Rain of Tears by Viola Grace Page A

administrator’s office.
    They sat side-by-side and faced Turnari as he rubbed the back of his neck. “We hate sending people out before they have settled in, but there is a bit of a disaster brewing on a world being bio-formed.”
    Reyan perked up. “What kind of disaster?”
    He rubbed his forehead. “They only say that the weather won’t fix if that makes any sense.”
    She scowled and looked to Unrik. “Not good. Their machines weren’t able to work out a weather pattern before they burned out. Now, the weather shifts and won’t settle on seasons, so nothing can be started regarding planting or completion of surfacing.”
    Turnari sighed. “Thank goodness you know what it means. Will you two go?”
    Unrik nodded. “Of course. I will enjoy seeing you in action again.”
    She read between the lines, and she wanted to smack him. He had just seen her in action two hours ago.
    “When do we leave?”
    Turnari smiled. “The shuttle is on the tarmac. Novice Treani is your assigned pilot. She is very good, her talent is navigation. You won’t get lost.”
    Unrik got to his feet and held his hand out for Reyan. She took it and smiled, “You will send us information on the details of the situation?”
    “Of course. They are waiting on the shuttle. See you when you get back.”
    With the bright wave, Turnari dismissed them, so Reyan and Unrik headed to the tarmac for their first day as Citadel Morganti representatives.
     
     

 
     
     
    Chapter Eleven
     
     
    Ka-8 was a lovely world where nothing was happening. The air was heavy and nothing was moving.
    “This is really going to hurt.” Reyan stood with her hands on her hips, her lips twisted with concentration.
    Unrik scowled. “Will you be able to manage it?”
    “Of course. I am just going to be useless for a few days afterward. I only have to get one large mass of air moving, and the rest will simply happen, but to do that, I need a large chunk of water.”
    The researchers blinked nervously.
    Novice Treani pointed to the nearest water source. “Does it matter if it is freshwater?”
    “No. Since there is no indigenous life, it won’t matter if there is some concentration for a limited time.” She smiled. “Can you get me there?”
    The researchers had handed the entire enterprise over to Reyan, and she was doing her job.
    Treani smiled. “Of course. To the shuttle!”
    Reyan paused, “Specialist Hobbs, did you want to continue to discuss the flora? There won’t be anything for you to see unless I am successful.”
    He came up to her and kissed her. “Good luck. Contact me in a few hours no matter what.”
    “Yes, Specialist.” She saluted and winked.
    Walking with Treani was humbling. Novice Treani was a Selna, and if the Citadel hadn’t claimed her, she would have been sold as a pleasure slave. Being able to act as an active pilot and navigator was her dream come true, and her enthusiasm touched Reyan deeply. It had been so long since she had been truly grateful for anything that she took extra care with Treani. She didn’t want to damage that bright light in any way.
    “How are you going to do it, Master Rain?” Treani refused outright to call Reyan by her name.
    “Get me to that water source, and I will show you.” Explaining it was difficult, but once Treani saw it, she would understand.
    They settled in the shuttle, and Treani lifted off, moving them across the skyline with deliberate focus. She knew where she was going.
    As the shuttle lowered to the ground next to the open lake, Reyan whispered, “Perhaps a little further from the lake. I can do this from up to a kilometre away.”
    Treani didn’t question her, she simply repositioned the ship so that it was higher up and away from direct contact with the water.
    Reyan left the shuttle and stepped toward the lake. Being practical, she knelt and closed her eyes as she felt the lack of anything around her.
    Her first step was to pull the water up and out of the lake, forming a fog