The Ad'dache city had finally come into the small groups view after the long journey through the perilous jungle. There was no time to waste as the sun was rapidly descending over the horizon. Night this close to the sea would make for cold and dangerous travel, there was much wildlife on this planet. Unbelievably so, there was so much diverse nature here it rivaled earth itself. An extreme rarity Del had come to find out, between what he knew of known space an his own escapades through outer space he had seen very little to close to none of all the traits that made up his beloved homewod replicated on a single planet. Though Del wasn't foolish enough to think it impossible, it was still a sight to behold.
The long walk to the city's gates was mostly silent, Del and Dimmit conserving their energy to quicken their pace, Arish walking twenty yards ahead of them unencumbdre by the weight of the limp body split between the other two. The Sceko revered into Del's sleeve once more once it felt the chill of the wind.
"Sorry little guy. I suppose it's about time for a name for you isn't it?" Del asked the small creature.
"Really?" Dimmit said, standing next to Del overhearing him.
"Really." Del said flat out, annoyed at Dimmits question.
"You know what? His names Dimm." He said to Dimmit knowing the irritation it would cause.
"No I didn't mean…" Dimmit began.
"Nope, it's Dimm." Del shrugged turning his back to look forward. Arish let out a small chuckle, overhearing them from ahead. Dimmit sighed and the three of them pressed on.
Once at the gates the sight of Arish, an approaching Drenzien was most unwelcome along with the appearance of another and a human, an unknown species to them. They hissed as Arish appriached stopping her in her tracks. Del held out a hand a few moments later waving it slowly trying to ease tensions.
"Chieftan Tamiri will be expecting us." He said to the two guards. He then nodded to the Drenzien he and Dimmit were carrying.
"This one killed her lover."
The two guards steadied themselves and exchanged a brief glance. They nodded at one another and the one on the right swung open the large wooden gate.
"You will be escorted." The Ta've said cautiously. His grip never leaving his long spear.
Del nodded at him in respinse, it was a reasonable enough request. The first guard turned around to close the gate back up after they entered, and the second guard took point. He walked the group through the long wide roads of the city and up to the mole doors. He knocked three times on the door just as Nimlis had and the door swung open for him. Th gustd stepped inside and the others followed. Chieftan Tamiri was sat in in the stone throne and grinned upon seeing Del.
"You're back so soon. Any trouble?" She remarked seeing Del's company no longer included Nimlis.
"Not too much, our guide returned to deliver your message and we returned here to deliver, well." Del gestured to the body. Dimmit and Dem through the corpse in the ground before the Chieftan.
Tamiri stood up and walked around the dead Drenzien's purple ever growing blue decaying body. She scowled upon recognizing the hunters face and hissed at him even though he was dead.
"The deal was for him to be brought alive." Chieftan Tamiri said, her eyes still fixed on the corpse.
"Yeah, umfortunatleu his small body was no match for the feet of a large, horned…thing." Del said unsure of what to even call the creature they had encountered.
"Ah, a Viceoar." Tamiri nodded.
"A fitting death then."
Del nodded in agreement. Though he was beginng to doubt Chieftan Tamiri's belief in a peaceful appriach as she had told Nimlis. Though to lose a lover to a cause so harmful... Del knew first hand how wicked a soul could become if twisted enough.
"Ay!" Tamiri shouted looking at another Ta've in the temple. The native looked back at her and she nodded to the body on the floor. The native gave a bow and he and another came and picked the body up, carrying it off out through the back of the temple.
"Now then, your reward." Tamiri said turning back to Del and the two Drenziens. She sneered at Arish and Dimmit. They only looked away in response.
"Follow me." Tamiri said to Del after a moments pause to collect herself.
Del followed Tamiri to the side of the room and they exited through a wooden door Del hadn't noticed before, hidden in the shade. The door led to a stone staircase leading out of temples side. The group exited the stone temple out to a large stone landing pad, on top of which sat a moderately sized ship that looked rather exquisite for a ship built by a primitive people. Though Del figured he didn't know much about these people at all.
"Here." Tamiri said stopping thirty yards from the ships ramp.
Del was awestruck for what seemed like the fifteenth time on this planet. The ship was white and brown with the name Pretipice written in small text along the ships side. Though the ship had the appearance of primative outer workings and parts, it was only a facade as the engines and thrusters indicated intricate engineering. It was one of the larger ships Del would have the fortune of flying. He couldn't help but be impressed by it. Building a ship like this of this size was no small feat.
"My thanks."
"And mine to you, outsider. Now let's just hope that petty Chieftan sees reason." Tamiri said finishing with a bow and leaving Del and company to the ship.
They entered it to see the inside look much like the outside. Log stools for chairs and a wood trim decor. Del made his way to the cockpit and sat in the pilots chair. He flipped the engines on and looked at the flashing lights and monitors, slowly engaging the thrusters. The hum of the engine starting up was like music to Del's ears. He reached for the flight stick and Dimm came out of his sleeve again.
"There you are little guy." He said to the green Sceko as the ship took flight, hovering in the sur a moment before moving out of the city.
"Now let's go find our other pal, Nimlis." Del said aloud, the two Drenziens were in the compartment behind him
"Can we not just… go? Arish asked.
"This planet is still considered Drenzien territory, and we don't want to risk running into them."
"It's true." Dimmit nodded a moment later after a brief pause.
"No, we'll be fine. Besides, I believe I owe the Chieftan Rom a favor." Del said as the ship started to ascend slowly. The other two sighed and leaned back in their chairs. Del simply shrugged and smiled at Dimm. After that, the Pretipice took flight, slowly soaring over the jungle Del and the group had just crossed on foot.