"Yes, she is dead." I said, pronouncing the d's of the final word emphatically to show I was slightly irked. Perhaps not as petulant as Emmaline's final statement, but I think we all were a bit tired after a brutal melee we had not anticipated. I took a deep breath and reminded myself we were all lucky to still be here. I could have lost many more agents than the late Samara Bandir. I examined the Espair Pattern VII, and though my knowledge of the manufacturing of lasguns was rudimentary compared to Lazarus, I agreed and could find no flaw in his deduction. 

"What I was doing was studying the moon patterns." I said, drawing Emmaline's gaze my way. There was an open question in her face, and I smiled. She might be a bit clumsy and prefer to laze about, but Emmaline was brilliant, in my mind. I don't fraternize with every pretty woman I happen to meet. Perhaps I should tell her that more often.  

"Moon patterns?" Selencia prompted me, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. 

"Yes. Emmaline is right. They will be in the southern swamps, but we need to move at first light tomorrow." I explained, placing the butt of the lasgun on the ground, Lazarus took it from me, almost cradling it in his arms as he placed it amongst our gear. 

"Because of the tides?" Lazarus asked as he removed the item. 

"Good guess, old friend, but no." I remarked, standing up and taking a professional poise. Emmaline stepped back, almost tripping over a stick. Luckily a log broke her fall and she fell onto a seat as if it were a deliberate choice. I would not tell if she didn't. "In the tribes crude understanding of the Emperor, they have devised he portrays himself in the guise of the sun and the moon. When there is no moon, they take it as the divine Emperor sleeping, and hold vigil all night, seeing anyone approaching as a demon sneaking past their God. No doubt a ritual made after some catastrophic attack years ago, supped up into a time of religious significance." 

"And when there is no sun?" Emmaline asked, maintaining her position in the conversation. 

"They see it as the highest of disfavor. Luckily there is not an eclipse for some time, but in a few days there will be a string of moonless nights. If we approach then, they'll attack us like rabid hounds. Even the ones not in the employ or influence of whatever ruinous agent we now face." 

"And why did we not know this beforehand?" Selencia asked. 

"Yes, why not?" Emmaline added, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. 

"Because I was hoping we needn't stay until that time, and it would not have sped us here any faster. Believe me, if I thought it prudent, you would have been told immediately."