“What are their names?”Ellard asked.“If we do find them, will they trust us?”
“Sheera and Leeam.You can tell them their parents and uncle intend to ban them from outings for the near future,” Niran said.
She squeezed his forearm, ignoring the cool tingles that sped across her skin.“We will find them.One of the search parties will locate them, and they’ll be home with their families before you know it.”
“Soon,” Ransom added.“We will find them before they fade from lack of essence.”
“Thank you.”Niran’s voice broke, and he cleared his throat.“I’ll go and report back.We’re conducting our own repeat searches in the town and the surrounds.”
Gweneth hesitated.“Would they consider stowing away on a vessel leaving the planet?”
“No,” Niran said.“Definitely not.Unless they were with a mated couple, that would mean eventual death.”
“No,” Ransom agreed.“We seldom have visitors.Until recent times, we haven’t welcomed them to Narenda.We haven’t had any deliveries since your arrival because of the debris storm moving closer.It made flying conditions dangerous.I’ve sent your search coordinates to the ship.”
“We’ll contact you and let you know how our search goes,” Ellard said.“You ready, Gweneth?”
Gweneth gave Niran a quick hug.“Don’t worry.We’ll find them.”
“The ship is parked on the training ground,” Niran said.
She and Ellard left the house together and walked down the gravel path leading to the open training ground.
Gweneth inhaled the fresh life force and caught a hint of something burnt in her quick breath.“Do you smell that?”
“Yes.I haven’t smelled anything like that—” He broke off to stare at the ship that waited for them.
Gweneth let out a piercing whistle.Small.Sleek.Streamlined for speed.“Nanu would love it.I can’t wait to tell him about this ship.Wait, let me take a depiction.Go and stand by the wing.”
Ellard grumbled but stood as she directed.“It’s fitted out with weapons.”
“Do you think they’re expecting trouble?”
Ellard frowned.“None of them give off that vibe.Let’s get going.I don’t like the look of the weather.”
Gweneth tested her senses, and it felt as if someone stroked her skin in the wrong direction.Chill bumps pebbled on her arms and legs.She scanned the horizon and understood what Ellard meant.The point where the land met the sky carried a sluggish gray color.Streaks of mustard yellow and some red dissected the gray, and as she scanned the region, she caught a flash of light.
“The debris storm is coming closer, but there is something else going on with the weather.I wonder how often they get the storms.”
“No idea.I’d hate to fly through another one.The first was bad enough.”
“Agreed,” Gweneth said.“The last one was scary.”
The ship reminded Gweneth of a high-tech Earth sports car but without the rubber wheels.Marcus, Amme’s mate, had kept one in his shed.Garage, she corrected herself.As they neared, two steel-gray panels rose.Gweneth slid inside while Ellard trotted around to the other side and clambered into the ship.This transport was made for short jaunts and not deep space travel.
Once seated, his knees were up around his chest.“How am I meant to fly and search folded up like one of Keira’s herb twists?”
No sooner had he muttered the words than the ship’s shape lengthened to accommodate his longer legs.
“Cool.”Gweneth scanned the instrument panel.Everything bore a label in the Universal language.She tapped a button for computer voice control.
“This ship is equipped with voice control.Please state your names so that you can operate the ship during the journey.”The voice sounded pleasant yet non-gender.
“Gweneth Swithin,” Gweneth said.
“Ellard Tetsu,” Ellard stated.
“Thank you, Gweneth.Thank you, Ellard.Would you like to follow the set search coordinates for this cycle’s flight?”
