Thunder Moon: Book 2 of the Chatterre Trilogy (Chatterre Triology)

by Jeanne Foguth

  "Six point seven percent." His tone was so censorious that his jowls quivered.

  "In light of the cost in lives and ships, I though it was prudent."

  That got his attention. "Did you order all Reclamation Units to cease production?" He glared at her. Her mouth went dry and she nodded. "On whose authority?"

  "The situation warranted it. If you would like to view the tapes -" She reached into her carry-bag.

  "You work for me," he cut in. "I tell the fleet what to do. Not you."

  "I understand that, Sir. I believe you or any other responsible shepherd would have done the same, if they had been in my position."

  "You'd better hope the video-logs bear out your claims."

  “It will.” At least it would unless Otami had found a way to change the data logs.

  The Fleet Overlord returned his attention to the data-stream. "Until my investigation is complete, you're on leave." He made a swishing motion as if shooing away a pesky insect.

  “But Sir, the dragons have been acting-”

  “Without pay,” he barked.

  “We need every herd-”

  He surged to his feet and leaned across his desk. “I gave you an order.” Spittle sprayed her face. She fought her inclination to shove him backward.

  “Yes, Sir. B-“

  “Leave!”

  Her molars ached from gritting together and tears blinded her, but she kept her chin high and her pace steady, as she walked out of the office.

  With each step, she became more certain that Otami had set up this humiliation.

  With every step, she assured herself that Otami’s lies would catch up with him.

  As she left the building, sunlight bathed her face and her jaw trembled. A second later, a hand clamped around her arm and yanked her into the shadows. She gasped.

  "Shhh. You need to come with me."

  "Preston, what are you doing here?” She twisted to stare at him. “Why are you here?"

  "Never mind. You need to come with me."

  "But Dalf-"

  "You can't go home. Not now. Not ever.”

  A chill washed over her. “What do you mean?”

  “Didn't Rufurt tell you?"

  "Tell me what?"

  "That your punishment for disobedience was that everything you possessed was condemned."

  "No, they can't! Dalf-"

  "Should have been recycled long ago." He shook her arm. "Think of it this way, you're being freed of the anchors you've tied yourself down with, now you can-"

  "How dare you talk like Dalf is nothing! He is a living being. And what about the warrior? Have you realized that you'll lose your DNA bank?"

  He paled. "What about the android?"

  "It's still aboard Nambaba." She gestured to the mooring area.

  Preston squinted at the docks then glared at her. “So I’ve lost that, too.”

  Raine looked at the maze of empty wharfs and realized that to a physician they would appear as if their only function was a tidal barrier. From the sky, submerged ships were visible and the broken concentric rings were obviously docks. Nambaba was merely one of many shepherd-ships absorbing hydro beneath the surf.

  Preston grabbed her arm and began dragging her toward the public ferry dock. "We need to get you to The Pinnacle." She tried to pull free. "No one will look for you there, so its your best chance at staying alive." Her blood ran cold as the significance of his meaning sank in.

  “What do they know?”

  “Who gave them my name?” he snarled.

  “If anyone did, my guess would be Otami.”

  “I can not afford to have anyone investigate me or my activities,” Preston said.

  Who could? No matter how innocent actions were, people like Otami twisted situations and events into sinister plots, which cast the blame on others and left him looking superior. He was especially good at that when he was the guilty one.

  How typical that the mooncows' aberrant activity had begun during his shift, but he had found a way to blame her for everything.

  Chapter 14

  Thunder woke from a dreamless sleep and stretched, the world moved. He stiffened. The curved gray ceiling loomed above him and the dank air seemed to suffocate him. To his left, water rippled and the strange creature snuggled against his right side. He closed his eyes and willed himself to wake from this nightmare.

  "Me-Casa-D," the thing hissed and clicked.

  It took Thunder a moment to realize it had spoken. Tentatively, he touched the cool leathery hide. "I'm Thunder." It shivered at the sound of his name.

  "Th-under ease dan-ger. Storm come."

  He chuckled. "True. My little sister couldn't pronounce my actual name, and started calling me Thunder, then soon, everyone called me that. So, the nickname stuck."

  "Hear N speak. This good."

  He could imagine. "I need your help." Dalf eagerly made an agreeable sound. "I need to go home."

  "Where we?"

  "Cal-mar." If GEA-4 was correct.

  Dalf made several excited-sounding clicks. "You Pal- dare N play name trick. How soon eyes work?" The vacant sockets turned toward him.

  "I'm Thunder. A woman brought me here."

  "Shay?"

  "Raine."

  "Mudder no bring stray-ger here." Dalf's webbed hands fluttered.

  His mother! He must have misunderstood the pain-shrouded memory. "The one who has a Ghilly dragon for a pet."

  Dalf's sharp whistle startled him. It took him a few moments to realize the creature was laughing. Before Thunder could analyze what was so funny, the chamber jerked, as if caught; then the room whipped from side to side, as if it was being shaken in gigantic jaws or being toyed with by an earthquake. He fell, shoulder first, into the water.

  ooo

  Tem-aki stared at the holographic image, where a gigantic sky-hook hovered over the structure where her brother had last been seen. Three cables had already been lowered and as the last one was secured to the white globe portion, the sky-hook began gaining altitude.

  What were they doing?

  Within moments, the entire sphere had risen above the gentle waves, while the top portion was white, the lower was a shaggy green. Tem-aki chewed her lower lip as she tried to figure out why the skyhook was reeling the sphere out of the water. Was this the way they cleaned their buildings? Since Guerreterre is a waterless world, she had no idea how a water-based culture would live, let alone clean off the obviously dirty portion, which had been under water. As the skyhook continued to climb, a thin, white straggly section, that looked a lot like the stringy parts of the old ctenophore class ship, appeared. Before she could mull the unexpected sight over, another globe began to emerge from the water. Tem-aki blinked in surprise.

  As the third sphere came into view, Dasya Voltain began displaying Larwin's transponder code. By the time the skyhook began to move away from the area with seven globes suspended below it, Larwin's code was strong. She studied the odd structure, which reminded her of a cluster of grapes she had seen harvested on Latawba before the planet was incinerated.

  She watched with morbid fascination as she tried to understand this new development and what it might mean to her and her brother. Whatever it meant, she vowed she would not lose contact with Larwin's transponder code, if she could help it.

  ooo

  With the brazen arrogance worthy of a noble, Preston hustled her toward a porpoise-boat, which was tied at the ferry dock and forcing a large loon-ship to hold off docking. Raine kept her head down and hoped that none of the workers, lining the railing to see what was causing the delay, recognized her or her brother.

  She leaped aboard the porpoise-boat as Preston untied the line. As she sank into the soft cushions, the ease and aroma of wealth surrounded her. "I'm honored that you'd allow a condemned person in your vehicle."

  "Cut the sarcasm!" Preston slammed the hatch shut. "Do you know how furious The Zar is?" He piloted the boat away from the dock at top speed, leaving a wave in the no -w
ake zone.

  Raine inched lower and pulled hair over her face. "I'll wager you've appointed yourself to tell me."

  "Vole d'Laire counts on the eepyllihg profits to run this world." Everyone knew that. "One more glitch in the production will send you to Reclamation."

  Tempting as it was to glare at him, saving her reputation was more crucial, so she clenched her teeth and tried to calculate how long it would take before they were past the ferry. Preston used her silence as an opportunity to rant about the trouble she was in, but Raine doubted if he'd shed a tear if they recycled her body minerals and suspected that he was covering emotions about Dalf and the warrior's potential discovery with his outburst.

  "You can sit up," he said.

  She looked back at their wide wake. "Let me guess, you're doing this because you're afraid I'd be interrogated and Vole d'Laire will learn that his star toxin inventor did something decent like treating injuries." Preston stared at her. "Don't worry, I'll never tell the Guards that you treated either of them."

  He smirked as he pressed the submerge button on the console. "You don't know anything about me." As the boat dove beneath the waves, she wished he were right.

  ooo

  Thunder crawled out of the wildly rocking room, and began climbing up the equally chaotic corridor. "Does this happen often?" he asked through gritted teeth.

  "Never," Dalf wailed. "Are de Guerreterre attacking?"

  "I don't know." Thunder lost his grip as the floor became the wall and tumbled into the mural room, where the fish in the pictures on the walls had previously looked like fish were darting in the leafy grass. Unfortunately, now, the mural was a moving between water and half sky, which mirrored the violent motion he was feeling. He clutched his stomach as his shoulder slammed against the large cushion, which was now on a wall. With a rush, the images of fish were completely replaced by amber sky over water. He groaned as the round room gently moved back and forth like a bobber on a fishing line. He moaned as he clutched his stomach.

  A loud whoop-whoop sound made his ears cringe, then the room stabilized and the murals appeared to soar like a bird over the water.

  What a horrible place.

  What an incredible wall.

  As the chamber swung, like being inside a pendulum, Thunder was flung onto his back. He looked up; three huge ivory-colored balls, which were connected to the pale green tube, all of which seemed to be in the clutches of a mammoth ruby-throated dragonfly. Somehow, he knew that magical painting didn't surround the room; it was some sort of incredible window. Nausea forgotten, he touched the cool, smooth surface and marveled.

  A sharp whistle broke over the whoop-whoop-whoop beat of the dragonfly's wings. Dalf's face appeared in the open doorway. Thunder hadn't thought the fish-boy's complexion could get any whiter, but he'd been wrong. "Are you looking for me?"

  With rapid clicks of happiness, the creature tumbled into the room and landed on top of him. If only the kid could see and tell him what was happening.

  "Relax. Sleep, if you can. I'm going to touch your face and try to help your eyes."

  Dalf trustingly snuggled against him. Thunder took a deep, cleansing breath and hoped he could rebuild the missing tissue.

  ooo

  Tem-aki stared at the magnified view of the skyhook as it proceeded on a ENE heading, the grape-cluster-structure now stable below, as it moved across the otherwise desolate sea. Abruptly, one of the sensors chimed and she checked the view-screen. The madrox were swarming between Vilecom and Kalamar’s atmospheric layer, again. The only difference was that this time the point the beasts were congregating at was farther northeast.

  She blinked and thought back to the previous points of congregation, and was fairly certain that it had also been in line with the odd grape-cluster-home.

  What is it about that structure that attracted them like filings to a magnet?

  ooo

  As the porpoise boat popped back above water, Raine glared at Preston. "Nambaba is my personal property."

  He rammed the stick all the way forward. The porpoise-boat leaped through the waves.

  "You weren't serious about everything being confiscated, were you?"

  "Every time the dragons targeted the Sea of Storms, they pinpointed your home." Raine gasped and shook her head. Preston glanced at her, his expression grim. "Winslow doesn't know that and he won't learn about it."

  "You can't be serious."

  "A certain individual owes me a life-favor."

  "Why are you doing this?"

  "Who says I'm not doing it for myself?"

  Raine, who had always thought Preston did everything for his own benefit, even though he always claimed to be doing favors for others, didn't know what to say. They passed a channel marker warning: Preston reduced speed and adjusted the altitude. By the time he swung the boat into a shipping lane, the porpoise boat was skipping over the wave crests. He quickly overtook a large, fast-moving swan-ferry and several slower flattop freighters

  Within minutes, a yellow warning buoy announced the end of deepwater. Preston slowed the craft as they swept past outlying bubble homes and cut back even more as marsh encroached on the channel. Here, the small houses were woven of the reeds that surrounded them and easily destroyed by storms and insect infestations, but for once, Preston was going a respectful speed and obeying the no-wake warnings. Gray birds swooped to catch the clouds of biting insects that plagued the area. Raine shuddered to think of living in the shadow of The Pinnacle and enduring the hardships for the privilege of serving the Vole d'Laires.

  "Does anyone ever own anything? Actually own it?" Preston's question startled her.

  "I own Nambaba and my hous-"

  "Do you?"

  Raine bit her upper lip. She had until Vole d'Laire blamed her for the mooncow problems.

  Preston began maneuvering past a massive swan ferry. As the porpoise-boat eased into its shadow, a crowd of hydro-farmers hooted from the rail above them. Suddenly something hit the windscreen. Preston casually flipped a switch and rinsed it away.

  "What was that?"

  "Kelp leaf."

  "I hope whoever lost their lunch-"

  "They didn't drop it, they threw it." Preston's expression was angry. "You live in solitude and rarely come here. You have no idea what public sentiment is like. Since the war ended, public opinion has turned to rage against the Vole d'Laires."

  Raine's jaw dropped and she shook her head.

  Preston nodded. "A revolution has been brewing ever since Winslow took over, but it's been worse since the war. You only see your loss. I don't think a single family was spared the pain of loss and they all blame Winslow." The porpoise boat passed out of the ferry's shadow. "You asked why I saved you. I saved you so we could save each other and Shay. We need to collect supplies and make a plan to flee off planet before Vilecom crashes."

  "What about Dalf? He needs the oceans, they’re his heritage.”

  Preston made a dismissive gesture. "When you chased the dragon and found the warrior, did you see a habitable planet?"

  She shook her head. "It would be better to move the moon than find another habitable planet. Dalf-"

  "Forget him. He's already gone." They moved past a crush of destitute-looking huts anchored amongst a sea of saw grass. She stared at the markings of each residence and wondered how her brother could ignore so many innocent souls.

  "Dalf can't be gone."

  Preston's lips flattened. He flicked a switch and a whale song filled the boat.

  ooo

  Thunder guided a torn ligament along the atrophied optic muscle toward old scar tissue. When it arrived where it belonged, the old wound shimmered and glowed as it transformed into a glowing liquid, which secured the ligament in place. And then, the light expanded until the vacant eye socket filled with radiance.

  Cell by cell the first damaged eye was restored, but before Thunder could finish the second eye, he was thrown across the room. He landed face first.

  Pain radiat
ed through his head. Dalf shrieked. He heard several more thuds and bangs as the rest of the room's contents tumbled across the room. Then, all became quiet except for the base whomp-whomp-whomp, which he'd been ignoring.

  It took all his willpower to roll onto his back.

  The monstrous dragonfly was hovering above him. Were they safer here or outside this strange place? A thin strip fell from the dragonfly, above and seemed to be coming toward him. Thunder put his arm across his eyes. It landed with a loud whack that made the room shudder. When he opened his eyes, the line lying across the clear wall looked thick as his waist. His mouth went dry.

  Thus far, this place had provided one amazement after another. What would happen next?

  "No," Dalf whistled. "Not Doom Sea."

  Thunder turned toward him and was amazed to see that his attention was on the black ooze underfoot and not on the giant insect, which had grasped the structure they were in. A loud snapping sound brought his attention to the area near the big pillow, where Dalf had been thrown. The crack near the fish-boy looked like a break in ice. As he watched, the break widened along with a horrible stench.

  Dalf wrenched back his webbed hand, as if he'd touched embers. The fish-boy screamed as he scrambled to his webbed feet and rushed out the door.

  Thunder looked down. More back tar-like stuff oozed through the damaged area. He gasped and choked on the acrid stench. Ignoring his pain, he rolled onto his feet and hobbled after the panicked boy.

  ooo

  Tem-aki sat inside Dasya Voltain’s science lab, her attention torn between the holographic image of the grape-cluster-structure and the madrox activity on the view-screen. As the skyhook neared a vile, black octagonal area, the madrox became disorganized and the ctenophore class ships begin to regain control.

  With that worry for her brother's safety dissolving, Tem-aki magnified the sky-hook's image until she could see the pilot's expression. He looked like he knew that the demons of hell are after him. Tem-aki frowned and glanced at the larger picture, which showed the skyhook hovering over the edge of the huge octagonal area containing a black substance. “Computer, do a chemical analysis of the contained substance.” She tapped the contents of the manufactured containment area.