As Yau-tala leads Teresa and Vor’taalnis to their new home; a tall male hybrid steps out from a nearby cabin. He observes the new arrivals with intense curiosity, his eyes falling to Vor’taalnis. After studying the toddler, the hybrid warrior returns his gaze to Teresa’s face. Teresa averts her eyes, trying not to study him back.

Yau-tala pipes up excitedly. She releases her end of the tarp and goes to her hybrid companion’s side.

“This is…” Yau-tala begins. She turns to Teresa for help.

“Teresa,” Teresa repeats her name to the female hybrid. “Teresa Boyd.”

The male hybrid steps forward with a large smile, his brown eyes shimmering above his humanlike nose.

“Welcome to V’Daha, Teresa Boyd,” the hybrid says. “I am Vildif. Yau-tala is my sister. We are leaders of this community. If you need anything at all. We are here.”

Teresa offers Vildif a kind smile. Beside her, Vor’taalnis chitters and bounces with nervous energy.

"After you have been shown to your new lodging, and have gotten some much needed rest, I would like for you to meet our elder."

Teresa stops short and reaches down for Vor'taalnis' hand. Her eyes widen with disbelief. Could it be?

"Wait. You have an elder here? A yautja? But I was told there are no elders. Only their descendants. When did he arrive?"

"Well...Our father is not a true elder. Not according to yautja tradition. But he is the closest thing we have," Vildif says in a calm voice.

"He is our elder," Yau-tala cuts in. "He has helped us to create and to build on V'Daha's meager technology. He has spent time on your world and was once mated to an ooman female. Our mother."

"Oh," Teresa says, dropping her eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you."

"No harm has been done," Vildif reassures the aggrieved former scientist.

Movement to the group's left draws their attention in that direction. A tall yautja male adorned in a green-gray robe strides toward them. He stops when he catches sight of Teresa, a strange look coming over his alien face. Taking measured strides, the elder approaches the group. His amber eyes do not leave Teresa's face. The way he observes her causes Teresa to stare back.

"Father...This is Teresa," Yau-tala says, by way of introduction. "Her vessel has just arrived here. We were preparing to show her where she might rest. Teresa...This is Elder Scar of Ta'dnu. My father."

Teresa swallows the lump in her throat as the yautja elder offers her his hands, palms up, a faint smile on his face. Teresa places her hands atop the elder's and nods respectfully.

"Elder Scar, I am...Honored to meet you."

Staring into Teresa's eyes, Scar's amber orbs narrow with the widening of his smile. Scar's mandibles, larger in size than N-Vorl's, open to reveal a mouth full of equally larger teeth. However, the bottom of each tooth has been ground down--so the points are not nearly as sharp. Teresa observes this not so minor alteration with curiosity. A compromise, for his very ooman bride?

"As I am honored," Scar replies, observing the manner in which Teresa studies him.

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Teresa's stomach does a dance of anxiety, and she averts her gaze. Sensing her discomfort, Scar softly rubs his right thumb against the back of Teresa's hand, drawing her attention back to his face.

"You needn't fear me. I am not like many of the elders you may know. In fact, I am not an elder at all. It was a title bestowed upon me when I arrived on this planet, many cycles of a season ago, with my ooman vil'par. The others had never known a yautja to willfully choose exile over abandonment of one's hybrid descendants. I am a rarity. I also brought them technology they did not have. For that, I was named elder of this forgotten world."

Teresa considers withdrawing her hands from within those of the towering yautja leader's, but cannot shake the feeling of familiarity which surrounds him. She decides to voice her confusion.

"I'm not afraid. I...I feel as if I know you. As if I have seen you before. Although, I know that is impossible. It could be all of the space travel I've been doing the past few years. Messes with your body and your mind. I'm just tired."

"Then, you must rest," Scar says, releasing Teresa's hands. "I hope you find your accommodations...Adequate. We are not as advanced as those yautja living upon habitats or on our home world. The original progenitors purposely left this planet without technology so that their offspring could not follow them. We are little more than oomans when we first discovered them millennia ago. I can only do so much with so little."

"I'm sure it will suit me fine," Teresa says, a yawn threatening to pour from her lips.

Elder Scar's eyes narrow slightly and he finally takes in Teresa's full form. Her long black hair, the color of her eyes and skin, and her full lips. His eyes wander to her large bosom and shapely hips. So much like Lex. But she cannot be his Lex. His vil'par has been dead for many cycles. Enshrined in the temple, by a method Scar remembered from childlinghood. Immortal and yet unliving.

Teresa reaches for Vor'taalnis' hand and Yau-tala motions for Teresa to follow her. The hybrid childling skips--more than walks--beside his mother. Scar watches the trio until they are out of sight. Vildif comes to stand beside his father. He smiles knowingly.

"So much like Mother," Vildif says in a soft voice.

"Yes. I think so too."

"And her son. It is obvious she loves him tremendously--unlike many who resent their offspring. I wonder which elder has sired this childling. Do you think they will ever return, Father?"

"Who can say?" Elder Scar exclaims cryptically. "I stayed on this world for my vil'par. Anything is possible."

-

-

Teresa enters the small stone cabin designated as her new home. Yau-tala glances over one shoulder apologetically.

"I am truly sorry. Probably not as nice as what you oomans are used to," Yau-tala says, her round eyes full of shame.

"Are you kidding me?" Teresa chuckles reassuringly. "This is a huge step up from my last place of residence. Of course, I was a prisoner on a human research station. So, that isn't saying much. But I mean it. I'm grateful. And it is beautiful."

Yau-tala glances down at Vor'taalnis, who is rubbing a tiny hand over the wooden leg of a statue beside the front door. The hybrid leader's thin lips draw up into an awkward smile. Teresa studies her closely, noticing Yau-tala's lack of tusks and mandibles for the first time. How could she have missed that? It is almost like looking at a human face--with only minor alterations. Even Yau-tala's mottled flesh is more brown than green.

"These statues are the closest we can get to emulating our yautja ancestors. For now. But, I must be prepared to go meet the others you say will be arriving soon. Please, make yourselves comfortable. I will see to you later."

Yau-tala hurries outside. Teresa carefully scoops Vor'taalnis up and closes the front door. She turns in a half-circle surveying everything.

"Well, Vor'taalnis. I guess we're home."

-

-

Elder Scar strolls into the gigantic common room within the Temple of the Ancestors and heads for his favored spot at its center. There, stands the transparent resin chamber housing Lex's body.

Scar drops to one knee, sweeping his robe to one side, and places his left hand above Lex's heart. His mind misses the warmth of her touch, the scent of her skin, and the taste of her kiss. Locked behind resin, she can offer him nothing. If only he could get his claws on the technology the oomans used to bring him back from the dead.

This new ooman female. Teresa. Something about her is different than the others who have arrived in the past. Her scent bears little resemblance to that of an ooman. And she is heavy with descendants. Again. Is that why she was sent here?

Scar stays for over an hour at Lex's chamber. He only leaves when the sound of a second vessel self-destructing draws his attention. More females?