Emilie and the Sky World

by Martha Wells

  Hyacinth thought that over, its blossoms opening and closing. I did not witness that. But perhaps it has a different effect on your people. I have noticed that we must perceive sound and light waves in very different ways.

  “Yes, I noticed that, too. I think you can see with your hands, and we can’t do that at all, for example. Perhaps the ghost pirates can fool Menaens in a way they couldn’t fool you and your crew.”

  Ghost pirates?

  Emilie felt her cheeks flush. “Sorry, that was just a joke, between me and my brother Efrain – the one who just got caught so the Deverrins wouldn’t catch me. We thought something strange might be in the aether current, then we realized there were strange people here, and we called them ghost pirates.”

  If the translation is correct, that seems to be an accurate name.

  Emilie had to agree. Calling it the ghost pirate seemed terribly irreverent, but Emilie doubted she could explain that to Hyacinth without sounding foolish. “Well, yes, I suppose it is.”

  Hyacinth’s leaves and blossoms quivered. We must try to force this ghost pirate from its new host. That will convince the rest of the host’s family/clan of the danger, and perhaps they will assist us as well.

  First, they had to rescue the Marlendes. Once they were free, it would be much easier to rescue the Deverrins and deal with the ghost pirates. And then hopefully get out of here and back to the airship and the aether-sailer.

  As Emilie thought about it, the rudiments of a plan started to come together. She said, “We have to lure the ghost pirate Dr Deverrin away from the camp again. You can fly this ship anywhere you want around here, just not back out to the aether current where we came from, not until it’s repaired?”

  This construction is a mass of aether currents, knotted together. It is surprising only that it has not come apart yet. Its blossoms were all pointed at her now, which she assumed meant it was very interested in what she was saying. But yes, I can fly it within this construction, as long as the power lasts.

  She held up the metal-paper translator. “Is this like a wireless telegraph? Can it work from a distance?”

  Yes. Hyacinth’s blossoms waved in excitement. I think I see what you are thinking. We will need to move the ship back to the canyon.

  CHAPTER TEN

  This was going to be the scary part. Or at least, Emilie amended, one of the scary parts.

  She felt very alone, walking back along the trail from the blue shard canyon to the Deverrin camp. She kept trying not to think too hard about exactly what she wanted to say, for fear of sounding as if she was repeating a school lesson by rote. She had left both the packs with Hyacinth in the little lifeboat, and stopped once along the way to smear dust on her face and her clothes, trying to make herself look pathetic and helpless. She didn’t want it to look as if she might be carrying something, since it would be a disaster if they searched her.

  As she started up the crude steps to the camp’s entrance, she heard a shout from inside. She froze for an instant, fighting the urge to dive off the steps and run. You’re a little girl, she told herself, helpless. Just like you were before you realized that you weren’t. She rubbed a little dust in the corner of her eyes to make them water and kept climbing.

  Two men appeared at the top, both young, around Daniel’s age, both with the darker skin and hair that meant their families had Southern Menaen roots like the Deverrins. Their clothes were ragged from hard use and their faces a little gaunt from rationing food, but other than that, they both looked like university students or young-men-about-town. Except that that one of them carried a rifle. They also seemed considerably startled to see Emilie.

  “It’s a young girl,” one of them called out. The other asked her, “Who are you?”

  Emilie sniffed and rubbed at her eyes, trying to project an image of youth and harmlessness. “I’m Emilie. I was with the Marlendes. I don’t know how I got here.”

  One of them reached down to help her up the last few steps, and she walked through the stone gap into the camp with them.

  The airship’s cabin and the skeletal remains of its balloon were on the left, looming over the stone hollow. The shelters and makeshift kitchen were built into the wall directly across from her. From here, she could see that the Deverrins had taken the big fuel tanks out of the airship and moved them into shelter on the far side of the camp. She wondered if they still held fuel, and then realized they must have been cleaned out and used to store water taken from the lakes and streams that were transported here.

  The Marlendes, Lord Engal, Professor Abindon, Mikel, and Cobbier were still seated near the airship’s cabin, guarded by an older man with a rifle, and she was glad to see Efrain was with them. Hopefully, Efrain had had a chance to tell them that Hyacinth was helping them, which would make the rest of the plan go a bit more smoothly. When they saw Emilie, they all surged to their feet, staring.

  Dr Deverrin came toward her, followed by Miss Deverrin. They were both tall and slender, though Dr Deverrin was several inches the taller. Miss Deverrin was lovely, even under all the dust and a year of what must be very difficult circumstances. Her brown eyes were clear and warm, her dark skin still unlined, and her curling dark hair tied back with a scarf. There was a definite resemblance in Dr Deverrin’s strong features. His hairline had receded and there was gray in his beard, but he was still a very handsome man. Except for something about his eyes.

  Miss Marlende called out, “Emilie, are you all right?”

  “Yes, Miss,” Emilie called back, and sniffled loudly.

  Miss Marlende stared, as if startled by Emilie’s demeanor. Emilie just hoped she wouldn’t say anything that might make the Deverrins or the ghost pirate suspicious.

  Miss Deverrin came forward. She knelt beside Emilie and clasped her hands. “Brendan, who is this?”

  The young man who must be Brendan replied, “She said her name is Emilie, and that she was with them.”

  Dr Deverrin glanced toward the Marlendes. “I see. Is that your brother? He said you were dead.”

  Emilie sniffled again. “I suppose he thought I was. We were on the aether-sailer together and then we were here, and we got separated and I fell…” She looked up at Dr Deverrin, earnest and trembling. The trembling was from nerves and some fear, but she thought it just made her story seem more believable. “There was something there. A creature, on the aether-sailer. It followed us here and tried to kidnap me.”

  At the words “creature on the aether-sailer”, an expression flicked through Dr Deverrin’s eyes that would have told Emilie that something was badly wrong, if she hadn’t known it already. He’s wondering if I mean the other ghost pirate.

  The look was gone a heartbeat later when Miss Deverrin looked up at her father. “This is the ship the Marlendes spoke of? They said it was empty.”

  “We thought it was.” Emilie drew a shuddering breath, as if she was trying to be brave. “But there was this creature on it. When we came here, I got separated from Efrain, and it was nearby, and I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t talk to it.” She saw the professor and Miss Marlende exchange a look. “I didn’t know what it wanted.” She found herself almost enjoying the worry she must be causing Dr Deverrin, making him wonder how much she knew. She reminded herself not to get overconfident again.

  Dr Deverrin said, “And what did this creature look like?”

  “As if it was covered with flowers.” Dr Deverrin didn’t betray any open relief, but she thought the set of his shoulders relaxed just a bit. Emilie could see the Marlende party past him, and they looked more suspicious than the Deverrins. Cobbier kept glancing up at the rim of the canyon, as if he expected something to come at them over the top at any moment. Efrain just looked confused. He started to speak, but Miss Marlende squeezed his shoulder and whispered something to him. Emilie wiped her eyes to hide her reaction. She hoped Efrain was sensible enough to just keep quiet.

  “Flowers?” Miss Deverrin said. “Surely you imagined–”

 
; Dr Deverrin cut her off. “Where is it now?”

  Trying to be as vague as possible yet still seem to be answering the question, Emilie said, “I’m not sure. We walked a long way. I saw the top of the airship.” She pointed toward the airship’s frame. She remembered she wasn’t supposed to know anything about the Deverrins. She had meant to work more questions in earlier. “I guess you crashed here, too?”

  Miss Deverrin started to answer, but Dr Deverrin cut her off. “What happened then?”

  “We went past this place, into this canyon where all the rock was blue. And there was another little ship there.”

  That flicker went through Deverrin’s expression again. The other Deverrins looked startled. The young man Brendan said, “What sort of ship? An airship?”

  “No, there was no balloon. It was like a little sailboat.” Emilie shrugged in what she hoped was convincing bewilderment. “It just let me go then. It went into the ship and ignored me. So I ran as fast as I could. I came back here because of the airship wreck. I thought there might be people here.”

  Brendan and Miss Deverrin stared as if they didn’t know whether to believe her or not. Dr Deverrin lifted his head, as if listening. Then he focused on her. “Are you telling the truth?”

  Emilie nodded. “Yes.” She seized on the point Miss Deverrin had clearly doubted, as if that was what Dr Deverrin was questioning. “There really was a flower creature, I swear. I know it sounds mad.”

  There was a moment that seemed to stretch forever. Then he said, “Put her with the others. I need to leave.”

  Emilie wiped at her eyes again to make certain she didn’t look relieved.

  Miss Deverrin said, “But Father, we have to find out what…” She stared at him a moment, then blinked and looked away. “Yes, Father.”

  Some of the men standing nearby shifted uneasily but didn’t object. Dr Deverrin strode away toward the camp’s entrance without another word. Miss Deverrin looked after him, her lips pressed together in frustration.

  Brendan took Emilie’s arm and led her over to the Marlendes. She looked up at him; his expression was distracted, as if he was trying to remember something he had meant to say. That made a shiver run up her spine.

  The ghost pirate must have an influence over all the Deverrin party, she thought. It didn’t seem to have an influence over her yet, and hopefully not the other Marlendes. Maybe there hadn’t been enough time for it to influence them.

  Maybe it felt it needn’t bother.

  Brendan pushed her gently toward the Marlendes. Emilie flung herself into Miss Marlende’s arms and sobbed into her shirtwaist. She looked back to make sure Brendan had retreated and the other guard was out of earshot, then whispered, “It’s all right; I have a plan.”

  “You said she was quite capable, and I should have believed you,” the professor said dryly.

  “It wasn’t fun growing up with her,” Efrain said, sounding sulky. “She’s a very good liar.”

  “In case you haven’t noticed, you haven’t finished growing up, and there’s no point in pretending you have,” Emilie told him.

  “It was a masterful performance,” Lord Engal said, his head turned away from any of the Deverrins who were still watching. “I thought you were actually weeping at one point.”

  Emilie was flattered. “My mother was an actress,” she explained.

  Dr Marlende said, “I don’t believe such talents are carried in the blood, my dear. You must take credit for it yourself. Tell us about your plan.”

  “Yes,” Miss Marlende added, “I hope the bit about the ship was true.”

  “It was. Efrain told you about Hyacinth?”

  Miss Marlende nodded. “He did. It’s an ally?”

  “Yes. I call it Hyacinth, because I can’t say its name.” She stepped away from Miss Marlende, drying her pretend-tears on the handkerchief Lord Engal handed her. “An aether creature came aboard the aether-sailer somehow and took over a member of their crew, and then sabotaged the ship. The other flower people all got away, but Hyacinth stayed to try to get the aether-sailer working again. We think Dr Deverrin is possessed by a similar aether creature, working with the one still on the aether-sailer. When Dr Deverrin left earlier, Hyacinth and I followed him to a little wrecked lifeboat that came from the aether-sailer.”

  “How did it tell you this?” Efrain said. “I thought it couldn’t talk.”

  “Of course it can talk,” Emilie hissed. “There’s a translator on the lifeboat.”

  Miss Marlende and Dr Marlende exchanged a startled look, and Lord Engal said, “We’d barely got the hang of the idea that there was one aether being, and now you say there’s two?”

  “Yes. It’s the only thing that makes sense. We think they’re talking to each other, that maybe the one on the aether-sailer was going back and forth between here and there on the aether current, but now they have the lifeboat and they’re using its wireless.”

  “This lifeboat has a wireless?” Cobbier asked. “Can we–”

  “It’s not at all like our wireless. Hyacinth didn’t know how to call our airship on it.” Emilie thought she had given Dr Deverrin enough time. “Are they still watching?”

  Lord Engal looked around, as if taking stock of their situation. “Not closely. It depends on what you need to do.”

  Emilie considered trying a faint, but she thought Miss Deverrin and some of the others might come running over. They all seemed awfully normal except for the control Dr Deverrin had over them. It was probably better to just try to be unobtrusive. She wiped her face with Lord Engal’s handkerchief, then leaned over and unlaced her boot. She whispered, “Warn me if they come this way.”

  The metal-paper was wrapped around her ankle, beneath her sock. It had already given her a bit of a rash, rubbing against her skin, but as she carefully worked it loose, it moved in her hands. She curled the handkerchief around it to hide it, lifted it and said, “It worked. He’s coming your way.”

  The answer was almost immediate. Success. I will be there.

  Dr Marlende was trying to lean in to look without it being apparent that that was what he was doing. “Ingenious device.”

  Mikel and Cobbier both edged closer, trying to get a better look at the translator without being obvious about it. Mikel said, “That’s the metallic paper from the aether-sailer. We wondered what it did.”

  “So it’s like a wireless, but it can only call a similar device?” Cobbier asked.

  “This one is a translator, really,” Emilie said. “But Hyacinth thought it would work over this distance. It’s powered by the aether current.”

  “They’re coming back over here,” Efrain whispered.

  Emilie looked up, holding the handkerchief against her chest. Miss Deverrin and Brendan were coming toward them. They stopped to speak to the guard with the gun, then came forward.

  Miss Deverrin’s expression was harder and more decisive. She said to Emilie, “Was this story rehearsed?”

  Emilie shook her head, wide-eyed, too startled to formulate a reply. Miss Marlende came to her rescue with a cold, “What story?”

  “First, you accuse my father of being some sort of… Of not being himself. Then this young woman says that there is some sort of creature running around here that looks as if it’s covered with flowers–”

  “Not a creature,” Lord Engal interrupted. “A member of the crew of the aether-sailer, left behind after the ship was abandoned. The aether-sailer that did not appear in this area of the current until less than forty days ago, that your father seemed to know all about–”

  Brendan interrupted. “That would be impossible. He didn’t know about it.”

  “What have you done since you’ve been here?” Miss Marlende gestured to the airship. “You must have had fuel left, and your wireless and other equipment. Did you try to send a message in the current? Construct some sort of signal buoy? Or even to repair your ship?”

  “We could do nothing,” Miss Deverrin said, but she looked at the cabin of
the wrecked airship as if she had forgotten it was there. As if she was shocked to see it.

  Emilie looked at it too and saw there were dusty weeds around the doorway. She burst out, “Don’t any of you even go in it anymore? What if someone tried to call your wireless?”

  Miss Deverrin swallowed hard and didn’t answer. Brendan looked away.

  “Where did your father go?” Dr Marlende added, watching her carefully. “He leaves often, doesn’t he? Expeditions that have nothing to do with gathering food, or water, or wood. Does anyone ever go with him? Do you ask him where he goes?”

  Miss Deverrin shook her head. Brendan said uncertainly, “He’s scouting.”

  Lord Engal said, “I also have a large family, many associates, and more servants, and when we’re in town, I can’t go near the front door of our house without at least dozen people demanding to know what I’m about. Your father traipses off in the middle of this place, a howling wilderness of clapped-together bits of land from who knows where, and none of you thinks to object or even question him?”

  Professor Abindon said, “You’re an intelligent woman. You know something is wrong.”

  Miss Deverrin’s jaw set stubbornly. “There is nothing…” But she couldn’t seem to finish.

  The professor frowned. “Nothing wrong? You can’t bring yourself to say it, can you?”

  Emilie felt the metal-paper move in the handkerchief and looked down at it. It formed the words. I am near, be ready. “It’s almost here,” she said aloud.