Unknown pnet

  Six months had passed since the quartet of survivors nded on the unnamed pnet. The inhabitants of the pnet were very hospitable, offering everything they could to help the strangers from another world survive. They provided them with clothing, beds, shelter, food, water, and work. The survivors needed jobs to earn a living, as they couldn't depend on the locals indefinitely if their stay became prolonged.

  Dara helped harvest fruits grown in rge greenhouses and sang to the inhabitants every night when the pnet's two moons were full; although she did not really like harvesting these fruits because of the heat of the greenhouses, she knew that it was crucial to learn the way the inhabitants farm. If their stay was longer than they wanted, they were going to need this knowledge. Caleb repaired the technologies they used, such as mills, dehydrators, and water pumps; he felt comfortable with this job, it was a job he liked as much as piloting. Rick worked to obtain the tree fiber that they processed to make kitchen utensils, hats and among other useful things for their homes. He quickly learned this trade even though he had never done it. He didn't like being out in the sun, but thanks to this he became closer to other inhabitants allowing them to learn more about his culture. And Paul, skilled in construction, helped improve their homes. Of the four, he was the person who did not get used to the pce, he preferred to go on expeditions and look for a clue on how to get off that pnet. He longed to see his family again.

  In exchange for their work, the inhabitants paid them with 5 square pieces of a mysterious metal. This payment was enough to buy food and fund their expeditions. Each month, for a week, the four of them explored the territory, hoping to find more survivors or someone with advanced technology to communicate and request help from nearby space stations. However, after six months, they had not found anything.

  In the six months of their stay, the four survivors did their best to communicate with the inhabitants to ask about other spaceships and cultures on the pnet, but their efforts were in vain. The inhabitants didn't understand them, and they couldn't understand the nguage either. Through constant observation and listening, they managed to learn a bit of the nguage, picking up everyday words like "food," "work," "water," "home," and forming simple phrases.

  Caleb was the most proficient, followed by Dara. Thanks to her, she could communicate somewhat from the first day, despite not understanding much initially. Dara was able to express their distress and plea for help upon nding. Rick struggled with intonation, but the locals still understood him well. Paul, on the other hand, was somewhat reluctant to learn the nguage—not because he thought it unnecessary, but because he clung to the hope of leaving the pnet.

  The community houses were underground, connected by corridors to other houses below. It resembled a byrinth, with only the inhabitants knowing all the paths without getting lost. Despite being an underground community, they did not ck light, thanks to a roof system that used panels to attract sunlight. They never cked water either; it ran underground. The inhabitants had constructed pipes to manage and distribute water to all the homes. They grew food on the surface, using giant greenhouses to cultivate legumes and vegetables. Irrigation was supplied by the underground water. They never eat meat. Despite being in a desert location, water was never scarce. The sand was very white, the days were very hot, and the nights were very cold.

  The four survivors had learned from the traditions. They held a party once a month called "The Full Moons" where the families have fun together. There was also a special annual celebration for couples, where each person gave their partner something special as a sign of their value, appreciation, and eternal love. The inhabitants were monogamous, and each family could have up to three children. The ws were simple; there was a chief for the tribe who ensured compliance with the rules and regutions, and the chief was changed every year.

  Caleb, Dara, Rick, and Paul set out as usual to explore. For transportation, they used giant birds, which functioned simirly to horses but could move much faster. Using these birds cost them two square pieces each. They had already explored the north, so this time they ventured south, having spotted some mountains in the distance. The sun was scorching, so they all wore woven hats made from the fibers from desert trees.

  The excursion was initially unsuccessful; they found nothing but endless white sands and their fading hopes. That was until they stumbled upon an isoted house, simir to the ones they came from. The strange part was that a person lived there, separated from the community. They saw an old man feeding a species of rger birds with giant wings, which looked nothing like the birds they were riding.

  Dara was the first to greet the old man in his nguage. With her smile and kindness, she was able to attract the attention of the hermit. The old man approached and greeted his unexpected visitors as well.

  Caleb asked about the giant-winged birds, and the old man expined that they were a little-known species, rare in these parts, but capable of carrying a person through the skies. Caleb was excited by this; if it were possible, they could explore more effectively and efficiently. Although the four of them spoke very little of the local nguage, they were able to communicate effectively with the old man. Initially, he was reluctant, but gradually he began to feel more at ease. They expined their situation, revealing that they had survived an attack. The old man did not understand what a spaceship was, but he grasped that they had fallen from the sky in a bird rger than any he had ever seen. They sat for hours talking and trying to communicate.

  Paul, astonished, clumsily asked how much it would cost to rent those animals for exploration. The old man said it would cost ten square pieces per bird. This was too much for each of them, as they only earned five square pieces and 2 of those were just for exploring. Despite the high cost, Caleb and Paul were not discouraged and wanted to know more about how the birds worked. They convinced the old man to show them.

  The old man pced a kind of saddle on the bird's back, mounted it with impressive skill, and shouted two words, "YIA, YIA," to signal the bird to fly. At first, the bird ran and then spread its wings to take flight. It flew approximately two kilometers from where they stood. After measuring the bird's flight time, the four of them were convinced that if they wanted to search for more clues or find a civilization with more technological advancements on the same pnet, they would need those birds. They agreed that they needed to save or work more to obtain the ten pieces required.

  Dara was delighted by the enthusiasm she saw in Caleb and Paul; they resembled children eagerly awaiting a new toy. She realized it was understandable—they were training to become pilots, and being separated from their technology was undoubtedly challenging for them. Now, with the opportunity to fly once more before them, they were filled with excitement.

  Despite sharing in their excitement, Dara couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness. The uncertainty of how much longer they would be stranded weighed heavily on her mind. This growing sense of permanence began to overwhelm her, and she started to mentally prepare herself for the possibility of spending the rest of her life on this pnet and seeing Rick's face, she thought he was the same way.

  to be continued ...