They had a solar screen, an energetic fi eld forming a dome over the colony, allowing the right amount of sunlight through and converting the rest to usable energy. That was in addition to the solar col-lectors dispersed planetwide. The sand-skimmer had large openings on the sides and roof, letting hot air blow through. Our vulnerability as we passed through the energy fi eld made me anxious, but the man pilot-ing the skimmer didn’t seem worried as he tapped the controls. I spotted the word polarization on the readout as he did, and the skimmer’s vibrations changed just a sniff. We got through easily. The polarization must have formed a safe buffer around us. As soon as we were on the other side of the screen, I felt the difference. Still far warmer than Thanda could ever hope to be, but refreshingly cool compared to the bare desert. The Garamites lowered their masks and deactivated their belt packs. I didn’t have to squint nearly as much, either, so I could take in more of my surroundings.
