Quickly she terminated the recording process and programmed delivery of the message. Is that enough to keep them from worrying? Probably not. Though she had only Aevi for comparison, Qalu knew that she didn’t stop being concerned about the little one when she left the habitat.

Regret nearly devoured her as she downloaded and saved what she could of her research. The rest of the data, she destroyed without hesitation. She didn’t want those tracking Helix to get any hint of how far along she had been in her work. It would be better if nobody ever figured out that she had finished the prototype.

At last, they were ready to go. Since public transit maintained easily accessible records, they would have to walk. The rendezvous point wasn’t too far, but distant enough that they would have to camp overnight at least once. Qalu wasn’t an outdoorsy sort, so she wasn’t entirely sure how much distance they could realistically cover, plus there was the question of terrain. She’d input all the factors into a simulator, along with their estimated physical capabilities and it posited that two darktides would be sufficient, barring any unforeseen events.

We have food and water. Let’s do this.

It felt surreal to activate the alarm on her habitat, aware that she had no surety of returning. Everything that mattered, she had with her, either by her side or in her pack, including chemical lights. Helix carried most of it, including the bag full of Aevi’s favorite toys. Maybe it was silly to bring them, but it seemed cruel to drag the Pherzul away from the only life she’d known without attempting to soften the blow.

Qalu managed not to look back as they walked away. She hadn’t shared the meeting point coordinates with Helix, still half-afraid that he would attempt some selfless gesture and sneak away as they slept. From what she knew of him, such an action would be consistent with his nature. They walked in silence, deeper into the wilderness, until the twin suns rose, brightening the sky to fearful heat.

This wasn’t the best time for an overland journey, but at least the daylight hours were short. They sipped their water and rested often, pushing onward as the suns dropped. The darktides were long, offering plenty of concealment to cover their escape. With any luck, they’d be off Tiralan before anyone noticed they had left.

“Should we sleep?” Helix asked eventually.

They had been walking at a slow but steady pace for a full light cycle and most of the darktide. Qalu glanced up at the sky. “I think so. It’s best to rest while it’s bright. Easier to move when the suns are down.”