She twisted and writhed in an effort to pull the dress down but the tight fabric pinned her arms to her sides. She wriggled, like a worm tunnelling through black dirt, until her shoulders broke out and she could pull the rest of the dress down to free her arms. She did her best to pull the sash around her waist but kept it much looser than Meeka had; she could actually breathe. She pulled her hair up into a ponytail and then lifted her usual trousers, sliding a paper-thin blade out from the lining. This she slipped inside the fabric of the sash, where it looked like an innocent fold in the fabric.
She stopped just in front of her door and took three deep breaths. Today she would learn as much as she could, and hopefully visit the other Hunters. She had to check that Tanguin and Orion were okay, especially if these animals were treating Orion like a second class citizen.
She resolved to first explore the house. If this was going to be her base for the foreseeable future then she had to know everything she could about it. She slid the door open and stepped into the empty hallway. Movement and low voices echoed from other rooms as she crept to the nearest door and paused to listen outside. Silence.
She eased the screen sideways an inch and peered through the narrow gap. Beyond lay a small room very similar to her own, only this one had a second, smaller screened area inside.
Nova closed the screen and moved on to the next room. She proceeded through the house, listening outside each room and peering inside the empty ones. She found mostly bedrooms, others lay empty and useless. A bigger room in a corner of the house billowed with thick steam rising from a rock pool in its centre. She was tempted to jump in and wash off the grime that seemed to cling to her despite her wash the night before.
At the back of the house she came to another screen standing partially open. Inside Ree chopped more of the disgusting purple plant and placed it into a large bowl. A fire sparkled on the far side of the room and a pan on top sizzled.
Nova placed her hand on the screen and pushed it open.
Ree's head snapped up and she looked at Nova with startled eyes. She dropped the knife which clattered onto the bench top and rushed to the door.
"I'm sorry, you can't come in here," she said.
"What?" Nova asked, craning her neck to look into the kitchen and see what had Ree so jumpy.
"It's improper for a guest of the house to enter the kitchen," Ree whispered, her eyes flicking down the hallway as if scared of someone leaping out of the shadows.
"That's ridiculous. I want to see what other food you have."
"I can't allow it," Ree said, her voice shaking.
Nova's jaw clenched. She could have batted Ree aside with one hand but the poor girl seemed scared out of her wits. Nova took one last glance around the kitchen, as far as she could see there was nothing more appetising than the purple rubber.
She stepped back. "Alright."
Ree breathed an audible sigh and stepped out of the room, sliding the door shut behind her and blocking Nova's view of the kitchen.
"Please let me fix your dress," Ree said.
"It's fine," Nova said. The last thing she wanted was to be suffocated again by the ridiculous sash.
"You look like you were dressed by a child," Ree whispered. "Omi will punish both Meeka and myself."
Nova wanted to punch her fist through the wall. If Omi was a real man he'd tell her directly that he had a problem, not take it out on his sister and his servant. She face flushed, when she saw him again she'd have something to say, that was for sure.
"Fine," Nova said. She turned around so Ree could reach the sash and held her breath.
Ree pulled the sash even tighter than Meeka had and by the time she finished stars danced in front of Nova's eyes.
"Please let me know if I can be of any further service," Ree said.
Nova nodded and strode away from the kitchen. As soon as she rounded the corner she reached around and loosened the sash. She took a grateful gulp of air and leant against the wooden outer wall. A window to her left revealed the gardens outside and a cool breeze fluttered through, clearing her head.
She marched through the maze of corridors to the front door and stepped out into bright sunlight. Green grass bent under her feet like a soft cushion as she walked to the waterfall. Water bubbled up out of the ground to tumble over rocks and continue downstream. Frogs the size of Nova's fingernail crouched on top of the rocks and chirped to one another while brightly coloured birds swooped overhead, occasionally dipping into the water and then shooting back into the sky.
Nova walked around the outer wall of the garden. It towered over her head, too high to climb, and too well made to dig under. That left just the main entrance, manned by six guards with red stars on their chests. If she could get down to the village then she had a chance of running away, back to Crusader, then she'd like to see Omi try to control her.
She pressed her hand against the concealed blade in her sash and marched towards the gate, keeping her eyes firmly locked on the path and village beyond. She strode with purposeful steps right until a guard stepped forward and blocked her path.
"I'm afraid you are not to leave," he said.
Nova lifted her chin and stared down her nose at the man. "I'll go where I like. Now step aside."
"Lord Omi would very much like you to stay and enjoy his gardens," the guard said.
"I've already enjoyed them. Now I'm going to go and enjoy the village."
The guard glanced over his shoulder at his companions but didn't move.
"Surely you would like to enjoy the warm baths inside?" he said.
"No. I want to go to the village," Nova said.
She'd had enough of their double-speak and their evasive answers. She clenched her fists, and only the fear that one of her friends would be killed stopped her lunging for the man.
The guard remained silent, watching her.
"I want to go to the village," she said slowly.
"There is fresh fruit in the dining room," the second guard said.
"I don't want fruit," she said, throwing her arms up. "I want to get out of this damned place."
"What's going on here! Why are you bringing shame on my household!" Omi said. He burst out of the house and strode down the path towards them. His face glowed bright red but he walked with measured steps.
The guards bowed and stepped back.
"I'm going to the village," Nova said.
"No. You're staying here," Omi said.
Nova's fingernails dug into her palms.
"You should be ashamed of yourself. Coming into my home and threatening my men. Do your people have no honour?"
"You're the one holding me prisoner."
"You are not a prisoner!" Omi said. "If you were a prisoner I would have you killed. Toro made it very clear that you are an honoured guest."
"But I can't leave?"
"No."
Nova swallowed and shuffled her feet, muscles twitching to lunge at the gate and break free, but she'd never get past all six guards and Omi.
"Disobey me again and I will kill one of your friends," Omi said. "You see they are prisoners, not honoured guests."
Nova's shoulders slumped.
"Good. Where's Meeka? She's supposed to be keeping an eye on you."
"I'm here, My Lord," Meeka said, hurrying out of the house and with her head bent low.
Omi's mouth worked and he looked ready to explode but instead he turned on his heel and stomped away.
"Perhaps you would like to have a bath?" Meeka said, once Omi was out of earshot.
"I don't want another damn bath," Nova said. "I want to get out of here."
Meeka bowed her head.
Nova groaned and stomped away from the guards. Meeka followed at her side. They strolled beneath the shaded trees and the cool breeze lifted some of the rage from Nova's shoulders. After five minutes, out of sight of the house, she slumped to a green patch of ground and plucked a blade of grass, twirling it in her hands.
Meeka lowered her
self, far more gracefully, to the ground at Nova's side.
Birds and butterflies flitted amongst the leaves overhead and the stream created a gentle gurgle that joined the rush of the stream.
Nova let out another long breath and forced herself to relax. It wasn't Meeka's fault she was stuck here, and if she wanted any hope of getting out she had to learn everything she could.
"What would you be doing if I wasn't here?"
Meeka twitched, her eyes flying up and then back to the ground. "That's unimportant."
Nova snorted. "Then it's at least something you should be able to tell me."
"My job now is to be a companion for you."
Nova rolled her eyes and plucked another blade of grass, weaving it about the first. "Riveting. Don't you have your own life? Apart from what Omi tells you?"
Meeka's brow furrowed and her lips trembled. "It is forbidden."
"Of course it is."
Meeka looked around the garden as if checking for spies. She leant in close to Nova and whispered, "I'd be working on my inventions."
"Your what?" Nova said, hands falling still.
"Shh!" Meeka flushed and glanced around.
"Show me."
"You must promise not to tell Omi or anyone," Meeka said.
"I wouldn't tell that bastard anything."
Meeka nodded. She stood walked towards the house with steady footsteps, keeping her gaze firmly locked on her feet. Nova followed suit, glaring at the dirt.
They went into Meeka's room. Thin screens created a hidden alcove at the back. Meeka shut the main door and pulled the alcove screen aside.
Nova stumbled to a stop, mouth dropping.
Within the alcove a solid work bench lay covered with tools and pieces of metal, unlike anything she'd seen on Chindo so far. Amongst the nails and tiny screws rose hand-made contraptions.
"What is all this?" Nova said, stepping forward.
"These are my inventions," Meeka said with a wide smile that transformed her face.
She stood tall, meeting Nova's eye.
"What do they do?" Nova asked, picking up a long cylinder with what looked like a spiral thread running through the inside.
"This is for moving water," Meeka said, taking it from Nova.
She placed it into a bucket of water and spun it. Just as she'd said; water travelled up the internal screw and cascaded from the top into a waiting bucket.
"That's incredible!" Nova said. How water got from one point to another wasn't something she'd ever thought about before, but this device was ingenious.
"Is this what the village uses?" Nova asked.
Meeka frowned and stopped turning the screw. The water halted and fell back down into the lower trough.
"No, of course not," she said in a low whisper, shoulders hunching.
"Do they have better pipes?"
"No, the water comes from an underground stream that we haul up using buckets."
"But wouldn't this be easier?"
Meeka bit her bottom lip and nodded.
"Then why don't they use it? Have you shown them?"
"These inventions are… forbidden," Meeka said. "Omi lets me work on them because he can't stop me but I can never show them to anyone. I'd be killed."
"What?" Nova's mouth hung open. "Why would you be killed for making something that could help people?"
"Chindo has everything it needs. By trying to invent things I'm saying that Chindo isn't good enough for me; it appears ungrateful."
Nova tried to get her head around the notion but it was too ridiculous. "I can't believe this place. It's ridiculous."
Meeka's mouth dropped open and she took three steps back. "No! Chindo is not ridiculous. Some of our customs may seem strange to you but we are a rich culture."
Meeka's words were monotone, almost robotic, as if she was speaking from a rehearsed script. Her eyes dropped to her feet when she finished talking and she stood like that, barely breathing.
"But don't you want to do more?" Nova said. "Wouldn't you want to travel to other planets and see the stars?"
Meeka's gaze snapped up. Her bright blue eyes sparkled in the filtered light and her mouth dropped open. "Such things are impossible."
"How do you think I got here?"
Meeka's hands twisted about each other. "I'd heard rumours… but—— other planets?"
Nova nodded. "If you could see them, wouldn't you want to?"
"You don't understand. To even speak of such things is against the law. I'm happy here."
Meeka glanced around the room and her eyes lingered on the far doorway. She shivered and stepped close to Nova, leaning in. "They can hear things," she whispered and then clapped her hands over her mouth.
"What? Who?" Nova said.
Meeka looked genuinely horrified at herself. Her hand pressed so hard against her own mouth that her nails left red scratches on her cheek.
"Meeka, what are you talking about?" Nova said.
Meeka shook her head violently from side to side and pushed Nova out of the small alcove. She slammed the sliding door shut and hurried them both out of her bedroom.
Nova let herself be pushed along, hoping for answers. Meeka led her all the way to the back of the garden where a wooden platform with two red pillows nestled amongst the grass. A pool of water sat just to the side of the platform and bright orange fish darted beneath the surface.
"Well?" Nova said.
"We won't speak of that ever again," Meeka said, her voice stern.
"But—"
"Never," Meeka repeated.
Nova bit her lip. She'd leave the matter lie for a time, but she'd get her answers eventually and then maybe she'd have a way off of the planet.
From the wooden platform they could just see the entrance to the main house. Sia sat on the decking on top of a pile of crimson pillows, sewing. Her brows drew together and she glared down at her stitches. The rest of the household was nowhere in sight.
"Why does she always look so cranky?" Nova asked, nodding at Sia.
"Because she's never happy," Meeka said, rolling her eyes. "She hates me so I think having to live in the same house has made her permanently angry."
Nova looked back at Sia. "What's she got against you?"
"It's a very long story," said Meeka.
At that moment Ree stepped out from between the trees carrying a tray with a kettle and cups. She knelt in front of the platform.
"How did you know we were here?" Nova asked.
"It's a servant's job to know where their masters are and what they want at all times," Meeka replied.
Ree laid out the cups and poured a small amount of tea into each. The warm liquid splashed into the white cups and gave off steam.
"Pour yourself some," Meeka said, waving at Ree.
The servant glanced at Meeka and then at Nova.
"She won't mind," Meeka said.
"Of course not," Nova replied.
Ree nodded once and took a third cup from the tray. She poured tea and sat at the base of the platform, facing Meeka and Nova. They each held their cups close in their hands and sipped gently.
Nova relished in the warmth emanating from the tea and in the flavour that had an unfamiliar flowery taste that stuck with her and left a refreshing zing through her mouth. After the disgusting food, the tea was a welcome change.
They stayed like that until night crept upon them and Ree excused herself to prepare dinner. Meeka and Nova talked quietly, mostly of inconsequential things, like the types of flowers. Meeka refused to talk about anything that might lead back to inventions, or laws, or her family. Still, Nova stored every scrap of information away for future reference. Every shrug and every blink could mean the difference between survival and death further down the track. Nova was determined to survive.
CHAPTER NINE
In light of her recent run-in with Omi, Nova resolved to be on her best behaviour. She had to get out and see the town and the most likely way for that to happen was to win Omi's appro
val. So for the next week she bowed when she was supposed to, dressed like she was supposed to, and ate with the ridiculous tongs, just like she was supposed to.
Seven days after moving into Omi's house Nova approached him. He was sitting in the main lounge, perched upon a scarlet pillow on the platform where Nova had first met Toro. He was reading a long piece of yellowed parchment with black letters scrawled across it. His usual black cloak with red trimming spread around him and a small smile played across his as he read the letter. Nova took that as a good sign.
She approached the platform with her head lowered and when she was within a meter she got to her knees and bowed her head towards Omi until her forehead touched the floor. She rested her arms, palm down, on the wooden boards, and waited.
She strained her ears; the rustle of parchment told her that Omi was still there, even if he was ignoring her. She bit her lip to stop herself bursting out about rudeness and ridiculous customs. She let her eyes fall closed and her imagination to wonder. She pictured tying Omi to the front of Crusader and flying into space with him. If that didn't teach him a lesson or two it would at least make her feel better.
"Yes, Stranger," Omi said. It was a new name he'd taken to using for her because he struggled to pronounce her real name.
"I wish to beg a favour, My Lord," Nova said, keeping her head bowed.
"You may sit," Omi said.
Nova rose up so that she knelt in front of the platform and looked up at Omi.
"What is this favour?"
"My Lord, I was hoping to visit the village. Meeka has told me much about it and I was hoping to see it for myself."
"Lady Meeka," Omi corrected.
"Lady Meeka, of course. I'm sorry, My Lord."
Omi nodded and stared down at her with hard eyes. The dark irises scanned over her like a hawk, she imagined that he could see straight through her to her real intentions just below the surface. His face remained expressionless as he looked her over.
"How long would you be gone?"
"Just for the afternoon, My Lord, to see the sights and admire your work here. Most of all I was hoping to see my companions."
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