The customs agent looked up from his ledger, "Name and reason for coming to New Memphis." the man prompted, he sounded bored like he had done this a thousand times already despite the early hour.

  I gave him a slight smile, "Alexander Drake, and I have some family that have settled in the city that I am visiting. I will only be here a couple of days before heading back out." I told the man who quickly wrote down some information.

  "Very well, as a visitor you can stay up to a week. If you wish to stay longer you must renew your visitor's license. If you choose to stay a month or longer, you need to register with the immigration office. Do not lose the visitor tag, if you do you need to visit the customs office and get a new one for a small fee. Have a pleasant day and enjoy your time here Master Drake." the man gave me the small stone pque about the size of a regur ID back on Earth.

  I nodded as I shoved it into my Inventory, and moved over to Hakim who was already waiting. 'You are being watched.' Bast commented.

  I chuckled, "No kidding, the question is who and why?" I softly responded. Hakim gnced at me, "We have eyes on us, ignore it unless we get into trouble." I told the Medjay who nodded as his face hardened.

  I sighed, "Rex, we are in a city, and we are newcomers, it would be odd if we hadn't picked up some eyeballs after the group failed to grab me. Then I would be worried." I told the other man as the girls joined us.

  As clergy, they had to go through a slightly different process since they ultimately answered to the clergy, Pharaoh, and Gods. 'They are in the area in the southwest section of the city, I believe the locals call it the Copper District. It's not the best or worst part of the city, but I will have a group of my children near if we need them.' Bast told me as I started walking.

  I gnced at the others, "We are heading for the Copper District." I told them.

  Neither Beatrice nor Ayh hadn't been in the city in a long time, but Hakim was another matter. "Are you sure I cannot persuade you to wait for a rger escort?" I shook my head slightly.

  The fact was, I didn't fully trust the team ever since the attack on the ship. I certainly didn't trust them with the location of my family, at least until a more thorough investigation into all the Medjay was present including the one that disappeared. Hakim said an investigation would be done after the current situation was stabilized and New Thebes didn't face an invasion from the Ilithians.

  It was a risk in my mind, leaving a possible traitor within the ranks of the group that was supposed to protect me...Until either the traitor was found, or an expnation that I believed was given, I would keep the Medjay at arm's length. "How much is this like to ancient Egypt?" I asked Bast as I followed the cobblestone road.

  Along the roadway, I noticed that pnts and trees had been occasionally pced to break up the monotony of the urban environment. More importantly, I discovered that the waterways along the street where rain was probably collected and the runoff was shunted into the harbor area, already had water in it. 'Yes and no, it's a different world and people, while this world was designed to emute ancient Earth, it isn't. As for the water, it's seeping into pnters and into the ground where the trees and pnts can absorb it. Ma'at is being restored as you have begun the path to fix everything.' Bast quickly informed me.

  I frowned and gnced around but no one made a comment about the cat riding in my hood. "What does the water have to do with bance?" I asked her.

  Bast chuckled, 'Everything, it is the bance between the Land, People, and the Gods of Ebia. It has physical effects on the nd, at this point once dry wells and oases will once again be fruitful. The Kush and its branches will begin to rise as well, but that will take longer.' the cat Goddess expined.

  I shook my head and turned my focus towards the city and the people around us. Neo'Men-nefer was a bustling metropolis, with tens of thousands of people living within its walls and more coming and going from the surrounding vilges. Yet with the amount of people, also came the problems of crime, disease, and the stink but a gentle breeze kept the air moving and the occasional patrol of soldiers would hopefully deter any thieves or cutthroats.

  The architecture was a mix, the buildings by the docks were a mix of stone and/or wood, which indicated how old the structures were since I hadn't seen a whole lot of tree groves even along the river. The buildings beyond the massive walls were rgely wooden, but as we walked deeper into the city, it gradually turned into all stone since I assumed the richer parts were closer to the pace complex on the highest hill.

  I gnced at Hakim who was constantly scanning those around us, "So why is it called the Copper District?" I asked the other man.

  Hakim gnced at me, before scanning our surroundings. "If the stories are true, that part of the city was part of the original town that was located here before the pace was established. At the time, the town exported many metals to its trade partners scattered across Ebia. That portion dealt with Tin, Copper, and Bronze as Copper was the main export the name stuck. It's also one of the poorer portions but not as bad as the Barsat District on the north side of the city." I waited in silence. Hakim eventually expined after a few moments once we walked past an intersection, "It's the poorest section of the city, the Thieves Guild works out of it as well as smugglers and other wbreakers." the Medjay expined.

  An idea came to me, "We need to stop to buy some supplies, I am not going to eat all my aunt's food when we show up." I told the others.

  Hakim made a turn and the next intersection and as we walked down the street, I noticed the noise increased drastically until the street ended in a huge open-air market. While a few structures were present, most of the space was taken up by pitched tents and stalls. "If you can't find what you need here, you aren't looking hard enough. Welcome to the Grand Bazaar, the rgest market in Ebia where you can find and buy almost anything." Hakim notified me as I took in the sights and sounds.

  It was beautiful and packed with people of all sorts, from poor with clothing that was almost falling apart to men and women wearing opulent clothing and jewelry being carried on panquins with personal guards. "You may see certain things here Alexander, things you wish to change, but you must retrain yourself," Hakim advised.

  I frowned and turned my focus toward the older man, "What do you mean?" I prompted him.

  Hakim grimaced, "The rich and nobles have the most power and rights, they will funt both their power and wealth and at times press both the rule and word of w. I am sure with most of my brothers and sisters deployed north, some will take advantage of our disappearance to do many things that the local guards won't or can't stop. Don't interfere, too much depends upon you succeeding and getting tangled up with some lordling being an overbearing ass." the Medjay expined.

  I stared at him; the man met my eyes unflinching. "I will do what I must," I told him. He grunted and I pointed to the market, "Where would we go for food in this mess?" I prompted him.

  Hakim sighed, resigned to the fact I would do what I felt was right. "Last time I came through here, food was on the northwest side, we start there and ask any wondering guards if we don't find any food stalls." I nodded and we began pushing through the crowds towards that section of the market. I kept one eye on the people we walked past, I didn't have much money and couldn't afford to have it stolen, "Most of the items here are Common and Uncommon, traveling merchants may have a higher tier of wares but they will also have guards that will make them stand out. Thieves rarely work within the market, too many personal and city guards, although we will have to brave the gauntlet once we leave as any cutpurses will check us out on our way in and rey it to other groups around the market as new to the city." Hakim expined over the roar of the crowd.

  The man was decked out in his full Medjay uniform and not the usual armor he wore while we were out dealing with things up north and traveling. The man had told me it would provide some protection and deterrence from any outws that may target our group. While the Medjay Order stood against corruption and wbreakers, groups like the Thieves Guild and Smugglers Union kept those who broke the w in line and kept the crime to a minimum.

  In fact, Hakim had informed me these organizations kept the Medjay informed of any outliers and other groups that went against their own rules. More importantly, they offered no services or protection from the Medjay for those who broke their rules. It was an odd retionship, but Hakim had told me that it had worked for centuries, and it was better than before the guilds had existed.

  I don't know if that was true or not, but I was sure the man was more knowledgeable about the subject than me. I just kept my focus and tried to keep out of the way of any rich assholes as starting a fight with them in the middle of the market would probably nd me in jail, if not dead. Either way, I couldn't afford to lose the time at this moment.