There were some supplies in the evac pod. A first aid kit, some rations, some water pouches. But not nearly enough for all of them. They could prioritize giving the females the water and food, as all but Goldie were carrying younglings in their bellies, but with Vytln and Rok too injured too fight, Alred out of commission, and none of them aware of where they were, they weren’t in a good position.
This was a massive planet that was nothing more than a dry, rocky desert.
And that’s all it was. Vytln had searched for shallow water to land in, as that would have been best for the shelter, but there wasn’t any. The entire planet was either hard rock or loose sand. There was no surface water whatsoever.
Alred had been a technological being far longer than he’d ever been biological, but surely he hadn’t forgotten the basic living need for water? Vytln, being a southern lvtl, would be fine for a while without water, but the others weren’t that lucky.
Tanin got into the evac pod as the others gathered together. Goldie and Haven helped Vytln out of his suit so the former could address Vytln’s wounds. Their human medic’s eyes were all puffy and red and she wasn’t nagging at him about hisinjuries. She was quiet as she did her best to address them with the contents of the first aid kit as quickly as possible so he could put his helmet back on. Vytln didn't need to ask to know she was upset about Alred.
When Tanin emerged from the evac pod, Alred’s core in hand, she barely glanced his way. However, that was only because she didn't recognize what Alred’s core looked like. When Tanin approached and handed her the egg-shaped device, confusion crossed her face, then a devastated understanding.
“Alred…” She breathed, taking hold of the egg, holding it to her chest. She touched the small screen, but it remained dark and unresponsive.
“It’s not turning on,” Tanin told her.
She started shaking, her lip trembling. “Does that mean…”
She couldn’t finish the sentence, but Tanin didn't need her to in order to know what she was asking.
“I don’t know,” he said simply.
The heartbroken sound Goldie let out as she clutched the core close hurt Vytln in the chest. He couldn’t look at her as she wept over the broken electronics. He had to avert his gaze as Haven helped him back into his envirosuit.
“I was able to scan the area with the evac pod,” Tanin said, leaving Goldie to mourn the fate of their last crewmate. “This planet looks empty from the outside, but there’s actually a huge system of artificial tunnels and buildings below the sand.”
“Near here?” Vytln asked, looking around the desert landscape.
“Not close, but not as far as you’d fear,” Tanin said. “The evac pod is still flyable. We can all get in there and take it to the entrance I found.”
“Are there people there?” Sway asked, frowning.
“I don’t know,” Tanin shook his head. “I can’t tell. But if there is, maybe they’ll be friendly and we can get assistance from them.”
“What if they’re not?” Haven asked.
Tanin gave her a look, not a single change in his expression, as he said, “Then, we deal with them.”
Honestly, Vytln hoped they weren’t friendly. At least then he wouldn’t have to play nice or worry about trusting strangers and having to watch his back.
But it turned out to be a moot concern because, after gathering everyone in the evac ship and detaching the shelter room, the entrance they flew to turned out to just be a simple, small building sticking up out of a patch of hard packed dirt. Just outside of the sandy desert, its roof was covered in sand. There was no one around it, nor any tracks to indicate that anyone had been in some time. It was sealed but responded without issue to Tanin’s touch.
The twins went in first to clear the area, everyone else waiting outside, guarding the females, hiding in the shade of the building to escape the oppressive heat of the extremely slow-moving sun. Vytln and Rok helped stand guard, but they were mostly useless thanks to their injuries.
That also turned out not to matter because when the twins returned it was with the report that the compound was completely empty. The doors were all sealed with basic locksthat only needed simple swipes to unlock – so anyone but animals poking mindlessly could open them. The area was completely deserted and apparently had been for quite some time.
They made a formation with the females at the center and cautiously moved their way inside, but the twins were right. Bright tunnels with fresh air welcomed them, their helmets assuring them that this air, unlike the air outside, was completely breathable.
But the floors and surfaces were all covered in a thick layer of dust. Not sand, telling him that the place was still fully sealed from the outside, but no one had been here for a long time.
There were maps every so often on the walls, interspersed among closed and locked doors, directing them to places like the mess hall, residential quarters, deconstruction center, main bay, smelting, shipping, storage, etc. And, most importantly, central control.
That seemed the most likely place to find someone – if there was anyone here – so they made their way there.
The groups’ footsteps echoing off the metal walls as they moved, silent and cautious, down the halls. It wasn’t a pretty place, but it was obvious that there was a considerable amount of money put into it. And aside from the layers of dust, it still seemed rather new. Rooms they passed remained shut and locked and, though it was clear Haven wanted to look around, Tanin stopped her. They weren’t exploring anything until everywhere had been cleared by the twins as being safe.
Vytln held onto his female. Arm around her like he needed her to stay upright. And though it was true his knee burned like fire,he was doing it so she wouldn’t get away. He did not trust her curious mind not to get her into trouble.
Central command, like everwhere else, opened with a touch. The twins moved in and cleared the area, allowing the others to follow after. It was a large room with a huge window along one wall that they couldn’t see through as the other side was completely black. Consoles were lined up under that window, each one dark and dusty.
