Shade Desert Three
Shade Desert Three is one of several dangerous regions on Lukyr Prime where the Shade's ground reception beam zone rendered cities uninhabitable centuries ago. It exists at the edge of the inhabited cityscape and contains the ruins of multiple abandoned cities.
Geography
Location: At the border of Lukyr Prime's endless cityscape
Terrain:
- Mostly flat stretch of rocky, sandy land
- Extremely hot environment (especially compared to climate-controlled city)
- Ancient roads leading to abandoned cities — now brittle and cracked
- Visibility: The Shade's lower orbital array is visible in the sky near the horizon from within the desert
Border Security
The threshold between cityscape and desert is heavily fortified but legally permeable:
- Well-indicated threshold with clear demarcation
- Floodlights shining on boundary at all hours
- Myriad of cameras monitoring the border
- Armed guards patrolling constantly
- Citizens can legally enter despite the danger
- Guards watch but do not prevent entry — give "curious look and a nod"
Legal Framework:
Per Citizen Safety Act of 7015, chapter 3, paragraph 13b, all automated transport systems must provide comprehensive outline of mortal dangers before permitting entry. Multiple warnings are issued, but entry remains legal if acknowledged.
Abandoned Cities
Multiple cities within Shade Desert Three were evacuated centuries ago:
Condition:
- Concrete and steel skeletons — everything else is gone
- No signs of life remain beyond basic structures
- Signage no longer legible (names of cities lost)
- Steel beams fallen from buildings
- Skyscrapers partially collapsed but some still standing
- Stairs deteriorating but some routes remain passable
Environmental Effects:
- Sand and dust covering everything
- Extreme heat outside vehicle climate control
- Roads increasingly deteriorated the deeper into desert
- Structural failures in road surfaces common
Timeline:
Cities were abandoned "centuries ago" when it was discovered the Shade's danger range extended much further than initially assumed.
Vanessa's Journey (Chapter 13)
Vanessa Canly drives into Shade Desert Three on what appears to be a suicide mission:
Route:
- Drove 24 hours around cityscape before entering
- Crossed guarded threshold — guards allowed passage
- Followed ancient road toward closest city
- Car issued multiple safety warnings: "Caution: Structural failure detected in road surface"
- Reached unnamed city and approached tallest standing skyscraper
Abandoned City Visit:
- Left car with doors open, music playing
- Carried plastic box with real food (first real meal in decade)
- Climbed deteriorating skyscraper stairs
- Sat at edge with legs dangling
- Ate mashed Orbinian potatoes with fyron sausage
- Sang fragments of old songs from when she knew Vaibee Finley
- Watched Shade approaching "just over the horizon"
- Final thought: "I wonder when it'll be here"
Purpose:
After complete psychological collapse from Simpathy addiction and memory loss, Vanessa chose this location to await death beneath the approaching Shade.
Atmospheric Details
The ruins carry a haunting, liminal quality:
- Music from Vanessa's car becomes "quieter and more resonant" echoing through empty concrete structures
- Dust disturbed with every step
- Only concrete and steel remain — all organic or fabricated materials long gone
- Quiet except for distant car music and wind through ruins
Open Questions
- What specific danger does the Shade pose to these cities?
- Why were the cities built there if the Shade existed?
- What happened to the residents who evacuated?
- Are there other Shade Deserts (One, Two, Four+)?
- Why is entry legal if the danger is certain death?
- Do people attempt to salvage materials from abandoned cities?
- How frequently does the Shade move through these areas?
- Is the Shade's movement predictable or random?