Discovery: Book Two of the Discovery Trilogy

By F. D. Brant

With the discoveries in the desert, bringing exhilaration to the team, time is short. Summer will be arriving and as such it will be time to move onto the second suspected location of the elusive Ones Before. Still, what they’ve found here will change their world forever.

While the desert discoveries are important, critical really, t

• Language: English
• Publisher: F. D. Brant
• Release date: Dec 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781946179234

F. D. Brant

Storytelling and writing has always been F.D. Brant's passion, but responsibilities took preference. And because of those responsibilities it took retiring to allow those passions to come to fruition. Since retiring he has written 10 books, and maintains a blog, Words in the Wind. Growing up in the backcountry he learned the appreciation of "doing things for yourself". Because it was impossible to call in someone to repair anything one either did it themselves or went without. This led to the appreciation of the natural world, and the daily struggles that one faced as nature threw problems at the family that had to be overcome, leading to confidence and self-sufficiency. This led to the strong characters that populate his stories and books. And his female protagonists are strong willed and confident - something that he saw in both in his mother and sister.

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DISCOVERY

Book Two of the Discovery Trilogy

F. D. Brant

F. D. Brant

GRESHAM, OREGON

Copyright © 2017 by F. D. Brant

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.

F. D. Brant

PO Box 522

Gresham Or 97030

www.fdbrant.com

Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

Book Layout © 2017 BookDesignTemplates.com

Discovery/ F. D. Brant. -- 1st ed.

ISBN 978-1-946179-23-4

Books Written by F. D. Brant

Science Fiction Adventure

O Gods Strangers and Messengers

Survival Trilogy

Time of Isolation

Desperate to Survive

A Taste of history Past

The Harsh Lands

Post-Apocalyptic

Unexpected Unplanned and into the Unknown

Discovery Trilogy

The Ones Before

Discovery

An Ancient Fire

Contemporary Christian Fiction

The Woman in the Snow

PROLOGUE

How does one know where their lives may be heading? Fauul thought, So many changes, so many different directions. After all, he had been fine in his ignorance going along with his life as a cartographer, working his way up the ladder, single, and because nature had bestowed good looks, never lacking in female companionship. Yet, now at this very moment, all of that had changed. Is this change for the better? Well, if he knew that answer then he probably wouldn’t be second guessing himself at this very moment. Back in the township where he was from, life was so different than the one he was leading presently. After all, he was a township whelp, loving that life, but presently he found himself in the middle of the outback, a distance from a remote and very small village. Here, where he presently was living, there were only the beasts, the sister and brother, and the outback.

Yet here he was, and to his surprise, it was by choice. This brought a smile. Who’d have thought that he would do this voluntarily? No him for sure. Personally, he never thought that it would be a female that would influence him this much, and to the point where he wanted to make this change. And he had to admit that was exactly why he was here – because of a female. Lauma, the sister of Lauut, had caught his eye, and even though he had tried, he could not forget her and had returned to discover that it had been no different for her. So, for both, he was here to see if this initial attraction was more than that. Only time would tell. But if the early indicators were accurate, then his future was settled already. And to be honest with the time he had been here the closeness between the two had grown to the point of pursuit. But, as he had learned so far, what one saw in the future was not necessarily what the real future would hold. One way or the other, eventually he would have to return to that township and settle what had been left open when he left. But that again was for a future time, a future completely unwritten, and on those empty blank pages anything could and probably would be written.

* * *

Jllon continued to work the dig site in the desert days east of the small village. While the finds were still coming, so far, none had been as great as what was discovered at the second of the two sites. It was there they had confirmed that the ancients, the ones before, were more than myth, and in fact had lived, had existed. Even though, over time, the way the ancients had accomplished things had disappeared, hints, obscure hints of their ways were still here at this dig site. An example of the ways things were observed by the present people, and the way it was really performed, is the myth of flight. As time had passed the stories changed and with those changes they stated that the ancients would fly without any assistance – they were like the flyers. While in reality, they had built devices that allowed them to fly.

Apparently their mode of transportation was vastly different and these ancients had built wide trails and had used some type of substance to make the surface smooth. The nomads of the desert had confirmed that there were other wonders of this construction deep into the desert – including substantial constructions to cross canyons and washes. While in the present world they depended on the beasts to assist them in their many needs, it appeared that it was not so for these ancients. The few items they had discovered, which appeared to have been built for transportation and movement, had no way to attach the beasts. So an alternate power of some kind had to be used. From the initial studies made of one of these devices it appeared they were self-powered – still how this self-power worked, no one knew. Self-powered . . . really?

He had learned, from the wise one of the nomads that the nomads had a verbal history that went back approximately six thousand turns. In that history these trails and constructions across canyons had always been. So he knew conclusively that everything they had uncovered and discovered went farther into prehistory – so far into the past that fact had become myth and legend. So far into the unwritten past that until these discoveries in the desert there had been nothing found to suggest that the ones before had really existed and as a result were no more than myth and legend. This left Jllon wondering if the other proposed site far to the west of their present location would be as fruitful. Still, there was much here to keep one on his toes as the discoveries kept coming.

Yes, there was still much to be done, so much to understand, so much to prove . . .

CHAPTER ONE

As Fauul continued to learn the ways of the herders he found it was much more complicated than he ever imagined. He had considered the learning of the cartographer craft difficult, and found that this was easily just as difficult, if in another way.

Yet, as he became more and more comfortable with the outback, he felt a growing peace within himself. It was a surprise as he had always considered himself a township kind of male. He loved the energy and chaos and the crush of the people. Still, working here on this property in the outback, he was beginning to appreciate the quiet, the soft breezes, and the open spaces where one would see far off into the distances. The nights were spectacular with the stars seeming to be so close one could reach up and touch them. Sitting on the front porch and enjoying the evening after the day’s work had been finished, he was silent and deep in thought about these changes.

What are you thinking? Lauma asked, as she snuggled up against him.

Turning and smiling at her he thought. Just a short time ago I didn’t know this female, was single, and had no thought of a mate, and here I am looking at her knowing she is to be my life partner, my mate. He instead said, Just thinking about all the changes in my life. You know coming from a township, and only visiting the outback when either work called for it or to travel from one place to another . . . with only me to think about and such.

Know what you mean really. After all, while not quite the same for me, I was single with no prospects . . . my brother and me, wondering what would happen, as we were the last of our family.  There was no male in this village that held any interest for me, and knowing, most likely because of what we had to do here to keep the property working; neither of us could leave for more than a day or two so my prospects were close to zero.

And yet here we are. Who would have guessed after that first meeting that we would be here together anticipating our accepting each other as life mates?

Remembering back to the beginning, she smiled and said, True, I wasn’t sure who you and that scout were. We had rumors of a bandit group working the area and they would approach in a similar way. So I needed to be sure.

Right, and that’s why you threw that knife, right?

Smiling, she said, Had to get your attention didn’t I?

You surely did that, and if that did not do it then that dog of yours would have. They broke out and laughed about that rocky start. He continued, It took a bit for you to even trust us and accept that we were here to purchase some of your pack beasts.

Yes, all that is true, but then something changed, and I couldn’t keep from looking at you, and I could see it was the same for you.

What me looking at me? He laughed at the small joke and continued. Very true, and I think the rest, Doube and your brother, saw it too. But since Doube, and myself of course, would be leaving, I figured I would just get over you and continue on with my life up in that township where I lived.

She smiled saying, Didn’t happen did it.

No it didn’t. And when I showed up at that gather not knowing the situation with you, your reaction was hilarious.

With a bit of puzzlement she asked, How so?

Well when you saw me approaching with your brother I saw all sorts of emotions coming from you. You know, surprise, shock, confusion, and yes even anger. When I saw that anger flash I thought okay now what did I do?

She laughed lightly saying, Well, what did you expect? I mean I finally had come to terms that I might never see you again, and then without a note from a runner or anything you show up. Of course I was surprised, and yes even a little angry. It was the last thing I expected.

I have to admit I tried to get over you, but you are very difficult to get over. Strong willed, and definitely opinionated, one who knows her own mind, and I have to say, one who is not afraid to tell someone if they want to listen, or not.

Now I’m not that bad, am I?

Again smiling he said, Yes you are and it’s one of the many things about you that makes me want you.

Blushing a little at that comment she then asked, How do you mean that?

Laughing he said, Any way you want to take it. Anyway do you think we should go back inside and talk with your brother? He’s inside all by himself.

Maybe, but I think he can take care of himself. Maybe we should invite him out here since it is much nicer here.

Good idea. Standing up and opening the door Fauul yelled, Lauut why don’t you come out and join us. After all it’s a great night out here.

Sound great, but I didn’t want to interrupt you two and your private conversation.

Lauma replied saying, We thank you for that but it wasn’t that private. Tell you what I’ll go get us some hot beverage to finish out the evening and we can enjoy what’s left before we head off to our sleeping spaces. She reluctantly stood up and headed inside.

Sounds great, will be out there in a moment. In fact since I’m in here let me help you with those beverages. It will be easier with the two of us, and I have the feeling that it won’t be long and this old routine that you I and have done for a long, long time will be gone.

You know something you are probably right. Then somewhat sadly she continued, I guess things just never stay the same. We have helped each other for so many turns, and I don’t think there are siblings around here that are as close as we are.

Yes, it will be a sad day for me also. Still at the same time a very happy one. You know it’s funny how emotions can play both ways over the same event. I mean I will be sad with the loss of our closeness and our working together. And at the same time I will be happy to have you with the one who will be your life mate – which means, by the way, that I gain a brother, something I never had, and you gain your life companion. So we both win, and we both lose.

It surely was true; nothing seemed to remain the same. Even the good seemed to adjust as time continued. All at once something that was comfortable, and very real, suddenly becomes something of a dream, as if it never happened, leaving one to wonder if indeed, did it happen? Lauut wondered how it would be once his sister was part of someone else’s life and family. Where he and she had been primary in each other’s lives, he would now become secondary. He could see it happening even now. As the two of them grew closer, she seemed to be pulling away from him – a sad thought indeed.

He would be sorry when this part of his life would be gone. They had supported each other through all the difficult times when their sires had died. Then it continued through the better times and lean times. For them it had always been a struggle, and as time went on they found they were a pretty good team. Privately he looked at his sister as she finished preparing the hot beverages, and thought sadly once again, This familiar scene will soon be gone, and gone forever. Still I cannot deny her. She deserves this so much.

Lauma seeing her brother in one of his introspective moods didn’t say anything. But she was sure she understood what was going on in his mind. Major changes were coming for both of them. After all, for so long it had just been them, and now it was not so. Quietly she said, Lauut why don’t you bring yours out with you. I’ll carry out the other two, and when you are ready you can join us. I suspect we won’t be much longer anyway. It’s been a tough day.

Smiling Lauut replied, Know what you mean. I’m glad Fauul is here. We sure needed his help today.

Carrying the two cups she went back outside to the sitting area on the porch and handed Fauul his drink.

The night was quiet and it was cooling from the day’s heat when Lauma returned, he asked, What were you two talking about in there? I could hear you but couldn’t actually follow the conversation. Of course if it was private you need not tell me.

Oh Fauul, we were just talking about the changes that are happening with the two of us, you know Lauut and myself. Once you and I met and things have gone in the direction that they have . . . well in the long run it means what Lauut and I had for all these many turns will change.

Thinking before answering Fauul said, Same for me. It seems that it happens constantly. It seems that no matter how you plan your life, and try to reach those small goals you set for yourself that something always comes along and says that’s not the way it will be. Then you’re left having to make changes you have never thought you would.

Yes, I guess that’s it. Still both of us had hoped to find a mate someday, and I’m lucky to be the first. But you never think of what type of impact it will make on what you have. It takes being in the situation to fully understand, and now that I am, and I’m seeing it happen right before my eyes. I guess it is just the way of life. There is an old saying that kind of sums it up; it went something like . . . ‘before you judge me and what I do, walk the same tracks and trails for a day or two. Follow the path for a while, then when you have seen what I have seen, and done what I have done, only then can you make the call’. I never really understood that until now.

Lauut joined them, sighed and sat down next to his sister, Really a nice evening here . . . until I sat down I didn’t realize how tired I really am. Think when I finish this drink I’m heading off to sleep.

Sounds wonderful really, she replied, I believe we will be following you. It’s just so nice to let the quiet soak in and stare out there and really see nothing.

Okay you two Fauul said, I’ve almost finished mine. So I’m ahead of you. I want to walk the yard and think a little, and then I’ll head out to my shelter and get some sleep. Finishing his drink Fauul stood up and went inside the main shelter and put his cup in the food prep area and then said good night to both and headed out.

Yes it had been quite a day that was for sure. One of the beasts that was carrying went into birthing pangs. So they, Lauut and Lauma went to see how it was progressing. At first it appeared all was normal, but as time progressed it was obvious that it was going to be a difficult birth and would require both of them full time to save the mother and the whelp. One of them came out of the beast shelter area and told him they would be involved heavily most of the day with this, and he would have to cover for them. So along with his regular work he’d need to cover their work with the herd beasts. All three normally shared this work so it went easily. Now he was going to have to do the work of the three. He wondered how they had coped before he came into their lives. He was sure that this was not the first time they had run into this type of problem.

It probably meant that some things that could be put back for a short period of time would be, and only the minimal would be done for the rest. These beasts were their livelihood, and to advance their lines required thought and adjustments. While they had continued to say they were never as good as their sires, because they had never received all the training from them, it was obvious to Fauul they were very good at this. So, in the end, all three of them had ended up with a very tiring, stressful, day where all were involved with more, and as usual, a longer day of work. So when the birthing was finally successful with both, mother and whelp doing well, they had told him that it had begun as a breech birth, followed by filling him in with the details of what they had to do. After hearing what was involved, he did not know if he could ever do such a thing, let alone want to.

Now that the day was finished he found that he was wiped out, as were the siblings Lauut and Lauma – they had to be. Still when he reached this level of exhaustion he found that in many ways he could think more clearly. It was like the fog of weariness pushed all the noise and trash away from his ever active mind and he’d think much more deeply. Much had happened to him in the last turn. He, when he looked back, was really surprised. And to find himself here was probably the biggest change and the last he had expected to make. After all, his direction had been strong as a cartographer, and with his skills he would have advanced, of that he was sure. Yet, here he was in this remote small village area, and finding he was actually enjoying it. And that almost made him laugh.

Again he was a township whelp. This was not his life style. Still, he could not but help to admit that it was creeping into his soul. This type of life made one strong, and those who couldn’t cope ran back to those townships to hide among the many. He felt that was one of the reasons for the strength in Lauma. Again he realized that only this type of female would be right for him. One who had that inner strength, one who was not afraid to stand up for herself, and any of the rest for that matter. Yes, there definitely was fire in this female, and she knew just what to do and say to put a male in his place, and she was not afraid to do it.

Walking around the beast areas, close to the yard, he leaned over the railing and continued his thinking. He knew that soon he would have to return to the township and to talk with his boss. He had been down here for quite a while and knew that his boss would probably be wondering what was happening. While the one in charge had agreed to an unspecified amount of time, there still was a limit. For a while now, a growing direction of thought had been entering his mind. He realized, due to the isolation of this area that very little had been mapped. He thought that here was a direction of approach he could use. If he could convince him of the need to map this area, and being that he was already here then both problems would be solved. He would be able to continue his primary choice of work, and still be here to help and be with his future mate. It seemed a good solution.

The more he was with Lauma he found that it becoming more difficult to be away from her. It appeared to be the same for her. Still he knew that sooner or later he would have to make the trip back, he really had no choice. So how would he break it to her? He knew the first reaction would be she wanting to go with him, but then realizing almost immediately that she couldn’t. He knew that it was probably better that she didn’t. While yes he still had the apartment there in the township – he had found a friend to occupy it while he was away; it wasn’t something that one would do with a future mate. So that would have been an awkward situation . . . not to mention traveling with an unattached female. This in itself would pose many problems. While it could be done, it was normally accomplished with more than one. He needed to travel rapidly and he needed to tie in with one of the traveling merchant groups for the additional protection it provided. So to bring her along would pose too many difficult and uncomfortable problems and situations.

Enough on this he was really tired and needed the sleep. He found living here you never knew what the morrow would bring. Yet he could not deny the exhilaration he felt when he accomplished something he had never done before. Another thought crossed his mind as he headed for his shelter. He remembered that soon after arriving he had received a letter from his boss delivered by one of the runners. In the correspondence Bihl had mentioned that the Keeper of the Past had wanted to see him. So maybe he could tie this in with this trip, and get that chore out of the way. By the time he was inside his shelter he found that he could barely keep his eyes open. Sitting on the bed he took off his clothes, climbed in, covered up and was almost instantly asleep.

CHAPTER TWO

The work in the desert continued even though, as of yet, there had been no major additional finds to match the flyer and a personal ground transport device. These were the two items that had been crucial in confirming the ancients, the ones known as the ones before. The first discoveries had been of an area where these ancients had shelters they lived in. But an intense fire had destroyed them all but completely. Only leaving metal frames, broken dishes and burned out transports. On this first site the work continued and only items that survived the intense heat were being recovered.

When they had uncovered the second site they had been lucky in that it was originally two shelters. The one to the east had collapsed into the other and had, by the way it had fallen, strengthened the western shelter. The first surprise here was the size of these shelters. There was nothing in the present day that could match them. The second was the construction material – it was metal. In the present time such an abundance of metal for use as a construction material was unheard of. What metals that were being used presently were mainly used in axles and rims on the wheels that moved their carts. The amount here would have cost more than any township could afford. Again, in the first site, there seemed to have been much metal used. So either it was cheap back then or these particular ancients were wealthy.

Jllon, once the discoveries were made, had sent a message to the council stating that they had been successful but kept the facts about the ones before out of the correspondence. They were now in need of an additional team, and he would personally be before the council in the near future. He knew it was important that he present the information directly to them. The location of their dig had to remain a secret. If word got out, then they would end up with problems of theft, and people digging everywhere to find what they could. Destroying any evidence that lay buried under these sands and destroying the site as proof of their discoveries.

One of the finds inside the one standing shelter was a desk. Again it was made of metal, but the surface was of something different. On top of this surface was a sheet of glass. Again like the necessary space and its looking glass it seemed to be almost perfect. Just how these ancients performed these tasks in making the glass sheet and looking glass was way beyond anything they could do today. While these two discoveries were great, it turned out that once the glass sheet had been cleaned of the centuries of dust there turned out to be things underneath it. What was underneath was one of the biggest finds, and quite a shock to all whom saw it. It was a series of pictures. Yet none like these existed. Even though time had damaged them, and much of what was there had faded, the images still could still be seen quite clearly.

In those images, other than the clothes the ancients wore, it could have been any family from the present. There was a male and a female with a couple of whelps smiling. This image was in the desert, and there were no shelters in view. Still it was obvious that they were their ancestors. Again, looking at the images and all that had been found so far left Jllon wondering what had happened for them to lose all that he saw here. The wonders he had seen so far showed the ancients to be far ahead of them, and yet it was all gone as if had never been.

It made him sad somehow, thinking about what they had lost, and where they might be now if that ability and knowledge had continued. Again this was part of the mystery they were now attempting to solve. Doube, their scout, had shown him a layer of soil that to him spelled a worldwide catastrophe. Doube, whose main field was geology, was in the process of confirming his theory. It would be a while before the correspondence he sent to his counterparts on the other continents checked and confirmed his find. If, in the end, this layer existed everywhere it would confirm the disaster. This meant that even with the suspected advancements that the ancients had, it did not save them. Still enough of them had to have survived or they themselves would not be here, at this time, to uncover these ancient sites. Because the past was his specialty he knew that as a civilization grew it became more complicated. People became specialized and did not need all the skills of previous generations. So maybe that was the way it was then. So, when this disaster fell upon them, the few who had survived probably did not have the necessary skills to start over. This meant that these ancients probably teetered on the brink of extinction.

Still, since they were here now studying this site, some must have survived, and would have re-learned the old skills. This was only guesswork at this time, yet it made sense. He hoped to be able to put more solid answers to the many new questions before he stepped down as the Head Keeper of the Past. He had to admit to having been the leader of the team who had confirmed the old myths was exhilarating. He wondered if there were other greater finds still to be discovered in this desert.

Overall he thought that the ones that were living here wasn’t the only way or area that the ones before lived. With all the great lands to live on, the running streams, the ocean shores, and the many areas that showed much promise for farming, there had to be other reasons to live here. Yet it was probably because of its remoteness that it had been left alone after it was buried. Lost and forgotten, and off the track or trails of the any whom, in the passing of time, followed. So this area, which was once a place of life, became remote and dead, only to be discovered thousands of turns later.

He would be leaving soon to report back to the council. He would take Doube with him for both his skills as a scout, and as one to put forth his point of view of what they had found. While he was gone he would put Celt Morlen in charge with Payle Evyrs as the second. His mate would continue to be in charge of the females who were here. He hoped to only be gone for a couple of cycles. On this trip speed was necessary. So they would be heading for the coast and picking up a water-craft north. He was hoping the traveling there and back would only be a cycle, with a cycle working in the township. Once there and after informing the ones in charge he would work on getting the second team assembled and while it would be smaller than the first they would continue the work they had started in the desert. Of course this was just tentative, as plans would change as necessary.

Mostly this second team would be here to protect the site. Since, even with the need for secrecy, the word somehow always gets out, and if it were not protected then all of the work would be lost forever. And establishing exactly who the ones before really were might be completely lost. Still he was hoping the other area over the mountains and to the west might prove to be just as rich as this site had so far. The ones coming in should be more of the learned with less being simple workers – at least that was the plan – even though half would consist of the ones who would protect the site. The learned would catalog, and attempt to identify what had been found, and of course write up a description before packing it up in preparation of the finds being moved to the Keepers of the Past work area located back in the township. Once there and identified as well as they could, the better ones would be put on display so all who wanted to view these items could.

While in the secondary camp he continued to think about the up and coming journey back to the township when Flar approached excitedly and said, Jllon! You need to come and look at the image that was just found. We found a second desk and it had glass on top just like the other, but it had a set of different images under it. You’re not going to believe one of them.

What do you mean? It’s hard to believe how realistic the ones we’ve already found are. I don’t know what they did to get them so real, but I know we can’t do it. Even our best artists cannot come close to that realism.

All that’s true but this one was taken somewhere in the air. And it shows what this place we have been uncovering originally looked like.

Taken from the air? You mean like from a mountain top or something like that?

No, not at all. Literally from somewhere in the air like a flyer that rides the air. Plus unlike the others this one is large, and like the others the detail is unbelievable.

"Then lead on. I have been surprised with what has been found so far, and this one really confirms, if it like you say, that these ones before could fly."

Once they reached the large shelter Flar led him into a distant corner that largely had been ignored. With the first cursory investigation, there appeared to have been nothing of interest here. Later as a more thorough search began they found the desk under some rubble. The glass top of this one had been cracked by debris that had fell on it, and it was heavily laden with dirt and fallen debris hiding what lay under it.

With care and not wanting to break the glass sheet any further they cleared the debris, and then carefully cleaned its surface. Then to their surprise, under this glass sheet, was a single image. It covered most of the surface of the desk, and the glass sheet protected it. When they saw what it portrayed Flar left immediately to locate Jllon as he knew that Jllon would want to see this.

When Jllon arrived, Flar led him to the area in the back corner where it was shadowed. Jllon had to wait for his eyes to adjust to the gloom in the area of the desk, which took a few minutes for this to happen. He carefully approached the desk and looked down at its top and he really couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It was exactly as if a flyer had been flying over this area and then made this picture. And part of the image showed the tip of what they considered to be wings on the surviving example that had been discovered inside this shelter.

One of the things he immediately noticed, other than the detail of these shelters there next to the trail, he could see that it traveled out of sight off the image in both directions. Here it was like a straight shaft heading out into the desert. It made him wonder, where did it go? And why have such a thing in the desert at all? Then on a second closer inspection he saw outside these shelters more of the ancient’s flyers sitting there, plus one that seemed to be just lifting into the air by the shadows on the ground. So if they had flyers why did they need these trails? Couldn’t they just travel in these flyers to wherever they wanted to go? Again more questions than answers.

Unfortunately the angle of the picture was towards an area where only these shelters and the desert were visible. So if there were additional places for he and the team to dig, this image would not show any of those additional areas. Still in awe over what had been found so far, it began to make him feel very humble. Knowing that sometime in the great past things were vastly different. That part, of course, did not surprise him, but the abilities these ancients possessed were so far ahead of them that it might as well have been magic. Still by having two surviving examples he knew that magic had nothing to do with it. He knew also that these examples would most likely remain a mystery. Age had made them fragile, and any attempt to find out how these items were constructed would, in the end, lead to their destruction. So now what? They had proof, and they had examples, yet in the end, there could be no real advancements for this current generation. Other than the fact that by having them it would spark someone’s imagination and maybe in a short time they would be working towards these same kinds of advancements.

Walking back to the camp to continue his reports he found himself slightly depressed. Shaking his head he thought. Too many questions, just too many. I thought that maybe when the finds started appearing we would have answers. But now I know that was a simplistic point of view. Instead of solving anything, other than finding the ones before, they were left with a hunger to solve the mystery of their disappearance, and the obvious loss of the technology they were seeing here.

Here in the desert they had discovered the find of anyone’s lifetime, and yet so far, as great as it had been, it was unsatisfying. He now had tasted, if only slightly, some of what these ancients were able to do, and when he compared it to this present generation, they were found sadly lacking. In fact they were so far behind with what had been found here that they might as well had been the small nesting crawlers looking up at them. And the gulf might actually be greater than that. At least they were aware of their lacking. He was unsure if the crawlers were even aware of them.

Thinking back to when he was a whelp he remembered having been fascinated by their organization. He imagined these crawlers having a society and an actual working order. He would sit for hours at a time, when he could, and watch, fascinated by the work and organization they appeared to have. But as time went by he found that all the different nests he observed these crawlers acted the same. So eventually he lost interest and had come to the conclusion that there was something within in them that made them this way, and it had nothing to do with being intelligent.

Still it would be easy to compare them to the present situation. Thousands of turns had passed, and here they were almost on the same level of those crawlers. What the evidence discovered here was saying that at one time they had so much more advanced, and this paradise had been lost – if indeed it was one. Still why were they so far behind these ancient ones, these ones before?

Restless and unable to continue his concentration on the paperwork he got up and headed out into the desert to think. He was finding it difficult to understand what had happened here and probably everywhere else on this world. It seemed that these ones before had much and had advanced greatly. Still here they were presently with nothing even close to compare to them. Why had this befell them? He knew not to go too far from the camp. Still he needed to clear his mind. So he wanted an area where he could sit in the quiet and be able to overlook the area. Who knew? Here seemed to be a people who appeared to have accomplished so much, and what, in the end, did it do for them? Apparently nothing, since looking at the present, and now knowing that these ancient people and they were one and the same, with only time separating them. Yet, not the same at all – why the disaster, the death, the destruction, and why were they still here? Questions, so many questions, with no answers, and probably no way to get any, including the ones that had yet to be asked, or even thought up yet.

Again shaking his head he thought. Flight. They actually could fly. While these flying constructions were not large, it seemed they could carry at least four people. He wondered what it was like to be in the air flying. It must be exhilarating, and the distance one could see had to be great. Kind of like being on top of a mountain and looking into the valleys, he suspected.

Still this seemed to be just part of what these ancients had accomplished. It seemed they worked metals with ease, and built large trails wherever they wanted to go. Then they were able to transverse these trails with carts that required no beasts. It seemed they had been able to do just about anything they pleased.

He found a rock to sit on and the sun felt wonderful on his back as he stared out over the landscape. In his mind’s eye he tried to picture what this area must have looked like when the ancients still lived here. But with few references it was impossible. Maybe as more came to light it would be easier. While these shelters represented what the ancients had built, it still lacked what these ancients were like. It did not represent how they lived or felt or what was happening in their lives, or their world for that matter. It was just a point in time with nothing to support it.

What they did with their lives, how they lived, what they did for work, and so many other things wouldn’t be answered here. The one and only place they had discovered that had been where these ancients had lived was destroyed by fire. So there was very little that had been recovered and nothing that could have pinpointed a lifestyle. What were their hopes and dreams? Were they much different from theirs here in the present? For any of these and the multitude of questions that had come out of this find he had no answers.

Staring out into the nothingness he finally realized that one of the females was approaching, and subconsciously he knew it was his mate. Funny how it is that one can recognize someone from a distance, before they are close enough to identify, just by the way they walk and move. Knowing it was his mate brought a smile to his face; it was really wonderful to have someone to share life with, a soul mate, as she was to him. He did not know what he would do if something ever happened to her, and it was a place he never wanted to go or think about. 

Saw you leave the camp and head out, and I knew that you were in one of your introspective moods, a little down I suspect.

Ah, you know me too well. Not that it’s a bad thing . . . you’re right of course. This site has left me with many more questions than answers – too many really. It bothers me that these ancients do appear to have been our sires from a very distant past. We are just shadows of what they were . . . and I was wondering why.

Is there enough room on the rock for two?

Sure, just give me a moment and I will move over a little. Smiling he continued, You do know when to comfort an aching soul. Reaching out he took her hand and together they sat quietly. She, patiently waiting for him to continue, as she knew he would. This was one of the many things that had attracted her to him in the first place. His quieter side and this inward turn he would do now and then. "These ones before were so far advanced to us. We would never think of living permanently in a desert, yet here they did. At first I thought that maybe it was not a desert at the time of this place, but those images prove it was. From my view this place should easily be a large township. It makes me wonder – if they could survive here, what were their townships like, especially along the shores, or places with much water. Then you come into more questions, things like, how did they feed themselves, what did they do . . . so many, many things. I just don’t know."

True, but they are not here now, we are. And while it has been shown that they were well ahead of us, that don’t mean that the lives they led were any easier, or that there were troubles on a large scale that we have yet to see. While it now has become obvious that they were our sires, something happened back then that changed it all. Otherwise we would be like them with our ways of doing things similar to theirs. So, to me, it seems that even with what they had it did not save them. It makes me wonder if they were really happy. Did they love like we do, and did they dream of what the future might hold for them? Were their families and family lives good or were there many problems? I know from what little we have found so far those questions are unanswerable also.

Smiling, he said, Thanks a lot. You now added a whole new series of questions to my overly long list. They both laughed as he continued, Really thank you. As always you have a way of bringing me back from these moods and I really love you for it. I have often thought about what life would be without you and I cannot imagine it. You are that important to me. You help me in so many ways, and you just do it without even thinking about it.

I guess we do make a great team don’t we? I, in many ways, have also looked at our lives, knowing it could be better, but the one thing I would not change is you.

Looking down and then at her he said, It is the same with me, and I will never understand what drew you to me in the first place, but I am happy that whatever it was did happen and we are mates. Guess we should be heading back so I can finish that paperwork, and you can continue what you were doing . . . we just don’t seem to have enough time together.

Smiling she replied, We have a lifetime. And I know sometime in the future we will be sires and that will complicate our lives more, but it still will be something I look forward to.

They hugged and kissed, got up off the rock and headed back to what they were doing before. He watched her as she headed back to the sifting area as he walked back to camp. Thinking to himself he said softly, There really isn’t anything about her that I don’t love, and even though I know she loves me deeply, I will never understand why she chose me. And he knew that no matter what the males thought, in the end it was the female who did the choosing.

She knew that as she left that Jllon was watching her. It was interesting that she always knew when he was thinking of her or was a little down. She turned and waved back to him smiling, a smile that held a promise to him. I know that other females have always wondered why I chose him, but for me there is no other, and will be no other. There is so much that is right between us, and I do hope it remains so. Still I know the future is beyond me to predict. She turned back around and went on to where she had been sifting the dirt from the dig site.

CHAPTER THREE

Fauul awoke to the sound of commotion and a bit of chaos coming from the outside. Glancing through the window he saw that dawn was approaching – the skies were beginning to gray. Dressing quickly he headed outside to see both Lauut and Lauma coming out of the main shelter. Looking over to the pens he saw that a couple of wild beasts similar to the dogs were in the pens. Shouting to startle the beasts Lauut and Fauul ran after them to chase them away, while Lauma entered the pens to check on the status of the herd and pack beasts and their whelps. Soon the dogs joined in and between them were able to get these beasts to beat a hasty retreat.

Unfortunately the wild beasts had hurt one of the whelps, and the injuries were severe enough that it was obvious the young one would not survive. Cursing under his breath Lauut stated, Why now? With your help we have been making good progress, and to lose even one whelp will cost us heavily.

Not knowing what to say Fauul just stood there