Tumble Down

Stacy pushed her way through the heavy vegetation, just ahead of Astra. She looked over her shoulder and said, "Maybe he's a just a bit intimidated by ..." Suddenly Stacy felt herself falling. She tumbled down a hill, knocking herself painfully on a tree trunk on the way down.

She came to a halt at the bottom and sat up. She found herself in a clearing. There were several dome-shaped buildings that were covered with moss and creepers. A young child wearing drab clothing saw her and ran off around one of the buildings.

Stacy got to her feet and dusted herself off. She picked up her carbine and looked up to see a man dressed in tattered khaki clothes holding a crude shotgun, aimed straight at her.

"Put it down," he said.

Stacy slowly placed her carbine on the ground. More people emerged from the settlement, some of them similarly armed.

A tall, balding man with grey hair stepped forward. "Who are you?" he asked.

Before Stacy could answer, Astra came tumbling down the hill and landed at Stacy's feet, her red hair a tangled mop that hung over her face. Then as Astra stood up, there was a gasp from the crowd. They fell to their knees and bowed reverently.

Still kneeling, the white-haired man looked up in awe at Astra as she blew a strand of hair out of her face and pulled a leaf out of her hair. "As the prophets foretold," said the man, "the Great Liberator has returned."

"Hmm," said Astra, putting her hands on her hips. "So what has a girl got to do to get a beer around here?"

1. Astra and Stacy are guests of honor ... and worship

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