Moonhawk and Lute's first appearance and meeting. They both become prisoners of a woman who somehow obtained a high-tech object (a gun, of some sort) and set herself up as a ruler of a village - ruling by fear and intimidation and feeding the greed of the villagers. It's a very nasty, sordid situation that Lute fell into and Moonhawk walks into (the Goddess tells her to go in). They win, and in the process defend a pregnant woman and her (husband? mate?); apparently the child will be important, though there's no reason given. Also, Lute and Moonhawk decide to travel together. Personally, I suspect that was at least part of what the Goddess was aiming for. It's written a little - fuzzily... important events are presented as overheard sounds and the aftermath (Lute gets his hand smashed - but we don't see the event, just hear it and see him afterward. Moonhawk's viewpoint only, in that section). And it's also rather mystical - the Goddess possesses Moonhawk at one point and it's not really clear what actually happens then (why did the man-mountain stand aside?). But interesting, especially as the first glimpse of these two. ( )