The four of them hollered with laughter. Human dimensions tickle, and getting here was hilariously weird for all of them. They continued dissolving, or resolving, in giggles as they broke their group hug and started looking around. Captain Wendel touched parts of Drift X as she moved, and they were solid, yet still alive (though in the more familiar way).

They were parked in a glen surrounded by tall, straight trees. A bright noontime sky shone golden-hued, and the three moons told Wendel they were on Primatris. In the distance across the meadow sat the Clearpath, looking scrubbed. The sight took her breath away, and she floundered toward the hatch and hit the opener. Continuing to peer out, she saw that people were bringing firewood into the ship. Leiv’s delivering wood? That can’t be earning him much, but the food’s probably good.

As the hatch finished opening and Wendel spilled out of it, she saw Leiv step out of his hold. It gave her the silliest grin as she broke into a run. Her limbs don’t normally flap around this much when she’s running, but okay. Relieved laughter sobbed gently from her as she flapped a hand up in the air while galloping toward him. Heads turned as they just noticed the ship there, and Leiv saw her. He’d just taken an armload of wood, and he took a step toward her and dropped it to one side. Wendel must have been running pretty fast, because Leiv had just reached out his hand when her outstretched hand met his. Leaning against that hand like a solid wall of safety, Wendel drooped panting and grinning, and he softened like he could finally relax for a minute.