Chapter 7: Hot and Cold

“I fix the tank,” Sr’ina yelled on the comms. “And you have fun with my sisters, without me? Am I not good enough?”

Tahir sat back on his seat, clothed, with the adjustable console ready to operate the tank. He looked over to Tr’ina and Br’ina, who wore their tunics respectably, although somewhat more loosely. They sat back in their familiar seats, ready to operate the tank control stations. The man was thankful that his comm link with the outside was shut off.

The sounds of outside clamping could be heard on the tank’s hull. The Lifen was flying overhead and latching the vehicle. Ready to retrieve it.

The man sighed. “No, that isn’t true, Sr’ina,” Tahir replied.

“I don’t have to fix the tank, you know?” Sr’ina said.

“He was just hungry for sex,” Tr’ina remarked. “We were there waiting for him.”

“Ergh...” She grunted and complained. “You’re about to give birth, and you’re robbing his seed from the one sister who isn’t pregnant.”

“He still has plenty. You know he has more.”

Tahir put his hand to his forehead. “Ladies, stop. We’re about to go into another battle. Sr’ina, I promise to give you the love and attention you need. When this is all over, I’ll be...” He paused and practically bit his tongue.

“ ... Yes?”

“Tell her, Tahir,” Tr’ina encouraged him.

“Let him speak it..., what will you do? Come on, mate. Do you think Ko’min sprouts from the dirt? I could be dead in an hour. The last time I got your hink was yesterday.”

“Can we not talk about sex for once?”

“No! Tell me what you are going to do! When this is all over, what will you do?”

Tahir gathered his courage. “ ... I couldn’t help myself, Sr’ina.” He looked at Tr’ina and Br’ina. “I wanted them.”

“I know they were good, ... but keep going. I’m interested. Br’ina slides easier, doesn’t she?”

Tahir sighed. “You’re not making this easy.”

“What is?” she made several clicks in her voice. “You choose Ko’min for mates. Sex is like food. We want it five times a day.”

“Four,” Tr’ina replied.

“No, five. Mated pairs are joined at the hip. It’s how you humans say it.”

The Lifen’s engines began to work hard. The entire tank was lifted from the ground. From the display, Tahir could see that the We’kal was going to be hauled to its new destination.

“ ... How do you expect me to have sex five times a day with you, Sr’ina?” he asked her.

“It’s easy,” Sr’ina replied. “You stick your hink in me and keep going.”

“No. How am I supposed to have sex with all three of you five times a day? Any man can tell you that’s very difficult to do. Unless I have an augmented dick, I could do it, but I don’t.”

“No, no, no!” Sr’ina’s hand could be heard smacking the table. “That isn’t what you’re supposed to say. You’re supposed to say, ‘I’m a male! I can fuck all three with my eyes closed!’ or ‘Sr’ina, my dick can handle all three of you at the same time!’ Say something I would like to hear. Ko’min males are proud of their sexual prowess. Females ... well, we say the same thing. Besides, I know your religion. Muslims like ... umm ... what is the word ... polygamy?”

“What?” Tahir held his hands out. “No, that isn’t true.”

“Yes, it is. I read it on your UWAN.”

“From where? The local Manopy website?”

“ ... Yes?”

“It isn’t a credible source. We don’t have polygamy on Earth ... not anymore ... well, except for the Itreans, obviously, but human polygamy wasn’t practiced in the last hundred years.”

“So, you did have it...”

Tahir sighed. “What’s your point?”

“I bet those human men must have loved having more than one wife ... One hink, many holes ... You can’t deny that you hate having three wives.”

“It’s just ... a lot.”

“It’s not fair for the many women, but as a man, you should be proud. You pretend to despise it, but you want it. I want it ... I want to hear you say it.”

“Say what?”

“That you want me ... you want to have me. I want to hear what you will do to me after this is over. Right now, I’m naked in the turret room. I don’t care because I’m the only one here. Nobody will care if I die here. If I die, one hand will be inside me as my other hand guides your giant hink and blows up Shal’rein. So, tell me, mate ... I want to hear you say it. Please!”

She yelled the last word with such heft that Tahir finally relented.

“Sr’ina...,” He relented. “I want to shove my ... hink into you. I want to make you squeal like Br’ina did.”

“Br’ina didn’t squeal,” Tr’ina replied.

“Shhhh,” Sr’ina countered. “Mate is talking!”

“I want,” Tahir continued. “To fill you up so much that your insides explode. I put a lot in Br’ina, Sr’ina. Tr’ina said it herself. There’s more waiting for you.”

“Nnngh, you said it, but not good enough. Br’ina drained too much from your supply that it doesn’t influence your drive.”

“Sister,” Tr’ina told her. “It is my fault that I didn’t have you here when this happened. Don’t blame your mate.”

“It was still his choice ... all he had to do was wait another five minutes and I would be a part of it too. I will say it. I demand it ... I demand your hink, mate. I like your hink ... want it. I want your seed washing my body ... wash my To’yio. I want you to grab my horns and shove it inside. You see how I can say it so easily?”

“Isn’t Toi’yo the 189th word for vagina?”

“30th ... Tr’ina knows all 202 words under the Ko’min vocabulary. I know 190.”

“Fine, Sr’ina,” Tahir said. “You win. I screwed up, ok? I’m sorry you weren’t a part of the lovemaking ... I love you ... I...”

The paleontologist knew that this might have been an awkward conversation, but only if he had made it that way. Sr’ina was always like this. Only with the fact that they were going to be shoved into another battle was the fact that he knew that he could lose her.

“You screwed up?” Sr’ina asked. “You screwed Br’ina good ... At least she holds your seed.”

“Sr’ina, I love you,” he told her. “Don’t die on me ... I promise, as a man, that I’ll come up there and have my way with you when the battle is over.”

“ ... Hmmm ... that’s better ... Yeah, that’s better. That came from the heart ... I’m here ... waiting for you ... with my legs wide open.”

Tahir sighed. “Talking about sex, and we’re about to be thrown into battle again. Supposed to be digging up dinosaur bones ... not fight.”

“You can dig in my Eyt’heka anytime,” Sr’ina said.

“45th word?”

“Yes,” Tr’ina replied with an excited chirp. “You’re getting better at learning our language.”

“202 words for vagina, 184 words for anus, 212 words for penis, and 245 words for sex ... Some think the Ko’min might be a little obsessed when it comes to sex.”

“No ... good to have many words. Ko’min profession involves sex. 245 different words are used to describe different types of sex. Same with vagina, anus, and penis. There are different penises ... different vaginas ... good to know all of this when Ko’min prostitute themselves ... make lots of money and happy clients.”

“Well, one thing is for sure, it certainly is an ... interesting distraction.”

“Good distraction, my mate,” Tr’ina said. “You think better now ... Br’ina is happy, you are happy.”

“ ... Ehm...,” Sr’ina’s voice indicated a cough.

“And, Sr’ina will be. Because after this battle, she will take your seed ... and carry your third child ... a reward you will both be happy.”

On the display map, Tahir could see that the tank was airborne, carried over the great mountains of Palora. Despite the white landscape, the flatlands appeared to be beautiful—endless.

“ ... The way you said that,” Tahir said. “I’d rather be fucking than to be doing all this.”

“Same,” Tr’ina replied.

“Fucking and shooting,” Sr’ina added. “Can I have both?”

The man looked at his console display. It was a distraction, indeed. He neglected to put his hand on the panel. A part of him felt a familiar resistance as before. It was like putting on a layer of clothing that was irritating. Yet, this time, he felt less of a nuisance than before.

He closed his mind. Another battle was approaching. It could be in a couple of minutes or another hour. The people above him held those answers.

What he did know was that this one was going to be much more violent and dangerous than ever before, one that made the prior entry battle on Palora seem like a joke. Finally, curiosity filled his mind when his augmented arm neared the panel. He needed answers...

Tahir touched the panel, causing his arm to glow blue. In less than a second, everything went dark...

Suddenly, the man’s eyes opened. He was naked again, trapped in a void of his own mind connected with the machine. However, unlike the prior times he connected with We’kal, the environment was different. No longer was he in some white void of nothingness but a lush, savannah-like landscape. Yellow and orange alien grass stood on long stalks. Hints of distant trees were to his left. Meanwhile, there were signs of large, tall buildings on the other side. It was hazy and difficult to determine. When he looked around, streaks of distortions would appear and disappear. The field of view was limited to past 50 meters.

Finally, when the man turned to his right, he could see a house, if it could be described as one. It was shaped like a large hut with a triangular roof. Its construction was basic, consisting of metal and wood mixed together. The door alone could easily handle the larger size of the Alara’jal. A windmill generator of some sort seemed to be powering the structure to give it basic electricity, but little else could be told about it. The distortions remained. What Tahir could tell was that he was at a person’s house.

A silhouette appeared. It was something that Tahir quickly recognized. The only difference was that the Alara’jal silhouette was more coherent. More of its details could be seen, including hints of brown scaly skin. When the projection moved, the tail would shift back and forth. It slowly approached the man and looked down upon him.

“We’kal?” he replied to it. “What is this?”

“Upon analyzing We’kal’s memories,” the silhouette’s deep voice said to him. “I came across this piece of data. You inquired about this Alara’jal’s past. It can be extrapolated that this place was important to him.”

“It looks like a home ... his home.”

“There is a high probability that you are correct.”

“It ... almost looks like a collection of old and new technology, even by Itrean standards. Riga’jal is known for continuous winds in its savannah areas ... perfect for wind generators. Not every Alara’jal loved living in their great cities. Some preferred living in the open fields alone or in villages.”

“Correct,” the silhouette replied. “However, as populations grew, those who sought to live in more seclusion would only find those cities encroach upon them. It is a common pattern among my creators.”

The man looked at his body, seeing his nudity again. He looked back up at the silhouette, noticing it continued looking down upon him.

“Why me, though?” Tahir asked. “Why share this information? About all of this?”

“Because you wished it. You seek information from the prior engineer of this tank. It is being provided as you continue your struggle against the invading Shal’rein army.”

“Yeah, but you really didn’t have to,” Tahir remarked. “You made it sound like my desires were irrelevant to you. It’s the same reason why my wives aren’t here. You focus on me rather than them.”

“Your mates do not carry the same function as you have. However, operational efficiency is required to ensure that this tank survives and carries out its function to eliminate the enemy. You are the center of operation for this tank. Your importance outweighs them.”

“I suppose that makes sense. It’s odd ... the first time we started shooting the Shal’rein vehicles, I felt ... like I knew everything ... all the controls to the tanks ... all of it. I ... never operated a tank before.”

“This tank is designed to connect to its user. All data and information on its controls are passed to the controller. Your brain is inadequate but efficient enough to handle the calculations and processing power needed to ensure full-scale operation. This form of control data will fade from your memories the longer you discontinue the use of this vehicle.”

Tahir looked at a series of silhouettes that appeared from the house. When they closed in near him, the image became clear. There was a female Alara’jal present. Much like the dark silhouette, she was tall. She wore a pink and brown shirt that covered her large breasts. She also had a gray skirt on her. Her scales consisted of green and brown with yellow patterns across her sides and tail. Sets of tiny brown feathers dotted her frame. A big smile appeared on her face and snout.

“Who is she?” Tahir asked.

“The memory fragment is difficult to decipher,” the silhouette replied. “But the word ‘Gasa’kra’ appears. I believe this is We’kal’s mate.”

Gasa’kra had seen the female Alara’jal, but not up close. It appeared from the memory that Gasa’kra was greeting and talking with someone else. Tahir noted her frame. He had been so used to being with his wives that he found the alien woman attractive.

“She’s beautiful,” Tahir remarked.

“We’kal’s memories indicate that Gasa’kra was killed two weeks prior to We’kal’s demise. She was killed in the 37th Siege of Riga’jal. Further analysis of We’kal’s memories indicates that Gasa’kra may have also performed maintenance on this tank.”

“Makes sense ... Tragic to see him lose her.”

The projection of Gasa’kra smiled. She held to her side and put one scaly hand on her hip. She seemed ready for something. Her other hand went to her shirt, where she began to manipulate her left breast. The look of hunger could be seen in her eyes as if she were waiting for her mate to enter the home with her. It caused Tahir to veer his eyes away, causing the dark silhouette of We’kal to observe the paleontologist’s reaction.

“Do you wish to see more of this memory fragment?” the silhouette asked him.

“I don’t need to,” Tahir replied. “It’s his personal memory of something intimate.”

“Your reaction is unexpected. You seek information, yet my analysis of your memory shows that you have an aversion to mating.”

“That isn’t true,” the man turned to look at the dark silhouette. “I like sex just as any other person out there.”

“Yet, a scan of your memories shows disagreements with you and your mates in regard to mating.”

“ ... Why is this important to you?”

“You may operate this tank, but the AI core is responsible for ensuring that peek operational efficiency is achieved prior to battle. Brain scanner operational efficiency is at 60%. Enough self-repairs have been completed to ensure better operational efficiency with the controllers of this vehicle. Even if it is considered irrelevant, the ensured survival of this vehicle is paramount. I will return to the prior inquiry. A scan of your current memories shows that you have an aversion to mating.”

“I just had sex...”

“Irrelevant,” We’kal replied. “You performed intercourse, yet you did not satisfy Sr’ina’s sexual needs. You had stated in your own words that ‘I love you.’ However, your emotions fluctuated to that of unsubstantiated claims.”

Tahir couldn’t believe what he heard. “I suppose this is what I get when I have something that can read my mind ... Yes, I do love her, We’kal.”

“The claim is partially correct. However, your romantic attraction and mating bond towards Tr’ina and Br’ina are stronger than Sr’ina. In your words, you were lying to Sr’ina.”

Tahir sighed and stepped away from the silhouette. His hands went to his face and brow.

“You too, huh?” he asked it. “Can’t believe I’m about to be thrown into a battle, and here I am arguing with some half AI/ half memory tissue of a machine algorithm.”

“Time passes differently here. It...”

“I know, I know,” Tahir turned to look back at the silhouette. “I love her ... I still care for her.”

“According to We’kal’s memory and provided data towards my matrix, Ko’min women have a long-standing history of sexual provocation. Under Alara’jal history, there were reported cases of mateship between Alara’jal and Yutilian Ko’min during the era of the Jalgren Empire.”

“ ... Really? How ... would that have been possible?”

“Sexual coupling data is unavailable.”

“I spoke too much. You’re trying to tell me that Alara’jal and Ko’min were together at one time?”

“Along with other mated cases of Alara’jal who took Shal’rein, Aksren, or Yutilians as mates. However, those cases fall silent after the collapse of the Jalgren Empire.”

“That was during a time period when all the Itreans were united peacefully, at least for a time. Alara’jal are so big, and the Yutilians are so tiny.”

“Yet, the data remains. Under We’kal’s established memories, I have pulled up cooking recipes of Yutilian that Alara’jal would dine upon. However, We’kal has had personal desires of having more than one mate.”

“More than one? It seems that Gasa’kra was perfect for him.”

“Correct,” the silhouette replied. “However, We’kal’s memories showed that he still wished to have more than one mate. Current available data shows that he wished to keep this hidden from Gasa’kra. It is surmised that he would envy your position to have more than one mate under your current bondship.”

“That’s your way of saying that I should be happy with what I got, right?”

“Forcing emotion is irrelevant, only operational efficiency. Sr’ina’s responsibilities include ensuring reloading and rapid transition of the main weapon batteries for this vehicle. Low operational efficiency between you and Sr’ina leads to slower reloading, inefficient targeting, slower transition between weapons, and increased chances of missing enemy targets during battles. Strong mated Alara’jal pairs often resulted in the peak operational efficiency of Alara’jal vehicles. Tactical analysis of the prior battle indicates that reload efficiency was 17% slower than expected. The result led to a Shal’rein railgun shell that struck and hit the main turret before the Shal’rein tank was rendered inoperable...”

“In other words,” Tahir explained. “Because the gun was so slow to reload, the Shal’rein managed to hit us ... and then Sr’ina had to repair it...”

The man felt a hint of regret to hear of that. He knew that We’kal was making a point. That shot could cost someone’s life or damage something beyond repair. The silhouette continued to observe him.

“It’s ... it isn’t easy for me,” the man tried to explain it. “ ... You’re right. I feel ... so much more towards Br’ina and Tr’ina ... I keep finding it annoying with Sr’ina. She’s just so ... so different ... even if they’re all sisters.”

“There is more that you aren’t indicating to me. Operational efficiency between all your mates could be further improved as well. Sr’ina is the lowest.”

“Even with the others?”

“Correct...”

Tahir seemed to think about it. He loved his wives, but he knew he was holding something back. However, We’kal was aware and ready to poke and prod him. The silhouette raised his dark hand, causing the environment to disappear. The scenery around them began to change.

Instead, Tahir saw an image of himself. He was in his paleontology gear in a rocky, sandy environment. Two stars glowed above him. The scenery was different than Riga’jal, being another world. There were the familiar Itrean paleontology teams seen in the distance. However, the projection of Tahir seemed focused on something. He used his augmented hand to scan the sandy depths.

“This was ... a year ago,” Tahir remarked. “When I was on planet Poto’Tren’Ta, a lightly populated T’rintar world in the far reaches of their space. It supposedly had an extinct species of wolf-like creatures capable of using psionics to stun their prey. It was my 2nd assignment with the Itrean dig teams. I remember we didn’t find much ... except for three special women...”

The projection of the younger Tahir continued to focus on the dirt. For a moment, his augmented hand scanned the ground and picked something up. A brief x-ray showed skeletal remains buried underneath the sand. The man kneeled down and took out his extendable small shovel. He focused on the dirt, carefully using his tool to carve it away.

Within ten seconds, a Ko’min woman appeared in the projection. She was dressed in a blue tunic that covered some portions of her body. She showed no interest in the lone human, and the human responded the same.

“I was used to working with the Itreans...,” Tahir explained to We’kal. “In the Riyadh Domes back on Earth, we had certain rules to how women were supposed to be..., but I also knew that not everyone on Earth treated their women the same. Of course, being with an alien culture taught me many things ... especially when they were nothing but women. This was the first time I met Tr’ina...”

The projection of Tahir continued to work on the dirt. However, Tr’ina was well-focused on the dirt. She leaned down onto her knees. Then, she lay down on the sand and pressed her one earhole to the ground before using her fist to smack the soil. She would follow this by using her tail to add to those strikes.

The paleontologist was so focused on his work that he didn’t notice the Ko’min for well over ten seconds. By the time he found the dirty remains of a small bone, he was finally pulled away from his discovery.

“Ehh,” the projected Tahir image remarked. “No luck, just another Qui’Qui Scavenger remains.” He sighed before his head turned up.

It was at this moment that the paleontologist was awe-struck. About 15 feet in front of him was Tr’ina. Her butt and rear end were exposed to him. Her tail was lifted, but her focus remained ahead of him, and she couldn’t see him from her point of view.

However, Tahir had noticed one thing quite clearly. Tr’ina’s tunic was superficial clothing. It was the only thing she wore that did little to cover anything. He had a clear view of the woman’s vaginal crevice and rear end. The tail movement did help block some of it, but she would momentarily pause.

“It was the first time I ever saw a woman naked,” the real Tahir remarked. “At least up close ... had to be an alien woman, no doubt. Of course, I didn’t know at the time that for the Ko’min, this was their way of saying ‘Hello’ to another, especially to one they think is a bachelor. Needless to say, it worked...”

The projection of Tahir continued to look at the woman’s rear end, noting her ass and slit. It was an invitation. She remained a little bit still as her front claws gently swept the dirt. It seemed more of a shock rather than anything else for the man. Finally, for what seemed for well over ten seconds, Tr’ina leaned her head to the side. She noticed the paleontologist was looking at her.

“Umm...,” Tahir replied. “Excuse me.” He looked and noticed Tr’ina’s visual appearance. “You ... have horns?”

“Yes...,” the Itrean replied with several clicks in her voice. “My name is Tr’ina. I am ... Ko’min.”

The way she spoke was with far less knowledge of the English language. Her accent was very thick and almost hard to understand.

“Are you Yutilian?” He asked her/

“Yes...” She seemed amused to answer that.

“You’re not wearing any panties ... your clothing...”

“And?”

“Ummm...”

“You like?”

“I ... uh ... My name is Tahir.”

Her small stature allowed her to sweep her body around in place to face him. Before the paleontologist knew it, the alien woman was on her butt. He could see her frame, noting her horns, thicker scales on her face, and snout, along with the lack of breasts. Her digitigrade legs were pressed cross-legged. It caused the paleontologist to lean up and sit down on his knees. The look of curiosity from both sides was obvious.

“What are the Ko’min?” the man asked.

“I am Ko’min...” Tr’ina said. “We dig ... people who dig ... miners.”

“You’re underground dwellers ... Well, I guess that makes sense if you’re part of some archeology dig.” The paleontologist looked to the side. “You’re new ... when did you arrive?”

“Now ... work and dig. Sisters dig, too.”

The real Tahir spoke to the Alara’jal silhouette. “She was so different from the other Itreans. What I didn’t know at the time was that she was eyeing me the moment she and her sisters had arrived. She was studying me and trying to figure out the best method to ... woo me. I also didn’t know the Ko’min were very different from most of the Itrean cultures. They were so promiscuous they openly had sex in their underground tunnels in front of others, mate or not. Even orgies would occur where mates swapped mates. It was treated as routine respect for one another, common social trends, basic group bonding, and even communication at times. On Earth, we had dolphins that were supposed to be like them. To the Ko’min, sex was life. But, Zilik’s Disease did alter some of their personality to a degree. They were well aware of humans and did their best to adapt to us.”

“You have found Qui Qui bone?” Tr’ina asked.

“Yeah,” the younger Tahir replied. “Are you, Fo’mil?”

“Fo’mil?” She shook her head. “Ko’min. Fo’mil ... like us ... no like us. You are human male ... do you have mate?”

“Nah. Surrounded by women and still haven’t said yes to anyone. I don’t know why.”

“They ask for mateship?”

“None, yet.”

“She was interested in mating with you,” We’kal remarked without question.

“Heh,” the real Tahir replied with a smile. “Even if it’s been a year, this feels new to me again. I didn’t know how to treat her and her sisters at first, but they were very smart when it came to their work. I mean, they were Ko’min, but they also knew everything that would make a geologist gleam over them. Their hearing was perfectly attuned to listening to the soil and rock strata, being able to tell what rock was which. It was obvious why they worked in every T’rintar mining community out there. If anything, there weren’t enough of them to go around. They only came from one planet, so their population to the rest of the T’rintar clan space was pretty low. I found myself spending more and more time with them. Before I knew it, in a couple of weeks, I told them that I loved Tr’ina. Yeah, Tr’ina was interested in mating with me then and there. I could have had her then and now if I wanted to.”

“You waited, why did you?” We’kal asked.

“To make sure she and her sisters were the ones for me. I love Tr’ina, but I still carried some skepticism towards Yutilians. They sometimes withhold information from us. We only had the alliance with them for a few months when I met Tr’ina. Yeah, the other Itreans are interested in having a human for a mate, but I know humans need to be a little careful not to fall into a deep instant romance with them. The other thing I wasn’t used to was the fact that Tr’ina, Br’ina, and Sr’ina were all sisters, tied together on their family bond to never leave one another. If I were to have Tr’ina, then I would have no choice but to have her sisters as well. But, with the Ko’min, they’re very open and will let you know what they want. They’re caring and more direct with you than any other Yutilian out there. It didn’t take long for them to tell me what they wanted from me. Actually, I appreciated their honesty. After a while, I realized that Allah blessed me with them.”

The projection of Tr’ina and Tahir faded, along with the environment. It was replaced with a still image of Tahir naked, lying down on a sleeping bag in a large, enclosed tent, along with Tr’ina, Br’ina, and Sr’ina. They were naked as well. Sr’ina was atop the man; the look of sexual satisfaction was present on her face. His member pressed inside of her vaginal crevice. Tr’ina’s snout and lips were pressed to Tahir’s mouth in a sensual kiss. Meanwhile, Br’ina’s head and body lay down over the man’s chest and stomach in a warm embrace. It made the real Tahir smile.

“I was inexperienced, but they weren’t,” he explained to We’kal. “Our bond grew to the point of mundane day-to-day living. Today, being without them is like losing your ability to hear...”

“This does not explain why operational efficiency remains low,” the dark silhouette replied. “Your bond grew, but there is still mild animosity that remains.”

The image of the sexual event faded into white as Tahir seemed to think about it. “There is a reason ... but it isn’t their fault...”

The environment changed to that of a fabricated large-scale living room. It was a still event. The room itself connected to a large kitchen. The grey colors were everywhere, but the walls carried lavish artifacts from around Earth. An old jezail rifle lay hanging above the large green couch. A colored photograph of various ancient groups of Arabic natives residing in the ancient deserts hung on the walls. A display projector resided on another wall.

Sitting on a brown couch was a woman dressed in a black niqab. Only her eyes could be seen as her clothing covered the rest of her body. The younger Tahir was dressed in a white thobe that covered much of his body, along with a ghutra brown headscarf above his head. He was standing not far from another man dressed in a darker bisht cloak along with a similar headscarf above his head. Unlike Tahir, the man was older with a heavy beard that flowed beneath his chin. Sitting on the green couch were Tr’ina, Br’ina, and Sr’ina, all in their respective tunics. Each of the Ko’min women had different looks on their faces from concern, curiosity, or skepticism.