By the time we tried it on our coworkers, Armant's family, we were sure it would be effective.

“Of course all men are part of The Great Harmonious Spirit," Armant answered her. "They must only accept that part of themselves and bond with us. We are all part of The Great Spirit."

Rose laughed, a light sound that did not even hint at the power of what she was about to say.

“Basin's family and Damien's family are not part of your Spirit," she scoffed. "They are outcasts and forbidden from blending into the camp. No, it seems to me you pick and choose those that are allowed to join your Spirit, everyone is not part of it.

Armant's family was offended and bothered. I saw Rose's sly smile as I stitched diligently. I would never have thought to try that argument, but it seemed to be working.

As we walked to our afternoon chore, we were in the fields today, I told Rose what a good idea that had been.

"It seemed to me the only argument they might listen to," she said quietly gripping the hilt of her sword.

“Basin and his Brothers are learning and so is your family. They have been Loyal to us, we must be loyal to them. We must fight for their rights."

I agreed and gripped the handle of my own sword, she was right. Damien and his Brothers had been willing to fight for my rights, I owed them the same. Since we'd finally found an argument that worked, we would use it.

Rose and I went to the garage with the transports and caught a ride with a friendly family. We both knew how to drive the transports now, thanks to men generously teaching us, but we didn't like to go out alone. There was just two of us, which was not enough to man the transport's weaponry. We were safer going with a family.

The men we went with today were Abram's family. They all wore their hair in a long style, tied back. They were nice men and liked to tell jokes. They usually worked in the kitchens, but it was harvest time for many plants. They'd do whatever job the Administrators put them to, including field work.

Rose and I rode with them outside the protected area to a Large field growing rupe. We could not eat it, as I already knew, but native Paterians digested it fine. It was harvested and put on the tables when it was in season. Rose and I knew what it looked like and avoided it, just like any man with human ancestry.

We worked in the field pulling up the vines and the root, which was the edible part. We were most of the way through the field when a shout went up and the men around us all drew their weapons.

Rose and I drew our weapons too and looked where the men were. Scars were crawling en masse out of the forest toward an isolated group of men.

Adrenaline shot through my system as I watched the drama unfold. I'd never seen scars behave like this, but the other men had. In this part of the world, the nasty creatures had the benefit of numbers.

When a second set emerged to cut the men off from the rest of us, Rose and I screamed a warning, but it was too late. Three families were cut off from the rest of us and surrounded.

The war cry was Loud and compelling. Those in our camp would not die without a fight. Rose and I threw ourselves into the fray, attacking the eyes of the disgusting creatures with everyone else. Transports overhead told me more men were arriving, but I didn't glance up to see.

Somehow Rose and I were with the family that broke through the circle to get to the three trapped families. I lunged and jabbed like I had been taught, doing everything I could to help the effort.

Hannah landed heavily beside me and killed three of the creatures in quick succession. The scars scattered and ran at the sight of the woman.

"Get underground!" she ordered. "Slaving women have been sighted! Get on the transports and hide underground. They heard the commotion and are coming this way!"

I saw a man on the ground and rushed to him, he wasn't moving, but I knew him. It was Abram's brother, Ruse. He had a bloody bite on his lower leg. Abram Lifted him and ran to a transport that had landed. I followed him and jumped on, not even noticing it was Damien's transport I'd boarded.

“Solar!” Ra ordered as the transports Lifted almost silently.