The sun is bright and hot as a glow-furnace overhead and bathes the sands and waters in its oppressive heat. Beyond its halos of fiery light, two bright stars can be seen in the sky, one brighter than the farthest away. To their surprise, there is water. There is wind, though it is hot. A swift flock of blue avian-type species fly north to south over the waters and disappear nearly as fast as they come and go. The surf of the waves crashes into the desert shelf—the sound of wheels that grind on stone as the water's undertow sucks and rolls free rocks hidden beneath the sand, into the watery mouth of fathoms deep.
They are not sure where they are…This is not where they expect to be at this hour in the day. The sand is terrifically white and reflects the powerful sun into their eyes without protection. There are a few white constructions of stone that add to the structure ahead of them—a paddock of sorts. There is little shade anywhere else besides their shuttle, and the stone foundations of that paddock.
They wear clothes for the terrain at least…Hoods over their heads, smocks—silk robes really, Kasumi points out, and veils to help keep out the glare and sand from their eyes…The attire does decently for them. Their bodies are cooler for it and so are their feet for the cover of the long boots they wear under the smocks. The boots are light and breathable—except for the material on the soles.
Braith can see Kasumi well, even with the sheer fabric over their faces. Kasumi can see Braith through her veil…and the annoyance in her expression which they share.
"There's at least a dozen languages spoken on this, Shepard," Kasumi uses her Codex, "…One has to match with the area's more common speak…I need it to pick up someone talking for it to start translating."
Braith nods and glances behind them, over the roof of the shuttle. A gray unsightly smoke comes from the other side, and the wind pulls it southward in fits.
"Where did the shuttle say we were again?"
"It began with an s sound, I think."
"Fab," Braith tilts her head back to look at the sky. "Why do I feel like we're not where we need to be?" She turns her gaze through the veil to the paddock. Inside the paddock are some of the strangest animals: quadrupedal, furry limbs such as on bears, thick trunks between the powerful haunches and shoulders, long necks, flexible necks, bird heads…There are feathers on these in combination with fur that rises to shiver. Black, brown, whitish-gray beaks…The colors of the coats are the same.
They stare at her and Kasumi with large gold eyes near the fronts of their heads, closer to the sides of the rostrums that sit on the tops of their nostrils. Once in a while they rise up six feet, in addition to their eight from head to foreclaw when the forelimbs are set to the ground. They possess some very long claws at the ends of their footpads.
Braith sees a few thick braids in loops over the nearest pair of posts that mark one of two entrances into the paddock, at the north and south ends of the square. She turns her head and feels the veil slide against her nose, "…Did you confirm the coordinates you gave the ship against Casnar's message?"
"This is the result of his coordinates, Shep." Kasumi's almond eyes turn towards Braith through the soft sheen of her brown veil.
Braith nods, "…Okay, verifying is all…Gods," she looks to the di'leans as they shiver, …Must be how they stay cool, "…it's hotter than some planets, Goto." Braith steps away from the shade to look left and right, then turns to see the ocean. "I've never seen an ocean alongside a desert," she tries to pass the time and take her mind away from the unease, "…Kind of ironic…It's a taunt," she smiles at the irony, "…You're dying of thirst yet you have all this water you can't drink…A desert island...And if you feel too hot you can brine yourself in the water before you come out, roast yourself on the sand to 165 Fahrenheit, if the temperature's the same here on this planet as Earth."
The pair of women turn their faces behind their veils towards each other.
"What eats you when you're cooked," asks Kasumi.
The animals chur from their beaks and fluff their coats. One exposes a wide brightly-colorful crest of tall rigid feathers that hide against its thick neck when not in use.
"They have peacocks on their heads I didn't know about."
"They must be some kind of domestic livestock…What does the Codex say?"
Kasumi pushes her cloth off her omni-tool and aims the lens of the scanner to the nearest animal, "…Di'lean," an automatic voice conducts an oral analysis of the creature in its scan, "…female, hybrid mammal-avian, wingless species, origin Rakhana, uses claws, beak, size to attack prey and defend itself and young, highly intelligent, versatile for use: fabric, transport by Drellkind, may be trained to fight, protein source, can be milked for dairy but this is not advised, establishes strong bonds to its trainers and caretakers, sensitive to smell and vibrations, omnivorous, approach with caution and respect..."
"A dill-een," Braith practices the word, "…That Codex is handy. Where'd you steal it from?"
"Last time you asked me that type of question, you returned what I 'borrowed'—with a letter of apology—to the owner," Kasumi gives Braith the shake of disapproval and reprehension, "…I'm not telling you anymore where I find these useful tools of mine," Braith's hood moves higher as her veil puffs out with a huff, her reaction to Kasumi's conclusion, "…It's of benefit to us, Shep," Kasumi resumes her perusal of the Codex file and searches for helpful info, "…Spare me your pending lecture about making an honest career-women out of me. I'm a thief. It's what I do, and why you hired me long ago." Braith does not lecture the woman out of respect for Kasumi's wishes…They turn simultaneously towards their sad little shuttle, head inside for shelter from the sun rays. They drop their heads to avoid the curve of the roof or catch of their hoods on its hooks for utilities.
"Should we try another off-grid message to Casnar?"
"How much you bet he wants to hear two voicemails bitching at him…"
"I'm not bitching." Braith lifts her hood back and black hair falls to her jaw, "…I expect him to reply."
"Shep," Kasumi removes her hood and veil. Straight tendrils of black hair fall from a French braid to her face, "…you never message a man twice. Looks desperate."
Braith drops her jaw, "…What makes you think—"
Kasumi sits back on her bench, kicks up her booties on a cargo box, winks at Braith as she unscrews a cap from a bottle, "…I read your mail," she drinks the bottle, tilts it vertical as Braith's eyes squint in disbelief.
"Should have known I was shooting my own foot when I brought you in for the receptionist," she sits on the floor of the shuttle, slides her boot under her hip, the other out straight along the shuttle's doorway…From under her seat up front, she removes a bottle, unscrews its cap and drinks.
"We're not going anywhere, Shep," Kasumi reseals hers, "…Don't waste the pack on that omni-tool with unnecessary messages…Let the drell come to you."
"Last time I let him come to me at his own leisure, fifteen years went by," Braith mutters behind the swill of water in her bottle.
"Why did we come here again?…" Kasumi tilts her head as her eyes make black lines with her thick lashes, "…Scope out a new client's security parameters?"
"Something like that," Braith pulls back the cloth over her left hand, and sees the ring Casnar gave her to be his wife. Its blue-silver metal grips her pale skin. The gems shine above the petals. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised…"
"What's that?"
"Nothing, Goto," Braith looks above the cargo box, "…Musing out loud."
"Muse quieter," Kasumi stretches her lean, muscular body and curls her head on her arm bend, "…Taking catnap…Too hot now, Shep…Conserve energy. Fuss when sun's setting."
"You share that link to the Codex before you tune out?"
Kasumi taps the keys on her wrist, "…You're welcome, answer the ping."
Braith answers the tone that plays out of her device and loads the file onto her system. She opens the entry for Rakhana—specifically, a map for their location. Not that she doubts Kasumi did her work well, for Kasumi is not the sloppy sort and Braith relies on her far more than she likes to admit since her hire to help while she struggles with venom addiction years ago.
She has trouble with the blur of the words. The names are hard to pronounce that she can make out. Braith scoots herself into the darker shade of the shuttle. Her fingers pinch and slide apart the display over the label she tries to read.
"Soo-rek." She leans forward to gaze out over the paddock and di'leans. Her gray eyes drop from the monstrous dunes to the soft coats of the animals. More of their crests rise and fall to cool themselves in the heat, and dazzle her with colors they hide among their feathers. "Someone must take care of them…Maybe," she whispers, "…he'll be along." She looks closer at the map, and zooms out with her fingers.
They are in the Surech delta of the Mier Desert, but where they stand physically is miles from the branches of water that spill and mingle with the ocean either side of their current position…Though there is beach, the waves are large and dangerous. Braith checks the depth of the water and sees the topographic delineations that declare a steep drop not far beyond the shelf. The desert spreads west, south, and north. The ocean takes up the east.
She studies the water lines again on the map. Over ten thousand kilometers' drop and steps away from the beach…What hides in the waters gives her chills, for depths are cold spaces for creatures to watch from below, distantly…Leviathans…She wipes her nose subconsciously as she remembers her experience with the telepathic super-species. Some memories a human may never forget…
Outside the shuttle and through the thin trail of gray smoke that rises from its bottom case, the waves of the ocean appear as big as the far-off dunes in the distance of the Mier…Were it not for the fuel cell's failure, they might fly to explore more of the area. Their arrival coincides with the highest of tides. The waves are the deepest sapphire-black, but at their crests where the water curls and thins as these peak towards the sky, a translucent layer of azure may be seen before the waves roll inward and collapse. Braith gazes out the starboard window of the shuttle and watches the waves.
He said I'd fall in love with this place…
She adjusts herself and lays down on the floor of the shuttle, hands underneath her head for some pad.
At least he thinks to send them clothes to be comfortable in before the excursion. The long silk sheets she and Kasumi wear act to cool their bodies. Even under a veil, Braith's face is comfortable and does not feel the sheer fabric to hamper her effort to breathe.
She is comfortable, and anxious…She cannot remain in one place for long. She hates to sit and become a target…A smokey shuttle on a white desert…They attract eyes as those di'leans do with their bright crests.
Braith sits forward and gazes out the doorway to the di'leans that mill in the paddock. What do they wait for?…How is this placed used, here, in the middle of nowhere…Maybe it's an old-fashioned messenger system they have…Like the Pony Express but with di'leans instead of fresh horses…
The smell of ocean salt lingers in the air. The roar of waves against the beach shelf is thunderous. The wind seems to wrap its invisible fingers inside the shuttle and circulate the air. Braith reclines onto her arm under her head.
"We should be on our feet," she says aloud for Kasumi, "…Scout the area while we wait."
A soft grunt comes from the back of the shuttle. "…Desert…Look outside the windshield, take a walk around the shuttle…Get your fix."
"Am I intruding on your catnap…"
Kasumi makes no response.
"Alright," Braith rises, slides forward on her bottom, "…I'll get my 'fix' as you call it."
Her soft boots land in the fine sand grains under the shuttle and Braith stands to commence a circuit.
As Kasumi clearly indicates by her dismissal of Braith's concern, the land where they are is flat and true to sight…The only worry comes from what hides beyond the waves, in the depths of the water, from the distant dunes southwest, west, and northwest. Braith sees nil of note for miles.
She completes her circuit and stops before the paddock to study the animals. "What are you guys here for…" She steps closer in her silk smock. The wind lifts the fabric and the motion buffets her skin underneath with cool whispers.
Two of the di'leans rapidly clack their beaks. She takes another step. All pairs of eyes turn to her direction.
"You certainly remind me of birds…Big dino birds."
One di'lean raises and lowers its plumes of feathers and takes a few steps to approach the wooden fence. It lifts up its forelimbs and Braith sees the black sickle claws grasp round the wood such as raptors do with their talons. The wood is a worn polish of wispy fibers that shine in the sun as satin.
Braith sees the head of the di'lean which is brown, the size of a cow skull, lower from its high hold. She takes a step back, unsure how much distance it would take for that beak with its high black rostrum to suddenly open and catch her with its hook. Maybe it's only curious…She sees no signage around the paddock, anything that might indicate caution about these particular three animals.
She takes another step backwards as the big head with its wicked beak turns and the feathers on the neck and crown fan low. One eye of gold turns to her for scrutiny. The pupil is a horizontal slit.
Braith remembers from the Codex she must 'respect' the di'leans. They are intelligent, become loyal to their trainers and caretakers…She keeps her hands at her sides and no longer moves under this di'lean's inspection.
The di'lean's eye comes close to her face. Braith can see the taut bands of tan, brown, gold that pull and widen the bar of pupil across its center…The beak opens and closes. She hears the deepness of the chur from the animal's thick chest, wonders how fast they can run…
A strong wind blows from the north.
The di'lean withdraws its head and beak from its inspection and raises the beak straight up to the sky.
The others mimic the same behavior. There is news in that wind.
Braith's eyes and inferior senses note no change to the desert, but the di'leans agitate their coats and crests. The bright colors of the crests expose, conceal, expose, conceal as if in signals. Like great meerkats, they lift their forelimbs to stand on their hind legs for a few seconds before they lower down, and one at a time they do this.
The di'lean before her moves away from the fence. All three di'leans begin to move west of the paddock. To her surprise, they climb over the fence, and keep westward.
"Maybe they aren't domesticated." Where are they going?
She watches them start to trot on their big legs and move faster from the paddock. Braith wonders if maybe she and Kasumi best adopt the same idea. She surveys the desert. I don't see anything…but the di'leans do.
Braith strides to the other side of the shuttle and checks the bottom case. She opens the compartment for the bad fuel cell. The last of the smoke carries away with the wind as she inspects the cylinder.
The fuel cell is faulty. Easy to miss…Bad point to miss is the fact the spare fuel cell is on the empty ship in orbit where it hibernates to save power until their return from Nualavera…Without the spare or a suitable substitute they cannot return, much less operate the shuttle.
She moves sand away from the bottom of the shuttle's case and tries to clear it out of the cover. The wind continues to try and pile it…Sand is everywhere.
Braith replaces the fuel cell's cover and walks round to the front.
She looks north by chance and stops in her tracks.
To the north she makes sight of what is not there moments before…A little line that squiggles vertical to the wet shore. It is white and almost a needle, and appears to have a duplicate wave with the heat that ripples underneath. Are my eyes telling me the truth…It stands above the ripply line of the beach below and as she watches, it re-duplicates…More vertical needles oscillate and spread from the first.
Braith returns to the shuttle and steps over the door edge.
"Goto, up!" She begins to check gear. "Something's coming. There's more than one."
Kasumi kicks her legs out and stands. "From where?"
"North, by the water."
"Is it Casnar?"
"I don't know, he hasn't replied."
How they prepare is to make sure the translator of the Codex is operative on both omni-tools. They have waters on their waists under their smocks, a pack of dry ration by the bottle, one knife and one gun on their thighs, a device they hook to an ear under their hoods to engage visual aids as well as link their omni-tools' audio for discreet use.
In a minute they are out front of the shuttle, in line with their view of what appears to be a caravan.
Braith deactivates the scope of a lens she fabricates from the earpiece. She sees the garb of the travelers are desert-blend colors, loose long smocks that reflect the sun.
"I'd say twenty, maybe more. How much ammo you have under your smock?"
"Enough should it come down to us having to use it."
Braith looks to the caravan, "…Maybe it's Casnar's welcoming committee. That would be hopeful, wouldn't it."
"Optimism is overrated."
The caravan winds along the shore. Braith and Kasumi retreat inside the shuttle's shade to watch from the seats through the windshield. While they wait for the slow caravan, Braith rehydrates some meat from a separate ration pack in a cup of water.
"Too bad we can't move the shuttle for a fly-by," Braith cleans her hands with a wipe of these together, "…See if it's Casnar or not."
"Would be hard to tell even with a fly over," Kasumi drinks some water and smiles at her boss, "…You'd have to lift up their smocks. I could do it when they're closer…Brought my cloak tech," she pats a belt to which her water and ration pack connects, "…Never leave home without."
"I'm surprised Casnar's not answered," Braith checks her omni-tool messages, "…I see nothing here."
They head outside to stand at the entrance of the shuttle when the first of the caravan turns to move beyond view of the windshield. Braith and Kasumi observe the first of the travelers in their smocks, sashes about their waists that carry odds and ends for desert travel, and this under broad capes that the wind binds to them as they move into crescent formation about the shuttle.
All have hoods that cover their faces and heads, inside which are veils. Braith and Kasumi understand how the veils are helpful against the sand and sun, but the fact this caravan is intent on them yet shows no face to greet by is a concern. Up close, the colors of all their attire are cream-white, and blend well with the desert.
Braith follows the line of capes and hoods to the presence of six di'leans farther down the beach—all white of coat and on their shoulders, a rider each. Braith's shoulder shrug beckons Kasumi lean and peer down the line, "…Those dil'eans are ridden."
"Hmm, looks fun," Kasumi turns from the riders' approach to the figures that surround them.
"Don't disappear, Goto," Braith says under her breath as she hears the tension in Kasumi's tone.
"Not planning on leaving," Kasumi mutters, "…and where would I go in this desert…Would help if we could see their faces. Quiet folk."
"We're broke-down in their travel lane, Goto. Maybe they've never seen a shuttle before, and maybe the ones who do the talking are in the group riding the di'leans."
The group on the di'leans' backs come closer. The riders, in addition to their smocks, wear armor under their capes and hoods…Braith admires the discipline. They must be sweltering…The armor gleams with white and gold polish from its light greaves and plates.
All six riders dismount from the white di'leans which wear an attire of gold straps. They are fed a pinch of treat through the sides of their beaks.
The riders turn and move through the crescent of forms around them. Two hang behind with the di'leans and gather the reins, three each…The four that approach divide as one continues forward from the trio.
"You drink that escanes…"
"Did it. Tasty stuff," Kasumi replies as she watches the riders by the di'leans, the three behind the individual that draws closest. The new version of escanes protects them from incidental poison or venom exposures.
The voice from under the hood, helmet, and veil speaks. Braith thinks she recognizes the voice, "…Shepard," a gauntlet removes the head complement, and reveals black and bright teal crests.
Kasumi's voice pops out, "…Oh…my gods."
Braith stares at the face.
It is Thane's boy—Kolyat Krios.
He is bigger than she remembers.
Suddenly she recalls why Casnar reminds her of someone familiar…No, they can't be related…Kolyat has no trouble in his determination who they are. Their veils are off their faces. His eyes turn to each of them. He is speechless.
One of the other riders steps forward from the three.
"Sered."
The rider steps close to Kolyat's shoulder, who suddenly rocks with some impact.
Kasumi and Braith see Kolyat's eyes widen—with surprise—as the rider steps away. "Kolyat…?" The women see Kolyat pull free the straps which hold his armor to his front by his collar.
He shoves the gold and white plate aside.
It scrapes against the sands.
A bloom of red stains his smock and sash, and spreads downwards.
Braith and Kasumi lunge towards him as he falls. They catch his arms.
He is heavy.
Their omni-tools pick up the words the riders speak in Rakhïken, and through the earsets they hear the translations, "…Seize the humans and secure them for transport. Our work must finish here." The capes open of the former figures in the crescent that tightens around them. Their bare hands remove long sabers, bags, trusses from their concealment.
Braith holds out her sidearm with Kasumi's own as they aim at the nearest threats, but the crescent encloses, and Kolyat's life bleeds onto the white sands…
"What's going on!" Braith demands and lowers her gun. She sees there is no way out, "…Help him!" She looks up from Kolyat's shock…A thin blade wipes of its blood on the back pad of a gauntlet before it hides behind the cloth and armor of the near rider.
"What is the meaning of this!" Braith snarls, "…Why," she looks down, "…Kolyat…"
His eyes bear no longer the tints of black. She and Kasumi hold him in their hands, his gaze to the sky as he sinks to the sand, too heavy in their grips. The emerald eyes she knows. They are Casnar's. Kolyat brings his gaze from the sky to Braith's inside her hood.
"Shepard, my dad…"
"Kolyat, stay with me!" She removes his clothes to see the wound.
"Shepard," his eyes roll to the figures that circle closer, "…they'll kill you if you try and save me…" Braith is about to inject him with medi-gel…She hesitates, looks at Kasumi—who watches the weapons, the bags, the trusses loose in the hands that hold these…Braith turns her eyes to Kolyat. It is different to see him without the black tints. He has the eyes of Casnar—or his mother's. Kolyat works his mouth as a trickle of blood runs from the corner down into his crimson tebris, and Braith turns her head to hear, "Trust…no one…"
"Kolyat—" The violence by which someone jerks her from Kolyat cuts Braith of her breath—a rope tightens around her neck.
"Fff—" She hears Kasumi barely curse and the sound of the other woman's fight as the same roughness takes her from their friend and each other.
Bags fall over them as their hands and ankles receive the trusses. Braith sees the sky and blackout-stars as she uses her hands to tear loose the rope that strangles her.
The bag closes above.
Her omni-tool continues to spit out translations to her earset—from Kasumi's own as well as hers, their linkup remains active…Kasumi puts up a fight, and her captors curse her as someone instructs, "…Bring them to Umay…The rest of you push the vessel into the basin…Before they find us in Nualavera, we need leave…"
Braith pants for air in the bag. The rope around her neck is looser, but with the heat, the bag and rope are unbearable…We're in Nualavera?…We're in Nualavera!…
She kicks out with both legs and strains to tear the bag.
She suffers a stun of a hit to her head. White flashes in her eyes…Her body goes limp from the pain, sudden nausea, heat, asphyxiation…She struggles sluggishly to kick her feet again.
"Load them onto the di'leans…"
The shuttle empties eventually, its parts and cargo now booty. The di'leans wait with their tethers to the paddock posts as figures move the shuttle, heave against it until it flips and begins to roll towards the loud water's surf.
The shuttle splashes into the waves that wash round and pull it out to its darkness. The undertow is strong and rips the shuttle from the shore, takes with it both sand and rock…Once it rolls over the drop-off, the shuttle starts its final descent to the depths of the Beirchardt ocean.
Braith and Kasumi are in bags while the di'leans carry them with the long caravan southward…and Kolyat's body remains left behind on the sands.