The ranger station stood sturdy in a small clearing at the mountain's base, right below the dam. It was built from stone and wood, with clean lines and solid construction, clearly made by machinery, not by survivors just scraping by.
Martin held the door open for Reidar. "Our infirmary and the vendor are both here. Mara, our healer, and Morv'axil... well, you'll see."
"Is he a Thalassari?"
Martin's eyebrows rose in surprise before he gave a slow nod. "You've met one before. I should have guessed, coming from another settlement."
"I have. Don't worry," Reidar said. "Dealing with an alien is a far cry from putting down a feral monster. Strange as their existence is for us, they're traders, not predators."
He kept his face calm, but the memory of Keth'moran's strange eyes and all those heavy secrets still got to him. Martin's clasp on Reidar's shoulder broke the brief silence. "I can't thank you enough. You've given us a real chance."
