Ghost was patrolling the border of the shield dome, more to get some fresh air than to look out for real danger, as the dome itself posed quite a good protection.
It was then that he saw something unexpected;
not far from the dome, between the trees stood two figures that seemed to be talking to each other while eyeing the half transparent force shield with interest. They looked human, Ghost thought. Maybe other natives? They didn't seem to be Genomes, but then again he couldn't be too sure until he made sure by approaching them. And so that was what he did.
Stepping out of the dome, hand firmly around the hilt of his beam saber, he walked up to the duo, who turned their attention from the force field towards him.
They were indeed humanoids of some kind and reminded him strongly of the humans from their own homeland. Although these two didn't seem agressive or overall intimidated by him.
The one that looked like the leader was obviously a fighter if the number of blades he was carrying on his person were any indication. He was clad in dark leathers and his overall stance and movement had a catlike grace about it. The sharp honey colored eyes were studying Ghost, and beyond the seemingly peaceful look the Operator could tell the stranger was ready to attack him in a heartbeat if he needed to.
The other one was fair, Ghost had almost mistaken him for female on the first look. Clad in crimson and gold robes that matched his flaming hair, he wasn't carrying any weapon on his person as far as he could see, but there was something about the air around him that irritated him.
Then the leader spoke, a fluent dialekt that Ghost was able to pick on quickly, and once again he thanked the Genomes natural ability to understand any language thrown at them.
"Hello," he adressed Ghost, a customary greeting. "good to see we are not the only sentient beings in this land apart from those damn fairies. Are you native? Travellers?"
The Operator frowned. So these two seemed to be strangers too. Travellers, but from where? They didn't look like spacers.
"We are Travellers." He answered. No harm in telling them, he supposed. "As far as we know there are natives around, but we only encountered two of their abandoned offsprings so far. Our ... ship crashed here and we are settling not far beyond that." He told them, pointing at the dome.
"Fascinating ..." the fair one looked at the shield again. His voice was soft as well. "A force field, isn't it? But not any kind I've ever seen before. It's not magical."
So that was it, Ghost thought. A mage. "No, it's not. Most of us use science." "Science ... that's interesting. Were we're from science isn't that developed yet. But I always wondered if it would be able to travel to the stars once. That's where you are from, isn't it?" Ghost nodded. "Right. So tell me, if you are not spacers like us, where did you come from?"
The two of them shared a look, and the leader gave Ghost a wry grin.
"Sarai here experimented with his gate skills. You see, we travel a lot by magic where we come from, and he's a mage in training. He was supposed to travel by a selfmade Gate to his last test, but something didn't work out and here we are. Where ever here is."
The mage nodded.
"We've been travelling around this place ever since, it's been a few months and we're sure that we somehow travelled either quite far or through a dimensional rift. No idea how we can get back, so until we find out we've chosen to explore this lands. We've settled down in an abandoned town a few days to the north."
"Just the two of you?" Ghost asked, still frowning. "Yeah," the other answered. "Just the two of us. Feel free to drop by anytime."
They talked for quite a while longer, Ghost finding their company very enjoyable. The two provided him with a map of the continent they were currently on, the only place they had explored so far, as they still hadn't found a way to pass over the great wall to the west.
Thanking them for the map that would be quite helpful for the young adults of Utopia if they wanted to explore themselves, his new found friends bid goodbye to him, telling him that they would visit again, some time in the future for sure.
This is the Map of the continent, Bareshir as the fairies call it.
(a more detailed description of the different places will follow later)
