A Safe Ramp?

Yesterday, MINIMCOM had received a signal from the Vuduri of Helome to land but not where Rome and Rei expected. Everyone knew that MINIMCOM was capable of making his own decisions so that did not come into play. This was something different.

Nonetheless, rather than try and out think the Vuduri, Rome and Rei decided to go along with the plan. Rei was naturally leery of landing anywhere especially since walking up or down the ramp always ended up with somebody pointing weapons at them. But in this case, did he have a choice? His own life and that of Rome's and Aason's was already in danger:

     Rei peeked out the cockpit and saw two people headed toward the rear of the ship. He stood up and held out his hand to Rome. Rome unbuckled and stood up, taking Rei’s hand. She started toward the rear but Rei did not move.
     “What?” she asked.
     “Uh, ramps? Guns? Should we do something?”
     “What do you mean?”
     “Do you realize that every single time we’ve ever gone anywhere and walked up or down a ramp, the people at the bottom or top are always armed and gunning for us?”
     “You’re being silly,” Rome said, tugging on his hand. “We’re in no such danger here. Let’s go meet them.”
     Rei took a deep breath and followed her back along the corridor, past the cargo compartment and pressed the blue stud to lower the cargo ramp.
     The beautiful, golden light of Aleph streamed in. Rei held his arm up to shield his eyes, blinking rapidly at the bright star. Since he had been forced to leave his sunglasses back on Earth before they launched, it never occurred to Rei to get a new pair. Rome wouldn’t care. With her inner iris, she never had trouble with the sun. He decided someday soon, he would get MINIMCOM to rectify that: he’d get a replacement pair of sunglasses. At least Rome was patient enough to wait until his eyes adjusted. He and Rome descended the ramp together and were met by the two people, a man and a woman, at the bottom.
     “Hello,” Rome said. “Do you know who we are?”
     “Of course,” answered the man in a hoarse voice. “You are Rei and Rome, the people who saved our race.”
     Rome smiled slightly. “Do you know where Virga is? We would like to talk to her.”
     “We will take you to see her,” the man said. He turned and pointed to one of the heavy-duty flying carts used on Helome. “Please come with me.”
     Rei and Rome followed the two white jump-suited Vuduri to the flying cart. The woman took her place behind the wheel. The man sat in the front next to her. Rei and Rome clambered aboard and sat in the back seat.
     With an easy motion, the cart lifted into the air and head toward the south.
     “No,” Rome said. “Should we not be headed north?”
     The man turned in his seat. “You requested an audience with Virga. She now lives in the southern territory along with the Essessoni.”

What?! She lives with the Essessoni? That means she is living with the members of the Darwin Project that Rei had banished to the planet. There is something odd going on. Let's see what it is...