IceFlight

by Casey Lea

Sparrow pushed his way through waist deep grass and past stems of tiny flowers that rose to his chest. A cloud of cloying perfume rose around him, while midges darted through it. The sun was very low, washing the valley with gold and it was so still he could hear the sea. He stopped to catch his breath and smiled when a familiar voice snapped at him.

  I told you walking was overrated.

  Yet very lovely, he mused. This planet was beautifully made. It’s much like our old home.

  And totally unnecessary if the Devourer hadn’t filled our world with blizzards.

  Sparrow grimaced and took another step, startling something at his feet. A bird launched itself on crimson wings that beat against his face when it flew past. He staggered back and tripped to be swallowed by the grass. He let himself fall and lay in the deep meadow, laughing up at the sky.

  Males, Grace complained. If you should drop dead too, then where would we be?

  Free perhaps. You’re in a bad mood, dearest.

  I’m dead. And the only person who can help is rolling around in a field.

  Sparrow snorted at the truth of that, before pushing himself up to a sitting position.

  Please smuggle me home, Sparrow, Grace asked more sweetly. Find the pirate wench and buy us a passage.

  I am trying, he pointed out, reaching into his robes to fish out the amber gem. He studied the jewel, which was still slippery with Darsey’s blood and checked the absorption rate. A red stain was seeping through the crystal, carrying both organic and exotic matter with it.

  “Perfect,” Sparrow breathed, before enclosing it carefully in a storage field and stowing it back in his robes. My dear Grace, you do make extraordinary efforts to secure DNA.

  Most funny. If you’re done joking about my death, please arrange my new life.

  For sure. The new leader of the BGP manoeuvred himself to his feet and started wading through the grass, following his com’s prompts. He was panting again when he finally saw a nearby glint that was silver, not gold. Mermaridian hair as he’d hoped, but spread across a tangled piece of wreckage that must be debris from the ship.

  Sparrow hurried forward in sudden concern, but Jileea was seated comfortably at the base of a newly formed hillock. She sprawled on a warm strip of metal, with her head thrown back and eyes closed to the sun. She was still clutching Darsey’s tattered bouquet.

  Sparrow slowed and stopped at her feet. “Are you well?”

  Jileea opened one lazy eye. “Certain-sure,” she drawled. “Not even a scrape.”

  “You’re lucky. As lucky as our wedded couple.”

  “The bride, you mean,” Jileea answered seriously, pressing her thumbs together when she mentioned Darsey. “And no one else has such Luck, certainly not me. Do you interrupt for a reason?”

  “Ye, I want to propose a bargain with you. The BGP has made claim to a hundreth of this system and all its passages.” Sparrow paused to let Jileea study the deed of ownership approved by Houses IceFlight and FeatherFlight. Her lips pursed appreciatively at the wealth the document represented.

  “We also have considerable assets in the kres Empire. I’m now Leader of the Bureau... excuse me.” Sparrow's face twisted with unexpected grief and he had to pause to steady his voice. “As Leader, I wish to barter for use of your ship.”

  Jileea raised a hand to stop the old kres before he could make his offer. “I'll not act against Darsey in any deal. If she wishes first use of my ship, she shall have it.”

  Sparrow raised his brows, but his voice was gentle and a soothing frond touch washed over the mermaridian without her being aware of it. “Indeed, indeed. Of course, absolutely. I too will do as the lady wishes. However, my offer will fit her desires full well and in exchange I’ll trade a tenth of our share in this system.”

  Gray eyes locked with Sparrow's and Jileea's lips twisted with renewed interest. “A tenth of your share? What do you need in return for such riches?”

  “I ask you to return to Gratuity, with my Lady Grace's body and some wreckage from this ship. Claim you found them in a deserted system that links to kres owned passages. It will seem the Grace was trying to flee home when sabotaged. Offer the wrecked ship parts for sale.”

  Jileea studied Sparrow warily. “Uh-huh. Why?”

  “The Arck will hear what you offer. He will buy it and then pay more to confirm that the corpse is Lady Grace. He’ll believe his traitor succeeded and that all are dead. Then his wretched hunt will finally end.”

  Jileea accepted his explanation, but lifted a little finger in query. “It’ll be drakking dangerous to deceive the Arck. What’s my cut of the wreckage sale?” she asked bluntly, and Sparrow hid a satisfied smile.

  “All you can make.”

  “A hundred percent? Plus ten percent of BGP holdings in this system?”

  “Ye,” the kres agreed, before raising his palm to indicate conditions, “but you must also smuggle me home to kres space, the Flare system. Once there I can contact loyal kres, who will hold our secret safe and help me gather colonists. They will then need a ride back here.”

  The pirate smiled with grudging admiration. “You barter well for an old kres, and offer huge temptation, but my condition remains. I’ll do naught to cross Darsey.”

  Grace’s amused observation slipped from the jewel and into Sparrow’s mind. The human must be the pirate’s new fortune nexus.

  “A talisman?” he asked automatically, and Jileea jumped upright to tower over Sparrow.

  “Tssss.” She brushed one index finger across another toward the careless kres. “Don’t announce such. I’ll do as you ask, if Darsey says ye.” Jileea turned without further comment and stalked away, striding back toward the wreck.

  Sparrow watched her go and then slumped to perch on a ragged mound of earth. We’re headed home, Glam. Whatever price is needed I'll see it paid. I swear to get you safe to the resurrection chamber before your jewel cracks.

  He studied his lined hands, waiting for her answer, but there was no reply and the shock of that hit him hard. It was normal for the energy of her gem to freeze in place, so that her memories were held safe in a crystalline matrix, but never so soon.

  This jewel is nearly depleted. Grace’s mental touch was faint and much slower than usual. Each word seemed to take an age to appear in his mind. Its energy matrix is virtually gone and it will hold no more lives.

  I’m sad to hear that, love. Also scared.

  But not surprised?

  My jewel failed after my last transfer. It shattered. This is my final body and when old Sparrow dies, I’ll truly be gone. He hummed quietly while he studied the sky. The voice in his head was gone again and he wondered, with another pang, whether this time Grace had finally been silenced.

  How could you not say?

  Sparrow started and then looked around to check if anyone else wandering from the ship had noticed.

  Relax, chick. They’ll just think you infirm and aged is all. Why did you not tell me all your lives were spent?

  However, Sparrow made no effort to answer his leader in words. He sent a brief flash of his love for her, his determination not to pressure or scare her, before waving her question impatiently aside, to ask one of his own. What if the Culling comes too late and we’re gone? Every person in this galaxy will die too.

  I know, the old lady's mind snapped back with a last touch of life. Take me home and pray we live long enough. If the Devourer plays coy, we'll have to draw him in while we still survive. You’re right, we can't afford to fail again. This will be our last chance. Everyone’s last chance.

  Sparrow sighed but made no effort to rise. He sat back to enjoy the sunset instead and then the sound of laughter, followed by music from the ruined Grace. After all, today was a wedding day and the war would wait. It always did.