My Journal: The Cicuta Trip

Chapter 4: Arriving

[ON EXPRESS S'BUS EN ROUTE TO CICUTA] We folded to Kentro (or Epsilon Indi) and, after some confusion, we're finally on a S'Bus headed for Cicuta.

    It's really different out here. So hard to figure out what's going on. Some strange creatures (I'm sure they're quite nice, really) changing colors & burbling at you about something evidently important, while you frantically try to figure out what the MIN translation means. Your gestures & facial expressions seem to be meaningless to them...

    No other Earthans since Hwal. It all takes so much energy. I'm really tired. When did I sleep last???...

MUCH LATER: Hey, I see Cicuta! Weller, get some vizes!

     I see the ice moon, Galana, and, as we orbit around Cicuta, I see their planet, Akar, reddish with glowing streaks, lava, I guess. And Cicuta itself, lavender oceans and the white-topped trees. Now I can see the buildings and the open spaces on top of the trees.

     We're diving down into the darkness underneath. The Fallands!

Oh, MIN, we're finally on land again.

 It's dark, damp and smells awful. Been breathing bland canned air too long.
Glowing things. Glow worms? Something skittering in the trash...
Weird sounds... Reminds me of... What was it called?...OK. Get it together.

 Well, what are we supposed to do now?!? Oh, the Riser's that way.
Follow the bouncing Cicutans! Ha. Ha. Oops, getting spukky...
Better hurry. 

Weller, Nesh, that Riser's beginning to leave. Run for it!
Good, we're on.
Now... up, up, up...
Sit...rest a minute......