Sands of Sorrow (2 page)

“If you are in a walled city, how do they get in?”

“They come through the walls. It is something best seen than described.”

“Your sand dog didn’t attract them?”

“His name is Saluk. No. He was born to an albino mother. She was left to pup in the deep sands and without assistance from the others; she died.”

“If she was in the deep sands at the time, how did you know to go out there?”

“He called me. I got some water and dressed for the sands, and I went out in the morning sun to find something twice the size of one hand.”

“You found him.”

“I did. He was tiny and covered in his mother’s blood and stuck with sand. I wiped him off, gave him a few drops of water and carried him back through the crack in the wall, into my tiny shelter. He curled in a corner of my bed, and I set out to find food for him. He has grown a lot in the last ten years.”

“So, you risked everything for him. He is a bonded beast.”

“He called me. I am more his than he is mine.” Salika chuckled and put her hand down on the wide green head. He was at her side, like he always was.

“Do you wish to eat something?”

Salika shook her head. “I am fine for a day or so.”

“Is it your custom to only eat once every few days?”

“No. I eat when I can, but I don’t want to impose on you.”

Demnan looked at her in astonishment. “We have hours until the first jump, and I am sure that the scanner can work out food for you and Saluk.”

He got to his feet and led her to the kitchen area. “The scanner is here. Slide your hand into it, inner wrist facing upward, and let it scan you. It is a truncated version of a medical scanner, and that will be your next stop, after lunch.”

She nodded and slid her hand with the palm up under the scanner. Light danced across her skin, and a display lit up with information she couldn’t read.

A colour bar of red and black was displayed across the screen.

“That is the colour for food that you can easily digest. You might be able to eat a few other classes of meals, but they will fight you.”

The machine whirled, and a tray appeared with meat, vegetables, some small rolls and herbed cream. The tea that Demnan prepared smelled good as well.

Salika took the tray, and she set it down on the table, sliding onto the bench seat. Saluk sat next to her, and she picked up a few strips of meat for him, feeding him before herself.

“I can get him a second tray, all meat.”

“We will do that later. I didn’t want to eat if he was hungry.” She bit into one of the rolls and tried not to look as blissful as she felt.

Hot food was not something she was used to. She enjoyed every bite and the taste of each morsel. Her stomach thought it died and went to heaven.

Demnan got his own food and sat across from her. “How did you survive? I mean, out in the desert.”

“I can move sand, so once I was away from the settlement, I pulled a shade over me and the arch kept me moving into the sands.”

“Is sand the only thing you can move?”

She shrugged. “Sand is all we had and all I needed. I pulled it in around the edge of my shelter to keep inquiring faces out.”

“So, you were hiding.”

“Of course. When I didn’t die a natural death as expected, I proved that my mother and father had made a strong child and discarded it. That is the worst shame. Wasting good genes.”

“Why did you leave?”

She wrinkled her nose. “They caught me while I was stealing some food for one of the new turnouts. I couldn’t call for Saluk. His presence might draw a pack. I didn’t want my people to die, so I let them drop me in the pit and bury me alive.” She shrugged. “After that, there wasn’t really any reason to remain.”

Demnan nodded. “Right. Do you mind if I take this down? It will be used for your introduction to the Citadel.”

“What will I do when I am there?”

“You will learn, you will grow, and when you are ready, you will be sent on assignments that suit your temperament and skill set.”

She nodded. “That sounds like something different. I am not sure how I will do exposed to more people than those I am stealing from.”

“Keep your eyes off their valuables and just get along.”

“I only stole food and clothing. Just enough to live.” She fed Saluk a roll and finished what was on her plate. “You mentioned that there was a way to get a plate of meat for Saluk?”

“I will take care of it.”

Demnan got the plate and tried to put it on the floor.

Salika chuckled and bent down to get it. “He only eats from my hand.” She fed Saluk piece by piece, and when the plate was empty, she held it so he could lick it clean.

After the meal, she got a scan, and when she was officially on record, she got a small bunk in the ship and cuddled up with Saluk in front of her.

A solid bit of rest would set her to rights. She would be fine in the morning.

A hand stroked her cheek and smoothed her hair. “Salika, my name is Medic Trel, and I have been keeping track of you during your rest.”

Salika jolted and sat up, her head throbbing. “What happened?”

“You are jump sensitive. When Demnan went through the jump, you went into a coma. You have been out for a few weeks.”

“Saluk?”

“Next to you. We can’t keep him off the bed, so the Yaluthu are coming to him to play. You have had an exceptionally busy bed while you have been sleeping.”

“What is a Yaluthu?”

Saluk raised his head from next to her thigh, and he slipped off the bed and then raised his head to her. A vibrantly coloured creature stood on his head.

The fluffy thing jumped off Saluk’s head and hopped up to her.

The medic grinned. “That is a Yaluthu. They are empathic healers. They have been declared native to Balen and a few other worlds that accepted them.”

Saluk jumped up onto the bed and lay next to her, putting his head under Salika’s hand to move it to the new creature.

The fluff was so soft under her hand that she was tempted to hold it close. The creature took it upon itself and jumped against her chest.

Saluk made a grumbling sound and put his head across her lap. Surrounded, she petted them both.

Medic Trel smirked. Her face was a glowing fuchsia and her eyes a brilliant violet.

“It has been gathering its people in to see you. Your body doesn’t like the supplements we were giving it.”

Little claws pricked her skin through the sheet she was wearing.

“You have quite the collection of scars.”

“I wouldn’t call them a collection. I would call them a map of mistakes.” She felt the little creature cuddle into her, and the name Saber sprang to mind.

Saluk made a snort, and he nudged Saber with his nose. The little wings flapped, and the creature wiggled happily.

“That was a little peculiar. By the way, the others are waiting under your bed. They have been having quite the tiny party down there.”

A light chuckling rang out, and then, a flood of fluff was coursing up and over her bed. Salika scooted back against the wall, but the fluffies kept coming.

Salika felt all the tiny minds pressing against hers, and it was only when Saluk barked softly that the pressure stopped.

Medic Trel stood back and watched the swarm. “I am going to call the administrator. She can do something.”

The medic made the call, and Salika waited under the soothing warmth of a Yaluthu and sand dog blanket. Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait long.

A screech had the Yaluthu scattering off her bed, tumbling to the floor and heading out the door. A large raptor came through the doorway and circled the room.

A hunting call sounded, and the Yaluthu scampered out, giggling like schoolchildren. Well, all except Saber. The hot pink and crimson critter cuddled up between her and Saluk.

“Thank you, Fixit.”

The big bird perched at the end of the bed and accepted the accolade from the medic.

A woman in robes that flowed and swirled as she walked entered the room.

“Administrator. Good afternoon.”

Salika took in the woman’s long, dark hair and the ease with which she picked up the deadly looking bird and plopped it onto her padded shoulder.

“Thank you for the call, Medic Trel. Were they being a nuisance?”

“A little bit. My patient hasn’t even been able to get to her feet. They swarmed her. I have never seen anything like it.”

The administrator and her creature approached Salika. “Hello, Salika.”

The woman’s eyes were kind, and her posture hinted at tremendous and controlled power.

“Hello, Administrator.”

“Call me Veera. So, you are a Yaluthu magnet.” The woman extended her hand.

Salika swallowed and placed her palm on top of the other woman’s. It was the first time she had met someone as an equal.

The bird looked at her with intense focus and then raised its head, making a sound that resembled a gargle.

“Fixit enjoys you. He says you have a soothing presence.”

Salika smiled. “It seems that it is supposed to be the Yaluthu’s job.”

Veera laughed. “It usually is, but now and then, they find a person who calls to all of them. It looks like pinky got there first.”

“Saber. Her name is Saber.” Salika stroked the pink and crimson fluff. “What kind of beast is Fixit?”

“The type of beast that your little Saber will become. You are cuddling stage one; Fixit is about stage four.”

“What are the other stages?”

“Moulting, reproducing, and then, they change into the raptors.”

Salika moved her feet as Veera sat down. Saluk shifted a little.

“So, Salika, I hear that you can move sand.”

“It is all that I can do. I hope that it is useful.”

“Oh, dear lady. It is a starting point that will help you spin outward. You don’t even know what your power is capable of. Neither do we, but we embrace the opportunity for learning. That is what the Citadel is, a safe place to learn and grow.”

Veera patted her leg. “So, we will get you some clothing, and I will take you on a tour of the facility, starting with a meal.”

Salika wasn’t going to ignore an invitation like that. She squirmed around and clapped her hands. “I really want to get up and around.”

Veera got to her feet. “I will get you some clothing. I think that you need a good meal more than anything. First, the clothes, then the food.”

Salika smiled. “You know where I will be.”

Medic Trel cleared her throat. “If you remain still for a moment, I will take a scan to see if your brain has stabilized.”

“Sure. I am not going anywhere until I have something to wear.”

Trel smiled brightly and got the scanner.

Salika looked down at Saluk, and he sighed, putting more weight on her.

The scan took a few minutes, and Salika’s skin tingled as the machine ran through its programming.

“Are you feeling this?”

“Yes. Shouldn’t I be?”

“Not really. What species are you?”

“Luthan? I don’t know really. That is where the ancestors came from.” Salika stroked her two bed companions.

“Luthan? I thought they were... never mind. I will look into it.”

Trel left her alone for a few minutes, and then, Veera returned.

The bodysuit was a deep grey with silver piping on it. Saluk sniffed it, but Saber grabbed it in its tiny beak and hauled it up her body by the dangling sleeve.

Veera let it go and let the little one take over. “I am guessing she wants you to get dressed. I will be outside.”

Trel was nowhere to be seen, so Salika scooted out from under her bed buddies and stuck her feet into the legs of the bodysuit. Standing up was awkward, but Saluk jumped and walked around the bed to help support her as she fought her way into the clothing.

When it was all sealed and her limbs were covered, she took slow steps to meet with Veera. Her body was exceedingly tired.

Veera came up to her and offered her arm. “Here. I forgot you haven’t been up in a while.”

“I will increase my speed in a few minutes.” She felt Saluk next to her, and to her amusement, Saber was riding on his back.

“Congratulations on the Yaluthu bonding. They are very fussy about their bonding partners.”

“Saber seems happy with it, so does Saluk. I am just along for the ride, so to speak. Why am I speaking Alliance Common, and why do I know that it is Alliance Common?”

“When you woke for a bit on the shuttle, Demnan applied the download. His skill with languages would be missed, as he has already gone on to his next assignment. You would have been here and unable to speak.”

“Not a great situation.”

“Not really. On your right is the prepared food; on your left is the eating and relaxing area.”

Fixit chirped from its perch on Veera’s shoulder. Little Yaluthu came running and milled around their feet as they went about their very slow tour.

“Why are all the Yaluthu here?”

“Fixit thinks you need help getting around, and the more of them, the better. If you took all you needed from Saber, it would weaken him.”

“It is a him?”

“Yaluthu are self-reproducing. Some take years before they have their little ones, others do it more rapidly.”

She looked at their mobile carpet of warm bodies and sighed. She did feel better.

“How long does it take until they grow into a creature like Fixit?”

“That happens after they have their little ones. First, their diet goes from seeds and nuts to shredded meat, and then, their fluff begins to fall out and they nest. And when they are naked, they have their little ones. Two is the smallest grouping of babies that we have seen.”

“What is the largest?”

“Over a dozen. That Yaluthu got huge before the fluff fell out.”

Salika chuckled. “Wow, that would do it.”

“Come on; let’s get you something to eat. You are in the red and black category so that should help you find something palatable.”

Salika smiled. “I am sure it will be fine.”

She went through the selections that had the colour tag of her digestible foods and found enough to fill the tray that only wobbled slightly as she carried it to the table that was outlined with Yaluthu.