by Skyler Grant
Retrieving the shuttles was a few hours more. Instead of looking exhausted by all the effort Jinx seemed exhilarated, hyper. Tourmaline offered to let her rest for the night, but she was eager to continue and soon Quinn was transporting Kara, Tourmaline, Mara and Jinx in the Tango to the northern pole of the planet.
The jungle was already looking different than it had on most of the planet. The colors were different, reds and blues mingling with the greens, and massive twisting vines curled among the trees.
"It's looking different down there," Quinn said.
"Corruption. Keep this heading and we'll come to a large lake. There is a small stone island in the middle of it. We'll set down there," Tourmaline said.
To call it a lake was stretching usual definitions. The jungle broke and below was a seething mass of bubbling red. It looked more like blood than any sort of water, steam wafting through the air.
Quinn found the island and set down, the shuttle barely fitting on the narrow jut of land.
Mara said, "So what are we dealing with here? You still haven't told us your plan. You must consider it dangerous or you'd have invited your dragon along."
"This is the one place on the planet Vess can't go. Her people are native to this world and were the protectors of this pool. The font of change, those who bathed in the waters were said to emerge forever altered, better than when they went in," Tourmaline explained.
"Did you ever bathe in it?" Quinn asked.
"I did. My first lifetime, make of that what you will." Tourmaline shook her head.
"So I'll be transformed if I set foot into it? And what about the baby?" Jinx asked.
"It's more complicated than that. Vella was the last mage to use it, except instead of allowing herself to be transformed she tried to draw the magic into herself, and she broke her and the pool in the process."
"A magical ecosystem that already leaned towards the chaotic. It was too much?" Mara asked.
"Vess's people lost all control of their abilities and went mad. Vess was spared because she was with me and far from home. Since then we've sustained her on foreign mana. If she draws upon the power of the planet she'll suffer the same fate."
"What happened to Vella? Will it happen to me? The baby?" Jinx asked.
"Vella went insane, the power twisting her mind into even more warped forms. You are not Vella. With the death of the Emperor and his family, you are one of the most powerful order mages humanity has," Tourmaline said.
"What she won't tell you is that there is a real chance of corruption here. This might be enough to turn you towards chaos. If it isn't, if you are stronger, you will fix this world’s problem and in the process be transformed," Mara said.
"And there are risks besides the pool. You step into the water and the magic will try to defend itself. With people from Vess's race filled with pure chaotic power," Tourmaline said.
"No wonder you brought me. We get to shoot them?" Kara asked.
"You do. Jinx can push some of her mana into our ammunition. Normally it wouldn't have much effect, but that will daze them, disrupt them," Tourmaline said, and looked over to Jinx. "Sorry I didn't say all this earlier, but I thought you should see for yourself."
Jinx offered a smile that seemed almost sad. "It wants me to do it. The magic, just like it wanted me and Ilinar to fight."
"You don't have to do anything, Jinx. We can find a way to help the slaves without this. I can fly you far away from all of this. I think our family has had quite enough of destiny finding us on this planet already," Quinn said.
Jinx shook her head. "Running away doesn't mean the storm doesn't find us. It just means we're less prepared when it hits. I need to charge up for this?"
Tourmaline started to move ammunition cases in front of her. "No, but you should give our guns some kick. Just focus on the bullets. You aren't trying to change what they are, but make them more of what they already are."
Jinx ran her hand with the glowing rune along the ammo boxes, the rune flaring blue and a shimmer left behind at her touch.
When she was finished they stepped outside. The air was harsh here, biting. Flecks of red flashed in the corner of Quinn's eye and the steam from the waters left his lungs burning.
Quinn, Kara, Mara and Tourmaline all readied their weapons and took up places around Jinx.
"You know what you're doing?" Quinn asked.
"I need to get in the water," Jinx said, slipping out of her top and tossing it on the shore. "I take my clothes in there I don't think they're coming out."
"Maybe a good reason not to go in," Quinn said.
"Probably," Jinx said, her pants joining the top. The red waters cast a ruddy glow on her pale skin, the turbulence increasing as she stepped forward and with a deep breath put one foot into the water.
The results were immediate, a violent hiss and a billow of steam rising up around Jinx as runes rippled and flashed up her leg, reds and blues reaching as far as her thigh in a brilliant display.
Something leapt out of the water and aimed at Jinx's head. It looked like nothing so much as a squid with wings, tentacles writhing madly. Blue flared as a bullet caught it midflight, sparks flaring as it fell back into the water. Tourmaline lowered her gun. "There will be more."
Jinx advanced another step, her other foot now entering the water. The runes this time were as high as her navel, rippling across her flesh in a maddened display. So much steam was billowing it was getting difficult to see her at all, or what was coming to attack her.
Worms writhed across the island, the body of each lined with spikes, and Kara fired her rifle at them as quickly as she could. A lumbering creature that looked almost human, but three times the size, rose out of the waters and opened a maw filled with dagger-sharp teeth. Quinn and Mara both unloaded into its head, the shots causing the flesh to harden and shatter only for another head to rise moments later.
Jinx was almost up to her breasts now. Her blonde hair billowing on the water behind her had flares of neon blue and red flashing through it, a palpable aura of power surrounding her body now.
Lightning struck, a red bolt of energy catching Mara and flinging her backwards before arching from her to Kara. Quinn found himself hit by one as well, a churning in his stomach and a twitching of limbs left in the aftermath. A hand helped him up, Tourmaline's. She was the only one still firing as the lightning seemed to have left her alone.
Hand shaking, Quinn raised his pistol just in time to shoot at something that had the body of a lion, but was completely covered with eyes—lunging for Tourmaline's back.
Quinn saw Jinx vanish completely beneath the surface and for a moment it was as if she had ceased to be. After the frenetic activity of seconds before there was sudden stillness. Even the bubbles that filled the lake stilling so the water was completely placid.
Then the lake caught fire, geysers of blue flame erupting and forming pillars that reached up to scorch the clouds above. Steam filled the air again, but where before it had been caustic it now soothed Quinn's throat.
Jinx reappeared and stepped out of the water, water sluicing off her as she neared the shore. If she was physically transformed it didn't show at first—Quinn considered himself something of an expert on her body by this point. There was one alteration though, her flesh bore a second rune, an intricate chaotic spiral that stretched along her left thigh up to her hip and glowed the same brilliant blue as the one on her hand.
Overhead there was a roar, a dragon launching itself from the jungle and taking flight. Within minutes there were dozens soaring and looping overhead.
21
Twelve hours later Quinn was behind the controls of the Centauri Bliss, a flight of dragons close behind him.
After Jinx had purified the pool, Vess had been able to connect with her people again. They were confused, exuberant, and very grateful to Jinx. It was a flashback to when she had saved the colony of Hope's Reach.
They'd been more than happy to volunteer their services to the cause of
taking down the slavers, and even offering the slaves the right to place a colony upon the world.
"Not picking it up on sensors," Dela said.
The Block didn't have automated gunnery controls, and while the main station had been left behind in the jump the secondary controls should have survived. If any of those cannons were still operational they'd be deadly to both the ship and the dragons. The solution, take out the control center and those guns were simply a sinister-looking decoration.
The plan was straightforward. The Centauri Bliss would hit the control room and then the dragons would assault the secondary camps in the jungle with a few aiding the assault on the ship. They'd drop a team to free the prisoners, if any were left alive, and do what they could to arm them.
When the fighting was over, what the slaves did with that freedom, what relationship they formed with the dragons, would be theirs to decide.
"We'll have to eyeball it," Quinn said as he reached up to flick several switches.
The engines purred. The Centauri Bliss felt different since Jinx had done her repairs. Systems that had been jury-rigged a dozen different times were now operating as designed. The changes were subtle, faster-handling in some spots, but with unexpected delays in others.
Quinn made a note to have Melody run some performance profiles to compare. It may be that a few of the old workarounds should be put back in place.
Aboard the Block fires still burned. The air around the hulk was hazy with black smoke which continued to rise. As soon as Quinn got within range three cannons opened up, flashes of light causing him to pull up sharply as the bolts soared beneath the ship.
"Someone is still on the ball down there," Dela said.
"Let's see if we can't shut them down," Quinn said, looping the Centauri Bliss around and diving towards the ship at full speed. Mara activated sensor spoofing, a momentary burst of distortion confusing the automated guns and leaving them out of position.
Quinn soon saw why their sensors hadn't been able to detect the control room. The location was right beside one of the vents billowing smoke, the thick cloud of chemicals and particulates confusing their attempts to get a lock.
"We've got a narrow target. I don't like this," Dela said.
It was true. There was armor plating surrounding the control center. Landing a disruptor round directly on the energy conduit should take it out, but missing the target by even a little would waste it on the armor.
"No time to figure it out. Get your best shot ready," Quinn said.
Diving through the pillar of smoke their sensors became a wail of static and Quinn had to rely on his gut, waiting for the instinctive twinge to pull up and roll the ship to allow the disruptor cannons their best chance.
Dela fired, the energy flicker invisible in the smoke. A moment later they broke free, and Quinn had to execute a sharp turn to avoid the incoming cannon fire.
"Sorry," Dela said.
"Coming around. We need this one," Quinn said, as he looped the Centauri Bliss back around. A shot caught them a glancing blow, a few alerts flashing, and then they were hurtling back towards the pillar of smoke.
Dela fired off another pair of shots as Quinn pulled up and they rose into the smoke. When they broke free the guns were silent.
Quinn hit the comms. "Your people are a go, Vess."
Figures were coming out of the wreck below, breathing masks covering their faces. They opened fire with small arms on the Centauri Bliss.
"Gunship incoming," Dela said.
It was, but not for very long. A dragon swooped down upon the gunship and a prolonged burst of flame sent it spiraling towards the ground.
Quinn surveyed the Block’s hull. They'd studied the diagrams before this mission, but you didn't know what you were dealing with until you were on the ground. No single console controlled access to the old prison blocks, but there was an administrative hub that connected to everything they needed.
There, a large crack in the spine of the ship that had parted the armor. It was close at least, hopefully close enough. Quinn brought the Centauri Bliss down as Dela opened the hatch.
"Assault team is a go," Quinn said.
Through the cameras Quinn could see Kara go first, heavily equipped with weapons and armor. Twenty seconds after she was down she sent a clear signal and Tourmaline, Taki, and Mara followed her in.
"Weird to have Tamara going on a combat op," Dela said.
"I don't know what that lady’s deal is, but she's seen a lot of action in her lifetimes," Quinn said.
"Can I just say how happy I am that I married you? Dragons, an ancient adventurer occupying the body of our bitchy lawyer, magic pools," Dela said and chuckled. "I know most would find it all crazy, but I'm loving every minute. It's what I always wanted. Well, would be if there were a few more ancient ruins."
"I'll see what I can do," Quinn said wryly.
They had nothing to do right now except make conversation and worry. That and monitor the comms in case the ground team needed a pickup.
Dragons were swarming the Block, slavers firing at them. The standard weapons, either projectile or energy, weren't having much of an effect although the stunners were having more success. Several shots would force a dragon to veer off, losing altitude as its wings moved slower.
Quinn moved the Centauri Bliss to shield one from fire. The stunners were of no danger to the hull of a ship their size.
"We're in the hub and starting to open the cellblocks. They've been pumping in tranquilizer gas nonstop. Between the gas and the crash it looks like only half made it. Really wish we could kill these slaver people twice, sir," Taki called.
"I know you are full of righteous fury, but do not forget why you're down there. Free them, arm them, and extract," Quinn said.
"We could stay and help more, you know," Dela said.
"We're already more tangled up with a colony than we've got any right to be. Maybe these folks will make a home here, maybe they'll try to shoot the dragons and the whole thing is going to end in tears. I expect it will work itself out, but after some ugliness," Quinn said.
"I feel a bit responsible," Dela said.
"Without what we've done these people would still be sitting in their sales cages or already off to someone who considered them a thing. They might never see their homes again, but at least this way they have a chance. We might be a bit responsible, but we've also done right by them and we've done enough," Quinn said.
Quinn had learned long ago that everything had consequences. Shoot a man, you might find his family at the next station you put in looking to even the score. Save someone once, and they sometimes expected you to save them from all their troubles thereafter.
The best that one could aspire for was to try doing the right thing and accept that there were going to be consequences. At least try, and to recognize that line inside yourself that said you'd done as much as you were able.
"The dragons really are majestic. Think Vess would let me ride her?" Dela asked.
"Might do. Didn't seem she minded either me or Tourmaline atop her. Can't see where it would hurt to ask," Quinn said.
The slavers outside the ship were all down, most smoking remains from where they'd been caught by dragon-fire, although a few were busy being eaten. That the dragons considered humans as food might complicate things down the road. Quinn reminded himself again it wasn't his problem.
"Cell blocks are opened and we've unlocked the armory. There weren't many in here, sir," Taki said.
"Get back to your entry point for extraction," Quinn said.
Quinn maneuvered back over the breach in the hull, opening the hatch, and he called back for Jinx to release a ladder.
Within five minutes the crew was back aboard and he was lifting towards orbit.
"Everybody. Get yourselves ready for a rune sphere jump. Jinx, when you're ready," Quinn said.
The universe twisted and knotted itself into new dimensions. In a might-have-been Quinn found himself a farmer, the highli
ght of his days racing a tractor through the fields. The highlight of his nights coming home to a dark-haired woman with laugh lines and the most beautiful green eyes.
Reality snapped back around them.
22
Tourmaline provided the destination for their jump. They weren't going directly to the system she thought of interest, but rather an outlying one that didn't have much traffic. Being seen using the runic sphere would have caused questions, and raised alarms, but if they came in along the Runestone network they were just another ship.
Tourmaline had taken the copilot's seat for this. The pilot's jumpsuit she wore had been Kat's. Quinn had never seen Tamara wear it, which meant she'd probably scrounged it out of storage. Kat had worn something beneath it and hadn't unzipped it down to the navel however. It was weird how Tourmaline enjoyed tormenting him just as much as Tamara, and yet went about it in a completely different fashion.
"It makes no sense to go without a transponder," Quinn said.
"Hurry up and stand in line. You're what passes for a rebel in the Imperium and you still get worried about the littlest things," Tourmaline said, as she initiated a jump.
Reality twisted. Quinn’s life was almost identical except instead of Kat and Ice he wound up falling in with Tourmaline and Vess, doing crime and kicking ass.
When reality broke back around them the sensors instantly started chiming. There were a lot of ships out there. If there had been any lingering doubts about civilization on this side of the Divide they'd been answered.
Tourmaline leaned forward, presenting Quinn a distracting eye-full and flashing him the self-satisfied sort of smile that said she knew exactly what she was doing. "The second planet is called Ontella. Get us in orbit and I can guide us from there."
"This is why you have navigation beacons," Quinn said, setting a course towards the planet. The planet had a reddish hue with no signs of any oceans or cloud cover.