1. Plans Within Plans

Another Rat goes down, and the momentum of the attack swings wildly the other way The Rats fire cover fire and flee.

Do you chase them?

"We should probably let them be," Rook suggests as he squints at the Rats fleeing. "There are many more from where they came from and killing another one or two won't do anything other than risking ourselves and our goals."

"Agreed," Marcus says and deactivates his shield. "When the rest learn about what happened here, they'll realize that we aren't simple marks."

Hural stares into the distance a moment after the Rats as they flee, then returns to the matter at hand. "Yes, following would not be the best strategy. They are not likely to a problem once we leave this place, and they are sufficiently cowed, I think, to try anything again right away. We best be on our way. Ordway?" He looks to the man, expecting him to lead them on toward their transport.

Ken Ordway picks himself up from the side on the tunnel where he was viewing from weapons fire, and dusts himself off. "This way, they won't attack in a crowd." He takes one of the poison-dart maula guns from the Rats bodies.You escape the warren into the Mouse Market proper, and only then does he say, "Wasted my Solaris on their protection, didn't I? Even if it was their teachery, I'll not be able to show myself in this market again. They'll silence me!" He wipes his brow nervously. "My ornithopter is parked outside."

Rook's eyes narrow as he sees Ordway take the pistol. He picks up a maula pistol, and a net. He has no need for a knife and doesn't ask the others if they mind him grabbing the items.

"Any of you object to Ordway having the pistol or perhaps one of you would take it for safekeeping? Same for the knife. A net could prove useful. Two even better."

Later once they are outside again he feels nothing for the man's whining and is only interested in getting safely away in the ornithopter..

"If we can't trust this man with a pistol, how could we trust him to help us complete our task?" He doesn't pick up any of the Rats' possessions.

Hural also picks up one of the maula pistols as well as a knife - it never hurt to have a backup weapon, particularly when they could be heading into a den of snakes.

"Lead us there, Ordway. Let's be free of this place."

Ken looks at the pistol, as if seeing it for the first time, registering how the ambush must have looked. "I didn't, I wasn't involved in that, but ... Here, take it. We're safe now anyway. I hope."

Outside, a few buildings have ornithopter pads on the rooves, and he leads you to one. Security lets him in, and you find your way to the roof by way of stairs

At the top, a quartet of fliers sit near the pad, and he leads you to the smallest one. "It's not a long flight, but we'll go in a roundabout way to keep out of view of sentries and patrol routes."

Marya, too, picks up some gear from the bodies of the rats - snagging herself a knife, a maula pistol, and synthetic rope net. The knife and pistol she attaches in their sheath and holster to a belt around her bodysuit - the net she packs away in her backpack.

As they approach the 'thopter, she allows herself a smile. She does so enjoy the feeling of flying around in these machines, of how the day-to-day challenges and dangers of this world seem to shrink in size and significance as you gaze down on them from above. She takes a seat up against one of the windows of the vehicle, the better to enjoy the view.

Rook doesn't answer the Mentat. The Spymaster trusted no one implicitly. As they walk toward the thopter he noticed Marya smile.

"It is a joy to fly, isn't it?" He wouldn't let on, but in his world full of treachery, betrayal, and deceit, soaring in the skies above it all felt like a renewal of sorts. A cleansing from the dirt below.

To Ordway he nods. "It's a good plan. No need to give anyone any excuse to stop us." Finding a seat, he settles in and prepares to enjoy the flight.

Hural quietly takes a seat on the ornithopter and scans the area outside the viewing window, waiting for them to lift off.

Marcus is the last to board, wanting to make sure no hostiles thwarted their departure.

The ornithopter powers up, and then launches itself into the air. The high speed vibration of the flier blades stores the air, and the unlikely craft wills itself into the hot desert air.

You fly west, crossing a vast expanse of city. The various districts contain a myriad of microcosms, from markets to mansions, hovels to hotels, factories to Fremen quarters.

Carthag sits upon a hard rocky outcropping, built so to protect itself from the passions of the great sandworms of Arrakis. As the ribbon of desert appears before you, then expands to take up the whole view from the windscreen, you wouldn't be blamed of your eyes scan the wastes for that most miraculous of miracles, wormsign.

Ordway flies the 'thopter lower, virtually skimming the wavy sands. Buzzing along, he cuts through a canyon of rock turning here and there, circling back and around until your thoroughly lost. Perhaps one of you is adept at remembering the route should you wish to retrace your "steps".

When he lands, you almost think that he's parking on a promitory, but the craft settles in a hidden grotto.

"We're here." He shuts down the power and folds the wings back along the tail. "Now, my fee please."

Hural unstraps himself from the seat and stands, pulling out a pouch of coin - pre-counted and exact - handing it over to the man. "A pleasure," he says with a nod.

He had paid close attention to their route and feels confident, if the need arose, he could navigate them back the way they came.

When the others are ready, he disembarks with them to take in the surroundings of their clandestine meetup.

Rook, sorry to see the flight end so soon, also unstraps the seat belt and watches Hural pay the pilot. Thanking him, he disembarks, staying alert, trusting his danger sense to alert them should a threat present itself.

Once payment is made, Marcus exits the thopther and looks around, keeping an eye out for a less than welcome greeting.

Marya feels good for the flight - she feels refreshed by the change of perspective, and the sense of action and dynamism that she gets from travelling in the 'thopter.

She disembarks, and turns to Ordway.

"Is there a way we could easily get back in touch with you while we're out here? In case, for example, we're looking for a quick exit?"

Ordway less you toward a wall, and then moves around it into a low trench. "We walk from here. Not across sand, but the way is hidden. I'll take you there, and wait for you to leave and lead you back "

You walk for twenty minutes before you find yourself in a low cave. Waiting ten minutes, then checking for a little in case you're followed he finds a concealed door in the cave and opens it, with a pneumatic hiss. Once you all pass through he closes it, and it seals tightly.

Glowlights illuminate the passage through the rock. It's been carved, regular and precise, and the bare rock shows striations of the various ores. Cracks, some big enough to fit your fingers in, mar the surface periodically. The passage slopes ever so slightly downward.

It is fifteen minutes later that you arrive at a open area. The passage overlooks another tunnel.

"They're in there. Last chance to turn back."