The Lost Star's Sea

by C. Litka

  03

  She was gone for what seemed like an awful long time. I knew that as a stealth of St Bleyth, she could take care of herself, so I didn't keep track of the time. But it seemed, well, as I said, awfully long. Still, when the sensors started to buzz and the hidden cameras showed her, carrying several bundles, and Siss making their way up the canyon towards the ship, I let out a breath that I seemed to have been holding for the duration.

  I opened the hatch and Siss shot through to circle around me hissing excitedly. Cin tossed the bundles down to me and followed them in, just about as happy as Siss. I shut the hatch.

  'Everything go well?'

  'As easy as falling out of bed! This is just a quick stop to change into some authentic clothing and then we're heading back to do some more shopping.'

  'Is that really necessary?'

  'It is if you ever hope to accompany Siss and me,' she replied with a laugh, unpacking her bundles, and pulling out an intricate embroidered blouse, 'What do you think?'

  'Pretty. Did you take along some silver to buy things? Or did you have some coins - souvenirs from Redoubt Island?'

  'Oh, I just borrowed some,' she said, pulling out several belts, sandals and various other articles of clothing. 'I am a thief by trade, after all.'

  True.

  'I trust you ran no risks, as promised.'

  'No needless risks,' and then she laughed, adding, 'No risks at all, given my talents.'

  I gave up. 'Well what did you discover, besides a new wardrobe.'

  'Well let me freshen up and change, and then I'll bring you up to date.'

  'Can I make us something to eat?'

  'Oh, no. Siss and I have been sampling all the delicacies - all sorts of smoked and grilled lizards, pickled vegetables, breads, and sweets, haven't we?

  Siss barked her agreement.

  'Did you behave herself?' I asked, staring at her.

  She flicked her tongue out at me, dismissively.

  'We brought you some samples in one of the parcels, if you want to try some. I must say, they put my synth-creations to shame.'

  'I will.'

  'And I must add that Siss was a perfect young lady. She stayed close by my side the whole time, never straying far, even when some big handsome boy serpents would edge ever so slightly over to check her out. By the way, they're known as "Simla dragons" in these parts. A much nicer name than sentry-serpents, I think.'

  'Well, as a telepath, they wouldn't need to show any outward sign of flirting, would they?'

  'True, Siss?' Cin asked, turning to Siss.

  Siss just glanced away. And then barked a laugh. Simla dragons - I might as well use the local name for them - seem to live a very carefree life.

  'By the way, how can you tell male Simla dragons from the females?' I asked.

  'The males are bigger and have duller green coats of feathers, it seems,' Cin replied.

  Siss hissed sharply.

  'And they're dumber as well, but that's a given, isn't it Siss?'

  She barked her laughter and wagged her tail.

  When the girls had settled down a bit, I got more of a coherent story.

  'We spent the first several hours just standing around observing trading going on at the booths each ship has set up to sell or trade their specialties. I had my com link neural-linked to my visual cortex and between watching and listening to what was said, I quickly began to get a handle on the basic language. I'd say that it's nearly half Cimmadarian, some words identical, others pronounced slightly differently. The grammar appears to be almost the same. A few more hours down there and we should be able to make basic conversation without fear of discovery. Just have to work on the accent a little. You can download it now from the AI and practice if you care to accompany me in the future.

  'One of the things I was paying close attention to while I hung about is the relative value of the coins which were used to buy the goods. They used a great variety of them, but they fell into fairly clear value classes. Knowing what coins to use is important. We'd stand out if we bought a one credit barbequed lizard bun with a 100 credit coin.'

  'Did those booths supply you with the coins you needed for your purchases as well?'

  She shook her head. 'No. Too risky. They kept a pretty close eye on their coins. They were after all, selling to pirates...'

  'So they are pirates.'

  'They call themselves the Temtre. They're a clan, or rather a collection of clans - I'm not sure just how they're organized yet. I gather from the overhead conversations that they're a combination of small traders and pirates when the occasion presents itself?'

  'Drift hawks of the Pela.'

  'Perhaps. They operate amongst a large group of islands known as the Dontas, a fair voyage inward. This island, they call it "Dagger Island," is their secret meeting island. It seems that the clan gathers during a very long, but infrequent local holiday. But then, you know the Pela, time is pretty vague. Still, I overheard young men talking and it sounded like they were just boys at the last gathering. Dagger Island is far from anywhere, and only they, and now we, and the red feathered folk, know of it. It was kind'a hard to get an exact read from their idle gossip and boasting, but as I said, it seems that trading is as important, if not more, than piracy.'

  'Still, not the type of people who'd welcome us if we just turned up uninvited.'

  'I think not. Yet they're not savages either. The assembly was remarkable for its good humor. I didn't see one brawl while I was there and neither Siss nor I were harassed, though you'd think the others of her kind had to have known she didn't belong?'

  Siss gave a dismissive hiss.

  'Right, we both can keep our secrets locked away. Still, it was all very Unity Standard. And, seeing that I had to haggle for everything I purchased, I'd say they're more trader than pirate. We could do worse... But it's still too early to tell.'

  'It sounds like you've found a new home.'

  She shook her head. 'They're a broad-feathered clan. We fine-feathered folk are mostly slaves or servants, but I'll get to that in a moment. As I said, my impression from watching them at their stalls is that they're pretty shrewd and sharp eyed merchants. Not people I'd care to steal from, given a choice, so I looked elsewhere for my coins. They seem to use pouches or compartments in their belts instead of pockets to carry things, so I figured I could find a nice full coin pouch and perhaps lighten it a bit in a press of people with a poke of my glass knife. However, as it turned out, that wasn't necessary. While I was wandering about looking for a likely donor, Siss and I came upon the Temtres' Clan-king and his retinue greeting a newly arrived ship. He apparently makes an official call on each ship, to welcome them to the Assembly and, conveniently, collect his cut of the ship's profits in the form of a heavy bag of coins and jewels. We watched as the Clan-king handed this bag off to his grand visor, who, accompanied by several guards, headed back to the Clan-king's ship to deposit the loot. Siss and I decided to tag along.

  'The guards were either dismissed or felt their duty was done when they reached the ship and they drifted away. The ship was largely deserted, everyone off visiting. Those that remained on board were mostly asleep, with only an idle guard or two playing cards on the upper deck, so I was able to slip on board without being noticed. I left Siss on guard while I followed the grand visor to the forward deckhouse and then into it, quiet-like - he never noticed since he'd hurried on to a second room, the Clan-king's quarters. I slipped into the shadows of a wardrobe to watch him unlock a stout storeroom door at the back of the Clan-king's rather lavish quarters and then unlock and open a very large chest that nearly filled the small closet-like room. Once he swung the lid up, I gave him a very low charged dart in the back. The dart had just enough charge to keep him out for several minutes while I quickly sorted through the coins amongst the jewels in the chest, selecting a nice assortment of mostly small, low value coins, that I could use for my purchases without comment. I left him still standing there, coin bag in hand. M
ost likely he'll come out of the dart's effects without ever realizing he'd drifted off for three or four minutes. And, trust me, what I took will never be missed. It was a large chest. Siss and I then went shopping for clothes and treats before returning here to change.'

  'If we know the language, and have some coins, why do you need to go back? We've already just about everything we'd need.'

  'Hardly. Dressed in authentic garb and with a growing handle on the language, I can now begin to gather real intelligence, digging deeper into who they are, where we are, what we can expect, as well as getting a surer handle on the customs of this patch of the Pela.'

  'Still, it seems...'

  'Litang. I've let you call the shots when it came to refitting the gig. That's your expertise. Sneaking about, collecting information, stealing, is my expertise. "If" we are to be partners, you'll need to stick to your expertise and allow me to practice my expertise. I've just abandoned one long time master. I'm not eager to take on another.'

  Couldn't argue that. 'Sorry. Point taken.'

  'Right. As far as I can see, the party goes around the clock. Siss and I will go back, we'll shop around for some clothes for you and listen to the gossip to enlarge our vocabulary and see what we can discover. If all goes well, we may have enough of a handle on the language and customs to allow you out. What size shoes do you wear?' she added, catching me off guard.

  'Ah...'

  'Never mind. Let me compare mine to yours... Any preference in swords and daggers?'

  'A dagger with a guard that I can use to block thrusts, and a straight dueling sword,' I replied absently. 'Something along the lines of what I used on Lontria.'

  'Right. We're off. Don't wait up.'

  I didn't wait up. Well, I grew too tired to wait up. The sensor alarms woke me when they returned, once more bearing bundles and weapons. Both were exhausted, and both retired to Cin's hammock after a brief report. Everything went well. Cin captured enough conversations that if I cared to go down with them tomorrow, I should download the language to my com link and practice, which I did after I locked the hatch, and made myself a meal. I then spent several hours talking to myself in Temtreian, or rather "Saraimian", since the Temtres spoke the language of the large group of islands to the sun wards, known as the Saraime Principalities.

  They slept for a long time. After breakfast Cin broke out the package of clothes she'd picked out for me - all of which were in various shades of yellow, from a mustard colored lizard leather vest, to a bright yellow shirt, to pale yellow woven reed hat.

  'I know yellow is your favorite color, my dear,' she exclaimed with glee, pulling one yellow piece after another out of her bundle. 'Isn't this dashing! And I've even thought up a new alias as well. You're going to be Captain Canary!'

  'Very humorous.' I was, however, delighted to see her having so much fun, even if it was at my expense. I'd a feeling I'd best get used to that.

  'Captain Canary,' she said again gazing brightly at me. 'It so suits you. Not only with your fondness for yellow, and, uh, your fondness for caution, but also because, you're just so cheerful and bright.'

  Right.

  'I'm glad to see you in such blithe spirits. For that I'll wear your outfit without protest. This once. I'm sure that being seen in the company of Captain Canary will be my revenge.'

  She frowned. 'We didn't think of that, did we Siss? Still, nothing to be done about it now,' she added with a laugh. 'Besides, they all dress so brightly, no one will notice.

  Siss barked a laugh.

  'Now for our cover story. It's common practice to kidnap any prince or wealthy merchant from the ships that fall into their clutches. They're held for a ransom to be paid at a certain port within a certain time limit. We'll play the part of two such hostages being held for ransom. I'm a wealthy ship owner and you were the captain of my ship which the Temtres had captured while I was on board. We've given our parole, promising neither to hide nor try to escape, so we're allowed the freedom of the gathering. I ran across a merchant from one of the bigger islands who's being held under those terms, and he tells me it's a commonplace occurrence. Dozens of them about. So we have our story.'

  'We need a complete story - where we came from and who our captor is, but then we'll risk discovery if we tell it to a person who knows otherwise.'

  'There's a risk in any story. But this one narrows down our chances of doing or saying the wrong thing. We're strangers and we've been captured by the smallest, and I gather, the least regarded of the sub-clans, the EnVey. They have only a half a dozen ships so there's only a few hundred of them about amongst the ten thousand. Besides, no one really pays attention to us fine-feathered folk. We're, at best, minor auxiliaries of the clan. Trust me, Wil. I know what I'm doing. I've integrated myself into countless dissenting societies, businesses and households.'

  'I know you're very good. I just wonder if we're running unnecessary risks...'

  'I'd rather go alone...'

  'No. We'll do this together. It'll build trust.'

  'Or not,' she muttered, but not, I think, seriously. Hard to tell.

  'So what's our story?'

  'I'll invent the details of our story on the way down. It'll be fun. All we need to do is avoid the EnVey anchorage on the far edge of the island, otherwise we're unlikely to cross courses with anyone who knows anything about the Darter Dragon, its Captain SherKe, much less its ransom business.'

  'We'll invent it together,' I said knowing full well that Cin, left on her own would end up making me the fool. I expected no quarter from Cin. Still, if being made to play the role of a fool was the limit of her dark streak, I'd not complain.

  'I hope you like the sword and dagger I purchased. They are reputed to be forged of the finest steel, and from what I could tell, that seemed true. However, as a hostage, I don't think you can wear the sword. The dagger is considered an eating utensil around here, so you can wear that.'

  I'd have my sissy along as well, so it was neither gas nor dust to me.

  I retired to the control room to don my many shades of yellow. I slipped the baggy Temtre trousers over a pair of my armored pants and with the vest and belts, I figured I could get away with wearing my yellow sweater as well, for luck. The claw tipped boots came with lizard leather bands that wrapped around each leg below the knees to keep the baggy pants at bay. I cut a slit in the seam of the trousers wide enough to fit my hand through to reach my sissy in the pocket of my inner pants. I strapped on half a dozen belts and pouches to complete the outfit and donned the tricorne hat.

  'So, what do you think?' I asked as I emerged from the control compartment. 'Happy?'

  She tilted her head to study me. 'Yes, you're the spitting image of Captain Canary.' And then she gave me a quick kiss. 'Let's get on our way. And from here on in, we converse in Temtre. We need to get fluent fast.'

  With an eager Siss leading the way, we, Lady Naylea and Captain Canary, made our way down through the jungle and out into the savanna. We'd no more emerged from the jungle than bugles began to blow, from ship to ship, and milling Temtres began to drift towards the amphitheater. We drifted with them.

  Though I was leery of the expedition, I came to realize that with so many people about, we were not likely to be noticed, even if I was dressed entirely in yellow. We found a seat along the upper edge of the amphitheater - close enough to a ship's crew, men, women and children so as not to stick out, but just far enough away as to be unnoticed by them.

  What followed was the grand general meeting of the Temtre Clan. It began its long course with announcements of notable deaths, promotions, and successes, followed by speeches by the Clan-chiefs of the various branches and then the Clan-king, all of which we could, more or less, follow with help from our com links as the AI's vocabulary was constantly being enlarged and its guesses more accurate.

  A court of grievances followed the general meeting and most of the gathered clan drifted away before that began. We stayed on to glean as much information as possible abou
t our hosts and the region of the Pela we found ourselves in. And then, following these legal proceedings there were some rather deadly duels fought to settle disputes that could not be resolved by talk. Not many, but deadly serious. Following this was an open meeting of all the ship captains of the clan. This provided a great deal of information about the islands, principalities and trades, which, at the moment, were fairly uninformative, but would likely provide a useful background once we acquired more and more information. It was all stored in the boat's memory for future reference. We were both pretty weary by the time the meetings broke up. Siss had long since gotten bored and drifted off, so we called it a round. Cin lead me to several of her favorite food stalls and I stopped at several more stalls to buy some non-yellow clothes and a brown tricorne hat, over Cin's objections, before heading back through the jungle to the gig and a nap.