by Casey Lea
“Well, it seems you had it covered.” Which really turns me on. Her arms tightened around his neck to draw her body up along his, like a silk ribbon slipping past. The pain in his shoulders disappeared, but he started angling toward the ground anyway.
“This time we're landing first.”
40
Rollercoaster
Amber dropped through smoke and only her metabolic field stopped her from choking. She fell into a ragged ravine toward ground zero and her mind went blank. Her heart was in limbo as she tumbled through hell and even anger deserted her, to leave only dread. She had to see the damage. Had to be sure. Her com steadily pulled more power from its subspace link, regaining what it had used, but too slowly to float her down and instead she hurtled at the ground. When the smoke grew so thick it was a blanket, her com finally shot upward, dragging her braced arm with it in emergency braking.
Amber struck the half-melted metal at the bottom of the pit and was driven to her knees. Her arrival made the ground toll like an enormous bell. She shuddered and fell to all fours, trying to see anything with eyes or fronds. It was no longer pitch black. The smoke at the bottom of the pit was a lurid red that flickered along with the fire burning in the lab beyond. She closed her eyes and crawled toward the heat.
There was a grating, metallic screech and a rush of fire retardant when the local emergency system finally came on line. A foamy wave washed over Amber and into the ruined lab. She huddled until it had passed, before cautiously raising her head. Daylight filtered down from the world above and she could finally see the blackened doorway that once opened into a narrow well. A crash made her jump, when something further inside collapsed.
Amber rose and swayed, gulping at the fresh air that had arrived with the light. She steeled herself and took a step, but was seized from behind before she could throw herself under the sagging lintel. She fought back instantly, grappling with her captor. However he continued to hold her firmly, even when she managed to bite his wrist. He grunted at that and Amber's heel punched upward, aiming for her attacker’s groin while he was distracted. Her kick thudded home, but his reactions were quick and she hit only his thigh.
“Be still,” he panted and held her harder, tight enough to hurt. “For someone who doesn't like to fight you’re most painfully good at it.”
Amber hardly heard him, as she twisted in his grip again, almost breaking free, but failing. This had to be a nightmare. She flailed more wildly, but her attacker just pulled her into a hug in response. She was wrapped too tight to strike out, although she kept on struggling, so she started to beg as well. “Please, Falkyn's in there. My friend. He could be... hurt. Let me go.”
“Amber, no, I'm here. I'm fine.”
She stopped fighting and sagged in disbelief. “Fal?” Her relief was followed by a sudden anger that felt just as painful and intense. “What do you mean you're fine? Why aren't you dead? I thought you were dead.” She felt unexpected tears, but twisted to face him anyway, desperate to confirm that it was true.
Falkyn smiled down at her, his grin wide and unpuckered by scars. “The program finished and I woke up. I was alone in the dark, so I got the hail out. I was above, way above, when the lab exploded. What happened?”
“The t'ssaa I suspect.”
Falkyn grimaced, but Amber's anger melted away when she finally registered his new face. Her hands rose of their own volition to trace his brow, his unmarked cheeks, the perfect line of his jaw. “It worked.”
“It surely did.” Falkyn plucked Amber off the ground with two healthy arms and looked up at the pocket of sky above. There was a soft rustle and his wings unfolded, spreading across the shattered pit.
The movement snapped Amber from her trance and she almost stopped breathing. “You're not going to-?”
“It's okay. I did this before - the first time I left. It's easy. It just feels like a shrug and a sneeze combined.”
“I really don't think-”
“We need to go before the t’ssaa return to check their results,” Falkyn pointed out and Amber forgot her protest, at least until they shot upward. They rocketed into the sky and she screamed in delight. Terrified delight admittedly, but still... perhaps her courage would rival Misty's one day. Her yell turned to a strangled gargle when they climbed higher and then higher again. Gratuity shrank beneath them while the sky turned to indigo around them.
They finally stopped when Falkyn's wings ran out of air to blast. It was only then that Amber realized she was halfway up his body, clinging to his neck, but he seemed unconcerned. He tipped back, carrying her with him, and they curved in a lazy arc before falling head first from the sky.
Amber screamed again and this time delight could get drakked. They were about to go splat and Falkyn was laughing. Actually laughing. What the hail was wrong with the boy? His wings spread wide to catch the air and the planetoid below tilted when they curved back into a gentle climb. Their flight leveled and she managed to stop digging her nails into Falkyn's neck. She didn't feel guilty about scratching him in the least. “Take me home.”
“Sure.” Falkyn began a slow glide down and Amber sighed softly.
Mayhap this wasn't so ba-ad. A personal float sailed from a cloud and missed them by a chromosome's breadth. They dipped sideways, banking away, and Falkyn laughed again while Amber clutched him tighter than ever. “How about the ship?” she croaked. “Let's drop straight down to the docks.”
“Okay.” He tucked his wings and they dived again. The wind rushed past so fast she could hardly hear her own scream. It was left behind them, somewhere in the upper atmosphere. She really hated flying.
41
Confessions
Amber felt only the faintest thud when Falkyn touched down at the docks, but the sudden stillness convinced her they had stopped. She knew she should open her eyes, but it seemed impossible. She was still scrunched up around his neck and completely unable to let go. She gritted her teeth. No, still nothing.
“How strange,” Falkyn murmured near her ear. “I'm sure we left the ship here. Wasn't this where we parked?”
Amber's eyes popped open and they were at Zyl’s dock alright, but the sleek t'ssaa vessel was gone. Instead a more massive craft with the flared sides of an Alliance ship floated there. Very odd.
“A most extreme facelift,” Amber agreed, but before Falkyn could answer a human appeared. A solid figure dropped from under a fluted strut and swaggered toward them. He waved a hand in their direction as if swatting away buzzers.
“Be off with you. On your way. No gawkers allowed.”
Falkyn removed the arm that was under Amber's knees to let her legs fall. He bent slightly and when her feet touched the ground he released the rest of her. She might have been in genuine danger of kneeling to kiss the grimy deck, if not for the approaching stranger. She stayed on her feet instead and watched him warily. He was stocky and human and seemed to be wearing a cat on his face.
Falkyn stepped in front of her and she had to lean around him to continue studying the portly man. His hair was ginger and his massive beard was ginger-blonde, while his lips were pursed in disapproval. “I said move on. Are you deaf? Find your own dock.”
“This is our dock,” Falkyn stated. “What have you done with our ship?”
The human's face cleared instantly and a delighted smile made the beard bristle. “You must be Falkyn and would that be Amber with you? A pleasure to meet you and by pleasure I mean the first night in a brothel after a year in space. Name's Duncan MacKenzie, but you can call me Mac. I was commissioned to do a super-fast delivery to young Ace, so here I am, slicker than a greased pig.”
Falkyn's sword appeared in his hand and Amber jumped away from him. His voice was just as calm as before, but deeper and strangely resonant. “How do you know us and where is our ship?”
Mac stepped back, raising a hand defensively. “No need for that, me lord. You're a cautious one I see and I admire that. The t'ssaa beauty I sold to Ace has been reclaimed by a pre
vious occupant and by occupant I mean a seven-foot tall, crested monstrosity that answers to Zariss. I suggest you take any dissatisfaction to him. I'm here at the request of a certain lovely, but rather anonymous, lady to bring a birthday present to her son. That's my task, all honorable and above board. She said I might meet you here and that's how I know your names. It's all as fair as a virgin maid.”
Falkyn sheathed his sword and Mac's beard bristled happily again. “Now my task is done I'll be on my way and by that I mean out of here.”
“Wait.” Amber stepped forward and Mac stopped in mid-turn. “What of this present for Ace?”
“I hoped you might take delivery of it, me pretty. The less time I spend on Gratuity's docks the better. The air here is bad for my health and I'm talking potentially terminal. What do you say? A sweet lady like you would surely help out an old friend?”
“Old friend?”
“We've not had a cross word between us in all our acquaintance and that makes you one of me best friends for sure. And while you may not be old, I promise you I'm ageing by the second. I'm already ancient past belief thanks to a life of constant pain and danger. So there we are. Old friends. What do you say? Will you take the ship?”
Amber felt her jaw drop. The ship? For a birthday present? She and Falkyn both swiveled to stare at the massive vessel. He moved closer and reached out to stroke its gleaming strut, careless of the drop between ship and dock. “Wow. There's spoilt and then there's just plain rotten. An entire ship?”
Amber turned back to Mac for confirmation, but he was gone. She could just make out his ample figure, high tailing it out of the docklands. Odd. “He was extra eager to leave. Could this be a trap?”
“The human was surely oozing guilt. Perhaps I should board first.”
Amber stepped forward to join him at once. “Oh no. The next time you explode I wish to be nearby.”
Falkyn laughed, but sobered when Amber continued toward the main hatch. A gantry extended from the ship at her approach and he was on her heels a second later. They entered the new vessel together. “Scans are good,” Amber said, studying her wrist com. “There's no hint of danger.”
“No sense of it either,” Falkyn agreed, before hoisting her happily into his arms again.
She sighed. “I can walk you know.”
“But you take it for granted, whereas I do not. Let me run for two, so we can get to the nest faster and take charge.”
He took off down the link and Amber made no further protest. They did move quicker together and he was definitely a take-charge kind of chick. Which was exactly what she’d been aiming for when pressuring Wing to breed. His kres son was everything she’d hoped he might be.
Falkyn skidded into a nest with its landing floor in place. They stood at the mid-point of a chromed globe. Shining walls curved away on all sides to meet over their heads and below their feet. The energy field acting as a floor was placed halfway up the open orb and was disconcertingly set to be transparent. Falkyn walked out into seeming emptiness, letting Amber down gently as he went.
She found her feet and turned slowly on a heel, gazing up at the silver dome overhead. “Most impressive. This is surely brand new.” Her elongated reflection looked back at her from above with stretched eyes, but Falkyn's curving image showed only a dark streak of hair. His head was still and he was making no effort to look around the strange ship. Instead he seemed to be staring at... her.
Amber's eyes flicked back to her companion and he was indeed watching her. Intently. “Why do I keep thinking I’ve seen you before?” he asked.
“Doubtless because I look so ordinary.”
Falkyn grinned and it was hard not to smile back.
“It’s strange,” she admitted, “but I feel like I already know you too.”
“Good. Then I’m not imagining your hidden fear. What’s wrong?”
Amber’s almost-smile slid into a definite gape. “What? I’m not scared. Not since we landed anyway.”
Falkyn ducked his head and sent remorse to her fronds. “Sorry about the rollercoaster ride. It was fun though.” He flashed another smile, but this time she resisted it. “I’ve seen you scared, before, up very close and personal, but that was different to what I sense from you now.”
“No, no it’s not. Fear is truly my default setting. Wait, did you deliberately frighten me with that flight home? Just to compare?”
This time Falkyn’s hair ruffled against his neck. “I needed to check. You’ve been carrying something since we first met and I want to help.”
A small, sad sigh escaped Amber, the faintest puff of air past her lips, but he frowned in response. “I knew it. There is something. I owe you my life twice now, but more than that, at some most basic level I know I’m your friend, so please let me help.”
Amber squared her shoulders and opened her mouth to be reassuring, but nothing came. Instead she stood mute, caught by unexpected temptation. She tasted bile and a sudden surge of confession that she had to choke down too. “No. No, you’re wrong. Right too of course, because living on the Rim has me in a constant state of adrenaline rush and that’s before we go out to hunt its criminals, but that’s all. There’s nothing more.”
Falkyn studied her sternly and she suddenly felt like a child caught in the middle of some trespass. “Please don’t lie to me,” he whispered. “I don’t understand how I know you so well, but I do. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing.” I must be wedded to my mission dread/ regret/ sorrow. Amber went stiff when she realized what she’d just revealed. How could she have been so lax? Her mental shield was usually perfect, but a single strident question from the chick's mind had her confessing all. It seemed she still had lessons to learn. Certain-sure she would never let him into her thoughts again.
“Mission?” he wondered.
Saving all, fixing past wrongs, fighting evil. “Drak. Stay out of my head!”
Falkyn grabbed her by the upper arms and shook her. “Never. It's the one place I know I belong. Tell me what danger you see and I can help.”
Amber started to laugh. She couldn't help it. This was her dearest dream. A chance to confide in someone, but now she stood on the brink of confession it was clearly ridiculous. If she told him the truth he’d think she was mad. Her heart clenched, but she suddenly knew exactly what she had to do. Falkyn was watching her with concern, so she choked off her mirth. Not that it mattered. It would surely help her drive him away.
“Fine,” she said, “but this will need telepathy. Relax.” My very first name was Ambrosia Grace of House Glahmaak and I was born just over four hundred and twenty-two thousand years ago. I've been reborn many times since, using a shard I cut from a massive crystal that was found at the heart of an artificial asteroid. The crystal was capable of storing energy templates and matter matrices then reconstituting them together. It gave me immortality.
Amber flinched at the strength of Falkyn’s incredulity. She hadn’t expected him to believe her, but somehow it was still galling. She forced herself to continue with the most ludicrous highlights of her lives that she could throw together.
My brother was immortal too. His original name was Sorrel, but he died most recently as Lord Sparrow. We were forced into endless lives in an effort to destroy a great evil. dread/ horror/ guilt. The Devourer murdered our entire people and he’s killed many others since.
He drains their energy into the master crystal that my shard came from. He uses it to keep himself young for eons without the danger of constant rebirth. So, my lives are spent waiting for the chance to trick him into draining his own energy instead of others.
Amber stopped, panting and Falkyn watched her solemnly. His mind was opaque and strangely she could read nothing from him. He couldn't possibly believe all that, could he? She needed something more to be sure. Also, he's the one behind every sentient species understanding bridge. He teaches it to them so he can spy with ease. He breeds up the sentients as well. As a food source and for entertainment I
think. Immortality can be slow. So there.
Falkyn nodded and moved to place a hand under her elbow in gentle support. “Amber, sweet, I think you need a seat. Let's get you comfortable.” He raised both his head and his voice. “Ship. I need meds right now. Tranquillizers.”
The silver ceiling rippled and a small packet fell to the invisible floor. Well. Amber's ploy had worked, but success was far from sweet. In fact it was surprisingly irritating. “So that's it? You'll instantly think me mad?”
“Now, Amber, whatever stress you may be under-”
“Stress? You arrogant bustwing.” Did I look stressed when I sacrificed one of my last shards to save you on Kresynt? Have you even wondered how you survived that explosion? Or did you simply forget the crystal I gifted you? It was part of a bigger gem that exploded the last time I was born. So it's likely this is it. My last life. Ever. It's a strange thought. Not even real. Not until Sparrow d-... was lost. I lost him. Anyway, I'm insane and you've a new life to get on with. “So go, chick. Shoo. Don't worry over me. Go share your new self with your mother.”
However, Falkyn showed no inclination to obey. Instead he looked at her strangely and his head tilted to one side. I do remember a crystal. Gods, the Arck is sure I'm dead, because I should be. Palace mines are lethal. How did I survive? Is it true? Amber? It’s possible, sure enough and you're right, “If I’m your friend I should start with belief, not doubt.”
“No.” Amber flapped her hands and cursed herself. “No, no, no. Ignore my pride and my wild imagination. It's all nonsense. Get me some drugs.”
Falkyn flicked his fingers at the console embedded in one shiny wall and collapsed backward. A seat appeared from compression storage just in time to catch him. He stared at Amber with growing awe. “It's true.”
“Nonsense. Don't you know someone in need of tranquillizers when you see her?” Falkyn started to smile. His slow, incredulous grin grew and Amber raced forward to kneel beside him. “No, no. Fal, this is dangerous. In so many ways.”
