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  "Grant, it's the same shimmer I saw in my dreams."

  "I know Sam, me too. Been there since I came out, noticed it when you went inside."

  "I'll bet it's a scout and they're going to go back to report our reactions."

  "Well Sam, let's make it some good reactions then, give them a bit of a show. If these guys are friendly then we may need their help getting to the bottom of whatever is shooting off the missiles."

  "We need to be a lot friendlier with them before I'm going to do anything with them." Sam was being cautious with what he thought was good reason. "We don't know anything about them except they hide in shimmery stuff and man can they cook."

  "All right Sam, grab a piece of the meat, take a bite, and hold it up high, then smile pretty for our watchman. I'll do the same with some of the veggies."

  They did as Grant suggested and Sam sort of waved at their watchman in the process. Much to their surprise the watchman uncloaked, smiled, and quickly cloaked again. They were stunned by the turn of events. They had just successfully communicated with an alien life form and it smiled at them.

  "Sam let's get this stuff inside and into the galley. I think we have found the nice neighbors. We're going to have to figure out a way to meet them, face to face."

  "Maybe we go about our business as planned and they'll uncloak in front of us at the most inopportune time and scare the snot out of us."

  "Good idea, Sam, we'll go about our business and get things in order first. Then we can set about meeting them. The landing gear, camo gen, and the thruster are our main concern. We have to be able to move the shuttle to keep up with the bots. In a few days they'll be too far away to retrieve, even with the rover. Never saw anything work so hard in my life. Get with Eliot and see what needs to be done with the camo gen, I'll see what I can do with the thruster."

  "Good plan boss! I'm on it." Sam was always ready to work, except in the morning and after dinner. Grant knew Sam would be on it quickly, and it would be done right. He appreciated not having to micro manage. Morning quickly became noon and noon quickly headed into the afternoon. They skipped lunch hoping to get the repairs done by day's end.

  "Grant tapped his communicator, "Sam, how are things going?"

  "Eliot has solved the problem and we're about twenty minutes away from having the camo gen up and running."

  "Excellent news, keep up the good work buddy."

  "You got it boss. I'll be up as soon as we're done."

  "See you in a few. I'm just about done as well. The outer flange was mangled by a tree, and there were rocks and debris wedged inside the housing. A few more whacks with the mallet and it will be as good as new."

  "I've been thinking, Grant, what would you say to a good old outdoor barbeque? We could cook up some steaks, grill some pineapple and veggies of our own, and maybe it will lure them into camp so we can have our little meeting, on our terms."

  "Sam, you're a genius, but don't let it go to your head."

  "Never boss, you're the man, I'm just the tool!"

  Grant let out a hardy laugh at Sam; he really was a tool, but still his best friend. "What a life!"

  The afternoon was beginning to wane. Grant let Sam know they had to start cooking. He knew the gas levels would start to rise as the sun began to set.

  Sam gathered the grill and utensils. Grant began setting it up as Sam headed back into the shuttle.

  Grant noticed a shimmer here and a shimmer there. He knew Sam's idea was truly genius. However, they may be in for more than they bargained for if the numbers kept increasing. Sam bounded out of the shuttle, food in hand, and a smile almost as big as his birthday smile. Sam loved his birthday. It gave him a sense of accomplishment. "Let the party begin!" Sam shouted as he slapped several large steaks onto the grill, along with the veggies, a couple sweet potatoes and large russets. Grant chuckled watching Sam, who had donned an apron and a chef's hat. It was Grant's good fortune Sam also managed to bring along some beverages of the alcoholic variety.

  "Might I offer you a beer good sir?"

  "Why sure you can my good man, I seem to be unable to refuse such a generous offer." The levity was much needed and they were both in good spirits. If their visitors did show up it was either going to be the first of its kind meeting or the end of life as they knew it. They were both hoping for good relations. They laughed and sang a few songs, at least the parts they could remember, as the food continued to cook. The food was nearly done and it reminded Grant of a backyard cookout when he was a kid. The aroma coming off the meat was mesmerizing.

  Grant and Sam downed a few beers and were really enjoying their little cookout. "I'm going to go grab some plates, eating utensils, and some of our finest cutlery, I'll be back shortly."

  Sam nodded and continued to hum and sway along with the smoke. It had such an intoxicating scent, or was it the beer? Just then a small figure appeared five yards away from Sam. He choked on his beer and spit a little out in disbelief. It looked like an Earth boy about fifteen years old, with black hair, and dark shimmering eyes. His skin was tan, smooth, and looked healthy. They stood there looking at one another, neither one moving or blinking. Sam had envisioned Grant being there for their first encounter, but unless he hurried up, it was going to be Sam making first contact, alone. How wrong could this go if it was just him? He shuddered to think what might happen if he opened his mouth and started talking, so he kept it shut and kept staring.

  Grant emerged from the shuttle with items in hand and headed to the table to deposit his spoils. He glanced at Sam who was not moving, singing, or anything else and then he saw the boy. Grant was the diplomat of the two. He slowly approached the small figure, just past the grill's edge. He smiled then bowed, extending his right hand in friendship. His movements were slow and deliberate. He did not want to spook their new neighbor. Being a foot and some taller than their visitor, he could have easily done so. The small figure was immediately joined by two others who uncloaked. They had small spears and short swords in their belts.

  Grant stood erect and dropped his hand to his side, again not wanting to be intimidating, but also not able to help it. The first figure put his hands in front of the others and took three steps forward, towards Grant. Grant took three steps forward, and stopped. It seemed to be a game or part of a ceremony of sorts. The boy took three more steps, again Grant followed in kind. They were soon close enough to reach out and shake hands. Grant extended his hand, and as expected the boy extended his. Grant firmly, but gently grasped the boy's hand with little other movement. The boy grasped back with surprising strength. Grant smiled and the boy smiled back. He was the one standing behind the tree earlier. Grant recognized his smile and the dark eyes.

  Sam, watching in silence, removed his hat and apron and stepped from behind the grill. The other visitors quickly joined the boy and all shook hands in greeting. The small group stood motionless for a brief minute, and then Sam spoke first. "Would you like to try some of our steak and other food?"

  There were puzzled looks on their faces and Sam quickly produced a plate with their evening’s dinner. He cut a few small pieces off the steak and other items and offered them to their visitors, who gladly sampled Sam's grilled handy work. Their visitors turned to one another, and must have really liked what they tasted.

  To Grant and Sam's surprise they were speaking broken English and making gestures Grant thought meant good, and give me more.

  Sam gave up his plate and the three devoured the meal in short order. They smiled, shook hands again, and cloaked, then disappeared in a shimmer.

  Grant sternly spoke into his communicator, "Eliot, track them. They are most likely headed to their village!"

  "It appears they are headed towards the lake."

  "Good, we will pay them a visit tomorrow morning, and hopefully they will provide us with breakfast, and possibly some answers."

  Sam was jubilant and could not stop smiling. "Grant, we just made contact with alien life forms! Holy crap, I just touched an a
lien! Gotta go wash my hands, they might have bacteria on them that can kill us." And off he went to wash, not acknowledging Grant's comment about visiting their camp, or about breakfast.

  Grant gathered the rest of the food and other items and headed into the shuttle. The grill was turned off and left out to cool. Hopefully the neighbors would not steal it thinking it was left out as a gift for their taking. "Sam, you alright? Sam!"

  "Right here Grant. I'm still amazed I, I mean we, were touching aliens. Real aliens."

  "It's a first for me too, Sam. Going to put this one in my journal for sure. Hopefully it was all caught on camera and we can prove first contact. I'm going to have a quick bite and call it a night. I have some writing to do and I need to think of the best way to proceed. We need to do some serious exploration tomorrow after we have breakfast with our new friends. I hate crashing their morning breakfast uninvited but we have to get moving. We do have a deadline to meet, and we haven't been able to communicate with PSAD since we landed."

  "Agreed, we need to get things moving and I almost forgot, we can switch on the camo anytime. The locals have no idea we can blend into the surroundings sort of like they do but only with our shuttle. Why haven't we thought of making a small camo generator for personal use? We're scientists and explorers for god's sake."

  "Sam, good night, I will ponder it all. You need to get some sleep too. Today was a scorcher and we have had a lot of excitement. Tomorrow is only going to be worse. The heat and the atmosphere seem to really take it out of me."

  "Me too, I thought I was the only one feeling that way. Good to know. We will need to pack some survival goodies for our trek tomorrow. I'll ponder it. Good night Grant."

  "Good night Sam."

  They both ate quickly and headed off to their cabins. Their day was eventful and the anticipation of tomorrow’s ventures would prove to be taxing as well.

  Chapter Six

  Their dreams were filled with small people, vivid colors, and unusual moments. The woman crept into both of their dreams again, and both were totally smitten. Why had she not been at the gathering, where had she been? The meeting seemed important to Grant and he thought she would be there. Never the less she wasn't, and he planned to meet her in the morning, if they could find their village. His thoughts drifted back to the survey bots they let loose several days ago. He imagined they would be returning soon and he wondered what was in store for them. Had they found precious metals or gem deposits; possibly a new metal to catapult mechanical advancement into an new age, or even a new energy source they could harness and remove the need for nuclear energy. Hopefully they found a good source of water. He and Sam could use a good swim or at least a cool dip in a shallow pool.

  Sam was having similar thoughts and dreams. The woman seemed to gravitate towards Sam in his dreams, and each time she got close, he got a better look. She was beautiful and athletic but slight in stature. He imagined she could read his mind or somehow slip into his subconscious. He hoped to test his theory if he became aware he was dreaming and she was in them. He would attempt to speak to her, and note her reactions. Sam's mind drifted off to the exploration they planned for tomorrow. How were they going to find the missile base and the village in a single day? Sam had a flash of brilliance. The drone, they could use their drone to fly around and cover lots of ground keeping them safe, and hopefully find the places they needed to find in short order. Sam briefly woke, jotted down his idea, and just as quickly, fell back asleep.

  Grant was the first to wake, as always. He prepared his morning coffee and decided he needed some good protein to last him the day. He opted for a protein drink, some eggs, and several pieces of toast with butter. The galley had an endless supply of anything and everything they could imagine, it brought a smile to Grant's face. The real struggle was to decide what to have each meal. It was a good thing he was only deciding for himself. He and Sam liked the same foods, just at different times. It had become a game for them at meal time to see who ate what. Sometime later Sam made his morning appearance, and as usual he was slothful and singularly focused on getting coffee before any interaction with Grant, or anything else. A bomb could go off and Sam would still get coffee before he made any attempt to seek cover or assist in any way. After a short time Sam spoke first, much to Grant's surprise. "I have a plan."

  "Okay let's hear it!" Grant was curious what Sam had come up with, but had reservations as to what his plan might consist of.

  "I get the girl, you take on the bad guys!" He said it with all the seriousness he could muster at that time of the morning.

  Grant burst out laughing and countered, "You take on the bad guys, I'll have breakfast with the Huntress."

  "Ooo, the Huntress, I like it! Seems like a fitting name for her. She does remind me of a hunter with her bow, her sword, and the tunic she wears looks light but durable."

  "How did you know about the tunic, Sam? I never mentioned she wore a tunic."

  Grant, now fully engaged, looked intently at Sam. "Tell me how you knew, Sam."

  "Well Grant, she has been coming to me in my dreams. Each time I get a closer, better look at her. She is slight, but athletic, her tunic is made of something scaly, and it looks tough and protective."

  “Sam, we've been dreaming about the same woman." Said Grant with surprise and realization.

  "I was going to try and talk with her in my dreams last night, but she didn't show up. In one of my first dreams of her, she was right in front of me, almost nose to nose and I spoke in the dream. I swear she heard me. She jolted with a startled look on her face, and then disappeared."

  "We have to find their village, Sam. Our number one goal for the day, find their village."

  "Oh and my real plan was to use the drone to do an aerial search of the area. Maybe we can find both the village and the missile base this morning. You know, take a drive to the village, have some breakfast and talk them into storming the bad guy's camp with us."

  "Sam, that's an amazing idea!"

  "Thanks, Grant!"

  "Let's finish our morning routine while the gasses burn off. You get the drone ready for flight and I'll get the provisions ready for whatever trip we'll be making today."

  "I'll get right on it, Grant." The pace picked up and the gasses began to dissipate in a hurry.

  "It's going to be a hot one, Sam. Better dress accordingly."

  "Gotcha, shorts, Hawaiian shirt, and sandals. Should I bring sunscreen and an umbrella, too?" With no reply from Grant, Sam continued getting the drone flight ready.

  Camera installed and fully charged, Sam made his way out of the lab bay into the morning light. "Grant, you weren't kidding. This is going to be a scorcher."

  “I'm ready in here, Sam. Let's get the drone in the air and see what we can find."

  "I've got it tapped into the video feed so I can see where I'm flying. If you see anything you want me to stop for let me know."

  "Will do, Sam, let's go!" Sam successfully got the drone into the air and directed it to where they suspected the village to be.

  “Grant, I'm going to follow what looks like a trail and see where we end up. Note anything we need to go back to revisit too. This is a scientific mission you know."

  "Alright Sam, I will make note."

  "Eliot are you recording the feed from the drone?"

  "Yes, I am."

  "Let me know if you spot anything out of the ordinary."

  Grant really didn't care for the formality Eliot was programmed with and wished he could change it to a more light hearted voice, with a sunny disposition, but for now he was stuck with him. Not that he didn't appreciate him because he did. If it wasn't for Eliot more than likely they wouldn't be there. They all noted the lake they knew was there but it was much larger than they thought. The mountains were also much further away.

  Sam had the drone cruising along at a pretty good clip when Grant shouted. "Stop, I see the village. It's about one hundred yards ahead and on the right. I sort of remember this trail lead
ing to a low valley tucked into a grove of trees by a small stream."

  "And the houses are like unopened flowers with round stones leading through a small pond in front of each one. I saw it in my dream when we were taking you for medical help."

  "Creepy Sam, we've never been there, but we both remember something about it."

  "Creepy indeed!"

  "Alright let's fly overhead, return at a cross angle and then we'll slow it down and get in close for some more detailed video. Hopefully we'll get into their camp without being seen and make our way back without incident. I wouldn't want to sever our new friendship with distrust so early in the game. We may really need these guys before too long."

  Sam was intently flying the drone as Grant instructed and the images were spectacular. The homes were tent like, but looked more like an opaque unopened white flower, lit from the inside. The little valley was in the shadows of many large trees and the village was bathed in a soft white glow from the structures.

  "You don't think those are lit with bioluminescence do you, Grant? I don't see anything flickering, like a candle or a fire. They are beautiful and inviting, but with a "we don't know about electricity" sort of vibe."

  "Nice observation, Sam. I don't see any power source and you're right, there are no flames or lights except for the dwellings themselves. Can you get in close to one and see if we can make out what they're made of. Sam closed in on a larger, more ornate dwelling than the others, it had a slightly different color too, light green and taller than the other dwellings, but still lit from inside. As the drone got closer Sam felt they were being watched and accelerated the drone vertically out from the tree cover then veered sharply left. An arrow narrowly missed the drone by inches and Sam knew it was time to head back to base.

  "What are you doing, Sam? Why are you pulling out?"

  "Uh hello, didn't you see the arrow whizz by the drone? Missed it by inches. I felt someone was watching us and pulled it up as soon as I felt it."

  "Good call, Sam, way to be looking out." The battery life on the drone was draining and had enough charge to get back to the rover, as long as it didn't encounter any more arrows.