In short, her family needed ability books and knowledge books which were strictly controlled. This was doable. Lana watched the pot on the stove boil and returned from her mental to-do list.
"Lana, can you explain what you're doing?"
"Huh? Oh! Yes. As you know, I've spent many years trying to understand the plants we work with. I recently found some much older books. Plants have been used as medicine for as long as man has existed. The problem is finding books that still exist. At one time, it was considered evil to use nature to heal. The books and those who used them were literally burned alive or thrown in a body of water alive with stone to weigh them down."
"There were many attempts at a resurgence to bring back this form of medicine. Some were more successful than others. What I'm doing here is experimenting with a decoction that energizes people. I have a dream of creating an energy bar that recharges MC. In one of these recent books, I found a recipe that creates an energizing tea but I don't know if it means the same. I'm going to find that out first."
Mandy nodded. "While MC recharges on its own, I can see the implications of being able to instantly recharge. I have another question. Why is your husband in the Cursed Faction instead of yours? It doesn't sound very … loyal… But to watch him, his love for you is undeniable."
Lana gave her the crib-notes version of how his family would never let them be together and she wanted to live.
"So you became a family head?"
"On a red-portal planet with limited access."
"But, surely, it's listed somewhere connecting you with the planet."
Lana nodded, "of course. But where is there a document linking him and I? Where is there a picture of the children?"
Mandy was confused, "but you said you were married."
Lana smirked, "good luck finding proof. Anything else is conjecture, rumor."
Mandy smiled, "so we don't need to worry about scary people showing up here?"
"I can't guarantee no scary people. That other shelter is still here. I can guarantee my husband's family will have no reason to show up here. It needs to stay that way. This is why only trusted people are allowed to leave the shelter for now. It's also why the teleporter has the rules it does. If a hapless person were to show up here, I'd have to keep them here for the safety of all."
Lana turned the burner off and set the pot on a cool burner to bring the temperature down a bit. The bark needed to soak in the water anyway. There was another recipe using root so she wanted to try both and see what happened.
Mandy then pulled out one of the notebooks and started asking questions.
Lana chuckled. "How about we go through those together and you write down the things I tell you. This will create the study material."
Mandy looked confused.
"I went many years with ideas which I wrote down, most of which came to not-so-positive results. I was thinking when I started the pot that I should write something that didn't have my wrong-thinking so maybe we can do that together. It may help you learn."
Mandy nodded, "when do you think you'll have more students?"
"I don't know but we already have a tasking so the training needs to get done so I can get people in the field."
Mandy nodded.
Shalt brought them both food. After eating, they spent the rest of the day in the lab and working on new notebooks. Sil eventually returned with the twins. He found a spot he liked. Dobin saw him go down and went with him. Dobin said he'd show it to Lana when she was ready. Sil tended the babies in the room. Eventually the time came to go to the Cursed Ship and meet with the opposition in this duel. Lana told Sam they'd talk when it was over.
The team went down to the planet. Lana wanted to talk to Alex first. She peeked in to see if it was safe and entered when she thought she could. She was pleased to see her people working so hard for Alex and the Cursed.
"Hey Alex! I was wondering if I could get a scabbard for this sword," as she extended it to him.
"Where did you get that?"
"Family heirloom."
Alex took it from her with trembling hands. "I've never seen anything like this! What metal is this?" He stood in front of her examining the sword. "This thing is highly dangerous."
"How so?"
"There are buttons all over it that engage springs. I'll make you something. Where do you want to carry it?"
She thought a second. "I need to be able to do flips and such. I need it immobile. My back is out."
Alex nodded. "I'm just going to take measurements. I'd prefer if you kept it with you."
"Me too."
That being said, Lana dropped it off in the room she shared with her husband before heading down to the planet. If people didn't know her, they would have thought her from the Bree family with Caser at her side. She also had Mandy and Shalt there. She didn't see the impartial party for the Parasites arrive but she saw a delegation of females she had never seen before so she assumed those women were with the other side.
Lana watched a ship land with no markings and knew it had to be the impartial party for the Cursed. She didn't know how this was supposed to go. She noted Sil in the fighting area with others, Dennis, Fex, Linda, and Nate. It was a nice strong team but … She smiled broadly as the ship opened and members of the Graylash exited the ship. Among them were the person she rescued. She didn't know if it was a good or bad thing but she aimed to find out. She knew nothing about this family. Was the young man she saved okay?
Lana saw an older gentleman wearing a green trimmed robe. Those behind him were wearing all white. The person she wanted to talk to was behind the green-trimmed person. Lana would learn later that green trim means the highest level, the Altum class, below the Graylash leader. White was the lowest level, the Humilis class.
Lana watched as the green trimmed person and two others walked to the combat area. She ran in really quick to ask the young man if he was okay, if he got in trouble.
"No, Ma'am. They were upset at first but when I explained, they forgave me and appreciated the insight I was able to provide."
"Good!"
They stood talking for a bit so Lana could understand more about the different colors in their clothes. She was wearing her own robe as well. Lana and the man, named Gin, discussed families and such. She wasn't interested in the fight because Sil was just standing there. They were all bugs to him. It didn't take long for the Cursed Faction to win. Quinn told them to get off his planet. The Graylash and the Daisy Faction, she was told, informed Mantis he must abide by it. He was given a week.
"That man is trouble. I don't trust him."
Seeing the parties separate, "I need to catch up with them. I hope things go well with you and I'm glad to see you safe!"
He bid her goodbye as they headed toward their ship, getting dirty looks from the man named Hector as they went.
Lana smiled as she noted all the people surrounding her husband. His face was red and he was very uncomfortable. During the match, he had been attacked by someone with a barrier ability. Sil touched him then used his ability to box him in nice and tight. He couldn't move and his teammates couldn't break it. The others had just begun to understand how special her man was.
Heading back to the ship, Lana gave Sam a code for the receiver station. "Enter that in and get the stuff to Alex. We'll discuss more on the ship."
Sam nodded.
At the command table, Lana and Sam sat to discuss a few things. Kaz and Paul came as well when they heard her tell Sam she wanted to talk wondering if they could provide insight.
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