Hours later.
Rain still clung to the forest canopy, dripping slowly from the black leaves as Rafael and Rita pushed through the undergrowth. The ground had become firmer here, though the air still smelled thick with wet soil and swamp water.
Rita wiped a strand of damp hair from her face.
"Rafael, I think we should return to the ship," she said. "This planet is too big to traverse on foot just to find one thing… or one person."
Rafael kept moving forward, scanning the forest ahead.
"Rita, I'm sure we're getting close," he said confidently. "I can feel it."
Rita sighed.
"You said that three hours ago. Come on."
Rafael suddenly stopped and raised a hand.
"Shh."
Rita froze.
"What?"
Rafael pointed through the trees.
"I see smoke."
Rita squinted through the rain-dark branches.
"I told you," Rafael whispered with a grin. "We'd find it."
"Or," Rita said dryly, "that's just some random person on the planet."
Rafael turned and looked at her with complete disbelief.
"We haven't seen a single person this entire time."
A voice spoke from above them.
"Or maybe one was watching you, and you just hadn't found them yet."
Both of them looked up.
Edra sat casually on a thick tree branch above them, one leg dangling over the side.
Rita screamed.
Pure reflex.
Her tranquilizer pistol snapped upward and fired.
Thwip.
The dart struck Edra square in the shoulder.
Edra blinked and looked down at the dart sticking out of her arm.
"Well… that wasn't very nice."
Her grip slipped.
She tumbled from the branch.
Thud.
She hit the ground.
Then bounced once and knocked her head against a nearby rock.
"Ouch," Rafael said.
"That looked like it hurt."
"It does," Edra muttered weakly.
"I can confirm."
Her arm went limp as the tranquilizer began taking effect.
Rita lowered the gun slowly, still staring at the strange four-eyed woman on the ground.
"…Well," Rafael said after a moment.
"I think we found the person who scratched my ship."
Rita exhaled.
"Rafael."
"Yes?"
"I think we should take them back to the ship."
"Alright. You get her legs, I'll get her arms," Rafael said.
"Okay. On three, we lift."
"Ready?"
"Ready."
"One, two, three — lift," Rita said.
They lifted her.
Or rather, they tried to.
Rita strained almost immediately.
"Wow. She is a lot heavier than she looks."
"Or we're both just weak," Rafael said. "But that won't stop us. Let's try again."
Rita adjusted her grip.
"Ready?"
"Yep."
This time they managed to lift her properly.
Up close, the smell hit Rita all at once.
Mud.
Swamp water.
Wet leaves.
And something sharp beneath it.
She tried to pinch her nose, but with both hands occupied, all she could do was grimace.
"Rafael, she stinks. And what is this stuff on her arm and clothes?"
Her eyes dropped to the dark resin-colored blood staining Edra's sleeve and the side of her gown.
Rafael glanced down.
"I'm sure she was surviving out here on land. She probably has her reasons."
Rita gave him a flat look.
"Surviving on land in this outfit? She looks like she's either on her way to a galactic ball or a cult ritual sacrifice."
"Enough," Rafael said. "You're starting to sound jealous of her outfit, and it's getting dark. I don't want to be out here any longer than necessary."
"I am not jealous," Rita said. "I'm concerned about who this person is and what they're doing here."
Rafael shifted Edra's weight in his arms.
"We can discuss the life-altering questions and whatever consequences she brings later. For now, let's get this heavy giant back to the ship."
Rita sighed.
"Fine. Let's go."
"Lucienne!" Rafael shouted.
Rita looked at him.
"Why are you screaming when we're standing right outside the ship?"
Rafael adjusted his grip on Edra.
"How exactly are we supposed to get the ramp down if neither of us has a free hand?"
Rita glanced at Edra.
"Why don't we just drop her on the ground?"
Rafael stared at her.
"And are you going to pick her back up off the ground?"
Rita thought about it for a moment.
"…No."
"I thought so."
Then both of them shouted at once.
"Lucienne!"
A soft metallic hum echoed through the forest as the ship door unlocked and the ramp began to lower.
Light spilled out from the ship into the dark trees.
Lucienne hurried down the ramp, clearly expecting something to be wrong.
"What happened?" she asked. "Are either of you hurt?"
Before Rafael could answer, Lucienne stepped forward and took his face in both hands, turning it slightly from side to side as she searched for any sign of injury.
Rafael blinked in surprise.
Lucienne scanned him once, twice, then finally let go and exhaled.
"You're all right," she said, relieved.
Then her eyes shifted to the unconscious woman in their arms.
"And who might this be? Is this the person you were looking for?"
She leaned in closer.
Her gaze caught on the tranquilizer dart lodged in Edra's shoulder, then moved to the wound on her arm and the dark resin-colored blood staining her clothing.
Slowly, Lucienne turned to look at Rita.
"Tell me you did not shoot her."
Rita lifted her chin slightly.
"I did not shoot her for no reason."
Lucienne's expression remained perfectly calm.
"Please tell me the reason."
"She startled me."
Lucienne stared at her for one long second.
Then she straightened and stepped aside, gesturing toward the ship.
"Get on the ship," she said. "Take her to the med bay. Now."