Dome Nine

by John Purcell

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  When the last traces of color had faded from the sky, the Three came back from their games, into the warm glow of the torches. Moto trotted to my side and we all stood together near the kitchen. The aroma of the stewpots wafted over us.

  Luma said, “That smells delicious!”

  Lewis smiled. “You want, I can get you some right now.”

  “I can wait. But where is everybody?”

  “They just waking up right now. This here is breakfast.”

  “Oh my gosh! You mean everyone sleeps all day?”

  “Yeah, we night owls. Sun goes down, we come up.”

  “But why?”

  “Nighttime is the best part of the day, much cooler, you know? Plus Queen Scarlett can’t see what we doing up here on the flight deck.”

  Luma wasn’t entirely convinced. “I guess that makes sense…”

  “Something else good about night time.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s a surprise. Go across the flight deck and look overboard.”

  “What is it? Just tell me!”

  “Uh uh, no way. You got to go see it for yourself.”

  Intrigued, Luma did as he said. She had to get beyond the glare of the firelight to see the water clearly. When she did, she let out a gasp. “It’s beautiful!”

  Moto looked up and began to growl.

  I looked up, too. Without a backdrop of stars, the night sky was flat black, but I thought I saw a shadow swoop overhead.

  The gryphon dropped down onto the flight deck and Queen Scarlett sprang from its back, catching Luma in a headlock.

  She turned to face us. “Nobody move or the girl dies!”

  Moto looked up at me, still growling. I said, “Stay, Moto. Do as she says.”

  Dogan and Bim were staring in shock. Lewis had vanished.

  Queen Scarlett dragged Luma across the flight deck, grabbing a torch along the way. Stopping beyond our reach, she held it high, illuminating our faces.

  She turned to me, moving the torch closer. “Hello, android. Let’s pick up where we left off, shall we?”

  I said nothing.

  “It’s easy to save her life. All you have to do is come with me, back to Baltimore. Shut down right now and I’ll release her unharmed.”

  Luma cried, “Don’t do it!”

  Queen Scarlett tightened her stranglehold, cutting off Luma’s air. “Silence is golden, young lady.”

  Dogan balled his fists. “Let her go! She can’t breathe!”

  She moved the torch toward Dogan. “Well, well, if it isn’t Dogan Nath. You and I have unfinished business concerning your face. If I didn’t have my hands full, I’d attend to it right now.”

  Luma was turning blue.

  Dogan stepped forward. “Do whatever you want to me! Just let her go!”

  Queen Scarlett ignored him, swinging the torch toward Bim. “I see you brought the village idiot. Of what use can he possibly be?”

  Bim held her gaze.

  “You know, back in art class, when he wouldn’t say a word, I’d fantasize about making him talk. I couldn’t afford to do it then, but everything’s changed now, hasn’t it?”

  She leaned toward Bim, bringing the torch close to his head. “I don’t mean to brag, but Outside I can do anything I wish. Say something, won’t you?” She moved the torch closer. “Pretty please?”

  Bim kept perfectly still, staring back at her.

  “No? Are you sure?” She sighed. “I guess I’ll have to make do with a scream.”

  As the torch moved toward his hair, Bim put two fingers in his mouth and whistled—short, long, short.

  The gryphon hopped to its feet and began to run, preparing for take off.

  This caught Queen Scarlett completely by surprise and it rattled her. Throwing down Luma and the torch, she whirled and chased after the gryphon, believing she could catch up with it before it took to the sky. It was already halfway down the runway, pumping its wings.

  As Dogan hurried to Luma’s side, I said, “Come on Moto!” and we took off in pursuit.

  Queen Scarlett was fast, but not fast enough. She drew alongside the gryphon as it reached the end of the runway, rising into the air. She could have made the leap to its back, had she been willing to do so over open water. Instead, she skidded to a halt at the railing, screaming after her beast, “You imbecile!”

  Moto and I stopped about 15 feet away. I said, “Looks like you’re staying here.”

  Queen Scarlett spun around, unaware she’d been followed. She put her fingers in her mouth and let out two long shrieks, then said, “Droogie will be back in half a minute and I’ll be on my way.”

  I said, “Not soon enough. I’m going to make sure you never threaten Luma again.”

  My face was hot and I could hardly restrain myself. This time, I understood what was happening.

  Queen Scarlett licked her lips. “Now, now, Teo, don’t lose your head. Anger is a tricky thing. It makes bad ideas very appealing.”

  I turned to Moto. “Look after the Three until I get back. If I can’t make it up the anchor chain, I’ll have to walk to shore and find another boat.”

  Queen Scarlett swallowed hard. “You’re going to take me overboard and drown me, is that it?”

  “Outside, I can do anything I wish.”

  She smiled slightly. “That may be, Teo, but murder isn’t as simple as it seems. It changes you in ways you don’t expect and can’t control. Are you sure that’s what you want?”

  I didn’t reply, but her words were hard to dismiss.

  “You’ve been thinking a lot about right and wrong recently, isn’t that so? Oughtn’t you reach some conclusions before you start killing people?”

  She was obviously talking to save her own skin. At the same time, she was absolutely right.

  Gesturing upward with her chin, she said, “Watch your heads.”

  Moto and I dove out of the way as her gryphon came in for a landing. She leapt onto its back, grabbing the reins, and said, “A parting word of advice, android! You should have killed me when you had the chance!”

  She gave a whistle and the gryphon spun around and galloped the length of the runway, lifting off into the sky.