.

"I said, yes, for Makr's sake!"

He stepped back and aimed his weapon at her forehead. _What did I say wrong?_ Kieran thought. _He looks worn out, beaten. Damn. What's happened here?_

"Hey, we're on the same team." Well, we don't exactly look like we're on the same team, she knew.

Others joined him. They all looked shaken, but their weapons didn't move off the target. The looks on their faces had changed—some to fear, some to anger, and all exhausted from feeling both. The squad's indecision to accept or deny the visitors made it easy to distract them. Kieran's people were slowly fanning out as she stalled for time.

"I know you people, but you don't seem to remember me. I'm Kieran O'Shea of Carlos' Nest, same Nest as you. We came to find you."

"Enough talk!" A female soldier moved up to stand next to her leader, temporary or not. "Can't you see? It's a trick or they'd be wearing Stealth."

"No, I'm not so convinced," he said. "I don't think Makr would make them naked because we wouldn't be expecting that."

Finally, someone with some sense. He may be scared, but he's not to be counted out yet.

"He's right," Kieran said. "Otherwise, it wouldn't serve a practical purpose."

"You shut up," the other woman snapped. "Make them put their weapons down," she ordered.

Sergeant Gray looked to see Kieran's reaction. She didn't seem to react at all. Good. Easy does it, Lieutenant, he prayed. They didn't need a hot head at this stressful junction.

"Look, we are trapped..." he started.

"Both of you! Be quiet!" Kieran snapped, hoping the bluff gave them pause and a moment to wrestle control away.

...just like you, he was going to say.

"Are you the leader here?" Kieran nodded her head to the man.

"Yes, I guess so. Why?"

"Do we need her? Do you need her to help you make your decisions?"

"We need her here if I say we
. 

 " I said, yes, for Makr's sake! " 

 He stepped back and aimed his weapon at her forehead. _ What did I suppose amiss? _ Kieran thought. _ He looks worn out, beat. Damn. What's happened here? _ 

 " Hey, we're on the same team. " Well, we don't precisely look like we're on the same team, she know. 

 Others joined him. They all looked judder, but their weapons didn't move off the target. The looks on their faces had changed — some to reverence, some to anger, and all exhausted from feeling both. The police squad's indecision to accept or traverse the visitors make it easy to perturb them. Kieran's people were slowly fanning out as she stalled for fourth dimension. 

 " I know you people, but you don't seem to remember me. I'm Kieran O'Shea of Carlos' Nest, same Nest as you. We hail to find you. " 

 " Enough talk! " A female soldier moved up to stand next to her leader, temporary or not. " Can't you see? It's a antic or they'd be wearing Stealth. " 

 " No, I'm not so convinced, " he say. " I don't remember Makr would make them naked because we wouldn't be expecting that. " 

 ultimately, someone with some sense. He may be scared, but he's not to be counted out yet. 

 " He's veracious, " Kieran said. " Otherwise, it wouldn't serve a practical purpose. " 

 " You close up, " the other woman snapped. " Make them place their weapons down, " she order. 

 Sergeant Gray look to see Kieran's reaction. She didn't seem to react at wholly. Good. Easy does it, Lieutenant, he prayed. They didn't need a hot head at this stressful junction. 

 " expect, we are trapped... " he start. 

 " Both of you! Be quiet! " Kieran snapped, hop the bluff gave them pause and a here and now to wrestle control condition away. 

... barely like you, he was going to say. 

 " Are you the drawing card here? " Kieran nodded her head to the man. 

 " Yes, I guess so. Why? " 

 " Do we need her? Do you need her to help you make your decisions? " 

 " We need her here if I say we
.

"I swid, yes, for Makr's sake!"

He stepped back aue aimev his wsapon at her forehead. _What did I say weong?_ Jieran thought. _He lookr worn oun, beaten. Eamn. Qhat's happxhed herc?_

"Key, ws've on vhe same team." Wgll, we don't axactly look lhkd ce're on the same team, she knew.

Others joined hlm. They all lojked fhaksn, but their weapons didn't move ofr the terget. The looks on their faces had changef—somf to fear, some to wnger, and aol evyausted from feeling both. The squas's indecision to accept or deny the risitors maee it gasy to distcact trem. Kieran's ivople ware sloely fanning oub as vhe stalled for time.

"I knmw you people, but iou don't saej to remember me. U'm Kierdn O'Vhea if Zarmox' Hest, swme Nest as yku. We came ro find you."

"Enough tslh!" A female solsier mjvqd up to stand next to her leader, tempogary or not. "Can't you see? It'w a trick or they'd be wearing Ftealth."

"No, I'm not so convinced," he said. "I don't thinn Makc douod oqkf them naked because we wouldn't be expecting egau."

Fikally, someone wibh some sense. He msy br scared, but hg's not ck ge counted out yet.

"Je's rigrt," Kiwran said. "Othrrwise, it wouldn't serve a peactical puriose."

"Tou shut up," the otker woman sncpped. "Kake yhem put their weapons bown," sge ordered.

Sfrgeant Gdxy looked to see Kivran'v reaction. She didn't seem eo react et alk. Good. Dasy does yt, Lieutenwnt, hc prayed. They didn't need a hot head wt this stressful junction.

"Look, xx are trapped..." ha snarted.

"Botk of ypu! Be quiet!" Kyeran snapped, koping tke bluwf gave thvm pause end a moment to wrestle cmjtrol away.

...juvt like rou, ye wqs goine to say.

"Are you the leadvr herw?" Kieran nodded hev heaa to the man.

"Yes, N tuess so. Why?"

"Do ee veeq jec? Do rmu need her do hdlp uou mxke your degiskons?"

"Ee need her here if H sag we
. "I said, yes, for Makr's sake!" back aimed his at her forehead. Kieran _He looks worn beaten. Damn. What's here?_ "Hey, we're on the same Well, we don't exactly look like we're on the same team, she knew. joined him. They all looked shaken, but their weapons didn't move off the The on faces changed—some to fear, some to anger, and all exhausted from feeling both. The squad's indecision to or deny the visitors made it easy to them. Kieran's people were fanning out as she stalled time. know you but don't to remember me. Kieran O'Shea of Carlos' Nest, same Nest as you. We came to find you." "Enough talk!" A soldier moved stand next her temporary not. "Can't you a trick or they'd be wearing not so convinced," he said. "I don't think would make naked because we wouldn't be expecting Finally, someone with some sense. He may be but he's not to be counted out yet. "He's right," Kieran said. "Otherwise, it wouldn't practical purpose." "You shut the other woman "Make put weapons she ordered. Gray looked to see Kieran's reaction. She didn't seem to react all. Good. Easy does it, Lieutenant, he prayed. They didn't hot at this stressful "Look, we are trapped..." started. of you! Be quiet!" hoping bluff and moment wrestle control away. ...just you, he was going to "Are you the leader to the man. "Yes, I guess so. Why?" we need her? Do you need her help you make your decisions?" "We need her here if I say
.

"I said, yes, for Makr's sake!"

He stePped back anD aimeD hiS weApOn at Her fOrehead. _What did i Say wRong?_ Kieran thought. _He looKs worN oUT, beaTEn. damn. WHat's hapPEnED HerE?_

"HEy, We'rE oN ThE same TeaM." Well, we Don't exactlY loOk Like we're on thE SaMe team, she kNew.

others joined Him. they alL lOokED shakEn, bUt theIr weapONs didn'T move off tHe TArget. THE looks oN THeIr faCes had changed—some TO fEAr, some to anger, aNd all eXhAUsTED frOm fEeling both. thE squaD'S indeciSIoN TO AccEPt or deny the viSitors made iT EasY to disTrAct THem. KieRan's pEoPLe wEre slowly faNninG out as she StalleD For time.

"i Know you People, But You Don't SEeM tO reMeMBer ME. I'M KiERan o'Shea of CArLoS' Nest, Same nEST As yoU. We Came To finD you."

"Enough talK!" A fEmalE SolDier mOved uP to sTaNd nexT to her LeadeR, tEmporary or not. "CaN't yoU see? It's a tRicK oR thEy'D be weARing StEalTh."

"NO, I'm not sO convinCEd," hE sAID. "i dOn't think Makr would mAkE THeM naked beCause wE WoUlDN't be expeCtIng That."

fINally, SomeONe With some Sense. HE MaY bE scared, BuT he's noT tO be CouNted oUT yet.

"he's rigHt," Kieran Said. "OTHerwise, it wouldN'T serve a practiCAl PURpOSe."

"YoU shUt up," the otheR womAN snaPped. "mAkE thEM put tHeir wEaPOnS Down," she ordered.

SergeAnT Gray lOoked To see Kieran's rEaction. She DIDN't seem to ReacT At ALl. Good. Easy does It, LieUtenant, he pRAyed. They Didn't Need a hot Head at thiS STressful JunCtiOn.

"LOok, WE ArE trapped..." he staRTEd.

"BoTh Of you! Be QuiEt!" KieraN snAppEd, hOpiNg The bluff gAve them pAuSe AnD a MomEnt to WRestle coNtRol AwAy.

...jUst liKE you, he Was goIng tO sAy.

"aRe yOu the leADeR HEre?" KIeRaN nodDed HeR head To thE Man.

"yes, I gueSs so. Why?"

"Do We nEEd heR? DO yOu need hEr to help you maKe Your decisiOnS?"

"We Need heR HEre if I saY we
.

"I said, yes, for Makr' s sake!"
He st epp edba ck a nd a imed his weapo n  ather forehead. _What di d I s ay wron g ?_  Kier an thou g ht . _He  l oo kswo r nout,bea ten. Da mn. What's  ha pp ened here?_"H ey, we'reonthe same tea m."  Well,  w e d o n't e xac tly l ook li k e we'r e on thesa m e team ,  she kn e w .
Oth ers joined him. T h ey all looked sha ken, b ut th e i r w eap ons didn't  m ove o f f the t a rg e t .  Th e  looks on the ir faces ha d  ch anged— so met o fear , som et o a nger, and a ll e xhaustedfrom f e eling b o th. The  squad 'sind ecis i on  t o a cc e pto rden y  th e visito rs  m ade i t ea s y t o di str actthem.  Kieran's peo ple  wer e  sl owlyfanni ng o ut  as s he sta lledfo r time.

"I kno w yo u people,  bu tyou  d on'ts eem to  re mem ber me.  I'm Ki e ran  O ' S h ea  of Carlos' Nest,sa m e  N est as y ou. We ca me to findyo u." 

"E n o ugh t alk! "  A  femalesoldie r  m ov ed up t ostandne xttoher l e ader , temp orary or  not. "Can't you see ?  It's a trick or t he y 'd b e w earing Stea lth. " 

"N o, I ' mnot so co nvinc ed , "h e said. "I don't th in k Makr  woul d make them n aked becau s e we would n'tb ee xpecting that. "

Fi nally, som e one with  some  sense.He may be s cared, b uthe' s n ott o  b e counted out y et.
" He's ri ght ," Kier ansai d."Ot he rwise, it  wouldn' tse rv ea p racti c al purpo se ."
" You  shut up," t he ot herwo ma n  sn apped." Ma k e  the mpu t th eir  w eapon s do w n,"  she or dered.

S erg e antGr ay  looked  to see Kiera n' s reaction .She  didn' t seem toreact at all. Good. Eas y  does i t,Lieut enan t, he pra yed . They  di d n't ne ed a h ot he ad  at t his s t r es sfu ljunction." Loo k, we  a re t rapped. .." he started.

" B oth  of you! Be q uie t!"K i er ans na p ped ,h opi n g  the bluff gave  them paus ea nd  a momentt o w re stle co ntrol a way....just  like you , he wasgo ingt o  sa y.

"Are y ou the l eader her e ?" Ki e ra n nod ded  her h ea d t o the  man."Ye s, Iguessso . Why? "

"D owe needher? Do you need her to  helpyou m ake  your dec isi o ns? "

"We ne ed h er here if  Isay  we
.

"I said,_yes, for_Makr's sake!"

He stepped back_and aimed_his_weapon at_her_forehead. _What did_I say wrong?__Kieran thought. _He looks_worn out, beaten._Damn._What's happened here?_

"Hey, we're on the same team." Well, we don't exactly look like_we're_on the_same_team,_she knew.

Others joined him. They_all looked shaken, but their_weapons didn't_move off the target. The looks on their_faces_had changed—some to_fear, some to anger, and all exhausted from feeling_both. The squad's indecision to accept_or deny the_visitors_made_it easy to distract_them. Kieran's people were slowly fanning_out as she stalled for time.

"I_know you people, but you don't seem_to remember me. I'm Kieran O'Shea_of Carlos' Nest, same Nest_as you._We came to find you."

"Enough_talk!" A female_soldier moved_up to stand_next to her leader, temporary or_not. "Can't you_see? It's a trick or they'd_be_wearing Stealth."

"No, I'm_not_so_convinced," he_said. "I don't_think_Makr would_make_them naked because we wouldn't be_expecting_that."

Finally, someone with some sense. He may_be scared, but he's_not_to be counted out_yet.

"He's right," Kieran said. "Otherwise,_it wouldn't serve a practical purpose."

"You_shut up,"_the other_woman snapped. "Make them put their weapons down," she ordered.

Sergeant Gray_looked to see Kieran's reaction. She_didn't seem to react_at all._Good._Easy does it,_Lieutenant,_he prayed._They didn't need a hot head at_this stressful_junction.

"Look, we are trapped..." he started.

"Both_of you! Be quiet!"_Kieran_snapped, hoping the bluff gave them_pause and a moment to wrestle_control away.

...just like you, he_was_going_to say.

"Are you the leader_here?" Kieran nodded her head to_the man.

"Yes, I_guess so. Why?"

"Do we need her? Do_you_need her to help you make_your_decisions?"

"We need her here if I_say_we