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The native guards nearest the entrance to the tent knelt, head bowed, as the excursion party approached. Monday held up his right hand, stopping the party, then turned. "There's just the one inside," he said, "so let's not all go. Artie, I'll need you, of course, and Will, I'd like you to come also, and Catherine also. Ah, that's more than half of us. Still, it's better than all. Tommy, Simon, Steve, please stay out here and keep a weather eye open."

Without waiting for a reply, Monday turned back to the tent and entered.

Artie scrutinzes the natives, in a puerile attempt to jog his own mind. He nervously fumbles for a cigarette, finding that he has none on his person. His racing mind is distracted by Monday heading into the tent. The pianist mutters a quiet "Er... huh? Sure... " as he follows the party leader into the tent, apprehensive of the knowledge he may discover therein.

Will sees the others, and make sure he goes in at the same time as, if not a little before Catherine.

"Chivalry is dead," said Catherine, looking askance at Will... but she was smiling, somewhat wryly, the first real smile Will had seen on her face.

It was less gloomy inside the tent than Artie expected. The particolored tent was translucent, and the bright sun outside shone through dimly, lighting the space with a riot of color. The floor was grass, with a large circular rug in the center. Sitting on the rug was a native, an older man, wearing regalia which, though elaborate, did not hinder him noticeably as he stood.

"Welcome, gods of the sky!" he proclaimed. Artie quickly translated. "I am Kordal, chieftain of the Dalar, and we are honored to be visited by you." With those words, the chieftain knelt at the feet of Reginald Monday.

As soon as Artie translated his words, Monday said, "Tell him I wish him to stand. Ask him about his people." The chieftain stood up when told to do so.

"We Dalar are the people of the nearby forest. We have awaited your coming for many years, sky gods, and we have tried in our poor way to be ready for you. Even now our finest hunters are slaying a beast to be prepared for your supper."

The wait for the translation was obviously annoying Monday, Will thought as he listened to Artie's translation. Catherine was listening closely to Kordal, still looking puzzled.

"They've been waiting for us for years?" said Monday, surprised. "How is that possible? No, wait, don't ask that. If they think we are their 'sky gods,' they will expect us to know the answer already; we don't want them to decide we're fakes. You said they are going to serve us a feast tonight." Turning to Catherine and Will, Monday said, "What do you think? How should we proceed here?"

Simon waits outside of the tent, he moves next to one of the native guards and stands 'at ease,' eyes straight ahead, obviously alert, but also relaxed and professional. Before assuming his stance he nods pleasantly to one of the guards, and then proceeds to ignore all distractions, as if the guards and he are part of the same unit.

Artie was gradually adjusting to the odd situation. At one point, he flashed a nervous grin at Catherine, acknowledging the surprising exchange of their roles with a raise and drop of his shoulders. Despite Monday's impatience, the southerner continued to translate slowly, frequently asking the chief another question to feign insecurity of meaning before translating the native's words.

Solomoriah wrote:"They've been waiting for us for years?" said Monday, surprised. "How is that possible? No, wait, don't ask that. If they think we are their 'sky gods,' they will expect us to know the answer already; we don't want them to decide we're fakes. You said they are going to serve us a feast tonight." Turning to Catherine and Will, Monday said, "What do you think? How should we proceed here?"

Artie waits a moment before answering. Then, he suggests: "I... I don't think we should take advantage of this too much. We currently are in no real need, at least none that these men can assist us with. I doubt they have any maps of or connection with a world that seems unknown to them. I certainly would not want to trick them now, only for them to later discover that we do not fit some essential detail of their religion. That may alienate their assistance when we could really be in need later."

The pianist pauses to think. "Maybe we should tell them that we are not certain of what we can do for them at this moment? We could say that we were not aware of them, but that we will do what we can to help them. This is as close to the truth, I think, as they can handle."

"I'm in agreement with not discounting what they are saying. But I'm not sure how much we should tell them. We shouldn't take advantage of them," Will smiles a little thinking about his past and how contrary he's been acting lately, "but we shouldn't assume that we know their definition of 'gods' or what they were expecting. They are certainly expecting something." Will thinks some more and says, "maybe we can just find out more about how they were expecting us, and what they were expecting from us. Us meaning 'sky gods' of course. We can question without confirming we are these 'gods'... but of course the questioning may be seen as some sort of divine test to them. Don't know if that's good or bad, but it is deceptive. It does keep us in the 'upper hand' so to speak, but if we're careful not to take advantage we should be okay if and when we need to tell them the truth, you think?" He directs the last question at Catherine.

"The only advice I have is this: Don't underestimate them," Catherine replied.

"I see," said Monday. "Will, I like how you think, but in this case I'm going to play it safe. Let's not question them about their beliefs or legends or what have you. Keep our cards close to the vest. Artie, please tell the chieftain here that we'd be delighted to join them for supper. In fact, I'd like to see their encampment. Ask him to guide us there. Catherine, I'll want you with me, and Artie of course. Will, I'd like you to return to Morgana, and tell the Captain what has transpired here. Take Tommy with you, but please tell Steve and Simon I'd like them to accompany me also. Keep up the honor guard theme, if you follow me."

...

Outside, the native guards tried to conceal their curiosity about Lars, Mansel, and Vance. They affected an air of indifference. But at last, one of the guards took something from a large pouch at his waist and took a bite of it, then offered the remainder to Simon Lars. It looked to Lars like a piece of jerkey.

Solomoriah wrote:"I see," said Monday. "Will, I like how you think, but in this case I'm going to play it safe. Let's not question them about their beliefs or legends or what have you. Keep our cards close to the vest. Artie, please tell the chieftain here that we'd be delighted to join them for supper. In fact, I'd like to see their encampment. Ask him to guide us there. Catherine, I'll want you with me, and Artie of course. Will, I'd like you to return to Morgana, and tell the Captain what has transpired here. Take Tommy with you, but please tell Steve and Simon I'd like them to accompany me also. Keep up the honor guard theme, if you follow me."

Artie's expression puts on a bit of a show about the difficulty in crafting such a nuanced message, but after a moment or two he turns to the chief, and speaks briefly in the native's language.

"It would be a pleasure to eat with you. Please take us to your camp."