chapter 5.1

Chapter Four
“Legend has it,” began Ben, “that there was a time, before our fathers found the Great Herd, that there were another people who lived in the high and the hidden places of Zal’tchzr, or Zalthar as we know it”.
Carolynn shot Nathan a bemused look, but neither said a word and let Ben continue.
“These people were known as the Lone Ones, or Lonely ones, for once they were part of a Great People, who had lived in peace since the Birth of the Stars, but now they were all that was left. The Legends are not clear, and parts are missing or still to be found, but it seems that this once Great People had lived in peace, until there was a War between the Gods. Some of the Gods came to the people, and told them that if they helped them fight the other Gods, they would give them an Armour that would make them invincible ! The people accepted this gift, and they won the War with Heaven, but the War had caused great suffering and pain, and so the people put down their weapons and vowed to never fight again ! But they had been tricked, for when they tried to take of their Armour, they could not ! The other Gods said they would fight for them for ever, and never rest. 
But there was one amongst the people, one who had once been King, who would not see them treated so, and whilst the other Gods were still weak from the War, he gave them a powerful poison. The trouble was, for them not to notice his deception, the people, his people had to drink of the same draft that held the poison. The other Gods were greedy, and drank easily of the draft in a great toast, only the King and 100 of his most loyal secretly abstained. Realising they had been tricked, however, the last of the other Gods to die, cursed the people, saying they would not escape their oath to fight by dying, that instead they would fall into eternal sleep, and that when the Gods returned, they would wake them once again to do their bidding !
And so, all that were left was the King, and 100 of his trusted Lieutenants‘, whilst the rest of his people did not perish, but slept ! So apparently they divided them up, and a number of these Lieutenants‘ were left to watch over the sleeping people, whilst the King left to find a cure to wake his people and remove their Armour, before the Gods return.
Its these Lieutenants‘, that became the lonely Ones, and these scraps of “pot” are what’s left of attempts they have made to remove their Armour, whilst they wait for their King !”
Ben finally paused for breath.

“So this is Armour from an extinct people who lived here before the herds and then vanished, apart from bits of their Armour, an Armour they couldn’t take off ?” said Nate.
“That about sums it up“, agreed Ben,
“It is some kind of metal !”
“Right” said Carolynn, “but why would anybody want it ?”
“Let me show you something “ said Alice, and led them to the Kiln. Emptying the pots, she set it to Maximum, and dropped in the piece of “pot” a piece of Ceramite and a metallic coin, then stood back to wait.
“I can get this to 1400 degrees, “Alice explained, a drink Gentlemen.
It was a while before they returned to the kiln, and Alice withdrew the heat-tray. The coin was a puddle, even the Ceramite had started to melt at the corners, but the other metal of the “pot” shard, showed no sign of any heat damage what so ever.
“That, Gentlemen, has to be worth a lot of credits !”
“Meaning men will want more of it ?, stammered Nate,
“Meaning more men will come for it !” exclaimed Carolynn, and the four looked at one another. This could not be,
“This will not happen !”, he finished !
“ I remember now,” said Nate, “Bella, my Bella, she had a necklace her Father gave her, made of a metal that always shone,”
“What happened to it ?” asked Carolynn.
“I’ve no idea,” said Nate, “but I’ve a feeling that Kern may well have some answers !”