CHAPTER 13
A spectral landscape surrounded them. Towering hills of translucent rock stood out against the leaden sky. Their razor-sharp spires seemed to want to tear open the thick cover of clouds obscuring the sky beyond them. Once the ground had stopped shaking, the eye of the storm had moved south providing them with a much needed respite, but a sandy whirlwind was still tormenting them with violent gusts. Hope noticed that Sparky had lowered the protective lenses incorporated in his hood. Every so often, he would shake his right leg, which was probably sore or cramping up.
“Why did you land so far from your destination?” Hope asked.
“The Empire monitors this planet with dozens of satellites. I know them all. I know their patterns. I knew the blind spot I could come in from to avoid
