wall, I stared across the small chamber at my companions. Rubble rained from the walls and ceilings, and the bead lights caught glimmers of rock dust causing a haze to form. VELMA had given us enough notice that we had our helmets on before we ran into this smaller opening that Esra assured us would better withstand the tremors.
All we could do now was endure the rumbling beneath our feet and from behind our sternums, our distress evident in our wide gazes and tense postures.
When it ended, none of us moved, fearing aftershocks or worse.
Watching Esra, the exogeologist, like a hawk, I waited until her shoulders relaxed and she stepped away from the wall before I did. While we were all miners, she was the best qualified to judge quakes in my opinion.
“Nothing like a hot cup of terror to get you moving in the morning,” I grumbled after Natheka gave me a quick squeeze.
“It is early evening,” he said with a gentle smile, and I threw my hands into the air.
“Does it matter? We haven’t seen the sun in days,” I said in exasperation. “I can’t tell if I’m coming or going, let alone what time of day it is!”
Natheka frowned and looked down the tunnel we approached. “We are going, of course.” He pointed. “That way.”
A chuckle released tension in my shoulders, and I shook my head. “Of course,” I said, under my breath. “We came last night.”
Pattee elbowed me hard, and I snort-laughed. We’d managed to find a central chamber with smaller side caves, and we all enjoyed much-needed private couple time—up until VELMA sent alerts to our helmets and the robot this morning—er—evening. Whatever.
Something about a huge metal biped staring down at you first thing after waking up was enough to jump start anyone’s system.
“We had best to continue,” red-armored Naraxthel said from behind us. He had circled the chamber checking on everyone.
He wouldn’t get any arguments from me. I wasn’t afraid of the cave systems, but the combination of planetary upheaval and eternal darkness was almost too much for me to handle. I was thankful when Natheka grabbed my hand and led me through the tunnel.
“I suppose that landquake should put us on alert for more nightwalkers,” I said, focusing on the path ahead; my helmet light shone a fair distance in front of us, and I scanned for tunnel openings every few meters. VELMA marked the path for us based on Raxthezana’s map.
“Ik,” Natheka said, squeezing my hand. “The agothe-faxl are not too different from us,” he said. “They will seek safer ground.”
“Maybe we should follow their lead,” I suggested. “Maybe they know something we don’t.”
“That is sound thinking,” he said. “But our path likely leads us farther into danger.”
“How did I know you were going to say that?” I said, deftly avoiding a pile of gravel scattered across the footpath.
“Because you are intelligent beyond your species,” Natheka said, the smile in his voice hinting at his gentle ribbing.
“I’m trying to decide if you complimented me or insulted me,” I said, giving him the side-eye. “Pattee, what happens if Natheka here causes an intergalactic incident?”
“I’ve done no such thing,” he said.
“Technically, Natheka is free of Intergalactic Unification of Races jurisdiction,” Pattee said. “Sorry, Amity. You have no recourse.”
“Damn,” I said, tugging on Natheka’s hand while I smiled.
Our team plodded along two by two except in places where the path grew narrow. Our conversations ranged from quiet, private ones to louder, playful games, and it passed the time. But I spent a lot of hours in my head reviewing Raxthezana’s medical notes. With VELMA’s help, I’d ruled out several human-based illnesses that the infant burial disease resembled.
Convinced I was missing something obvious, I reread his notes but came up dry.
When we managed a several hour hike with no incidents and no quakes, I devoured my meal at camp and opened up Raxthezana’s book.
I’d taken to scanning the alien writing with my finger, trying to learn what the scribbles and slashes meant. Of course, VELMA translated for me, but I was convinced we were missing something crucial.
Frustration furrowed my brow, but I flipped the page diagonally. I’d since learned that they didn’t hold books the way humans did.
Hivelt glanced down when he passed by and paused. “Is that Raxthezana’s book? Do you know, Joan’s question about raising meat on Ikshe gave me an idea. I wondered about taking the dirt-crust snake back to Ikshe and presenting it as a pet for Afarax.”
Cocking my head, I saw the sketch that had caught Hivelt’s eye.
“Oh, is this a serpent?” I said, tracing the curves with my finger.
“I, i,” he said the Theraxl word for no twice and squatted down. “This symbol belongs to this sentence.” He pointed to the scribbles in the order they should be read. “It says: the hunter brought gifts from Ikthe to the dam and her new infant, the product of their union two revolutions’ past.”
I made note of the phrasing in my helmet’s visor where I highlighted passages and bookmarked pages for easier study without marking up Raxthezana’s book.
“While the ikthekal bring food for the dams and our offspring, we seldom bring gifts for the older hunters and sisters,” Hivelt said, a frown deepening his usual scowl.
“Natheka enjoys carving animals to give to his boys,” I said with a small smile and nod.
Hivelt’s features softened. “A dirt-crust snake it is. Afarax will be pleased.”
“Is it venomous?” I asked, mild alarm coloring my tone in spite of my efforts to be bland.
“Nay, it is harmless,” he said, waving his hand with a dismissive swipe. “It has but four sharp fangs and a stinging tail. Very easy to catch and hold.”
Stricken, I forced a smile and watched while the barrel-chested Hivelt walked away with a jaunty step. These hunters.
Something he’d said tickled the back of my brain, but I couldn’t seize it, and my stomach growled. Natheka sat beside me and offered sister-bread. “I heard your stomach from over there,” he said. “It sounds fearsome, and I have learned to tame it before you become “hang-gree”,” he said and used air quotes.
Snatching the bread from him, I grinned and took a big bite, letting the bread fill my stomach and my soul. I’d been so eager to read, I hadn’t eaten enough earlier.
Esra announced we would break camp soon, so I finished eating and packed away my book. There was time to ruminate over everything when we walked. In the meantime, I savored the image of the hulking Hivelt offering his little girl a snake for a pet and what her mother would have to say about it. It made me chuckle for the next few hours.