“I’ve taken the liberty of preparing some moxa for you and Dr. Lark,” TenSix said.
I turned and he offered me a steaming cup.
“Unfortunately we have to make do with instant,” he said.
“Thank you, TenSix.”
“My pleasure, sir.”
I took a sip of the moxa. It wasn’t nearly as good as what I was accustomed to, but it felt warm going down and the caffeine would do my brain good. “I wanted to ask you something,” I said.
“Please do.”
“How are you feeling about your own mission? I know a lot of unexpected things have happened, and we’re delayed in getting to Ganga Kos.”
“Actually, I believe I am a bit ahead in my progress because of joining you and Dr. Lark.”
“Really?”
“While it’s true that I would have proceeded straight to Ganga Kos on my own, likely traveling through the night, I also did some basic calculations about my rate of solo travel versus riding the hover-sled and benefiting from Dr. Lark clearing a path. Not to mention the natural hazards I might have inadvertently subjected myself to.”
“The bloodfins?”
“Among others. Yes, I do believe I made the right choice in agreeing to travel with you.”
“That’s good to hear. I feel the same way. I’m glad you are with us.”
I heard a voice from behind me.
“I hope you saved some moxa for me,” Kira said. She had the sleeping bag draped around her naked body, her hair was tousled, and she had a big grin on her face.
“You want mine?” I offered her my mug.
She stepped over and gave me a big kiss. “Yes, I want yours,” she whispered in my ear.
“One cup of moxa coming up,” TenSix said as he scampered away. Possibly out of embarrassment.
“How’s your head?” I asked Kira. “Sore?”
“My head?” She laughed. “No, I’m fine. I may need a liver transplant by the time I’m forty, but this morning, I’m fine. More than fine actually. How about you, Adventure Boy?”
I pulled her close. “I’m more than fine too.”
We just stood there, holding each other and watching the sun rise over the river.
“Your moxa, Doctor.” TenSix handed her a cup.
“Thanks, Short Stuff.”
The three of us hung out, not saying anything, while Kira and I finished our moxa. Then we got to work packing up the camp, taking down the lights and the tent, dismantling the security system, and reloading the sled. In twenty minutes we were ready to go.
12
We continued down the river, sticking to the shore, and made fairly good time. By early afternoon the jungle began to thin out and Kira led us away from the river in a southeasterly direction. She explained that the Joodoon would eventually turn southeast, but we were changing our path to a more direct route.
“We’re almost at the beginning of the Wastes,” she said.
“And no more jungle?” I asked.
“No. It’s a hundred and fifty kilometers of ancient lava flow. Barely any vegetation. It’s going to be hot and nasty.”
“I can deal with hot and nasty.”
“I know you can,” she teased.
“Okay, Lark. Get your mind out of the gutter, why don’t you?”
Kira laughed.
I was glad that she could get out of her head for a bit. This whole thing with her parents must be very intense for her.
Every time I thought of my own father, I felt a coldness deep in the pit of my stomach like I was going to be sick or something. It was strange. Since my mom passed away, my relationship with my dad had gone downhill. I didn’t even mourn that much when I thought he died seven years ago.
But when I found his suspended body in Bandala, something started to change. And when he came back in the form of the ‘Sean bot’ and I could actually speak with him again, I finally realized how much I had missed him and what he meant to me.
That’s why it gutted me when I thought about how I had failed to save him. Especially since he kept himself alive for seven years—against all odds.
It was the Mayir’s fault. I was sure of it. Field Marshal Molda Prundt said that they had tried to revive him, but my dad did not survive the karokinesia procedure.
Bullshit.
They had taken him on board the Baeder, which was a state-of-the-art Hammerhead-class Scout carrier. I had seen the facilities with my own eyes. They were more than up to the task of reviving him.
My angry memories were interrupted when we reached the top of a hill and I got my first glimpse of the Mothaatas Wastes.
For as far as I could see, a twisted black landscape stretched. It looked like a colossal dried lake bed, but instead of the ground being soft mud, it was sharp fractured lava rock. The Wastes were mostly flat, but punctuated by piles of rubble and lava boulders.
“Are there any active volcanoes here?” I asked.
“Not volcanoes per se,” Kira said. “But you see that cloud?”
I looked where she was pointing and saw a low-hanging cloud, far in the distance.
“That’s the Cauldron.”
“I don’t even want to try to guess.”
“It’s a volcanic chasm that cuts the Wastes in half, north and south. The Joodoon empties into the chasm. And that cloud you’re seeing is actually steam created when the river water hits geothermal vents.”
“Cool.”
“Not really. This whole place is kind of hellish. Whenever I had to cross the Wastes with my parents, I’d try to make sure I slept through the whole journey—usually zonked out on loons. Which pissed my mom off.”
“It’s that bad, huh?”
“Wait until you see the Naba-Sa’im.”
“Scary?”
“Very.”
“I will second that opinion,” TenSix said.
“You want to prepare me?” I asked.
“They’re big scary non-humans, what can I say?”
“I need more detail than that.”
“I think the best description is from my aunt,” Kira said. “She’s a big deal professor of mythology and folklore at Campbell College.”
“Really? I almost went there.”
“Small galaxy. Anyway, Aunt Tally spent a summer at our camp a few years ago. So, naturally, we had to cross Naba
