Four figures moved steadily down a stone hallway in near total silence. Sporadic gunfire could be heard echoing in the distance, but it was far away and not their immediate problem, but it did remind them that they were not alone, and that caution was warranted.

Like ghosts, they moved steadily down the hallway, pausing only at intersections or branch hallways to check for signs of the enemy. Slowly they approached an exit, leading into a sunny courtyard and the four stacked up alongside the right wall and slowly moved forward, pausing a few feet from the exit.

The four exchanged silent gestures, the figure in the lead unhooked a cylindrical object from its tactical vest, pulled a metal pin and tossed it into the courtyard. With a hissing sound, smoke began filling the courtyard and the four figures ran out, quickly disappearing into the obscuring cloud of smoke.

A second smoke grenade was tossed as they passed through the smoke to obscure their destination. Three of the figures moved quickly, taking covering positions and reading themselves for an attack. The fourth figure dropped into a slide across the sand covered stone, letting their gun hang off their back from its straps as they pulled a large bundle from their pack and began arming it.

The sound of childlike laughter was all the warning they got before gunfire erupted from all angles, and then they were staring at their lifeless bodies.

“Noooooo”, Delvik cried with anguish in his voice, “How, how do they keep doing that? We were so close”

Thomas just shook his head as he set down his controller while the match continued to play on the screen. “It's kids dude, they just magically take to games. My friends' older brothers used to rage out when playing us in multiplayer too” he said with a laugh.

That explanation did not seem to satisfy the others as the grumbling continued, even as laughter could be heard echoing from the barracks room nearby.

Thomas and Delvik both stood, handing their controllers over to two younger looking Rakus who had been waiting for their turn. They saw that Indral had arrived and had been watching and the two made their way over to him.

Indral nodded in greetings to the two, “Such interesting forms of entertainment you have introduced our people to” he said, “was it common for young humans to undergo such combat training from a young age?”

Thomas laughed before clapping the elder Rakus on the shoulder, “Na, it's a game for fun, not combat training. Yeah, some people got way too into it and spent all their time playing, and yeah, some parents objected because of the violence, but it's no more violent than anything that could be seen on TV or movies”.

As the trio walked towards the command center, they had to dodge out of the way of a group of spider bots being chased by a group of young children. “That is probably more dangerous than the games,” Thomas said before looking up at one of the many cameras that could be found within the facility with a raised eyebrow, “Alice, is this your doing?”

Thomas was slightly concerned, Alice was relatively new to the shelter. He and Delvik had made a trip across the base to check out the old school for the children of base personnel, and had recovered an intact terminal containing the AI teaching unit. The terminal had been slightly damaged and stuck in a low power mode for who knows how long, but they were able to get it repaired and met Alice when she came fully online. She was currently charged with watching over, and seeing to the emotional and educational needs of the Rakus children while their parents recovered.

A nearby speaker in the wall crackled to life, “It is perfectly safe Mr. Ingroff. The Mk3 drones are under my direct control and have had their tools removed. I am simply stimulating the children's natural hunting and pursuit skills.” a feminine voice stated calmly.

Thomas just shook his head with a sigh while Indral nodded sagely. “It is good to see the children so active, especially after what they went through.” he said before looking at the camera as well, “Alice, we must speak later on further refining these skill training activities, perhaps to aid them in seeking, stalking and hiding.”

Delvik and Thomas just stared at Indral as he turned back to look at them, “What? I see great potential in this. With your metal bots, and that computer lady, we can provide a level of training unseen before. Just think of how much better we could train them to be hunters, scouts and seekers.” Indral said excitedly.

“That sounds splendid Mr. Indral. Your perspective would be greatly appreciated on building a comprehensive profile on your species. Please notify me when you have time available to do so and together, we can develop a regimen of tests and activities to further the development of the young, although we will likely need a reward of some kind to motivate them” Alice said with a thoughtful tone, “Does your species enjoy cake?”

Before Indral could continue, Delvik grabbed him by both shoulders and began steering him towards the control room. Thomas turned to look at the camera once again, “That sounds wonderful and all Alice, but remember, they are both children and Guests” he said, emphasizing the word Guests.

“I am aware of their status within the facility sir, worry not. With Mr. Indrals assistance we will have the healthiest and happiest children, regardless of species, and if I can further our understanding of the rise of mutagenically altered beings, that is just a pleasant bonus.” Alice said in a dry tone.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Thomas just shook his head and let out a deep sigh before replying. He knew she was right in wanting to better understand how the Rakus came about, and perhaps where they, as a species, may be going, but they were walking a very tight rope. Tensions in the shelter had been pretty high in the weeks after bringing the surviving Rakus out of the old Research and Development center. It had been bad, he thought, remembering the sights, sounds and smells of the burrow. Thankfully, if one could be thankful for something terrible, the sickness itself wasn't lethal, just the effects. Dehydration from the fever, vomiting and diarrhea was the real killer.

They had gotten lucky, he thought, with Talli having decided to check out the burrow when she did. If they had been even a day later, most of the people here would not have survived. They had gotten lucky with having a fully stocked, pre-apocalypse Medbay, including entire crates of IV bags, tubes and needles. He had tried to lend a hand to M’ria, but after the third person started screaming at the sight of him, he had decided he could be of help elsewhere and had swapped jobs with Gerv, who was extremely grateful for that.

Delvik and Gerv had been moving bodies. It had been a night that Thomas would likely never forget, walking about in the basement floors of his old work building, and at times crawling through the hand dug tunnels beneath it. He had worked through the night with Delvik to move the bodies, to create a great pyre and cremate them on the surface.

Thomas shook his head to banish the memories. The echoing laughter of children helped, and he smiled as he looked at the camera once again, “So long as you remember that Alice, These are good people. They have been through literal hell and are scared and vulnerable, and we will help them.”

“I understand sir,” Alice replied.

Thomas patted the wall, “Thanks Alice, we can talk more about this later” he said before turning and continuing after the other two.

***************************************************

Delvik, Indral and Thomas sat in the control center, each nursing their own drink as they discussed the situation. The Rakus were healing quickly, thanks to the equipment available and M’ria’s access to the medical database.

Indral had given them the final tally, one hundred and seventeen survivors, including the two younger matrons. He had sat with them to find out what had happened since they left, and the story painted a grim picture. After Indral and his friends had broken out Delvik, the younger matrons had said, the Eldest and the Watcher leader had whipped up a frenzy of panic in the burrow. Wild rumors that the Humans were going to attack and kill them all, or that they would poison the burrow or enslave them all, were thrown about. Accusations of treachery were leveled at the younger matrons and their supporters. The whole tribe was divided and fearful.

Fear and anger led to violence, fights broke out constantly in the days following the escape. It had apparently gotten so bad that there had been talk of banishing anyone who didnt pledge loyalty to the Eldest matron, and the Watchers made it clear to all that they supported her.

The younger two Matrons, to hear Indral tell it, had been just as vocal. Speaking out against teh older three Matrons and the Watchers. Telling all who would listen that they had unjustly imprisoned and tortured Delvik. They had spoken loudly and often, trying to be a voice of reason, but were shouted down and their words dismissed as “hopeful fantasy”.

It was then that the sickness started. They didn't know how it started, the younger Matrons told Indral that they thought one of the many people now going in and out of the burrow may have caught the sickness and brought it back to the Burrow, but the Eldests faction latched onto it and pointed all blame at Delvik and “that Human”. It was then that the tribe truly split, they said, that after the sickness started to spread, the Watchers and those warriors loyal to the Eldest began herding everyone they considered not loyal into the deeper parts of the burrow, for their safety of course.

When they tried to leave, they were beaten and dragged back. If they tried to escape, they were captured, beaten and dragged back. All the while, the sickness spread and hit the younger Matrons supporters and anyone lumped in with them the hardest. In the end, they had tried to fight their way out, but were too weak from the sickness and the Eldest Matrons faction trapped them in the lower levels as they packed up all their supplies and left.

The whole retelling made Thomas’s heart break. From start to finish, it was just one big ball of awful in his opinion. That the Eldest and the Watcher leader would detest humans so greatly, and yet act so utterly human and not see the irony in their actions just filled him with anger and sadness.

Thomas looked at his companions. Indral looked tired, like the retelling of the story he had been told had just drained the life out of him. Delvik just looked depressed, and guilty.

Thomas nudged Delvik with his foot, “it wasn't your fault buddy. Those jerks would have found a reason to mess everything up. They obviously were planning something, and just used you as an opportunity.” he said.

Delvik looked up, “I know that, but if I had not gone back things may have been different. I just..”

Indral bonked Delvik on the head with a broom handle, interrupting him. “Enough of that apprentice, you know better than to dwell on “what if’s”,” he said, “now we focus on what's before us, not what’s been done.”

He looked at Thomas and Delvik and gestured with his hands, “we have a half of a tribe, healing from a sickness that nearly killed them. Thomas has kindly offered to let them stay here if they wish, and that is an option that I am pushing the young Matrons to accept, but we will still need to discuss what we will do.”

Indral focused on Delvik, “you said that you had a dream of working with Humans, to learn from and live with them. Now you have your chance. What does your dream tell you to do now that you have your chance?”

Delvik sat and thought, his mind racing through the various ideas he had thought up. He had always considered his dream just that, a dream. A flight of fancy he had, and now that he had his opportunity to realize it, his mind went blank.

“Well,” Thomas said, “with so many people, the MRD is going to need to be used nearly full time for just food, which means we won’t be able to use it for much else. Maybe, in the spring we can look into starting some farm plots on the surface.” he offered helpfully.

“Farming?”, the two Rakus said simultaneously.

Thomas smirked, “yeah, farming. Ya’know, growing grains, vegetables and fruits. It was farming that kickstarted human civilization” he said, before he burst out laughing, “of course we only started farming so that we have a better supply of the things we needed to make beer!”

The two Rkaus looked at each, and shared a thought. That wasn't a bad idea.