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It was an hour later. They were sat eating and drinking. “This is quite good!” Fesh smiled as Ornatha grinned “We thought you’d like it and there are loads more if anyone wants some!” Soon the Kets were laid back, having a siesta, some just resting their eyes, some fast asleep whilst Opheliad was in quiet meditation. Ocasa had passed by, one of the inner compartments of the Ixcoi (tent as we would know it) that some of the females were sat within.
Some form of exercising in progress? Glancing over to one figure, Orpheliad? Thinking to himself HOW does she put her body into such a position! You could call it what we would call Yoga. Opheliad’s limbs were very supple. Ornatha and Xugan, disappeared off somewhere, to return about an hour later, to talk to Sadowan. “OK everyone, we’ve found a pool area in a cave, warm spring water from a ‘Thremdelt.‘ (A borehole that was sunk by previous miners to a level below that was usually hot volcanic rock, flooded by water.
The borehole allowed hot water to bubble, to the surface heatng the pool of cold water!) It’s safe and Ornatha and Xugan have checked it out for us, so if you want a swim grab your kit and follow them!” Bar, Opheliad and Belanna who were whispering, barely audible to the others? Everyone else went off to the new found pool. They had checked the temperature, it was almost perfect! “It’s the hot springs, probably from deep volcanic rock and this planet has some volcanoes so I’m told in the far away lands.“ Fesh nodded. “So I’ve heard! Luckily they’re not active!”
“So have you ever thought of taking a trip into the Far Away Lands? Curious?” Fesh interrupted. “You can end up being expelled,, not a good idea to break the rules.“ Cala laid back floating on the water, she moved her head to look back at Ocasa “So you wouldn’t wander over to have a look?” Ocasa stared at her then at Fesh. “NO!“ Fesh glares at Cala. “I don’t see, why, some of you, find it so hard, to accept, there are rules, to be obeyed! Put there, probably for our safety!”
Cala sat up splashed down “Oh, as if you wouldn’t given the opportunity Fesh, take a look!” “Rules are rules! Don't go mentioning such daft ideas to Taon either!” Sadowan interrupted them. “So everyone ready for our next days trek? We’ll set up camp closer OR we can leave camp here so we can enjoy the pool again. We could do some recon, check out the lay of the land and who is where, close to the hut and so on? Come back and chill out again?”
A while later, some of them, were dressing. The discussion had been about realform creatures. From the pool area there was a scream! They rushed over to where Cala was stood up, about to get out of the pool, frozen to the spot. Terrified? In front of her, a water creature. Its huge head out of the water and body slithering towards her. “Hold still Cala, don’t move.” Some of the Kets hearing Fesh’s remarks fell about laughing. Cala was definitely NOT moving, not strictly true, she was shaking!
“It’s a realform. An illusion. Don’t show fear! See those two glowing spots, they’re sensors designed to scan your body’s reactions. Increased pulse rate, chemical rush? It will detect and react. Do you think its hostile?“ More laughter. "Stand up to it!" Cala turned glared at Xugan as if to say.“ I’m already STANDING you idiot.“ “When I say, all of us, rush at it.“ Sadowan started to move towards it. “NOW!“ As they rushed at it, it vanished.
“Thank the, for that! “ Hisses Sadowan “I was pretty sure it was realform.” Cala looked at her, stammered. "You mean it might not have been?" "Well they do make those things so realistic, sometimes a bit difficult to tell. We would have known, it wasn't of course, if it had eaten you. by the huge bulge you would have made!" Some were laughing. Cala toppled backwards falling to the ground, caught mid way, by Xugan.
“She’s fainted! Help me get her out of the pool.“ Ocasa couldn’t stop laughing. The look on poor Cala’s face. Then he rethought things as he turned glared at Sadowan. “You were joking about it possibly being real?!“ “Well that Avauab beast does like volcanic waters and this pool is definitely heated from volcanic waters. They come up through the bore holes.“ "That's it! I'm carrying a weapon next time!" "A stunner will do it, though best get out of the water before you use it! If not the water will triple the energy lash and feed it back to you!
“I remember once.” Xugan started to talk, as Cala stirred, back to conscious reality?!. “Going into a cave, just like this, it too had one of those creatures, we had to fire at it for it to vanish in the shadows, not that we hung around after that. There were two skeletons of miners, the bones spread across the cave floor.” “Eaten by it?” "Yes. You would not think given its size to start with that it can swallow a whole miner. Let it sit in its guts whilst it pours its juices over its meal to soften it and digest it. Leaving just the bones behind. They usually spit a venom, that paralysis its victim, before slowly eating it alive." Cala fainted again! “Thanks for that Xugan!“
A while later everyone was settling down for the night. All except Ocasa and Fre. “We thought we might go take a look, this evening?“ Take the night vision units and other bits, including ration packs and snoop around. See what the others are up to?” “Sorry guys but Opheliad and Belanna are doing just that!“ She noted the look on Ocasa’s face of disappointment. Taking a map unit, she illuminated the screen and pointed at it. “If you and Fre, want to check out the other side of that mountain area; I think that might be to our advantage. I’m sure one of the teams will be camped thereabouts!“
Ocasa looked at Fre who gave him the thumbs up as he turned back to Sadowan. “We’ll do just that!” “Why.” Asked Xugan, with what could be considered a VERY valid question. “Is Fre and Ocasa being so nice to each other? We all know neiher have any time for each other, let alone being constantly hostlile?“ ”At each others throats is more accurate.” Ornatha giggled. “Fre nor Ocasa are stupid. They both know they’re formidable opponents.
Combined talents for being ruthless and yet quick to improvise, adapt and overcome what comes their way makes them accept, WINNING is what this is about and both of them, want to WIN. Personal animosities can be, for now laid aside, whilst they focus that, aggression, contention; against the TEAMS opponents.” “My brother may have no love for a Jogarth, but, Sadowan is right. Our team has some outstanding talents and surviving is definitely, one of them.”
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