Cath

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Zey’s boots crunched on debris and rocks through the clearing her ship had made on landing. Vegetation had already begun springing up from the ashes in places; vibrant green, red and purple growths in the dirt.

She eyed up the S’tor prisoner first - Sh’vetza was the name she’d heard for it. Their wrists were manacled pointing in opposite directions, forcing their arms to cross and making it very tricky to use their hands for anything. They were diminutive by the standards of the other lizard-esque people in the group, and wore simple clothing. A shapeless sackcloth gown underneath a tired grey tabard with black eyes stitched on it in various locations. They kept their eyes trained firmly on the ground in front of them. It was like they were trying to attract as little attention as possible.

Two of the other S’tor soldiers stuck close to this manacled person. They reminded Zey of those ancient Greek warriors with minimal body armour and round metal shields. She wondered if that was so they could travel easier on those horrible screeching monsters. The exception to their armour was the helmet, which appeared to be made from plate metal and covered their entire head.

The last two S’tor soldiers were heavily armoured in a similar way to Esedel, but with less embellishment. They carried a square shield and broad sword on their backs with ease. These bodyguards took the lead as they reached the edge of the clearing, using their massive heft to push through the heavy undergrowth.

It wasn’t long before the sounds of gagging and liquid splattering met Zey’s ears. Without eyes on the source, it was quite a disturbing set of noises.

“Let me go first, Captain.” Ezra stated plainly, pushing in front. His gun wasn’t up, just ready.

Darnell peered over Zey’s head, clutching the heavy beer mug ready to twat anything that moved suddenly.

After a few moments the S’tor broke through to where a stocky pink shape was crouched in his Kriliteran form, and the Humans joined them soon after.

Zey recoiled at Kolvar’s original form, unnerved by the bulging lumps and eyes of various sizes dotted around its squishy pink face.

“What are you? I’ve never seen your kind before.” One of Esedel’s guards asked with a gruff tone of voice, poking Kolvar’s prone with its boot.

“Please, help him up. He is surely unwell. Friend, are you the one who ran from the feast?” Sh’Vetza asked, more kindly. The guards grudgingly complied, bending down to try and haul Kolvar to his feet.

“Ugly fucker isn’t he?” Darnell whispered boozily into Zey’s ear from behind. The Captain swatted him away and moved forward slightly.

“Kerchak?”

---

“Aye, brother. The stream of desperates at our gates has become a torrent. The North lands are becoming more dangerous by the day. I hear more stories of demons that attack caravans at night…But that is besides the point.”

Esedel lowered her voice, though S’tor weren’t good at not being loud. A nearby observer like Shirik may still be able to eavesdrop if they concentrated.

“How do we address this chaotic cavalcade? Squabbling over a bunch of scrawny ‘Humans’ and a patch of forsaken hillside of no value to anyone… I say we let our new neighbours have it. This thing…” Esedel gestured vaguely towards the Jotunheim.

“...cannot house more than fifty, surely? They won’t need more space than has already been cleared. My Lord has mobilised enough engineers and materials to build a wall across the ridge. Can you do the same for your side? Then these Humans can feel safe in their own kerak and we can be sure both sides have equal access.”

---

“Get the reactors back online and we can do much more than make alu.” Danny smirked.

“Jo can plug straight into Tamerlane mills and mining modules all the way up to grade 5 if needed. Give me time and a 3D printer and I can jump start an industrial revolution in any shithole city on this rock.”

Varen laughed, stuffing the rest of the fish he’d been given while watching the Captain depart.

“What I'd give for a cold one right now. I reckon we have the parts for a home brew, no?”

Varen shrugged at Vigdis’ last question.

“Pretty shitty. I keep hearing them whining at Cap and XO. They’re going crazy inside, but some still don’t wanna come outside on account of the killer aliens. They don’t like the new work parties either. Have you sorted yours yet? Mine were fokken useless on first shift! Now Cap has got a gun sim set up indoors, its a recipe for disaster in my opinion.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Danny listened intently to Vigdis while hungrily demolishing the piece of delicious fish he’d been handed. He nodded and his eyes widened or narrowed as the story progressed. The engineer had been working pretty much solidly, so much of this was new to him.

“Sheesh, fairly basic stuff then eh?” He laughed.

“Trade is good, as long as I don’t have to trade my Havaianas for some potato sack foot coverings or some shit. I still need those for inside. What are we giving them in return? More pens?”

---

Esedel stared into Shirik for a few moments, her throat rattling curiously. Then she lifted her snout and laughed, spraying a couple of bits of fungi and fish across the table. The sound was like a burning log cabin falling apart, deep within the forest fire. The Warden slammed a gauntleted fist down on the wooden table, causing mugs and cutlery to jump.

“I like this one!” She pointed a giant clawed finger at Shirik, as if the super conspicuous burning tree was somehow invisible and needed signposting.

“You should recruit it for your retinue, Kvarr. They can reunite you with your family’s legacy, so you can finish burning it to dust.” Esedel grabbed a mug of beer - who knows whether it was hers - and chugged it back, draining the contents.

Zey came over and questioned General Kvarr about Kerchak’s whereabouts. Esedel didn’t turn around from her seat at the table, as she was still looking at Shirik, but she replied in turn.

“I’ll have my own Damage prize investigate. Sh’vetza!” The manacled S’tor Thought mage looked over at Esedel.

“Take my guards and yours to find the Life mage, please. See to it they are alright.”

It was a subtle cultural cue that most in Mythadia and the Ascendency were oblivious to, but influential S’tor occasionally sent their guards away on fabricated errands in new social situations. It was essentially to demonstrate ‘I’m a big enough deal to have people to send away’, ‘I’m the biggest and best in the room so I don’t need guards to be in charge’, and give the green light for an assassination attempt from anyone in their ‘court’ who wanted to seize whatever power they possessed. The S’tor used this to quietly take stock of loyalties and motivations for large groups of people they didn’t know well, but it came with risks. Occasionally there actually was a fight, so you either had to be reasonably confident you’d win, or bold enough to take on a more powerful adversary for personal gain.

The main person Esedel was monitoring in this particular situation was Kvarr; he was the one she’d need to do a deal with to keep these ‘Humans’ safe. However, there were a few other unknown variables present, the burning tree being one of them. Best to get any insurrection out of the way early on.

“Thanks. We’ll go too.” Zey replied. Kvarr’s assessment of Kerchak’s actions was concerning, to say the least. She felt it her duty to investigate. She got on comms with the Bridge.

“Mallory, it's Zey. The life mage who offered to heal our wounded is drunk. I’m heading over to assess the situation with Darnell and Ezra. Where are we up to on the cremation? This lunch is burning valuable daylight we could be using to search for the shuttle. Seems like some burning bodies could help wrap things up. Over.”

With that, Zey headed across the clearing with four S’tor guards (two of them Inquisitors), one Thought mage, Darnell & Ezra to try and find Kerchak. It seemed like the sort of mob that anyone could join if they were so inclined.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Zey sat quietly at the end of the table around which the majority of the Humans were congregating. She had one of the few regular seats. There weren’t enough crates or tree stumps for everyone to sit, so many attendees on both sides were either standing together or sitting on the ground to eat. Some of the passengers had brought MREs, which they picked at while staring wide-eyed at the baffling array of strange creatures nearby.

Zey stared at each attendee in turn as she nibbled at the food Dr Lambert had confirmed was safe. Glanding earlier had brought the whining in her ears back, and she’d begun to feel a headache. So she took this opportunity to gently gland some of the medical mix Feng had left her with, and think about their situation.

This might be their home now. Zey wasn’t an expert, but she could tell Dr Ibarra was putting a positive spin on her assessments of the jump drive’s condition. For now, they could focus their attention on making the Jo flight-worthy again, but eventually they’d need to confront the reality of their situation. They had very limited access to spare components, and only two people who had any idea how the drive worked. Moreover, none of the star charts made sense anymore - they were lost.

Zey didn’t know how to feel. On the one hand, she had a responsibility and obligation to get everyone home safe. However, there was another sensation bubbling away in her core. A sense of excitement at what they had found - a whole new world they could claim as their home! One which hadn’t witnessed the ravages of ecological breakdown and nuclear war, at least as far as she knew. Zey would miss her parents, but as a dull ache one only noticed in the dead of night; they'd grown so distant before this accident anyway she'd felt no difference over the last week.

They could make this work. They had to.

Kolvar abruptly getting up jogged Zey back to reality. She realised she didn’t recognise the abomination now clattering unstably towards the bushes.

“What the fuck?” Zey stood up and turned around to extricate herself from the crowded table. She immediately bumped into Darnell and Ezra; the former was talking loudly to the latter.

“You two, come with me.”

Zey stormed round the table to General Kvarr, the one who had been closest to the thing before it left.

“What was that thing? Why did they leave?”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Anselm listened to Mallory talk from her chair at the back of the bridge and smiled.

“It's a good speech, sir. ” She swung around in her chair, massaging her eye sockets with the palm of each hand.

“Why don’t we go and get some fresh air? Let Wodan handle things for a while. I could do with stretching my legs, and they could use some more manpower out there.” Anselm stretched her arms and stood up, glancing back to the exterior camera feeds. Their long haired Norwegian musicians had sidled up to the impromptu Mythadian bands with cups of mead in hand. She watched with amusement as they attempted to join in with percussion, tapping forks against their cups and slapping metal crates.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

“Thanks. Still hurts like fok.” Varen replied, accepting the leaf from Vigdis with his free hand. His South African accent was weak after decades spent with the ESA in Europe, but resurfaced when he spoke in Afrikaans. Usually for slang or to say something really inappropriate.

Varen knelt down and gently leant his Benelli against a protruding rock.

“Doc says that I have a herniated disk which is pinching some nerve.”

He straightened up, took his boonie hat off then pulled off his mask and hooked it onto the bandolier of shotgun shells around his waist.

“The pain would go in a couple weeks if I didn't spend all day stuffed under the floor fixing fokken cabling.”

He shoved a wad of grilled fish into his mouth and chewed, eyes flicking around to take in the scene before them.

“No, but that sounds like ECOWAS every other month. I hope Cap knows not to trust any of these aliens, if our own species is anything to go on…do all these guys know each other?” He gestured vaguely towards the feast.

---

Esedel’s reptilian eyes narrowed at Shirik. A noise like one of the Humans’ Geiger counters rumbled in her throat.

“Ahh, I know. Do you have a penchant for Damage? We stopped a game in the camps some decades past; caught a rogue Thought mage who continues to serve me.”

Esedel swept an arm towards the manacled S’tor flanked by Inquisitors who stood some way behind her. They winced. The Warden looked back at Shirik.

“I thought I smelled burning then.”

Damage was a forbidden card game in Mythadia. Players are linked with a Thought mage that allows each to project emotions at the others. The object is to make other players under- or overestimate their chances of winning, to make reckless decisions or even induce them to commit suicide. Spectators can tune in to the players' inner turmoil and thoughts, activity which can be addictive and hazardous to sanity.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

“Walking up the hill now. They left their mounts at the bottom of the hill. Mean looking motherfuckers. See?” Anselm put a feed from one of the Jotunheim’s remaining exterior cameras on Mallory’s screen. The left hand-side showed six large figures traipsing up the incline. The right hand side showed three tank-like quadrupeds fidgeting nervously on the edge of the swamp.

“They move quick. I’m not sure I can dial the cannon in for a second shot at the mounts quick enough if they charge.”

---

“...draw prey to the darkling plain, brother.” Esedel rasped, squeezing Kvarr’s shoulder and looking down at him with a razor-sharp smile before letting go.

Zey tore her gaze away from the Warden to an equally imposing, if very different-looking and acting, S’tor. The Deep Work she’d glanded had steadied her nerves considerably.

“Pleasure to meet you as well. My thanks to the Archmagister. We can certainly eat; we were going to go look for something that fell from the ship, but it can wait a little longer. I’ll have the crew bring out our passengers and we can make some introductions.” She didn’t deign it necessary to explain where the S’toric echo that translated everything she said was coming from.

Silbermine grasped General Kvarr’s hand and gave it a hearty squeeze. He felt much more confident, now that his greatest warrior had arrived.

“Never let it be said that House Silbermine came unprepared for a feast. I’ll have my bannerglen bring up beer, bread, and music!” Placing three fingers into his snout, the Glen noble produced a loud whistle with four distinct notes. Noise from the camp down the hill increased immediately.

Tyreese Darnell had been finding different ways to work out since the rec area was given over to living space. That morning he’d been furiously deepening trenches with a spade while listening to vigorous music. But now even he had noticed that others had appeared. He appeared around the side of the ship, his large bare torso glistening with sweat and the bottom of his mask fogged up.

“Captain, what's happening?”

Zey looked at him.

“We’re having lunch! Put a shirt on, for God’s sake. Zey to Bridge, you can stand down. They’re here to help negotiate peace, I think. Mallory, come on out here with the wounded and any civilians that want to stretch their legs. They’re going to have to face these aliens at some point. Balance of power may never be so balanced again.”

Esedel clapped Kvarr on the back as they moved towards the hastily arranged table and grilled food station. To S’tor it was just a friendly pat, but it probably would have knocked an unprepared Human flat on their face.

“Brother, you have lost weight. What do they feed you in the Ascendency? Soon you will be shorter and weaker than me!” While the Warden was taller than her male counterpart, she was still a little lighter.

Esedel clapped eyes on Nellara, who was close to Kvarr.

“Well met, Castigator. Do we owe the disciplined organisation of Tekeri soldiers to you?”

---

True to Silbermine’s word, the Glen did their best to provide a feast. Being herbivores, it did involve a lot of shrubbery and fungi, but the sweet and sticky cask beer more than sufficed at washing it down. The minor nobility that had answered Silbermine’s call for aid all scaled the hill to join the meal; they took off some armour and grouped together around their master to eat and drink. Soon they were laughing and slapping the table while recounting tales.

Zey sat down on a crate at the head of the table closest to the ship and nibbled on the piece of fish Shirik had given her in a leaf.

The wounded came out, as did a dozen of the more courageous passengers. Thankfully, there were just enough masks. Danny Varen came out on his break with a shotgun to watch protectively over them. His bald, masked head was covered by a camo boonie and his skinny, pale tattooed body was covered by a grey sleeveless vest emblazoned with “ESA” and blue cargo shorts. Dr Lambert came back out as well.

Darnell helped himself to a draught of beer then began helping others, watched curiously by the natives.

“Vigdis, Itxaro, beer?”

Esedel had a voracious appetite, devouring her food like someone may steal it from her at any moment. She glanced over at Shirik in between mouthfuls. As the administrator of one of Mythadia’s biggest refugee camps at the Northern Passage, she was desensitised to strange beings and fantastical mutations. But now, up close, she felt an unplaceable sense of familiarity.

“You. Have we met before? Your smell is…familiar.” Esedel blinked after trying to catch Shirik’s attention; her eyelids slid horizontally over her grey-blue eyeballs.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

“As soon as possible, sir. Please advise.” Dr Lambert replied to Mallory as she clanked up the telescopic docking ramp back into the Jotunheim.

“Sir, we’re tracking multiple large foot mobiles.” Clara Anselm contacted Mallory from the Bridge.

“Captain has requested the rail gun be made ready.”

---

Esedel stalked up the hill, trailed on either side by her two guards. Behind traipsed one of the Thought mages from her Northern Passage bulwark. They were closely flanked by their handlers; their manacles clanked as they stumbled up the rocky incline.

The six S’tor were followed up the slope at a distance by some of the Glen vassals from the lower camp. Perhaps they had heard of the stories surrounding the Warden, and wished to see history being made for themselves. Or perhaps they just didn’t want to be left alone with the Zarseaks, who bayed and scratched at the earth as they watched their riders depart.

As she climbed, rasping breath escaping into the warm late morning air, Esedel studied the thing everyone had come to see. A large, flattened house made of metal, fallen from the sky carrying strangers who spoke in tongues. As soon as she heard the news, she knew she had to see for herself. The sight didn’t disappoint.

As they scaled the hill, avoiding the large fragments of wreckage around them, a crowd of people came into view on the ridge. They had been spotted. Esedel identified Silbermine first, some Glen and Tekeri soldiers next. Then she spotted some short, smooth-skinned creatures wearing peculiar masks - were these the unimpressive specimens what all the fuss was about? The smell of cooked fish pervaded her nostrils - her stomach contracted and her mouth filled with saliva.

Then she spotted Kvarr approaching with an armoured Castigator and a hooded Iriad. She smiled, revealing long rows of sharp teeth.

Esedel looked down on everyone in the assembled reception party when she finally reached the flat clearing. Without acknowledging anyone else, she strode over to Silbermine and knelt before him, both arms crossed across one knee. Even in this pose, her eyes were not much lower than his.

“My lord…”

Her voice crackled like a forest ablaze and caught in the wind. It sounded unlike anything else Zey had heard before, sending a shiver up her spine and wrinkles across her face.

“I have answered your call, and am yours to command.”

The Warden stood again. For a moment, Silbermine was speechless. Then he nodded and gestured to Zey who stood beside him.

“This is Zeynap, the leader of the esteemed Human clan. I hereby command you to keep them safe from all harm, as our honoured guests.”

Esedel stared at Silbermine until he started to shuffle awkwardly, then turned her whole body to stare down at Zey; goosebumps rippled along both the Captain’s arms.

“Zzsssseynap…well met.” She hissed, lizard tongue poking out of her snout as she leaned down closer. Two icy blue eyes bored holes straight into Zey. She was so shaken by this S’tor that she’d unconsciously begun glanding Deep Work again. Her hyper sensitive hearing picked up the reassuring click of the safety coming off Ezra’s rifle from behind her.

“P-pleased to meet you, erm…Warden.”

Esedel nodded like a cobra, mesmerised by the snake charmer’s instrument. She then rose to her full height and addressed everyone, looking at each person in turn.

“Greetings, I am Esedel, Eternal Warden of the Northern Passage of Keraknúr. We have travelled a long way, and are very hungry. We would eat with our friends from Mythadia and from The Ascendency.” Her gaze fell to Kvarr at the end.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Dr Lambert squelched back toward the ship. As she got a bit closer she pinged Jack Mallory.

“Sir, the Captain has made a deal with the aliens. They’re going to help heal the wounded. Personally, I can’t wait to see what happens, but I don’t know my way around the civilians yet. Do they all have masks? Do we just get them out here and see what happens? I could use some help.”

---

“Copy that.” Zey replied to Ibarra.

“I look forward to our hunt.” Silbermine beamed, top lip folding up to reveal tombstone teeth.

The engineer then promptly left, leaving the Captain alone with Silbermine. His retinue stood in a loose pack behind him, watching the Tekeri camp nearby. There was a moment’s awkward silence.

“I have sent for tailors from a nearby town. They will bring the finest material.” The Glen began.

“Ah, perfect. Thank you. I was meaning to ask about that. I will ask the Ascendency as well.”

Silbermine scowled slightly, but carried on regardless. Zey couldn’t really discern his expression.

“Stone workers and engineers have arrived from across Mythadia. I’ve commanded them to begin work shoring up the ridge. Your temple is on unstable ground. Also, they can help buttress the walls to help prevent-”

“Lord Silbermine, we appreciate all your efforts. You have certainly been proactive with your aid…but I must insist you proceed with caution around my ship. It is very heavy but also very fragile right now. My crew are busy repairing the superstructure, and any changes to the lay of the land could undo all their work.”

Silbermine scratched his snout, thinking.

“I understand. The last thing I would wish on you is more destruction. What then can we do with these resources?”

It was then Zey’s turn to stroke her chin.

“What about fortifications?”

Silbermine’s ears flicked back violently. Zey thought it was in response to her question, but then some of his retinue turned and stared back out over the marshes.

Then she heard it - a blood curdling wail, like nails on a chalkboard. It wafted in from the North.

Within seconds, the Glen camp down the hill was alive with activity. An incredibly loud, bassy horn sounded.

“The Warden has come!” Silbermine breathed. His voice was equal parts excitement and…fear? He turned to look to the North as well. Zey walked to his side and squinted. She couldn’t see anything.

“Who is this Warden?”

“She protects the Northern Passage in the name of my House. A fearsome S’tor warrior.” Another horrible sound rolled up the hill, and Silbermine covered his ears.

“Ezra, tell me what you see.” Zey looked at the soldier, who was aiming down the sight of his rifle some three dozen paces away.

“Three big creatures with people riding them. They’re fast. Want me to take them down?”

“No, not yet.”

She looked to Silbermine.

“This is needlessly escalatory.”

“Quite the opposite! Wardens do not leave their post often. The Ascendency should feel honoured.”

After a few more moments, Zey was able to pick out three objects skimming through the lightly wooded marshes. They had long legs, big mouths and purply green, tractor-sized bodies. She couldn’t tell if they were naturally that cover or if they’d just been submerged in brackish water. There were tiny figures clutching their backs.

Zey turned off her translator and activated comms.

“Zey to Bridge, we have three bogeys approaching the lower camp. Track the leader and be ready to fire on my order.”

The creatures were nimble and fast for their size, picking a safe path through the marsh to the Glen camp in a matter of minutes. But they didn’t seem keen on getting close to the Glen that rushed out (hands over their ears) to greet them. Instead they let out vicious roars and stomped on the ground til the assembled reception moved back to at least forty paces. Their riders then got off.

All were in armour and carried big swords and shields on their backs, though the leader caught Zey’s eye. Their armour had exquisite yellow and green detailing that was clear to see, even from a distance. They were also very tall, head and shoulders over some of the Glen even with their antlers. They moved calmly and purposefully, but their whole frame was packed with tension. Like they could explode into action at any second.

This new group approached some of the watching Glen and exchanged a few words. Some people of the camp then pointed up the hill, to the Jotunheim. Behind the newcomers, their beasts promptly heaved like cats do when they’re coughing up fur balls. Opening their mouths, they each ejected a slimy figure onto the ground. Two helmeted S’tor guards and a manacled S’tor Thought mage.

Together, they made their way up the hill towards the Jotunheim.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Zey eyed Dr Ibarra carefully, then glanced over at the flaming Iriad.

“Shirik did save you earlier. They seem to know the area well too. Though if you think one of the birds would be more suitable, I'll leave it up to you. I would prefer you take one of the crew as well though. Maybe Bosko? He can fly the shuttle back with you in it if it's still intact. Failing that, one of the survey team.”

“Toxicology looks good. What else?” Dr Lambert interrupted.

“Thanks. Would you bring the wounded outside? Some of these creatures claim to be able to heal them.” Zey replied distractedly.

Dr Lambert sighed.

“Aye aye.”

“What say you?” Silbermine asked politely, fingers knitted together.

“We’ll go with you - we’re just deciding who will go. Can you guarantee our protection?”

“Commander, the citizens of Sudenúr look to me for protection. You can expect the same consideration on their territory.”

“Very good.” Zey purred, picking up the rest of the fish steak and taking a bite.

---

Dr Fortin scowled, then looked down at his belt buckle. “Alright. I’ll set something up.”

Dr Feng nodded solemnly. “Copy that.”

“Oh, also!” Zhao Jiayin piped up again.

We need to take cannon offline for three, maybe four hour tonight to inspect rotary system. That’s ok?”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Zey’s eyes widened slightly out of concern when Ibarra told her about their close encounter that morning. She reached over and gave her crewmate’s shoulder a squeeze.

“You’re still quite wet even now. That climb back must have been hard work.” She chuckled lightly, then looked to Shirik.

“Thank you. For looking after my crew, on the water and with this delightful fare.” She nodded gratefully and listened as the burning tree explained the longevity of the meat they had prepared.

“If this protein isn’t harmful to us, I’d be interested in negotating for a steady supply of cooked produce. We have enough artificial food to last a while, but fresh fish would make a nice supplement. Is that something you’re interested in? What would you need in return?”

Zey took the leaf with a hunk of fish on it.

“Thank you.” She looked around. Lo and behold, Dr Iris Lambert was skirting round the Jotunheim towards her, having exited the ship holding a handheld device. Zey waved her over.

Shortly after, she could hear the sound of multiple Glen approaching. Zey turned and saw Silbermine with his retinue cresting the ridge from down below. They were armoured, but with their weapons sheathed. Silbermine’s set really was impressive, she though. He even had gold rings and religious-seeming ornaments attached to his antlers that shone in the sun.

The dynamic in the camp instantly changed, yet the Captain stood her ground.

Silbermine spread his arms and began talking. Zey’s translator didn’t pick him up at first over the distance, with the first words being ‘large box’. It took her a moment to understand what he was talking about.

“What? Oh, large box! Yes. Are you hungry? We were just cooking some lunch.”

“I’m afraid we cannot eat such things. We do have some mushrooms (or at least a close approximation, Wodan assured them.) that cook nicely. Go fetch them.” That last part, Silbermine directed to one of his people, who duly cantered away towards their camp.

Zey turned to Ibarra as Silbermine approached, turning the translator off.

“I’d send the survey team but one of them has to be with the comms relay until we can be sure the hunters don’t come back. No one is leaving with them unless they have a buddy.”

She activated all-crew comms.

“Do i have any volunteers for an EVA to retrieve the shuttle and cargo from the swamp?”

Dr Lambert arrived at the makeshift dinner table, staring at Silbermine.

“Fascinating.”

“Food first, Glen later. Here, test this fish steak.”

Dr Lambert took the proferred leaf, tore off a bit of the flesh and stuck it into the small box that clicked out of her device’s underside.

---

The Captain’s request for volunteers came in right after Mallory asked for questions. Zhao chimed in immediately.

“Finding shuttle is menial task, the civilians can do that, right? My engineers are too valuable.”

“Oh, will that be in the marshes? I’d like to take some soil samples. However, i have some concerns about Dr Lambert inducting the new recruits into the department…” Dr Fortin murmured, trailing off.

“I can have my trainees bring the bodies out for cremation as per your last message, sir. My only question is when you want to do that?” Dr Feng asked.