by Anna Hackett
“Hi, Aurina.”
The girl, about eight years old, had a wide grin on her face. She had skin the color of deep space, eyes that glowed green like the emerald Justyn had said he wanted, and adorable hair that was all corkscrew curls. “What are you doing down here, Tamra?”
The girl’s grin morphed into an annoyed frown. “I’m playing hide-and-seek with Rock. But I can’t find him. He’s too big and he always wins.”
Aurina crouched down to the girl’s level. “It isn’t about size or age, sweetheart. You have special skills that he doesn’t. You just have to use them to find him.”
The girl’s face screwed up as she pondered that. “Like what?”
“Well, you know I’m a scout, right?”
The girl nodded.
“So, I use my observation skills to be a really good scout. You have to look all around and notice the things that other people miss.”
“Okay,” the girl said slowly. She glanced down the hall. “But I don’t see anything, and I don’t see Rock.”
Aurina tapped the girl’s nose. “Don’t use your eyes. Everyone does that. Close them and concentrate.”
Tamra’s big eyes closed.
“Take a deep breath. Notice anything now?”
“It’s a bit cold in here.”
Aurina laughed. “So it is. Dare likes to keep it cool. What else?”
“I can smell you.” Her nose wrinkled. “You smell like daddy does after he’s been working at the factory.”
Sweaty, in other words. Aurina knew Tamra’s parents were from the impoverished manufacturing world of Mancha. Not so different from her homeworld. Tamra’s father was heavily enhanced to make him better at factory work—metallic arms to make him stronger and faster. Knowing their kids were destined for the same, hard menial work and a life of enhancements to keep up with other workers, they’d saved up for passage on the Phoenix Convoy. Hoping for a better life somewhere else.
“What else do you smell?” Aurina asked.
“Flowers.”
The last of Aurina’s perfume. “Anything else?”
“Loxian candy.”
Aurina tapped the girl’s nose again and Tamra opened her eyes. “And who likes to eat Loxian candy?”
“Rock!”
The girl spun, sniffed, and then raced over to a storage locker built into the wall. She yanked it open, and her ten-year-old brother tumbled out. “Found you!”
“Aurina helped you,” Rock said. “That’s cheating!”
“She didn’t. I smelled you.”
Aurina stood and ruffled both the kids’ hair. “I think you might find it a bit harder to hide from her next time. Now, your mother is probably looking for you both. Go.” She shooed them off and they waved and giggled as they ran down the corridor.
As they disappeared from view, her smile dissolved. She’d never played like that as a child. There hadn’t been time. Her mother had always been working, doing what she could to support them. They’d been really poor. Her mother had worked hard—so hard—to ensure they never went hungry and had clothes. And when Aurina had been old enough, she’d had a part-time job as well. There’d been nothing for anything extra or fun. No paints, no pretty dresses, no pretty, shiny things the girls from the wealthier parts of the city had worn in their ears and around their necks. Instead, Aurina had collected rocks she found outside and polished them until they’d shined. They’d been her toys.
Now, she had real gems—invaluable rocks and jewels.
She opened the door to her cabin. Inside, the lights clicked on and she spotted her bowl of polished rocks and her row of potted plants. They were drooping a little, because no matter what she did, they just didn’t thrive in the ship’s ventilation. One day she was going to have a garden. But for now, she was going to grab that long shower, then head out again in her ship.
Her life was good. And if she felt vague little niggles of dissatisfaction, she was just going to ignore them.
Chapter Two
“Safe trip,” Nissa said. “See you soon.”
Aurina sat back in her pilot’s chair, her concentration split between the control screen under her hands, and the viewscreen above. Behind her, the Sky Nomad and the convoy were getting smaller and smaller. Ahead, the sprinkle of white stars beckoned. “Thanks, Nissa. Tell Justyn I’ll be up for a game of crossfire when I get back.”
Nissa snorted. “He’ll want to win some of those pretty shinies you have. And he’s damned good.”
“I can take him. I’ll be home in a few hours.”
“Roger that. And Ry said to remind you to watch out for that meteor storm.”
Aurina heard the lazy amusement in Nissa’s voice. “Tell him I will, and I packed clean underwear, as well.” Aurina might complain about the overprotectiveness of her brothers from time to time, but she’d lived without them for so long that now she was grateful she had them.
She plucked a pale-blue stone from her pocket, and rubbed it between her fingers. It was a piece of Perman star crystal, and one of her favorites. It wasn’t worth as much as her gem collection, but the color and the smoothness pleased her. She found it soothing to work it between her fingers.
She focused her attention on the scan data flashing up on her screen. She had four possible habitable planets on the long-range scanners. The convoy needed somewhere to rest and recharge, and it was her job to find it. They needed breathable air, water, and a place to stretch their legs. Food was a definite bonus.
She imagined a nice, lazy stroll through a grassy field, or maybe some trees. Her stomach tightened. She really wanted that. They’d long ago realized that too much time cooped up in starships sent people a little crazy. People started making bad decisions, and fighting amongst themselves. Dare liked to stop the convoy at regular intervals. Near the galaxy’s edge, they had planets and stations they knew that catered to convoys.
But out here—she eyed a multi-hued nebula in the distance—it was uncharted territory. They didn’t know the planets, or what species they might come across. Okay, so which of the four planets to visit first? She repeated a little nursery rhyme from her homeworld and stabbed a finger at her screen. It landed on the image of a large, blue-gray planet her comp had dubbed B1.
B1, it was.
Before long, she passed a small planet with a good-sized rocky moon. Her scanner bleeped. She leaned forward. The planet was uninteresting, and not habitable. But the moon had some fascinating geology. She studied the results. It looked like deposits of nember—a rare and valuable ore that could be made into a dark, heat-resistant metal.
Then she frowned. There were also some strange radiation readings. She tapped her screen. Very strange.
An alarm beeped, and her heart kicked in her chest. Dammit, the radiation was frying her shields. She tapped the controls, sending more power to the shields.
The alarm stopped.
She released a breath. Close call. She had them on occasion. That was part of being a scout.
Over the next few hours, she passed another planetary system with no promising life. One planet was covered entirely by water, and her readings picked up some very large aquatic animals under the surface. She itched to do a quick fly through the water and take a peek, but she was getting close to B1, and she needed to check out the planet. If it didn’t have what they needed, she planned to head to the not-too-distant A1, then the final two planets, before she headed back to refuel and report.
Soon, the blue-gray orb of B1 appeared in the distance. It looked pretty from here, but scans showed it was a fairly rocky world, with small amounts of water. There appeared to be some rocky, mountainous areas with little vegetation, as well as some gentler meadow areas with small lakes and some low vegetation.
Suddenly, lights started blinking on her console. An alarm started an insistent beep.
“Damage to internal systems,” a modulated computer voice intoned. “Multiple system failures.”
What the hell? Aurina stiffened in her seat
and tapped the screen. She pulled up a schematic of the Ariel’s systems.
When she saw red lights blinking on just about every system, her stomach did a slow roll. “Computer, what’s causing the damage?”
“Radiation damage to key components.”
Shit. Some of the radiation had made it through the shields. It must have been slowly eating away at her systems all this time.
Her mind raced. Turn around to the convoy or head for B1?
She looked up and saw the planet was getting close. She’d never make it back to the Sky Nomad. B1 was it.
She adjusted course, then frantically set to work, trying to fix her failing systems. “Come on, sweetheart.” Nothing worked. She kicked the bottom of the console and winced.
Get to the planet. Set off her emergency beacon and let Dare and the others know where she was. “Sky Nomad, this is the Ariel. I have a problem—”
“Communication systems are not functioning.” The computer again.
“Dammit!” She slammed a fist against the console.
“Environmental systems are down to fifty percent. Engine power has been compromised.”
Great. She swallowed, trying to stay calm. At fifty percent enviro, she could still breathe. And even if she had to limp along at a slow speed, she could still make it to the planet. Landing might be a bit rough, but she’d make it.
A chime. “Shields are now offline.”
Aurina froze. No shields was not good. She eyed the distance to the planet again. Still, it wasn’t far and while her ship might get a bit battered on landing, it should be fine.
Suddenly, something whizzed past the viewscreen. Her muscles tensed, and she leaned forward. Another object whizzed by, headed for the planet.
Dread curdled in her gut.
Two more objects streamed past.
Oh, God. The meteor shower.
With her systems down, she hadn’t detected it, and now, with her shields down, she was in real danger.
She touched her controls, her hands moving in a frantic dance. “Come on, baby. Just a little bit more speed. Let’s get out of here.”
But the Ariel didn’t respond.
Aurina sat back in her seat and checked that her harness was tight. The planet loomed ahead, filling the viewscreen.
But as more meteors whizzed past, turning into a dangerous rainstorm of rock, she could barely breathe from the tension.
There was a loud crash and alarms shrieked in a chaotic chorus.
“Impact,” the computer said. “A foreign object has impacted the ship.”
“Wow, I would never have guessed,” Aurina muttered. There was another crash and her fingers dug into her armrest.
“Environmental systems are failing, and engines have been damaged.”
The Ariel hit the atmosphere, flames flaring up over the ship. Aurina heard metal tear and groan. The ship was tossed sideways, and she was thrown against her harness.
She was going to die.
She dragged air into her tight lungs. She’d always thought death would be peaceful. A calm acceptance of what was coming, and being thankful for the life she’d had.
But dammit, she didn’t want to die. She wanted to live. She wanted…more.
More alarms beeped, and Aurina closed her eyes and tried to stay conscious. The reentry flames and shuddering of the ship died away. But now the ship was spinning, making her stomach reel.
She caught a glimpse of a blue sky, sharp-peaked mountains, and brown land. Then the ground was rushing up to meet her.
There was a huge jolt, and she was tossed around, her harness digging into her shoulders. Metal screeched, items vibrated, and glass shattered.
Another huge jolt and something slammed into her head.
She blinked once, her vision blurring, and pain tearing through her.
Then there was nothing.
***
The clang of sword against sword rang out through the early-evening air.
Kavon Mal Dor urged his hargon beast forward, felt the animal’s powerful muscles tense as it sprang into movement. Kavon thrust all his strength behind his weapon, slashing his sword against the raider.
The raider, dressed in scarred, worn armor, lifted his own sword, but it snapped under the size and strength of Kavon’s blade. With a scream, the man fell off his hargon beast, tumbling beneath sharp hooves.
Kavon slowed his beast and turned.
He’d already cut a swath through the raiding party, and behind him, his warriors were making short work of the remaining raiders. His jaw tightened. Raiders were the lowest of the low—men with no honor who stole and pillaged.
They’d made the wrong decision in choosing to raid a village under Kavon’s protection.
His nanami surged through his blood, giving him added strength and making his reflexes faster. The nanami were a part of every Markarian, a special life form that helped them survive the harsh conditions of their land.
Kavon took down a final raider and soon they all lay unmoving. He urged his beast, Tarm, forward with a nudge of his knees. He saw two of his warriors calming the two women who’d been kidnapped, while the others rounded up any valuables that had been stolen.
A tall warrior strode over to Kavon. “Everything’s accounted for, Warlord.”
“Thank you, Darroch. The women?”
“Unharmed. Just frightened.”
Kavon nodded. “Good. Return them to their families.” He glanced at the darkening sky, and the first of the stars appearing. “And let’s get back to the estate. We’re too close to the Wilds here. We don’t want to tempt the darken beasts to venture out of their home grounds.”
Darroch nodded. “That’s for sure.” The warrior turned, bellowing at the others to load up and move out.
Kavon felt hot and tired. He’d spent most of the day training with his men, then he’d received the call that the raiders had hit the outer edge of his land. What he wanted now was to wash, eat, and find a good mug of ale.
A hargon beast moved up beside him, steam snorting from its nostrils. The hargon were favored by warriors. They were large, muscular animals, with tough, black, leather-like skin, sharp horns atop their heads, and spikes down the back of their long necks. They also breathed fire when riled.
“You and your mighty sword win again, Kavon.” Colm Mal Kor smiled at Kavon. “The tale of this night will spread through the great hall this evening. It will morph until everyone talks in whispers of the great Warlord Kavon Mal Dor who slew the entire vicious raiding party with a few strokes of his famed sword, Tanir.”
Kavon hefted Tanir, studying the long blade of his sword. It had been crafted straight and true, but was more ornately carved near the hilt. A warrior’s sword. His father had been by his side when it had been made.
The memory of his father carved through him. Kavon pushed the pain aside and nodded at his friend. “But of course.”
Colm shook his head, his dark hair swinging around his rugged face. “Cocky doesn’t suit you. You’re too damned serious all the time.”
That was what responsibility did to a man. Kavon turned his head, and in the distance caught the lights of his estate. The solid bulk of his sprawling home glowed with lights in the night. It was carved from the lustrous dasanite rock. To the east, he saw the verdant farmlands his people worked, and to the west, the pointed spires of the Grimore Mountains in the Darken Wilds. The Wilds were a dry, rocky place that could test a man to the limit. They were home to all manner of wild darken beasts, and most people avoided venturing there. Thankfully the beasts rarely left the Wilds, preferring the drier climate. He could just make out the distant glow of his nearest mines that produced glittering gems, as well as ore for the metal from which his sword was crafted. His land straddled the sharp divide between the lush fertile lands good for farming, and the barren, but mineral-rich, Wilds.
It made his land some of the most valuable in Markaria. He was now one of the wealthiest warlords. For a hard, long decade, he’d fought and
worked to restore his family name. After his father’s murder, Kavon had trained, expanded the mines, restored the farmlands, and worked secretly to avenge his father.
A muscle in Kavon’s jaw ticked. And now, he was getting close to completing the final steps in his plan.
“Too damned serious,” Colm said again, with a shake of his head. “You’re thinking of your ‘grand plan’ right now.”
Kavon slid his huge sword back into the leather scabbard on his back. “This is an argument you’ve waged many times before, Colm. You know the importance of what I’m working toward.”
“I’m just worried you’ll achieve your plan and find you’ve sacrificed too damned much for it.” His friend sighed. “You’ll join us for an ale, though?”
“Of course. Ale and food.”
Colm’s brows rose. “And maybe a woman? That’s the only pleasure you’ll allow yourself. I saw you take that lovely little dancer to your rooms after dinner last night. I would have thought plowing yourself between those supple thighs would have eased your tension.”
Kavon grunted. Any enjoyment from the brief interlude hadn’t lasted long past emptying his seed. He raked a hand through his hair. “You know I’m preoccupied with finding Durendal.”
Colm released a long breath. “It is a worthy quest, Kavon. One that would give glory to the Mal Dor name…but it’s a myth. A legend from the beginning of our people. I’m not sure anyone can find it.”
Kavon’s mouth firmed. “I will.”
Colm shook his head. “I’ve known you since we were boys, and I recognize that look. You’ll give it everything you have. And that is how the legend of the great warrior, Kavon Mal Dor, has spread across Markaria. And will continue to do so, like his father before him.” Colm inclined his head. “I’ll see that the girls are returned to their families.”
Kavon mirrored the nod. “Thank you.”
After his friend had left, Kavon lifted his gaze. The stars overhead were bright now, and the first of Markaria’s moons was just pulling itself over the horizon.
By the warrior, Kavon missed his father.
Colan Mal Dor had been a big man with a gregarious nature and a booming laugh who could also be deadly and unyielding in a fight. He’d run his land with a firm but gentle hand, building up the farming, and providing a home for anyone who wanted to join Clan Mal Dor.
