Chapter 5: Past Pushing into the Future

Two weeks after moving the entire clan and establishing their own living area, we were able to get our questions across to them and they were going to show us one of the ancient underground facilities. It would be more than a week walking but we did have the ground sled that could take 16 plus driver and shotgun. Our concern was that 18 exploring unknown might not be safe. The kids solved the issue of course. Rhad asked why we didn’t just start walking as large a group as we wanted and leap frog 17 at a time several kilometers ahead until the entire group was moved, then start over. Ga Wind and Victor both said at the same time, “You should be leading --- “to which everyone started laughing. Rhad was embarrassed until all of the kids said he already does lead all of us. This was very true for the most part, our entire group always discussed what we wanted to do and as a whole always agreed to do whatever was chosen. There was no strive or animosity in our group.

So it was decided that Victor’s team, Teg and Nia Rah, Mot Dok, Paa Ket and all 48 kids and kits would go, a total of 65. Everyone would be carrying a full pack and combat load. The ground sled would only be able to move 10 at a time due to being loaded with additional supplies.

The first three days we just walked as a group and found our natural pace of 30 miles a day. On the fourth day Victor split his team in half and took the Feelahs with the first jump. The second jump took the rest of his team and six of the kids. The third fourth fifth and sixth jumps took 10 or 11 kids each turn. So we could move the entire group in six rotations with an average time of 3 hours. We decided that 3 kilometers was far enough to be worthwhile and still keep us close enough to cover each other and get 3 jumps a day.

With the 3 jumps we added almost 10 more miles to the average making about 300 miles at the end of day six and putting us at the sight. Morning of day seven the Feelahs were showing us the entrance to the ancient facility. There was no power so every door had to be manually opened. Once inside we were able to set up our power generator and restore power to the facility. Victor and Yah Ya were able to pull up video logs and our translator program worked first try. Vrenussians as they called themselves were the race that had done the experiments. There were several experiments going on here at the same time. Unfortunately the one to try and reverse their sterility created a mutagen that killed them all. Besides the two different DNA modifying experiments that created the Feline and Feelah races and the sterility one they also had one that they were trying to extend their life span and they died before completion of that experiment. Nothing of benefit from any of these experiments, however, their ship was still here. Excited by this discovery everyone quickly move to the landing bay. A serious inspection was conducted with everyone’s help. It was established that the ship would fly, so everything was loaded that night to prepare for the next morning’s launch and return to the main village.

The ship was a surprise to all at our village. After landing and letting everyone check out the ship, we told our tale. This caused lunch to be missed so dinner was early. Dinner turned into a celebration for everything that had happened, Feelah joining our groups and finding answers and the ship. We then discussed flight testing the ship to the atmosphere and back. We drew lots to select the minimal crew. Victor pulled rank and would lead the crew --- END OF DISCUSSION!

Allie, Eagle, Indee, Ottie, Unie, & Yah Ya were selected and it was not until Rhad asked why all the vowel names were picked; did we realize how the drawing played out. Was it fate or luck of the draw?

The test went successfully perfect and additional test were done which gave everyone a chance to take a ride into space. Stock piling supplies took several weeks and they were loaded into the spaceship once prepared. Everything we could take from our ship was stripped off and added to the older ship.

Once everything was ready the two tribe leaders spoke. Only the kits and cubs would be joining us the rest wished to stay with the promise of our return. Victor gave the promise telling them we would be returning with more of our people to study this planet more and bring even more knowledge here.

With everyone loaded we took to the stars and began the long trip to the original Vrenussians home world.