They gently carried Sally to a room. I followed, the stealthed Fix and Scuff h over head.

  The room wasn't much, but it had a bed and a couple of chairs. The state of everything was rough, but at the moment, it seemed . I took a chair in the er. I leaned back gathering more mana, it was taking a lohan I thought it should. Fix went to post up outside the window and Scuff went back to patrolling the parking lot and sing vehicles.

  Most of the Aldecaldos spent a few mialking with Sally and Amanda before shuffling off to their rest. Some stayed alert and took up their own patrols of the area around the motel. I really wasn't paying any attention to what they were saying, just letting my mind drift. Enjoying a moment of quiet.

  "I don't trust him, who knows what that weird power of his really does. Maybe he put a charm on her, or a h-hex or something." Lynx was obviously my greatest ally. Haha.

  "She wasn't going to make it. Now she's stable that's all that matters. Anything else be dealt with. Later." Amanda with the dismissal. Lynx stomped off muttering.

  Amanda sat wearily iher chair. "Soooo..." Ah, I know this one. "Buttons." I chuckled.

  "What?" She cocked her head at me.

  "Old Joke. You sew buttons. Heh." She frow me. Okay. Humor not w, switch tactics. "You want to know my deal, I get that. But I don't know a lot about my "magic" either. Hell, I've barely started to put together where I am. I've already fucked up iy. Soooo yeah." I shook my head. I plead mana deprivation, my head was feeling a bit loopy.

  "Just tell me what you , maybe we help. At least point you in the right dire." She sounded sincere. For the sed time that night, I unched into a somewhat cut down version of my story so far. I gave her a little less than I told Greg, and I certainly kept out the otherworldly aspects. Still it seemed that my tale moved her, as much as anything could move that hard-bitten woman.

  "That sounds insane. If I hadn't seen what you do... If I hadn't noticed those fshes of energy, I wouldn't eveertain your story. As things stand, I think we help. We know the badnds better than anyone. We help you get around. We have our owworks of Fixers, maybe we set you up. We are certainly willing to help with trading Lumber for a . Say 40%." She delivered that in a precise trolled ce. She was an old hand at the art of the deal. But for once, I just didn't have it io py the game.

  "Hmm. Yeah, I'm too tired and too lost to haggle. I agree." I thought I had enough mana built back up to give Sally another once over. I stood up ao her resting my hand on her head again. I hadn't realized it, but she'd been awake and watg us. She was listening in the whole time.

  "Warm." She smiled up at me. Her voice was smoothing out. That was a good sign. I dived with Regrowth and began searg for any other problems. She had a ton of damage to her hip joints and knees, and more than a few torn muscles. I poured mana into each issue in turn. Once again, I lost all sense of time, as I went to work on her.

  As I was ing out of my trance I heard, "You don't uand. When he does it, it feels so good. Better than anything I've ever felt before." I cleared my throat. Both women g me, I couldn't read their expressions. Gun to my head, I'd say that Sally looked embarrassed and Amanda looked annoyed.

  "You dies okay?" They both s me.

  "My daughter here was telling me she wants to travel with you for a while. I told her it was a bad idea. Not talking you down, just think it be better to get to know you first." Ah, yeah she was annoyed. Wait a minute. What did she say...

  My brain stuck, "Daughter?" Sally looked somewhere between 20-25. Amanda, after ating for a hard life, looked my age maybe a little older. Hey, at least I'd remembered to remove my hand from Sally's head this time. Wow, that put the everything in an awkward light.

  "HA! A bit of vanity in my youth. I'm a lot older then I look." Amanda guffawed at me. She spped her hip. Sally was also chug, "Yeah me and Mom don't share mu the way of features, my looks take more after Dad's. I got her winning personality though."

  "Uh, okay." Time to ge the very unfortable subject, "I've done what I , but you'll o get your cyberware checked over by a Ripperdoc. I 't do anything about that. Go slow, but it's time to test things out. We o make sure I didn't mess up anything. And for the record, I agree with your mom. We should get to know each other a little better before traveling together." I offered her a hand to help her get up. She took it, frowning. Her hand was smoother than I would have thought except where she had a gun link imbedded in it. Right, e arms.

  She went through a series of motions. The only thing off, seemed to be her right arm. It'd probably taken some buckshot when her lung did. Luckily it was a small hit her motion for now. Their Ripper could get it back up to speed back at their camp.

  "Nice. I'm going to head out. I'd like to feel safe before I crash out." I flicked them both my detes. I got theirs back. "I'll be in tou a couple of days, to setup an exge for the lumber." I hoped that they weren't full of shit about being able to help with that.

  "We be seeing you." Amanda said. "Real soon." Sally smirked as she waved.

  I left the room to see the sun just peeking over the mountains. Wait already, my sense of time had really been fucked over.

  I watched the dawn for a brief moment. Su the Su motel. I will op being amused by that.

  My eyes caught some of the Aldecaldos still keeping watch. Scuff and Fix had already attached themselves to the Galena. I got in and started it up. A quick thought brought the engine of the Mahir awake as well. I was going to have the van follow us.

  I drove out of the parking lot, thinking of tomorrow, and what might be.

  When I got to the turnoff for the broken road that ran alongside the yon, I was feeling much better. Something was different already, there was a hint of humidity in the air. I could also sense an upti the mana flowing around us. Hmm, had the ges we made already...

  "I've plumb fot to che with Meadran, I'm such a dumbass." I almost facepalmed, but the cruddy road required both hands.

  'Meadran, you hear me?' I hoped everything was alright. It'd be just my luck if things had gotten crazy ba the Valley while I was out of touch.

  'Young One! We were starting to worry.' A sense of relief. I could actually feel him pce his worry to the back of his mind.

  'I'm sorry, I let events get away from me. Night City is a crazy pce. Every mihere, is a study in bullshit. I don't know if that mess be saved.' I tried to share my impressions of that cesspit.

  'I have faith you will find a way.' There was sense of time passing. Roots growing deep and creating strong anchors.

  'I'll be back to base very soon, and after a nap we go over everything in more detail.' I was absolutely certain, he could feel my exhaustion.

  'We await your return.' It didn't take long to get to the damaged bridge, where I had to stop.

  There were two new gouges in the earth. I got out to ihem. These troughs were smooth walled and several feet deep. Small streams flowed through them, each of them radiating the distinctive st of mana and moon energy. The outflow fell into the yon below. I had the thought that one day it would became a ke or river, helping to spread our influence.

  I noticed a path of cobbled stone runniween the new small als. The Probes had done a lot of work.

  I took the time to park the Galena and the Van behind an outcrop closer to the mountain. I left Fix and Scuff to dig out empts for a couple of Photon ons. I didn't want ao steal my wheels. Cheap though they may have been, they would be great furing out how differently meics fun here. As they got to work, I trudged up the slope. The feel of moisture and more importantly mana in the air was tinuing to work wonders for my stress.

  How often would I have to make this trip? Going bad forth between here and the city. Eventually, I would have access to Khai aircraft then I could travel the skies in style. But not yet.

  The cave that lead through the mountain was now fnked. Not only by two brass grated outflow els, but by a pair of Photon ons as well. A Pylon was imbedded into the rock above the entrance. I noticed the Psifield had been strengthened. Good we should be safer. I was looking forward to seeing all the ges that Meadran and Alina had made.

  Tons of work had been done in the caves, with many of the side passages having been expanded. Likely for mining, I pondered with a slightly greedy heart, what goodies they might have found.

  Once I exited the cave, I received even more of a shock. Meadran had nearly doubled in size. I paused, stuo take in the majestic view. His purple foliage a magnifit sight. He had already seemed as rge as any tree I had ever seen. Now he was a true behemoth amongst tree kind. How much further would he grow?

  A Moon Well with a Pylon floating directly over it was to my left. It's mana infused water flowed down slope into a now much rger pond. The water shimmered in the daylight, it's own light subdued until nighttime. In faow I could see that Pylons and ons ned the whole Valley. The s of marees caught my attention as well. Red leaves, gold leaves, blue and purple leaves where everywhere now. Even almost normal seeming trees with leaves of green. Now this was a forested Valley. I loved it. It was new fresh life. The air was so . Each breath was a shot of peace. So refreshing after the stale stagnant atmosphere of Night City.

  Soon all of this energy would spill forth from this Valley, and bring hope back to this world. Where metal had stolen the souls of people, I would bring healing.

  I began my dest towards the pond. Making a list of things we o go over before I could sleep.

  'Ali on status.' Let's start there. The Khai AI would be able t anything critical to my attentiht away.

  'Executor, status crystal. All standard buildings have been built. Exceptions, the Starport and Fleet Beas. Unit produ other than Probes awaits your ands. 'Excellent, Alina. tinue research. Await further instrus.' Oh, good. I didn't know how much gas I'd left in my tank right then. 'By your and, Executor.'

  When I reached the new western bridge to Meadran's Isnd I was both energized and ragged out. I stooped down to take a sip from the stream. Crisp, and cool water, the tingle of mana adding an amazing touch. One sip became three and three became many. So good. My dry throat felt healed.

  I saw a red leafed tree nearby, silver apple-like fruit already ripe hanging from it's branches. My stomach growled. Oh, now I had to try ohe tree seemed to lean towards me as if to offer the fruit to me. I robably imagining it, si didn't appear to be a treant like Meadran. "Thank you." Because it never hurts to be polite even to a tree. Maybe especially to a tree.

  The first bite of the silver apple ure bliss. The skin was crisp, the flesh slightly firm with a snap to it. The texture delightful, not anywhere near as gritty as some apples be. The fvor...a medley of different fruits both sweet and acidic, with a touch of amon and clove. Was that mosses, yes it was.

  "So tasty." I groaned. Best thing I had eaten, maybe ever. After all the foul food in Night City, this one apple was a slice of heaven. The tree seemed to shiver. Strahere wasn't a breeze. I gave the tree a pat. It had bee the provider of my new favorite food. was actually shuddering. Strange, I'd have to ask Meadran about that tter.

  I felt so much better. Just one awesome apple and not only was I full, all the toxins I had picked up were being burned away.

  Finishing my trek, I stood before Meadran's now huge face. His lines of wisdom were clearer thahere was a vibrate energy surrounding the whole isnd now. Pure life energy.

  'Young One, How like you the bounty of Life?' He wasn't only asking about the apple. There were depths to that one simple question, I might never be able to prehend.

  "So far everything is great." Which was an uatement. They had exceeded my expectations. "Everything seems far ahead of schedule as well." My eyes drooped. Someorying to pull them down. I was rapidity losing the battle to left them back up again. I stumbled. I decided to sit on the soft grass before I fell.

  'I see the jourook quite a bit of your spirit. Rest now, Young One. You are safe now, and there with be plenty of time to talk tomorrow.' His mental voice was deeper now, it kind of echoed or reverberated. I found it extremely soothing. My mind followed the voice down, down further into the peaceful dark.

  I yawned, my body beginning to y ft. "I'll just y down for a little while." I was lost to the world as soon as my head hit the soft minty grass. Dreams of blue eyes chased me to a new world.