She awoke and just sat on her cot. It was late afternoon. She had slept longer than she intended.

  She heard a voice from outside the entrance-way, it was a male-sounding voice that had concern in it. It was almost like her mind was hearing the voice but not her ears. It didn't make sense to her.

  The male was asking, "Is she ok? She seemed very disturbed". A female voice, Marcela's, answered, "She just didn't like the stunt Francesca pulled. She'll be fine."

  Kaela looked out the entrance and saw Marcela talking with Drookan, the Dowath who had carried her. Was she starting to understand the Dowath somehow? That's impossible, she thought. She went back and continued sitting on her cot, wondering how she could possibly salvage this situation.

  Soon Francesca came and stood in the entrance-way. For a few moments, the two "twins" just stared at each other.

  Kaela had a thought, as she looked at her mirror reflection given form, she is exactly who I would be if I were a Ponu. She was seeing an alternate ponu version of herself.

  Then Francesca smiled. "Look, I am sorry that what I did hurt you for some reason. I really do want us to be friends here. I went through a lot trying to make it here. Regardless of what I feel about what I did, I never wanted to make you upset. Friends?"

  She extends a hand. Kaela accepts. Perhaps there's a way to salvage this mission yet, she thinks.

  She spends the afternoon again with Francesca. Brandi, Marcela, and even somehow Drookan seem delighted that the two are friends again.

  As evening comes, at dinner, Kaela goes for broke with a lie she thinks will help explain her behavior.

  She says that she, too, was chased by the scavengers. She still feels the trauma and that, unlike Francesca, who has funnelled it into anger, hers had left her with fear.

  Hearing Kaela share her story enboldened Francesca to share her story as well.

  She tells how she and a few other women left their vault; they were scared and hungry. They saw Scavengers up ahead who immediately began chasing them. She lowers her head when she describes how one of her friends fell and was immediately captured by the pursuing scavengers, a woman who put chains on Francesca's friend and had a look of pure hatred.

  She was the last one; all her friends had now been captured. She ran, and ran until her feet her and then she ran even more. She tells how she was so scared, not knowing what the men who chased her wanted. She only knew that whatever it was, it was not good. She shook, and a tear came from her eye before she got herself together, thanks to the encouragement of the others. Her last words, however, just before sitting down, were still in defiance: "I hate them," she said softly.

  The women all open their hearts to each other. They give their impression of the scavengers.

  Everything from scorn and anger, to pity, to some hoping that someday they can be friends with the scavengers. One woman, with an opinion that shocked Kaela and that virtually no one else there agreed with, actually said the Ponu should work for the scavengers, since Geeryo was gone, the scavengers could be the ruling class. Another Ponu said, "They're our brothers and sisters. We fight them while the real enemy is out there laughing at us".

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  This was something Kaela was starting to agree with. She realized, talking to them, hearing their stories, that they only wanted peace. They didn't want to harm the scavengers. If anything, they wanted to co-exist with them, and if not possible, then at least to be left alone.

  She had enough for her report, if she gave it. One and most importantly, most of the Dowath are hibernating. Two, the cave otherwise has no organized defense. Maybe a few armed Ponu and a few Dowath. Beyond that, nothing. Three, the Ponu have some type of relationship with the Dowath, and they can speak to them. Four, their staying there in the cave is tenuous, and they worry the Dowath may expel them. Five, the Ponu are not just created, apparently they are born and have childhoods, but where?

  Lastly, at dinner, she realized something strange. The women seemed like this entire conflict was new to them. Unlike Kaela, who had known about the Ponu and Scavenger conflict since she was a kid, these women all seemed like this was a new situation they were just learning about and trying to navigate through.

  After dinner, she decided to explore more.

  The blue and green cave was named for the flowers that glowed and illuminated it. It had become a place of meeting for Ponus.

  For the women of the cave who desired the company of another female, the blue and green cave had become an informal meeting place. The act was simple: Ponus would sit watching the glowing flowers, and another Ponu would approach and put a hand on their shoulder. If they were not interested, they would only glance up and give a friendly smile. However, if they were interested, they would follow the Ponu to a more secluded place.

  Tonight, Kaela came to observe this act and watch the cave lights. She felt a warmth in this place. It felt a world away from the harsh and strict culture of the Scavenger life. Something in her yearned for the freedom these Ponu women seemed to have.

  The lights gave off an almost magical effect. It was very relaxing.

  As she waited and watched the flowers and scene, there were a couple of times when Ponu women approached her. She simply smiled. Although she admitted to herself, there were moments when she was tempted to follow one of the Ponu women to a secluded spot.

  It would help add to her cover, her disguise, if she partook in this custom.

  She realized her mind was making up excuses for her to yield to what her body was yearning for. She would leave the blue and green cave, but she knew that a part of it would stay with her for some time.

  That same night, in their private quarters, Marcela and Lana lay together. As they are about to fall asleep, Marcela pulls her wife closer to her, wrapping her arms around Lana. Lana, with her eyes still closed, says, "Oh, I forgot, it's my turn tonight to be the little spoon?" then giggles. "No," Marcela says, "last night was you, so tonight it's my turn, but I just wanted to hold you like this for a moment. I am worried about Kaela". Lana opens her eyes, "Oh, that's one of the new twins, right? Is that the one who tried to start a war with the scavengers, or the one who was snooping around my lab?"

  Marcela clarifies "The lab snooper. Although you have to admit anyone would be curious with something glowing and moving behind a curtain. Can't wait for us to show it to the others.", She kisses the back of Lana's head then continues, "I am just worried that she, I don't know, something about her. It's like, this world feels so alien to all of us, but it feels like she feels more natural to the world outside, and it's our world here, our sisterhood, which seems alien to her, if that makes sense....Lana?" The scientist has fallen asleep in Marcela's arms.