closed.
Braden started to climb out, but Micah pulled him back before looking furtively toward the beach. She pulled him close…
‘Really? Right in front of me?’ G-War said without opening his eyes.
Afterwards, they slept like the dead, rousing only as darkness approached. The pump cycled the water out of the lake and it was clean and clear when they drank their last and prepared to go. The cooler water also helped reduce the swelling in Brandt’s knee.
With a final look behind them, they walked into the darkness of the desert, on a direct line toward Oasis 03.
Oasis 03 – Tiskanay’s Pause
Brandt limped slightly when he ran, but it seemed the worst was behind him. The worst of it was behind them all. Their attitudes had improved and that changed how they approached their travel through the Great Desert. Braden’s plan had been too aggressive. They needed to move slower, more carefully, using the least amount of energy.
The desert couldn’t be dominated. One had to bow to it and accept its constraints, delicately and with respect. Otherwise the desert would do everything it could to kill you. Braden nodded to the darkness in deference to Devaney’s Barren, hoping that they intruded no further upon its peace.
“How long’s it been since you had any cactus weevils, Aadi?” Braden asked.
‘Oh my, Master Human, you bring up such delightful memories. It has been many cycles, indeed,’ Aadi replied.
“You think Tiskanay is still there?”
‘Of course. There’s no other place she’d be. The Seeders will still be there, too, I expect. Will there be a problem?’ Aadi asked. The others were listening intently. Besides G-War and Skirill, no one had been to the Great Desert before, let alone interact with the creatures to be found in Oasis 03.
“Nah. Thanks to your sage advice, we handled everything just fine last time. I don’t think we’ll have any issues this time, although we have far less meat with us to share. Do you think you can spoof the Seeders again?” Braden and Aadi told the rest of the companions the story of their entrance into the Oasis and how they established a truce with the Gila Monster called Tiskanay. They described how the Mirror Beast dominated the oasis until they found out it was a simple Development Unit, a Bot who needed a reboot, which Braden did inadvertently.
G-War chuckled at that, railing on the human’s misfortune and how they’d lost the ability to ask it questions once it was working again. They knew it was still working as they’d seen the images of the plush fields in the Command Center. The Rabbits and Aurochs were looking forward to eating fresh vegetables. Holly assured them that the Development Unit would leave them alone.
Braden didn’t worry about it any further. Talk with Tiskanay, defang the Seeders, and then relax and reload for the final push to the north while Aadi met with the other Tortoids. Braden wanted to meet them, but Aadi was very clear that no outsiders were allowed at a Consortium gathering. Braden didn’t take offense, although Micah was a little put out. She had hoped that she’d meet the others, expecting that they’d be something like Aadi, filled with the wisdom of their life experiences.
Aadi suggested that he might convince one or two of them to come to the oasis. They’d have to wait and see, but he asked them not to be disappointed, no matter what transpired.
‘Wait and see, he says,’ Micah told Braden in her thought voice. He nodded. ‘Think about it. A Tortoid told us to wait…’ They both snickered to themselves as they peered into the darkness. Arnie was walking at a brisk pace as Brandt followed closely behind. G-War rode on the King’s head, as usual, but with Arnie leading the way, he had an easy walk. At midnight, they switched. Brandt was happy to be doing something for the caravan.
As they approached sunrise, the Hawkoids took to the lightening skies and quickly found a place to camp. Aadi
Braden started to climb out, but Micah pulled him back before looking furtively toward the beach. She pulled him close…
‘Really? Right in front of me?’ G-War said without opening his eyes.
Afterwards, they slept like the dead, rousing only as darkness approached. The pump cycled the water out of the lake and it was clean and clear when they drank their last and prepared to go. The cooler water also helped reduce the swelling in Brandt’s knee.
With a final look behind them, they walked into the darkness of the desert, on a direct line toward Oasis 03.
Oasis 03 – Tiskanay’s Pause
Brandt limped slightly when he ran, but it seemed the worst was behind him. The worst of it was behind them all. Their attitudes had improved and that changed how they approached their travel through the Great Desert. Braden’s plan had been too aggressive. They needed to move slower, more carefully, using the least amount of energy.
The desert couldn’t be dominated. One had to bow to it and accept its constraints, delicately and with respect. Otherwise the desert would do everything it could to kill you. Braden nodded to the darkness in deference to Devaney’s Barren, hoping that they intruded no further upon its peace.
“How long’s it been since you had any cactus weevils, Aadi?” Braden asked.
‘Oh my, Master Human, you bring up such delightful memories. It has been many cycles, indeed,’ Aadi replied.
“You think Tiskanay is still there?”
‘Of course. There’s no other place she’d be. The Seeders will still be there, too, I expect. Will there be a problem?’ Aadi asked. The others were listening intently. Besides G-War and Skirill, no one had been to the Great Desert before, let alone interact with the creatures to be found in Oasis 03.
“Nah. Thanks to your sage advice, we handled everything just fine last time. I don’t think we’ll have any issues this time, although we have far less meat with us to share. Do you think you can spoof the Seeders again?” Braden and Aadi told the rest of the companions the story of their entrance into the Oasis and how they established a truce with the Gila Monster called Tiskanay. They described how the Mirror Beast dominated the oasis until they found out it was a simple Development Unit, a Bot who needed a reboot, which Braden did inadvertently.
G-War chuckled at that, railing on the human’s misfortune and how they’d lost the ability to ask it questions once it was working again. They knew it was still working as they’d seen the images of the plush fields in the Command Center. The Rabbits and Aurochs were looking forward to eating fresh vegetables. Holly assured them that the Development Unit would leave them alone.
Braden didn’t worry about it any further. Talk with Tiskanay, defang the Seeders, and then relax and reload for the final push to the north while Aadi met with the other Tortoids. Braden wanted to meet them, but Aadi was very clear that no outsiders were allowed at a Consortium gathering. Braden didn’t take offense, although Micah was a little put out. She had hoped that she’d meet the others, expecting that they’d be something like Aadi, filled with the wisdom of their life experiences.
Aadi suggested that he might convince one or two of them to come to the oasis. They’d have to wait and see, but he asked them not to be disappointed, no matter what transpired.
‘Wait and see, he says,’ Micah told Braden in her thought voice. He nodded. ‘Think about it. A Tortoid told us to wait…’ They both snickered to themselves as they peered into the darkness. Arnie was walking at a brisk pace as Brandt followed closely behind. G-War rode on the King’s head, as usual, but with Arnie leading the way, he had an easy walk. At midnight, they switched. Brandt was happy to be doing something for the caravan.
As they approached sunrise, the Hawkoids took to the lightening skies and quickly found a place to camp. Aadi
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