New Sky: Eyes of the Watcher

by Jason Kent

  Gone was the painted-on metallic party dress. Dagger's sister now sported a somewhat less revealing look. Andrea took the clothes she borrowed from Dagger's closet and turned them into a fashion statement rather than the utilitarian wear they actually were. Andrea wore her white button-up shirt with half the buttons open and the long sleeves rolled up high on her arm. Underneath, she wore a black sports bra, a strip of fabric which crossed her chest and was clearly visible under the shirt. Andrea's long, red hair hung free and reached below her shoulders. She proudly wore her only memento from Transom, a silver hair comb studded with emeralds and diamonds, clipped to the back of her head where she pulled a small, loose ponytail together.

  From the arguments Andrea and Dagger engaged in nearly every time they saw each other, Merrick gathered Andrea was not at all happy Dagger brought the Cavalry to the rescue. As one of Councilor Bevin's favorites, she enjoyed certain benefits over the rest of the women Bevin kept as 'quest workers' at his home. What clearly appeared to be slavery to Dagger became a lifestyle Andrea definitely did not wish to give up.

  Dagger was not good at arguing with a little sister who, at one time would have actually listened to her. Merrick got the impression Dagger could see Andrea had changed in the time since the Tallinn's invaded Transom. Under Bevin's thumb, Andrea ceased to become Amanda Rodgers little sister. She was now a stranger. Unfortunately, Dagger steadfastly refused to accept this truth.

  "Where to now, sis?" Andrea spat. She squinted out at the sight beyond the cargo bay.

  "Just trying to find you a new jailer," Dagger snarled.

  "Bevin was not my jailer!" Andrea shouted. She spun and started to head back into the ship. Her hair flung around and got in her face. "You are so full of tral!"

  Dagger's arm shot out. She grabbed Andrea's arm and yanked her younger sister close. They stood and glared at each other. Dagger took a deep breath in a visible effort to bring her temper under control. She ran her free hand over her spiky red hair then reached out and brushed Andrea's hair out of her sister's face.

  "I had to come for you," Dagger snarled. It was something she kept repeating to Andrea. Merrick wondered if she was trying to convince herself.

  "No you didn't," Andrea snapped. "You left me to die once. And now you've taken me from the only person who ever cared anything about me."

  Dagger let go of Andrea's arm and stepped back. Andrea stumbled, regained her composure and stomped down the ramp. She moved away from the others and lit up a nic-stick. She sucked greedily at the caffeine and nicotine-infused smoke.

  Merrick noted Andrea's hands shook. Whether this was caused by withdraw from the sticks denied to her during their voyage aboard the ship or residual adrenaline from the encounter with her sister, he could not tell. Perhaps her physical reaction was a result of both.

  "Don't leave without me," Sparrow called.

  Merrick studied Andrea for a moment longer and decided she was not about to bolt for the nearest Tallinn. Despite her arguments with her sister, Merrick figured she realized the truth. She could not go back to Bevin's house and resume her duties. Dagger had not only embarrassed the Councilor in front of the elite members of Transom's Tallinn population, she had gravely injured him. At the least, he was blind in the eye Dagger hit with her blade. More likely, he was blind and disfigured with a nice scar on the side of his face. Dagger had not been gentle when she removed the blade from Bevin's eye-socket. No, Andrea knew she could not go home, Merrick thought. For now, her place was here, an unwilling member of this strange quest.

  The sniper turned to face Sparrow. Besides Kate and her new Knowl-given abilities, the link sprite was the most unique member of their mismatched team. She could interface with the invisible electronic world all of the Stellar Union relied on so heavily. Sparrow had already proven her worth time and again since she and Georges showed up at their shuttle. Now though, Sparrow looked ill as she leaned heavily on Lieutenant Garrett's arm.

  "Oh my, God," Kate breathed and rushed up the ramp. She laid her hands on the link sprite's cheeks. "What happened?" Kate tilted Sparrow's head and smoothed the hair back from the sprite's implants. The circuits, which normally glowed with a warm golden light, were now dimmed to a dull silver color, barely noticeable under the young woman's scalp.

  "Oh, honey..." Kate breathed

  "Something's not right here," Sparrow slurred.

  "Planetary mag field is jacked-up," Dagger remarked. She jutted with her chin up at a new set of zeppelins flying over the city. "Welcome to freakin' Aesti."

  Kate and Garrett helped Sparrow down to the bottom of the ramp. The link sprite sat heavily on a packing crate.

  Georges knelt in front of Sparrow and stared into her eyes. The marine's face was etched with concern. "Can you travel?"

  "Maybe," Sparrow managed to say clearly.

  "Perhaps you should..." Georges began.

  "Please don't leave me," Sparrow pleaded. "I'll be fine." Sparrow made an attempt to stand on her own. She stayed upright for a moment then slowly leaned in Kate's direction until she rested against Kate's shoulder and clutched her arm to keep from sliding further toward the ground.

  Merrick could see the struggle on Georges' face. He was grinding through the same set of questions as Merrick. Would Sparrow's condition slow the team? Should they stay and attempt to figure out what was wrong with her? Merrick knew Georges' ultimate decision would be colored by his history with the sprite. He was not sure what kind of intel-gathering missions the pair had been on together. But this personal connection and the ingrained training to leave no one behind were in obvious conflict with the desire to complete their current mission. The sniper knew, once you worked together under combat stress with someone, there was a bond which developed. A bond stronger than just about any other Merrick knew of. He did not envy the decision the man needed to make.

  Kate was staring at Merrick when he looked over at her. She mouthed one word.

  No.

  Merrick looked back at Sparrow. In her condition, she would be no good as a sprite and may hamper the team's movements. But, orders were orders.

  "Sir," Merrick addressed Georges. "We're not sure what we'll face when we reach our destination." He left the thought open-ended. Georges could take it either way. Either they would need Sparrow when they faced Knowl or she would be in the way if she did not recover. Merrick thought he knew which tack the Colonel would take.

  Georges nodded.

  "Sparrow's with us." He turned to Kate and Dagger. "Get us some cabins on the airship."

  "They may want to know where you wish to travel," Dagger suggested. Her eyes slid to Kate. "What are you going to tell them?"

  "End of the line," Kate answered.

  "Right," Dagger snorted. "Tell you what, why don't you let me do the talking over there. You're a bit too mysterious for a simple Tallinn ticket agent."

  Andrea drifted closer during the deliberations about Sparrow's fate.

  "Where are you taking me?" Andrea glared at Dagger.

  "Wouldn't you like to know," Dagger mocked.

  Andrea opened her mouth but snapped it shut. She looked over at Sparrow and moved to help Kate. She gently took Sparrow's jacket from her limp hand and slung it over the sprite's shoulder. Andrea adjusted the jacket so the leather shoulder patches were in place and the front, although still open, concealed Sparrow's twin shoulder holsters. Satisfied with her work, Andrea took Sparrow's other arm. With Kate's help, she started walking Sparrow toward the airship's landing site.

  Merrick snagged a large backpack from the base of the cargo ramp. He was not sure where their journey would take them, so he prepared for as many contingencies as possible. At least as many as would fit inside his rucksack. He held his rifle, so with the bag, he was as fully packed and ready to go as he was ever going to be. Merrick fell into step behind the three women. He began into his usual routine. Sweep right. Sweep left. Repeat. No targets presented themselves.

  Fine with me, Merrick thought, let's ge
t back in the air.

  Dagger slapped the door seal controls. She picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She walked to the end of the ramp and jumped down as it rose off the ground. The pilot stalked after the others over the scarred tarmac.

  When Merrick looked back, the Blade was locked up tight. How long the ship would wait here until its Captain returned, he did not know. He turned his gaze to the airship in front of them and pondered the quest's uncertain future. The sniper wondered if any of them would return.

  Kate was breathing hard by the time they reached the far side of Aesti's spaceport. Maybe we should call it just a 'port' she corrected herself as she stopped and stared up at the giant airship. The thick mooring ropes creaked as the air bag was pulled back and forth in the light wind. Kate looked over at Sparrow, who hung between her and Andrea.

  "No sensor nets to worry about," Kate noted then gulped for air. "Sorry, it's not you—"

  "Aesti's gravity is about one point two times standard," Andrea interjected. She was breathing just as hard as Kate.

  "There you go then," Kate smiled down at Sparrow.

  "Thanks," Sparrow said. "Maybe we can all get our strength back when we get aboard that thing." She nodded at the zeppelin.

  "I will not be resting on board anything suspended by gas and propelled by a steam engine," Dagger grumbled from beside Kate. The pilot gazed up and down the airships' lines. She shook her head and muttered, "Freakin' Tallinns."

  The others joined them in the shadow of the airship.

  "You still in for this?" Dagger asked no one in particular. Her gaze remained fixed on the gas bag straining to break free of its restraints.

  Kate looked over at Sparrow. The link sprite offered a weak smile of assent. Merrick gave a firm quick nod. She looked back at Georges, Garrett and Ross. Garrett offered a thumbs up. Ross just shrugged but a crooked grin spread across his face. Georges met Kate's gaze and held it for a long moment. Kate could feel him weighing the quest member's odds of finding and neutralizing Knowl versus the fate of humanity at the hands of the Tallinn. Finally, he winked at Kate.

  Andrea was the last person Kate made eye contact with. Her striking similarity to Dagger still threw Kate for a loop every time she looked at her. She rolled her eyes but said nothing. Kate took this and the fact Andrea resisted the urge to run off as confirmation she was with them.

  "Yes," Kate stated firmly answering for all of them.

  Dagger turned to look at Kate.

  "Let's do this then," Dagger said. With her hands on her hips, her flight jacket, and the wind ruffling her spiky red hair, Kate thought she looked ready to pilot the airship above them. She hooked one of her slender fingers at Kate. "You're with me, honey." With that, Dagger turned on her booted heel and started marching toward the terminal building at the edge of the landing field.

  Kate watched Dagger go for a moment before she realized she was supposed to follow.

  "Oh!" Kate struggled with Sparrow's entangling arm for a moment. "Merrick!" She handed her half of the sprite's load off to the sniper and hurried after Dagger. She managed to catch up after the pilot already twenty meters ahead. The exertion did not help her breathing.

  "You have a plan?" Kate gasped as she fell into step beside Dagger.

  "You have a destination?" Dagger asked.

  "Uh, no," Kate admitted. All she knew was she was supposed to get on this airship. Then they were to ride the dirigible to the 'end of the line'. Dagger already knew this piece of seemingly useless information. Unfortunately, Kate could not tell her where the line ended. Kate wracked her brain for another tidbit as they reached the copper-framed door of the terminal.

  "Not helpful," Dagger hissed, "but, this would not be the first time I've been forced to make tral up." She gripped the heavy door handle and paused to look closely at Kate.

  Kate adjusted the dark glasses covering her ever-present eye-shine. "Problem?"

  "Those will work," Dagger announced, satisfied with her examination. She pointed a stiff finger at Kate and admonished, "Do not take those off, no matter what happens. And follow my lead, Princess."

  With a deep breath, Dagger whipped the terminal door open like she owned the place.

  Kate suppressed a smile. She had no idea what the pilot had in mind, but she got the feeling she was going to enjoy the show. Dagger swept across the floor and strode right up to the counter. She laid her hands on the battered metal surface and stared at the attendant.

  The man behind the counter pounded methodically on an archaic-looking mechanical keyboard. His hunt and peck method and the look of intense concentration guaranteed a long wait for any customer in line.

  Kate knew Dagger was not in the waiting mood. When she made the decision to continue with them on their quest to find Knowl, it meant she was required to leave her beloved Blade Redeemed locked up here at Aesti's port. Kate figured the idea of trading her starship, on which she was the ultimate authority, for a ride on a steam-powered dirigible, would not be sitting well with the pilot. Dagger was not in the mood at all.

  Dagger stared at the man for a long moment and remained silent. She looked sideways at Kate. Still nothing. When he failed to acknowledge her presence after several more long seconds filled with the erratic tap-tap-tapping of the keys, Dagger reached the end of her very short fuse. She slipped one of the knives from a sheath hidden under the arm of her leather jacket.

  A practiced flick of Dagger's hand with the sharp blade severed the typewriter's ribbon.

  The man hit a few more keys before the impotence of his actions registered. No ink, no words. He spluttered and looked up. His brows knitted in annoyance and he pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose so he could see Dagger clearly through the narrow lenses.

  Dagger laid the knife down on the counter. It rang sharply on the metal. She reached over the counter and pulled the sheet of paper out the typewriter. The roller squealed in protest. Dagger held the man's eyes with the intensity of her stare as she slowly crumpled the paper into a tight ball then tossed it casually to the floor behind the counter.

  "Why I—" the attendant began.

  "I need passage," Dagger interrupted. She made a show of studying his nametag. "I have to get to Pulli tonight...Alek."

  Alek's mouth hung open a moment before he managed to regain his composure with obvious effort. He adjusted his glasses.

  "We do not go to Pulli," the man sniffed.

  "Sindi then," Dagger said without missing a beat.

  Alek was caught off-guard by the sudden change of destination.

  "We do, in fact, service Sindi," the man admitted. "But passage will be quite, uh, costly."

  "What's the flight time?" Dagger asked. She ignored the implications she would not be able to afford the trip.

  "Two days," Alek responded. "With stops at Kunda and Sigtuna. You will be able to catch a train from Sindi to Pulli." A smile curled on his face. "I hope this will not make you late for your...appointment."

  Dagger's eyes flicked from Alek to the map on the wall behind the attendant.

  "That okay with you, Princess?"

  Once again, it took a moment for Kate to realize Dagger was talking to her. She leaned to the side to better see the map behind Alek. The man made no move to get out of her way. Sindi was far to the north and west of Aesti. There was not much on the map. She opened her mouth to respond then something caught her eye. Sindi seemed to be a major city in a province called Nurmekund. It was the province directly to the north of Nurmekund which caught her attention. She rubbed a hand over her mouth to cover her happiness at the flash of revelation she just received.

  Kate knew where they were supposed to go. But first they needed to get on the airship.

  "If that's as fast as we can get there," Kate sobbed. "We've already missed the funeral..." She wiped a non-existent tear from the corner of her eye, careful not to dislodge the sunglasses. Kate was pretty sure Watchers did not take the time to argue with travel agents over tickets for long
haul airships.

  "You don't think this...delay will be a problem?" Dagger kept her gaze locked on the petulant attendant.

  Kate knew Dagger was wondering if she thought they should just fly the Blade up north. For some reason, they needed to approach Knowl using the dirigible. Although Kate now believed she knew their ultimate destination, there were still small milestones required to get them there. All she could do was guide their next move and have faith the quest would be able to handle whatever was thrown in their path. The airship would work.

  "Yes," Kate sobbed again. "You'll have to excuse me. I'm sure Daddy's lawyers will understand. They can read the will when I get there." She turned and walked away. At the door, she spun to look back at Dagger who was by now staring at her. "Be sure to get me a separate cabin. You know I can't get any sleep with Sparrow's snoring."

  "Right." Dagger snarled. She turned back to Alek, picked up her knife and slipped it back into its sheath. "Let's hear your first, best and last offer."

  Kate left Dagger to work out the bill. She knew nothing about the local currency and did not want to give anything away with a stray comment.

  Dagger walked out of the terminal a few minutes later. She held a sheaf of tickets printed on heavy paper. The pilot shoved the stack into Kate's chest.

  "All yours m'lady," Dagger declared and started back to the others.

  Kate fumbled with the tickets. She straightened them out and looked at the one on top. The tickets were printed with a heavy block script. Each was a piece of artwork in their own right complete with gilded golden borders.

  "Exactly how much did these cost?" Kate asked. She was forced to lengthen her stride to keep up with Dagger.

  "Not so much," Dagger answered.

  Kate looked down at the tickets again. As far as she could tell, Dagger had scored more than seven staterooms. "Travel is cheap here on Aesti, then?"

  "Not at all." Dagger stopped suddenly and spun to stop Kate with an upraised hand.

  Kate was surprised. Was Dagger upset with her?