The Avalon Chronicles

Chapter Ten

 While Ryver figured that the more technical parts of the ship could be bought or bartered for in town, one of the biggest obstacles was going to be the paneling that had been damaged or torn off in the crash land. After what she had seen in the town, she was not sure that she would be able to buy large hull panels from the smaller shops.

She did have some tools to repair some of the dented sections, or even a few small tears. But there were at least three panels that were beyond repair.

The following day, she made a decision to scan the nearby desert for anything metal that could be another downed ship. With luck, the new proximity reader in the Avalon detected a large collection of metal not far from their location.

Ryver could not help but wonder if the pirates had been stationed within distance of Druna for much longer than she believed, accounting for all the downed ships.

Des went with her, worried about the captain coming across scrappers who had also found the downed ship. While Ryver knew that Des was large and imposing, he was also only likely to harm anyone who threatened those he cared for—he was not violent by nature.

They trudged into the desert, Ryver's ankle feeling slightly better after being elevated all night. Des squinted against the bright sun ricocheting off the sand. Ryver held one hand over her eyes as she tried to read the direction on her ENT, though it could only point her in the direction the ship's proximity scanner had pointed, since it was not designed to find crashed ships in the desert.

Des held a pack over one shoulder that had their water and a few rations in it just in case they got lost, but mostly it was filled with straps, nets, tools, and magnets for carrying out anything they could find. Ryver had said that the ship most likely had been found by scrappers already, but she hoped there would be a few large panels of metal that she could use to replace the Avalon's hull siding, which could be dragged back along the sand using the magnets.

"I think we're going in the right direction," Ryver mused as she ascended one larger dune, shielding her eyes as she scanned the desolate landscape.

"I can lift you up on my shoulders and see if you can see anything," Des offered.

"That's okay, big guy," Ryver said, starting down the dune carefully, feeling her feet slip as the sand cushioned her descent. Des sank lower in the dune, but still held one arm out to Ryver to help her if she lost her balance.

"Thanks for coming with me," Ryver said. "Hopefully the ship will have enough on it to justify this trekking."

"I'm sure it will," Des said. "Do you really think those pirates were attacking that many ships?"

"I think that Marguri might have gotten cocky once she found herself with a war ship," Ryver said, starting up the next sand dune. Des pushed her up as she struggled with the thick sand, ignoring his own struggles. "Damn, I hate all this sand," Ryver panted, half-crawling her way to the top of the dune. She stopped, heaving several deep breaths and turning to Des as he topped the slippery slope. "Doing okay?"

"I don't like this planet," Des said with a shake of his head. "I don't like desolate places where nothing grows."

Ryver smiled, looking over the former Ghex. Ghex were known to be emotionless, built merely to follow whatever protocol they were programmed to complete. Ryver remembered all too well the lifeless look in the eyes of the Ghex she had seen when they were on Ibrao—it was one of the reasons that Des stood out to everyone on the Avalon. He had a brightness to his eyes. Even the Ghex tattoo that ran over his bald head and down the right side of his face, even through his dark brown irises could not diminish the compassion and gentleness of his gaze.