The Adventure Society campus was only a short walk from Jason’s lodgings, so they walked in the late-morning sunshine. She had her adventuring gear in her storage space, so she didn’t need to detour home. There were around two dozen people assembled for the expedition, and they were not the last to appear. Their arrival at the marshalling yard together did not go unnoticed. Cassandra went off to speak with friends, while Jason headed for a clump of Gellers. Cassandra’s gently brushing over his arm as they parted likewise caught the attention of prying eyes.

Jason walked across the marshalling yard under the unhappy glare of several young men. He felt several bronze-rank auras press rudely down on him, but ignored them as he greeted Humphrey, Phoebe and Gabrielle, the acolyte of knowledge. Others he recognised from his time in the mirage arena.

“I think you just made a lot of enemies,” Phoebe said. “Do you know how many of the bronze-rankers have designs on her?”

“You can’t live your life afraid of who won’t like you,” Jason said. “Speaking of which…”

Rick Geller and his team joined them. They exchanged greetings, although the healer, Claire, gave Jason a spiteful look. Her twin, Hannah, cast a gaze in the direction of Cassandra Mercer, who was chatting with her own friends. Cassandra glanced their way, eyes twinkling, then turned back to her own group.

The big man, Jonah, had squared himself in front of Jason.

“I have to admit,” Jonah said, “you can fight. You know we would have pasted you in seconds on open ground, though, right?”

“That’s hardly an incentive to fight on open ground then, is it?” Jason asked.

Jonah let out a boisterous laugh, slapping Jason on the shoulder.

“That's a pretty good point,” Jonah acknowledged. “How do you think you'll do on open sand, though? Sand pirates sound like a lot more fun than yet another bog monster, but it doesn't seem like your kind of terrain.”

“Oh, I imagine I’ll muddle through,” Jason said.

“Jason took out two skimmers full of them,” Humphrey said.

“I took one,” Jason said. “My familiar took the other. I was pretty pleased with myself until I saw the aftermath of what Humphrey did. He halfway buried a skimmer with the pirates still in it. One swing of his sword.”

“Everyone will get their chance today,” Ernest Geller said, approaching the group. He had been in charge of their expedition when they first encountered the sand pirates, but today he was just one of the crowd. There were a couple of other bronze-rank family members with him as they joined the assembled Gellers and exchanged greetings.

“Hey, it’s Mose,” Jason said, spotting another member of their last expedition. “He’s with his cousin; I might go say g’day.”

“You know Beth Cavendish?” Humphrey asked.

“We’ve met,” Jason said. “You know her?”