Finally Na lifted her beautiful head. She looked timidly at Ro, her face a mask of respect. The young Martian tried to be stern in meeting her gaze, as was the custom among the men of his tribe when dealing with women; but he smiled instead.
"You're home," breathed Na.
"I have traveled far to the north," answered Ro simply, "and seen many things. And now I have returned for you."
"They must have been great things you saw," Na coaxed.
"Yes, great and many. But that tale can wait. Tell me first how you came to be playing tag with the Oan."
Na lowered her eyes.
"I was caught in the forest below the cliffs. The Oan spied me and I ran. The chase was long and tiring. I was almost ready to drop when you appeared."
"You were alone in the woods!" Ro exclaimed. "Since when do the women of our tribe travel from the cliffs alone?"
"Since a long time," she answered sadly. Then she cried. And between sobs she spoke:
"Many weeks ago a great noise came out of the sky. We ran to the mouths of our caves and looked out, and saw a great sphere of shining metal landing in the valley below. Many colored fire spat from one end of it.