Rising Destiny : The Jackson Saga Complete Series by H. S. Rivney

Author:H. S. Rivney [Rivney, H. S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-01-13T22:00:00+00:00

28

Lieutenant Lee landed the Osprey at Pauling Shores to let Jackson out, and with Keith’s help, offload the disaster supplies the captain had requisitioned.

“Aren’t you going to need help with these later?” Lee asked.

“No, we’re maintaining our underground presence to avoid another happenstance of hysteria and xenophobia. We made contact only with Rianya’s family and they’ll make arrangements to collect and distribute the goods.”

“And… they won’t wonder where it all came from?”

“We’re telling the natives that the science team is leaving it behind and then moving to another part of the planet. They shouldn’t know that we, or Zalara, were here.”

“Aye, sir, understood. I’ll be back to collect you in 30 hours unless we hear from you sooner.”

The two kilometers from the shore to Waiso was a brisk trip for Jackson, even with the supplies. His thoughts turned to his wife, the lake up the mountain, and a chance to reconnect after so much chaos and catastrophe. The universe would go on without him for a day or two.

When Tom saw Rianya at the trail head, an ache of lust emerged, rather abruptly, taking the place of essentially everything else on his mind. She wore a woolen cape, the fibers colored in the natural shades of tan and brown of the creature from which it was shorn. Her ankles peeked out, but soft moccasins would protect her feet on the pebbly path up the hill.

She amazed him.

“What is all that?” she asked.

“Romance in a bag.” He offered her his free arm to lead her away from the town where the frenzy was poised to erupt. Sulfur and ash would rain, the plants would die, and an exodus of terrified people would refuge north, despairing for a new home.

“I miss the sun. It never used to be grey day after day like this.”

“That’s the particulate and fallout. It will be like this for several weeks, or months nearer the impact.”

Rianya was in a quiet mood. Tom focused on the trail but didn’t miss the small signs of life that still lingered despite the air pollution. Small sprays of bright pink buds on long, hairy stems poked out of the rocks near the bases of trees. Ground reptiles, smaller than a mouse, either froze or shot off the hosting rock face as they neared, and the first signs of snowmelt from the mountain tops trickled in small rivulets where they had carved paths each spring for centuries.

Tall patches of dry grass swayed in a chilly breeze, still clinging to the bitter ground. The damp air hosted a mossy fragrance not unlike evergreen forests on Earth. He observed her from the corner of his eye. She held her own, step after step, up the slope, over the grey stones, taking care to avoid the seedlings and saplings sprouting in the path. Her lithe frame and figure belied a steel rose with a heart of gold, and a sagacious intelligence to match.

“I don’t remember it being this far,” she said when she caught him gazing at her.

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