"I don't know if it's the same men, but no, not really," I said watching him.

Some Large part of me wanted to lie and tell him yes, just to get Rue in trouble. Lying was probably really Looked down on here, though.

"No," I reiterated, "Damien and his Brothers used Rue to Keep me before Hannah was born. I don't think Rue’s family had any opinion either way on slaves. They just wanted to know about Earth."

Ratru and his Brothers seemed torn. These men had obviously been taught to hate the men who kept slaves.

“How were they taken?" I asked trying to change the subject.

“They were in the mountain with the women last time I knew, if it is the same men."

"Oh, it's probably the same family," Ratru's Brother said watching smoke suddenly billow from the Large arched passageway ahead.

“Rue and his Brothers got curious and explored the mines deep in the T'aran Mountains. Using wind and smoke they somehow found our secret, underground tunnels."

“They opened them," Ratru said sounding amazed.

“They figured out the levers and opened them. Once they were inside they closed the opening. It took them days, perhaps even a full moon, but they finally found an exit. Men from this camp found them wandering around in one of our fields."

I was shocked.

“They made it all the way here, from the T'aran Mountains, on foot, and without any help?!"

“They're the smartest men we've ever met," Ratru said with a slight frown.

“The Administrators tolerate their mishaps because they are so good at what they do. If they are slavers that will change how the men see them, though.”

Another muffled explosion was heard and I sought to calm Ratru. "They did not have any interest in me as a slave. We talked and I told them things. Frankly, I think they were just curious about Earth. It wasn't like they ...."

It wasn't clear to me why I was defending Rue and his Brothers. They had been assholes to me. I guessed it was because I hated to see anyone ostracized the way Damien and his Brothers were being.

Also, the American side of me felt sorry for Rue and his family. Those men had been geniuses locked into a world that would not let them explore things. They'd been stifled for so long, this was probably a good change for them.

The smoke died down and Hannah was suddenly waving us forward. I walked toward her and she was ranting at Ra.

"Idiots," she said in English, "how many times do we have to tell them the ore is unstable? It can power a weapon, but it cannot be Launched from one!"

“Sister Language."

Ra soothed, “you are so worked up you're speaking in Mama's

“It's them," Hannah fumed, “I can barely stand them. You know how they treated..."