Lander

by J. Scott Coatsworth

  “Wow.” Xander stared at him.

  “What?”

  “That’s the first time I heard you describe them that way. Hell, it’s the first time you’ve admitted to being skythane at all.”

  Jameson shrugged. “I guess it is. No use denying it now.” He was what he was, and he was tired of fighting it. Look where that got me.

  “Guess not.”

  They ate in silence, each lost in his own thoughts. The only sound was the muted howl of the wind and rain outside.

  “Do you think anyone else died?” Jameson said at last into the empty space. The thought had been gnawing at him.

  “When? With the shift?”

  Jameson nodded. “I’ve been thinking about it. There must have been miners out on the Split. Damage in Oberon City. Maybe an incoming shuttle….”

  “Probably. But look, people were dying already. That shuttle that crashed by the banks of the Theseus, before the shift—how many died then? And how many more would be dead now, if we hadn’t—”

  “I know, I know.” It all made rational sense. Still, the bodies of the dead weighed heavily on his conscience. Those people had no choice in the matter.

  He was an adult, though, and a prince, no less. Or a king? He’d weighed the risks and made his own choice. He would have to learn to shoulder that too. “I never planned for this.”

  “Neither did I.” Xander pulled him close, and Jameson rested against the man’s warm chest, feeling his strong heartbeat. For a little bit longer, he could hide from his responsibilities in Xander’s strong arms.

  “So, what do we do now?” Jameson looked up at Xander. His lover was staring off into the distance.

  “The best we can.”

  Chapter Four: A Familiar Face

  SOMETIME DURING the darkest part of the night, while the rain still fell outside their little shelter, Quince finally found a few moments alone with Robyn, or as alone as they could manage, tucked together in the deepest part of the rock crevice away from the downpour. The rain continued, though slower now, a steady purr of white noise.

  It was pitch-black in their shelter. Quince couldn’t even see the outline of Robyn’s face, but her touch told her Robyn was there.

  “I can’t believe it,” she whispered, aware the others had fallen into an exhausted sleep. She was tired herself, but she’d waited twenty-five years for this moment. “You’re really here.”

  “Yes,” Robyn whispered, her voice thinner than Quince remembered. “I didn’t know if you would ever return. I had to keep faith.”

  Quince couldn’t see it, but she was sure Robyn was making the symbol of the two gods, tapping her right fist against her heart twice. She pulled the queen’s slender form against hers, her wings encompassing the two of them. She found the place where Robyn’s wings had attached to her back, the rough, wounded skin there a reminder of the pain Robyn had gone through. Was likely still going through.

  Robyn started to pull away from her touch.

  “Hey, it’s okay. It’s just me,” Quince whispered, pulling her close again.

  “I’m ugly and broken now.” Robyn took a deep breath. “She stole my wings, Quince. She made me into this.”

  Quince shook her head. “You’re not ugly to me.” She took Robyn’s head gently in her hands and kissed her, and Robyn responded, drinking her up like a woman too long without water.

  Quince let her have her fill, pouring love and solace through the bond they shared. It felt so good to be connected once again. To be a part of we. To close the long, lonely Oberon chapter of her life and leave it behind.

  At last Robyn came up for air. “Oh gods, I missed you, Quince.”

  “I know. But we did what we had to.” If not for that sacrifice…. Quince shuddered to think of what would have happened to them all. “We will find Davyn. Find them both, after the storm.” She paused, debating whether to bring up Morgan. His face floated before her in the darkness, calling to her. “Robyn, I have to tell you something.”

  Robyn tensed up in her arms. “What? Is there someone else?”

  “No, nothing like that. Well, something like that. There was a boy—”

  “A boy? Well, that’s unexpected.” Some of her haughty queenly tones had returned.

  Quince laughed, covering her mouth quickly so as not to wake the others. She took Robyn’s little joke as a good sign. “His name was Morgan. I don’t know what he was. But without him, things would have gone badly.”

  “Morgan?”

  Quince nodded. “Xander… Davyn found him in a farmhouse on Oberon, but he was much more than he seemed….” She launched into the tale, although she conveniently omitted the whole I-almost-killed-the-boy part. She was still ashamed of her mistake.

  Robyn listened, interjecting thoughtful questions here and there, as the rainfall outside gradually tapered off.

  When Quince was done, Robyn was silent for a long time.

  “What do you think?” Quince asked.

  “You thought he was a sneach?”

  “Maybe. At first. Now, I don’t know. I saw him, Robyn. Twice, in dreams.”

  “When?”

  “Today.”

  “Maybe it’s just your emotions, working themselves out—”

  “You were there too. In the dream. I had these visions before you found me again, and you were there. You had these beautiful, iridescent wings.”

  “Then you know it was false.” The bitterness crept into her voice again.

  Quince sighed. “I’m so sorry about what she did to you. But he needs me. I have to go after him.”

  Robyn put a hand on Quince’s face. “That’s what I love about you. Always so eager to chase off after the helpless, to charge into danger.” She kissed Quince again, her lips lingering for a moment. “We can talk about it some more tomorrow, my love. We both need some sleep.”

  “All right. In the morning.”

  Robyn curled up, her head on Quince’s chest, and Quince wrapped her wings around them both in the darkness to keep them warm.

  Tomorrow.

  Morgan’s face floated in the darkness before her, mouthing her name.

  XANDER STARED out into the early morning sky. The rain had finally ended, leaving behind a muddy, sodden mess of downed trees and other debris. The clouds seemed to be on their way to breaking up.

  “You sure you’re ready?” he asked over his shoulder.

  “I’ll be all right.” Jameson was lacing up his shirt. Xander turned and leaned against the cavern wall to enjoy the show.

  The golden wings suited Jameson. He wasn’t muscle-bound, just lithe and beautiful, his red hair adding fire to the mix.

  “What are you looking at?” Jameson asked, sounding annoyed.

  “Just appreciating the view.”

  “I’m a mess. I can’t wait to get back to Gaelan and get a bath.”

  Jameson had really taken to the whole water bath thing. Xander had to admit, they were much more satisfying than ionic showers. But there were a lot more things waiting for them there than just getting clean—issues that urgently needed their attention.

  They’d search for Quince and the others first. He hoped they’d all made it to safety.

  Jameson finished getting dressed and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Ready if you are.”

  Xander nodded. One of the statues had collapsed across the cavern entrance. The featureless head stared up at him as he climbed over the rubble. He wondered what its face had looked like, and who or what had carved it. He breathed in the air. It was fresh and clean. The clouds were breaking up, and Titania’s red sun was starting to peek through.

  That begged the question. With the world back together again, Quince had told them they were now on Erro, but where had that name come from? Had the planet had another name of its own long ago, before it had been split, given to it by whatever had lived here then?

  Jameson joined him, whistling at the sight below. The valley was half-full of muddy water, slowly draining out through
a massive logjam. “Gaelan must be in trouble….”

  Xander nodded. “Much of the city is built up against the cliffs, and the House of the Moon is strong and on high ground. But there will be flooding. We should go.”

  He launched himself into the sky and Jameson followed, climbing an updraft behind him. From above, the destruction was even more evident. No one had lived there, but he despaired of finding Quince and the others under all that debris. If they were still alive.

  They had to be. He refused to think otherwise. They hadn’t come this far to lose her now. They would need her knowledge and her iron will in the days to come, while they figured out what to do next.

  Oberon City lay in wait for them, the Slander and OberCorp like twin spiders who would eventually come to hunt the skythane, to take control of both Errian and Gaelan. The occupation of Gaelan had shown that. They were likely momentarily stunned by the shift, but that wouldn’t incapacitate them for long.

  Someone there already knew about Titania—that was evident from the occupation force. He had to get home and prepare Gaelan to fight once again.

  He followed an updraft, circling around a few more times, hoping to see some sign of their friends. “Maybe they’ve already started home.” Funny, when had he begun to think of Gaelan as home?

  “Maybe so. But I would have thought they’d be out searching for us too…. Xander, look!” Jameson pointed at a spot along the cliff side not far from the cavern entrance, which was now just a patch of black far below.

  There was movement and a flash of color. “I see it.” He fell into a dive, the wind whistling past his wings, tucked against his back. Quince. It had to be Quince. Please let it be Quince.

  He saw her white wings before he could see her face.

  He spread his own wings to slow his fall and landed right in front of her, ignoring the others with her to pull Quince into his embrace. “You’re alive!”

  “A little scratched up,” she said gruffly. “But I’ll live.”

  Jameson alighted behind him and ran forward to hug her too. “Don’t ever do that to me again.” He held her for a long moment and then looked around. “Where’s Kadin?”

  Quince shrugged, frowning. “We lost him in the storm.”

  Xander looked at the mass of mud and fallen trees scattered across the valley. “Maybe he headed back to Gaelan,” he said doubtfully.

  “Perhaps.” Quince laid a hand on his arm. “Xander….”

  Xander turned to look at the others who were with her and froze.

  “We have some unexpected company.”

  “Alix.” The man was just as Xander remembered him, as he had been on the tri-dee, all those thousands of times he’d watched that last video. “Holy crap, Alix!” He embraced the man who’d been his lover, his savior, and hugged him hard, feeling himself tear up.

  Alix smelled of dirt and sweat, his clothes crunching under Xander’s embrace, but he was still one of the sweetest things Xander had ever seen. And yet…. “What the hell, Alix?” he asked as they separated. “How could you leave me all alone like that, without another word after that stupid transmission?”

  Alix smiled that lopsided grin he only used with Xander. “I had no choice. I was called up and sworn to secrecy. But I’m here now.”

  Xander refused to let Alix charm his way through this one. “We’ll talk about it later.” He got a good look at him. “You’re a mess. There’s a place nearby where we can get you all cleaned up.”

  Someone cleared their throat.

  Xander turned to find Jameson glaring at him. “Right. Sorry. Alix, this is Jameson. Jameson’s my…. We’re together now.” Split it, I’m an idiot.

  Jameson came up next to him and put his arm around Xander’s shoulder.

  Someone was jealous. But holy shit. Alix. Alix, who he’d spent a year letting go. Alix, who was supposed to be dead. Dani had told him the truth in the end, after all. Or part of it.

  Alix extended his hand. “Good to meet you, Jameson.” His narrowed eyes said otherwise.

  This was going to be trouble. Xander could smell it.

  “Davyn.”

  It took him a minute to realize that was him. Who would call me that? Xander turned to find a woman staring at him. A lander woman. She looked familiar. Who are you? He knew that face.

  She strode forward, regal as a queen, and in that moment he knew her.

  A memory struck him. His own, this time.

  His mother, pulling him back from the rail before he’d had wings. Cradling him in her arms in the House of the Stars, the day she let him go.

  His mother, here and now, her arms around him, hugging him fiercely.

  He hugged her, and felt the rough skin and scabbed nubs where her wings had been.

  She winced at the touch.

  “You’re my mother—”

  “Yes. Shhh, my little sparrow.” Her hand rested lightly behind his head, and she held him against her warm shoulder. “You’re home.”

  Despite himself, he began to cry.

  JAMESON STOOD by in stunned amazement as Xander ran to hug Alix.

  Alix, the man who was supposed to be dead. Where the hell had he come from? Why was he there? Jameson’s stomach twisted in knots.

  Alix had been, at the very least, an accomplice in the subjugation of Gaelan. He’d broken Xander’s heart, something Jameson had found even harder to forgive. The man had left Xander all alone with no word for a year. Like I left Jessa?

  And yet, Xander didn’t seem to care.

  “Ahem.”

  Xander introduced them. At least he blushed at his oversight.

  The man’s hand was callused, his grip firm, and the glare he gave Jameson sent a shiver down his spine. He did not want this one as his enemy. Alix could have been a space marine, thick as a truck, his red hair cropped close in marine style.

  He looked like he knew where to bury the bodies so they’d never be found.

  Funny how Xander had never mentioned Alix was a redhead too.

  Quince slipped up next to him. “Don’t worry, Jameson. Xander’s meant for you, not him,” she whispered in his ear, squeezing his arm encouragingly.

  I hope so.

  The next shock hit him harder than he would have imagined.

  “Davyn.”

  “Who is that?” he asked Quince, but he thought he already knew. That brow, those eyes, her haughty demeanor….

  “That’s Robyn. She, Alix, and Alia found us last night. Robyn and Alix escaped from one of the labor camps on the Split.”

  His feelings were decidedly mixed at the reunion. Just like that, Xander had his ex and his mother, two people who still apparently cared for him more than anyone else in the world.

  Jameson was all alone. His own parents weren’t really his, and anyhow they were light-years from here. His own mother, Andra, was gone. He closed his eyes, visualizing that moment again, when Danner Black’s knife had slashed through her neck.

  He could still see it in his head, as fresh as if he’d witnessed it himself the day before. He turned away, leaving Xander to his reunion.

  He was happy for Xander. Really, he was. They’d feared Robyn was dead, and here she was, although without her wings. There was a story there, a painful one.

  She was alive, though. That was the important part. Jameson was happy for his love, and yet, he’d never see his own mother again.

  Quince must have seen the flicker of pain on his face.

  “I know, little robin, I know.”

  “Where’s Kadin?” he asked her.

  “No one knows.”

  “Who did this to you?” Xander’s angry voice rose above Jameson’s pain and roused him from his reverie. Robyn had turned around and pulled down her shirt. Where her wings had been, there were two ragged stumps covered in scabs.

  “It’s not important right now….”

  “Was it Dani?” he demanded, his hands in fists at his side.

  She looked away, her eyes downcast. “Yes. She had it done
. It’s called the Cattorah, a ritual punishment we used to practice for rapists and murderers.”

  “I’ll kill her. I’ll fucking kill her.” Xander looked like he was about to hit someone.

  Jameson took one of his hands. “We’ll deal with her.” He gently turned Xander’s face toward his. “She will get what she deserves, but right now we have to get back to Gaelan.” He couldn’t quite bring himself to call it home. It was Xander’s home, but he hadn’t yet figured out if it was his.

  Xander looked angry, confused. “She tried to kill Quince. She wanted to hurt you, too, and she did… this to my mother.” He pointed at Robyn, who seemed embarrassed, pulling her shirt up to cover her wounds.

  Jameson tried to imagine what it would be like to lose his wings—the keys to flight that had opened the door to the sky for him. Worse, to have them savagely cut off his back. He shivered.

  “We’ll make Dani pay for this,” he promised again, pulling Xander close.

  Xander hugged him back, but he was tense, drawn tight like a bowstring.

  Over his shoulder, Jameson caught Alix staring at them. The man’s face darkened, and he looked away.

  Oh yes. He was going to be trouble.

  Chapter Five: Return

  JESSA MANAGED to flag down a private taxi drone from the hotel. She was the only guest at the Galaxion, and the staff seemed really nervous.

  As the drone lifted off the rooftop of the hotel, crowds of people gathered in the streets below. The shouts reached her, even at fourteen stories above the ground. She keyed in to local news coverage on the drone’s screen. The signal was spotty at best, but it showed news footage of the crowds, many carrying signs that said The End is Near and OberCorp, Where Are You?

  The drone dropped Jessa off in front of the OberCorp HQ. She was surprised her cred was still good there. Apparently the local economy, also known as OberCorp, was proceeding as though nothing strange were happening.