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CHAPTER 21

Hit takes her own scans after I do, co hibernation season again I’d co another one But no That can’t happen, not without March I won’t touch any birthing s will be different this time I’ll ns down there?"

"Thousands"

Thank Mary Unlike last tih the atle flashing past the hull It’s raining, but on Marakeq that’s nothing new If the Mareq are active, then it’s a warm shower

Either Hit’s a better pilot than March--and to be fair, he was out of practice e put down here the first tiht be a combination of the two Either ithinless than a klick froe that I can see

"Really well-done"

She flasheselse"

"True enough"

I check the sh, plenty waro well, I won’t be wearing hiethe cockpit, I head for the hub to look for Vel

Not surprisingly, he’s already waiting with his ubiquitous bounty-hunter pack, weatherproof gear in hand We can’t afford to let the hatchling get cold or to have the rain wash his food supply off my skin It’s a couple of kiloht have been able to take us in closer, I was afraid of frightening thee

In transit, I downloaded all the sounds Fugitive scientists have recorded, and es are more difficult to decipher because sos; they’re ue appears to be fairly complex, and my chip now has some idea how to decode them, which meansBaby-Z2 one final ti into the slicker and take my pack froone," I call, without touching the conal when and if it’s safe for you to join us"

"Because I can’t wait to take rumbles

But she so past her toward the exit ramp I lead the ith Vel at my back, the way it should always be He’s been quiet since we left Gehenna, but I’ this mission will distract him from his loss Deep down I know one person can’t replace another, but at least he’s not alone

"Do you need scrubbers?" I’ mine in place

The last tione, and I have Vel at ed once on this planet I think this is where I started to love him, nothat everything is about to change again

"Yes The atmosphere has spores and pollens that make raw inhalation a risky proposition"

It also contains trace elements of chlorine, hence the scrubbers Vel fits hihtly different fros, but they function in the same fashion Once we’re ready, we step off the ship and into the rowing in the le breathes, leaves rustling, rain spattering on the sodden trunks But even the plants have a secondary layer of green growing over the top of the patterns

Before we move away froe predators"

"The Mareq hunt to keep the territory surrounding their settlements safe"

That’s all I remember fro lunatic As far as I know, none of the Fugitive scientists who studied the Mareq ever made contact, which means this is a historic moment, and it should be recorded for posterity

"Turn on your ocular cam?"

"Already done," Vel answers

"Then let’s move out"

The air is hot and sticky, even beyond the rain There’s a heaviness to it that weighs on a warine it’s quite coulate their body te to the changing seasons

Vel follows a path down to the river, no etation has thinned froe Rain sluices down his back; he isn’t wearing protective gear No need when you’re already arles around, a testauy

The hike is miserable Neither of us complains, however At the swollen strea the current It rushes atto topple me, but with his help, I push onto the other shore He stands for a moment in the rain, face upturned

"Did you know, Sirantha, that my people cannot weep?"

I didn’t, actually