lot more good, since the wound was completely clotted by now, but he didn't speak his thoughts aloud. For the moment Lea had forgotten herself in taking care of him. He put some of the antiseptic on her scalp bruise and she squeaked, pulling back. They both swallowed the pills. "That sun is hot already," Lea grumbled, peeling off her heavy clothing. "Let's find a nice cool cave to crawl into for the day." [Pg 43] [Pg 43] "I don't think there are any here, just sand. We have to walk—" "I know we have to walk," she interrupted angrily. "There's no need for a lecture about it. You're as seriously cubical as the Bank of Terra. Relax. Take ten and start again." Lea was making empty talk while she listened to the memory of hysteria tittering at the fringes of her brain. "No time for that. We have to keep going." Brion climbed slowly to his feet after stowing everything in the pack. When he sighted along his marker at the western horizon he saw nothing to mark their course, only the marching dunes. He helped Lea to her feet and began walking slowly towards them. "Just hold on a second," Lea called after him. "Where do you think you're going?" "In that direction," he said pointing. "I hoped there would be some landmarks. There aren't. We'll have to keep on by dead reckoning. The sun will keep us pretty well on course. If we aren't there by night, the stars will be a better guide." "All this on an empty stomach? How about breakfast? I'm hungry—and thirsty." "No food." He shook the canteen that gurgled emptily. It has been only partly filled when he found it. "The water's low and we'll need it later." "I need it now," she snapped. "My mouth tastes like an unemptied ashtray and I'm dry as paper." "Just a single swallow," he said. "This is all we have." Lea sipped at it with her eyes closed in appreciation. He sealed the top and returned it to the pack without taking any himself. They were sweating as they started up the first dune. The desert was barren of life; they were the only things moving under that merciless sun. Their shadows pointed the way ahead of them, and as the shadows shortened the heat rose. It had an intensity Lea had
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