Jandru doesn't really need an answer, so the lack of response is both expected and perfectly fine by them. As long as Irahl is briefed, they did their job.
Yesterday, the testing benefited from some mysteries. They hadn't exactly planned on springing Nikaro on him without warning, but it worked out and gave them a good look at how Irahl might act around the unexpected threat of a stranger. Today, however, they've already ruled out almost all hope of getting this guy into a social position. If he joins the team, he'll be working with only the team, and keeping them a mystery doesn't really get them any data they didn't already have.
They drive for another twenty minutes or so before they have to slow down; there have been some visible stones sticking up out of the sand, here and there, but now there are enough stony outcroppings and ruined chunks of buildings sticking out of the dunes that continuing to drive quickly seems needlessly dangerous. They curve around and between strange skeletal stones until they eventually dip down into a basin filled with the dilapidated remains of a city.
Surreally, the sand wasn't blown out of this area evenly--the east-facing sides of buildings seem to be buried in sand up to about the second or third floor, while the west-facing sides of most buildings are only buried up to somewhere after the first floor. Anything delicate was eaten away by time many years ago, but the shell and core of these structures remain strangely intact, despite how they should have been sanded to pebbles by now. Even some doors and window shutters are still visible, even if they're half-buried.
Jandru drives slowly into the ghost town, continuing until they spot a smaller vehicle parked beside a squat, brick building. On the roof of that building (which is only about three feet off the ground, in some places) are two figures that wave and call out to them as they approach.
"Good morning Jandru!" Says the larger of the two in an effeminate voice. And she is large. Not quite as tall as Irahl and not quite as broad as either of the twins, but she's still giving them all a run for their money. Dark-skinned, shaved head, wearing what looks like nearly a full suit of tactical armor despite the intense heat. She has deep, dramatic scars on one side of her head and face, visible even from afar--intentionally-carved concentric circles and perpendicular lines. They're smiling brightly and waving excitedly.
"Hey," says the smaller of the two at the same time. He's got black hair shaved close on the sides, tan skin, a slouched posture. He's far less conspicuous than his friend, given that he's wearing casual clothing and that his face seems to be mostly intact. But there are a few details that might stand out to Irahl, who knows what to look for--namely the fact that he's wearing gloves, and that his eyes are obscured by a pair of round-framed, thin-rimmed sunglasses.
"Good morning," Jandru calls back to them, smiling--though they're mostly focused on pulling in to park their vehicle right next to their teammates and less on starting a conversation.
"Is this the new recruit?" Asks the woman, radiating cheer, before being elbowed pretty aggressively in the ribs by the man next to her. He mumbles something to her, she looks surprised, then corrects herself, "Oh, sorry! Of course it is."
This isn't what the man had been trying to say, which is obvious from the way he tips his face down into his palm in disappointment.
no subject
Yesterday, the testing benefited from some mysteries. They hadn't exactly planned on springing Nikaro on him without warning, but it worked out and gave them a good look at how Irahl might act around the unexpected threat of a stranger. Today, however, they've already ruled out almost all hope of getting this guy into a social position. If he joins the team, he'll be working with only the team, and keeping them a mystery doesn't really get them any data they didn't already have.
They drive for another twenty minutes or so before they have to slow down; there have been some visible stones sticking up out of the sand, here and there, but now there are enough stony outcroppings and ruined chunks of buildings sticking out of the dunes that continuing to drive quickly seems needlessly dangerous. They curve around and between strange skeletal stones until they eventually dip down into a basin filled with the dilapidated remains of a city.
Surreally, the sand wasn't blown out of this area evenly--the east-facing sides of buildings seem to be buried in sand up to about the second or third floor, while the west-facing sides of most buildings are only buried up to somewhere after the first floor. Anything delicate was eaten away by time many years ago, but the shell and core of these structures remain strangely intact, despite how they should have been sanded to pebbles by now. Even some doors and window shutters are still visible, even if they're half-buried.
Jandru drives slowly into the ghost town, continuing until they spot a smaller vehicle parked beside a squat, brick building. On the roof of that building (which is only about three feet off the ground, in some places) are two figures that wave and call out to them as they approach.
"Good morning Jandru!" Says the larger of the two in an effeminate voice. And she is large. Not quite as tall as Irahl and not quite as broad as either of the twins, but she's still giving them all a run for their money. Dark-skinned, shaved head, wearing what looks like nearly a full suit of tactical armor despite the intense heat. She has deep, dramatic scars on one side of her head and face, visible even from afar--intentionally-carved concentric circles and perpendicular lines. They're smiling brightly and waving excitedly.
"Hey," says the smaller of the two at the same time. He's got black hair shaved close on the sides, tan skin, a slouched posture. He's far less conspicuous than his friend, given that he's wearing casual clothing and that his face seems to be mostly intact. But there are a few details that might stand out to Irahl, who knows what to look for--namely the fact that he's wearing gloves, and that his eyes are obscured by a pair of round-framed, thin-rimmed sunglasses.
"Good morning," Jandru calls back to them, smiling--though they're mostly focused on pulling in to park their vehicle right next to their teammates and less on starting a conversation.
"Is this the new recruit?" Asks the woman, radiating cheer, before being elbowed pretty aggressively in the ribs by the man next to her. He mumbles something to her, she looks surprised, then corrects herself, "Oh, sorry! Of course it is."
This isn't what the man had been trying to say, which is obvious from the way he tips his face down into his palm in disappointment.