by Jason Kent
Kate could not suppress a smile. With each revelation, they grew closer to their goal. There was a plan. It became a little clearer each time they began to move in the right direction. Katrin's Koit was the right move despite the slower travel time.
"Knowl brought us this way," Kate explained, "for Sparrow."
"I'm fine," Sparrow protested. She gave up trying to pull herself out of the couch and slumped back again. "Okay, maybe not one hundred percent."
"To recuperate?" Ross wondered.
Kate turned to the marine. Up until now, he had remained silent during the entire discussion.
"Yes." Kate bit her lip in thought. "Maybe."
"Very definitive, ma'am," Ross laughed. He looked at the others. "In case anyone wanted my opinion, I say we roll with it. No offense to anyone, but this is new ground for all of us. If Ms. Thompson is getting messages from Knowl, the same guy who is helping the Tallinn's kick our behinds across space and back, I vote for following the big tree's advice."
Dagger grunted and went back to staring out the window.
Georges rubbed his chin. His eyes flicked to Sparrow. Kate knew he was re-evaluating his decision to bring an injured comrade along.
The same options he was going over already occurred to Kate. If they left Sparrow behind, would they be able to take the Blade and head straight for their destination? Or, would Sparrow be needed before they reached the end of their quest and taking a slower route aboard the airship was the only way to buy them the time for her to adjust to Aesti's environment? Was there another reason to take the airship? Kate's head spun with possibilities. Still, there was one thing she was sure of, Sparrow needed time to recover. And what better way to recoup than amidst the temporary luxury of Katrin's best suite?
"We stay put," Georges decided.
Kate sighed, relieved. She could offer nothing else to convince the others to take the path laid out before them. Would an alternate route lead to the end of their journey? Kate did not know. She wanted to reach Knowl. Hopefully, along the way they would find a way to save Earth as well.
"If we're here for a while then I need to find the bar," Dagger growled and marched to the door. She laid her hand on the oversized handle and looked over at Ross. "Get over here, marine. I don't drink alone."
Ross looked from Dagger to Georges.
"Stay alert," the Colonel advised and tilted his head at the door.
Ross and Dagger disappeared down the airship's main corridor. Kate noted Ross took his extra rifle with him.
The door closed. Sparrow fell asleep. Whatever was happening to her was taking a great toll on her body. Kate and Georges were left alone, staring at each other.
Kate said nothing. Her argument had been made and Georges had made his decision. Their path was set. Kate wished they would take off already before anyone changed their minds or the Tallinn authorities caught on to who they were. She could not shake the feeling someone was following them.
"This is crazy, you know," Georges finally remarked.
"I've heard that before," Kate admitted. She took off her dark glasses and looked at the Colonel. Kate could just see the luminescence burning in her eyes reflected in Georges' eyes as he held her gaze. She sighed and voiced the concern nagging at the back of her mind. "I don't know what to do when we get there."
"Neither do I," Georges admitted. He managed a smile then put a hand on Kate's shoulder. "We'll figure it out together."
A polite rap sounded on the door.
Kate quickly slipped her sunglasses on.
Sparrow startled and opened her eyes slowly. She tightened her grip on her pistols but remained seated, ensconced on the sofa.
Georges moved to the door and grabbed the handle but did not open it right away. He glanced over his shoulder at Kate and Sparrow. Satisfied everyone was ready, he held his rifle just out of sight behind the door and turned the ornate handle.
A stout man in an immaculately tailored uniform stood in the corridor. His hand was raised as if her were about to knock again.
"Ah," the man said with a broad, toothy smile. "There you are! I was just about to give up and check the dining room." He gestured down the hall.
"Can I help you?" Georges asked. He slid his rifle into an umbrella stand next to the door.
"On the contrary," the man replied and explained. "I am Captain Paavo. I merely wished to extend my greetings to you and extend to you every courtesy my ship can offer."
"Of course," Georges replied. He opened the door further and motioned for the Captain to come in. "It would be rude to keep you from any part of your ship. Please, come in."
Captain Paavo accepted the invitation and stepped into the suite. The man's eyes found Kate standing beside the sloping glass wall.
"I see you have already discovered you have the best view aboard my Katrin!" The Captain clapped his hands together and motioned around the suite. "The builders spared no expense to create the most opulent quarters afloat anywhere here on Aesti."
"Yes," Kate said. "I can't wait to get aloft for the full effect."
"You will not be disappointed!" Paavo exclaimed enthusiastically and waggled a finger. "This I can promise!"
Kate studied the man. He was the very embodiment of ship's Captain, at least what the airship company wanted everyone to perceive. After meeting Dagger, Kate now knew a ship's Captain came in many forms and temperaments. But, the image of a respectable ship's master had been engrained into the mass consciousness over many centuries of travel across watery seas and the void of space. Captain Paavo met those expectations in every way. His tanned face was framed by a tidy salt and pepper beard to provide a distinctive, experienced appearance. He wore a perfectly pressed uniform of black material complete with gleaming brass buttons, gold trim on the sleeves and thin line of ribbons across his chest. His white shirt appeared to be starched solid. Kate did not doubt Captain Paavo knotted the perfect bow tie at his collar himself each day as the final touch of his morning routine.
Captain Paavo turned his attention to Sparrow.
"Have you found everything to your liking, young lady?"
"Oh yeah," Sparrow said. She waved her hand languidly. "Couldn't be better."
Paavo nodded but continued to fix on Sparrow with his clear blue eyes. Kate knew the man could see the link sprite was not well. Sparrow's pale skin and the dull circuitry visible beneath her scalp were enough for anyone to discern she was not at her best. He looked to Georges. With what appeared to be true sincerity and the restraint of someone who was used to dealing with people who insisted on privacy, the Captain offered, "If you need...anything..." He gestured at Sparrow.
"Thank you, Captain." Georges bowed his head slightly. "We have everything we need for now."
Kate knew he meant it. If he believed there was any care Sparrow could receive from Paavo, Georges would definitely accept it. But, the problem Sparrow was experiencing with the planet's magnetosphere and the interference caused by the local sun's emissions were nothing a Tallinn doctor could be expected to handle. Maybe if Captain Paavo knew an astrophysicist, Kate mused. Kate pushed the thoughts to the side and focused on the Katrin's Captain. Her eyes drifted to the ribbons above his breast pocket. Campaign medals. She was drawn to one in particular.
"Merevagi?" Kate asked.
The Captain stopped midsentence in his side-conversation with Georges.
"Why, yes," Captain Paavo replied, a little surprised. He fingered the ribbons. "Tallinn Naval Forces, 7th Space Squadron."
Once again, Kate found additional, relevant information in her mind without recalling ever learning the facts she now possessed. She was glad for the dark glasses she wore. Kate figured her eyes would be burning brightly, as they were apt to do whenever Knowl or Javin felt they needed to provide her with a data dump.
"You were at Ravala," Kate stated. She thought furiously. Ravala? City? Country? Planet? Was it even a place? Perhaps the name of a battle which led to a great Tallinn victory.
"Yes," Paav
o said. He smiled wistfully. "I commanded my first ship there, the Yavval, a light ironclad."
"It was a good day," Kate agreed, as if she shared in the memory of the great battle she actually had little or no insight into.
"We routed the Osilians and saved civilization from enslavement," Paavo replied proudly. "The Tallinn's showed their new strength at Ravala."
Suddenly all the details flooded Kate's brain. The Osilians, like the Tallinns, were descendants of early colonization efforts originating from Earth. The Osilian Empire began some two hundred light years from Earth. Its leaders decided they would be better at governing humanity than the stodgy elders of the home world. Unfortunately, their means of rule consisted of complete control over every aspect of a citizen's life. Under the Osilian's, you possessed only those freedoms they saw fit to grant you, and there usually were not many. Wholesale 'liquidation' of unsupportive populations was also a favorite Osilian strategy for dealing with dissent. You were either for the Osilian rulers or you were tortured then killed.
The Tallinn Republic, long written off as a backwater group of loosely affiliated colonies, joined forces with the Stellar Union to oppose the spread of Osilian conquest. The combined Tallinn and SU fleets defeated the Osilian's invasion decisively above the planet of Ravala. It was the first time the Tallinn Republic flexed its newfound military muscle. It would not be the last.
Kate understood now. Aesti, the planet they were about to fly over, had been colonized by the Tallinns only a decade or so before the Battle of Ravala. The Tallinns obviously found Knowl and put his insight to work to build their early mechs and the incredible mechanical starships powered by their previously unknown energy source.
Knowl's discovery marked the beginning of the Tallinn Republic's rise as well as the Stellar Union's slow decline.
"Thank you for your service," Kate said. She was sincere. After all, no matter which side Captain Paavo served, he had answered his people's call to service and fought their battles.
"Thank you," Captain Paavo said, his back straighter than when he had entered. "Please, let me know if I can do anything for you during your journey." He eyed Georges for a moment. Kate knew Paavo could tell Georges was military, but was too polite to press for details on their first meeting.
"We will be lifting off in just a few minutes," Captain Paavo announced. He gestured to the windows. "Enjoy the view."
The Captain stepped out into the corridor and pulled the door shut behind him.
"Nice, Kate," Sparrow said. "Insight worthy of a sprite."
Kate took off her glasses and looked into a huge mirror. Her eyes gleamed and flashed with bright blue lightening.
"Or worthy of a big old smart tree," Kate corrected.
"Whatever," Georges commented appreciatively. "You have him in the palm of your hand...should we need his help."
Kate met Georges' gaze. She was now certain of something else.
"We will."
Chapter 15
Skyrake
"At least the Captain was true to his word," Kate said as she looked out the reinforced crystal glass windows of the Chancellor's Suite aboard Katrin's Koit. Captain Paavo had left only ten minutes ago and already they were rising into the air. Kate figured he probably went straight to the bridge after his visit and given the order to cast off the moorings. There were, after all, no other passengers to wait for. Kate smiled at the thought. Whether or not Dagger meant to hurry up their departure, she achieved this goal when she used her local aristocrat friend's account to buy out every cabin on the airship.
Sparrow pulled herself off the couch and took a tentative step forward. The combination of the airship's rolling motion and her weakness caused the sprite to stumble. She reached out and grabbed a wing-backed arm chair to keep herself from falling.
Kate hurried to Sparrow's side and steadied her. She slung the sprite's arm over her shoulder.
"Want to sit back down?" Kate asked. She knew her eyes were lit brighter than they normally were. They tended to increase in intensity when she was concerned. And right now, she was worried about Sparrow. She could see slivers of blue light as her eyes reflected off the shiny metal of the link sprite's dimmed circuits.
"No," Sparrow managed to say. Even the slight exertion winded her. After a moment, Sparrow nodded at the floor-to-ceiling window. "I want to see Aesti as we pass overhead."
Kate was worried about Sparrow. What did Knowl have in store for her? How was Kate supposed to heal the link sprite? Kate pushed the thoughts aside. If Sparrow wanted to see the city from this vantage point, she would at least grant her as much.
"Oh!" Sparrow exclaimed as Kate helped her to the edge of the windows.
Kate could understand the sprite's sudden joy. The scene before them was breathtaking.
The airship rose from the port and now slowly turned to the northeast to head slightly into the wind. By countering the breeze, they would manage to fly on vector due north. The local sun hung swollen and red-orange low on the horizon. A layer of clouds caught the setting rays so the sky suddenly flared brighter as if it had caught fire. The city below looked like a jewel. Every pane of glass and sharp metal corner gleamed a reddish hue. And there were plenty of reflective surfaces in the Tallinn city below. The steel spires and arches appeared to be lit from within by a magical golden light. As the airship gained speed and altitude, the city beckoned to it with thousands of brilliant flashes.
"Looks like we're under attack," Georges grunted. He held up his hand against the flashing glares reflected from the multitude of spires.
"Or they are wishing us well," Sparrow suggested sweetly.
"I doubt it," Georges snorted. "And certainly not if they had any clue as to what we planned."
"Shhh," Sparrow said to Georges. "Remember, sometimes you just have to live in the moment."
"I still think it looks—" Georges began.
"Shhh," Sparrow cooed softly. "Remember...the moment..."
To Kate's surprise, Georges faced the giant window, took a deep breath and stayed silent. Together, the three of them watched as the sun dipped behind the hills in the west. The reflections from the city dimmed then winked out one by one. The spires turned to black shadows against the dark blue of the twilight sky. Stars popped into existence and seemed to march across the sky from the east as they chased the sun around the planet. Lights began to appear here and there in the buildings until the spires resembled a diamond studded crown with a hundred points reaching for the night sky.
The tear rolling down Kate's cheek was her next surprise. She did not wipe it away. Instead, she followed the sensation of the hot bead as it flowed along the contours of her face. More tears followed until both cheeks were damp.
"What's wrong?" Sparrow asked quietly.
Kate shook her head and wiped at her face. Sparrow took her hand and stopped her. The other woman used her sleeve to dry the remaining tears. Kate really had no idea why she was crying. Whether it was the result of their stressful journey, the joy of heading for Knowl, or the beauty of the scene, or a combination of all these things, she could not say.
"It's okay," Sparrow said and started to lead Kate away from the windows.
Georges grunted.
"For that," Sparrow called over her shoulder, "you get to find another room. Kate and I are taking the Chancellor's Suite for ourselves." Her declaration complete, Sparrow, who still hung on the other woman's shoulder, maneuvered Kate toward the bedroom and its deep inviting pillows and down covers.
"I'll take the couch," Georges said. "It seemed to work well enough for you."
"Suit yourself, old man," Sparrow called back.
Kate took one last look out at the night landscape. For now, she was happy. She wondered if it would be for the last time.
"This place is dead," Dagger remarked. She waved her half-empty glass at the empty seats all around the room.
"Could have something to do with you buying out the place," Ross replied. He took a long drink of his ta
ll glass of dark ale. "Tends to put a damper on the party atmosphere."
"Well, you didn't expect me to share this..." Dagger sneered and waved around the empty bar, "...ship with a bunch of strangers, did you?"
"What exactly would you call me?" Ross asked. "Or the others for that matter?"
Dagger snorted. "You're the closest things to friends I've had for, oh, the last three years, give or take thirty-six months."
Ross looked at the pilot then laughed out loud.
"What?" Dagger asked, suddenly defensive.
"That has got to be the saddest thing I've heard in a long, long time," Ross said.
Dagger's lip twitched.
"Now, don't go all smiley on me!"
Dagger leaned closer and lowered her voice. "Since you asked, let's run down the score. You, well I think you're fun. She," Dagger pointed at her sister, now sitting on a stool at the end of the bar, "needs to have the tral knocked out of her. And he needs to get bedded." Dagger pointed at Merrick at a nearby table with his sniper rifle dissembled and laid out for cleaning. He noticed them but went on with his work without comment. "I mean seriously, when's the last time—"
Ross held up his hand. "I make it a point to stay out of the Master Sergeant's personal life."
This statement got Dagger excited. "Okay, so speaking of personal, what's the deal with your Colonel and the link sprite? Are they a couple or not?"
Ross laughed. "Not, I think. But again..."
"Yeah, yeah, stay out of their lives." Dagger waved her hand at Ross and took a gulp of her drink. "It's about time you changed your tune on that line."
Ross looked back at the pilot with a quizzical look.
"Whatever Kate has gotten herself...gotten us into," Dagger declared, "is going to change everything."
"Everything? You mean between the Tallinns and Earth?"
Dagger snorted. "Probably. But I was thinking closer to home."
Ross thought about Dagger's statement and took a long drink.
"You mean between us? Between everyone on this 'quest', as Ms. Thompson likes to call it."
