A Plan

"Doston," began Kisho, "could you spot a person from overhead? A specific person?"

"I believe so. My eyesight is very good. On Music, food is quite scarce in certain seasons. Without good vision, one could starve. I can see well. But I must admit that you humans look pretty much the same to me."

"Can you describe Ralph for us, Sam?" asked Kisho.

Sam turned to Doston. "He's six-feet-two-inches tall with light brown hair. The color isn't too much darker than your hair. Fur? Your coat. He has blue eyes and that scar across his forehead. But you've seen him, right?" said Sam, not sure if he was offending the creature or not. He sure didn't mean to offend anyone with talons like those.

"I remember what he looks like. I'm not sure I can tell the color of his eyes from the air, unless he is looking up." Doston was often overwhelmed by the simplicity of these humans.

"Right. But could you pick him out from the air?" asked Kisho. "We don't know where he lives and aren't even sure how to go about finding him. But if you could spot him from the air, it would be very helpful. Hiro and I should have no trouble containing him." This last was said with a touch of disapproval in his voice, but it was as Cassie wanted.

"Where will you take him once he is 'contained?' How will he be contained?" asked Doston.

Everyone turned to look at Hiro who said, "Sam, do you have access to a jail here? I've never seen a prison, but if there are cops here, they must work out of some place."

"Work? Who works? They all sit around drinking in the bar all day. The only people I've seen working here are the hookers." Sam didn't like the thought of working as a guard in a jail all day.

"I've met a negotiator who has worked and Hiro does his Samurai thing." Cassie wasn't sure that her writing in a journal counted as work, but she knew that people were doing something here. Weren't they? But there was no need for money, so maybe no one worked. "That man can't just be allowed to run around and attack people." This was said with conviction.

All agreed that Ralph needed to be stopped. There was a consensus among the men that murder was a capital offense. Doston wasn't commenting. Cassie was no longer sure what to do with Ralph. She wanted to feel safe when out walking around.

"Do you know if the Governor's daughter is here?" Doston asked.

Cassie gasped. She hadn't even thought of the poor girl. "What's her name?"

"Matilda. Ralph called her Tillie sometimes, but she prefers Matilda," Sam said. "I don't know if she is here or not."

"We really need to make sure that Ralph is not free to harm her. Or me. Or anyone else. He has to be stopped." Cassie looked around and started to hyperventilate. Her pulse was racing, her eyes were wide and fearful. She looked straight at Hiro, "He has to be stopped," she gasped out again.

"Doston, can you try to find him from the air and then let us know where he is? It would be best if we knew where he lived. He probably lives in a rather fancy house. Will you see if you can spot him?" asked Hiro.

Doston looked at Cassie, "I will do all I can to help you. You shouldn't have to be so afraid. You are not prey." Then, turning to Hiro, "Where will you be? I can go and search for him but I think someone should stay with Cassie. I can come back here and let you know what I find."

The three men said they would stay at Cassie's for a while. Doston took off in search of Ralph. "You got something besides iced tea to drink?" asked Sam.