[D3, EE] Ride Along

[Kannon]

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch." Aneirin was killing their engines for maximum speed. "Now, we can hope." He was hitting the comms expecting the static to give way eventually.

[Cuyler Gray]

She kept watch around them, looking for any sign of another threat.

[Kannon]

Fortunately, there was none in sight. They escaped. The line of the Shield Wall returned to the western horizon. The Lieutenant sighed deeply and let the engines cool down. He still lowered the flight so that they didn't be too visible against the sky.

The sun started to set.

[Cuyler Gray]

She relaxed and sat back. "I hope flights like that are rare."

[Kannon]

"I wish there were rarer." The pilot's voice was stifled by cold emotion. "Not even sure what got them there."

[Cuyler Gray]

"Who do you think attacked us?" she asked.

[Kannon]

"Unsure. But the worm came after the harvester had been taken, not before, so it means the equipment had been taken by someone, perhaps the first carryall as well. The crew was killed and left to the desert, which is unlike Fremen, who collect the bodies unless they truly have no time to do so. They also destroy equipment more often than take it. It could still be them, maybe that thopter was theirs too, they capture them and then use them well. But it could have been someone else too. Some enemies of the Harkonnen, some opportunists like the smuggler rabble? Nothing I saw gives me a clear idea."

After a pause, he added. "Maybe someone is setting up a private business here, with the spice so expensive, and makes the Harkonnen look weak in the process."

[Cuyler Gray]

"That is certainly a possibility." she frowned. "It's going to make it difficult to understand the situation here, but we didn't expect our work to be easy."

[Kannon]

"If I were honest with you, my lady, I'd say there is this perception that this whole CHOAM mission is a wake of vultures that has come to prey on Harkonnen weakness to wrest Arrakis from them for themselves. Harkonnens spread those rumours, no doubt, but even I can't fully dismiss the logic behind it. Maybe one of yours on that frigate is hedging bets?"

He glanced at her quizzically, just as Mt. Dmitri set itself more visibly against the red sunset.

[Cuyler Gray]

"Given the nature of politics between the houses, I won't deny the possibility." she admitted. "But, I can't say it's likely. Not without learning more."

[Kannon]

He shrugged. "Look out, look in." Then he sighed. "Overall, it's bad. If it continues, disaster after disaster, we won't meet the quota, and the Harkonnen would scapegoat anyone to save their own skin."

[Cuyler Gray]

"We don't want that." she said. "Unfortunately, "I'm not sure what we can do about situations like this. Finding out who was responsible would be helpful, but we'd need a better idea of where to look."

[Kannon]

"I have no good idea about this. Probably where someone wouldn"t think to look..." The man turned silent. "I am sorry, I had a friend on that crew."

He tried the comm, and they worked at last. He relayed the event in dry jargon-laden terms, what seemed to give him some shelter from his grief.

[Cuyler Gray]

She was quiet, leaving him to do what needed to be done, what he needed to do.

[Kannon]

They would soon land. "You took a feral flight." Lt. Aneirin said. "Other harvesters returned safely, without trouble." He paused. "So they said."

[Cuyler Gray]

"That is good to here." She offered a smile, as she disembarked. "Thank you again, for your efforts to keep us safe and for your continued bravery. If you hear of anything you think we should look into, get a message to me."

[Kannon]

"Will do if able, my lady." Aneirin responded only after he'd landed, having had to go through the landing procedures. "I'd like to know what was the thopter. Perhaps the key is to understand who's subverting the Harkonnen operations."

[Cuyler Gray]

"I will look into it." she nodded. "Hopefully, something will turn up. I hope the remainder of your night is peaceful, Lieutenant."

[Kannon]

"I doubt it, m'lady. The Harkonnen will interrogate me after this. More so because you were on the mission." He shrugged. "I've long bet on not outliving my usefulness to them though, and so far I've been right."

[Cuyler Gray]

She doubted she could change that. "It was my fault that I was there and you kept us alive. It's not much comfort, but I am deeply grateful."

[Kannon]

"I shall remember it for the time my contract is over, m'lady. If I am still alive then." Aneirin forced a small chuckle as he opened the door for her and unbuckled.

[Cuyler's opportunity to acquire Lt. Aneirin as an Asset once expenditures are covered. This can be done at any point.]