The Plot Thickens!

The sun was burning hot on his back, as the Emperor Zalcoata passed back and forth.  The first of his steam dragon spies and returned.  He had learned of multiple places to raid for new workers for the mills and factories, but even more interesting was the valley of orphans.  "Now that will be perfect.  No one will miss them."  at least thats what Zalcoata thought.
"Oh dear, where is Senor Soren when we need him?" though Flick who was out of the factory being oiled on his off shift.  "I must let Mia know."
~  Flick

Steam Dragons!

As winter was fast approaching, with the first snows having already come to the San Juan Mountains, making things even more urgent for stocking our winter meat stores.  Word from A'ts'inna was that many of the elk have come down to graze due to the early heavy snows up near the Three Cities: Durango, Silverton, and Ouray.  Silver and I had been out for two days hunting, and had two elk already.  That was when I started noticing strange prints again in the sand.   It was the same strange, machine-like, lizard tracks.  We were nearly to the edge of the cliffs, where we could climb down into the safety of the cave house, when we heard it.
"Wryn!  St-st-steam....Dr-dr-dragon!" Silver stammered in shock.
"I see it.  Silver, get your butt down into the caves, now!  Take the elk, and keep Clove, Luna, and Murk inside till the dragon is past... No mater what you hear up here!  Now GO!"  I order.  Every bone and muscle in my body shifts into archer mode.  I draw my bow, but never shoot.  The steam dragon just flies slowly by me, eyeing me with my bow drawn, and goes on its way.  Apparently, we are not part of it's plan... today anyway.

~ Wryn Kasa

Lillian, Soren, and Ion

It was a cold day, and Lillian had brought Ion to the hospital.  "Why exactly are we here, Lillian? Are you still hunting for Soren?  Your father says he is as dead as a door nail."  Ion asked.
Lillian smirked, "My father has to say that.  He is hiding Soren and my secret."
Ion looked at Lillian puzzled, "Secret? Like what?"
Lillian giggled like a school girl, "Like that Soren and I got married... wait you know that one."  She paused.  "Ion, when Soren and I got married, we headed out the next morning to return to Yetim.  He placed me on his good steam speeder, and he road my old one, in part because he was planing to work on fixing it as soon as we got home."  Lillian paused, "But we didn't make it.  Two miles out from Yetim, my steam speeder exploded. Soren lost 3 fingers on his right hand, and 2 fingers on his left. His face is badly burned, and his right leg is mangled.  He has been in the iron lung in a comma ever since."
Ion thought for a moment, "First, that explains why communication stopped about 6 months ago."  He paused, "Has anyone tried making a portable breathing tank for him?  I know for a time they made them in the 1950's through the 2030's, until the plague struck.  It might help him heal faster."
Lillian shook her head.  "No, none of us here have any knowledge of how that was done."
"I have some old blueprints, and I am sure I can come up with something workable.  Maybe we can get you

and Soren home to Yetim, and he can awake at home and not in this ucky place."
"Ion, Soren and I would be forever in your debt if you could, and even more the orphans back in Yetim." Lillian huged him.  "I am sorry.  It is just, you have given me hope for the future for the first time in ages."
"I bet get to work then."  Ion said.  "While I am at it, I will make a mask for the half of his face burnt and a brace for his leg.  It wont be pretty, but he will walk again." with that Ion headed back to his smithy hut, near the airstrip where the A'ts'inna Celpins took off and landed, perfect inspiration for his work.

~ Ion 'Kles