"<Wrinkle continues to be very curious about more or less everything, but I suspect it's getting to the point that he is wishing more for an archive to dive into than to try and get me to put words to every single question, and given the lack of the magic* we'd normally use for translation, we will hopefully be leaving before he has enough time to pick up the language the long way. Regardless, do any of these Nomai teleporters connect to Brittle Hollow, where we might be able to study the black hole? And, what about Ash Twin presents an obstacle?>"

(*Various abilities, techniques, and technologies associated with ether, but which notably doesn't include the ability that Sandy and Ounu are using to sustain communication)

"The teleporter on Brittle Hollows takes you right next to the Black Hole Forge. As for the trouble with Ash Twin, we call it and Ember Twin the Hourglass Twins because every month the sand cycles between them. When most of it is on Ash Twin, it buries some of the teleporters and they turn off until it goes away. Even for the ones that don't get buried you can't really leave the rooms with the teleporters in them. That's only for a couple days each month but it's still a pain."

Huh. "<Fair enough. Does the sand directly interfere with the teleporters in some way that takes time to reset, or is it just inconvenient to clear it all out? And, is there a calendar we could consult about when it'll next become inoperable?>"

"There's just a lot of it. We figure the Nomai didn't want to dump loads of sand on other planets. Also, the way the teleporters work they'll only do their thing when the other end is clear. Having to clear away a big load of sand would take a while."

Wrinkle gets a clearly thoughtful and perhaps somewhat tempted look, which Sandy then explains the provenance of. "<Wrinkle thinks that he and I could probably clear out a lot of sand and set up some tunnels between the teleporter rooms, and to a platform above the highest point the sand reaches, but I suspect that we should probably wait on doing that until it would not be a surprise to everyone other than ourselves and you.>"

"Maybe so, the towers are pretty big though. So are the walkways."

They've continued down the road and now the settlement has come into full view. While there's a few buildings smaller than the observatory dotted around at their current level the majority of the settlement is built into an enormous circular canyon. The canyon is filled with buildings of varying heights and a mix of dirt paths like the one they're traveling on and train tracks to facilitate travel. They can see more people than they can count walking between buildings and doing various tasks below and surely there's even more people inside the many many buildings.

He shrugs. "<We'll see once we're there I suppose.>"

Wow, that really is more of an actual town than the walk had lead him (or either of the others) to expect.

"<Is the shape of this canyon natural? Is it some kind of crater?>" he asks as they continue into town.

"It's mostly natural, we have dug out more of it to make space. As for whether it's a crater, we think it is. Can't be completely sure though."

"<Fair enough.>"

And they'll continue to follow their present guide in peaceable quiet (externally at least, and ongoing silent buzz of psychic conversation between party members as they hash out more details of what to do where and when).

Once they're more in the thick of the settlement Sandy will ask, "<So, is there anything we should do around here first, or anyone else we need to talk to, before we see about checking the teleporter?>"

"If those suits mean you don't need air to breathe then y'all could probably go straight to the teleporter, probably want a guide but there'll be someone by the teleporter. It's a bit of a trek, most people ride the train to get there; it's a good 50 kilometers away. I could also call someone if ya want. You're gonna surprise people regardless, everyone working on the space program is a curious type though they won't be too nosy if ya tell them to leave you be."

"<They should, they're built to stand up to the Paucal Zones, and unless I've misapprehended things that should be a significantly harsher environment than just a hard vacuum.>"

Hm...a bit over 30 miles?

"<How long does the train usually take to get there?>"

"About half an hour. More than that if you count the time for getting on and off."

Hm. Oh! "<Also, is this something we'd need to pay for? And, what do people around here generally take payment in?>"

"Train's free, as for payment, scrip's mostly for buying food and clothing and other little things. I expect people'll spot you for a while just cause of being aliens. If you wanna earn scrip yourselves ya could probably get a research grant for telling us about where ya came from or helping look into one of the mysteries we're still trying to figure out. There's also the classic ways of working in a trade or on a farm and such."

Mm. He could maybe live with that be doesn't think either Wrinkle or Mischief have the build for harder sorts of labor, and Mischief certainly doesn't have the temperament (though she is fortunately restraining herself from expressing this physically at the moment at least). Doesn't sound like there's all that much demand for the party's usual sort, either. An instant of mathematical consensus-seeking leads to Sandy's response. "<We'll take that in consideration. If it's free, though, and food isn't, then I think we'll probably take the train. But first, a meal! Hopefully that we can indeed get on the tab, so to speak.>"

And then they will, presumably, continue on to a restaurant, food stall, or other such establishment.

"Probably best I take you to the main market. I hope ya have a way to tell what food's safe for you, wouldn't want to poison you by mistake."

Moraine guides them deeper into the city, many Hearthians gawk or wave but they mostly don't approach or interrupt.

The exceptions are usually children who jabber excitedly about them being real aliens though there's also a few adults who come up and ask questions about how they got here or where they came from.

Sandy reassures Moraine that they do, and he and Wrinkle both wave back to those who wave to them, and Sandy will repeat that they fell into some variety of spatial anomaly and appeared out in the woods, over by the mountain geyser, and that as far as they can tell they're from an entirely distinct reality from this one, however many times he's asked. Mischief seems remarkably attuned to where people's attention is pointed and will make sure that Sandy and/or Wrinkle are between her and anyone who comes up to them.

Once they arrive at the main market and begin to browse the food available, it becomes apparent that the sort of routine the party has regarding potentially dangerous food involves Sandy waving his hands over the food (close enough that some thread-like tendrils of dreamflesh can detect the chemistry), following by Mischief and Wrinkle pointing a couple crystal dowels they extract from two of the many pockets of their zone-suits at the food, with Wrinkle additional chanting some strange syllables that Sandy either can't or chooses not to translate. They'll repeat this process for every new kind food they try (and Mischief will repeat her part of it for everyone individual food item she's offered).

As it happens, the spices the Hearthians use vary from quite spicy to outright poisonous. The raw meats and produce are generally safer though often in need of cooking. Their liquors are also probably hazardous though there's safe water and juices to see to that need. And then there's marshmallows a ubiquitous fluffy sugary food that seems the most common base for desserts.

Mischief and Sandy can handle spicy (and Sandy could probably handle 'outright poisonous,' frankly, though he's not convinced that he would enjoy the experience the way a Hearthian might), but Wrinkle will be having everything unseasoned (or seasoned with magically finger wiggles according to Sandy, if anyone asks).

"<Is there anywhere we could set up a cookfire?>" he asks, directed either towards Moraine or the nearest local who looks like they might know if Moraine has left them to their own devices.

Moraine has stayed with them, "Generally people don't start fires in the middle of the city it's a bit unsafe but there's a communal kitchen with some burners over there." Moraine points the way to a small building with wide open doors.

Well, that would explain the lack of marked firepits he supposes. Still, burners inside for a communal kitchen? Surprisingly generous. "<Alright then. I suppose, as the one who greeted us, would you care to dine with us?>" he asks as the party promptly heads to the kitchen.

"Sure, it's been a bit since I ate."

Then inside they're go!

And inside is where he'll cook. Despite his sensitive palate, he's also the only one of their party with any experience cooking a proper meal. Mischief can feed herself when times call for it, and Sandy could survive on wood pulp and rainwater with Ounu's help, but he actually knows how to make food taste good, or at least better-than-just-barely-tolerable.

First, though, he needs to assess what sorts of seasonings and cooking fats are available. He can make do with just what they've already bought, but there's no reason to limit himself if there's a communal supply he could dip into (after going through the whole checking-for-safety song and dance) instead.

The supplies in the communal kitchen are pretty minimal there's some cooking oil and salt, a couple types of bulk spices and some starch.