Empyrean Iris Story Collection Vol. 2

For Cosmetic Purposes

Three shuttles skimmed across the open sand, kicking up clouds of blue dust into the shimmering heat. The Sun beat down from above through the hazy green sky. The sand shimmered in the heat and a gentle wind blew streams off the top of dunes.

"Alpha one to Bravo one, seen anything yet?"

"Negative alpha one, still searching."

"How about you charlie."

"Nothing yet."

"You would think with the tracker he'd be easier to find."

"Ts all the dust in the atmosphere interfering with the signal. Generally it should be able to pinpoint him to within ten feet, but with the dispersion, that ten foot circle has become more like ten miles."

"Ten miles is still better than a whole galaxy."

"Think he's alright, if he got caught in that sandstorm....." The comms went quiet, the marines unwilling to think of what that might mean.Admiral Vir was.... Well a survivor. He had served so many things that to think a sandstorm could have taken him out was almost preposterous. He was like a fixture on the galaxy, and to loose him would be like losing the part of the universe that was human.

It was just then that the three shuttles crested over another low hill, only to see a glint of darkness against the blue sand.

"Hold on, i think we got him."

The black sport was moving, just cresting u the next rise, walking slowly back towards civilization.

IT turned as the three shuttles rolled forward..

He stood against the green sky, boots planted on the blue sand. He had a scarf wrapped around his head to keep the sun out, and a delicate wind rippled the cloth. The only thing visible was his eyes.

They pulled to a stop coming to rest on the soft blue sand of the dune.

The door opened and Ramirez walked forward to greet the Admiral as he strowed over the sand and into the shuttle.

"Where's Su-"

The Admiral brushed past him without so much as looking at him, marching to the front of the shuttle. He trailed sand as he went, the little blue particles were crusted into every inch of his visible clothing, seeming to have integrated themselves into the very fabric itself.

"Adam?"

He paused by the pilot's seat, looking down at the young man with an expression that could could have crystalised the blood in the young man's veins, "You're in my seat."

The young pilot quickly scrambled out of the seat and stood at near attention beside it as the admiral took his seat and strapped in, is clothes making a painful creaking sound with their heavy sand content.

"Adam wha-"
"They took her." The man said, "They took her."

"What, who did they take.... You mean.... Sunny?"

Adam didn't answer, but engaged the ship's engines and lifted them off the sand. Ramirez and the young pilot were forced to stagger back and strap themselves in to the seats.

The man's movements were quick and precise, but somehow hinted at an ever increasing violence underneath.

Adam as he had been was no longer here.

***

Sunny awoke with a pounding head and a sandy tongue. Her throat and breathing holes were so parched that she had trouble breathing and certainly speaking as she wheezed to life. She tried sitting up but immediately bashed her head on something hard and metal. She winced leaning against the ground and looking around,