by Dan Oakley
“He will be more than able to defend himself,” the red-headed mage said kindly to Maureena.
I sensed she was trying to reassure her rather than telling us the truth. Our conversation with the inquisitor had given me the distinct impression that mages were used as some kind of weapon by the kingdoms, and as such, their lives weren’t valued very highly.
“Where are you taking him?” Maureena asked, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
I put my arm around her shoulders.
“We’ll be leaving on the ship to Kavius in a few hours. So we’d better get moving.” The inquisitor pulled a brown money pouch from his belt and held it out to Maureena. “This is for you, take it as payment for the inconvenience.”
Maureena looked inside the pouch. It was filled with gold roubits. She looked as though she was about to thrust the pouch back at him, so I put a hand over hers to stop her doing something she would regret later. I would have to go with them, so she may as well get something from it.
“The payment was supposed to go to the informant, but I didn’t like her much. I think you should have it.” The inquisitor smiled widely, but Maureena just stared at him sadly.
The inquisitor sighed. “Imagine betraying the person who’d saved your child’s life…What kind of person does that?” The inquisitor shook his head as though the answer was beyond him.
Although I shared his sentiments, I couldn’t believe he didn’t realize that by incentivizing informants he and the rest of the inquisitors had caused this problem in the first place. They were the ones generating the conflicts and betrayals in Terrano and probably other communities in the Seven Kingdoms.
I looked west, but the line of trees hid the disc-like starship from view. Despite the worrying about leaving Maureena behind to fend for herself, I felt a jolt of excitement, knowing that in a few hours, I was actually going to be in a starship, fulfilling my boyhood dreams. To think the ship would take me to Kavius! I’d be able to see one of the Seven Kingdoms.
“Will I ever be allowed to return?” I asked.
“Sure, in a year or two, I should think.” The inquisitor turned away and started to talk to the mage in a low voice, something about jumping, ships and timing.
I faced Maureena, and she grabbed my hands. “I’m sorry I didn’t do more to protect you, Tomas. I should have taught you…”
“You did everything… No one could have done more for me than you. Take care of yourself. I’ll come back. I promise.”
The sadness in her eyes made me realize Maureena didn’t believe I’d ever come back, but I meant it. Whatever it took, I would keep my promise to return and make sure she was okay.
Of course, then I had no idea of the arduous journey that lay ahead of me or just how long it would be before I managed to return to Terrano.
Chapter 6
My heart was thundering in my chest as I waited for Maureena to leave safely. She’d climbed onto Bess, with the pouch of money and trotted away only looking nervously over her shoulder once.
My nerves were on edge. At any moment, I expected the inquisitor to renege on our agreement and order his thugs to recapture Maureena.
But he didn’t.
I watched Maureena and Bess with a sinking feeling as the mare picked her way carefully through the copse. Of course, I was glad she was going home, but my mood was tinged with sadness. Who knew when I would see her again?
When Maureena and Bess had disappeared amongst the trees, the inquisitor clapped his hands together.
“There’s no need to stay on this damn planet any longer. I can’t wait to get back to the ship and have a good meal and some decent beer.” He nodded at the mage. “Begin your transfer procedure.”
Transfer procedure? Was she going to use magic to transfer us to the ship? I’d spent most of my life avoiding magic, but today it seemed I couldn’t escape it. I was getting an overdose of everything magical. Taking everything in was hard.
“Excuse me, sir,” one of the hired thugs said to the inquisitor, bowing and scraping. “Only…well, you did say if we managed to secure a mage, we would get a bonus.”
“Did I say that?” The inquisitor raised an eyebrow and looked at the men.
They lowered their heads, studying the ground, not daring to meet his gaze, until one particularly brave member of the hired gang spoke up, “Yes, and technically we found you two mages, which should be worth a double bonus.”
“I don’t like greedy subjects,” the inquisitor said coldly. “Nevertheless, we did manage to secure one mage, and a deal is a deal, a promise is a promise.” He dug around in his money belt and then threw some gold roubits in the air.
The men rushed to the coins and fought over them like animals. I turned away, unable to watch. Now I’d been bought and paid for.
The red-headed mage put her hands together and inhaled deeply. I watched her curiously, wondering how her magic worked.
After a moment, her eyes snapped open. She beckoned me and the inquisitor closer.
Did she have to have physical contact with us to make the transportation work?
Maureena had managed to jump us out of harm’s way. We’d traveled from the Market Square to the copse in the blink of an eye, but she’d been gripping my arm at the time. Was physical contact an essential part of the process?
I soon had my answer. Whether it was because the mage was stronger and possessed more powerful magic than Maureena or whether this was merely a different technique, I didn’t know. The mage flicked her hand around in a circle multiple times, and I felt the earth shift beneath my feet.
A wind whipped up, pulling at my clothes, and I felt like I was spinning. The only similar sensation I’d experienced was when as a child I’d attended a fair in the village and took a turn on the roundabout — a spinning, circular ride that made me feel dizzy and sick.
Just as I thought I might be about to lose my last meal, there was a flash of purple light and then the jolt of solid ground beneath my feet.
It took me a moment to register that we were no longer amongst the trees in the copse.
Instead of grass beneath my feet, there was a metallic lattice. The sky had disappeared to be replaced with shiny white tiles. All around me, lights gleamed on digital displays, bright and shiny against the white walls and ceiling.
The mage dusted her hands together and smirked at my bemused expression. Realizing I was gawping in fascination, I clamped my mouth shut.
The inquisitor said irritably, “I suppose you think that’s funny. You were intentionally giving the young man a rough ride. I, for one, don’t appreciate it. Consider that a black mark against your record, mage.”
With a swirl of his cloak, he stalked off and left me alone with the mage.
She was messing with me. Was it merely light-hearted teasing? Or was there something else behind it? Did she see me as a competitor? Maybe a threat? Was that why she was showing me what she could do?
As the mage began to walk away from me too, I suddenly realized I had no idea where I was and where I was supposed to go.
“Hang on a minute,” I said, walking after her quickly. “What do I do now?”
“Beats me,” she said unhelpfully. “You probably need to bunk with the new recruits.”
She turned to go again, and I called after her, “And where do I find the new recruits quarters?”
“There’ll be someone along to show you the ropes shortly.” She slammed her hand against the button beside the door. It slid open, and she strode away, leaving me alone in the large white room.
I’m not sure what I expected to happen when we arrived on the ship, but I definitely didn’t think I’d be left alone so soon. Weren’t they worried I’d try to escape? I looked around the stark, white enclave and studied some of the flashing buttons and flash screens. This was very high-tech. I’d seen this sort of thing on the broadcasts when I’d lived in the village with the baker and his wife, but seeing the technology in person was mind-boggling.
My
fingers itched to press a few buttons and play with the touchscreens. Getting into trouble on my first day was not a good idea, though.
As there was no one to tell me not to, I slumped into a chair beside one of the digital displays. The chair was well-padded and comfortable. I leaned back trying to make sense of today’s events.
I was actually aboard a spaceship, a Seven Kingdoms Space Vessel no less. Not just any ship, but a top of the range one by the looks of the controls in this room. Despite everything, a smile tugged at my lips. I’d never in my wildest dreams believed I’d actually be able to take a voyage on such a ship.
No one in Terrano, as far as I knew, had even been on so much as a short voyage, not even the wealthier merchants. They tended to stay on the planet. Voyage tokens were hard to come by. Only the richest and most affluent were able to afford to take vacations off the planet.
My excitement about being on a ship faded a little as my thoughts turned to Maureena. Had she gotten back to the cabin safely? I was probably worrying over nothing. Maureena had taken care of herself long before I came along.
Yes, there would be wolves and bears in the area, and she had no weapons, but now I’d seen her magic in action, I could rest easier.
Before today, I’d only seen her use magic to heal. Now that I’d seen what she could really do — jump from location to location— I wouldn’t have to worry about her too much.
If she was ever in any danger, she could quickly leave the vicinity. Today was also the first time I’d seen a suppressor in action, so they had to be rare. I figured Maureena should be pretty safe. True, the villagers wouldn’t change the habits of a lifetime and welcome her with open arms, but she’d coped with their hostility for decades. She was a survivor. One way or another, Maureena would be all right.
Just as I was contemplating leaving the room to explore the ship on my own, the sliding door swooshed open, and I jumped, feeling guilty.
I’m not sure why I felt guilty. I hadn’t done anything wrong. Although the glowing buttons tempted me, I hadn’t touched any of them.
A man stood in the doorway. He was short, rotund and had a very red face. He had a shock of bright blonde hair. He stared at me with bulging, blue eyes.
“You’re the new mage?”
I nodded.
“Come with me.”
He didn’t pause to see if I was following but walked off.
I rushed after him only narrowly getting through the door before it swooshed shut again. He marched along the narrow corridor. The walls and ceiling seemed to be made of the same molded, white material. There were no sharp edges, only soft curves. Soft yellow lighting ran in thin strips above our heads.
For a man with short legs, he moved quickly, and I had to lengthen my stride to keep up with him.
“I’m Tomas,” I said, attempting to be friendly.
He shot me a sideways glance with his bulging eyes and didn’t look impressed. “Good for you,” he said and didn’t offer his name in return.
“What’s your name?” I asked. “Have you been on the ship long?”
“What’s with all the questions?” he sniped irritably. “I’m Ensign Borrack if you must know, and I don’t like small talk.”
I decided to keep my questions to myself and just observe my surroundings. That was the safest option.
It seemed like we walked for miles. Although the big disc-like ship had looked large when I’d seen it from the ground, from inside, it was absolutely massive. I wondered how the propulsion system worked and how the vessel managed to hover and didn’t burn up as it entered our atmosphere. I wished I’d learned more about space travel, but my school lessons had ended when I was eleven, and although she did her best to teach me all I needed to know, physics hadn’t exactly been one of Maureena’s strong points.
But now I was on board, I was determined to find out as much as I could about the fantastic ship. I was looking forward to getting to know the new recruits. Like me, they’d probably dreamed of being aboard a ship like this since they were small children. At least we would have that in common.
Going against my earlier decision to keep quiet and observe my surroundings, I couldn’t resist asking, “What’s the name of the ship?”
“K.S. Morellic,” he said, sounding bored, and didn’t pass on any further knowledge.
K.S. stood for Kingdoms’ Ship, but I didn’t know much about the ships in the Kingdoms’ fleet. I was eager to find out what the people on board did and what kind of missions the ship undertook, but it didn’t look like I’d get the answers from Ensign Borrack.
I had so many questions. It took a great effort to bite my tongue and keep quiet. Eventually, we came to a smaller corridor and passed through another set of sliding doors.
The decor was different in this area. There was no sign of the white, molded material. The walls, ceiling and floor were all dark grey. The lights were dimmer here, too, and I had the impression this was the part of the ship where the new recruits boarded. I guess whoever designed the ship didn’t want to waste exciting, sleek interior design on the rookies.
Despite the slightly less comfortable surroundings, nothing could dampen my enthusiasm. Everything was new and exciting to me. I felt a pang of guilt. I was conflicted. After everything that had happened today, leaving my home and Maureena, I shouldn’t be feeling happy.
Ensign Borrack stopped in front of a door labeled 3M and put his palm against the keypad. The door slid open.
Inside were two bunks. I followed the man inside though there wasn’t much room.
“Have you been aboard a Kingdoms’ ship before?” he asked me.
“No, it’s my first time.”
He sighed heavily. “Right, well, pay attention. I am only going to tell you this once.”
Then he ran through how to operate the equipment in the dorm room. He showed me how to raise and lower the beds, which button to press for a washbasin and running water, pointed to a small console and monitor without instructing me how to use it. And then finally, he programmed the keypad on the door to recognize my handprint.
“Obviously the newer models have retina scanning, but the new recruit dorms haven’t been upgraded yet.”
I nodded, trying to take it all in. For a man who was used to fetching and carrying his own water from a stream and then heating it over a fire, this was pure luxury.
I sensed he was trying to disappoint me and rid me of any enthusiasm I might have for the ship, but it wasn’t working.
He showed me another button to press, which opened a slot in the wall and a rack of identical blue uniforms shot out.
“You’d better change,” he said, eyeing my current outfit with distaste.
I shrugged off my clothes, and he handed me blue shorts and a uniform. The uniform was an all-in-one suit in light blue with red piping at the neckline, cuffs and down the legs. The Seven Kingdoms’ insignia —seven interlinked dragons— was marked on the left-hand side of the chest and the right sleeve.
It looked small. Very small. “I’m not sure this is going to fit.”
“Of course it will. It’s made of sycrilline.”
I looked at him blankly. “What’s that?”
“You don’t even know what sycrilline is?”
I shook my head.
He sighed and muttered, “Where do they find these new recruits?” Then he continued in a louder tone, “Sycrilline is a fabric designed to adjust to the wearer’s size.”
I pulled on the uniform. To my surprise, it fastened the gap at the back all on its own. He was right. It did stretch. The legs and arms were the perfect length. It felt odd, though. The material was light and thin and made me feel self-conscious. I felt almost naked.
I pulled at the clinging material. “Who is my roommate?”
“How should I know?” Ensign Borrack snapped, turning away. “I suppose I should show you to the mess hall. Hungry?”
I nodded. I was absolutely starving. The sickness I’d experienced during the dizzyin
g transfer to the ship had thankfully faded.
“Yes, thank you.”
As he led me away from the dorm room, I tried to remember the route through the corridors, but it wasn’t easy. I prided myself on being an excellent tracker. I never got lost in the hills and forests of Terrano. But there I had identifying features to help me in my navigation — a fallen tree, a large boulder, a dip between the hills in the distance. On board the ship, everything looked the same.
We passed many keypads dotted along the walls of the corridors, and I wondered what they were used for.
I pointed at one, about to ask Ensign Borrack what it did, but he waved a hand at me. “Save your questions for someone else. My job is to get you to the mess hall.”
I shrugged. So Ensign Borrack wasn’t very helpful. It didn’t matter. I had time, and soon I’d discover the ship’s secrets.
Chapter 7
The mess hall was huge. It was a square room with bright fluorescent lights fitted into the ceiling. Set back against every wall there was a food station. I paused to take it all in, but Ensign Borrack shoved me in the back to hurry me along.
I gritted my teeth. I was starting to lose my patience.
Despite the size of the hall, there weren’t many seats taken. The tables were set up in long rows with benches either side. I supposed the lack of people in the mess hall was because we were between mealtimes.
At least, I thought we were. I’d completely lost track of time today. Usually, I found being in tune with nature gave me a reliable internal clock.
“Choose what you want to eat. The droids will serve you, and then use one of the keypads on the table to pay for your meal.”
Embarrassed, I admitted, “I don’t have any money. All the roubits I own are back on Terrano.”
The man shrugged. “That doesn’t matter. You’ll be paid for your service to the Seven Kingdoms. The mess officers will be happy to give you credit as an advance on your salary. Any more questions?”
I opened my mouth prepared to ask more than a dozen, but he held up his hand. “Excellent. I’ll leave you to it then.”