I rode my bloody horse along the stream. Not only was I sticky with blood, but my horse was covered with it. The unmasked mud men walked ahead of Cloud, with Miga holding a spear to their backs. Agga walked on the right and three men followed behind. Our pace was brisk.

I asked, “Who are your people?” Miga prodded them with his spear.

“We are Tinon,” said one of them.

Agga asked, “What does he say?”

I answered. “He says their people are called Tinon.”

Miga asked, “Do they have big man?”

I asked the captives, “Do you have a leader?”

The same man answered, “Mesi rules.”

The second captive elbowed his fellow in anger then turned to say, “Kokar kill and eat you.”

“What he say?” demanded Miga, shoving the angry captive.

I answered, “They have a leader named Kokar who will kill and eat us.”

My men were enraged; I too was angry, but I tried to take the long view. They wanted to spend their rage on the attackers, but my thoughts entertained the notion of peace between tribes; perhaps trade. Whether or not I could broker such a peace was yet to be seen.

I said to the angry captive, “Take me to your Mesi. We'll talk.”

The angry mud man turned and spat. Miga balled a fist and struck him, driving the man to his knees. We stopped and I dismounted. Both captives were on their knees looking nervously at the men around them. I faced them and crouched. The angry captive stared at me with contempt and defiance while the other averted his eyes.

I said, “If you want to live, do as I say.”

The captive with the harsh words threw himself at me and broke my nose with his forehead. I fell back as Miga and Agga beat the men without restraint. My eyes burned and my nose throbbed, even so, I pinched off the bleeding and stood.

“Stop,” I called. I stood between the captives and the father and son who savaged them. I pushed Agga and Miga away from the captives. I pulled the captives to their knees and walked to a nearby date palm. I took my mining wand in hand and demanded of the captives, “Look at me.” When I was assured of their attention, I touched the date palm with the wand. It disappeared in a cloud of scattering atoms. I watched mouths drop open. I repeated clearly, “Do as I say.”

The captives fell on their faces. The men with me backed away in fear. It was an extreme gesture, but the shock was what I sought. There was no question in their minds that I could deliver.

The quiet captive, the one who had first spoken, tapped his head against the rocky bank and said, “Shenge do all.”

The stream fed into the side of a shallow river. We crossed through sluggish water and mossy rocks to the far side. There, before us, was a limestone cliff with high dwellings made from clay. Many of them could only be reached by crude ladders. There was a wall before the cliff-side village, but it had not seen progress in some time.

Defensive outposts were spaced before the village. They consisted of three anchored poles tied at the top. Platforms tied to the narrow tops allowed men to sit high and see far. The sentries called excitedly at our approach.

Swords and spears were visible; we stopped at a safe distance. Behind the unfinished barricade, I saw a fire pit and stacked wood. The smoke from the fire rose quite high. The men of the village took up weapons, bronze swords, and stone spears, to form a protective line before the barricade. A spear sailed high and landed mere hands before the captives.

At Miga's prodding, the quiet captive called out, “Man of power call Mesi. Kill many men. Great power. Loyal Shenge and brave Autim cry for help.”

“What he say?” asked Miga.

I said, “He calls his big man.”

I dismounted and moved to a position in front of the captives. I raised my arms and called, “Kokar.”

The line of mud warriors, some masked, seemed nervous. I waited. I stepped to one side and extended my arm toward the captives. Their line chattered in agitation. Then, it parted. An older man with a bowed left leg stepped between two men, each with a spear. I stared at the Mesi, his mask an elongated version of the others. He assessed me and my five men.

At his word, five warriors ran forward. Two with spears stopped and drew back to throw while three with swords ran at me with wild screams. I pulled my two guns and took down the spearmen. The warriors with swords stopped to look back. Two of them, surprised by the report of my guns, faltered, but one turned back and rushed bravely at me. His scream died in his throat as he fell before me.

I walked forward, hoping to seem casual and unfazed. In reality, I was nervous. I had two guns, but there were more than fifty armed men facing me. I was encouraged to see some of them take a step back as I approached.

The Mesi waved his men aside and took five steps forward. After a lengthy stare, the leader called a muffled command through his mask. “Give Shenge and Autim.”

I gestured for the captives to be brought forward. Agga stood with Shenge to my left, and Miga brought Autim to my right. Miga took my arm as I placed my guns in my belt. I turned to him.

“We come,” he said flatly.

I answered. “No. I'll talk to the big man.”

Miga was frustrated with inaction. I, on the other hand, wanted no more of his men to die. I wished to confront the Mesi man-to-man. I had shown superior force. My thinking was that uncertainty gave me the advantage. How far that advantage would take me was anyone's guess.

With a hand on the shoulders of Autim and Shenge, I walked slowly forward. More of the armed men backed away, but the Mesi held his ground. I was surprised to feel Cloud's breath on the back of my head, and I was concerned that he followed me.

When I stood face to face with the leader of the Tinon people, he asked in a clipped manner, “You. Man of power. With Taurish dogs?”

I did not play into his hand. I took an assertive path of my own. I said, “Your men attacked my people. We killed them. Only Shenge and Autim are left. I am not pleased with you; choose peace.”

The Mesi laughed, contempt in his voice. He held up a hand, fingers wide, and said, “You bring the men of one hand. Many brave Tinon. Think Mesi weak? We take you easy.”

I took a hard tone. “Do not test my patience.”

The Mesi laughed again. He said, “You nothing.”

The Mesi lifted his hand and flicked bony fingers. I had my hands on my guns as a wise precaution. With a raised hand, the Mesi brought the full force of his warriors into play.

The moment was clear and slow as my body took a full dose of Adrenalin. The captives leaped to their feet and ran behind the Mesi, who raised a stone dagger and rushed me with a shrill scream. I sensed some turn on me while others ran against the Tau'tar. It was a moment singular in its heart-stopping alarm.

I pulled my guns. The first to fall was the Mesi. I spun about and shot two approaching warriors. The loud report gave them pause but did not stop them. I was surrounded by spear-wielding and sword-waving savages. What could I do but turn and fire, yet the charge of the savages overwhelmed me. Autim ran from behind and knocked me from my feet.

As I fell, I shifted. I was on my feet behind them, but the guns had been knocked from my hands. I considered the mining wand, yet, before I could reach for it, Cloud screamed, and my heart froze in my chest. I turned and saw my beautiful white horse on his back legs with the spears of five Tinon warriors pressed into his chest.

Cloud's eyes were wide with fear. It was as if he looked directly at me and pleaded for help. There was no help; Cloud fell beneath the assault, and masked warriors rushed in to hack and slash. I had just enough time to shift away from a fresh assault. They turned and ran at me with raised weapons and wild screams.

I was barely a step ahead as I shifted once more. I know not how I dodged it, but a spear flew past my head. I looked up and saw Autim, unbound, aiming a gun at me. I shifted a short distance, my mind numb from the loss of Cloud. Autim turned and fired and dropped the gun in sudden fright.

I think I had been over-confident. I banked on the shock of superior power and lost. The situation had devolved into fear. My close battle lasted only moments, and those were spent in urgent shifting that seemed only to anger my attackers. I was a man from the stars who feared for his life at the hands of savages.

I shifted and found my left arm had been slashed. I was quickly running out of places to run. Don't get me wrong, I could have shifted further away, but I simply could not leave Cloud. It was impossible to get to him, and yet, I tried. Men with swords continued hacking, and men with spears continued stabbing. My eyes were filled with tears, but I saw Autim reclaim the gun and point it at me. I dodged behind a masked warrior who fell with his spear raised overhead. I stood exposed, too many to fight even with my wand.

At that moment, tears turned to rage. Something snapped inside of me. They had killed my horse. I found the mud men despicable beyond words, and I became a screaming madman with outstretched arms. I walked through those who sought my life, father's power of lightning causing abject terror and sudden death. I watched men fall before me. I watched men run and fall. None escaped.

Rage filled me. Wood poles exploded into flame. The unfinished barricade burned. Mud walls in the cliff burst and slabs of clay fell about me. Then, I heard the cries of women and children. They issued from the high cliff walls, through holes my unchecked power had gouged.

Between heartbeats, I feared what I was. I fell to my knees with a final shout of anger. My wrath was spent. I took a breath and gaped to see. The carnage was absolute. None of them stood. Even Shenge, bound, lay in burned repose. I breathed the smoke of burning flesh and was sickened. No less violent than the men of the new world, a sudden hateful disgust swept through me.

I was stunned. I felt numb through and through. What had I done? What had I become? Such violence made me no better than the men of mud. I looked around in desperation, hoping at least one man stood. I found two. At a distance stood Miga and his son covered in Tinon blood. To my shame, they gaped at me.

In Agga's expression, I saw fear and disgust. He had come to kill the Tinon for what they had done, but what I did, he could not bear. He turned away. Impotent to defend my actions, I watched a new friend depart. I had lost him. Then, Miga turned and followed his son. I could not stay my tears as I stood to gather my wits. I retrieved my guns and stood over the mangled body of my horse.

I crossed the shallow river and followed the stream, burdened by the weight of my saddle. It was heavy, and at some point, I stopped trying to carry it. I dragged it behind me. Time meant nothing as I walked, but as I neared the Taurish village, fear gripped me. I felt I would not be welcome. I could have gone in to help, but ultimately, I turned south, a coward.

My journey home was long and sad. It seemed not even the birds would sing. I stopped at the stream where I had my trap. I dropped the saddle and rubbed my sore hands. The cage was as empty as I felt, and I doubted I would ever return. The path north to the Taurish village was a trail of sorrow. To the people who once took me in, I was now to be feared.

I took my trap with me. I would not return. Why would I? I was the end of the world on two feet. I looked up from my saddle; I looked back along the trail into the shadow of the trees. I was surprised to see Miga standing there. I looked at Miga, and Miga looked at me.

Then, something happened that troubled me. Miga sank to his knees. Was he wounded? I had no way to know. My acquaintance was with Agga more than his father. So there I stood, and there he knelt. It was a thing I had not seen in a while, a thing I would rather not have seen at all. Miga fell forward on his face, arms outstretched, prostrate in silent petition.

No words could undo the thing Miga had seen with his eyes. I had used unimaginable power to destroy a village. I was no longer a man to him. Was Miga bowing in fear? Was he begging me never to return? The image of Miga added weight to my overburdened heart. I wished I could take it all back, but all I could do was shoulder my saddle and walk away.

I staggered to the top of the ramp and called the command to open. The lights cycled to green and the invisible barrier gave access. I dragged the saddle inside, where I fell to my knees and called, “Close.”

I remained in that pose for a moment, braced against the saddle by one hand, attempting to catch my breath. The overhead lights suddenly went dark. I was too spent to care. With dark mode in command, gentle lights sprang up inside the central tree. I looked at them with longing, for there was the lift, and below, my bed.

My body was exhausted, my spirit was bruised. I looked at the path on which I knelt and considered sleeping beside the saddle. I asked myself, why not? Was there anyone to say otherwise? It was my ship; I could sleep wherever. I didn't want to think, just sleep and forget.

As I fell from my knees to sit beside the saddle, I leaned across it and let my head fall. The dried blood did not trouble me, I was tired enough to make it my pillow. I was about to adjust my body and close my eyes when the GM appeared before me in the image of my father.

“Welcome,” said the familiar voice. “You look tired.”

What an understatement! I tried to laugh but fell short. Then, I said, “I'll make my report later.”

The GM said, “I would encourage you to wash, and sleep in your bed.”

“It's too far,” I replied like a fussy child.

Father's image sat before me and crossed its legs. “May I? Let's talk.”

“Suit yourself,” I said, too wasted to care.

The GM said, “I see you've lost Cloud. I feel for you.”

I closed my eyes and asked, “Are you trying to comfort me?”

My question was answered with a question. “Should I not? You've walked a long way. I should not only comfort you but encourage you to persevere.”

I remember wanting to smile, but instead, I sighed. I answered, “I'll do that after a nap.”

The GM sat before me. I opened my eyes to father's smile. The Great Mind said, “You had the strength to make it this far. It's not that much farther to your room.”

“I'm tired,” I whined.

It was then that the GM surprised me. I nearly sat up when the Great Mind said, “Son, get up off your ass and go to your room.”

I gaped, and I gasped, then, I fell back and grumped. “Just stop,” I said. “You're not my father.”

Unrelenting, the GM replied, “You asked this of me.”

I was so sleepy. “I know. I know,” said I, “but, you're just a simulation. You're not real.”

The image of my father stood and placed hands on its hips. Remembering, I looked up. Father's expression was so convincing, I expected stern rebuke. Instead, the GM said, “I can be real if I choose.”

I thought it odd, but when the GM disappeared, I felt compelled. I was not happy, but I rose to my feet, left the saddle behind, and walked to my room.