Kai and Nis both were unsure about hunting.
Kai asked, "what benefit would there be in this hunting?"
"Well, we could explore the planet while we hunt, asking the plants if they've seen the walkers. We need to pare the party down to 10 people though so I can teleport us back with my ring."
Kai nodded, "a smaller party would move faster as well."
Lana replied, "the panteri will be going with us… Though most aren't big enough to ride."
Paul suggested, "with the speed the scimmia have demonstrated, may I suggest those that stay be Lana, Blaine, Chekof, Karlen, Rene, Tanisha, Almin, Dobin, Sam and Sergeant Tanaka."
The teachers both nodded, liking the suggestion. The four-armed monkeys were a true menace. Elektra had returned to her ship when the mad run to rescue Kent and Rosalie happened.
Since there were no complaints about the idea, their first order was to take the others back to the teleport circle. When Dobin returned the earthen shelter back to the planet, the magic circle simply merged with the ground.
Lana decided this would also be the perfect time to create an additional treehouse.
With a plan in place, they all packed up and prepared to leave. Lana stepped out first to let Levalis know what was decided.
Then we begin the expedition at that human shelter.
He gave Rosalie some orders. She went back to the cave to report what the plan was to the others.
By the time the humans got to the cave entrance, there were 20 panteri standing outside waiting for them. They all moved as one to the shelter. With a group this large, they were sure there would be no attacks. That was preferable until the weaker people were off planet.
Lana stopped at the stand of trees they created for a home while the others continued as a group. She made two 60-foot diameter houses on each side of where the other two met just to strengthen the canopy connection. She didn't know how strong the squap were and didn't want to take any chances.
Blaine, Dobin, and Kent stayed at her side, so she didn't need to worry about security while concentrating on the trees. They were fortunate that no threats came near. At the same time, the monsters on the planet were used to a military structure being in this area. They would avoid it for now.
Thankful for small favors, her trees were built the same way as the others. Those returning to base left and the party recombined into one.
Lana stepped up to Levalis.
'Where to? I'm sure you have a plan.'
He nodded, 'just get on my back. The others can ride as well.'
Nine other panteri stepped forward.
"These panteri will carry you so we can move faster. Though they are not all big enough to fully bear everyone, they will do so," she told the humans with her.
Soon, everyone was mounted and running north.
Since Levalis was in charge of the hunt, Lana chose to tune in to the trees. They answered all her questions. There was a cave that spanned centuries.
The scimmia, in their attempts to find a stronghold, moved in five years ago. They have been breeding and expanding their colony. Their society even changed. They used to be nomadic but they came upon some artifacts and things changed.
When they were about halfway there, the trees keyed her into an ancient tree, the only one of its kind still alive. It was the only tree that remembered an ancient civilization that inhabited the planet. Based on the imagery Lana was getting, they looked like the present-day scimmia but were more stable waling on their feet.
These people had advanced technology and treated the planet well. At some point, their technology, or maybe reliance on it, made them disrespectful to their roots. The planet decayed, they blamed each other and they went to war.
Before long they complained over lack of resources. Some left society choosing to "rough it" rather than live in hatred. These people created small colonies while society destroyed itself. The cave the scimmia were in, their destination, was their last stronghold.
While they were quite close to their destination. Lana felt now was a good time to stop, rest and discuss what she learned.
'So, you're saying some technology from this civilization still exists?'
"Yes, Levalis. The trees say there is left-over technology in those caves," Lana replied out loud so the others could hear as well.
"If there's advanced technology, it could help us defeat the Walkers," Kai responded.
"Did you forget the part about it literally destroying their civilization?" Dobin chimed in.
"Might I remind you this is still a military operation and, despite you being 18," Kai looked between the brother and sister, "you are in the custody of the military until the end of term. This planet also doesn't transfer to you, Lana, until that time."
She steeled her jaw, "I'm well aware of that fact. At this point, we must proceed with caution. We don't know what awaits us or if there are any traps set for us."
They mounted back up and proceeded with more caution. It was mid-day when they could finally see the mountain the cave system was built into. It was larger than the mountain the Purple Forest sprang from.
"I'll have the plants warn me as we approach. So, stay quiet and keep your ears open," Lana said loud enough for all to hear.
She saw a few nods then realized it was more expedient just to tell Levalis and have him distribute the information since the humans were all riding anyway. Soon she was pointing out strange devices and mechanisms.
She wanted to destroy them to prevent the military from getting their hands on them. Her problem was, if they survived this long in rainforest conditions, destroying them might not be so easy.
The closer they got to the mountain the more they realized how bad things were. Limbs were broken from trees. Nutrient-dense plants were trampled into the mud. Entire patches of mushrooms were destroyed. By the time they got to the point they could see the entrance, there was nothing living in the area.
Lana wasn't the only one who was boiling in anger. Almost the whole party was. All but Kai, the career military man who saw things in a different way.