Violet and Thistledown watched the alien woman with calm tension. She was nervous and timid. Violet muttered,"She isn't like Izkabel at ALL. She has the universal ship interface ears, like me. Dad? You think she might be machine-life?" Thistledown hefted his sword and watched the woman. "Don't know. I'm just glad we got Sunny and her friend clear of here. Jalisco and Rose showed up in time. Vi--you do know your ass is hanging out?" Violet frowned darkly. "I was in the shower when Sunny screamed for help. This outfit was all I had in my hyperspace-storage-device. Damned Althan-Krommium alien sex perverts! They're ALL perverts!" She stepped back as Captain Dokka Tkarro walked up from the lander. Dokka said,"I hope Rose takes some time to get some rest and a shower. Poor thing looks like she rolled in a fireplace. I couldn't get her to say if she's injured! Damn, you Cyclops are way to proud a people!" Thistledown snorted and Violet giggled. "Mom will love that comment! Anyway...is Tall White Lady on her way?" Dokka smiled and laughed, "No. The higher-ups are giving us another telepath. Here she comes." Violet looked over and groaned as one of the Althan-Krommium era telepaths they found on Hel came over in an USCOMM modified uniform. "One of my favorite sentients. Damned perverts!" She chirped, "Hiya! I'm Translator. Violet! I didn't know you are a Pathfinder!" Violet snapped, "Just read this woman's mind! Cut the small talk." Thistledown said, "Violet is shy. You violated her boundaries earlier. It will take time for her to get over it. You learned the common language in machine-life time! Impressive. This woman doesn't speak Althan-Krommium. Can you aid us?" The telepath nodded. She looked over the alien woman who babbled at the telepath. The telepath said, "The woman is of a synthetic species created by the Althan-Krommiums as Pathfinders. They are like Cyclops, but with slower brains, like ours." Dokka said, "We recovered several hundred Humans from the crashed ship. Are there more of her species on it? What is her name? In fact..what are 'Pathfinders'?" The telepath concentrated. After a moment, she said, "Her name is Mree. She's the only Pathfinder on that ship. She has never even HEARD of the ALthan-Krommium! Pathfinders find the slipistream conduits through hyperspace. They crossed from the Milky Way galaxy to to here, in the Child Galaxy in thirty days, instead of years of travel." She sighed. "If you primitives had better engines, you could go to Andromeda in a matter of weeks." Thistledown growled, "You! You're leaving something out! What is her relationship to those humans from the Milky Way galaxy?" The Telepath looked blank. "She's a servant. She serves them. What more is there?" Violet said, "No--that is an error in translation. SHe NEVER looked at Dokka ONCE. She looked me, Dad, mom, and Sunflower in the eyes. She made eye contact with YOU,too. Eye contact among equals. Bluebell saw it among the slaves on Floating City 64! Mree isn't a SERVANT! She's a SLAVE!" The telepath blinked and smiled. "Slave? Servant? The same thing. One who serves the masters!" She nodded until she saw the looks from the others. Dokka looked disgusted. "They have faster-than-light fleets where we have two or three FTL ships! HOWEVER...they are more more backwards socially than us! THIS is NOT good news." Thistledown said, "This planet had a slave based economy until four years ago. NOW everyone here is free. Seems like we have a whole GALAXY to free, as well as stopping the Asuran hordes, and stopping the Scourge's war of extermination against the Human species. My goodness! WHAT EXCITING TIMES TO LIVE IN!" Thistledown caused his sword to disappear and clasped Mree by the arm with a smile. She smiled timidly. He said,"We have the chance to alter the course of future history. THIS is intoxicating!" Dokka laughed. "I like your enthusiam." --TO BE CONTINUED!--