Conversations under the crimson sun.
- Forgive me Itel, but what are we doing on this lump of salt cursed by the gods and daemons?" - Eti asked, She was dressed in the outfit of an Akiton nomad, although she did not have a dust filter yet, and she wear goggles that shielded her sensitive cat eyes from the light of the local scorching sun. She wore falcon boots that allowed her to walk on walls and ceilings.
The green-haired elf rolled her eyes.
- Bina is here to stock up on the expedition. She replied.
Eti ostentatiously looked around. She saw a rickety bush. She walked over to him and started talking to him.
- Hey Bina. It's nice that you took us shopping. I was just about to show you what I would like you to buy me for this beautiful trip. Headcheese, brass knuckles, explosives. - she gestured theatrically
Itel narrowed her eyes.
- Would you mind not fooling around? - She said irritably.
Eti turned abruptly to the elf and came so close that they looked each other straight in the eye
- Of course I could, but why if I can't do what I want, and you know what I want to do? Absolutely nothing, and that could be the last chance before flying to the Ravaged Zone, or where we're going… - She said in a calm voice not matching the clenched metal hand. She didn't like to raise her voice, it always didn't seem to suit someone like her. So someone absolutely perfect, amazing and unique.
- But for the last two weeks ... - Itel bit her tongue, but Eti moved closer to her and picked up goggles.
- Come on, say it ... - she drawled.
Itel blushed ashamed. She stepped back and sighed.
-Bina always says that she does not like taking us shopping, because we are intimidating the sellers - explained her friend, but Eti interrupted her.
- But we really are scary. This is our specialty and we should not be ashamed of it.- Eti said seriously. She felt pride growing in her heart.
- But these are almost certainly not the talents Bina needs. - Alatar said, not looking up from the datapad, playing a game without too much involvement. Lilka was lying on the white sand and moving her hands up and down.
- What are you doing? - Liska Itel asked, standing next to Eti,
- I make an eagle in the sand, - said the self-styled orcish in a slightly bored voice. Her fiery ax lay beside her.
- Of course Bina needs such talents. - continued Eti - Our power of persuasion would surely make any trader drop the price, and even add something extra. - She came up to the dragonfly holding her hips.
- Most likely he would just take a gun out from under the counter or call security ... Or both - said Alatar, interrupting the game.
- Or maybe it's salt, - Lilka wondered aloud.
Eti wanted to say something about what she thought about salespeople and what they can do with their security, but Itel cut in.
- Bina didn't take us, but we can't do nothing with it. But she didn't tell us what to do, did she? - The elf said putting her hand on Eti's shoulder.
- Pfe Pfe, it's sand with salt - Lilka began to spit the sand she wanted to try.
- She told us not to get into trouble, - Alatar corrected Solarian.
The shooter snorted and gently slipped her arm out of Itel's, then crossed her arms over her chest.
- My dear, we are the troubles others get into - she said firmly. Itel sighed irritably.
- Could you just focus on what I'm saying for a moment! - She screamed. Eti turned to her.
- We are always perfectly focused and nothing ever distracts us - said Eti with absolute certainty.
- What a lovely pebble, - Lilka said, and she walked over to a flat red stone covered with a pretty mosaic. Eti and Itel looked at each other for a moment, bewildered, Finally Eti grabbed the end of the braid and began to nervously massage the inside of the metal hand with it. In the morning, she dyed her hair red-white and braided it so that the braid looked like a two-color spiral.
- Okay, Itel, I'm listening carefully ... W hat's your plan.
Itel smiled, clearly pleased that she could finally share her plan with her friends. She put the datapad on the portable table and turned on the map of the neighborhood, which she must have pulled from the poor local network, then opened her notes.
- First of all, it is a place located on the border of the Ravaged Zone and from here all expeditions set off when you still wanted to organize them. For sure, the locals still remember a lot what it was like and maybe someone who took part in one of the few expeditions whose members were not murdered still lives here.
Eti grimaced understanding what her friend was going to.
- So we have to look for someone who did not run to the other end of the galaxy as soon as his foot left the deck of the expedition ship and convince him to tell us all about it? It's trivial.
- Actually, you better leave the part about persuasion to us. - Itel said carefully, but Eti leaned towards her. She narrowed her eyes but smiled.
- But I can be very persuasive! She said, grinning her sharp teeth slowly.
- Rather frightening.- muttered Alatar.
- It's not a pebble, it has legs ... It's a Bug - Lilka shouted, and grabbed the fiery ax. The others moved away from her to out of range of their weapons, but did nothing else.
- Ftightening is the same as persuasive. - she said, feeling pleased with the unexpected praise.
- No, that's different - Alatar muttered, but Itel, after thinking, said.
- It's a good idea, actually. If you can "convince" them without drawing attention to yourself and without risking yourself, then do so.
Eti smiled. As soon as he finds someone who has survived the expedition to the Ravaged Zone, it will make him regret
- You'll like the second part of the plan less. We need someone who knows something about ancient artifacts and searching the ruins .. - said Solarian. Eti frowned. This was not an idea typical of Itel, who usually suspected everyone of slitting their throats or selling them to their enemies.
- It wasn't a bug, it was a crab. Poor crab - said Lilka and came up to them - Where are the ruins?
- So far nowhere, although knowing our style of work, they may soon appear somewhere. - Itel muttered
- I'm sorry, but I think we got Ilemshaw and Ireanis for that. - Eti said. She didn't like the prospect of letting strangers aboard their ship for a few months… to their only home.
- Ilemashaw can't leave the tank, and Ireanis is very… Ireanis and we can't really count on her. Besides, we need someone who knows the past and is not a relic of it. Who knows about Magitech and Archeotech. You understand? - Iitel asked. Lilka with a smile on her lips shook her head negatively.
- Honestly, I don't understand. - said Eti with absolute honesty - But I will look for ... How did you describe it? Archeotech specialist… maybe an archaeologist or historian? She asked, leaning her head resignedly on the metal hand - though to be honest I have no idea how. She sighed and caught a fly flying by.
- And now what is most important. We have to find the observatory and get to it. She said with a sly smile.
She actually liked that idea. Doctor leech was supposed to conduct research here, but how much can you trust a deadctor?
-But what exactly are you going to find there? We have the maps Sidonius gave you. I guess they're accurate enough? She asked, hoping that it would not turn out right away that she had organized the entire trip without knowing how to get there. Maybe it didn't matter to her, she didn't care much for antyhing, but Bina and the rest agreed to the undertaking, hoping that the solarian had an idea of what she was doing.
- They are, but I'd rather make sure they don't have any mistakes, or that he hasn't hidden something from us. - Plus, the record might still be there - Itel said, trying not to show how much she was looking forward to getting the video. Alatar looked sour.
- We have to go all over the planet because you want to prove something Binie. He said with a total lack of enthusiasm.
- Not the whole planet, there is one big city ... The observatory must be nearby. - said itel with exaggerated optimism. Eti shook her head, not knowing what to think, but she said.
- Okay, so maybe I will look for people who once went to the Ravaged Zone, you will learn something about the observatory, and each of us will try to look for a scientist who somehow ended up in such a hole. She said looking at the others. She didn't like to take the lead on their package, but she knew someone had to end this discussion because Bina would come back from shopping and they would still be arguing. - Does anyone have some credit for me for business expenses? She asked in an innocent voice. Itel was already reaching into her pocket to hand her the Credstick, but Alatar put his hand on the elf's shoulder.
- You know, this is probably not the best idea. Bina would be angry too.- He said gently to Eti. The shooter sighed "It was worth a try"
- Okay, then I'll see you at sunset, or when we find something interestin. - she said and put on her goggles and a dust mask and headed for the city.