[D6 SMR] Anxiety over Depression

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

As they conversed, Bom listened. He had no clue who Cuyler was talking to but he was glad that they could even talk to someone.

[Kannon]

"...There should be a rock outcropping to the south of your position - if the recent storm hasn't hidden it. The coordinates are as follows."

He gave them, and Iqbal introduced them immediately.

"Stay put when you reach it. I'll send someone there with power cells for your thopter. Have you also made a decision on my debt to you?"

[Cuyler Gray]

"The spaceport." she answered. "I have a feeling we may need it."

[Kannon]

"The Fremen call that place Cave of Birds. It's in the Habbanya Ridge. The device will show you coordinates tomorrow. Destroy it afterwards."

A pause.

"I'll call in the debt at another time."

[Cuyler Gray]

"Understood. Thank you."

[Kannon]

"Now I have another stake in your survival."

The man chuckled dryly, then cut the connection.

[Cuyler Gray]

"I could have done without the last part." she frowned and put the device away.

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

He mouths the words 'thank you' to her. He hurt right now though. Not just his voice. His eyes moved to stare at the desert.

[Ahmina]

Her breathing was mindfully controlledas she dug herself out of the hole

Time might be of the essence but she had to take her own if she wanted to succeed.

[Kannon]

Once she dug out, for a moment it seemed oddly quiet as the worm had burrowed a bit into the broken ground. Ahmina could feel the overpowering scent of raw spice essence, poisonous until transformed by the Reverend Mother, to have oozed from where the Shai-hulud's skin had touched with post-spice blow moist in the melange field. It was very dangerous - if unchanged Water of Life got out into ecosystem in any serious amount, it could kill the little makers by the millions. The sandworm simply couldn't die here!

Just when she could be getting desperate, the worm moved! Slowly, but surely toward her thumper, which by some miracle had survived the prior carnage. She had to prepare!

[Discipline 2 to to put herself in the sandrider mindset.]

[Ahmina]

Everything happened for a reason.

She did not doubt for her Faith was strong. This was her task, her trial. A killer's hand was to guide the great maker away from the pool to preserve the little ones.

This had been ordained and she had been chosen

Sandrider mind, discipline+Faith, tn 14, 3 threats for bonus dice: 5#1d20 19 7 16 5 4
3 successes, +1 momentum

[Kannon]

[2 Threat: Wrong Angle]

Shai-hulud began acquiring speed, and only then did Ahmina realised that her positioning to its trajectory was skewed! But she couldn't move now, not until she could bury the maker hooks in the worm's rings, so she'd have to leap an extra pace when it would finally arrive!

The toxic smell of churned salt hit her nostrils despite the plugs in place, adding to the odour of spice essence; the Old Man of the Desert was fast approaching, showing signs of rage by erratic movements. The moment she'd have to mount it was nigh!

Move 3 + 1 (Wrong Angle) = 4, Complication at 17!]

[Ahmina]

Her heart was pounding.

She closed her eyes, took a breath and put a prayer on her lips before she jumped



Jump on the Fussy Maker! Move+Faith (15), nimble (diff reduced by 2), Threat for 2 dice, momentum: 5#1d20 7 19 18 1 8

4 successes, +2 momentum, 2 complications!

[Kannon]

Despite the challenge, the hooks dug deep and proper, and she held fast, before the beast would turn to spare the exposed inner flesh, but an unexpected wobble made her fremkit slip off and vanish in the deathly churn beneath! Now, she only had her stillsuit, her crysknife and the hooks to survive!

But this couldn't deter her, she knew. Once the worm did turn, she quickly dug the second barb and stretched the spice-fiber rope between the anchors to give her the ability to steer. Now, she could lead the worm out of depression, and hopefully beyond. The exhilaration tore a shout out of her lungs, the call of the sandriders.

On all those planets the Zensunni wanderings had led through, the powers of the Imperium had always come to deny them their freedom. Here, on Dune, they could not. Since the time of Selim who'd first ridden the worm, the Fremen were no longer chained, no hajj could be denied to them. She could go far now, if this worm tired she could call... no she actually couldn't. The spare thumpers had been lost. She needed to ride this one as close to a sietch as possible. So in the end, her choice was simple: right or left? False Wall East or False Wall West? Back to the auditors, or closer to the Habbanya Erg, where she had a chance to find Abumojandis' tribe, and maybe Liet-chih?

[2 Complications: Loss of Fremkit]

[Ahmina]

Ahmina had Heard the call and these events had been ordained!

She began steering the maker towards the direction the harkonnen goons escaped to.

Fly as they might, the mighty Maker rules these sands and she hoped...no...she knew she would find her people there to help her.

[Kannon]

The Maker carried her westward!

/scene!