Free Desert Stars by Joe Vasicek Page A

and with the newfound alliance with the Jabaliyn, they could
expect to benefit greatly from the increased trade. Yes, water was
as scarce as ever, but God-willing, the Faleh Basin site would be
ready for habitation within a year.
    As the twilight sky turned from purple
to black, dim yellow lights began to shine from deep within the
glass mountain, casting a warm glow across the rocky valley. Sarah
served them a third round of tea, followed by a fourth. The breeze
grew cooler, while overhead, the stars and satellites shone like
jewels set on rich velvet.
    “ So you’re both on the
pilgrimage to the Temple of a Thousand Suns,” said Sarah, leaning
back in her chair. “And such a young couple—it’s good to see that
old Sathi is finding husbands for his beautiful
daughters.”
    Jalil shifted nervously. “Actually,
we’re not married.”
    “ Oh?” Sarah perked up
immediately, her eyes gleaming with interest.
    “ No,” he said. “I’m her
brother.”
    “ Now don’t try to pull one
over on me,” said Sarah. “I might not have seen Sathi in ages, but
I’m not a fool.”
    “ It’s true,” said Mira,
abruptly joining in. “He’s, well, as good as my
brother.”
    “ Of course, of course,”
said Sarah, smiling meaningfully. “As good or better.”
    Jalil didn’t know how to respond to
that, so he said nothing.
    “ So now that you’re on the
pilgrimage,” Sarah continued, “how do you plan to get
there?”
    “ I don’t know,” he said,
“but I’m sure that Allah will provide.”
    “ Allah helps those who
help themselves,” Sarah said, shaking her head good-naturedly. “Do
you have enough money for a sub-orbital shuttle? Tickets run upward
of twenty-five hundred for a direct flight.”
    Jalil lifted his bag and poured out
all of their cash datachips onto the coffee table. In a few
moments, he had them all counted.
    “ Just over thirty-two
hundred,” he said, heart sinking. “That’s only enough for one
flight, isn’t it?”
    Sarah nodded. “Sorry,
dear.”
    “ Is there no way to earn
the difference?”
    “ Well, you could always
try to hire yourself out as a day laborer,” said Sarah. “But I hear
work has been rather sparse these days; at the going rate, it’ll
probably take a good six months to earn enough for two
tickets.”
    Jalil’s stomach fell. “Six
months?”
    “ That’s right,
dear.”
    I can’t sit around here
for six months, Jalil thought to
himself. I’ll go mad.
    “ Is there anything else we
can do?” he asked.
    “ Of course,” said Sarah.
“You could always try the overland route; I hear it’s not too
expensive, so long you stay at pilgrims’ hostels and travel by
night train.”
    Jalil’s heart leaped in his chest. He
sat up in his chair and leaned forward.
    “ How long does it
take?”
    “ Not too long, though the
route is a bit complicated. You’ll have to pass through Aliet,
Raya, Terra 12—almost half a dozen domes. But it’ll only take a day
or two to pass through each one—that is, if your money doesn’t run
out.”
    “ Great! When can we
start?”
    “ I’m afraid it’s not that
easy,” she said. “Before you can go, you’ll have to get all your
documents in order.”
    “ Documents?”
    Sarah sighed and set her cup down next
to the pile of datachips. On the other side of the table, Mira
pulled her headscarf tighter against the chill night
air.
    “ In order to pass through
the domes,” Sarah explained, “you’ll need special identifying
documents, as well as visas and travel permits.”
    Jalil frowned. “What for?”
    “ To pass through customs,
of course. A dome is like a giant camp—not anyone can just walk
in.”
    “ But what about guests?”
he asked. “Are you saying that the domers have no sense of
hospitality?”
    “ No, no, no,” she said,
shaking her head vigorously. “That’s not at all what I’m saying.
They just need to know that you’re authorized—that you aren’t
bandits or robbers or bad people. Because they