to draw her close then bite down hard on her neck.  So Sadian had to crawl onto the couch and wake him with kisses. 

      It was always kindness that killed Astoric.  Kindness and silly utterly romantic cliché vampire acts and phrases.  "Wake now, My Prince, the sickness will pass, all the world is ours."

      Astoric woke in an instant, sat straight up and bit hard at Sadian's neck till blood flowed into his mouth.  Sadian closed her eyes, gripped the back of the couch to keep from falling and waited.  A short eternity later Sadian tasted her own blood on his lips.  It felt good, tasted good, and so Sadian didn't really care if Blath's carefully stitched slipcover now would be stained with blood.  She let herself fall backward, pulled Astoric down with her, gazed sleepily toward the doorway as Astoric bit into her throat.  "Father is coming," Sadian hissed. 

      Astoric answered only by brushing his thumb over Sadian's lips.  She pinched the ball of his thumb in her teeth and licked a few droplets of blood from it knowing Trip and Mara were inside the castle. 

      When Trepidation reached the parlor he saw his two eldest children gazing at him, lips red with each other's blood, Astoric looking particularly impish.  Trip liked to blame Thierry for everything, but Sadian knew Thierry had made Astoric just for her.  And together Sadian and Astoric had agreed to make Valor.  It wasn't all Thierry.  Very long ago Trip had walked into a library where his two children sat smugly and known Sadian was pregnant with her half-brother's child.

      Astoric was up in a flash, having some amount of superhuman speed, and appearing to move with this unusual speed because his family lacked the particular perception Vampyres had.  Sadian was left to straighten her clothes while Astoric greeted their father with a kiss.

      Mara was there now.  She and Trepidation had dressed carefully today.  Mara had one of her long wool winter dresses on, simple black and neatly fitted, a green scarf hid her throat.  Her hair was pinned up on her head, from a distance a Gorgon's hair.  Trepidation had one of Blath's carefully knitted fishnet shirts on, he liked to show of the pierced nipples it seemed, usual slim leather pants, boots, a black frock coat of hempen fabric embroidered with red dragons. 

      "We're going to kill him," Trepidation said.

      "You are sure?" Sadian asked.

      "Mara agrees, Claudia and Thierry both agree.  Long imprisonment during which we care for his health is only a burden to those he offended.  Banishment does not guarantee  he can't return to harm us.  Xian has to be swiftly killed...and burned to ash."

      "Not buried or exposed on funeral platform?" Astoric asked. 

      "We can't afford to have the humans know of his death, at least it would be foolish to advertise his death with ritual exposure or shallow burial," Mara explained, "They would find this gruesome, people of their age and culture.  Because they might not understand, this risk outweighs our desire to give the dead to the planet in exchange for better crops." 

      "Quick beheading and then a funeral pyre," Trip said.

      "Today?" Sadian asked.

      "Yes, as soon as possible."

      "He's upstairs."

      Trip nodded.  "Astoric, bring him down.  We will take him down near the ice lake.  I'm afraid we'll need to cut a few trees, branches at least. And we'll need some fuel.