Lion, Tiger, Bear | 385 to Schafer and held out her hand. May I? She focused the lenses for maximum distance. Palm trees of some sort, I see a building, no three. A Siamese temple with a gold dome. Then we are in Indochina somewhere. Lets land. As they descended between crop fields, Geer shouted: People are waving at us! Is this Japanese occupied territory? Must be. They seem excited. To them were Axis Allies. Shafer turned to Bea. Set us down on that sandy stretch near the fruit tree groves. See it? Got it. Bea eased them down and set the landing buffers. At two meters off the ground, the Bear suddenly became surrounded by a crowd of around a hundred. Shafer extended the bow stairway. Come on, Edmund, lets greet them. I know some Burmese. Im going to suck down ten oranges. Geer descended. Swastika flags! Theyre Buddhists then… Tibetan-looking people, prayer wheels and horns greeted them in a cacophony. Shafer shook dozens of hands. Hello, hello. We are lost travelers. Ni hao, ni hao. A jeweled gold bracelet was placed on his wrist, then Geers. The bracelets shrunk to fit. Tight! I cant get mine off, said Geer. Shafer observed: Strange. I was feeling as if I were somehow splintering apart, but Im fine now. Alice folded her arms as she and Bea stood at the top of the stairs with Gwafa. We do not want to be permanent guests of the Japs. Agreed. Im taking us back up if we see any, said Bea, accepting a gem- encrusted gold bracelet from a smiling woman. Everyone in the ships company had been given one. Bea examined it. Not bad. Alice rubbed hers. A tradition of some land? This looks to be a 200-carat ruby. Gwafa scanned the scene with the binoculars. T see no soldiers. Only people in colored robes and fine hats. He marveled at the gold inlay on his copper bracelet, and thanked the woman. The mens bracelets had engravings of intricate symbols instead of gems. A small crowd lifted Geer up and down on a yellow blanket. Amazing! he cried. Locals eagerly flowed up the stairs, filling the ship. They examined everything with great curiosity, especially the Tellus and astrolabe. Bea and Alice gorged on oblong melons and unrecognizable fruit. Ive never had anything like it, said Bea, mouth dripping. A smiling child wearing a golden conical