by Lisa Jade
“I see you’ve already noticed him. Suppose he does stand out. He’s part of a weird bunch – but I get the feeling you’ll get along.”
Luci rolls her eyes as she walks away.
We find Finn in an endlessly tall room filled with rushing air. There’s a great tower bursting up from the ground, with a number of platforms poking out at random intervals. As I look up, I catch sight of a silhouette plummeting from the top of the tower.
“Someone’s falling!” I yelp – but Isaac just rests a casual hand on my shoulder.
“Watch him.”
“But!”
“Just watch.”
I look back at the figure and after a few seconds, their fall inexplicably slows. They grow closer and closer, each moment slowing their descent. The screams quickly dull – and moments later, the man with the wild hair lands softly next to us.
“Hey.”
He and Isaac exchange pleasantries, but I just stare. Now that I’m really looking, he’s not the only one jumping off. There are at least a dozen people leaping from the edge and plummeting, before being caught by the gentle crosswind. They land lightly at the bottom and race back towards the structure, eager to leap off again.
“What is this place?!” I ask, my voice louder than intended. Isaac chuckles.
“It’s called the Stem. Told you it was a bit weird. Finn here is what you might call a thrill seeker.”
Finn pushes back a straggly lock of dark hair and smirks.
“Isaac! I thought you didn’t want to be paired up on this trip.”
“I’m not, you idiot. This is Quinn, my sister’s Companion. I borrowed her for the day.”
The other man lets out a barking laugh, then holds out a hand for me to shake.
“I know who she is! Pleased to meet you, Quinn. I saw what you did yesterday.”
“You did?”
“I couldn’t really miss it. You’re a damn good swimmer. Now that’s a thrill, right there.”
“Do you swim?” I ask, fighting to keep my voice polite. He shakes his head.
“I’m less of a sporty seeker and more like…”
“An idiot who jumps off buildings,” Isaac finishes with a laugh. Finn nods.
“That’s about right.”
I cross my arms. Finn seems to relax Isaac. His shoulders fall a little, and there’s an easy smile on his face. I get the impression that they’ve been friends since childhood. I wave at the Stem.
“So, what’s the idea, here? Isn’t it scary, rather than fun?”
“You have no idea,” Finn beams, “at least, not until you give it a try.”
Isaac shakes his head.
“Come on, Finn. Don’t pressure her. It’s pretty scary until you’ve done it a few times…”
“No,” I interrupt, “I’ll do it.”
“Really?”
“Seems interesting. I want to give it a try.”
I do not want to give this a try.
I stand at the precipice of the highest platform – the one Finn had recommended – and stare down. It’s high; much higher than it seemed from below. It reminds me of the Drop-off, and the constant fear of plummeting into the sea below.
“You don’t have to do this,” says Isaac from behind me, “it’s pretty frightening.”
I ball my hands into fists. I can just about see Finn from here. He’s waiting at the bottom, his arms held mockingly wide as though he could catch me. It would be amusing if it wasn’t a legitimate concern.
“I’m risking everything already,” I mutter, more to myself than Isaac, “this shouldn’t be a big deal.”
“You can always start lower,” he says, “when I started doing this, it was…”
My resolve hardens for a split second, and my body moves of its own accord. I spring from the edge of the platform – and for the briefest of moments, relief fills me - but then gravity kicks in and I plummet.
The air rushes by, turning the world into a mix of lines and colours. It’s hard to breathe, but the moment I can, I burst into a peculiar combination of laughter and screams.
I’m falling. I close my eyes for the shortest of moments, imagining every other time I could have fallen. Tipping over the Drop-off while on one of my stargazing sessions. Sinking into the pool of the Oasis. There’s a moment where I recall a particularly stormy night on Four, and Dad’s terrified screaming in my ear – but I block out the memory. I don’t want to think about that.
I tear my eyes open and there’s the ground, shockingly close. The laughter dies, and the screams take over for a split second – but then I hear laughter behind me. Isaac jumped a moment after, apparently; and he’s soaring a few feet above me, a joyful grin playing on his features. Somehow, it calms me.
The wind catches at me and I feel my fall begin to slow; but it still takes Finn catching me at the other end to land safely. He stumbles and falls as I collide with him, falling on top of him and throwing us both to the ground.
“Ouch!”
“I’m so sorry!” I cry, jumping up, “I didn’t mean to…”
“Did you like it?”
Finn sits on the ground, seemingly unbothered by the collision. He watches me with a sense of anticipation.
“It was a thrill, alright,” I smirk, “I can see why you like it so much.”
“I knew you’d be a fan. Most people on One think this is a bit weird, frankly. It’s considered a bizarre thing to do. But in my experience, people always understand once they do it themselves.”
Isaac lands just behind me, and the two exchange high fives.
“I’ve been waiting to do that ever since I heard they installed a mile-high Stem,” Isaac grins, “what do you reckon, Quinn?”
“It was pretty fun.”
For a long moment, I just watch him. Despite how awkward he normally seems, there’s something different about him now. His cheeks are flushed and feverish, and there’s a sparkle in his eyes and a smile on his face. He runs a hand through his hair, which is now tangled and knotted, then glances back at the Stem.
“You know what, screw it. I’m going again.”
Finn and I watch as Isaac jumps again and again, each time squealing like a small child. It’s a peculiar detour from his usual behaviour, but not altogether unpleasant.
“He really loves doing that, huh?” I muse.
Finn smirks.
“Isaac does his own thing. When you’re born into a family like his, that’s hard to do – so when he gets the chance to have fun, that’s something special.”
“A family like his?”
“Yeah,” he frowns, “Isaac and Luci’s family is one of the most influential on One. That’s why they’re both under so much pressure to pair up and start breeding on this trip. Their father expects nothing short of perfection. Isaac really isn’t a fan of that.”
“What about their mother?”
“She’s back on Earth, on One. The woman is a freaking genius – she played a part in advancing the engines on Pyre - but a few years ago, there was an incident. She was badly injured and never fully recovered. She mostly stays inside these days, so she doesn’t have much involvement with her kids.”
“Oh,” I say sadly, “that’s terrible.”
“She’s still around, at least. Life happens.”
He fixes me with a stony gaze.
“Personally, I think Isaac listens to her more than he does his father. I reckon that’s why he’s taken in a branded criminal from Four.”
I pause. That’s far too specific to be a joke – and the look on his face gives it away. He knows who I am. He leans forward.
“Can I see it? The scar, I mean.”
“I-I don’t know what Isaac has told you about me…”
“He hasn’t told me a thing,” Finn smirks, “I figured it out.”
“What?! How?”
“Only someone from Four would be a natural swimmer. You seem a little too clueless about how things work around here. Oh, and when you fell on me earlier,
I saw the Brand on your arm.”
My heart sinks.
“Are you going to turn me in?”
“Nah,” he shrugs, “Isaac is my oldest friend, and he seems to like you. I wouldn’t hurt him by reporting you.”
“I don’t understand.”
His expression softens momentarily, and I get the distinct impression that he’s used to keeping secrets for Isaac.
“You haven’t done anything to upset me. As far as I’m concerned, you don’t pose any risk to me or to him. So, consider me on side.”
He stretches one arm over his head, letting out a guttural sigh.
“Anyway, can I see the Brand?”
I glance around. There’s nobody else on this side of the Stem, and Isaac is still climbing. Nobody will see. I peel back the lace sleeve and slowly turn my arm over. Finn grimaces.
“Wow, that’s pretty sick. How did they do that?”
“You called it a Brand, so I thought you knew.”
“That’s just what it’s called.”
“Hot metal. Burns down to the bone.”
He winces.
“That must have been painful.”
“You have no idea.”
I tug the sleeve back down, and Finn watches me with unsure eyes. He’s a different creature from the others, I feel. More relaxed, less flustered by the discovery of a criminal in their midst. When Isaac next leaps, we both wave our hands at him. He lands softly nearby and flashes a childish grin our way.
Slowly, I can feel something forming.
Several hours later I collapse onto the nearest chair, gasping and sweating.
“We shouldn’t have jumped so many times,” I croak, acutely aware of how poorly I’m handling this. The others stand nearly pristine, their clothes dry and their eyes still filled with energy. Isaac chuckles.
“Wow, you really are unfit.”
“Shh, you,” I joke, “I’m the fittest person around back home.”
“I’m sure you are. Hey, maybe we should head to dinner. I’m sure Luci will be looking for you. And besides, you’re her Companion, not mine. I suppose I should return you to her.”
I give a small, obedient nod.
“Of course, sir.”
We head into the ballroom that night for the first ‘formal’ party of the trip. Initially, I’d been unsure what was considered formal – back home, donning a skirt in any situation is considered overdressing. But as I glance down at the outfit Luci picked for me, I grimace. The black dress is gorgeous, no doubt; but it seems out of place on me. It’s made of some kind of sheer material, and hangs down past my ankles. Luckily, Luci didn’t ask me to wear heels today. A sleek ponytail was surprisingly acceptable to her, even with my loss knot woven into it, still somewhat visible.
I open the door for Luci, unable to tear my gaze from the dress she’s wearing. It’s crimson red and plastered in glitter, which shimmers with every movement. As I step into line behind her, I feel everyone in the room drop their gaze to her swinging hips and exposed cleavage. I bite my lip. Luci may have no plans to breed on this trip, but it seems there are plenty of opportunities if she changed her mind.
Isaac glances at me from beside her, a sheepish and apologetic look on his face. He seems all too used to the attention. I suppose he would be.
This party seems little less raucous than the last one. Perhaps it’s because we’re in a ballroom rather than the Oasis. Maybe people are still a little subdued from the party-ending emergency yesterday. Candles flicker on every surface, and soft music is played by a suited band in one corner.
Luci fires a look my way.
“Looks like you’re on people’s radars, Quinn.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Her eyebrows raise, and suddenly my heart is in my throat. Those stares aren’t for her, are they? They’re for me.
“Y-you mean from yesterday?” I whisper furiously, “that’s not good.”
“You’ll be alright. It’s okay to be recognised for a good reason… like saving a life.”
I bite my lip. Everyone’s acting like I jumped into that pool in a fit of heroism, determined to save the poor girl’s life. But that isn’t it. What drove me forward was the image of Cherise’s face as she’d told me to breathe, her brave expression barely concealing the terror in her eyes.
I didn’t save Terri out of some desire to be a hero. I saved her because I couldn’t stand to witness any more death. I shake the thought away. I’ll just ignore it. The stares will die down sooner or later.
As the party begins, men offer women their hands and take to the floor, spinning marvellously around one another. It’s remarkable to watch, each couple twirling in unison like cogs in a single, perfectly timed machine. The music swells and suddenly, it makes my heart ache. Music like this used to be commonplace back home; though it was never performed live, of course. We had little metallic boxes that would fill the air with gentle songs, though we never had much option of what to play. Throughout my childhood, those little boxes had been constantly playing in the background. Even now, when I think of home, there’s always a catch of music trapped within the memory. It’s sad, really – the pretty, lilting tune should make me happy. But for some reason, it fills me with sorrow.
I’m happy to be here. But I still miss home.
Someone swoops in and offers Luci his hand, which she takes eagerly. Tossing her white-blonde hair back, she shoots me an excited look.
“Don’t wait up, okay?”
I laugh in response, a reaction which clearly pleases her. As she spins away from me and onto the dancefloor, I can’t help but feel a bit out of place. Even with Terri standing nearby and Isaac lurking beside me, his arms crossed in boredom, I’m not entirely sure what I’m supposed to do. I look at Isaac.
“Do you want a drink or something?”
“Nah,” he smirks, “this isn’t my thing, as you well know. I’ll be out of here just as soon as I show my face to the Captain.”
I give a short nod. I want to ask why the Captain would even care about him - why a man of such stature would care whether a random thrill seeker showed up to a party. But there’s a look on Isaac’s face that warns me away from the subject, so I opt not to mention it.
As if on cue, a tinny voice announces the Captain’s entrance – and a moment later, the great doors at the end of the ballroom fall open. He enters with all the same overpowering confidence that he displayed on that first day, eyes gliding over the room before him. His sharp eyes seem to pick up every detail around him – and for a singular moment, his gaze settles on me. And then he looks away again, like it never happened, and I notice a small, cocky smile forming on his face.
“Welcome, everyone,” he booms, “this will be the first of many formal celebrations on our ensuing two-year trip, so I hope you enjoy it. Soon, we’ll be passing Neptune on our starboard side. There’ll be an announcement closer to the time, so you can attend the viewing platform. In the meantime, please enjoy yourselves.”
There’s a smattering of applause across the room as he delves into the throng. With his impressive height, he still towers over everyone with ease. I sigh. This guy – even when he’s standing amongst us, he somehow seems greater.
Just as before, he makes a beeline for us. I take a long slow breath as he heads our way. It’s okay. Just as before, he’s looking for Luci, not me. But then, she’s dancing, so perhaps…
“How are you enjoying the festivities?” he asks Isaac, who shoots him a blank look.
“I-it’s great. It must have taken a lot of work.”
The Captain smirks.
“Historically, every Captain on a Gene Cruise has led in a unique manner. Some have displayed looser leadership, allowing passengers and crew the freedom to do whatever they please. Myself, I’m aiming for a firm and methodical manner of leading.”
“What does that mean?”
“There are rules aboard this ship, much like on One. I know you’ve previously had your… moments, Isaac.
But aboard my ship, there will be stringent rules to follow and significant consequences for straying from my instruction.”
I pause. Why is it that his words – so professional and firm – sound more like a thinly veiled threat? And why is Isaac is wincing at every word, as though afraid the older man might strike him?
“Do you understand me?” the Captain asks, leaning in a little. Isaac’s head dips.
“Yeah, Dad. I get it.”
I freeze. Dad?! The Captain is Luci and Isaac’s Father?! I guess it makes sense - the way Isaac frowns at any mention of either man – but the logic is drowned out by shock.
How the hell did I end up relying on the Captain’s kids to keep me alive?!
The older man suddenly turns his attention to me, and there’s a look in his eye that I can’t quite place. Like he knows something’s off. He looks me up and down once, then again a little more slowly, taking in the lines of my body like he’s recording them to memory. His nose wrinkles.
“You must be Quinn. My daughter told me all about you. You’re the one who jumped into the pool yesterday, aren’t you?”
I give a small nod, too terrified to open my mouth.
“I understand you’ll be looking after my Lucinda during this trip. I don’t think I need to tell you that I expect her to be very well looked after.”
“Of course, sir.”
“Good.”
For a long moment he just stands there, those amber-brown eyes – that I now realise are just like Isaac’s – piercing into mine, as though he could drag my secrets out of me. It’s an unnerving stare; the kind that makes me want to run away from him, if only I weren’t so scared of looking suspicious.
“Well, enjoy yourselves.”
With that he delves into the crowd again. I round on Isaac, who seems oddly reproachful.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me your father was the Captain?!” I whisper furiously. He stares.
“I didn’t think I had to. Everyone always tells me how much I look like him. Besides, he came over to speak to me and Luci yesterday, remember?”
“You didn’t think it was important to tell me who I’m dealing with?! You’re the Captain’s kids! Do you have any idea what that means?”