Awakening

Alma did not know how long she'd been unconscious. She didn't even know at what point she lost her senses. Last thing she remembered was taking mouthfuls of river water as she drowned, barely breathing. 

It had been a desperate struggle, and it was a fight she was destined to loose. Worse still, Haiser was unconscious, there was no way he would be able to swim. 

The next thing she remembered was waking up to a warm residence, with a fire going. She was lying on a makeshift bed, and was wrapped up with comfortable blankets. For a moment, she began to wonder, was she dreaming? 

Looking around, the place was not familiar. For starters, she had never entered a house so small. The entire house, as far as she could see, could fit in the threshold of her family's manor. The makeshift bed she was lying indicated that whoever had rescued her was at least kind enough to place her before a fireplace. 

Suddenly, she remembered she was not alone. Sitting up violently, Alma was ridden with worry. Where was Haiser, where was her beloved?

Just as she was about to get up, a kind looking elderly lady walked in holding a tray. On the tray, there was what seemed like a hot beverage and some snacks. Looking at the lady, Alma could not detect any kind of foul play or ill intent from her, so she relaxed a little.

"Here child, have some food to get your strength back up," the old lady said in a weird dialect. However, weird or not, Alma was more than happy. Why, because she understood the lady, albeit with much difficulty. Alma grabbed the lady's hand and looked at her with manic desperation. 

"I was with someone."

"Oh, the young man who was also rescued? So, you two were together?" While the lady was coming to realization, she did not notice the light of hope brilliantly shining in Alma's eyes, but she couldn't get all her hopes up. 

"What happened to him?" She mustered the courage to ask. 

Seeing the worry and expectation in the little girl's eyes, the old woman's gaze softened. "Worry not child, he was rescued too. He's with Mrs. Rae, the healer. She'll tell us his condition once she's done. I just think he'd been in the water too long, otherwise he'd be up and running, like you."

Unless he'd been in a coma, probably drank too much water, or stayed for too long underwater. Even if he's breathing, he might just be brain dead. Alma was doing her all to stop from overthinking, but given how a thousand things could go wrong, there was no way she could stop worrying. 

"He looks like a strong boy, he'll definitely survive," seeing the worry in the girl not subsiding, this was all she could do to comfort her. "Come now, eat up, get back some of your strength." 

Reluctantly, Alma had to heed the lady, she too needed some sustenance. However, she wouldn't rest until she was with him, holding his hand once again.

Just as she was about to make that point, a young girl burst in the room. Excitedly, she shouted, "Come quickly, the drowner, he's awake."

Meanwhile, Duma and his companions had already reached out control. There was a swarm of activities and several professional forensics and investigative personnel present. There were several equipment being brought to analyze the pod before transportation.

Duma himself was leading a tracking party, while they discussed what could have made the trail they were following. There were no human footprints, so there was no guarantee that the intruders they were trailing were of foot, or using some transportation device. 

Of course, the drag marks left behind could also be some luggage they had brought in. There was also the likelihood that the people they were chasing were innocent travelers who had fallen into a bad situation. This was especially considering that the craft discovered had been identified as an escape pod. However, if that was the case, why leave or hide from the hovercraft? 

Duma pondered on these questions as he followed the trail left. He had a team of five people with him, all of them expert trackers and investigators like him. Once they caught a scent, like a hound, they would not let it go. 

Perhaps he had had that thought a bit too early. All of a sudden, the tracks disappeared. Moreover, the tracks had let to a river, and the river bank looked destroyed where they got in. Did they dig or did their transportation device somehow submerge into the water. Clearly, this was not something so simple. 

Well, nothing left to do but to wait for the underwater divers and the Tres Family underground boats, but Duma did not think it would go that far. Each of the resources deployed were valuable, and given the frugal nature of the family, he doubted they would bother lifting a finger. Nevertheless, he still had to make a note. 

What Duma did not know was that at that time, planet Tres was about to receive very important military delegates. After their arrival, not only would his report stand out, but due to the power and connection of the delegates, the Tres family would spare no expense in their search.