Jiehong didn’t know the ‘what now,’ either. He only shrugged his own shoulders and waited alongside his friend.

“Scanning… Scanning… Scanning…” Mac said repeatedly.

Needing to get some fresh air and to escape the mechanically sounding voice, Zan stepped outside.

It was… late.

Looking out through the forest, the sun, having set or not, gave them hardly any light. What few beams had gotten through the rustic tangle of nature only possessed a fragment of their vitality by the time Zan saw their faded luminance from near the waterfall.

Feeling the chill set in from the dropping temperature, Zan knew he had to go back inside soon. Hearing the many forest critters, the hoots of owls, and more, Zan wished he knew how to hunt. He was hungry and wanted to taste a bird. But he would need an arrow and bow to do so. If only Whiskey were here, he said.

Heading back inside, it was Jiehong turn to head out. He didn’t give a reason besides, “Gotta bleed the lizard.”

It took Zan a moment to realize he meant ‘urinate,’ and not anything to do with an actual lizard. Where had Jiehong picked up that slang?

By the time Jiehong came back, Mac said, “Scanning Complete.”

Another ‘bing’ sounded.

“Results?” Zan asked, impatient, realizing they would have to sleep here for the night.

“As requested, I have run a full-diagnostics scan. Results show it is highly probable the entire macro-structure remains sound,” Mac said.

Looking at each other, Jiehong and Zan didn’t know what that meant.

“Please explain from the beginning,” Zan asked.

“Within my registry, I discovered several interconnected military installations. These installations date back to several millennia. Through the many years of passing accumulation, these systems have become obscured. Obscured by nature and Life Form interference. However, my scanning of every installation revealed each system is intact and only waiting commands from an authorized party,” Mac said.

“Okay… first question. Who is this ‘authorized’ party? Us?” Zan asked.

“Yes. ‘You,’ as in you, ‘Zan,’ and Zan’s compatriot, ‘Jiehong.’ I learned your names through observing your conversation. I changed security codes while scanning the structure-system: I changed the codes from the previous masters to the new Shiv masters. Once these codes are inputted, and a representative bearing your Order’s power enters the space of the installations, the structures will recognize you as their masters.”

“GOOD TO KNOW!” Jiehong said, loudly, clearly impatient. “But what about if our enemies arrive there first?”

“I do not know who your enemies are… unless they bear the power of the Shiv order, they cannot access the systems.”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“That’s good! A positive development! Next question: what are the warfare capabilities of these structures? We are in the middle of a war and need some help in driving the enemy back…” Zan said.

“Understood.” Mac replied. “Your newly encoded structure-system is a war-built installation. Each installation can defend itself against a wide-array of attackers while also providing field help to local forces. These installations will not be of use during an offensive measure — such as launching a counter-invasion. They will be of use during a defensive engagement.”

“Fine,” Jiehong said. “Where are these structures?”

“Each structure within the macro-network is a miniature fortress. Typically, these defensive structures protect important regions or zones. With proper cultivation, that is,” Mac said.

“Cultivation?” Zan asked.

“Correct: cultivation. A complex usage of magical energy and power which, when infused into the macro-system, will enable its masters to both oversee and dominate the local terrain.”

“Is cultivation how we activate the other systems?”

“Incorrect. I have already activated the other macro-structures associated with this local system. You can access their elementary defensive measures by unearthing, and if necessary, making light repairs. Cultivation is an advanced process. Cultivation is impossible under current conditions.”

Jiehong scoffed. He rolled his eyes. Zan did not appreciate how little he took to their situation. It was like he did not even care.

Zan had to ignore Jiehong, though. “How many structures are within the local system?” Zan asked, hoping he was keeping the terminology straight.

“My sensors pick up eleven other defensive structures associated with the overall macro-system. Each structure is within the region. The local system is a small scale installation only encompassing several hundred miles,” Mac replied.

Several hundred?! Such an idea amazed Zan. Whoever built this system considered several hundred miles small? He really wanted to see what a large installation looked like…

“Mac, can you tell us where the eleven other structures are located?” Zan asked.

“Yes. Printing for you a list…” Mac replied as from somewhere a sound which sounded like a piglet grunting heralded a piece of super thin, white parchment. Although no larger than a letter, it held the whereabouts of the locations.

Taking the piece of thin parchment from a narrow slot extending from a portion of the interior wall, Zan examined the article. He read the names, then told Jiehong, “Do you know much about history? Or languages? ‘Cause we’re going to need some help!”

Zan handed to Jiehong the parchment. Reading it, Zan saw Jie comprehend the situation right away.

Jiehong said, “It’s in the old tongue.”

The old tongue… Zan couldn’t believe it.

‘The old tongue. Does anyone even speak it?’ Zan thought. He believed the answer was ‘no’ or ‘musty old academics.’

Speaking his thoughts to Jie, Zan listened as Jiehong said, “Maybe. No one who is close to us, though. Excuse me, Mac? We don’t speak this language. Can you translate for us?”

Mac replied, “Unfortunately, I cannot. My systems are not inbuilt with your language capabilities. I can communicate with you now only because of evolutionary differences in how spoken language, and the written word.”

“Wait… what do you mean?” Zan asked.

“You speak the same language as my programmers. Of my creators. They built me to comprehend their speech and script. If your people claim descent from my builders, then I surmise your written language has evolved but not your spoken.”

He and Jiehong both reeled from the information. The old tongue and their present tongue were one-in-the-same?! Which begged the question, why the written? How did that evolve but not the spoken?

Questions to add to the bank of never-ending questions, Zan thought with exasperation in his head.

Jiehong rubbed his temples. “So where does that leave us?” he asked.

Mac said, “Find a specialist in the language. That is the only advice I can give at the present time.”

“But this list is accurate?” Zan butted in to ask. “Meaning, if we translate it, we will know where the locations are? No doubt?”

“Correct,” Mac stated.

Looking to Jie, Zan shrugged and said, “Then we are one step closer to our goal.”