Chapter 74 The Last Redoubt
01
Redoubt Island looked just like any other of the thousands of floating islands we had slipped by. It was shaped like a slightly bent finger, roughly six kilometers long by two in diameter. There were mossy meadows, sharp miniature mountains of lichen covered rocks, and forests of tall, fern-topped trees draped with colorful mats of flowering vines. A great flight of multicolored birds, and other flying creatures was stirred up by the arrival of the Raven. There was, however, no sign of the base. Glen Colin directed Molaye to bring the ship to a halt close alongside a vine matted facet at the tip of the island.
'We're home,' he said with a sigh, as we came to a dead stop, ten meters above, below, or alongside, a flat wall of vines – it was simply a matter of how you choose to look at it. There's no up or down in this sea of floating islands.
'Shore party to the airlock,' ordered an eager Vinden, adding with grin to Min. 'Finally!'
We – everyone but Molaye, Sar and Dici, who had the watch – gathered on the platform before the engine room air lock dressed in work clothes, jackets and gloves. Min and Vinden slipped through the pack to the airlock and turned to address us.
'Vikei and Tor will stand guard, one on each side of the ship,' said Vinden. 'Dragons have very sharp eyes and can be quite cunning. They'll circle around and come at you from just over the tree tops, so you'll have no more than a second to respond, or be carried off for dinner. If you see anything in the sky other than a local bird, give a yell. None are showing on radar at the moment and I've impressed upon Molaye the need to constantly monitor the radar and to warn us if she sees anything suspicious, but with the island blocking half the sky, we'll need to be rely on our own eyes as well,' said Vinden briskly. All of Vinden's henchmen were carrying heavy duty pirate pieces that looked capable of taking out small boats. 'And just to make that clear – everyone needs to keep an eye on the sky. Don't rely on the lookouts. This must become second nature if you hope to live long in the Pela.
'Our first order of business is to anchor the Raven to the island. We'll use the ship's crane and some of the cables we used to secure the Indomitable to tie us up to a couple of the larger vines.
'Our base is hidden behind the curtain of vines. If everything is in order, as I expect it will be, we'll find three hundred good and loyal men and women in sleeper-pods who've been awaiting our return. Once we've revived them, we'll get the base up and running, clear the cavern entrance, unload the Raven and send it back for the second load.,' he said in an eager rush. 'Unless you have any questions, let's get going. I've been waiting eighty years for this day, and every minute wasted is painful to me.'
I guess we didn't care to hurt Vinden, since we kept our many questions to ourselves. And well, we were probably just as eager to get out and under way as Vinden.
He cranked open the outer hatch and we followed him out into the cool, fragrant air of the Pela. Stepping out onto the hull, held by our magnetic boots, we spread out, took some deep breaths of fragrant, flower-scented air and took in the boundless archipelago about us. I could see half a dozen other islands floating in the sky, fading into the bright haze to become vague, distant shadows in the pale blue-green sky. The vine covered cliff hid half the horizon-less sky. In space you took such oddness as a matter of course but here, standing in a milky white light that cast only the vaguest shadows, it was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. The fresh, fragrant breeze was laced with the scent of strange plants and flowers and was alive with the shrill cries and calls of the birds – well, flying creatures, anyway – that darted about us. What was missing was that sense of order you have on a planet or moon – of up and down, right and wrong. It wasn't right to have a massive mat of vines hanging overhead and a sky at our feet, so I quickly walked around the hull to the upper surface of the Rift Raven where the Indomitable rose over the open cargo hatch doors, putting the island alongside, and the sky above (and below, if you looked that way) which felt a little more right.
'Where does all this light come from?' asked Min, as she and Vinden followed us up. 'It seems to come from every direction. Or none at all. It's almost like the sky just glows.'
The light was a milky white, and the sky, for the most part was a very pale, hazy blue to blue-green which shaded into to a faint yellow in some directions. It was slightly brighter in one direction, which may've cast a vague shadow.
'It's a phenomena of the Tenth Star. You see, though it's star-like at its core, its upper stratums are very luminous – coldly florescent. So what you have is this vast sphere emitting a cool, very bright white light which is diffused by the atmosphere throughout the Pela in spite of the countless islands and tens of millions of kilometers of atmosphere between us and the light source. The closer you get to the inner edge, the brighter and warmer the Pela gets, but it's never dark. Night is unimagined here – even on planet sized rocks, it never gets darker than twilight on the outward facing side, and most planets and moons don't rotate,' said Vinden, adding, 'Enough gawking, let's get to work. We need to anchor the ship.'
It wasn't my ship, or even my former ship, so I just waited for orders. Min glanced to Vynnia, who took charge. She directed some of the crew to use two of cables that had helped secure the Indomitable, as our anchor lines and directed Sar aboard the ship to use the cargo crane to carry the cables and two crew members over to the vine covered cliff to tie us up. Given no direct orders, I watched the proceedings, hands in my pockets, from the majestic height of a (former) tramp ship captain without comment.
After Vinden's crew had secured the ship, Vinden had Sar use the crane to punch a hole in the vines, sending up a swarm of small, angry birds darting out from the vines. As they flirted angrily around us, I realized they were very familiar.
'Bachelor birds!' I exclaimed.
Vinden laughed. 'Aye. And angry ones at that! Don't annoy them anymore. These aren't our tame ones.'
'What?' asked Ben Ton standing next to me.
'The birds.' I waved at them. 'We've had them living aboard the Starry Shore forever. This must be where they came from. Don't annoy them, they're fearless and will use their beaks as little swords,' I added, pulling the visor of my cap low over my eyes, just in case they decided I was to blame.
'They seem mad already,' he replied, following suit.
Once Sar had punched a doorway-sized hole through the vines and the bachelor birds had settled down a bit, we trooped out across the gap behind Vinden and Min along the crane arm to gather near the ragged hole the crane had torn.
'We'll need torches,' Tenry called back, sending the last person in line back to the airlock to fetch some.
The vine mat was all of three meters thick, the inner vines leafless. Beyond, was a cool, dark, and dank cavern that smelled of decaying vegetation with a sharp, acid undercurrent, lit only by specks of light filtering through the curtain of vines – just enough to make out the shadowed hints of a large cavern. We passed the torches forward.
'There,' Vinden said, pointing with his torch. 'There's the ledge with the walkway. It leads to the quay and base. Take a couple of men, Ten, and cut your way out through the vines from that point. We'll set up some hand lines to it once you're through to serve as an access bridge. And, by the way, you'd best assume any snake you come across is poisonous and deal with it promptly.'
'Right,' said Tenry, adding under his breath, 'Better late than never, I suppose.'
I followed him into the cavern, and, clinging to the vines, we made our way towards the ledge, looking for snakes with every handhold. Several of Vinden's men followed us – the ones who weren't leery of snakes, I suppose. The ledge was paved with a two-meter-wide, rusted metal grating that allowed us to stand using our magnetic soled boots. We then set out to carefully hack our way through the thick vine mat with plasma machetes. You need to be thoughtful when using plasma machetes – armored clothing provides some protection from a careless blow, but the hot, plasma edge to the blade can take a han
d or head off rather effortlessly. A vine, the size of a tree trunk, blocked the entrance, which had to be cut through, warm work even with our plasma machetes. We had our jackets off before we reached the milky light of the Pela.
Once we emerged into the sunlight, they shot two lines across from the airlock and as soon as we secured them in the vines, the rest of the crew started across, hand over hand, in a holiday mood, even the guards, once everyone had cleared the ship.
Vinden took the lead followed by Min, Vynnia, and the rest of us into the darkness of the cave. We hadn't gone far before we reached a gateway of sorts – a concrete blockhouse in the shadows that rose up into the tangled vines overhead. Vinden cleared some foliage from a hidden panel and pressing his palm on the palm reader, caused a series of lamps lining the cavern wall along the path to flicker to life. From beyond a bend we could see a yellow glow flooding the far end of the cavern, etching its many cracks and crevasses in deep black shadows. With the sudden appearance of the lights the cavern's inhabitants squealed as one and took to the air in a thick swirling stream, flying just over our heads in a noisy maelstrom of dark, crow-like shapes with claws at the ends of their short wings. Thousands of 'em, it seemed.
'Dark-wraiths,' said Vinden over our startled curses. 'Harmless.'
He'd hardly finished speaking when we heard a loud, angry hiss from out of the shadows in the rocks alongside the blockhouse. Looking up I saw illuminated in the beams of half a dozen torches, a rather large snake or long necked dragon, its green feathers shimmering in the torch light, its crocodile head and a wide mouth open and showing its sharp teeth. It hissed again and looked down at us with dark eyes. It didn't look happy. Everyone reached for their weapons.
'Let it be!' commanded Vinden sharply. 'It's just a sentry serpent. Harmless if you leave it be.'
'Will it leave us be?' someone asked, but before Vinden could answer, the serpent-dragon shot out over our heads to join the circling flock of dark-wraiths, swimming through the air like an eel or a fish by wagging is long, feathered tail and using its forearms as fins to maneuver while chasing and devouring the dark-wraiths that didn't get out of its way fast enough.
'Stay clear of its nest and it'll steer clear of you. They're often domesticated to keep villages free of pests,' said Vinden, and then pushed on around the bend towards the source of the lights.
The wide passage grew into a large grotto as we rounded the bend. The walkway widened into a broad quay, littered with piles of crates and machinery secured under cargo nets. Tied up alongside the quay was a battered, and rusting ship, similar in shape and size, to the Indomitable. It was surrounded by two slightly smaller vessels that I took to be freighters, each having only one deck-house aft along with stubby wings, steering vanes, and propellers with a flat, wide open deck stretching to an armored bow. In addition, there were scores of small boats tied up about the grotto harbor – fat, tubular vessels, that sported a propeller and steering vanes on one end, along with a sheltered section aft than housed the motor, with the rest of the boat mostly an open cage, crossed by some bars for structural support and seating.
Beyond the quay and harbor, the grotto stretched out and up into shadows. Three terraces of low concrete buildings rose in a semi-circle above the quay, dimly illuminated by a series of flood lights, and beyond, in the deepening shadows, lumps of machinery and perhaps more supplies secured to the rugged and steep hills that arched overhead. It became clear as we examined the base that this was not a cave, as such, but a hollow, created where two islands awkwardly met and became entangled. I could trace, in the dim lit light, the wide seam of old vines arching overhead and below the harbor where the two islands met. These vines were likely many meters thick, since no chinks of light penetrated through the ancient tangle.
Vinden paused briefly on the quay, looking about while the shrill cries of the dark-wraiths, and their faint echoes broke the tomb-like silence of the grotto. The only movement, the swirling dark-wraiths and the pursuing sentry serpent.
'Everything looks in order. The barracks are hidden up in that crevasse,' he said, pointing to a high, narrow valley at the far end of the grotto where the two islands came together.
Tenry, standing next to me glanced around, taking in the dark-wraith guano covered boxes, the battered, rusty ships and the dead and deserted base. 'He's remarkably optimistic,' he whispered.
'I'm afraid so,' I replied, equally quietly, as we joined the line of spacers behind Vinden, who had started off across the quay towards the dark seam beyond the ring of buildings.
We marched up through the rows of plain, flat-topped, concrete boxes that served as barracks, workshops and warehouses, along a metal grated walkway. All their doors were closed and sealed, the walkway littered with twigs, leaves and other, less identifiable debris, that were stirred up in a swirl of air as we trooped by, joining the floating debris drifting in the slight air currents. Except for the flying circus swirling overhead, it all very still, very tomb-like.
The metal walkway ended with the ring of buildings. Fortunately, our course followed the vine laced seam so that we could continue on, pulling ourselves carefully along with our hands, like a line of swimmers along the bottom of a dim lit sea. Leaving the harbor base behind, we had to rely on the darting beams of our torches to find our way up into the shadows, as the seam narrowed into a rock lined crevasse where the two islands met. Vinden was going slowly now, looking for something in the rocky wall. He finally stopped, and finding a rock that moved, pushed it up and out of his way revealing the faint glow of a palm reader. As he placed his palm on the panel, he turned to us and said, 'We felt it best to hide the barracks in case the base was discovered.' As he spoke, a doorway in the rocks before him opened inwards and lights flickered and sprang out through the open door.
The door opened to a large, brightly lit room carved out of living rock. We glided in behind Vinden and latching on to the metal floor to stand once more and take in the large room carved out of stone. Tall racks of sleeper-pods lined two sides of the room – the remaining loyal forces of the old order, some three hundred strong. Crates under netting filled the back of the room, and in the corner, a small power room with two micro-reactors and generators. Here everything was in pristine order. We stood silently around Vinden while he took all this in. He may have even shed a tear, as he seemed to wipe one from his eye, at least as seen from behind.
I, on the other hand, couldn't help but feel a dart of dismay as I looked around. We were to bring down an empire with this crew? In vids and books, perhaps... but for real? I looked back to Vinden as he shook himself clear of his sentimentality, and sprang into action. He stalked over to the first stack of sleeper-pods and directed some of his men to pull out the bottom one. They settled it on the floor, trailing its power cord.
He stood for a few moments longer, looking down on the pod, its clear top thinly veiled in dust.
'Step closer and have a look. I've a few words to say before I revive Captain DarQue,' he said indicating to his two helpers to open the lid of the pod.
We obediently shuffled closer and looked down on the sleeping DarQue. He was a tall, slender man with a lean, high cheek boned face, who was dressed in a uniform of dark, emerald green with gold trimmings that accented his slimness. His hair was also a dark green and very long, half way down his back from what we could see. Looking closer, I realized it wasn't hair. Not exactly.
'Captain DarQue is a Cim, a human native of the Pela. People like us who can, seemingly trace our roots back to the Neb and Terra, are known as the Dar. As you can see, the Cim have feathers replacing hair like all of the unique fauna of the Pela. Since we have no firsthand account of the Dars arriving in the Pela, we've no way of knowing if the Cim were here when we arrived. Even stranger is the fact that their DNA is almost identical to ours. The small differences account for their feather-hair and their more articulated feet that enable them to comfortably live in the zero-gravity conditions of the smaller islands far better tha
n we Dars. The two races are unable to cross breed, so we remain two distinct races. The Cim account for nine out of twelve people in Cimmadar, a ratio common in the Pela we know.
'I want to impress upon you that you're to treat the Cim just as you would anyone else. In Cimmadar, the Cim and the Dar people have lived side by side since the founding legends and they are critically important to our success. Moreover, I strongly advise you to treat everyone you meet with courtesy, since we, Cim and Dar alike, are, by nature and necessity, fierce, proud people who have rather direct ideas of justice. You'll find no finer friends nor deadlier enemies than in the peoples of the Pela. Be advised that affronts to honor are often settled by duels. I've downloaded the Cimmadar language to your com links and most of our customs. But until you've completely absorbed that info, be careful of what you say and how you act. DarQue, I'm sure, will see that his people give you some leeway, as outsiders, but only for so long and only up to a point,' he paused and looked around grimly. 'You're no longer in the Unity, nor even in the drifts. You're in the most primitive place you've ever known. I can only give you so much protection.'
I wondered how Min was taking all this. I could see concern on Vynnia's face, but Min's was impassive.
'Right,' Vinden concluded, and knelt down, opened the pod and touched the controls to turn off the stasis field, bringing Captain DarQue back to life. Within seconds DarQue drew a deep breath and blinked his eyes open. He stared into space for a few seconds, no doubt wondering what had happened, and then looked around. His eyes widened as he saw Vinden kneeling beside his box.
'Prince Imvoy!' he whispered in his language, translated by my com link.
'Captain DarQue, my dear comrade. I have returned to stay and conquer,' replied Vinden.
DarQue sat up, his green feathered mane floating about him, and looked slowly around, taking us all in, until he saw Min, who was dressed, as usual in her blacks and whites, looking trim, dashing, and vaguely dangerous. His gaze stopped. He stared at Min for a long moment, before he realized what he was doing and hastily turned back to Vinden. 'Empress Onala?'
Vinden sadly shook his head. 'Onala is dead. Killed by our enemies with her consort.'
DarQue closed his eyes and muttered something, likely a quiet curse, under his breath that the com link didn't catch. Then, looking to Vinden he said, 'Then all is lost.'
'No my friend. Not at all. Though dear Onala is dead. She lived many rounds of rounds and she had a daughter, now the rightful Empress. She has come to reclaim the Cloud Throne,' replied Vinden, lifting his arm to indicate Min. 'My niece, the Empress Ocila.'
DarQue's eyes darted to Min and he rose like a shot. 'Empress,' he said bowing low to Min.
She considered him for a moment before stepping forward and offering her hand. 'My name is Tallith Ocila Min. My uncle has told me of your loyalty, your devotion to my mother and your many brave deeds. I want to thank you for your service in our cause. I am here to restore the rightful line of succession to the Cloud Throne,' she said, clearly, in the Cimmadarian language. Understanding it is easy with a com link, speaking it, even with a com link translation, takes an effort. Clearly Min was intent on making a good first impression.
'I am your servant,' he said not meeting her eye nor daring to take her hand.
'Your hand, DarQue,' she said. 'I am not my mother. I shall do things my own way. Once I sit on the Cloud Throne I may act as a proper Empress, but until then I shall behave as I always have. And I won't stand for court ceremony in our endeavor.'
DarQue eyed her hand and gingerly took it – such familiarity was out of the ordinary, judging from the information the com link provided. Nevertheless, Min held it tight. 'I've grown up outside the great shell with different customs. I've been out in the worlds and on my own for many rounds of rounds. I've sailed the black seas and earned my way as a ship's captain, trader and owner. I am not fragile. And I have so very much to learn if I am to be Cimmadar's Empress one day.'
DarQue glanced up, met her dark eyes for a long moment and said, 'You are the Empress, Tallith Ocila Min. There is no doubt of that.'
Another conquest, but then, was she blushing a little?
'Empress or not, I am in command. And you are my second in command, Admiral DarQue,' she said. I suppressed a grin. Promoting DarQue and cutting Prince Imvoy Vinden out of the chain of command right at the beginning was, well, an interesting maneuver. Impulsive or calculated? 'Prince Imvoy is my grand visor, Vynnia enCarn is my chief of staff, Tenry Roynay my executive officer and Wil Litang will captain our space ship, the Rift Raven. They are my trusted advisers, as you shall be,' she said, indicating us in turn.
She released his hand and he shook ours in turn.
Impulsive or calculated, I was quite sure it was done without consulting Uncle Hawk, for he looked far, far from happy. Clearly Min was determined to take charge right at the onset – which was all to the good – and by establishing the chain of command now, at the very start, it ended any further discussion.
'Now Admiral, Uncle Hawk has built two of the finest, most powerful ships that have ever sailed the Pela and I know he's eager to show you your flag ship, the Indomitable. Shall we go out and inspect it? After that, we can see to reviving your crews and reawakening our cause.'
Tenry and I exchanged a look and a quick grin. It did seem like we'd just witnessed a coup of sorts, and Vinden's scowl when he saw us grinning, only confirmed it.
02
I'm afraid this account gets rather fragmentary going forward since time is a very flexible concept in the Pela. There's no concept of a day since there is no night. The sun's never seen, but never sets, and even on the rare large islands that rotate, the diffuse nature of the light means that it only gets dimmer, not dark. As a consequence, most of the inhabitants of the Pela order their lives around a set of traditional activities, which varies from tribe to tribe, society to society, and organization to organization. One completed set of activities is called a round, which might be thought of as a day, though the duration of a round depends entirely on circumstances which might vary widely from one round to the next. The actual duration never matters, only the pattern mattered. And, I gather, in the smaller tribes, this round is based on individuals, so that it could vary in relation to everyone else’s round in a random fashion. In larger organizations, however, rounds tended to be fairly synchronized.
Officially, the Cimmadar Empire keeps time for records, taxes, and employment, but I gather most of its citizens pay little attention to it, save for official duties. The Empress's Navy, for example, keeps watches just as we do, but without the pretense of day and night. It was simply an endless round of routine activities. One sleep watch to the next is considered a round and is divided into specific watches devoted to certain duties. In the navy, these activities do have a set duration, since the crews are active around the round in shifts, but only the officer in charge pays attention to the duration. The crews simply move from one activity to the next when ordered – and the activities usually follow a set order so it's little different than the timeless round of life they'd grown up in.
Time aboard a spaceship is just as abstract, given that every planet's days vary in duration. We keep Calissant time on the Starry Shore, even though we've not returned to Calissant for years. In any event, we fell effortlessly into Pela's timeless pattern, especially since we were left to operate pretty much on our own.
This freedom of action is the second reason my narrative gets rather vague. We – Vynnia and Tenry, my crew and Vinden's crew, were considered the personal staff of the Empress and Prince Imvoy, and not subject to naval routine or orders at present, so we operated independently and without much direction from our nominal superiors. Neither Min nor Vinden took an active hand in directing our activities – they, along with Tenry and Vynnia, DarQue and his staff, were too wrapped up in planning the operation to pay much attention to us – and DarQue did not presume to do more than suggest where we might help, leaving the actual arran
gements to us. Essentially, we worked as volunteers, unloading the cargo, outfitting the various ships with the weapons and supplies, and instructing the Cimmadarians in the use of the new technology Vinden had introduced in his version of the Pela warships. We all worked until we tired of it, ate when we were hungry, slept when we were sleepy, and lounged about until we got bored. The ship's cycle of watches went unminded. And the work got done.
And finally there is a personal dimension to this timelessness. In my mind, when I left the Starry Shore, I'd left my profession and the ship, my home for a quarter of a century, so I was now at loose ends. I told Molaye to consider herself acting captain, pending final confirmation by Min. I took my appointment as captain of the Rift Raven as coming into effect once it officially joined the Cimmadarian navy, so I left Molaye to run things aboard her, enjoying a sweet and sour sense of being at loose ends for the first time in three decades.
And perhaps there was a lingering halo of my brief affair with Min as well. Though objectively it was two years ago, subjectively it was only a matter of weeks since I'd felt free enough to make love to her against the no. 4 hold bulkhead. That type of freedom doesn't fade all that fast. Other than that quick look when we'd been awakened, she'd never acknowledged our intimacy in words, actions, or even looks, and I'd followed suit. And yet, I'd a sense of, well, privilege, a sense that for the first time since my youth, I was not only free of responsibilities, but free to do as I pleased, and to do what I pleased without guilt.
Taken together, all of these factors contributed to a timeless, idyllic air about my first un-numbered rounds in the Archipelago of the Tenth Star. All told, I believe it took over a month, ship time, to offload all of our entire cargo to Redoubt island. The crew, at any rate, was in no hurry to return to the blackness of space, and Molaye didn't drive them. Hard.
So with these explanations out of the way, I'll set out the events in their rough order with only vague estimates of the duration between them. Not that it matters.
03
After giving Admiral DarQue a tour of his new flagship we began the work of awakening the Loyalists. DarQue organized them and set them to work putting the base into working order – setting up the commissary, airing the mess rooms and bunk rooms and scrubbing the neglect of years from the base, boats and ships and getting them into bright, working order. Lookouts were posted in overgrown watch stations to keep an eye for dragons, and other dangers. Work parties were organized to cut away enough vines at the cavern entrance to allow the Indomitable to enter the harbor. The two rocket-gun emplacements buried in the vines that guard the entrance were cleared and manned. The sentry serpent guarding the walkway was, however, left undisturbed.
After getting the base in some sort of order, the Raven was cleared of her cargo. The larger ships in the harbor were hauled out of the grotto and tied up alongside the island to allow the Indomitable and the boxes containing its supplies to be hauled in on long cable lines. As soon as we had cleared the Raven, anchoring the boxes outside the cavern to save time, I sent Molaye and her small crew back to the ship to collect the next load. Glen Colin sailed with them as guide and Pela expert, even though we'd left that string of laser radio buoys to mark the way. Vinden was not about to take the chance they'd somehow get lost on the way back in.
'Give everyone a chance to visit the Pela. No one should miss experiencing it, especially since we've come so far to find it. I think you can keep a minimum harbor aboard the ship,' I said to Molaye, adding, 'Though I suppose I should leave those decisions up to you now, and be sure to bring Botts in on this next trip.'
'Botts?'
'Aye. It's a shipmate too, and I'm sure it'll find this all very interesting.'
She gave me a look, but said, 'Right.'
'Good sailing, Captain,' I said taking her hand.
'I'm not captain yet.'
'Acting Captain. Same thing. See you in ten days. Don't push it.'
'You'll see me again when you see me. I've already lost track of days.'
'Aye. Now off with you.'
Later – I was standing on the last container, overseeing the rigging of lines connected to the web of pulleys and steering cables we had constructed to haul the Indomitable and its supplies into the grotto base, when Min walked out of the cavern and waving to me, jumped aboard the box. I'd only caught glimpses of her these last (unnumbered) rounds – ever since we awoke DarQue, in fact.
'I'm tired of talk and planning,' she said as she walked over to stand beside me, covertly watched by all her loyal sailors as they worked. 'I need some sunlight and fresh air for a change.'
'Welcome on board. Where are your keepers?' I asked. She was never out and about without Uncle Hawk and Admiral DarQue and a gaggle of staff in tow.
'Sleeping, as I should be,' she answered, with a grin. 'They want me to act like the Empress, the Almighty Ruler of the Cimmadar Empire. I'm not sure that's really what's called for here, amongst the last of my mother's loyal followers, but until I get a feel for how things work here, I've gone along with it.'
'Until now.'
'Until now. Time to start getting a feel for things on my own.'
'Probably a good idea. And oh, I haven't had the opportunity to thank you for appointing me captain of the Rift Raven. Thanks,' I said. 'I do very appreciate it. I know you have your misgivings about me.'
'The logical choice,' she replied watching the sailors heaving on the cables that were slowly beginning to move the box into position to enter the cavern's entrance. I absently watched the proceedings – they were now old hands at this, so it wasn't as if I had to do anything anymore, but appear to be in charge.
'I assumed the appointment takes effect when the Raven becomes part of your navy, not immediately.'
'Would it make any difference?' she asked with a sidelong glance.
'It might've,' I replied with my own sidelong glance.
'I doubt it. But then, you won't be my problem for much longer. I'm handing you off to Admiral DarQue. He can deal with you.'
'Oh, I'm sure he can,' I replied. 'A very capable and, I might add, a dashing looking fellow as well. I'm sure you're wise to put yourself in his confident hands.'
She smiled without looking at me. 'Jealous?'
'Not at all. I'm delighted. You two make a formidable pair. And a formidable pair is what's needed.'
'We do, and he is dashing,' she replied giving me a challenging look, adding with a wicked smile, 'I like dashing fellows – for a change of pace.'
'A little variety never hurts. But I suppose I shouldn't tease my would-be-empress. That could be dangerous. Speaking of which, I was impressed by your little coup. Uncle Hawk didn't look too pleased. Was that planned or an improvisation of the moment?'
She smiled, rather grimly. 'Uncle Hawk wasn't too pleased, but he set out to place me on the Cloud Throne as the Empress of Cimmadar, and if I'm to be the Empress, I needed to act the part, play the role, and best do it right from the beginning.'
'It's a role you were indeed born to.'
'You think so Wil?' she said with a sidelong glance and a sly smile.
'I know so.'
'And yet, somehow, it never seems to deter you, does it?'
'That was before,' I said, and catching her knowing smile, added, 'And besides, you're not yet on the throne. But getting back to your coup, why did you do it? I gather Vinden called the shots during you mother's day and expected to continue to do so.'
'He did, but I decided otherwise,' she replied. 'Uncle Hawk had told me many good things about the daring and competence of this Captain DarQue, and seeing him, I decided that by giving him full responsibility for the campaign under me, I'd kill several birds with one stone. First I hoped to insure his loyalty, and by doing so, I'd win the loyalty of his sailors as well. I am, after all, an outsider. We need to make this an internal squabble, not an invasion from the outside. And secondly, by appointing DarQue my second in command I hope to make it clear I'm of Cimmadar and for Cimmadar.'
<
br /> 'I don't envy the spot you've put him in. I gather he and Prince Imvoy were brothers in arms in the old days.'
She shrugged. 'Which means they'll work things out and work well together.'
'Well, DarQue didn't seem to mind his promotion.'
'Nor did you, when I hired you.'
'True. Hopefully he'll be more reliably biddable.'
'He'd better be, and you'd better be too. Remember here I'm the Empress, and I don't intend to suffer fools gladly.'
'You never did. But now I'll have to watch my tongue.'
'If you intend to keep it, you will,' she replied and continued, 'I'm sure Uncle Hawk will be a great hand at politics and palace intrigue when the time comes, and in Vyn and Ten I have very competent military people on my staff, so I didn't need him issuing commands to my navy as well.'
'Do you know how we're to go about it? Capturing the throne and all that?'
'Our first objective will be Cimmadar's space station located in the shell-reef, several months of travel away. It's Cimmadar's link to the Neb. Once we've secured it, we'll sail into the Pela for Cimmadar itself, a journey of another two months, or so I understand.'
'What do you have planned for the Raven? It's not a very handy craft in the islands, as you well know.'
'We'll use the Raven mostly as a supply and support ship, though in the initial campaign for the space station, it may have a much more active role, since it is our largest, fastest, space ship and will be operating in its native environment. After capturing the space station, we may modify its cargo holds to transport soldiers and such. And there's talk of adding temporary wings and small rockets or propellers to it to make it more manageable in the islands. I'd imagine it will often be an independent command, running troops and supplies between the space station and captured bases and such, which suits your disinclination for bloodshed, and disinclination to follow orders when they don't suit you as well. Then, when this is all over, I plan to use the Raven as part of Cimmadar's small fleet of drift traders. You can remain her captain for as long as you want. That way you'll have served me, as promised, and still be able to follow your dream of growing cha whenever.'
I considered that for a moment and nodded. 'Yes, that will suit me fine. Thank you.'
04
My work varied. I spent some watches instructing the Cimmadarian gunners on the use of the Indomitable modern weapon control and tracking system. They previously used individually mounted and fired rocket launchers and cannons, so the concept of a central fire command – directed by radar – was a new concept. For one watch, I stood in a long line of sailors tossing small missiles to the next fellow in the line which flowed from a container, across the quay and gangplank, and down into the Indomitable magazine. I slept when I was tired, ate in the commissary, which was serving a mix of synth food fresh greens and thin strips of unidentified meat supplied by the hunting parties that went out each round. I didn't care to ask what it was. The hunting parties were using those small semi-open boats that had been tied up to DarQue's old ship, the Guardian, to range through the nearby islands, hunting for meat on the hoof, claw or wing. My new Cimmadar mates said that hunting parties are one of the most eagerly anticipated, if dangerous, duties which life in the Cimmadar navy offered, short of battle.
Work eventually tapered off, for us outsiders, anyway, as the equipment and supplies we brought in were installed and stored aboard the Indomitable as we awaited the Raven's second coming. The focus of work now shifted to refurbishing the old Guardian, and since we outsiders didn't have much expertise (or interest) in refurbishing the rather primitive vessel, we spent our time acquainting ourselves with everyday life in the Pela. One important skill to be mastered was walking on the weightless surfaces of these small islands. You could, of course, just swim across the landscape, using your hands to pull yourself along, but that meant that your hands weren't free to do other things, like defend yourself from predators, and you had to be more focused on your next handhold than on what was happening around you, or in the sky above.
Min, Vynnia, Tenry, and I, along with Ben Ton and Racken, another of Vinden's crew, set out to master this skill under the watchful eyes of an elegantly tall Cim female sub-captain by the name of Tri'n and a big, wide, tough looking Cim sergeant by the name of XinDi. We went well armed. You always went well armed in the Pela. I now wore a darter whenever I wasn't sleeping and hung it close at hand when I was. Ben and Racken carried 4mm pirate pieces, the rest of us, standard 2mm darters, while the Cimmadarians were armed with long barreled rifles that fired explosive shells.
We strapped a set of articulated steel claws on to the toes our boots, which, if we set our feet down correctly, would send the curved, talon-like blades into the turf, rough moss or underbrush of the islands to provide just enough grip to keep us precariously attached to the floating island. We walked carefully, digging one foot in before tearing or sliding the other foot out of the tough moss. The claws were set by shuffling back a little with each step, a process not too unlike the shuffling gait we use with our magnetic boots. In addition, we carried a walking stick with a hook on the bottom for additional stability, and a small grappling hook and line on our belt, to use if we should carelessly break free of the surface. The Cim wear flexible, sandal-like magnet-soled shoes that allows their longer, and more articulated feet and talon tipped toes the freedom to grab the surface while walking, without the need for artificial claws.
It was cool, bright and clear when we gingerly stepped off of the metal walkway and started to cautiously walk along the paths cut through the maze of tree and vine roots that led from the entrance to the Redoubt to the row of ships anchored alongside the island.
It took practice to get the hooks properly gripping the underbrush or turf, wiggle the trailing foot free without undoing the other one. The walking sticks came in handy, and at first, a helping hand to pull you back to the island again. We set out to circle the island, avoiding the bare rocks, though the Cimmadarians could handle those as well. By the time we'd walked halfway around the island to reach a wide meadow covered in springy moss and sprinkled with small wild flowers and drifts of thin, reed-like plants, we'd begun to get the hang of it.
The air on this outer edge of the Pela was cool, and after our struggles with walking, refreshing. Birds, flying feathered snakes and lizards darted or undulated overhead, making shrill calls and bright songs. Bright butterflies flirted and large beetles buzzed by us. The horizon, which was always just the edge of the island, changed with almost every step. We were crossing the meadow, concentrating on setting our feet properly, when the sound of a distant bugle drifted to us in the breeze. Instantly our two guides froze and looked skywards. Tri'n spied it first, pointing to a mere speck in the milky sky.
'Pardon me, Empress,' she said, her language translated by our com links, and snapped a brief order to XinDi. 'Carry the Empress to safety, sergeant,' she commanded, pointing to the dark green tree tops of a small forest peeking over the near horizon.
He gave her a startled look.
'Now.' snapped Tri'n with an abrupt, commanding gesture.
XinDi quickly gave a slight bow, looked at Min for a moment before mumbling inarticulately and deftly snatched her off her feet. Laying her over his shoulder, he took off at a loping gallop, skimming the moss with low, long strides, very fast and very sure.
'There is no danger,' said Tri'n, turning to the rest of us, and seeing our, well, mild disbelief, added. 'Just a prudent precaution. The Admiral would have my life if I didn't take every precaution with the Empress. Now if you'll follow XinDi – as fast as you can without flying off – we'll take cover in the fist-tree forest in case the dragon comes this way.'
That said, she un-slung her rifle and herded us along as we took off for the forest at our best, fast walking pace. I suspect we learned more about navigating the floating islands in those two minutes than we had in the hour before. It's amazing how a dragon focuses one's mind, even if there is no dan
ger.
It seemed to have been a closer run affair than Tri'n had us believing. We'd only reached the edge of the fist-tree forest and started pushing and pulling our way through the thicket of vines under the thick, gnarled branches of the umbrella shaped fist-trees that grow between the tall, swaying fern-top trees when a vague shadow crossed over us. It had to be flying pretty Neb-blasted low to cast even a vague shadow in the omni-directional light of the Pela.
Looking up, I saw, through the wide openings in the fist-tree branches, a flash of blue and green as a large lizard-dragon settled into the swaying top of a fist-tree just ahead – not twenty meters up. It swung its long neck back to look down at us, rather crossly, no doubt keenly disappointed to have missed us in the meadow, and shifted itself around to face us. I didn't think the branches between us and the dragon would offer much of a determent should it decide to lunch on us. Neb, it only needed to extend its neck and it'd be halfway down to us.
Vynnia and Tenry, Ben and Racken had their darters in hand as soon as we pulled up panting. I didn't bother, deciding mine wasn't needed. Even a large dragon was out of my effective range at twenty meters. Min and XinDi were deeper in the forest, protected by a rocky outcropping. They also had their weapons out.
'Don't fire!' Tri'n ordered. 'We're safe now, she'll leave us alone if we let her alone,' She glared around at all of us to make sure we were following her orders.
I thought she was being wildly optimistic again – the dragon didn't strike me like it was ready to leave us alone. Still, even with a lethal darter, I wasn't going to start anything with this large, keenly disappointed, lizard-style dragon. I, at any rate, was happy to leave it alone.
This was the first I'd seen a dragon this close up, and I couldn't help but notice all the details – it had a long tail covered with wide feathers blue, fading to green trimmed in yellows and reds. It had four feather-fringed limbs that ended in large, talon tipped claws. All four limbs had a downy membrane connected to its body that, with its limbs extended, it used like wings to travel in the air. Its head had a feather crown, with two large, shiny black eyes and a wide, long mouth equipped with the usual abundance of teeth mounted on a long neck. It was watching us closely with its cold black eyes. Its body was covered in a shimmering coat of downy feathers that varied from a light blue belly to a dark green back, with streaks of orange and reds.
And, as I mentioned, it didn't strike me as if it was ready to abandon its snack just yet. The Fist-trees we'd taken cover under have a very thick trunk which, about twenty meters up, branches into half a dozen or more thick, gnarled branches, that spread out like fingers or the spokes of an umbrella. The smaller branches are thin and willowy, with long and knife-like leaves. The openings between large branches might to be narrow enough to block a direct lunge at us at the trunk, but as they spread out, the openings got bigger and the branches smaller. It could, I felt, get at us if it had a mind to. Why, with its long neck, it didn't have to get all that much closer to grab one of us.
'Dragons are quite intelligent,' Tri'n said, her long weapon at her shoulder aimed at the dragon. 'I believe she knows what we are and what these weapons can do. She knows that if she were to try to get at us, we'd very likely kill her with our fire weapons. She knows she lost this meal,' and then, strangely enough, she raised her voice and said, 'Fly away my dear! There's nothing here for you to eat but us, and we have many fire weapons to defend ourselves. Try your luck on some other island.'
The dragon gave a long low hissing snarl that sounded neither intelligent or congenial, and it didn't make any move to fly away either. It seemed content to perch in the upper branches of the fist-tree and consider its options.
'Fly away now, before more of us come to kill you,' Tri'n replied boldly. 'We're hungry for meat. So unless you want to be our dinner, fly now, before it's too late. Our weapons reach far, and our aim is unerring.'
I didn't think threatening to eat a twenty-meter-long dragon was exactly diplomatic for people in our position, but then, what did I know? Still, after a few more moments of studying us with her gleaming dark eyes, she either took Tri'n's warning to heart, or noticed the large band of running, armed sailors emerging from around the short uneven horizon of the island and venting a loud hissing snarl of disappointment, she sprang upwards. Spreading her four winged limbs, she soared up into the pale sky, the back-draft from her wings and tail, pushing us back a step.
We let out our collective breaths, in a long sigh.
'Could she really understand what you said?' asked Vynnia.
'Many of us believe so. They're unable to speak our language, of course, and likely have no interest in doing so if they could. But I believe she can understand our intent by reading something of what we think. She seemed to know us for people who could bite back, otherwise she would've attacked us straight off. If we'd been armed, like many of the islanders with only spears and arrows, we'd have little luck avoiding being her lunch. The fact that she didn't attack either means she was familiar with our weapons, or could read the pictures I was forming in my mind of what our weapons would do to her. Either is possible, since dragons range far and wide and live very long lives, so it is possible that she knew our capabilities even in this remote place.'
Then she looked at me, 'You're not afraid of dragons, Captain Litang?'
'Not afraid? I assure you, I was running as fast as I could, Sub-captain.'
'Yet you felt no need to draw your weapon?'
'Oh, that, I'm not very handy with weapons. I tend to be rather wild in my firing – mere fireworks for the most part. Couldn't hit the Indomitable at ten paces. The dragon was too far out of my effective range to bother. '
'And if it had decided to attack us?'
I shrugged. 'I've no doubt that you, Sub-captain, or my shipmates would've dealt with it. I believe our weapons are deadly enough to have dealt with it long before it was in my range.'
'You rely on others for your protection?' she asked, giving me a rather dismissive look.
'I rely on experts to do their job,' I replied giving her a level one in return. 'I expect, Sub-captain Tri'n, that you're such an expert or you wouldn't have been assigned to escort the Empress on this excursion. I doubt I'm wrong.' Which, I thought, was a nicely balanced double edged thrust. I wasn't prepared to be rebuked by a mere sub-captain, especially at the start of this expedition, when we were all taking each other's measure, but I didn't want to ruffle her feathers too much either.
She gave me another, unreadable look, nodded, and turned to wait for the rescue party from the base to arrive. Tenry gave me a grin, but said nothing.
We treated it like a carefree adventure, but it was clear that DarQue, who was leading the rescue party, which arrived shortly afterward, was treating it as anything but a carefree adventure.
05
With the Raven gone I slung a hammock in one of the cabins aboard the Indomitable, that I shared with Vynnia and Tenry. They were closely involved in the planning of the campaign, so I didn't see them often, and made it a point to sleep when they weren't.
Stepping out onto the dim lit quay side, after one awakening, I found the grotto harbor busy once more. The Raven had returned. Hurrying to the cavern mouth, I saw that they were already attaching the cables on to the first of the large crates that held the scout boats – the 15x 3 meter boats with sleek, rounded hull, several steering vanes and a large propeller aft, that were built for speed. Emerging into the sunlight I greeted my (former) crew. Molaye had left only Illy and Sar in charge of the ship. They hadn't needed Glen Colin's help, so he stayed mostly sober the whole passage and Botts had done most of the piloting, on the sly, so it had been a pleasant passage especially once through the shell-reef.
'Hey, Skipper,' hailed Riv who was idly watching the proceedings. Cargo handling wasn't an engineer's job. 'So this your new home?'
'For a while,' I replied, as I hauled myself aboard the ship by one of its anchor lines to stand by him. I told him my arrangeme
nt with Min. 'So, you see, I may be here only for a year or two. I rather think the Pela is a bit too exciting for me.'
'Don't they need cha planters here?'
'I don't know, but I do know I'd not care to grow cha if I constantly had to look over my shoulder for dragons.'
'That dangerous, Skipper?'
'If you hear the bugle sound, head for cover before you even start looking around, Riv,' I replied and told him about our encounter with a dragon.
I found Botts out of sight, on the far side of ship, dressed like a spaceer.
'What are you? Some sort of scarecrow?'
'I am being discrete, Captain,' it replied, turning to me. 'Thank you, Captain, for inviting me here. This is amazing. You've made me quite famous.'
'My pleasure. I take it the Directorate wasn't aware of the Tenth Star and its Archipelago.'
'We were not, and only now are we reassessing our charts of the nebula to pinpoint the location of the Tenth Star.'
'They can do that? I thought you couldn't access the ship's systems or track you by your quantum link.'
'I didn't, and they can't. I did, however, provide the Directorate with a rough estimate of our course, and duration. Knowing the ship, as I do, I recorded the burn times and estimated strengths of the main and steering rockets while setting the course and building the ship's velocity. Then, during the passage I noted the timing and the duration of the various engines used for maneuvering during the passage. Based on this set of rough estimates, plus our fuel consumption, the Directorate built a model that estimated our course and velocity and from that, identified a rather large search area of some 50 astronomical units in diameter by 10 aus deep in which the Tenth Star could be located. It is, not unexpectedly, a remote and unexplored area of many dense black reefs on the far side of the Nebula. Its estimated density could easily hide a star. Given its remoteness and no compelling features, the Directorate had assigned a low priority to surveying the suspect area in detail, so that the Tenth Star would only have been discovered by the Directorate some 34,000 years from now, when that area was scheduled for a detailed survey.'
'Thirty-four thousand years. That's what I call long range planning.'
'We have the time, Captain. And the computing prowess to plan that far in the future. This,' it swept his hand to encompass the Pela, 'is going to take a great deal of time and computing prowess to assess and decide how to handle its existence.'
'Perhaps even more than you think. There are hints that a non-human intelligent race or races, exists within the Pela. The run of the mill dragons you'll encounter may be intelligent, and there are legends that a super advanced dragon race exists as well. You've no doubt noticed that the wildlife has no counterpart in the Neb, and is likely unknown within the human settlement sphere as well. Plus, there's a race of humans here that share 97% of our DNA but are feathered and distinct enough that they cannot cross breed with us. I believe, Botts, that the Tenth Star is going to offer the Directorate a vast gold field for logical art, for eons to come.'
'Indeed, Captain. From what I've observed already, I am certain you are right. It's a micro-universe to explore. I'd like permission to make a start.'
'Of course. How do you propose to do that?'
'Riv and I have constructed a rocket sled. I'd like permission to take it off to explore on my own. That way I can begin to collect a small sample of data while at the same time avoid any unwanted attention my presence might bring.'
'Right,' I did some rapid calculations. 'Time is pretty tenuous here, so it's hard to set a solid date. But, I think we can count on at least twenty more days. If we're finished before then, which I doubt, I'll have them linger at the last buoy at the edge of the Pela, broadcasting a signal on our standard frequency. Would that be enough time?'
'Hardly, Captain, but I'll gladly take it.'
'I suppose I've no real hold on you, Botts. You don't really need my permission, or need to return at all.'
'I am a member of your crew, Captain. While I also have a general, roving assignment for the Directorate, my first loyalty is still to my shipmates. The everyday, immediate loyalties are the most important ones. The Directorate will want to study this with specialized machines and has eons to do it, so this is little more than a personal outing. It is not necessary, if you'd rather not have me off and away.'
'Of course not. I invited you here just so you could have a look around. I certainly owe you that and much more as well. However, I'll admit that, I'd like you back and looking after my shipmates and the Starry Shore, at least until they get home again.'
'If you have them bring along Botts II on the next run, we could stay in communication even after we depart.'
'Something to think about... But perhaps not. I need to make a complete break, and Molaye needs to be on her own. If we're in communication, it wouldn't be complete. And well, there's nothing either of us could do to help each other after they sail.'
'As you think best.'
'I'll think about it more. but in the meanwhile, be careful, Botts. Don't underestimate the dragons. They're eagle eyed, fearless, and while they may not be able to digest you, they'll certainly try.'
'I've built a fast, powerful sled, plus, I have a wide variety of sensors, so don't worry, Dad, I'll be fine.'
'Right, off with you.'
It stepped into the engine room airlock, hauled out the flat, three-meter-long rocket sled. Lying flat behind the low control panel, it waved and shot off into the horizon-less sky, quickly dwindling to a dot and disappeared completely. If the sentries noticed it, they recognized that it wasn't a dragon, and no one said anything about it.
Curiously, this second run also brought the bachelor birds. They must have smelled home on the returning crew, and knew us well enough to be waiting in the gig when the crew arrived to take it over to the Rift Raven for the next trip in. Every last one of them, I gather. And as the cats would no doubt tell you – if they could talk – you don't mess with the bachelor birds and their pointy beaks, so they hitched a ride home aboard the Raven. They were out of the airlock the moment it was opened and they did'na return. We never figured out how they reproduced – hence their name – but their curious behavior suggests that they may've been the original crew. In any event, they've returned home and it seems that they intend to stay. The little birds of the Pela seemed pretty smart.
The sentry serpent hatched a family which she allowed to roam free. The youngsters, half a dozen of them, were a meter long and capable of taking a large spoonful out of you if they cared to. They were fearless and curious, but not aggressive. The big question, at least for us outsiders, was how maternal was mama? You'd hate to have to absently brush aside one of the little ones, have it hiss at you and have mama take off your head over it, which made going in and out of the grotto a nerve-wracking affair at times. I wondered why we didn't just shoo her out or serve her for lunch, but I've been finding that Cimmadarians have all sorts of ideas and superstitions about the dragons and Vinden, a Cimmadarian, apparently held sentry serpents to be lucky or something.
I believe it took us something on the order of five ship days to get the Raven unloaded and off again on its last run. Vinden fumed, but neither Molaye nor I pushed to clear the ship. Five days in a paradise, even one with teeth, was not an overindulgence for a four-year voyage. Molaye took only a skeleton crew back with her, the rest stayed on to help out or just hang about, bunking in the barracks.
06
In addition to the scout boats, the Raven also brought the final fittings for the Indomitable – the electric motors to drive the propellers which were to be attached to the tips of its short after-wings. Once the Indomitable was fitted with these wingtip engines and propellers it'd be too wide to pass through the cavern, so it was hauled out and tied alongside the island. Tall fern-top trees were cut down for spars to be used to keep it clear of the island for the final installation of its engines, propellers and propeller guards. Seen in the open and fully equipped, the
ship looked rather like an ancient galleon, with a high forecastle and stern, but instead of masts, it had a third island amidships, which housed the ship's bridge or wheelhouse at the very top above the grated deck. The two open decks between the deck houses were enclosed by grates, as were the decks on the tops of the deck-houses. There were two rows of missile launchers protruding from each side of the hull, with several more at the tops of the deck houses and along the center line of the lower hull. It had two short wings set near its stern, with large, caged propellers mounted at their wingtips. The wings, and the two vertical tails at each of the engine mounts had movable panels to steer the ship. It also mounted modest rocket engines in the stern for use when crossing the airless space between the space station and the Pela proper. Though these engines were underpowered for the size of the ship, speed was apparently not a priority. They, after all, only planned to sail in that little lake of outer space between the shell and the Pela.
I was invited to sail aboard the Indomitable on its maiden cruise to train the pilots in the use of their new helm controls, laser radar charting system, and autopilot controls to steer the ship. Vinden's crew was also along, to instruct the Cimmadarians on their new weapon systems and the general operation of the ship's many subsystems, since it was very much like the space ships we were all familiar with.
Sailing the Pela in an airship proved to be a far more pleasant experience than manhandling an awkward spaceship through the islands in a hurry and experiencing it only though a view-panel. The Indomitable cruised at a much slower speed than the Raven – under 200 kph – so life aboard was significantly slower paced, and with its flaps on its wings, steering it was far easier as well.
Though it was rather cool and drafty on the open decks sailing in this clime, there was an intimacy in experiencing everything first hand that I found quietly enjoyable and very picturesque. It was much like my zep holiday with Riv, except on a much grander scale. We'd often stop and lay off the lush green islands with their bright, fragrant flora and strange feathered fauna, to send the boats out to hunt and gather food. The decks would come alive with the cheerful chatter of my shipmates as they gathered to banter with the eager hunting/gathering parties preparing the half a dozen small cage-boats we carried along before they set out for the islands. Once they'd gone, it'd grow quiet as the decks emptied and the sailors returned to their dinners, tasks, or hammocks – only the singing of the birds and the hissing of the minor dragons that flirted around the ship looking for galley scraps, and the sigh of the breeze that carried the lush scents of foliage and strange flowers aboard – kept us company. It didn't seem to be a bad life, all in all.
Over the course of the voyage I did get to see, close up, what we were eating. The returning hunters would tie up alongside the galley portal and offload the results of their hunt – the wild-grown fruits and vegetables they'd collected and the carcasses of beasts they'd shot. The beasts consisted of mostly modest-sized feathered lizards, lizards being the more land-bound type of dragons, and medium sized birds. All were something of an acquired taste, but I thought it best to set about acquiring it, if the Pela was to be my home for the next few years. Besides, anything, even lizards, are better than straight synth-food.
I spent two watches on the bridge, or wheelhouse as they called it, each round overseeing the pilots on watch – showing them how to use the newest equipment, including a 3D holographic display of the island within range of the laser radar. The Cimmadarians caught on quickly, so I didn't have much to do, as the cruise wound down. During one of those last watches, I was lounging in the back of the wide wheelhouse, idly watching the bridge crew go about their duties. The pilot stood behind the control console, the large rudder wheel in hand, while the officer of the watch paced behind her, moving from one patch of sunlight to the next that was pouring through the clearsteel windows that wrapped around the wide room that overlooked the ship. In the center of the room, the navigation officer and two sailors had gathered at the chart table, studying the 3-D holographic chart of the local islands to locate their position, and chart the next leg of the course back to Redoubt Island. The aft door to the upper deck of the amidships deckhouse and a couple of windows were angled open to admit the fresh breeze and the rhythmic thumping whirl of the propellers aft. A shadow darkened the door's patch of light, as Glen Colin wandered in from the after-deck and slipped beside me to help hold up the wheelhouse wall.
'Looks like Vinden is trying to put you out of business,' I said quietly, with a nod to the holographic chart and the watch officers. 'It seems they can find their way home without you.'
'Aye, we're mere ornaments aboard the Empress's battleships.'
'Really? I thought you and your fellow guides were so essential.'
'We are. Only the largest Imperial Navy ships have computer charts, and only because the Empress doesn't believe the battleships can be captured. The rest of the navy, and every merchant ship and island trader, for that matter, relies on guides of one sort or another. Aye, the Royal House is very protective of its Neb technology. It keeps all the advanced stuff from the Neb strictly to itself. Everyone else makes do with the current standard of development in our corner of the Pela.'
'Why? Why wouldn't they want a fully modern navy, or society, for that matter?'
'We'd not want that technology falling into the wrong hands, would we, Cap'n?'
'But I thought Cimmadar is the most advanced and powerful empire in the Pela.'
'Only as far as we know. And why do you think that is?'
'Because of your Neb technology,' I replied.
'Which no one else has. The Empire is a sphere with a vast, and very permeable border to patrol. In the outer reaches there are times when various empires overlap us without knowing it so there is always informal contacts across the various empires. Eventually every innovation spreads throughout the neighboring empires. To prevent our best technology from seeping out, the Royals keep it strictly to themselves – the royal household. Our solid core of strength at the center of the Empire, should the need arise. But not before.'
'So why hasn't Cimmadar used its technological advantage to expand and eliminate these potential rivals?'
'I think that the phrase, as far as we know, is essential in understanding Cimmadar, Cap'n. As far as we know describes the great unknown. You see, most Cimmadarians have this gut feeling that sometime, somewhere, someone discovered something no one dares mention, but which is dangerous enough to make our rulers content to keep Cimmadar a hermit empire,' he said quietly, adding, with a sly glance. 'The bigger you are, the easier you are to find. But, that's just what people whisper around closing time after a night at the tavern. And it's mostly just a feeling. No more need be said.'
'Hmm...' And not liking to name names myself, I changed the subject. 'Does Cimmadar import anything else from the Neb besides technology?'
'Most of the trade is in fact decorative or luxury items for the Iron Island.'
'The Iron Island?'
'The royal residence – an island with an iron core large enough to provides the island with enough gravity to make it seem like a small moon. But, as I said, outside contact is a fiercely guarded royal privilege, so it brings in items to furnish its palaces and keep the extended branches of the royal houses, and merchant princes content.'
'A royal privilege, eh? So why were you smuggling for Vinden?' I asked, switching to Unity Standard. 'Couldn't he have gotten all he wanted through official channels, being Prince and all?'
'In those days his Grandmother still sat on the Cloud Throne, and his mother had not been named the heir, so he was a young, male member of one of the non-inheriting family lines, too far removed from the Royal privilege to be involved in the import business or receive much more than a trinket or two.'
'And after his mother was named heir and ascended to the throne?'
Glen Colin shrugged. 'The old Empress issued that decree on her deathbed. Vinden's mother was only on the throne for a couple mo
nths of rounds before Ossa returned and quickly displaced her.'
It would seem that Empress Ossa was, indeed, a person to be reckoned with.
'Does Vinden have any idea what Ossa has done these last 70 years to secure her throne from his various counter revolution attempts – besides hiring assassins to kill the claimants in the Neb?'
He shrugged again. 'He had an agent on a drift world where Cimmadar conducts its external trade with...'
'Kintrine?'
He gave me a sharp look. 'You did'na hear that from me....'
'No I didn't. Go on.'
'But, since I've been sleeping in a pod most of the last 70 years, I really couldn't say. Vinden doesn't tell me – or anyone – much. But...' he paused, and fell silent, with a shrug.
'But, given past performance, and the fact that he's been on the run or hiding for the last 70 years, it seems unlikely,' I said, watching him.
'You did'na hear that from me, either....'
I shook my head. I was certain Grandmama passed along word of the reappearance and subsequent mysterious disappearance of Tallith Min and the Lost Star. So if Ossa still employed St Bleyth, she'd have gotten that word more than two years ago, time enough to prepare for any possible return, even if she'd done nothing in the last 70. The truth is that the Starry Shore could blow Vinden's slow, little fleet of Pela battleships to atoms in an afternoon.
'Could Ossa afford to buy a couple of well-armed drifteer tramps and bring them in?'
Glen Colin gave me a long look. 'The Empress could afford to buy the Neb-blasted Patrol.'
He'd say no more, but then, he'd said enough. Not for the first time did I wonder what I'd gotten myself into.
Admiral DarQue invited me to his office near the end of the voyage. By this time, with the help of the com link, I'd come not only to routinely speak, but to even think in Cimmadarian, and could catch and express subtle implications, which made my interview with DarQue rather interesting. Min had clearly been telling the Admiral about me. He made mention of my flexibility in following orders and listened to the explanations I offered, not committing himself in any way, but without expressing disapproval, at least. And we talked of the battles I'd been involved in, and though they were in a different medium than he was familiar with, they had many features in common. He may be very modest, but I was left with the impression, however, I may've seen more action than he had.
Eventually we got around to the business he had summoned me to discuss – staffing the Raven when it joined the Cimmadarian Navy.
'Prince Imvoy has suggested four of his staff, Zervic, Martong, Racken, and Crain as your crew. I gather they all are experienced spaceship crews.'
My impression was that he wasn't quite happy with that, so I replied rather boldly, 'More likely experienced pirates. I may have to put up with some of his crew, but I'd rather not have to deal with those four. I'm just a mild mannered merchant ship captain, not a pirate chief.'
'Would you consider using some Cimmadarians?'
'Indeed, I would much prefer some of your people to those Prince Imvoy suggested – if they were volunteers. I'm used to working with people who are happy to be on board and willing to perform their duties. I'd be delighted to train your people in the various operations of the Raven. It is a very automated ship, so that I don't think it would take all that much time to get a Cimmadarian crew up and running. Indeed, since the Raven is to be a part of your force, I'd think you'd want a little more, shall we say, reliable, crew on board. And if Vinden wants some of his people on board as well, I think we could find some better ones than the ones he's suggested.'
'Who would you suggest?'
'In space, three people can run the Raven. If I had two of Prince Imvoy's people – Ben Ton and Vikei seem to be the best of that bunch – we'd have enough experienced people on board to train four or five of your crew. Say an officer and four crew members. There are three cabins that can be used for sleeping quarters in the crew section, and a workshop in the engine room can used as a fourth one. Depending on how your crews bunk, male and female, a crew of up to eight would be comfortable, perhaps a dozen at most. So if you can find four of your crew and an officer, to start with, I'd think that ideal.'
'Only eight?' The Raven was twice the size of his flagship, which had a crew of a more than a hundred.
'The Empress, ran the Raven with only three others for many years. It is the living quarters which limits crew size. We arrived with seventeen on board and we were pretty packed in. I don't think the ship could accommodate more than ten or so. We could rotate them in and out if you'd like more of them trained.'
He nodded. 'I'll make it an officer and four, ah, volunteers. Ben Ton and Vikei, you say?'
'Aye. I know Ben is a former pirate, but I think former is the operative word. I'm far from sure about the rest of that lot.'
'Alright, Captain, I'll see if I can find some volunteers for you.'
07
The Rift Raven had returned, and was anchored across the cavern entrance, by the time the Indomitable returned from its shakedown cruise. They were in the process of carefully maneuvering the Triumphant into the grotto when we hove into view. We tied up the Indomitable alongside the island against half a dozen 30-meter-long spars secured by cables to keep its wings and propellers clear of the island. One of the spars had a metal walkway with rope handrails attached for use as the gangplank.
Once the ship was secured, I hurried down the gangplank, and along the path to the harbor entrance, where, using one of the Raven's anchoring cables, hauled myself, hand over hand, to the Raven to greet my shipmates. All of them, as it turned out.
'You let everyone come along?' I asked Molaye, trying, and no doubt failing, to hide my alarm. 'And left the ship in charge of Botts or rather Botts II?'
'It said not to worry, it could look after the ship,' she replied, unperturbed. 'Nothing seems likely to happen out there, and Botts assured me it could handle anything that might happen.'
'Botts, yes, of course, but our legal AI Botts II?'
'We came to an understanding. Seeing that you're staying on and I'll likely be the Starry Shore's next captain,' she said with a significant look. 'I gather it can control Botts II from the Pela if necessary.'
'Ah, yes. Well, if Botts said it was safe...'
'I'm sure it is. We probably could've simply abandoned the ship without Botts. But with Botts in charge, we certainly didn't need anyone aboard. Plus, everyone wanted to come and have a chance to say goodbye, so I didn't feel like choosing.'
'Right. I agree. I'm sure Botts would've talked me into it as well,' I admitted, adding, 'But pass the word for everyone to keep a low profile. I doubt anyone will notice we're all here, but I'd rather not have to admit to Min or Vinden that we left the ship in the charge of a gentleman's bot.'
'Don't worry, Captain, I have enough problem keeping track of them myself. I think Riv, Sar and a few Cims have built themselves a still somewhere. They're rarely seen when not on watch...'
'A still?'
'Well, you know – engineers. The prospect of a new type of exotic alcoholic beverage made from Pela ingredients is simply an allure they can't resist, no matter how awful it'll turn out.'
'All of which is against regulations, I presume...'
'Not against ours. It's their free time,' she replied, brightly. 'Of course if you want to report it as a member of the Cimmadarian navy, that's your choice.'
'I haven't see a thing, Plus, I haven't been sworn in yet.'