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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 1862806" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 52: Out of the SandAkan had spotted the two former Imperials from a good distance off. Shadow confirmed who it was, or at least, she confirmed that it was Voort and likely the man named Landau. Upon meeting up, they exchanged greetings(which were short) and then, the inevitable question was asked by Akan.    “Where’s Jen?” he sounded like he already knew the answer to it, though.    Voort shook his head, “Don’t know. Landau said the Narani took her.”    “Violent robed people?” Shadow asked, shifting her weight and looking bored at just standing still.    Landau gave them a confused look, confirming the description was correct. Akan shrugged, “A group of them were waiting outside of Loki.”    At that, Voort just nodded and motion towards the rocks formations, “Tracks lead back in the direction of Haladin.”    “Well then,” Akan said, stepping past Voort towards where the man was pointing, “Onward.”    He didn’t think about the effect of the planet’s conditions on the two humans. It wasn’t noticeable in either of their appearances, and even if it was, the fact that Akan(and Shadow for that matter) was quiet comfortable despite the dry air meant that the thought that it was hard to survive with didn’t even cross his mind. Neither Voort nor Landau felt bad enough to comment on it, so they simply followed, with Landau eventually taking the lead as he knew which direction was the correct one.    After three dunes, fatigue was showing on Landau’s face. He didn’t speak of it, but it was obvious in his expression and the way he moved. Even Voort was showing signs of fatigue, though he was much better at masking the effects of it. Shadow could tell, though Akan wasn’t paying enough attention to. Somehow, he’d come to terms that this Dark Sider and man still loyal to the Emperor was not currently a threat. But it was bothering him. Voort was, no matter what, an evil person. He did not have anyone else’s best interests at heart other than his own. Akan had no idea how wrong he was, but the truth in his mind grew stronger with each passing moment. But now was not the time.    Suddenly, as Akan took a step over the dune and was ready to start down the opposite side, the sand around them exploded into the air. But not an explosion of flames. In the reversed rain of sand, dark brown robes could be seen shooting upwards out of the sand. In a quick moment, the sand was falling back to the ground and the four of them were surrounded by at least fifteen of the robed Narani. Akan would have already been attacking them if they’d been armed as the last ones they’d encountered. Instead of knives, though, these Narani aimed weapons. Not blasters...more likely, advanced slugthrowers. They looked about one step behind the leap to blaster technology. In other words, primitive, but still very dangerous.    Shadow was moving, but when she latched onto his thoughts, she froze. Not because she couldn’t handle them...but because they had slugthrowers. Which meant they fire a physical projectile. As advanced as the slugthrowers looked, it was a safe assumption that the ammunition was a metal. Next to cold, that was one of the most dangerous things to an Alraxian. In fact, it was the reason all of their technology was organic and not metallic as much of the rest of the galaxy’s. Yet again, one of those things she’d not told Akan, and he didn’t pick up on it this time either. Voort had his hand on the lightsaber at his belt, but was also frozen in place, not out of shock but waiting for the right moment. They hadn’t shot...so they wanted to at least speak for a short time.    Landau had been so close to the explosion of sand that he’d been sent to the ground on his backside. Currently, he looked up into the barrel of a slugthrower. Following it, his eyes met with a pair of dark green ones behind the visor. The silence continued for a moment, and then the one who Landau was watching spoke. Not in the strange tongue, but in Basic, even sounding like he had a hint of a Kuati accent, “Arik?”    It was muffled behind the mask, but Landau recognized it. All eyes were on him at this point, and he tilted his head. Another long silence, then Landau’s mind connected the voice, though muffled, with a face. He looked closer at the eyes behind the visor. Then, “Hansen?”    At that, the robed figure threw back his...no, her hood. Either that, or it was a man with long, wavy brunette hair. When the hood went back, the visor tinted to black to protect the wearer’s eyes from the intense sunlight. Two straps were undone from the back of her head, and pulled the mask and visor off. Which then confirmed that this Narani was female. She looked surprised, paused a moment, then reached down to pull Landau to his feet, “I’m so sorry! I didn’t think you’d ever come back!”    Akan and Shadow exchanged looks, stepping closer with a ‘safety in numbers’ feeling running through both of their minds. Not that they didn’t trust Landau, but there were far too many coincidences occurring on this planet far too close to their arrival. Akan then caught sight of Voort. The man had a surprised look on his face, though he was fighting it back.    The woman seemed to notice this, and her eyes widened, “Titus, you too? Its been even longer!”    “Ten years,” Voort commented quietly, looking to the other Narani who had lowered their weapons. This, of course, did not mean he wasn’t ready to draw his lightsaber at a moment’s notice.    Landau looked around, not feeling comfortable out in the open. Hansen seemed to catch onto this, and motioned back towards where Loki had gone down, “We should get out of the open. I’ll explain things there.”    Landau and Voort nodded, and then followed her and the Narani without a single question. Akan and Shadow were weary of this, not liking the lack of explanations but eventually followed anyway.    [Keep your eyes open.] Shadow ‘said’ quietly, even though no one else would hear it.    Akan just nodded, saying nothing and watching the way these Narani moved. Quickly, yet in a way that they were walking in one another foot prints. One of them took up the back, covering the tracks as best as possible while keeping up with the group. So they hid...from what? Things were making less and less sense as time passed. Or rather, it made sense to everyone except Akan.</blockquote>

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