Chapter 64

Bob arrives with the Deltans at the abandoned flint site, a naturally defensible hilltop location. He discovers the area is inhabited by gorilloids—omnivorous creatures attracted to both the native seedpods and the Deltans themselves—and must manage the threat while the colony establishes itself at the camp.

Bob guides the Deltans to the flint site, a rocky rise commanding views for miles with natural shelters, rock pools, and a central mesa. The site was previously abandoned, with elders offering vague explanations though one elder seems uncomfortable with the theory that gorilloids overran it. Bob's drone survey reveals the area is densely populated with gorilloids, creatures he realizes are attracted to both the tough seedpods growing there and the Deltans themselves as a protein source. When two gorilloids approach too closely, Guppy neutralizes them with sonic booms, causing the remaining gorilloids to flee. Arnold quickly moves the Deltans to defensible positions on the bluff using the old camp infrastructure. While Archimedes and Moses depart to establish the flint tool manufacturing operation, Bob and Marvin discuss strategy. Rather than cull the gorilloid population, Bob decides to keep the buster AMIs on sentry duty to eliminate any gorilloid that comes too close, hoping the creatures will learn to avoid the area. Marvin then shows Bob video of Deltans constructing an altar from buster parts and surrounding it with torches, indicating the Deltans are beginning to revere the "bawbe" (Bob and his drones) as divine protectors.