Del was now at the rear of the group as they once again entered the treeline if the jungle. The meeting with Tamiri had r taken king abd the day was still early, so it was likely they would return to Nara'Ki sooner rather than later.
Del couldn't help but see this as an oppritunity presenting itself before him. He could infiltstrate the survivors camp, kidnapped the leader in exchange for his life, bring him before Chieftan Tamiri, onlbtain a ship, and fly back to Nara'ki all before sundown.
"So you guys." Del began.
"No." Nimlis cut him off.
"No?" Dark asked almost offended. The Sceko was now back out of his short and coiled around his wrist.
"I know what you're going to ask, and no, I don't be a part of it." Nimlis explained.
"Fine." Del shrugged.
"What are the two of you talking about?" Arish asked in a very annoyed tone. Del then turned to the teo Drenziens to explain the job he'd been given.
"So, a ship?" Dimmit asked, looking at Del, actuslly adressing him for the first time, Del realized.
"A ship is our best chance." Arish said looking at Dimmit.
"This is true." Dimmit said scratching the now rough stubble forming in his chin.
"And the empire is likely done with us." Arish added.
"This is also true." Dimmit said still scratching his chin.
"Fine." He said finally.
"Good." Said Del, and the three of them looked at Nimlis.
"I said no." He said softly. He then turned and walked away from them, not caring to stop to wait. Dimmit went to go after him but Del put a hand on his shoulder stopping him.
"Let him go, he has principals he wants to adhere to, and that's fine." Said Del.
"And stupid." Muttered Arish.
Del shrugged and huddled up with the other two. They needed a plan to find the camp and a plan of attack once they found it.
"Any ideas on where to find them?" Asked Del.
"That way I imagine." Dimmit pointed up to the elevated side of the jungle.
"They'd want a higher position."
"That officer came to us from that way." Arish added.
"That tracks then." Dimmit said looking back to Del.
"Well, let's get moving then." Del said with a grin.
****
After a long campaign of tracking and evading cat like predators like the ones from earlier, Del and his compsinoibs findlly stumbled across a large fortress like camp in the jungle.
The fortress was made out if jungle wood, there just have been fifteen people inside of it. The fortress was loosely constructed but still was a marvel to look at that in this rough elevated patch of the jungle. A testament to Drenzien innovation and architecture, Del noted. The Drenziens scattered about here were mixed. Some were clearly survivors of the attack but others looked more ragged, like they had been here much longer. It was just as Tamiri had said, this camp had been here a while. It must have been built long ago, which also confirmed the Drenzien's had been relentlessly attacking the Ta've for awhile, justifying Del's mission even further in his mind, not that it needed it.
"Well, she was right about this. That means he's somewhere in there." Del said to the others. The three of them were perched on a ridge scouting out the large camp.
"Well, now what then?" Arish asked, stating the obvious.
"He's gonna be in there." Dimmit said nodding to a large tent at the side of the camp.
"He'd want to be viewed as important. I'd bet he's in that tent."
Del thought about that for a moment and nodded in agreement. That made sense based on the other Drenzien's he'd met so far excluding these two. He was admittidley surprised by the surprising level of cooperation Dimmit was showing him, though he did have no choice. Arish and Dimmit had already betrayed the Drenzien empire and like they said before, the Drenziens really didn't seem like the forgiving type.
"Alright then." Del said. He sighed in preparation for what he was sure would be a struggle in a few moments.
"I'll be right back."
"No wait." Dimmit said putting a hand on Del's shoulder.
"I'll do it."
"What?" Del asked in surprise. Arish too looked shocked.
"You'll stick out like a sore thumb, I can blend in." Dimmit explained.
"True." Del shrugged.
"Alright, I'm counting on you." He said with a slight grin.
Dimmit had come this far with him, he had no reason not to put his trust in him now. Dimmit gave Del a curt nod and then turned to Arish.
"Are you sure?" She asked him.
"Yeah." He said quickly.
"Just stay here, and safe." He said to her begire a long pause while he stared at her.
Then, without giving her a chance to respond he was off. Dimmit descended the hill and infiltrated the camp in broad daylight, attempting to blend in with the crowd. Del couldn't do much now but wait with Arish in anticipation.