The man leaning from the window didn't reply to Kitten's remarks, keeping his gun trained on Sherra.<br/><br/>"Okay," said Feldana into Sherra's ear, waiting to be let go so she could make her escape.<br/><br/>The two humans emerged from the front gate of Fort Blotar and ran across the debris-bridge to hard land.  They immediately whirled to the side of the fortress they had seen Kitten and Sherra at, and approached at a stride between a walk and a jog, their guns pointed directly at Kitten, unwavering.<br/><br/>"Back off, shithead!" the apparent leader, a burly man in his late thirties, barked at him.  "We've got the guns, so we go first!"  As they drew near, they slowed and stopped some ten feet away.  The burly man turned to the other man.  "Meaning I go first," he said, pushing his fellow back.  "Keep an eye on 'em.  If they do something suspicious, blast 'em."  He passed his gun to the man and strode confidently forward.  "Hi there, pussy," he said, grinning darkly.  "You better not scratch."<br/><br/>Of his own volition, the man in the window disappeared back into the Fort, obviously en route.  It was then that the man noticed Feldana, her arms visible around Sherra's neck as she clung to her new benefactor.  He stopped, mere feet from the trio.  "What the hell...?"<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>As the truck began to pull away, Lentan ran a hand over his face and silently wished for their safe return.  He wasted no time, though, and strode to Merelli, who was walking to meet him.<br/><br/>"Colonel," he said.  "You're going to be receiving some... guests soon.  The Sentience Equality Movement has come under our protection, and their surviving members are to be placed under your care.  They're on their way here, escorted by a platoon from Fifth Brigade.  You are to protect them from harm and keep them out of our way."<br/><br/>"Yes, Commander," said Merelli.<br/><br/>"When they get here, let them know their leader is going to be returned to them.  Don't tell them when or how.  And make sure they know they are being protected and not kept as prisoners.  If they try to bother you, I trust your discretion."<br/><br/>"Understood, sir."<br/><br/>Lentan nodded.  "Good.  I'm going back to my HQ.  Inform me when the recovery mission is complete."<br/><br/>Merelli held out his hand.  "I will, sir."<br/><br/>Lentan shook it.  "Good fighting, Colonel."  Without any more words, Lentan summoned his three bodyguards to him, as well as the scientist he had brought along and the young private that had driven them there.  All five men got into the green car they had arrived in and it pulled away into the streets of the city.<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>The First Sergeant held up a hand to Marice.  "Shh!  I don't know what that was."  He looked ahead and distantly saw Crown Park at the end of the road they were on.  "Come on, we're close.  Let's jog it."  He raised his hand higher for attention and called out, "Jog it!  Let's go!"<br/><br/>The soldiers rushed forward, ushering the S.E.M. members along with them towards the park.<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>In the darkness of Karogen's cell, the old man sniffed.  "What about him?  No wait, never mind.  My lips are zipped!"  He fell silent, then started to quietly moan.  "Ohh... it hurts..."<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>The garbage truck could easily find the Desert Vein, the main highway coming from across the Calor Desert, passing through the heart of Kazmer, and on to the west, eventually leaving the city and winding its way through House Blotar's lands on to distant realms.  Called "the DV" or "the Vein" colloquially, it was the modern version of several ancient paths long since buried that had led the way east-west across the Low Reaches.  Many cities old and new were situated on this highway.  Kazmer's segment of it ran from the eastern city limits up through the downtown area and then westward out of the city, running parallel to the Jawn River from that point on.<br/><br/>The Vein passed near Shenzai Square but did not contact it.  It was too far from Lake Kassemar at that point.  But it would take the garbage truck and its occupants across Kazmer and deep into downtown, bringing them closer to their destination.  The road was four lanes wide and had a higher speed limit than the city streets.  The truck would pass through only one battle site - now empty save for the dead - before it would cross the lines into fur-controlled territory.