X Marks the Spot

At first sight, the high-altitude winds seemed to have grazed, or more accurately, swiped, clawed, and gouged their way across the mountain valley, carving out distinct alcoves in the steep slopes. As though polished, large and varying stones emerged under their feet. They twinkled pink and silver beneath the rising moon, Zeounny. Lak, the second moon, glided across the sky beyond the mountain range.

Trying to keep a steady pace that was neither too sluggish to waste time nor too fast to miss anything, Tejeda strode ahead of the group. C1313 didn't show up, and he barely persuaded Hanga to wait until dusk.

He had tried to contact the ship and scarcely managed to get a hold of E00. The trackers embedded in their suits weren’t working properly, and the life signs were meaningless when it came to C1313. They didn’t know exactly how to calibrate them for her or what they should track to grasp her wellbeing.