Mau-Nis strides into N-Vorl's temporary meeting chamber with an air of duly earned confidence. He takes in the sight of N-Vorl pouring over various devices and personnel reports, a laugh threatening to bubble from deep within his excited breast. Stopping shy of N-Vorl's immaculate—yet cluttered—table, Mau-Nis leans over the edge. N-Vorl is so absorbed in his reading that he does not notice Mau-Nis' arrival.

  "Elder N-Vorl?"

  N-Vorl's head snaps upward and he shoots Mau-Nis an angry glare. Realizing who has spoken, N-Vorl softens his gaze. He sighs and glances down at the red symbols scrawled across the screen of the device in front of him.

  "Yes, Mau-Nis?" N-Vorl grunts, feigning impatience. In truth, he is grateful for Mau-Nis' reappearance. The shrewd eril'k can help narrow their list of possible hunter candidates. "Please tell me you have good news. I need some good news."

  "Very good news," Mau-Nis replies, a wide grin taking over his entire countenance. "The science contingent has arrived. There is a scientist who wishes an audience with you."

  "How is that good news, Mau-Nis? Can't you see I'm bogged down with files? I don't have time to grant audiences to random scientists."

  "I think you will want to speak with this scientist," Mau-Nis retorts, playfully challenging his leader.

  "Very well. Let him in," N-Vorl states, defeat in his voice.

  "As you wish, Elder."

  Mau-Nis saunters toward the door and opens it. Peeking to the right, he nods his head. Glotis enters the meeting chamber, adorned from head to toe in her Eldress robes. She gives Mau-Nis an acknowledging head nod and wave. Crossing to where N-Vorl is seated, Glotis chuckles softly.

  "What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time, N-Vorl?"

  For the second time in less than five minutes, N-Vorl's head snaps upward. He eyes his young aunt with surprise and relief. Since the tribunal concerning his conduct aboard the doomed ooman science vessel, N-Vorl has seen very little of Glotis. Her marriage to Elder Eflirus had required Glotis to relocate almost halfway across the sector. His own adventures into the so-called ooman sphere had left him very little time for visitations.

  Climbing to his feet, N-Vorl comes around the table and takes both of Glotis' hands in his own. He kisses each palm, causing the yautja scientist to grimace and shoot him an odd stare. N-Vorl squeezes Glotis' hands for good measure. She should know how grateful he is to have her there.

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  "Eldress Glotis, I am pleased you accepted my invitation."

  "Stop being an idiot, N-Vorl! And let go of my hands. It isn't me you need to convince."

  N-Vorl does as Glotis demands, but offers her a sly smile in the process. Glotis places a hand on her hip and glowers at N-Vorl and Mau-Nis in turn. She wags the index finger of her other hand in the air.

  "What's this I hear about V’Daha? Are you suddenly a believer in myths, N-Vorl? According to legend, that planet has been dead for millennia. Even if we do manage to find it...It was supposed to have been completely decimated. So that life there would be unsustainable. We can't hope to build a new hunt planet there."

  "Not so," Mau-Nis says, putting a hand on Glotis' right shoulder. "V’Daha exists. I have been there. We have been there. And we plan to return."

  Glotis' eyes become rounder than usual. She stares hard at Mau-Nis' face, attempting to ascertain if the command leader is pulling one over on her. From what she can tell, the stern eril'k is dead serious about his assertion.

  "What do you mean...You've been there? There's a real V’Daha out there? The true kredonyit home world? It isn't just a myth? How do you know that’s what it is? It could be another world?"

  "I know it is V’Daha because the elder who first commanded I journey with him there...Told me that it was. He educated me on its true past and origins. The kredonyit home world is not a decimated useless world. It is a world on which hybrids...Childlings born to ooman females and yautja elders...Are left to suffer and die. Only they have not died. They have made the best of their situation. With the help of a lone Elder— Elder Scar of the Ta'dnu Clan."

  Glotis' eyes widen still further and she throws both clawed hands up in the air. Confusion races across her stricken face.

  "Wait? Did you say, Elder Scar of the Ta'dnu? There is no Elder Scar of the Ta'dnu! What kind of game are you two playing, N-Vorl? Scar of the Ta'dnu was killed during his first blooding. He never lived long enough to become clan elder. It's true...The oomans did manage to clone him later. But his clone was killed as well. His cha'l brother, Scorvo, stated as much! It is recorded in the archives."

  "Just as we have stated that Dr. Teresa Boyd is dead," N-Vorl interjects. "When she is not. She is alive and well on V’Daha. She has carried not one...But two of my childings. I will not leave her out there."

  Glotis' mouth falls open and she looks from Mau-Nis to N-Vorl. Her words come out choked with emotion.

  "Teresa...Dr. Boyd is alive? After everything the oomans did to her upon their station...Teresa survived?"

  "Yes," Mau-Nis affirms with a solemn head nod. "I manipulated the footage only minimally. To make her death seem more plausible. It was my idea to send her to V’Daha. It was the only place I could think of where she might be relatively safe from prying eyes and other oomans."

  "Okay. So how are you planning to carry out this rescue of yours? Send the hybrid refugees to another planet? How does that solve the problem? They already have a planet to live on. Or at least they did...Until you suggested turning it into a hunt planet. And you can't bring them here to Yautja Prime? The elders will never accept them. If what you say is true, that's why V’Daha exists in the first place. To keep them hidden from view. So what exactly is your plan, N-Vorl?"

  Mau-Nis and N-Vorl simultaneously turn their sly stares on Glotis. She looks uneasily from one yautja to the other.

  "What?"