She tittered and ignored me.
Then before we knew it, Mac was calling for all hands to secure for docking as the maneuvering thrusters slowed us to the first of the two vessels that filled our vision and off into a black horizon, and matched the Cityship's rotation as he lined us up with a familiar-looking airlock with a large, faded A10 painted on it. It looked exactly like the airlocks on the Leviathan. Well duh, Knith, they were built around the same time if Mac is right.
Radiation alarms were blaring and I could hear the thrum of magi-tech shielding raising to protect the Underhill. They weren't kidding when they said how dirty the Cityship engines were.
Mac was on the coms. “Redemption flight, this is the Underhill, Ore Runner AJAX-43 requesting clearance for docking at airlock Alpha Ten.”
Captain Richter himself replied, “Welcome Underhill, you seem familiar with our procedures.”
Mac said, “Any airlock in the storm and all.”
Richter chuckled and said, “Of course. You are cleared to dock Underhill. An honor guard awaits.”
Then Mac slowly closed the gap as I heard two loud clanks of the Ready Squadron fighters docking on either side of the Underhill. With a whisper of a touch, we docked, and the docking clamps pulled us in for a hard-seal.
Then I swallowed. We were here. We were attached to one of two worlds smaller than ours, about to meet people from our homeworld. This was actually history in the making and I was here, part of it.
I keyed my transmitter to the Redemption's security channel that Richter had set up for me the prior day to coordinate with them. It seems not everyone is as excited to receive visitors from the Leviathan as others. They were vague about people called the Outliers but assured us our people would be safe. I said in the calm, measured tone we were taught in the Academy to project both authority and assurance, “Redemption Lancers, Lieutenant Shade. Our security personnel for the Leviathan representatives will disembark first, then the delegates themselves.”
“Affirmative Underhill. It'll sure be nice to see more humans.”
That hit me odd for some reason. They did realize the majority of our delegation were various magical or preternatural individuals or highly augmented Humans, didn't they? I almost asked, but thought about it for a moment.
For them, all they knew were humans since all the various races left Earth in the Exodus launch. Queen Mab had shrewdly bartered passage for every last preternatural when the lotteries were announced for the twelve million people who would be aboard the Leviathan for the long journey. So like Open Air and Ground were just myths to us, so would the citizens of Fairie be to them.
I confirmed when prompted that our ship's captain and the crew, as well as our fighter pilots, would be remaining onboard the Underhill. It would only be the security detail, diplomats, and relief workers that would be disembarking for the planned two days of introductory talks. They passed along that their Engineering Corps requested an engineer as well to discuss problem systems on the Cityships.
Then Mac put me on shipwide address. “Ok everyone, this is it. Remember our security arrangements. Nobody... yes that means you Secretary Y'nell... is to exit the ship until our security personnel is in place and I have cleared it. Then introductions will be made. We disembark the transverse airlock in five, people. Go go go.”
Graz was spinning in place by buzzing just one wing, mocking me. “Go go go.” I batted at her and she avoided the strike and zipped up to land on my shoulder.
I asked Mac, “You got things onboard?”
He waved us off. “Go, be diplomatic and shit.” Then he smirked. “Bring me a souvenir for my cabin would'ja?”
I snorted and said as we all filed out and headed down one deck to get to the transverse airlock, “You and your antiques.”
Mir prompted as I passed by, “See if they'll allow visitors once everyone makes nice nice?” She was just as curious as us about these flying wrecks and the people on board. I just nodded.
Then I was standing at the airlock controls, with just about every soul on board crowded into the corridor. I had to tell the delegates who were crowding our security detail, “Back off, let us do our jobs then you can do yours.”
“Don't presume to give us orders, Lieutenant, we are not under your command.”
I spun and looked at the Secretary directly in the eyes. “Yes, you are. I don't give a damn who you are back on the world, it is my job to protect you, which is why I am in charge of this mission. Until we set foot back on the Leviathan, I may as well be your God, do I make myself clear?”
He caught my hand resting on one of my belt pouches that had some mag-bands sticking out as I dared him with my eyes. He started, “Do you know...”
“Who you are? Yes, I do. Feel free to lodge a complaint with the President herself, since she gave me this assignment, putting me in charge. Now, what are thirty seconds going to matter? Let us do our duty so that you can do yours.”
He sighed when he saw that nobody would meet his eyes but me. I knew a Human barking orders at him was eating him up inside but it wasn't my fault. I wasn't going to screw things up just to accommodate anyone's ego.
Speaking of. “Captains Delphine and Yar?” They looked from where they were glaring at each other beside my security detail. I pointed back. “You're not security, your capacity here is to represent each Fae Court. Delegates. Get behind the Secretary please.”
They both blinked at that. I'm sure they both had been palace guards since long before the Worldship ever existed, so it was a force of habit to assume the role here even though they were not. They both actually looked a little sheepish as they made their way back to their place in the hierarchy of the mission. Technically they were of equal station to Y'nell, since the Fae weren't governed by the elected officials like the rest of us, though they were bound to follow the laws of the world, but for the sake of the mission, the Secretary was given the lead.
I shoved Delphine's shoulder playfully when she smirked as she walked past me. And... she didn't even budge, no surprise there.
Someone in the back called out, “What about the Sprite? Why does a pest get to be one of the first to set foot on the Cityships?” There was a murmur of agreement.
Graz buzzed up and tried to see who spoke, “Go suck hard vacuum you bigoted Big. I'm this dumb null's partner.”
I told her, “We're not partners.” Then I bullshitted since technically she was just a stowaway as I told the others, “Special dispensation, she gives our squad a birdseye view of, and assessment of, the perimeter.”
Mother said in my head, “I can smell what you're shoveling all the way back here on the world, Knith.”
I thought back, “Can you even smell, lady?”
She huffed in indignation. “I have sensors tied to olfactory processors all throughout my superstructure. I have all the same senses anyone else has except touch.” She sounded either sad or melancholy about having no sense of touch.
I assured her, “Sometimes, touch is overrated.”
Then I slapped the controls and the airlock door cycled. Graz zipped in first and then I stepped in, followed by the rest of the security contingent. The air smelled sour and smoky and it seemed to coat my tongue and lungs. The slightly yellow and dingy lights were flickering with the hum of ill tuned transformers cycling power through them. The walls were dirty and dingy, with what looked like burn marks on them and the floor. But for the most part, it looked almost identical to the airlocks on the Underhill, down to the controls.
That to me, just reinforced that these were from the same time period as the Underhill and the other Remnants. I looked through the window of the inner door to see people waiting about twenty yards from the doors. All looked to be wearing patchwork, archaic armor and held odd weapons. There were some well-dressed people behind them.
I noted the corridor beyond looked to be stripped to the bones, leaving only essential systems and superstructure, and scrap was stacke
d in piles along the walls, seemingly grouped by type. I seriously hope this wasn't representative of the condition of the rest of the Redemption.
“Graz?”
She zipped into my helmet and I closed the visor even though the indicator lights showed a breathable atmosphere on the other side of the door. I looked back to see those with SAs followed suit. After patting my shoulder to make sure the rucksack was in place, I slapped the airlock door control. The giant gears cycled, the door groaned and rotated open, like its tracks were poorly maintained.
There was a small whump when the air pressure of the two vessels equalized. That with everything else I've seen so far, worried me a little since the indicator lights showed we had equalized before I opened the door. I worried about the people here if they didn't have the resources to maintain their systems. It is good they caught up with us when they did.
I kept my arms at my side, but my hands splayed to show they were empty, though the twin MMGs on my hips and the two collapsible cold iron batons were visible.
I moved forward a few steps so that the rest of the security contingent could step aboard and I and Mother scanned the group in front of us. I noted the people I could see all had radiation burns on their skin to varying degrees, with the exception of the well-dressed people in the back.
Mother whispered in my ear, “They all seem to be suffering radiation sickness. But that is very treatable with modern medicines if it isn't lethal doses.” Then before I could ask she assured me, “The radiation environment here is high, but not enough to worry about with forty-eight hours of exposure.” Again, before I could ask she shared, “It is their engines. They are an old dirty fusion, small scale prototype of my World-Drives. Wasting the bulk of the fissionable materials that power them.”
So by firing the engines to slow to match speed with the Leviathan, they have been poisoning themselves for decades now.
I got to business as I looked up when a man and a woman in an interesting style of white business outfits with blue jackets that had a green slash across them, stepped forward. “I'm Lieutenant Knith Shade of the Leviathan, commander of this expedition, permission to come aboard,” I said.
They seemed to be scrutinizing me while their Lancers were nervously eyeing something behind me. I looked back and down to the hooves of a Minotaur then to his horns sticking out of the sides of his helmet.
Oh, Mab's tits, Knith, they've likely never seen a Minotaur before. I almost slapped my forehead, then Mother snicked up my visor so they could see me. It looked as if some of the tension and anxiety drained out of the thick, oppressive air that smelled even more sour and cloying than the airlock had.
The man said, “Oh, good, you're Human. We umm... weren't expecting any of the... others. To tell the truth, we still thought it only legend that they really existed.”
I cocked my head. They hadn't expected only Humans had they? They knew we were bringing two Fae from the divided courts. I smiled crookedly, allying their apprehension. “They're just people like you and me.”
I made a motion to the others, and they all dropped their visors. Besides me, there was only one other human in the security group, though heavily augmented. And I watched as all the people before us, looked from face to face, eyes blinking in shock as a half-Elf stepped to my left.
Then the two who were apparently in charge regained their wits about them and the man said, “Oh, I'm sorry, forgive us for staring, where are our manners? Permission to come aboard granted, Lieutenant. I am Captain Richter of the Redemption, and this is Captain Vandross of the Cityship Yammato. We are pleased to make your acquaintance on this auspicious occasion. The meeting of peoples long separated.”
I took a couple of steps forward and offered my hand, the nano-plates of my gauntlets melting back as I did so. His eyes widened at the tech, then shook my hand with the grip of someone who grew up in this lighter gravity, but it would still be respectable in a D-Ring.
I noted the skin on his wrist showed radiation burn lesions. Captain Vandross shook my hand heartily and said in a rich alto voice with a different accent than Richter, “It is nice to put a face to the voice.”
I nodded. “With the radiation interference, audio was the best we could do. But with the Quantum Entanglement gear we brought, you'll have real-time audio, video, and data streams from the Leviathan. And I'm happy to put a face to the voices too.”
Then I said, “And let me introduce you to the representative of the lesser Fae here, Graz, Sprite of Beta-Stack-C.”
Graz zipped out of my helmet squeaking out as she held a tiny hand out to them, “Pleased to meet ya.” They stumbled back in shock and a few Lancers started to raise their weapons. Richter caught himself then held a hand out low and the weapons were lowered as the man and woman studied Graz intently.
“What? You don't speak English? What about Ship Common? Celtic? Chinese? Russian?” She was cycling through languages even I didn't know with perfect accents. She looked at me. “Are these Bigs broken or something?”
I muttered, “Graz!”
Then Richter held a hand out and said, “I apologize, we've just never seen a real Fairy before.”
“Fairy?! Did you just call me a...” I grabbed her moth wings and pulled her in front of my face, then made a zipping motion over her lips. She exhaled, crossed her arms over her chest obstinately then she hovered in a pout when I released her.
I turned to the Captains. “I'm sorry, but she's a Sprite, she very touchy about Fairies.”
He nodded as he eyed my Sprite. “Of course, my apologies... Graz.”
Then offered a hand again and Graz grudgingly shook his finger, the repeated the greeting when Vandross did the same.
Then I said as I turned back, “Let me introduce you to your counterpart, Secretary Y'nell of the State Department and the rest of our delegation.”
Y'nell stepped out of the airlock as regal as a royal. I almost sighed in resignation, all the political posturing was about to begin. And I, unfortunately, was going to have a front-row seat since I was responsible for guarding him and the others until we departed. Fun. Just fuck me now and space me naked.
I got nervous when the Greater Fae stepped out behind him. Every Lancer had instinctively raised their weapons halfway, and everyone was silent for four long heartbeats before Y'nell took the reins and said, “Shall we retire to more suitable surroundings to do proper introductions and talk? And leave the workers to unload the supplies and our relief workers can start medical assessment of those you indicated were most in need?”
Richter nodded. “Of course. This way please.”
I whispered in my helmet, “Well that went smoothly.”
“Not.”
“Oh shush, Mother.”
We moved with two of us in front with the secretary and the rest of our unit flanking our group and taking up the rear, leaving two guards at the airlock. Some Lancers to the front and rear.
The Captain said to Secretary Y'nell, “Our people will arrive at the Underhill soon to help unload the supplies you brought and to escort your relief crew around the ring, Mr. Secretary.”
As Y'nell responded, Myra was contacting me directly on the Brigade channel, “Um, Knith, we have movement out here, some smaller vessels are moving this way from that asteroid tethered to the other Cityship. I think I might just go watch things from the cockpit of my fighter for a bit.”
Mother responded in my voice with a thought from me, “Oh, hang tight Kitty Cat, let me look into it. Likely just some lookie-loos.”
“Kitty Cat?”
“What? That's what you always called her back in college. I have all your com records here.”
“Yeah, when I was dating her. Just space me now. And stop digging into my com records.”
She huffed.
I glanced around as we moved through the corridor, I asked as my eyes scanned everything for Mother to record, “Captain, there seem to be some smaller ships heading this way fro
m the Yammato.”
Richter turned and looked at me, then my armor and helmet. “Those would be mining ships. Either they are delivering ore to the refinery or their curiosity has gotten the better of them.” Then he nudged his chin at me. “We haven't seen gear anything like your party is equipped with before.”
Shrugging I said, “Engineers and magi-tech practitioners on the Worldship continue to innovate.”
Captain Vandross asked excitedly, “So you still have resources on the Leviathan? Magi-tech? What does that mean? Is your gear... magic?”
I glanced around at the corridor that looked stripped bare of anything not vital. Didn't they engineer these vessels with enough resources to make the interstellar journey? I nodded again and said absently, “Some of the systems are a melding of magic and technology. My Scatter Armor, for example, blunts and dissipates magical attacks to a degree.”
The captains exchanged looks and I realized that unless there were any new practicing witches on old Earth, magic was likely just an abstract concept to them instead of a day to day reality.
The Secretary shot me an annoyed look. Right, I'm there to be seen, not heard. I just inclined my head to them then shut my mouth. Mother selected a song from the anthropological archives to play in my head, ‘Heart and Soul’ by a band called T'Pau. Were they Elvish?
We stepped through a manually operated door with a large wheel to seal it airtight and into a large open space that felt more natural to me as it curved up into the horizon on both sides, though oddly, there were no Day Lights, only girders and bulkhead a couple of hundred yards above.
There was a wide road-like corridor between ramshackle structures that seemed stacked upon each other. It was like a metal village, with people everywhere in what looked like some sort of shops and marketplace in the road facing shops. I'd say a farmer's market, but everyone seemed to be selling wares made from scrap, and no food was to be seen in any of the booths.
Worldship Files: Cityships Page 7