This was peculiar. Most military bases had you go through a line up: stripped down, made uniform in all physical manner, given your clothes, your bed, your designation, and then possibly a tour. Here, she had been vaguely pointed outside by the fat one who said, "Uh, just follow the path over there fer a bit, you'll come across the cove in no time. Yer buddy'll be waitin'!" Well, at least she didn't have to worry about her hair getting chopped off immediately.

Sam did as instructed after giving both him and Han another look and quickly strode along. Outside it was humid and hot, and she was glad her hair was up before the sweat started to form. Island in the Bermuda...Well, Sam hoped they had defenses for the hurricanes as much as they did for these monsters and demons. It looked as though one had already plowed through some of the base, so she didn't exactly have the highest of confidences in Deus Ex Machina right then.

The cove was thankfully cooler, with the sea breeze whispering past. Sam carefully made her way down the steps, not wanting to trip and injure herself on the first day. It was when she was inside that felt the first stirrings of awe.

Whatever Deus lacked in security and defenses, it certainly made up for in weaponry. "Just like the U.S.," she said to herself, snorting.

// You...ess...? //

Sam froze. "Who's there?"

// I am... // The voice sounded sleepy and, strangely, like it wasn't coming from anywhere in particular.

It clicked. "Ah. you must be the 'buddy' I was told about. Where are you?"

The voice yawned. // Close...Closer... //

So, a game of hot and cold it was. Sam roved the rows of tablets and runes until something caught her attention. Gently, she brushed her fingers along it, and it began to hum with power. The image, one vaguely like a scythe, lit up--and then the stone tablet disappeared, morphing into something she could fit in the palm of her hand. She felt something akin to...No, she didn't know how to describe it. But it was as if something had been added that she hadn't known she had needed before. The thought thrilled her curiosity.

// It is done, // said the voice, deep and soft. The verbal equivalent of her hands burying in the sand at the beach.

"Then..." I can speak to you like this?

It--He hummed with pleasure.

Good. My name is Sam.

// Saaaammmm... It is too short. Tell me your full name. //

She hesitated before responding. Samantha. Samuila, if I must. Samuila Sokolov. I don't mind Sam, however.

// SSSSSSam, // he repeated, amused. // I am Sunsinger. My title was once The Shark of the Sand. //

Once? But Sunsinger didn't reply. Well, I look forward to working with you, Sunsinger.

// Well met, SSSSSaaaaaaammmmmm. //