"Why are the locals so-" John's eyes searched for the word.
A group of scaly reptilian aliens ran past him, almost knocking him over.
"Scared?" Aeryn completed for him.
"That's the word." He said, still looking around him.
"And why are they all leaving?" Aeryn asked, watching some species board their ship. Two of them followed behind, carrying supplies.
One of them tripped over the edge of the boarding ramp and the large crate slid back down to the dusty ground.
"You idiot!" The leader shouted. "Hurry up with that! Do you want to get us all frelled?!?"
Obediently, the worker obeyed and picked up the crate again.
"They are definitely scared of something." Aeryn said. "Those are Bolidans. One of the fiercest and most territorial species. Whatever they're afraid of, it's big."
"We should leave." John said.
"I know we should." Aeryn muttered, her eyes still focused on the travelers.
***
"Zhaan, I am sensing strong winds building up in the atmosphere." Pilot said as the priestess entered.
"Pilot." She said, stopping.
"Yes, Zhaan?" He asked in curiosity.
"Are we orbiting Tinus IV?" She asked.
"Yes, we are. Why?" Pilot asked.
"Because John and Aeryn do not want to be down there." Zhaan said. She closed her eyes for a second. "Contact them. Tell them they need to leave and-"
"I'm sorry, Zhaan. Communications seem to be disrupted by the storms."
"This isn't good." Zhaan said.
"What isn't good?" Chiana asked, walking in.
"We're orbiting Tinus IV." Zhaan said simply. Chiana's eyes widened.
"We need to get out of here." She said. "Right now! Where's John and Aeryn?"
"On the planet." Zhaan said.
"I don't understand! What is so wrong about Tinus IV?!?" Pilot yelled, with more vigor than they thought was possible.
Zhaan was taken aback as Pilot composed himself.
"I am-sorry, Zhaan." Pilot said.
"It's all right, Pilot. Tinus IV is a very good commerce planet, but once a cycle they celebrate the Unasun, a joining of the two realms. Any outsiders who aren't native to the planet-"
"Which by now, is everyone." Chiana cut in.
"Are executed as a sacrifice to the realms." Zhaan shook her head. "Savages."
"Why didn't Aeryn know about this?" Pilot asked.
"Good question." Chiana said.
"The Peacekeepers don't travel far out here. We're further than any of their bases reach. They would not concern themselves with this information. And even so, they would not care." Zhaan said. "Our priority now is to get them off the planet. By goddess, if I had known…"
"You didn't, Zhaan. Don't worry." Chiana said. "What happens to off worlders who are orbiting the planet?" She asked, her eyes widening.
"We should be safe from their practices. We do not concern them since we are above the realms, according to them. But it is John and Aeryn I am concerned for. They do not know of this ritual."
"We need to contact them then." Chiana said. She prompted Pilot. "Well? Contact them and tell them to get their frellin' traps up here."
"It's not that simple, Chiana." Pilot said, pressing a few buttons. "The winds…they're interfering with communications."
"Then we'll go down." Zhaan said.
"I do not advise that, Zhaan." Pilot said. "If Moya's sensors are correct, the winds have just increased. It is too hard for a transport to go through them."
"So, what? They're stuck there and we're stuck here?" Chiana asked.
"I am afraid so."
A group of scaly reptilian aliens ran past him, almost knocking him over.
"Scared?" Aeryn completed for him.
"That's the word." He said, still looking around him.
"And why are they all leaving?" Aeryn asked, watching some species board their ship. Two of them followed behind, carrying supplies.
One of them tripped over the edge of the boarding ramp and the large crate slid back down to the dusty ground.
"You idiot!" The leader shouted. "Hurry up with that! Do you want to get us all frelled?!?"
Obediently, the worker obeyed and picked up the crate again.
"They are definitely scared of something." Aeryn said. "Those are Bolidans. One of the fiercest and most territorial species. Whatever they're afraid of, it's big."
"We should leave." John said.
"I know we should." Aeryn muttered, her eyes still focused on the travelers.
***
"Zhaan, I am sensing strong winds building up in the atmosphere." Pilot said as the priestess entered.
"Pilot." She said, stopping.
"Yes, Zhaan?" He asked in curiosity.
"Are we orbiting Tinus IV?" She asked.
"Yes, we are. Why?" Pilot asked.
"Because John and Aeryn do not want to be down there." Zhaan said. She closed her eyes for a second. "Contact them. Tell them they need to leave and-"
"I'm sorry, Zhaan. Communications seem to be disrupted by the storms."
"This isn't good." Zhaan said.
"What isn't good?" Chiana asked, walking in.
"We're orbiting Tinus IV." Zhaan said simply. Chiana's eyes widened.
"We need to get out of here." She said. "Right now! Where's John and Aeryn?"
"On the planet." Zhaan said.
"I don't understand! What is so wrong about Tinus IV?!?" Pilot yelled, with more vigor than they thought was possible.
Zhaan was taken aback as Pilot composed himself.
"I am-sorry, Zhaan." Pilot said.
"It's all right, Pilot. Tinus IV is a very good commerce planet, but once a cycle they celebrate the Unasun, a joining of the two realms. Any outsiders who aren't native to the planet-"
"Which by now, is everyone." Chiana cut in.
"Are executed as a sacrifice to the realms." Zhaan shook her head. "Savages."
"Why didn't Aeryn know about this?" Pilot asked.
"Good question." Chiana said.
"The Peacekeepers don't travel far out here. We're further than any of their bases reach. They would not concern themselves with this information. And even so, they would not care." Zhaan said. "Our priority now is to get them off the planet. By goddess, if I had known…"
"You didn't, Zhaan. Don't worry." Chiana said. "What happens to off worlders who are orbiting the planet?" She asked, her eyes widening.
"We should be safe from their practices. We do not concern them since we are above the realms, according to them. But it is John and Aeryn I am concerned for. They do not know of this ritual."
"We need to contact them then." Chiana said. She prompted Pilot. "Well? Contact them and tell them to get their frellin' traps up here."
"It's not that simple, Chiana." Pilot said, pressing a few buttons. "The winds…they're interfering with communications."
"Then we'll go down." Zhaan said.
"I do not advise that, Zhaan." Pilot said. "If Moya's sensors are correct, the winds have just increased. It is too hard for a transport to go through them."
"So, what? They're stuck there and we're stuck here?" Chiana asked.
"I am afraid so."