Tarvek sat on a crude 'chair' he'd assembled from the available materials, stirring the pot of soup after putting upon the small heater. His new travelling companion, Janet, had awoken again from her series of recovery induced sleeps, and, thankfully, was able to sit up. Walk and stand too, but only with his help as he'd managed to aid her through the awkward social situation of using a bucket to empty her bladder. Something to be forgotten about, and unmentioned, as switched to stirring in a packet of dehydrated vegetables, along with a vitamin booster sachet, into the soup. Both of them needed the energy, and he was in a good mood as he some positive news.

"Cold" was the human medicus's muttering as she hugged the blankets around her as she sat/knelt on the other side of the heater "Smells good though"

"Hungry?"

"Yes" she answered weakly, sighing "How…long?"

"Asleep?" he glanced towards the door, past where his power armour stood in guard mode, whistling winds audible beyond "Intermittently about thirty hours. This world appears to have a seventeen-hour long night, so ones expects similar with the day. I've busied myself in that time, treating you, making this place more tolerable"

"The bed is most welcome" she admitted, a glance to the side where Tarvek had rigged up a slightly elevated platform made of the rock-metal to form a bed, a mattress of blankets and then the thermals atop it "Though I'd hoped not to wake upon it"

Tarvek gave a snort of bitter amusement "I too felt such at times in your realms, so you are not alone in waking and wishing it a bad dream. But there is potentially some good news, though how good is dependent"

He continued as she looked to him still exhausted "These ring-portals, the stargate as you call them, exist in this realm. Nearby, or within a few days travel at least if my Compass senses correctly. Tis likely why the Asgard vessel transported us to such a location"

"This is still…a different dimension?" she asked, not excited, largely as she was understanding of their plight, but not knowing the larger mechanics "How…well, it helps a little, but it's not my Earth, why?"

"In the now? It helps in getting us away from the planet over which these Gou'alds fleet that may be here seeking us" Tarvek pointed out, returning to stirring the admixture "Will it aid you in a swift return? I do not believe so, but…these Stargates do not exist in most realms we know of. That it does here, speaks of some past interactions with your dimension. While I cannot bridge the path, it would give valuable information for any senior amongst my people should…when…I find my way home. But, mostly, it is to get away from this world to a safer place"

She gave a faint nod "Still no sign of the natives?"

"No, though I have seen some wildlife when exploring with my aerial drone" he admitted, then giving a sigh, shaking his head unhappily "Not too far, but what I have seen, and what scans the Asgard vessel poured into my pip-boy….hmm, I suspect this world suffered a planetary invasion some time ago. Decades? Centuries? I am no scholar of those arts I am sad to say, but I can see traces of old battles"

One-sided slaughters more likely, judging from the way there rows of wrecks of those oval vehicles on the part destroyed roadways out of the settlement that were never cleared. And that was a sign in of itself "Ones that yet linger, not even raided for parts or materials as best I could judge. Bad in that such indicates the devastation caused, good for us in that it indicates the attackers are hopefully long gone"

Janet frowned, thinking on some matter before sighing "Yes…an archaeologist might be helpful, Daniel or…but they aren't"

She looked up at him "A planetary invasion?"

"Most likely, extinction level, or enough to devastate this region at the least" Tarvek paused, raising up the spoon, motioning towards what he judged to be 'east' locally "There is a ruined metropolis in that direction, we are in the mountains, and my drone could see it in the distance. It was cored, though oddly uniform in a circle of destruction, though that may be just my reading of such. It will likely be clearer once we travel there, for the ring-portal is near to it"

That such a city had not been rebuilt, unlike a settlement such as this which could write off as merely abandoning a region…well, it did not seem the natives of this world had won their battle with whatever invaders had come here. The destruction pattern was also somewhat odd, looking like a crater, but in a very large, but still very circular pattern like a wave pushing up the edges of the destroyed area. Tarvek didn't recognise the destruction pattern from orbit strikes, as the crater was too shallow at the centre to his eye. Still…it was far away, and ensuring that his new travelling companion could make such a journey, safely, while staying hidden was the important part.

"Waiting on me" was her answer, and Tarvek shrugged.

"Yes, though I would be lying if I said I would have moved immediately if I had been alone. Finding cover, trying to make a plan…is better with two"

"Not…offering much yet for that" she stated, looking at the soup while hugging herself against the cold "Thank you"

Tarvek blinked in confusion "For?"

"Not simply abandoning me and leaving a dead body behind"

"That would be dishonourable" was his firm response "Your people treated me fairly, aided me and fought together in battle…that carries weight. I will require obedience to my orders though, within reason, as pathfinder's road is dangerous. If you wish to survive, and have any faint hope of returning home…"

Janet have a snort "I expected something like that. Within reason"

"Within reason, though that we can discuss such in more detail later. Cultures differ in what such means" Tarvek did point out "Though I believe you do understand somewhat based upon your people's mission"

"More humans though than yours"

"If the gates exist, then Earth would be a destination"

She frowned at him "Why is that?"

"Earth, several of them, are worlds of my people" he answered, then gave a chuckle "So, I expected with my knowledge of your languages…"

"Your English sounds French accented, or maybe German they were debating on SG-1"

"Hmmm" Tarvek smiled faintly "Aye, such is true. I trained in such regions. Still, I am wary of your world, as others are less pleasant…but it would aid greatly in comparing dimensional residue as I am very familiar with the world. Matching this dimension's, to yours, and what ones I know would help. One hopes at the very least that it will"

It should, but there was no guarantee that this dimension's portals connected the same, as there was a very different 'signature' to this realm. But, with time to think on the matter, Tarvek was starting to suspect the deities that forced them out may have defaulted to a realm 'adjacent', or that they knew of, that could be isolated in some manner. Perhaps. Even if Earth was filled with hostile humans it would be far better to try 'find a path' from there, than risk it here, with a dark god leaving a fleet of warships on the world. Could it follow them?

'Best not to take that chance just yet' the orc mused to himself as they both fell silent, allowing him finish the meal as it boiled, then began to portion it into the metal cups. He'd given a, crude, explanation for how his Compass stored his inventory, but he'd have more to explain in time he expected as her people's knowledge of such things was limited. If they were to travel dimensions then ensuring she could handle such things would be needed…assuming they survived that long. But that was defeatist talk, so Tarvek would not speak of it – they would both find their ways back home, however long it took…

"I hope so too" she paused, talking the cup of soup into hand "I have a daughter to return to"

Tarvek winced "I am sorry"

"Thank you" Janet gave deep sigh "I suppose I can only be glad that I had prepared for such an eventuality. Every time we step through that stargate could be our last"

"Every path we walk can bring you to death" he offered in quiet agreement "The roles were different, but similar. I have not taken a mate, nor had children…so I cannot speak on such a loss. I will not give an oath I cannot keep, but I will do my best to gain you return some day in the future. If it is possible"

"Hmm" she murmured, then shook her head "Then, let us focus on the mission then. Not more talk on such things. Show me these images your flying MALP took…"

It was a start Tarvek supposed. There was a long road ahead.

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