"Perhaps to a very large Rhimodian?" Veta asked quietly.
Eleanor's cheeks got hot again.
Veta nodded, a smile on her face then glanced at Bianca. "She's fine."
"Are you certain?" Bianca asked. "I can make room. She can ride on this with me if she's not--"
"It's a crush," Veta said. "She has a crush on her Rhimodian."
Eleanor could only imagine how red her face was from the embarrassment. Both Harbin and Wrathin glanced at her. Wrathin chuckled, and Harbin covered his face, though she could see he was laughing behind his hand.
"Oh," Bianca said. "Well, then, my dear. Please. Stay in your fantasies. They're most likely much better than this." She glanced back at Harbin. "At least this is warm."
"It is not that warm," Eleanor said.
"Far warmer than the ice-covered world I crashed on," Bianca said. "Fortunately, Harbin here was able to keep me warm and safe."
"Thank you, Harbin, for caring for her."
He nodded and didn't say much else.
Eleanor looked out onto the landscape. She needed to focus on where they were, not on Jedriek. Sand on the ground, mountains all around, they were in very angry terrain. Indecisive. Giant dunes of sand rolled like waves on an ocean to her left, though much bigger than any she'd encountered. To her right? Rock and mountainous terrain. They were walking the line right down the middle of it. Wrathin had been convinced it would be the easiest considering Bianca's state.
The walk was reasonably level, the terrain was sandy, but not a horrible walk. Walking in the sand was much more physically taxing than Eleanor had expected. After all this was over, she was taking a hot bath and soaking her feet.
Wrathin and Veta were in front of her, and Bianca was next to her, with Harbin pushing Bianca. Eleanor would attempt to pick up her pace some, just to get closer to their destination. However, she had no idea where it was--she was trusting Wrathin for that information.
"How much further to the station?" Eleanor asked.
"Over the rise there," Wrathin said.
"Good, I think I am about ready to rest," she said, though the last part was more to herself. The walking was exhausting. Unfortunately, they had not been able to find a transport closer. She and Jedriek had not located any ships that could fly since it was an antiquated location from their mining efforts.
Veta was looking around as they walked, and she glanced back at Eleanor. "We're not resting. We're close. We're going to keep moving."
Eleanor stared at the bodyguard. Veta never missed anything. "I didn't say I wanted to take a rest."
"Then what did you say?" Veta snapped.
Something wasn't right. Veta was provolking a fight.
"That I wasreadyto rest. Not that we should--" Eleanor screamed.
Blaster fire streaked across the landscape, and Veta threw Eleanor to the ground, landing on top of her.
"Stay down," Veta said and pulled out a blaster.
"What's going on?"
"Attackers on that north ridge," Veta said. She aimed her blaster into the distance toward the firing.
Minimal cover to protect Bianca, so Harbin and Wrathin took up positions around her.
"What do you see?" Veta called out.
"Four on the far ridge."
"What kind of weapon was that to hit this far away?" Harbin said.
