by C. W Tickner
Was a set up for an assassination? But who out of them would this Grakka want to murder?
Chapter 12
Half a million animals, plants and fungus species on board according to the manifest and twice that in bacteria. How long did all this actually take to prepare?
‘So what’s a transport mech like?’ Harl asked looking around at the flowers as they stepped out into entrance tunnel. He wasn’t really interested in the answer but he wanted to garner some reaction out of Kane other than the cold shoulder he’d given him since they left the three Heads.
‘Aylens use them to traverse large distances,’ Kane said, as if unable to hold back the need to teach. ‘They’re like the tanks we found on Orbital but without weapons and needless to say a lot bigger.’ He kept a sullenness wrapped about him and it was obviously a struggle for him to not to burst into a more detailed explanation. ‘Very expensive to use,’ he went on, ‘and quite rare to see them near the island, but like some friends, they can surprise you.’
‘Kane, we had no reason to go fighting Harvest Ten,’ Harl said. ‘Everything on this island is about keeping things alive and living peacefully. You know as well as I, if we go preaching war every time something happens then we risk being exiled. Maybe not now, but eventually they will see it as a clash of interests. I just don’t want to lose what we have here.’
‘We’re already losing, Harl. As soon as they broke the reactor, we lost. Don’t you see? They have already won and this so called meeting will be nothing but a gloat at our failure. And you agreed to go along with it.’
‘There has to be more to it than that,’ Harl said, ‘or the heads wouldn’t have agreed, especially Veel.’
‘They’ll do anything to save their skin,’ Kane said.
‘That’s rich coming from you,’ Harl said.
Kane whirled on him, his glasses almost slipping off with the force. ‘I get enough of that from Damen,’ he said. His cheeks flushed red in anger. ‘Good to know you’re keeping moral up while we get crushed by the energy company. Perhaps you want to hide and keep what little we have, but even I have more desire than to be stepped on by any Aylen that does not care about the little things in life. The heads say we are protected and that peace is the best option but if they continue to do nothing then we’ll all be sorry for our inaction.’ He stomped ahead along the limecrete floor as they left through the human entrance and headed for the shuttle landing zone.
The shuttle was the only one of its kind and it stood out among the flying drones that constantly flew in and out of the landing zone. The men and women coming down stashed the drones into charging bays on one side before heading off towards the market or buildings nearby.
People using their flyers scattered as the giant bird, Flick, thumped into the ground. Sky hopped off, wobbling like someone fresh from boat travel. She had her goggles on and her short blonde hair was in its usual windswept spikes.
‘Hey boys,’ she said, using her arms like a tight rope walker to steady herself. ‘No handsome hunter with y’all today?’
Kane marched right past her without a word other than to mutter something about “loyalties.”
‘What’s his tick?’ she asked, watching as Kane bellowed at a group of men admiring the shuttle and running hands along its white painted metal.
‘Just a disagreement,’ Harl said.
‘You’re not doing so well in the keeping friends department, Harl.’
He shrugged. She was right. He’d been at odds with them too much recently. He needed to play it smart. He should have backed Kane up, knowing that it was unlikely the Heads would risk a fight, regardless of what they said. Maybe they did have too much control over their lives sometimes. He couldn’t see why the man was so infuriated at the loss of the reactor. Sure it had been important but they had managed so far without it. After a moment, he tried to picture Sonora in Tess’ place, the knife at her throat, and realised he would be just as angry as Kane.
‘Harl?’ Sky prompted and he realised he’d not been listening to her.
‘Sorry?’
‘Was the argument over the attacks?’ she asked.
‘How did you guess?’
‘He lost a lot, I’ve barely seen him out of that lab. He put everything into that reactor only to see it work for a few moments then lose it.’
‘You’ve been in the labs?’ he asked.
‘A few times,’ she said, watching Kane as he ran circles around the shuttle, shooing off would be touchers. ‘Mostly to speak with grumps over there. He’s always working on something and asks me once in a while to find things in exchange for his help.’
‘Help in what?’ he asked.
She plucked the brass goggles off her eyes and brushed at invisible dirt on the clear lenses. ‘Like these,’ she said. ‘He even adjusted Flick’s reins so I could control him better. She glanced back at the human entrance that ran parallel with the Aylen tunnel into the Cathedral. ‘No Damen today?’
‘He decided to begin training everyone within earshot in the wake of the attack.’
She ran a hand over her hair in an attempt to smooth the spikes. ‘Might have to get myself some lessons.’ She blushed when Harl smiled. ‘In light of the recent attacks,’ she said, trying to cover her embarrassment.
They both turned as a cry for help carried across the Aylen road that ringed the Cathedral. On the far side was the thick chain link fence designed to separate the wild grasslands from the human zone. A scuttler had clawed a gap under the fence. It’s black, armour-plated body wove across the metal road in pursuit of a long haired boy, waving a whittled stick in the air as he ran away screaming.
‘Kane!’ Harl yelled.
Kane turned from the sight as the scuttler shortened the distance to its prey.
‘Get the rifles from the shuttle,’ Harl called.
The cargo door flipped up and Kane dragged a box out onto the limecrete. He yanked the top open, snatched two up, and sprinted for Harl and Sky.
‘Sky?’ Harl said but she had disappeared. Craning his neck up as Kane skidded to a halt in front of him he saw her guiding the bird over the boy and tucking herself close to Flick as she urged the feathery mass into a dive.
The bird’s claws gleamed in the sunlight like crystal razors as they spread apart in a triangle of hooks. The boy stumbled and fell. The scuttler wound forward, its pincers reaching to crush the boy. Flick’s wings beat hard to slow his descent and just before the scuttler bit off the boy’s leg, Flick wrapped his talons around the scuttler.
Sky yanked the reign up and the black mass rose from the ground writhing like a worm pinched between fingers. Dozens of black legs scrabbled to gain purchase on the falling floor. Wind gusted into Harl as Flick’s wings fought to lift the scuttler above the shuttle and the Aylen ring road.
Flick carried the creature with an ease that astonished Harl and he could only look on in morbid fascination as the tawny bird carried it far over the fence and dropped it into the tangle of huge meadow grass behind. Two soldiers had appeared and were at the hole, rifles ready to shoot anything that came under as they waited for a repair team to arrive.
Sky brought the bird back. Red welts marked the bird’s legs where the scuttler’s pincers had caught it.
As she hopped off, the boy stopped and stared at the bird in fascination then sprinted away.
‘Don’t antagonise them beasties,’ Sky yelled as he disappeared among the stalls. Her arm became entangled in the reigns and Flick let out a loud squawk as she tugged the bird in a circle until she could free the trapped limb.
‘Scuttler dug a hole under the fence,’ she said trying to smooth her hair back as if the reign incident had never happened.
‘Fascinating activity,’ Kane said, still clutching the rifle.
‘Na,’ Sky said, ‘My guess is the boy provoked it.’ She looked around for the child. ‘Guess we’ll never know for certain now.’
‘Are there a lot of creatures behind the fence?’ Harl asked.
Kane took the chance to show his knowledge, oblivious to the quick frown Sky shot him.
‘Hundreds of species,’ he said. ‘Most of which have never been documented. I hope to head out there with a team to take notes but Damen seems to think it a waste to send armed guards out there as an escort.’
‘Few creatures make it through the fence,’ Sky said, ‘ and not without provocation.’
‘Last time I saw a scuttler it wasn’t very peaceful,’ Harl said.
‘Depends on the food supply,’ Sky said, ‘The Compassionates feed them regularly to avoid conflict.’
‘What’s the point if they don’t come over here often enough?’ Harl asked.
‘It ain’t just about us humans, Harl,’ she said. ‘All sorts of creatures over that fence and they don’t all get along.’
‘Worse than scuttlers?’
she laughed. ‘Yep, and tomorrow you’ll meet one. His name’s Grakka.’
Chapter 13
Found a temporary home. Now I know I can’t kill a man let’s see if I can find a cryobed in storage. I will fix it up to put myself under for a few thousand years. Easy.
‘It’s a trap!’ Damen said slamming a powerful fist onto the table, making Elo jump and stare around from the floor where she had been playing on a thick rug with an assortment of Uman’s carved figurines.
Harl looked at each of them gathered around the long table that stretched across the room. It had been an impromptu decision but when Harl had returned, Troy and Dana were already paying Sonora a visit and with Uman delivering his latest wooden creation to Elo it seem fitting to call on Kane and Tess. Both wore a constant mask of the crest fallen but had managed to pull themselves away from the reactor repairs for the meeting to talk about director Grakka’s offer of a meeting. The irony of the situation was not lost on him.
‘Then what do you suggest?’ Troy asked. ‘Not go?’
‘It’s too risky,’ Damen said, suddenly turning and throwing a big bearded smile down at Elo who seemed to have gotten over the shock. She squealed in delight then stared in fascination at the packed room. Every now and then Sonora would get up from the long table and fuss over her, as if worried so many people around might make the little girl uncomfortable. It had the opposite effect and she had delighted in crawling through the myriad of legs under the table before settling down in the open space in front of the grated fire at one end of the room.
‘We won’t be going alone,’ Kane said. ‘Veel and Vax will meet us there beforehand.’
‘You wouldn’t know what to do if trouble broke out in there,’ Damen said.
‘And you’re about as much a diplomat as Elo is,’ Kane said ‘As soon as a word like demarche is mentioned you’ll think it has something to do clearing a wetland bog, and probably by brute force.’
‘Why don’t you write that down?’ Damen said.
Kane’s mouth snapped shut in response.
‘Enough of the arguing,’ Harl said in exasperation but still wondering what Damen had meant. ‘I doubt the two heads will go without a squad of Compassionate soldiers to keep an eye on things, so we should be safe. Not to mention that it will be on Bankers turf so neither will have an advantage.’
Troy chuckled, ‘Compassionate soldiers?’ he said. ‘What will do they do other than run away? Jump on anyone under threat to take the shot themselves or plead politely with the aggressors to stop?’
‘We should hear him out,’ Harl said, ignoring Troy. He knew the Compassionate soldiers could fight. ‘And I’d like to gaze on the face of the one who has held sway over the lives of our people almost since we came here.’
A knock rattled the front door and Sonora opened the door to let Sky in. Her sandal caught the door seal and she lurched into the room to the astonishment of Elo. Sonora put a hand out to steady her.
‘Hey,’ Sky said, ‘Just to let y’all know Veel and Vax have left.’
‘Already?’ Kane said, standing as if the Aylen waited on them outside.
‘Had to keep it hush,’ Sky said. ‘They’re not sure there is a traitor but if someone is, then it’s already too late to organize an ambush.’
‘Do you think that’s Grakka’s plan?’ Harl asked.
‘How’d I know?’ Sky said, shrugging. ‘They took a transporter together along with a host of guards in mech suits and reached the mainland before they sent word back to me.’
‘I’ll get the shuttle ready then,’ Kane said, heading for the door, his shoulder hunched as if the thought of leaving his reactor was one of emotional pain.
‘If ya’ll ready, Sonora?’ Sky said. ‘I can take you to Veel’s place now.’
Sonora grabbed up a pair of bags from under the table and handed them to Harl. ‘Ready as I’ll ever be.’
Harl put the bags outside the door, hoping Sky would load them on to the giant bird that scratched at the front lawn outside. ‘Don’t forget the monster,’ Harl said, picking up Elo and saying goodbye before handing her over to Sonora.
‘I’ll get some gear together,’ Damen said, ‘just in case, and then meet you by the shuttle.’
Sky glanced at him, ‘I’d like to join the group once I’m back from Veel’s place.’
Harl was glad Yara had returned home or Sky might have made a swift enemy from the eager smile she gave Damen. Had they met up in secret? Surely Damen would have told him if something had been going on.
‘Think we’ll stay,’ Troy said, helping himself to a loaf of bread from a basket on the table and gnawing off one end. ‘Dana has arranged a nice little earner with a farmer to plough his field.’ he took another bite and continued to talk as he chewed, so flakes of bread scattered with each word. ‘Luckily one of the Aylen owes me a favour, with showing him how to brew ale and he’s agreed to rake the field.’ He chuckled. ‘It’ll take him five minutes and we’ll get a good bit of resources from the deal. Maybe offer the service to the next farmer along, get a business going and cut the Aylen in.’
‘Keep an eye on Yara,’ Tess said giving him a wry look. ‘Don’t try and deliver any babies yourself, just find someone from the hospital.’
‘You don’t trust me?’ Troy asked, spraying her red hair with crusted flakes of bread.
She batted the crumbs from her hair, shook her head and walked out.
They met at the landing pad on top of orbital. Damen was dragging a trunk of weaponry up the ramp with Uman pushing from below.
Sky returned from her journey to take Sonora and Elo to Veel’s. She brought Flick down as Kane checked the exterior of the shuttle for defects.
‘Any space for Flick?’ she asked.
‘No way,’ Kane said. ‘That thing will crap all over the new carpets and I’ve too much on to be cleaning up after it.’
Sky deflated and turned a pouting face to the bird. ‘Sorry Flick,’ she said, stroking its beak. ‘The meany man says no.’ The bird let out a piercing squawk, making Kane jump and whip round. ‘Off home,’ she said, drawing the word out. ‘H-o-m-e, Flick.’ The bird beat its wings and the claws left scraps in the metal surface as it kicked up into the air, disappearing toward the aqueduct that ran along the hilltop.
Damen was waiting by the pilots door for Kane to complete his tour of the ship.
When the scientist saw him he sighed. ‘Fine,’ he said, ‘you can co-pilot.’ Damen beamed at him. ‘But,’ Kane said, ‘only because I want you to watch and learn how to fly it properly if you ever get the urge to become a thief again.’
Harl followed Tess inside the newly fitted seating area as Uman and Sky trailed in after them. The room was padded on the walls in case of collisions and with a thick beige carpet on the floor it was almost homely.
‘Where does the bird go?’ Uman asked Sky as they settled down into the seats set in rows on either side of the long narrow room.
‘Back to Veel’s home,’ Sky said.
‘You live with the Aylen?’ Uman asked.
‘Veel has been kind to me since I accidentally fell from Fl
ick as a child onto the roof of her house in the forest. Broke both my legs and an arm. It took me a long time to recover but with Veel’s help I managed to fly again. I could return to the trees and the Branchers but I decided to take the chance and live with her.’
‘Branchers?’ Uman asked.
‘Humans who live in the trees,’ Tess said, running the copper comb through her hair and staring out one of the windows that lined either side.
‘On the trees,’ Kane corrected her through the open doorway between the passenger section and the cockpit.
‘We never cut into the trees,’ Sky said.
Tess looked put out.
But if there is a hole then we take a look inside,’ Sky said quickly.
Tess beamed at Sky.
Sky returned the grin and tried to clip in her seatbelt. Her hand slipped and she sucked in a gasp of air as blood beaded on her finger.
‘Dammit,’ she said, flicking droplets of blood onto the back of the seat in front.
Tess unbelted, picked up her new heavy duty medical bag and rushed to Sky’s side. She unrolled the metal woven cloth. Pinching a clip she unlatched a small pocket and knelt to inspect the wound.
‘It’s nothing,’ Sky said. ‘Happens all the time.’
Tess Drew out a small white bandage and took Sky’s hand. She began to wrap the sterile cloth around the digit.
‘Oh no,’ Tess said shaking her head as she inspected the wound.
‘What is it?’ Sky asked fearfully.
‘We’ll have to do something about this,’ Tess said oblivious to Sky’s worried look.
‘About what?’ Sky said, louder this time and Tess tugged Sky’s hand up to eye height.
‘These cuticles are in terrible condition,’ she said, shaking the hand to emphasise the point. ‘I insist when we get back we give you a decent manicure.’
‘Erm,’ Sky said as if it was something she hadn’t thought about before. But she smiled, clearly enjoying having someone fawn over her. ‘Sure.’ She took a moment to inspect the hacked nails and if it wasn’t for the short spiky hair and outlandish goggles, Harl would have mistook her for Tess.