Calmly Marik settled into the semi-somnolence of the after-meal meditation, fixing his gaze on the far-off temple of Polla San but turning his vision inward. The sand blew in widening circles, until it seemed to Marik that there was a small, dark figure wandering out in the desert. Sleepily he watched the circlings of the small figure as it pursued a crazy path through the desert.
Then perception broke through his meditation and he realized something was in the desert that had no business there. Carefully he lifted the transparent nictitating lid that protected his eyes from the sand and focussed sharply on the figure in the desert.
It was an Earthman! Lost in the desert, apparently. Marik, somewhat annoyed at this interruption of his meditation, rang for Kenra Sarg.
The young acolyte appeared immediately. Marik nodded. "Look out there," he said.
Kenra Sarg turned and stared. After a moment he turned back to Marik.
"That's an Earthman lost out there! We'd better bring him in here before he gets buried by the sand. What do you say, Father?"
"Of course, Kenra Sarg, of course. Bring him here."