Page 36 of Red Dragon
“The only one in the world—that hasn’t already been harvested and put to use, that is—can supposedly be found in what was the storm god’s main laboratory in the Dire Desert of Droha. Only one at a time grows out of a special substrate that he created, and it takes ten years to form. Another doesn’t start forming until the last is removed.”
“So we can only ever make one shielder every ten years?” Syla asked.
“Ifthe crystal orb is there at all after all these centuries. With the gods gone…” Teyla spread her hands.
“Had our ancestors been wise, they would have gone to that laboratory every ten years and stockpiled the orbs.” Tibby pinched her lips in disapproval.
“Well, it doesn’t sound easy to get into.” Teyla waved at a paragraph of text, presumably part of the translation from the scrolls. “Or like a place one would want to wander around in. It was made by a god who hated humans, after all. Or didn’t care that his creations liked to eat our people.”
“True,” Tibby said. “And there was a mention of security defenses for the laboratory.”
“Can you imagine how fun it would be to try to break through security created by agod?” Teyla grimaced. “Even the Dire Desert itself can kill a person easily. We haven’t sent many archaeological teams there over the centuries.”
Syla sat back in her chair. “If we can only get one of those particular components every ten years… we can’t let the stormers reach it first.”
“Agreed, though it does sound like a moon-mark is required to gain entrance to the laboratory,” Tibby said.
“One of our moon-marks gets a person into the storm god’s laboratory?” Syla arched skeptical eyebrows. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“Well, the shielders were made after the storm god was driven away, remember,” Teyla said. “Another god may have added that element to allow one of our relatives access in case they ever needed a replacement component.”
“But the same god didn’t deactivate the security defenses?” Syla asked.
“The gods can only do so much to help us,” Tibby said.
“That’s the truth,” Fel muttered, half-listening as he rotated and massaged one of his stiff hips.
Syla waved at the notes. “It sounds like we need to pack for a quest.”
Fel frowned at her. “We?”
“I will, of course, bring you along, Sergeant Fel, if you’re willing to continue working with me.” Syla smiled at him, certain that hadn’t been his objection.
“Youshould stay here,” Fel said. “As we’ve discussed before, it’s important to keep you alive, not put you at risk.”
“You don’t think I’d be more at risk here?” Syla smiled sadly, silently acknowledging that if she left, a new monarch or government system might have been put in place by the timeshe returned. Of course, Dolok might already be scheming to do that. If shedidn’tleave, she could end up stuck in a dungeon cell.
Fel opened his mouth, as if to deny that, but he’d been there for the general’s threats.
“You’ll need me to help you navigate the world out there and find these ancient components.” Teyla nodded firmly. “I have some books and ideas on where in the desert that laboratory might be located.”
“You’re talking about a journey of weeks if not months,” Tibby pointed out. “If a moon-mark weren’t required, I’d suggest you send a team out to look for these things. Do you even have a ship that would carry you to the mainland, if you choose to go? The queen’sSwift Darterwas destroyed in the invasion.”
“Maybe Captain Radmarik would transport us again.” Syla had no idea if he remained on Castle Island or how to get in touch with him if he’d returned to Harvest Island or sailed elsewhere to avoid the chaos.
“I heard his last adventure with you was daunting,” Tibby said.
“We survived it.”
“His ship took damage.”
“Yes, but the escorting guard ships were destroyed completely.”
“Something that might not entice him to want to take you on another journey,” Tibby said.
After the discussion Syla had engaged in with the captain, she was less certain. He was married, in heart if not legally, to a stormer woman who’d left her people and was high up in the Freeborn Faction. Apparently,shehad been the one who’d suggested Radmarik assist Syla. Too bad Syla had been too concerned about installing and activating the shielder to speak with the captain again after they’d arrived. She’d arrangedpayment for him, but he and his whaling ship had disappeared before she could thank him again personally.
“Even if he would,” Tibby added, “you’d be very vulnerable out there unless you could command a lot of cannonball-filled guard ships to escort you.”
