by Chris Fox
That was my cue.
I cleared my throat, and when I had their attention, I spoke. “The head of the Inurans attempting to take control of the Word of Xal claimed that he was acting alone, but I believe he was lying. Unfortunately, I had to feed his vessel to the reactor to jumpstart this ship. We weren’t able to recover any proof that would directly link this to Matron Jolene.”
“Of course not,” the minster snapped. Her eyes flashed, and her knuckles whitened on the edge of the chair. “That blasted woman is always three steps ahead of us. She was probably planning this before I was born. I have to believe we will find proof, but I suppose it was too much to expect that she’d left her tracks uncovered. We have a little time until the trade moon arrives, but if we can’t find something before then I’m not sure we’ll ever find justice.”
“The second thing,” my mother murmured, just barely audible, but enough to catch the minister’s attention. Always the power behind the throne, my mom.
“Ahh, about that.” Ramachan fixed me with a stern, but not unfriendly, gaze. “Jerek, I’m going to be straight with you. There’s no way we can leave a person with your, ah, record and experience in charge of this ship.”
I blinked at her several times, unsure I’d heard her correctly. I licked my lips, and struggled to find something approaching a diplomatic response. I failed. “So let me see if I understand this correctly. I woke a Great Ship, and used it to save Highspire and thousands of cadets while our world literally disintegrated beneath them.”
My hand stabbed out toward the wall, almost of its own accord. I willed that wall to show the space outside the ship, and it obliged. I willed it to focus on our world, and on its final dissolution.
Kemet’s last continent-sized chunks were breaking up, and the entire debris field was being pulled into a line as it moved inexorably toward the sun. Our world was done. No one else was making it off.
“Now, after accomplishing that, you think the right move is benching me?” I shook my head. I was angry, and I knew it, but this wasn’t fair. Not after everything I’d lived through. “I think you might be a bit more hesitant when you hear what’s involved. You want to replace me? Someone needs to don the extra suit of Heka Aten armor we recovered, and then step into the reactor. As the Guardian will tell you…survival is unlikely. Most candidates fail. You want this ship? By all means…take your chances.”
The minister cocked her head, then turned to my mother. “I see some of you in him after all.”
“Told you so.” My mother smiled into her hand.
“I will take that chance,” Visala offered. “I’m more than willing to don that armor and bond with the ship.”
I knew instantly that the headmistress was after the staff, but couldn’t think of a single thing I could say to prevent it. Then I had it.
“Wait,” I interrupted. “I have a suggestion. This isn’t a decision that needs to be made quickly. I will vacate these quarters, and offer them to the person you name ‘Captain’. The ship is almost out of power, and until we solve that, it doesn’t matter who you give the title too. I get that I can’t run this entire ship, and I don’t want to try. But like it or not, I am your only connection currently. Use that connection, until someone on your staff can replace me. Fair enough?”
“And what do you get out of this cooperation?” The minister folded her arms. “I want to hear your price.”
“It isn’t high,” I promised, and meant it. In fact I smiled at her. “I have a small corvette, the Remora. I want her and my crew outfitted with all the munitions and supplies we can carry. I want my crew pardoned of any crimes, and I want full autonomy to investigate the Vagrant Fleet. There are other Great Ships out there, Minister, and we need access to them if our people are going to thrive.”
The minister was silent for a long time. She never looked away from me, and I struggled to maintain my composure under the weight of that stare.
“Very well,” she agreed. Her mouth turned down in a slight frown. “I do not like giving away supplies when they cannot be replaced, but given that you are the only person to take a Great Ship, it makes sense to have you investigate the others. You get your munitions. You get your supplies. I will even pay you. However, you answer directly to me, and I want daily reports.”
I didn’t like that last part, but she’d given me everything else I asked for. “Done. You’ve got yourself a relic hunter on retainer, Madam Minister. I know you’ve got a lot of work to be about. I’ll get out of your hair. See you at the next family dinner.”
My mother gave a short, amused laugh, which the minister shared. Visala merely glared at me, and I sensed that I’d made an enemy. She knew I was trying to prevent her from getting the staff.
Later. For now I was going to go tell my crew the good news.
Epilogue
I strode up the ramp onto the Remora, my boots thumping up the now familiar metal. This ship had come to mean so much in such a short period of time. I patted the wall as I entered the cargo hold, unsurprised to see that was where the crew had gathered.
The hold was larger than the mess, with more room to lounge, and since we didn’t really have much in the way of food, the mess had nothing to offer other than chairs.
Briff and Rava were laughing in one corner, while my dad hovered nearby, arms folded and his usual dour expression firmly in place. Under that, though, I spied new confidence. His posture was ramrod straight, and he looked around him with pride.
Kurz and Vee stood a few meters away with their matching auburn hair and dour expressions, but more casually, and in less of an attempt to get as far away as possible. I chose to view that as progress.
“All right, team,” I called, with as much confidence as I could muster. “I need your attention for about five minutes. Eyes on me.”
That got their attention. Once I had it, I wasn’t quite sure how to proceed. What if they didn’t want to go with me?
“How many of you enjoyed working with the refugees? Raise your hand.” I pointedly left my own hand down, and wasn’t surprised when no one raised theirs. “Looks like we are all less than excited about it. We’re not equipped to run the Word of Xal, which now contains a city full of very hungry kids. We are qualified to run the Remora, though, so I’ve cut a deal with the minister. We get a full resupply and munitions, and she will even pay us a fair wage.”
“To do what, exactly?” my father asked. He shook his head. “It’s always a slippery slope with politicians.”
I didn’t mention that Dad had a specific bias against this one. That wasn’t relevant right now. I simply answered the question. “We’re going to investigate the Vagrant Fleet. There are other Great Ships out there. Ships we thought past salvage. As it turns out, they masked their drive overloads, which means that, in theory at least, the other ships could be just as intact as this one.”
“We’re Relic Hunting?” Rava demanded. She perked up instantly, and leapt to her feet with a whoop. “Are you serious? We get paid to treasure hunt? That is awesome.”
“It is pretty much the dream gig,” Briff rumbled as he fluffed his wings behind him. “Would we all get an equal share?”
I nodded. “Yes, but captain gets two, and the ship gets one.”
“The ship?” Vee asked as she arched an eyebrow.
“We’re going to need repairs over time,” I pointed out. “If we give the ship a share we’ll always have some money to keep it flying. And, if we ever accumulate too much, we can just pay it out to the crew.”
“I like the sound of this.” Kurz gave an encouraging nod, and even looked up at me. Briefly. “I am pleased to be a part of your crew, Captain. I have always wanted to explore the Great Ships.”
“Well I’m in,” my dad added, “so long as my job is fly the ship. I’m good at flying the ship. I don’t like leaving the ship. How’s that sound?”
“Works for me, but that means we need someone to head up combat ops in the field,” I pointed out. “Who do you trust with that?”
“Shit.” My dad’s scowl came back like a bad rash. “I take it back. I’ll be going out in the field. You kids are smart and you learn quick, but you don’t have crap for experience and I need to fix that.”
“I’d feel better having you in the field,” I admitted. I glanced at Vee, who hadn’t stated her position. “How about you? Are you in?”
“On one condition, and you know what it is.” She removed the band from her ponytail and began retying it. I found myself staring at the curve of her neck. “I won’t betrayer the Maker’s Covenant, but I will follow any other order you issue, and work to the benefit of this crew.”
I nodded. Good enough for me.
“Sounds like everyone is on board except you, Briff. How do you come down?” I folded my arms, and gave the hatchling room to speak.
“Well,” he said slowly. “I think I can be an asset to this crew. I’ve got a lot to learn. My wings are still healing. But if you guys will have me as a heavy, I want this. Like I said, pretty much a dream job. I’m definitely in.”
“All right, team. Everyone is on board. We move out tomorrow at 0800. We’re done here. Get some rest.” I gave them my best lazy salute. “Those of you without quarters, go pick some out.”
The room quickly thinned out, but I noticed that Vee stayed behind. She didn’t approach me until we were alone, but when she did there was almost a smile. Her lips looked so soft. Yeah, yeah, TMI. I know.
“What’s up?” I asked as she joined me.
“You may initiate courtship again, if you wish.” She gave an exasperated laugh. “I realize you know very little about my people, and I yours. We are learning, though, and thus far it has been…entertaining. I would enjoy spending more time with you.”
Then she turned and rushed from the cargo hold like every Inuran who’d ever owned a rifle was after her. I smiled after her, both surprised and delighted that she seemed interested.
That left me standing alone in my cargo hold, on my ship. I savored those words.
Against all odds I’d survived the lurkers. I’d survived the dissolution of my planet. I’d survived an Inuran strike team, and a test designed to winnow out all but the best candidates. I’d even gotten paid for it.
But you know what?
I really had to pee.
Cast of Characters
Arcan- A heavily cybered merc with scarlet cyber-eyes. Rava’s father and the owner of Arcan’s Pawn Shop.
Briff- A dragon hatchling with a bit of a gut, and a real love for video games.
Dag- Jerek’s father. Former arena champion. Lost his legs during his last op, and now floats around in a hoverchair.
Jerek- Our wise-cracking protagonist. Also an academy trained archeologist with a passion for magical theory.
Jolene- The matron of the Inuran Consortium, one of the most feared organizations in the sector. Mother of Voria, the goddess of light. See The Magitech Chronicles for more details.
Guardian Kemet- Dragon hatchling of the life dragonflight. The shade of Admiral Kemet, hero of the godswar. Kemet is bonded to the Word of Xal, and seeks to guide an officer candidate to become captain.
Kurz- Vee’s brother. Kurz is a soulcatcher raised among the lurkers. He is quiet and soft-spoken, but very intelligent.
Minister Ramachan- Ramachan is the 43-year-old leader of Kemet, and is now presiding over the destruction of her world.
Mom (Irala)- Jerek’s mother. Former headmistress of the Kemet Academy. Succeeded by Visala.
Rava- Jerek’s half sister. Raised by Arcan, but the daughter of Dag.
Valat- The Inuran commander charged with seizing control of the Word of Xal.
Headmistress Visala- Visala is ancient, and does not appear to age. Many speculate as to her origins, which are clearly more than human. She is a recent addition to the academy, however, and took over after Irala stepped down six years ago.
Vee- Vee is an enigmatic lurker with vast knowledge of the Vagrant Fleet. Sister to Kurz.
Note to the Reader
If you enjoyed Dying World, we have a complete seven-book prequel series with an ending already available, and it leads seamlessly into the book you just read.
We’re also working on a pen & paper RPG and the Kickstarter is going live right around the same time this book came out. You can learn more by signing up to the mailing list, or by visiting magitechchronicles.com and our Magitech Chronicles World Anvil page.
We’ve got maps, lore, character sheets, and a free set of rules you can use to generate your own character, plus a Facebook group where we geek out about this stuff.
I hope you enjoy and we can’t wait to meet you!
-Chris
