Episode 2.01: Brushfire!

[Davy, aka GM]

Cole returns the smile. "Ah, no. I don't have the skill but I have certainly shot a few arrows in my time. Enough to recognise craftsmanship when I see it."

"There was a day when every hunter fletched his own arrows, crafted his own bow," Dalrem says with a little disdain. "That was when you knew a man could hunt - when he could craft his own tools. Now, they have these guns, and all they do is practice shooting and how to fight the Apellans. We're losing ourselves in this war."

Tobin frowns as Dalrem mentions his people's hunting difficulties, but he returns Dalrem's greeting. "I take it you must be one of your people's hunters, Dalrem. Do you mind if I ask when you mean the hunting is scarce? Are the Village People scaring away your prey?"

"Oh, I was a hunter, though my hunting days ended with the ambush that killed Tyree. Now, I make many of our bows and arrows, repair them for some of the young hunters who never properly learned how," he says. "I think the fighting itself has scared the prey away, gun blasts echoing across every hill and valley. Neither side has to do it on purpose, though I'm sure the Village People have thought of it."

[Patrick Goodman]

"You'd just as soon the war be over, then?" Treyva asked. "Does anyone even know what the fight's about anymore?"

[Davy, aka GM]

"Survival. That's what it's about," the fletcher responds. "Preserving our way of life, protecting our hunting grounds.

"I was a young man when the first shots were fired. I was one of the first hunters to learn how to use fire sticks. It was strange; the Village People had never been aggressive. I don't know what made them change, what made them decide they wanted our lands and our people dead."

[Nolmir]

"But if the Village People agreed to peace, you believe your people would be receptive to it?" Tobin asks hopefully.

[Davy, aka GM]

"Well, yes. But would they make peace? Would they honor it?" he wonders. "The way they've been for the last decade, I expect they'd just as soon kill us in our sleep the day after a peace deal is made."

[Davy, aka GM]

Styles clears his throat and says, "I'm sorry, Dalrem, but we really need to go see Yutan. Thank you for taking some time to chat with us."

The old hunter nods and returns to his work.

The group continues up to the cave structures, where they see a number of openings leading to semi-private accommodations; many caves appear to be large enough to fit 3-4 families, and close relatives likely share them. Children at play dart in and out of many of them, some of the young stopping and staring curiously at the strangers. (Treyva's headdress gets a lot of looks.)

They eventually arrive at a large open cave, with three passages leading back. Two Tyreens patrol the entrance and, seeing familiar faces in Styles and Dragomirov, allow the group to pass. Through the middle passage, the landing party comes to another large chamber, where a low fire heats the room and several candles light up what appears to be some sort of gathering place. Near the fire sits three men; two are of middle age, while the third is somewhat younger (though still a mature adult).

They're discussing observed changes to Village People patrol patterns when the landing party arrives, which stops when one man sees them and stands, a smile forming on his face.

"Lawrence! We saw the burst of light in the sky the other day and thought it an ill omen!" the man says approaching and giving Styles a brotherly embrace. "That you didn't come to us as scheduled last week doubled our fears; I'm glad to see you well!"

"I'm glad to be well, Yutan," Styles responds, smiling in return. "There was an accident, and some of my people were captured. But, my war chiefs sent another war leader to help us and we're whole again."

He turns to invite Treyva and the others to his side. "This is Treyva, a war leader like me..." Styles introduces each of the four officers of the Drake in turn, using the same titles he gave to Dalrem.

Nodding to each, Yutan says, "I'm Yutan, chief of this tribe and war chief of all Hill People of these lands. This is my fellow chief and second, Ganre, and his war leader, Tanndo."

As acknowledgements go around, Yutan regards Treyva for a moment. "Is the headdress an honorific, or a cultural item, like our star tikuli?" he asks.

[Patrick Goodman]

"It's a cultural item," Treyva replied. "Some other cultures use it as an honorific, I believe, but for us, it's mostly decorative."

[Patrick Goodman]

There was a long pause; Treyva looked at Styles, who nodded almost imperceptibly. He took a deep breath, then said, "Yutan, our war chiefs are very concerned that the Village People and their friends are building up their strength to make a significant move against you and your people. Lawrence and I agree with them. More than that, we think it might be soon."

[Davy, aka GM]

"They made their fire sticks better again," Yutan says, his eyes finding the two repeaters. Looking back at the two captains, he adds, "Our scouts have noticed the Village People's patrols have widened, and say their shots are more accurate from the same distance. Three hunters from my tribe have been injured in skirmishes in the past week."

Ganre nods in agreement. "My hunting parties have observed changes in the way the Village People patrol and fight," he explains. "Often, they will spread out like the wings of a large bird of prey, but they will sometimes group themselves irregularly, even breaking up into groups of three or four and attack in waves."

OOC: The scans you folks were shown in the briefing room seem to fit the description being given by the tribal chief. It's as if the Klingons have taught the Apellans mechanized infantry maneuvers.

[Davy, aka GM]

"So," Yutan continues, "what plan do you and your war chiefs have to help?"

[Doug Burke]

Sorak placed one of the lever-action rifles on the table. "We bring new arms and suggested tactics." He gestures to the Drake's Security Chief, "As marksman, Cole would be more intimately familiar with both."

[Renny]

Taking his queue from Sorak, Cole picks up the rifle and hefts it for effect.

"Thank you, sir". Turning his attention to Yutan and Ganre, he demonstrates the lever-action expertly.
"These fire-sticks are at least the equal of those used by the Village People. We will also show your warriors how to make the best of them."

[Davy, aka GM]

Yutan's eyes widen as he watches the demonstration. "How does that action serve us? Does it tamp the ball in the barrel, without the need for a ram?"

"No, my friend, this is a different way to operate a fire stick all together," Styles responds. "You will now have your ball and powder stored in a metal casing that you load into the barrel by opening and closing the lever. Fifteen of these can fit into what we call a magazine tube."

He takes the other repeater and pulls the cartridge follower forward, twisting it to the right to reveal the magazine tube; the captain uses a finger to illustrate the path of the round as he explains, "Your rounds, as we call them, slide along the tube, and a spring, like the one that drops the hammer in your current rifles, lifts them one at a time into the barrel. This way, you can fire as many as six shots for each one of theirs."

The look of disbelief on the war chief's face is almost humorous as he attempts to comprehend another order of magnitude leap in technology beyond what he's already endured.

[Patrick Goodman]

"You seem troubled, Yutan," Treyva said quietly.

[Davy, aka GM]

Yutan looks at Treyva as if he's been lost in thought. "Troubled? No, I don't think I am.

"It's bewildering, though. I've seen almost as many seasons since the arrival of the fire sticks as before, and no one - no Hill Person or Village Person - could've contemplated the possibilities of such a thing until they were upon us," he says. "Now, half my life has been dominated by these things, and the speed in which they were made better - to shoot father, and straighter. And, yet, it also seems to be only the very tip of the arrowhead when it comes to what fire sticks can do. It's almost as if we're consumed by the idea of the thing. Is it that way with your people? Are you consumed by the powerful things you carry and that carry you?"