In reply to Linus Spruance (msg # 299):

After verifying the translators worked, Hanno relayed the information via comm unit to the prickly linguist, who responded with a curt "yes, I knew it would unless you messed it up somehow." He then cut the connection.

Hanno shook his head at Dr. Gildinkuur's reply. "What a pleasant fellow.

"So, before I leave are we just sealing the hatch, or are you going to check it out? Follow where it goes?"

"I am Shukhunaar. What do you seek beyond the hatch?"

Shukhunaar tries speaking towards the box that finds words, hoping they understand.

The one who had called himself Udam seemed almost at a loss for words. Like being presented with a tangible proof of faith, and one that offered to answer the mysteries of existence, he struggled briefly and looked around before he answered.

"Where are you from?" He eventually asked. "How did you revive the Sleeping Man? Long have we wondered about him. Is he of the Old Loeskalth?" he asked, speaking somewhat slowly and formally.

And then eventually. "We could speak all day I am sure, but we do not wish to take your valuable time. You wish to go through the door? May we go with you? To help protect you?"

"We come from far away, across the black to your asteroid/ship," Linus began.

"We have many stories to tell you, and would hear yours. There is no hurry."

In reply to Udam (msg # 302):

"Sleeping Man? Must be talking about me. I'm not Loeskalth, as far as I know."

Udam seemed to process this, and glanced about at the others of his tribe as he drew a little nearer to the outlanders.

"Our story? We are the Loeskalth, well one group of them. There used to be many." He explained. "We are known as the Believers, as we have passed down the knowledge that our Ancestors built this world for their children. Some disagree with this, and there have been many, many battles over these teachings." he said quite seriously. "We found this place when I was a child, before that we were wanderers, and we have lived here and protected it ever since."

When he had finished, he licked his lips and looked a little uncertain. "Please, will you tell us what an As-ter-oid is? Is that what you call these wide open spaces?" he asked in turn, and looked between them.

In reply to Udam (msg # 305):

"Linus, Doctors? I'm not the best at explaining."

"Uh... an asteroid is a large rock that travels through space. This whole... environment... is built inside of one. It is your world. This is where you and your ancestors have lived for generations. Your Ancestors did indeed build, or at least hollow out and equip, this world for your use. So your belief is correct."

Linus did his best, although he also felt out of his depth at trying to explain what was going on to people for whom this was the only world they had ever known.

It seemed that what Linus lacked in detail, he made up for in validation.

As the older man spoke, Udam attempted to keep him himself composed. The somewhat stoic demeanor cracked however in the end and it was clear that the younger Loeskalth tribesman had tears in his eyes and that he was trying to keep from weeping.

There was co-mingled joy, and relief and rapture tinged with a sort of life long weariness on his scarred face. And as Linus finished Udam took a shuddering breath.

"Forgive my weakness" he eventually said, and wiped at his eyes. "My people have fought tooth and nail for generations, we have wandered and suffered for our beliefs. And now you have come to tell us that...that it was all worth it." he explained, throwing a gesture with one hand back towards their settlement.

"That I lived to see the day..." He said to himself and shook his head with the beginning of a smile.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:56, Mon 28 June 2021.

"It is my honour to be able to confirm that your belief is indeed true," said Linus.

He could understand how momentous it was to have someone tell you that something you thought was true actually was incontrovertably correct, especially if others had argued against it.

"It is as we have always said. Our ancestors prepared this for their descendants. It is good to know our ways are true."

Shukhunaar looks at his fellows and says "How should we deal with those who refuse to accept the truth? Perhaps if we follow these voyagers in their journey beyond the hatch, we might find proof to show them?"

"If I may suggest, be kind to those who do not accept your beliefs. It's going to be a big shock to discover that they were wrong. Treat them as you would like to be treated yourselves. Be gentle, don't say 'I told you so' or mock them," said Linus, gently yet firmly.

Udam was obviously still somewhat overwhelmed with the news, but he seemed to process enough of what Linus said to reply.

It was obvious that he had not really considered the prospect.

"No...no, there will be some who will want revenge, of course." He let out a soft, weary sigh and looked away. "But for myself, I have seen enough of war to believe that we must save what Loeskalth are left. Some will fight, perhaps most will fight. But with enough evidence, some may be made to accept the truth of things." he looked back.

"Perhaps if we come across something that would help us do this, you might let us know?" he asked the Outlanders.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:22, Thu 01 July 2021.

The hatch in the forest floor was next to some gigantic vents, also set into the ground. All around them towered ancient trees. A wind sighed through the branches, small animals rustled in the underbrush and birds twittered in the forest canopy overhead.

A few days ago the primitive raiders had come through it to sneak up and attack their village. Now the choice was to seal it off, or perhaps go back through it to find the source of the attackers. The attackers had been one of the many splinter tribes that had gone feral over the past centuries as most remaining descendants of the Loeskalth people on board the mother ship descended into religious theocracy, their origins and history as the fierce Sky Raiders became myth and legend.

It seemed that the time had come to make a decision.

Udam hefted his crossbow, the weapon a combination of natural and scavenged materials. The bow stave itself seemed to be some sort of steel, and the drawstring was a thin woven metal cable, but the stock was some kind of hardwood, carved and decorated with a stubby, compact design ideal for tunnel fighting.

He stooped, put his foot in the stirrup, and fed the cable into a double pronged hook that hung from his belt. He spanned the weapon with a steady motion as he stood, locked the cable back, and then drew a wicked looking barbed bolt from the pouch in his belt.

The serrated head glinted in the wan light, and the crimson fletching was vivid against the natural colors that he wore as he settled the cable into the notch and rested the bolt into the groove.

So armed, he nodded to the Outlanders. "We will follow you."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:31, Thu 01 July 2021.

In reply to Udam (msg # 314):

"You want to lead the way Linus? I don't know the way either."

Linus looked stern.

"There will be no more fighting, the matter is no longer open to debate. Faith fades in the clear light of fact."

He stretched and looked round.

"Well, Angus, maybe we had best ask our local friends. We are the strangers here after all."

Like most things in their world the hatch had been there forever, since it was made by the Old Loeskalth. The villagers hadn't known it was there, hidden under the rich loam and detritus of the forest floor. The vast vents a few metres away, also set into the forest floor, were silent and beginning to be overgrown by vegetation. A tree, perhaps a few decades old, was growing up through one.

Igar looked at the hatch.

"It goes down a long ways.

"Uh, I'll stay here and guard it if you wish to explore the passages the invaders used to raid our village."

Shukhunaar looked down, then looked at Udam.

"I will journey with you. Only by mapping their route to attack us can we learn to defend against these  new strategies."

Blake hefted the laser rifle.

"I'll stay here as well. No sense in risking this, when you get back we can decide to seal off the hatch or not."

Checking his shotgun Ken scoffed, "now, don't everyone go first."

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 321):

Angus goes first. heading into the hatch, shotgun slung over his shoulder.

Crossbow in hand, Udam followed the Outlanders into the dark passage, the smell of greenery and his home fading behind them as they moved further along into the unknown.

They opened the hatch into the forest floor.

Below was a ladder that disappeared into darkness.

Shining his torch down the shaft, Angus couldn't see the bottom.