Journeys of the Shepherd

Chapter 24: Buried Memories

The ship trembled heavily, as a gust of wind hit her on one of her sides.

''Shit!'' Luke cursed. He grasped the handrail on the wall, and barely managed to keep his balance when the ship rolled dangerously to port. ''What the hell happened?''

''It's the damn controls.'' Ash said, as he stabilized the ship. ''She doesn't fly as smooth as the Shepherd.''

''Well, just keep her straight.'' Luke said.

''Believe me, I'm doing my best.'' Ash responded. ''The last time I flew a ship was two months ago.''

''You've had three weeks to practice.'' Luke said.

''I haven't had any time to practice landings.'' Ash responded.

''Just keep her straight.'' Luke repeated, and glared out the window. The ship had descended below the clouds, and the surface of Harwaite was now clearly visible. It was as barren as he remembered it to be; rolling dunes dominated the landscape as far as he could see, with the occasional rock formation rising above the sand.

Luke turned his attention to Nathan, who was fixed on the display of the radar, and asked him, ''Anything yet?''

''Nothing.'' Nathan mumbled, then turned to Ash, and scoffed, ''Are you sure this is the right spot?''

''I told you already,'' Ash said, ''I recognize this area; the canyon shouldn't be far.''

''How can you recognize anything here?'' Nathan wondered. ''All I see is fucking sand.''

''Keep your eyes on the radar.'' Luke said.

''Whatever.'' Nathan mumbled. ''All I am saying is that we're wasting time and fuel. I mean, you don't actually believe we'll find anything?''

''Just shut up and watch the radar.'' Luke repeated.

''I think I can see the canyon.'' Ash said after a while. ''To the Southwest.''

Luke glanced out the windows again, and squinted his eyes. After searching the horizon, he noticed a shadow in the distance, indicating there was a depression in the landscape.

''All right,'' he said to Ash, ''let's check it out.''

Ash nodded, and lightly tilted the control yoke. The ship banked, and turned thirty degrees to starboard. As they approached the depression, their view became clearer and more detailed, and the canyon was revealed.

Around the same time, they were alerted that the radar had detected a new signal.

''It's right ahead.'' Nathan said. ''Some two kilometres out.''

''Damn,'' Ash said to Luke, ''it looks like you were right.''

Luke smiled at him.

Hamilton told the truth. he thought, then said, ''I'm going to get a radio.''

As Luke walked down the corridor, he passed the messroom door, and saw Daiyu. She was sitting at a table, her head leaning in her hand, occasionally taking a drag from a cigarette.

''We're going to land in a couple of minutes.'' he said to her. ''Don't forget to grab a rifle and a handheld radio.''

She nodded, but didn't look at him. Luke stared at her for a moment, and frowned. He sensed there was something wrong, but he chose to let it rest, as there were more pressing matters at hand.

By the time Luke had returned to the bridge with the handheld radio transceivers, the Weibing had begun her descent into the canyon. Clouds of whirling sand and dust engulfed the ship, as the blasts from her atmospheric thrusters came into contact with the ground.