Benjamin pondered the false ship hulls a moment, then spoke.

Benjamin: "Clearly, this Temuchin wishes us to believe he has not
	   moved his Fortress, when he has.  This might be an Ambush.
	   Friends, I advise we return at once, to ensure the others
	   learn of this.  Moreover, some of them might have found the
	   real Fortress and may need our Assistance."

He held his spear in a defensive posture.

Josephine frowned thoughtfully.  She pulled the two men very close and
spoke in a soft whisper.

Josephine: "These fakes may just be here to deter any ships that are
	    passing.  Behind the false Armada may be the same soldiers
	    and warriors as before.  I suggest that I swim over and
	    make sure this isn't just a facade, as you suggested."

Josephine: "If I am detected, I will submerge and swim to the north.
	    You sail to the south and across the river to the village
	    Shaw and I spoke of after our last exploration. I will
	    attempt to circle across the River and meet you there
	    later."

Freud and Benjamin nodded in quiet agreement, and Josephine slipped
into the River. She silently, making only small ripples, her dark skin
blending in with the darkness of the water. When she returned, her
report confirmed Benjamin's suspicions. Aside from the lazy motions of
a few token guards, the fortress seemed to be empty.

Freud: "I think we should heed Benjamin's concerns, Fraulein, and
        return."

Josephine agreed, and they returned to the boat to cross the River
again.
		
			*  *  *  *

Shaka remained calm as he watched the score of tawny-skinned people
kill the man with their stone implements.  Turning to each of his
fellow scouts in turn, he motioned them to remain silent. He had to
restrain Jeanne from rising to her feet and striding into the circle.
Mishima, on the other hand, grinned slightly and looked thoughtful.

After another hour of observation, the chanting stopped and the people
returned to their huts in the darkness. The group withdrew to a point
about 30 minutes from their camp and stopped. Comparing their
impressions, they judged that there were about 20 of the people,
living in grass huts beyond the grailstone. No one saw any weapons
besides the sharp stones. Shaw reported that he'd seen a few small
dugout boats, and judging from the heiroglyphs on their sides, he
believed the people were ancient Egyptians.

Shaw: "These folk do not appear to be good allies, and will more likely
       than not prove themselves to be enemies. I say we return to
       camp at once and see how the others have managed."

Mishima spoke excitedly.

Mishima: "These people have no fear of death!  If we could recruit
	  them against the slavers they would be bold warriors."

Mishima tried to communicate this to Shaka by gesture and minimal
Bantu, and Shaka merely nodded in acknowledgment.

Jeanne: "This is not battle, there was no chance for him to defend
	 himself. His death was arbitrary, meaningless.

Mishima: "He didn't struggle, he didn't defend himself.  It wasn't
	  battle, it was a sacrifice.  I'm sure it wasn't meaningless
	  to him."

Mishima added dryly in English: "You should know about that."

Shaw chose not to translate the comment.

Mishima: "It does not matter what they were doing, as long as we don't
	  let them do it to us.  I would guess that they're trying to
	  spread their force around Riverworld, hoping their members
	  will be reborn in other groups and be able to come to
	  influence them.  It's good that that we know about this,
	  should any appear near our stone.  For now, perhaps we can
	  try to use their beliefs to stir them to our cause."

Shaw: "Hm, Possibly they are not the savages they appear to be."

Jeanne: "How can you say it does not matter what they do? How do you
	 know they won't do it to us, given the chance?"

Mishima: "Because we won't give them the chance.  All we need to know
	  about them is if and how we can use them, or if they're more
	  of a threat than a tool.  The only way to find that out is
	  to approach them."

Mishima: "But there's enough of them that I agree we should wait until
	  day to approach them.  This has the look of ritual; they may
	  be violent if disturbed.  And the very fearlessness we need
	  might lead them to attack us."

Shaw: "Perhaps Jeanne should stay behind in case they do not prove to
       be as friendly as we hope they may be. That way word can reach
       the others if things do not...  go well."

Shaka made the hand signal to return to camp.

			   *  *  *  *

Charles lowered his spear but did not drop it.  He looked over at
Louis, and around at the group of men. Hypatia was nowhere in sight.

Louis scowled and grits his teeth.
He wondered how the pale man could know enough to address him in
French and Charles in Latin. Cursing under his breath, he longed again
for his favored rapier.
He gripped his spear tightly, his knuckles whitening. He returned
Charles's glance, and noted that Charles had not relinquished his
weapon.  The expression on Louis' face said he would be glad to die if
he could take the pale man with him.

Charles: "What is it you want, Temuchin? And who are you? I do not
	  recognize you, 'Joseph'."

Temuchin ignored Charles and signaled his men. A score of them spread
through the camp, poking into the huts and searching around the
Grailstone and the woods immediately behind the camp.

Charles: "Once again, Temuchin, you try to take what is not yours.
	  You use strange tactics, to bring an army of men within our
	  village without a sound.  For indeed, I heard no sound from
	  any man, and I would have heard this many.  Perhaps you are
	  Satan himself, or you work for him. Either way, I'll have no
	  dealings with you."

Charles's voice was loud enough to alert Shaka's party as they skulked
toward their camp from the north. Hiding in the dark woods, they
watched a large group of soldiers move in and out of their huts, and
around the camp. Jeanne signaled furiously, pointing out Temuchin
standing beside a pale, cruel-looking man.

Josephine, Benjamin, and Freud approached the camp from downRiver,
paddling as quietly as they could. Light from unfamiliar torches gave
them warning, and they pulled up their oars and let the boat drift in
the darkness as they watched the scene unfolding in the camp. They
could make the two important-looking men, and many soldiers. Freud
gasped almost inaudibly at one the taller of the two men, and his
voice was the barest whisper in the night.

Freud: "Herr Stalin..."

Charles: "Where is the woman, Hypatia.  She was here before you
	  arrived -- Have you taken her as well?"

Temuchin leered evilly at Charles.  Charles paused and looked around,
smiling slightly, and shaking his head at Temuchin.

Charles: "And what of the others of our group.  Those that surround
	  you now, do you know where they are?  Do you realize that we
	  too can move silently and swiftly in the night?"

Temuchin's leer vanished and his eyes darted about. Some of the
warriors, perhaps sensing their chief's disquiet, began to shift
nervously.

Charles: "You are not the only one who can use power from beyond your
	  time, Temuchin.  I too can make pacts with great powers.  I
	  choose to make mine with Good Powers, while you trade souls
	  with Lucifer."

Charles: "Go back now.  Disappear the way you arrived. Silently and
	  quickly.  If you do not leave, the army that surrounds you,
	  as you surround us, will descend and destroy you."

Charles: "I have little to risk.  I have no empire, I have no iron
	  forges to protect, I have only a small following.  If I am
	  slain now in battle, I will be brought back by God, to fight
	  again.  Be it you, or other tyrants like you.  It is my
	  mission."

Charles: "Go now.  I am tired of you.  Begone Lucifer. Begone Temuchin."

He spoke to Louis in Bantu: "Follow me."

Joseph began clapping his hands and laughed.

Joseph: "A most inspiring performance. Please stop backing away or my
	 bowmen will be forced to kill you. I am not concerned about
	 being surrounded by your imaginary friends."

He gestured to two of the soldiers, who drew 3-foot long bows and
aimed their arrows at the men. Charles and Louis halted their retreat
toward the River.

Charles realized with a start that the archers were not of the same
race as Temuchin's people. Indeed, about 20 of the men seemed to be
pale, like Joseph, despite being clothed like Temuchin's warriors.

Joseph: "Do not be in a rush to die. We have many questions to ask
	 you, and perhaps, if your answers are sufficient, you may be
	 allowed to live. Death is not always temporary, you know."

He smiled a cat's smile.

			   *  *  *  *