The two scouting parties Curiden had dispatched returned. Both had jogged away from the broad river on angles halfway between Drachicrn's reference directions -- the polar star direction and the rising or setting Jua direction.
Both groups had found old campsites where all that remained were ashes and burnt ends of branches, evidence of campfires. More than three days away from the colony, one large camp had the remains of six fires and piles of broken animal bones.
The terrain they crossed was hilly, with tree-filled ravines and many small ponds still covered with ice. However, there was also open grazing land with herds of shaggy T^Nesiwa in abundance. In addition, there was other wildlife and many kinds of waterfowl. But they found nothing suggesting a technological society.
Ecurben and Drachcirn met with the exploration parties to hear their impressions and experiences firsthand.
“Tell me more about the large campsite,” Ecurben asked.
“The site was close to a small creek and had been occupied for more than a day or two. Several trees were on one side, and hoof marks had disturbed the ground between them. These marks didn’t look like those of any animals we’ve seen,” said Nerolnin, who had led one of the parties.
“Even stranger, the campfires were surrounded by hole-like indentations. These were shallow. The number varied. But the weather may have obliterated some. And they were all about the same distance from the remains of a fire. I estimate that sixteen or more natives had stayed there, “ added Treveon, another scouting party member.
“Any idea when they used this campsite?” Drachcirn asked.
“It wasn’t recent. There were still patches of snow everywhere. Most likely before the Cold Times,” Nerolnin answered.
“Did they leave anything there?” Odraciron asked.
“Nothing useful. We found part of a clay pot and a crude knife with a broken blade. The blade was a piece of metal with a dull, uneven edge on one side.”
Ecurben thanked the men for their efforts. Then, walking with Drachcirn, he thought: Whoever camped there used tools. They are intelligent.
“Drachcirn, what's your reaction to Nerolnin's report?”
“Whoever camped there must be very primitive. Otherwise, they would have kept the knife and sharpened the blade.”
“Yeah. The broken bones looked like they used crude tools.”
Later, Ecurben returned to his cabin. Ecinajee was making their meal by the fire. He told her about what the patrol found.
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
“We have to do more exploration. All we know is there is some level of intelligence out there. We don’t know where these natives are, but I don’t think they match our technology.”
“I worry about what happens when the things we brought from Tridan wear out. How will we replace them?” she worried, changing the subject.
“That's also my chief concern. We hunt with rifles the Amilikut brought. But we need to make ammunition. And our clothes are badly worn.”
Ecurben was tired and wanted to forget the challenges facing them. He smiled at Ecinajee, aware of how much she helped him get through each day. Enduring the Cold Times together had brought them closer. He couldn’t imagine not having her as part of his life. He stepped closer and held her close.
The following day, Ecurben called together the group he wanted to attend the Commander's coordination meeting. They didn’t know what Nireem wished to discuss, but he had two concerns – replacing what they brought from Tridon and the threat of a technologically sophisticated society.
The meeting place was midway between the settlements and sheltered by large trees. Ecurben, Drachcirn, Odraciron, Adnilla, Cariden, Nerolnin, Retalwon, Noirami, and Treveon were going.
Three Days Later
Traveling to the meeting place had gone smoothly except for crossing the river. The current was strong in the final deep stretch, and the water was frigid. Fortunately, the distance was short.
The meeting place was in a grove of trees covering a low hilltop. It wasn’t as high as the ridges that separated the deep valleys, but it was tree-sheltered and near a fast-flowing creek. In addition, the trees had left plenty of firewood. As Ecurben's group approached, they could see the Settlement One party resting in the sunshine.
After the customary greetings, Ecurben and The Commander picked a central meeting place. It was late afternoon, and they decided to start the meeting after everyone had eaten and old friends had a chance to talk and catch up.
After the meal, seated around their campfire, Nireem stood up and spoke.
“Friends, I wanted this meeting to share our views of the future and exchange ideas on the best course for all of us. We came here from our home on Tridon, and unfortunately, fate separated our landing sites. But we are close enough to cooperate and work together to ensure our survival.
Let me start with my principal concerns. Then, Ecurben, share your thoughts. We will proceed informally, listening to any who wish to speak.
Two concerns keep me awake. First, we came from Tridon, where our society was very advanced. We brought tools and equipment produced there. While we have considerable scientific knowledge, our technology has evolved over hundreds of years. The know-how to apply that technology was in hundreds of organizations and embedded in complex machines and computers. It's not here.
We all know everything wears out and breaks. But, unfortunately, we have few spare parts, limiting our ability to repair what we brought. So, we have to relearn how to make even the simplest things. We have one advantage. We know what is possible, and we know the underlying science.
My second concern is we know almost nothing of Wenobek. We have explored a tiny patch around our settlements. We have a few clues that hint at the presence of intelligent life. But we don’t know if there is an advanced society that could destroy us. Maybe it no longer exists. I hope that is the case since we are no match for even a primitive tribe that outnumbers us. However, I have put aside this concern since our only defense is to avoid it.
Ecurben, share your thoughts.”
Ecurben rose and walked to the front. As Nireem was speaking, he had thought about what he would say.
“Thank you, Commander, for framing the challenges we face. I agree with everything you said, although I hadn’t recognized so clearly how dependent we are on what we brought here.
Our patrols have found evidence of primitive people living not far from us. We have explored a roughly five-day radius around our community but haven’t seen them. However, I assume they have seen us and may have seen our weapons. So, an encounter is inevitable.
My conclusion is that there is undoubtedly primitive, intelligent life close by. We have to live with that. Hopefully, we can learn from them and share what we know. Achieving a peaceful coexistence is our best strategy.
I must admit we haven’t addressed our ability to become self-sufficient. That needs to be the top priority. We should collaborate to make the most of our resources. Rebuilding this capacity will require many small steps. But sharing our progress will benefit both communities.
Cariden, give us your thoughts. The Amillikut on Tridon had to provide more for themselves. Are we overlooking some of their skills?”
The second lander's Advance Team Leader walked forward. He had been standing in the back, smiling to himself. He had long thought the Rabizut were like spoiled children who depended on the work done by the underclass.
“Our people have worked in factories and manufactured widely used products. You have already seen our hunting, fishing, butchering, and cooking skills.
My priority is ammunition for our rifles. But we need raw materials –metal for bullets and the ingredients for gunpowder. On Tridon, there were dumps where we could often find what we needed, and we traded for goods we couldn’t buy.
Let's get a list of our most urgent requirements. That's the place to start.”
Nireem, looking for others who wished to speak, saw Nevetsin standing. He beckoned to his Advance Team Leader, who walked to the front and spoke in deep and commanding tones.
“Our most significant challenge is making the clothing, weapons, and tools we need to survive. It will be a slow trial-and-error process. However, the sooner we start, the better off we will be.
We have had two patrols out searching for raw materials, and they brought back a collection of samples the science guys are now testing. We have focused on finding food but should start farming to produce it. That will enable us to put more effort into advancing our technical ability.
We should use weapons we fabricate for hunting to save ammunition for defense. We can scavage some metal and material from our Descent Vehicles, but that is a short-term solution. A source of metal is a critical priority.”
The discussion continued into the evening, and it became clear there were a lot of everyday items the settlers needed. Enaida emphasized the need for soap and things to improve their living conditions. She proposed forming groups to tackle making specific items.
The scientists noted chemistry was involved in making most things and wanted to increase our chemical inventory. Solracin described his work on developing a high-temperature kiln.
The conversations about providing for their needs brought back memories of activities on Tridon. Some came from stories of what distant relatives did, and some from hobbies or visits to farms and manufacturing plants.
Both groups were excited to return and work on the ideas raised in their talks. They agreed to meet again after 30 days to share progress.
The meeting reassured Nireem. Getting all the settlers involved was the next step. The first goal was to live without using anything brought from Tridon. Farming to produce their food, he believed, was critical. He made a mental note to assign assistants to work with the scientists.
Ecurben knew there were a lot of raw materials they would need, which meant more exploration. His mind was churning possibilities, and there must be knowledge in the collective memory of his community to draw on. He liked Enaida's idea of many small groups working on specific projects.
By midday, both groups had loaded up and left.