Lines of light and energy spiral around the Khatta, Savanite and Eeee as they hurl across the void between Morpheus and Sinai. But the void seems far from lifeless – quite the opposite, it seems positively alive with wild, uncontrollable energies that hustle the cosmic travelers toward a distant blue point that grows larger, though not any more distinct. At last, they reach it, and the elongated sense of reality comes crashing down heavily upon them, as the physical realm reasserts itself … resolving itself into the interior of the crystal tower, which is glowing faintly.

The gravity is heavy here, though no heavier than the interior of the crystal chamber. Still, the exertion of standing up in this heavier gravity, after so many days of being on Morpheus – and the shock of passing from world to another – is enough to bring all three travelers to their knees.

Brishen embraces the tower's floor and mumbles, her wings canted off in strange angles. "Yes, I like you too, Sinai, but don't hug me so hard. Ugh."

Some shouts can be heard in some harsh-sounding language. As the window to Morpheus fades … the window to Sinai is already clear, showing the desert beyond … and some spiked-helmet soldiers who touch and shatter the crystal window-door that allows entry into the tower.

Jynx emits a kittenish mew of pain as he slams down to the ground. "Owwww! Great, looks like- huh?" The cat ignores his pain for the time being, and looks through the window. "Hey!" He forces himself painfully to his feet, and makes his way to the Sinai gate.

Brishen pushes herself up, casting a wild glance towards Feli. "What are you doing – I. Oh, wires."

There are several more soldiers outside. Most of them are not wearing those skull masks, though their eyes are still covered in goggles that make them look oddly bug-eyed. They're human, every one of them. And by the tone of their voices, they don't sound too happy. One of them reaches out to grab the Khatta by the wrist.

Brishen looks around for Last-Daughter, squeaking faintly as she wobbles to her feet.

Briefly glimpsed, several tents can be seen pitched outside. Most of them are of a rusty-red hue … but some are of garish colors, reminiscent of the colors favored by the nomads of the Himaat.

Last-Daughter just curls up in fear, trying to hide behind her own knees from the harsh-speaking soldiers.

The Khatta attempts to screech to a halt, his body acting before his brain. He tries to claw the soldierish looking human, looking about for a place to escape. "Brishen, get Last-Daughter!"

Brishen scrambles over to gather up Last-Daughter. A wing conceals her hand as she signs, quickly. "Don't curl up. You might have to run, alright?"

The human recoils at the slashing claws, and backs away … as several rifles snap into place, held in the hands of the other soldiers … all armed at the threesome. Unless all of the three possess super-lightning reflexes … or armored hides … it could be terribly difficult to dodge what's likely to come OUT of those rifles if fired.

Brishen squeaks at Feli. "Get back here! We can't get out that way!"

Jynx freezes at the sight of the strange weapons. He's seen muskets before, but these seem much more menacing. He starts to back away, slowly towards the bat and cheetah. "Wh – what do you want?"

The first soldier checks the slashes on his arm, then shakes it, and barks something at Jynx. He makes a "come here" motion with his arm that doesn't look terribly happy.

The turban-like kadiban of a Khattan merchant can be briefly glimpsed just past the helmets of the soldiers in the doorway. Perhaps someone trying to get a look inside.

The Khatta ponders bolting for it, but decides that those weapons would probably beat him to the punch. Slowly, he pads forward. "I – I don't understand… "

The soldier waves Jynx, repeating some word he said before. Others gesture to the bat and the cheetah kit as well. They seem to be waving toward the Sinai door.

Brishen signs to Last-Daughter, quickly, a wing hiding her hand. "I want you to stay close to me, alright? Don't run unless I say so, and watch my hands." Then, she stands, slowly.

"Don't try to run," Jynx sighs out to Brishen. "If those things are anything like muskets, we'll be killed within seconds." With a wary nod, he slowly makes his way towards the Sinai gate.

Brishen nods slowly. "I know what they are." Then, to Last-Daughter. "Some things about Sinai are really different. If someone signs to you, and asks you about being a slave, say you are, that Feli and I own you. I'll explain as soon as I can." And with that, she stands and slowly moves towards the window, clasping Last-Daughter's hand in her own.

Last-Daughter's hand, firmly clasped, is unable to reply in sign. She only nods, her face fearful. The soldiers surround the three travelers, and usher them outside the tower.

There, just outside, can be seen several tents … and just outside the gateway is a huge pile of … dirt? Yes, dark earth. Soil. Definitely not from the Himaat, but nothing more than dirt, with a few bits of dried grass stuck here and there.

A number of Titanians with wheelbarrows are poised near the gate, holding loads of the dirt, and some of the soldiers are waving them back, speaking in some unknown language. The Titanians start looking to each other, than growling and rolling the wheelbarrows away from the gate.

Brishen blinks. ( Dirt? What do they want with dirt? )

Several Khattas can be seen here as well, dressed in the loose robes of desert traders and nomads. They seem to be haggling over rusty pieces of metal, holding up their fingers a lot as they gesture at some of the soldiers.

Jynx, hands still in the air, goes where he is directed, looking at the strange mound curiously. He blinks at the Titanians, not to mention these strange humans. Aren't they usually bookworms? He then notices the traders. "Hey!" He calls out in Rephidimese, "What's going on here?"

One of the Titanians looks to Jynx, but a Khatta trader responds first. "Eh? Ah! You there! I didn't see you before. Greetings! A fine day is it not?"

The trader, garbed in robes of predominantly green shade, seems not the least bit worried by all the guns being waved about.

The Khatta and Eeee are rudely shoved out of the tower, and to one side. One of the soldiers makes several violent-looking hand gestures to the Khatta, pointing at the tower occasionally … then leaves them. The cheetah kit quietly sobs.

Jynx sets his ears back in confusion, and continues to stare at the trader. "Wh – what's going on here?" He blinks, and looks around again, only to be shoved to the ground. He stays where he is, and watches the scene in amazement.

Brishen remains very close to Feli, and even closer to Last-Daughter, whom she hugs gently. She even manages to stay on her feet as she's shoved about.

The Titanian says, "Doh … they called off da dirt-movin'. Did youse guys break somedin'? Don't nobody's supposed to use da windows without da okay from das spikey-dudes."

"Spikey… dudes?" Jynx gets back to his feet. And watches the humans. "Why were you moving dirt? And who are these humans?" The Khatta feels like hissing from all the confusion.

Brishen narrows her eyes, slightly, then looks around to see where she is, where the humans are.

The Titanian smiles. "We move dirt … dey gives us METAL!" He shakes his head, causing several gears and washers – made of honest-to-goodness METAL – to rattle on a necklace.

The green-robed Khatta says, "You must have come here from the other side? Did you bring any iron with you? Is it true that the land is littered with it everywhere?"

"Y-you mean you're trading with them? They aren't attacking you?" The black Khatta walks over to Bree and Last-Daughter, then regards the robed feline. "Iron? We didn't bring anything with us! The land we were at was just… dusty."

Brishen nods, evenly.

"Well," says the feline merchant, "they are very … ah … disagreeable. We have a bit of a language barrier, it seems. In any case … you have journeyed far, and must be tired! Would you care to be guests under my tent – the tent of Rajiim the Merchant? I would love to hear tales of whatever is on the other side."

Jynx looks to Brishen, then back to the Merchant. "Well, I suppose so if… they don't have any objection. We'd be delighted."

Brishen smiles. "We would. Thank you." Her teeth are bright against her dark, dark fur.

The three interplanetary travelers are ushered off to the tent of Rajiim the trader. They are entertained with music, food, and drink … and the spiked-helmet soldiers don't so much as show up once within the Khattan tent. Rajiim introduces the travelers to his sizeable family – all merchants as well, of course – and they are treated to the hospitality only a Khattan could truly show…

The next day is fairly uneventful, as the Khatta and Eeee and Savanite get to observe wagons laden with rusty metal coming out of the tower. The day after that, wagons laden with dirt go into the tower. As the travelers await some sort of arrangement to get back to Rephidim (and are treated as guests by the desert trader Rajiim) about two weeks pass. At the very least, it's enough time to readjust to Sinai, and recover from the strains of their adventuring.

A day like any other brings several wagons laden with more rusty metal, coming from the tower. Then, there is a long pause … followed by several people of various species coming by foot, or on Dromodon- or Drokar-pulled carriages. (This doesn't seem to be part of the regular schedule.)

Nobody seems inclined to explain just WHAT is going on, other than that these strange spiked-helmeted people seem to be willing and ready to exchange fortunes worth of iron in exchange for mere DIRT. Of course, that isn't readily available in the Himaat, but it's still an attractive profit margin for a sand-faring nomad. That all goes smoothly, until a black Korv starts egging on some Titanians into some sort of contest to see who is the loudest. And a couple of black Vartans watch the proceedings…