After a several hours of backtracking and covering their trail, the group made it back to the hovercraft crash site safe and sound. There was no sign of pursuit, and even the drums tapered off over the hours.

There, they found the others had made good use of their time. Sentries had been posted, and two large rafts made from fallen trees and materials stripped from the hovercraft were nearing completion. Jaxxon Zalvedes, the medic (formerly one of Kalamanru's mercenaries) was directing the efforts, using his previous expertise in raft construction.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:52, Fri 17 May 2013.

"Lorain! My dear! You're safe!"

Jothan rushed forward to give his daughter a hug, then turned and shook Linus' hand.

"Well done, old friend. I am so glad you made it safely with my precious daughter. I see that Liisha woman didn't survive. I feel terrible about that, about everthing, really, but I guess moping around isn't going to change anything right now. There will be more than enough time later.

"Now, that man we rescued, Jaxxon, he's been a real help in constructing the rafts. They should be done by morning. Such as occurs on this dreadful planet."

Surprisingly, he made no mention of the obvious artefacts they were carrying (the ancient laser carbines). He was wholly focused on his joy at his daughter and his friend being safe and sound.

In reply to Professor Jothan Messandi (msg # 2):

Lorain hugged her father back. "Don't worry about me, daddy. I'm all right. Linus and his friends were wonderful."

Linus looked - and felt - rather embarassed.

"Least I could do, Jothan. Felt... well, responsible for Lorain... you know, when scampering round on what's now my homeworld all worried about you. Still, now 'all' we need do is get back to civilisation and you can be on your way, reunited."

Ken looked with interest at what the others had accomplished.  Leaving Lorain to her father, Ken set down his bag of loot and headed over to the rafts.  "Good work Jaxxon, it looks like you are close to being done.  Can we pile in and help?"

Messandi started to sway, and needed help to stand.

"Yes, I feel that civilisation would be our best hope. But maybe not here on Mirayn? I have been feeling poorly and I fear I've picked up a parasite, the "Mirayan brain-worm". It's uncommon but a danger if you stay too long in the Outback, and Mirayn medicine is unable to treat or cure it. One reason exploration of this area is so difficult! I'm just so tired. I just want to get home, turn my.... our discoveries over to the Institute for study. They have enough resources to compensate all of us."

For Messandi to put academic learning over financial gain was quite remarkable, indeed!

In reply to Professor Jothan Messandi (msg # 6):

"I do not think returning directly is such a good idea. We will be showing up in a stolen ship owned by Eneri Kalamanru, a respected trader, businessman and friend of the notoriously corrupt government. We would find ourselves in jail, and everything of value confiscated.

"Even if we do not show up in the ship, the Antiquities Police will not be interested in witnesses to their attack showing up. We could try playing both sides against each other, but both sides have reason to see us disappear. Or dead. Both of which happen here with frightening regularity."

"Daddy! here, have a seat."

Lorain seemed quite concerned with her father's health.

"You have the brain-worm? We know about it and all had vaccines back on Alzenai but your boosters must have worn off. I guess that's one way Kalamenaru held your feet to the fire, holding your health hostage by refusing the booster. Well, I say if we get ahold of a ship we use it to get home as soon as possible to Alzenai. Even if it's a false alarm I think your overall health has really suffered."

Ken nodded at the subject of the conversation;  "We definitely want to get off planet although I'm not sure Stanley will want to leave."

Jaxxon look pleased at the compliment.

"We made a lot of these damn things because the climate plays such hell with the air/rafts. So yes, I've had a lot of practice in making and sailing them.

"You sure can help out!"

He listened to Jothan's plight and shook his head, angrily.

"Yes, I have been helping treat Jothan for the parasite. I'm just a medic but I think that's what the problem is. We can slow it down with treatment available locally but once it's established in the brain stem, only brain surgical techniques available off-world will remove it. And the eggs."

All the members of the expedition, plus those who were already on Mirayn, were all inoculated against a wide spectrum of diseases and parasites native to the planet. This was standard for all people travelling to Mirayn. They all received boosters upon setting out on this current trip as part of the preparations. It was true, once the parasite was established it was impossible to actually remove without advanced surgical techniques.

"Remember, I studied off-world on Alzenar! Fat lot of good my law degree has been, here on Mirayn.

"It'll be good to return, look up some old friends. Maybe it's time to look into taking up another career besides street food-cart seller and rickshaw driver."

Ken clapped Jaxxon on the back.  "You're a life saver getting these rafts built.  Once things settle out here I'll help get them finished." He frowned at the discussion of the parasites.  His hand came and rubbed the back of his skull uneasily.  "I'm glad we are all inoculated for now.  Still Lorain, it's all the more reason to get off planet and head directly back to Alzenar.  If Stanley has a law degree he can defend us if we are sued over the treasure."

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 13):

Neva looked around and arched an eyebrow at all the activity.  She'd be lying if she said she didn't want to be off this planet but something told her it wouldn't be that easy yet.

Finally she went to Jaxxon.  "You're handy to have around.  I don't think I could have that.  Some time will you show me how to do it?  Let me know if you need any more help.</blue."  As she looked over his work she smiled and then looked at him.  "<blue>We had a bit of problems in the woods, to be expected of course since it was a rescue, but did you guys have any problems here."

"Eventually I will be returning to Capital City and my bar," said Linus, "But it might be appropriate to take the long way via Alzenar or some other planet."

"Lorain and her father are at the institute on Alzenar.  It's the capital and we should be able to get the best prices there for this stuff."

"I hate to be pedantic, but it all belongs to the Institute as they funded the expedition. On the plus side, it's not like you'll be flogging jewellery in the bazaars or posting anything for auction. And I'll make sure they make a fair offer."

Lorain took charge of the valuables, collecting everything she could.

"Linus, I'm especially interested in that necklace with the plate. It seems like it's of some kind of special significance." The plate in kind was hexagonal in shape with an unknown type of gem that glinted in their work lights.

In reply to Lorain Messandi (msg # 17):

Walker shrugs.  "I forgot that was in the contract.  I remember reading that when I signed it."

Ken smiled wryly at Lorain.  "Right you are Lorain.  I'd imagine there is archeological significance to the loot.  Although you have to admit it's turned out far more hazardous as well as successful than anyone expected."

He looked at the necklace as well.  "It certainly has some importance but what that might be is not clear.  I'd imagine that this find is going to blow the roof off of the studies of the Sky Raiders.  It seems we've shown that they were human and had some linkage to the Vilani directly or indirectly."

The man smiled warmly, pleased at the compliment.

"So far, nothing. I guess you all much have kept them occupied. Sure, there's work to be done, both getting the last logs in place and tying them up."

After a couple hours work, the rafts were completed. A few tribal warriors skulked in the dark, but warning shots scattered them back into the forest. Finally, as dawn was about an hour off, the rafts were ready to launch.

In reply to GM (msg # 21):

Slinging his carbine Blake checked his wrist chronometer, then looked up at the black clouds in the sky.

"Dawn's only about a half-hour off... no light up there even now!

"So gang, what's the plan? Travel during the day? Just offshore for navigation's sake or out in the lake to avoid the angry tribesmen? And what about the hovercraft? If we leave it here any air recce will have an easy starting place to look for us."

Ken frowns as he looks at the hovercraft. "Can we push it into the water or cover it with branches?  We need to hide it for just a couple of days to get us out of here."  He looks out over the lake.  "If we travel by day we risk getting spotted by air recce as well.  I say we hide the hovercraft and then travel by night near the coast."

Knowing that Thomas was on duty as security, Neva took a little bit of time to work on her interpersonal skills and helped Jaxxon with the rafts.  "I'll let you do the tying but I can certainly help get the logs there and hold in place for you."

As Neva helped Jaxxon and the rest tie the logs together, Neva watched in case she would have to try and do it herself sometime.