"I haven't noticed anything unusual about the geography," Re-l said. "Or the physics. Basic laws of thermodynamics and gravity seem to hold. Not that I investigated. There are scientists here who could probably say more. Not my field. But enough to know that whatever is strange about this place, it isn't the world itself."

She rubbed her face, and took away a layer of grime.

"Yes. We all have things we'd rather not share." Re-l fliched a little, in her mind. "I wonder if even our minds are safe in this place."

She sighed. There was a convenient outcrop of rock coming up, small and sheltered from the worst of the dust. When she reached it she dropped down without ceremony, ignoring the movements of the group around her. She could always catch up, and her own health was more important.

"Four is a perfectly reasonable time to stop and eat, I think," she said.

There was fruit in her bag, as fresh as she could find, and oatcakes and cheese. It wasn't luxurious, but it was lasting. She bit in with hardened determination.