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Not wanting to pop up on any facial recognition sweeps, we wrap cloth around our lower faces. I’d tease Quin about covering his beak, but thanks to his snub-nosed Vadhmoshi blood, he has more of a normal nose than either of his parents. Which makes him abnormal on either Vahd or Quz.
Quin is dressed first and outside while I’m still getting my gear together. S’Tou’s ready, too, and Nilt’s putting on an extra layer due to the cold. I grab a thin blanket for the Earther to wrap up in, since he might need more heat like the reptilian Khscc.
The three of us leave to join and then pass Quin. His eyesight might be better naturally, but he doesn’t have mine and S’Tou’s biological nanites, or bionans for short. We can see temperature differences thanks to the enhancements. Nilt stays back with Quin, watching our backs.
Getting to the Earther takes long than I’d like. If I enhance my hearing, I can pick up the continuing fight between my people and the Kostans. Being this close to the authorities unnerves me. But, the Earther might need our help and while I can pretend to be coldhearted, I have a tough time carrying out the indifference the role requires.
I’m looking forward to hitting the datalinks after they’re gone, S’Tou sends me. Ours ships fighting the Kostans? The Alliance must be imploding.
I snort. The great Emperor Eldan couldn’t keep the galaxy together for twenty sas, yet his family has ruled all of us for several millennia. Sure, I wanted him to fail after what he did to me but not take the entire system with him.
No smart assed reply? S’Tou asks. I’m almost disappointed.
Tempting to remark, but no. I know something is seriously wrong, and I’m not happy about what caused this skirmish, I say as we continue our quiet trek onward. None of us are soundless yet we keep the noise to a minimum. There’s no need in triggering any other Gharian’s finer and nano-enhanced senses.
“There,” S’Tou whispers.
I look and see what he’s indicating. The trees give off a faint glow to our heat vision, but the humanoid shaped warmth at the base of a larger tree? “There’s our runner.” We go to the person as a team, quietly so he’s not spooked. A yelling Earther is an Earther who’ll doom all of us.
We’re close enough to switch to regular visual and once I see our target, I gasp, “What in tunsa?”
S’Tou sends, A woman?
“Seems like it.” I crouch down to get a better look in the twilight. Her hair color isn’t a surprise, exactly, but still stuns me. I’ve never seen her shade on a humanoid, but knew was possible. The coppery strands gleam, reflecting the setting sun. Tiny spots decorate her pale skin. Interesting to be so tattooed. “Hello?” I say, pressing my fingertips against her neck.
She’s somewhat damp and warm enough for me to guess she’s not cold-blooded. A bump on her forehead has a slight blue purple cast to it. She’s not at the base of the tree for the slight heat but because of a fall. Her eyes are closed and she turns her head before babbling something.
I withdraw, satisfied at how strong her pulse is. By now, the others are in a circle around her with me. The woman rolls over to her side and sits up, still talking.
Do you understand what she’s saying? I ask S’Tou.
Not a word.
Pless.
He laughs, sending, I know. We’ll need to grab her language as soon as the Gharians are done here.
Agreed. We would be smarter to just leave her here and move to another place before they find us.
You’re full of pajii shit. None of us can ignore someone injured. S’Tou chides, his intent to shame me hitting the mark far too well.
“Stop talking between yourselves and let us in on what’s happening,” Nilt hisses and we look at him.
S’Tou speaks before I can. “Cinq wants us to leave her on our way to another location further from here until the fuss dies down.”
Quin stands up straight, getting our attention too, before stretching out his wings and letting them fold in again. “He’s right. She’s a woman, we don’t understand her, and Gharians are crawling all over the place. Let’s leave her here and let them find her.”
Nilt nods. “They’ll have her language in their translators and Earther colonies to deliver her to. We’re just us.”
A gasp, then loud babbling comes from the Earther. I react quickly, covering her mouth with my hand. I’m blocking her nose, as well, and move my hand down a little. “Stop that or I’ll cut out your tongue.”
“You wouldn’t,” Quin snaps. “We won’t let you.”
Nilt hisses in agreement and the Earther’s eyes go wide when seeing him before rolling back in her head. She falls against the tree, hitting the back of her head against the bark.
“Plessing tunsa, men. Excellent work in waking her up.” I scratch the back of my neck. “And what’s the problem with my threat to her, Quin? You wanted to abandon her to the elements.”
“Letting the authorities find an innocent Earther is one thing, physical harm is another and you know that. I’m just glad she didn’t understand you.”
