[Jackpot stars Aerhai.]

I watched our ship rise into the butterscotch-colored sky, my shalkra gauzily protecting my eyes from the miniature sandstorm caused by the lift-off.

I'd wised up; every bit of my paws, except where my claws poked through the tips of my toes, was wrapped in heavy white cloth, guarding my pads from the scalding sand. Similarly, there was a thin white sheet looped around my neck and draped over my back, reflecting the harshest rays from the local star. And I'd gotten a spare mane-tie to hold the mass of longer fur out of my eyes.

Mech grunted, once our ship had dwindled to a shiny speck in the ugly sky. I dropped my gaze and turned towards the gate of the city.

"You'll need to sleep soon," I informed him. All I got was another noncommittal grunt in response, which surprised me. Him not arguing about physical needs was unusual; the two-day session spent in my lab must have really drained him.

We passed through the open gates, a wind from behind ruffling the stretch of cloth I'd tied to neck and haunches.

"First thing we need to do is find a map," I remarked to Mech, "and then see if there are any zirs left here."

Mech poked me in the haunch with a tailtip, then tossed his head to his left and upwards. I looked.

"...oh, hey, look, a zir."

The six-legged snake was wrapped around one of the thin rails that stretched high above the streets, connecting buildings. Airwalks, they'd been called? Something like that. But the zir wasn't moving, and either that meant it was dead, or feeling endangered.

Mech sniffed. "Smells alive," he rumbled impassively.

"Good to know we're on the same step," I grinned at him, then trotted forward until I was directly under the zir'ken. I sat.

The zir uncoiled and looked down at me through a small shalkra, wide-eyed. "Aaerhaai?!" it exclaimed in a hiss, slender snout zipping between me and Mech. Within about two seconds, it had dropped from the highest airwalk to lower ones, then landed rather lightly in front of me. I stood again.

"Morning, zir-friend," I greeted amiably. "I'm Am, Xenospeaker of a nearby ship. This is Mech." Some part of me wondered how many Aerhai had given those names.

"I am pleassed to ssee you both!" the little snake exclaimed, practically wriggling. "My name iss Rhee'ssto. I did not know Aaerhaa knew of thiss world!"

Mech's nod sufficed for a 'hi how do you do,' and I continued smiling without emphasizing my teeth. The zirs were prey back on their homeworld, and any accidental sign of meat-eating tendencies would put them very on edge. "We only just now found it. Good to see you, Rhee'sto. How are you faring here?"

The zir wasn't stupid. It lowered its sibilant voice. "If you jusst now found thiss world, you will want to know all I know about it. I fare well enough! Come with me." It twisted over itself and began scurrying down a smaller street. With a glance to Mech, we both followed.