Author: Derin

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... Next> .......... Last>> The metal doors leading into the side of the dune are thick. Heavy. Free of sand, although the angle suggests that sand would fall past the guards and onto them easily with the slightest wind; probably swept clean regularly. Tinera narrows her eyes as we get … Continue reading 145: UNDERGROUND

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... Next> .......... Last>> Celti seems to be doing calculations too, glancing between Max and Captain Klees and looking somewhat baffled. “If we asked for medical supplies?” “Absolutely. Tell us what you need and we’ll get it sent down.” “Weapons?” “I don’t think the ship carries weapons, but there are … Continue reading 144: COORDINATION

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... Next> .......... Last>> Max gets us robes. They show us how to tie the belts. They explain that different belts don’t have any official meaning, but fashions go in and out among different groups of friends, so your belt can incidentally declare who you hang out with or what … Continue reading 143: CULTURE

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... Next> .......... Last>> “What? You can’t go out there!” Max goes to rise from the table, and Tinera and the Friend let them, but don’t let go, don’t let them try to block our path as we head for the door. “You can’t!” “We won’t put the colony in … Continue reading 142: SEEDS

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... Next> .......... Last>> We all leap back, as if a bit more distance will protect Max from the viruses in the mostly enclosed tent. “You said the viral treatment would take another week after our landing!” Captain Klees says, accusing. “You can’t be here like this!” “It is a … Continue reading 141: ANSWERS

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... Next> .......... Last>> The next day is an awkward day of inactivity. It’s frustrating, but there’s not all that much we can really do. We consider going for another look around the settlement, but it’s much more productive to wait until we can go out without the suits and … Continue reading 140: GAMES

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... Next> .......... Last>> We discuss various possibilities of what, if anything at all, is strange about the colony, but it only goes in circles. The only thing we can all (except Tal) agree on pretty quickly is that we probably didn’t stumble onto a planet with abandoned alien tech. … Continue reading 139: SURGERY

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... Next> .......... Last>> We get back to our dome and desuit, and Captain Klees starts pacing back and forth, agitated. I also want to pace, but two people pacing seems weird, so I sit at the table all tense instead. “We’ve been through a lot of weird bullshit,” Captain … Continue reading 138: QUESTIONS

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... Next> .......... Last>> Max shows us the central meeting area, which is exactly what it sounds like – a huge dome that’s apparently for meeting up and conducting business. A town hall, I suppose. Some benches are lined up along one edge with plastic crates piled on them; a … Continue reading 137: RADIO

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... Next> .......... Last>> One thing to be said about the Hylarans is that they work quickly. Even as we eat, we can hear people moving around outside the dome, doing something around the door. By the time we’re finished, there’s a hastily assembled decontamination chamber there. Well, it’s a … Continue reading 136: DOME