Keryn skimmed the Cair Ilmun over the surface of the desert planet, watching intently toward the distant horizon and the small outpost town that marked their final destination. Below the ship, the exhaust from the engine kicked fine dust into the air and swayed the thick, resilient shrubbery that grew on the inhospitable surface of Pteraxis. Everything, from the clay-like dirt to the fine sand to the scraggly weeds, was cast in light tones of red, a result of the swollen red sun hanging bloated in the sky.
Even on board the ship, Keryn could sense the sweltering heat outside. Mirages rose from the desert’s surface. Wavering images of distant lakes flickered near the horizon, only to disappear in the hot, shifting winds. A few rocky plateaus jutted from the desert floor in the distance and it was near the base of one of these that Keryn was heading. The unnamed town where Cardax had taken refuse sat in the spanning shadows of one of these plateaus, stealing whatever reprieve was offered from the oppressive heat of the afternoon sun.
With the engines burning hot, Keryn quickly covered the distance to the plateaus. As she grew closer, the face of the planet changed. Within the shadow of the plateau, she saw more green grasses and small trees surviving in spite of the external temperatures. Living off the meager morning dew, the sturdy plants gleamed like a green oasis amidst the scrub brush and dirt that covered the rest of the planet. Flying closer, Keryn could see the shadow of the plateau shrinking as the bloated sun rolled toward the far horizon. Still in the crux of the shadow, buried into the base of the plateau’s cliff face, a small town of two story clay buildings appeared, their upper floors overburdened with wooden railings and balconies overlooking the streets below. The town stretched only a short way, consisting of fewer than fifty buildings and bearing only a pair of parallel roads leading lengthwise along the cliff. As Keryn scanned higher up the cliff face, she could see a switchback trail leading up toward the top of the plateau, though the trail was well concealed when viewed from a distance. Along its route, Keryn could see small cavern openings which she could only assume were the entrances to mine shafts.
Her curiosity getting the better of her, Keryn tilted the wings of the Cair Ilmun as she approached the settlement. With the ship tilted perpendicular to the ground, the underside of the ship facing away from the cliff face, she had a much clearer view of the mines as she passed over the town. Even from her vantage point, Keryn could see the sparkle of mineral veins running along the cliff walls, often disappearing into the shaft entrances. A few dirt-stained faces peered outward from the dark recesses, drawn toward the light by the roar of her transport’s engines. They stepped out onto the switchback trail and out onto the scaffolding that supported the cliff walls. The scaffolding clung to the walls overlooking the town in a patchwork of timber and rope along the cliff face.
Leveling out the ship, Keryn passed a few hundred feet above the town. It looked depressingly unexciting, with few people walking outdoors in the afternoon heat. As the sun crested over the protective shadow of the plateau, outdoor temperatures began rising to over one hundred and twenty degrees. Looking down at the one piece flight suit, Keryn was glad that she had brought more sensible clothing. The clothing would also help her blend into the surroundings and not appear quite so much like a Fleet officer, since somewhere in the quiet little desert town was an Oterian smuggler with a death wish.
Quickly passing over the far side of town, Keryn followed the curve of the plateau until she came upon an open field, cleared of any shrubbery or rock outcroppings. There, spread along the desert floor, were cargo and transport ships, parked in the sand like a forgotten salvage yard. Keryn could recognize many of the ships. Some were former Wyndgaart transports or Oterian carriers, ships so old that they predated the creation of the Alliance. Though old, these sturdy ships were still flight worthy and capable of interstellar travel. Though their origins were different, they all shared a common bond: they had all been converted into merchant vessels. Their interiors had been gutted and opened to allow maximum cargo on each lift. The ships’ former lives had been forgotten; their transformations from warship to cargo vessel were completed at the whim of the ships’ new captains. Each captain had his or her preference on the specific vessels, some choosing an intimidating bulk while others chose the sleek forms and faster ships.
As Keryn found her spot to land, she scanned the crews that mingled in and around the parked crafts. Some showed a genuine concern for the vessel as they applied new plating or sealants to the external hull. Others, she noted, seemed to be doing little more than showing the facade of busy work. These crewmen were little more than glorified guards, told to remain behind with the ship while the captains and rest of the crew enjoyed the entertainment the town had to offer. Still others forewent the illusion of tidying their respective ships and stood by the external hatches, armed and wearing sour expressions. Keryn frowned as the landing gear extended on the bottom of the Cair Ilmun and they touched down on the surface of Pteraxis. She had hoped that there would have been some blatant identifying mark on one of the ships that would show her which of these belonged to Cardax. As it was, she would already have to waste time with her team searching through the city for one elusive Oterian. Finding his ship would have saved time.
Mentally altering her plans, Keryn shut down the engine and unbuckled from the seatbelt webbing. Activating the radio, she called back to the rest of the crew, who she assumed was already busy preparing for their assault.
“We’ve landed,” she said flatly. “Meet me in the common room in five minutes for the mission brief.”
Turning off the radio, she opened the door to the crew compartment and passed into the dark, cool interior of the ship. As she had suspected, Keeling and Rombard were still enthralled in their game of Jach’tar, though both had already changed into civilian clothes for the mission. Keeling sat at an odd angle, as the rifle strapped to the Uligart’s leg made it awkward to sit normally. Tilted at an angle, Keryn noticed that he struggled with the controls of the game and was quickly losing to the more proficient and comfortably seated Oterian. Rombard held no illusions about stealthy operations, having his large automatic rifle resting against the wall beside him. Though Keryn was sure that the Oterian stood no chance of hiding such a large rifle underneath his jacket, she also doubted that he would even if it were possible. The Oterian thrived on striking fear into his enemies, and few things would do so as effectively as his oversized rifle.
Passing the common room, Keryn turned into the hall and entered the living quarters. The narrow room was packed as the rest of the team changed out of filthy jumpsuits and into more comfortable clothing. Though the Cair Ilmun had a shower, it did little to wash away the permeating stench of so many sweaty bodies confined to so small a space. Changing quickly into her loose blouse, leather pants, and thin jacket, Keryn slid the magazine out of her pistol and checked ammunition before reloading the weapon and holstering it at her hip. With her jacket pulled around her, the bulge of the pistol virtually disappeared. By the time she was finished changing, she was alone in the room. Following the rest of the team, she found them all seated comfortably and impatiently near Keeling and Rombard, who were at the tail end of their game.
“Follow me,” Keryn said matter-of-factly as she turned and opened the side door. A blast of hot, dry air struck her face, making her feel as though she stood near the open door of an oven. She coughed against the scorching breeze before stepping out into the harsh red sunlight. The rest of the team stepped out behind her. Turning, she faced her teammates and took in the sight of the imposing group.
Dressed in civilian clothes and heavily armed, they looked much the part of smugglers finding refuge on Pteraxis’ uninviting surface. Even Penchant wore an Uligart face and loose fitting clothing, looking no more conspicuous than the rest of the group.
“This planet sucks,” Keeling said as he squinted. Raising his hand, he blocked the sunlight so he could look at the desolate surroundings. With the red light pouring down on the planet, all the parked ships took on a coppery hue, looking rusted and ancient.
“Well,” Keryn replied, “hopefully we won’t be here long. We have about a half mile walk back to the town. Penchant and McLaughlin, I need you here guarding the ship. Aside from the fact that I don’t want the Cair Ilmun stolen while we’re away, every other ship around here seems to have armed guards milling about. I don’t want to look out of place. The rest of you are with me.”
Under the glaring sun, the half mile walk to the city was nearly unbearable. Far past its zenith, the shadows had receded from the swollen sun and it cast its harsh light down on the small group as they walked. Sweat made Keryn’s thin shirt cling to her back and sent chills up her spine whenever one of the breezes blew across the featureless desert. She could feel her face flushing with warmth as the sun beat down on skin that, even naturally tanned as she was, had not seen direct sunlight during the past few months of space travel. Though she reveled in the sunlight as she walked, she could also feel the pinpricks of pain behind her eyes as she squinted against the glare. Being on a planet was a satisfying change of pace, but she wasn’t eager to remain. More than anything, she wanted to finish her mission and be on her way.
As the town came into view, Keryn frowned. From the ground, the collection of buildings looked even more depressing than it had from the air. The balconies hanging off the second floors of the clay buildings looked weather-worn and old, barely able to sustain weight should someone be standing upon them. A fine layer of dirt and dust covered every visible surface, giving everything the impression of having thrust directly from the soil below. It also gave all the buildings the same coloration, adding to the monotonous drone of the town.
Following the main trail from the landing field to the town, they found themselves entering the community on the road furthest from the cliff face. A second road butted nearly against the cliff and cut the only other swath through the unexciting buildings. From her vantage point, Keryn could see the switchback trail as well as the scaffolding that both enabled them to move ore and supplies to and from the mine, but also held back loose rocks that might fall on the town below. Though it appeared crude, the scaffolding also appeared sturdy and effective.
Raising her hand, Keryn called the group to a halt.
“This is where we’re going to split up,” she said. “The town isn’t very large, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a massive Oterian among the short buildings. However, I expect every one of you to keep your eyes open. We don’t know how many friends Cardax has in town or how many people he has in his pocket. He’s dangerous, so be careful.”
Keryn pointed toward the scaffolding that hung precariously about thirty feet above the town. “Cerise, I want you to start up there. It should give you a good position to watch the rooftops and make aerial passes if we need your help.”
Nodding, the Avalon walked off toward the start of the switchback, choosing to walk up the path to her position rather than draw attention to herself by flying. Keryn appreciated her discretion.
“Rombard,” she continued, turning back toward the Oterian, “you and Keeling are going to take the left road near the cliff. With it being a secondary path through the town, I’m hoping that you’ll be able to keep any ambushers away from us. Adam and I will head down the main trail and see what we can find out. If you spot him or if you run into any trouble, call us immediately. Understand?”
“Absolutely,” Rombard grumbled, throwing his large rifle over his muscular shoulder. “Let’s go, little man.”
The Oterian pushed Keeling toward the leftmost road. The Uligart knocked the large hand aside playfully while flashing Rombard an obscene gesture.
Keryn smiled as she turned toward Adam. The Pilgrim looked calm and relaxed, though she knew he carried a large caliber rifle concealed beneath his jacket. Reaching under her own coat, she fingered the holstered pistol at her hip.
“You ready for this?” Adam asked, arching an eyebrow.
Keryn turned back toward the town and stared down the deserted road. Nodding, she turned back toward Adam. “No problem,” she lied, feeling the nervousness of walking into what appeared to be a ghost town. “Don’t worry about me. Worry about Cardax. I’ll feel a lot happier and more relaxed once we have him safely aboard.”
“Then shall we?”
Keryn turned once more toward the town. She could feel the knot in her stomach, churning nervously at the thought of walking, though fully armed, into a hostile mining community. Swallowing hard, her mouth suddenly feeling dry, she nodded to Adam.
“Let’s go.”