The moments after Reginus, the female boss and the four others had disappeared were odd for the people staying behind. The black ship's crew looked around at the women and the village, and the women stared at the odd collection of people that had come into their midst so suddenly.

"Does anyone know what they are going to do in there?" Maurizio finally asked. His voice made several of the women step back, clearly because they had never heard a deep male voice like his before.

The 'leading lady' shook her head. "Things we are not to know. Only a few learn these secrets."

"Can a man get something to drink around here?" Dimmie then asked. His question stirred a few of the women into motion and soon there were cups, cut from a large hard nut, with a kind of fruit juice handed around. As the group of people remained in the concrete building for quite a while, the tension amongst everyone eased. The 'leading lady' offered to show the crew around the village and inside the cabin where she lived.

The village itself was larger than could be seen from above. Huts and cabins were on the ground, many beneath the trees, where they could not be spotted from the air. There was a hot well in the forest where the women could bathe, and several streams from where crystal clear water flowed.

"This is where we get water to drink, " said one of the women who had joined the touring group. "But you should not kneel there to drink, " she warned Vinnie as he knelt down to drink.

"Why not?" Instead of giving him an answer, the woman stepped back as a jet of water came up and hit him full in the face. "What was that?!" Vinnie yelled out as he fell backwards to get out of the stream that then instantly stopped.

"The fish, " was the belated answer.

Ninnie and the others laughed as Vinnie got up. Water dripped from his face. "You should have warned me earlier, " he muttered. In a fit of jest revenge he tried to grab the woman who had failed to warn him, but she was amazingly fit and agile. She ducked under his grabbing arms and a few moments later Vinnie landed in the stream.

Laughs and snorts rose up from the Clan as the woman who had tossed him folded her arms over her chest. "You are too slow, " she announced. Then she released a shriek as someone picked her up from behind and tossed her into the water, next to Vinnie. With an animalistic growl she got up and her hand reached for the big knife she carried on her hip.

Vinnie grabbed for her arm. "Don't, " he said as he held her hand and the knife.

The woman looked at him. "Why?" She made half an attempt to pull her hand free but she didn't really try.

"They are my friends. They can be crazy but they are my friends. Don't hurt them over a joke."

"Hey, I thought we were your family!" Nilsie exclaimed. "Come on!" He took a running leap and landed in the stream too. The others of the Clan followed his example, and soon the fish who sprayed water into the faces of innocent thirsty people had all retreated to safer grounds to live.

A sudden shout of "Heya!" made everyone climb out of the water and head back to the village centre and the concrete building. Reginus stood there waiting with the red band woman and her volunteers. "Where have you been?" the camouflage woman wondered as she watched the many wet people return.

"Exploring, " Vinnie said with a grin.

Reginus looked at Maurizio with a frown but the captain himself had also gotten wet. "I suggest we skip all that. We arranged for a good way to get their offspring secured, the ladies are not going to hunt us any more, and we can go back on board and see if we can find a way to repair my ship. Is that workable for everyone?"

Maurizio looked around questioningly at his crew. Everyone nodded. "It's acceptable."

Then the red-band woman stepped up. She looked slightly disturbed. "Some of the women want to come with you. There are eight. Seven want to be with your people, Rebel, and one wants to come with you." She looked at Reginus, then at Rebel. "Is that... workable?" Her voice sounded worried, her face betrayed that she did no