With the exception of the embarrassment of utilizing an open trench to relieve themselves, their stay remained uneventful until much later when Fromm visited.
The Chaktaw leader stood on the ridge of the prison hole looking down at the humans. Jaff hovered by his side and played the role of translator.
'You told my daughter that there is a structure to the north where I will find an artifact that will shut down the gateways bringing aliens to Earth.'
Trevor listened to Jaff's translation and focused on Fromm as he answered, 'Yes. That is the gift I offer.'
He wanted to say 'and you know I'm not lying because by now you've talked to your version of the Old Man and he's told you I'm telling the truth.' However, he decided the less said the better.
'I accept your gift. Any signs of deception and you will be killed. In horrible ways.'
Trevor nodded, 'I understand.'
Fromm paced the rim of the ditch. Trevor and Nina turned in place, keeping their eyes on the Chaktaw leader as he circled above. Fromm's expression changed. Not exactly softened, but Trevor thought he saw curiosity creeping into his mood, probably the result of whatever conversation he had had with his Old Man. If Fromm's benefactor was anything like Trevor's, he might offer a few cryptic answers but at the expense of many more questions.
'I am to believe that you live on a planet the same as this. I am to believe that you come from that world. Do all the humans invading my Earth come from your world?'
'No,' Trevor answered. 'I am the only one. The humans invading your home come from a planet in this universe from a star you can see in your skies at night. I come from a different universe. A universe where my people-my humans-occupy the planet Earth and where Chaktaw are among the invaders.'
Jaff translated. Fromm did not like the answer.
'Do you dare say that Earth does not belong to my people?'
Trevor replied fast, 'In this universe, it does belong to you. The animals and armies that are attacking your environment must be defeated. This is your home.'
This time the Chaktaw leader accepted the answer more readily.
'And in your universe, the Chaktaw there come from a planet other than Earth? And they are invading your world?'
'The Chaktaw and many others. The Hivvans, the Duass…so many I have lost count.'
'And on your world, your people have retreated to caves? To the wilderness?'
Trevor hesitated, unsure how to answer. His hesitation caused Fromm to cock his head in a manner that suggested suspicion.
'No. On my Earth my people hid at the place along the lake until our strength was mustered. We have struck out and taken back much of what was once ours. Every day we take back more. The invaders are on the run.'
Fromm listened. Trevor feared that his words might translate as boasting, but that did not appear to be the case.
'I understand, Trevor Stone. I was not that fortunate. In the early days, my enemies found our place of hiding. Found it long before we could gather our strength. Only the Behemoths kept the evil at bay long enough for us to make our escape.'
Trevor mumbled to himself, 'The Behemoths?' Then he realized. Jaw-Wolves.
'Of course,' he said. 'I saw…I saw the remains of your…your Behemoths. At first I believed them to be the attackers who drove you away. Now I see they serve you much as the dogs of my world serve me.'
As soon as he sensed that Jaff completed that translation, Trevor added, 'I was given three gifts from…from a benefactor,' he considered that word might be too difficult for Jaff. Trevor tried again, 'I received three gifts from a guardian. I see you received three gifts as well.'
After hearing Trevor’s words in his native language, Fromm responded, 'Yes. Three gifts. You knew about my key. You know what that key gives me, I believe. You had your own version of Behemoths. That is curious.'
'Yes, but it makes perfect sense, Fromm.'
The Chaktaw leader repeated part of the story Trevor previously shared. 'You say that you know of eight universes. You believe there is an Earth in each of them with a different race living on this planet. Now you suggest that the leader of each of those Earths has been given three similar gifts. But can you see why?'
The demeanor of the conversation shifted from an interrogation to a discussion, albeit with a healthy dose of distrust.
Trevor said, 'Eight races of people all based on the same basic type of DNA.'
The last word puzzled Jaff. Trevor struggled to help. 'Um…genetic structure… genes…molecules…um…cells. Look, just the basic stuff that makes us who we are. I’ve got to believe you have your own word for DNA. Right?'
Jaff did his best to translate.
Apparently Fromm understood. 'Our bodies…similar in many ways. This I concede.'
'And our gifts. One to help us survive the early days of the invasion. The second, much of the knowledge of our races, so that we could fight on behalf of our entire species. Perhaps with a few extras thrown in to give us a chance against the invaders.'
Fromm nodded his head as the translation came through then added to Trevor’s observation, 'For you, 'dogs,’ for me our Behemoths. This is a fight about more than our people; it is also about our environments. We were each given a helper from those environments.'
Trevor listened to the long translation and then agreed.
'Now we know what…we even have an idea of how. The question is…why?'
'Yes, Trevor Stone, why? If what you suggest is true, that each of our races come from planets other than Earth, why transport us to Earth one after another? Why here and not our home worlds?'
'Everything is equal,' Trevor hypothesized. 'Our species and the higher life forms, all transplanted here. Like one big…one big arena.'
'Whatever power could do such a thing must control space and time.'
Trevor remembered that his Old Man often told him that time was irrelevant.
'This is true. That power also limited our weapons as well as those of our attackers.'
Trevor turned to Nina and asked, 'Back on Sirius, did you have atomic weapons? Biological weapons? Chemical weapons?'
She overcame her surprise at suddenly being included in the conversation and answered, 'Yes. During the civil wars a few City-States used them. Primarily long-range artillery shells that caused a thermonuclear explosion that could destroy a dozen square miles or so.'
'Why didn’t you bring them with you here?' He asked.
'We tried to,' she explained. 'They didn’t come through the gateway with us. For some reason, they just didn’t come through.'
'What about inoculations? Against diseases here?'
'We were told that the gateway would balance our biology to the new environment. To be honest, no one gave it much thought.'
Jaff translated as much of Trevor and Nina’s conversation as possible for his leader. Fromm stopped pacing and listened. Finally, Trevor returned his attention to his counterpart
'The odds were made even. Basic weapons. The best our civilizations could muster without being too powerful.'
Jaff’s voice translated Fromm's response, 'Equal conditions. Equal opportunity to survive or fall.'
Trevor remembered another of the clues the Old Man once offered and shared, 'It’s not about killing us off; it’s about subjugating us. If it were only about killing us, the invaders would have their weapons of mass destruction. Instead, it’s about beating our races down. Forcing us to surrender…to give up.'
'My people will never surrender,' Fromm reacted.
'Nor mine,' Trevor echoed. 'But it makes me wonder…someone… some thing has a reason for wanting survivors.'
Fromm’s eyes moved off of Trevor and to the Major.
'And what of her?'
'She is human, but she and the people of her city are from a planet in this universe. They used gateways that
