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collection of loosely linked one and two story buildings built of bricks cut from the valley sub strata, so that it seemed to grow from the valley itself. Beside it was the missing supply pod from the Dawn Treader but no signs of any of the colonists. They put down at what was meant to be the landing field, a flat, overgrown field just beside the structure, and stepped out. They had coats on with the hoods tied up over peaked caps and cream on their faces, as they knew ultraviolet radiation would be high, but Suzanne could still feel a slight breeze wafting up the valley, on her face. “Oh my,” she said, realizing what she was feeling for the first time in her life, natural wind on her face. “Oh my! Oh MY!” She stood for a moment, enraptured. It was cold but crisp. Invigorating. “Now this is the place where little Emily should grow up,” she said firmly, coming out of her rapture. “She should live in a house near the river and play here under the shade with her friends and have a fairy party for her birthday.” “Fairy party?” “I read about very young children having them on Earth, a long time ago. Some girl dresses up as a fairy with a wand.” She raised her hand as if it was holding a wand. Or they could have clowns come. I would have liked to have had a fairy party when I was a child.” “Well at the moment before little Emily gets to her fairy party she’ll have to avoid being eaten.” “Eaten? By what?” “By that! See in the slight dip in the ground, about mid distance in front of us before the tree line.” Suzanne saw a wicked looking snout, just visible in the grass, and before she knew it Mr. Glock was in her hands, safety catch off. “You and Mr. Glock are getting along better.” “I could grow to like him,” said Suzanne. Rods laughed. “Finger off the trigger, Cruise. Lay it alongside the pistol. I don’t want to shoot this guy unless I have to. It’s just doing its job - although that job includes trying to eat us.” “Another creature. East. Short range,” said Igor, who had also been taking in the view, but for different reasons. |