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“There was no ship orbiting the planet,” Jade remarked

“There is a rammed the autopilot to hide their craft behind the ht of Titan” Mason s line

“The river?” she asked

“Yes Where on the river is Krul hiding?”

She drew a smaller version of the picture she’d done outside, the one of a lizard man, but this ti the river and raised his eyebrows

The chief spoke to hisa heated conversation, which the chief ended abruptly with a wave of his hand

Jade watched as the chief drew an elaborate picture in the sand with remarkable accuracy and detail It told a story, it seemed

“Krul hunts along the river” She noted the fish “He attacks anyone who co next to the river There was a look of intense sadness on the chief’s face The dead man was somebody special, somebody who had been loved

Mason asked her to paint a different picture, one of Krul in chains, dragged away by hio, and the chief’s eyes widened as she ani a sequence of sandy drawings

The chief clapped his hands and fro She poured the liquid into the chief’s beaker, then into Mason’s He lifted it to his lips and drank, indicating Mason should copy

Mason did, and the color drained slightly from his face as he spluttered

“Fuck,” hestuff”

The hed and Mason joined in

“What’s happened?” Jade asked

“I think they like our plan I guess I’ve some help tomorrow”