After breaking camp early in the morning, the group of Borials and Virgos were back on their trek to Noran. Neklus had estimated that it would be a another day's walk until they reached their destination.
Garek volunteered each of his engineering teams to be foot patrols for the convoy. Garek was personally leading Alpha Team, with Ensign Antilles as his second in command. His group, along with Johnny Chee's Marine group were leading point. The Marines on the glap'tas, while the Alpha Team on foot. Many of Garek's squad were carrying broadswords. Some of the more burly people in the group carried battle axes. Ensign Antilles, along with about five others in the group opted for bows and arrows. Jennifer Antilles was quite adept at the bow, crediting it to her being on the track and field team at the Academy.
Jennifer, along with her knowledge, was also taught by some of the hunters in the Borial group in the perfectionism of the bow. She had become so good as to be able to strike a bull's eye from 50 yards out.
Although the rest of the archers in Alpha Team were still behind, they were working their way upwards, and progressively becoming better.
Although Alpha Team was walking with Chee's Marines, Garek would've hoped that they could've been walking in front of them, and not behind. Needless to say, the scent coming from the glap'ta's backsides. "Aw, man!" one engineer yelled out from the back. He walked off to the side, and lifted up his right boot for inspection. What he had feared was present. Glap'ta droppings. As Neklus and Stephen made their way up on the engineer's position, Neklus saw the engineer standing on the side, and smiled.
"What's so funny?" Stephen asked, following Neklus' glare, trying to establish a target.
"One of your Virgos has come across the remains from a glap'ta," Neklus started to laugh.
"Oh. OH!" Stephen got it. He then started to laugh as well. Then, a slight squish was felt under his feet. "I think I know how he feels." Stephen showed some displeasure. Neklus laughed even harder.
After five hours of trekking through different types of terrain, they came upon a clearing in a field. Some trees were scattered in the area, and a stream ran parallel to their path.
"This looks like an ideal place for rest." Neklus stepped out from the convoy line. "Everyone! We are stopping for a break. Please, eat, drink, and rest."
Some sighs of relief were heard scattered throughout the crowd. Both of the Lataros, with their new bundle of joy, made their way under a tree for some shade.
Benton and Francesca walked next to each other. Apparently, Thudd worked off his little debt to Franny. Or, maybe he didn't. Who knows? However, Fracesca appeared very happy, laughing, whilst an arm was wrapped through Benton's. Benton was smiling as well, something you don't see him do very often.
Garek, seeing a solitary tree a little out of the way from the rest of the group, made his way over to it. One branch was low enough to the ground for him to jump up and swing onto a higher one. Up there, he enjoyed the breeze as it made it's way through the leaves of the tree. Reaching down and grabbing his idej pole, he pulled it up. Removing the cap of the staff holder, he reached in, and pulled out the elegant weapon. Then, he removed the sheathes off both ends of the weapon. The metal of the blades glistened in the sun.
Laying the weapon across two branches, Garek leaned up against the main trunk of the tree, and began to take a nap. At least until...
"INCOMING!" yelled Johnny Chee.
Garek woke up immediately. He watched, as Borial warriors scrambled, picking up their weapons. Garek picked up his idej and jumped down from the branch he was sitting in. "Jennifer! Report!"
"Horde troops are on the move, heading this way, sir!" Antilles yelled back, as she picked up her bow, and her quiver of arrows. "Approximately 50 of them."
"Perfect," Garek said. "Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma teams! Form up over here!" Eighty engineers made their way over towards Garek. "We're going in, providing back up for Chee's Marines. Everyone that is an archer, stay behind the foot soldiers with swords." This is going to be hell.