As usual when we traveled, we kept as quiet as possible, using body language, hand signs and telepathy to communicate and reduce the risk of discovery. We’d just left Levi’s group a few rotations ago and, though I loved him and his group, I loved getting away and exploring the vast unknown with dad even more. Just him and me, honing our skills and discovering things that had be lost for millennia. History always fascinates me. And it was useful too, adding to the Myath archives and helping us when all other sources of support failed. Dad had built a large network of allies but things go wrong, that just how it is. That why we always have backups and contingency plans, though sometimes that just means thinking fast.

Descending into the ruins, a making sure to stay close to the walls and only using the vines when necessary, we finally reached the bottom and activated some glows that were designed to be safe for any delicate materials down here. It looked like some sort of complex.

“What is it dad? I’ve not seen anything like it before.” I asked through hand signs.

Dad looked around and crept slowly toward an opening, pausing to listen and sniff the cool air. I followed his lead, staying alert and testing our surroundings. Patience was second nature to me but it was difficult to maintain a when there was history to discover. Finally he felt it was safe enough to to respond.

“I can’t be sure but I think it is some sort of learning institute or perhaps a research library. Look, it still has power.” He thought at me, indicating the quiet hum of power in the closest wall. “They must have used some sort of renewable energy source. Come on, let’s find out what’s here.”

We forged our way deeper into the complex, experience helping us bypass the mundane and search out the valuable data we hoped for. First we sniffed out the power room and found that they had utilised both solar energy via primitive solar panels, some of which still worked, and geothermal energy. They built the complex right over a geothermal spout and the technology was still working. It was one of the best preserved sites we’d found so far and the largest.

“It’s gonna take forever to search it all dad.” I sent telepathically and he made a funny face at me which I tried hard not to laugh aloud at. No matter how much you communicated telepathically or digitally, laughter is always a physical thing.

What I said was true, with only Dad and I to work it in between all our travel and other responsibilities, it would be orbits before we could clear it out. Not that I minded, I loved the ruins and hadn’t had a chance to revisit many. The only problem was it’s location so far into the wilderness. That alone would add moons to the whole adventure, in total.

With a general sweep done and the power supply stable, next we searched for the data store, a complex this size was bound to have one. It took a while and we found some interesting stuff along the way that I was so tempted to record, but we stuck to our goal and finally, we found it. A gigantic room full of chillers, stuffed full of DNA stored data. I couldn’t believe it. There must have been eons worth of data there. It may even go back into pre-prehistory!! Even then…

“Dad, where do we start?” I asked, slightly stunned.

I could see the data reader, ready to translate and transfer the information on the DNA for digital access. We didn’t bring nearly enough temporary storage to hold all this until we could transferred it to our multiple databanks in DNA, digital and physical copies. How did we choose what to take?

“We’ll ask the system to make a random selection of the most useful and diverse data. Come on, we don’t have long to work now if we’re going to find a new camp site before dark. Get the data storage packs ready and I’ll work the reader.”

We got to work, moving as fast as we could and as fast as the reader would let us. For such old technology, it worked almost as well as our modern stuff. It didn’t take too long and we were just finishing the transfers and making sure everything was stored properly so we could return later, when dads proximity alert sounded in our heads. We both froze.

The images from the sensors showed a party of hunters. Those viscous Black Claws had somehow stumbled into our path, though by their relaxed manner, they hadn’t detected our presence yet. Escaping the Black Claw would not be easy but we’d done it before. The best way was to sneak past them, if you’re spotted and had to run, survival dropped. Significantly.

We moved fast, returning to our entry point to retrieve the hidden vine rope and the proximity drones. It would be safer not to go out the same way we came in, just in case. During our exploration of the complex, we’d spotted another entrance point and now we used it. Emerging into the dim light of approaching evening, we made sure to mask our scent before moving soundlessly through the open landscape. Just our luck that we were in one of the few small areas that wasn’t cover by some kind of forest. Thanks to the highly managed global ecosystem, stubborn areas like this were few and far between. Instead of the multiple levels of the forest that we could loose pursuers in, we slid though vast plans of tall grass and wild flowers which were very difficult to move through undetected.

We stopped periodically, listening and checking for the hunters before moving again, slowly edging toward the better cover of the far off forests. Dad and I had practised this so often, also anticipating each other’s thoughts and actions and that had saved us so many times. Hopefully it would save us again. We almost made it.

One of the hunters appeared out of the grass, having just relieved himself and indulging in a roll. He was an Igidoe, but he was quickly joined by a female Icanthie. They must have broken the party up into pairs to scout which meant they knew something was here but they couldn’t find it. We couldn’t afford to stop, so Dad and I continued to move, as silently as we could, eyes glued to the lethal pair.

It was the Icanthie that heard us. I don’t know what it was, the unnatural switch of the grass as we glided through it perhaps or the wind blew the wrong way at just the wrong time. Whatever the reason, the hunters went on alert, sinking down to be obscured by the grass and intent of finding their prey. Not good. Now they’d be more difficult to evade.

But Dad and I aren’t prey. Using hand signals, we split up, circling around to muddle any tracks whilst still edging closer to the forests. We couldn’t risk using the network in case they caught our stray signals and telepathy might distract us, so we had to rely on our practice. Still, although Dad was only a few steps away, I felt alone. Moving carefully and quietly, I listened hard… there! The slight crush on a blade of grass bending beyond its endurance. One of them was close. Any moment now…

Before the hunter found me, a scuffle, quiet yet somehow deafening at the same time, erupted to my left. The Hunter popped up, looking in the same direction and I took my chance. I couldn’t worry about Dad just now, I needed to make sure I survived first, then help if if he needed it. The Igidoe had moved towards the scuffle which was almost silent now and didn’t hear me. Blades in hand, I lunged at the large figure, aiming for the eyes and neck. They were the easiest target when he was in his Canine form.

I don’t know what went wrong but the first blow didn’t finish him. Badly wounded, he turned on me and I barley managed to jump back in time, avoiding his deadly claws. He was fast and I had no time to go on the offensive, preoccupied with staying out of his reach. Suddenly Dad appeared and sank his blade into the Igidoe neck, twisting before ripping it out, taking his throat with it. I was breathing hard but did my best to clam it and stay quiet. We didn’t have long, the blood on the air would alert the rest of the hunting party, despite the swift and silent nature of the fight.

“I’ve dealt with the other one. Go Sierra! Run.”

I didn’t argue or wait, we both took of, still trying to stay quiet yet going as fast as we could to make it to the trees. I’d never taken a sapient life before and I’d been spared again. But I knew, in this life, eventually it would happen. We were never safe and, just like now, we’d have to defend ourselves and keep running. Dreaming of any other way was too dangerous.