The Lost Star's Sea

by C. Litka

  01

  'Until the Desdar Castle, Chief,' said my assistant, TenZi, with a nod.

  We had reached the top of the steeply angled lane that led "down" to the Saraime & Desra Line shipyard nestled in the cove.

  'Enjoy your time off.' I smiled and nodded goodbye before turning back to the shipyard, and, hands in my custom tailored pockets, gazed down on it. It clung to the rocky shores of the cove in an unruly collection of cranes, workshops, and warehouses - orientation ruled only by expediency. The white hulled freight liner, Shandu Forest, floated in the center of the yard, secured in a spider's web of lines and platforms. Work crews were replacing hull plates damaged by a recent encounter with a strong serrata and flying trees. It would still be a couple of rounds more before they finished their repairs, and since TenZi - my crew - and I had completed our electrical work on her, we had a half a dozen rounds free until the Desdar Castle put in for her scheduled 400 round routine maintenance.

  I was, however, uncertain if I'd still be around then. The Nileana Blossom Festival was now only 29 rounds away, and if I was to return to Blade Island as planned, I would need to find a Temtre ship within the next few rounds. I had tentative plans to sail aboard EnVey's Wind Drifter, but they were understandably subject to the uncertainties of winds and trade.

  To be honest, I wasn't sure I wanted to return. The romance of my quest had faded with a decade astern. Refurbishing the electrical systems may not be growing cha trees on the green peaks of Belbania, but it offered the quiet, ordered, and settled life that I had been searching for. I felt a certain reluctance to give it up in order to chase the faded dream of Naylea Cin - a dream that led to the rather savage heart of the Temtre's Assembly, gold-token or not in hand. And yet? And yet, I didn't feel that I had a real choice in the matter. Not if I wanted my heart back. The thief of St Bleyth had stolen it. I missed it. I needed to either find her, or try and fail, putting the quest astern, if I was to recover it.

  There was, however, a practical reason to sail with EnVey. We had talked about collecting my gig, still hidden in the Outward Islands, on the return voyage. Unlike most Temtres, the Crea Clan had an island base, complete with farms, a small shipyard and a new factory where they assembled, under license, modern, Core Islands-designed electric drive motors for small ships. Between the Phoenix's technology and EnVey's resources, we had a basis for a business partnership that could set me up in a new and useful life in the Principalities. And well, It would be nice to have my little wreck back in hand - if only for its med unit.

  It was my custom to take a little boat that I'd purchased out and sail around the island every round or two to see if any Temtre ships were in harbor. I'd pay it a visit if I found one - they were almost all Crea Clan ships. Now, with the Blossom Festival at hand, I found myself reluctant to do so. Cin aside, did I really want to become a captive of the Temtres on Blade Island again? EnVey and the Crea Clan I could trust. As for the rest? It was not as if they eagerly begged us to become members of the clan. Cin's pirate piece darter and their Clan-king as hostage played a prominent role in our recruitment. Blackmail is not a reliable basis for lasting friendships.

  I sighed, and still putting off what I knew I had to do, stood and savored my quiet island life for a while longer. On my left, the S & D Line pier stretched out along the top of the rocky shore ending in the bright Pela sky. Beyond it, a few boats and launches sailed in the offing, while flocks of birds and lizards drifted this way and that along the shore, their calls and whistles coming to me over the racket of the work crews. A mild, island scented breeze of lush foliage and bright flowers played around me. Still, there was an essential stillness - a sense of place - here. It was something I'd not known for a long, long time. Ah, the island life. I'd grown rather fond of it.

  Reluctantly, I turned away to face the broad, mossy strand that ran along the shore and the ragged line of buildings that bordered it on the island side. The largest was the S & D Daedora Hotel - a cluster of platforms and rooms rising in a series of steep terraces along the cliff behind it to the jungle above. The hotel was orientated to the pier. The orientation of the ragged line of shops, restaurants, taverns, and booths on either side twisted up and around as they followed the moss road into the jungle on either side of the cove.

  A whirling and clicking sound from the jungle on the far side of the pier announced the arrival of the fan-driven monorail car that ran along a cable line. It slowed to a brief stop at the spindly platform to take on a couple of shipyard workers, and set out again, swaying gently overhead, to disappear into the jungle on my left.

  With that excitement over, I started across the strand to the hotel, where I'd likely find Hissi, either in the hotel's lobby playing chess, or in the garden restaurant playing cards. She spent her life, when not sleeping in a warm patch of light, playing games. She'd play tag and hide and seek with the local children and then, once they were tucked into their hammocks, cards or chess with the adults - workers from the shipyard and hotel, and a wide set of transient passengers - regular travelers on the S & D liners who had gotten to know her from our time aboard the Telrai Peaks. Since she played with her own coins, and had yet to turn up broke, I let her live her carefree life and tried not to envy her too much.

  She wasn't in the empty lobby, so I drifted into the open, tree shaded restaurant terrace. The card players were at their usual table under a tree on the terrace. The restaurant was largely deserted - it was late in the first sleep watch and with the Desdar Castle still a dozen rounds from sailing, there were few passengers around yet. She barked a brief greeting when she saw me.

  'Hi guys,' I said to the gang. 'Time to call it a round, Hissi.'

  She gave me a dismissive hiss.

  'Suit yourself. I don't feel like cooking, so I'm stopping at EiVen's for spicy-sauce fini char-buns. You can shift for yourself once you've finished playing?'

  She growled at me, but playing her last card, gathered her coins and with a cheerful bark, rose to go. Spicy-sauce fini char-buns never fail - nor the prospect of having to pay for her own meal.

  Except for some tangy, thick stews, small island cuisine consists mostly of finger foods - either wrapped in some sort of dough or leaves, or skewered on a stick. Char-buns stuffed with various fillings are a favorite of ours - a crispy, slightly charred crust, a soft interior with a pocket filled, in this case, with finely chopped fini lizard meat and tangy vegetables in a spicy-sauce. I picked up half a dozen at EiVen's always-open booth and we ate them on our way home - I walking and she swimming in the air alongside.

  'I'm thinking we'll take the boat out and have a look around the anchorage before calling it a round,' I said as we made our way along the jungle lane. 'If we're ever going to get to the Assembly this holiday, we'll need to find a Temtre ship soon.'

  Hissi gave a brief bark as she delicately nibbled on her bun.

  'Would you be very disappointed if we didn't go?' I figured she could read the subtext of that question in my mind, so I said nothing more.

  She glanced back at me with a very long, cool, one-eyed stare, and growled menacingly. Simla dragons are very effective in communicating their thoughts, one way or another.

  'Right. Well, it's out of our hands. Either EnVey and the Wind Drifter show up, or another Temtre ship willing to take us does, or we'll not make this Festival's Assembly?'

  She gave another low growl.

  'Aye, we'll keep an eye out for a ship. As I said, we'll take a turn around the island when we get home. Ready for another bun?'

  She barked "Yes!" Simla dragons can't stay menacing for long with char-buns around.