Cro-Magnons were not handicapped by such an erroneous belief. Adventurous and innovative, the migratory next generation of hominid mentally dominated their inflexible kin, superseding them on all levels: culturally, technologically, spiritually. The Neanderthals were irrevocably displaced by a newer, better model human. Warring with Cro-Magnon invaders is open to debate, so undoubtedly selection pressures caused the Neanderthals to die out.

  Or did they entirely?

  The finding of a 25,000-year-old child's hybrid bones, combining Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon skeletal features suggesting mixed parentage, hints at a controversial alternative. The two peoples coexisted for 10,000 years and were sexually compatible. Who's to say that interbreeding—while hardly commonplace—did not occur, that the losers in this genetic race were not conquered but assimilated by the superior humans? If you can't beat ‘em, absorb them. There is speculation that even today we carry a remnant Neanderthal gene or two inside us.

  My point is that after all his effort and sacrifice, not to mention putting all of his eggs into one basket to brave the chancy process of evolution, Gideon's hardships came to naught. His lost people were recreated only to superficially vanish again, this time forever, some 31,000 years ago. That is supreme irony for you. What is even more paradoxical is that our Latin name means ‘Wise Man'. Considering our ongoing pastimes of warfare and pollution, both on a local and global scale, that does seem rather a misnomer.

  It doesn't stop there either. Although she would have been loath to admit having anything in common with the dread Killjaw king, Bronte (formally of the Thunderfeet) did in fact share with Rexus the desire to see the dinosaurs survive intact without any outside intervention. Ironically, they did just that. Next time you're out and about and happen to spy a pigeon or a sparrow winging its way over the cityscape, or even a common garden-variety chicken pecking at grain in some rustic farmyard, spare a thought for their ancestry. Birds evolved into a recognisable form from agile reptilian forebears some 150 million years ago. Just think of them as feathered dinosaurs. Farcical huh?

  Here's a parting thought for you all. Mass extinction is a given rule in the textbook of evolution, not the exception. In the last 500 million years Mother Earth has experienced almost half a dozen random major extinctions: the first 250 million years ago when nearly all life (ninety per cent in fact) on the planet failed, the most recent being the death knell of the dinosaurs. Humankind, in spite of our cleverness, will not be exempt. Modern humans, if timed from our first domestication of animals and plants that led to the pivotal advancement of agriculture, have only been around a mere ten thousand years. Dinosaur rule extended for over 150 million years and still they succumbed.

  We are in a quiet period at the present time. Enjoy the lull.

  Glossary

  Academies of Learning

  Academic bodies of Berran segmented according to field of interest i.e. Academy of Stellar Studies, Academy of Tele-sensory Study, Academy of Global Sciences etc.

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  Alienaut

  Extraterrestrial astronaut; specifically of Berranian origin.

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  Annihilator, The

  Descriptive title of the six-mile wide asteroid that impacted Planet Earth and thus ended the reign of the dinosaurs.

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  Archosaurs ("ruling lizards")

  Major ancestral reptile group for dinosaurs, crocodiles and pterosaurs that had its beginnings in the Triassic. See Dinosaurs.

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  Berran

  Neptune-sized planet ringed by an asteroid field orbiting a White Dwarf 4.3 light years distance from Earth in the Northern Hemisphere constellation Cygnus; diameter, 30,125 kalacs; sixteen times the mass of the Earth; population (former): 7.2 billion souls.

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  Berran Coalition

  Political alliance of Berranian nationals responsible for bringing an end to intercontinental rivalry by ushering in an era of global peace and unity visibly expressed in planetary reclamation and deep space exploration.

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  Berranian

  Native of Berran; technologically advanced race of spacefaring humans.

  See Neanderthals.

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  Biped

  An animal that walks on two feet.

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  Birthstar

  The naevus of white scales splashing the foreheads of the Chosen marking their uniqueness.

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  Bloodletting, The

  Annual migration of the Duckbills and Shieldhorns to northern feeding grounds when the Killjaws, deprived of their staple food sources, prey exclusively upon the Thunderfeet.

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  Bolthole, The

  Escape tunnel through the Uplands excavated by the original Bonehead settlers in order to flee the Concealed Valley should the need arise.

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  Bonehead

  Pachycephalosaurus (paki-sefalo-sawross: “thick-headed lizard")

  Ornithischian herbisaurs distantly related to the ceratopsian family; sometimes derogatorily called “Rockheads". See Ornithopods.

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  BSA (Berranian Space Authority)

  Government agency overseeing local plus stellar space flight operations.

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  Burrower

  Purgatorious (perg-ah-tawrioss)

  The earliest conjectural primate (forerunner of monkeys, apes and humans); fossil remains uncovered in North America.

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  Carnosaurs (kaar-ni-sawrs)

  Huge, bipedal predatory dinosaurs. See Theropods.

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  Ceratopsians (serra-topp-see-anz: “horned faces")

  Two-and four-legged planet-eating dinosaurs that appeared in the latter half of the Cretaceous Period; characterised by bony beaks and neck frills; includes the horned dinosaurs. See Ornithischians.

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  Champsosaurus (champ-so-sawross)

  Five to eight foot long freshwater, fish-eating reptile found in Cretaceous Europe, Africa and North America; superficially resembled, but unrelated to, crocodiles. See The Guardian; Watersnouts

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  Clearwater River

  320-mile long watercourse sourced by the Oasis via Starlight Falls and feeding Crescent Lake.

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  Clubtail

  Ankylosaurus (ang-kilo-sawross: “fused lizard")

  Largest member of the family of armoured quadrupeds that first appeared in the Jurassic, becoming abundant in the Cretaceous throughout Europe, Asia and North America. See Ornithischians.

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  Coldbloods

  Mammalian slang for lizards based upon early reptilian dependency on sunbathing to increase body warmth; later used in a derogatory sense to describe saurian ruthlessness.

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  Coelursaurs (sil-yoor-sawrs: “hollow-tail lizards")

  Diverse group of theropods that arose in the Jurassic; generally had slender build with long forelimbs and grasping hands; later sprouted feathers as a means of retaining body heat; survive into the present day as birds. See Theropods.

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  ComConSat (Command Control Satellite)

  Habitat cylinders orbiting Berran housing the planetary administrators. See Habisyls.

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  Comlink

  Radio communications device employed for short and long distance dialogue.

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  Concealed Valley

  Home of the Boneheads; a vale 135 miles long by 50 miles wide ringed by the mile-high cliffs of the Uplands; known access gained only by an upward spiralling tunnel directly behind Starlight Falls.

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  Crescent Lake

  Major freshwater body in Mother Forest region; sourced by Clearwater River and drains into Swamp of Despair; forms a horseshoe covering 8,750 square miles; approximately 924 ft at its maximum depth.

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  Cretaceous (kri-tay-shass)

  Earth time period 144—65 mya (million years ago); third and last period of the Mesozoic Era.

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  Cryogenics

  Branch of medical science concerned with the deep-freezing of bodies; alternatively called cryonics.

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  Death Pool

  Reed-lined bottomless pool of oily water located in the southwest quarter of Swamp of Despair; lair of the crocodilian soothsayer, Moldar.

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  Deciders, The

  Title of the Bonehead ruling council; the chieftains of the seven clans.

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  Dinosaurs ("terrible lizards")

  Advanced group of land reptiles noted for the erect stance of their limbs; dominated the Mesozoic Age for 165 million years. See Archosaurs.

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  Dominator, The

  Ceremonial title of the dominant bull leading the combined Shieldhorns’ herd.

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  Duckbill

  Generic term for hadrosaurs, but specifically referring to Chappy's breed: Edmontonsaurus ("Edmonton lizard"). See Hadrosaurs.

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  Earth Shudder

  Bonehead term for earthquake. See Ground Shiver.

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  Eid

  Daylong time measurement based on a single rotation of Berran; equal to twenty Earth hours.

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  Energy Dome

  Wrist-worn, neural linked device essentially providing computer interface for the wearer and accessing numerous functions such as holographic imaging and flight dynamics, but enhancing also elementary PSI abilities.

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  Exobiologist

  Scientist trained in the study of alien lifeforms; specifically a Berranian practicing in this field.

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  Exobiology

  The study of alien animal life.

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  Fastclaw

  Ornithomimus (orna-tho-meemas: “bird mimic")

  Late Cretaceous theropod strikingly similar to the ostrich in lifestyle and feeding habits; member of a group that includes Dromiceiomimus, found on the five major continents. See Saurischians.

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  Fernwalk

  Herbaceous plant-covered plain adjacent to Mother Forest; traditional migratory route for herbisaurs undertaking the seasonal 1,100 mile trek to northern feeding grounds in present day Alberta, Canada.

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  Fiercejaw

  Allosaurus (alla-sawross: “different lizard")

  Jurassic carnosaur; 36ft long, weighed 1.5 tons; found in East Africa, Europe and North America.

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  FIRE

  Acronym for Fusion Injection Replenishment Experiment, the ambitious science program intended to restore Berran's dying sun. See Firebase.

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  Firebase

  Asteroid based facility constructed to conduct and implement Berran's failed sun-boost program.

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  First Principle

  Prohibitive guiding directive sworn and adhered to by graduating exobiologists stating that under no circumstances whatsoever are operatives to initiate visual, physical or telepathic contact with their study subjects; violation punishable by death in extreme cases.

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  Force Shield

  Shipboard energy field used to protect a spacecraft hull from damage incurred by micrometeoroid impacts during stellar flight and the hazards of atmospheric conditions when making planetfall.

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  Greylings

  Elder race of extraterrestrials; official caretakers of the universe; Berranian galactic probes placed their irradiated homeworld in the Bootes Constellation.

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  Grand Matriarch See Matriarch.

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  Gravity Dampening Field

  Extension of starsphere force shielding designed to nullify g's for pilot tolerance when flying planetside.

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  Groundshaker

  Brachiosaurus (braki-o-sawross: “arm lizard")

  Late Jurassic sauropod; 75-82 ft long; weighed 39-76 tons; found in Europe, Africa and North America. See Sauropods.

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  Ground Shiver:

  Thunderfoot term for earthquake. See Earth Shudder.

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  G-66

  Gideon's radio call sign when piloting his starsphere.

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  Guardian, The

  Servant of Moldar, the crocodile seer residing in the Death Pool deep in the innards of the Swamp of Despair; functions primarily as an usher. See Champsosaurus.

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  Habisyls

  Slang for Habitat Cylinders orbiting Berran; 2 kalacs in length and 1,400 metrons in diameter; each rotating tube houses approximately 100,000 people.

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  Hadrosaurs (had-ro-sawrs: “bulky lizards")

  Late Cretaceous biped / quadruped herbivorous dinosaurs sporting toothless, duck-like beaks; divided into two families: hadrosaurine (no crest) and lambeosaurine (crested); distributed worldwide. See Ornithopods.

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  Hatching Circle

  Glade traditionally used by Thunderfeet cows for laying their football-sized eggs.

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  Herbisaurs (urb-a-sawrs)

  Herbivorous (plant-eating) dinosaurs.

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  Hesperornis (hes-pir-awnoss: “western bird")

  Flightless Cretaceous seabird with toothed beak; swam underwater propelled by its webbed feet.

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  Honker

  Presbyornis (press-be-awnoss)

  Prehistoric bird exhibiting a peculiar mixture of waterfowl and shorebird anatomical features; grouped with waterbirds (ducks, geese, swans); fossils found in North American Cretaceous rock.

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  Homing Beacon

  Trace signal emitted by a starsphere to enable pilots conducting an EVA (Extravehicular Activity) to locate their ship.

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  Hunting Wood

  Hellish netherworld for deceased carnosaurs where they partake in eternal hunts.

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  Ichthyornis (ik-thee-awnoss: “fish bird")

  Cretaceous “gull"; 8 inches long; lived and fished much like a modern tern.

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  Ikar

  Berranian time measurement equal to two Earth hours.

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  Jurassic (joo-rass-ik)

  Earth time period 213—144 million years ago; middle period of the Mesozoic Era.

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  Kalac

  Berranian unit of measurement equal to 1.3 miles.

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  Killjaw

  Tyrannosaurus Rex (tiran-o-sawross: “king tyrant lizard")

  The infamous T-Rex; related theropods found in Asia; a Late Cretaceous South American allosaurid may have been larger! See Theropods.

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  Killjaw army

  Periodic assemblage of fighting carnosaurs.

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  Killjaw Clearing

  Ancestral home of the Killjaw king; assembly point for regional carnosaurs and their vassals.

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  Killjaw, Dwarf

  Albertosaurus ("Alberta lizard")

  Formerly called Gorgosaurus; a smaller tyrannosaurid. See Theropods.

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  Killjaw king

  Monarchical (or rather maniacal) ruler of the carnosaurs; misguidedly claims overlordship of entire Mother Forest.

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  Life-giver

  Colloquial prehistory name for the sun.

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  Life-taker

  Colloquial prehistory name for the moon.

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  Light Speed

  The speed at which light travels through the vacuum of space; 186,000 miles per second—

  Light Year

  The distance light travels over the course of one year; 5.8 trillion miles—

  Linguistic Decoder

  Standard Berranian shipboard language translation device connected by datalink to a helmet-mounted broadcast unit; capable of multilingual conversion.

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  Lizardwing

  Generic term for pterosaurs, specifically referring to Zmork's breed, Quetzalcoatlus (kewt-sil-kotliss: “feathered serpent"); last and largest of the pterodactyloids. See Pterosaurs.

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  Longfrill

  Torosaurus (torro-sawross: “perforated lizard")

  One of the last horned dinosaurs. See Ceratopsians.

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  Matriarch

  Hereditary Thunderfoot herd leader; classically female; the Grand Matriarch is the celebrated head of this elite group of wise cows.

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  Mesozoic Era ("middle life")

  The Age of the Dinosaurs comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods; lasted some 185 million years.

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  Metron

  Berranian unit of measurement equal to 1.7 feet.

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  Mother Forest

  Localised region of an extensive tract of coniferous woodland situated in the prehistoric Midwest of the United States of America (roughly the borderlands of present day Montana and North Dakota); approximately 500 miles across at its broadest stretch from western Uplands to eastern Fernwalk and 400 miles long from Redmount in the north to Killjaw Clearing in the south.

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  Nat-el

  Native tongue of Berran akin to Latin.

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  Neanderthal (ni-andar-taal)

  Prehistoric human subspecies that lived between 150,000 and 30,000 B.C. in Europe, Asia and the Middle East; believed to have suffered racial extinction due to competing unsuccessfully with Cro-Magnon (Modern) Man; anatomically and genetically identical to the peoples of Berran.

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  Nightclaw

  Dromiceiomimus (drommi-say-o-meemas: “emu mimic")

  One of quickest ornithomimid ("bird mimic") dinosaurs. See Coelursaurs.

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  Oasis, The

  Uplands lake sitting in a rock-rimmed basin atop a half-mile high cliff; this small but 430-foot deep tarn supplies Starlight Falls.

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