Desert Rainbow

—!

(Rubbing eyes) What's going on? What's happening... Why the sudden stop?

Sorry to wake you up, Tuye. A woman just ran in front of us carrying a child, so I had to slam the brakes.

You didn't hit them?

No, I braked in time, but I think she's holding... a bowl?

What?

Miss, water... *cough* *cough* *cough* My child has gone two days without water. Take pity, spare me a little water.

Lady, if you want water, just ask. You're not afraid of getting roadkilled jumping in front of every car coming by?

Miss, have some heart, we have no choice. Just give us some water.

Tuye, look at how cracked the child's lips are... Dehydration's about to get her.

Hey, lady, take these waterskins.

Th-That many?

Relax, I left enough for you. I can always cut back when necessary.

Well, I'm not reassured!

Whatever, you heard me, it's fine.

If I remember right, there's a town nearby. You two from there?

Yes, right.

What's happened out there?

Two years of drought, not one drop of rain in town.

And the well?

All dry. All we draw is sand, yellow sand.

...And your local official never did a thing? Even under such severe conditions?

We count ourselves lucky he didn't pack up and run like everyone else. What more can we hope for him to do?

Okay, so, what exactly do you think's so hard about living somewhere else?

It's hard to leave home... I'm not just saying that, either. The young unmarried ones can pick up and go, but where's a woman like me going to go when I have a family to raise?

Sorry... that was rude.

Haha, it's okay. Maybe it'll rain if we just make it to next year.

You sure about that?

Rain always comes, sooner or later.

Sooner or later, as long as it's in time.

Ha. Our lives are full of poor opportunities. How can we demand the rain to be in time?

......

Nazir, remind me what date we need to rendezvous with the landship?

Not for a while, at least a month. We got the mission done early.

Then how long can we stick around here?

Half a month at most.

Mm. Good enough.

(Hops out)

Lady, wherever your town lies, you lead the way.

What's your plan exactly, Tuye?!

Dig a well!

What?

I SAID,

I'M GONNA DIG A WELL!

The whole town's been a wreck since we got here. Wasn't expecting the mayor's place to still be in such stylish shape.

You weren't?

I... you've got a point. If we can't see the funding, something else has to be footing the bill.

Hmph...

Tuye, watch out!

Are you blind, girl?! Now what? You spilled it everywhere! My family needs that water to drink!

Sorry, sorry, she didn't do it on purpose.

Okay, easy, old girl. If I give you this waterskin, are we cool?

I...

Take it. My fault for not looking.

Are you really just giving me this, stranger? If you peddled it in town, you could make at least seven coins.

Seven? You're kidding, right? I'm sorry, you're not getting seven out of this even if you count the skin.

It took me five coins for just this jar. A waterskin as clean as yours would definitely be worth more.

(Squats down, examines the water left in the earthen shards)

Can you even drink stuff this filthy?

Do you think we have a choice, girl?

Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss Tuye. The mayor will see you now.

Ha, you're here to see that asshole? I can only wish you good luck, then.

What does that mean, old lady? Hey! Old lady!

Hey. Quit shouting, Nazir, she's gone!

Hello, Miss Tuye, I'm the mayor of this town. I'd to welcome you on behalf of the townsfolk, haha.

Hello there. No handshake necessary.

Haha, I see you're full of personality. Jamil, won't you serve our honored guests some water?

Miss Tuye, Mr. Nazir, for you.

(Takes a gulp without hesitation)

(Tuye, are you sure this water's safe to drink? It's all muddy and yellow like it was in the jar.)

We realize you may be put off by the impurity in your cups, but please, we mean no offense. To be quite honest with you, it's the only well water we could find in the village.

If you've got water to drink, why are your townspeople risking their lives out in the waste to beg passing cars for it?

It was my grandfather's private well, opened for a hefty sum in the rear garden when he was young. This source has always been exclusive to our family, and we never normally share it with outsiders.

And what part of this situation is normal?

Right. Of course, as the mayor, I can't just look after myself in times of duress, so I opened it up to the townsfolk to use last year, but...

*cough* Wells are limited. The more you use, the less there is, and naturally... the more expensive it becomes.

Which is how we get five gold coins for one jar of water?

(Crushes a fly upon the desk)

Pfah. We live in desert. What could be more valuable than water?

(How brazen.)

My secretary reports that the two of you are here just to dig a single well?

Correct. Breaking ground and sinking a well is never a small deal, so we made sure to pay a visit to the local authority beforehand.

It'd be a great boon to this town, and as the mayor, I'm naturally endlessly grateful to you for the efforts you'd devote to it, but, and it pains me to say this, I cannot give you permission.

Why not? You just said it'd be a good thing!

Have you ever heard of The Lady Who Stole the Moon?

Good luck finding a Sargonian who hasn't.

You can trace this town's history back a century, to when an explorer came here to found it.

Those gems as big as stars are buried right beneath us, as he records in his personal letters.

Legends may be legends, but mayor after mayor has safeguarded those gemstones from being sullied by strangers' hands, as is our mission.

Especially strangers that look to start excavating the moment they arrive in our town.

Well, my opinion is only dumbasses would believe in that story.

Does the truth care if it's believed in?

You—!

Nazir, we're out.

Slow down, Tuye. Wait for me!

Bluggh—

Tuye, a—are you alright?! Was it that water just now?

Okay... murky yellow well water's usually a sign of excess iron and manganese content, but...

Ulk, euuggh—

Tuye!

...I'm fine. But I got no kind of iron tang from the water just now.

You don't mean...?!

Those impurities weren't just there... they got mixed in.

Allaenat lak, you didn't need to actually drink it.

Did. I bet they guard the hell out of that well. Only way I had to confirm my guess.

So what now?

Find a spring to tap first, then we talk.

Nazir, you need more body in you. Haven't been walking for half a day yet.

*huff*... *huff* Sure, but... but it takes so much work to walk through sand. My feet just sink and sink.

Forgot you and I were different... Need a drink?

I'm fine, just give me a moment's rest.

C'mon. We hold out for a little more, get behind that rock face up ahead, and then we rest. You're gonna dehydrate in no time flat with the sun beating down on you.

Say... didn't you like sharing your umbrella with people?

You are a prime dumbass. Get over. You wanna keep getting baked?

Ngh... okay, alright!

No, forget it, you look kind of worse for wear, Tuye.

Come on. We'll talk problems when we're over there.

*glug* *glug*—Almost died of thirst there. Aren't you gonna sit and take a break after walking so long?

270 degrees of mountain here. Forms a scoop in the topography. Favors collecting groundwater. Shade, too, so it's held onto easier once a well's dug.

Is there anything you can't do...? Where'd you get all this knowledge about digging wells from?

Family upbringing. We each get trained in desert survival. Finding water sources is a mandatory course.

What kind of family are you from? Everyone learns all this...?

Major traveling merchant clan. Desert wanderers, living makers.

Oh, the trading company run by that Forte family... Should've worked it out a long time ago.

Quit playing it up. My parents are a branch of a branch on the family tree. You'd be surprised how distant we are. Still no getting past the old guys' family rules, though.

Haha, never hurts to learn something new, though. Could always come in handy one day, right?

Oh, found you... Hey, Nazir, catch!

Gah! What the hell's this?!

Haha! Chill, it won't bite you.

It's just... it's so ugly.

Hey, don't knock it for its looks. Without its help, my folk'd be drowned six feet under the sand. This bug means we're not far from a spring.

Help me out here. Turn over these stones. See if there's any greyish-yellow grass growing underneath. Blades should be tiny and thin.

Got it, let me take a look.

Found it! I can't believe it... So now what?

Lemme see, lemme see its roots...

Roots are more developed pointing north. We'll look that-a-way.

Didn't think there'd be anyone around but us. What's this timber doing staked all over the place?

Most likely it's a burial site. It's not timber. They're grave markers.

...You're right. There's writing carved into these posts if you look close.

'Here lies a loving father, a devoted husband and a brave soldier—Bulis Shahid Numan al-Din.'

'...Our beloved daughter... Latifa Numan al-Din.'

'Wise elder... wayfinder... Al-Muttalib Numan al-Din.'

Looks like a Numan al-Din family's buried here.

Numan al-Din... why's that sound so familiar?

Now you mention it, something tells me I've seen it before too.

...Pfff, I remember now.

That piece of crap mayor's place had a family tapestry up, and that was the exact name on it. Numan al-Din.

(Winded) You don't mean...

Yep. The spring we're looking for is right where the bones of that guy's ancestors lie.

Allaenat...

Here I was thinking we could just open a well here anyway, and what the hell could he do about it?

I guess it's pretty clear now... I was naive.

(Grabbing at bangs) Don't look at me. Not like my ideas are any better than yours.

How about... How about we just call it quits?

...No.

*sigh*...

Miss Tuye, Miss Tuye, do you still remember me?

Um, sure do, lady. You need more water? I've still got some, just one sec and I can hand it over.

(Shakes head) No, I'm here to return your waterskin. Thank you for being so generous.

...It's alright.

By the looks of your troubled faces, digging the well must not be going smoothly.

(Reluctantly nods)

Return to your own business, Miss Tuye. Leave this place. As long as he's around, you won't be able to do anything.

You can look at what he's stuck on that wall if you don't believe me.

That's some crowd around it. I can't see anything.

Could you make way? Just let me through, please.

'We reiterate... digging unapproved wells is strictly forbidden in this town. To any who partake in such work, 20 lashings. To any who draw water, 10 lashings.' How can this bloodthirsty son of a brute—!

I wanna pry his chest right open and see what the hell he's got in there.

Not a speck of conscience, at least.

He taxes us for every coin he can, all to one day pay a tribute to a lord ameer and be rid of this place.

He's been after it for half his life. He'd never turn a blind eye to anyone interfering with his wealth or career.

You're not from here, so he can't do anything to you, but all those who live here are subject to his bidding.

(Grinds teeth)

I'm going home, Miss Tuye. You get some rest too, and do it soon. Before long, the sun will be rising.

Your child? How's she?

Ah... I buried her with her grandmother.

What?!

You were right. What's most important is being in time.

Are you alright, Tuye?

(Knitting her brows) Nazir, we're out of alternatives.

(Removes pendant from her own neck)

You take this, and run an errand for me.

No, no, I don't need you to compensate me.

It's not compensation. I want you to bury it where we went yesterday—remember to take off the cord and silver ring—then chip a few marks into it.

You know how expensive this gem is. What's your plan here?

The endlessly greedy will always dig their own graves.

Tuye, what are we waiting out here for at the crack of dawn?

Gotta make sure we're never late. Basic manners.

Aaaand here you are.

You're sure you heard right? The woman found the gem right here, on this spot?

I checked three times over, sir. It's true, it was right here. She was sheltering from the wind when she happened to see it, just buried in the sand with a corner poking out.

That's a rare sight, I'll tell you. Seems that poem was on the mark. There really are valuables buried underground here.

Gems as big as stars! If you offer those to the lord ameer, they'll promote you up without question.

Brought your shovel?

Got it right here. But, sir, why didn't we bring more people? How long will the two of us be digging here for?

Moron! I'd be disgraced if the story got out that I dug up my own family's tomb!

Right, right, right, the less that know, the better, understood.

Now get to it!

Me?

Who else?

Uh, yes, yessir.

Pardon me, father, mother. I will be thankful for your blessings.

Pardon me, grandfather, grandmother. I will be thankful for your blessings.

*cough* *cough* *cough* Why's all this dust turning out white? *spit* *spit*

Have you dug something up?

No, I've dug all over, but there's nothing in here at all.

Useless! Move, I'll do it! Damn the consequences!

(Ferociously thrusts shovel in)

What the hell is...

Water?! There's nothing but water!

Where are they?! Where are the gemstones?!

I don't believe it—keep—keep digging, you! Go! I command you!

Mayor, that's out of the question. I'd drown if I tried.

What's that noise?!

It's the townspeople cheering.

Excuse me?

Not that I can blame you for asking. Not like their voices ever made it to your ears.

(Staring at Tuye in a daze) Why are you here?

I'm here to congratulate you, Mr. Mayor. You gotta understand, no treasure in the desert's more precious than water.

(Hopelessly wipes water off face)

Got what you wanted. You must be one happy man.

You—it was you—

(Shrugs)

You dare do me like this! Those destitute husks put you up to it, didn't they! Didn't they?!

You won't get away with this! Every last one of you, I'll make your lives a living hell!

You've got some fluster on display. How's it taste, nurturing a dream for years just for it to shatter overnight?

Okay, fine, I'll give you an out.

Didn't hesitate to go find water for your townsfolk, even if you had to damage your ancestors' graves. That's a meritorious deed if I ever heard one. You report it to the lord ameer, Mr. Mayor, and you get a transfer to wherever the hell you want.

Still, though...

Still, no matter how rich your town, no matter how much dignity you scrounge up, you'll be nothing but a bloodsucking tick your whole life!

I've already sent a letter out, for your commendation and recommendation. Lord ameer's envoy should be here in less than a month.

You still wanna get out of here, I say you seize the opportunity, treat your townsfolk well, and turn your reputation around, fast.

It's your very last chance.

You... you...

Not gonna get your mayor outta here, Mr. Secretary? Look at how dumbstruck he is.

We're out, Nazir. We've done everything we need to.

Tuye...

Nazir? You wanna keep up with me or not?

Look, Tuye. A rainbow. There's a rainbow in the sunshine.