The USS Soval hung above the sunlit edge of the Delz’yoj subcontinent.
The isolated part of Zyridia filled most of the forward viewscreen. Red-brown deserts stretched beneath thin clouds before they rose into a jagged line of mountains along the northern frontier. Farther north, the terrain darkened. The mountains descended into forests that covered much of the adjacent province of Rarkathia’s territory.
The bridge had settled into a steady rhythm after two days of essentially continuous operations.
Captain Marlon Smythe sat at the center of the bridge on the raised command platform. Lieutenant Junior Grade Jhele occupied the advisor’s chair next to him. The Orion Chief Intelligence Officer sat straight with her legs crossed at the knee. Her brilliant lime-green skin stood out against the dark gray alloys of the older Ambassador-class bridge. Dark red hair had been pulled into a tight bun behind her head. Her head turned back to study the enormous monitor above the left door. It broadcast several intelligence reports alongside sensor data.
Several shallow steps led from the command platform to a ring that led lower to the forward stations.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Veetha occupied the helm position. The young Ferengi woman looked nearly too small for the wide chair. Her enormous ears extended from beneath the bony structures along her brow. Orange-brown skin took on a dark sienna tone beneath the subdued bridge lighting. She had spent so much time flying mercy flight missions over the past two days that Captain Smythe had almost gotten used to seeing other people at her station.
Lieutenant Trell Dirov worked at operations up front next to her.
The Bolian’s pale amber eyes followed a stream of construction reports. His fingers moved rapidly between displays as new telemetry arrived from the surface.
Three large stations curved around the raised rear of the bridge.
Lieutenant Commander Jared Schonfeld occupied the science station beneath its enormous LCARS display. His thick black hair had been swept back from his forehead. Dark blue eyes moved between a display of environmental models while one hand rubbed against the faint goatee that grew along his chin.
Lieutenant Kim Jung-soo sat at the rear center seat in the tactical position.
The petite security chief leaned closer to her monitors. Brown hair rested just above her shoulders. Her dark almond-shaped eyes followed a stream of orbital security telemetry and ballistics reports. The larger LCARS screen above her displayed the positions of patrol shuttles, surface security teams and local military forces.
Ensign Shaninne occupied the communications station on the left side of the rear bridge.
Her flaxen red-gold hair had been tied back to reveal the full curves of her green-gold face. Crystal pale-blue eyes moved across a stream of incoming communications. Her fingers worked through dozens of civilian channels as a small smile slowly crept across her dark red lips.
Captain Smythe leaned back into his seat’s padding. “So. It’s been two days since the Hurricane arrived,” he said. “I’m starting to get the impression that they’ve accomplished more in forty-eight hours than we did during the previous week.”
Schonfeld twisted away from his monitors to turn and face Smythe.
“Well, Captain, they have a fabrication bay that appears to have been designed by somebody with a penchant for going a little overboard. Size does, apparently, matter.”
Veetha smiled.
Smythe looked back to the chief science officer. “Is that your official assessment?”
“No.” Schonfeld paused. “But it’s close.”
Dirov rotated in his chair to look back to the Captain. “The first four construction sites are finished.”
Smythe immediately met the Bolian operations officer’s glance. “Has everything been completely built?”
“Completely enough that I’m willing to call them finished.”
Veetha glanced sideways. “That’s not exactly the same thing.”
“It is in operations.” Dirov raised one finger. “The hospital, school and recreation facilities at the first four sites are active. Water systems are connected. Power is stable. Computer networks are integrated. Medical systems have passed their final tests.”
He raised a second finger.
“Sites five through eight are almost done. We’re mostly doing final detailing and systems tests.”
A third finger rose as the Bolian continued.
“Sites nine through fifteen are now under active construction along with the support of Hurricane personnel.”
Smythe nodded. “That’s quite a jump compared to when we started with the first five sites.”
“It is.” Dirov turned towards his console and brought a surface image onto the viewscreen.
Rows of modular structures surrounded one of the original Soval construction sites. Several were three stories tall.
“The Hurricane started to put up residential buildings yesterday,” Dirov added.
Schonfeld leaned forward. “They’re already that tall?”
“Each is three stories high.” Dirov sounded pleased as he spoke. “They’re assembling them in large sections. Walls arrive with conduits, environmental connections and computer interfaces already installed. They put the sections together, connect everything and test it.”
Veetha looked at the image. “How long does it take to get them up?”
“The first building took them eleven hours to construct.”
Veetha’s huge ears shifted. “That’s ridiculous.”
“The second took nine.”
“That’s pretty incredible,” said the Ferengi.
Dirov smiled. “They seemed to have figured out ways to streamline the process.”
Smythe studied the settlement.
The original hospital stood near the center. A residential building now rose alongside it.
“Tell me more about what’s planned for these settlements”, Smythe said.
Dirov scrolled.
“The residential buildings also include community kitchens. It’s a big part of their culture. There are a few workshops and offices. A water-treatment facility in directly underground. They want to add a library to at least one of the larger sites.”
Schonfeld lifted his hand from in front of the science console. “I support that.”
Veetha turned slightly. “Of course you do.”
“Well I am, in fact, after all, a scientist,” said the lanky, dark-haired Schonfeld.
“You say that like scientists are the only people who read.”
“No. I say it because my own work is on my mind. Maybe I could get some reading done on the surface.”
Smythe smiled as he turned his attention to the helmswoman. “Tell me how the mercy flights are going.”
Veetha’s expression immediately brightened. “Things have been busy.” She rotated halfway around. “I flew three yesterday.”
“Three?”
“One in the morning. One after lunch. Another in the evening.” Her large ears lifted. “We landed at seven settlements.”
Dirov looked over from the adjacent seat. “I thought it was six.”
“The last mission stopped twice on the way home.”
“That explains why our shuttle was late.”
“We weren’t late. We were just providing extra humanitarian aid at the previous stop.”
“We arrived forty-three minutes after the scheduled arrival time.”
Veetha folded her arms. “We still delivered the supplies.”
Smythe raised a hand. “She has a point.”
Veetha smiled triumphantly.
“My favorite part of the week was when we found a ranch with nine residents. They weren’t even on the original settlement map. They saw us flying overhead and started to wave.”
Shaninne turned in her communications seat. “Did you stop solely because they waved?”
“Of course.”
“What if they were just trying to say hello?”
“Then they received two replicators, medical treatment and enough agricultural equipment to make saying hello extremely worthwhile.”
Shaninne emitted a shrill, high-pitched giggle as Veetha continued.
“The mercy flights are accomplishing their goals. Locals come outside when they hear the runabouts now.”
Smythe looked to Shaninne.
“You’ve been supporting them too, I’ve heard.”
“Yes, Captain.” Her high-pitched voice carried easily across the bridge. “Mostly communications support. We contact settlements before the flights arrive when we can. A lot of them don’t use Federation communications systems regularly, so sometimes it takes a while to find contacts in each settlement.”
The curvy Orion woman smiled as she continued.
“Yesterday I spent fifteen minutes talking to an elderly man who thought I was trying to sell him something.”
Schonfeld looked over. “What did he think you were selling?”
“A replicator.”
Veetha blinked. “But we’re giving them away.”
“I explained that,” replied the comms officer.
“And?”
“He asked what the catch was.”
Smythe chuckled.
Shaninne’s dimples deepened as she spoke. “Eventually his granddaughter came over and explained Starfleet to him.”
Jhele looked up from her PADD in the center of the bridge. “Did that help?”
“It seemed to quell his concerns.”
Jhele, the other Orion woman on the bridge, flashed a closed smirk.
Captain Smythe looked to Lieutenant Kim.
“Security?”
Kim Jung-soo glanced away from the tactical station along the rear wall.
“Things have been surprisingly quiet.”
The words seemed to please Smythe more than anything else he had heard.
Kim continued.
“Security operations have been running around the clock. Every construction site has an active sensor perimeter. Shuttle patrols are covering the larger settlements. We’ve also increased passive scans around mercy flight destinations before runabouts land.”
She touched several controls.
“No weapons have been discharged against Federation personnel since the initial bombing.”
Smythe nodded. “Things have been developing in the right direction.”
Kim’s expression remained serious. “So far, our new plan seems to be working.”
Schonfeld changed the environmental display at Science.
“The Hurricane’s civilian terraformers have begun working to shape the Delz’yoj subcontinent into something more palatable. They have started to experiment with the soil.”
Smythe looked to him. “Already?”
“Oh, yes.” Schonfeld enlarged a section of desert terrain. “What you’re looking at here is essentially sand that has spent thousands of years becoming exceptionally good at being sand.”
Veetha looked back.
“What else would sand be good at?”
“Nothing. That’s the problem.”
Schonfeld pointed to several test plots.
“They’re mixing a high-strength hydrogel into the upper layers. It traps water around the root zone instead of allowing it to immediately drain or evaporate.”
Small green plots appeared among the red-brown soil.
“The first objective isn’t to transform the desert into some enormous green paradise. That would be ecologically irresponsible and probably impossible without changing half of the planet.”
Smythe nodded.
“It looks like they’re trying to develop soil near certain settlements.”
“Exactly. The locals do manage to get some use out of the sparse local soil. Gardening is a major way that locals gather food. A team of civilian specialists should be able to do them a fair bit of good.”
Schonfeld changed the display once again as he continued to speak. A diagram of a proposed system appeared in orbit.
“The Lazio terraformers also just began construction of a weather-modification probe complex.”
Jhele looked to back to Schonfeld at science.
“Is it in a fixed position?”
“Basically, it’s in geosynchronous orbit above the Delz’yoj.”
Schonfeld sat slightly straighter behind his console.
“It’s going to help monitor and adjust atmospheric moisture, pressure systems, dust movement and thermal gradients. Eventually they’ll deploy smaller probes from the orbital complex to further influence weather patterns.”
Smythe raised an eyebrow.
“Influence by how much?”
“Through carefully measured increments, step by step.” Schonfeld pointed at the captain.
“They’ll work to encourage precipitation when deemed appropriate. They’ll try to break up dangerous dust formations. Maybe they can eventually reduce the intensity of the climate’s temperature extremes.”
The scientist leaned back in his chair as he continued.
“They won’t make it rain every Tuesday just because somebody wants to grow green grass.”
Veetha smiled. “Could it do that?”
Schonfeld hesitated. “Technically?”
Smythe quickly interrupted. “Not that easily.”
Veetha turned back from Smythe’s gaze to look back forward towards the viewscreen. “I was only asking.”
Dirov looked to Schonfeld. “How long until it’s operational?”
“Several weeks for the full complex. Partial sensor capabilities should arrive much sooner.”
Smythe looked across the bridge. Something about the conversation reassured him. Everything seemed to be running smoothly.
For the first time since the attack, it felt as if the mission had regained its original direction.
He looked to Lieutenant Junior Grade Jhele. “Intelligence?”
The Orion’s smile disappeared.
“Things have been less encouraging.”
Smythe settled back into his chair. “Of course.”
Jhele placed her PADD beside her. “We have found no definitive sign of the people who dispersed from the oasis.”
Kim looked to her. “None?”
“None that I would consider reliable.”
Jhele crossed one leg over the other as she continued.
“Several individuals have probably been encountered. The problem is definitively identifying them. They dispersed into communities where they seamlessly blend in with the local population.”
Smythe nodded. “And Motts?”
“He’s still missing.”
“What about the border?”
Jhele’s crimson eyes shifted towards Kim. “That is where things have become interesting.”
Kim returned forward in her seat to study the tactical station along the rear wall.
“Forces have continued to mass along the mountainous boundaries between Delz’yoj and its neighboring territories.”
Smythe frowned. “How many individuals are massed?”
“There are several gathered concentrations.”
“Show me.”
Kim touched the controls as the planet disappeared from the viewscreen. A tactical map replaced it.
The Delz’yoj territory appeared in muted orange. Mountain chains defined much of its northern boundary. Beyond them stretched another region marked in green.
Rarkathia.
Smythe leaned forward. “Run a detailed scan of their current orientation.”
Kim expanded the northern frontier. Several large groups of life signs appeared.
She stopped searching as her brow furrowed.
“That’s odd.”
Smythe looked to her. “What?”
Kim moved closer to the display. “They seem to have moved.”
“Who?”
“The largest force.” She brought up earlier sensor records. “They had camps farther inside the mountains.”
Several orange concentrations appeared to represent the masses of gathered life signs.
Kim advanced the timeline. The path of the orange blob could be seen moving closer to its neighbor through tunnels within the mountain.
“They seem to be moving within a system of trails now.”
Jhele stood and moved towards the rear of the bridge. “Which trail?” The emerald lime woman jogged down the stairs of the command platform and then up the stairs to the rear section.
“Working on it.” Kim narrowed the scan.
Mountain ridges filled the screen. Dark passages ran between them.
Schonfeld transferred sensor processing data from his science station. “Hold on for a second or two. I think I can get you a little additional resolution.”
“Thanks, Schonfeld,” said Kim as she enlarged one narrow woodland trail that ran outside of the mountain.
Several life signs appeared. She searched for more before she delivered a final count.
“I read twelve life signs on a trail just outside of the mountain’s exit.” Kim ran the computer identification algorithm.
A result appeared before her expression changed. “They’re Delz’yoj Zyridians.”
Jhele stepped closer. “Inside Rarkathian territory?”
“Yes.” Kim checked the coordinates. “They’ve already crossed the boundary.”
Smythe’s expression hardened. “How far in are they?”
“Less than eight hundred meters, Captain.” Kim widened the scan. “Wait.”
Schonfeld’s resolution showed the large mass of soldiers wasn’t just gathering closer in the mountain in one layer. The large group was descending along a winding path that led to the exit where some of their people had already traveled.
Her fingers stopped as she froze. The bridge became quiet.
Smythe stared at the viewscreen. “Lieutenant?”
Kim counted through the computer’s tactical analysis.
“Sensors show seven hundred and five armed life signs.”
Dirov spun his seat around to peer back from the front of the bridge.
Veetha’s smile disappeared in the seat next to him.
Schonfeld leaned closer to his science station as he frantically studied data.
Kim continued. “They’re in organized formations.”
Jhele leaned over the tactical station. “Can you identify their weapons?”
“Energy rifles. Sidearms. Several heavier weapons signatures are dispersed amongst the group.”
Smythe looked at the map. “Are they waiting to advance or maybe simply staging?”
Kim did not answer right away. Her eyes narrowed as she changed the sensor angle.
“It doesn’t seem like it.”
Smythe looked at her.
Kim zoomed deeper into the mountains. The contacts formed a long, descending column.
“They’re definitely moving.”
Jhele’s crimson eyes widened as Kim followed the trail.
“It isn’t just one path or big waiting area,” the Orion said.
The display reconstructed the terrain beneath the mountain. A network of passages appeared. Natural ravines intersected with old roads and narrow trails through the stone.
Kim traced the column. “They’re descending through an interior trail network.”
“Where does it lead?” Smythe asked.
Kim followed it. The map moved north.
Dark forest appeared beyond the mountains. A settlement marker flashed.
Kim swallowed.
“They are all confirmed to be moving towards Rarkathian territory. There is a village in the immediate vicinity.”
Smythe stood. “Population?”
Schonfeld answered. “Sensors show just over two thousand Zyridians in the nearest town.”
The Captain turned over his shoulder to look towards the comms station. “Miss Shaninne.”
The Orion ensign’s hands were already moving.
“Contact that settlement”, Smythe continued. “Tell them they have an armed force approaching from the mountains.”
Shaninne opened several channels.
“Working on it, Captain.”
Kim continued to track the formation. “They’re less than five kilometers from the town.”
Smythe stepped up from his command chair.
“How quickly are they moving?”
“Quite slowly. The terrain underground is difficult enough to slow such a large formation.”
Jhele looked at the twelve forward contacts. “What about those guys?”
Kim studied them.
“They’re almost three kilometers ahead of the mountain’s exit.”
“Are they scouts?”
“Possibly.”
Shaninne raised her voice. “I have a contact in the village.”
Smythe turned. “Put them through.”
The viewscreen changed as a Zyridian man appeared.
His scales were dark forest green with muted tan patches around his jaw. Two heavy bony ridges ran from his temples beyond his hairline and continued along the sides of his scalp. Narrow vertical pupils contracted beneath bright lighting.
Behind him, people moved quickly through what appeared to be a municipal building.
“This is Councilor Trillian Kinsk.”
Smythe stepped closer to the viewscreen. “Councilor, I’m Captain Marlon Smythe of the Federation starship Soval.”
“I know who you are.” The man’s forked tongue briefly appeared as he spoke.
“Councilor, we have detected more than seven hundred armed Delz’yoj moving through the mountains towards your settlement.”
Kinsk stared at him. “We know.”
Smythe paused. “Then you need to evacuate.”
“Negative.”
Smythe blinked. “Councilor—”
“Our alarms have detected them hours ago.” Kinsk looked away from the screen. A warning tone sounded somewhere behind him.
Smythe stepped closer. “You have two thousand civilians in that town.”
“We have more than civilians.”
Kim looked to Captain Smythe as Kinsk continued.
“Our resistance force has been called here from a reserve allotment.”
Smythe’s face tightened. “Resistance force?”
“Our people are capable of defending this town.”
“How many of your people are in the resistance?”
“Enough.”
“That isn’t a number.”
Kinsk’s pupils narrowed. “It is the number you shall receive.”
Smythe exhaled. “Councilor, seven hundred armed people are moving towards you. I have a starship in orbit. We can start to transport all civilians out of the area immediately.”
“And place them where?”
“We have facilities.”
“Outside Rarkathia?”
“If necessary.”
Kinsk shook his head. “This is our home.”
Smythe’s voice became firmer. “I’m not asking you to abandon it permanently.”
“And I am telling you that if we leave every time the Delz’yoj sends armed men through those mountains, eventually they will learn that marching for our homes is enough to take them.”
Jhele listened closely.
Smythe glanced back to the tactical display easily seen along the rear of the bridge.
“Councilor, I’m trying to prevent a civil war.”
“So are we.”
“By gathering armed resistance?”
“By preparing them with a warm greeting.”
Smythe stared at him.
“That sounds considerably more like you’re declaring yourself as a participant in a potential extended conflict.”
Kinsk’s expression did not change. “They have already crossed our border with weapons in their hands.”
“Has anyone fired?”
“Not yet.”
“Then there is still time to stop this from spiraling out of control.”
Kinsk leaned closer to his own screen.
“Captain, I respect what the Federation is trying to do here. Your people have helped communities that waited years for assistance.” His voice hardened. “But these mountains are ours.”
Smythe glanced over to Jhele. She remained silent.
Kinsk continued. “Our people will not run from their own homes.”
Smythe lowered his voice. “Then at least move your noncombatants away from the southern edge of town.”
Kinsk hesitated as Smythe continued.
“At least let the children and elderly residents go. Anyone who cannot move quickly if shooting starts should evacuate now.”
The captain’s words were met with another moment of hesitation.
“That is already being done,” Kinsk snarled.
Smythe nodded. “Good.”
“We are not evacuating this town.”
“I understand your position.”
“I hope you do.”
The transmission ended.
Smythe immediately turned to the tactical station.
“Lieutenant Kim.”
“Captain.”
“The security teams assigned into two defensive companies are now active.”
Kim straightened. “Yes, Sir.”
“Move them out of a standby posture. Prepare them for transport to the surface at any moment.”
Kim entered the order to her department through her LCARS panel.
“Teams Alpha and Delta are activating as we speak.”
Dirov looked to the chief of tactical and security operations. “Transporter rooms are prepared for rapid cycling from the staging bay.”
“I’ll alert them.”
Smythe looked to the map again.
Seven hundred and five orange contacts continued to move through the mountains.
Schonfeld suddenly stood. “Captain.”
Smythe looked back to him.
“It’s not too late.”
“For what?”
“To stop this whole thing.”
Schonfeld walked around the edge of his station and descended the three stairs to walk the circular ramp that led around the command platform to the front of the bridge.
“We’re watching them. They may not know we’re watching them.”
Smythe listened.
“Contact the Delz’yoj force directly.”
Jhele looked to Schonfeld as he pointed to the display.
“Let them know their movement has been detected. Tell them the Rarkathians are aware that they’re on the way.”
The chief science officer spoke faster as he continued.
“Right now, they may believe they have some tactical advantage. Surprise. Terrain. Whatever the plan is. Remove it from their equation and they may return home.”
Smythe nodded slowly.
Schonfeld continued. “Tell them if they unlawfully cross the border, they’re going to meet armed resistance.”
“They’ve already crossed it,” Kim said.
“Then tell them to bring their people back.” Schonfeld pointed to the twelve forward contacts. “Demand their immediate return.”
Jhele considered the idea. “That just might work.”
Schonfeld looked to her. “It gives them an exit.”
“Yes.”
Jhele walked back to the command platform as she tackled the two sets of stairs between the ramp.
“They can claim they withdrew because Starfleet intervened rather than because Rarkathia frightened them.”
Smythe nodded.
“Miss Shaninne.”
The Orion touched Communications. “I’ll broadcast the message on every local military frequency.”
“Do it.”
Shaninne opened the channel before she spoke.
“This is the Federation starship USS Soval calling the armed Delz’yoj force approaching the Rarkathian border.”
Kim closely studied the tactical information that streamed into her LCARS display.
“Captain.”
Shaninne continued to transmit her message.
“Your movement has been detected. You are ordered to halt your advance and—”
“Captain.” Kim’s voice became louder.
Smythe turned. “What?”
Kim’s eyes widened.
“I read signs of exchanged energy discharges on the outer trail.”
Shaninne stopped speaking as her message began to repeat for the Delz’yoj Zyridians.
Kim stared at the tactical display.
“I can now confirm, a firefight has broken out on the trail.”
The trail winded down the mountains.
Twelve Delz’yoj moved through a narrow passage between towering walls of dark stone.
The first two had advanced farther than the others.
Their boots kicked loose fragments of rock down the steep trail as they descended. Orange energy rifles rested against their shoulders.
The forest waited below.
Dark, grotesque conifer trees crowded the lower slopes. Their broad needle-bearing branches created a thick canopy on either side of the end of the mountain trail.
One of the Delz’yoj stopped. His vertical pupils narrowed.
Something moved between the rocks up ahead. A green bolt erupted from the trail ahead.
It struck him in the upper chest.
His body flashed brilliant green-white before he fell backwards. The second Delz’yoj threw himself behind a jagged stone outcrop. Green energy exploded against the rock.
Fragments sprayed across his scaled face.
He lifted his orange rifle over the edge and fired. An orange bolt crossed the ravine as he shot at his opponents.
A Rarkathian fighter disappeared in a violent flash as a result. Another green blast struck the stone beside him in response.
The Delz’yoj Zyridian fell into a lower stance before he fired again.
Orange energy tore through a second Rarkathian. The man vaporized before his energy rifle hit the ground.
More Delz’yoj rushed forward. Orange, scarlet and coral-scaled Delz’yoj fighters fired bolts that filled the narrow passage as they advanced.
Green energy answered from concealed positions farther down the trail from their assault.
The mountains amplified the sharp crack of each energy weapon’s retort.
A Delz’yoj fighter pressed his back against the stone wall before he leaned around it.
Three green bolts passed by his face.
He fired twice in response.
One orange blast struck a Rarkathian tucked behind a jagged boulder. The second tore through another position farther up the slope.
The first two Delz’yoj had stumbled directly into an ambush.
Orange fire poured down the trail to suppress the local defenders.
Green bolts answered from both sides to slow the desert invaders.
One Delz’yoj rose to move. A green blast struck his shoulder. He spun.
A second blast hit his chest before his body disappeared.
Another Rarkathian fighter crouched behind a broken slab of stone. He fired repeatedly as orange energy struck his position.
One defender vanished. Another screamed as heated rock exploded around him.
The crimson-scaled Delz’yoj fighter shifted his rifle towards a new target. A green bolt struck the slab directly in front of him. Another passed above his head.
He ducked before a third blast hit him in his exposed shoulder.
Light consumed his body as his rifle fell against the stone trail.
The exchange intensified. Orange and green energy crossed above the trail in rapid bursts.
Smoke rose from blackened stone. Bodies disappeared beneath vaporization flashes.
Back on the Soval, tactical alarms erupted.
Kim shot upright. “Captain!”
Marlon Smythe turned to face her.
Her hands flew across the controls.
“The situation on the ground has escalated.”
Smythe stared at the tactical display. Orange and green indicators flashed across the mountain trail.
Kim looked directly at him. “We have our first casualties.”
Nobody spoke.
Schonfeld stared at his science station.
Dirov had completely stopped moving.
Veetha’s enormous ears slowly lowered solemnly.
Jhele stood beside the command platform with her crimson eyes fixed upon the battle that unfolded across the screen.
Shaninne waited at the comms station for the next order.
Smythe watched the first casualty numbers appear. His jaw tightened as his eyes watched the numbers rise in real time. The captain turned to the Orion woman at the comms station.
“Miss Shaninne, get me the Hurricane.”
Events on the surface continued to spiral out of control. Seven hundred and five desert Zyridians moved further down the mountain’s inner trail. Rarkathian forces had already massed along the entire distance between the mountain path and the village.
